"Um... Esther, Can you help me with something?" Max asked while looking at her cold but beautiful face.
"Yes, although I don't know if I can... because you are almost as strong as me." She smiled faintly and replied but now her voice had a tinge of teasing that he didn't expect from this cold and indifferent mature beauty.
He looked at her slightly smiling face, mesmerised. He didn't utter a single word and just stared at her face and unconsciously blurted out "You are very beautiful when you smile."
Esther was taken aback. She didn't expect to receive a compliment from the boy who never spoke to anyone more than a few words but when she recalled how he has changed in a couple of days and even become powerful, It seems his character has also changed for the better.
She didn't say anything in response to his compliment and just looked at him with indifference but when he didn't say for a while and just stared at her, she was a little irritated.
"What did you want my help with? are you going to tell me Or are you gonna just stare at me ?" She said a little annoyed but there was no anger in her voice.
"Oh, yes. I was wondering if you could help me to form my mana core. I don't know anything about it. I was going to ask father but he isn't here." He said.
"Oh, mana core? You haven't formed one yet. Then how did you able to cast such powerful attacks? I thought you already had become a two-star mage." Esther frowned her eyebrows.
Max was silent thinking about how should he explain the situation. He could not simply say that it was because of his system. After thinking for a while he smiled and said.
"No. I still haven't become a two-star mage. Yesterday when I saw you guys in danger I used some secret method that increased my mana to the level of a two-star mage. But the consequence of it was something I didn't expect. I have to form a mana core as soon as possible or according to my calculations, I will only survive four more days."
When Max started to explain, Esther nodded her head as if she had expected it but when he continued and finished his explanation her expression was hard to describe.
Her cold and indifferent face had a look of disbelief and her beautiful black eyes were laced with worry that even she did not know. It was not like she cared for him too much but after the experience, they went through and he saved them by risking his life she started to care for him.
But after hearing that to save them he had to pay such a great price she couldn't help but feel touched while she became worried. She didn't want something bad to happen to him because her daughter Emily cared a lot for him and he now had a place in her heart as her saviour.
She didn't say anything and her expression returned to normal in just an instant. She said "Okay I'll help you. Come with me." Saying this she walked toward the library which fortunately wasn't destroyed.
When they both reached the library she went in and after a few minutes came out with a scroll in her hand. She threw it at him and said "Here, In this scroll, you'll find everything you need. If you need anything you can just come to me."
She then turned to walk away when Max again stopped her.
"Thanks, Esther. I want to know something can you tell me?" Max thanked her and asked.
"Yes ask." She replied in an indifferent voice.
"What happened after I passed out yesterday?" He was curious to know what happened and if everything was alright.
She thought for a second and said "Your father was able to repel that three-star beast and when you fell unconscious he arrived and killed the remaining beasts and saved us."
She then paused, her expression became solemn and continued "Butler George was severely injured so your father took him to the city to heal and Amelia was also injured but fortunately her situation was not too serious, she is recovering now. As for beast tide..."
Max walked around looking at the people working to reconstruct the manor. He was in deep thought after hearing everything from Esther.
In this beast tide, tens of thousands of common people died. This situation was not only in the Claymore town but in all the towns and villages neighbouring The magical beast forest. Many mages died, just in their manor around seventy percent of Knights and guards were killed. In fact, Claymore town was well off compared to other villages and towns where almost all people were killed and very few survived.
And even though His father was able to repel the three starred beast he couldn't kill it and from all the information they got, it seemed that the three started beasts also appeared in other towns.
That was why all the people in charge of these towns were summoned to report the situation and form a team to hunt all the three-starred beasts to avoid this from happening in the future.
Max sighed 'This world may be different but people don't have an easy life here. Just as people who are poor live miserable life on Earth, people here who are not strong enough are also under constant threat of death.'
Today beast outbreak killed them. Tomorrow, some kingdom might wage war on their kingdom or some mage might go on a rampage where many will die again.
Max shook his head to clear the disturbing thoughts. 'I just have to become strong enough to face every and any situation if I want to live a happy life.'
He clenched the scroll in his hand and went to his room. He first has to form his mana core and fortunately, he has a system that makes it easier to become strong.
Thank you very much to everyone who voted. <3