Ken sighed.
He had forgotten a major issue with taking Emerald out on a doubt.
It wasn’t that she was extremely beautiful, and so would bring a lot of unwanted attention, no. She wore her veil still, which covered her face, only revealing her eyes, and even if her clothing would often cling to her curvy body, she was still a little thicker than most people liked, and far too tall for the average man.
It also wasn’t the fact that he had a large number of enemies around, from the Blackdeer family, a sizeable family within the town, to the Bluewind family, which was one of the town’s great families. He had given quite the warning in dealing with the Blackdeer’s Young Master, and he had created a decent relationship with the Town Lord and the Commerce Head, so he would need to do something overt in order to gain the attention of his enemies.
It was the fact that he was still pretending to be a cripple, and so Nana had to push him through the streets. It felt so awkward that Nana would be pushing him as he flirted with Emerald and took her out to eat and such. Would he need to also include Nana? Then it wouldn’t really be a date with Emerald. However, he did need to reward Nana too.
[The conscious of a good man is truly a terrifying thing.]
Nana pushed the wheelchair forward, until Ken finally motioned a hand to a stall, which was manned by a middle aged man who was currently chopping up a large number of vegetables with an unexpected level of mastery. He was wearing a cloth around his head, which caught his sweat, and wore loose white clothing.
“Three bowls of vegetable rice, please,” Ken said, placing down a silver coin.
“Coming right up, young sir.” The man smiled. He first sprinkled some oil into the large wok, tossing up a carrot into the air with his free hand. He grabbed his large knife and diced it mid air, as though he was an assassin killing an unsuspecting man, palming the carrot and guiding it to the wok. He did the same for a number of other vegetables, adding in some spice and salt, and then the rice.
He mixed the rice and vegetables, revealing the fire as he pulled down to the wok away from himself, and then tossing the rice and vegetables together. Then he finally placed the bowls out and poured in the exact amount within each bowl.
“Is there anything else you’d like, young sir?” the man asked, seeing the silver coin.
“Three bowls of meat as well, but we’ll start with the vegetable rice if you don’t mind.”
“As you wish,” the man said, with Emerald holding the bowls and Nana pushed Ken around to the side at a bench where they could eat in peace.
“You’ll have to eat up too,” Ken said to Nana. “You need your strength.”
Nana wasn’t sure what he meant by that, imagining the nightly activities. She flushed and bowed her head. “Yes, master.”
Ken ate opposite Emerald, and then looked to Nana, who ate beside them.
[How awkward…]
He rubbed his forehead. Thinking about how he should make this up to the pair of them. He had fucked Emerald in front of Nana, but that didn’t seem to bother him so much, but taking her out on a date in front of another woman made him feel awkward.
Emerald picked up a piece of meat with her chopsticks and brought them up to Ken’s lips. “Here, Ken.” Her eyes stared into his expectantly.
[Emerald! You’re too cute!]
Though he was embarrassed, he accepted the meat within his lips. He returned the favour, bringing some meat up to her lips.
Emerald stared down at him. She leaned in, passed the meat, and then whispered into his ear. “The only meat I eat is master.”
Ken’s face grew red hot, and then he ate the meat instead. He had forgotten for a moment that she didn’t eat meat.
Once they were done eating their rice, Ken brought a skewer of fruit, offering it up to Emerald to eat as her dessert. Her lips wrapped around the first fruit, and she sucked it into her mouth, swallowing it right away.
[Damn it! What are you trying to do to me!]
Ken could feel his little brother awaken, and he reached up to rub his forehead again. It seemed that Emerald was excited for tonight.
Still, he wanted to relax with her for the moment. “Let’s find some entertainment.”
They moved through the town until they came across a tea house, but passed the tea house, was something he hadn’t seen before in the town. He hadn’t spent much time exploring the town, so he couldn’t really have expected that such a thing was here.
Dueling Arena.
His eyes lit up as he saw the sign board. “Let’s go watch some fights!” Ken said, far too excitedly. He cleared his throat and then motioned a hand to Nana, who pushed the wheelchair that way.
As he approached, he was greeted by a young woman with black hair and black eyes. She wore a form fitting set of robes, also black. “Hello, young sir. This one’s name is Amna, how may I be of assistance?”
“I’d like to inquire about the fights. How long until they begin?”
“They will begin on the hour, young sir.” She looked at him, eyeing him up and down, and then the other two women. She squinted her eyes slightly and then raised her arm. “Shall we talk inside?”
“Let’s do that.”
Ken was led into a back room where she poured him some tea. She was obviously trying to figure something out, deep in thought about something. Then, as moment’s passed, she looked at him quickly and then to Emerald and Nana.
“What kind of seat would the Arrayist like?”
“Something with a good view of the fight, but not too close. Are there private booths?” Ken said, smiling slightly. It seemed his name and appearance was becoming well known. If this continued, then his plot would be set.
“I believe there are a few which are free.” She bowed her head slightly. “Private booths are five silver coins for the hour.”
[The food and drinks will also be more expensive.]
Ken understood how this worked. The rich were the people who paid for the fights, and though they charged the commoners, they didn’t expect to make much money from them, other than the main way they made money.
“Then please, take us to a private booth.” Ken placed down a large silver coin. “We’ll take a booth for two hours.”
“Yes, Arrayist,” the woman replied, leading him to a private booth which overlooked the fights.
The booth was comfortable, big enough to house either three people in their own seats, or five people on a long couch. One seat was removed for Ken’s wheelchair. There were cushions on the chairs, and one was offered to Ken, who took it, but he handed it over to Emerald, so her side was more comfortable.
There was also a scroll where someone could request food and drinks, which Ken picked up and wrote down a few snacks he wanted to eat whilst watching the fight, including fruit for Emerald. Though they would be extremely expensive, it was good to spend money whilst he had it.
Once he handed the paper over to a worker, he realised that a dueling arena was probably not the best place to take pretty women out on dates. He rubbed his forehead, looking over to Emerald and Nana, who were getting comfortable in their chairs.
[It’s too late now. I might as well enjoy myself while I’m here.]
There would be at least six fights over the course of the hour, and it wasn’t the fighting which was the most exciting part of the arena.
“Oh? I didn’t expect to see you here, Arrayist Ken,” called a familiar voice from beside him.
He looked to the booth beside him, which had been empty until moments ago. There he saw the wild look of the First Elder he had met not long ago.
“First Elder Wildroar, this one greets you.”
“I greet you, Arrayist Ken. I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“Here I am, though with only two beauties at my side.”
Wildroar looked between the two women and sighed. “There’s no need to rub it in,” he said.
“If you’d like, I can ask for some to be sent your way. If I ask, then you can’t be blamed, right?”
Wildroar’s ears perked up. “I suppose you’re right, Arrayist Ken.” Wildroar chuckled and his lips twitched in delight.
Ken asked for two women to accompany First Elder Wildroar. It was quite common to have women accompany someone during this kind of thing, though it was awkward if Wildroar had sent for some due to his age and status.
“Since you’re the one sending for them…” Wildroar looked over to Ken expectantly.
“Of course, it’s my gift to you.” Ken placed down a gold coin into the hand of the worker, who quickly straightened up and thanked him.
“You are quick to part with your money, aren’t you?” First Elder Wildroar said. “Good, good! Since we’re at the dueling arena, isn’t it only fair that we also part with more money?”
Though this was meant to be a date with Emerald, Ken was being swept away by First Elder Wildroar’s pace. “Of course,” Ken replied back with a knowing smile.
“If it isn’t Arrayist Ken,” an unfamiliar voice called out.
Ken looked over to find a finely dressed man with a neatly trimmed beard and moustache. He was older, in his fifties, and his eyes were glaring down at Ken. He was certain he knew this man from somewhere…
“Second Elder Newblade,” Wildroar said, greeting the man. “Come to see the fights and to lose your coin?”
“That’s why everyone comes to the dueling arena, after all.” Second Elder Newblade stared at Ken still, before sitting down beside Wildroar.
Ken looked to Nana and Emerald. He wondered why the Second Elder had glared at him considering what he had done for the Newblade family. Had he been too nice to the family?
[Seems like I’m still naive.]
“To think that the private booths would smell so rotten,” said a voice from the other side of Ken. He looked to the other booth beside his.
There was a figure which was finely dressed, with long white hair, moustache, and beard, as well as bright blue eyes.
“Fifth Elder Bluewind,” Wildroar said.
[Oh dear.]
Ken sighed.
He had forgotten a major issue with taking Emerald out on a doubt.
It wasn’t that she was extremely beautiful, and so would bring a lot of unwanted attention, no. She wore her veil still, which covered her face, only revealing her eyes, and even if her clothing would often cling to her curvy body, she was still a little thicker than most people liked, and far too tall for the average man.
It also wasn’t the fact that he had a large number of enemies around, from the Blackdeer family, a sizeable family within the town, to the Bluewind family, which was one of the town’s great families. He had given quite the warning in dealing with the Blackdeer’s Young Master, and he had created a decent relationship with the Town Lord and the Commerce Head, so he would need to do something overt in order to gain the attention of his enemies.
It was the fact that he was still pretending to be a cripple, and so Nana had to push him through the streets. It felt so awkward that Nana would be pushing him as he flirted with Emerald and took her out to eat and such. Would he need to also include Nana? Then it wouldn’t really be a date with Emerald. However, he did need to reward Nana too.
[The conscious of a good man is truly a terrifying thing.]
Nana pushed the wheelchair forward, until Ken finally motioned a hand to a stall, which was manned by a middle aged man who was currently chopping up a large number of vegetables with an unexpected level of mastery. He was wearing a cloth around his head, which caught his sweat, and wore loose white clothing.
“Three bowls of vegetable rice, please,” Ken said, placing down a silver coin.
“Coming right up, young sir.” The man smiled. He first sprinkled some oil into the large wok, tossing up a carrot into the air with his free hand. He grabbed his large knife and diced it mid air, as though he was an assassin killing an unsuspecting man, palming the carrot and guiding it to the wok. He did the same for a number of other vegetables, adding in some spice and salt, and then the rice.
He mixed the rice and vegetables, revealing the fire as he pulled down to the wok away from himself, and then tossing the rice and vegetables together. Then he finally placed the bowls out and poured in the exact amount within each bowl.
“Is there anything else you’d like, young sir?” the man asked, seeing the silver coin.
“Three bowls of meat as well, but we’ll start with the vegetable rice if you don’t mind.”
“As you wish,” the man said, with Emerald holding the bowls and Nana pushed Ken around to the side at a bench where they could eat in peace.
“You’ll have to eat up too,” Ken said to Nana. “You need your strength.”
Nana wasn’t sure what he meant by that, imagining the nightly activities. She flushed and bowed her head. “Yes, master.”
Ken ate opposite Emerald, and then looked to Nana, who ate beside them.
[How awkward…]
He rubbed his forehead. Thinking about how he should make this up to the pair of them. He had fucked Emerald in front of Nana, but that didn’t seem to bother him so much, but taking her out on a date in front of another woman made him feel awkward.
Emerald picked up a piece of meat with her chopsticks and brought them up to Ken’s lips. “Here, Ken.” Her eyes stared into his expectantly.
[Emerald! You’re too cute!]
Though he was embarrassed, he accepted the meat within his lips. He returned the favour, bringing some meat up to her lips.
Emerald stared down at him. She leaned in, passed the meat, and then whispered into his ear. “The only meat I eat is master.”
Ken’s face grew red hot, and then he ate the meat instead. He had forgotten for a moment that she didn’t eat meat.
Once they were done eating their rice, Ken brought a skewer of fruit, offering it up to Emerald to eat as her dessert. Her lips wrapped around the first fruit, and she sucked it into her mouth, swallowing it right away.
[Damn it! What are you trying to do to me!]
Ken could feel his little brother awaken, and he reached up to rub his forehead again. It seemed that Emerald was excited for tonight.
Still, he wanted to relax with her for the moment. “Let’s find some entertainment.”
They moved through the town until they came across a tea house, but passed the tea house, was something he hadn’t seen before in the town. He hadn’t spent much time exploring the town, so he couldn’t really have expected that such a thing was here.
Dueling Arena.
His eyes lit up as he saw the sign board. “Let’s go watch some fights!” Ken said, far too excitedly. He cleared his throat and then motioned a hand to Nana, who pushed the wheelchair that way.
As he approached, he was greeted by a young woman with black hair and black eyes. She wore a form fitting set of robes, also black. “Hello, young sir. This one’s name is Amna, how may I be of assistance?”
“I’d like to inquire about the fights. How long until they begin?”
“They will begin on the hour, young sir.” She looked at him, eyeing him up and down, and then the other two women. She squinted her eyes slightly and then raised her arm. “Shall we talk inside?”
“Let’s do that.”
Ken was led into a back room where she poured him some tea. She was obviously trying to figure something out, deep in thought about something. Then, as moment’s passed, she looked at him quickly and then to Emerald and Nana.
“What kind of seat would the Arrayist like?”
“Something with a good view of the fight, but not too close. Are there private booths?” Ken said, smiling slightly. It seemed his name and appearance was becoming well known. If this continued, then his plot would be set.
“I believe there are a few which are free.” She bowed her head slightly. “Private booths are five silver coins for the hour.”
[The food and drinks will also be more expensive.]
Ken understood how this worked. The rich were the people who paid for the fights, and though they charged the commoners, they didn’t expect to make much money from them, other than the main way they made money.
“Then please, take us to a private booth.” Ken placed down a large silver coin. “We’ll take a booth for two hours.”
“Yes, Arrayist,” the woman replied, leading him to a private booth which overlooked the fights.
The booth was comfortable, big enough to house either three people in their own seats, or five people on a long couch. One seat was removed for Ken’s wheelchair. There were cushions on the chairs, and one was offered to Ken, who took it, but he handed it over to Emerald, so her side was more comfortable.
There was also a scroll where someone could request food and drinks, which Ken picked up and wrote down a few snacks he wanted to eat whilst watching the fight, including fruit for Emerald. Though they would be extremely expensive, it was good to spend money whilst he had it.
Once he handed the paper over to a worker, he realised that a dueling arena was probably not the best place to take pretty women out on dates. He rubbed his forehead, looking over to Emerald and Nana, who were getting comfortable in their chairs.
[It’s too late now. I might as well enjoy myself while I’m here.]
There would be at least six fights over the course of the hour, and it wasn’t the fighting which was the most exciting part of the arena.
“Oh? I didn’t expect to see you here, Arrayist Ken,” called a familiar voice from beside him.
He looked to the booth beside him, which had been empty until moments ago. There he saw the wild look of the First Elder he had met not long ago.
“First Elder Wildroar, this one greets you.”
“I greet you, Arrayist Ken. I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“Here I am, though with only two beauties at my side.”
Wildroar looked between the two women and sighed. “There’s no need to rub it in,” he said.
“If you’d like, I can ask for some to be sent your way. If I ask, then you can’t be blamed, right?”
Wildroar’s ears perked up. “I suppose you’re right, Arrayist Ken.” Wildroar chuckled and his lips twitched in delight.
Ken asked for two women to accompany First Elder Wildroar. It was quite common to have women accompany someone during this kind of thing, though it was awkward if Wildroar had sent for some due to his age and status.
“Since you’re the one sending for them…” Wildroar looked over to Ken expectantly.
“Of course, it’s my gift to you.” Ken placed down a gold coin into the hand of the worker, who quickly straightened up and thanked him.
“You are quick to part with your money, aren’t you?” First Elder Wildroar said. “Good, good! Since we’re at the dueling arena, isn’t it only fair that we also part with more money?”
Though this was meant to be a date with Emerald, Ken was being swept away by First Elder Wildroar’s pace. “Of course,” Ken replied back with a knowing smile.
“If it isn’t Arrayist Ken,” an unfamiliar voice called out.
Ken looked over to find a finely dressed man with a neatly trimmed beard and moustache. He was older, in his fifties, and his eyes were glaring down at Ken. He was certain he knew this man from somewhere…
“Second Elder Newblade,” Wildroar said, greeting the man. “Come to see the fights and to lose your coin?”
“That’s why everyone comes to the dueling arena, after all.” Second Elder Newblade stared at Ken still, before sitting down beside Wildroar.
Ken looked to Nana and Emerald. He wondered why the Second Elder had glared at him considering what he had done for the Newblade family. Had he been too nice to the family?
[Seems like I’m still naive.]
“To think that the private booths would smell so rotten,” said a voice from the other side of Ken. He looked to the other booth beside his.
There was a figure which was finely dressed, with long white hair, moustache, and beard, as well as bright blue eyes.
“Fifth Elder Bluewind,” Wildroar said.
[Oh dear.]
