"Hello again, miss Pop."
Pria didn't know how to respond to her sudden nickname.
"Ah, sorry. I hope you are in a better mood for conversation."
Pria became further confused. She didn't remember meeting anyone here before. She thought her group fainted and patrolling guards had found them but the guard's words made her think otherwise.
"A reply would be nice, miss Pop."
"My name is Pria Rota, please stop with this random nickname."
"Well, miss Rota, our first meeting left quite an impression. Pop! Pop! Crackle! Crackle!." Then, he chuckled.
At this point, Pria realised the guard was mocking her. She couldn't remember what kind of foolish show her group had done at the kingdom's gates, but she did not deserve this treatment.
"Excuse me, I have somewhere else to be." Pria turned away, and started walking back to the camps again.
This reply stunned the guard. He stopped Pria's retreat into the camps by grabbing her shoulder. This time, his eyes reflected a mix of seriousness and worry.
"Apologies miss Rota. I hoped to lighten the mood. Weak people will generally cower or freeze up when a guard talks to them. Though…this doesn't seem to be the case for you. Impressive."
It was an unexpected compliment. Pria's mood brightened and she decided to give this guard another chance at a conversation.
"Thank you. I've been through a lot."
"I figured as much. Lately, we've been seeing greater hostility from the pranic beasts. Judging from your situation, I guess the neighbouring kingdoms also aren't having a pleasant time."
Pria felt a bit of panic growing after knowing the kingdom's predicament. If pranic beasts also swarmed this kingdom, then the peace she struggled to find could be lost at any time.
Before she could experience the same tragedy so soon after finding shelter, Pria found herself looking for a solution. The guard in front of her had the power to act but he didn't know the reality of the swarms. The collapsed walls, the powerless guards and the desperate citizens. She needed to help, somehow.
Failing to hide her panic, Pria's voice strained itself to ask the guard for more details. "Sorry, but is that true? Is this kingdom also at risk of a pranic beast swarm?"
The sight of Pria was pitiful. It was this panicked state that he hated seeing. Communication was difficult as people like Pria were blinded by their fears.
"It is nothing for you to worry about Miss Rota. The Jata Kingdom is one of the strongest in this region. Due to our diplomatic relations, we have prospered and raised multiple generations of cultivators. Gold grade pranic beasts dare not invade our walls."
Hearing him boast about the kingdom's strength did plenty to remove her fears. Gold grade pranic beasts were among the strongest in Sumatra. If not for their low fertility rate, many more kingdoms would be destroyed.
Following the positive momentum, the guard brought up the reason why he was here.
"Now then, Miss Rota, I wanted to ask you about your situation. Your group's arrival was a cause of concern, especially with your group's odd behaviour."