"That was exhausting..." Strax murmured as he descended the inn's stairs. "Honestly, what a hassle..." he said, facing the street in the city of Eldoria.
"I think I'll just try to calm down first..." he said, as the soft light of dawn began to illuminate the surroundings. The morning tranquility was a stark contrast to the tension he had just left behind...
'Female rivalry is terrifying!' he exclaid inwardly, especially since he didn't even have Tiamat and Ouroboros right in front of him. 'This is going to escalate massively...' he thought.
As ti passed, he tried to distract himself while walking aimlessly, reflecting on the recent complications in his life, and of course, there was still the auction... The week-long delay seed endless... Ti seed to have stopped with the problems and wasn't advancing for anything in this world... What was left? Two days? It felt like two weeks!
The city, usually vibrant and full of life, was now relatively calm.
'It doesn't even look like that bustling place full of big problems and loud bars... how surprising.' He thought, noticing that the neon lights which usually dominated the environnt had gone out, giving way to the natural sunlight.
It was a sunny day, and Strax decided that if he had to spend so ti away from ho, he might as well enjoy it by doing so shopping, especially if he could find things to help with the dragon heart heist. After a few minutes of wandering the streets, he spotted a small shop with a subtly glowing sign: "Beccy's Enchantnts and Magics!"
Curious, he approached and entered the shop.
The interior was filled with magical items of all kinds: bottles with colored liquids, scrolls, potions, and amulets.
The ambiance had a magical and mysterious atmosphere, with the scent of herbs and spices in the air.
He didn't see any attendants, so he decided to explore the shelves on his own, examining the items in search of sothing interesting or useful.
While examining a shelf of sparkling bottles, a movent in the shop caught his attention.
On the other side of the shop, a woman was trying to reach a bottle that was on a very high shelf.
She appeared frustrated, stretching her arms in an attempt to grab the item that was clearly out of her reach; she wasn't short, about 1.75m tall.
Strax watched the scene with an amused smile, thinking about how he could help, finding it cute to see her on tiptoe, making small jumps to reach the bottle, and failing miserably.
He approached with light steps and, before she could notice, reached the bottle and took it with ease. When he turned to hand it to her, he was surprised by the sight of the woman.
She was stunning, with sky-blue hair and a presence that imdiately drew attention. Her eyes, a deep blue, seed to penetrate every detail around her with an almost overwhelming intensity. She was dressed casually, in a white blouse and a short skirt, but there was sothing commanding about her posture and the way she moved.
Additionally... 'Analysis doesn't work...' he murmured, trying to use the innate skill of the system... sothing that, well, seed common in a world of weaklings, 'Grandmaster and above...' he thought.
"Here you go," Strax said, extending the bottle to her with a friendly smile.
The woman looked at him with a mix of surprise and disdain. She took the bottle with one hand, her gaze turning cold and calculating.
"Thank you, but I could have reached that myself," she replied with a cutting voice, her tone clear and assertive. Strax felt a slight pressure in his chest from her response, his initial kindness beginning to dissipate.
"It was no trouble," he said, trying to keep his tone friendly. "I just thought I'd help out a beautiful young lady like you."
The woman studied him for a mont, her expression shifting from surprise to an evaluative look. Strax noticed that, although she was clearly irritated, there was sothing intriguing in her eyes.
"I'm old enough to be your mother," she said, her voice carrying an implicit authority. "And you must be... soone with too much ti on his hands to be wasting it hitting on won like ," she added.
Strax raised an eyebrow, trying to gauge whether her observation was serious or just a straightforward comnt. He realized that the woman had an aura of soone used to giving orders and being obeyed.
"My na is Strax. And actually, I was just trying to find sothing interesting in the store," he explained, a bit unsettled.
She examined Strax with a look that seed to sift through every aspect of his presence. She was clearly evaluating him, and Strax felt a strange mix of discomfort and invasion of privacy from the way she scrutinized him.
"Hmph," she murmured, her expression hardening slightly. "You're more useful than you seem, but you're not my type."
Strax was about to make a comnt, but she raised her hand and interrupted him.
"And if you're here just to distract yourself, then don't bother trying to impress anyone," she said, with a hint of arrogance in her voice.
Strax felt slightly insulted, but at the sa ti, sothing about her challenging posture and determined gaze fascinated him. He decided to let the comnt slide and change the subject.
"Well, since you've got what you needed, I'll take a look at the rest of the shop," he said, trying to steer the conversation elsewhere, leaving her behind as he continued to search for sothing.
He felt her gaze on him as she watched him for a mont, her look still evaluative. She seed to be contemplating sothing as she watched him move away to explore the shop. Suddenly, a look of curiosity crossed her face.
'So it's you...' she thought.
"If you don't mind, Strax, what's your interest in enchantnts and magic?" she asked, her voice now a bit softer, though still carrying a certain degree of authority.
Strax turned to her, surprised by the change in tone.
"Just curious, I suppose. I'm more into swords, you know?" he replied. "And trying to pass the ti."
She nodded, a faint smile appearing on her lips, though it was barely noticeable. Although she seed impassive, Strax could see a spark of interest in her eyes.
"Curiosity is an interesting quality," she said, playing along with him, her tone indicating an unexpected acknowledgnt. "Sotis, it's curiosity that leads to unexpected discoveries."
Strax gave a small smile, surprised by the implicit complint. He was starting to realize that she was not just a temperantal and strong woman but soone with a depth of thought that was beginning to capture his attention.
As Strax continued exploring the shop, she watched him from a distance, reflecting on the man before her. She couldn't help but notice that despite his seemingly awkward behavior and his attempts to help, there was sothing about him that intrigued her. His curiosity, though it might seem trivial to many, was far from a common trait.
'Not so bad... but still lacking polish...' She reflected on her own impressions. She was known for her strength and temper, traits that often intimidated those around her. Yet, there was sothing genuine and unexpected in the way Strax interacted with her, making her question her usual judgnts.
'He didn't feel fear?' She wondered, 'No... my aura is contained... perhaps if I...' She released more of her aura.
But nothing changed... He continued searching for what he wanted with no significant reaction or change in expression. 'Doesn't he feel the cold?' She questioned, the dense air had almost frozen, and even where she touched, small shards of ice were forming...
Finally, after exploring the shop for a while longer, Strax decided it was ti to leave. He approached her, who was still watching him with a curious look.
"I think I've seen enough," he said with a friendly smile. "It was nice eting you; I hope to see you another ti." He said, smiling while being... extrely polite.
She raised an eyebrow, a mysterious smile appearing on her lips.
"Likewise, Strax," she replied, her tone still carrying a subtle authority. "I hope you find what you're looking for."
With that, Strax left the shop, feeling a bit lighter despite still being concerned about what awaited him at ho.
As he walked away, he couldn't help but think about the mysterious woman he had just t and how much she had impressed him, even if only with her presence and attitude.
'Who knows who she is, but I'll keep an eye on her... She's dangerous... much more than anyone in this city...' Strax murmured, 'I hope she's not the person the White Falcon ntioned...'
As Strax moved away from the shop of enchantnts and magic, she watched him with a thoughtful expression. The encounter with the man had been an intriguing curiosity for her, and even after the interaction, the impression he left did not easily dissipate.
She was beginning to question whether Strax was rely a fleeting distraction or if there was sothing more significant hidden beneath his seemingly ordinary surface.
However, her attention was quickly diverted when a soldier appeared from the back of the shop. The man, with a firm posture and a serious expression, approached her with an urgent ssage.
"General Kryssia..." The soldier began, slightly trembling in her presence, his voice carrying a discreet urgency. "We've dealt with the shopkeeper as ordered. She confird that a group of rchants bought a significant quantity of drugs from this side of the city. She was only acting as an interdiary."
Kryssia raised an eyebrow, her expression shifting to one of disdain as she listened to the report. The disdain on her face was evident, a reflection of her frustration with the situation.
"I understand..." she comnted, her voice tinged with irritation. "What a joke. This place was dirtier than I expected."
She adjusted her clothing, visibly uncomfortable with her current outfit. Although her attire was casual, she preferred more practical and less revealing clothing. Her discomfort with the short outfit was evident as she grimaced while adjusting her blouse and skirt.
"I hate wearing short clothes..." Kryssia murmured to herself, adjusting the skirt with a look of displeasure, though the soldier clearly disagreed... he didn't take his eyes off her legs for a second. "But we have work to do."
Shifting her attention back to the soldier, who quickly looked up, Kryssia regained her authoritative and focused posture. Her gaze was now filled with calculated coldness.
"Kill her, and shut down this place," she ordered with a decisive tone. "We don't want any more distractions. It's crucial that this network is dismantled without leaving any traces. Also... I want you to look up a na for ..." she said, glancing towards the exit.
"Strax... get everything about this man," she said, with disdainful eyes following the man as he moved away down the streets. "This is starting to look interesting..."
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