175

Chloe laid on the ground, gasping for breath. Face down, ass up.

Her two hands reached round to rub her butt. "Did I go overboard today?"  Asai, towering above her, wondered.

The girl had asked him not to hold back, in preparation for the dungeon, Asai had been sparring with her on a daily basis. Her own mother used to repeat to her "The burnt hand learns best." Thus, she didn't mind the muscle soreness and aches that would assault her body afterwards. In fact, after a few days, she did in fact feel healthier, as if her body was becoming more fluid.

As a half-elf, most humans deemed her undesirable. Her pointy ears, a turn off. Thus, she secretly enjoyed the attention the man was showering her with. Especially when it came from someone who seemed to dependable and handsome.

In the morning, she would listen to Asai's supposed fantasy stories about living as a duke and fighting a war for the kingdom, and to even return being considered a hero at only 19 years of age. As much as she laughed at him for his ridiculous tales. She couldn't doubt the fact that he was insanely skilled in close quarters combat.

A couple days back, the two had decided to clear out the local riff-raff. The usual vargs, boar-bears and octo-plants. She figured it would be a hard and arduous battle, but Asai carried most of the work. The only thing she found odd was that although the man could one shot the wild life. He would consistently order her to at least hit the target with an arrow. No matter where, whether it was on the legs, the foot or torso. Lethal shot or not, the man made sure she at least contributed to the kill.

When asked, the man simply said it was for her own good.

Another weird occurrence that began to prop up ever since she decided to join his party albeit temporarily. Although Asai had never explicitly touched her sexually. When neglecting to include their spars. Chloe would consistently dream about the man. A certain indescribable itch appeared, and she was never really able to sate it.

Currently, the man in question was staring right into her eyes. She felt her face heat up as he remained silent, simply regally staring into her. 

[Chloe: Lvl 12->17 (Poisoned)]

[HP: 100 MP:125]

"Chloe." Interrupting her daydreams. Asai spoke.

"Y-yes!?"

"Have you ever killed another human before?" Her cheerful attitude immediately took a 180.

"Yes. I have. Since my mother was an adventurer, there were a lot of times when I would be home alone. Some of the men from the village disliked her for giving birth to me. Considered us to be tainted, evil. They broke in and tried to murder me, but they were stupid. They dragged me out into the woods-" She took a sip of her coffee to calm her rising nerves. "-They tried to rape me, but my mother came back in time. Whilst she fought them off me, I also defended myself, I slit the man's throat. He bled all over me you see..."

"Why is this girl so talkative? I was only expecting a yes or no answer. Is this because of all my stories? That she feels its only fair to tell me hers? Fucking hell, what kind of dark childhood did she have." ... "I see..."

Asai pulled out two cups and a whiskey bottle. Pouring two shots for the both of them. "After hearing something that dark, I don't know about her, but I definitely need a drink..."

"Ahem* Okay, lets say we're making our way to the dungeon. We're attacked by bandits. You'll be fine with bloodshed correct?"

Chloe nodded, before snatching the shot and downing it. Her eyes became a little teary from the burning sensation, but she enjoyed it nonetheless.

"Okay, good. Tonight, we're going to camp outside. There's something we need to do."

"Everything we've been consuming has been either from my [Inventory], this taverns cooking, or the foodstuff I bought from that merchant yesterday. Needless to say, my inventory should be clean. I trust Annie and Mary enough for their diligence. The tavern has been fine for the past weeks that I've been here. And considering how Kelly is still eyeing me up, I don't think she would be stupid enough to poison something she wants to eat.

That leaves me with only that merchant. Now, I need to know whether I'm the target, or Chloe. And that I've just dragged her into something she can't handle."

[Phantom Menace]

Two shadow clones spawned atop the tavern roof.

"Go, find the merchant from yesterday. Once you see him, instantly end the skill."