Amelia: The Level Zero [Hero]

“That’s a lot of people,” I said as I stared out of the window.

There was a large crowd gathered right outside of the restaurant, buzzing to get in. But I hadn’t opened the doors just yet. Xakor returned not too long ago, and we were readying ourselves for this deluge of customers. So today, we were only going to open the restaurant doors at noon.

Normally, we’d be open way sooner, but we just wanted to make sure we were fully prepared for what was to come. And I thought we were ready. But as it turned out, we weren’t. Because I hadn’t anticipated…

“...I demand to speak with Xakor right now!” a muffled voice shouted from outside.

I narrowed my eyes as my gaze landed on a familiar swollen face standing right at the back of the crowd. Xakor, Harlan, and Bucky curiously approached the window.

“Xrr, what’s going on?” the alien asked.

I just sighed, “It’s the guy I flicked yesterday. Seems like he’s back for round two.”

Bucky clucked threateningly, stepping forward. But I waved a hand dismissively at her.

“Don’t worry,” I said as I gave her a reassuring look. “I’ll deal with—” I started.

And Harlan’s eyes went wide. He spoke over me, raising a trembling finger. 

“Wait, that’s Lucas!” he exclaimed.

“Who?” I raised a brow. “You mean the guy with the swollen face?”

“No— not him. But the guy who’s with him.” Harlan shook his head, pointing directly past the angrily yelling man. 

I followed Harlan’s fingers until my gaze landed on a grizzled middle-aged man standing together with the group. Lucas— or whatever his name was— had his right hand resting on the hilt of a blade. He was dressed in leather armor, and he had a Bag of Holding slung around his shoulders.

I turned back to Harlan, repeating myself. “Again— who?”

Harlan shifted back uncomfortably as he averted his gaze. “I, uh, didn’t know who Lucas was before I got here. But I got into a fight with him at the local inn… that’s how I got kicked out. Apparently, he’s kind of a big deal around these parts.”

“How so?” I asked, frowning.

“He’s the highest-leveled [Hunter] in Wolfwater. And he used to be a soldier in the army, or so I hear. I think he’s above Level 30… he may even be above Level 40…” Harlan spoke in a low voice.

I gave Harlan a flat stare. “Isn’t that, like, very weak?”

Harlan turned to me, sputtering. “If he’s B-ranked—” The former guardsman tried to work his jaw, then he stared at me for a moment. He saw the disinterested look on my face, before shaking his head. “I… right.”

“Look, I’ll just deal with them,” I said as I stepped forward. “Don’t worry, I’ll hold back so I won’t kill them. It won’t take much to shoo them away—” I started.

But a purple arm stopped me. Xakor stepped forward as he glanced reassuringly at me. 

“Xrr, do not worry yourself over these matters. I will handle this, Amelia.”

“Xakor?” I blinked back at him. “Are you sure about this?”

He just shook his head at me as he pushed the door open. “Last night’s quarrel happened because that man wanted to speak with me, but Bucky wouldn’t let him. So it is my responsibility to handle this myself.”

I narrowed my eyes, but the ragnarian just gave me a reassuring smile. 

“Xrr, we also need someone to take care of the cooking, do we not?” he said. “We don’t want to keep our customers waiting too long.” 

I stared at him for a moment, wide-eyed. I slowly nodded gratefully at him as I took a step back.

“Thanks, Xakor. But if they cause any trouble, I’ll smack them around for a bit, alright?”

“Of course.” He chuckled, and with that, he exited the restaurant to the clamoring crowd.

 

—--

 

“—I am Joseph Donovan! My uncle is a [Knight of the Astral Order]!” the man with the swollen face said as he strode forward. “If I tell him about what you did to me— that your crazy [Cook] tried to murder me— he’d ride down to Wolfwater and burn down this establishment himself!”

Noele stared at the unfurling scene, blinking a few times. Her lips twisted into a frown as she muttered under her breath. “So… he’s not even important then,”

“Did you say something?” Dorien asked, peering at her.

And the blonde girl paused, catching herself. She looked at herself, before rubbing her temples. “Amelia’s been rubbing off on me too much— it’s nothing. We should try to stop this before things get out of hand.”

Noele took a step forward as Joseph Donovan and his band of goons continued shouting at the perplexed crowd. But a hand stopped her. Dorien caught her by the shoulder, frowning.

“Do not be rash,” he said hurriedly. “Sometimes, we can resolve conflicts without any violence.”

“I know— I’m just going to talk things through and save those idiots from the beating of their lives,” the blonde girl replied simply. She eyed Joseph Donovan with a sidelong glance. “Amelia held back for a reason, and now he’s causing more trouble…”

The [Druid] sagely nodded, watching as she strode towards the group. He waited behind her, at the front of the watching crowd, and she came to a halt right before Joseph Donovan himself.

“If that damn woman doesn’t—” the angry man started.

“Hey, that’s enough,” Noele said, cutting him off. 

His brows snapped together, and he turned to face her with a glare. “Who the fuck are you?”

The group accompanying him glanced over at the blonde girl dismissively. A middle-aged man standing cross-armed at the front narrowed his eyes at her. She just shook her head, feeling the gaze of practically the entire village land on her.

Some of them recognized her. They gasped, whispering her name. But the band of idiots standing before her barely paid her any mind. 

“Look— no one tried to murder you,” Noele said, eyeing Joseph Donovan’s angry and swollen face. “Amelia gave you a warning. Seriously, if she wanted to kill you, you’d already be dead. So please stop causing trouble.”

“Already dead…?” His face swelled up even more, turning redder and redder by the passing seconds. “How dare you address me that way! I come from a noble bloodline— I am not like you peasants.”

The Noble Spellsword narrowed her eyes. “If you really were a noble, you wouldn’t be acting like a damn fool. So enough of this nonsense.”

“You—” Joseph Donovan stepped forward, raising a hand.

But the middle-aged man stopped him. He loomed over the blonde girl with a smirk on his scarred face. “I apologize for my friend’s hostility. But as you can see, he has been wronged by the owner of this fine establishment right here.”

He gestured at Bucky’s Out of this World Restaurant, and Noele glanced up at him with a raised brow. He continued, smiling at her placatingly, but with a hint of a warning tone.

“I am Lucas— Wolfwater’s top [Hunter]. A professional in handling… disputes, here in this village. I understand that you are an adventurer yourself…” He glanced at the pair of swords sheathed at her waist, before shaking his head. “But I’d recommend against intervening in situations you know nothing about. I can handle myself because I’m equivalent to a C-rank adventurer, you see?”

He puffed up his chest almost proudly as his friends nodded in agreement. They smirked back at the blonde girl as she just stared at them without reaction.

“Please, I wouldn’t want a foreigner such as yourself getting wrapped up in our internal problems. So do not worry. We can handle this.” Lucas finished as he waved a hand dismissively.

But Noele wasn’t impressed. She waited for a moment to pass before crossing her arms. “You done?”

He tilted his head slightly, opening his mouth. But she didn’t let him continue.

“Good, because I’m not some outsider,” she said simply as she took a step forward. She dug into her pockets, flashing a gleaming badge. “I am Noele the Noble Spellsword. A-rank adventurer. And I was born and raised right here in Wolfwater.”

“What? A-rank… adventurer?” Lucas paused, taken aback. He looked the blonde girl up and down as he tried to work his jaw, still in complete disbelief. “That can’t be—”

And he heard the crowd break out into conversation again. The onlookers spoke up, nodding as they pointed at the blonde girl.

“She saved my daughter during the Cloying Witch’s attack!”

“Wait— isn’t that Noele? Nolan’s daughter?”

“I can’t believe that little girl grew up to become the Noble Spellsword!”

Lucas furrowed his brows as one of his own men paled in fear. 

“Uh, Lucas, I don’t think we should be messing with her. I hear she’s the one who defeated the Miststorm Riders.”

“What…?” Lucas glanced back, sweeping his gaze around with wide eyes. 

He saw the way everyone in Wolfwater stared at Noele. Maybe they didn’t recognize her at first. But if they hadn’t been looking at her in awe and wonder before, they were now. His gaze landed back on her, and she just held his gaze.

“I suggest you leave,” she warned him. 

“T-that’s…” The [Hunter] gritted his teeth. He opened his mouth, then slowly he bowed his head at her. “I apologize. It seems I was the one involving myself in a situation I knew nothing about. Come on, boys.”

He drew back as his men streamed after him. Noele just grinned at them, watching them leave. But Joseph Donovan protested, calling after Lucas.

“Hey— where are you going? What are you idiots doing?” he shouted. His eyes practically bulged out of their sockets in anger, and he glanced back at the blonde girl. “Are you seriously scared of a little girl?”

Noele rolled her eyes, but Lucas and his men ignored the shouts. Joseph Donovan cursed as he waved a fist at them.

“Cowards! You bastards are shameless! Unlike you, I am not afraid of this fucking b—” he started as the blonde girl’s eyes flickered.

But a voice spoke over him. 

“I would watch what you say, young man,” Dorien said as he hobbled over with his staff. 

“What do you want, old man?” Joseph Donovan narrowed his eyes at the [Druid]. 

Noele glanced back too, perplexed. “Dorien— I can handle this.” She tried to reassure him.

But he shook his head, stepping in between both the blonde girl and the noble brat. He gestured at her with a kind smile. “Noele’s father was the kind gentleman who nursed you back to health last night. I suggest you show her some respect.”

“Respect?” Snorting, Joseph spat at Noele’s feet. He glared daggers her way. “Why should I show respect to this fucking b—” 

And Dorien swung his staff up, striking Joseph between his legs. Noele blinked. The crowd gasped. And even Lucas winced. 

Joseph Donovan crumpled to the ground as he grasped his nether regions. The blonde girl looked down at him pitifully as he wheezed in pain.

“Y-y-you…” he squeaked. But he couldn’t muster up any more words.

Noele frowned as she glanced back towards the [Druid]. “Wait, I thought you said that we should resolve this peacefully?”

“Indeed, sometimes, we can resolve conflicts without any violence,” Dorien said as he strode back. “But other times, I’d rather kick an annoying entitled brat in the balls. Maybe it will knock some sense into his head.”

Joseph Donovan just lay there, sucking in a weak breath. Noele glanced between the fallen man and her [Druid] friend. She slowly began to chuckle. 

“You haven’t changed one bit, have you, Dorien?” she said, covering her mouth. 

“And you are as strong-headed as ever.” Dorien smiled back at her. “I admire the way you carry yourself, Noele. Your sister would be proud of you.”

The blonde girl paused, before she nodded. “Right. Thank you.” 

 

—--

 

Xakor watched as the scene came to an end. The ragnarian stood by the open doorway of the restaurant. No one had even noticed him stepping outside. The crowd’s gaze had been entirely fixed on the quick little squabble the entire time. But it was over now.

“Xrr, seems I didn’t need to intervene,” the [Chef] murmured, shaking his head.

A handful of the closest customers heard his voice. They turned back to face him, wide-eyed. He just smiled back at them as they stared at him. He clapped two of his hands together, while simultaneously adjusting his poofy chef hat with a third hand.

“Well then, it seems we can continue with our grand opening undisturbed.” 

Xakor drew back, but right as he said that, the ground began to rumble. He paused. Noele raised her head with a frown as the [Druid] blinked. The crowd began to break into panicked voices.

“What is going on?” 

“Is this an…”

“Earthquake!”

Someone shouted. But the ground didn’t split open. Buildings didn’t crumble. Xakor steadied himself as he looked past the stumbling crowd. And he spotted something approaching over the horizon. A creature that was barreling through the nearby forest, toppling trees and destroying the vegetation.

Xakor blinked for the first time in three days. 

“Is that… the kretus boar?” 

But he saw the purple aura wisping off the giant monster’s body. He watched as its flesh twisted and turned, shifting across its sprinting figure. It rapidly approached Wolfwater as it let out a chittering screech.

“No— what is that?” Xakor asked.

And he never got an answer.

 

—--

 

Guardian Angel Z357 raised his head, glancing into the distance. He detected it— the presence of the Void’s essence in Laxo. 

Target found. 

And he took off, flying straight in its direction.

 

MelasD

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