Chapter 1006 Ojas
"Okay. I have read this. I need info on the chief."
"Ten mid grade magic stones."
"Here."
"…"
With trembling hands, the cloaked figure took the hexagonal green colored magic stones from Lith and stared at them with a dumbfounded gaze.
'This… this guy… just what is wrong with him…'
Once again, Lith went through the information and then asked for something more detailed.
Naturally, the cloaked figure had it. However, gulping and thinking, 'H-h-he surely looks like someone with big money…'
There was no way someone wouldn't know the value of ten medium grade magic stones unless they were some rich second generation big shots.
'N-no… that can't be right…'
The cloaked figure had seen many bigshots in his life during his academy days. He knew that those guys were well-versed with money and were quick to catch if something wrong was going on.
But then…
How was this guy so foolish?
Trying to test his theory, with a quivering Adam's apple, he said in a heavy voice, "O-one high grade magic—"
Before he could even ask, Lith handed him one blue-colored hexagonal magic stone.
The cloaked figure almost passed out from this transaction. This was his biggest transaction in the last few decades!
Decades!
For decades he had not made so much money that he just made in this instant by scamming this guy!
The trembling of his hands intensified and as he held the stone and looked at it, his throat had a lump form in it as he was close to crying.
Lith thought the guy was crying in happiness because he got good money and ignored him. He focused on the information on hand.
Nodding in satisfaction, Lith asked, "Okay, give me detailed information on the former chief."
"O-ho-kay…"
The guy stuttered.
Gulp!
He decided to shoot his shot and see just far could he go for scamming the guy in front. "T..that will be one peak grade magic stone."
"Okay." Lith wasn't fazed and gave him a red colored hexagonal stone.
"HAAAAH!" The guy's body shot up as he screamed.
Thankfully, such screams and activities were common in the tavern thus nobody bat an eye to them.
The cloaked figure leaned close to Lith and immediately held his collar, his cloak getting undone.
"Bastard! Are you fucking stupid or what?! Why would you give me so much money!? At least think before giving money like candies!"
The cloaked figure, who's hood was now gone, revealed a pair of yellow eyes with a vertical slit in pupils. His black hair was wavy and swayed as he held Lith's collar with trembling hands.
Normally, Lith would've beaten the person up for such audacity, but the tone of this dude was not poisonous, rather, one of concern and worry.
Also, this guy seemed oddly familiar.
'Where have I seen him?'
Lith had seen a lot of people during his cooking training when he traveled around the world. However, not many had left an impression on him.
He couldn't find anyone like this figure from his cooking training memories, hence moved back in the past.
Meanwhile, the cloaked figure, heaving his chest up and down, calmed down. He let go of Lith's collar and patted it to even out the wrinkles.
"Sorry for the outburst." He said and went back to sit. His hood had come off, but that wasn't much of a problem since the tavern was under his organization's control.
At this point, Lith had a sudden flash of his past memory and recalled who the person in front was. He unknowingly muttered,
"Ojas?"
"Ye—huh!?"
The cloaked figure's body trembled. An ominous sensation spread in his body as he heard that name.
Silence descended at the table as the cloaked figure stared at Lith, who was looking at him with a smile and had his chin resting on his interlocked fingers.
When Ojas didn't reply for a minute, Lith said, "It seems I was right."
Ojas furrowed his brows and bit his lips. 'I never gave out my identity… how did he figure it out?'
"You… who are you?"
Lith chuckled. "You don't remember me? Well, that's a given since I dropped out and you only me like once or twice."
"Huh?" Ojas was really confused, not having any idea of what Lith was spouting.
To give him a better idea, Lith snapped his fingers and had the disguise come off.
"You!" Ojas shot up from his seat. "Y-y-you… what!? No way!"
That chiseled face… silver hair… purple eyes and regal aura…
Even if Ojas wanted to, he could never forget that face!
How could he?
The person in front was the world's authority!
The one and only Prince of all Vampires!
"How is this—"
"Calm down and sit."
Lith's words were soft, but Ojas clearly felt them as the Royal Decree and sat down on his seat obediently.
He took deep breaths and tried to make sense of this situation.
Now… why would the Vampire Prince be in such a small place? That too in an old rundown tavern with loud, sweaty drunkards?
"It seems you recognized me." Lith said and broke the ice.
'Obviously I did! Had I not, I would've died!' Ojas cried out internally but only flashed a professional smile on the outside.
He didn't have a death wish and offending the Vampire Prince was the last thing he would ever do.
"How have you been?" Lith suddenly asked, taking him aback.
'Huh…?'
Ojas didn't expect such a question and fell silent.
"You're not answering… perhaps this question needs me to pay too?"
Lith smiled and shot at Ojas, making his face turn red in embarrassment.
"I'm sorry…" Ojas said in a low voice and took out a pouch from his space ring, placing it on the table. "Here is your money… I'm really sorry…"
Had he known it was the Vampire Prince, he wouldn't have asked for a single nickel, let alone magic stones!
"Don't worry about that. Keep it." Lith didn't mind. "First tell me, how are you in this place? Shouldn't you be in the Dragon Continent, recruited by some major guild or clan?"
Ojas was in Lith's class and he remembered his participation in Capture The Flag event. The other instance where he saw him was in the Blue Haze World, where a survival competition was going on.
He hadn't really left an impression on Lith, but he still remembered him because of participating in the same places.
Academy was one of the times in his life where he had thoroughly enjoyed. If he could, he would go and relive those moments again.
Academy was where he found his two wives and two lifelong friends, so it did have some connection to him. Plus, that place was Emmy's territory and visited it quite often when he had time.
Being remembered by the Vampire Prince was a great honor that not many possessed. Ojas naturally felt his ego and happiness inflate.
He didn't know what he had done to be remembered by the Prince, but hey… who was he to complain?
Thinking that it may be rude to keep the Prince waiting, Ojas took a deep breath and said, "A lot had happened in the past. After graduating, I was taken in by a wealthy clan in the Star Dragon Empress' territory, but then, after the Death Dragon Empress rose to power, that clan had to migrate and…"
The clan Ojas was in had everything tied to their land. Their major power lay in the explosive Fire energy coming from underground volcanic areas.
Being asked to migrate, they did not have any choice but to do so. This weakened them severely and hence, they disbanded.
Ojas was still doing good as he was an academy graduate and could join any other guild or clan he wanted. But then, he got a distressed call from his friend and had to rush to him.
Ever since then, he was in this place, trying to sort things out and help his friend.
"This friend… you know of him. He's the grandson of the ex-
chief."
"Hm?" Lith raised his eyebrow in interest. "Gunther?"
"Yes. You may have come across him in the academy too."
Now that he said that, Lith did remember this guy. He was the first and only Giant Lith came across in this world.
"Our group… having me, Gunther, Sheng, and Ji in it… we could make a good living easily as we are academy graduates, but then, Gunther's situation was dire and we have been living on scraps, trying to make ends meet and help him."
Ojas was slightly embarrassed to say this, but meeting someone from the academy after so long, that too the Vampire Prince, he began venting.
Lith was somewhat moved by their camaraderie. 'Is this why aunt brought me here?'
Thinking that this was it, the clue to solving this quest, Lith said, "So… how is your situation now?"
Ojas's face darkened. "Whenever we think it couldn't get any more worse… fate hits us with a bitchslap and stomps us down. Sigh…"
Ojas leaned back.
"…We are just a few steps away from getting killed by the new chief."
"I see." Lith said with an understanding tone.
His brain was running at full speed right now and he made out a few things.
Since Gunther was the grandson of the ex-chief and was at odds with the current chief, he was the best choice for solving the Giants' problem.
All he had to do was make him be the new chief, then move them under the protection of his aunt. 'Ez pz.'
At least, that's what he thought, until he frowned and remembered, 'No… it can't be this easy. Aunt is not stupid to give me an easy task. Then… where is the problem?'
It seemed that he wouldn't know the problem unless he met Gunther and his group.
Looking at Ojas, Lith asked, "Can you take me to Gunther?"
Ojas nodded. "I can."
"Okay, let's get going then."
…..
A/N: Hi everyone, it would be really helpful if you could send in Powerstones and golden tickets. It helps the book rise in ranks and is a great support.