Chapter 77: Meeting

Chapter 77: Chapter 77: Meeting

The Olawale family residence was unusually quiet that afternoon.

Bolaji sat beneath the shade of a large veranda, one leg crossed over the other as he lazily looked through a list of business reports his family had given him.

He wasn’t particularly interested in them.

Most of the numbers blurred together after the first few minutes.

His attention was elsewhere.

He was thinking about Temi.

He had seen her several times over the past few weeks.

Every time he did, the feeling was the same.

She was beautiful.

Not the soft, delicate kind of beauty that made someone look as though they belonged behind a window.

Temi’s beauty had an edge to it.

Her fiery hair, with its orange-tipped strands, framed a face that always seemed to carry some measure of confidence. Her eyes were sharp, and even when she wasn’t fighting, there was something energetic about her presence.

Bolaji liked that.

Perhaps more than he should.

He leaned back in his chair.

"Sir."

Bolaji didn’t look up.

"What?"

A young man stood several steps away.

He wore simple dark clothing and carried the insignia of one of the Olawale family’s information networks.

The man bowed slightly.

"I have something to report."

Bolaji sighed.

"If this is about another merchant refusing to pay his debts, deal with it yourself."

"It’s about Folami."

Bolaji’s eyes lifted.

The boredom disappeared from his face.

"Go on."

The man stepped closer.

"Folami took the four adventurers he has been training into one of his family’s Level Three dungeons."

Bolaji’s eyebrows rose.

"Level Three?"

"Yes, sir."

"Why?"

"Training."

Bolaji frowned.

"Those four?"

"Yes."

A faint smile appeared on Bolaji’s face.

"And?"

"They cleared it."

The smile disappeared.

Bolaji stared at him.

"Cleared what?"

"The dungeon."

Silence.

Bolaji slowly put down the report in his hand.

"They cleared a Level Three dungeon?"

"In a few hours."

Bolaji’s expression hardened.

"You’re certain?"

"I wouldn’t report it if I wasn’t."

"Who told you?"

"Our people stationed near the dungeon entrance. They watched them enter and later confirmed their return."

The informant paused.

"They also brought out several valuable plants, gemstones, and the remains of the dungeon beasts they killed."

Bolaji leaned back.

For the first time since the report began, he wasn’t thinking about Temi.

He was thinking about the four adventurers.

They had been weak.

Poor.

Barely surviving in Ile-Esha.

That was what he remembered.

Yet now they had entered a Level Three dungeon and cleared it within several hours.

Bolaji tapped his fingers against the arm of his chair.

"How?"

"We believe Folami is responsible."

Bolaji gave a quiet scoff.

"Obviously."

The man continued.

"He has been training them almost every day since they moved into his manor."

"How much have they improved?"

"Considerably."

Bolaji’s eyes narrowed.

"Details."

"The earth-affinity young man, Tolu, now uses a war hammer."

Bolaji’s expression changed slightly.

"A war hammer?"

"Yes. He has also improved his physical strength considerably. His earth techniques appear to be much more refined than before."

"And the ice user?"

"Akin uses a great sword now. His control over ice has improved as well."

"Temi?"

The informant paused.

Bolaji noticed.

"What?"

"Her fighting ability has improved significantly."

"How significantly?"

"Enough to fight an Advanced-level creature alongside the others."

Bolaji’s fingers stopped tapping.

"An Advanced-level creature?"

"Yes."

"She killed one?"

"With the group. We don’t know if Folami helped but the beasts carcass had injuries caused by different weapons at least three."

Bolaji stared into the distance.

That was more troublesome than he wanted to admit.

Not because Temi had become powerful enough to threaten him.

She hadn’t.

But strength changed people.

It changed their choices.

It changed who they listened to.

And if those four continued improving at this rate, they would eventually stop being insignificant adventurers from a poor city.

They would become people others had to take seriously.

Bolaji’s expression darkened.

"How long?"

"What?"

"How long before they cleared it?"

"Approximately four hours."

Bolaji went silent.

Four hours.

For a Level Three dungeon.

He rubbed his thumb against his chin.

"That’s fast."

"Very."

The informant lowered his voice.

"And there’s something else."

Bolaji looked at him.

"What?"

"The four seemed exhausted when they came out, but none were seriously injured."

Bolaji’s eyes narrowed.

That told him even more.

They hadn’t merely survived.

They had adapted.

They had learned.

And they were improving quickly.

Bolaji suddenly remembered the first time he had seen Temi.

The way she carried herself.

The confidence in her eyes.

The way she had looked at him as though he wasn’t worth fearing.

His irritation returned.

"Temi..."

The name escaped him quietly.

The informant watched him carefully.

Bolaji leaned back again.

"How did she look?"

The question came so suddenly that the informant blinked.

"Sir?"

"You heard me."

The man straightened.

"She looked well."

Bolaji waited.

The man understood that wasn’t enough.

"She was wearing the same sort of practical clothing she normally wears. Her hair had the orange tips you’ve seen before."

"And?"

"She looked..."

He hesitated.

Bolaji’s eyes narrowed.

"Beautiful."

A faint smile appeared on Bolaji’s lips.

"Of course she did."

The informant continued.

"She appeared more confident than before."

The smile faded slightly.

"More confident?"

"Yes."

"Because of her strength?"

"Perhaps."

Bolaji looked toward the courtyard.

He imagined Temi standing there.

Two short swords in her hands.

Fire dancing along their edges.

Stronger than before.

More confident than before.

And probably even more difficult to approach.

His expression became unreadable.

"So she’s still as beautiful as ever."

"Yes, sir."

Bolaji gave a quiet laugh.

"At least some things haven’t changed."

He picked up the report again.

His eyes moved over the information.

Tolu.

Akin.

Temi.

Ore.

Folami.

He stopped at Folami’s name.

"What exactly is that man doing?"

The informant shook his head.

"We don’t know."

Bolaji’s fingers tightened around the paper.

"Find out."

"Yes, sir."

"I want to know how they train. What weapons they use. Where they go. What dungeons Folami takes them to."

"Understood."

"And especially..."

Bolaji paused.

His eyes hardened.

"Temi."

The informant nodded.

"Yes, sir."

Bolaji leaned back into his chair.

For a moment, he imagined a future where Temi became one of the stronger young adventurers in the city.

A future where people began recognizing her.

Where other men started noticing her.

Where she no longer needed anyone’s protection.

The thought irritated him.

He didn’t like the direction things were moving.

Not one bit.

Yet beneath the irritation was something else.

Interest.

If Folami could take four struggling adventurers and make them capable of clearing a Level Three dungeon in only a few hours, then perhaps there was much more to the man than everyone assumed.

Bolaji’s gaze returned to the report.

A slow smile appeared on his face.

"Interesting."

The informant waited.

Bolaji folded the report.

"Leave."

The man bowed.

"Yes, sir."

He turned and walked away.

Bolaji remained alone beneath the veranda.

His thoughts returned to Temi.

He could still remember her expression the last time he had seen her.

That same fire.

That same confidence.

Only now...

There was more strength behind it.

Bolaji smiled faintly.

"Keep getting stronger, Temi."

His smile disappeared.

"But don’t think that means you’ll escape my grip."

He looked toward the distant city.

Things were becoming more interesting.

.....

Folami arrived at his grandfather’s manor shortly after midday.

The summons had been brief.

A servant had come to his manor that morning and informed him that the Olori Ebi wished to see him.

Nothing more.

Folami hadn’t asked why.

If his grandfather wanted to discuss something, he would simply tell him.

The manor belonging to an elder of the family was considerably larger than Folami’s own residence. Its outer walls were made from dark polished stone, with traditional carvings running along the gates and pillars. Several guards stood at the entrance, while servants moved quietly through the compound.

Folami walked through the gates with his usual relaxed expression.

He wasn’t nervous.

He wasn’t particularly curious either.

His grandfather had summoned him before.

There was no reason to assume this was different.

A servant led him through the main building and into one of the private sitting rooms.

His grandfather was already there.

The old man sat in a large wooden chair beside a low table, a cup of tea resting in front of him.

He looked up when Folami entered.

"You’re here."

Folami stopped a few steps away.

"You summoned me."

His grandfather gave him a tired look.

"Must you always answer like that?"

"How else should I answer?"

The old man sighed.

"Sit."

Folami sat opposite him.

For a moment, neither spoke.

His grandfather studied him.

Then he shook his head slightly.

"I heard about your disciples."

Folami raised an eyebrow.

"My disciples?"

"The four young adventurers living with you."

"Ah."

Folami leaned back.

"They’re doing well."

"So I heard."

His grandfather picked up his tea.

"They entered one of our Level Three dungeons."

"Yes."

"And cleared it."

"Yes."

"In a few hours."

Folami nodded.

His grandfather stared at him for a moment.

"You really are serious about training them."

"I wouldn’t have taken them in otherwise."

The old man smiled faintly.

"Good."

Folami didn’t respond.

His grandfather continued.

"They were ordinary adventurers when you found them, weren’t they?"

"More or less."

"And now they’re capable of clearing a Level Three dungeon."

"They still have a long way to go."

"Everyone has a long way to go."

The old man took a sip of tea.

"What matters is whether they are moving forward."

He set the cup down.

"And these four are."

Folami nodded.

"They work hard."

"That’s good."

There was genuine approval in his grandfather’s voice.

"Very good, actually."

Folami glanced at him.

His grandfather rarely praised people without some reason behind it.

The old man leaned back.

"You should recruit more."

Folami’s expression remained calm.

"More?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because four people are four people."

His grandfather gestured toward him.

"You have the opportunity to gather young talent around you. People willing to train, people with potential, people who can become useful to the family—or more importantly, useful to you."

Folami was silent.

His grandfather continued.

"You’ve been away from this family for years. You’ve returned stronger than most expected, but you have no faction of your own."

"I don’t need one."

"You say that now."

The old man shook his head.

"Strength isn’t everything, Folami."

Folami gave him a faint smile.

"Coming from you, that’s surprising."

His grandfather chuckled.

"Don’t misunderstand me. Strength is important. Very important."

His expression became more serious.

"But people matter too."

He pointed toward Folami.

"You already have four young talents following you. If you can find others with potential, recruit them. Teach them. Build relationships."

Folami considered it.

Tolu.

Akin.

Temi.

Ore.

They had improved considerably.

More importantly, they were loyal.

He didn’t particularly care about creating some enormous faction, but he couldn’t deny that having capable people around him was useful.

"I’ll consider it."

His grandfather nodded.

"That’s all I’m asking."