Chapter 245: Big Fish Small Pond
<span style="font-weight:400">Something stirred in Drake as a simr-looking man as the girl wheeled her out from the corner. The man stood around six feet tall, with short buzzcut hair and a well-trimmed beard with sses to boot. He had blue-colored eyes rimmed with gold much like the younger girl but had one significant difference.
<span style="font-weight:400">On his back, two yellow-golden wings were jutting from his shoulders.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake’s blood boiled for a moment, feeling his grip tighten as something instinctual heated his will to fight.
<span style="font-weight:400">He could tell, they were a strong race despite the girl''s rtively low level.
<span style="font-weight:400">A hand touched Drake’s shoulder, “Reel it in there bro, she’s just a kid.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake blinked, finally taking a deep breath and quickly bringing back in his aura that had slipped out at the sight of her.
<span style="font-weight:400">“What is she?” Drake asked giving a slight cough.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Ask her yourself,” Bjorn shrugged.
<span style="font-weight:400">The girl and the man took a moment to reach Drake after his slight disy, but the girl’s haughty and disapproving face hadn’t waned in the slightest.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Monsieur Bjorn, is this the man you spoke of?” Mordred said, looking Drake up and down in an unfiltered sneer.
<span style="font-weight:400">Bjorn nodded giving a smirk, “Yep, this is Drake. Strongest guy I know.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Is he a hobo? Why is he wearing rags?” she scoffed.
<span style="font-weight:400">The man from behind her gave a slight frown, bowing his head apologetically.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Do not apologize for me, Papa! I expected more! How is he supposed to help us when he can not even help himself!” she spat.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Sorry bro, she has a sharp tongue, I think it’s just her circumstances though. But you’ll have to ask her to exin that,” Bjorn sighed, scratching his beard.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake waved him off, “It’s fine, I have a firecracker of a kid with me as well so I can deal with it. Wouldn’t even be a big deal if she tried to off me a few times,” heughed, getting a raised brow from Bjorn.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Now littledy, what race are you? Can’t be an Angel, don’t have both wings and yours are ck,” Drake mused trying to gauge the girl.
<span style="font-weight:400">He took a moment while she red at him to inspect the man behind her as well. She had called him father so he expected more simrities between them. Which in truth was there outside the wings.
<b>[Lucium Level 10]</b>
<span style="font-weight:400">“Lucium? Is that a y at Lucifer? You know that guy’s a <i><span style="font-weight:400">fallen</i><span style="font-weight:400"> angel right, like he has ck wings,” Drake said, “And you don’t have the samest name as the girl… A distortion tool? No, you’re the same level as her. Abat assistant huh?” Drake deduced.
<span style="font-weight:400">“No! Shut up! He is my Papa!” Mordred shouted from her seat, her face taking on a ghastly furious expression, “Do not call him that!” she roared.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake stood up a little straighter, surprised by the girl’s outburst but let her vent as he observed.
<span style="font-weight:400">The man tried his best to calm Mordred down and only a few minutester she had at least quieted, but refused to stop leering at Drake.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Okay… Seems to be some issues here, but hey, who alive doesn''t have them now?” Drake shrugged looking back over his shoulder at Bjorn, “So I’m supposed to what, guard her?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Bjorn nodded but Modred interrupted him.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You look no more than a pauper, how are you supposed to protect anyone?! I am disappointed Monsieur Bjorn! After seeing how you dealt with those monsters I expected more out of the man you said could help us!” she growled.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Is she for real?” Drake asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yeah, like I said, I picked her up on the way here. Her assistant did all of the fighting, but she can’t fight herself and she’s stuck at level 10 now after getting her Main ss apparently. Not forck of experience, but because she doesn’t have the <i><span style="font-weight:400">‘right</i><span style="font-weight:400">’ stones for her subsses. And because of that her assistant won’t be able to improve either. I didn’t know this but they can’t seem to level beyond what their Master’s level is. Go figure, huh? Would have thought Shigure could have mentioned that,” Bjorn exined.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Right stones? There isn’t a <i><span style="font-weight:400">right</i><span style="font-weight:400"> stone for anyone,” Drake frowned.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Might I exin in more detail, sir?” Lucium said, speaking up for the first time.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake raised a brow, “He speaks!”
<span style="font-weight:400">Mordred growled, “You do not have to talk to this dirty mutt, Papa! It is a waste of our time!”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Do you truly wish to leave it at this Mistress? Are you <i><span style="font-weight:400">ordering</i><span style="font-weight:400"> me to remain silent?” Lucium asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I-I would never tell Papa what to do… But just look at him! He’s wearing peasant clothes! They are torn and ragged, he even has tattoos!”
<span style="font-weight:400">Lucium ignored her outburst and bowed his head again, “I apologize, as you have surmised I am the Mistress’sbat assistant.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Mordred gave a deep frown, crossing her arms and pouting.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I would hope you could please leave it at that, without more exnation until the Mistress is willing toe to terms. Due to her experience in the Tutorial she has been afflicted with quite the amount of trauma. But I will divulge all that I can,” Lucium exined.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake eyed the two but nodded, “Fine. Bjorn asked so I’ll be good on my word. Even if you didn’t say anything I’m willing to add you to the little group of teeny tinies I have. Then, races?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Lucium gave another half bow, “Yes of course. You have guessed somewhat correctly. I being abat assistant was made in the image of my Master. Mistress Pendragon had the fortune of gaining a Legendary Rarity ss in the Tutorial. Due to her not using Subtree Stones, she has yet to fully awaken to an F-Rank being,” he paused motioning to Mordred, “She is a race called a Fallen and it resembles the Angels of your old world. But due to her not advancing she has not fully taken on the traits of the race or had her body reformed. I personally wish to have her rank up as quickly as possible to give her the mobility and option to grow stronger as she wishes but we havee to a crossroads in that decision.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“You want better quality stones since she has a Legendary Main ss?” Drake assumed.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Indeed but it is only partly as you say.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake mulled over the exnation for a moment, then frowned, “Partly? There’s more to this?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes,” Lucium nodded, “Do you perchance have experience with Legendary Stones, sir?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake gave Bjorn a look before answering, the big man giving up nothing.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I might,” Drake answered stiffly.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I see. In Mistress Pendragon’s circumstance, the Fallen Race are not quite on the level of Primordials. Risen, or more urately what you would call Angels are one step higher and the top of their race hierarchy. They are considered along the lines of fairies but not parallel to them. Fallen and Risen have distinct features,” he motioned to his and Mordred’s wings, “As you can see they are the wings and eyes. I am modeled after thetter, but only in imitation. I do not hold the same race potency as a true Risen. My Mistress, however…” Lucium trailed off.
<span style="font-weight:400">Mordred scoffed and finally spoke up with a flourish of her long hair from her hand, “It is fine Papa. I will tell him the rest,” she said with a sour expression.
<span style="font-weight:400">Lucium nodded, bowing slightly as he retreated to behind her chair.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Chercher midi à quatorze heures… A Fallen quite hriously is the same as we have in stories. They are called abominations, malformations of the true thing, or so I have been told. Risen believe in purity and a Fallen is one of dirty blood. You have heard of Nephilum of the bible I am sure, Monsieur?” she asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake frowned, “Sure. Are you saying that you’re just like them? Since you have Risen Blood they want to…” he pulled a thumb across his neck.
<span style="font-weight:400">“It is as you say,” she said depreciating, giving a wry smile, “Now that you know, of course, you can be surprised and turn us away-”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Fine. I’ll do it. What’s another pissed-off Primordial on our doorstep? Not like it makes a difference to me with the Dragon bitch breathing down our necks,” Drake said casually with a shrug, giving a mirthful smile.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes. See Papa, Monsieur Bjorn, he is just like the oth- What?” Mordred said, her mouth hanging open.
<span style="font-weight:400">Bjorn gave a matter-of-fact nod from the side, smiling as if he knew it would turn out this way.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Pick your jaw off the floor kid, or you’re going to break it when it drops again,” Drake chuckled, pulling up his status, only showing his name, race, and level.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Y-you.. You are… What are you?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake fell forward.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Excuse me?! You don’t know what my race is? Susmaryosep! You didn’t even tell her Bjorn?!”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Why would I tell her, bro? I thought you wanted stuff like that under wraps? I was wondering what you were doing when a few of those announcements went out but still that could have been just a nickname for all anyone knows,” heughed.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Doesn’t this city have a church?” Drake asked incredulously.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Nope,” Bjorn shrugged, “The city lord does squat as far as I know. Well, I shouldn’t say squat but at least nothing beneficial,” he sighed.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake cocked his eye, “Such as?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Bjorn gave a dismissive wave, “That’s forter, stay on topic, bro.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Right,” Drake coughed, “Asuran is a Primordial Race. And I’m not even sure how many people are hunting me, but my bounty is getting bigger by the second.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Are you bragging?” Bjorn scoffed.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I might be,” Drake smiled.
<span style="font-weight:400">Mordred leaned forward taking a second look at his status as she went down the lines, her face visibly stretching into a smile.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You are level 27!” she beamed, “Papa! Look the dirty animal is actually strong!”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Hey!” Drake shouted.
<span style="font-weight:400">He sighed, the back and forth was beginning to drain him.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Are all kids this exhausting…” he muttered, but refocused, “So now that I’m guarding you I have a few conditions.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Mordred pursed her lips, looking to her assistant first. Lucium nodded and Mordred followed suit.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake held up a finger, “You do what I say when I say, no exceptions.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Mordred opened her mouth to protest but Drake spoke over her.
<span style="font-weight:400">“All the teens under my protection and learning from me follow these rules too,” then whispered, “At least most of the time…” and coughed clearing his throat, “Two. You are going to show me your status, all of it. So we can get you started right away on what you need.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“What I need?” Mordred asked her eyes thinning as if insulted at the thought of not already being perfect.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes,” Drake repeated looking at her assistant, “I assume your… Papa hasn’t been able to inform you or just isn’t privy to the info of how to obtain Titles that will be beneficial to you?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Lucium nodded, “I am unaware of such things. I am abat assistant, not an information or territorial one.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake nodded as well, continuing, “That means you have a long way to go, and honestly. It’s going to be harder than it was for the others since you will have to do it while still disabled.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Pardon? Why could I not do this after I have Ranked up?” she asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Some of the titles require you to kill beings one rank higher than your current. You’ve seen monsters before. Are you sure you can kill an E-Ranked one?” Drake asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">Mordred’s face immediately paled and dimmed as she shook her head no but she gripped the hem of her skirt tightly biting down on the bottom of her lip.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You said you have kids my age who have already done this?” she asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I do. Six of them,” Drake answered.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Then I will do it your way, Monsieur Drake. I will do anything to be stronger. Frankly, I do not care about the Primordials. I just wish to be strong enough to not be thrown away ever again,” she said, this time her eyes steely, beads of water pooling at their edges.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Is there anything else?” she asked after a minute of silence.
<span style="font-weight:400">“That’s pretty much it,” Drake said.
<span style="font-weight:400">Mordred nodded, flipping a blue window towards him.
<b>[Mordred Pendragon]</b>
<b>[Race: Fallen]</b>
<b>[Professions: Empty]</b>
<b>[Duplexity Sword King] [Legendary] Level 10</b>
<b>[Vitality] 112</b>
<b>[Strength] 126(+30%)</b>
<b>[Dexterity] 85</b>
<b>[Intelligence] 35</b>
<b>[Wisdom] 35</b>
<b>[Endurance] 45(+30%)</b>
<b>[Free Points] 126</b>
<b>[Skills Branches]</b>
<b>Empty</b>
<b>[Titles]</b>
<b>Marked by Risen, Of Heaven and Hell</b>
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake hummed to himself for a moment.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Only two titles, you really didn’t do much, did you?” he said absent-mindedly, “But at least you have all of your free points avable, that should be very good. Looks like this title ‘Of Heaven and Hell’ gives 20 to each stat?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Mordred nodded but looked like she swallowed a bug at the mention of not doing much.
<span style="font-weight:400">“It isn’t something to worry about, we’ll get you up to speed in no time,” Drake said giving a reassuring smile, that only made Mordred recoil away.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Has anyone ever told you, you’re smile is creepy?” she frowned.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Rude…” Drake grumbled, throwing a scoop of snow at Bjorn who wouldn’t stopughing.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Alright potty mouth, you look like you have way too many stats in some areas. Mind telling me what the initial stat gain was when you got your Legendary ss?” he asked moving the conversation forward.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I received 50 to Strength and Dexterity, with 30% Stamina regeneration,” she said, her eyes distant as she seemed to be reading from a prompt, “I gain 55 free points per level, but I do not know about my level stat gain since I have not yet leveled up since gaining the ss.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake whistled, “Wow. If I wasn’t jealous before I am now! 55 per level?!”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Do you not have a Legendary ss Monsieur?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Drakeughed, “No I have two Rare sses.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Oh you have two Rare sses,” Mordred paused, “You have two…?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’m a dual ss, yup. But I do have five legendary skill stones and a legendary subtree stone, so I still win,” Drake smirked, lifting the girl’s jaw to close it.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Now that is out of the way, how about we go inside and meet the gang and grab some grub? We’re finally at my mom’s house so she’s bound to still have caldereta mix…” Drake mused, turning around to leave only to be stopped by Bjorn.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Oh there is one other, but I don’t know-”
<span style="font-weight:400">Bjorn was cut off, the front door of Drake’s home mming open as a blond-haired boy was thrown to the street, tumbling down the stairs and snow.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake’s hair and tattoos had red to life instantly only to be held back by Bjorn who sighed, “Right on time. Never fails to make an entrance, he’s a lot like you, bro.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Raising his brow in confusion, Drake’s head turned back around to Mordred as he heard an audible sound of disgust leave her lips.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Geh…Se prendre tête. Must we include such trash as Glenn in this?” she sneered in abject disgust.
<span style="font-weight:400">The apparent Glenn had rolled ass over backward to the street, Drake’s family home’s door mming shut without a word.
<span style="font-weight:400">The boy grunted but smiled back up at Drake from below his turned-over legs.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Oh, Bonjour! Ah, Mordred what are you doing out here with a man? Are you cheating on me?”