The Mysterious Black Magician

In the right hand of Ella, a device materialized. She was even standing in a dignified posture, imitating her empress aunt whenever she declared something interesting to her people.

Everyone in the room was awe-inspired at her majestic aura. She looks like a queen, standing in an aloft demeanor.

However, when they noticed the thing she was holding, everyone's eyes turned into dots. With their mouths hung open.

Even the girl beside her had a face that didn't know whether to laugh or cry. A big bead of 

sweat appeared at the back of her head.

"Puwa…!" Laughter escaped from the mouth. It was from Thomas..

Then, 

"...puwahahahahaha!"

HAHAHAHAHA

Following his lead, everyone in their group was batshit laughing.

In Rea's hand, Yman and the others saw an MTMD.

But for some reason, Rea was maintaining her aloft demeanor even though the people in front of her were laughing crazily.

"Hahaha, what that thing can do, Miss Ella?" One of Thomas's men said.

"Haha, Miss Ella, do you plan on calling the emergency hotline?" Asked Thomas.

In truth, after the development of this device, not only humans could call the emergency team, even the Demihumans also had an emergency team that would rescue those who wanted their service.

However, putting into account the distance. The emergency team would be late. Although the people from the emergency team at most a False Path Expert, their number wasn't so big. On the other hand, no one knew where their station was located as they were always came late when one needed their help. Until only a few would bother to contact them.

A second later, she tapped her device. Then they heard a ringing tone. A moment after the clicking tone was heard, a voice from the other side came in.

"Hello, Merea? What's up?"

Said the person she was calling.

Upon hearing her voice, Yman felt a chill running down his spine. Then he felt a bad premonition. 

<The headmaster!> Sistela screamed.

Never would he imagine that Rea would be calling her aunt. The headmaster of the adventurers guild.

'In any case, why did she call her?' He asked inwardly.

"Aunt! This person is not protecting me!!!" Rea did not bother greeting the person on the other line and directly said her complaint.

Yman and Sistela froze on the spot. It was unexpected even for him. Not good if their boss fired them!

When Thomas and the others heard her calling the person on the other line as 'Aunt', they burst into laughter once again. And even taunting her that she was like a kid asking for help from her aunt. 

Beside her, Aspe was gawking. She wondered why Miss Ella called her aunt in this situation. And what she meant by 'this person not protecting her?' She doubted.

They all thought Miss Ella would pull out an amazing Artefact from her spatial ring.

However, she pulled something they least expected. How come a person with great magic and who was studying in a leading magic academy of the empire relied on her tool instead. It's not even a tool for magic combat.

Even Yman could not help but wanted to chuckle at her. But he held his chuckle as he was the target of that call! 

Rea disregarded their bewilderment and raised a brow at them. Then she shot a glare at the person who was standing quietly like an audience at the back.

A bead of sweat appeared at the back of his head when he noticed her gaze towards him. Yman laughed inwardly in a descending tone while scratching his face. 

"Ufufu, tell him I will cut his salary if he let my Merea hurt…"

The headmaster's reply reverberated in his head. Yman's mouth was left open with his eyes turned white.

After her aunt's words, she smugged at him with a "Hmph!"

She looks like a spoiled girl.

"....."

He was looking forward to her amazing magic spell but for some reason, she pulled something very scary. At least it was for him.

<I-It seems Miss Rea pulled a wild card for us, P-Partner.> Sistela said with a scare which further dropped his shoulder.

Hah! He sighed. And winked at Rea with a smile.

Rea was caught off guard and was taken aback. She could not believe this guy had the time to tease her in such a situation they were in. Though her heart skips a beat. 

But she could not let herself be swallowed into this person's actions. Rea decided to put a facade of an uninterested face. If someone knew exactly what she felt that moment, they would think, 'As expected of a princess, she was good at imposing an act!'

She briefly stuck out her tongue in his direction.

Before Yman could think to himself that he failed to tease her, a report from his ever-trusting partner came-in.

<Partner, your [Charisma] Attribute had increased once again!> Said Sistela in surprise.

He too was surprised at this notification from his Deity but soon a grin happened on his face.

He finally got a hang of this Attribute.

No one noticed the little teasing exchanged between them.

'This girl loves being teased apparently,' he thought so.

While Aspe was still marveling at what to do in this situation, Thomas and his men waa still laughing crazily.

(Until…)

"Stop making fun of my girl…" they heard someone saying it. His voice was so calm and the tone was serious. He said it with a straight face like it was a natural thing to say.

All the people inside the cramped shop of flowers and herbs turned silent. They all glanced at the cause of the voice. They saw the young man who they thought already went away.

Aspe was puzzled by his words.

But then, "Wha--! M-M-My....." Rea stammered her words while having a shocked face. Then fumes that seemed like volcanic fumes appeared on top of her head and her face slowly turned red, but she used her hands to cover her face after a semi-eruption.

In her mind, it wasn't because she likes him, it was just too embarrassing to hear.

<Partner, your [Charisma] had increased a little.> Sistela was once again reported.

Yman looked at Rea with a sorry face. He was about to say 'My Boss' but his tongue slipped.

However, after hearing his Deity's notification, it looks like he was right. This rich-beautiful-lass likes being teased.

And on top of it, he already mastered the [Thick-skinned], [Thickface], or even reached the apex of [Shamelessness]! So he was least bothered by it.

If this could help him to increase his friendly relationship with her, Yman would not think twice to use this card of teasing her until she became a friend to him. Right! He could use this Attribute to build a friendly connection to everyone else.

"Fufu," he giggled upon finding the usefulness of his [Charisma] Attribute that he initially thought was least useful.

'If I can use it efficiently I might be able to befriend even the most influential person in the world,' Yman pondered.

On the other hand,

Thomas and his Demihuman friends were wondering why he was still there.

Wait, what he said again? My girl? Who is he claiming as his girl? Could it be the herb collector girl? They questioned in their mind. 

But sooner they knitted their brows at him when they saw him inserting his hand into a black glove and a gauntlet.

The ruby chips on it gleamed briefly after he inserted his hand. It was the core of the Strength Category Magic Cryst he looted from the Noble Rat.

Now that his Strength Attribute had increased a lot after his contract with the demon, these two items were more effective than before.

"Damn it, let's not waste more time! Thomas let's take Miss Ella!" One of Thomas's friends beckoned. Since they already have the herb, they must proceed. Miss Ella was just a bonus for their boss.

"No, we can't take her with us," after pondering for quite a while, Thomas thought that it wasn't good to take her. It would be a big crime if they do. Miss Ella was a popular person in the Empire. To sum it up, it was daylight and many people would see them taking her away.

But he changed his mind when his friend whispered into his ear.

"You two take her! And you! Kick that nuisance," Thomas ordered his men.

Without a warning, two of his men rushed towards Rea.

And the other one reached out his hand to grab the young man at their back.

But before his hand could grab the young man's shoulder, his world went upside-down. He felt a throbbing pain in his stomach, then it was followed by a dull sound.

Everyone glanced at the back.

"What the--!" Thomas and his men were stunned for a moment when they saw the person lying on the floor. 

Never would he imagine that such a young man was able to defeat his men who already had many experiences in fights.

"Get him!" He commanded the person beside him. "You two take Miss Ella right away!" He added. The two who paused resumed their advance to abduct Miss Ella.

"I won't let you!"

Rea heard a yell, then it was followed by a sudden pull from behind her. 

"A-Aspe-!?" She saw her friend step in front.

"Gentle Hands!" After she whispered it, Aspe's hands were enveloped by glowing yellowish energy.

Since it was so cramped inside the shop, it only took two steps to reach them.

Aspe sent multiple glowing hand-stabbed to the approaching enemies.

But it was easily dodged by them. Aspe grimaced at her failure to land a hit. Their combat capability was too wide of a gap.

The two men of Thomas scoffed at her. They didn't feel threatened by Aspe's magical aura. One of them sent a strong glowing fist towards Aspe's stomach. While the other went directly to grab Ella.

Seeing it, Aspe and Rea grimaced.

Aspe closed her eyes to brace herself for the incoming impact.

However, after a couple of seconds, she didn't feel any pain.

"What is this?" She heard someone asked annoyingly.

She slowly opened her eyes and saw the two enemies entangled by --- 'Black Threads!?' Aspe exclaimed in mind.

Then she saw two spiders on the ceiling. Their bodies were in black and crimson lines would trail occasionally.

Their bodies were as big as the person's head.

"F-Fire Dolls…!" She heard Miss Ella's mutter at her back.

"???" Aspe was puzzled by it. But she had no time to ask her as she heard some cries from the back of the enemies.

"H-How come this person was so strong…"

Thud!

"Fuck! You will pay for it kiddo!"

The guy who was holding the herb screamed then rushed at the young man while sending a strong and hasty punch. 

Aspe widened her eyes when the young man caught Thomas's punch.

But not only Aspe who was surprised by it. Even Thomas could not believe it. He used at most 70% of his strength in that punch. And he was at the peak of Level 9. On the contrary, the person in front of him was a young man only! An academy first-year level based on his Deity's appraisal to him.

They saw the young man's mouth form into a grin. "It's my turn, Mister." They heard him said.

Thomas felt a bad premonition and tried to retreat his fist. "What? I can't take it!?" Thomas felt a chill when he noticed he couldn't free his fist from his grip.

'Wait, he wasn't in resonance with his Deity?!' Thomas was at a loss after seeing the young man's cute female Deity sitting on his shoulder.

His intuition screamed for danger, but it was too late. His vision slowly turned dark when he felt a strong piercing pain from his abdomen.

"Cough! Cough!" Thomas curled on the floor while coughing blood.

"How did it -- wait… could he be from the Top Great Families on the Outerworld?" Thomas muttered.

Those families bred strong offspring. So it was natural that most of them were strong people even at a young age.

It was the only conclusion that Thomas came up before a kick that took his consciousness landed on his face. But before his consciousness faded, he heard the young man said, "it's a payment for dangering my payment…"

Thud!

'What is this human expert doing in this village?' Thomas's last thought.

(Faint~~~)