Agreement

He shrugged, took a stool and sit in front of her. "It seems like a very long night, so I'd like to introduce myself. My name is Krios Sethos and I'm in charge of the South West. Now, tell me a bit about yourself. Let's see if there's a possibility that I have misrated you."

Alene held her anger within and all she got in her mind was the chorus of a song from Jacky Cheung "You're so poisonous, so poisonous, so so so poisonous"! This man had been challenging her tolerance in time and she could feel herself floating about her threshold at all times.

She took a deep breath, "My name is Bhi Lu Vhit, the third-rate hunter from Zenthor, the idiot ditch rat that's scurrying around with an absent mind but hey, you know what? I have the Scroll of Ethos, one that all the demons yearn for. One that even the noble Sethos can't lay his hands on!" She breathe deeply after blurting out her thoughts without a change of breath, yet find the demon sitting in front of her remained calm and absorbed the words she said.

Krios nodded, looking pleased. "Good. If you understand what you just said, I do praise you for having some self-consciousness."

"Really? I suggest you keep the words for yourself if you still want that scroll! You can't win a game without a chip, can't you?" said Alene. The anger surged past her fear but it wasn't the same as before. She is just literally furious.

Even a worm turns, Krios thought. Her wary look reminds him of a similar saying from the east - A rabbit bites when it's afraid. Now that's more relevant. "That depends. I sometimes wonder why you are different, for him."

Alene wasn't sure whom he is referring to, then she saw Krios open up his palm before her. She felt confused. "What? I am not that dumb to bring the scroll along."

Krios walked up to her slowly, pointing to her watch and said: "Take it off. I will need that to satisfy Louis' pet."

"No? no! I bought this with my whole month..." Alene was about to rage her anger, then her eyes caught a glimpse of the double-faced Vacheron Constantin watch, looking so very emblematic on his wrist, looking past the watch is a low profile black letter H Hermes belt on his waist. "Fine... I will hand it to you."

"Your excellency Gong, it turns out that the demon from the West not only had a noble status but also lived a very luxurious life", Alene thought. She could feel a twist in her stomach, her trembling heart felt like it had shattered due to the depression from all the cruel facts she learned in a week.

Krios seems to have understood her thought, his smile quirked up a bit in satisfaction. He shoves her watch into his pocket, "Now, let's talk about the deal."

"Oh wow, I have my right to talk about it? That's a surprise. Thank you very much." said Alene sarcastically.

Krios frowned for a second and said: "Then treat this as a nego. Share with me the prophecy from the scroll on each day, and I shall give you the rightful protection on my end. So, is it a yes or no?"

- - - - - - - - - -

"Don't worry, it's very simple! Just follow my method and you can get 80 marks or even higher!" the lecturer tries to explain his methodology for scoring high with great relish. His melodic accent and hands waving in the air, letting out an enthusiastic vibe to the students.

It's not exactly motivating but it definitely got everyone's attention throughout the whole two hours.

Alene sat in the corner of the third row and she looks engaged. She couldn't move her eyes away from him.

"You were attentive," Kang Chin said incredulously when Alene comes out of the lecture hall. He had been waiting for her in the corridor for a quarter. They had a deal, the one who finished early on Thursday should wait for others so they could go get groceries together.

Why Thursday? Because that's a woman's day and you can get all kinds of discounts from the grocery store.

"I guess I am happy to see someone who taught so enthusiastically." Alene laughs nervously. She wasn't really listening to the lecture but was staring at the lecturer who claimed to be Nikon Olympus.

"Your excellency Gong, do you know the lords from the west not only live a luxurious life but also change their names arbitrarily that it sounded so not suspicious!" Alene whispers in her heart as if it could reach his excellency Gong.

Dr Nikon Olympus is actually Nileas Nathaniel.

"By the way, Ally, could you wait for me before we meet up with Cheng Yang?" Kang Chin said.

"Where are you going?"

"There is a report that I must submit to my 'dear' tutor." Cheng Yang sounded very serious, as he took out a small stack of A4 bonded booklet and show it to her.

Alene takes a look on the front page and found the name of his tutor on the bottom left of the page. Dr Triton Cyrus. She met Kang Chin's gaze as he lift her head, he looks pitiful and she do show her utmost condolence to him. "Please accept my empathy, brother."

Kang Chin let out a sigh as he walked toward the stairs.

Alene figure that it would take a while so she decided to stroll around the office block. Then she saw a figure in a green outfit coming her way, looking so conspicuous.

"Hello, my friend! How are you today?" asked the man in green.

Alene couldn't hide anywhere, since it was an office hallway and the closest exit from her is a male toilet. "Dr... Olympus, why is it Nikon Olympus?"

He strokes his beard and smiles, "Come, come with me, you are going to the fourth floor anyway." He waives his hand and signals Alene to his side while he continues with his witty banter all way long.

"I believe you have met him, and I am certain that he won't kill you, so I felt relieved when I save you. Now, back to your question but start with that guy. He is such a vulgar. He names himself Trition, then I was like is this a common name? I told him to keep a low profile, you can mess with the mundane but not the one up there."

That's true, Alene thought but she remains silent. Nileas is nowhere near normal himself and what does it even mean to be relieved to save her?

"Like you, my dear, you tie your name to him. Govun is a nice name indeed." Nileas winks at her as he unlocks the door to his office.

She can see the open top-hung window and some orange peels left on the desk. The cool breeze brushes softly against her face and it stirs her emotions from within.

Nileas closes the window and throws the orange peels into the trash can under his desk. The air from the hallway flow in and warm up the space, it didn't take long before the room begins to fill with the refreshing smell of citrus. It felt warm and soothing.

He was right about it, about why she chose "Govun" as her last name in the mundane world. She still wants to be related to his excellency Gong, even if he is gone. "At least someone should remember him. He brings luck to Zenthor, to me. I could at least remember him, even if no one does." Alene thought.

"You know, when he told me he is naming himself Triton, I say I will not lose to you. I don't like those faaaaaancy names but I want it to sound fun." He gestured his hands in the air and speak with his iconic melodic accent, "so I made things up with two cool brands, which is also the brand for my two lovely cameras. Then here we are, we have Nickon and Olympos. Olympos came a little earlier, so it's Nickon Olympos!"

Alene nods a few times, feeling out of words on his unpredictable and creative personality. Then she chuckles and says: "You are indeed very special, Dr Olympos." She feels at ease talking to him. Regardless of the true reason why Nileas saved her that day, she believed in her own intuition that Nileas can be trusted.

"Ah, here you are!" Kang Chin said to Anlene and greeted Nileas with a bright smile at the door. "Good day, Dr Nick!"

"Good, good, everyone is doing well! Hope you have a good day, my friend!" Nileas casually greets Kang Chin. Nileas is not his lecturer but he knew him when Kang Chin dropped by to pass a file to Cheng Yang the other day.

"Thank you, Dr Nick. I wish the lord could bless me. May the force be with me." Kang Chin turned and went straight to the office next door. The nameplate wrote "Dr Triton Cyrus" like it was carved on that metal piece.

Alene takes her leave and joins Kang Chin. Then she heard Nileas laughing softly at the back and his voice was in her mind, "This boy is funny. No lord could bless him on that but I wish you all the best."