Chapter 39: The Oriole eats shit!

Chapter 39: The Oriole eats shit! "How are you so sure about this?" Adriana asked, still skeptical. "I’ve read it in a book in the library. The one I took from you!" Luke said with a smile. "The midday pancy looks exactly like the noon bloom and grows near it, and is of the same species. But the thing is it is just a simple flower that has some fire mana, whereas the Noon bloom is a fire mana elixir, holding huge amounts of fire mana in its core. And also, the noon bloom allows the midday pancy to grow near it so as to save itself from the predators!" "If they look exactly the same, how are you so sure that it wasn’t the noon bloom?" Adriana asked. "Because I saw the real ones while fighting the Imoogi close to the tree." "Where is it then?" she asked, her hopes were ignited again. "Why should I tell you?" Luke said with a smile. Adriana couldn’t refute him, words got stuck as she didn’t know what to say right now. She clenched her teeth in anger and frustration. Luke moved towards Noah and whispered something into his ears. Noah’s lips parted into a wide smile. He got up and immediately turned towards the tree. His eyes fixed towards the space where all the branches of the tree connected to form a small platform like structure. Adriana saw Noah’s eyes and realized something herself. She was about to rush, but it was too late. Noah vanished from his spot and leaving a trail of mana reached the tree in a blink. He climbed atop and reached the branch union, on the platform like structure. A trace of shock passed through his face and a smile formed when he saw the noon bloom rooted on the platform radiating out heat. He pulled out a metal coin which transformed into the glass dome. He carefully pulled the flower out with some soil and roots intact. After putting it inside the glass dome, he put it inside the dimensional pouch on his waist and jumped back. He pulled his thump up and signaled Luke that the job was done. "Let’s go get those gold coins now!" Luke stood up and started moving towards the exit with a smile plastered on his face. He walked pass Adriana while she stood there with her head down, biting her lips in helplessness and fists clenched tight. "STOP!!" she yelled as she turned around when Luke was a few steps away. Noah immediately appeared in front of Luke with his shield raised up, ready for any surprise attack. "I’m not going to attack!" she said. "I can’t, even if I want to! You’re stronger than me and...I have a debt to pay your healer for saving my life!" "What do you want then?" Noah asked, still not relaxing. "Can you please give us the flower? We really need it! I’ll....I’ll do anything, please!!" she bowed down, her upper body almost parallel to the ground. Noah was a bit surprised seeing her bow, he relaxed and put the shield down. He looked towards Luke, and Luke nodded at him. "Pay us ten thousand gold coins then! We only want the reward, no matter where it comes from." Luke said. "What!! How can we have that much money? We don’t get paid that much in the military!" Jane yelled out in protest. "You want us to give it up for free then? Don’t you have some common sense?" Noah jibed at her. "Not even the general has that much money...how the hell can we.." "I have some money saved, about 1500 gold coins! I’ll pay it to you when we reach the city and pay the rest in installments!!" Adriana said, not letting Jane finish. "You can’t!! that’s the money you saved for years for your..." "It’s alright Jane! It’s just money." Adriana stopped Jane with a smile on her face. Jane clenched her teeth. She was frustrated and angry at the helpless situation and furious at herself for being weak. Jordan stood silent. He couldn’t act shameless and ask the flower from them since if Luke hadn’t killed the Imoogi, all of them would have been dead right now. They had no right to claim the flower. There was silence and no one spoke a word. After a few seconds Luke sighed and looked towards Adriana. "Alright, but there is a condition!" Adriana and the others were shocked and looked at Luke wide eyed. They never expected him to agree. It was just a last attempt of struggle from her. "I don’t need the money! We’ll take everything of the Imoogi and...I want three favors from you!" Luke said. "What favors?" Adriana asked, confused. "Whenever in the future I ask a favor from you, you have to fulfill it no matter what!" "That’s absurd! What if you ask her to be your slave, spend a night or ask her to kill herself? Don’t agree to this bullshit Adriana!" Jane screamed in fury. "I won’t ask anything lewd or sexual. I won’t ask you to be my slave or kill anyone!" Luke said. Shane and Ruby stood stupefied at the events. They kept observing with eyes wide open in shock and couldn’t believe if this was the same Luke they knew. "Alright! I swear that if you give me the noon bloom and as long as you don’t ask me to betray the military and my friend, not anything lewd, sexual, not ask me to be your slave or kill anyone, I’ll fulfill three of your favors in the future! I swear this with the heavens as witness!!" Adriana waved her hand as a small rune appeared on her palm and moved towards her heart, engraving itself in her circle. Luke was surprised seeing her take the runic vow in an instant. He was not sure if she’d accept such terms taking her personality in account. He nodded at Noah. Noah pulled the glass dome out and passed it to her as it floated with mana covered around towards Adriana. Receiving the flower Adriana thanked them and along with Jane and Jordan started moving out. Jordan nodded at Noah and Luke, thanking them and followed after the two girls. "What if I ask to marry you? You didn’t take that in consideration!" Luke said at the retreating Adriana. She stopped on her tracks abruptly. Her eyes got wide and turned around with a murderous look at Luke. "Hahaha!! Chill!! I’m just joking!" Luke said laughing out loud. She clenched her fists and stomped the ground, leaving in hurried steps, not looking back at them again. "You were serious about that right?" Noah looked at Luke with a wide teasing grin. "C-come on man! I w-was just joking! Haha" Luke tried to hide his embarrassment with the laugh. "Why did you do that?" Ruby yelled out, shock was visible on her face. "Oh! That!?...there’s a great reason!" Noah said with a cunning smile on his face.