Chapter 39: Find me a name [2] :

Chapter 39: Find me a name [2] :

"You have 10 seconds, tell me your name or your dead-"

"I told you before...I don't have a name," the silver-haired girl replied, her voice calm as she rubbed her eyes.

"Don't give me that again..." Ben muttered under his breath, his frustration palpable. He rubbed his forehead and tried a different approach as if teaching a child. "N-A-M-E is something people call you by, you know? Like I am Ben. B, E, N = Ben, so people call me that."

"Now tell me, what did people call you back home?" Ben asked, picking imaginary symbols from the air to illustrate his point.

"If you're curious, my mom used to call me Trashcan, and my sister called me scum. Other people went with Brat, impure, or something like that," she responded in a monotone, meeting Ben's gaze steadily.

Ben couldn't help but think, 'I remember when my mother used to call me trashcan because I kept lying on the floor all day. But who in the hell introduces themselves like that?' His lips twitched, unsure whether to laugh or cry.

"Okay, change of question. What do you want me to call you?" Ben attempted a different approach, hoping for a more cooperative response. Yet, once again, she replied with, "Call me whatever you like."

"Alright then, fine!! I'll call you... Nova! What about Nova?"

"It sounds like a robot."

"Okay...then...Sera, what about Sera?"

"Sounds dumb."

"Third try... Isha?"

"Lame..."

"What about Serina?"

"Doesn't suit my character."

"May?"

"Disgusting."

"Alisa?"

"Really?"

"Alright, freaking fine, just tell me what name you want," Ben asked, his frustration evident as he scratched his head vigorously.

"Call me whatever you like," she responded with a slight smile.

"Why don't you just kill me and dance over my dead body? System, help!!" Ben screamed inwardly, banging his head against the nearest wall.

[You have my sympathy...host.]

"Okay... if you have something in mind you can tell me, I will appreciate it if you save my effort trying different names that you will reject either way," Ben said, with a give-up kind of expression on his face.

"The name I like..."

"Fr-Freya..."

"Freya?!" That's a beautiful name, if you have that name why just didn't tell them earlier?" Ben asked in excitement, to know that one of his significant quests in this world was now─ SOLVED. n--0VelbIn

"My papa gave me that name..." She said, looking down on the bed, and biting her lips.

"Good job, how can I forget you must have a papa too...Cough cough, I mean, do you know where your father lives? Which city? Or village anything?" Ben asked excitedly, hoping to find more clues about her past but unfortunately he was yet again disappointed with a "NO-IDEA" look.

After a few minutes of conversation, Ben gave up trying to find clues about her parents or her back home. Not to mention, even if he were to find them, what is he gonna do with the whole slave situation thing?

[ Host, it may be just a hunch, but I believe, Freya is purposely not telling you any details about her home... due to some reasons maybe.]

"You felt that too? I also think she is avoiding these questions cleverly." Ben thought before he ended his third class interrogation and moved down the floor with her. There after having some rice prodige, Ben introduced her to the group and told her more about the village, or at least what he knew.

"Ben, so I was asking when will you be up for the job?" Ray asked, putting down his bowl, he completed eating.

"For that, I will have to exactly know what Is it that I am supposed to do?" Ben counter-questioned, after sharing a little glance with Freya.

"Oh, haha, sorry about that, I completely forgot to tell you the exact situation," Ray answered, an embarrassed smile on his face. Then he poured water from the jug to his glass before he continued. " The thing is, as you can see, there are very many fighters in the village, if you exclude me, Alex, and a brave solider that you fought close quarters (that's him) then there are next to no people in the village that can even use magic.

"You mean Alex and you right?" Ben asked, straight face as if saying 'Seriously bro?'. In response, the red-haired chief just exchanged glances with Alex and admitted with an embarrassed smile.

"How did you even catch that it was me?" Ray asked, in surprise, putting off his double role.

"It's simple, I can say that by your smell," Ben responded in a very casual tone as if it was a very normal thing to do. [ A/N: Ben doesn't realize he has enhanced senses thanks to his vampire powers.]

"Do I stink that bad!" Ray thought in his mind, the expression on his face was like he ate one spoonful of salt at once.

"Anyways, back to the topic," Ray said, gaining back his composure, secretly smelling his body "The thing is, someone is needed in the village gate in the night to watch over wolves and bandits. And as I said earlier, we are currently lacking manpower, so, judging by your strength, I want you to act as a guard of the village."

"I see" Ben responded, nodding his head in agreement.

"But don't worry, we will be exchanging shifts once in a while, Each of us three can take turns so that there are always two people guarding around the gate. Also if anything happens, we all can confront it at once." Ray said, in a serious yet excited tone, that he was looking forward to working with Ben.

"I believe you can do that much to repay for two people living. You can decline if you want to." Ray said, expecting in his mind that Ben would accept his offer. Even though Ben declined, Ray decided to help him either way, it was just that he was in a situation where he would appreciate every little help he could get.

"So let me get this clear, you want Ben to act as a guard with you so he can pay for two of us living here" Freya asked, interrupting in between them. Ray on the other hand just nodded in agreement.

"If that's the case, then I am against this proposal," Freya said, a straight expression on her face.

Ben, Freya, and Ray sat in a triangular formation on the floor of the modest room, their expressions ranging from contemplative to serious. The weight of the decision hung in the air, a tension that seemed to stretch for an eternity.

Ray, the red-haired chief of the village, maintained his composure despite the unexpected turn of events. He had expected Ben to accept his offer without hesitation, given the dire circumstances of the village. However, Freya's objection had thrown a wrench into his plans.