Desolate Mage: A Legend Reborn! 88 Reunited 2

The red-headed beauty in a demure and classy one-piece white dress ran over the distance between them and jumped into Lars' arms, embracing him, and being embraced by him.

"I... I'm so glad... Lars... You're safe, after these two weeks, I've been s-so worried..." Seline buried her head in his chest, tears of joy streaming down her perfect face and beautiful rosy cheeks. She held him tightly, fiercely even, as if though she were afraid she were just dreaming and that her sweet dream might turn into a nightmare where he turned into a wisp of smoke and disappeared.

Lars felt giddy from the fragrant smell of her hair, and held her back tightly instinctively, not understanding how he felt about the girl and Moira.

But he knew that at this moment, his heart was warm and full with this passionate and enraptured girl held close to his heart, held safely in his arms.

"Seline, I..."

"Shh! Just... Please... Let me have this moment..."

She spoke so quietly that it was less than a whisper - and Lars merely nodded and acqueisced.

The indomitable and powerful queen bee was now at this time just as meek as a lamb, sending waves of delight through Lars as the sensations of her skin against his brought heat to his whole body!

'Seline, I... It's not like I can so easily forgive you for hurting Moira... It's just that...'

It's just that what? He himself didn't know. Maybe somewhere in those dark and lonely corridors of the Arena of Valour, the just as much alone and powerless girl had touched his heart.

Feeling pangs of pain in his soul when thinking about what had happened between them and how she had shed those tears of resignation, Lars didn't notice it but his hand rose to comfort her and stroke her smooth and luxurious hair.

Then all of a sudden, she pulled away, leaving him in the lurch as he was shocked at the sudden development.

She turned away quickly and asked with a gentle voice overflowing with love and care.

"Have you been well...? I... I see you managed to disciple yourself to an amazing patron... I... I hope everything is going truly great for you...?"

But while Lars was still unable to accept the abrupt turn of the situation, she waved her hand over her shoulder and strolled off with her head down, leaving him and Charley to stare with mouths agape as she walked off.

'But I... I didn't even answer yet... I don't understand...!'

'Sigh... Kiddo... The day you understand human women... Is the day you transcend the universe... Just give up on trying and enjoy the journey! You won't comprehend them even if you try, anyway!'

'...' Lars was speechless.

Then Charley patted him on the shoulder and said, "I wish I had your luck with girls..."

At those words, Lars gave him a death glare until Charley shrunk back in fear.

* * * * *

Sharon stood still, not saying a word as she stayed silently by Seline's side.

She kept quiet, pretending not to see how her mistress shed tear after tear in sorrow and loss.

"Why can't it be me... Why can't it be me you love...???" Seline held her chest in anguish as she fell to her knees and cried.

She had fled with a strong attitude and left, dreading the moment when the boy told her that it was only Moira on his heart.

So she could only steal that moment of the unguarded boys affection and depart...

And use whatever wiles, whatever strength, whatever resources she had to support him from the side.

Until the coming day 6 months late when that bitch Moira would disappear...!

Used as the Priestess of the Land, turned into a sacrificial offering to the glorious All-Heaven Divine Empire!

'Just you wait, Lars...'

She wiped away the tears from her eyes as the grin and life returned to her face, while there was a sparkle in her eyes.

I'll make you mine.'

"Let's go... There's a lot left to do until our plans here are solidified."

* * * * *

"So... What do we do next...? There are 3 days until the finals of the selection tournament, what should we do...? I mean, to earn money... That place we're staying at isn't cheap, y'know..."

These words sounded perfectly normal, perfectly natural to say - if they were coming from Charley.

But as they left the royal area (getting searched and patted down by the guards and subjected to derisive gazes from the butlers under Rashid, the earlier effeminate man who had shown them open contempt), they stopped at a side of the road as Lars asked Charley what they should do next.

But Charley merely smiled wryly and took it in stride.

Just, beneath his cool facade, Lars could tell that he was actually agitated and worried.

'Maybe he's worried about us not having enough money...? Or his pay...? I guess if he asks, I *could* give him like, a 5% raise...'

"Yeah, *BOSS*, that's a good question. Now that Natalie is missing... How do we get enough money to get by...? And for that, I believe there are 3 good solutions."

As they stood in the shade of a ramshackle and half burnt building, taking refuge from the 730 AM sunrays, Charley held up 3 fingers before him as he spoke to Lars.

"Option 1 is pretty good. Since you're f***ing strong, we could just go rob and loot the wreckages throughout the city."

"So... Is that the best way to earn money...? Are we choosing th-"

Charley shook his head and frowned at Lars' words, as if though he were disappointed in his boss' still lacking money senses.

"No no no...! That's too inefficient! Despite me saying it's not bad and the fact that we can get lots of money, the effort is also very high, what if clearing out all the debris! In addition, it also depends very much on luck! No, that's an option only fools would choose! Oh, not you, of course, right?"

Lars blushed furiously and felt quite irritated at the boy's glib words, but just cleared his throat and pretended that he wasn't just about to suggest taking option 1.

"Ahem, well, don't just stand there, carry on. What about options 2 and 3?"

"Yup yup! Just about to get to it! Option 2 is also not bad, also to do with searching... Only this time, it's to take up the doubtless countless quests that are going to be posted up. As you know, money won't be the problem for many of the smaller nobles right now... You do know right...?"

Lars cursed. How could this boy always manage to make him so uncomfortable? How was he supposed to know something like that??! After all, just a week ago, he had still been stranded in the bloody Arena of bloody Valour!

"Ahem, sigh, of course I know! But I won't spoil your story telling, you can go ahead and pretend that I don't know anything!"

Charley thought about it for awhile, but then he looked doubtful and replied, "Nahhh, I shouldn't repeat things you already know, lest you think me a wishy washy long winded big mouth! Which I am, by the way, in case you hadn't noticed yet..."

At those words and seeing the boy's irritating faked innocent face that he put on, Lars felt like hitting him until his cheeks swelled up like balloons. But since he needed the boy's streetwise ideas to earn money, Lars swallowed his pride and humbled himself.

"Erm... No, you really can just tell me... I-I don't mind..."

"No no no, how could I do so? You must think me such a boor..."

"Come on! Just tell me your story already!!!"

"No! I would not dare to belittle you with such a condescending action, why I--"

Finally Lars snapped and rapped Charley on the head sharply, shouting at him. "JUST FRIGGIN TELL ME THE DAMN THING ALREADY DAMMIT!!!!"

Charley squatted on the floor and rubbed his head with an aggrieved expression on his face, as if though he felt he was done an injustice! But he just muttered some complaints under his breath like, "Stupid ignorant boss," and "Big old brute," and then explained things properly.

"Y'see, nowadays, people in major cities don't actually carry much money around anymore. Everything is in the bank branch! The rich usually place most of their money with the local branch of the Great Tree Sect, and then the branch will absorb the money and transmit it to the Great Tree progenitor, the guardian deity of their sect!"

"...???" Lars' face turned blacker and blacker as he began to roll up his sleeves to teach this tease a lesson for not finishing his sentences properly!

"Alright, alright! You don't gotta be a ruffian about it, okay?!?" Charley folded his hands and looked away, closing his eyes in indignance, looking as if he were a high and mighty person being pestered by a peasant!

"All that means that... Most of the money of the rich nobles is still safe and intact! What they've lost are their possessions and buildings, but since they still have their riches... They'll definitely issue collection, gathering and other quests at the quester's guilds! And with your capabilities, that's gonna be easy money!"

"...Okay, finally, finally! Finally I understand what you've been trying to say the past... 1 minute! What a waste of time boy, you really like to beat around the bush!" Lars shook his head and pressed his lips together as he squinted and went *tut tut tut* while looking at Charley.

"Yeah and you act just like an old man... Even though we're the same age..."

"WHAT WAS THAT????"

"Nothing, nothing! And the answer is - no! That method is also not the most efficient, though it's something we can do at the side while executing our real plan - Option 3!"

Charley posed while looking up at the sky with his head tilted. He had one hand on his hip while the other was pointing to the sky, as if he had just given a brilliant reveal.

But seeing that his one-man audience was not impressed at all, Charley sighed with the vicissitudes of a genius' life and muttered to himself, "What a pity... To have a boss who doesn't understand you at all... So slow... So slow!!! It's a good thing he just needs to be the muscle in this operation..."

Then he quickly explained irritatedly, "Option 3 is simple! A stroke of genius that only an... Uh, a genius like me can come up with! Behold with awe, the magnificent plan 3 of Charley Charlemagne and his sidekick, Lars!"

"....Do you want to die...? Or maybe stay alive, but wish you could die...?"

"...S-Sorry. Okay, option 3 is related to options 1 and 2, which is why I started with those two inferior paths! As we know that there are many criminals in this city but also who carry out some portion of legitimate business... All we need to do is..."

"Rob those people who are using options 1 and 2! Like a mantis preying on the cicada!" Charley raised his chin smugly as he posed after the reveal of his great idea, expecting applause or cries of "Wow!" from his employer.

But he was met with silence and hurtful words instead.

"That's all...? Like... The mantis that hunts the cicada, but is then hunted by the oriole...? Not that I know what an oriole is, by the way... But... Doesn't the plan sound pretty..."

"...Illegal...?"

Charley quickly shook his head and grinned cunningly, then said...

"...Since when does that matter when getting rich...?"

Lars' eyes widened in shock, then began to narrow in anger... Before his eyeballs began to glaze over as his pupils changed shape - into platinum coins...

"...Just one last question..."

"When do we start?"

The two boys then shared an evil grin as they hatched their schemes.

It was time to take over the turf from the local extortionists, robber barons and thieves!

* * * * *

"...Elder Light Breeze, for the sake of my master, would you be willing to help...?"

A roughly 1.9 metre tall man stood before the elder of the Great Tree Sect. He looked normal and was dressed normally as well, only, he looked...

Exactly like Mikael - Lars' disguised form!

Elder Light Breeze nodded and agreed.

"Yes, the payment is more than enough. I'll help you locate the killer of your sworn brother. Remember to send your master my regards and... Ask him to get me out of this dump!" The old man with a long wispy white beard said the last part in a whisper.

Sand Crab Byrus, who looked exactly like the disguised form of Mikael, sneered with glee.

It was time to capture that bloody murderer of his sworn blood brother...!

Chapter end