LUXURY INN IN LYVERPOOL CITY.

"Lord Percival! Now that the raids are over, how about we celebrate with a hearty meal?"

Seth, a subordinate to the S-Rank Reaper and one of the members of The Vanguards— Percival.

"Celebrate? But, there's no one with us, though... Seth?"

They had just finished a raid from a gate that just opened in a sensitive spot of the city. Seth had just recently graduated from RAA: Lyverpool and was tipped to become one of the best and even a future member of the Vanguards hence he was sandwiched with an already seasoned Reaper to show him the ropes.

Reaper Percival, S-Rank Realized Awakened and Pet Tamer class. His pet, a Sun Phoenix that had become a symbol of safety whenever the creature appeared in the sky.

"... Even Hahn Solo said he had someplace he had to stop by, so..."

Percival spoke as if he was embarrassed by something.

"I've been receiving your help all this time, Reaper Percival, so like, I just wanted to treat you to a good meal, at least..." Seth said with a lot less enthusiasm.

Percival chuckled wryly.

Since the kid was implying that he wanted to splurge on a grand feast, there was no reason for him to refuse the invitation, now was there?

"Alright..."

Seth's expression brightened considerably as soon as Percival said okay.

"Alrighty sir! Should I take you to this expensive inn in a certain hotel that I know? They know how to make a mean steak you see..."

"No, not something like that... We just finished a raid inside a dungeon we should probably get something lighter and Pieck my Arcane pet too..."

Percival would rather prefer to eat a simpler meal in peace with Seth in an easy going, relaxed atmosphere so as to not attract attention from the public. Being an S-Rank Reaper and a member of The Vanguards he wasn't short of fame and popularity anywhere he went.

What a good timing it was, since he spotted one such place that fit the criteria.

The top of his finger pointing pressed on the window of the carrier.

"How about that place over there?"

"Ahh, you wanted to enjoy beef straight from Drakensport. It more expensive that Lyverpool beef..." Seth said.

"No no, the place next to that one..."

Seth's eyes narrowed to a slit.

A restaurant next to that one was nothing more than a common diner there.

BLOOMING PORK...

"By any chance are you talking about the pork belly place... Reaper Percival?"

"What? You don't like pork?"

Seth's grinned refreshingly. "Not at all. I also love pork belly..."

The horse carrier parked in the nearby stable and they went inside the diner, only to find the place was packed to the brim with patrons, as well as part time workers busy moving around without a moment of rest.

Right now, it was seven in the evening. No wonder the diner was so full.

"Welcome. How many I help you?".

One of the part time workers walked over with an exaggerated smile and engaged the two men

"How many customers will we be serving this evening?"

"Just us two..."

"Please follow me..."

After hearing Seth's answer, the part time worker guided the two men to a spot in a secluded corner.

However —

"Hold on for a second..."

Seth looked around and pointed towards the empty table by the windows.

"Can't we sit over there?"

"I'm sorry sir. That table has been booked already...."

A large group must've made a booking, because several tables has been brought together. Currently they were all empty.

Seth stared at the empty tables with a rueful expression and shook his head.

"I would prefer this spot Seth, it's more secluded and luckily no on gas spotted me yet..." Percival spoke.

In the end, the two of them had to occupy the most secluded, out of the way spot in the diner.

Seth lowered his head in shame.

"I'm sorry... Lord Percival..."

"There's nothing for you to apologize for. I was the one who suggested that we come here, anyway I like this spot too..."

"Even still Lord, I should've taken you to a bit better spot than this one..."

Percival smirked and lightly patted Seth on the shoulder. "Don't sweat over such things and enjoy the food okay?"

Soon, the part-time worker brought out their orders.

" Here are your orders of three portions of pork belly and two bottles of Dirty".

Sizzle.

The thinky sliced portions of pork sizzled enticingly on the heating plate. And sure enough, pieces of meat began disappearing real fast.

"Well the thing is, me and my friends frequent pork belly diners whenever we have the chance, Lord Percival..."

"Oh really? Friends from the academy?"

"Yes, I seem to mix better with friends from my academy rather than the folks out here..."

Percival smirked slightly and nodded his head.

"Here, let me pour you a glass, Lord Percival.."

They filled their glasses with Soryu, clinked them a little and one shorted them.

"Kyahhhhaaa!"

"What are your plans now, Lord Percival? Seth asked as he placed his glass down at the table.

"Oh me...? X" Percival was taken aback by the sudden shift and almost choked on his drink.

"Did I ask something that I shouldn't have?" Seth said and flinched the slightest. But he breathed as sigh of relief after spotting Percival's relaxed expression.

"Well, I might be out of reach for a while, actually. There's this place I have to go to... Someone I have to see..."

That one sentence caused Seth's face to harden visibly. After forming an expression of an abandoned puppy, Seth emptied the Soryu glass in one go.

Tap.

He placed the empty glass on the table, filling it up back to the brim. After knocking back another glass, he began to open his mouth with some difficulty.

"Lord Percival... Please tell me straight if I've been bothering you. If that's been the case, I shall make sure never to bother you again from this time henceforth..."

...

"This kid... Did you misunderstand my words again..." Percival said with an eyebrow raised.

"Hey Seth..."

"Yes... Lord Percival?"

"What do you think of me?"

Seth's eyes rolled around this way she that as if he couldn't come up with a good enough answer before he raised his head.

"Lord Percival, I have an older brother who's at least ten years older than I am... He was a stoic person and he later joined the Military Police instead of being a Reaper... So he doesn't really like me, I think the time I spent with him is far shorter than what I've spent with you. Compared to him, you have saved my life, helped me out with my dream and..."

Seth looked straight into Percival's eyes.

"... To me, you're more like my real brother than him, Lord Percival..."

"If you see me as your brother... Then..." Percival smiled deeply. "I'll think of you as my brother as well..."

Then suddenly Percival's entire demeanor shifted, his face shine towards the hot plate of sizzling pork belly.

"Have you ever heard of The Hoseki?... Seth..." He asked, slowly raising his head to the young Reaper.

"Yes... Yes... The 50 year old Dungeon gate over at Cindralock Reaper Academy Branch.. is it real?" Seth asked with wide eyes.

"Yeah, you can bet your Arcane pet it's real... And as I am speaking to you right now, this very moment. A young First year prospect is attempting to seal the dungeon all by himself, par the reports I received from Reaper Korvessa..." Percival said as he stirred his pork belly in some red sizzling stew.

"A first year? Does he or she even know how to channel their Arcane energy into their Awakened talent?" Seth asked, eyebrows furrowed and an inquisitive face.

"He... Levi is the name, has exceeded everything we could ever know about Awakened talent... A true prospect that Reaper Korvessa had a lot of confidence in... I would like to see this kid for myself..." Percival said.

"But if this kid is truly talented as you say, why put him in such a dangerous situation... What if he gets killed? Or worse, he finally opens the gate and unleashes its demons.."

Percival sighed heavily at the tasking question from his subordinate.

"Huh... Desperate times, desperate measures I guess..."

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