Chapter 39: Exhibitionist

The first thing we did was to find a suitable hotel. So we visited the AmericInn, but after sensing at least eight ghosts inside, we decided to ride to the other end of the town to the Red Carpet Inn. Which had only 7 ghosts...

So after checking into the hotel, I immediately put salt everywhere to avoid having my room destroyed by some crazy ghosts, and only then did we head to the downtown area of the city.

Upon arriving, Cthylla asks, "Where should we go first? Maybe there's a delicious restaurant nearby?"

She just ate all the leftover fish we bought in Fairmont... and thought again about food, and the most horrible thing was that she didn't give me any...

I can proudly say that I'm a glutton, but she is on a whole new level...

"No, let's first check out this store there... and then grab something to eat," I say, while pointing to the jewelry store across the street.

She looks at it and grins, "Oh, do you wanna finally buy me a wedding ring after three centuries?"

Shocking but true, we never married, not that we saw it necessary to marry, at least until now…

"Sure, if you want one, but do you remember the last time when I got you a ring? You kinda got to fa----"

Like the flash itself, she dashes forward and grabs my mouth.

"Not another word, because of it I did the most terrible diet ever and even in this vessel, I nearly puke every time I see apples."

Oh right, I remember that she ate only apples with honey for nearly a year and still didn't lose any weight... I enjoyed her face whenever I had a table full of food while she ate her apples.

I take her hand away from my mouth to hold it and ask, "Then a necklace?"

"Sure... but a wide one," she says the last part quietly, which makes me chuckle, and we walk hand in hand towards the jewelry store.

It was not the most luxurious store, but it had everything a small town like this needed. From cheap stuff to affordable to expensive, there was everything.

While Cthylla went to the old clerk lady to ask her for their necklaces, I went for the cheap stuff.

I never really wear expensive clothes or jewelry since it always gets broken or destroyed by someone or something in this world.

What I was looking for was a bracelet or something similar with enough space to place the elder sign on it. Because I don't want them to have any chances to find me.

When I grab a leather triple-layered bracelet that has some elements where I can place some stuff on, I suddenly notice something watching me.

Something that has a holy aura, well, a pretty weak one compared to Cthylla's vessel or Loki's, but still a holy one.

I turn towards the door where a brown-haired naked dude is standing and is watching me through the open door... What the hell, first false tricksters, and now a supernatural exhibitionist...

---

There was no ill intent or threat coming from him.

So I ignored him for now, took the bracelet, and walked towards Cthylla, who was happily chatting with the old women while looking at some necklaces.

Upon seeing me she asks, "Hey, did you find something?"

"Yes, a few things. Look at the door."

Confused, she turns around and looks at the naked guy, and then at me again, asking, "Was someone there?"

The old lady at the counter also looks towards the door but doesn't seem to be able to see anything. Well, no wonder this guy runs naked around. I would do that too if I were invisible.

"No, it seems I'm seeing things. I found this bracelet here. Did you find something interesting too?"

Cthylla looks towards the door again but doesn't ask anything since the clerk is here. Then shows me a necklace.

The necklace is crafted from silver, is stretching to her cleavage, and has two silver feathers as pendants.

It not only looks good, but you could also use it to strangle some werewolves. So, I give her a thumbs up and say to the clerk without asking for the price, "We'll take it."

After giving the happy clerk the money for our accessories, I turn to my beautiful girlfriend. She looks at me and says, "Would you?" while turning around, inviting me to put her new necklace on.

Since this would be an honor for every man, I don't let her ask me twice and place it on her while caressing her neck a bit with my finger. This makes her shiver, and she gives me a very anticipating glance.

But I only wink at her and don't continue to tease her, since I don't want to give some strange naked being a show.

She makes a cute disappointed expression, then grabs my hand, and we walk out of the store while saying goodbye to the clerk.

Outside, I look around, but the exhibitionist is missing, and I can no longer sense him too.

"Did you sense someone?" she asks when seeing me look around.

I nod and say, "Yes, and I saw him too... A guy who seems to be living my hippie dream."

"What? Wait, forget about it... Is it dangerous?"

"No, I don't think so, but strange for sure... Well, at least it seems to be gone now," I respond with a shrug.

"I feel nothing, but if it's not dangerous, maybe we should ignore it."

I nod to her, and we walk towards the nearest food place called Duffy's Bar & Grill, which seems to have everything our glutton hearts could desire.

There we take a seat by a large window, and a waitress gives us the menu.

Not again... suddenly I sense the naked guy nearby, and when I turn to the bar, I see him peeking out from behind it.

When he notices that I found him, he ducks down again...

I have no idea what he is, but hopefully ignoring him more will do the trick. I don't really want to fight a naked guy right now...

Still cautious, I pretend to look at my card while glancing at the bar. As soon as it feels safe, he looks out again and stretches out his hand towards me.

In the next moment, pink energy gathers in his palm and then shoots out towards me while forming a small arrow.

---

When the arrow nearly hits me, I use the menu to swat it away, confusing both Cthylla and the approaching waitress.

To clear it up, I say to the waitress, "It was a fly..." and give her my order, "I'll have two number 9s, a number 9 large, a number 6 with extra dip, a number 7, two number 45s, one with cheese, and a large soda, please."

The waitress only sighs, probably thinking that I'm another strange customer, and starts jotting down my order.

Cthylla shrugs, looking confused, and says, "I'll have the same, but add another number 6 to it." The waitress nods, not really caring about our big order, and walks away.

When I look at the naked archer, he stands there with his hands on his hips, seemingly angry about my actions.

You can't even have a date in this world without angering some supernatural being...

Afterward, he gets on all fours and starts crawling before stopping next to the door that leads to the hallway with the toilets, probably because he can aim better at me from this spot.

Why the heck is he even crawling? He is invisible to most people, and I have already spotted him...

When he stretches out his hand toward me again, I use telekinesis to shoot a beer glass towards him that was standing on a nearby table.

*Shatter*

The glass hits him in the back of the head, and he falls to the ground but then immediately stands up and looks around irritated.

"Did the glass just fly and shatter midair?" asks Cthylla, confused.

"Yes, I threw it at the being... wait a moment, I'll take care of him; you can relax," I say to her and stand up to walk towards the exhibitionist.

"Wait, don't go alone. I'll help you," she says while grabbing my hand.

I give her a kiss on the hand and say, "Don't worry, it will be quick. It seems not to be dangerous, only stupid..."

"Don't make me wait, or I'll eat your food too," she replies after staying quiet for a bit.

I nod at her with a smile and walk towards the naked guy.

When he sees me, he immediately opens the door to the toilets and walks inside. I follow after him, but as I walk through the door, he suddenly jumps forward and tries to grab me.

Yeah, one crime is not enough; now there's also sexual harassment...

I step to the side, and he misses me, giving me the opportunity to take him down.

So, I grab his right wrist and kick at his calf, which makes him drop to his knees. Then, take out my pistol and aim it at his head, and he freezes.

Terrified, he says, "Please don't shoot me with that! I can feel that my body won't survive these bullets..."

"You shoot at me but don't want to get shot back? This is kinda unfair, isn't it? But I will give you a chance to tell me what you are and what you want, and I might spare you," I reply.

"Please spare me. I'm not evil; I simply want to spread love."

I knew it! He is really a hippie...

---

Noticing that I hadn't put away my gun, he continues,

"I was in town to fulfill a job when I met this beautiful being who resembled my elder brothers and sister. So, I wanted to give her love life a push, but then I noticed that she was already in love... with you."

I wonder why he looked disgusted after saying "with you"... maybe I should shoot him anyway.

"What is wrong with me?" I ask him, my finger wandering toward the trigger.

He looks at me seriously and says, "Because you are soulless... I feel no love, no emotions, nothing from you. Someone like you doesn't deserve love from such a beautiful being."

That's harsh. I mean, I can ignore pain because I've gotten used to it... but I'm pretty sure I can feel just like any other human.

"So, you wanted to shoot me to get rid of a soulless being?"

"No! My arrows can awaken feelings. So I only wanted to help you! I swear by my father!" he screams, looking truly terrified.

He is telling the truth... I put away the gun with a sigh and let him stand up.

"I'm immune to direct magic from other beings, so that's probably why you couldn't feel anything..."

"Really? Then are you perhaps one of my elder brothers? I can't sense their emotions either." he asks while opening his eyes wide.

Seems to be a nice family...

"No, I have no siblings. There is only me," I tell him, and he looks even more astonished.

Beings like me have no parents, no siblings, no real family... Even though I was lucky to experience all of this early on in my tribe when they found me.

"Really? Wow, I never thought someone else could hide their feelings from me."

"About that, the arrows that bring love – you are a Cupid, right? So are your elder brothers and sisters also Cupids?" I ask him curiously.

"No, there are only a few cupids, and my elder sisters and brothers are..." He suddenly stops before revealing the secret and says, "I kinda have orders not to tell anyone... so sorry."

Well, I can already guess what his other siblings are... I mean, why shouldn't they exist when demons exist too in this world?

"It's fine... well, I have a date right now, so I'll get going, and you should go and spread your love somewhere else." I say and walk back to Cthylla.

"Wait!" but he stops me, and when I turn towards him. He continues, "You do really feel love, do you? Because I can feel that she deserves it..."

"Yes, especially towards her."

This makes the cupid sigh out of relief,, and then he walks toward me, seemingly to give me a hug. So I point my gun at him and say, "If you hug me, I will shoot you."

"But I wanted to thank you and say goodbye like that..." he says, nearly crying.

Too bad there is a rule that I always follow that says not to hug naked guys...

"Pass, wear some clothes next time, and I'll give you maybe a handshake."

This makes him look down for a few seconds sadly, but then he nods with a smile at me and simply vanishes while wings flapping can be heard in the background.