Chapter 22 - 22: Flamingo
Chapter 22: Chapter 22: Flamingo
Aadi smiled and said, "She needs some experience, and she'll be safe in your hands, so I won't be worried about her. After all, I'm just a normal bookstore owner. If something happened to her, I... sigh."
Jev and Bhadru looked at Aadi with a speechless expression. They really wanted to shout at him, but did they have the guts to do that? They just thought, 'Whatever you say is right.'
"What do you think, Aurora? Do you want to go and experience it?" Aadi asked with a gentle smile. He looked like the most gentle person you could find.
Aurora, of course, didn't fall for this gentle smile. Gentle? That would be the last word she would use for Aadi. Where was this gentle side in those five months when he tormented her with a smile?
But still, he was someone she respected from the bottom of her heart. Aurora responded with a calm and respectful voice, "I would like to explore that, Master."
Aadi nodded and said to both Jev and Bhadru, "So it's settled then. Whenever you go with your team, just take her along. She won't be taking any treasures and all; she just wants to experience the tomb."
Aurora had a look as if her whole world was destroyed. She wasn't interested in treasures, but she could sell them for a lot of money. Just thinking about the losses, she almost shed tears. Aadi cleared his non-existent tears and thought in his heart, 'Everything I'm doing is for you, my disciple. Forgive your master.'
Asty watched everything with a strange expression. Use some logic, who sends their disciple with someone they've only met once?
She was really questioning the IQs of everyone here. She thought Aadi's IQ was the worst, but now her opinion was changing.
Of course, Jev and Bhadru didn't notice anything, as they were staring at the tea in their hands with a constipated look. They turned towards each other and saw the same pain in each other's eyes. They nodded at the same time, understanding each other's situation.
"Haha, sir, we just remembered something important, so we have to leave now. As for the tomb, we'll come to take her tomorrow morning," Bhadru said, trying to be as polite as possible, but his smiling constipated look made it even weirder.
"Oh, sure, but at least finish the tea," Aadi said innocently as if he didn't see thier constipated look.
"Some other time, sir. It's really important. Good day, sir." Bhadru said and immediately ran away from there, with Jev following him at the same speed.
Aadi saw them running and controlled his laughter, but still, he laughed in the end.
"Hey Aadi, do you have that aura that every MC has which makes everyone around him dumb?" Asty jumped over, still laughing Aadi, and asked.
Aadi coughed and said with a straight face, "Of course not. Do you really think I'm someone who would use something like that?"
"Yes," was an instant response from Asty.
Aadi and Asty looked at each other for a minute before Aadi averted his eyes and said, ignoring Asty's smirk, "Prepare for tomorrow, Aurora. This could be life-threatening for you. Remember, if you're facing the unknown, overestimate it in every way so you can be better prepared."
Aurora nodded her head and said, "Understood, Master."
"Also, we won't help you even if you're in danger. So explore the tomb with utmost caution," Aadi said in his unusually serious tone. "Don't believe everything you see, especially if there are pills and such."
Asty looked at Aadi with a mysterious smirk. She knew Aadi's soul was almost obliterated when he went to explore such tombs.
Aurora listened carefully and engraved everything in her heart. She knew that although her master was slightly... yeah, slightly crazy, he treated her really well. So she believed anything Aadi said.
Aadi nodded and brought out two daggers from his pocket dimension and gave them to Aurora.
The daggers had thin blades and long hilts, with three gems engraved. They were a pitch crimson red, looking as though they had been washed with blood for years.
"I've been observing your techniques and concluded that you can wield daggers the best. Take these as a present from me. For your adventures in the lower realm, these daggers will suffice. I've sealed most of their power, and you can break the seals as you get stronger," Aadi explained as he handed the daggers to the still shocked Aurora.
Aurora could feel a terrifying flame aura emanating from these daggers. She took the daggers from Aadi and began observing them.
"Their name is Flamingo. They accompanied me in my younger days. I haven't used them much since then. Now they'll accompany you on your journey," Aadi said with a gentle smile.
Asty smiled seeing Aadi's behavior. He was as overprotective as ever.
Aurora brought down her excitement and took out a small dagger she had been using for practice. She brought it closer to her forehead and made a light cut, causing it to bleed.
After that, she closed her eyes and condensed her spiritual energy around the blood coming out of her forehead. She brought it closer to the daggers.
This drop was her blood essence, which is usually found near the forehead. This blood contains a fragment of one's spirit, so if someone wants to refine an item, they have to use the blood essence.
Aurora assimilated the blood essence with the daggers, using her spiritual energy. The daggers began levitating in front of Aurora.
Soon, a terrifying aura gushed out from both the daggers, and the room's temperature spiked.
Aurora, still closing her eyes, put both hands forward. As if in response to her command, both daggers flew toward Aurora's hands.
Aurora caught both of them easily and held them in a reverse grip.
She finally opened her eyes, and one could see the joy in her eyes.
"These are awesome, Master!" Aurora exclaimed. After refining the daggers, she gained information about them—The Flamingo.