Chapter 503: The Immortal Benjamin
The twins revealed that they were in their late twenties.
The revelation was shocking and unbelievable to Benjamin, since they looked like children and behaved like children, but they were fully grown adults.
Because Benjamin refused to let them find out he saw them as kids, he explained how Amazons can look 12, but be actually 200.
"There are a lot of ways actually," Benjamin explained to them, as they all blushed from the lecture. His voice was level, as if he were discussing something as mundane as cooking techniques rather than the intimate details of same-sex relationships.
The adventurers leaned in, their curiosity overcoming their embarrassment, their faces growing redder with each passing word. "There’s, uhm... the scissors thing where two girls jam their groin together. There’s using fingers and sex toys as well. The vagina licking and kisses are part of i—"
"O-Okay, I think we’ve heard enough!" Eric turned, red as a tomato, and asked they cease the lewd topic.
His voice was strained and pleading, and his pale green hair seemed to stand on end with his embarrassment.
His crystal green eyes were wide, and he waved his hands frantically in front of him, as if trying to physically push the words away. "More importantly, we are almost at the city of Thaad! The most neutral place in this continent, where all races can fellowship without discrimination or racism!"
His words were hurried, desperate to change the subject to something safer, and less likely to make his face burst into flames.
He gestured toward the walled city that was growing closer with each passing moment, its walls gleaming in the afternoon light like a beacon of civilization and hope.
The city of Thaad was a place of refuge, a sanctuary where all were welcome regardless of their race or background. And with it being a hub for adventurers all over the world, it was incredibly safe.
"Ah, that reminds me," Benjamin suddenly remembered, his brow furrowing as a thought struck him. He turned to the Amazon and dwarf who were walking nearby, his eyes filled with curiosity. "Aria and Maria said they were sisters. How is that possible?"
Maria and Aria exchanged a glance, then Maria smiled, a warm and genuine expression that softened her features.
"Of course. I and Aria were adopted by our parents when we were quite young. We are not of blood relation, but our bond is just as strong." She explained. Her voice was gentle, filled with the warmth of fond memories.
She reached out and placed a hand on her sister’s shoulder, a gesture of affection that spoke volumes about their relationship.
"And you were both raised in Thaad?" Benjamin asked, his curiosity piqued.
"Yes. I am 50 years old and Aria is 48." Maria’s voice was casual, as if she were discussing something completely ordinary. The numbers rolled off her tongue without any apparent significance.
"So young?!" Benjamin shrieked, his voice cracking with disbelief.
His eyes went wide, and he stared at the two women as if they had just sprouted second heads.
"Ahaha! You think so?" Eric asked him, amused by a human thinking 50 years is young. A smile played at the corners of his lips, and his crystal green eyes sparkled with gentle humor. "That explains that Benjamin may be quite long-lived as well, yes? Strange name for a woman, though."
[Hm? Wh-what did he mean by that?] Benjamin wondered, but didn’t voice.
The question echoed in his mind, but he dismissed it as a quirk of translation or a cultural misunderstanding—maybe "Benjamin" translated to "Amanda" in the elven language, he thought.
"Ah, I know; why don’t we all reveal our age? No secrets, you hear?!" Eric decreed and started.
His voice was firm, commanding, the voice of a leader who expected to be obeyed. He raised his hand, a gesture that called for attention, and the other adventurers fell silent, turning their gazes toward him.
He said he was 231 that year. His voice was unbothered by the revelation.
For an elf, 231 was somewhere past adolescence, the beginning of a long and prosperous life. He had centuries ahead of him, centuries of adventure, growth, and discovery.
Katana was a human, but shocked the masses with a 39 years. Even her party members didn’t know, since she looked like a teenager.
Her voice was shy and a little apologetic, as if she was embarrassed by her youth. She had been traveling with these people for some years, and they had always assumed she was much younger than she actually was.
The twins were 27 years old, and Yuki was 406.
The ice witch’s voice was flat, unemotional, as if her age was of no consequence to her. She had lived for more than four centuries, and had accumulated knowledge and power that most could only dream of.
Heka of Verdant Spire was 521 years old, but Benjamin Mark was... apparently the oldest of the group.
"I am so old, I don’t remember the age anymore, haha!" Yes, he refused to lose to a competition no one but him was playing.
His laugh was forced, a little too loud, and there was a hint of panic in his eyes. He did not want to admit his true age, did not want to be seen as the young and inexperienced. "But alright, let’s take a guess."
"3000?" Eric asked with a straight face, startling Benjamin.
The elf’s expression was serious, his crystal green eyes fixed on Benjamin with an intensity that made him uncomfortable. The number was absurd, ridiculous, and yet Eric seemed to believe it.
"15000?" Maria asked, making Benjamin pale.
Her voice was speculative, as if she were trying to estimate something based on limited information.
She had clearly decided that Benjamin was far older than he looked, and his youthful appearance was a deception.
"1000?" Katana added, her voice soft and uncertain.
She was trying to be reasonable, to give a number that made sense based on what she knew.
"900." Sophia thought, her voice high and girlish.
"1500?" Sapphire assumed, echoing his sister’s tone.
"5000?" Yuki wondered. She was studying Benjamin, trying to gauge his reaction, trying to see if he would give something away.
"Definitely one million!" Aria added, making Benjamin’s heart skip a bit.
The dwarf’s voice was filled with certainty, as if she had just solved a particularly difficult puzzle. She nodded to herself, satisfied with her conclusion.
"200,000?" Heka guessed as well, getting a side eye from Benjamin. Her voice was teasing, playful, and there was a hint of laughter in her eyes.
She knew the truth, and she was just enjoying watching him squirm.
"A... Ahaha! Enough guys," Benjamin raised a hand, "I’ll confess. I’m technically 36 years old, if we round up."
His voice was quiet and embarrassed, like he was admitting to something shameful. He looked around at the group, waiting for their reaction, expecting shock and mockery.
"..." The whole group went silent, watching Benjamin’s face for signs of jesting, before bursting into laughter.
The sound was loud and genuine, filling the air with joy and disbelief.
"Haha, as if!" Aria shrugged, her massive shoulders rising and falling in a gesture of dismissal.
"Well, previously, I did think my age was too high and I kept it a secret. So I understand." Yuki closed her eyes in recognition.
Her voice was soft and kind, as she was offering comfort to someone who was struggling with a difficult truth.
"Hey, I said we should be truthful!" Eric shook his fist in disapproval. His voice was sharp, irritated by the apparent deception.
"Hmph. Being 39 is nothing, compared to one who has lived longer than history itself." Katana found immense confidence in her age.
[Hey, you’re older than I am!] [Ben]
She had been embarrassed by her youth, but now she realized that age was relative. Compared to the immortal being standing before her, she was practically still a child.
"So do you know where babies truly come from now?!" Sapphire asked smug. His voice was triumphant, as if he had just won an argument that no one else had been having.
"What are you talking about? He must know they get brought to the parents by a bird if they love each other!" Sophia explained to her brother. Her voice was earnest, certain of the truth of her statement.
"Age is just a number, sister. But I understand if revealing the millions of years will make you seem too unreachable." Maria smiled at Benjamin, as he wondered why he was being addressed as a sister.