BXBX NOVEL Chapter 11: Alice
[The sword you selected is suitable for your training! You have been rewarded with 200 Fate Points!]
With the 200 Fate Points that he had, he now has 400 Fate Points. He only needed 600 more to unlock the Fate Shop.
After purchasing the Smooth Steel Sword, Fredrinn noticed that Olivia also wanted one for herself so he bought her an Uncommon-rated sword that was sold for 2700 Star Coins.
"I didn't know that you like swords," Fredrinn said when he saw her hugging the sword he bought for her.
As if she had recalled an old memory, Olivia let out a sigh. "Actually, my father was also a cultivator, but he was only at the Body Refining stage. I learned how to wield the sword from him, but after he died from an adventure, I never held the sword again."
"I'm sorry for making your recall a sad memory, Olivia," Fredrinn muttered while looking at her face.
"It's fine, my lord." Olivia forced out a smile, but he could sense the loneliness in her eyes. Her father's death must have been a huge blow to the young Olivia.
Fredrinn changed the topic to lift the mood and she gradually recovered her spirits.
"Have you thought about becoming a martial practitioner?" He randomly asked.
Olivia was taken aback by his question. "I'm not sure… I might not be able to take care of my lord if I become a martial practitioner." She shook her head hesitantly. Learning martial arts was everyone's dream and she also had this dream when she was a child. However, she didn't want to leave Fredrinn's side.
Fredrinn noticed her hesitation. "Olivia, how about I teach you myself? Although I'm not that skilled, there should be no problem teaching you since you're a quick learner."
"That…"
Olivia was still hesitant, but when she saw his encouraging smile, she could only agree. "Alright, but my lord's needs will still be my priority."
"Good! I will start teaching you tomorrow. Once we return to the estate, I will borrow a spirit root testing device to check the quality of your spirit root." Fredrinn patted her shoulder. As a former top player, he knew how important it was to form a reliable party. Not everything could be handled alone so he had to nurture his own force. He would start with Olivia.
The two headed back to where they separated with Darius. The latter was already there when they arrived.
"My lord, I have done as you commanded," Darius whispered to his ears.
According to him, the waitress who was kicked out of the restaurant was now living in the slums with her sick mother. To buy medicine for her mother, she does laundry service and sometimes even hard labor like construction.
'What a pitiful woman.' Fredrinn shook his head after hearing Darius' report.
"Bring us to the slums."
"Yes, my lord."
***
Inside a dilapidated house, a messy-haired woman was helping her sick mother eat porridge. "I'm sorry, mom. Because of me, we lost everything…" The woman sobbed while biting her lower lip.
The eyes of the sick middle-aged woman quivered when she heard her words. She lifted her thin arm to hold her daughter's hand. "You don't need to be sorry, my lovely daughter. Nothing is your fault." She said in a hoarse voice.
The woman felt even more guilty when she heard her mother's words.
If only she hadn't rejected Fredrinn at that time. Things would have been different.
Thinking about that man, her eyes flashed with hatred.
As if sensing her rage, the middle-aged woman sighed. "Alice, you have to let go of the hatred in your heart. Holding onto it will only make you suffer more."
"Let's not talk about that. Let me get your medicine." Alice put down the bowl of porridge and went to grab her mother's medicine.
Looking at her daughter's back, the middle-aged woman felt worried.
While Alice was searching for her mother's medicine, she suddenly heard someone knocking on their door.
"I hope it's not those guys again." She muttered with a look of fear.
There was a small gang in the slums that acted as the ruler of the area. They collect protection money from the residents in exchange for agreeing not to hurt them or damage their properties. If someone fails to pay them, everything they had will be forcibly taken. Sometimes, they were even killed.
Alice grabbed a knife and tucked it under her clothes. "Mother, here's your medicine. I'll go check who's outside first." She didn't wait for her mother to reply as she quickly headed to the door.
Alice peeked through the small gap in the door and was horrified when she saw the group of men outside.
'It's them! What should I do?'
"Hurry up and open the goddamn door! I know that someone is in there!" An impatient voice could be heard behind the door.
Alice grabbed the knife that was hidden under her clothes. If she opened the door, she knew that they wouldn't have a good ending. The last time these guys came, they took her hard-earned money. They even asked her to sell her body in exchange for their safety.
She had nothing to give them now so she already knew what was about to happen. 'Do I really have to offer my body to appease them?' Just the thought of it made her heart feel cold.
"Alice, is everything alright over there?" Her mother's worried voice drifted into her ears, but the people outside also heard this.
"So you are pretending to be deaf, huh? I'll give you one last chance. Open the f*ck*ng door before I smash it!"
'Oh no! Please help, somebody!' Alice cried as she firmly held onto the handle of the knife.
At this moment, the door was suddenly smashed open, revealing the figure of six men.
"Bitch, how dare you make us wait outside!" One of them rushed toward her to slap her face.
"Back off if you don't want to be hurt!" Alice took out the knife that she was hiding.
She nervously waved the knife in front of her.
The man who was about to slap her stopped in his tracks and let out a perverted smile. "So you want to play it rough, huh?"
The men behind him also laughed. Their faces were filled with evil intentions.
"I'm warning you! Don't come closer!" Alice pointed the knife at the man.
However, the man ignored her words and walked toward her step by step. "I was planning to give you a chance, but since you dared to point a knife at me, you leave me with no choice."
"Stop!" She screamed when she saw him getting closer to her.