Chapter 165: Ashspawn Legend

After reading more signs full of death threats, fighting the urge not to go into that suspicious building, heightening his senses while making sure to protect his coffee and cheesecake, Moon kept his eyes on Fate Alert to make sure nothing sudden happened; Boa guided him to a flight of stairs, which he followed.

One floor after another, looking pinkish at some corners. Looking suspicious at every corner.

Before he knew it, he finally reached the end of the very long flight of stairs.

The roof floor of the building.

There, Talia was at a table, surrounded by many familiar faces he didn’t know were there.

Boa sped up and stood behind Talia, who smiled, "Welcome to our first meeting," and greeted.

Moon nodded; his eyes ran across the present faces.

Dorbish waved at Moon with a slight smile and his usual droopy eyes.

Roran averted his gaze, rested his glabella on the tip of his thumb, and closed his eyes shut.

Colten stood from his seat; he took a step back, now side by side with Abshi.

"Is that a cheesecake?" Lexie stood from her seat and pointed.

"Mine!" Moon hugged both the coffee and the cheesecake tightly with one hand and extended the other to Liquid Mountain in a very defensive and threatening gesture.

"You ran away last time with my cheesecake!" Lexie wasn’t backing down. "That makes this one mine!" she declared.

"You can bite my heart but not my cheesecake!" Moon said while slowly unsheathing Liquid Mountain. "I defend my food with my life," he spoke in a dead serious tone.

"It’s just a cheesecake; don’t make a big deal of it," Dorbish tried to mediate the rising conflict.

"Shut up, you scammer!" Lexie spat, not taking his mediation seriously.

Nola, who was standing behind Lexie, patted her shoulder. "Sister, let it go; this is Sir Saviour," she reminded her eagerly with a gentle whisper.

"Ehm," Lexie locked eyes threateningly with Moon, "Fine, I’ll let it go this time for Nola’s sake." She sat down again.

Talia gave Nola a look of genuine gratitude.

She looked at Moon, pointing at the chair where Colten was seated, between Lexie and Dorbish. "Please take a seat," she pointed.

Moon walked to the seat and gently placed his coffee and cheesecake. Then he emptied his pockets of the cheese cubes he was saving, bringing too many needless gazes from everyone around.

Lastly, he hung Liquid Mountain on the backrest of his seat.

"Yo," he greeted before taking a sip of his coffee, smiling in satisfaction.

"Hey, what’s with this?" Dorbish leaned closer and whispered.

Moon leaned close to him. "Chef Ed said I must save my muscles from disappearing," he whispered back.

Dorbish nodded. "But why cheesecake?" he asked again. "I don’t think it helps with muscles," he added.

Moon’s eyes glittered. "Yep, that’s what Chef Ed said." Moon nodded before adding, "But Chef said I burn too much food, so a cheesecake will burn instead and allow my muscles to grow," he whispered.

"Oh, makes sense now," Dorbish admitted.

Ehm~

Talia cleared her throat, bringing the attention of the two to the table again, where everyone was watching them.

"I think we spoke too loudly?" Dorbish said apologetically.

"Their hearing could just be that good." Moon squinted at everyone; he unsealed the cheesecake and fished out a spoon he smuggled from the eatery a couple of days ago that was hidden in the gap of the belt of Liquid Mountain’s scabbard.

He took a bite. "Sup?" he turned to Talia and asked.

Behind Talia, Boa was on the verge of eruption. Talia could feel her anger; she extended her hand behind her shoulder and patted Boa’s hand that was firmly holding on to her seat.

"We agreed on sharing intel, our group, opponents, and everything we had gathered over the days," Talia explained.

Moon nodded. "I thought we’d do that after the duel, though," he spoke his mind.

Talia shook her head. "There’s no need for that; regardless of the result we’re already on the same side," she said reassuringly.

Moon nodded. "Makes sense." He was in favour of her mindset. "So, what do you want to share today, and why is everyone here?"

"Let me first introduce everyone; some of you are meeting for the first time," Talia said.

She pointed to her right. "Starting with Sir Roran of Swift Sabre."

Roran nodded, still in the same thinker pose, unmoving.

Next to Roran, she pointed, "Sir Dorbish of Stoneforge."

She then pointed to her left, "Lady Lexie of Thorn."

After that came "Sir Colten of Azure Flame."

She then began introducing the aides, Abshi, Nola, and Boa, before finally introducing herself.

"I’m Talia of the Knights’ Realm," she said before opening her hand for Moon. "Sir Moon, would you please introduce yourself to everyone?" she asked.

It was a wise move on her part, allowing Moon, who was the one everyone was curious about the most and his background, to introduce himself.

"I’m Moon from Mountain of Gru mercenaries," Moon introduced himself with a straight face, becoming more familiar and confident in his lies thanks to Ed’s support.

Everyone was looking curiously at him.

For the first time in a very long time, they heard of a new place of affiliation.

"Sir Moon, could you please tell us more about the first floor?" Talia asked politely.

Moon took in a deep breath, a sip of his coffee. He thought for a moment, not sure if they would be able to understand.

He was also afraid of saying things in a way that downplayed the true nature of the first floor.

After a few seconds, Moon exhaled.

"The first floor is not a very good place to live or be born in," Moon said before raising his eyes to everyone.

"The entire floor is controlled by Ashspawns; once they’re old enough, they receive their own soldiers or slaves, start fighting others for lands, or just for the sake of battle."

Moon took a bite of his cheesecake. "An Ashspawn can raid his parents and brothers; they fight and kill one another once they reach the age they could be called warriors," he stated.

Next to him, Dorbish leaned forward. "What are they seeking: food, money, resources?" he asked, not sure if he understood Moon correctly.

"Nothing." Moon shook his head. "There’s nothing that they lack; every land has large farms, livestock too, rivers."

"Don’t they get destroyed during these battles?" Dorbish wasn’t convinced.

Moon shrugged. "Sometimes, but it doesn’t hurt much." He added, "They start random battles in deserted regions that take weeks to months. In battle, dying is not just by blade, but starvation, lack of water."

Moon took a sip of his coffee. "There isn’t truly any reason to fight; Ashspawns do it to become superior."

"What do you mean?" Lexie asked, now frowning deeply.

"I heard there was once a legend every young Ashspawn knows of: one day a man of grey skin will defeat all others and unite the first floor under his command," Moon told the tale he had heard long ago. "Every Ashspawn is trying to be that man regardless of anything; the cost doesn’t matter: family, friends, nothing truly matters but becoming that person yourself."

Everyone was momentarily frozen by Moon’s words.

Roran raised his gaze, looking at Moon in utter disbelief. Nola shivered, and Lexie’s body shook.

Dorbish leaned back in his seat, exhaling slowly.

Colten and Abshi tried to swallow their saliva, but it was too loud and dry.

Talia’s gaze was complicated, but she didn’t say anything.

Instead, Boa pointed at Moon. "How could someone like you know of this Ashspawn-rooted story? You’re not even an Ashspawn!"