Return of the Woodcutter

'But for that, I need to get stronger.'

"Boy."

'Although… I don't know where to begin.'

"Hey, boy!"

'Hum… baby steps, I suppo—'

Suddenly, his gift, Intuition, activated. Sensing a potential danger, Aito jolted awake from his thoughts, just in time to catch an arm guard flying towards his face.

Ainar granted. "Hum, not bad."

"What the fuck was that for?" Aito asked, before remembering that he had dozed off in the middle of a conversation. He had been so engrossed in his thoughts that he had forgotten about his surroundings.

'Damn it,' He cursed internally, thinking that he had lost that dangerous habit of his during his trial on the island. In fact, he was half right but also wrong. The island had almost never given him a moment to relax.

The dangerous environment hadn't allowed him that luxury. On the other hand, that event had indeed corrected his bad habit. He was just particularly tired today.

"Hey, don't you want to learn more about that rock, boy?" Ainar retorted.

"I…, sorry." Aito apologized since knew he was to blame. Although, the minerian shouldn't have thrown something to his face, but he choose to ignore that fact. "So… you said you don't know what it is."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I can't find out."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning I need time to study your shiny rock," Ainar said, with a visibly interested expression. "I've never thought I would stumble upon such an intriguing study material in the Tower."

"How long would that take?" Aito asked.

"I don't know, I also have a few other clients to attend to." Ainar replied.

"Really?" Aito asked, hinting at the stall devoid of customers. "I don't see anyone around here."

"I said a few, boy, not hundreds. Learn to listen."

Aito granted. "And why are there so few?"

"Why would you care about that? It's my business."

"Hum, true." Aito said, before changing the topic. "So, how long will your examination take?"

"One week. But that's the wrong question, boy." Ainar replied, his bumpy face drawing a weird smirk. "You should ask how much it'll cost you."

Aito sighed internally, thinking that he started to see similarities between the Minerian and Roan.

'No wonder they are friends.'

***

Floating above the five districts, the giant yellow ball lighting the entire Mall shone brightly on D4, the food district, where a few hundreds of people were enjoying their meals, either in restaurants made of wooden constructs or, like Aito and Roan, at a food cart on the street.

"Oh, I love ramen!" Roan said, sucking in noodles like he was a human vacuum cleaner.

"Delicious," Aito replied, in a better mood now that he was eating something.

After agreeing to the price of 200TP for the identification of the Ancient Shard properties, Aito had wanted to get some rest in his room.

However, his stomach had firmly opposed his will when it growled like a furious beast midway in between the first and second floor. Roan had then offered him to eat out at a humble ramen food cart.

Once they had reached the desired location, the aroma of the broth had obliterated any idea of leaving. Aito's salivary glands had produced saliva uncontrollably. Waiting for his ramen bowl had probably been one of the hardest trial he had ever undergone.

Three months. For almost three months, he had mostly sustained himself with monkey meat. Anybody, apart from Jack, would have been tired to eat the same thing again and again. In fact, he was just tired of meat overall, not that he disliked it, he just had enough of it for a while.

So he had ordered vegetarian ramen and… oh, the bliss, the joy! He had barely eaten any vegetables on that island and had almost forgotten what they tasted like.

His stomach was thanking him with every bite taken. And a happy stomach meant a... moderately happy Aito. Somehow, he felt invigorated, as if his fatigue progressively disappeared, improving his foul mood into a more... neutral one.

"I had almost forgotten what proper food tasted like," Aito said, appreciating his every mouthful of noodles.

"I suppose anyone would after what you've been through," Roan replied in between two gulps. "Oh, chef, do you have sake?"

Behind the stove, a woman wearing a black hairband covering her blonde hair eyed Roan joyfully. "For my best client? Sure!"

Surprised at such a sympathetic reaction towards a man who seemed to be hated by most women they had come across, Aito lifted an eyebrow.

Seeing his reaction, Roan stopped eating, dragged his chair closer to him, and whispered. "It's because I come here almost every day when I'm not strolling around. Also, I'm not into tiny women."

Aito turned his gaze towards the chef and indeed she was small, probably around 1.55 meters tall. Then he examined her face. No wrinkles, white skin, big blue eyes, pretty nose. She was cute, alright. He didn't see the problem until his eyes traveled downward.

"Ah…," was all he managed to say. He had no problem with small chests but could understand other men's tastes. "No judgment."

He once had a girlfriend who shared similar physical traits with the chef, so he couldn't really think badly of small chests. It couldn't be said to be a physical trait he favored in women though. His other ex-girlfriends had all been different physically speaking, apart from one single aspect: firm round butts.

Aito was an ass-man through and through. Why? Because butts, compared to breasts, could be shaped if the woman was determined enough to do it. In his mind, however stupid it may sound, a round butt attested to a woman's effort.

Of course, genetics could play a part in it, but it was an undeniable fact that firm muscles—therefore firm butts—were developed through hard work.

He preferred a hard-working woman over someone lazying around. Even if she had the most perfect body in the entire universe, Aito would reject her—especially goddesses of Iris.

"Here is one bottle and one cup." The chef said, gently settling the sake next to Aito on the counter.

"Hum. Mehmmm. Donna, is my cup hidden somewhere behind Aito's?" Roan asked, sending Donna an inquisitive glare.

She simply smiled brightly and said, "I'm a level 5 chef, not deaf."

"Ow… you know I was talking about your height, not your… sumptuously not so flat looking bosom," Roan said, smiling innocently.

"Roan, be a dear and only open your mouth to eat. You're much cuter this way." She said, emphasizing her last sentence before returning behind her stoves.

Next to Roan, Aito was eyeing the alcohol. He had spent three months without drinking, but now that he had a visual stimulation, the thirst reappeared like a beast that had been lurking in the back of his mind, waiting for an opportunity to jump at his throat.

Alcoholism had left a deep mental wound on Aito. Even after the island's events, his mind still remembered the taste of alcohol. At this point, he knew it would probably remain for his entire life. Once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic.

However, it didn't feel like a need. He didn't need to ease his thirst. It was more like a small immaterial ball stuck in his throat. It was there, without being there. But he was determined to resist. Never again did he wish to plunge into a nightmare.

Aito pushed the bottle of sake and cup towards Roan. "I don't drink anymore, but thank you… Donna, right?"

"Yes, that's my name, be sure to remember it, handsome," Donna said with a wink. She then reached under the counter, grabbed a glass bottle with a mana core glued to the bottom, and infused her mana in it. Soon, water appeared inside, filling the bottle in less than ten seconds.

"Here is some water." She said, placing the glass bottle and a cup next to him. "I'm sorry about the alcohol. I have nothing but water to offer you. Take it, it's on the house."

"Thank you, Donna."