Chapter 7

I put my staff back onto the rack on the wall, heading to my bed. I loosen my hair and put the hair band on the bedside table.

So... Will the gray guy leave? Or will he go into the kitchen, regardless?

Now that I think about it, I don't even know his name.

At least he speaks the same language as us, so it is a bit better. Our language is pretty common among the parts of the universe we are from. Maybe it means he also used to live there. Or maybe he was a merchant and thus knows the common languages.

I get ready for bed, stretching my arms when I'm already tired from the day's work.

It has been a while since I fought anyone, let alone an angry male who is more than a size or two larger than me.

He isn't a bad fighter, but he isn't as fast as me, which is one of the few benefits of my size among all the species.

I stare at my staff again. Maybe if he hadn't been such a mean guy, I'd feel sorry for smacking his head with the staff more times than I can count.

But we saved him, yet he didn't seem grateful other than a messy thank you. It isn't like we saved him just so we can get a thank you, but... Everyone took risks, yet, all he did was sit around and argue with me. He annoys me.

I take a breath, getting under the blanket. Maybe I should think about something else.

I was in the dining room because... it has been pretty obvious to me that he wouldn't accept his fate just like that. If he ignored me and refused to work earlier in the day, there was no reason he would just accept that he had to go to bed with an empty stomach.

Where did he come from? Who is he about?

There were a few times he was dangerously close to me and could have grabbed me.

What will he do if he grabs me and manages to lock me down?

I swallow. What am I even thinking about? That's dumb.

If he locks me down, it will be hard to get out of those arms. And...

I grunt and pinch the bridge of my nose. That's some crazy thought. He is probably going to snap my arm or something. His ego is too big for him to just let go of me.

But... how will it feel to be in his arms?

When will I stop with that dumb stuff?

I roll around in the bed, trying to shake that off my head.

Say... He didn't hold back in the fight. If I take a punch in the face, he can crack my bones.

I shiver at the reminder of that. It wasn't smart for me to fight him, but fights seldom follow logical conclusions. For him, it made a ton of sense to fight me. Bigger beings usually think they have the upper hand. That wouldn't be wrong, except I'm trained to fight those beings. Or say, my skill set is just for that. Maybe I caught him off guard.

But since he has been an ass, I won't feel bad for smacking him.

I close my eyes, trying to get some sleep. Hopefully, he won't keep annoying me, but who knows?

The next morning, I walk around the dining room, making sure everyone is enjoying a good start to the day. At the same time, checking when the gray guy will show up, or if he will show up. Or... Maybe he decided that he'd keep annoying me and hurting his stomach by being stubborn and a pile of useless fat.

Everyone's eating. Other than a few in the early-morning herding squad, who are already outside, most are here.

I greet most of them before heading to the counter for my food.

Acea is at the counter and he grins. "Morning. I'm so glad to see you."

"You're always happy."

"Because it is great. Everyone's happy and we have enough food for everyone." He puts a slice of garlic bread, fried egg, and sausages onto my plate all at the same time. It always fascinates me to watch his work. "Here, boss. Have a nice day."

I force a smile. Every time someone calls me boss, it pains me. I should be the one who can protect everyone and take care of them, yet...

Everyone has been longing to hear from home, yet...

That's not something I can help with. All I can do is keep making calls and sending messages, but... It has been quiet without a single hint of reply.

"Thank you." I take my tray, which has a plate of food, utensils, and a mug of tea. I'd love coffee, but we can't grow those here and supply from our home planet is long gone. Maybe I'll never have coffee in this lifetime...

I shake my head, getting to an empty seat before someone sees my weird face. I don't want to affect anyone. It is highly unlikely that I'm this influential to any one of them, but just in case.

Sometimes, I pretend to be busy and bring my food elsewhere. But today, I want to see whether the gray one will be here, thus I have to be here with everyone. I like to be with them, but...

I hate that gray guy, he is the reason nothing's going to plan even though he hasn't even been here for a full day.

I take a bite of the garlic bread. At least we have this, they are almost to perfection. Acea is the one making these, he can always make the best garlic bread out there.

I take another bite when a shadow hovers over me. I glance to see the gray thing standing in front of me. He spoils my mood...

I say, "So, you're here. Meeting the day with a grumpy face, huh?"

He sneers at me. "I want my food."

"Does this mean you're going to be working today? And hopefully, also the days to come?"

"Give me food first."

"Except you don't get to demand anything from me." I actually don't mind giving him food first. I'm not that mean and I don't like to starve anyone. But he is the one choosing to be rude. I'm not going to feel sorry for making him wait.

He folds his arms. His eyes are glued to my food.

I snicker. "Maybe it is time to learn your place."

"What do you mean?"

"To admit that you have to play by the rules here. I don't care what your past looks like, if you're staying here, you do what's required here."

"And I'll get my food."

"Yes, if you'll be working with the teams." I've told him more times than I can remember, but he seems to need constant reminders. Maybe he isn't that smart. Acea is similar in size to him, but Acea doesn't need repetition.

He takes a breath. "Fine, I'll work."

"Good, then go to the counter and get your food."

He walks off, probably hating and cursing me behind my back.

I pick up my garlic bread. He still annoys me even though he seems to have learned a lesson.

Some of us are done with the food and leaving to get ready for work. There are empty chairs and tables, which reminds me of the fight between the gray guy and me last night.

Has he given up to fight me? He looks like the one who will try his best to get back to me.

I take another bite of my garlic bread. Whatever he likes to think, he didn't win.

There is a lot of space he can go to, but his ass decides to sit right across from me. He sets down his tray with a deep scowl as if I forced him to sit here with me. He takes a seat, almost collapsing the chair with his ass on it.

He picks up the garlic bread, staring at it with narrowed eyes.

I roll my eyes at that. "If you don't like it, give it to me."

"What's this?"

"Garlic bread, with butter. Acea makes the best bread." I want to mock him for not knowing about garlic bread, but maybe he really has never seen one. Poor beings on his planet miss out tons.

He takes a bite and his eyes widen. "Oh..."

I blink and the piece of bread is gone. He must be hungry.

He gulps down the sausage and cleans the plate. "So... This is all I get for all the work—"

"That you haven't done."

He stares at his empty plate again. "So... Not even a bit more?"

I scowl at him. "I can smack you in the head if you want something more."

"But... You are a much smaller being, yet we have the same portion. It doesn't make a lot of sense."

"I'm a being who works hard. How about you? When you prove yourself as someone who will work hard, you'll get your portion."

He sucks in a breath and takes sips of his tea instead of arguing with me.

Usually, Acea does give bigger beings a bit more food, but maybe this gray one annoys him too... Or Acea has the same thought as me.

I ask, "What's your name?"

He frowns and he is about to say something that won't be helpful to himself. But he swallows and says, "Melzul."

I guess he isn't that dumb after all. "Okay, that's better than the gray thing."

He glares at me but looks away soon enough. "So... What will work be?"

"You can go wash the dishes with Acea, then he will assign you to work for the day. I want you to try out different things and we'll find out what you are better at."

His jaw is tight. I guess washing dishes isn't pleasant for him. I stand after I finish my food. "If you lash out and break the dishes, we'll have no choice but to cut from your food to repay the cost of the dishes."

"Fine..." He is fuming, but fighting to keep his mouth shut at the same time. That's funny to watch and oddly satisfying.

He picks up his tray and follows me to the rack for the trays, which will be moved to the kitchen for cleaning after it is filled. Looking at the rack, it is almost time to unload it inside the kitchen. I pat his shoulder after he puts down his tray. "Push this into the kitchen and get working. We have dumplings for dinner, if you work hard."

He sucks in a breath with fire shooting from his eyes. I smirk at that, making him even madder at me before I leave.

Maybe he brings out the bad side of me. I'm nice to everyone most of the time, but when he is here... Maybe he isn't coming from the home planet like the rest of us and thus I don't feel obligated to be nice to him. Or, more reasonably, it doesn't feel good to be nice to someone who has been grumpy and rude to me.

Hopefully, he isn't mad enough to break dishes. Those will be hard to replace.