“Huh? No.” Were, the only words Alex blurted with an indifferent look.

“_” “_”

Rose and Luxario looked as if they had heard something ominous.

“Pft! Bahaha… I see now …I see…” Luxario said as he burst into laughing. Rose and Alex wondered whether rejection hit him hard. “So, that’s how it is. You want to play hard to get…”

Alex, “No—

Luxario, “I see that you don’t want to completely reduce your value in this situation…”

Alex, “That’s not—

Luxario, “Well it’s understandable, after all its ME whose student you want to become…”

Alex, “I never said I—

Luxario, “Don’t worry little boy, I won’t think any less of—

“I literally meant what I said!!” Alex interjected hurriedly before Luxario drowned in self-praise. Luxario found himself stunned and frozen in time as he wondered whether the world was coming to an end. It was the first time he had personally invited someone to be his student and they had outright rejected him.

“Is this the end for me…” Luxario began to walk in a slouching manner appearing as a man who had lost all hope in his life.

“So, shall we go? we still have some time left before I return to earth.” Alex asked looking at Rose. The latter sighed before trying to persuade Alex.

After a few minutes and rather gloomy gazes from Luxario who was crouched up on a bench nearby, he decided to at least hear the man out. To him there didn’t seem any merit in him training under him. Of course, he would get stronger but he would then be somehow bound by Luxario. There was an unspoken rule about how a student should obey all of their master’s commands and may also have to lay their life down if the time comes.

How did he know? He practically had tons of data about this world in the school’s library which he was reading.

After Luxario’s short lived phase of despair he immediately became serious. Alex put forth his reasons about a student master relation that he wasn’t comfortable with.

“I won’t put any such restriction on you neither do I want to use you.” Luxario replied to the concerns Alex raised. His eyes slightly widened as he felt the sudden shift in aura around him. The previous goofiness and care-free attitude was nowhere to be seen.

“I want you to become my disciple because you can get strong enough to protect yourself while simultaneously being under my protection. Of course, I won’t be able to keep you safe all the time since now that I am back, I won’t be having free time on my hand. Believe it or not Alex but your feat of wielding a legendary treasure was nothing short of a wonder. It is big enough for me to take this action. This is the only option you have that would allow you to be safe. As things are now, even that dragon inside that soul holder won’t be able to save you.”

“Can I have some time to think over it?”

“You have ten seconds, it’s a yes or no thing, the offer will lapse after ten seconds have passed.” Luxario said in a firm manner.

“W-what wait—

“One… Two… Three…” Alex was cut off in the middle as Luxario started counting.

“Oi, oi slow down a bit—

“Four… Five…”

Seeing that Luxario was dead serious about it, Alex gritted his teeth as he quickly went over Luxario’s words in his mind.

‘Accept it.’

‘Huh?’

‘I am saying, it’s fine to accept his offer now. He doesn’t have any restrictions on you. Plus, he is willing to even train you. He can teach you more than me compared to the limited 10 minutes I have with you every day.’

Alex remained silent. Miracle wondered if he still had doubts in his mind but soon, they vanished.

‘Fine, since you have shared your opinion, I don’t think anything’s wrong with it.’

“Nine… te—

“Yes.” Alex blurted before Luxario finished his count down. Luxario smiled as he put his hand forward for a shake. Alex looked at his hand before shifting his gaze above.

“You won’t stray away from your words later.” Alex stated waiting for a truthful response.

“Never.” Luxario replied with a nod. Alex then shook his hand oblivious of the great yet dangerous path he had opened for himself.

Some half an hour later.

Luxario brought Alex and Rose to a bustling street in the city.

“Muriel’s finest clothes.” Rose read the name on top of the 2-floor shop in front of which they were standing.

The shop was closed as the close door sign could be seen through the small decorative glass on the door.

“Let’s go.” Luxario said as he went in ignoring it anyway. The shop door had a bell which rung when they came in. As they went in, they were hit with a sweet scent of some kind of wood habitant to this world. The counter to their right was empty. There were shelves which had cloth beams arranged in them. Two mannequins with beautifully designed clothes on them. A door on their left behind which stood a small office. The place was kept very neat and tidy.

“Muriel? You here or did you finally drop dead?” Luxario called as he went in. Alex and Rose only exchanged nervous glances.

“HyaaH!!”

“AAhhhhh!!” Alex and Rose both shouted in surprise as they saw an old woman suddenly fell on Luxario from the second floor and started hitting him with an old wooden stick. The woman held tight onto him as she hit him again and again. Luxario tried to shake her off but to no avail.

“Ow! Ow… OWW!” Luxario screamed as he tried to defend himself from the volley of attacks from the wooden stick.

“Who are you? Get out of my shop this instant you thieves.” The woman said as she pulled on Luxario’s hair.

“It’s me! it’s me! Luxario!” He shouted finally managing to escape her clutches. The woman sprawled on the floor but swiftly stood on her feet. She then took out a glass case from her pocket and wore her glasses to take a clear look at him.

“Oh! Oh! It really is you Luxario! You are back! And alive! I knew you were.” The woman exclaimed before suddenly calming down.

“I wouldn’t have been if you hadn’t stopped killing me a few moments back you old hag!” Luxario shouted as he combed his hair with his hands.

“Anyways how are you Muriel, you look… same as before, old—"

“Ouch!” As soon as the word ‘old’ left Luxario’s mouth a stick came flying in his gut. Muriel was an old woman wearing normal yet elegant looking purple robes. She was a little hunched and a bit chubby. Her face was filled with wrinkles and she was wearing a pointed hat which gave her the look of a witch.

As Luxario groaned in pain she then turned her attention to the two intimidated teens!