155 The Discount Human's Name
Skullius sucked in a deep breath with his eyes opened wide when the gaze of Tulnas landed on him. He felt the unconscious release of power from the leader of the Harem Guild press against him and he couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed.
He didn’t even focus on the woman before him who was glaring at him with burning eyes as his only concern at the moment was the man with one of the strongest blue cores he had ever felt so far!
Surely, he was imposing.
His image as he walked over to Skullius with his slight smile made the Discount Human start sweating.
What was he going to do?
Was he going to be angry?
The busty, silver haired woman he had bumped into poked Skullius in the chest, the Discount Human almost toppling over.
“Hey! Shouldn’t you apologise if you bump into someone?! What are you acting all dazed for?” she hissed.
“Uh… I’m sorry… it was a mistake. I was just in a hurry,” Skullius said as he wore a sheepish smile.
As the silver-haired beauty focused more on his face, she frowned.
She was about to say something about Skullius’ face when Tulnas came between the two and looked down at Skullius who was quite short in comparison.
“It’s alright. Renia. He didn’t mean it. Could you forgive him? For me,” Tulnas said as he gave a short-lived glance to the silver haired beauty who lightly blushed and turned her head with a ‘hmph!’
The other women stood behind Tulnas as he refocused on Skullius’ figure.
He had a mysterious smile that seemed to make the entire world revolve around him making Skullius even more nervous and unsettled.
“What’s your name?” he asked.
‘Oh crap! Why does he want to know my name?! Wait… that reminds me! I don’t have a name for my Discount Human form! I can’t use the name Skullius right?! That would be too suspicious right?!’ Skullius thought.
He recalled that his Discount Human form didn’t even have a name, according to the guidance field at least. What was the significance of a name anyway?
Naturally Skullius would loved to use his original name but he had never told it to anyone. Only Elita knew it.
“Uh…” Skullius stammered under the many gazes.
‘What name should I tell him? I would have to stick with it, right, for consistency? GAH! This is stressful! Should I go with Bonet? No! No! Why is that bastard’s name still in my head?! What other names can I choose?!’
As his thoughts spiralled, searching for a name…
[Have you chosen the name ‘Bonet’ for ‘Discount Human’ form?]
‘What?! Wait! No! No! Why so suddenly…?!’
[Alternative option available…]
[Would you like the Voice of Worlds to choose a name for you?]
‘Huh?!’
“Do you seriously not know your own name?” the silver-haired beauty behind Tulnas said with a tone oozing of condescension, reminding Skullius that time wasn’t standing still, waiting for him to think things through.
His smile grew deeper as he stammered some more while within…
‘Yes! Yes! Give me a ‘name’! Hurry!’ he replied to the guidance field, new notifications instantly replacing the inquisitive one.
[…..]
[A name has been chosen for you by the Voice of Worlds]
[Your name shall be… ‘Festos Dawn’]
[Congratulations, you have earned a name!]
‘…uhm… okay.’
“Hahaha. Sorry about that. I’m just embarrassed by my name,” Skullius said to Tulnas. “My name is Festos. Festos Dawn.”
“Hmmm. I see. What an exotic name. One that I’ve never heard in all my travels around the three nations. The world still remains large doesn’t it?” Tulnas said while Skullius nodded viciously.
“Well, Festos. I have a proposition for you. Join my Guild.”
….!
“WHAT?!”
The collective shock of fifteen beauties, several eavesdroppers and Skullius himself, shook the surroundings.
What was with this proposition?!
Many degenerates thought of the same thing.
Had Tulnas had his fair share of women and was now recruiting…men into his… harem?!
Would it still even be called a harem?!
Before any of the more than a dozen women could verbally complain, Tulnas raised his hand to shut them up, which they did.
After the initial shock, Skullius became terrified as he realised… this man was offering him…HELP!
‘Please don’t melt! Please don’t melt! Please don’t melt!’ Skullius pleaded in spirit.
Thankfully, Tulnas didn’t start screaming as he instead continued to speak.
“I feel something special about you. Call it the intuition cultivated after being able to smell fortune from a mile away for years or whatever but… I feel that having you by my side will bring me this fortune and you will benefit by rising in fame and strength if you join us.”
“Mutual benefit.”
Skullius stared blankly at Tulnas before he turned his gaze to the thirty eyes that were brimming with calamity behind Tulnas, warning that they would make his life a living hell if he agreed.
Skullius ignored them as he thought deeply.
Solemnly.
‘I get it now.’
His heart relaxed. There was never danger.
He had no reason to worry.
This man before him… was a sockethole.
He had no intention of helping him at all. But then again, Skullius wouldn’t exactly call himself.. fortune.
He smiled brightly at this ‘good person’.
“Thank you for the kind offer, but I can’t take it right now. I have a few issues that I have to deal with for now, though I might consider it in the future,” he said.
Tulnas enthusiasm didn’t die down one bit. He wasn’t rejected outright and he could feel that this man before him really wasn’t trying to dodge.
“Very well. When you have finished your so-called affairs, you can find me at our residence. I’m looking forward to our meeting.”
Tulnas turned and began walking to what had been his original destination from the start, his harem of fifteen collectively giving Skullius deathly glares before following after him.
‘Terrifying,’ Skullius thought. Each of those women had a bright blue core, though nowhere as luminescent as Tulnas’.
He then rushed towards the exit before anything else happened, while around him, the chatter continued as many discussed.
“What kind of a person rejects such a glorious offer?! He’s a fool, I say!”
“I know right! I’ve been dying to join a worthwhile Guild for years!”
“Yeah, my too! Especially one with descent women!”
“…. What are you two trying to say?”
“….”
“…. nothing…?”
The Discount Human walked out the doors to the National Guilds Association and looked to both his sides.
‘That was tense. I guess it wasn’t too bad though, all things considered. I even got a name too. Festos Dawn. It’s not bad, I guess. Now! To find information. My best bet is to find someone selling it. But first… let’s go to this Temple place and see what that lady was talking about.’