Chapter 7 - Emerald Eyes

"Everyone positively surprised me. Some more, some less. However, be assured that I will refer you when other families need you."

Vummm! Only the sound of the wind coming in through the windows could be heard. Everyone just wanted to know what the outcome was so they could leave. The formalities didn't matter.

"Stella you were magnificent. If you continue on this path, one day you will reach the S-Class. However, you still lack a lot of experience. You had chances to finish the test and you kept playing."

The woman nodded to Oliver, knowing that the old guard was right. With that, the result was obvious.

"Luke only showed one skill and appeared for a few seconds of the battle, yet he still managed to surprise me more than anyone else."

"Hmphh!" Luke snorted boredly.

All four of the other competitors looked at him in shock. 'Hmph?'

When he realized the blunder, he had made, he said, "Does all this mean I've been approved?"

"Yes?" Oliver said, also surprised by his behavior, because until then he had seemed super calm and steady.

"So, I got the job?"

"Yes?"

Luke was happy that his friends would be happy, but internally he seemed disappointed, after all, for the first time in his entire life, his true identity was compromised.

"Then I'm leaving." The half-wolf proved at that moment that he never had a formal education.

"What?" Everyone exclaimed in surprise.

"You're keeping that here, aren't you?" Luke asked as he held out the orb of the Panspermia Weapon.

"Y-yes." Oliver took it, still a little incredulous.

"If you need me, you can find me at the same bar you made the announcement, a friend of mine works there! Bye!"

The five of them were still completely dumbfounded by that abrupt way of behaving from the half-wolf.

"Hey, wait!" The old guard shouted before Luke could even reach one of the doorknobs. "You're kidding, right? Or may I assume that I never work with the big noble families?"

"I've never worked, why? Do I have to sign a contract?"

"Frankly... this guy, really?" Atilath questioned Oliver's decision.

It didn't take long for the guard to dispatch the others off mission. Luke, who was already mentally tired from the fight, didn't feel that his day could get any worse.

After all, he had talked more the night before than he had during the entire month and tried every way to argue against the plan to steal the gene wagon, but no one listened to him. Even Meredith, who was generally the most rational of the bunch, seemed to be blinded by the possibility of getting the millions that a few dozen genes would be worth.

However, in this crazy plan, not only were they messing with the richest family in Oukiwa, but they would be messing with the high-rank adventurers who were eagerly awaiting the merchandise.

"Follow me, please." said Oliver, after closing the door of the mansion.

Luke just nodded and started to follow the guard. The path they took was strange because they had to go through three smaller halls until they reached another larger room. A person was sitting on a chair.

Ayumi Yamazaki was surprised at who Oliver brought. Her eyes literally sparkled when she saw the half-wolf enter the room. Her eyes met soon after that.

The blond woman in the chair had beautiful, seductive eyes. They were both glowing like emeralds and that intense green stood out even more in that gray environment.

"Arara~... Oliver, leave us alone." The Strogueher family matriarch said as she placed her right hand on her chin.

Luke was intimidated at the time she made the request to the guard. If that hadn't been the famous Ayumi Yamazaki herself, he wouldn't have hesitated to ask Oliver to remain in the hall.

The double door made a hollow noise when it closed. Tum! The sound echoed through the entire room.

"What is your name?" Ayumi questioned.

"Luke Lange." He said while feigning disinterest and looking up at the painted ceiling of the hall.

"Do you know why we are looking for another employee, dear?" She inquired, as she smoothed her right leg.

The half-wolf looked at her and saw that the woman was cross-legged in a white silk dress. At first, he found it too strange, for even he was a bit cold.

"Annn... I don't care what the job is, I'll do it." Luke chose to lie, luckily his lies almost always worked on people he had never talked to.

"I like that." Ayumi said and brought the same hand that was smoothing his leg, to his lips. This startled Luke a little, who looked away. "How old are you?"

"In a few cycles, I'll be twenty."

"That's great. I won't ask any more questions, after all, for this job I don't care about your past, I just needed someone who met all my requirements, and to me, it looks like Oliver got it right this time."

"What does that mean?" Although Luke knew he was strong, he didn't believe that an important family wouldn't care about the past of one of their employees, because all nobles took laws very seriously.

That's also why Luke knew if something about his life was discovered by the Strogueher's, he would have his identity revealed, and in the worst case, a public execution.

"You mean you will not work as an honorary member of the family. Yes, you will earn as well as any of our personal guards."

Because they were talking business now, Luke put his shyness about women aside and questioned:

"Let's discuss my pay. How many silver coins will I earn per month?"

Ayumi smiled as the half-wolf's vivid yellow eyes met hers again.

"We can pay five hundred silver coins, how about it?" She liked the boy's boldness. 'He sure was greedy, after all, he decided on the payment before he knew the service. These young men are quite energetic these days.'

'Very little. If I work loading bags of fish in the harbor, I make that same amount in two weeks."

"Very good, very good. I admire that you know so much about wages at your age. Will ten gold coins be enough? That's almost half of what Oliver earns."

"I believe not."