Rex with a lot of effort, managed to turn and read the expression of his current companions. The young guy seemed to be barely holding back his rage, the older man bore a poker face as he tried to keep his emotions and thoughts unknown, Luna was no longer holding back her amusement, her laughter loudly reverberated across the forest.
Unexpectedly, her laughter didn't add to Rex's embarrassment, it rather lightened his mood. It was a game after all, no one was going to hold this over his head once his quest was over. He found new confidence in his current train of thought.
Unlike before, he decided to keep silent and observe how the situation would develop, he would not let the game system embarrass him any further. He closed his eyes and whispered;. . . "Inventory".
A dark screen slowly popped into view, just as he feared it will.
"Temporary Unavailable"
'Temporarily unavailable my ass', Rex thought in annoyance. It was unavailable, but it had somehow snatched up every single one of the item he had supposedly said he was not interested in.
Luna continued to laugh in short bursts, her laughter was the hero that saved him from the awkward silence that would have rather prevailed.
With a stern look from the old man, Luna finally held back her laughter with considerable effort. Rex had sworn a vow of silence after the incident. The older man glanced at him, albeit expecting some form of reply, but Rex only glanced back in shamelessness.
After a very brief staring contest, the older man compromised.
"Prime, We deeply thank you for your help, I hope you are satisfied with the spoils of the kill" he spoke in a voice that hid a little bit of contempt. Rex could not bear to say anything after his initial declaration, he simply nodded in approval.
"BUT YOU SAID TH…."
"SHUT UP!!" The old man barked, terminating the displeasure the younger guy was about to front, regarding the recent development.
He grudgingly walked away from the groups cluster, in an attempt to cool off his annoyance.
"Prime, we will dismiss ourselves from your grace, Thank you for all your help" The old man said in a formal tone, maturely holding back his annoyance and irritation. The most recent development endlessly irritated him. He had not expected this scoundrel to take everything, not only that. But to have the audacity to say he had no need of it, before doing so.
His brief fantasy, of an exotic inn lodging to celebrate the spoil and an exciting eve, was brutally crushed by the greedy prime.
Luna looked at Rex with unwillingness, she was not yet ready to dismiss his company. "I haven't healed his exhaustion yet," She spoke in an attempt to squash the increasing momentum of saying farewell to the prime.
"The Prime can do much fine without your healing", the older guy barked in annoyance. He could not wait to be freed off the greedy fellow. Rex felt the annoyance in his voice, but he could not blame him. If he was in his shoes, he would be annoyed that much too.
Unfortunately he was going in the same direction as them. It would be much awkward to bade them farewell and end up trailing behind them to the village. He really wished there was a way he could address the blunder the system had imposed on him.
Honestly, he was not ready to leave Luna's presence too. He had not heard enough of the beau either.
"Prime, if it's not too much trouble, could you escort us back?" Luna's voice and plea sounded angelic to Rex's ear. At least someone was not in a haste to dismiss him. Before he could utter a reply, she continued. "I am sure my parents will be delighted to meet you".
Rex accepted with a smile, "I would love to meet them too and observe the Kraj Raji".
'You could even ask for her backstabbing hand from them too as you visit them', the older guy thought as he explicitly displayed her pained face to her.
The group of four soon began their uneventful journey back to Alderom, a simple settlement, that Rex knew would be hosting a certain meteorite in less than 5 hours.
4:37:14
His timer slowly continued to count down to his quest's climax.