Killian didn't react, or look at them.
Getting accused of the exact thing Keith did made his blood boil. If he cheated, then why stop a C-Rank when he could get a better rank?
He regulated his breathing and watched the lady's fingers typing on her laptop. He hoped it would hasten up.
Then she looked up at him. "So, check your WLog and pick what you need." She pushed a list with pictures. "Ideas."
Killian stepped closer.
He needed something that could replace the cloak, or hide his presence when he moved around people.
"So my vessel is a little anxious around people."
Killian felt relieved to hear his voice amidst the unfamiliar surroundings.
Don't tease me. People are just difficult.
If they didn't jab at him for being a Null, then they would look at him with pity.
Even now, he got accused of cheating. He disliked the attention, whether good or bad.
But he masked it well with a stoic expression.
"Stealth Seals," he said after looking through the list. They perfectly hid the presence of the user. "Three."
"Ten points each. Thirty."
Killian breathed in sharply. Expensive.
Most trainees only had extra 10 or 15 points left to exchange. Did that mean they could only get one stealth seal?
The whispers around him died down as they watched what he bought.
"Smoke bombs." He added, hoping they would be cheap. These were his hard-earned points. "Just three."
He could use the bombs to escape a bad situation. He had always wanted to use one since he saw it in a movie.
"Three points each. Nine total." the lady smiled.
He breathed out. "These gloves and socks." Killian pointed at the list. There was a dark pair that hid mana traces.
That could help keep the tendrils under his feet from hurting someone, or exposing his element.
"10 points each. Twenty points."
He nodded, that was a fair price for items he could keep reusing. He had used 59 points well.
The lady exhaled with a satisfied smile. "Anything else? You can check the shelves too."
He looked at an item seated at the shelves. It had caught his eyes since he walked in.
"Those boots?" the woman asked, noticing his gaze.
Killian nodded again. They looked cool. "Yeah."
"Ten points."
As she said, the old man rushed to bring it for him. "They hide footsteps and presence like the stealth seals till you are seen."
Killian nodded once.
Stealth seals erase presence, while the boots made him feel invisible till seen. They were both useful for different occasions.
"Oh, and a spatial storage. Small."
"Ten cubic meters. Twenty points."
He didn't hesitate. "I'll take it."
The woman typed quickly.
"Total… 89 points. Look around for anything else, while I send the items to your spatial storage."
Killian nodded. The voices grew louder around him as he turned his face. He remembered he wasn't alone in the room, while buying so many things.
He felt the weight of their attention and stayed rooted to the spot.
Maybe I should just leave here. I bought enough.
Footsteps closed in on him. "Hey, Grim Warden, you wanna join our team?"
Yay. Recruiters.
Another voice followed. "We could use someone like you. We are former A-Rank trainees."
But now D-Rank Lower Wardens.
Stop riding on a dead horse.
An older teenager stepped forward, pushing the other two backwards. "You should consider a proper squad. We are already D-Rank Higher Wardens."
Killian felt all their eyes on him as they waited for his answer. He also knew they judged him.
But his face stayed the same.
"I'll think about it," he said calmly.
A notification flashed.
[WLog Updated!]
[Inventory Available!]
The items transferred into his storage.
[Remaining Points: 6 points]
Maybe, I will come back later,
As he turned to leave, the door opened at his face.
SLAM!
A tall girl rushed in, holding an injured girl over her shoulders.
Three other girls rushed in with them. Their skin tone and hair styles hinted at them being foreigners.
The scene took everyone's attention and Killian silently thanked the girls. They rushed to the lady.
Killian looked over the shelves for anything else.
The injured girl stood near the counter, one leg wrapped. Her posture was stiff with pain.
"I only have ten surplus points," she said softly. "Is there… anything cheaper for bone correction?"
The lady shook her head. "Not for leg damage, dear. You would need five more points."
The girl lowered her gaze.
Killian stood still for a second.
There was suddenly nothing else of interest on the shelves. He looked at her leg. It looked swollen. Quara came home that way only a month ago.
"Can I transfer five points to her?"
The lady blinked. "Well, yes."
The girl looked up, confused.
Killian didn't look at her. "I didn't see anything else. Get her the bone correction. You can also donate the last few points."
The girl's eyes lit up. "Thank you… thank you so much." She tried to make a bow, but her balance shifted.
Her friend caught her, and the others continued thanking Killian. One even added a foreign word.
From their accent, he could already tell they weren't from the capital. It would be painful to return home with that bad leg.
"It is fine. You're welcome."
[5 Points Transferred To Night Mirage!]
[2 Points Donated!]
[Remaining Points: 0]
[Are You Satisfied With Your Exchange]
[Yes? OR No?]
Killian tapped [Yes] as he walked out.
No one noticed as they all watched the foreign girls, circling their injured friend.
In some way, that scene reminded him of the rabbits moving around the human-rabbit. Guilt struck his chest once. "I should do more good deeds."
"Oh, so the points transfer was a good deed to clear your guilt?"
Not quite, but I hope it helps.
"Keep hoping so."
What's that supposed to mean…
His thoughts were interrupted by a shadow looming over him.His survival instincts kicked in and he jumped back. The figure had literally creeped up on him, as he heard no footsteps.
He stood at 5'10 so anyone that loomed over him must be well over 6'4. He looked up, locking eyes with unfamiliar brown eyes.
"Hey."
Killian removed his hands from his pocket, just in case. The man wasn't a Warden, but a Mage. His uniformed robes marked him as one. "What?"
The man stepped closer. "You are the Grim Warden they talk about, aren't you? Quara's brother. What exactly is your element?"
Killian stared at him.
"Fire?" Shouldn't that be obvious if he were Quara's brother and obviously not the 'talented' one?
The man just watched him. "Fire? Not lightning?"
Killian frowned. He didn't look like Keith in the slightest. They were twins, but not identical. "I said Fire. And who are you supposed to be?"
The man didn't feel right. Also, it didn't even look like he physically stood at that position. He was directly under the sun and looked a little transparent.
The man's lips curved slightly. "Show me."
"I'm drained." Killian said immediately.
"Show me anyway."
Killian huffed silently, and replaced his hands in his pockets. So it was another Doubting Thomas? "I don't have a reason to listen to you."
He walked past but a hand shot out, blocking his path.
"I insist." The man leaned in slightly.
Killian's eyes dropped to the hand, then back up.
"Why?"
I knew this attention would bring something bad my way.
"You've piqued my interest," the man said simply. "But the Dominics… they're shady."
Killian said nothing.
"So either you're talented, and I would hope so because my student, Quara, is," the man continued, "or your father bought those points for you."
Silence. For only a second, before Killian took a hand out of his pocket. He smiled, not widely or friendly. Just enough for the man to relax.
"You are Quara's former teacher, Mr. Jenovan?"
The man nodded, his shoulders lowering. "I am."
Killian saw the man ease up. He stepped back.
"If you really want me to show you," his eyes held the man's gaze.
"I'll show you."