CHAPTER 360: ALITHE’S WORRIES

"There’s too many quests to do." Coco mumbled to herself, unlocking the door.

"You’ll be fine, Coco." The garden fairy tried to comfort her human friend by settling herself on Coco’s hair. "If you need anything that I can help with, just tell me."

"Mhm, I think I’ll be fine." Coco halfheartedly agreed with Lala’s words, leaving the door unlocked and walking over to the couch, her mind racing with possibilities as she glanced towards the quest scrolls that floated before her.

She took a seat beside Konoha, who let out an annoyed mewl because the couch cushion dipped under Coco’s weight, disrupting her peaceful nap.

Coco left the door open because she knows that Sinclair and Alithe will come strutting to the room any minute now.

"Coco!" Alithe exclaimed, slamming the door open with a loud bang as it slammed against the wall. "Did that examinee named Lukas bother you?!"

Would you look at that? Alithe did walk inside the room and even announced his presence obnoxiously.

Coco blinked and turned in her seat to look at the hybrid over the back of the couch. "Bother me? No, not really, but he did go inside this room and startled me when I saw him."

"So he did bother you!" Alithe growled, the sound coming deep from his chest that it sounded like an actual raven’s croak. "Did he tell you what his motive was? Did he do anything to hurt you?"

Coco shook her head. "He didn’t try to do anything except for telling me that he wanted to see me in person rather than listen to the rumors."

Alithe’s form relaxed a little at that, his shoulders sagging and his body language telling her that he was quite relieved to know that nothing happened to her nor did Lukas try to do something.

"I see." Alithe said, sighing weakly. "He kept asking about you since yesterday so I got a little worried."

"I’m fine." Coco assured him, standing up from the couch.

"Actually." She said and walked over to Alithe, her hand reaching out to close the door. "I was thinking of asking you about him.."

"Ask about what?" Alithe urged her to continue her question, turning in his heels to face her.

"Well, first of all, he was strong enough to beat the monster he was facing back in the arena in under ten minutes, right?" Coco questioned, stepping away from the door and leaning on the armrest of the couch.

"Yes.. But that’s because he grew up in the same orphanage as Greinzer." Alithe explained, running a hand through his jet black hair.

He cleared his throat and continued. "That orphanage raised kids to become hunters— illegally, if I do say so myself, but they were stopped just five years ago so Greinzer and Lukas were the last ones to get trained."

"I thought Yogusho Village was the only village that trains aspiring hunters?" Coco raised an eyebrow, confused.

"It is the only village that is legally allowed to train hunters." Alithe corrected Coco with a grunt as he scratched the back of his head. "It took us years to pin down who were releasing well-trained children and it took us two years to destroy that orphanage to the ground."

"Wait.." Coco blinked and slowly, a frown emerged in her face. "Are you telling me that the kids from that orphanage were trafficked?"

"Kidnapped." Again, Alithe corrected her, accompanied with a shake of his head. "Kidnapped and abducted from their villages, with some of them coming from their own home."

Coco’s heart dropped to her stomach, the news breaking her heart into pieces. "No.."

Alithe perked up at the tone of Coco’s voice and saw the way she looked like she was about to cry, making him immediately assure her.

"Don’t worry! We got some of the children brought back to their home!" Alithe quickly added, holding out his hands towards Coco in panic. "With the children that didn’t have parents, we placed them under the mercenary guild’s care!"

The tears that welled up in Coco’s eyes slowly dripped to her chin, once, twice, thrice— just three tear drops and then it stopped.

"You’re so kind." Coco murmured, sniffling and wiping the tears away. "I feel bad for Lukas now.."

Alithe’s face contorted into a scowl at that and grumbled. "No, don’t feel bad for that man. He’s not worthy of your sympathy."

"Still.." Coco was about to retort back, but a knock suddenly echoed through the room.

The two exchanged glances, confused and surprised.

"Mrs. Hughes? Mr. Astin? The guild master is asking all the examinees to gather in the training ground." Said a familiar voice of a woman that came from the other side of the door.

"I’ll be there!" Coco called out, already pushing herself off the armrest and approaching the door.

She was about to touch the doorknob, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her from doing so, which made her shoot a puzzled look at Alithe over her shoulder.

"What?" She asked, her hand resting on the doorknob.

"I’m serious." Alithe said, pulling his hand away from Coco’s shoulder and grimaced. "Lukas is not someone you should feel sympathy for.. In fact, you need to avoid him at all costs."

"Okay.." Coco agreed, not sure why Alithe looked like he was being held at gun point. "I’ll try to avoid him."

At her assurance, Alithe’s face brightened up and his grimace got replaced with a relieved smile. "Thank you. I’m really sorry for showing you this kind of behavior."

"I understand." Coco said, smiling softly.

Alithe opened the door himself and let Coco walk out of the room, just in time to see that a couple of hunters were descending the stairs to get to the training ground.

"I’m off then." Coco told Alithe and walked away from him.

"By the way, Coco." Lala spoke up from her head. "The sacred beast you were looking for is that man who was inside the room with us earlier."