Kimberly
**His favorite part of the day, going for a walk, this time, deep in the forest, away from civilization, no filthy nobles around, no poor people to feel bad for, nothing to influence his emotions, just pure nature** 

**He takes a deep refreshing breath**

Ah, the sound of peace. 

**He places his quarterstaff down, once again, using it as a cane, rubbing his hand across his right leg, where he has any remainder of his thigh muscle**
**The pain was a lot today, he was hoping this walk would take his mind off of it, anything but using painkillers is what he was hoping for.**
Elaine
As Qaysar ventured through the enchanting expanse of the Elder forest, he found himself unexpectedly wandering into an unexplored corner of the scenery, a hidden gem adorned with a plethora of blooming flora. The vibrant colors and invigorating scents of exotic and indigenous flora painted a breathtaking tableau.

Amidst this floral paradise, a young lady emerged, draped in a resplendent white ball gown that shimmered like moonlight. With a parasol in one hand and a bouquet cradled in the other, she moved with a regal grace, a vision of ethereal beauty. Around her, white doves and butterflies fluttered, mesmerized by the maiden who meticulously selected flowers, her elegant jewelry complementing the natural splendor. Though seemingly out of place, she somehow harmonized perfectly with her surroundings.

Unbeknownst to her, the unknown presence of Qaysar was lurking around the trees. The maiden, lost in her floral reverie, continued her delicate pursuit, inhaling the fragrance of freshly plucked blossoms, her graceful smile veiled beneath delicate lace.
Carol
|| qaysar be like: oh brother this guy stinks!
Kimberly
**He slows down his movement at the notice of the woman, clearly a noble, he thought**

**He walked closer to her, using his staff as a cane, of course, but also to push away plants from his face**

**As he approaches her, he would finally speak from behind her,**

Just when I thought I'd get to go on a peaceful walk without filthy nobles around me. 

**He was standing directly behind her, resting his shoulder on his staff, rubbing his hand across his right leg, it helped ease the pain**
Elaine
As an unexpected voice echoed from behind, the girl pivoted gracefully, her gaze settling on Qaysar with a subtly arched brow. Methodically, she assessed him from head to toe, appraising his attire and appearance with a discerning eye, deeming it rugged and unkempt.

Behind the delicate lace veil veiling her face, she rolled her eyes in response to his presence. "...And just when I thought I could peacefully pick flowers without the hindrance of a vagrant and their overpowering stench," She remarked, her voice a paradox of serene beauty and composed disdain. Despite the venom lacing her words, her tone remained eerily tranquil.

Unfazed by any discomfort Qaysar might be experiencing, she redirected her attention to the blooms, her movements unhurried as she strolled among them, meticulously inspecting each one, indifferent to the presence of the man lingering in her periphery.
Kimberly
**He chuckled**

I thought nobles were supposed to treat other nobles with respect or something, unless father taught me wrong, don't really remember, I was 10. 

**He rubbed his hand along his right leg even more, it was clear he was bothered by it, he was practically putting his entire right side's weight on his staff.**

I ain't here to rob you, those days are behind me, even though you clearly wouldn't mind, robbing you of what you have right now probably doesn't make a dent in your riches. You're what we call a "Stealin noble." 

**It seemed odd that a noble would refer to other nobles as thieves**
Elaine
The maiden refrained from turning to face Qaysar, as skepticism lingered in the air, suspecting his words might be mere bluff Yet, despite his potentially dubious claims, his appearance hardly screamed nobility; if anything, he resembled a noble of modest means.

"Hm... You fancy yourself a noble, but your presentation lacks the finesse one would expect," She remarked with a nonchalant tone, her words draped in a subtle critique. Only then did she finally pivot to regard him from a calculated distance.

A sly smile played upon her lips as she continued, "Feel free to relieve me of all I possess at this very moment. As you so confidently proclaimed, my wealth is boundless, capable of indulging in endless luxuries without even a ripple in my abundance." Behind her gloved hand, she stifled an elegant laugh, finding amusement in his chosen words of challenge.

Her attention then shifted to the bouquet cradled in her arm, a contented expression settling upon her features as she admired the gathered blooms.
Kimberly
OOOH I'm sure your wealth is "Boundless." It's called being an exploiter. And just like I'm sure of that, I'm sure I've had more money in my possession than your entire wealth is worth as well. But the difference is, I don't use wealth for personal gain, I give it all away, every last penny, to people who really need it. 

You on the other hand, you spend it on luxurious fashion, because you'd be considered ugly otherwise. The only thing worse than a noble is a noble who flexes their ability to exploit the people, a noble like the "Grand Dutches." 

**He pauses for a moment, rubbing his hand on his right leg again, pain can be heard through his voice**

Don't be surprised, I've stolen from your family plenty before. Of course I'd at least know your name and description, something about stealing hundreds of millions from the rich makes you automatically know about the people you stole from.
Carol
|| I am a fast writer holy
Elaine
In response to his confrontational rhetoric, Helena countered with an elegant giggle, delicately unfurling her jewel-encrusted hand fan to veil her amusement. The knowledge of her extraordinary beauty, unanimously acknowledged by the denizens of North Ambrosia, rendered his aggressive words as nothing more than a manifestation of envy towards her opulent allure and esteemed status.

"So, it appears you're truly destitute—bereft of wealth, if I read your words correctly." Her head tilted ever so slightly, giving the impression of scrutiny directed at the man. However, her gaze seemed to transcend him, focusing on something beyond Al Qaysar. While maintaining this outward appearance, she lifted her lace veil, revealing a countenance of extraordinary beauty. Her ice-blue orbs briefly underwent a subtle transformation, turning an ominous shade of dark red—a detail, perhaps, too distant and faint for Qaysar to discern under the brilliance of daylight.

***Grr...***

Simultaneously with her gesture, a menacing growl reverberated from the vicinity behind Al Qaysar. Standing several meters away, its foaming saliva and yellowed teeth marked it as a wolf-like beast, its eyes a profound black with a subtle luminescence reminiscent of the glow the maiden's eyes had exhibited just moments ago.
Feigning fright, she executed an elegant swoon right on the spot, allowing her bouquet of flowers to cascade to the ground as she gracefully descended to her knees. "Oh my! A beast! How shall we ever elude the wrath that it plans to unleash upon us?!" She exclaimed in apparent distress, her lips forming a smile beneath the delicate lace veil, a subtle twinkle of mischief in her eyes.
Kimberly
**He didn't seem bothered by the presence of a beast**

All that luxury and they didn't bother teaching you how to battle?

**He laughed**

They really weren't lying when they said there's some people that are "All beauty, no brains" 

**He picked up his staff, for the first time in this encounter, where he wasn't using it as a cane. He would grab it on both ends, pulling it apart, and it would split in two, showing a variety of items for him to pick from, a bottle of painkillers, it looked old, and untouched, and he quickly moved it away. A flintlock, two of them actually, he grabbed one out. A large sword can be seen as well, a few daggers, as well as twin sickles, his signature weapon, which he would certainly grab out**

**He turned to the beast, one would expect him to simply shoot it** 

Alright buddy, you really gonna make me do this?
Elaine
Helena chose not to dignify the situation with a response, opting instead to maintain her facade of fear. Beneath the pretense, her anticipation grew, intrigued by the unfolding dynamics as she found his character undeniably intriguing.
Remaining on her knees, Helena seized the opportunity to delicately gather the stray flowers scattered from her fallen bouquet. 
-
The wolf-like creature stood at a formidable 5'7 ft, a medium-level entity originating from the heart of the elder forest. With foamed saliva dripping from its mouth, the beast let out a howl, sending the birds nesting and perched in the trees scattering in terror. The powerful howl even caused a subtle tremor in the ground, threatening to unbalance Qaysar if he clung to his stance.

Mockingly, Helena, concealed behind her veil, shed crocodile tears and spoke words of caution, "How would a cripple like you fend off such a beast!? Forget it and run for your life if you must..." A subtle smile played on her lips as she uttered these words, savoring the unfolding of drama and action.
Kimberly
**This lady is a horrible liar, he thought to himself, scared so much yet picking up flowers**

**He laughs slightly, placing his flintlock at his side, resorting to his twin sickles instead**

**He moves closer to the wolf-like beast**

Don't wanna kill you but you don't seem like you'll back down, survival of the fittest I guess...

**In the blink of an eye, qaysar could be seen standing over the beast, he stood there, watching the beast**

Alright boy, I'll give you one last chance...

**He grabs out another thing from his quarterstaff, it was... Food? Meat, actually**

You want it? 

**He throws it to the side, a few meters behind the beast, to see if it would go at it to eat it, he really did not want to kill it**

**He didn't seem to feel his leg pain, he certainly wasn't rubbing his hand across his right leg, for the first time this entire encounter**
Carol
|| now u can make the beast jump at him or something
Anne
The creature displayed disinterest in the piece of meat he carried, its primal focus fixed on the fresh, living flesh of Al-Qaysar. Growling ominously with eyes aglow in a menacing red, it launched its assault.

With a sudden burst of speed, the beast began to sprint, moving at an extraordinary pace that surpassed the reach of an average person. It weaved in a circular pattern, its attention squarely on Al-Qaysar and, perhaps, Helena if its appetite remained unsated by the man's lean flesh. After completing its circuit, the creature lunged directly into Al-Qaysar's proximity, baring its teeth with the intent to swiftly sink them into his chest unless he managed to evade the impending attack.
Carol
|| now can he kill him

|| i mean hes certainly not the average person, otherwise he wouldve been caught by popo

|| alr ill js make him injure the beast a bit then bc qaysar doesnt rly wanna kill it himself
Kimberly
Ok, you asked for this. 

**He grabs his twin sickles, he didn't want to go for the head, deeming it unfair to the beast and the food web**

**Instead he slashed it in the chest, he grabbed out his flintlock, shooting it in the leg, making it harder for the beast to move as fast**

**Before he could do anything else, he felt a sudden overwhelm of pain in his leg, his adrenaline rush was gone, he tripped forwards a bit, making a small noise of pain**

**He moved back a bit, breathing heavily, what is it with this leg today, he thought to himself, at least he wasn't fighting an intelligent being**
Elaine
Helena observed from a distance, her initial interest waning as the lackluster combat unfolded before her. The maiden felt a palpable disappointment, expecting Qaysar to deliver a more entertaining spectacle by decisively eliminating the monstrous threat rather than settling for mere injury. In both high society and battle, Helena adhered to the philosophy of "Kill or be killed," Deeming leaving adversaries in a weakened state counterproductive.

As Al-Qaysar grappled with the pain in his leg, Helena's voice cut through the air, reaching him from behind. "For someone rugged and combat-ready, you held back from executing this beast," She remarked with a bored and disappointed tone. "I'm disappointed, yet... I pity this beast." Helena advanced toward the creature, prompting it to retreat into a defensive stance.

"Leaving it injured will only leave it vulnerable to the the harsh truth of pain and death—it's doing god's work by ending its misery," She declared, stopping a few meters away from the beast. The creature, poised to attack Helena, halted at her command. "Kneel," Helena ordered with regal authority. The beast's eyes glowed ominously red, and it succumbed, falling to the ground in a weakened state.

Helena retrieved a beautiful white rose ornament from the torso of her gown, placing it on the beast's spine. And as she set it in place, Gigantic thorny rose vines emerged from the blossom itself- tightly gripping the creature's limbs, neck, and torso, preventing any movement. The vines constricted with force, audibly breaking bones, eliciting a final, pained howl from the creature. The wolf's neck snapped with a definitive crack, rendering its eyes soulless.

Afterward, The vines rearranged themselves, forming a supportive puppet-like structure around the frame of the lifeless corpse— which would soon be adorned with white roses blooming from the vines. The creature, slowly stood up from its lifeless poise- soon making its way to stand beside the beautiful Helena, seemingly "Revitalized" Despite the soulless stare from its eyes. Beneath her veil, her icy-blue orbs became visible as sunlight filtered through the trees. She then turned to face Al-Qaysar. "Don't you agree with me?" She asked Qaysar, a smile playing on her lips as she brushed the dead, puppet beast's neck fur affectionately.
Kimberly
**He slightly smiles**

Its a stupid beast, un-intelligent, meanwhile, we are intelligent life, I like to avoid interfering with such species.

Besides, you were clearly not scared, a bit of a lousy liar you seem, with such fear, your last worry would have been picking up flowers. 
Who's to say I wasn't trying to see if the "All pretty no brains" Theory was true or not?

**He takes a deep breath**

I didn't know the "Grand" Duchess had magical skills, you know, something about flithy rich makes someone seem nothing but greedy.
Carol
|| also... Does this mean she could technically have vines and plants hold qaysar in place if he makes her really angry 💀

|| he just does not care, if anything he might see that as something to make him forget abt the leg pain for a bit

|| wait if this encounter happened after helena met thales then she does recognize qaysar as the ex criminal off the description thales gave her right

|| especially since he did use his quarterstaff's magic
Elaine
Helena's laughter, elegant and refined, bubbled beneath the delicate cover of her gloved hand. Reveling in the art of manipulation, she delighted in the theatrics of portraying vulnerability while subtly mocking him earlier. The absurdity of the previous situation amused her, and she chose to ride the current of the charade, embracing its artificiality with a graceful demeanor.

"Indeed, I must commend your performance as the gallant knight, while I, the supposed damsel in distress, skillfully portrayed weakness in a rather conspicuous manner," Helena remarked with a tone of satisfaction. She withdrew her hand from the lifeless wolf's fur, extending it towards Qaysar. "I can't deny, I did enjoy the thrill of having my idyllic flower-picking interlude interrupted by you and whatever had come right after it." She says with an amused tone.

"Helena. Helena Belarus," She introduced herself, a formality maintained even though Qaysar was already acquainted with her name deducted from when he remarked her clan. "Consider it a formal introduction from me." Her gaze lingered on him, an expectation hanging in the air as she awaited his response.
Kimberly
**He moved his quarterstaff from his right hand to his left, shaking the woman's hand**

Al-Qaysar. Al-Qaysar Taj. 

**He hated nobility, but he wasn't an anarchist, if he was to be treated with formality, he would respond in the same fashion, he was a nobility as well afterall** 

I guess pretty can also have power and intelligence then, that's a first. What exactly does a Grand Duchess do, other than dress pretty and be rich.
Elaine
"Oh, so he's the infamous AL-Qaysar Thales was talking about... Just as I anticipated from a former thief," She mused internally, a sly smile gracing her features. As their hands met in a handshake, Helena radiated a beam of pearly whites, the first to withdraw her hand before delicately employing a pristine white handkerchief to cleanse her hands. Respect may have been absent, but for the sake of formality, she decided to acquaint herself with a potential "Ally" To be manipulated in her schemes.

"Oh, the surprises I have in store for you in the future... Should our paths cross again, that is." She hinted cryptically. Discarding the expensive handkerchief with a nonchalant flick, she pivoted on her heel, directing her attention to the undead puppet-beast, now adorned with resplendent blooming white roses. "Feel free to take the corpse marionette if you wish; its form will decay and wither within three days time," She suggested, running her gloved hand beneath the beast's snout as she gracefully glided past the lifeless puppet.

"I'd love to linger and provide more amusement, but duty calls. It's time for my afternoon tea. Farewell," She declared, a delicate yawn escaping her lips. With a bouquet cradled in her right arm and an open parasol resting on her shoulder, Helena departed in complete silence, leaving behind an air of mystery and intrigue.
Kimberly
Trust me, our paths will cross again, its inevitable, now that I'm a free citizen, I'm as equal as you, a *Noble.*

**He placed his quarterstaff back in his right hand, using it as a cane**

So rich and beautiful, yet so... Dumb. 

**He mumbled quietly, but not enough for her not to have heard him**

How can Thales be friends with such exploiters? 

**He turns around and decides to head back home, his leg pain was simply too much today, he didn't feel like he could continue on with his walk**