Chapter 7: Chapter 7 Thief And Adventure Card
[System]
"Talking"
*Sound Effect*
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~{GM_Hostess Of Fertility.}~
"Syr!" Bell's voice pulled me back to the present as he welcomed her with genuine cheer. "I'm glad you could join us!"
Freya—no, Syr—beamed at her, the earlier malice in her expression hidden behind a mask of sweetness.
"Of course, Bell," she said, her voice soft and lilting. "I always make time for you." before glancing at me "And who is this... cockroaches?"
Is this girl serious? If this is how she wants to play then...
Before Bell could respond, I stepped in, keeping my expression neutral but letting my tone carry a subtle edge.
"Hello," I greeted, forcing a polite nod. "Nice to meet you… Syr." I sneer at her "Names Daniel."
Her smile didn't falter, but her eyes gleamed, a flicker of amusement—or was it annoyance? "Oh, the pleasure's all mine," she returned smoothly. Then, as if testing the waters, she added, "Bell never mentioned having a male friend before. Quite… unusual."
"We just met today," I replied evenly, shrugging as though her comment didn't bother me in the slightest.
Bell, perhaps sensing the growing tension between us, quickly cut in with a nervous laugh. "Syr! Don't be rude. Daniel saved my life earlier!" her expression turned earnest as she glanced at her. "I owe him my life."
For a moment, Syr's expression froze, the smile slipping just enough to reveal a glimpse of something darker. Then she sighed softly "...sorry."
It sounded polite enough, but there was an unmistakable edge in her tone that made it clear she wasn't entirely sincere.
"No harm done," I replied keeping my tone casual. Then, with a faint smirk, I added, "Though, are you sure you're okay talking to us in the middle of work?
Her eyes flickered with something sharp—annoyance, perhaps—before she quickly masked it with a saccharine smile. Before she could retort, the sound of a loud, commanding voice boomed from in front of me.
"Syr! There are still a lot of customers! Stop talking with your friends and deal with them!"
Her shoulders stiffened, and her expression turned from feigned sweetness to reluctant acknowledgment
"Yes, Mia Grand," Syr replied, her voice taking on a softer, almost deferential tone. With a quick glance in my direction, she turned and swiftly moved away to welcome the newcomer.
I watched her retreating form, still trying to make sense of the situation. Why was she reacting like that? I had never met her before, so there should have been no hostility between us.
As begin trying to remember who she was in the original anime, I finally manage to remember her and can't help but let out a small laugh.
...Oh yeah, she is one of his harems and maybe it is the typical misunderstanding.
Always happened in any harem genre. Not my favorite genre since I love action and fantasy more than the harem genre but that's not the point.
If I were a male in the harem genre it would not happen since the male protagonist is obviously a male, so there is zero chance the girl is going to be jealous when he is friends with a male.
Unless he is gay of course. I pretty much doubt that he or she will like the same sex gender.
But the main problem is that this time the Main character is not a guy but a girl. And she is cute too now that I look closer, just let her hair grow and the entire male in this city will become hers.
And if she keeps growing I can tell that she is going to charm every single person including girls as well.
...Now that I think about it, is Bell gay or straight? Since he is gender bend that mean she has a reverse harem instead of the harem?
Bell Cranel has a ton of male Harem instead of female Harem? Yeah... I don't like this one bit.
Suddenly I have a Sinister idea. There is only one way to find out if Bell is straight or gay.
I just have to tease her.
With my Wicked smile, I glance at Bell who has been nothing more than Cinamon Roll who has been enjoying her meal, and bring my arms around her shoulder not before ordering my Paddy.
"Paddy, play some romantic music."
"Affirmative," Paddy's voice replied quietly.
A soft, slow melody drifted into the air, setting the perfect mood. Bell, startled by the sudden shift, looked around with wide eyes, her cheeks beginning to glow as she tried to locate the source of the music.
Pulling her closer as she let out a squeak of surprise. Leaning in, I lowered my voice and let out a low whistle near her ear. "What's the matter, little rabbit?" I murmured, smirking as her blush deepened.
Bell's head whipped back and forth, clearly flustered at my action, even more when as she tried to understand where the music was coming from. Her brow furrowed in confusion, a mix of curiosity and embarrassment flashing across her face.
"Wha—where's that music coming from?" she stammered, completely oblivious to Paddy's role as the hidden DJ. "A-and w-what are you doing?"
I chuckled, enjoying every second of her flustered reaction. "Does it matter?" I teased, giving her shoulder a playful squeeze. "And besides this is called bonding between comrades!"
Her face turned a bright shade of pink, and she waved her hands frantically in front of her. "T-this doesn't feel like bonding! This feels like… like…" She trailed off, unable to finish her sentence as the music picked up tempo.
I leaned in slightly, lowering my voice just enough to make her even more flustered. "Feels like what, Bell?
Her lips quivered, and I could see steam practically rising from her head. This was too good to pass up—I had to tease her more.
"You know," I said, smirking, "if you don't loosen up, people might think you don't know how to have a good time."
Before she could muster a coherent response, I suddenly felt an iron grip latch onto the back of my shirt.
"Huh—?" was all I managed to say before my world spun violently.
In the next moment, I was airborne, and then—WHAM. My body hit the ground with a force that knocked the wind out of me. My cheek pressed painfully against the cold, unforgiving floor as a dull ache spread through my side. I blinked, disoriented, trying to make sense of what had just happened.
..What just happened?
I groaned, attempting to move, only to realize my arms had been pinned behind my back. Twisting my neck, I managed to catch a glimpse of my assailant—a green-haired girl with pointed ears, staring down at me with a blank expression.
"Wha—why?!" I sputtered, incredulous.
She didn't respond immediately, her icy blue eyes momentarily shifting behind her. Curious, I followed her gaze and froze.
The elf girl which I check her name using the HUD called Ryuu Lion simply answered "We don't tolerate someone like you"
I grimaced, shifting uncomfortably against the hold she had on me. "You're violating the freedom of speech amendment!" I shot back
Ryuu blinked once, her expression not changing in the slightest. "What is… an amendment?"
"Never mind," I muttered, exasperated. Then, because my mouth always acted faster than my brain, I added, "But hey, if you're gonna manhandle me like this, at least whip me first. Y'know, like a proper sadist?"
For a moment, there was silence, the kind that made you second-guess every decision leading up to it.
The faintest twitch crossed Ryuu's otherwise blank face. Her cheeks turned a light shade of pink and her composure cracked as she let go of me and took a few steps back. "P-pervert!" she snapped, her voice unusually sharp.
Just like I'd expected, a fist was flying towards my face the moment I made the suggestion.
I closed my eyes, bracing for the inevitable impact. In my mind, I was already preparing for a swift and merciless punch.
I waited and waited for the punch to come...
But it never came.
Instead, there was an audible thunk, like someone hitting a solid surface, followed by a tense silence.
I cracked one eye open cautiously, and my jaw dropped. A shield—a glowing, translucent barrier—was floating inches from my face, perfectly blocking what I could only assume had been an incoming strike.
Ryuu's eyes widened slightly, a flicker of disbelief breaking through her usually stoic expression. Her gaze wasn't focused on me but on the shield.
For a moment, neither of us moved, both equally stunned. Then, breaking the silence, Paddy's voice rang out with his usual mechanical clarity.
"Alert: This is a warning to the green elf girl."
Before I could stop him, Paddy materialized from his invisible form, stepping forward with his boxy frame and hovering directly between us. His voice deepened, carrying a deliberate weight that immediately shifted the atmosphere.
"Any harm to the designated user will face extermination."
The word extermination echoed ominously, and in perfect sync, Paddy's cameras flared to life, glowing an intense red. A thin laser beam projected from each lens, locking directly onto Ryuu with unnerving precision.
Ryuu's reaction was immediate. She flinched, her feet shifting instinctively into a combat-ready stance. Her expression, however, remained unreadable—her icy blue eyes now assessing Paddy with a mix of caution and tension.
"POD THAT'S ENOUGH"
Paddy's cameras swiveled toward me, the red glow dimming slightly as if processing my command. His frame hovered in place, still locked onto Ryuu.
"That's an order! Stand down!"
For a tense moment, Paddy didn't move, his cameras flicking between Ryuu and me like he was considering the merits of obedience versus immediate annihilation. Then, with an almost theatrical slowness, he floated back to my side, the glow of his cameras fading entirely.
"Compliance acknowledged," Paddy said, his tone flat but distinctly unamused.
I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. Ryuu, however, kept her stance, her sharp gaze darting between me and Paddy.
With the immediate danger seemingly over, I turned back toward my seat—only to stop short when I noticed Bell's chair was empty.
"Where's Bell, anyway?" I asked
"Report: She Runs Away."
"Run away?" I repeated, dumbfounded.
Seriously? She bolted just because I teased her a little? A grin tugged at the corners of my mouth. Wow. She's going to be a fun girl to tease.
As I stood there in the middle of the pub, unsure what to do next, I began to notice the weight of the room's collective gaze
The waiters, still tense from the earlier standoff, cast wary glances in my direction as they went about their work. Around the tables, murmurs and whispers spread like wildfire, curious onlookers stealing glances at me and Paddy.
Then my eyes landed on a specific group.
The Loki Familia.
They weren't whispering like the others. No, most of them were openly staring at me with... interest, their expressions a mix of amusement and intrigue. It was like I'd just put on a private show for them, and they were thoroughly entertained.
Great. An audience I definitely didn't want. This was my cue to leave before I somehow got tangled up in their nonsense.
"Well," I muttered, running a hand through my hair, trying to ignore the stares. "Since I'm clearly not welcome here anymore, I'll take my leave."
I made my way to the counter, but Mia Grand didn't look bothered by the spectacle in the slightest. She raised an eyebrow at the chaos behind me but didn't say a word. Instead, she leaned her elbows on the counter, waiting expectantly.
Sliding a few coins across the surface, I said, "Here's the pay for the meal."
I was about to turn and leave when Mia suddenly called out, "Wait."
I glanced back, confused.
"The little girl hasn't paid for her meal," she said, pointing toward the empty seat Bell had vacated.
I blinked, taken aback. "...Seriously, Bell? You're leaving me with the bill, even after I bought you the meal?" I muttered under my breath.
I sighed heavily and gave a few more coins. "Of course. For Bell's, since she… practically ran away."
Mia let out a booming laugh, swiping the coins with one hand. "You should at least acknowledge she's got some guts running away like that without paying me." She gave me a teasing grin. "I'll give her credit—she's got spirit."
I rolled my eyes, shaking my head. "I don't think that's something to be proud of. Anyway, I'm leaving."
With that, I turned and made my way toward the door. As I stepped outside, the cool air hit me, and I felt a strange mix of relief and annoyance. Paddy floated beside me, his red lenses dimmed to a neutral glow, maintaining his usual silent presence.
"Paddy," I said after a beat, glancing sideways at him. "Next time, let's aim for less hostility, okay?"
"...Affirmative."
/
"Ugh... why did you have to do that Paddy? You are just making trouble, you do know that I possess a shield that prevents physical attack from injuring me right?"
Paddy stays silent not answering my question which makes me sigh even more.
And here I thought this would be a chance to know how much shield will be damage I received the moment I was hit, well maybe it's my fault for not tell him either.
Anyway, this whole day has been rather chaotic from meeting Bell, making an enemy with one of her harems, and now getting whipped by an elf girl.
And this was only the beginning.
Oh bo,y this was fun.
I was about to continue walking, my mind already shifting to the next mess I might have to deal with when I noticed that Paddy wasn't following me.
I stopped and glanced back
"Paddy?"
He was standing still, staring intently at something in the distance.
I walked back to see what had caught his attention. When I followed his line of sight, I saw a group of adventurers surrounding someone.
"What's going on?" I muttered, frowning as I closed the distance.
Finally, his mechanical voice broke the silence. "Scan indicates a single female surrounded by a group of various races."
I frowned deeper, my steps slowing as the words registered. That was a roundabout way of saying someone was in trouble. More specifically… it sounded like a mugging.
As I got closer, the scene unfolded in front of me: a lone woman, clutching her bag as a group of thugs loomed over her. The adventurers had already started tearing at her belongings, paying no mind to her frantic protests.
"Useless supporter! Give us the money that you keep in your pocket!"
"Never!"
A bad taste filled my mouth. I knew crime existed everywhere even in a world like this but seeing it firsthand on just my second day here left a sour impression.
I hesitated, the rational part of my mind screaming at me to just walk away. But then I saw the fear in her eyes, and something clicked.
"Well," I muttered under my breath, cracking my knuckles. "Since I'm already here, might as well play the hero like Bell. Gotta get that good karma built up, right?"
"Affirmative."
I stepped forward, my voice cutting through the commotion. "Hey, assholes."
The group turned, their eyes narrowing as they sized me up.
"Why don't you pick on someone your own size?"
Instead of being intimidated, they merely scoffed at me.
Looks like they didn't take me seriously at first—why would they? I probably looked like just another scrawny human to them, easy prey.
Paddy's information said that high-level adventure can sense another adventure level, so they must have a sense that I am just a regular meat bag that they can mess around with.
One of the thugs, a burly guy with a jagged scar across his cheek, sneered. "Hah! Look at this, we've got a hero who wants to save the day." He stepped forward, his tone dripping with mockery. "Since we're at it, why don't you hand over all your stuff as well?"
I gave a small, cocky grin in return. "Come and get it, then."
Before the words had even fully left my mouth, one of the thugs lunged forward with a cocky grin, clearly expecting to land an easy hit. His fist came at me fast, a slow, predictable punch, but I didn't even bother dodging it. I just stood there, letting him make contact.
BANG!
The impact was jarring, the force of it reverberating through my body. For a moment, I felt the shock of the hit—then I felt nothing. My shield absorbed it.
[-1 Shield]
I glanced up at the thug, meeting his eyes with a glare that could freeze water.
There was a brief, stunned moment of confusion on his face. He expected me to stumble back, maybe fall, but I didn't even flinch.
Before he could process what had just happened, I flicked my wrist and slammed him into the nearest wall. The sound echoed down the alley—a dull thud that seemed to linger in the air. A stunned silence followed.
I stepped back, eyeing the group. "You think you can punch my Shield? You need a battleship round to do that."
To increase my survivability and reduce the amount of pain I felt whenever I was injured I added Shield by a lot.
It requires some extra help from Item, mod, and some glitches, But I have done it.
Previously it was only 100 Hitpoint with no shield when I was first spawned in.
I have the same stats as a regular meatbag.
But now?
[1000 Hitpoint and 19.999 Shield]
I had protections comparable to the cruisers in Halo, capable of withstanding a nuclear blast.
The thug I had slammed into the wall groaned, but his comrades were still processing the scene. One of them, a tall, scruffy-looking man, whispered in disbelief, "H-he is a magician?"
Another thug, his face paling, quickly added, "N-no, he must be a high-level adventurer to withstand a level-2 hit."
I couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle. "You're half right."
With my shield, even a level 2 hit was supposed to be strong enough to cause damage beyond a mear 1 shield.
It just shows how weak these brutes are.
I straightened up, eyes scanning the remaining thugs who hadn't made a move yet. "Now... anyone else feeling brave?" I asked, my voice calm, but the edge of my words was undeniable.
The thugs exchanged uneasy glances, panic creeping into their expressions. They weren't stupid; they could sense my overwhelming advantage. And in the end, that's all it took.
They scattered like rats, leaving the woman and her belongings behind.
A typical villain—always running the moment they realize someone stronger is in front of them.
W.E.A.K.
I sighed, brushing off the dust from my clothes before turning my attention back to the woman.
"Congratulations, kid. You're being rescued," I said flatly.
But fear flashed in her eyes as I took a step toward her. Her body tensed. I saw her shrink back.
"Please, don't resist," I added gently, though the chill in my tone didn't escape her notice.
/
ANDD CUT
I have more time to write, so here is a little extra for this week. Also thanks for the numerous support on patreon.
Anyway thanks for reading, and if you want to see the next chapter go to my Patreon.
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With that said see you all next time byee.