The Seven Monster Spirit

Chapter 23 - A Walk

"How's Neron?" Erick wanted to know Neron's opinion, because there was no way he would let go of a talented child like Neron to join the other 2 troops, so the Demon Slayer captain immediately invited the boy to join, Erick believed that if Neron joined his army, the Demon Slayer army would become even stronger.

"Wait for Erick" Gerald who was on the sidelines walked towards his friend "Neron just finished fighting and from the conditions I heard from you, the boy must be still exhausted so don't offer him anything solid first, wait until he can rest"

"Why indeed? I'm the one who found it" Erick asked unconcernedly.

"I thank you for finding him, but now the boy is under my watch, so don't offer him anything out of the blue"

Ceithrein who was on the sidelines walked towards Neron, "Your ability is getting better and better but they both argue because they are fighting over you" said Ceithrein, whose eyes were red from tears.

"Yes you're right Ceith, I have to stop him"

['Basic Man, always quarreling over something'] said Artaros lazily from within Neron's body.

"Stop" Neron tried to mediate between the two of them "i still don't know who you are so Uncle Erick, I can't take it right away"

The two of them stopped arguing and turned towards Neron.

"My self-introduction was incomplete huh" Erick Laughed as he scratched the back of his head "Neron introduce once again, I am Erick Neovord the current Demon Slayer Captain and one of the Gold Imperial Knights" erick said proudly.

Erick's introduction made Neron a little surprised, he did not expect that the person who brought him here was the captain of the Demon Slayer army.

Neron nodded as if understanding and then he said "Sorry uncle Erick, I cannot accept an offer from you"

"Well..why?" Erick was surprised that someone rejected his offer, usually people would accept such an offer, but the child in front of him rejected it raw "What is it because this job is dangerous or are you afraid of the Devil? Ask Erick to make sure.

['He lured you'] Artaros commented

"No, it's not like that, I just want to be free not to be tied to anything, I just want to live by being myself without being known as something" Neron's words made Erick sigh.

"Alright but I won't give up on getting you to join"

"How about I help you Uncle if there's a mission, but I won't join the Demon Slayer" Neron tried to make an offer.

"alright, but my mission isn't easy"

"I'll always be ready to do it"

After the two of them were calm, it was also almost night so if they wanted to go buy clothes then they would have to leave now. Ceithrein then pulled Neron's hand and then ran towards the gate.

"Dad, come on, I'll have a good night" the girl smiled but she still held Neron's hand.

"Uncle thank you very much" Neron said to Erick who was only returned by a wave of his hand.

Gerald who felt left behind also ran after his daughter and also Neron.

Now that they arrived at a place where many people, the house on the side of the road filled Neron's view, this was very different from when he lived in the village, all the houses here looked good, big and sturdy.

"What do you think?" ask Ceithrein.

"This country is big" that's Neron's response

"really right? I think so too"

"Hey, don't get lost" said Gerald, who had followed them both.

"Father alone is slow" Ceithrein said with a smile.

The country is large and divided into several parts, namely the Southern, Western, Northern and Central Districts. Each district is grouped by place. The Western District was where the merchants as well as the Adventurers, the Syrian magic school was in the North district and their current place the southern District, was the district occupied by the demon slayer, the, whereas the Central District was where the nobles, imperial knights and also the Palace were occupied by the Royal family.

So they now had to go in the western District to buy some items for Neron.

"Dad, why don't we just go riding a horse just to be quick?" ask Ceithrein

"we just walk slowly let Neron feel the atmosphere here" Gerald said gently.

Neron felt a different atmosphere, when compared to the peaceful village here so many people so crowded, and when they cross paths with Gerald, someone greeted him or saluted.

After a while they finally passed through the gate that separated between the Western and Southern District, The three of them passed through that border gate and the atmosphere became even more crowded.

"We're going to buy where you have so many people selling?" ask Ceithrein curiously.

"We just walk first while looking around" said Gerald who noticed the situation around.

Many voices from traders made the atmosphere in the western district crowded.

"You two follow me" said Gerald to a shop, and the two children followed him from behind.

"Welcome to Gana store please choose what you want" said the store owner kindly.

"We're looking for clothes for this kid" Gerald said, pointing to Neron "Neron choose which clothes you like" the man continued.

Neron did not want to bother Gerald with his choice let alone the boy did not really understand about clothes, because he thought all the clothes were the same as important can be worn so Neron just said "Can uncle choose him? I'm not very picky about clothes".

"Alright" Gerald nodded in agreement.

"Then let's go see Neron's clothes" said Ceithrein excitedly and pulled Neron's hand to look at the clothes in the store.

"the shop is nice and the clothes are plenty" Ceithrein said, stunned by the shop's contents.

Neron saw a lot of clothes here, there is a very good one that makes Neron think like the clothes of nobles there are also ordinary ones, and in his mind Neron hoped that Uncle Gerald would choose simple clothes, because the boy preferred such clothes and also not to eat a lot of money.

"where?" Neron asked because Ceithrein suddenly pulled his hand out of the store.

"it was there" said Ceithrein, pointing to the seller of something across the street from the clothing store.

They both ran out and approached the seller and saw what was being sold there.

"See if you think there's anything suitable for me?" ask the girl while looking at the many accessories there.

"Yo young people choose what you like" the seller said with a smile.

"This one" Neron said as he pointed at the 4-leaf clover-shaped hairpin.

"what's the reason?"

"Just the color of your eyes and your hair matches the color, so I think this is the most suitable" Neron said with a flat face but he said it honestly.

"Can you help me wear it" said Ceithrein with a cute face.

"Alright" Neron felt the attitude of the girl was getting spoiled especially to him.

['Sorry to interrupt your date, but do you feel it boy?'] Black Dragon asked with a serious face even though Neron could not see it.

['this Aura Grgrgrr is terrible'] Loirus said with a frightening look, as it felt the presence of something that made the wolf recall something terrible.

"I also feel it, sense" Neron said using telepathy, although he could feel it, but after using the sense technique, the Aura of a person was as dense as the pungent smell of blood. "What aura is this?"

['Devil'] said Artaros briefly.

"Hey Neron why are you quiet?" asked Ceithrein curiously looking at Neron's behavior, the boy then gave the hairpin he held to Ceithrein and ran towards the origin of the concentrated Aura. Passing through several people and turning into a dark and narrow alley, Neron met two men who were around the age of 20, one of whom was rather stuffy and the other thin, they both wear simple clothes.

"where? The aura disappeared" Neron said as he searched all directions.

"oioi little boy, where's your mother? Are you lost?" Asked one of the men trying to scare Neron with his looks.

"Hah" Neron looked at her sharply and made the person think 'what the hell is that look at her, not like a child'.

['Eve been gone but he was here'] Loirus said.

"Yes, it's completely gone" Neron said, agreeing with Loirus's telepathic statement.

"Hey boy did you not hear?, I got angry because of this attitude of yours" Neron did not pay attention to the two of them for focusing on the origin of the terrible Aura earlier "you want to die huh" one of the men headed towards Neron in annoyance.

"Just try touching the boy" said a man from the entrance of the alley.

"hii... The commander of the Imperial Knight" said the two of them simultaneously, the two men were scared and immediately ran away while saying that they had done nothing.

"I was worried because Ceithrein said you suddenly ran away, but fortunately nothing happened, what happened?" said Gerald told Neron and then asked him why he suddenly ran this way.

"Nothing" said Neron, keeping his eyes on the empty alley.

Gerald was curious but he felt Neron would not tell him "that's it, let's go back, Ceithrein is waiting".

...----------------...

After they returned to pick up Neron's clothes and also pick up Ceithrein, They proceeded to look for lodging to rest their bodies and also to fill an empty stomach, before they went to the Central District tomorrow.

"Why did you suddenly run away from Neron?, you said you wouldn't leave me again" asked Ceithrein with a sullen face.

"Well there was something just now so I had to go" Neron tried to explain.

"this" Ceithrein gave the hairpin he bought to Neron "wear it!" the boy's orders.

Neron just sighed, he couldn't resist it.

"What do you think?" ask Ceithrein.

"you look beautiful it suits you" said Neron praising Ceithrein with his new hairpin.

"Hehehe thanks" said the girl happily. "But you have to obey my request because you have left me" continued Ceithrein while pointing his index finger towards Neron. "you must accompany me to sleep".

"Well" the boy just resignedly could not resist.

Ceithrein was excited and lying on the bed in the room, "you also slept here Neron".

Neron approached her and sat down, after some time the girl fell asleep.

"It looks like he's tired" said a man who entered the room, "so now what are you planning on doing Neron?" ask the Imperial Knight's commander.

"I want to enter the magic academy" Neron said with a flat face but determined eyes.

"Well, I can help you get in there" Gerald agreed.

"No uncle, I can get in with uncle's money, but I'll take the job from you like I did with Uncle Erick" Neron looked at Gerald and started talking again "but I won't be tied to an Imperial knight, so did uncle allow it?"

"Maybe, when I really want you to join the Imperial Knight but since you have already set your plans I will support him and I look forward to your hard work" leaving behind those words Gerald left the inn room, leaving Neron and Ceithrein there.

['You've turned down 2 good offers, but I'm sure of the path you chose the boy']

"Maybe the journey will be hard, so help me, art and Lou" the words were heard on a quiet night and Neron knew the two monsters in his body would help him.