Maarij and Aariz led us to a café-like area. It was made in such a way that it resembled a luxury restaurant.
Aariz went to the counter and told them that he had made a reservation a few hours ago while the rest of us waited for him to come back.
Are we playing into the palms of their hands? I thought to myself.
Aariz came back and told us that we had to go rooftop as he had booked it for us. I then asked him why he did that? Couldn't he just book a table anywhere in the café?
He replied to me that he did so that we could talk about that matter without worrying anyone would hear us.
While on our way to the rooftop, Kane asked them a question. "Why did you book a reservation beforehand? Don't tell me that you two are up to something funny."
"No, I didn't know about it until now." Maarij shrugged. "Aariz probably booked it in advance when we were here for looking for a place to sleep in."
Kane sighed and spoke in a calm yet sharp tone, "As long as you two aren't doing anything funny, it's all good."
Aariz turned his head around and asked Kane with a smile, "Hey, why did you choose to come with us instantly? I am curious about it."
"You two looked easy to kill." Kane wasn't joking about it. He would never joke about something like that.
"Hahaha. That's... scary." Aariz was somewhat shocked when he heard that. For him, it was something that he didn't expect.
Maarij chuckled a little and said, "Do you think you could've won against us if we were the bad guys?"
Kane didn't respond to that. He didn't need to. It was probably because that he knew it wasn't possible as they both had super powers while we didn't have a clue on how the hell they work.
After a few seconds, Kane smiled and said, "I wonder about that."
No, no, no. Hold on a second, brother. What do you mean "I wonder about that"? We'd really be in a pinch if they turned out to be our enemy. I thought to myself upon hearing Kane's answer.
What is he thinking? I wondered. To be honest, I thought that he was bluffing, so they won't try to do anything funny. And if that was the case, then it's okay. Other than that would be a problem, a big one.
We sat on our table that Aariz reserved in the vast blue sky. I could see the ocean clearly. The breeze blowing past us was cool and pleasant to feel.
Now that we had sat down. I decided to ask the most important question. "Aariz, Maarij, I am going to ask a serious question here. Answer that honestly." I spoke with seriousness, both in my eyes and tone.
Maraij and Aariz both began to look at me with serious looks as if they were waiting for me to ask the question. "I will get straight to point. How do you know our names?"
Maarij and Aariz exchanged glances with each other. Then burst into laughter. Kane who was leaning back in chair chuckled.
"Hey! Why are you two laughing?! Brother, you too! Stop chuckling!" I exclaimed, embarrassed.
Why am I feeling like an idiot?! I asked my myself.
Maarij controlled his laughter and spoke, even though he looked like he was still laughing, "That? I was wondering what you were going to ask, but that? Hahahaha. I will tell. I will tell."
Aariz and Maarij stopped laughing and got a hold of themselves.
Maarij wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes and spoke, "It's because someone told the King of Astraeva about you two. He immediately sent us out to look for you. Apparently, it looks like it was some sort of prophecy. The King had a dream and in that dream, a 'friendly' angel told him about you guys and what should we do."
"Ah, and we teleported here, thanks to a Mage there. After coming here, we looked for that mountain and opened the portal as we were told to. And that's the whole story." Aariz completed the whole story with a polite tone.
After hearing this, Kane asked them whether had a clue on who that "friendly" angel was to which Maarij replied that they had no clue about it, nor the King.
Wow. They have no clue about it and are acting according to what that angel told them. Great. I spoke to myself in my mind, feeling pity on them.
Well, I felt pity on them because I thought they were just being played with by that angel and in the end they would end up being used.
During the last few minutes of our journey to here, I asked them how their relation is with angels and devils. Aariz told me that they both have hostile relationship with them, and they want us to help protect themselves from them.
"I see. Well, let's just hope that it's not a bad news," said Kane in a calm and polite tone.
A female server, who looked just like a human but she had features that of a beast, came and asked us for our order. A floating screen appeared before us again, showing the items they had. Even though the items looked familiar, and so was the language, but I didn't know what should I order. What if I ordered something strange?
Besides, I wasn't feeling hungry. Just a milkshake or something like that would do. But I didn't know about Kane. I glanced at Kane, he was scrolling down the menu, looking all of the items they had. He looked calm and calculated as always.
I looked at the menu again. I was confused. I didn't have a clue on which item should I order.
Maarij looked at me and said with a smile, "Don't worry. Everything is the same as it was there. You can order anything you want, and you will get what you think you've ordered."
I felt relief upon hearing that and let out a sigh. "Thanks, Maarij."
"Don't mention it."
I ordered a large cup of chocolate milkshake, Kane ordered a large bowl of shaved ice, Aariz ordered tea and a sandwich, and Maarij ordered cold coffee and a sandwich.
"Well, then, I am counting, gorgeous lady," said Maarij with a smile.
"Oh~, come on, why are you complimenting me all of a sudden~?" asked the female server with a smile. "Ah! Don't tell me you say that to every 'lady' out there, do you~?"
"No, you're mistaken." Maarij held her hand with both of his hands and spoke in a flirty way. "It's just that you are so pretty that I can't control myself admiring you."
The female server blushed. They both seemed to be lost in their own world.
What the hell? Why the heck are you flirting before us? I looked at them, incredulously.
Someone had to bring them back to their senses. "Ahem!"
They both got ahold of themselves. The female server could hardly control her bashing, but still, she had to do her work as server.
"H-how would y-you like to p-pay? Before or a-after eating?"
What the hell is going on? I wondered.
"I will pay now," said Maarij with a smile.
He then extended his right arm towards the female server, letting his fingers brushing against hers.
That floating screen appeared before us again.
[Maarij Ashford Ghost has paid the bill.]
"I-I-I... I will go and bring your orders!" The female server dashed out from here bashingly.
What a flirty bastard. I cursed Maarij in my mind.
I then began to wonder how did he pay the bill just by touching his fingers with her. So I decided to ask how did he do that.
Maarij then explained to me that the currency which is used here is called "coins", which can be earned either my working or by clearing Dungeon Complex.
Dungeon Complex is basically a place just like Ruins, Dungeons, and Labyrinth.
However, Dungeon Complex is a combination of these and is far more dangerous than any of them. Even the first floor of it contains high level difficulty, say C~A.
So, for beginners, The Exchange, which is just like Guilds in Fantasy Worlds but managed by Royal Knights, train people who wants to enter Dungeon Complex.
Those people were called Explorers. There was another way of earning coins as well, and that was to hold an item and think of its true price and then say exchange in mind, and something like that.
"I get that, but how did you pay the bill?" Kane asked, politely.
He was getting polite towards them. Perhaps he was begining to trust them, yet somehow I felt that his guard wasn't down.
I could still sense the seriousness in his eyes.
"You think about how much you want to share the coins. You then touch the person who you wants to share, and then done. All good."
Maarij answered to Kane's question with a polite tone. Looking at them made me rethink how could they be our enemies
"Right now, you guys have zero coints. So, we will each give you 50,000 coins. We can figured out about earning more of them later."
Aariz then extended his arm towards me and so did I. I touched his arm, and received a notification on the screen that appeared before every one of us.
[Aariz Bloodworth Lucifero has shared 50,000 coins to Leo Aries Voidwalker.]
[Remaining coins of Aariz Bloodworth Lucifero: 70,000 coins.]
[Total coins of Leo Aries Voidwalker: 50,000 coins.]
"Right now, we are together as group, so that's why we all are receiving the notifications. You can choose not to share the notification and keep between yourselves just by think of that. But we are doing the otherwise to teach you how it works," said Aariz as he pulled back his arms.
"I got it. Thanks, Aariz."
"Don't mention it."
Kane and Maarij also did the same, and exchanged coins.
[Maarij Ashford Ghost has shared 50,000 coins to Kane Nightshade Voidwalker.]
[Remaining coins of Maarij Ashford Ghost: 120,000 coins.]
[Total coins of Kane Nightshade Voidwalker: 50,000 coins.]
As soon as the notification of Maarij's total balance appeared, Aariz looked shocked. "What on earth...?"
Maarij looked at Aariz, and asked, "What's it?"
"How come you have that much coins?!" Aariz then wore a teasing smirk. "Are you doing some naughty night works?"
Maarij then wore an annoyed look, and spoke, "Yeah, getting costumers for you by showing them the pictures of your fluffy ass as a sample."
"Hahahaha. Someone's touchy today!"
"Yeah, 'cause you gonna get touched tonight."
"Bwhahahahaha!"
Aariz continued to laugh which annoyed Maarij further. Maarij punched the back of Aariz's head and Aariz hit his head on table, and went silent. "So annoying!"
I couldn't help but smile at them. "You guys get along well, don't you?"
Maarij sighed and spoke, "Yeah. We're childhood friends, after all." Maarij then wore an annoyed expression again. "But still, this guy gets damn annoying."
"But you still like him, no?" Kane smiled while looking at them. His smile was gentle.
I guess he's trying to not make things awkward between us, I thought with a smile.
"Well... I guess so..." Maarij hesitatingly answered. His way of answering to Kane's question seemed like he were a girl who was asked whether she loves her crush or not.
Aariz began to laugh at Maarij's answer, because the way he answered was too hilarious.
"Hahahaha! What are you?! A teen girl in love?! Hahahaha! My stomach is hurting from laughing!"
Kane and I were hardly able to control our laugh as well. This time Maarij really got annoyed, and kicked Aariz who fell onto the ground. "You really are annoying!"
But all Aariz gave as a reply was a laughter which annoyed Maarij further. "You...!"
Kane clapped twice and spoke, politely. "Okay, okay, that's enough. Don't fight now, kids."
"Who the hell are you calling kids?"
"Now, now, sit down on the table, and tell us about the Power System thing," said I, trying to handle the situation before it got out of the hand.
But still, they both are interesting fellow. I said to myself, looking at them with a smile. I felt relief that they weren't bad guys.
At the moment, I hoped for them to be good guys, because I, somehow, didn't want them to be our enemies.
It was a simple reason, I liked their company. And I believe that it was same for Kane. I can say without a doubt that we both felt comfortable and happy deep inside to have them by our side.
Probably we had begun to trust them a little. They both sat down on chairs. Aariz wiped tears of laughter from his eyes.
Maarij sighed. "About that—"
Suddenly, explosions occured at many places around us. People started screaming and shouting.
"Terrorist attack!" "Run!" "Call The Knights!" "Save the kids and injured while saving yourself!" "The Knights will be here soon!"
What the hell is going on? I asked myself upon hearing those screams.
I knew that this world wasn't peaceful either. Of course, there must be some people who would try to destroy the peace, and kill innocents.
Guess it's pretty much the same every where. No matter where you go. No matter how peaceful it may look. There must an idiot at least who will harm the peacefulness sooner or later.
From this situation, one thing was clear to me: Not every inhabitant of this world have "skills" or whatsoever to protect themselves.
Probably they would need to learn them from Royal Knights, and if I am correct, they would need to level it up as well. From my knowledge, it would be from their experience, or something like that.
The screams of people become louder and louder. I could hear the sound of words clashing. It seemed like some people were attacking them, while some were defending against them.
What should we do now this situation? I asked myself.
We all were sitting on the chairs. We hadn't moved a little since we heared the explosions.
"Maarij, Aariz, what to do now?" Kane asked them in a calm yet polite tone. His eyes showed that he was worrying about the people who were being attacked.
As expected of him. Kane was always kind to everyone. That's why I admire him so much.
"For now, let's—" Aariz was saying something as he got up from the chair, but was cut off by an attack that came from above.
It was an explosive-like attack, infused with Magic, if my understanding of it is correct. It was so fast that none of us could sense it.
Is it the end...? That was the only thought that came to my mind at that time.