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Chapter 18 - Chapter 18 Painter

"At first, when I heard about a survivor, I thought they were talking about me; A child survived, I will have to be attentive, I am not going to become the target of someone with an antagonist's own story.", I joked a little not to give too much importance to the fate of a child, since I do not want to be his enemy.

I walk inside the building and see dozens of gray blankets covering the bodies, what catches my attention is that all the remains gave off a faint smell of cigarette smoke, which reminded me of the man smoking in the same carriage I was in on the train.

"It's not possible is it?", I think as I contemplate the remains covered by the blankets until the hunter Lizand approaches me and tells me almost whispering:

-If you feel anything irregular, keep it to yourself, while you are still weak.

After hearing that comment, I walk beside the huntress into the building.

We walk through the shady corridors of the building until we reach a simple office with only a single light bulb in the ceiling, a few folders piled up everywhere, an old metal desk and a worn wooden chair.

Hunter Lizand begins to fill out a document, I look at the walls with worn paint and a few seconds later I ask:

-What is the Cadabrian squadron like?

She stops writing suddenly, looks at me with a complicated expression, takes a breath to look relaxed and asks me:

-Why do you ask about them?

-Curiosity. -I answer.

Lizand looks at me and says:

-It is a squadron located in the central area, just by entering you can already live in the central area of the city without paying the 10 000 black tokens every two years. But getting in depends on luck and who tries to recruit you, as they have hunters with different philosophies of life, in that squadron only matters strength and talent. When do you leave?

-Why would I leave? I like it here, that place you describe sounds just like the Scarlet Institute. I'll wait, get my hunter's license and I'll see what I'll do after that. Mmm, can I get my hunting license here?

Lizand smiles, I had not seen her smile sincerely.

-You're very clueless, you joined my squadron and you didn't even know that. Yes, in four years working here, or if you meet the necessary merits according to the city's statutes, which are to deliver cores of monsters or supernatural beings worth 10 000 black tokens. -Lizand replies.

-Then, we'll see each other for a while; but if you can, buy me a few drinks once a month. -I say with a subtle smile and a calm tone.

-That's fine. -She answers and immediately goes back to filling out the document.

I leave the office, the document has written on it the address of where I am to go tomorrow morning to meet a group of aspiring second-year hunters from the training center.

I head to the dormitories, when I get to the room I claimed, the room is clean, and sitting on the edge of one of the beds is a young man with brown hair, beige skin, freckles on his face, honey-colored eyes and a weak appearance, who is wearing a cream shirt and brown pants.

-Who are you? -I ask immediately as I throw my backpack on one of the empty beds.

-I'm James Watson. The captain transferred me here. -He answered me in a weak voice.

-I see, just don't bother me. -I tell him, I start to change my clothes, I put on a black short sleeve sweater and black shorts and I lay down on the bed to sleep. Or so I try, it's strange to have someone in the same room in such a hostile world.

I close my eyes and since my senses are better than those of an unawakened person, I can hear Watson tracing lines on a notepad.

"I assume he's drawing," I deduce as I listen to the movement of the pencil that doesn't stop at a single point or line on the notebook sheet.

"Painter. Right, there was a profession called that", after thinking about it for a while I ask him without moving from the place where I am:

-Are you a painter?

Silence stretches after Watson stops drawing and replies in a despondent voice:

-Yes.

-What is it about, being a painter? -I ask out of curiosity. -I ask out of curiosity.

-I can paint in detail what I see and perceive the things I have drawn. Although only for two seconds because I am an F rank.

"That skill is OP. You're kind of radar, Watson," I joke in my mind and tell him:

-You should train and get stronger; that skill seems very useful.

"Now that I remember, I believe that hunters can increase their fear with potions of mysterious energy obtained from monsters and some supernatural beings. Yes, it's true, the effective ones are expensive, and the others can degrade the organism to the point of killing you.", after rambling I start to feel drowsy and....

••••

I wake up, I look at the window and the sky is still dark, I get up, and head to the bathrooms, with my backpack on my shoulder, as it is not yet six o'clock, I go in to take a bath, the water from the bath shower falls on my face and body at the moment when the door opens and the hunter Lizand enters, She places her towel to the side on a hook sticking out of the wall, opens the shower head next to me and I can see her tanned skin being caressed by the water, her defined body and her nice curves.

-Lizand. I am a man. -I tell her without hesitation.

She smiles and answers me:

-Try not to hold back.

-No thanks, I don't want to be a eunuch. -I told her and I start to soap myself with the bar of soap I bought at the hotel, she bathes with the remains of a soap so I offer her my bar of soap and she takes it.

-Thank you, I hope you come back healthy. I'll buy you drinks like you suggested. -She tells me with an enthusiastic tone.

I nod, finish bathing, take a towel out of my backpack, dry myself, put on a shirt, pants and boots, all the clothes are black, then I tighten my belt and put my scarlet pink revolver in its holster.

"Let what has to happen happen," I said to myself in my mind, I put my hand on the door and said to Hunter Lizand:

-Thanks for the company, I will not forget this day until I return to the squadron.

-Hurry up. -She told me without bothering.

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