Closing The Deal With Theresa

"Think about it, Claude and Anastasia are going to inherit my role as a chieftess, right? Or, at least, one of them will do so in the near future." Theresa continued. "Besides, it's not like I'd accompany you for nothing." Theresa smugly lifted her chin with full confidence. It's as if her offer was more worthwhile than the accompaniment of her children.

"But, you're the chieftess, Theresa-san. Can you just leave your position willy-nilly?" Albrecht asked, troubled. "Also, there's a risk of you dying out there, chieftess."

At his somewhat concerned comment, Theresa's eyes narrowed as she softly glared at Albrecht while pouting her mouth. "Knowing that, do you think I could just send my children with you, knowing the risks involved?" She pointed out as her lips tightly parted.

Before Albrecht could say anything, Anastasia and Claude finally got out of their comfort zone, approaching them while they were having the all-important conversation on who'd accompany Albrecht in his conquer attempt of the Seventh Outerlayer.

"I'll cook for you, give you shoulder massages. Also! I can give you a skill scroll! If you let me go with you, I'll do all that." Theresa was getting rather desperate at this point. Pursing her lips, she closed her eyes while listing down everything that she was willing to offer.

At the mention of skill scroll, however, Albrecht became interested in what Theresa was going on about. Before Anastasia and Claude could get within earshot, Albrecht pulled Theresa to him and whispered. "Skill scroll? What kind of skill scroll exactly?"

"Abwbwababa~" Theresa felt like her tongue was tied when Albrecht suddenly played the assertive game. Her cheeks turning wine red, Theresa leaned on Albrecht's chest as she mumbled simultaneously to her exhale. It was an enamoring gesture that left Albrecht momentarily speechless. "It's a... detection skill. It's an A-Rank Skill."

Just hearing about it made Albrecht's eyes pop out. Stealing a glance towards Anastasia and Claude, he decided in a split second to agree to Theresa's whims right then and there. She was more than enough to replace her children, but Albrecht felt like her company was questionable in more ways than one.

"I'll take you up on your offer then, Theresa-san." Albrecht finally conceded, hanging his head low as he did an imaginary handshake with Theresa to close the deal.

"Maah~!" Theresa giggled sweetly. "It's a date— er, I mean, it's a deal then!" Her eyes smiled as she bowed in front of Albrecht.

Just then, Anastasia and Claude reached them, but Theresa excused herself before the two could interrogate her about her conversation with Albrecht.

"Breakfast is ready, Albrecht," Claude said, turning his head at his mom who had a skip in her steps when she walked into their residence. "What did you two talk about?"

"Oh, that? Um, I need her for something so she's going to accompany me a little bit on my adventures. Don't worry, it would only take a couple of days." Albrecht vaguely answered, assuring the two that he'd surely return the chieftess.

"What?! I wasn't informed about this!" Anastasia flared up, deliberately grabbing Albrecht by the arm as they walked side by side together. "Take me with you too!"

"Oi~! Are you going to leave the affairs of the village under my jurisdiction? That would just spell a crystal clear disaster, you know!" Claude belittled himself a little as he shot back at his younger sister.

However, before the two could clash, Albrecht let out a lengthened mumble before replying. "That's the thing... I asked Theresa about it but she said she won't go if I let the two of you accompany us. It's pretty urgent so I had to fold and listen to her terms so we could reach a black and white agreement."

"I see... well, it's mother we're talking about here and she could get really convincing," Claude muttered to himself. When presented with either going with Albrecht or staying at the village with his sister, he subconsciously opted for the latter since he didn't want to be left alone.

The fact that Theresa was traveling with Albrecht flew right past Claude's mind and he blindly agreed. As for Anastasia, she pouted the rest of the way until they got to the dinner table.

Even then, she didn't let go of Albrecht's hand, dragging her seat closer to him so she could continue her antics while they ate.

"That is unbefitting of a princess, Anastasia," Claude commented even though he was aware that Anastasia won't even bat an eye at his words.

Then there was Theresa with the gentlest aura she could ever exude. Slowly, she ate like royalty, her lips lightly curving upward at the thought of going on an adventure with Albrecht. In her mind, she was already planning the items she was going to bring. Adding to that, she made a mental note to remember everything that she promised Albrecht.

"Um," Albrecht called for their attention as he stopped eating. "I'm curious about something, is it all right if I ask a question?"

"Feel free to do so, Albrecht. We'll give it the best of our ability to answer it."

"About the outerlayers of Ground Zero... It's a culmination of dimensions and places interconnected by the extreme Zecian Aura that enveloped it, right?" Albrecht began. "Then, surely you're bothered by the disturbance caused by this connection."

The air in the room suddenly changed, and Theresa folded her hands as she heaved a sigh. "That's right. If it weren't for Ground Zero... we would've lived a peaceful life. If it wasn't for that, things would've..." Before she could continue, Theresa shook her head as she forced a smile on her face.

Claude then spoke what he had in mind. "It was the existence of Ground Zero that brought about changes in our world as well. Also, the prospect of gaining more influence and territory via this phenomenon was really tempting. We can't avoid other Outerlayers coming to us, and all the same, we're encouraged to invade other Outerlayers as well."

Upon saying that, Claude went on to explain the intricacies of the Outerlayers. Even Albrecht had a hard time wrapping his head around it. Then again, the concept of adventurers, skills, and Outerlayers was out of the table, to begin with. These were all anomalies made possible by Ground Zero and the mysterious Zecian Aura around it.

'I guess in order to really get it... we have to reach the epicenter of the Great Meteor, huh.' Albrecht muttered to himself. 'For now, we have to deal with the Seventh Outerlayer, then we can work our way from there.' He continued.