The Achievement Junkie 140 Keela's Desperate Plea

"Let me explain." Jack retrieved the staff. With the red glow gone, it looked like it was a simple wooden staff made from an ancient tree. "This is Ponlinne's staff. It's a lv. 85 cleric staff and it is a mythic-tier weapon."

The tomb instantly was filled with the sound of heavy panting. Revealing Ponlinne's staff as a lv. 85 weapon and that it was mythic-tier was too much. It wasn't a straw that broke the camel's back, it was an anvil.

"Lv… 85… mythic…" Those words were echoing in their skulls.

"It was crafted from the trunk of a life tree by one of the greatest weaponsmiths of Ancient Kartonia. Though it just looks like a simple staff, it's stronger and more durable than the longsword that Flint chose. It also amplifies a clerics abilities even more than the dragon robe the Tarnel chose. This is a peerless item that only other mythic-tier items can compete with."

Finished with his explanation, Jack waited for them to come back to their senses. 

After some time, Flint was the first one to speak. "How do you know all this? And… Ancient Kartonia? What's all that about?"

Realizing that he had said too much too late, Jack sighed, "What I said is 100% true, but there's no one else who can validate it. Take the information however you wish."

Tarnel was calming down but Keela was torn. She really only wanted Ponlinne's staff. It meant the world to her clan and hearing that it was so valuable only made her more anxious to give it to her father.

"Please, Jack… Can I please have that item?" 

Her whimper caught Jack off guard. He watched as she fell to her knees and bowed even lower to him. "Please… Let me take the staff… I can only offer myself in return."

Groaning and struggling to keep his cool, Jack's determination to keep the staff was wavering. Jack walked up to her and helped her up. "Keela, tell me why it means so much to you and why that other lv. 75 cleric staff wouldn't suffice?"

Tears started welling in her eyes as she looked up and met his gaze. "Jack… I need that item because it's my only chance at freedom."

While Jack was confused, both Tarnel and Flint sighed. They quickly guessed what she meant by that.

"And why is that?" asked Jack.

"A long time ago I was betrothed to one of the Zuran Empire's many princes. It may sound like a wonderful opportunity, but that prince is a known lecher. He's a pig that only cares about using women for his own pleasure," Keela explained, disregarding the tears streaming down her face.

"The reason I'm down here is to find something that belonged to Ponlinne. My father only cares about gaining more influence in the empire, so that was the only way I was able to convince him to possibly rescind the betrothal. If I can't find such an item, then I'll be sent to the Zuran palace by the end of the month. The prince doesn't even want to wait till we're married to…"

Overwhelmed with emotions, Keela stopped talking and tried her best to wipe away her tears.

Shaken by her story, Jack couldn't help but struggle with his decision.

A few minutes passed in silence. Soon, Jack spoke up, "So that's why you were willing to give yourself up. You thought that I'd be a better candidate than that pig of a prince. Well, you're not wrong about that."

His joke lighted the air a little before Jack continued, "Keela, do you really think that your father would give up the betrothal that easily? What are the odds that your old man keeps the staff and hands you over anyway?"

Frozen in thought, Keela started to think more deeply about everything. Though she may have expected something like that, she still held to her belief of becoming free before Jack reminded. Why wouldn't she, that was her only chance?

"You know that Jack's right, Keela," added Tarnel. "If anything, your father would just hand you over quicker. With your betrothal and that weapon, the Pon family would cement itself as a key family throughout the empire."

"True, your father's a jerk!" yelled Flint, adding more proverbial salt to her wounds.

"Maybe you're right… but what else can I do?" Trembling where she stood, she turned back to Jack. "Please… It's my only chance…"

The other two were also looking intently at Jack. They wanted to know what he would do. Even if he had taken them captive and forced their bodyguards away, it was obvious that Jack had a heart and wasn't cold-blooded.

"Keela…" Struggling to find the right answer, Jack groaned. "What if… there was another option for you?"

"What?!" Her sadness vanished instantly. She stared deeply into Jack's hesitant eyes.

"What if there was a different option for you? I'm not from the Zuran Empire and no one here knows who I really am. At least, not yet…"

The others blinked and wondered what Jack meant by that last statement.

"If I could guarantee you passage out of the country, would you take it?"

"YES!"

There wasn't a moment of hesitation in her voice. Again, she started trembling as her eyes grew watery, but this time it was from overwhelming relief.

"Don't get too emotional yet, you didn't let me finish," stated Jack, catching everyone's attention again. "I have my own background like you all have guessed. Even if your family realizes who I am, then they'll have no choice but to stop looking for you, at least not publically."

They were all startled by Jack's confidence. What kind of background did Jack have exactly? Considering his knowledge and high-level skills, it didn't sound like a bluff either.

"However, if I take you away, you won't be able to leave my side until you're strong enough to keep yourself safe from your own family. Also, you'll have to keep your identity a secret at all times, possibly acting as my maid or anything else depending on the situation," reasoned Jack. "Are you sure you want to do this? There's no option of returning once the deed is done. I won't let you go back even if you begged me to let you go."

Keela wiped her eyes and looked at Jack. Her timid expression and her sense of fragility made her look particularly attractive at that moment. It made Jack want to hug and shield her from the outside world.

"You… You really mean it?" stammered Keela. "You… would be willing to take me away?"

"Only if you'd be okay with it. Like you can see now, you won't be a prisoner or a hostage when you're with me. If you take my offer, then you would have to willingly follow me and do anything I ask of you. Is that clear?"

"Crystal!" 

Keela leaped for joy and wrapped her arms tightly around Jack. At the moment he was a middle-aged man, but she knew that, in reality, he was a powerful adventurer around her age. That thought alone made her heart skip a beat, making her want to see his true face even more. She wondered, 'How handsome are you, my knight in shining armor?'

If Jack knew what she was thinking, there was no telling how he would react. His heart felt weird at the moment. He felt like he wanted to protect Keela, but even more, his heart wanted to return to Reinolt and save Slivia, who had given her life for him.

Jack patted her on the back and sighed, "Calm down, you'll be just fine. The getaway will be a little more difficult, but there shouldn't be an issue. Now, my question is what you two will do after this."

Tarnel was already able to move his body again, but he stayed in the life spring to make sure he was fully healed. "Jack, is that your real name?"

"Yes, it is. The only thing that I've changed is my face and appearance," answered Jack.

"Then, I'd like to ask if we can call each other friends after this mess blows over. Is that okay?"

"Of course you can, we're all buddies now!" Flint's shout showed his excitement and he made no intention of hiding his big smile. "Can you take me away too?"

Everyone broke into laughter after Flint's comment. Not sure what was going through Flint's head, Jack answered, "I'd rather not piss off the Maronn Family, or the Lyre family for that matter. Angering the Pon Family was already beyond my plans, so don't ask such a crazy thing."

"Then you must come and visit! But how will I recognize you when I don't know your face? You should show us, just in case!"

"That's enough, neither of you two can see my face. For all I know, you'll have your memories scanned when they look for evidence," reasoned Jack. "Don't worry, when we meet again I'll make sure you know it's me."

Disappointed, Flint grunted, "Fine, have it your way."

Laughing at the side, Tarnel asked, "Will you come to visit me too? I can't wait to see who you really are."

"Time will tell," answered Jack. He turned his attention back to Keela, who was still tightly embracing him. "Umm… You can let go now."

"I don't want to." She shook her head, stubbornly holding on the Jack.

"We're about to run out of time and you'll have plenty of time to talk with me after your gone, okay?" Nudging her away, Jack smiled and chuckled as he saw her tender expression.

"Okay," agreed Keela, not pushing her luck too much. 

She was determined to get closer to him though, no matter. In order to guarantee that he would never let her return, Keela wanted to become his woman. Plus, Keela knew that Jack was probably her best option as a potential partner that she would ever have, in terms of personality and strength.

"Now we wait. Let me explain a few things now, to make it easier later," said Jack.

At first, all three of the family heirs were hesitant to believe that Jack could escape after everything he had done. But now, they all had a newfound belief in his abilities. Thanks to his natural confidence and charisma, they all wanted him to make a clean getaway, especially Keela.

Chapter end