Chapter 18: A Tutor and an angry Adventurer

"That explains a lot", I answer.

"What do you mean?" The merchant tilts his head.

"Let's just say I thought people were just acting arrogant, but it turns out they were just having a normal reaction", I look up at him. I can't get used to this height difference. I better hit a growth spurt soon.

"Do you know anyway to suppress it?" I can probably shave off some of the unnecessary curiosity in me if he knows a way.

"You can never fully suppress killing intent" He thinks for a moment then looks at me with pity in his eyes. "Actually, it has a lot to do with your mental state. I'm assuming you're not exactly in the best mind considering how many monsters you've must of killed to get that much killing intent. I keep forgetting you're just a little girl..." A mind that's focused on money. Yep, he probably put that fact aside for a good deal. Merchant through and through. I let out a slight giggle with a crescent smile.

"What are you laughing about?" He looks at me confused.

"Oh, nothing. Just that you have the perfect mindset for a merchant", he's stunned and turns from me in a hurry.

After a minute, he clears his throat and turns back to me. "Anyways, killing intent increases based on the amount and type of monsters you kill. For example you can get more from killing an orc than a goblin",he explains. So the death aura is real.

Huh, I did kill monsters out of sheer boredom at times. My own ignorance caused me trouble. Luckily I know this now so I can avoid more troublesome encounters from now on.

"I don't know much else about it you'd have to look for anything else on it on your own" he finishes. 

"Wanna buy those materials now I got stuff to do today", don't need to waste more time then needed. He smiles at me.

"Let's go", we finish walking to his stand. There is a woman with ice white hair who seems to be in her twenties there waiting for us. 

"Is that her?" She asks the merchant skeptically. 

"Sure is", she shakes her head.

"You said you found a strong adventurer not some child" she's got a point.

"Tell me can a normal adventurer last deep in that forest for two weeks?" She can't hide her surprise.

"Yup, she came back from the forest without a single scratch" the woman approaches me, ignoring the man. Rude.

"Little girl are you sure he didn't drag you here against your will?" Being a child doesn't give people confidence in my abilities I guess.

"Me and him have a business arrangement. However, that's none of your concern for now" he's supposed to keep quiet on who's supplying him with materials after all. She turns from me to look at my merchant friend. He laughs at her expression of disapproval.

"Look, she might have the herb you need. She says she did pick a few while she deep in the forest after all", he gives her a wide grin. Isn't this supposed to be my accomplishment though?

"Let's see what you got I guess", she sighs in resignation.

I open my cloak and take the herbs and plants I gathered in the forest from one of my bags. The white haired girl raises her eyebrows.

"You have magic bags? Where did you get them?" I didn't see hear any adventurers talking about them though. That must mean they are quite rare.

"I made them", I reply simply. No need to lie. Although, how else do people get these? Now the merchant is looking at me wierd. You've seen them already. I turn my gaze to him.

"Why are you surprised? You've seen them before" I ask.

"You never told me you made them!" True.

"It isn't important where your materials come from as long as they keep coming. Don't ask too many questions or I might just stop providing", I give him a look of warning. He immediately stops talking. I then finish taking out the plants. The white haired lady has been awfully quiet.

"You okay there?" I ask. She looks young but maybe that white hair is showing her actual age. Perhaps she's keeping a youthful look with magic? Wouldn't surprise me. She shakes her head and finally snaps out of her trance.

"Yes I'm fine. Where did you find these?" Dumb question.

"The forest", I reply. "I'm an adventurer"

"You're an adventurer?!" Okay she's getting loud now.

"Yes and if you keep causing a scene your gonna ruin this man's business" I warn.

"Sorry it's just with your ability to find plants like these, I would think you'd have to have a lot of knowledge of these herbs. Or, at the very least, very sensitive to mana", I think it's the ladder. 

"That's all well and good, but did you find what you needed from this?" I ask trying to shift the topic back from me.

"Yes", she says picking up a white flower. Huh same as her hair color, how fitting. "But I'm a little confused on your reward. You went so deep in the forest just to get someone to teach you?" The confusion is justified I suppose.

"Hmm. I guess it would be confusing. I'm a private person so I prefer to keep my exchanges as such. Judging by how your holding that flower, you've been desperate to get your hands on it. Same for me. I'm desperate to learn to read and write. We are in the same boat in that regard I believe", the woman has a stupid look on her face after I said that. I guess saying such things in this body would be quite surprising. She turns toward the merchant.

"Can I adopt her?" Uh what? I think I need to clean my ears.

"I know she's a sharp one. I told yah" he says and laughs. The lady turns toward me. I swear there are sparkles in her eyes.

"Sorry, but no", no way in hell. She looks down for a moment then shakes her head vigorously. Yes, please get those thoughts out of your head. I've already had two birth mothers. Dont need a third adoptive one. Every time I think about it, it gives me a migraine.

"Too bad. I want to add a condition to the deal though", she says, causing me to raise an eyebrow.

"And what would that be?" I ask.

"You can tell me about how you found these herbs", not a problem.

"Not a problem. When can you start tutoring me?" I yawn as I said this, and a purr escapes me. I swear both of them just melted. They eventually both snap out of it after a solid minute.

"If you can meet me here at noon in a week I should be prepared" Hmm.

"You skip out on me and I'm taking a finger", I warn. I may be a little trusting of my merchant friend here but I don't know her yet. Wait. I don't even know this guy's name.

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"Oi what's your name", I think our little relationship is a little personal, so why not learn his name? People have been telling me thier names but I never remember them as they aren't important to me. I may nod to you and say "hows it going" but that's just a  friendly acknowledgement of your existence. Quite common for people in my country to do that.

"I never told you? Hold on, I never asked you for yours either", the woman slaps the side of his head. Oh? Is he about to get scolded?

"You asked for her services without even knowing her name?!" Yup getting scolded. 

"My name is Karla", I say while doing while stretching my arms out.

"just call me Doro", he says while fending off the woman. Interesting name.

"Ma'am can you wait to beat him after I'm done with my business?" She doesn't seem to be listening though. I'll wait. A few slaps later and she's done.

"So, can I sell those materials now?" I finished my business a few minutes later with ten gold coins in my pocket. After some calculations it's equivalent to a ten grand in U.S.. I sold a lot more then needed but, at least I won't have to worry about money for a bit.

I make my way to the guild. Unfortunately, I'm instantly spotted by some adventurers outside the guild. 

"Hey your the girl from the bounty poster!" Had a feeling. I mean I just got back today so it's not a surprise the bounty hasn't been taken down yet. 

"Bounty's been claimed. Someone else found me" I lie. I really don't need this right now. 

"That's impossible they are supposed bring you to the guild! You can't fool me!" He starts walking toward me. Hmm. I pull my staff from my bag while jumping back ten feet.

"A mage beast kin? Your just a punching bag!" He says while smiling. He takes out a club. Cocky are we? Though, looking around there were more of them hidden away. So they are ambushing me. Troublesome.

"Enough!" Oh a familiar voice. A man with clear signs of aging appears from the front of the guild. Hmm. Voice matches the man that peaked on me in the bath.

"Guild master? What are you doing here?" The master doesn't answer he just moves at a speed I couldn't keep with and chops the man on the head. He whispers something in his ear. The man just gets angry and irritable.

"The request has been cancelled? I spent so much- Tch", he looks furious now.

"It doesn't matter I guess I can just take my anger out on the brat instead", Oi! You're gonna die if you do that though! The guild master just shrugs.

"It's not the guilds responsibility to deal with conflicts between adventurers do as you please" Didn't you-- oh he winked at me. I frown at him and he just said one word.

"Example?" He nods. I just roll my eyes. 

"Enough brat I'll make you suffer until I feel you've paid for what you made me lose" Oh is that all? I take out a gold coin.

"How about we end this without my blood being spilt okay?" Yeah I'm not going with your plan asshole. I give the guild master a cold glare. Hmm, first person to not flinch from it, interesting.

"I'll give you this to repay the cost of whatever you bought to capture me. If it's more let's work it out in the guild", people don't like wasting money they can't spare after all. The man looks at me funny.

"How much was the bounty?" I turn toward the guild master.

"Five hundred gold coins", Fucking shit. I'd be pissed too.

"Must have been excited about it. I sympathize", the man somewhat recovered. He wasn't angry anymore it seemed.

"We can do that" he says. Good. I walk toward him and place the coin in his hand. Damn! My hands are small compared to his!

"Perhaps, try to settle things like this first next time. There's a reason that bounty was so high", I whisper to him as I walk by.

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