[Central City; Heaven Elzoma]
After a long day of battling and walking, we finally reached the central city of the twelfth heaven. It was nearly the end of the day. The setting sun's warmth was gentle and comforting. It eased the frustration that had pushed me over the edge back in the forest.
After defeating the enemies, I received a Job and a Job-Excusive Class. Since I.A. (Ascendency Index) was invalid in my case and I only cleared eleven heavens it was quite unexpected to see the reward. However, more unexpected was the event afterward.
[Failure!]
[Due to the interception of Title: The Fallen Heir, you cannot take on any Job and cannot equip any Job-Exclusive Classes at the moment]
[Job: Bounty King, and Job-Exclusive Class: Ranger, has been terminated]
[A complementary reward will be provided accordingly]
"I don't need your complimentary reward, dammit!" I yelled at the system panel and almost scared Zariel and Shika by surprise.
It was frustrating nevertheless. On second thought, it felt oddly fair. After all, honest players worked hard to obtain the jobs. I might be on the unfair side if I unlocked them before reaching the quota.
'Well, never mind.' I thought as I took a deep breath to keep my demeanor cool and collected. On the plus side, I was given a complimentary reward anyway.
[Complementary Rewards: You can upgrade one of your 'Primary Classes' at zero cost]
'That seems fair.' I whispered, 'But I won't upgrade any of my classes right now. I'll decide while facing the Nora Clan of Iceborns. Who knows what trick they may use? Anyway, what're the rewards for killing the PKers?'
[Notice: PKers inventory was empty. There is no reward this time]
'What? Not even a single coin of Arthum?'
The PKers did learn from their previous battle. It was funny—in a way, that he had anticipated his defeat before facing us in battle. They wouldn't have emptied their inventory otherwise—leaving nothing for us to gain after killing them.
In any case, my frustration somewhat cooled down. Zariel wasn't here either. I wouldn't be nagged for a while. It wasn't that I hated her overdramatic act or anything. No. If anything, it was one of her best qualities that I liked.
However, I wasn't in the mood to take a compliment—it might've felt like sarcasm, and I didn't want to snap at her if I got any more frustrated. Plus, having a Seraphyll flying around me in the middle of the city would definitely attract attention I couldn't avoid.
That went the same for Shika who was initially an Iceborn. Her appearance might catch the attention as well. That wasn't a problem any longer, though.
She had used the magical abilities of the hilt, which allowed her to suppress her presence and acquire a human form. This helped her blend in with the other players, allowing us to roam freely.
"Are you sure using the hilt was a better idea?" I asked, walking alongside her as we were crossing the market area. This might be called a central city but it was as vast as a fantasy kingdom. A castle could be seen far in the west just before the setting sun, nevertheless. I never cared to think about that castle anyway. "If you want I can buy you a disguise or an item that may help you to sustain this form."
"That won't be necessary, Zanthrix. I appreciate your concerns, though. I'm grateful that you took my father's request. I can't ask more than that."
"Seriously, it won't be an issue. The hilt has a limited magical power anyway. It might get handy in the battle, so using it here may not be a wise choice."
"Regardless, that won't be a problem." She insisted, "This hilt has the capability of restoring the magical powers if left untouched. There's nothing to worry about."
She smiled, assuring me that everything was all right. Her smile was pure and genuine. That was something I'd never experienced in the real world. She was a beauty worthy of praise. Thus, a deliberate thought came out loud intentionally.
"You know what? Both your human form and Iceborn form are unimaginably beautiful!! I never crossed paths with someone as beautiful as you!"
Of course, I could go with something like 'cute' or 'adorable'. But her womanly appearance—elegant and divine—was well-suited to the compliment I gave. She deserved those compliments, nonetheless.
Right after I said that I noticed something strange.
Her ears were turning a deeper shade of blue—almost fading into white, like ice shifting colors as it thickens. It looked cold, yet soft… like freshly fallen snow. That was the same for her cheeks as well. They turned the same way as her ears did.
"Wait! Are the effects of your disguise coming off." I nearly panicked, "We need to go to an inn or something before you turn back again. Not like I'm complaining, but it would be a problem if the other players find out."
I was hurriedly looking for an inn. She then pulled my sleeves. I didn't know what happened, but she seemed strange.
"Tha-" a low voice came from her, "Thanks… thanks for that. But it's not what you think. It's just a way of responding according to my Iceborn instinct in a time like this." Her cheeks turned white, "In any case, we do have to find an inn for the night to spend."
She began walking ahead of me.
'Strange! Was she embarrassed that I called her beautiful out of nowhere?' I thought trying to match her pace, 'She seemed flustered for some reason. I don't understand why though.'
Not just in the game but IRL too, whenever I tried to compliment someone as cute, adorable, nice, or beautiful, few of them thanked me while most of them flustered for no reason.
It was my sickness anhedonia that caused my lack of understanding of people's emotions and my own. However, my mom taught me to act normally by complimenting others. While my behavior—as I was incapable of determining human emotions— might offend someone's feelings, yet simply complementing them could grant me forgiveness or praise.
It was in the world of games, by the way, where I learned the relevance of the meaning behind those words. Even though I now knew what true beauty was supposed to mean, I was still incapable of understanding people's emotions.
'I wonder what my mom would do if she were around me. She would teach me to understand others better, perhaps.' As I thought, I halted for a brief, watching the setting sun that was crossing the horizon. Then another thought occurred, 'What're you doing right now, mom.'
Thinking about the reality, she might be worried sick about me right now. She had been the type after all. That included for my little sister as well.
I smiled softly, getting fading visions of my real life as I continued walking again.
"Hey Shika, wait. I have a better idea than staying in an inn." I ran after her.