<h4>Chapter 56: A Thanks for what?[2]</h4>


    As I took my seat, my gaze instinctively rose, leading me to lock eyes with a pair of captivating golden orbs, brimming with a hint of mischief.


    Her lips, coated in a shade of crimson that effortlesslyplemented the natural rosy hue of her cheeks, entuated her fairplexion and wless, milky skin.


    The sight of her left me with only one thought in my mind: ''beautiful!''


    "If you''re done appraising my appearance," Emily spoke, gracefully lifting her tea cup with her little finger extended in perfect etiquette.


    "I wasn''t staring", I retorted, attempting to downy my admiration. However, she paid no mind to my response, continuing her conversation.


    "Although I wouldn''t advise shaking my hand, I am pleased that you''ve decided to join me", she replied, taking another sip from her teacup.


    ''Yea I have no intentions of talking to you, let alone shaking your hand.'', I thought to myself.


    Why?


    Well I made a pact with myself not to involve myself with the main characters.


    Whatever happened during the Dungeon Trial was a mistake.


    Establishing any kind of connection with them was thest thing on my mind, and I wanted to make that abundantly clear during this meeting.


    Before I could express my thoughts, the waiter interrupted our exchange.


    "May I take your order, sir?" he asked politely.


    "Feel free to order anything you desire, it''s on me", Emily graciously added as she ced her teacup onto the beautiful golden y te with a resounding— clup! sound.


    I raised my brow, ''Why is she being so generous?''


    It is true, I wasn''t exactly rich before, but things have changed—drastically.


    I refused to ept any offerings like a beggar.


    I had my own pride, after all.


    I maintained aposed demeanor and withheld any outward expressions.


    Instead of responding to her, I turned towards the waiter and firmly stated, "Bring me the most expensive beverage."


    The waiter nodded curtly and departed to fulfill the request.


    "Not one to shy away, are we?" she remarked, the sunlight streaming through the window, creating a striking image on her face. Damn... she was undeniably stunning.


    And the red frock on her was ..just—Dafuq are you doing Noah!


    ''Stay focused, Noah'', I scolded myself internally, determined to not be swayed by her appearance.


    I gestured with my right hand, signaling her to get to the point. "Please, tell me why you''ve called me here."


    "I wanted to say thanks for what you did during the dungeon trials", she replied.


    I raised an eyebrow, puzzled by her words.


    A thanks for what?


    Her gaze shifted downwards, towards the delicate porcin of her tea cup. I couldn''t help but notice the wisps of steam dancing in the air, swirling around like ethereal spirits.


    After a moment of hesitation, she mustered the courage to speak. "You know, back during the dungeon Trials, when you saved me from Karthik?"


    Ah, yes. The memory flickered in my mind, like a fleeting me.


    "You were right", she continued softly. "If I had only listened to your advice, I wouldn''t have faced elimination."


    A surge of mixed emotions welled up within me. Gratitude, perhaps? Or maybe a hint of surprise.


    And then, the unexpected happened.


    "So I want to thank you. Ask for any reward you want."


    She thanked me, offering me anything I desired in return.


    I found myself smirking , almost amused by the notion.


    Was she truly giving so much significance to such a small, seemingly inconsequential act?


    But again, in the novel she was an entric one . One who paid heed to the most peculiar of details.


    With a gentle sweep of my arm and a genuine smile, I replied, "There is no need for thanks. We were a team, after all. I simply did what I had to do."


    With graceful steps, the waiter returned, politely interrupting our conversation. "Here''s your Kopi Luwak, sir",he announced, cing a deep ck liquid, which I presumed to be coffee, on the sturdy wooden table.


    An enchanting vapor rose from the cup, caressing my nostrils and infusing the air with a tangy hint of lemon and a delicate, alluring aroma.


    Hmm, it smelled rather enticing. Though I wasn''t particrly fond of coffee, a part of me couldn''t resist the temptation to give it a try.


    Click—my fingers delicately gripped the coffee cup, bringing it closer to my awaiting lips. With a gentle sip, the coffee cascaded into my mouth, enveloping my senses in a whirlwind of vors.


    "Mmhm," an involuntary sound escaped my lips.


    The earthly and musty taste swirled harmoniously with subtle notes of caramel and chocte, tantalizing my pte. And the texture – oh, it was simply heavenly.


    A mischievous smile danced on Emily''s lips as she inquired, "You like it?"


    "Ahem",with an abrupt cough, I responded, not willing to entertain her yful banter.


    She persisted, her words flowing effortlessly. "And don''t undermine the fact that you were the one who unraveled Freya''s true identity. Your cognitive intelligence truly impressed me", she responded sincerely.


    A faint sigh escaped my lips. It seemed she was determined to express her gratitude, no matter my attempts to downy it.


    Perhaps I should ask for something, putting an end to this matter.


    But what should I ask?


    Money wasn''t an issue at the moment, so I should ask something else.


    "Give me a moment to think," I replied, deliberately avoiding her captivating gaze as I took another sip of the invigorating coffee. Its rich vors danced on my tongue, providing sce and distraction.


    Something money cannot buy, hm? As I pondered, a conversation from a few weeks ago unexpectedly darted into my consciousness:


    -"Oh? Oh! Noah! You caught me off-guard there, kid"


    -"I won''t mince my words. Is it possible for me to join your team in exploring some dungeons or hunting beasts?"


    -"I''m earnestly seeking the tutge of a seasoned adventurer..."


    -"That is fine kid. Where do you wanna go?"


    In the past, Riley had once inquired about where I would choose to hunt monsters. I had asked him for some time to consider my response.


    Visiting a high-level dungeon required permission, which was one of the reasons why venturing into a real monster-infested forest was typically prohibited.


    However, it struck me then—didn''t Emily''s father hold some influence over District 2?


    "Could you possibly secure permission for my team to explore the forests in District 2? If I''m not mistaken, your father possesses the authority in that area", I proposed to Emily, aware of the unusual nature of my request.


    Emily gazed at me with a perplexed expression, undoubtedly taken aback by the peculiarity of my appeal.