Arthfael: The Grinding Hero

Chapter 9. The Phoenix Tears

Knock! Knock!

The sound of a knock on the bedroom door echoed throughout the room, causing Arthfael and Valentina to turn simultaneously. For a moment, they fell silent and exchanged puzzled glances.

"What should I say?" Arthfael asked, feeling confused, especially since his door remained closed.

"Just shout for them to come in. It seems like the person is still there." Valentina replied.

"Is that polite to say? I am a guest here," Arthfael retorted.

Valentina scratched her neck, even though it didn't itch at all due to her confusion. Eventually, she flicked her finger and agreed.

"Just open the door, then." Valentina said.

"Alright." Arthfael said, approaching the door and opening it for the person on the other side, who was standing outside his room.

Arthfael finally opened the door and his eyes widened when he saw a woman standing there in a white dress, her eyes filled with hope.

"Am I disturbing you late at night? I apologize for my rudeness," said Arabella, the Princess of the Kingdom of Esteria.

Arthfael immediately shook his head, waving his hand quickly. "Huh? Of course not, Princess Arabella. Your presence means a lot to me. Please come in, it seems like the air outside is getting colder at night," Arthfael invited, opening his door wider.

Valentina, confused by Arthfael standing at the door for quite some time, finally approached him. And Valentina was shocked when she saw Arabella standing there, about to enter the room.

"Miss Arabella?! What brings you here?!" Valentina exclaimed, then quickly stepped aside, inviting Arabella to pass.

Arabella smiled and walked past Valentina, taking a seat in the available chair in the room.

Arthfael followed Arabella after closing his bedroom door. Honestly, it was the first time for Arthfael to have a woman as a guest in his room, especially at night.

With Valentina present, Arthfael could at least argue that he didn't feel awkward being alone with a woman. Especially when that woman was a Princess from the Kingdom he was visiting.

"Is there something you need, Miss Arabella, for you to come to my room so late?" Arthfael asked, taking a seat directly across from Arabella.

Arabella appeared to shake her head while smiling. "Actually, I feel uneasy coming to a gentleman's guest room when he's about to rest. But for some reason, I kept wondering and found it difficult to sleep because of it." Arabella said.

Arthfael and Valentina exchanged glances, feeling confused, but a moment later Arthfael's eyes widened.

"Could it be that she knows something about me, that I'm not from this world?" Arthfael whispered.

Valentina widened her eyes too and looked at Arabella, who seemed to blush from embarrassment.

"W-what is it?" Arthfael dared to ask, considering he was already pessimistic about the question Arabella was going to ask.

Arabella lowered her gaze, intertwining her fingers. "Did you decide to stay here after the war?" Arabella asked.

Arthfael and Valentina were instantly taken aback by the question. It was beyond their expectations, and they didn't expect Arabella to ask such a thing.

"I don't know. I'll see how things go, because I want to level up to the highest level." Arthfael replied.

Arabella then looked at Arthfael. "So you'll be fighting many monsters?"

"Actually, that was my intention. I went to battle with that purpose." Arthfael replied.

Arabella's gaze dropped, and she instantly appeared sad. Seeing this, Arthfael panicked and was confused about what to do.

"Oh, what should I do?" Arthfael whispered to Valentina, feeling panicked for making the Princess sad.

Valentina just shrugged her shoulders and flew closer to Arabella, trying to console her.

"Miss Arabella, are you okay?" Valentina asked.

Arabella nodded her head, then lifted it and smiled at Arthfael with teary eyes. Arthfael's body tensed as he saw her, especially Arabella, who looked incredibly beautiful in his eyes.

"I had high hopes for a stranger I just met. Forgive me for my impetuousness." Arabella said.

"It's okay, Miss. I understand, but I apologize if I can't fulfill your expectations." Arthfael replied.

Arabella nodded again, "Oh, by the way, you're leaving tomorrow morning, right?" Arabella asked, quickly changing the subject to avoid appearing disappointed and saddened.

"Yes, I'll be leaving with two palace guards. It seems like it will take three days to reach the location." Arthfael answered.

Arabella reached into the pocket of her dress and handed a bottle of phoenix tears to Arthfael.

"Take this. On the journey, you will encounter many monsters, and the journey may be hindered because of that. Use this for your wounds." Arabella said while giving the bottle to Arthfael.

Arthfael accepted it and thanked Arabella, "It seems that phoenix tears are very precious here." Arthfael said.

"Of course! Phoenix tears are extremely valuable. Some even go so far as to sell their levels to obtain these tears." Valentina chimed in, pointing at the bottle.

Instantly, Arthfael became curious about the phoenix bird. He imagined that if he had a phoenix, he would feel safe every time he fought against monsters.

Moreover, Arthfael wouldn't have to buy it with money, let alone sell the hard-earned levels he obtained just for a bottle of phoenix tears.

Lost in his thoughts about the phoenix bird, Valentina suddenly flicked her finger in front of his face, startling Arthfael, who blinked his eyes several times.

"What are you thinking?" Valentina asked Arthfael in a reproachful tone.

Seeing Arthfael being scolded by Valentina, Arabella couldn't help but laugh, even bowing her head. Her shoulders shook with laughter, finding it amusing.

"I'm thinking, what if I had a phoenix." Arthfael said, finally expressing the thoughts he had kept to himself earlier.

"You? Owning a phoenix? That's certainly difficult!" Valentina scoffed, folding her arms in front of her chest.

"Why not? There's nothing impossible, right?!" Arthfael replied, displeased with Valentina's mockery.

Arabella took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly, "The phoenix is one of the rare monsters here. It's very rarely encountered. To obtain its tears, hunters go to the volcano and hurt the phoenix." Arabella explained.

"Hurt it? Why are they so cruel?" Arthfael responded, shocked by Arabella's story.

To obtain its tears, even more so. The phoenix will be trapped with a silver net and harmed to collect its tears." Arabella continued.

"That's truly cruel." Arthfael murmured, unable to comprehend the method of collecting phoenix tears.

Arthfael was reminded of various incidents involving rare animals in his world that were constantly tortured and hunted just to fulfill people's desires and earn high rewards.

"I thought it was only in my world that animals were tortured to fulfill their desires, but it seems it's the same here." Arthfael said to himself.

"But nothing is impossible if you can meet it and the monster is willing to offer you a contract." Valentina said.

"A contract?" Arthfael asked.

"Yes. But the condition is that the monster initiates it because we can't." Valentina replied.

Arthfael simply nodded, understanding. The man could already imagine how difficult it would be to encounter a phoenix. Especially according to Arabella's recent story, hunters even go to the volcano to meet the phoenix.

The phoenix is truly a beautiful bird. Its entire body is covered in blazing and hot flames. Even when it flies in the air, it leaves everyone in awe of its beauty.

"Well then, I should bid farewell now. It's getting late. I'm worried that my attendants will notice my absence here." Arabella said, then stood up.

Arthfael and Valentina were astonished by Arabella's statement.

"So you came here without informing your attendants, Miss?" Arthfael asked.

Arabella nodded and put a finger to her lips. "Don't tell my father, okay?" Arabella said.

Arabella quickly walked towards the door and bid farewell to Arthfael and Valentina, who allowed her to enter even though it was late at night.

In an instant, Arabella disappeared, running towards her room before the attendants realized she had left.