Chapter 36: That doesn’t look normal, right…?
"Oh I am really sorry, Andrea. I didn’t think that the beer would fizz so much. An honest mistake, really."
"Mistake... for sure." Andrea was huffing slightly, her fist clenched behind her back as her own nails dug into her palm.
She was mad. Actually mad. But... she also felt powerless.
There was no way that she could match her in both the strength or the influence.
After all... Jenny was the one that invited Fredrinn’s group to begin with. How could Andrea gain higher influence than her?
So Andrea released a small breath out of her nose and made some distance from the wet patch that had formed on their cardboard bedding.
Fredrinn was also watching the exchange with slight surprise.
Half of his focus was still within his body, trying to figure out how much his circuits had healed and how much more mana he would require to speed up the process further.
Due to that, he was late in reacting to Jenny’s trick.
He only gave a side glance to Andrea and saw that she was holding her anger back, and this was different from the usual playfulness that she always exuded.
He sighed.
He didn’t like seeing her sad.
"I believe Jenny that it was a mistake." Fredrinn said lightly, glancing at the beer bottle that Jenny had extended towards him.
He took it from her hands, making her smile blossom even further while Andrea lowered her head quietly.
Even the man she tried to trust in was taking the side of that blond bitch.
However, before she could feel more depressed, Fredrinn casually wiped the mouth of the bottle with his shirt and offered it to Andrea.
"I believe that it was a mistake, but I think you could’ve opened it on the side so it wouldn’t ruin our clothes or the... uhh, I would like to call it bedding for now."
Fredrinn continued, his eyes serious as he glanced at Jenny before looking down at the wet patch that had formed on the cardboard that Andrea was lying on.
It was nearly unusable now.
Jenny’s lips parted slightly, as she hadn’t expected such a reply from Fredrinn.
But she didn’t let that affect her motives for coming and nor the calm smile on her face.
"I didn’t think about that at all. I will ask someone to send another cardboard sheet here." She said apologetically before nodding at Andrea and looking back at Fredrinn.
Fredrinn didn’t want to make a bigger deal out of it as well, as he would rather go back to absorbing mana than deal with these two’s catfights.
So he nodded, "Sounds good to me. Please ask someone fast as Andrea was feeling sleepy."
"Yeah. I will do so in a bit." Jenny hummed, offering another beer bottle to Fredrinn.
And this time, she didn’t even open it before giving.
Fredrinn chuckled slightly and took the bottle, using only the strength of his thumb as he flicked the metal cap easily.
And before the beer could fizz, he placed it on his lips and gulped it down, releasing a soft "Puah!" after a sip.
Just as bitter as he remembered.
"So, you were going to tell me what made you come back here. Are those people so boring that you wander here every once in a while?" He asked, switching back to the casual and easy-going tone.
Andrea was still glaring at Jenny, but the blond ignored as if she didn’t even exist.
Jenny giggled at Fredrinn’s words, "You may be right about that. But that’s not the only reason." She looked up in his eyes and fluttered her eyelashes beautifully.
"Can you pleaseee tell me what you were doing right now? Even all the way over there, we were able to sense some energy rushing in your direction." Jenny asked coquettishly.
Fredrinn hummed, impressed. He didn’t think that total newbies like these awakeners would be able to sense the mana travelling.
It just served as another proof how different the awakeners of Apolasia and Earth were.
But of course, he didn’t trust them enough to reveal his secrets to them.
"It was related to my skill. It helps me to absorb the surrounding energy to grow stronger." He explained in a half-lie, half-truth way.
However Jenny’s eyes were widened listening to that.
"That’s... crazy. No wonder you’re epic ranked... According to your explanation, you can keep getting stronger just by sitting idly and without killing any zombies?"
Fredrinn simply smiled and gave her a half shrug, clearly indicating that he refused to elaborate.
Instead, he asked a question of his own.
"Since I answered your query, how about you answer one of mine? Can you tell me how your footsteps make no sound?"
Although he had an inkling about the answer, a confirmation would be better.
"I am just light on my feet~" Jenny giggled playfully, standing up as she walked around Fredrinn, showing off how her feet made no sound even though she was walking normally.
The shoes were as if enchanted with the spell of silence.
Andrea was surprised as well.
She hadn’t noticed that Jenny made no sound while walking. Her eyes fell onto Fredrinn, who was watching Jenny show off.
Her thoughts were once again reinforced that the man in front of her was definitely capable.
"Is it some kind of a sneak or assassination skill?" Fredrinn looked up, gulping slightly when he saw Jenny’s smooth and long legs right near his face.
His hormones hadn’t been taken care of for a long while, and yet he was still getting such turn ons...
Jenny also noticed his gaze, and for the first time in a while, Fredrinn was able to see a slight blush on her cheek as she coughed and retreated a few steps.
"Uhm, kind of. There are two variations, active and passive. Active allows me to sneak and camouflage better, while you’re already seeing the passive in play." She replied with pride, as even at just a rare rarity, she knew that her skills were useful.
And she didn’t want to brag, but she also knew that she wasn’t weak by any means.
But before Fredrinn could reply to the prideful blonde, Andrea gently tugged his shirt.
She pointed in the direction where the unchosens were supposed to be sleeping as she murmured.
"That... doesn’t look normal, right...?"
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A/N: Give me the power stones, golden tickets and castles, thank you!