Chapter 184: Thank You
Belladonna rolled her eyes at Revenant’s very obvious attitude shift. That guy really did not know how to act subtle in the slightest.
She glanced at her other party members, who thankfully didn’t seem too annoyed by her lateness.
Figg was stood off to the side, sitting cross legged in the grass while a collection of animals gathered around him. Small birds and insects landed on the horns sprouting from his head, whilst a rather calm looking Stonemuncher sat in his lap, happily letting Figg pet it.
He kept muttering under his breath, occasionally laughing or making faces, as he had a one sided conversation with the animals around him. Honestly it seemed as if he couldn’t care less about her being late, or that he had even noticed her absence in the first place.
Lilith and Saige were busy talking with each other, flirting between one another as if there were not witnesses around, which meant it was all the more awkward for Vestra who was forced to stand alongside them, hands wringing around her wand as she desperately tried to look around at anything but the flirting couple and was finding the empty sky very interesting.
"Alright Tree-hugger. Get up and lead the way, this isn’t a petting zoo." Revenant barked at Figg, causing the Druid to look up and around in confusion, before finally hearing the words that had been directed his way as a scowl settled on his face.
He glanced at Belladonna, silently asking for her direction as if she was the leader. Only once she gave him an exhausted nod back, did Figg finally stand up, lifting the Stonemuncher into his arms and causing a slight disturbance in the creatures resting on his antlers.
"Okay Belinda, it’s time. Where did you see it coming from?" Figg whispered to the Stonemuncher, before pausing and listening to the silence. He bobbed his head a few times, before whispering his thanks and starting to walk to the north with complete confidence.
The others had no real choice other than to follow, with Revenant taking the second place, Saige and Lilith following behind him as Vestra sidled up next to Belladonna.
"So remind me real quick," Vestra said in a soft tone, not wanting to be overheard, "Why are we listening to this guy? I really don’t like him, and he even attacked Prince of Stars. Oh yeah, and when were you going to tell me that you KNOW THE PRINCE OF STARS!"
She whisper shouted, grabbing Belladonna’s arms and shaking her slightly.
Laughing softly, Belladonna pushed her off gently and replied in the same whispering tone,
"We are listening to him because he owes me one, and if he wants what I have with me then he’s going to have to be a good boy and do as he is told."
Even though she whispered it, Belladonna glanced at Revenant in time to see him flinch ever so slightly when she said the phrase ’good boy’ before he clenched his fist tightly.
’Heh, Yeah. That’s what I thought. Eavesdropping is typical for a creep like you.’
"But yeah, I know Prince of Stars. I’ve known him for a while, we used to be friends and only recently reconnected after the beta test."
"The beta test? Wait... Oh my god, that’s why they are calling you that? You are the Baroness of Blood?! The one from the beta test that had the book all about the pain system, butchering and magic theory?
Do you know that book is the entire reason I am playing the class that I am right now?"
"Really? You bought my testers journal?" Belladonna asked with a smile, straightening up as she was unable to hide the smile from spreading across her face. It was the first time that she had ever had a fan.
She had seen Percy and Jason deal with plenty of their own, but it was the first time that someone was interested in something she made. To think that someone had actually read and enjoyed something that she had written... It was a little hard to believe, even when the result was staring her in the face.
"Well Thank you, I honestly didn’t think anyone would be interested in it to start." She said with a slight blush, rubbing the back of her head.
"It might not have been something everyone was into, and others were much more popular because of their much better content..."
"Okay... Ouch. True, but Ouch."
Vestra laughed, nudging Belladonna as she continued, "But I liked it, and I found it interesting regardless. Because of you, I wanted to toy around with the system too, I wanted to push the limits and discover all the things you could do with it.
Then someone took notice and directed me towards the Lady of the Lost’s Church where I learned all about her illusion magic and it all just clicked for me.
If it wasn’t for you, I don’t know what I would be playing right now. In fact... I probably wouldn’t be playing at all, and would just be sitting alone in my apartment watching streamers like Prince of Stars. Who you should have warned me that you knew before you let me humiliate myself in front of him."
Vestra slapped Belladonna’s arm a few times, before turning away and focusing on their walking, while holding her hand in pain. Her fingers throbbed from the slaps, it was as if she was hitting a brick wall.
"Okay, So I get that you knew each other when you were younger and you met at the test, but why were you even at the test in the first place? You don’t seem like a streamer, and you definitely aren’t a pro with those dungeon running skills.
So are you a journo or something?" Vestra asked with a tilt of her head.
"A Journalist?! God, I’m not that incompetent!" Belladonna answered with a laugh, clutching at her chest as if she had just been stabbed by the dagger of a wicked traitor.
"No, I just got in because of my brother. Since the event got pushed back, it crossed over with his Anniversary, so he let me go instead."
"Your Brother? You mean Saige?"
"Yeah, that’s right. Saige is Reaper of Stars." Belladonna said with a casual smile.
Vesta blinked at her a few times, a nervous smile twitching on her lips as her face turned pale, and she looked like she was ready to pass out. At the front of the pack, Revenant unclenched his fist and let out a deep sigh, as he finally stopped listening to their conversation.