Chapter 199: Before the Journey

Just as Aiden expected, his words caused the mood of their friends to drop by a huge margin. He could only sigh at this, and just stay in silence, awaiting some sort of response from them. While Mary wasn't happy, she still took the news slightly better than Cole. 

"Aiden… Was this the topic of discussion on your meeting yesterday with the Examiner's Leader?" She asked, with a compassionate but slightly worried smile on her face.

To respond, Aiden silently nodded, before turning his attention towards his friend, who looked as if he saw a ghost just a moment ago.

"W-why?" Was the only thing he managed to blurt out after several seconds of effort. Is he still not strong enough? Is he still holding him back? He did just rank up, was this still not enough? What more does he need to qualify to stand and face the dangers together with his friend?

Aiden didn't know how to respond. What Sarah said was true, while Cole is talented, and grows at an incredible pace compared to others, at the end of the day he is still far from what this assignment would need. 

Thinking about it for a bit more, Aiden decided to just go with the truth, like he usually does. Smiling wryly at his friend, he began to explain in a compassionate tone.

"Cole… The leader told me that I can't have you join us for this one. The quest is too dangerous, you could get seriously hurt…" 

However, this statement from him did not achieve the result he had hoped for. In fact, now, not just Cole, but Mary began to visibly stress out, unable to keep her cool, she chimed in with a worried but slightly hurtful tone.

"What?! If it is so dangerous, why is it that you are still going, and alone for that matter?! What makes it okay, to risk yourself, but not taking your friend with you to protect each other?! Why take the mission in the first place?" Mary was starting to get into a hysterical mode, something she herself didn't expect. The thought of letting this boy go and face a potentially fatal encounter caused her mind to enter into a state of shock, and her worried heart to take over. 

Not letting any of the boys respond, she continued to cry out. Her voice getting slightly higher-pitched and to an increasingly raised volume, a few eyes from the surrounding tables began to look towards their direction.

"Is it money? Or fame?! I didn't think that you, Aiden, are someone that cares for those! Maybe I was wrong, and you are just the same as all the others out there!"

At this point, it seems she had reached her limit, and broke out into a desperate weep. She was about to jump up and rush away due to the stabbing pain in her heart when she was gently pulled back down.

Turning her head towards him, Aiden looked at him deep in the eye. His exotic, golden eyes caused the girl to calm down a bit, and whilst continuing her sobbing, she planted herself in the boy's chest.

Hugging her gently, Aiden patted her back. Leaning closer into her right eyes, he whispered into her ear. His voice, while whispered, it carried a great deal of emotion and concern.

"Don't cry, Mary. I am not going alone, the leader is going with me. In fact, she asked me to accompany her, as she can't complete the assignment alone, but it is of vital importance, that it is done. Sadly I can't explain much, but know that our return with the information could mean the life or death of this entire city."

Cole, who just kept to himself, and thought about his friend's first words, was pulled back from his mind upon hearing his friend's words. Looking at him with a shocked, surprised expression, he asked.

"What? What is…" He wanted to ask about the details, but knowing that he wouldn't answer, he changed his words. "Are you sure you can handle it? Do you want me to follow you guys from behind, just for safety?"

Looking up, Aiden smiled at his friend while shaking his head.

"No, don't worry, I will be fine. Trust me when I say, I can handle a lot more trouble than what you have seen so far. And…" Looking down, he gently grabbed the still sobbing girl's chin and raised her head so she would look at him with her blurry, watering eyes as well.

"And, if it would come to it that I couldn't handle it myself anymore, I still have a few tricks to ensure my safety. I WILL come back, hopefully in only a few days or at most before that stupid Wargame event for the City Lord position. I have promised the guild to assist them, after all!"

He gave them a reassuring smile, as he continued to pat the girl, who still couldn't completely calm down and collect herself. Cole did not speak anymore, but it was clear he wasn't entirely convinced and had several thoughts in his mind. Still, he decided to voice them out, and looked down, at his empty plate.

A few minutes passed in this awkward state of silence before finally, Mary separated herself from the welcoming warmth of Aiden's chest. Rubbing her bloodshot eyes with her hands, she spoke with a meek voice.

"I… I can't say that I am a deeply religious, devoted person. I do not go to any of the temples and do not expect anything from the gods. But! From now on, until the day you return, Aiden, I will pray to the gods that you return safely to us!" In a much lower tone, only audible to herself, and unbeknownst to her, to Aiden as well, she added. "...and to me..." 

"Yes, Aiden, come back to us safe and sound, okay? After all… I still haven't met the famous sister, who you keep talking about!" Cole added, with a smirk, trying to lift the mood.

As they were not in the mood to continue with their breakfast, and that Aiden had to leave for the eastern gate, they shortly left their tables and left the inn. Outside Aiden, walked with them to the Adventurer's Street in silence, before with one last heartfelt goodbye later, they finally separated.

As he turned around, and slowly left towards the gates, he felt the worried and longing gaze of the curly, brown-haired woman as she kept looking at his back all the way until it eventually vanished amidst the crowd. Once it did, she sighed deeply, looking at the boy's direction one last time, before turning around, and following after Cole. She could only pray and hope that the boy of her dreams, the owner of her heart, would return to her safe and sound.

---

Leaving his friends and being alone once again Aiden kept thinking about his experiences so far since he left the safety of his home, just for the sole reason, to complete a System assigned quest. That was the reason for his arrival to this city that he had mixed feelings for, and also the reason why he went to the Adventurer's Guild. 

After all, he wasn't on the same thought as his sister was, he had no dreams about being famous, nor did he care at all for others besides his loved ones. While he did have a thirst for adventure, and a deeply-rooted, instinctual thirst for finding more out of the world and to get to know and collect samples from all the various life forms inhabiting it, he did not care for any race in particular. 

After all, whilst he could take their life essences, and create a form similar to them… in truth, he wasn't kin to any of them. When he first saw humans back then, many years ago, he thought he felt something in his soul, that interest quickly soured and turned to something bordering disgust and contempt. This race, their world was full of darkness, many of their kin were hellbent on hurting not just other races, but even members of their own race. They were highly destructive, and it was a complete mystery to Aiden how they could be still the most populated, dominant race?

But then, just when he thought there would be no hope for them, he met with kind souls as well. Cole, Mary, the elderly couple of the Nortons were all prime examples that even amidst them, there are souls worthy of salvation, worthy of his attention.

As for the masked mistress, and her daughter, Aiden wasn't sure they could still be classified as humans… They had this strange vibe, a feeling that they were something else, something more...

'Maybe it's their bloodline… Just like how she explained…' Thinking about it, it may very well be the case, but if that was the case, then why didn't he have the same feeling when he met up with the estranged crown prince and his sister? What was the difference?

Deep in his thoughts, Aiden didn't even notice when his leg carried him back in front of the gate. He was only brought back to reality when he heard the excited yell of the usually majestic sounding girl in front of him.