478 Chloe

Having received a mission to hunt a local rabble of pigmen that had been sighted harassing and steeling livestock from a local village, Chloe swiftly hugged her friend before darting out of the doors without so much of a glance towards anyone.

"Hey wait!-" Outside, just barely a street down, Arthur had caught onto the girl who turned and almost managed to thrust an arrowhead into his balls. "-Woah! Easy, I come in peace!"

With his hands up in surrender, the half-elf took a single step back before throwing her hoodie up to hide her features.

"Are you really hunting monsters at your age? How old are you? Shouldn't you be helping your parents at home or tending to the chickens?"

"I-I'm old enough!"

"Really?" Crouching down to peek under her hood, to observe her features closer, Arthur could easily tell that the girl was underage and incredibly young. Perhaps it was only due to females having their biological puberty growth spurts earlier than boys did, did she appear older than she was.

Ignoring his second question, Chloe quickly darted into an alley way and hid herself, Arthur followed along instinctively, unsure as to why until the doors to the guild house opened once more to reveal the prior group of unruly men swarming out and in search of something.

With both hands landing on his sword hilts, the man quickly felt a tug on his arm.

"What? You don't want to get rid of them once and for all? They're clearly evil." Arthur, believing entirely on justice, and that the hero would always prevail, could only see what was clearly before his eyes as criminals that would even bully little children.

"Stupid."

"W-what? Me?" "You're the one allowing the bullying to continue though!?"

"You're stupid for an adult. Look, do you think people would actually let them go around throwing their weight if they didn't have some sort of backing behind them? The viscount of this territory that encompasses this small barony is backing them, which means that even that baron Vasquez is powerless against them. And you want to up and willy go kill them? And for what? To piss off the viscount they work for?"

Hearing this extra piece of information, Arthur could only tightly clutch his swords as he apologised.

"I'm sorry little one... If only I was better. I would've ensured such corruption wouldn't be possible..."

Chloe's little black eyes could only glare at the adventurer in bewilderment and pity, as she started to believe the man to be delusional.

"Even if you were better, even if you were some sort of god-chosen hero, you still wouldn't be able to purge the kingdom of its corruption. Stupid, don't follow me, or your stupidity might infect me." She turned and immediately left the barony, onwards to hunt the pigmen.

Arthur's eyes tore away from the men he wanted to punish with justice, before following the young girl who was far too young to be experiencing battle and blood. Within his mind, children of her age should be protected and cared for by the adults, not the part of society to be keeping the peace by culling beasts and monsters.

"I- If I manage to gather enough strength, I can do it. I will do it, I'll make the kingdom a better place for sure..." After making a quick vow to himself and to whichever god was up there, Arthur turned and quickly followed in the footsteps of the half-elf.

...

Seated around a small camp-fire, Chloe was cooking up a small pot of water and carrots as her dinner. Arthur, who could go for days without food simply sat there and observed the girl in silence. 

"Look, even if you stare at me like that, I'm not giving you any unless you contribute." Honestly, Chloe had tried to run, sprint, hide and climb to escape the man. But, he simply had a radar like instinct in finding her general location, and thus was unable to lose the man. Unsure of his true identity and true aim behind following her, Chloe could only remain vigilant and accept his assistance half-heartedly.

Plucking a few pieces of jerky out of his [Storage Ring] something that also identified him as either a noblemen or some rich merchant's fourth son or something, Arthur threw his share into the pot and allowed the meat to fill the bland hot water with its nutrition and flavour.

Arthur smiled as he saw the girl's pale-expression light up upon noticing the meat. As he watched her stir the pot, he wondered as to why his instincts were telling him to recruit someone as young as her.

"Listen, Chloe. I'm on a quest to become strong, so strong, that everyone will have to listen to my principles and ideals. With that achieved, I will ensure evil and corruption will be no more, I will become the light, the hero that will carry Del Lagos into another new age. And for that, I need strength, skill and people of ability. Will you join me on this holy endeavour?"

Chloe's hand froze mid-stir, she gazed up at the mad-men who was selling some sort of fantasy fairy-tale story.

"Look stupid, I know I look young, but that's because I'm half-elven, we naturally appear younger! I'm not some stupid and naïve brat who believes in heroes of justice. I see the world as it is, as a dog eat dog world where the strong rule. Become someone strong and powerful before you try to sell me some crappy story. And also, what makes you think I care for glory and light? I'm just someone out here trying to survive because my family is too poor to bring bread onto the table."

Receiving such a blunt reply, Arthur couldn't help but scratch his head in confusion. He also felt quite weird that his usual instincts that had been saving his butt day in and day out was wrong for once. However, he didn't give up hope, he still had time to gather a party of his own, one that would rival those within the myths and legends of old.

Unbeknownst to the two with untrained eyes, whenever their emotions flourished and sufficed enough, their individual dormant and untapped mana-hearts would beat. Like a radar, the two naturally felt a pull, as if there were a great destiny before them that required them to unlock and master such powerful energies.