《The Undetectable Strongest Job: Rule Breaker (LN)》 Volume 1 - Prologue The magic lamp provided enough illumination to see, yet it felt somewhat chilly. The boy stopped writing and stretched his limbs. The rain that began falling in the evening was growing stronger. Gusts of wind battered against the wooden shutters. ¡°These are the best materials I can gather right now,¡± the boy mumbled. ¡°But still, this only gives me a small window to cross to a different world.¡± Various objects sat on the desk. Crystallized ore, dried fruit, pieces of meat, vials filled with dark liquid, scales and fangs of some creature. There were also several diagrams with texts and geometric shapes. The boy picked up an ore. ¡°The spell is still incomplete. To go to a different world, the soul would need to detach from the body. But is it possible to rebind a soul that has left its body? Only legendary levels of Healing Magic can do that. If it works, though, it might be possible to access this world¡¯s spirit realm. I might be able to see Father and Mother.¡± Suddenly, the boy¡¯s ears caught a sound. ¡°¡­Who¡¯s there?¡± he called out. The magic lamp illuminated only the desk, while the corners of the room remained dim. This was not the boy¡¯s home, but an average hotel room. It could be a hotel staff, he thought. He went to the door and opened it, but there was no sign of anyone in the dark corridor. ¡°Not a soul¡­ It¡¯s so windy. Maybe something fell over. He turned around, and froze. ¡°Wh-Who goes there?¡± There was a black figure in the middle of the room. A man wearing a hooded cloak, dripping rainwater. ¡°Are you Roland N. Zaracia?¡± ¡°I am¡­¡± ¡°Delivery from Count Morgstadt.¡± The boy¡ªRoland¡ªknew the name Morgstadt all too well. Count Morgstadt was the reason why he was currently staying alone in the hotel¡ªwhy his parents were dead. ¡°Wh-What do you want from me?!¡± Roland¡¯s heart was gripped by a mixture of anger, fear, and worry. His father had raised him, an only son, with affection, and sometimes a firm hand. His mother, a Mage herself, had helped develop his magical talents. Roland¡¯s current research¡ªa spell for crossing worlds¡ªwas a groundbreaking one, which his parents fully supported. His small-scale experiments on living organisms successfully summoned creatures that did not exist in this world, bringing him and the House of Zaracia¡ªViscounts in the Kingdom of Ponsonia¡ªto prominence. The noble faction to which the House of Zaracia belonged, led by Margrave Grugschilt, gained momentum with this breakthrough. They sought to correct the corruption that plagued the aristocracy in the kingdom, where bribery and injustice ran rampant, and frequently told the crooked aristocrats that true nobles should serve the people. Despite their efforts, numerous nobles who had been lining their pockets only scoffed at Margrave Grugschilt and Viscount Zaracia¡¯s statements. The Margraves were a minority in the kingdom. However, Roland¡¯s research results strengthened their position by demonstrating to the public the value of nobility through diligent research. They condemned the lazy and hedonistic aristocrats, which enraged the most corrupt of the nobility¡ªCount Morgstadt. He plotted to ruin Roland¡¯s research. Then came the national treasure theft scandal. The Dimension Dragon Box, a precious item kept in the royal treasury, was stolen. The day the theft came to light, Viscount Zaracia was accused of being the only one who had applied to enter the treasury. The Viscount claimed that he had never applied for admission and had no knowledge of the theft, but the Dimension Dragon Box was found in his residence in the royal capital, incriminating him. He was ordered to commit suicide by poisoning. Roland¡¯s parents pleaded for his life in exchange for theirs, and their request was granted. The House of Zaracia went into decline, and Roland was taken in by Margrave Grugschilt. He was currently on his way to the Margrave¡¯s domain. Roland firmly believed that his parents did not steal the national treasure. The day after the House of Zaracia fell, a servant who had worked at the Zaracia estate was seen working for a noble aligned with Count Morgstadt. In addition, a soldier assigned to guard the treasury was spotted carrying around a large sum of money. It was all a set-up. Driven by a burning desire for vengeance, Roland resolved to continue his research, hoping that its results would absolve his family¡¯s name. He also clung to the faint possibility of communicating with his parents¡¯ souls. And one day, he vowed to expose Count Morgstadt¡¯s evildoing. ¡°Can you guess what I¡¯m here to deliver?¡± The mouth under the intruder¡¯s deep hood curved into a grin. When Roland saw the gleaming silver blade in the man¡¯s hand, he realized his mistake. He was foolish to think that Count Morgstadt would let him live. Roland tried to escape, but the intruder grabbed him by the collar and pulled him down. His head slammed against the floor, blurring his vision. ¡°Ah, coincidences,¡± the man said. ¡°It just so happens that the Count is in town right now. I guess you already knew that, though. He¡¯s on his way to the capital, while you¡¯re just leaving.¡± The intruder brandished the blade, and Roland felt a searing sensation in his abdomen. ¡°Guh¡­¡± As the intruder pulled the blade back to strike again, his body suddenly stiffened and he collapsed to the floor. Roland was holding an ore that emitted a bluish-white light, now so bright that it was difficult to look at directly. ¡°I-I was wrong,¡± Roland gasped. ¡°He¡¯s not the kind of man¡­ to be confronted head-on¡­¡± The ore was called a Soul-Sucking Stone, a stone that could absorb souls by processing it into a specific shape and channeling mana into it. ¡°I can use this¡­ to invoke¡­¡± However, the Soul-Sucking Stone had a drawback. It sucked the soul of both the target as well as the user. In other words, Roland¡¯s own soul had been mostly sucked out of him, leaving him with only about one to two hours to live. Moreover, he was bleeding profusely from his abdomen, and he was nearing his physical limits. Roland crawled across the floor, struggling to maintain consciousness. It felt like he was moving awfully slow. He reached out a bloody arm and pulled himself up onto a chair. He then grabbed the edge of the desk with his right hand and overturned it. Objects were scattered all over the place. An inkwell toppled over, spilling ink on the floor. Sheets of paper fluttered in the air. One of the sheets landed on Roland¡¯s stomach. And it was precisely what he needed. ¡°Open a door that leads to another world¡­¡± The incantation required for the spell was not needed, as what he was trying to cast was not Magic, but a kind of Sorcery. The necessary incantation¡ªan enormous amount of words¡ªwas compiled into a magic circle, written in a special language. And the paper in Roland¡¯s hand had them all. Geometric shapes glowed all over the room. As he lay dying, a door opened before his eyes¡ªa door to another world. Volume 1 - CH 1.1 He couldn¡¯t determine the exact moment he realized he was dead. His mind was foggy, but his memories were crystal clear, creating a dream-like sensation. Hikaru remembered the words of his senpai. ¡°All dead people cross the Sanzu River wearing white clothes. Why do we have to act as a group even after we die?¡± Breathing in a full lung of air brought him back to his senses. The air seeped into his brain. Sleep deprived, he felt as if he was in a movie theater, watching memories from the past, but when he snapped out of it, he realized that he was walking. There was a long line. Everyone was wearing identical white jinbei clothing. Looking around, he saw buildings resembling gray skyscrapers, but none of them bore any signs of life. There were no windows. If he had to describe them, they looked like massive gravestones. So I¡¯m dead, huh¡­ His most recent memory came back to him. Hikaru was heading to a convenience store late at night, wearing a black hoodie, so the driver could not see him. Misfortunes never come singly. It just so happened that as he was crossing a pedestrian lane with no traffic signals, he was lost in thought and failed to notice the fast-approaching truck. He was preoccupied with thoughts of his senior, of what she said about the Sanzu River. He barely had any memory of the collision. He felt numbness, and that was it. I gotta say, this place is creepy. Is this after we cross the Sanzu River? Or before? Does the Sanzu River even exist? The queue before Hikaru¡¯s eyes was, in other words, a procession of the dead. Hikaru had been in a state of stupor until moments ago¡ªone that was forcibly induced, it felt like. Looking around, he saw that most of the people were in a daze. Suddenly Hikaru got a hunch that there was a judge up ahead who would determine whether he would go to heaven or hell. The notion came so unnaturally that it felt like some supernatural being imprinted it into his head directly. He shuddered. There was a being here that defied science, defied all logic. An afterlife was just too unscientific. ¡°Oh¡­ Aaaahhh!¡± One person in the procession started screaming. Others spoke to the one next to them but were ignored. Some, like Hikaru, came to their senses, but they were in the minority. Among those in a daze, there were a very few who were holding something like a pouch, with light spilling out of it. He had no idea what it was. What to do¡­ Hikaru¡¯s head was clear enough that he thought this was a rare experience. He decided to step out of the line for the time being and stroll around the gigantic gravestones. I didn¡¯t think I would die so soon¡­ He met his untimely demise at the age of fifteen. He was named Hikaru, meaning ¡®to shine¡¯, in the hopes that he would grow up to be a young man with a bright future, but he had always lived in the shadows. Or perhaps it would be more appropriate to say that he preferred to stay in the shadows. Not having any contact with others made life easier, and he saw no benefit in standing out. Even during his elementary and junior high years, when athletic prowess could make one a star, Hikaru kept a low profile. He wasn¡¯t exactly unathletic; in fact, he was quite good. But he had no desire for the spotlight or to pursue sports with the zeal to win national championships. He just did the bare minimum and nothing more. It might¡¯ve been his parents that influenced his indifference to social interaction and his constant pursuit of efficiency. He didn¡¯t hate them, but as the relationship between his parents grew colder, Hikaru became increasingly distant from them. Children become unmanageable as they grow older. And Hikaru was precocious. Despite living under the same roof, they acted as if they were strangers. I don¡¯t feel anything about my parents even after my death¡­ Is that why I managed to snap out of it? If the departed had fond memories, they would look back longingly on their past. Hikaru, however, had no good memories of his parents that he wanted to reminisce upon. Nor did he care about the judge. ¡°Hmm?¡± As Hikaru wandered around aimlessly to the back of a giant gravestone, he sensed human presence. ¡°Come on, move it.¡± ¡°Hehehe. We¡¯re dead too because of you.¡± ¡°Cheeky little bugger. We¡¯re gonna torture you for eternity, so you better be ready.¡± Three young men were kicking a cowering youth. Bullying even after death, huh? You guys are too old for this. Doesn¡¯t sit right with me. They might have known each other while they were alive, and then died at the same time, yet still the bullying continued. It was worse than bullying; this was lynching. What do I do? Hikaru had never been in a brawl against three people. He couldn¡¯t even remember being in a one-on-one fight. All because he thought that resorting to violence was barbaric and absolutely meaningless. A closer observation revealed one of the bullies to be huge. Of the remaining two, one was skinny and the other fat¡ªthe big guy¡¯s lackeys, most likely. All he had to do was deal with the leader, and he¡¯d be fine. Hikaru¡¯s gaze met with the youth being bullied, and he gave a start. There was life in the young man¡¯s eyes. Hikaru nodded. Surprised, the young man turned serious. His face was saying, ¡°If you¡¯re going to help me, I¡¯ll take action as well.¡± Okay, let¡¯s do it. Hikaru decided to be violent and confront them, something he would never have done while he was still alive. And he came to the decision so easily too. Part of him said that efficiency didn¡¯t matter now that he was dead, and he wanted to try something he had never experienced before. Perhaps the abnormal situation he was in numbed his sense of danger. Hikaru walked toward them. They were too absorbed in their bullying to notice him. When they were about three meters away, the huge guy looked over his shoulder. ¡°Huh?¡± Hikaru stepped closer and kicked the huge guy in the butt. His legs were unsteady, as he had never done this before, but Hikaru was the type to improve quickly with any sport. ¡°Aaaaaaahhh!¡± The huge guy fell forward. A second later, the young man who was being bullied sprang to his feet. The skinny guy and the fat guy only looked around, unable to comprehend what just happened. As the huge guy tried to get up, the young man kicked him in the face, and he fell back down, nose bleeding. Hikaru turned to the other two. ¡°You guys wanna go next?¡± ¡°Wahh!¡± ¡°R-Run!¡± They scattered in different directions. As the huge guy rose to his feet, fuming, Hikaru kicked him in the groin. The guy glared at an empty space, his mouth flapping open and shut. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± He looked like an inchworm that toppled sideways. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± the young man said. ¡°While we still have the chance!¡± ¡°What? Oh, yeah.¡± Hikaru ran away with him. ¡°Wounds heal quickly here. That guy will be back up in no time.¡± ¡°How long have they been beating you up?¡± Hikaru asked. The young man laughed. ¡°A few days maybe? No, actually more like weeks. I¡¯m not sure. This place can really mess up your sense of time.¡± ¡°That bad, huh?¡± ¡°If nothing happened, I would have just continued walking in line, but the big guy just had to snap out of it. He smacked me and the other guys back to our senses.¡± ¡°What¡¯s at the end of the line?¡± ¡°A judge, probably.¡± The young man shared the same theory as Hikaru. He didn¡¯t know why. Just that he knew. ¡°I¡¯m going to hell anyway,¡± the young man went on. ¡°So I thought it would be better to just stay here and let them beat me up. But I guess I have to pay for my sins.¡± Apparently, the huge guy was working for some gang, and they were involved in a scam that targeted the elderly. The young man, tormented by his conscience, grabbed the steering wheel of the car that the huge guy was driving and sent it plunging straight into a river. The three men who were in the car with him also died. They were all eighteen years old. ¡°We should be safe here.¡± Hikaru and the young man stopped some considerable distance away. He felt like he was sweating, but his skin was smooth. It was strange, considering he felt tired. ¡°How old are you?¡± the young man asked. ¡°Fifteen,¡± Hikaru replied. ¡°Huh. So a boy three years younger than me saved my butt.¡± The young man chuckled dryly, scratching his head. Seems like a nice guy, Hikaru thought. Terrible way to go, though. He couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for him. ¡°Here. You can have this.¡± The young man took out a small pouch from his pocket. When he opened it, light spilled out. ¡°I saw people in line holding something similar,¡± Hikaru said. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just had it when I came to my senses. I know it¡¯s something important, but I have no idea what it is exactly.¡± ¡°Can I really have it?¡± ¡°Yeah. You kinda gave me courage.¡± ¡°You had it all along. You said you drove the car into the river.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t really thinking straight back then. Of course, I knew I shouldn¡¯t continue living such a shitty life, but there was more to it than that. A cop car was running nearby that day. It might not have had anything to do with us, but I thought it was the end of the line.¡± ¡°Really¡­¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s lame. Well, I¡¯m off, then.¡± The young man waved and walked away. He didn¡¯t ask for Hikaru¡¯s name. Perhaps they would never see each other again. Hikaru watched him go. The man seemed determined to atone for his sins head-on. ¡°I like you.¡± A sudden voice came from behind. ¡°I like how you can¡¯t just ignore people that need help.¡± Hikaru whirled around. ¡°Who are you?!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have much time. Will you listen to what I have to say?¡± It was a boy about Hikaru¡¯s age. His hair had a golden luster to it, and his eyes were blue. At first Hikaru thought it was a foreigner. But the boy was wearing old-fashioned clothes made of velvet, with a corsage around the collar. He looked like an aristocrat depicted in an oil painting found in art textbooks. That¡¯s weird, Hikaru thought. There should only be Japanese people here. All the departed in line had black hair and black eyes, including the young man from earlier. And they were all wearing the same white clothes. ¡°I want you to come to my world and live in my place,¡± the boy said. ¡°Wh-What are you talking about? You¡¯re not making any sense.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to die soon.¡± He turned up his shirt, revealing a red belly. ¡°And I¡¯m already dead,¡± Hikaru said. ¡°Also, I was just told that wounds heal quickly here.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do that. The laws here don¡¯t apply to me. From your point of view, I¡¯m from a different world. You already know where you are, don¡¯t you? This is the entrance to the heavenly realm, the place where the soul is judged. The most my spell of crossing worlds could do was connect me to this place.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not following at all. Could you explain things properly?¡± Hikaru understood that the presence of the blond boy here was abnormal. He probably shouldn¡¯t be here. However, he had no idea what this spell of crossing worlds was exactly. ¡°I would love to, but I don¡¯t have time to go into detail. Please, come to my world. And grant my one wish. Then you can come back to life. Or more precisely, you can be reborn.¡± Did he just say what I think he said? Reborn? ¡°Then you can live the rest of your life however you want.¡± There was not a single downside for Hikaru in this deal. After all, he was already dead. But there was something bothering him. ¡°What¡¯s the catch?¡± Hikaru asked. ¡°You asked me to grant you a wish. What do you want me to do after I¡¯ve come back to life?¡± ¡°Ah, he has a sharp mind as well. That¡¯s even better. I¡¯ll explain it to you once you¡¯ve been revived. Is that acceptable? I¡¯m in a hurry. I can¡¯t be here for too long. My time here is much more limited than I originally thought.¡± The color was fading from the boy¡¯s hands and feet. He was becoming translucent, and it was spreading fast too. He didn¡¯t have much time left here, it seemed. ¡°Also, we can communicate here, but we can¡¯t have complicated conversations,¡± the boy added. ¡°It might sound like we¡¯re using words, but we¡¯re only communicating using mental images. For example¡­¡± The boy said something, but Hikaru couldn¡¯t hear it. ¡°I just said the name of a place in my world, but you didn¡¯t catch it, did you? I¡¯m telling the truth.¡± ¡°All right,¡± Hikaru agreed. ¡°We¡¯ll go to this world of yours, and then I¡¯ll listen to what you have to say.¡± He was dead anyway. He thought it couldn¡¯t get any worse than that. He was also interested in this other world. ¡°I will now cast the spell of crossing worlds. My name is Roland. Roland N. Zaracia. My physical body is yours.¡± Hikaru¡¯s vision turned blurry and white. And his soul vanished. Volume 1 - CH 1.2 He breathed in, and air flowed into his lungs. Oxygen traveled through his blood vessels, the heart, and to the rest of the body. A body with actual blood flowing was warm. His ears caught the sound of rain and his nose the smell of blood. As his vision came into focus, he found himself in a dim hotel room. Hikaru was surprised by the vivid sensation of a physical body; it felt like he had never experienced this before. Propping himself up, he slowly rose to his feet. He studied his bloody palm. ¡°I¡¯ve really come back to life¡­¡± A second later, countless memories flooded Hikaru¡¯s mind, mixing with the memories of his time in Japan. The trip back after taking photos at a festival, reading research papers about potions, climbing the school¡¯s monkey bars, attending a ball for the aristocracy. He felt sick, like his memories had been altered. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± His knees buckled, and he cradled his head in his hands. It was like copying a large number of files onto a well-organized computer and then immediately processing them using brute force. His head was burning. Two sets of memories were being partitioned. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is¡­¡± Hikaru was hit by a truck, and Roland was stabbed to death by an assassin. Once the memories were neatly organized, Hikaru understood. ¡°Roland. You¡¯re here, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I am.¡± Hikaru heard a voice in his head. It was Roland N. Zaracia, the person who brought him to this world. This body belonged to Roland, and Hikaru¡¯s soul was transferred to this vessel. Roland¡¯s soul was still inside, though slowly fading away. He didn¡¯t have much time left. The stab wound had healed. Transferring Hikaru¡¯s soul here generated a powerful life energy that healed the body completely. If Roland had been suffering from some kind of disease, it would have been cured as well. Without that kind of energy, it would have been impossible to put another person¡¯s soul into a different body. Hikaru wobbled to his feet and checked his reflection on a mirror. He saw the same Roland that he met in the afterlife, but there was something off. His hair and eyes were darker, and the shape of his face was slightly different. ¡°So this is me.¡± ¡°Your body will gradually modify itself.¡± ¡°Seems like it.¡± Hikaru surveyed the room. It was well-furnished for a hotel, its interior design resembling luxury European hotels he had seen on television. ¡°Roland.¡± Hikaru had no intention of hiding his anger. ¡°You tricked me.¡± Yes, tricked. That was the best word to describe the situation. Roland had asked him to grant his wish, giving Hikaru his body for that purpose. Now that Hikaru had Roland¡¯s memories, he learned about his intentions. ¡°I did not lie.¡± ¡°You still tricked me! You want me to kill someone?!¡± What Roland wanted from Hikaru was to commit murder. To kill Count Morgstadt. To teach the man who ruined his family a lesson. ¡°You said you didn¡¯t have much time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I can only stay here for another hour at most, since most of my soul is already gone after using the Soul Sucking Stone. I need to see this through to the end before I go.¡± ¡°What makes you think I¡¯ll say yes?!¡± ¡°If you fail to kill the Count within an hour, I will reject your soul.¡± Soul rejection. Hikaru already knew what it meant. A soul that couldn¡¯t attach itself to a body would eventually disappear. And perish. Back when he was still alive, he would have been skeptical about the existence of a soul, but he learned firsthand that there was an afterlife. And what it meant for a soul to disappear. ¡°I will be summoned to the heavenly realm, then judged whether I¡¯m going to heaven or hell. But your soul doesn¡¯t have that option. You will disappear, and that¡¯s it.¡± There would only be complete nothingness. Hikaru¡¯s existence would be erased. A denial of his entire being. ¡°I hate your methods.¡± ¡°There was no other way for my wish to be granted. Letting that fiend live will ruin this kingdom¡ªthis world.¡± Roland resented Count Morgstadt from the bottom of his heart. And right now, his feelings were being transmitted to Hikaru. Perhaps that¡¯s why he didn¡¯t feel that reluctant in killing someone¡ªin killing Count Morgstadt. ¡°So I have no right to refuse.¡± Crying or whining wouldn¡¯t change a thing. Hikaru only had an hour left here. He had to do it. Kill and live on. He had already died once, but there was a part of him that wanted to come back to life. Everything has a catch. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll obtain new life with my own hands,¡± Hikaru declared. ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that. I can assist you a lot easier.¡± ¡°So, you want me to kill someone, but I don¡¯t even know where to start.¡± ¡°You have a gift, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°A gift?¡± ¡°You can call it God¡¯s grace. That young man gave you something bright.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± Hikaru tapped into Roland¡¯s memories. The light emitted by the pouch, which Roland called a gift, was something that was given after death according to the soul record of the person¡¯s life up to that point. Those who possessed that light would develop special talents in their next life. ¡°Since you¡¯ve seen my memories, you should know that they¡¯re like talents that souls can utilize when they reincarnate. In this world, it would manifest as magical and special abilities, engineering skills, or physical gifts.¡± Roland¡¯s voice grew quieter. ¡°I¡¯m running low on energy¡­ From here on out, I¡¯m just going to count the time down.¡± ¡°Hey, Roland!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Hikaru could no longer hear Roland¡¯s voice, but although faint, he could tell that Roland¡¯s soul was still with him. And he knew that the body was still linked to him. Hikaru was only renting, so to speak. As Roland said, he could reject Hikaru¡¯s soul if he wanted to. ¡°Damn it.¡± Magical and special abilities, Hikaru mused. Do I really have those? He heightened his senses and looked deep within him. He sensed something fuzzy in his chest. A second later, an A4-sized, light-green, luminous stone slab appeared before him. ¡¾Soul Board¡¿Hikaru ¡¾Age¡¿15 ¡¾Soul Rank¡¿15 ¡°Wh-What is this?¡± ¡°Fifty-five minutes.¡± He heard Roland¡¯s voice. ¡°Five minutes already?!¡± He was getting distracted. But preparation was key. This Soul Board must be some kind of magic or special skill, Hikaru thought. There was only a huge circle on it. The surface of the board was smooth, like a tablet computer. ¡°How does it work?¡± When he touched it, a mechanical voice sounded in his head. ¡°Unlock Soul Board? Consume 1 point.¡± Unlock? Consume? He didn¡¯t understand. But he had to use it to make progress. ¡°Unlock.¡± Words appeared on the surface of the Soul Board. ¡¾Vitality¡¿ ¡¾Natural Recovery¡¿0 ¡¾Stamina¡¿0 ¡¾Immunity¡¿ ¡¾Perception¡¿ The word Vitality was in the center of the board, branching out into four entries. ¡°Looks familiar¡­ Is this a Skill tree?¡± A system found in the single RPGs and MMORPGs he had played in the past. Hikaru loved games, both console and on PC. He especially enjoyed playing RPGs, but he was what was called an efficiency nerd. His playstyle was maximum efficiency with minimum effort. A Skill Tree granted special abilities by spending Skill Points. In fact, the number 15 shown above was now down to 14. ¡°Do I have 15 points because I¡¯m fifteen years old? Let¡¯s just forget that for now. Think¡­ What do I do with this? My objective is to get close to a nobleman. I need to get close to him first in order to kill him.¡± Count Morgstadt should be on alert. He sent an assassin to Roland, but the assassin had not returned¡ªhe was here in this room, lying on the floor. ¡°Fifty minutes,¡± Roland¡¯s faint voice announced. ¡°What do I spend my points on? Natural Recovery? No way. I¡¯m not going for a drawn-out fight. In which case, both Stamina and Immunity are worthless.¡± The only remaining entry was Perception. ¡°Sharpen the senses¡­ Like sight and hearing? Sounds handy, but isn¡¯t there usually stuff like Weapons or Magic Skills? No, wait¡­¡± There might be something more to this thing¡­ He examined the Soul Board. ¡°A tablet computer¡­ which means¡­¡± He touched the stone slab with a finger and flicked to the left, revealing a screen that displayed only a ¡ò symbol¡ªa double circle. Volume 1 - CH 1.3 ¡°I knew it! That means the one with the ¡°O¡± is the Vitality Skill Tree screen.¡± He moved to the next screen. There was a triangle, a square, a pentagon, a hexagon, and the last one was Unlabeled. He returned back to the circle. ¡°There are seven screens in total. If one point is required to unlock, that means a total of seven points for all of them.¡± ¡°Forty-five minutes.¡± Time was running out. ¡°Count Morgstadt should be in this town¡­ There.¡± The place was in Roland¡¯s memory. The hotel owner had told him about it for no particular reason¡ªthat the biggest house in town was Count Morgstadt¡¯s villa. He knew where the mansion was located, but he needed five minutes¡ªno, ten minutes to get there. Considering what he had to do after that, he had only about ten to fifteen minutes left to spend here. ¡°Damn it. I don¡¯t have a lot of time to check the Skills! I just have to unlock one for now.¡± Leaving it to fate¡ªthe one method that Hikaru disliked the most. Unfortunately he had no time to complain right now. ¡°Unlock Soul Board? Consume 1 point.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The screen with the double circle opened. ¡¾Magical Power¡¿ ¡¾Mana Capacity¡¿0 ¡¾Spirit Aptitude¡¿0 Magic. Hikaru looked into Roland¡¯s memories and found knowledge about magic, but all of it either he learned from his mother or he read from books. Roland himself was not a Mage. Hikaru wasn¡¯t sure if he could use magic with this body, so he decided to set it aside for now. He moved on to the next Board. ¡°Unlock Soul Board? Consume 1 point.¡± ¡°Unlock.¡± The screen with the triangle opened. ¡¾Strength¡¿ ¡¾Physical Strength¡¿0 After magical power is strength, huh? Does Weapon Mastery have something to do with using weapons? Sounds like exactly what I need in killing someone¡­ ¡°Is there even a weapon here?¡± Hikaru looked around the room and found a dagger lying on the floor. Though the workmanship was simple, its blade was sharp. It must¡¯ve been the same dagger used to stab Roland. His body already proved how lethal it was. ¡°I guess this is my only choice for a weapon. But the most crucial thing is whether I can get close to the Count or not.¡± It was almost midnight. Normally people refused visitors at this hour. Of course, he would never be allowed to see the man in the first place. All the more so when he was the very person he tried to have killed. Although, Roland¡¯s appearance was already changing to resemble Hikaru himself. ¡°Even if I have a weapon, I can¡¯t do anything unless I get close to him. I could kill anyone standing in my way, I guess¡­ Nah.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure he could commit mass murder. Next he checked the Board marked with a square. ¡¾Agility¡¿ ¡¾Power Burst¡¿0 ¡¾Flexibility¡¿0 ¡¾Balance¡¿0 ¡¾Stealth¡¿ One stat lit up a lightbulb in Hikaru¡¯s head. Stealth. A Skill that would help him get close to Count Morgstadt without getting noticed. ¡°Unlock Stealth? Consume 1 point.¡± Unlock again. Apparently this one also required a point to open. Upon closer inspection, some fields had the number ¡°0¡± next to them, while others did not. Hikaru surmised that the ones without any number needed to be unlocked first. ¡°Unlock.¡± He did not hesitate. ¡¾Stealth¡¿ ¡¾Life Cloaking¡¿ ¡¾Mana Cloaking¡¿ ¡¾Imperceptibility¡¿ I knew it. By unlocking the Stealth stat, he could now put points on Life Cloaking, Mana Cloaking, and Imperceptibility. ¡°But what exactly is this Life Cloaking?¡± Just then, descriptions appeared on the board. Life Cloaking ¡ª Block Life Detection Skills. Max: 5 Mana Cloaking ¡ª Block Magical Power Detection Skills. Max: 5 Imperceptibility ¡ª Block Perception Through Sight, Hearing, Smell. Max: 5 Hikaru groaned. He had ten points left. He had decided to go for Stealth. It was clear that the most important part in killing Count Morgstadt was to get close to him. In which case, Stealth was his only option. The question now was: should he allocate the points he had equally? ¡°It¡¯s gotta be Perception. There could be watchdogs.¡± People say that a dog¡¯s sense of smell is a million to a hundred million times greater than that of humans, and they also have excellent hearing. Dogs exist in this world too, where they are often used as watchdogs. However, the Detection Skills bothered Hikaru. He searched Roland¡¯s memory, but found nothing related to them. Of course, Roland didn¡¯t know everything, but since the boy had not even heard a single thing about this Skill, Hikaru decided that it was not that big of a deal. ¡°For now, let¡¯s just put 1 point on Life Cloaking, 1 point on Mana Cloaking, and 5 points on Imperceptibility.¡± He entered the numbers. ¡¾Stealth¡¿ ¡¾Life Cloaking¡¿1 ¡¾Mana Cloaking¡¿1 ¡¾Imperceptibility¡¿5 (MAX) ¡¾Assassination¡¿0 When a new field appeared, Hikaru couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. ¡°Assassination¡­¡± He shuddered at the chilling word. It appeared after he put 5 points in Imperceptibility. Assassination ¨C When attacking without the target noticing, the attack will have a lethal effect. Max: 3. This was exactly Hikaru¡¯s goal. He had three points left as well. ¡°Man, this sounds too good to be true.¡± It felt as if his fate was being controlled. A different thought came to him. As someone who lived in modern Japan, could he kill someone easily? He had never even killed a single animal before. If he wanted a sure kill¡­ If he wanted to live in this world¡­ ¡°Thirty-five minutes¡­ Hurry up.¡± Hikaru put his remaining 3 points on Assassination. ¡¾Stealth¡¿ ¡¾Life Cloaking¡¿1 ¡¾Mana Cloaking¡¿1 ¡¾Imperceptibility¡¿5 (MAX) ¡¾Assassination¡¿3 (MAX) ¡¾Sharpshooter¡¿0 A new field appeared¡ªSharpshooter. If anything, he would have preferred to take this one. It wasn¡¯t like he actually wanted to kill the Count at close range. ¡°All right. Let¡¯s go.¡± With the dagger that stabbed Roland in hand, Hikaru activated his Life Cloaking, Mana Cloaking, Imperceptibility¡ªeverything under Stealth. By activate, he only really needed to think about it. Then, the smell, body temperature, something else invisible that was emanating from him vanished. It felt like he¡¯d become transparent. Leaving the room, Hikaru strode through the hotel¡¯s front lobby, but the staff on duty did not even notice that someone had passed by. Thunder rumbled and lightning crackled. Drops of rain made white splashes as they beat against the cobblestones. Hikaru was out in the rain without a coat, soaking wet. Soon he arrived at his destination: Count Morgstadt¡¯s villa. ¡°Twenty-five minutes.¡± He considered going in through the back, but the door was locked, wasting five minutes of his precious time. He decided to enter through the front door instead. The main entrance appeared to be unlocked so security could go in and out easily. Under the eaves, he squeezed the water from the bottom of his clothes, then opened the door. ¡°There was a guest the other day. Some overnight millionaire.¡± ¡°Oh, on my day-off?¡± A stroke of bad luck. Two servants passed by, but they went on without stopping. Hikaru was inside, but the two didn¡¯t notice him at all. He couldn¡¯t believe it. How could they not notice him when he practically marched himself right in? He now realized that the three Skills he learned under Stealth were more powerful than he imagined. The inside of the manor was dark; there weren¡¯t any nightlights. Even with his Stealth, Hikaru opted to creep in through the shadows. He climbed the stairs to the third floor. Two men, who appeared to be guards, were walking toward him. Knights in plain clothes, swords hanging from their waists. Being a nobleman with considerable influence in the kingdom allowed Count Morgstadt to employ knights as guards. One of the knights stopped. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Something doesn¡¯t feel right. It might be an intruder.¡± ¡°What?!¡± The other knight reached for the sword at his waist. ¡°Where are they?¡± ¡°Good question¡­¡± One of them crouched down and touched the floor. ¡°It¡¯s wet.¡± ¡°Well, yeah. It¡¯s pouring out there.¡± ¡°Did someone return from outside?¡± ¡°A knight was sent for an errand to the Alchemists¡¯ Guild. Something about double-checking the mana capacity.¡± ¡°Ah, right. Now that you mention it.¡± The knight rose back to his feet with a sour look on his face. ¡°Let¡¯s just finish our rounds and take a nap. I¡¯m too sleepy.¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°I know you hate the Count, but let¡¯s get the job done right, yeah?¡± ¡°I know.¡± The pair walked away. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Hikaru, standing behind a pillar, breathed a sigh of relief. He thought he was busted. Volume 1 - CH 1.4 Stealth was doing an impeccable job. He made the right choice in putting points on Imperceptibility. The knight was relying simply on his senses, such as smell and the feel of the air. He wasn¡¯t using a Detection Skill. Lady Luck seemed to be smiling on him too. When the knights mentioned the Count, they glanced behind, which meant the Count was somewhere in that direction. There was not much time left. When Hikaru heard Roland¡¯s voice saying ¡°twenty minutes¡± earlier, his heart almost leapt out of his chest. The knights were coming closer then, so he feared they might¡¯ve heard Roland¡¯s voice too. The knights went along without looking back. As soon as their lamps were far enough, darkness enveloped the surroundings. Lightning flashing through the skylights installed at the top of the hallway provided the occasional bit of illumination. Hikaru wished he had a Skill like Night Vision. Not that he had any points left to spare anyway. The darkness was a blessing in disguise. It would make it easier to see lights spilling through doorways. And Hikaru found it¡ªthe only room that had its lights on inside. Hikaru strained his ears right outside the door. ¡°Hmm? That stupid, pigheaded Baron¡­¡± He heard an old man¡¯s voice. The Count Morgstadt in Roland¡¯s memories was a portly man with a full head of gray hair. Found it at last. The target¡¯s in here. Hikaru¡¯s hand trembled as he reached for the doorknob. He squeezed his hand tight. It¡¯s all right. You¡¯re good. You got this, he told himself. You¡¯re gonna kill him and live on. Gradually he calmed down. Hikaru felt sorry for Roland. He was interested in this new world. His thirst for knowledge reared its head. But what ultimately compelled him to commit murder was his death in his previous life. Humans die easily. And in this world, life seemed to be valued even less. This was a world where you had to kill to survive. ¡°Ten minutes.¡± The moment he heard Roland¡¯s countdown, Hikaru opened the door. Count Morgstadt, his body facing the door, was sitting at his office desk, reading a document under a lamp. ¡°Hmm?¡± The man¡¯s gaze went to the door. He thought he saw it open. ¡°Who¡¯s there? A guard?¡± It could¡¯ve also been the butler, but he wouldn¡¯t come here this late at night unless he was summoned. He certainly wouldn¡¯t invite himself in without knocking first either. And the door itself was closed. ¡°I must be seeing things.¡± He turned his eyes back to his hands and looked over the documents. ¡°All taken care of, huh? Good.¡± The document read: ¡°A fire broke out in the estate. Dispatched a professional to put it out.¡± It was a coded message that actually meant: ¡°I¡¯ve sent an assassin to Viscount Zaracia¡¯s son.¡± ¡°Surprised me there. I didn¡¯t expect him to be in Pond.¡± The Count received word that Viscount Zaracia¡¯s son was in town. He suspected he might¡¯ve come to kill him. Fortunately, he was able to determine the boy¡¯s location and have an assassin sent to him. ¡°Like father, like son. They all had to be so pesky. But now the Zaracia family is done. It¡¯s my time from here on¡ª¡± ¡°Wrong.¡± Count Morgstadt was caught dumbfounded by the sudden voice. There was no sign of anyone in the room. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± He opened the desk¡¯s drawer. Inside was a dull silver bell, and not an ordinary one. It was a magic item used as an emergency alarm. When rung, it would alert every guard in the manor. ¡°There¡¯s someone¡ªaaaahhh!¡± But his hand stopped just on top of the drawer. A blade had pierced the palm of his hand. ¡°I-I-It¡¯s you¡­!¡± With the pain came fear. Right beside the Count was someone who was supposed to be dead. ¡°Roland N. Zaracia. Well, his stand-in actually. I¡¯ll be taking your life.¡± ¡°H-How?!¡± Blood dripped from the dagger. ¡°Die.¡± The blade swung down. It penetrated flesh so smoothly, it felt unreal. The boy plunged the dagger deep into Count Morgstadt¡¯s heart. ¡°Guh¡­¡± He twisted the knife for good measure. Coughing up blood, Count Morgstadt collapsed on the floor. Hikaru was breathing hard. Before him lay a corpse. A living human being until a moment ago. His body felt as if it were aflame. He wanted to run and scream. For a moment, just a split second, Hikaru¡¯s body froze. Roland had tried to take over. He wanted to suppress Hikaru¡¯s will and kill the Count himself. ¡°You just had to stop me.¡± Roland sounded appalled. Hikaru knew why Roland, despite asking him to murder someone, tried to take over at the last moment. Since he had Roland¡¯s memories, it wasn¡¯t hard to figure out. Roland didn¡¯t want to burden Hikaru with the sin of murder. All along he intended to finish the job himself. ¡°Roland,¡± Hikaru said. ¡°Even if I didn¡¯t come here, you weren¡¯t going to let my soul get destroyed, were you?¡± ¡°No.¡± Rejecting Hikaru¡¯s soul was not something he would¡¯ve done. It was not a method that Roland, who grew up showered with love by well-respected parents, would have taken. Roland choosing Hikaru was a gamble of sorts. If he lost the bet and failed in his quest for revenge, he was going to give up entirely. He even planned to tell Hikaru to run away if he failed and exposed himself to grave danger. ¡°I never thought you¡¯d do it yourself.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t gonna let you. I decided that I would do it.¡± Hikaru decided to live on. If that meant killing someone, so be it. ¡°Thank you.¡± It was the warmest of Roland¡¯s voice Hikaru had heard so far, a mix of deep regret and satisfaction. ¡°This is it for me. I can¡¯t give you wealth or honor, but you may have my body.¡± Hikaru felt Roland¡¯s soul leaving his body. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Hikaru.¡± ¡°Thank you, Hikaru. My¡­ The Zaracia family¡¯s redeemer. I¡¯ll be praying for your bright future.¡± The last piece of Roland¡¯s soul disappeared. ¡°Good grief¡­¡± Hikaru barely felt any sense of accomplishment for fulfilling a promise. The grim feeling of having committed murder was too overwhelming. He wanted to plop down to the floor. ¡°Did you kill him?¡± Hikaru gave a start. He saw that the door to the room was open. Standing there was a lovely girl with silver hair, blue eyes, and pale white skin. Her beauty was out of this world. ¡°The bell¡¯s been rung,¡± she said. ¡°Knights will be here soon.¡± Hikaru failed to notice that when he pulled the dagger out of Count Morgstadt¡¯s hand, the man¡¯s fingers touched the bell and knocked it over. It rolled around and tinkled. He could hear footsteps approaching. What do I do? What do I do? Can I escape with my Stealth? The girl raised a finger and pointed outside. ¡°There¡¯s a rope ladder on the balcony. You can get down to the first floor from there.¡± Really? Why is she telling me this? ¡°Hurry.¡± ¡°O-Okay.¡± There was no time to hesitate. Hikaru opened the door to the balcony. The thunderclouds had passed, and while strong winds still blew, the rain itself had stopped. The girl was right. There was a rolled-up rope ladder lying on the floor, most likely for use during emergencies. He lowered the rope ladder and climbed over the railing. His trembling hands made it difficult to go down. He could hear commotion from behind the closed door. ¡°Lady Lavia, what are you doing here?¡± ¡°Does it have something to do with the Count ringing the bell?¡± ¡°O-Over here! The Count is down on the floor!¡± The uproar grew louder. ¡°He¡¯s dead.¡± By the time the door to the balcony was opened, there was only a rope ladder swinging idly. ¡°Th-This should be far enough.¡± Hikaru was exhausted from all the running. He wanted to take a nap, but he couldn¡¯t return to the hotel. When he went to try retrieving Roland¡¯s belongings earlier, the heavy atmosphere suggested that the assassin¡¯s body had already been found. He also thought about using Stealth to sneak in, but ultimately decided against; he wasn¡¯t sure how effective the Skill was currently. A shame too; there were many unfinished theses and rare items in that room. ¡°So this is my body¡­¡± It was probably around four in the morning. It was currently early summer, and the sky was slowly growing bright. Hikaru saw his reflection on a puddle. A face with dark-brown hair and dark-brown eyes. A little longer and they should turn black. His body would adapt to his soul. ¡°Man, I¡¯m beat.¡± Hikaru had fled to an unfrequented area in town¡ªa graveyard. Leaning against a huge tree, he closed his eyes. ¡°Right. That girl¡­ Why did she help me escape?¡± It was his first sleep in a different world. And he didn¡¯t dream. Volume 1 - CH 1.5 When Hikaru woke up, the sun was already high in the sky. He was parched. He surveyed the surroundings and saw a graveyard. As he wondered what he was doing in a place like this, the events of last night came back to him. ¡°Right¡­ I¡¯m in a different world.¡± The graveyard was deathly quiet. Last night¡¯s rain had completely stopped. ¡°Ah, damn it. I feel awful.¡± He killed a man. It was difficult to feel great. His body, however, did not care about any of that. His stomach grumbled. ¡°I guess killing someone doesn¡¯t stop you from getting hungry.¡± He slowly rose to his feet. There was a well nearby. He pulled up a tub of water and drank from it, which helped to curb his hunger a bit. ¡°What now? I¡¯m free, but¡­¡± First of all, he was broke. Anything I could sell¡­ My clothes? There was blood on them. He couldn¡¯t leave them as they were, so he took off his coat and shirt and washed them. His shirt was left with a hole and a brown blotch, but the coat was a darker color, which helped conceal the bloodstain. There were two things he needed to do. First, earn money. Second, flee without being suspected of Count Morgstadt¡¯s murder. ¡°A way to make money¡­ I wonder if there¡¯s anything in Roland¡¯s memories. Hmm?¡± Roland¡¯s memories were fuzzier than yesterday. His knowledge remained, but what he experienced, what he felt, his precious memories, were all fading fast. It felt like some stranger¡¯s experiences that Hikaru only heard from rumors. Traces of Roland were gradually leaving his body. ¡°You dragged me into this place, then left first.¡± Hikaru thought back to the boy who vanished last night after thanking him. With him gone, Hikaru was completely alone. Although the idea of coming back to life and being reincarnated fascinated him at first, right now fear and anxiety gripped him. ¡°Gotta pull myself together. I decided to live on in this world.¡± Browsing Roland¡¯s memories, Hikaru came upon the creation of a Soul Card. Although it sounded similar to Hikaru¡¯s Skill, the Soul Board, a Soul Card was simply an ID. The Adventurer¡¯s Guild, Merchants¡¯ Guild, and Alchemists¡¯ Guild issued guild cards, while a temple issued soul cards. There were small differences between them since they served different purposes, but they doubled as I.D.s all the same. The Adventurers¡¯ Guild issued guild cards for free for first-time registrants, while other guilds charged a fee. Nothing expensive, but Hikaru was currently flat broke. ¡°Where¡¯s the Adventurers¡¯ Guild anyway?¡± He left the graveyard and headed downtown. When he spotted a guard on patrol, he subconsciously went off the street and hid in a back alley. He had his Stealth, but he had no desire to test its effectiveness right here and now. Meanwhile Hikaru went further and further away from the main street. A little down a deserted alley, he spotted a young girl drawing on a wall with some kind of chalk. All right. Here goes nothing. A suspicious guy talking to a young girl sounds like the start of a court case. ¡°Excuse me,¡± Hikaru called. ¡°Do you have a second?¡± The young girl jumped at his unusual appearance. He looked like an aristocrat, although tired and grimy. ¡°It¡¯s all right. I just need directions. Which way is the Adventurers¡¯ Guild?¡± ¡°You wanna go to the Adventurers¡¯ Guild?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± That seemed to be enough for the girl. ¡°You go straight down this alley to the main street. Then just go across and keep going straight through another back alley and then you¡¯ll end up on the main street again. Turn right, and after about five minutes of walking, you should see it.¡± ¡°Y-You sure know your directions. I¡¯d like to thank you somehow, but unfortunately I don¡¯t have any money with me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. You can pay me once you hit it big.¡± Quite the spirited girl. Following the girl¡¯s directions, Hikaru came upon a massive stone building. Laughter and coarse voices of muscular men filled the inside. There were women too, but they were either brawny, or wore dark expressions on their faces. Not your ordinary women. There were a few groups of young boys and girls present, though they were mostly subjects of the older adventurers¡¯ jokes and teasing. There was only one receptionist at the counter. She wore a small, silver-fringed hat made of white fabric, a long skirt, and a coat with flared sleeves that buttoned up the front. Her wavy hair was cut in a short bob. She was a lovely girl with kind eyes. Hikaru guessed she was around high school in terms of age. Not that there were any high schools in this world. She was going about her duties, accepting quests while ignoring the adventurers trying to engage in idle chatter. ¡°Aaah!¡± She tripped over something, and almost fell. Adventurers were delighted at the sight, probably because her huge breasts jiggled every time. With his Stealth Skill active, no adventurer noticed Hikaru. Not even one saying, ¡°What¡¯s this? Since when did the adventurers¡¯ guild become a kids¡¯ playground?¡± Adventurers crowded around the receptionist in a semi-circle. If you wanted to accept or clear a quest, you would have to squeeze yourself in. ¡°I found this really nice place the other day¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re single, right, Freya? Can I take you out to dinner? Just one time please!¡± ¡°I climbed to Rank D the other day.¡± Hikaru slipped between the adventurers, and once he made it to the front, he turned off his Stealth. ¡°Can you make me a guild card?¡± ¡°Huh?!¡± ¡°Where the hell did this kid come from?!¡± The receptionist¡ªher name was Freya, apparently¡ªlooked surprised as well. ¡°Oh, uhh¡­¡± she stammered. ¡°I need a guild card,¡± Hikaru repeated. ¡°You little brat! Get in line and wait your turn!¡± ¡°The fuck do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡± Hikaru put on a broad grin. ¡°I didn¡¯t see you guys in line. I¡¯m just asking the guild¡¯s receptionist to do a legitimate task for me. Besides, are you guys really that inconsiderate that you can¡¯t even wait a bit while I have a guild card created?¡± ¡°Why, you¡­¡± The adventurers¡¯ faces turned red, but they weren¡¯t stupid enough to lay a hand on him right here. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± They exchanged glances and left the building. Hmm. So they¡¯re going to gang up on me as soon as I leave the guild. So predictable. There was none left on the counter except Hikaru. ¡°Um, a-are you sure about that?¡± Freya asked, concerned. ¡°Sure about what?¡± ¡°Those men beat up a young adventurer the other day.¡± You should¡¯ve stopped them, then. Isn¡¯t this the Adventurers¡¯ Guild? ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me. Anyway, can you make me a guild card?¡± ¡°Y-Yes, of course. Please put your hand here.¡± Freya pulled out a smooth slate from under the counter. Although made of stone, the surface looked like glass, with geometric shapes and ancient script written inside. It was somewhat similar to the Soul Board, but much more rugged. Hikaru pressed his palm on it. He thought he saw a glimmer of light inside the glass. ¡°Mr. Hikaru, is it? It looks like you haven¡¯t been issued a card before.¡± Freya was doing something on the device. It was connected to the same network as the temples¡¯ soul card and scanned a Soul¡¯s Records. Since it read a soul¡¯s records, even if Roland had been issued the card, it wouldn¡¯t have been a problem for Hikaru. It didn¡¯t take long for the card to be issued. Adventurers¡¯ Guild Card ¡¾Name¡¿Hikaru ¡¾Registration¡¿Pond Adventurers¡¯ Guild, Kingdom of Ponsonia ¡¾Rank¡¿G ¡¾Blessing¡¿¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª ¡°¡­Blessing?¡± Hikaru muttered. ¡°Huh? You don¡¯t know what that is?¡± Roland¡¯s memories did indeed contain information about Blessings, but not in relation to an Adventurers¡¯ guild card. ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯m not sure how to use it,¡± Hikaru said. ¡°Oh, I see. Please put your finger on the card. You will see the Blessings available to you based on your current Soul Record. Selecting a Blessing will enhance your abilities.¡± I see. Hikaru nodded. Roland had little knowledge of these Blessings. This kingdom¡¯s aristocracy believed that nobility was earned through blood, not abilities, thus they took these Blessings for granted. Roland, however, was a researcher. On the contrary, Blessings were very important for adventurers. For one reason. ¡°This card displays your Blessing as ¡°xxxGod: xxx¡±. You know that the fewer the characters in the god¡¯s name, the more powerful the Blessing, right? If you get one with four characters, you¡¯re a top-class adventurer.¡± Roland¡¯s card was issued by a temple. It had a slightly different utility. When Hikaru touched the card with his finger, a drop-down list appeared. ¡¾Assassination God: Night Stalker¡¿2 ¡¾Stealth God: Bearer of Darkness¡¿2 ¡¾Common Chaos God: Eye of the Storm¡¿3 ¡¾Woods Strolling God: Forest Walker¡¿4 ¡¾Metropolitan Residents, Townspeople, and Villagers Relief God: Civilian¡¿10 ¡°¡­I see.¡± There¡¯s a bunch of sinister ones here¡­ Volume 1 - CH 1.6 ¡°You said having a four-character Blessing makes you a top-class adventurer,¡± Hikaru said, ¡°but what about three and below?¡± ¡°What?! You have one?!¡± Freya exclaimed. ¡°No. Just asking.¡± ¡°O-Of course¡­ Sorry for being loud. That was embarrassing.¡± Freya cupped her cheeks and wriggled about. Hikaru looked away. Her breasts were jiggling. Not good for the eyes. No wonder the adventurers were so crazy about her. ¡°Well, three characters and below are super rare. Two characters is legendary, and one character is mythical.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Hikaru had two-character Blessings. Two of them. ¡°In your case,¡± Freya continued, ¡°it would be something like Metropolitan Residents, Townspeople, and Villagers Relief God: Civilian, or Wealthy Citizens Relief God: Money Maker. Am I right?¡± ¡°So it seems.¡± Hikaru was sure that he shouldn¡¯t let anyone see his Blessings. His Skill Tree must have had something to do with it. Hikaru selected Civilian and showed it to Freya, who only gave it a glance. ¡°Moving on,¡± she said. ¡°There are commissions posted on the bulletin board. Please choose one that¡¯s within your abilities, and then accept it by tapping your guild card on the form. For supply commissions, please check the guild¡¯s library for the necessary materials. Also¡ª¡± ¡°H-Hold on a minute. I just tap the card, and I get the job?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Freya nodded easily. ¡°¡­¡± Wow. What kind of technology are they using? Do these things have IC chips embedded in them or something? ¡°As for the adventurer rank, G is the lowest,¡± Freya added. ¡°And that¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Correct. The highest rank is A, and if you achieve something extraordinary, you can rise to Rank S. To get promoted to a higher rank, you need to complete specific kinds of commissions. Once you get promoted, you can take on more difficult commissions.¡± Sounds simple enough. ¡°Adventurers often specialize according to their areas of expertise. Plant Hunters mainly gather plants. Jewel Hunters search for special gems. Monster Hunters specialize in killing monsters. Explorers specialize in dungeon exploration. Bodyguards specialize in escorting people. Quest Hunters are jack-of-all-trades¡­¡± ¡°Do those titles mean anything?¡± ¡°Once your name is known, you might receive designated commissions, but that¡¯s about it. It¡¯s a long way down the road for a Civilian like you.¡± Freya chuckled. ¡°Are Blessings really that important?¡± ¡°Of course. All high-ranked adventurers have distinctive Blessings. I¡¯ve heard that four-character Blessings are rare and powerful. Oh, you can select whatever Blessing you want, and you don¡¯t have to report it to the guild.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­¡± ¡°Some adventurers become famous solely because of their Blessings. There are also questionable rumors of acquiring new Blessings by increasing your Soul Rank.¡± It was said that by killing monsters and the like, you could steal a part of their souls, increasing your Soul Rank. However, there was no way to verify this information, so it was treated more as an urban legend that sprang out of nowhere. ¡°What¡¯s the difference between monsters and animals?¡± Hikaru asked. Freya blinked. She was wondering why he was asking such an obvious question. ¡°I see¡­ You do look like a rich kid.¡± ¡°What, rich kids don¡¯t know about monsters?¡± ¡°Oh, did I say something rude? I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Freya put her hands together in front of her and wriggled restlessly, emphasizing her breasts. No wonder the adventurers here are stupid. Hikaru just found out why adventurers flocked to Freya. ¡°Whether they¡¯re harmful or not,¡± she said. ¡°Or I guess whether or not they see humans as predators? Monsters with mana are ones to look out for, especially. Their bodies can be processed easily. They can also be used as raw materials for equipment or daily necessities, so if you bring them to the guild, we will purchase them.¡± ¡°I got it. Thank you.¡± ¡°Good luck!¡± Having obtained the information he needed, Hikaru gave a slight bow and left. Freya, taking advantage of the fact that there were no adventurers around, started working furiously, putting away documents and the like. She seemed really busy. Upon checking the bulletin board, Hikaru found special pieces of paper. They were all commissions sent to the Adventurers¡¯ Guild. Commissions were also called quests; which term was used depended on the type of job. ¡¾Plant Hunter¡¿ ¡¾Gather Glimmering Poisonous Herbs¡¿Novices Allowed. Bring as many glimmering poisonous herbs as possible. (Indefinite) ¡¾Reward¡¿Base payment: 200 gilans. ¡°This should do.¡± Before Hikaru could try quests that required combat, he first had to obtain the means to survive in this world. A safe, supply-type quest fit the bill perfectly. The gilans mentioned in the reward was this kingdom¡¯s currency. 200 gilans was not much, only enough for a few meals. Nevertheless it was important income for Hikaru, who was currently penniless. He picked up the commission form and brought his guild card close to it. Then, the paper and the guild card emitted a faint glow. ¡°Contractor: 1¡± was displayed on the piece of paper. He put it back on the bulletin board. ¡°Incredible,¡± Hikaru breathed. ¡°This world doesn¡¯t have advanced scientific technology. Instead, they developed magic-based technology.¡± It was like scanning a QR code on a smartphone. Hikaru entered the library and found samples of ores and medicinal herbs on the walls. In the center of the room was a map of the immediate vicinity, with markings on where to harvest materials. ¡°Smells like mold in here.¡± It didn¡¯t seem like people came here often. Are there no serious adventurers around? Hikaru searched through the resources and hammered information on the glimmering poisonous herb into his head. He then took a burlap sack used for supply quests from the pile in the corner. Time to go, then. Freya, working at the counter, saw Hikaru¡¯s name automatically appear in a new Commission Contractor field. ¡°Yes, supply quests are perfect for beginners. Wait, he took this one?!¡± She surveyed the guild, but didn¡¯t find him. More accurately, she couldn¡¯t, because he had his Stealth on. ¡°Oh, no¡­ What do I do?¡± Freya was panicking for good reason. The commission for gathering glimmering poisonous herbs mostly involved bringing items that one already had in their possession. This was because the outskirts of Pond, where the glimmering poisonous herbs grew, was inhabited by Green Wolves, ferocious monsters that formed packs so even veteran adventurers found it difficult to get rid of them. Going there personally to gather the plants was simply not worth the risk and effort. ¡°I-I hope he¡¯ll be all right.¡± Adventurers were fundamentally responsible for their own being. And while Green Wolves attacked humans, they wouldn¡¯t actually eat them. He shouldn¡¯t die, at least. The commission also served as just the right test to baptize new adventurers. Upon leaving the guild, Hikaru remembered something. ¡°Oh, right. Those adventurers are waiting for me.¡± A perfect opportunity, he thought. He could test how effective his Stealth really was. Hikaru walked slowly out of the guild, careful not to make a sound. The main street was just up ahead. Two of the adventurers from earlier were waiting next to the guild¡¯s exit. ¡°That brat sure is taking his time.¡± ¡°Maybe the other guys taught him a lesson already.¡± ¡°Sounds possible.¡± They were laughing crudely, unaware that Hikaru was about three meters away from them. I think I got myself a busted Skill. Hikaru strolled ahead. The adventurers did not notice him at all. Skill Trees in games usually aren¡¯t this broken¡­ Maybe this Skill is different. Maybe you gain its maximum effect by maxing it out. In that case, Skills under Stealth have incredible potential. No, even those under Vitality and Magical Power should be plenty awesome. No one else had this kind of power. He couldn¡¯t find anything at all in Roland¡¯s memories. Maybe it¡¯s a completely absurd ability even for this world¡¯s standards. I guess I can¡¯t really complain about the one-point-per-year system, then. Hikaru made his way out of town. He was starving, but he had to make some money first before he could eat. Walls encircling the town prevented monsters and bandits from getting in. There were houses outside the walls, but they were not safe. Land outside the walls was free of cost, so penniless farmers did agricultural work outside the town. The gatekeeper requested IDs from people entering and leaving. When Hikaru showed his guild card, the gatekeeper let him through with a nod. ¡°A newbie adventurer?¡± the man said. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything rash. As long as you¡¯re alive, things will all work out.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± Hikaru bowed. The gatekeeper¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, not expecting such courtesy from him. ¡°Be sure to be back by sundown,¡± the man said with a gentle smile. Volume 1 - CH 1.7 After a bit of walking down the main road, Hikaru turned to a forest on the left. ¡°That reminds me, she said the guild card will enhance my abilities.¡± The Blessing field on the card could be changed at any time. ¡°If I can only get one Skill point per year, I have to make the best use of this Blessing thing.¡± Hikaru specialized in Stealth, so he chose Stealth God: Bearer of Darkness. ¡°Let¡¯s go with this.¡± With a click, his Blessing changed. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± He wasn¡¯t using Stealth at the moment, but he could feel his body becoming thin as air. If there had been anyone nearby watching Hikaru, they would¡¯ve lost track of him as soon as he used his guild card unless they paid strict attention. In addition, Hikaru activated his Life Cloaking, Mana Cloaking, and Imperceptibility. Now every living thing in the vicinity couldn¡¯t sense him anymore. Birds and insects that stopped chirping in the presence of a human being started singing once more. ¡°Wow¡­ ¡± Feeling like an invisible man, Hikaru ambled into the woods. Having grown up in Tokyo, he was unfamiliar with forests. The closest he got to experiencing the outdoors was watching videos on the internet. Now he was here. Lush foliage, sunlight filtering through the leaves, the sweet sound of birds chirping¡ªhe couldn¡¯t believe he had set foot in a forest. And unlike the ones in Japan, this one was untouched by humans. Hikaru strolled onward, overjoyed. He spotted a green-colored wolf in the distance. A Green Wolf, a monster that lived in these woods. He already looked into them in the guild¡¯s library beforehand. Rather than being green, it looked more like it donned moss and grass. ¡°That thing¡¯s huge¡­ But it doesn¡¯t seem to have noticed me.¡± It was about three meters in body length. It already looked huge from a distance; he didn¡¯t want to get close to it. Hikaru walked stealthily to avoid being seen. Roland¡¯s knowledge of monsters was limited, and the data Hikaru had studied lacked details. What he didn¡¯t know was that the Green Wolf could sense anything within a 200-meter radius, and his current location was well within that range. In fact, it had sensed Hikaru for a while until he arrived just outside the forest, but then suddenly his presence vanished, leaving it confused. ¡°Oh, there¡¯s the herb.¡± Hikaru walked around leisurely in search of glimmering poisonous herbs. Not long after he entered the woods, he spotted more and more of them. Their flowers were of four different colors and shaped like lilies. They glowed at night, which made them easier to find, but Hikaru was too hungry to wait that long. ¡°I need the buds and the petals.¡± He plucked off the parts he needed carefully, making sure not to damage the stems. He didn¡¯t pull everything out. That way, they would grow again. ¡°Thanks, outdoor videos, for being useful in another world.¡± Later that evening, Freya was sitting at the counter of the Adventurers¡¯ Guild, exhausted. Her shift today was supposed to be from early morning until noon, but the other receptionist couldn¡¯t come to work, so she ended up working overtime. And there was one thing bothering her. The boy who left in the morning¡ªthere had been no word from him since then. She would feel better if he was bitten by a Green Wolf and brought back here on a stretcher. Perhaps he didn¡¯t go to gather glimmering poisonous herbs after all. That was the most likely explanation. Besides, a Green Wolf wouldn¡¯t miss a beginner adventurer. In that case, he had failed the commission. Male adventurers were all the same. ¡°Is he really¡­¡± Freya¡¯s intuition said she was wrong. Being a guild staff was such a high-paying job that it attracted many people, resulting in an acceptance rate of only one percent. Some of the reasons Freya was able to pass the test was her keen senses and her ability to judge character. That¡¯s why the advances of the adventurers didn¡¯t bother her. Hikaru was different. She didn¡¯t know how to describe it. It looked like he was carrying darkness within him, yet there was also a ray of light. She hoped he was safe. ¡°He¡¯s not dead, is he? Hikaru¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Aaah!¡± A voice came from in front of her, and she yelped. Fortunately, it was almost closing time, and there weren¡¯t any adventurers flocking the counter, so no one heard her. ¡°H-Hikaru!¡± ¡°That¡¯s me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re safe.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t take the glimmering poisonous herb commission. There are Green Wolves in the woods. It¡¯s dangerous.¡± ¡°Oh, so you can keep track of the commission, huh? That¡¯s pretty neat.¡± ¡°It is. No, wait! I¡¯m glad you didn¡¯t go into the forest.¡± ¡°I did, though.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It was exhausting.¡± Hikaru pointed at his feet, and Freya looked down. There was a bulging burlap sack on the floor, with a glimmering poisonous herb sticking out of it. ¡°Y-You went to the forest?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°What about the Green Wolves?¡± ¡°I saw one.¡± ¡°Y-You did?! It should¡¯ve attacked you, and¡­ Oh, I get it.¡± Freya formed a conjecture in her head. The Green Wolf came close enough for Hikaru to see it, but it didn¡¯t approach him, despite noticing the human boy long before that. He was simply lucky. ¡°So you got lucky,¡± she said. ¡°Hmm? I guess I was lucky to find glimmering poisonous herbs without any problems, but all that walking left me exhausted.¡± Hikaru placed the sack on the counter. Freya¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Are these all glimmering poisonous herbs?¡± With this much, she thought he pulled the herbs out, roots and all. But much to her surprise, all that was in the bag were the necessary parts only¡ªthe petals and buds. ¡°How deep into the woods did you go? Actually, were you there all day? How did a Green Wolf not see you?¡± ¡°Um, can you give me a price first please? I¡¯m dying from hunger.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Freya¡¯s head was still in chaos, but she was sure of one thing. Hikaru said he was dying from hunger. If that was true, then he must¡¯ve searched for the glimmering poisonous herbs in an empty stomach while being scared of the Green Wolves. Freya couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for him. She couldn¡¯t be farther from the truth. Unaware that he just strolled around casually, taking his sweet time gathering the herbs, even taking naps in between, Freya hurriedly assessed the value of the goods. ¡°I¡¯m done calculating. The base payment for the supply of glimmering poisonous herbs is 200 gilans.¡± ¡°Phew¡­¡± Hikaru felt relieved. ¡°That should keep me fed for two, maybe three days.¡± Freya came to a realization. He must be flat broke. The cheapest street food cost 20 gilans, while the most expensive one cost 400. In short, if he was very frugal, he could have ten meals max. Freya felt more and more sorry for the boy. She grabbed his hand. ¡°It¡¯ll be all right, Hikaru!¡± ¡°¡­Okay?¡± What¡¯s with this woman? Hikaru gave her a confused look, which she didn¡¯t notice. ¡°200 gilans is just the base pay,¡± Freya said. ¡°R-Right¡­ So I get more for the herbs?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. Here¡¯s the final price. You brought 19 bundles of herbs. It¡¯s 1,000 gilans per bundle for a total of 19,000 gilans. Add to this an incentive for gathering this many¡­ I¡¯ll just round things up to a grand total of 20,000 gilans, base pay included.¡± Hikaru¡¯s jaw dropped. He was getting a hundred times more than he originally anticipated. Freya was as happy as he was. ¡°With this much in stock, I don¡¯t think there will be any commissions for gathering glimmering poisonous herbs anytime soon. But if we do post one again, I hope you¡¯ll take it. I expect great things from you!¡± ¡°You give me too much credit.¡± Freya meant to cheer him up, but Hikaru¡¯s face turned cold. For convenience, Freya gave Hikaru gold, silver, and copper coins. He shoved the pouch with the payment deep inside his clothes, and kept small change in his pockets. ¡°20,000 gilans¡­¡± He felt his cheeks loosen. Hikaru actually liked earning money. Despite being only fifteen, he created an account to trade stocks online. It was fun; it felt like he was fighting in the world of grown-ups. His parents, however, were worried about their son, who never made friends and stayed locked up in his room. ¡°She seemed much friendlier than when I asked her to make me a guild card. What happened?¡± Hikaru was puzzled by the change in Freya¡¯s behavior, but he couldn¡¯t possibly figure out the reason why. ¡°Expect great things from me, huh?¡± He couldn¡¯t live up to the name that his parents gave him. He wasn¡¯t sure how to react to someone saying that they had great expectations for him. The sun was setting, and the scarlet sky was slowly turning a pale blue. Food stalls closed at sundown; in fact, most of them were already closed. ¡°Oh, crap.¡± If he couldn¡¯t buy food from a food stall, he would have to eat at a tavern or a restaurant. He wanted to avoid that if possible, as it would mean staying inside the establishment for a while. He¡¯d be in trouble if someone recognized Roland¡¯s clothes. ¡°E-Excuse me!¡± Hikaru ran up to a food stall. ¡°Hmm? We¡¯re closing.¡± The other stalls were already closed. This was the only one still barely open. ¡°Every other stall is closed by now. You should¡¯ve come sooner.¡± ¡°I-I see¡­¡± Hikaru had no other choice. He had the money, but he just had to go to sleep with an empty stomach tonight. Then, his stomach rumbled. ¡°Oh?¡± The vendor burst out laughing. ¡°That was one sad stomach growl! Fine. You can have this for 10 gilans if you want.¡± He offered Hikaru leftover fried noodles wrapped in a huge leaf that looked like bamboo grass. ¡°A-Are you sure?¡± ¡°Next time, come buy food when we¡¯re open. See you.¡± A treasure. The greatest treasure in the whole world. Hikaru walked away, carrying the still-warm noodles that he bought for 10 gilans. Unable to control himself any longer, he entered a back alley, and after making sure that no one was around, he sat down behind a barrel and opened the leaf. His stomach growled from the aroma of spices wafting from within. There were no chopsticks or forks here. But it didn¡¯t matter. He relentlessly dug into the fried noodles. ¡°So good.¡± Hunger was the best appetizer. It was so scrumptious that his tongue tingled. Fat and meat juices ran wild inside his mouth. ¡°It¡¯s so good, Roland,¡± he told the owner of his body, who now only existed within his memories. Volume 1 - CH 2.1 While receiving the payment from Freya, Hikaru asked her a number of things, including where a beginner adventurer could stay for the night. He arrived at a place she told him about. A plain, square building with only a small signboard out front. Upon entering, he spotted a small counter, where he showed his Adventurers¡¯ guild card. ¡°100 gilans a night,¡± the employee said curtly. Hikaru handed one silver coin, then headed to the second floor where his room was. It was massively spacious, with a wooden floor covered in a straw mat. He was apparently supposed to just sleep on the floor. There were other adventurers besides him, either young or shady-looking. No one noticed Hikaru with his Stealth on. He didn¡¯t care for talking with adventurers his age. That went double for the suspicious characters. His stomach full from the noodles, Hikaru fell asleep. When he woke up the next morning, his body felt stiff all over. But sleeping indoors helped him recover his strength more than he thought; he wasn¡¯t sleepy, and his head was clear. Hikaru got up and went downstairs. Even with his Stealth off, the employee didn¡¯t so much as spare him a glance. I love this place. He wanted more of the fried noodles from yesterday, but the man¡¯s food stall wasn¡¯t open yet. It was too early. His full purse put his mind at ease. Looking around the bright streets, he saw numerous food stalls, selling fruits, sandwiches, deep-fried bread, ramen-like noodles, juice. ¡°Oh, they have it here too.¡± What drew Hikaru¡¯s attention was the hotdogs. Sausage wedged into a halved blackish bread. He raised a forefinger. ¡°Hey there, kid. It¡¯s 30 gilans each.¡± A muscular man in his late twenties¡ªwho was probably better off as an adventurer¡ªprepared the sandwich with swift efficiency. Hikaru took a bite. The owner was eagerly watching him eat, his face asking, ¡°Well? Tasty, right? Right?¡± Hikaru¡¯s expression changed. He was expressionless, to be exact. It tastes¡­ off¡­ The sausage was tender, the bread tough, but it wasn¡¯t that bad. The problem was the sauce. It was sweet and grassy. Why? Who¡¯s he selling this to? ¡°It¡¯s gotta be ketchup for hotdogs¡­¡± Hikaru muttered as he walked away. The vendor watched him go, dumbfounded. He thought Hikaru would shout, ¡°Yummy!¡± like a kid or something. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that kid? Hmm, he did say something. Ketchup? Did he mean the sauce?¡± He was deep in thought, muttering something under his breath. Since he was definitely staying in town for a while, Hikaru wandered around the streets, drawing a map in his head. He passed by the Adventurers¡¯ Guild in his stroll. He peered inside; there weren¡¯t a lot of people this early. Freya was behind the counter, head plopped down on the desk. ¡°¡­What¡¯s up with her? Is she asleep? Whatever.¡± Shopping for gear was on top of his to-do list today. I¡¯ll check for commissions later, Hikaru thought, then turned to leave. Freya abruptly rose. ¡°Hikaru!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I, uhh¡­¡± She seemed to have something to say. Hikaru sensed trouble. ¡°Good morning,¡± he greeted, then turned on his heel. There was, however, something he didn¡¯t expect. Freya flashed him a smile. ¡°Good morning to you too, Hikaru.¡± This is not good¡­ She¡¯s got huge knockers, sure, but man, a smile from a pretty lady is disorienting. Several people in the guild stirred. ¡°Hey, did Freya just¡­¡± ¡°She smiled! She did, right?! Not a forced one, but a sincere smile!¡± ¡°Who the hell is that kid?!¡± Freya seemed to have earned herself quite the reputation. She beckoned Hikaru, paying no attention to the adventurers. He couldn¡¯t possibly leave at this point. ¡°Thank you for coming,¡± Freya said. ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t come back.¡± ¡°What? Why not?¡± ¡°I failed to inform you about the Green Wolves. I should¡¯ve done a better job as a receptionist.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ it¡¯s fine. Though it might be better to accept commissions directly from the receptionist. You don¡¯t want adventurers just failing the commissions.¡± ¡°I know! But there¡¯s not a lot of receptionists around. Do you know what our job is?¡± ¡°The job of a receptionist? Uh¡­ adventurer registration and assessing goods?¡± Freya beckoned him closer. He was standing three meters away from the counter, and now they were face to face. I really don¡¯t want to draw attention to myself¡­ But refusing would definitely be offensive. ¡°Like you said, we assist with registration, issue guild cards, and assess the reward for completed commissions. We are also responsible for receiving commissions and answering questions about them.¡± ¡°Right. There¡¯s no one else around to answer questions, I guess.¡± ¡°Besides that, there¡¯s also arranging parties, identifying high-ranking adventurers and issuing emergency commissions, processing failed commissions, managing adventurers¡¯ ranks, and managing commissions on the bulletin board. All pretty straightforward, right?¡± ¡°Are there any other staff besides receptionists?¡± ¡°A great question! There¡¯s none.¡± Ugh, what is this place, a toxic company? ¡°We also have to manage guild funds, and supplied goods have to be sent to the Merchants¡¯ Guild. There¡¯s just too many things to do, right?¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why accepting commissions is automated. The royal capital¡¯s branch has more manpower, so they can afford to actually have someone be in charge of it.¡± ¡°I see. I understand now.¡± ¡°But that doesn¡¯t change the fact that you were in danger.¡± ¡°It¡¯s really fine. Honestly, I don¡¯t think I can handle any more apologies.¡± And those adventurers are staring daggers at me. ¡°Why are you so hung up on it anyway?¡± Hikaru asked. ¡°I¡¯ve seen how you treat the other adventurers. You¡¯re uhh¡­ how do I put it¡­ indifferent?¡± They mentioned something about forced smiles earlier. She was definitely friendly, but Hikaru felt like she was a little too nice to him. ¡°R-Really? Maybe it¡¯s because you¡¯re genuine?¡± ¡°Genuine?¡± ¡°The others are¡­ a little scary.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Getting swarmed by adventurers every single day would definitely make her scared of them. ¡°But you chose this job anyway, right?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Dark clouds seem to hang over Freya. ¡°Did I say something wrong?¡± Hikaru asked. ¡°Usually I can handle it.¡± ¡°Usually? So things are unusual right now?¡± ¡°We actually have four receptionists.¡± ¡°Four? Where are the other three then?¡± ¡°One went on a business trip with the guild submaster to the royal capital. The other is on her yearly home leave. And the last one¡¯s been sick since yesterday.¡± ¡°Oh. So that¡¯s why you had your head down on the counter. You¡¯re exhausted. Take it easy, now. Not that my saying that changes anything.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too kind.¡± Freya became a little teary-eyed. ¡°Ah, but you¡¯re a Civilian too, so don¡¯t push yourself too hard, okay? My shift ends at noon today. I¡¯ll find you a good commission tomorrow.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°There are lots of commissions out there that might seem attractive to a fledgling adventurer, but look like ¡®bait¡¯ to a professional receptionist like me.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ I appreciate the help, then.¡± ¡°You better.¡± Freya smiled. Does she think of me as a younger brother or something? I can¡¯t tell. Hikaru could only guess, as he didn¡¯t know much about her. He had no way of knowing how important genuine adventurers were to Freya. ¡°I¡¯ll come back some other time, then,¡± Hikaru said. ¡°No, wait.¡± ¡°Hmm? Is something wrong?¡± ¡°I heard something while strolling around downtown. Some bigshot was murdered, I think. Does the Adventurers¡¯ Guild have anything to do with it?¡± Freya¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°That news is super top secret. Only a few people know. Where did you hear about it?¡± Oh, crap. I didn¡¯t know it was top secret. News of Count Morgstadt¡¯s death was being suppressed a lot more than he expected. ¡°I heard it while I was wandering around starving so my memories are a bit fuzzy. You said it¡¯s top secret, but you know about it too. Does that mean an adventurer was involved?¡± ¡°It couldn¡¯t have been an adventurer.¡± Oh, she sounds pretty sure. ¡°They came to the guild for an inquiry, asking us to check if there¡¯s an adventurer with a powerful assassination Blessing.¡± ¡°Huh, so you help with investigations too.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± The dark clouds around her grew thicker. ¡°In other words, I only know about it through sheer coincidence. It looked like they weren¡¯t expecting much from the inquiry anyway. Wait, I¡¯ve said too much.¡± Freya raised a hand to her mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone about this, okay?¡± ¡°Got it.¡± So they don¡¯t suspect me. Good. ¡°Don¡¯t poke your nose where it doesn¡¯t belong now,¡± Freya said with the air of a senior. ¡°That¡¯s the adventurer¡¯s ironclad rule.¡± Hikaru couldn¡¯t possibly tell her that he didn¡¯t just poke his nose, he was the culprit himself. Volume 1 - CH 2.2 After leaving the guild, Hikaru bought daily necessities: spare underwear, soap, a hand towel, a toothbrush, magic flint, a rope, and a knapsack to put them all in. He spent a total of 500 gilans. ¡°Uh¡­ armor¡­ oh, here we are.¡± He wanted to get out of Roland¡¯s clothes, so he decided to buy clothes and armor first. Freya told him about this place earlier. Dodorono¡¯s Armor Workshop. Dodorono was the name of the owner. It was common in this world to incorporate the craftsman¡¯s name in the name of their shop. ¡°Wow¡­¡± As soon as he stepped in, Hikaru was stunned. The clothes on the wooden mannequins were all fancy and frilled. There were even gothic lolita outfits. I¡¯m sure the owner is someone with refined tastes. ¡°Welcome!¡± A deep, thick voice came from within. ¡°Thanks fer comin¡¯ to me workshop!¡± A dwarf. A male dwarf with a long, frizzy, braided beard. ¡°¡­¡± It¡¯s a dwarf. Known for their smithing skills. Beings that sing ¡°hey ho!¡± while drinking booze. So why is this one in the clothing business? ¡°I know what yer thinkin¡¯. How can a dwarf be so¡­¡± ¡°Ah, no. I wasn¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Out with it, lad!¡± Dodorono stomped his foot, then smiled. ¡°How can a dwarf be so fashionable?! Aren¡¯t ye the honest lad? I like an honest folk, aye!¡± What an extremely positive guy. Hikaru told Dodorono his budget, and the dwarf picked an outfit for him. ¡°Looks good on ye!¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± ¡°Guhahaha! How do you like me fashion sense?!¡± ¡°Anyway, thank you very much.¡± ¡°Hey, answer the question!¡± After paying, Hikaru left Dodorono¡¯s Armor Workshop. At first he thought, ¡°the name says armor, but all you have are fancy clothes,¡± but apparently they were made with raw materials from monsters and were way tougher than iron-made armor. Following Dodorono¡¯s recommendation, he bought and donned the following: A Night Wolf Coat: an overall made with the jet-black hide of a Night Wolf. Quite tough, yet light. Helps conceal the wearer¡¯s presence from others. But its pitch-black color makes it too stuffy under direct sunlight. Night Wolf Boots: same as above. Silver threads are used for its laces, a trademark of Dodorono¡¯s fashion style. A cloak (made of cloth): made to repel direct sunlight. Hooded. Including size adjustments, he paid a total of 9,500 gilans. Hikaru found it quite expensive, but it was actually a steal. Dodorono¡¯s skills were top-notch, but the prejudice about dwarves being blacksmiths prevented his store from flourishing. So he bought cheap materials and sold his goods at a discount to new adventurers. Even then, these new adventurers eventually moved on to other shops because of their prejudice once they were making enough money. ¡°They grow up so fast!¡± Dodorono was smiling, but there was a note of sadness in his voice. Hikaru folded Roland¡¯s clothes and placed them inside a knapsack. He then left the store, found a place to burn garbage, and set the clothes on fire there. It felt like a waste, but there was a chance that Morgstadt¡¯s murder would be traced back to him if he kept wearing them. With his Stealth on, people from the neighborhood did not notice him. Now he was completely free of Roland. All that remained with him was his body. Hikaru then went straight to a blacksmith so he could buy weapons. They were crucial for self-defense, but he also thought that as an adventurer, he had to have a weapon. He was a young man indeed. He arrived at a place called Leniwood¡¯s Weapon Workshop. Smoke was billowing from its chimney. Hikaru stepped into the shop. Swords filled the walls. Metal armors stood on display. Wooden swords that looked like what people sold in Kyoto were in a corner on sale. ¡°Welcome! I¡¯ve never seen you around before.¡± A dashing fellow appeared, and Hikaru froze on the spot. Again. ¡°Smithing is art, and art is strength!¡± he declared, rolling up his sleeves. He was skinny¡­ in fact, he was a male elf, with pointy ears and all that. Blond hair. Green eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t discriminate against young customers. What do you think of this claymore? Isn¡¯t it just a wonder to look at? It actually has a special effect!¡± A special effect, huh? Hikaru studied the claymore hanging on the wall. A two-handed sword, with a blade about a meter long. He couldn¡¯t use it, but it must be quite the weapon if it had a special effect. ¡°It boosts Spirit Magic!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Hikaru almost blurted out a, ¡°What?¡± Spirit Magic? But aren¡¯t swords used for physical attacks? ¡°Next we have this steel longbow. This one also comes with a special effect.¡± He puffed out his chest. ¡°Cold wind blows after you shoot an arrow!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Pointless¡­ or rather, meaningless. ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking,¡± the elf said. ¡°I can see it in your face. ¡®Why? What¡¯s it for?¡¯¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m not really thinking that¡­¡± Perhaps there was some very important point to the special effect. It didn¡¯t sound like it, though. ¡°Listen closely! You see, after shooting an arrow¡­ it gets cold!¡± I knew it was meaningless! Why did I even think that maybe the arrow would have some kind of special effect?! ¡°Your outfit¡­ you got that from Dodorono, yeah?¡± ¡°Uh, yes.¡± The elf¡¯s expression suddenly turned serious. ¡°I see. You¡¯re here through Freya¡¯s referral. Then I must give you something decent. I¡¯m Leniwood Mal Evora. What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Hikaru.¡± ¡°Hikaru, it is! I got something nice here for you!¡± Just like with Dodorono, Leniwood picked a weapon for him. Dagger of Strength: 5,000 gilans. A dagger preferred by agile people. For some reason, it had the effect of increasing one¡¯s arm strength. With a length of 25 centimeters, it looked more like a knife handy for everyday use rather than a dagger for killing. Hikaru chose the weapon as it was easy for him to get close with his Stealth. He wanted a weapon that would prove mighty in short range. Also his budget was tight. The other weapons cost over 10,000 gilans. Just like that, he was down to 4,860 gilans in just one day. ¡°But now I¡¯m fully equipped.¡± It¡¯s time for an adventure. The Adventurers¡¯ Guild¡¯s counter, a place where beautiful ladies greeted adventurers. ¡°Hmmhmhm~!¡± ¡°Well, aren¡¯t we in a good mood?¡± A lady in a receptionist uniform smiled as she watched Freya do her work swiftly, accepting quests and drafting reports. She had long, purple hair tied to both sides that cascaded down her chest. Her slanted eyes opened slightly as she spoke in a soft voice. Her name was Gloria. With her two large bosoms, she was known as the Best Soothing Receptionist among the adventurers. It is to be noted that there is no criterion for breast size in hiring receptionists for the guild. These two women just happened to be endowed. ¡°S-Sorry. Was I bothering you?¡± ¡°Of course not. I¡¯m still recovering, so I¡¯m just a little envious.¡± Gloria held her cheeks and heaved a sigh. The adventurers were astir. ¡°Is Gloria okay?¡± ¡°Is she not feeling well?¡± ¡°Are you fine now? I was worried about you.¡± Freya put on a diplomatic smile. Freya wasn¡¯t comfortable around Gloria. She could sometimes glimpse malice behind her gentle voice whenever they were talking. Freya¡¯s hunch was always right on the mark, so there was no doubt about it. Not that Gloria ever meant harm to Freya. Gloria herself was highly capable, so there was never any problem with her work. ¡°I heard there¡¯s an adventurer you¡¯re enamored with,¡± Gloria said. ¡°What?! I-It¡¯s not like that¡­¡± ¡°What kind of an adventurer are they?¡± The adventurers stirred again. ¡°What? Did Freya get a boyfriend?¡± ¡°Hell no. Probably just a guy hitting on her.¡± ¡°I heard there¡¯s a guy that made her smile. A genuine smile!¡± ¡°What?!¡± Stop, please, stop, Freya cried deep inside. ¡°I-I don¡¯t have any feelings for Hikaru.¡± ¡°So his name is Hikaru,¡± Gloria said. ¡°Ah!¡± Freya had dug herself a hole. She was indeed relieved that Hikaru dropped by the guild today. She cared about the boy who didn¡¯t really possess any talent or powerful Blessings. As for his looks, Freya thought he was cute, though he didn¡¯t stand out much. He was diligent and honest when it came to commissions. Her overall assessment was: he was the kind of adventurer rarely seen these days. Freya was thinking how much fun her job would be if there were more adventurers like him. So yes, Gloria was right. ¡°A-Anyway, I¡¯m almost done with my shift. Bye!¡± Freya bowed and hurried away from the counter, her ears red. ¡°¡­Hmm?¡± Gloria saw Freya off with a smile, but that smile was now gone. Behind her slightly-parted eyelids, her purple eyes glinted sharply. ¡°Freya sure is enthusiastic.¡± There were also adventurers who watched Freya go bitterly. Adventurers who were gunning for her affection. Volume 1 - CH 2.3 Hikaru, oblivious to what had transpired at the guild¡¯s counter, headed to the guild after a quick lunch at a food stall. He had changed his outfit, so he could¡¯ve gone into a restaurant instead, but he had taken a liking to street food. Today¡¯s lunch was some mix between a quiche and okonomiyaki. An unfamiliar woman was at the counter. Though just like with Freya, adventurers also surrounded her. ¡°What¡¯s the guild up to gathering pretty ladies?¡± Hikaru wondered. ¡°Is there some kind of a statistic that shows there¡¯s a high survival rate for adventurers if the receptionist is beautiful? Freya said there was so much work, but because the pay is really good, the job attracts pretty women? Is that it?¡± Nonetheless, Hikaru was relieved Freya wasn¡¯t around. She looked completely exhausted. She should have plenty of time to rest in the afternoon. Since Freya wasn¡¯t around, Hikaru assumed no one would call for him. He went straight to the bulletin board. The commissions were separated by fields: Plant Hunter, Monster Hunter, etc. The category with the fewer commissions was Bodyguard. Although most of them required ten or more adventurers. There weren¡¯t a lot of quests that a rank G adventurer could take. I think it¡¯s still hard for me to get involved in fights¡­ He scanned the board and found jobs like cleaning or shopping. I should be able to do these. The rewards are more like tips, though. ¡°Are you looking for commissions?¡± The purple-haired woman from the counter was standing next to him. She smelled sweet. Why is she talking to me? Then he realized that Gloria was carrying a bunch of commission forms. He concluded that she was here to post new commissions, not talk to him. Makes sense. She doesn¡¯t know me, after all. Hikaru understood, but the adventurers did not. ¡°Hey, why is Gloria talking to that dude?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he the guy that made Freya cry?¡± ¡°I heard he threatens Freya so she¡¯d sleep with him every night.¡± Ridiculous statements were flying about. Gloria looked puzzled. Hmm? She spoke to the boy who she assumed was Hikaru¡ªthe one on Freya¡¯s mind. And yet, she didn¡¯t feel anything special from him. So she decided to do some probing. ¡°I have a commission here that might be right up your alley,¡± Gloria said. ¡°What¡¯s your rank?¡± Hikaru showed his guild card, confirming Gloria¡¯s guess. So his name really is Hikaru. No family name. So he can¡¯t be a noble. It was not uncommon for adventurers to not have family names. There were plenty of ordinary citizens with family names. But for orphans or those who¡¯d left their home, their family names did not show up in their Soul¡¯s Records. He¡¯s neither a noble nor someone wealthy¡­ In that case, it¡¯s his Blessing? Just ever so slightly, Gloria¡¯s soft eyebrows drew together in a frown. The Blessing displayed on his guild card was Metropolitan Residents, Townspeople, and Villagers Relief God: Civilian. He was just an ordinary guy. ¡°Mr. Hikaru,¡± she said. ¡°What other Blessings do you have besides Civilian?¡± Young boys liked to show off. If he had a unique Blessing, he would select it. Especially if a pretty lady like her talked to him. He would want to brag. Such was the nature of men. ¡°Um, I¡¯m not sure I understand your question,¡± the boy replied. ¡°I¡¯m a guild staff, so please tell me. Freya knows too, right?¡± ¡°I have no other Blessing,¡± he insisted, shaking his head. No other Blessing? Only Civilian? No. Freya must have told him to hide it. She got the jump on me. Hiding it only made Gloria more curious. Perhaps he had an extraordinary four-character Blessing for a rookie. Or a three-character one. No, three characters was too much. In that case, I should make him like me, not Freya. ¡°How about this commission?¡± Gloria said, presenting a piece of paper. ¡°It¡¯s just a delivery, so it won¡¯t take long. It¡¯s perfect for a Civilian like you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Hikaru studied the commission form. ¡°Not bad. Looks like I can get it done by the end of the day.¡± ¡°All right. Please wait inside the booth, so I can give you the details.¡± Gloria led the way with a dark smile. After accepting the delivery quest, Hikaru left the guild. ¡¾Quest Hunter¡¿ ¡¾Delivery¡¿Deliver a letter to Kelbeck, an Artificer living in Pond. ¡¾Reward¡¿200 gilans Gloria showed Hikaru a map of Pond to guide him to the delivery address. Since maps were expensive, and what the guild had was special-made and detailed, they couldn¡¯t lend it to others. Now that he thought about it, the map in the archives was simple. ¡°That lady seemed to be up to something,¡± Hikaru mumbled. There were moments when Gloria had a cold look in her eyes as though she could see right through him. She thought she was hiding it well, but Hikaru¡¯s senses were currently sharp. He could sense hostiles easily. A simple-minded adventurer might be fooled, but not him. Hikaru felt sorry for Freya for having to work with her. She seemed to get the short end of the stick a lot. ¡°Left turn at this intersection.¡± Hikaru followed the route Gloria told him about. Unless something serious was going down, he knew better than to use Stealth when walking through town. People would bump into him if he had it on. Pond was a mid-sized town in the kingdom of Ponsonia, the kingdom where Roland lived his life as a noble. It had a population of about six thousand and was located next to the kingdom¡¯s royal capital, G. Ponsonia. The town served as a distribution center for the capital, earning it the nicknames ¡°Royal Capital¡¯s Leftovers¡± and the place where ¡°Everything is Inferior¡±. But a different perspective would say that it was a nice, orderly town where the necessary stores were all within reach. ¡°Now, then¡­ this is a good chance to test out the effectiveness of my Stealth.¡± Hikaru couldn¡¯t do it yesterday as he was starving. So he opted to test it today, while he was on his way to work on a commission. First, let¡¯s turn it off. ¡°Hey there, kid! Would you like to buy some fruits?¡± As expected, a man behind his food stall called out to him, as he did with ordinary citizens. Next Hikaru turned on Life Cloaking and Mana Cloaking. The results were a bit unexpected. ¡°Hello there, laddie. How about flowers for your mother?¡± Life Cloaking and Mana Cloaking both barely had any effect. After thinking about it for a while, he arrived at an obvious conclusion. These two Skills were used to hide oneself from Life Detection and Mana Detection Skills. Unless there was someone with these detection Skills, using Cloaking Skills were pretty much pointless. What was impressive, however, was Imperceptibility. ¡°¡­¡± Passing in front of people didn¡¯t draw their attention. He elicited some reaction when he waved both his hands or clapped to make a sound. ¡°Hmm? Ohhh? How long have you been standing there, kid? ¡° Once he was noticed, the Skills effects weakened. But if they turned away for even an instant, they would lose sight of him again. ¡°What? Where¡¯d he go?¡± Maybe it¡¯s less me affecting others and more like a curtain appears that hides me. An active camouflage and noise canceller. Incredible. Imperceptibility had six different levels, from off to 1, 2, and all the way to 5. Is there even a point in setting it to level one? Well, whatever¡­ But that wasn¡¯t all. There was still something even more incredible. The divine buff from the selected Blessing. The moment Hikaru selected Stealth God: Bearer of Darkness2, people seemed to act like he didn¡¯t exist. Waving his hands in front of them or clapping close to their ears did nothing to draw their attention. I¡¯m like invisible or something. But sneaking into the women¡¯s bath or burgling still wouldn¡¯t be easy. Hikaru had realized that his Stealth had a weakness. Traps¡ªsimilar to those found in dungeons, which incidentally existed in this world. There would definitely be anti-burglar traps set around mansions. He could hide himself from others, but he couldn¡¯t disable traps. Sneaking into a women¡¯s bath might be possible, but there weren¡¯t any public baths in this kingdom. With the climate being warm all year, nobles and millionaires pretty much only had saunas in their homes. Maybe¡­ just maybe, I got myself something extraordinary. With his Stealth+Blessing combo, there would barely be any risk to his life. Though there was still the possibility of bumping into others if they couldn¡¯t see him. I can¡¯t be too cocky. After all, I died in an accident. He just had to focus. Once couldn¡¯t be too careful. Next, I need to check out the Soul Board. Hikaru felt that he needed to do more research on the Soul Board. Was it just used to put points on Skills? Or did it have a different use case? ¡°Hello, Mister.¡± By pure coincidence, Hikaru came across the girl who gave him directions to the guild. He was surprised, as he didn¡¯t expect to see her again. He thought this was some kind of fate¡ªlike someone was telling him to test the Soul Board. Hikaru summoned his Soul Board. ¡°Can you see this?¡± he asked. ¡°Is there something there?¡± the girl asked back. She couldn¡¯t see it. He moved his hand away, and the board just stayed there, floating in the air. He tried lifting it and swinging it around, but to no avail. He wasn¡¯t using his Stealth either, of course. So others can¡¯t see it, huh? Hmm? Suddenly Hikaru felt something from deep within the young girl¡¯s core. He tried focusing on it. ¡¾Soul Board¡¿Rana Valcon Age: 4 | Rank: 4 ¡°What?¡± He could see it. Hikaru could see someone else¡¯s Soul Board. He didn¡¯t expect this. Volume 1 - CH 2.4 ¡°Mister?¡± ¡°G-Give me a sec. I need to calm down.¡± Hikaru moved away from the girl, about five meters, and the Soul Board disappeared. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± he asked. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± She was being extremely cautious. ¡°Ah, I mean, I asked you the way to the guild before. I made it there and got myself a guild card. I wanted to say thanks, and I thought it would be rude not to know your name.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ My name¡¯s Rana.¡± Aha! So that really was her Soul Board! ¡°I see. Thank you. Here¡¯s something to show my gratitude.¡± He handed her a silver coin. ¡°Wow! So pretty! Money?!¡± She was elated. I¡¯m sorry. This is for science. Hikaru opened her Soul Board again. ¡°Unlock Soul Board? Consume 1 point.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Yes what?¡± ¡°Uh, it¡¯s nothing.¡± The Vitality screen was unlocked. ¡¾Vitality¡¿ ¡¾Natural Recovery¡¿0 ¡¾Stamina¡¿0 ¡¾Immunity¡¿ ¡¾Perception¡¿ Her total points had gone down by one. So not only can I see other people¡¯s Soul Boards, I can spend their points as well. Hikaru shuddered. He had full access to everyone¡¯s Skill Trees. His Stealth alone was a powerful Skill. What if he searched for trustworthy allies and put points on their magical abilities or sword skills? Nah, it can¡¯t be that easy. Hikaru quickly collected himself. Points spent couldn¡¯t be recovered. There was the possibility of his ally turning into an enemy. He could not spend other people¡¯s points unless they were someone he could really trust¡ªsomeone he could share his secret with. ¡°Thanks for everything, Rana,¡± Hikaru said. ¡°If you¡¯re ever in trouble, I¡¯ll be there to help you.¡± Though he felt it was not enough as an apology for using up her points, he gave her one more silver coin anyway. The girl went home ecstatic. ¡°Now, then¡­¡± Hikaru resumed walking. ¡°There¡¯s one more thing.¡± When he summoned his own Soul Board earlier, he noticed something. He hadn¡¯t checked it since he first spent his points, so he only saw it now. ¡¾Soul Board¡¿Hikaru Age: 15 | Rank: 4 | 4 His points had increased. ¡°It definitely has something to do with this.¡± There was one thing different from last time: the number below the ¡°Rank¡± field was now 4. ¡°When did I gain ranks? If I recall correctly, you only gain ranks when you kill a monster.¡± Hikaru couldn¡¯t recall killing any monsters. He picked some poisonous herbs, but he didn¡¯t kill them. He did, however, take down¡ªkill¡ªa human being. ¡°Wait a sec.¡± A monster was defined as a creature that brought harm to humans. A very vague definition. ¡°What if it¡¯s not about killing monsters specifically, but killing living things that are powerful to some degree¡­¡± In short, he gained ranks by killing Count Morgstadt. ¡°¡­¡± He was honestly thankful for the points. But he had mixed feelings about gaining them through murder. He needed time to think before spending them. ¡°I think it¡¯s this way.¡± Following the route Gloria told him about, Hikaru wound up at a place with an irrigation canal. As he climbed down a crumbling set of stairs, his nose caught a rank smell that hung thick in the air. ¡°Hmm¡­ this looks like it.¡± He spotted an underground tunnel that ran along the canal¡ªthe sewer systems. Sounds of flapping wings came from within. Bats, probably. Hikaru activated his Stealth, and the bats and rats inside the tunnel calmed down. I hope I don¡¯t get some weird disease from those things. I doubt the viruses in this world are the same as those on Earth. Though he had his Stealth and Blessing on, he proceeded cautiously. The water flowing down the sewers wasn¡¯t that filthy, but the stench was unbearable. Hikaru searched Roland¡¯s knowledge. Every major city had sewers. Any sorts of excrement and sewage were gathered in one spot underground, where monsters called Chaos Slimes absorbed the filth, purifying the water. As a by-product, these monsters released nitre and compost that merchants would regularly collect. So this water is from the Chaos Slimes. Hikaru proceeded through a poorly-made walkway by the sewer. Stones had crumbled in places, exposing the bare dirt underneath. It was getting darker. He contemplated whether to use the small lamp he bought this morning. Would using a light in this darkness expose him even with his Stealth on? Light could easily extend to places beyond one¡¯s reach. He didn¡¯t think he could expand the range of his Stealth that far. I¡¯ll just go as far as I can. Steeling himself, he continued on slowly. So who the hell is this Kelbeck guy to be living in a place like this? He¡¯s an Artificer, so I¡¯m guessing he makes magic items. Suddenly he heard voices. The bats stirred. ¡°So yeah¡­¡± ¡°For real? Sounds like an easy job¡­¡± Hikaru looked over his shoulder and spotted two men carrying a lamp coming from behind him. Is that Kelbeck? They didn¡¯t look friendly. The scars on their cheeks marked them clearly as thugs. He hurried on. There was a section along the way where the wall had collapsed, about three meters deep. Hide and let them pass first? Or go onward? He thought about it for a bit, then chose to hide. It was an expected choice for him. Stepping on the dirt, he entered the hollow area. He crouched down and held his breath. ¡°So you met the client.¡± ¡°He was like ¡®another job well done¡¯.¡± ¡°Stealing would be a lot easier.¡± ¡°Hey, killing is not allowed.¡± ¡°I know that. The boss hates bloodshed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it. The authorities will step in if someone¡¯s killed.¡± ¡°Are you sure? The boss¡­ hmm?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± The pair stopped in their tracks near Hikaru. ¡°These footprints look small.¡± There were footprints left on the mud. Hikaru learned that there was no point in using Stealth if the user was going to leave traces of them behind. ¡°There¡¯s more orphans in Pond recently. They might¡¯ve wandered in the sewers.¡± ¡°You¡¯re probably right¡­¡± They concluded that the footprints were left by orphans. An expected outcome. Hikaru was testing if he could hide his tracks as well. A lamp would most likely give him away. Light reached far and reflected all over the place. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We don¡¯t want to make Kelbeck wait.¡± ¡°Yeah. The bossman can get really scary.¡± They passed by Hikaru, not noticing him at all. He mentioned Kelbeck just now. Hikaru followed the men. This time, he paid careful attention to his footsteps. In one section of the sewers was a residential area away from the eyes of the authorities. It was hardly a great environment to live in, of course. The outside smelled of sewage, and there was no sunlight all year round. But it was warm in the winter, and proper indoor ventilation kept the stench out. Above all, it was a great place to devise plots that you couldn¡¯t talk about in the open. ¡°Hmm? You¡¯re five minutes late.¡± ¡°S-Sorry. This guy just had to go hit on some girls.¡± ¡°What?! Why would you snitch on your boy?!¡± ¡°Shut up! You¡¯re both responsible!¡± A man who clearly didn¡¯t give a damn about manners was perched on a chair, his legs outstretched on a fine table that seemed out-of-place in such a setting. Red, flame-like tattoos ran from his forehead to his right cheek, to the back of his neck and down to his body. The men that Hikaru followed were standing before him. ¡°Well¡­ you did okay on your job, ¡± the man said. Relief appeared on the men¡¯s faces. ¡°We¡¯ll be leaving, then.¡± ¡°Aight. Make sure you work hard.¡± After showing them both to the door, the man with the red tattoo turned, and froze. ¡°Hello.¡± There shouldn¡¯t be anyone else in the room. And yet, a boy was sitting on his desk. ¡°Who the hell are you?!¡± ¡°Oops, no violence please. I¡¯m not here to pick a fight.¡± The boy carried himself like a complete amateur. The man didn¡¯t think he had any sort of martial arts training, though he was wearing some decent gear. The man brandished his dagger warily. ¡°Where¡¯d you come from?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m here for a delivery.¡± The boy presented something. ¡°Huh? Is that a letter?¡± For a moment, the man thought it could be some sort of a magic scroll disguised as a letter. No way. If the boy could use magic, he could just blow him up right there and then. ¡°You don¡¯t want it? I¡¯d really appreciate it if you take it.¡± The boy looked legitimately distressed. The man felt stupid for being completely on guard around him. ¡°Tsk.¡± Sheathing his dagger, he strode toward the boy and snatched the letter from his hand. ¡°Ah¡­ It¡¯s from the Adventurers¡¯ Guild. Hmm, yes. I see.¡± After skimming through the letter, the man turned his attention back to the boy. ¡°Let¡¯s have a talk.¡± ¡°You want to know how I got in here?¡± ¡°Good, you know. That¡¯ll save us both some time. Take a seat.¡± He pointed at a chair beside the table. ¡°What¡¯s in it for me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell the Adventurers¡¯ Guild one of their guys trespassed into my place.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t want to get in trouble. But that only applies to a typical residence.¡± ¡°Just shut up and take a seat.¡± The boy sat down. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Hikaru. You¡¯re Kelbeck, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Kelbeck had short-trimmed red hair, with features that painted him as a veteran mercenary. As such, kids would normally tremble before him and wet their pants when he shot them a glare. But this boy was different. ¡°So, who let you in here?¡± ¡°Huh? No one.¡± ¡°What?¡± Kelbeck stood up, left the room to check something, and came back. ¡°It looks like you¡¯re telling the truth. You¡¯d have to get through three rooms before getting here. I have lookouts stationed in each room.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t notice? Every room has a lookout. I¡¯m actually quite the big shot, so I have to protect myself. Not one of them noticed you, though. How?¡± ¡°Just lucky, I guess.¡± ¡°Bullshit.¡± Kelbeck was getting more and more uneasy. He was face-to-face with a strange kid who said he came here for an errand from the Adventurers¡¯ Guild. Going by the contents of the letter, he was most likely telling the truth. Normally, someone from the guild would be questioned at the entrance by his men. If they were a suspicious fellow, they¡¯d ask the guild for information. Actually, they¡¯d still do the same even if they were not suspicious. Yet this boy just waltzed right in. It was then that Kelbeck noticed the boy¡¯s outfit. ¡°I see. It¡¯s your gear, isn¡¯t it? You¡¯re wearing clothes made out of raw materials from Night Wolves¡ªthe evolved form of ordinary wolves. Yeah, they¡¯re perfect for concealing your presence.¡± Hikaru¡¯s eyebrow twitched. Looks like I hit the mark, Kelbeck thought. Of course, he never imagined that the boy was a master of concealing his presence completely. ¡°It¡¯s decent gear. But there¡¯s more to you than that. There¡¯s something inside you. You don¡¯t cower before me. You¡¯ve got the spunk.¡± ¡°Thank you. Can you please sign?¡± The boy casually presented the commission form. Kelbeck took it with a click of his tongue. He then signed it, took out a card from his pocket¡ªa soul card issued by a temple¡ªand pressed it against the commission from, verifying his identity. The paper glowed faintly, and the delivery was now complete. ¡°Bye.¡± ¡°Hold it right there. What do you think I am?¡± ¡°An Artificer¡­¡± Hikaru paused and flashed a grin. ¡°¡­is your designation, but you¡¯re actually a leader of an underground organization.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kelbeck fell silent. Because he was right. ¡°Not that I care,¡± the boy added. Kelbeck snorted. ¡°Think you¡¯re hot shit, huh? For the record, on the surface we¡¯re called the Thieves Guild. Though we don¡¯t target the poor.¡± ¡°I suppose not. Otherwise, you¡¯d have attacked me already and asked questions later.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re ever in trouble, just bring up my name and I¡¯ll help you out. Not for free, of course. It¡¯s called give and take.¡± ¡°You should pray I don¡¯t cause trouble for the Thieves Guild.¡± ¡°Big words.¡± Hikaru left the room. ¡°Creepy kid,¡± Kelbeck mumbled. ¡°But he¡¯s got potential.¡± Volume 1 - CH 2.5 It was a simple errand, but doing various tests on the way consumed quite a lot of time. The sun was already setting; the sky was turning dark red. When Hikaru returned to the guild, there weren¡¯t a lot of adventurers around. There wasn¡¯t anyone back when he delivered the poisonous herbs too, but that was because it was already closing time. Right now, there was still a little less than an hour before sunset. Yet there were only a few adventurers present. ¡°Hmm?¡± Hikaru learned the reason immediately. ¡°There you go. All done. You should head home early and get some rest, okay? ¡°Are you free after this? How about din¨C¡± ¡°You should head home early and get some rest, okay?¡± ¡°No, wait. Let¡¯s go out for din¨C¡± ¡°You should head home early and get some rest, okay?¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Gloria kept repeating the exact same words with a radiant smile. The adventurers didn¡¯t feel like staying after going through that kind of exchange, so they quickly dispersed. It was impressive how she made it seem like she cared about them. Adventurers were returning from their commissions, and Gloria processed them all skilfully and efficiently. She was quick in assessing materials as well. Hikaru made it to the front of the line in no time at all. ¡°Next. Huh?¡± As soon as Gloria saw Hikaru, her eyes grew wide. It was getting dark outside, and the Adventurers¡¯ Guild was closing for the day. Gloria was pulling down the shutters, deep in thought. Kelbeck is a big shot in the Thieves¡¯ Guild. He¡¯s like the head of the Pond branch. There¡¯s no way he could get to him that easily. Even if he was there for an errand from the Adventurers¡¯ Guild, the moment he stepped into the sewers, Kelbeck¡¯s men would¡¯ve taken him into custody. Once Hikaru was detained, the Thieves Guild would inquire with the Adventurers¡¯ Guild for information. Enter: Gloria. In the Adventurers¡¯ Guild¡¯s Pond branch, a guild receptionist could act as a representative in negotiations. After being saved by Gloria from the Thieves Guild, Hikaru would owe her a debt of gratitude. Then she could get all sorts of information out of him. That was her plan. How did he meet Kelbeck? When I ask him, he just gives me vague answers. He simply said, ¡°I just met him normally.¡± I¡¯m getting more and more curious. Gloria¡¯s mouth secretly curved into a smile. A dark one. The reward for the delivery to Kelbeck was 200 gilans. A reasonable amount, considering it would¡¯ve only taken thirty minutes to get there and back Inefficient. That was Hikaru¡¯s conclusion. Even in RPGs, it was normal for delivery quests to have awful rewards. You could earn more coin efficiently by taking recurring commissions and Boss Kill quests. Now the question is: what do I do once I earn more? Hikaru flopped down on the floor of the same inn he stayed at last night. He could¡¯ve forked out more and stayed in a better inn, but he wanted to save. He currently had 4,890 gilans left. First, I need to save a huge sum so I can live a comfortable life in this world. Second, look for ways to return to my world. Third, immerse myself in a hobby. But I don¡¯t really have one¡­ Hikaru loved reading books. He played video games as well and liked studying. He wasn¡¯t bad at sports, but he didn¡¯t care much for it. Try as he might, he didn¡¯t have the ability to become the best. So he thought it was inefficient to bust his chops for clubs that required some level of tenacity. There¡¯s more to the world than just efficiency. Then again, there¡¯s really nothing else I want to do¡­ That¡¯s it. I just have to find something I want to do. I should see what they have here in this world. See the world, and then decide what to do. The thought of going on a journey of self-discovery made him uncharacteristically excited. This was not a world where you could easily find out what was sold in stores on the other side of the world via the Internet. The idea of touring such a world was thrilling. And for that, I need money! Funds! It¡¯s all about efficiency! From going on an epic adventure back to efficiency. If I want to be efficient, I need to make better use of the Soul Board. His experiments with Stealth concluded today. He had a better grasp of its utility now. Although nerve-wracking, his infiltration into Kelbeck¡¯s office was a success. Though he failed to notice the lookouts. Put in another way, he could hide, but couldn¡¯t detect. Detection Skill, huh¡­ There was something like a Perception on the Board¡¯s first window. He summoned his Soul Board. ¡¾Vitality¡¿ ¡¾Natural Recovery¡¿0 ¡¾Stamina¡¿0 ¡¾Immunity¡¿ ¡¾Perception¡¿ Hikaru surmised that unlocking Perception would reveal Smell or Hearing fields. Although, just one point on Imperceptibility applied to all the senses. Well, you can improve your sense of skill for other purposes besides just detecting people. I can understand why just one point in Imperceptibility applies to all senses. Its only use is to not get detected by others, after all. Hikaru assumed that every point was equal all across the board. Therefore, improving my perception would be inefficient. He had four points available. He used the Soul Board to study each stat. Immunity and Perception, fields that needed to be unlocked first, both had the same description. ¡¾Immunity¡¿Unlock Skills related to Immunity. ¡¾Perception¡¿Unlock Skills related to Perception. So first, he checked every item with the number 0¡ªSkills he could already allocate points on. ¡¾Natural Recovery¡¿Enhances the ability to heal external wounds. Max: 20. ¡¾Stamina¡¿Enhance ability to sustain prolonged physical effort and recover from fatigue. Max: 20. ¡¾Mana Capacity¡¿Increases total mana¡ªthe resource expended when casting a magic spell. Max: 30 ¡¾Muscle Strength¡¿Increase strength of the muscles. Max: 30. ¡¾Power Burst¡¿Enhance ability to exert strength in an instant. Max: 15. What surprised Hikaru was the maximum points allowed. Skills under Stealth required five points max. Assassination only required three. But the ones he checked now required ten or thirty points to get maxed. So what, they¡¯re divided into primary attributes and the actual applications? The stats that didn¡¯t need to be unlocked required more points to max. They all had something to do with basic attributes of a living being. What would happen if I put 30 points in Strength? Maybe I can crush a boulder with my bare hands or lift a whole house. Yeah, right¡­ Hikaru paused. It¡¯s certainly possible. He already witnessed the effects of his Stealth. What kind of power would he obtain if he poured thirty whole points to an attribute? Let¡¯s forget that for now. There are three boards left unlocked. The pentagon, hexagon, and the unlabeled one. So far, he had unlocked Vitality, Magical Power, Strength, and Agility. If we go by game mechanics, I guess next would be Willpower, Faith, Charisma, and Dexterity? If I want to be efficient, first I have to know. I can¡¯t achieve efficiency without information. But if I unlocked all three, I¡¯d be left with one point. It¡¯s inefficient to have only one point to allocate. I should unlock only one. He chose the unlabeled board. I really wanna know what¡¯s in this unlabeled board. My curiosity is killing me! ¡°Unlock Soul Board? Consume 1 point.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± What emerged on the screen was¡­ ¡¾Instinct¡¿ ¡¾Instinct¡¿0 Instinct! It¡¯s instinct! ¡¾Instinct¡¿Heighten one¡¯s senses to obtain revelation close to foresight. Max: 20 ¡¾Memory¡¿Improves the function of the part of the brain that governs memories. Max: 10. And there¡¯s Detection as expected. I don¡¯t like how I have to unlock it first. Now what? I have three points left. Let¡¯s think about this. Hikaru stared at the Soul Board for a while, then lay down and closed his eyes. Sleep came fast. I bet people call you arrogant. The light of the bright afternoon was blinding even behind the white curtains. A girl, one year older than Hikaru, stood there with her back against the light, smiling. Life will be rough for you. You may be clever, but you¡¯re also reckless. Someday, somewhere, you might just suddenly die. She was beautiful and intelligent, with long black hair. I appreciate the disturbing divination. He wouldn¡¯t listen to the words of adults or his other seniors, but Hikaru readily paid attention to what she had to say. The name of the girl was¡­ Hazuki. Hikaru put on a cynical smile¡ªone that ended up childish. Volume 1 - CH 2.6 When Hikaru opened his eyes, the sun was just starting to climb. Faint light was spilling in through the shoddy window. A dream¡­ He woke up in a corner of the inn¡¯s large room. This wasn¡¯t Japan. It was a different world. He let out one, long breath. He hadn¡¯t had a dream ever since coming to this world. And when he finally did, it wasn¡¯t about his parents or the high school he went to. It was a dream about his senior whom he had not seen for two years. Hikaru didn¡¯t care about his parents. That¡¯s why his guild card didn¡¯t show his family name. And he just accepted it without question. His only comment on the fact his card didn¡¯t have his family name was a short grunt. Why¡¯d I have that dream? Hikaru was indeed arrogant. Despite only studying during his spare time, he was among the top five students in his grade. He didn¡¯t mean to mock those around him as a result, but it was true that he didn¡¯t want to deal with idiots. That part of him might¡¯ve revealed itself. Someday, somewhere, you might just die suddenly, huh¡­ In an ironic twist of fate, Hikaru died just like how Hazuki described it. It was only sheer chance that he came back to life. Just extremely lucky. There¡¯s no guarantee something like that won¡¯t happen in this world. All right, I think I got it. Hikaru summoned the Soul Board and unlocked Detection. ¡¾Detection¡¿ ¡¾Life Detection¡¿0 ¡¾Mana Detection¡¿0 ¡¾Life Detection¡¿Detect life in the vicinity. Max: 5. ¡¾Mana Detection¡¿Detect beings in the vicinity through mana. Max: 5. Hikaru allocated one point to each, leaving him with zero points. ¡¾Soul Board¡¿Hikaru Age: 15 | Rank: 4 | 0 ¡¾Vitality¡¿ ¡¾Magical Power¡¿ ¡¾Strength¡¿ ¡¾Agility¡¿ ¡¾Instinct¡¿ ¡¾Detection¡¿ ¡¾Life Detection¡¿1 ¡¾Mana Detection¡¿1 There wasn¡¯t any explanation as to how to activate his Detection Skills. But he felt a new sense in his body¡ªsimilar to his hearing, sense of smell, and touch. Oh¡­ By focusing on it, he felt the effect of the detection all around him. He could sense the life coming from the young adventurers sleeping in the center of the room. It was like a soft, orange light. He switched to Mana Detection¡ªthe switch was intuitive¡ªand he sensed soft, blue light instead. The energy he felt from the warrior-looking man when he was using his Life Detection was gone when he switched to Mana Detection. So he doesn¡¯t have much magical power? Wait a second. I don¡¯t detect ¡°life force¡± but ¡°life¡±. Then it hit him. With Life Detection, size didn¡¯t matter. As long as it had mass, he could sense even a small insect if he really focused. The only downside was that it functioned just like the human eye. That is to say, he could see large living things, but he couldn¡¯t see those that were too tiny, like microbes. On the other hand, Mana Detection was affected by the amount of mana one had. He could feel even the smallest bug if it had plenty of magical power. Both of these Detection Skills could sense a person in the dark or behind a wall, but were pointless in broad daylight. What would happen if I added more points to them? Maybe the range increases¡­ or I can pierce through more powerful Cloaking Skills? The max range of his detection was currently ten meters. Now this is efficient¡­ Well, not really. But I have to prioritize not dying. After getting ready, Hikaru left the room. A random thought crossed his mind. Does Hazuki-senpai know I died? For breakfast, Hikaru went to the same hotdog stand as yesterday. It wasn¡¯t as if he liked the food, but the owner kept staring at him. That, and a different aroma from yesterday was wafting in the air. On a side note, he had dinner at the fried noodles place last night. Freshly-cooked noodles was even more delicious. The man remembered Hikaru, so he gave him extra. He almost didn¡¯t finish it all. ¡°Hmm?¡± The hotdog sauce was different from yesterday. This time it was brown. ¡°¡­¡± What¡¯s this? It¡¯s not sweet like yesterday. It smells¡­ fishy. ¡°Honestly, it tastes horrible,¡± Hikaru blurted. The vendor ground his teeth. ¡°Did you taste it? What did you put on this thing?¡± Hikaru asked. ¡°It¡¯s special-made sauce with fish sauce as base.¡± ¡°Fish sauce?! You gotta have ketchup and mustard for hotdogs. That¡¯s textbook stuff!¡± The man had no idea what ketchup and mustard were, so Hikaru told him. He knew how ketchup was made, but not mustard. He could only tell him what it looked like, the color, and how it tasted. Annoyed at the fishy taste in his mouth, Hikaru entered the Adventurers¡¯ Guild. As soon as he stepped inside, he felt numerous gazes on him. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s that kid¡­¡± ¡°The brat who gets special treatment not only from Freya but also from Gloria.¡± Hikaru had no time to deal with them. As to why¡­ ¡°Hikaru! Are you okay?!¡± Freya came running to him from behind the counter. ¡°Wh-What¡¯s up?¡± She grabbed his hands. ¡°Come with me. I need to talk to you.¡± Her soft and warm hand drove Hikaru crazy. She was too close that he could smell a delightful fragrance drifting from her. The adventurers whined as they watched Freya pull him by the hand. Hikaru felt the same as well. What¡¯s going on?! When it came to women, the only one Hikaru actually talked to back in Japan was Hazuki. Freya dragged the confused Hikaru into the booth, the same place that Gloria led him to yesterday. ¡°I was shocked to find out this morning that you had taken a commission. It was Gloria, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°It was more like she recommended it to me and I accepted. I wasn¡¯t expecting to deliver a letter to a big shot from the Thieves¡¯ Guild.¡± Freya heaved a deep sigh. ¡°You completed the commission, right? How did you do it?¡± ¡°It was just a simple delivery.¡± ¡°Gloria wouldn¡¯t give you a simple commission. There had to be a catch. Seeing as it went well, you must be extremely lucky.¡± Hikaru¡¯s Stealth Skill was being chalked up to pure luck¡ªwhich was good for him. ¡°I think¡­ you should stay away from Gloria,¡± Freya said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to tell what goes on in her mind sometimes.¡± Hikaru was surprised. He didn¡¯t know Freya could be so direct. And she wasn¡¯t talking about just anyone¡ªit was her colleague. She looks slow and timid, but maybe she¡¯s actually strong-willed. He was genuinely happy that she cared so much for him. ¡°Okay, then. I¡¯ll follow your advice,¡± he said. ¡°Thank you. Let me show you the perfect commissions for you!¡± ¡°Perfect for me?¡± Freya took out a bunch of commission forms. Cleaning Commission, Shopping for the Church, Roof Repair, Coal Replenishment for a Blacksmith, Chat with the Elderly. Hikaru turned them all down. ¡°No, thanks.¡± ¡°What?! These are important commissions that benefit the town!¡± ¡°I want to make money efficiently.¡± Freya hung her head down like a scolded puppy. ¡°Please don¡¯t give me that look,¡± Hikaru said. ¡°It¡¯s not fair.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think you were the type to want to become rich.¡± ¡°Not really¡­ I just don¡¯t have any fixed source of income.¡± ¡°R-Right. Sorry. There¡¯s actually a lucrative commission that you can take.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Freya showed a different form. ¡¾Monster Hunter¡¿¡¾Permanent¡¿ ¡¾Red-Horned Rabbit¡¿It doesn¡¯t matter how many. Just supply them. ¡¾Reward¡¿Base Reward: 0 gilans. 10,000 gilans for each rabbit. ¡°Permanent quests are always ongoing so you can take them anytime,¡± she said. ¡°Red-Horned Rabbits are fast, but they¡¯re not scary. You can kill them with only a knife.¡± ¡°This much reward for something that easy?¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s how difficult it is to catch a Red-Horned Rabbit. You can look up the details in the library, but it¡¯s best if you assume that you can¡¯t catch any. You¡¯re lucky if you catch one in ten days. In fact, it¡¯s not uncommon to not catch anything in thirty days. You should check some of the permanent commissions and see if you can complete any of them.¡± ¡°I see. Thank you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. Oh, the line¡¯s getting long. I¡¯d better get back. Be careful out there. Nothing wrong with being terrified. In fact, a dose of fear should be good for you. Under no circumstances should you camp outside of town. The gates close at dusk, so make sure you return early. Got it?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Listen to your big sister, okay?¡± Freya said, then went back to the counter. ¡°Big sister, huh?¡± Hikaru laughed dryly. She was the same age as Hazuki. Acting like a big sister actually made her seem younger. ¡°Hmm?¡± Hikaru noticed the gazes on him. Volume 1 - CH 2.7 Upon entering the library, Hikaru stood as close to the wall as possible. He checked the lobby using Life Detection. One of the adventurers who had been glaring at him was just outside the door. ¡°What the hell is he doing in the library?¡± ¡°Beats me. I can¡¯t wait for him to come out, so we can socialize with him.¡± ¡°If by socialize, you mean beating him to a pulp, then yes. It¡¯s his fault for getting all chummy with my girls.¡± ¡°Huh? Freya is mine.¡± ¡°What?¡± They¡¯d been glaring at Hikaru because the receptionists were treating him well, and that pissed them off. So childish. And a bunch of idiots. They actually think they can pick on me that easily, huh? If that¡¯s what you want, I got a few tricks up my sleeve. Hikaru used Life Detection to gauge the distance. They were just barely within the five-meter radius. He booted up a Soul Board. ¡¾Soul Board¡¿Zelnenko Rigalow Age: 22 | Rank: 11 | 18 ¡¾Vitality¡¿ ¡¾Natural Recovery¡¿1 ¡¾Stamina¡¿2 ¡¾Immunity¡¿ ¡¾Magic Resistance¡¿0 ¡¾Disease Immunity¡¿1 ¡¾Toxin Immunity¡¿0 ¡¾Perception¡¿ Oh! He has his Immunity unlocked! I see. So it¡¯s immunity to magic spells, disease, and poison. He wanted to check the details, but he couldn¡¯t bring up the descriptions. Perhaps because it wasn¡¯t his own Soul Board. Whatever. They¡¯re pretty self-explanatory. The only additional info I¡¯d get is the maximum points that could be allocated. All right, let¡¯s check out the other Boards. There was nothing noteworthy under Magical Power and Agility. Instinct and the hexagon board weren¡¯t unlocked either. ¡¾Strength¡¿ ¡¾Muscle Strength¡¿3 ¡¾Weapon Mastery¡¿ ¡¾Sword¡¿1 ¡¾Greatsword¡¿0 ¡¾Short Sword¡¿0 ¡¾Short Spear¡¿0 ¡¾Long Spear¡¿0 ¡¾Bow¡¿0 ¡¾Projectile¡¿0 ¡¾Shield¡¿1 ¡¾Armor¡¿1 So there are nine different weapons under Weapon Mastery¡­ But what about axes or clubs? What¡¯s the basis for having these weapons on the Soul Board? I don¡¯t have enough info right now. Next was the pentagon. One that Hikaru had not unlocked yet. ¡¾Dexterity¡¿ ¡¾Dexterity¡¿1 ¡¾Tool Mastery¡¿ So the name of the Board is Dexterity. Tool Mastery has to be unlocked first. It¡¯s not combat-related. Going by RPGs, I guess it has something to do with manufacturing? Though it sounds like Dexterity affects weapon handling as well. The man had used up two points under Agility. So that¡¯s a total of 15 points used, and he has 18 points left. So that confirms it. Age plus rank equals total points available. Roland didn¡¯t have knowledge about Soul Boards. Which means it¡¯s not something a normal human being can access. So that begs the question: how did this Zelnenko guy allocate his points? No, that¡¯s not it. Freya would¡¯ve told me something. And Gloria only asked me about my Blessing. The owner themselves allocates the points without them noticing? Or¡­ It was the other way around. By achieving a certain level of proficiency, points get automatically allocated. That sounds more likely. Like a bonus for those who train hard. Man, this ability is broken. Allocating points freely means I gain Skills without doing any training. Hikaru took a small breath. Everything made sense so far. Soul Boards existed, but no one was aware of them. Hikaru could access them, and there was probably only a select few who could do the same. Or maybe none at all. Age plus soul rank equaled total points available. Points could not be allocated intentionally, only automatically, at some point. All good so far. So, what did you want to do to me again, Zelnenko? If you want to pick a fight, I¡¯ll gladly oblige. Hikaru could allocate others¡¯ Soul Board points freely. Now normally, that would be favorable for the owner. So far, he had not found any stat that was unfavorable. But what if he used the points to just unlock stats? It wouldn¡¯t result into anything. Hikaru also wanted to know what other stats and Skills were there on the Soul Board. ¡°Unlock Soul Board? Consume 1 point.¡± Zelnenko and friends. I hope you don¡¯t mind if I use your remaining points to unlock stats. Thank you for your cooperation. Smiling, Hikaru unlocked the hexagon Board. ¡¾Willpower¡¿ ¡¾Mental Strength¡¿0 ¡¾Faith¡¿ ¡¾Charisma¡¿0 ¡¾Appeal¡¿0 Oh, Willpower! With this, the list is complete. Zero for both Charisma and Appeal, huh¡­ Why is that? No, wait. The Soul Board merely provides a little extra. I have zero points in Muscle Strength, but it¡¯s not like I have no muscles. The points from the Soul Board are simply added bonus. Hikaru proceeded to unlock everything. ¡¾Vitality¡¿ ¡¾Natural Recovery¡¿0 ¡¾Stamina¡¿0 ¡¾Immunity¡¿ ¡¾Magic Resistance¡¿0 ¡¾Disease Immunity¡¿0 ¡¾Toxin Immunity¡¿0 ¡¾Perception¡¿ ¡¾Sight¡¿0 ¡¾Magical Power¡¿ ¡¾Mana Capacity¡¿0 ¡¾Spirit Affinity¡¿ ¡¾Fire¡¿0 ¡¾Air¡¿0 ¡¾Earth¡¿0 ¡¾Water¡¿0 ¡¾Spell Creation¡¿0 ¡¾Strength¡¿ ¡¾Muscle Strength¡¿0 ¡¾Weapon Mastery¡¿ ¡¾Sword¡¿0 ¡¾Greatsword¡¿0 ¡¾Short Sword¡¿0 ¡¾Short Spear¡¿0 ¡¾Long Spear¡¿0 ¡¾Bow¡¿0 ¡¾Projectile¡¿0 ¡¾Shield¡¿0 ¡¾Armor¡¿0 ¡¾Agility¡¿ ¡¾Flexibility¡¿0 ¡¾Balance¡¿0 ¡¾Stealth¡¿ ¡¾Life Cloaking¡¿ ¡¾Mana Cloaking¡¿ ¡¾Imperceptibility¡¿ ¡¾Dexterity¡¿ ¡¾Dexterity¡¿0 ¡¾Tool Mastery¡¿ ¡¾Axe¡¿0 ¡¾Loom¡¿0 ¡¾Pottery¡¿0 ¡¾Musical Instrument¡¿0 ¡¾Willpower¡¿ ¡¾Mental Strength¡¿0 ¡¾Faith¡¿ ¡¾Holy¡¿0 ¡¾Evil¡¿0 ¡¾Instinct¡¿ ¡¾Instinct¡¿0 ¡¾Insight¡¿ ¡¾Invention¡¿0 ¡¾Fine Arts¡¿0 ¡¾Music¡¿0 ¡¾Intelligence¡¿ ¡¾Computation¡¿0 ¡¾Language Comprehension¡¿0 ¡¾Language Output¡¿0 ¡¾Memory¡¿0 ¡¾Detection¡¿ ¡¾Life Detection¡¿0 ¡¾Mana Detection¡¿0 Hikaru found out that Zelnenko¡¯s two other friends had basically the same number of points allocated to their respective Soul Boards. The highest they had was only one point. Since ordinary adventurers only had this level of Skills, maxing out a stat was probably not something normal. I now know all the primary stats. Next would be to check how many of those derivative Skills (e.g. Assassination and Sharpshooter) there are. Unfortunately, I can¡¯t study them. In order to check, he had to allocate points to the stats of the men who despised him. I don¡¯t really need the information right now. If I bump into someone skilled, I¡¯ll just check their Soul Board. Hikaru nodded to himself. He then reviewed the information he needed in the library. He came here to gather information on the Red-Horned Rabbit in the first place. ¡°He¡¯s still in there.¡± ¡°I¡¯m getting sleepy.¡± The men were still waiting for Hikaru outside. After leaving the Adventurers Guild, Hikaru bought a sandwich worth 30 gilans from a food stall. He filled his flask with water, and he was good to go. Several gazes followed him behind. ¡°There he goes.¡± ¡°He took a commission, so he must be headed out of town.¡± ¡°Better if we get to him outside, then.¡± ¡°Good idea. We don¡¯t want the guards on our ass.¡± They were fans of Freya and Gloria. What should have been three people¡ªZelnenko and his friends¡ªhad now grown to six. They were following Hikaru from a distance. They were so bad at tailing that an ordinary person would¡¯ve noticed them right away. Hikaru noticed them of course, but chose to ignore them. ¡°Hmm? Out for a commission again today?¡± said the gatekeeper. It was the same man from when he went out to gather glimmering poisonous herbs. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Be careful out there. Remember: there¡¯s no such thing as being too cautious. You¡¯re an adventurer, not a soldier like me. Being scared is not a bad thing.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± What a great guy, Hikaru thought as he exited the town. He looked around. Last time he was too hungry to do so. Just outside the gate was a horsebus station. There were different races there, not just humans. Demi-humans. Elves. There were also travelers and merchants. Past the station were several inns, and farmhouses, shabby wooden structures unlike the ones inside the town. But behind them were wide fields that the families had cultivated. Being unfortunate didn¡¯t stop them from living strong. As he went farther, the number of houses dwindled, until he was face-to-face with Mother Nature. The road before him seemed to stretch for miles and miles, all the way to the blue mountaintops looming in the distance. Grass on meadows rippled like silver waves in the breeze, revealing the paths of the wind that blew past. A creek flowed softly nearby. Birds soared high up in the sky, singing. ¡°And so it begins.¡± Hikaru was getting a tad bit excited. And behind him were six adventurers. ¡°All right. Let¡¯s surround the kid¡­ Huh?¡± They couldn¡¯t believe their eyes. They thought Hikaru hid behind a tall bush, but upon checking, he was gone. No one could sense Hikaru once he had his Stealth on and his Blessing set to Stealth God: Bearer of Darkness. There wasn¡¯t anyone in Pond¡ªno, the whole kingdom of Ponsonia who could. Unbeknownst to Hikaru, there was someone worried about him. The gatekeeper. Right after the boy left, six adventurers also went out, as if in pursuit of him. ¡°Excuse me,¡± the gatekeeper called to a fellow guard stationed at the gate. ¡°Can you come with me for a bit? There¡¯s something I want to check. It¡¯ll only take fifteen minutes.¡± His hunch was right. Just up ahead, he spotted six adventurers making a racket. ¡°Hey, he¡¯s not here!¡± ¡°Where¡¯d that brat go?!¡± ¡°He couldn¡¯t possibly disappear in such a short time. Why the hell didn¡¯t you keep your eyes on him?!¡± ¡°I could say the same to you!¡± Disturbing words. The gatekeeper approached them, warily. ¡°What¡¯s with all the ruckus?¡± the man asked. ¡°I heard what you guys said. Did you need anything from the kid that left town just now? Why didn¡¯t you talk to him in town?¡± ¡°Wh-What?! Guards?!¡± ¡°I need you guys to come with me to the station.¡± ¡°Th-There¡¯s no need for that. It¡¯s really nothing. Right?!¡± ¡°Y-Yeah! Nothing wrong here.¡± ¡°Come with me to the station. That¡¯s an order,¡± the gatekeeper said firmly. The adventurers shrank back and were taken away. ¡°What?! You wanted to teach him a lesson because the receptionists liked him?! For goodness¡¯ sake, you¡¯re grown men! This is exactly why women don¡¯t give you the time of day!¡± A short time later, they received a good talking-to, surrounded by muscular soldiers, who also informed the Adventurers Guild of the incident. ¡°Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?!¡± Freya now had one more reason to be worried. Volume 1 - CH 2.8 Hikaru, completely unaware of all the commotion, wandered through the meadows. He was certain that he had given the adventurers a slip. ¡°Red-Horned Rabbits live near town. They¡¯re an unusual bunch as there¡¯s fewer and fewer of them as you go farther out. But then again, there are no ferocious monsters near town so it¡¯s easier for them to breed.¡± That was the information he got from the library earlier. ¡°Apparently, they¡¯re difficult to hunt¡­ As to why¡­¡± Hikaru spotted his target some distance away, behind some bushes. It was fairly big for a rabbit, about the size of a cardboard box for oranges. On its head was a bright-red horn. A Red-Horned Rabbit. The longer the horns, the more valuable they were. But most of them snapped off over the course of their lives. In fact, the one Hikaru spotted had a broken horn. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± It was less than a hundred meters away. Hikaru turned off his Stealth and Blessing. Abruptly, the Red-Horned Rabbit raised its head and looked around restlessly. ¡°So it can notice me even from this distance.¡± Hikaru turned his Stealth back on and moved closer. The Red-Horned Rabbit was unaware of his approach. The creature seemed to have forgotten its discomfort as it shoved its face back into the ground. When he was about thirty meters away, the Red-Horned Rabbit raised its head once more, but this time, it looked straight at Hikaru¡¯s direction, then immediately fled at a ridiculous speed. ¡°Literally ran like a scared rabbit¡­¡± he mumbled. ¡°No, wait. What am I saying? So thirty meters is the limit of my Stealth. I was quite confident with my Skill too. It¡¯s rough going against a monster that specializes in anti-Stealth.¡± Hikaru let out a low groan. ¡°Wait a sec. That rabbit clearly saw me. It knew which direction I was in. The only explanation for that is¡­¡± It had either Life or Mana Detection. ¡°I have one point each on Life Cloaking and Mana Cloaking. So it had a means to pierce through both. All right. Next we try with my Blessing on.¡± It took fifteen minutes for him to find another Red-Horned Rabbit. He¡¯d already switched his Blessing to Stealth God: Bearer of Darkness. ¡°Seriously?¡± He approached the creature through its blind spot, so it might¡¯ve played a part. At his feet was a rabbit, about 60 centimeters in length, its face pressed onto the ground. It lifted its head from time to time, chewing on food. It was in the middle of its meal. Just switching Blessings allowed him to get this close. The creature he spotted this time still had its horn intact. A rare find. ¡°Time to kill it I guess.¡± The creature did not hear him. ¡°¡­¡± Hikaru gripped his Dagger of Strength tightly. He was about to kill a living creature. He left town, fully prepared. But he couldn¡¯t stop the blade from shaking. This is stupid. I¡¯ve already killed a man, and yet here I am, hesitating to kill an animal. Morgstadt deserved to die. Roland¡¯s desire for revenge gave him the push too. But the Red-Horned Rabbit did nothing to him. I know. It was like how meat sold at a supermarket wouldn¡¯t bother him, but he might feel sorry for the animals if he went to a slaughterhouse. He understood his sentiment. Man, I¡¯m really stupid¡­ He put his hands together, knowing it was pointless. There was no Buddha in this world. But he wanted to do it anyway. In one motion, he plunged the dagger through the Red-Horned Rabbit¡¯s back, all the way to its heart. He felt no resistance as the blade took its life away. It must be the effect of the Assassination skill. The Red-Horned Rabbit shuddered, then went limp. Blood seeped into the ground. Hikaru¡¯s knees went weak all the way to his feet, but he braced himself. He pulled the dagger out, then put his hands together once more. After killing the creature, the rest was quick. Hikaru hung the corpse by a creek to drain the blood, then cut its belly open to remove the innards. According to the information he gathered from the library, doing this would make it lighter and make the meat tastier. The heart and its two kidneys could be sold at high prices, though, so he left those. He then tossed the corpse into a bag he had bought for his daily needs. Made out of raw materials from a monster, the bag resembled plastic, and could be washed as is. After rinsing his hand with soap, he headed back to town. It was lunch time, but he didn¡¯t have the appetite to eat his sandwich. When Hikaru got to the gate, the gatekeeper, for some reason, tapped his shoulders and nodded. ¡°What is it?¡± Hikaru asked. ¡°Go to the Adventurers¡¯ Guild.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± He wondered if something happened while he was gone. But before he could ask, the guard gave him a push from behind. Utterly confused, he headed straight to the guild, which was his plan all along anyway. ¡°Hika¡ª¡± When he returned, Freya and Gloria were both at the counter. Freya was about to dash toward Hikaru, but after casting a sidelong glance at Gloria, she froze. She then returned to dealing with the adventurers like nothing happened. ¡°¡­¡± She kept shooting glances at Hikaru, though. He understood what she was trying to say with those eyes. ¡°Over here. Come here. Don¡¯t go over to Gloria. Understood?¡± The eyes could speak a thousand words. What in the world happened? As always, adventurers were clustered around the two women, hitting on them. Are these guys really adventurers? Don¡¯t they have anything better to do? Hikaru waited for work to settle down a bit before slipping into the front. ¡°I¡¯m here to deliver¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯ve come at the most opportune time, Adventurer Hikaru. I want to talk to you in the booth.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I want to talk to you in the booth.¡± ¡°I, uhh¡­¡± ¡°I want to talk to you in the booth.¡± After repeating it three times, Freya sauntered toward the booth. ¡°¡­¡± Hikaru could feel the men¡¯s icy glares boring into him. Man, what a pain. I don¡¯t want people remembering my face. Maybe I should buy a mask. He seriously considered the idea. Upon entering the booth, Hikaru found Freya with her head low, both hands on the table. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± she exclaimed. The adventurers wondered what was going on. Hikaru was just as clueless as they were. These adventurers really don¡¯t have anything better to do. And Gloria keeps stealing glances while working. After calming himself down, Hikaru said, ¡°I¡¯m not sure why you¡¯re apologizing.¡± ¡°You might¡¯ve not noticed, but you were actually tailed by adventurers. Six of them.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°They¡¯re, um¡­ my fans apparently. They thought I was giving you preferential treatment, so they wanted to harass you.¡± ¡°I was aware. So what about it?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What about it?¡± ¡°You knew?¡± ¡°I did. I mean, it was too obvious. I hate to say it, but I think the adventurers here are a little too incompetent.¡± ¡°Th-That¡¯s not true! Zelnenko is known for being skilled for his young age. He¡¯s still only rank E, but people expect great things from him in the future.¡± Hikaru blinked. What? That guy? If I recall correctly, he had 1 point on his Sword mastery. Is one point actually fairly strong? ¡°He has a Blessing called One-handed Sword Technician God5: Technical Swordsman.¡± ¡°Ah, I see. So he has a good Blessing. But it¡¯s a five-character Blessing, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes. He¡¯s cut out to be a fighter.¡± So five-character Blessings are enough to make yourself notable. I shouldn¡¯t tell anyone about my Blessings and the Soul Board. Hikaru had two-character Blessings. ¡°Hikaru? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Uh, nothing.¡± ¡°Oh, I get it. You¡¯re scared. Of course. You¡¯re scared because a skilled adventurer with a five-character Blessing has his eyes on you. But rest assured! They received a warning from the guards for their unbecoming behavior, and they¡¯ll be under surveillance for a while!¡± Freya puffed out her chest. Her moderately-sized, yet well-rounded breasts bounced. Hikaru looked away. ¡°Okay, then. Thank you,¡± he said. He wasn¡¯t actually the least bit scared. He just let Freya believe what she wanted to believe. The adventurers weren¡¯t exactly a threat to him, but it felt good knowing someone was worried about him and even protected him. Should I give the guard a box of cakes? Going by Roland¡¯s memories, this world also has a custom of giving something as gratitude. Hikaru set the idea aside for now. ¡°Um, I have business with you as well,¡± Hikaru said. ¡°Can you assess something for me?¡± ¡°Yes, of course. What do you have for me? Oh, we won¡¯t be needing glimmering poisonous herbs for a while.¡± Freya stared blankly at him. ¡°A Red-Horned Rabbit.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe you would lie to me. You¡¯re breaking my heart.¡± ¡°Well, that was quick. I only got one, though.¡± Hikaru opened the bag he had by his foot and showed it to her. The smell of blood and game drifted from within. ¡°H-Hikaru¡­¡± Freya was astonished. ¡°You really are one lucky guy!¡± Volume 1 - CH 2.9 Freya assumed that Hikaru got a Red-Horned Rabbit out of pure luck. Hikaru didn¡¯t really mind, so he didn¡¯t deny it. An expert would assess the value of the Red-Horned Rabbit, not Freya. She rang a bell, and an old man emerged from a room inside. His hair was long and gray all over, with a bun on top. The rest he left hanging. His mustache met with his beard, making his head look like a lump of gray hair. About a hundred fifty centimeters tall, he was half a head shorter than Hikaru. ¡°A gnome? ¡±Hikaru muttered. ¡°Sir Unken is from a race called Man Gnomes,¡± Freya whispered. ¡°Don¡¯t bring it up, or he¡¯ll get mad.¡± ¡°What do you want, Freya? I¡¯m busy! We have visitors from the royal capital coming soon.¡± ¡°R-Right. But you said you wanted to assess Red-Horned Rabbits yourself.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Unken¡¯s gaze rested on Hikaru for the first time. ¡°Oh.¡± He carefully examined Hikaru from head to toe, then turned around and headed to the back. He wanted him to follow. Parting ways with Freya, Hikaru went down the corridor and found himself outside. There was an outhouse before him, where animals were butchered. It looked like a huge garage. While only made of wood, well-constructed beams secured the enormous structure. Chains with hooks dangled down from the naked beams, where large monsters were hung to be chopped. ¡°Take it out,¡± Unken said. Hikaru placed the Red-Horned Rabbit on the stone table. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± While Unken was inspecting the animal, Hikaru summoned the man¡¯s Soul Board. He was curious about the way he carried himself so warily earlier. And his hunch was right. ¡¾Soul Board¡¿Unken F. Balzac Age: 211 | Rank: 51 | 53 ¡¾Vitality¡¿ ¡¾Natural Recovery¡¿2 ¡¾Stamina¡¿5 ¡¾Immunity¡¿ ¡¾Magic Resistance¡¿1 ¡¾Perception¡¿ ¡¾Smell¡¿1 ¡¾Taste¡¿2 ¡¾Magical Power¡¿ ¡¾Mana Capacity¡¿6 ¡¾Strength¡¿ ¡¾Muscle Strength¡¿9 ¡¾Agility¡¿ ¡¾Stealth¡¿ ¡¾Life Cloaking¡¿2 ¡¾Mana Cloaking¡¿2 ¡¾Imperceptibility¡¿2 ¡¾Group Cloaking¡¿1 ¡¾Dexterity¡¿ ¡¾Dexterity¡¿3 ¡¾Tool Mastery¡¿ ¡¾Pottery¡¿2 ¡¾Willpower¡¿ ¡¾Mental Strength¡¿3 ¡¾Instinct¡¿ ¡¾Instinct¡¿4 ¡¾Detection¡¿ ¡¾Life Detection¡¿1 ¡°What?¡± Hikaru blurted out. ¡°What do you mean ¡°what¡±?¡± ¡°Uh, no, it¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°Did you do something just now? I felt some sort of sorcery being invoked.¡± Unken eyed Hikaru suspiciously, then turned his attention back to the Red-Horned Rabbit. That was close! Did he notice me studying his Soul Board? But anyway, this geezer¡¯s unbelievable. And he has a Stealth-type Skill that I don¡¯t. Group Cloaking, was it? Hmm? Hold on a sec. Something¡¯s not right with his remaining points. Hikaru carefully made some calculations. Unken had allocated a total of 68 points to his stats. Add that to his remaining 53 points, you get a total of 121 points. His rank was astonishing, but his age of 211 was even more remarkable. If one gained 1 point per year, then his remaining points were way off. It must be one-third, then. 211 divided by 3 is around 70. 70 plus his rank of 51 gives a total of 121. The figures add up. Some races in this world have shorter lifespans while some have longer. So the timing of gaining points is different for each of them. It felt like the wrong things were being balanced. So Group Cloaking¡­ Unlocking it must require two points each on Life Cloaking, Mana Cloaking, and Imperceptibility. This guy has almost the same skillset as me. A Rogue type. Hikaru wanted to know what people thought about Unken¡¯s abilities. Unlike Hikaru who had put most of his points into one specific skillset, the old man only had a few points for each. But it looked like he had the necessary Skills for a Rogue-type character. Hikaru wanted to know how strong Unken was in this world¡¯s standards. ¡°Lad.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Is it fun staring at me like that?¡± Hikaru gave a start. Is this his 4 points on Instinct at work? That probably explained his earlier remark about some sorcery being invoked. Unlike Magic, Sorcery referred to the use of some kind of catalyst or tool to bring about supernatural phenomena. The spell for crossing worlds that Roland was researching fell under this classification. ¡°It¡¯s just that I haven¡¯t seen you in the guild before,¡± Hikaru said. ¡°Fair enough.¡± ¡°What do you usually do?¡± ¡°That¡¯s none of your business.¡± ¡°Judging from Freya¡¯s behavior, the guildmaster perhaps?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just an assessor.¡± Hikaru had managed to change the subject; Unken didn¡¯t question him further. The old man himself seemed to dislike being probed. ¡°Anyway, about the Red-Horned Rabbit¡­ You¡¯ve never butchered meat before, have you?¡± Unken asked. ¡°No.¡± ¡°The way you cut it is awful. What did you use?¡± Hikaru took out his Dagger of Strength. Unken stared at it, then heaved a sigh. ¡°You fool. You don¡¯t use a weapon for cutting meat. Use a proper tool for it. You cut the flesh when you removed its internal organs. Look here. Blood seeping into the meat ruins its flavor.¡± ¡°Hmm, I see.¡± ¡°The way you cut open its belly is also horrible. It will be worth more if you could bring it whole instead, provided you can make it back in town in two to three hours.¡± Unken glanced at Hikaru. ¡°Then again, with those muscles of yours, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s possible.¡± ¡°Yeah. Just one was already quite heavy.¡± ¡°Hmm? You make it sound like you could catch as many as you want if you could carry them.¡± Hikaru shrugged. ¡°Youngsters tend to be overconfident. I¡¯m not saying you shouldn¡¯t be proud of your catch, but you must never forget to be humble.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Unken gave him a dubious look. ¡°I¡¯d tell you to form a party with others, but then you won¡¯t be able to capitalize on your strength. You look skilled in moving unnoticed.¡± ¡°¡­I am.¡± ¡°I must say, it¡¯s quite strange. Red-Horned Rabbits have exceedingly keen senses. You¡¯re wearing Night Wolf gear, correct? Yet it should¡¯ve still noticed you.¡± ¡°The rabbit ran and tripped over a stump.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That¡¯s how I was able to kill it.¡± Hikaru gave an ambiguous answer. A lie. He didn¡¯t think this world had the story about a rabbit that tripped over a tree stump and died. ¡°Hmm. So you¡¯re saying you just got lucky?¡± ¡°Yes. Even if it wasn¡¯t, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s okay to probe into an adventurer¡¯s special skills. But I suppose the guildmaster would want to know, huh?¡± ¡°Are you trying to bait me?¡± Damn, he got me. That¡¯s a 211-year-old geezer for you. ¡°So, about the rabbit,¡± Unken went on. ¡°There¡¯s a cut on its right hind leg so its value as meat is lower. A shame. It¡¯s the most delicious part too. We can buy the meat for 7,000 gilans.¡± ¡°Deal.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re not complaining?¡± ¡°I did a poor job cutting the meat, after all.¡± ¡°I usually expect some grumbling.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a complete waste of time. And time is something money can¡¯t buy.¡± ¡°Why are you in such a rush?¡± ¡°I probably won¡¯t be if I could live for 200 years like a Man Gnome.¡± Unken glowered at him. He went a little bit too far. ¡°For a rabbit that tripped, its body is spotless. Don¡¯t you want to know the price of its hide?¡± the old man asked. Unken knew he was lying, and he was trying to get even. ¡°They don¡¯t fetch for much, do they?¡± ¡°I suppose not. Around 500 gilans. I¡¯ll add it to the overall price.¡± ¡°Okay. And?¡± ¡°And what?¡± ¡°The price of the horn.¡± For the first time, Unken smiled. Though it was more like the corner of his mouth turned up just a little bit. ¡°So you know about that.¡± ¡°I read about it in the library. Red-Horned Rabbits with unbroken horns are rare and their horns have medicinal effects.¡± ¡°I thought you were simply a despicable kid, but I guess not. You actually do your homework. I thought you don¡¯t want to waste time.¡± ¡°I like studying. I think calling a studious kid arrogant is equivalent to spitting on the benefits derived from the advancement of civilization.¡± ¡°Spoken like an arrogant kid. Hahaha!¡± Unken burst out laughing. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I can teach you how to cut meat properly in my free time. Come tomorrow evening.¡± ¡°Okay. Thank you.¡± ¡°All right. Bye.¡± Unken raised a hand and turned to leave. ¡°Wait, hold on a sec! You haven¡¯t assessed the horn yet.¡± ¡°And here I thought I managed to trick you.¡± Damned geezer, Hikaru thought, his cheek twitching. Unken looked at the horn, groaning. ¡°A horn as fine as this is rare. There¡¯s actually no market value for it. I would have to contact the Alchemists¡¯ Guild and the Doctors¡¯ Guild first. You¡¯ll know tomorrow evening. I¡¯ll give the overall payment, then.¡± ¡°All right. Man, I¡¯d appreciate it if you didn¡¯t try to play me.¡± ¡°Says the kid who lied by bringing up an old story of a rabbit that tripped on a tree stump.¡± Hikaru was shocked that Unken knew about the story of the rabbit. It wasn¡¯t as if he knew the exact details, but he was familiar with it. He asked the old man about it, and he said he heard it from his elders back in his hometown. He was only a child back then, too. There¡¯s a chance that someone was reincarnated to this world just like me. It was a surprising revelation, yet there was always that possibility. Hikaru was brought here by Roland¡¯s genius. He used a world-crossing spell, one he developed by studying other people¡¯s research. In other words, this research had been done ages ago. I guess there¡¯s really no need to find others like me, though. Hikaru doubted they could use the Soul Board like him. After all, he only obtained the ability through chance after receiving a pouch that contained light right before he was judged. ¡°Now, then¡­ What to do?¡± He didn¡¯t feel like going out of town again today. Eating his sandwich at a rest area by the main street, Hikaru pondered his next move. Besides him, there were housewives, who were in the middle of shopping, talking to each other, an errand boy taking a nap, among others. ¡°I want to know more about this world. Roland¡¯s knowledge is limited to things related to the nobility. But before that¡­¡± He stuffed the last piece of his sandwich into his mouth and stood up. ¡°Let¡¯s find a different place to stay.¡± Hikaru longed for an actual mattress. Volume 1 - CH 3.1 Through sheer coincidence, Hikaru stumbled upon the knights guarding Count Morgstadt¡¯s mansion in the temple. I need more information. ¡°Either way, she¡¯s getting transported to the capital. Our job is done.¡± ¡°Bullshit. Is that why you came to the temple? To repent?¡± ¡°Not at all. We only did our jobs.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m saying that¡¯s bullshit.¡± ¡°Hikaru?¡± someone called from behind. He jumped about five centimeters from surprise. She was wearing a bright green dress tied at the waist with a leather strap. On her collar was a gorgeous beige scarf, and she was carrying a white bag. It was Freya in her casual attire. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you here. Wait, were you actually following me? You shouldn¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who called out to me.¡± Hikaru followed the knights with his gaze until they disappeared into the crowd. It was too dangerous to chase after them now. If he wanted to get more information, he could just sneak into the Count¡¯s manor again, which he could do later. The Adventurers¡¯ Guild should know something. Freya said that the guild was inquired about the incident. ¡°Are you free at the moment?¡± Hikaru asked. ¡°I¡¯d like to ask you a few questions.¡± ¡°Can I really order anything?¡± Freya asked, hiding half her face behind the menu. ¡°Yes. Go ahead. It¡¯s my treat.¡± ¡°Are you sure? I¡¯m gonna order¡­¡± ¡°I said it¡¯s okay.¡± Freya had led Hikaru to an open terrace caf¨¦. ¡°Okay, then! Excuse me, I¡¯ll have a molasses peach parfait and reishi mushroom tea!¡± ¡°What?!¡± Studying the menu, Hikaru¡¯s eyes widened. What are these prices?! The lunch he bought from a food stall cost 30 gilans. ¡°Oh, sh-should I order something cheaper?¡± Freya said. ¡°I-It¡¯s okay. I don¡¯t like sweet food, so I¡¯ll just have some water. You can order whatever you want.¡± Freya hummed to herself. This was a give-and-take. A little bit of expenditure was fair. It should be easier to get answers from her if she¡¯s in a good mood. ¡°Now, then. I have two questions,¡± Hikaru began. ¡°What?¡± ¡°What do you mean, ¡°what¡±? I told you I wanted to ask you something.¡± ¡°R-Really? I see¡­ I thought that was only an excuse to invite me for tea.¡± I get it, Hikaru thought. She¡¯s used to people asking her out. ¡°I thought it was strange for you to ask me out for tea out of the blue,¡± Freya said. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Providing information to beginners is all I¡¯m good for anyway.¡± Oh, no. Her eyes were going blank. ¡°Y-You can order some more if you want.¡± Hikaru quickly showed her the menu. ¡°Excuse me, a green apple pie too, please.¡± She ordered more without a shred of hesitation. More gilans out the window. Hikaru wasn¡¯t sure why he said that, but he convinced himself that it was better this way. That he made the right move. ¡°So what did you want to ask about?¡± ¡°Right. It¡¯s about Unken. He¡¯s the guildmaster, isn¡¯t he?¡± Hikaru set aside Count Morgstadt¡¯s murder for later. ¡°Did he tell you that himself?¡± ¡°He insisted he was only an assessor.¡± ¡°He¡¯s an assessor, then. He¡¯ll chew me out if I say anything.¡± ¡°In other words, he has that much power over you. So he is the guildmaster. Plus you said it yourself. The guild doesn¡¯t have any other staff.¡± ¡°Oops. Did you want to know who the guildmaster was?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. How do I put it¡­ He looks quite capable. What kind of a person is he?¡± ¡°I only heard rumors,¡± Freya prefaced. ¡°Usually it¡¯s skilled adventurers that are appointed as guildmasters. But I heard that Sir Unken wasn¡¯t an adventurer. Apparently, he was working for a more public institution.¡± Unken himself basically said that those with assassination-type Skills did not form parties. That didn¡¯t apply to pure spies, of course. ¡°But after finishing a huge job there, he retired and worked for the Adventurers¡¯ Guild.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ What kind of a job was it?¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t want to talk about this,¡± Freya said, pointing at the menu. It was something called a Twin Tornado Juice and cost a whopping 150 gilans. ¡°Sure. Go ahead.¡± Hikaru regretted paying three nights in advance. He should¡¯ve also at least taken the payment for the meat and hide, which amounted to 7,500 gilans. There were some fine notes under the mysterious juice, but he didn¡¯t feel like reading them. ¡°Can I?! Really?! Like really, really?!¡± ¡°A man doesn¡¯t go back on his words,¡± Hikaru said. ¡°Hurray! I¡¯ve always wanted to try this one.¡± She mentioned something about how only a man and woman could order it, but Hikaru ignored it. He didn¡¯t care about the juice; he just wanted more information. ¡°So anyway. Please continue.¡± ¡°Ah, right. You can¡¯t tell anyone about this, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°You promise? If you tell anyone, I¡¯ll secretly place a penalty on your guild card.¡± ¡°I promise. Wait, you can do that?! You better not!¡± ¡°Sir Unken was probably¡­¡± Freya lowered her voice. ¡°¡­a spy or assassin working directly under the king. I think.¡± ¡°I see. And?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°I expected a better reaction. I was really nervous, you know.¡± ¡°I mean, I imagined that was the case. So how did you arrive at that conclusion?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± A waiter brought the syrup peach parfait, and Freya started on it. It was jellified peach, apparently made entirely of nectar. It was cut into cubes and dressed in fresh cream. Just looking at it made Hikaru¡¯s mouth sweet. The reishi tea, on the other hand, looked just like the green tea in Japan. ¡°They say Sir Unken came to the guild around fifty years ago,¡± Freya continued. ¡°That was a long time ago, huh?¡± ¡°Yes. He finished this huge task at his previous job a little over fifty years ago as well.¡± Hikaru nodded, urging her to continue. ¡°That was around the time when Ponsonia¡¯s neighboring country, the Quinbrand Empire, had someone else succeed to the throne. Before then the Emperor was Balzard, a tyrant. Rumors say he was assassinated.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Apparently, Emperor Balzard declared that he was going to destroy Ponsonia. At that time the kingdom was weak from an outbreak of plague. There¡¯s no doubt that Ponsonia wanted to assassinate Balzard the most.¡± ¡°So all the circumstantial evidence fit the theory perfectly.¡± ¡°Yeah. But that¡¯s not all. Once when I delivered some documents to Sir Unken¡¯s office, I saw an old note on his desk. It was a thank-you letter from His Majesty the King. He left it there when he went out for a bit and came back right as I took a quick peek at it. I couldn¡¯t ask him about it. He was fuming, like, ¡®Did you see it?!¡¯ It was terrifying.¡± Freya quivered. She looked like a Chihuahua. ¡°There are only a few cases where a king would personally send a thank-you letter to someone,¡± Hikaru said. ¡°Usually it would be the prime minister, agency heads, or an aristocrat. Generally, a king would only send a letter of appreciation to someone who accomplished a significant feat during wartime.¡± ¡°Exactly! Wait, why do you even know that?¡± ¡°I had a friend who was a noble.¡± He wasn¡¯t lying. He got that from Roland¡¯s knowledge. ¡°If your guess is correct, then Unken is a hero who saved the kingdom,¡± Hikaru said. ¡°Yeah. Isn¡¯t that amazing?¡± After finishing the parfait, Freya dug into the green apple pie next. ¡°Hmm! Delicious! Nothing beats stress like sweet food!¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m glad you¡¯re happy.¡± I don¡¯t think I can finish all that on my own. A national hero, huh? With those Skill levels? Fifty years ago means he was 161 years old. Did his knowledge and experience come into play? I¡¯ve allocated more points to my Stealth-related Skills than Unken. Does that mean I¡¯m fit to be an assassin? And I can assassinate even an emperor? That¡¯s crazy. Hikaru thought that if he knew how strong Unken was, he could gauge his own level as well. But now he was just getting more and more confused. ¡°All right. I have one more question.¡± ¡°Ask away. Oh, but you can¡¯t ask about my address, okay?¡± Freya was now welcoming questions; eating sweet food seemed to brighten her mood. ¡°I¡¯m not gonna ask you that.¡± ¡°What? You¡¯re not?¡± ¡°Do you want me to ask or not? Well, whatever. What I wanted to ask is¡­¡± Hikaru hesitated for a moment, then decided to just get straight to the point. ¡°I heard the culprit behind Count Morgstadt¡¯s murder has been arrested.¡± Freya¡¯s hands froze in the middle of cutting the pie with a knife. ¡°Where¡¯d you hear that?¡± ¡°Some people were talking about it.¡± ¡°No, no, no, that¡¯s impossible! Like I said before, this case is highly classified!¡± ¡°And the culprit is a young girl.¡± This time Freya was speechless, her mouth agape. Volume 1 - CH 3.2 ¡°Well?¡± ¡°I-I can¡¯t tell you anything.¡± ¡°Here¡¯s the menu. Anything you want to order?¡± ¡°There are just some things that you can and cannot say. I would be violating my duty of confidentiality.¡± ¡°What, you think I¡¯m going to misuse the information?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± She placed the fork and knife on the table. ¡°No, I should be the one apologizing. That wasn¡¯t fair. You¡¯re answering my questions out of goodwill. I don¡¯t want you getting in trouble because of it.¡± All right, now what? Hikaru leaned back in his chair, deep in thought. If I can¡¯t get anything more out of her, I just have to sneak into the mansion¡­ ¡°Why do you want to know?¡± Freya suddenly asked. ¡°This is indeed big news, but people normally don¡¯t care about a Count being killed.¡± She stared fixedly at Hikaru. ¡°You¡¯re the son of some wealthy man who ran away from home on a whim and decided to become an adventurer so he could survive. Am I right?¡± ¡°Sounds about right. I don¡¯t have any other means to sustain myself except being an adventurer.¡± ¡°Does your family have connections with Count Morgstadt?¡± ¡°No. None at all.¡± ¡°Then why do you care so much?¡± I screwed up, Hikaru thought. Morgstadt¡¯s death was much more confidential than he imagined. ¡°My friend¡­ went through a lot.¡± ¡°Your friend?¡± ¡°Yeah. You could say he was oppressed by Count Morgstadt. That¡¯s why I¡¯m curious.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Freya believed him. ¡°It¡¯s going to be public anyway, so I guess I can tell you this much. Three days from now, a certain someone will be transported to the royal capital.¡± ¡°A certain someone.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all I can say on the matter.¡± A certain someone¡­ the culprit. It¡¯s that girl, all right. Three days from now¡­ The fact that the Adventurers¡¯ Guild knows about that means¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ adventurers will be guarding the transport? Why¡ª¡± Freya¡¯s attention was on the food, as if to say, ¡°I¡¯m not telling you anything else.¡± There were knights in the Count¡¯s manor, who are much higher-ranked than the common soldier. So why would they hire adventurers to be the convoy? There¡¯s gotta be more to this¡­ In the meantime, the Twin Tornado Juice arrived. The container was shaped like a round melon and made of metal, with two straws sticking out of it. Two straws. ¡°Here you go,¡± Freya said. ¡°¡­Hmm?¡± ¡°Come on.¡± ¡°Wait, what? There¡¯s two straws on this thing.¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s called ¡®twin¡¯ for a reason.¡± ¡°No, no, no, no, no.¡± It¡¯s a couples¡¯ drink! Stuff that soppy lovebirds drink! Freya¡¯s cheeks turned red from embarrassment. ¡°I told you I¡¯ve been wanting to try it, but I didn¡¯t have anyone to drink it with!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got all those men after you. You had plenty to choose from!¡± ¡°A-Adventurers are scary.¡± She did mention that before. Hikaru finally understood. She sees me as someone completely harmless. ¡°All right. Let¡¯s have a drink, then. We¡¯ll take turns.¡± ¡°Um, apparently we¡¯re supposed to drink it at the same time.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way that¡¯s¡ª¡± Hikaru checked the note on the menu. ¡°¡­¡± Seriously? Do we have to act like a cheesy couple? ¡°I understand if you don¡¯t want to,¡± Freya mumbled with teary eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± Hikaru quickly replied. ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°I just didn¡¯t want to cause you trouble. You know, what if people think we¡¯re a couple?¡± ¡°I-It¡¯s not like we¡¯re gonna bother anyone.¡± Freya looked away, cheeks flushed, fidgeting. ¡°Let¡¯s drink it, then. Like I said, a man doesn¡¯t go back on his words.¡± ¡°O-Okay.¡± They moved their faces closer. This is much closer than I thought! Their hairs were almost touching. ¡°One, two¡­¡± They sipped at the same time. Fresh, citrusy juice entered their mouths along with a sweet aroma. It was slightly carbonated. ¡°Tastes nice,¡± Hikaru remarked. ¡°You¡¯re right! It¡¯s so good!¡± Freya¡¯s radiant smile paralyzed Hikaru. How could the adventurers call her Fake Smile Freya when she could put on such an immaculate smile? Hikaru himself was using her to gather information. Now I feel bad. He wondered if there was anything he could do to make it up to her. ¡°More, Hikaru.¡± ¡°Okay, okay.¡± ¡°Are you mocking me?! I¡¯m older than you, you know.¡± ¡°That reminds me, how old are you?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t ask a lady her age.¡± ¡°Oh, come on¡­¡± And so they finished the rest of the juice. Later that night, around midnight, Hikaru appeared in Count Morgstadt¡¯s residence, wearing a black outfit. He left his cloak behind, as he didn¡¯t want it getting caught in something. On his face was something he¡¯d never worn before. A mask. Hikaru had been considering covering his face with something so that he wouldn¡¯t get recognized when going out at night. While walking through the market in Pond, he found this mask. It was designed to hide the area around the eyes and the bridge of the nose, while completely covering only the right side of the face. There were engravings around the edges, but otherwise it was a simple silver mask. It was being sold at an engraver¡¯s stall, who said he had been commissioned to create it by a wealthy merchant. ¡°He said he had a daughter with a burn from her forehead to her right cheek. She would be using it regularly, so he wanted it to be light, and with a trace amount of mana so that it would stick onto her face. And I obliged. I had to ask an Artificer to help with the mana part, though. Then suddenly the merchant went bankrupt or something, and he couldn¡¯t buy it anymore. How about it, young man? I¡¯ll give you a discount.¡± It cost 500 gilans. He tried putting it on, and indeed, it stuck to his face. He liked the simple design as well. Polishing it with a cloth revealed a beautiful silver luster. ¡°All righty, then. I guess I just have to go through the front again.¡± Hikaru¡¯s objective was to gather information, but if possible, he also wanted to save the girl. She was innocent to begin with, and she helped him escape after assassinating Count Morgstadt. ¡°I have no idea why she helped me, but I don¡¯t like the idea of her being accused of a crime that I committed.¡± Before this, Hikaru had snuck into the station in town to eavesdrop, but came up empty. Most of the guards¡¯ conversations revolved around booze, gambling, women, and gripes about their superiors. But he did gain something. The girl wasn¡¯t in the Public Safety Investigation Agency¡¯s custody¡ªan organization similar to Japan¡¯s police. She wasn¡¯t in the station either. ¡°That means she¡¯s still in the Count¡¯s place.¡± The front gate was locked, but not the side entrance. A guard stationed at the entrance didn¡¯t notice Hikaru at all as he slipped past him. The last time he was here, it was raining. Tonight, the pale¡ªa lot paler than on Earth¡ªlight of the moon was shining on the mansion. The front door, which he used last time to enter, was locked. ¡°Of course it¡¯s locked. Someone was just assassinated recently. Security will be a lot tighter. But my Stealth¡¯s level has gotten up as well.¡± Hikaru¡¯s Stealth was currently being buffed by his guild card¡¯s Blessing, something he didn¡¯t have before. He circled the building. The windows were barred, but he could remove them if he really needed to by just smashing the glass inside. However, he would prefer not to leave any traces of his presence. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Hikaru caught sight of a back door. It was ajar. The streak of light coming from inside revealed a man and woman standing beside it. ¡°Are you leaving already?¡± ¡°Once my mission is over, I will have to return to the capital.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll miss you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll make sure to send you letters.¡± The man¡¯s face was unfamiliar to Hikaru, but the uniform and the sword hanging from his waist identified him as a knight. And the woman was a maid. Right. The knights in this place were hired by the Count against their will. That explains their lack of motivation. But still you shouldn¡¯t hit on the maids. Hikaru slowly walked past them and slipped inside through the back door. As soon as he opened it, the sudden brightness from within caused the knight and maid to jump and flee into the darkness. They probably thought someone was coming from inside. Hikaru was there, but they acted like they didn¡¯t see him. This Stealth God Blessing is too good. Inside he spotted a storage room with a kitchen beside it. There was only a dim lamp on; no one was around. Hikaru steadily pressed on. He didn¡¯t need to worry about minor stuff with his Stealth active. His first stop was Count Morgstadt¡¯s room on the second floor. The door was locked shut. No good. I could make easy progress if I had Skills like Unlock or Disarm Trap. Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t see any of those on any Soul Board. He didn¡¯t have any points to spend anyway. He pressed his ears against the wall, but heard nothing. His Detection didn¡¯t pick up anything either. He checked the next room. It was empty. He moved to the next one, where he detected human presence inside with his Skill. A woman. The door was unlocked, so he opened it slowly. The moment he entered the room, Hikaru caught the smell of perfume. A glamorous woman with a distinct set of facial features was sleeping soundly on a gorgeous, canopied bed. The Count¡¯s wife¡­ nah, she¡¯s too young. A mistress, or a second wife. Rings and necklaces lay scattered on the dresser. Hikaru picked up a ring. It had a gemstone on it the size of Hikaru¡¯s thumb, though it was too dark to ascertain its color. I can easily steal this, but it¡¯ll probably get traced back if I sell it. When Hikaru decided to make money, he considered stealing from wicked people like Nezumi Kozou. But there were three reasons as to why he couldn¡¯t: 1. He couldn¡¯t unlock vaults. 2. He couldn¡¯t sell precious jewelry as it could be traced back to him. 3. Even if he could steal money, large amounts of coins would be too heavy for him to carry. Small amounts he could just earn from the Adventurers¡¯ Guild, and he wouldn¡¯t have to risk himself by stealing. He asked Freya after they finished their Twin Tornado Juice about Item Boxes or Dimension Storages¡ªclassics in reincarnation stories¡ªwhich could help him carry lots of coins, but her answer was: ¡°I think those are natural treasures from some other country.¡± They were not things one could just buy anywhere. If stuff like that were available to the public, there would have been a huge revolution in the circulation of goods, similar to the IT Revolution on Earth. This world would¡¯ve developed into an advanced society that he¡¯d only seen and read in science fiction. But from what he¡¯d observed, merchants transported goods by wagons and hired people to load and unload heavier packages. Hikaru had not seen anything comparable to the soul card system, a super technology that was created by someone who possessed the Blessing of the Wisdom God. In short, stealing was not an option. Hikaru returned the ring and stepped back out onto the corridor. After checking the other rooms, there was only one that was unusual. Books¡­ By the wall stood a bookshelf filled with books. Most of them were adventure stories, but there were also books about history, religion, engineering, among others. Judging from the size of the bed and the fanciness of the interior design, Hikaru surmised that it belonged to a teenager. Maybe it¡¯s that girl¡¯s room. He opened the closet and found familiar nightclothes. I knew it¡­ Whoa! Below were silk undergarments. He quickly slammed the closet shut. Oh, crap! He trotted to the bed and hid behind it. ¡°Is someone here?¡± Instantly the door opened. Light darted around the room, barely touching Hikaru¡¯s toes. By installing a directional feature on the mana-powered magic lamp, it worked like a flashlight. ¡°Oh, a book just fell,¡± he muttered to himself and left. It¡¯s the knight. The one who was against the murder charges on the girl. Hikaru left the girl¡¯s room. Volume 1 - CH 3.3 There wasn¡¯t anything noteworthy on the second floor, so Hikaru went back down to the first. As soon as he did, he heard the sound of people arguing. ¡°This is not the time to be doing that. It¡¯s inappropriate.¡± ¡°Oh, loosen up, East.¡± The voices were coming from the direction of the back door. The knight who entered the girl¡¯s room spotted the other knight with the maid as they returned from outside. ¡°We aren¡¯t done with our job.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be heading back after this. I was just saying my goodbyes.¡± ¡°Do that when we¡¯re off-duty, then.¡± ¡°All right, fine. You can have all the credit for this bodyguard mission.¡± ¡°What does that have to do with anything? I¡¯m just saying¡ª¡± Not caring less about their arguing, Hikaru explored the first floor. Several servants woken up by the ruckus were coming in his direction. He waited in a corner. As soon as they passed him, Hikaru made his way deeper into the manor. Not this one. This looks like a servants¡¯ room¡­ Hmm? Hikaru spotted a set of stairs at the end of the hall that led down to the basement. Beside it was a knight¡ªthe one at the temple with East¡ªsitting in a chair. Asleep. Now¡¯s my chance. A bunch of keys were dangling from the knight¡¯s waist. A leather strap tied to a metal ring that held five keys together. Hikaru drew closer and tried to untie the strap. What the¡­ it¡¯s too tight. I can¡¯t untie it. Where¡¯s it even connected to? The strap went through the knight¡¯s pants. He felt hopeless. Do I have to shove my hand in there? No, wait. Maybe the door is not even locked. Clinging to a slim chance, Hikaru went down the stairs and found an iron door. It was locked, of course. Okay, how do I take the key? Pull it by force? Nah, that¡¯ll wake him up. Cut the strap, then? Not a bad idea. Although, if I failed to save the girl tonight, security would be tightened even more. I could copy the shape of the keys with some clay. How long would it take to make a duplicate in this world? There¡¯s five keys too. If I asked someone to duplicate them all at once, would they assume I was up to no good? ¡°Hey, wake up. What are you doing, sleeping on the job?¡± The knight arguing with East woke up the sleeping knight. Hikaru quickly hid himself behind the stairs. ¡°Hmm? Oh, I fell asleep, huh? Please don¡¯t tell East.¡± ¡°All right, all right. So, how¡¯s the young lady doing? You should check up on her from time to time.¡± ¡°Right. I¡¯ll do that right now.¡± Sluggishly, the knight stood up and started walking toward Hikaru¡¯s direction. Shit¡­ He turned pale as a sheet. The stairwell turned left halfway, but it was a direct path with only a door at the end. It was only wide enough for one person at a time, and with no places to hide, he¡¯d get busted. What do I do? Hikaru headed down the stairs, turned left and held his breath. A knight yawned. ¡°No action turns the body dull.¡± ¡°You should¡¯ve come with me. Late night work-out with maids is fun, you know?¡± ¡°Please. I have a wife and kids.¡± Slowly, they went down the stairs. I screwed up. I shouldn¡¯t have checked this dead-end. Damn it¡­ No, now¡¯s not the time for regret. I have to think of a way out of this. A certain word sprang up in the back of Hikaru¡¯s mind. ¡¾Assassination¡¿When the user attacks without the target noticing, the attack will have a lethal effect. Max: 3. Anyone going down can¡¯t see me in this blind spot. I can therefore ¡°attack without the target noticing¡±. Hikaru grasped his Dagger of Strength tightly. I¡¯ll kill the one in front first. Fortunately, they¡¯re wearing plain clothes, not armor. He shouldn¡¯t make much of a noise either. Then I¡¯m gonna hide behind his body and pull it this way. The knight behind him will have no idea what happened and when he checks¡­ I¡¯ll kill him as well. His heart pounded in his chest. These were innocent men. But now he had to kill them because of his blunder. ¡°Man, the thought about our work in Pond ending soon¡­¡± ¡°What, you don¡¯t want to leave?¡± Doubt. Could he really do it? Uncertainty. Would it go well? Guilt. Could he really kill innocent people? ¡°No, you idiot. I feel relieved.¡± ¡°You can say that again.¡± With sweaty palms, Hikaru gripped his dagger tight. Three more steps. ¡°Once we get back, let¡¯s have a drink all night¡ª¡± Now. ¡°Sir Knight!¡± The moment Hikaru jumped out, a woman¡¯s voice resounded. ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?! Lord East told me you hit on girls at taverns and stay with them overnight!¡± ¡°What?! Ah, I, uh¡­ I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°Was Lord East lying?! Or you?!¡± ¡°W-Wait, wait. Hold on. Calm down now. Just put the knife down, okay?¡± It was the maid from earlier. One knight climbed back up the stairs. ¡°Oh, brother¡­ She found out about your two-timing?¡± The other knight followed. They¡¯re gone¡­ Feeling every bit of strength leave his body, Hikaru sank down on the spot. He was drenched in sweat, breathing heavily. I can¡¯t afford to rest now. I¡¯ll just end up in the same situation. Whipping back his limp body into life, Hikaru climbed back up the stairs. ¡°I trusted you!¡± ¡°You¡¯re the only one I love. It¡¯s true!¡± The knight and maid were arguing, the latter still holding the knife with both hands. The other guy with the keys followed them, leaving one key on his chair before approaching the maid. He probably removed it from the bunch to open the door below. That¡¯s the key to the basement. The knight stopped and watched the exchange between the maid and the womanizer with folded arms. What now? What if there¡¯s another door inside? Should I leave for now and come back another day? Damn it. Just go for it. This is a golden opportunity! Hikaru jumped out from the stairwell, took the key, and rushed back down the stairs. He used the key, and pushed the iron door open. After checking to see if it could be locked from inside, he inserted a towel between the door and the wall so it wouldn¡¯t close. He then went back up and returned the key on the chair. ¡°Stop swinging that knife around. It¡¯s dangerous.¡± ¡°Hey, this is getting serious.¡± ¡°Waaaaaahhhh!¡± It didn¡¯t seem like the commotion would be dying down any time soon. Hikaru went back down, entered the basement, and locked the iron door behind him. He heaved a deep sigh of relief. That was so close. He reflected on his carelessness and his lack of resolve. There¡¯s a chance I¡¯ll have to kill innocent people in the future. What do I do, then? Should I prepare myself to kill? No. If I started killing people for no reason, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to stop. If someone annoyed me, I¡¯d probably think ¡°I can just kill this guy¡±. I¡¯ll have to put in every bit of effort so that I won¡¯t kill unnecessarily. Every bit of effort. I would have to take every possibility into consideration beforehand and be as attentive as possible when I¡¯m on the job. All right. Here we go. He switched gears. I can reflect on things properly later. I¡¯m in the middle of something right now. Volume 1 - CH 3.4 It was a storage room. Sacks and wooden crates¡ªwhat was inside of them, Hikaru had no idea¡ªwere cluttered about. From where he was standing, he could see iron bars deeper inside the room. Ancient script was engraved into them, emitting pale light. A magic seal. It was a prison. An extremely solid one. The inside, however, was neat and tidy. A painting hung by the wall. The cell was furnished with a cushioned chair, a bed that looked to be of better quality than what Hikaru had in his hotel room, and a table with piles of books. Adventure novels. ¡°¡­Is someone there?¡± The girl was there. Her long, neatly-trimmed silver hair reached just above her modest chest. She had bangs brushed to the right side of her face and underneath them, blue eyes¡ªas blue as a mystical lake found deep inside the mountains¡ªregarded Hikaru. She¡¯s beautiful. Her beauty was out of this world. It was dark the night he killed Count Morgstadt, and he didn¡¯t have the time to examine her closely. She was wearing a dress as red as wine. She was apparently reading under the dim, orange light of a magic lamp. Hikaru checked his mask. His face should be well-hidden. Switching his Blessing would require taking out his guild card, so he just turned off his Stealth directly. He seemingly appeared out of nowhere. The girl gave a start. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°¡­The one you helped.¡± ¡°I see. The person who killed the Count.¡± He didn¡¯t expect her to guess it right that quickly. Though it wasn¡¯t that surprising. She might not have seen his face, but she saw his build. ¡°I¡¯ve come to help you,¡± he said. ¡°Is that so? Thank you for coming. But I can¡¯t get out of here.¡± ¡°Is this a magic prison?¡± ¡°A magic cell, yes. It was built by the guildmaster of the Alchemists¡¯ Guilds. He¡¯s the only one who can open it,¡± she said indifferently. Her voice was as clear as a tiny bell, yet seemingly devoid of emotion. She was inside a cell, and the real culprit was before her. But she was as calm as she could get. ¡°I see. I didn¡¯t expect the key to be a living person.¡± ¡°It will open if you kill the guildmaster. But you can¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°What makes you think so?¡± ¡°Because you have a pure heart. You can¡¯t kill innocent people.¡± ¡°The guildmaster could be someone wicked who deserves to die.¡± ¡°No, he¡¯s a good man. Earnest and sincere, he seeks the truth behind magic.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to get out of here? You saved me. I have a reason to help you. If you wish to be free¡ª¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯ve already achieved my goal.¡± For the first time, emotions flickered in the girl¡¯s eyes. ¡°Because you killed that man for me.¡± He saw emotions from her¡ªrelief, as if she¡¯d found repose in the death of the Count. ¡°Sounds like a lot of people didn¡¯t like that guy.¡± ¡°Very few liked him.¡± ¡°He was that horrible, huh?¡± ¡°Just the thought of his blood running in my veins makes me want to die.¡± Then it dawned on Hikaru. He killed her father. ¡°You¡¯re Count Morgstadt¡¯s¡­ daughter?¡± ¡°In a technical sense, yes. Please don¡¯t look at me like that. Did your parents lock you up inside the house? Treat you like a tool? I wonder how long it¡¯s been since I¡¯ve gone outside. Not once since I moved here, so around four years, I suppose.¡± ¡°The Count placed you under house arrest?¡± ¡°He feared me. But he couldn¡¯t get rid of me because I was valuable to him.¡± Her choice of words was probably something she picked up from Morgstadt in their everyday interactions. Cold, inhuman words. ¡°Why do you think the Alchemists¡¯ Guild¡¯s guildmaster had to personally come to build the magical cell for a young girl?¡± Hikaru swallowed. Pale, blue light¡ªalmost as blue as her eyes¡ªgathered around her. The air¡¯s density changed, making it hard to breathe. ¡°Because I can use extraordinary magic¡ªmagic that only knows how to destroy.¡± The light vanished, and Hikaru¡¯s body felt lighter. His back was drenched in sweat. He had activated his Mana Detection so he knew that that was a mass of pure magical power just now. Incredible amount of mana filled the whole cell, so much so that her body seemed to have vanished. He wanted to check her Soul Board, but he couldn¡¯t bring it out. The moment he tried summoning her Soul Board, the blue runes on the cell started glowing, jamming his ability. The cell had completely shut down her magical power as well. It wasn¡¯t just the iron bars; the walls, floor, the ceiling all had ancient markings. Yet even the air around Hikaru, who was standing outside of the prison, changed. Her power was immense. ¡°Thank you for coming all the way here. I never thought anyone, much less the actual culprit, would come to save me.¡± ¡°Who pinned the murder on you?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°It does. There¡¯s just too much stuff I don¡¯t understand. Don¡¯t you hate your own power? Then why did you show it to me?¡± She tilted her head slightly and smiled. ¡°You asked who pinned the murder on me. There¡¯s the clue to your question¡¯s answer.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°In a few days, I¡¯ll be transported to the capital as a murderer. His Majesty will then show my power to his subjects. Once the kingdom knows about it, I¡¯ll be incorporated into the expeditionary force under the pretext of atoning for the murder of my own father. They¡¯ll turn me into a weapon of slaughter, killing endlessly in the front lines of war. I will die on the battlefield in the not-too-distant future. I will be known as a mass murderer who killed her father, and since that will stain the historic Kingdom of Ponsonia¡¯s reputation, my whole existence will be buried in darkness.¡± ¡°Wait, so you¡¯re saying¡­ that the one who pinned the murder on you¡­¡± Hikaru swallowed. ¡°¡­is the King.¡± ¡°As someone who¡¯s concerned about me, I wanted to at least let you know,¡± she said, neither affirming nor denying Hikaru¡¯s statement. ¡°That I existed.¡± ¡°¡­¡± So fragile, Hikaru thought. How could this girl be so fragile? How could she give up on life so easily? ¡°Patrols should be here soon, so you should go home¡­ And don¡¯t come back.¡± Their worlds were too different. Hikaru was estranged from his parents too. He was more or less aware that he grew up bitter because of it. But what about her? Not only had she not felt a parent¡¯s love, she was treated as a tool. And she accepted that. Tools don¡¯t want to live freely? Live their own life? No. The girl¡¯s hands, clasped together, were shaking ever so slightly. Of course not. Hikaru removed his mask. The girl stared at his face, a little surprised. His appearance had changed slightly since she saw him that fateful night. His hair and eyes were now completely black. ¡°I want to know your name,¡± Hikaru said, holding her gaze. ¡°You don¡¯t need to know. Soon it will be forgotten¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m Hikaru.¡± She had given up on life? Not at all. That couldn¡¯t be farther from the truth. ¡°Tell me your name.¡± If she did, her hands wouldn¡¯t be shaking. If she did, she wouldn¡¯t be reading adventure novels. If she did, she wouldn¡¯t be reluctant to give her name. She was scared that giving her name would make her harbor hope. ¡°My name is Lavia D. Morgstadt¡­ No, it¡¯s Lavia. Just Lavia.¡± If she did give up, then why were her cheeks wet? ¡°Lavia, I will¡ª¡± ¡°No!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°Don¡¯t say any more. I don¡¯t want to expect anything. Once I do, I won¡¯t be able to stop hoping. I was fortunate enough that the man who tied me down is gone. I can¡¯t wish for any more than that.¡± But Hikaru went on. ¡°I will save you.¡± Tears spilled down her cheeks. ¡°No. Don¡¯t say it.¡± Lavia had prepared herself for a life of darkness. Suddenly a hand stretched out to her, and the dam in her heart that kept all her emotions burst. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Hikaru said. ¡°I can¡¯t bring myself to kill innocent men. So I won¡¯t kill anyone. I¡¯ll help you escape without shedding blood. Three days from now, adventurers will transport you to the capital. It¡¯ll be the perfect opportunity.¡± She didn¡¯t answer. She just kept on crying, tears flowing endlessly. Hikaru held out his hand, but was stopped by some sort of invisible barrier surrounding the cell. He pressed his hand against it. ¡°People say I¡¯m arrogant,¡± he said. ¡°I have confidence in myself, and I believe I can pull off what I just said. Whether you wish for it or not, I will save you. I will barge into your life, just like how I appeared out of nowhere and killed your father.¡± Lavia staggered toward him, and pressed her own hand against Hikaru¡¯s. ¡°Can I believe in you? I¡¯m an extremely heavy burden.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care. You saved my life first. I can¡¯t just sit by and let you die without even returning the favor.¡± ¡°If you save me, I¡¯ll give you my everything,¡± Lavia managed. The door swung open, and two knights stepped into the room. East and the guy who was sleeping on the job. ¡°Ah, for god¡¯s sake. I didn¡¯t expect to run into that sort of trouble here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what you get for goofing off while on duty.¡± ¡°Now, now. Let¡¯s not get too grumpy. Oh, the lady is fast asleep.¡± Lavia was lying on the bed, her back turned to them. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong, East?¡± ¡°She¡¯s usually reading books at this hour.¡± ¡°She must be exhausted. You worry about her too much.¡± ¡°How could I not worry about her?¡± They didn¡¯t notice that the girl who had her back turned was still awake. That she ignored them because she didn¡¯t want them to see her eyes that were red from weeping. That a boy slipped past behind them and left the basement. ETA until the escape plan: three days. Volume 1 - CH 3.5 Hikaru returned to the hotel later that night and woke up early the next morning. He didn¡¯t get enough sleep, and the fatigue from walking all over the place yesterday hadn¡¯t been alleviated, but time was limited. ¡°I made the right choice in moving to a hotel. I can relax in my own room, and my body feels a lot more comfortable on a bed.¡± He had never stayed in a hotel once when he was in Japan. He didn¡¯t expect to have to stay in one in a different world. Needless to say, there weren¡¯t any modular bathrooms, vending machines in the corridor, laundromats, and pay-per-view card machines that you would find in budget hotels in Japan. The catgirl waved at him. ¡°Have a great day!¡± Hikaru wondered if she was here 24/7, but decided it was really none of his concern. He was about to head for breakfast when¡­ ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Not again. The hotdog stand owner was staring at him today too. ¡°It¡¯s 30 gilans.¡± ¡°Your hotdog better be good this time.¡± It had red ketchup and yellow mustard with no grains. Here goes nothing¡­ Hikaru took a bite. His eyes grew wide. ¡°W-Well?! How¡¯s the taste?!¡± ¡°¡­Bland.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Why¡¯s the ketchup watery?! It¡¯s not even slightly sour!¡± The hotdog tasted exceedingly bland. While fully disappointed, he already bought it. After finishing it, Hikaru left the hotdog stand. The vendor¡¯s shoulders sagged despondently, a sullen look on his face. Hikaru made his way outside town, not the Adventurers¡¯ Guild. He knew what he had to do. ¡°First I need money.¡± It was always good to have money. He would need some to hide Lavia after rescuing her. The problem was: it was the king that pinned the murder on her. While it was only her guess, Hikaru thought it held considerable weight. After all, it was a Count that was killed. The murder of one of the top ten influential people in the kingdom of Ponsonia. The culprit was identified in just two to three days. Lavia couldn¡¯t have confessed to it herself, so it must¡¯ve been someone¡¯s idea¡ªsomeone from those ten people. ¡°It doesn¡¯t really matter who I¡¯m up against, though.¡± Hikaru actually had a chance to succeed. It would all come down to his preparations in the next three days, and one of those was to make some money. And the fastest way to make money was to hunt Red-Horned Rabbits. Fifteen minutes after leaving town, Hikaru spotted one. One thrust from his Dagger of Strength took the creature¡¯s life away. He felt a lot less guilt than yesterday. I guess it¡¯s all about getting used to it. He stared at the bloody dagger, its blade covered in fat. He wiped it off with a rag. The same probably applies to killing humans. And you need to have a strong mind to control yourself. Because of his blunder last night, he considered killing the knights. He had a lot of time to think about it since then, and after much pondering, he imposed a few rules on himself. 1. If he concluded that someone must be killed, then he would do it without hesitation. 2. He should be fully prepared before Stealth infiltrations. There was no such thing as being too prepared. 3. Perform simulations of plans. He would not use the words ¡°play it by the ear¡±. This was where his Stealth Skill came in. It was perfect for gathering information without much risk. How could he not put it to good use? ¡°It¡¯s my best weapon, after all.¡± As soon as he killed his third Red-Horned Rabbit for the day, his body started burning on the inside. ¡°Wh-What the¡­?!¡± A chilling sensation surged within him that made him just want to run. ¡°This is¡­ the same sensation from when I killed the Count.¡± Ten seconds later, it settled down. Hikaru opened his Soul Board. ¡¾Soul Board¡¿Hikaru Age: 15 | Rank: 5 | 1 ¡°I knew it. My soul¡¯s rank increased.¡± Back then, he thought it was elation from committing murder, but apparently not. He didn¡¯t know how many living things he had to kill before his rank increased, though. From what he¡¯d gathered so far, beginner adventurers in their teens had a rank below ten. Those in their twenties had ranks between ten and twenty and people in their thirties had at most twenty-five. So Unken¡¯s 51 was quite high. The higher the rank, the harder it would be to rank up, most likely. ¡°So even killing Red-Horned Rabbits increases one¡¯s rank, huh? I wonder how much higher I can go in a short time¡­¡± Besides earning money, Hikaru thought of other things to do in the next two days: gather information about the adventurers guarding Lavia during the transport and leveling up. Ranking up gave points, and one point alone was quite potent. ¡°I¡¯ve already decided to put the first point on this.¡± Hikaru navigated through his Soul Board. ¡¾Strength¡¿ ¡¾Muscle Strength¡¿1 ¡¾Weapon Mastery¡¿ Hikaru¡¯s sack with two Red-Horned Rabbits was already too heavy for him. He struggled to carry one that didn¡¯t have its innards removed. But going to the guild and back every time he killed one would take too much time. Increasing his Strength was an efficient shortcut. ¡°Wait, what?¡± The Red-Horned Rabbit he killed just now was short and round, as big as two watermelons put together. Yet he managed to lift it with just one hand. ¡°It¡¯s light¡­ holy cow¡­ That was just one point.¡± He recalled Zelnenko¡¯s Soul Board which had 3 points in Strength. Freya mentioned he was quite strong. It made sense now. ¡°Unken had 9 points I think¡­ Uh, now¡¯s not the time to think about that. Let¡¯s head back.¡± It was already nearing noon. Carrying three Red-Horned Rabbits, Hikaru headed back to town. The gatekeeper stopped him to check his sack and was surprised. Shocked, even. Hikaru told him that someone taught him how to efficiently hunt rabbits, which was enough to convince the gatekeeper. Hikaru remembered his idea of bringing a present to the guard who stood up for him. The guard was overjoyed when he gave him one of the Red-Horned Rabbits. He said he would make stew out of it with his colleagues. Apparently, the meat was quite delicious and would usually only be served during huge celebrations. He had one less rabbit now, but he gained an ally, a guard that managed the gate. The best thing to do was not to engage, but if he wanted to rescue Lavia, having the guard on his side wouldn¡¯t hurt. After having lunch at a food stall, Hikaru carried the sack with the two Red-Horned Rabbits to the guild. ¡°Hmm?¡± On entering the guild, Hikaru¡¯s ears caught the voices of young people. He spotted a bunch of teenage adventurers. Five of them, two boys and three girls. They were having fun scanning the bulletin board for commissions. A party, huh? Definitely not for me. Stealth would be difficult to use in a party. The other party members wouldn¡¯t be able to see him. If I was reincarnated differently, would I have chosen a different Skill? ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°A party of kids from the sticks, apparently¡± ¡°Oh, the sticks, you say? Someone with experience should teach them stuff, then.¡± ¡°There¡¯s about ten other people who are thinking the same thing. Hehehe.¡± A few adventurers approached the kids¡¯ party. Looks like they¡¯re up to something again. The adventurers in this place are a bunch of thugs. Maybe that¡¯s why Freya keeps turning them down over and over again. Letting out a sigh, Hikaru made his way to the counter¡ªto where Gloria was. Freya¡¯s shift was already over. ¡°Hello. If it isn¡¯t Mr. Hikaru.¡± ¡°Can you please call old man Unken for me? And you should pay attention to those kids. They might fall victim to the games of those seasoned adventurers.¡± ¡°Thank you for the advice. Yes¡­¡± Gloria shot them a glance. The kids and older men were having a friendly conversation¡ªon the surface, that is. ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye on them. So why do you want to see Sir Unken?¡± ¡°He said he would personally assess the goods.¡± ¡°Okay. Please wait a moment.¡± Gloria¡¯s tone was as cool as usual, but there was a gleam deep in her eyes. She seemed to have an idea what was inside the sack. Can¡¯t let my guard down around this woman. Volume 1 - CH 3.6 When Hikaru met Unken at the butchering station, the old man was wearing the same grumpy expression. ¡°I told you to come in the evening.¡± ¡°Sorry. I finished earlier than expected. I can come back later if you want, though.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s do it now¡­ Wait, did you bring two rabbits?¡± The national hero was surprised when he saw Hikaru take out two rabbits and place them on the table. Come on¡­ If they¡¯re that rare, then make sure you disclose it properly. Label them as ¡°rare species¡± or ¡°SSR¡±. Hikaru couldn¡¯t help but think pointless conflicts might occur simply because of adventurers lacking common sense. What would¡¯ve happened if he brought three rabbits? Leaving one with the guards was a wise decision. ¡°For the record, the horns are broken,¡± Hikaru said. ¡°Of course they are! You¡¯re going to give me a headache if you keep bringing ones with their horns intact. Speaking of which, the horn from yesterday has been priced.¡± ¡°How much is it?¡± ¡°140,000 gilans.¡± ¡°Wh-What?¡± ¡°Well? Stunned, are we?¡± ¡°A-A little bit.¡± He was dumbstruck. There were more zeroes now. It was only natural he¡¯d be stunned. ¡°Plus the price of the meat from yesterday for a total of 147,500. You will receive 47,500 cash, and 100,000 will be in the guild¡¯s custody. Does that sound good?¡± ¡°Wait a sec. What do you mean custody? Do I have to come here to withdraw money?¡± ¡°What, you don¡¯t even know that?¡± According to Unken, guild custody was a system that allowed money to be withdrawn from any guild branch by recording it on the guild card as ¡°additional information¡±. So not only do these cards serve as ID, they can be used like ATM cards as well, huh? Definitely something out of science fiction. ¡°They told me it would fetch a higher price at an auction,¡± Unken went on. ¡°So what will you do?¡± ¡°You do auctions here?¡± ¡°In the capital.¡± ¡°They put monster horns for sale?¡± ¡°There are different categories, but works of art is the main one.¡± ¡°When¡¯s the next auction?¡± ¡°Ten days from now, I think.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t wait that long. I¡¯ll sell them now. I¡¯ll deposit 100,000 with the guild, though.¡± ¡°All right.¡± A hundred thousand gilans would be equivalent to a large bag packed with gold coins. Hikaru didn¡¯t want to carry all that weight around. I won¡¯t have to make more money for now. Objective cleared ahead of schedule. Thank you, Red-Horned Rabbits. Afterwards, Unken taught Hikaru how to butcher meat. The old man offered him a butchering knife from the guild for 100 gilans, so he took it. ¡°That should do it,¡± the old man said. ¡°Thank you. This isn¡¯t something you can learn on your own, huh?¡± There were tricks to cutting meat that simply reading books wouldn¡¯t be enough. It was quicker to learn from an expert. All he had to do now was practice over and over. Also the method he was taught could only be applied to animals and monsters closely-related to rabbits. ¡°There¡¯s reptiles and birds, too. I guess I¡¯ll just leave those to the experts,¡± Hikaru said. Unken chuckled. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to say that once you¡¯re in a dungeon. You might have to eat monster meat. There might even be times when you just have to take home the necessary parts.¡± ¡°Dungeon? There are dungeons here?¡± ¡°Not around here, no. But there are two in Ponsonia.¡± ¡°Two?!¡± ¡°Wh-Why are you getting all worked up?¡± Of course he¡¯d get all worked up. Dungeon meant adventures. Adventures meant dungeons. I would have to save that one for later, though. Lavia¡¯s rescue came first. Nothing could change his plans. ¡°I have a question,¡± Hikaru said. ¡°What¡¯s a good monster for me to hunt around here?¡± ¡°You may ask the receptionists.¡± ¡°They look busy. One even complained about having too much work.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m a busy man myself.¡± ¡°Come on. You¡¯re here right now anyway.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so persistent. I would bet people call you arrogant.¡± Unken told him about several monsters anyway. ¡°Got it. Any monsters I should stay away from, then?¡± This was the actual question he wanted to ask. The library contained information about the easier monsters, but not the more dangerous ones. This was to keep adventurers away from them. Actually ¡°no information¡± wasn¡¯t quite accurate. Their names and distinctive features were available, but nothing else. No mention about where they could be found. ¡°Why do you want to know?¡± Unken¡¯s eyes narrowed. His Instinct had sensed something. ¡°So I stay away from them, of course,¡± Hikaru answered. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of making money around here for a while. I might have to go deep into the forest. I think it¡¯s important to know which areas I should steer clear of.¡± The answer was enough to satisfy the man. Hikaru had already assumed which questions Unken would find suspicious. ¡°There are three monsters you should be wary of. First is the Green Wolf.¡± ¡°I know about those already.¡± ¡°What about Rogue Bees?¡± Rogue Bees were apparently bees the size of a coin. Their wings had devolved so they moved by jumping from tree to tree. They normally operated alone, but if they spotted an enemy, they would immediately call their friends. ¡°Bees, huh¡­¡± ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking. They don¡¯t sound like a threat.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± Hikaru was telling the truth. He was thinking about how much trouble it would be to kill them to rank up. ¡°They¡¯re quite swift and their movements are unlike any other monsters. It¡¯s difficult for the eyes to adjust.¡± ¡°Got it. What¡¯s the last one?¡± ¡°Forest Barbarians.¡± An unfamiliar name. ¡°They¡¯re about three meters tall and either operate alone or with a partner. A couple, basically. They look terrifying, so it¡¯s unlikely that you get close to them unwittingly.¡± ¡°What do they look like?¡± ¡°They have four arms and only one eye. Otherwise, their bodies are similar to humans, but they don¡¯t wear anything, and they have smooth skin.¡± ¡°Sounds terrifying.¡± The perfect example of a legit monster. Now that he mentioned it, there was information about them in the library, but they were referred to as Green Giants or Forest Guardians. ¡°Where are they found?¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t go too deep into the forest; especially at the foot of the mountains. The ecosystem in the mountains is different. There¡¯s one place you should also be wary of: the lake on the east. That area is a breeding ground for monsters.¡± ¡°I see. I think I got all that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s about it¡­ No, wait. There might be one more thing.¡± ¡°Might?¡± ¡°Goblins have been spotted near the town recently. They might have a settlement somewhere. Stay away if you see one. They say once you find one, you find three hundred.¡± So they reproduce faster than cockroaches? Two more days before Lavia¡¯s transfer. The next morning, Hikaru started early. The hotdog stand was closed today, so he had breakfast at a different place, bought packed lunch for two, and left town. He planned to go to the eastern lake, a breeding ground for monsters. It would take three hours to get there by foot, so he took a ride on a horse owned by a cool-looking man. It could carry two passengers, similar to a bicycle or a motorbike. The blankets on the seat made for a comfortable ride. A one-way trip took thirty minutes and cost 100 gilans. More expensive than he had expected. Hikaru wasn¡¯t sure what time he¡¯d be back so he told the man not to come pick him up. ¡°Don¡¯t go too far now,¡± the man warned. ¡°If I come by in the afternoon, I¡¯ll check to see if you¡¯re around. But don¡¯t expect too much. Again, don¡¯t go too far!¡± After giving him sufficient warning, the man left. The lake was known as a fishing spot; Hikaru spotted a number of people fishing. But as Unken said, there must be monsters deep in the woods. A lot of them. ¡°That¡¯s just what I want.¡± Hikaru switched his Blessing to Stealth God: Bearer of Darkness and activated all his Stealth-related Skills. He was going for the big one, of course. ¡°Target: Forest Guardian.¡± The forest felt a lot deeper than the one Hikaru ventured into when searching for poisonous glimmering herbs on an empty stomach. High above him was a canopy of thick leaves, under his feet a carpet of mulch. The trees were covered in moss, and faint mist hung in the air in places. It seemed like a haunted forest. Hikaru spotted a green wolf in the distance. ¡°A Green Wolf.¡± They can be found here too, huh¡­ It was prowling about unwarily, yawning. The perfect opportunity. Birds chirped loudly, flying from one branch to another. The Green Wolf shot glances at them too. The next moment, the Green Wolf¡¯s vision grew dark, and it fell over with a thud. ¡°Phew¡­¡± On its neck was a dagger plunged all the way to the hilt, severing the spine. Under normal circumstances, its neck was an unlikely spot to get stabbed, since it required getting close. Green Wolves were extremely perceptive and could sense anything within two hundred meters. There was no way it wouldn¡¯t notice a human just right beside it. ¡°It¡¯s over¡­ ¡° With a hand on his chest, Hikaru breathed a sigh. ¡°I ranked up with just one kill.¡± The shock¡ªno, the recoil from ranking up had struck him. He was saving his points for now. For his plan to work, he needed to have three points available at hand. ¡°I can¡¯t take the meat back. Sorry, little guy.¡± Leaving the area should lessen the effects of his Stealth, allowing the smell of the Green Wolf¡¯s blood and flesh to then spread through the forest, attracting other animals and insects to devour the body. The corpse of the Green Wolf would return to the forest. Hikaru pulled his Dagger of Strength out and wiped the blood off it before heading deeper into the forest. Thanks to his Stealth, he was able to get close and kill his target without it noticing. After killing two more Green Wolves, his rank went up once again. He was now at rank 7. A fast pace. It felt like he could reach 10 or 20 in no time at all. He wondered why the other adventurers were not just grinding nonstop. Then he recalled Unken saying that Green Wolves were tough. Taking one down solo was an extraordinary feat. There were other monsters besides Green Wolves: rodents, smaller than Red-Horned Rabbits, almost like a brown mouse, blue locusts about thirty centimeters long, man-eating plants that attacked by launching pollen. They weren¡¯t much of a threat. Even without his Stealth, Hikaru could take them on one by one. They tended to group up, however. ¡°I bet those kinds of monsters barely give any exp.¡± One would have to kill a lot just to rank up. In addition, ordinary people, not just adventurers, were unable to confirm their ranks. They could sense that they had grown stronger, but they couldn¡¯t quantify it. As such, adventurers lacked motivation to increase their ranks. Hikaru ignored the smaller monsters and hunted for Green Wolves only. Around noon, when the sun was at its zenith, Hikaru was having his lunch, when he heard a scream in the distance. ¡°What was that?¡± Volume 1 - CH 3.7 Paula wanted to yell, ¡°I told you so!¡± Paula was a novice adventurer from a poor village deep in the mountains. About six months ago, she formed a party with her childhood friends and some youths from a neighboring village. The group¡¯s average age was seventeen. The two boys only knew how to swing their swords. They wanted to be heroes¡­ Well, not exactly. But they dreamed of making bank, buying a mansion, and living their lives being served by women. The other three girls had different ways of thinking. Pia was the daughter of the village chief. As such, she had a strong sense of responsibility. Yet she was the type to focus on outward appearance¡ªcutting her short so she would look like an actual adventurer and even using rougher language. ¡°I¡¯ll protect you, Paula!¡± she would shout at every opportunity, swinging a greatsword with both hands. When they were still back in the village, however, Pia would be like, ¡°Paula, what¡¯s for dinner tonight?¡± Priscilla was a trueborn hunter. It wasn¡¯t unusual for her to be gone for days out in the mountains. Because of that, she was the silent type¡ªor more like she tended to space out a lot. Her breasts were huge, to say the least, the size of well-grown melons, which drew the gazes of men. Paula was completely different from the other four. She was born and raised in a church. Although it was a church in the sticks, proper etiquette was drilled into her nonetheless. This influenced her overall appearance, neat and clean, including her clothes. ¡°Calm and collected.¡± ¡°If I get injured, Paula will heal me.¡± That was how she was seen by people around her. Paula could use healing magic. Plenty of people who worked for the church for many years gained the ability, but in her case, she developed her powers early. That was why Pia invited her to become an adventurer. Their village was facing a crisis. A financial one. ¡°I¡¯m sure pops will be overjoyed if we sent lots of money to the village!¡± she said. But Paula knew she cried every night in her bed, muttering ¡°I want to go home.¡± We should¡¯ve gone home! Paula screamed her mind. Who wouldn¡¯t want to scream in the situation they were in? ¡°They just keep on coming! What¡¯s going on?!¡± ¡°We¡¯re open! The goblins will charge right into us!¡± ¡°Freakin¡¯ goblins! How could they be so disciplined?!¡± ¡°Piece of cake, my ass! You fuckin¡¯ idiot!¡± ¡°Gloria warned us!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t give a damn!¡± They were surrounded by a hundred goblins. A hundred was merely Paula¡¯s guess. In reality there were a lot more of them. In other words, there were too many that she couldn¡¯t give an exact number. Four veteran adventurers approached them yesterday, telling them about some rare plants found deep in the forest that they could sell for a huge amount. The two boys immediately latched onto the idea, and Pia, although sounding a little reluctant, agreed. They wanted money, and majority of the party was on board. So they ultimately decided to take the seasoned adventurers¡¯ lucrative offer. The veterans said it was their job to guide promising adventurers, which made Pia and the others happy. It was only Paula who saw through the obvious flattery. Priscilla¡¯s mind was somewhere else. It was probably only Paula who considered the possibility that the men were going to pull a fast one on them. Before they left the guild, however, the receptionist called the veterans and told them something. A warning of some sorts. Paul wasn¡¯t exactly sure if it worked, but the adventurers stayed away from the girls. They couldn¡¯t take their eyes off Priscilla¡¯s bouncing bosoms, though. They had a meeting over dinner at a tavern and left the next day when the sun was already high in the sky because they had too much to drink. They managed to reach the forest before noon. Things were fine until then. The veterans tried so hard to draw the attention of the girls, firing magic spells, showing off their sword skills. They were able to kill ten smaller monsters. But Priscilla¡¯s face gradually turned grim. It was unusual for her to have any other expression than a blank one. ¡°Paula, this is bad.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Too much noise will attract bigger monsters.¡± Hearing their exchange, a veteran adventurer laughed. ¡°There aren¡¯t any big monsters in this forest. And if there¡¯s one, I¡¯ll rip it to shreds!¡± He was right. There weren¡¯t any big monsters in the forest. That¡¯s why the veterans were able to take down monsters easily. Not to be outdone, Pia and the others struck the monsters as well. If he says so, I guess we should be all right, Paula had thought. But she couldn¡¯t shake off the knot in her gut. She had always had keen intuition. A number of times Paula secretly told Pia that they should go back, but every time she did, her friend only said, ¡°I¡¯ll protect you.¡± To cut it short, her hunch was correct. The adventurers, too, were right. There weren¡¯t any large monsters, only small ones. Goblins. If you found one, you found three hundred. ¡°Guaahh?!¡± An arrow struck one of the men¡¯s shoulder. ¡°A bow?! You damned goblins!¡± Goblins resembled humans, but hideous, standing no more than a hundred centimeters tall. Despite their big heads, they weren¡¯t exactly intelligent. Their skin was a tad bit yellowish. They were an easy foe to fight head-on, but tough when they grouped up. ¡°If they¡¯re using bows, that means we have a Goblin Family at our hands!¡± A what? Family? Paula wondered. ¡°Then there¡¯s a huge one leading them¡­¡± ¡°Can we kill it?¡± ¡°No way in hell! We¡¯re having trouble just dealing with these fuckers!¡± The veterans were panicking. These Goblins were bad news. They had a Boss with them, a monster that was too much to handle even for these seasoned adventurers. The veterans turned their gaze to Paula, and she gave a start. She sensed something vicious in their eyes. Not obscenity or hostility¡ªno. It was as if they were looking at a mere object. ¡°Young lady, do you know what the Goblins are after?¡± one asked. ¡°I, uhh¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± The veterans inched closer. Pia, who said she¡¯d protect Paula, was out in front, fighting. ¡°Breeding.¡± ¡°Bree¡­ ding?¡± Paula couldn¡¯t grasp the meaning of the word immediately. ¡°They¡¯re going to grab a female human and make her give birth. In other words, they¡¯re after you, not us.¡± ¡°Wha?¡ª¡± A chill ran down her spine. She turned pale from fear, and she couldn¡¯t think straight. The Goblins were after her. Not to take her life, but to rape her. ¡°You understand, right?¡± ¡°N-No¡­¡± ¡°If we hand you over to them, we might make it out alive. All right?¡± ¡°Nooo!¡± The men grabbed her arms. ¡°Paula!¡± Priscilla, who was busy firing arrows, rushed towards her. But the other men blocked her path. ¡°No, no, nooooooooo!¡± ¡°You can save everyone! That¡¯s your duty as a Healer!¡± They grabbed Paula from both sides and dragged her away. Pia seemed to have noticed the commotion, but the fourth guy tried to hide it. The two boys were idiots. They had no idea what was going on. ¡°Off you go!¡± Paula stumbled forward. Ten meters ahead of her was a group of drooling Goblins. They looked primitive with their rusty knives, wooden clubs, and stones. Kicked from behind, Paula tumbled three meters away. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The Goblins were momentarily surprised, but they soon realized what they had been given. They ran up to her. Through Paula¡¯s tear-filled eyes, the Goblins looked to be moving in slow motion. We shouldn¡¯t have come here. But it was too late for that. They shouldn¡¯t have left the village to become adventurers. Pia might¡¯ve talked her into it, but she herself made the decision to go with her. Paula grew up in a church. Unlike the other members of the party, she had plenty of opportunities to read books. Not only holy scriptures or handbooks. Only a few villagers could read, so all sorts of books were donated to the church¡ªincluding romance novels. Paula was engrossed in these romantic stories. And she made a wish¡ªthat if she left the village and went to the big city, a handsome boy with rosy cheeks would appear before her. Fated to meet, they would fall in love with each other. There were nights when she couldn¡¯t sleep, elated from her fantasies. She even wrote a story about it, with a main character named Paulie, clearly modeled after her. I¡¯m such an idiot¡­ I¡¯m so stupid for having fantasies¡­ Not one book told her about a story where the girl ended up being violated by Goblins and forced to bear their children. She wished to be killed rather than suffer a terrible fate at the hands of these monsters. She squeezed her eyes shut. The Goblins were swooping down on her. Trembling, Paula forced her mind to think. Huh? The Goblins aren¡¯t coming? ¡°Can you stand?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Confused, she opened her eyes and saw a boy standing there. He had black hair and black eyes, wearing a cloak over his black clothing. The boy was pulling out a dagger from the back of a Goblin¡¯s head. Paula had no idea where he came from. Even the Goblins were stunned. It¡¯s real¡­ There was one thing Paula knew, however. A fateful encounter! Volume 1 - CH 3.8 Man, that was close, Hikaru thought. She was a rear guard by the looks of it. Her only weapon was a short sword, with a blade a little longer than his Dagger of Strength. A few seconds later and the girl would¡¯ve been hurt. A few minutes and she¡¯d be either dead, or worse. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Stay back.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Are you listening?¡± ¡°A pretty boy.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have you no¡ªugh!¡± She threw herself at him out of nowhere, so Hikaru delivered a punch right to her face. ¡°Wh-What is wrong with you?!¡± ¡°Haa¡­ A treat from a pretty boy¡­¡± Hikaru quickly realized that she was bad news. And he saved her. He felt danger that belied her immaculate appearance. She was staring at him with a grin on her face, trembling. ¡°Y-You fuckin¡¯ idiot!¡± roared one adventurer. ¡°Why would you do that?!¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°By sacrificing one girl, we could¡¯ve all escaped! We¡¯re up against Goblins!¡± ¡°Ah, I see what¡¯s going on here.¡± Hikaru¡¯s gaze turned icy cold. ¡°I was wondering why you kicked her. You wanted to use her as bait so you could escape.¡± The adventurer jumped. ¡°Wh-What¡¯s so wrong with that?¡± he answered back defiantly. ¡°Did I hear that right?! How dare you do that to Paula!¡± ¡°You¡¯ll pay.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The girls seemed to have grasped the situation, while the two boys were clueless. The other veterans seemed to be in with the plan as well. It¡¯s the young party I saw at the guild yesterday. I knew something like this was gonna happen. Hikaru was astounded. Using them as bait was better than tricking them into being sold to kidnappers, but as far as sickening stunts go, it was a close second. ¡°What do you want us to do then, huh?! We¡¯re up against hundreds of Goblins!¡± ¡°They¡¯ll retreat soon,¡± Hikaru said with a sigh. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I said the Goblins will retreat soon.¡± ¡°What the hell are you¡ª¡± ¡°See?¡± Suddenly a peculiar-sounding flute came from nowhere. Hearing this, the Goblins exchanged looks and scattered in all directions. It was just as Hikaru said. ¡°Wh-Wh-Wh-What¡­?¡± ¡°Leave while you still can. It¡¯s not safe here.¡± ¡°He¡¯s right! Let¡¯s go!¡± The girl with the greatsword had barely said anything before the four older adventurers started making a run for it, with the two boys right on their heels. The two girls, one with the greatsword, and the other with a bow, approached the nun, who was happily rubbing her cheek at Hikaru¡¯s feet. ¡°Thanks for saving Paula.¡± After checking that the Goblins had retreated, Hikaru took a small breath. ¡°Are you okay? Any injuries?¡± ¡°She¡¯s fine. She¡¯s a Healer, so she can heal herself. You¡¯re not leaving?¡± Hikaru gave a shrug. ¡°You must be strong,¡± the girl with the greatsword said bitterly. ¡°Be careful of those guys on your way back,¡± Hikaru warned. ¡°They might harm you.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°They tried to use their fellow adventurers as bait. If people found out about it, no one would want to party-up with them anymore. But that¡¯s only if you tell others about what happened.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Silence us,¡± the girl with the bow said. ¡°Whaaat?!¡± ¡°Exactly. You never know what lowlifes like those will do when left with no options.¡± ¡°Our other two members ran off. They¡¯re idiots, so they might get tricked.¡± ¡°Your friends?¡± ¡°Not really¡­ Just young kids from the neighboring village, I guess.¡± ¡°You can go after them, or you can just let them be. Either way, it isn¡¯t really my concern. So long.¡± ¡°E-Excuse me!¡± the crazy girl by his feet called. ¡°M-My name is Paula! Paula Nora! Please tell me your name!¡± Paula stood up. She seemed to have calmed down and was actually able to speak normally. ¡°It¡¯s Hikaru.¡± ¡°Lord Hikaru, I have a request. Would you be so kind as to escort us to the lake?¡± ¡°R-Right. I know it¡¯s too much to ask, but I¡¯d like to ask you as well. Right, Priscilla?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Hikaru had a hunch they were going to say that. He didn¡¯t feel right just leaving them either. It would be awful if they died in some kind of an accident right after he saved them as well. But if he escorted them, he wouldn¡¯t be able to use his Skills. ¡°All right,¡± he said. ¡°I will keep an eye from a distance, so just proceed at your own pace.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t be accompanying us?¡± Paula asked with teary eyes, her hands clasped together. Her greenish hair partly hid her eyes. She seemed immaculate like this. ¡°I said I¡¯ll be watching from a distance. Also¡­ it¡¯s a little too late for the angelic act.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s right, Paula. We didn¡¯t say anything before, but Priscilla and I both know you¡¯re a bit weird.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°For example, that novel you¡¯re writing¡­¡± Paula let out a shriek that sounded like a chicken being strangled to death, then fainted. Hikaru let the girl with the greatsword¡ªPia¡ªtake care of Paula, and moved farther away. It was only about thirty meters. The girls wouldn¡¯t see him once he activated his Stealth from that distance. Unforeseen circumstances took a bit of my time. Then again, I was ranking up a lot faster than expected, so I guess it¡¯s all right. Hikaru¡¯s rank was already at 12. There was a reason for this. He had risen to rank 9 after going around killing Green Wolves. That was when he heard the commotion. At first, Hikaru thought about going straight to where Paula and the others were, but there were over a hundred Goblins in the way. It was the worst possible scenario for him. He could kill a single opponent one-on-one without them noticing at all, but Goblins operated in groups, rendering his Stealth useless. Assassinating a hundred Goblins without being seen even once would be difficult. Trying out something new without prior rehearsal wasn¡¯t an option either. Fortune seemed to be smiling on Hikaru, however. The Goblins¡¯ leader showed up. Standing over two meters tall, it was more than twice the height of the other Goblins. Nearby was a Goblin with a horn who looked to be the leader¡¯s messenger. He read in the library that a Goblin Family always had a Boss, and killing it would send the rest into chaos. Hikaru approached the Boss from behind. With the creature completely unaware of him, he thrust his Dagger of Strength into its back. The Boss wore a chainmail of some sorts, which scared him for a bit, but perhaps because of the Assassination¡¯s effect, or the fact that he put one point on Muscle Strength, he managed to kill the creature with the dagger. What happened next was shocking. Hikaru¡¯s whole body was afflicted by an unbearable itch. He felt his core burn. Try as he might, he couldn¡¯t stop himself from groaning. He knew that it was the effects of his rank going up, but the excruciating experience was a first for him. One Boss Goblin made him go up three ranks. Because of the recoil, the other Goblins noticed him, but they seemed to be afraid of him after killing their leader. As soon as the recoil from ranking up subsided, he quickly left the area. From behind came the keening wail of a horn. It was sounded either to convey the Boss¡¯s death, or to retreat. The group would collapse soon. But if someone died before that happened, all his efforts would have been for naught. Reluctantly, Hikaru put one point into his Power Burst. His sprinting speed increased tremendously. Hikaru had a classmate back in middle school who participated in a sprinting event for a national athletic meet. He thought he could overtake the guy now. It did, however, consume a great deal of stamina. And so, he managed to save Paula and the girls. Now I have six points left. I need at least three points for the plan tomorrow. He thought about it for a moment. I¡¯m gonna save my points, he decided. After walking for about thirty minutes, Hikaru and the girls made it back to the lake. Trying his best to ignore Paula¡¯s heated stares, he saw the girls off to the road. Lots of peddlers passed by the road, so there was only a remote chance of them being attacked. ¡°All right. Back to hunting monsters.¡± That evening, Hikaru met the cool-looking guy who gave him a ride to the lake and got on his horse. ¡°What¡¯s up? Did you get a good catch?¡± the man asked. ¡°Or perhaps a good harvest?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t get anything,¡± Hikaru answered. ¡°Really? Well, you seem to be in a great mood.¡± He was right on the money. Hikaru felt great. He killed over thirty monsters; half of them Green Wolves. Apart from the Boss Goblin and the ordinary one he killed when saving Paula, he went around killing the ones that dispersed as well. As the sun was sinking and it was starting to get dark, he finally met a Guardian of the Woods¡ªa Forest Barbarian. ¡°Something good happened, that¡¯s all.¡± One strike was all it took. Hikaru killed the Forest Barbarian in one shot with his Stealth and Assassination combo. He went up two ranks from one kill. ¡°Is that so? Okay, then. You best hold on tight, ¡®cause we¡¯re going fast.¡± ¡°All right.¡± The horse galloped through the twilit meadows. That day Hikaru¡¯s Soul Rank increased all the way to sixteen. Volume 1 - CH 3.9 While he killed plenty of monsters, Hikaru, not wanting to draw any unnecessary attention, did not bring any raw materials back. He wasn¡¯t in dire need of money anyway. His priority was to keep a low profile¡­ or at least that was the plan. ¡°Lord Hikaru!¡± As he passed through the gate, he was told by the guard to go to the Adventurers¡¯ Guild, where he was met by Paula. It was already dark and past the guild¡¯s closing time, but Freya was still behind the counter. As soon as she saw Hikaru, her face lit up, before quickly turning into a frown as Paula rushed toward him. ¡°What is it?¡± Hikaru tried to sound cold, but Paula didn¡¯t seem to mind. ¡°Welcome back. I wanted to see you so I waited here.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you can keep the guild open this late. What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re quick on the uptake.¡± Pia said, astounded by Paula¡¯s behavior. ¡°We actually need your testimony as well.¡± ¡°Testimony? About what those adventurers did?¡± ¡°Not that. They already got those from us. Apparently, they¡¯d have to hear their side of the story first before making a judgment.¡± ¡°I see¡­ so it¡¯s about the Goblins, then?¡± ¡°The guild wants to know more about them,¡± Freya cut in. ¡°You¡¯ll cooperate, right?¡± ¡°Y-Yeah¡­ Sure. So what¡¯s this all about?¡± Freya was holding his arms tight. ¡°After what we did yesterday¡­ you¡¯re already hitting on a different girl.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°A-Anyway! I think I have a right to talk to you.¡± Freya was heading outside. She seemed angry, but Hikaru had a feeling that she was having the wrong idea about Paula and her friends. ¡°Hikaru.¡± ¡°Y-Yes?¡± ¡°I know a place that serves good pasta.¡± ¡°Hold on a sec. You¡¯re not asking me to treat you again, are you?¡± ¡°Wh-What¡¯s going on here?! You¡¯re sponging off Lord Hikaru?!¡± Paula interjected. With Lavia being transported tomorrow, Hikaru had no time to be having dinner with Freya. Then a thought came to him. A dinner¡ªconversation, rather¡ªwith her might prove crucial for tomorrow¡¯s plan. ¡°Okay, then. I wanted to ask you something anyway,¡± Hikaru said. ¡°Is it all right to leave the guild open?¡± ¡°Sir Unken is still inside. I told you before about the submaster and a receptionist being out on a business trip to the capital, right? They¡¯re coming back tonight, and he¡¯s waiting for them.¡± ¡°I see¡­ So are those three coming with us?¡± Paula, Pia, and Priscilla followed the two of them outside. ¡°D-Don¡¯t look at me,¡± Freya said. ¡°They look like they¡¯re going to follow us no matter what.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not paying for their food,¡± Hikaru added. ¡°I¡¯m sure they can pay for their own.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about that.¡± They looked like they didn¡¯t have much money. The kind of place that Freya went to, where they served pies for over a hundred gilans each, would be too expensive for the girls. Freya brought Hikaru to an alley two streets behind the main street¡ªa place where no one would go to unless they had a reason to. Tucked in between a row of houses was Pasta Magic, a pasta-centric restaurant. Nice naming sense¡­ They opened the door. As the outside appearance suggested, the inside was small, with only two box seats and a counter. ¡°Hey there, Freya.¡± The manager, short and stout like a bear, waved at Freya. He was at the back cooking. They were shown to a box seat, but since it could only seat four people, an extra chair was added for the spaced-out Priscilla. Her breasts jiggled as she sat down, and it was all Hikaru could do to stop himself from staring. Freya sat beside Hikaru while Paula sat across from him. Pia took the last empty seat, her hands trembling as she held the menu. ¡°Expensive! Too expensive! We can¡¯t pay for this!¡± ¡¤ Stewed Beef and Red Spring Grass Pasta ¡ª 210 gilans ¡¤ Seafood Oil Pasta ¡ª 160 gilans ¡¤ New Item: Red-Horned Rabbit Green Sauce Pasta ¡ª 590 gilans The selection was pricey, especially the Red-Horned Rabbit pasta. I didn¡¯t know those rabbits were luxury food, Hikaru thought. ¡°This boy right here is Hikaru,¡± Freya told the manager, who personally came to take their order. ¡°Ohh¡­ he really is short.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure everyone¡¯s shorter compared to you,¡± Hikaru muttered under his breath as he studied the manager, who was almost two meters tall. It¡¯s not that I¡¯m short. No, definitely not. ¡°I see, I see. You¡¯re a lifesaver. There hasn¡¯t been any stock on Red-Horned Rabbits lately. A sudden increase in price is one thing, but there¡¯s nothing we can do when we can¡¯t even order them. Then out of nowhere, I receive word that there¡¯s some stock now. Today as well. I asked around what was going on and apparently a beginner adventurer hunted the rabbits. I asked Freya to bring you here so I could let you eat to your heart¡¯s content.¡± Freya brought him here for that reason. ¡°I see. I was wondering who purchased them as well.¡± ¡°How about you sell them to me directly? I¡¯ll pay you good money for them.¡± ¡°Y-You can¡¯t do that!¡± Freya protested. ¡°The guild will get it from the meat wholesalers!¡± Foodstuffs purchased by the Adventurers¡¯ Guild from adventurers had to be sold to trading firms first. The man laughed. ¡°I¡¯m just kidding. Hey, kid. I¡¯m actually curious about the Red-Horned Rabbit¡¯s innards. It¡¯s fine, right, Freya?¡± His spirit as a professional chef made his eyes gleam. ¡°You just dispose of them, right? Please take those with you next time. I want to make dishes out of them. They¡¯re not distributed in the market anyway, so I can buy them directly. How about it, kid?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Hikaru.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Are you seriously addressing a business partner as ¡®kid¡¯?¡± Hikaru shot the man a glare. The manager¡¯s face turned serious as well. ¡°Good point. Sorry, Hikaru. I like you. Eat all you want tonight. It¡¯s on the house! In exchange, please consider my proposal. Oh, and Freya. When I say, ¡®on the house¡¯, it doesn¡¯t include booze. You have to pay for those.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Freya¡¯s face lit up as soon as she heard that food was on the house¡ªthough it seemed she was already expecting it¡ªbut she was quickly disappointed to learn that it didn¡¯t include drinks. Hikaru gave Freya a sidelong glance. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t drink much. Only a little bit¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Why are you looking at me so coldly?!¡± How much does she usually drink? Hikaru wondered, appalled. He was certainly surprised. The other girls just sat there vacantly. ¡°You heard him,¡± Hikaru said. ¡°Food is on the house. But pay for your drinks, okay?¡± ¡°For real?¡± ¡°Your eyes are too bright, Pia. Hikaru¡¯s shocked.¡± ¡°You¡¯re drooling like crazy, Priscilla!¡± Pia and Priscilla were overjoyed from the sudden blessing of free food. Paula, however, looked apologetic. ¡°I¡¯m sorry it turned out this way, Lord Hikaru.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I wasn¡¯t even aware of this. Also, please drop the ¡®Lord¡¯. I¡¯m probably younger than you anyway.¡± ¡°I-Is that so? If that¡¯s what you want, Master.¡± ¡°Why¡¯d you make it worse?!¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m your¡­ s-slave at night!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t force yourself if you can¡¯t even say it with a straight face.¡± And so they started on their food. ¡°So Hikaru, how¡¯d you drive the Goblins away?¡± Pia and Priscilla silently dug in as soon as food was served. The former spoke crudely, but she had good table manners when eating. All the pastas were great. It was Hikaru¡¯s first pasta in this world¡ªbesides the fried noodles¡ªand he thought it was delicious. The oil and spices provided some punch, but there was something missing. Oh, there¡¯s no garlic, Hikaru thought. ¡°Old man Unken told me that there might be Goblins in the area,¡± Hikaru said. ¡°I¡¯m asking you how you got rid of them.¡± ¡°Because he¡¯s Lord Hikaru,¡± Paula said with a smile. ¡°You keep your mouth shut,¡± Freya said. ¡°We won¡¯t get anywhere.¡± ¡°Apparently, Goblins that group up are called Goblin Families,¡± Hikaru went on. ¡°For a disciplined one, there¡¯s usually a chain of command, with the Boss on top.¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. I¡¯m surprised you know. Did Sir Unken tell you that too?¡± ¡°No, I read about it from a field guide in the library.¡± ¡°A field guide¡­ That old and bulky book? I¡¯m impressed you actually read that.¡± ¡°Of course I would. The information you have can sometimes make the difference between life and death.¡± Freya went quiet. A thought crossed her mind. She always thought Hikaru was simply lucky, but that might not be the case. The boy did not have any special abilities¡ªthat she was aware of¡ªbut he made use of his knowledge when doing his job as an adventurer. She actually took Paula and her friends¡¯ story about the Goblins with a grain of salt. After all, adventurers tended to exaggerate things. But they might be telling the truth this time, and there were actually more than a hundred Goblins. Volume 1 - CH 4.1 It was a hot, sunny day that heralded the coming of summer. A lone carriage was parked in front of the Morgstadt residence, pulled by no ordinary horse. A hybrid from different special breeds, it had high vitality. The carriage itself was specially built, with a metal framework and bluish purple roof made out of raw materials from monsters. The door was fitted with iron bars, and sealed with a huge lock from the outside. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Come on now, East. Cheer up. We can finally return to the capital.¡± ¡°It just doesn¡¯t sit right with me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still on that? The investigation on whether it was Lady Lavia who killed her father will be conducted at the capital. That should be enough.¡± ¡°The investigator hasn¡¯t even arrived yet, but they already pinned the murder on her.¡± ¡°He should be here tomorrow. The commander told us to follow orders. Are you going to disobey?¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not disobeying. I just can¡¯t agree with their decision,¡± East said adamantly. His fellow knight simply heaved a deep sigh. Meanwhile in the basement of the Count¡¯s manor, the knight who was almost stabbed by a maid had just arrived at the dungeon, accompanied by an old man. ¡°It is time, my lady.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to dispel the magic.¡± The Alchemists¡¯ Guild¡¯s guildmaster held out his hand and recited some sort of incantation. His ring emitted a strange light, and the blue light around the iron bars stilled. ¡°Lady Lavia, please hold out both your hands.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re going outside. For caution¡¯s sake we just need to handcuff you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lavia quietly held out her hands. The knight gulped as he watched her. She looked like she might shatter from a touch¡ªno, even if left alone, she might just break on her own. Yet there was still life in her eyes that were blue as the waters of a mystic lake. A tiny hint of light. A thought crossed the knight¡¯s mind. There would be no greater joy for a man if he could do something about this. He knew his place as a knight, of course. She was a person of interest¡ªa suspect for the murder of her father. An order came from their commander in the capital, and from someone even further up, to handle her with care. The knight handcuffed her. The handcuff was a steel plate with two holes for both wrists that split in the middle horizontally, and a hinge on one end. Once again, the guildmaster chanted a spell. Bluish light ran across the handcuff. ¡°This should hold until tonight,¡± the guildmaster said. ¡°Any later than that will be difficult.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. She will be at the capital by evening.¡± ¡°I see. I¡¯ll be taking my leave, then.¡± The guildmaster left. The knight bowed at the man, then turned to the girl. ¡°Let us go, Lady Lavia.¡± He opened the cell. ¡°Huh?¡± At that moment, the knight felt a breeze, despite them being in a closed basement. ¡°A draft?¡± Ignoring his suspicions, he led the girl out of the dungeon. As she stepped out of the mansion, Lavia was blinded by the intense rays of the sun. She had been confined underground for a few days. Not only that, she barely went outside in the first place. Direct sunlight was too much for her body. ¡°Are you all right?¡± the knight asked, his brows furrowed as he supported her. He was worried about the young girl. But there was one other thing that weighed heavy on his mind¡ªthe carriage that was supposed to transport her. By the carriage were six men, two of them his fellow knights. That meant there were four more men. Were they the adventurers that were supposed to escort the lady? The message they received said that a party of four women¡ªhigh-ranked adventurers¡ªwould be dispatched to be the escort. And yet there were four men. One of them was not even an adventurer, but a guild staff. Trouble had already begun as East and the man were having a heated argument. ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this? These are not the adventurers assigned for this job.¡± ¡°Sometimes adventurers are simply not available.¡± ¡°You¡¯re from the guild, right? Why don¡¯t you follow instructions?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t see any problem as long as the men we send can complete the job.¡± ¡°Are you mocking the Knights of Ponsonia?!¡± ¡°It seems to me that you¡¯re the one belittling the Adventurers¡¯ Guild.¡± To make matters worse, the three adventurers appeared to be drunk. Or perhaps hung-over, which was basically the same thing. The type East hated the most. ¡°That¡¯s enough, submaster. Let¡¯s just go already. I have plans tonight.¡± ¡°What he said. There¡¯s no point in spending another minute in this scrubby town¡­ Oh, is that the girl we¡¯re escorting?¡± ¡°Oh, quite the beauty.¡± The men let out vulgar laughs. East frowned. ¡°There¡¯s no way you can do your job in your current condition!¡± ¡°What did you say? I heard the commission came to the Adventurers¡¯ Guild because you knights can¡¯t handle the job.¡± ¡°Oh, and you can? When you¡¯re drunk?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all¡­ riiight. Besides, she doesn¡¯t have any relatives, does she? No allies among the nobility either. There¡¯s no way someone will come to take her. We¡¯re more like chaperons, really.¡± ¡°Did you tell them that as well?!¡± East snapped. ¡°It was necessary,¡± the submaster replied nonchalantly. East ground his teeth. ¡°Can you walk, Lady Lavia?¡± The knight¡ªa man who treated women gently¡ªescorted Lavia to the carriage. The coachman undid the lock at the back, and Lavia entered. A quick look revealed the inside to be small, but well-furnished. It should be a comfortable ride to the capital. ¡°I think we should escort her instead,¡± East whispered to his two companions. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. You know we can¡¯t do that. We were in the mansion the night the Count was killed. We can¡¯t move until the investigator arrives.¡± ¡°We can request for more knights from the capital.¡± ¡°We¡¯re short-handed due to the war. That¡¯s why adventurers were asked to be the escorts in the first place. Besides, there aren¡¯t any female knights in our kingdom.¡± ¡°And these adventurers are men!¡± ¡°We¡¯re not the ones who made the arrangement. Just give it a rest, East.¡± Outside the bars, the three adventurers were staring at Lavia, whistling. East watched them with a disgusted look on his face. The skirt-chasing knight was displeased as well. ¡°Excuse me. Can we leave now?¡± ¡°Coachman, come here.¡± The playboy knight called the driver over. ¡°You¡¯re the only one with the key, right?¡± he asked in a whisper. ¡°Yes¡­ That is correct.¡± ¡°If those adventurers whine about opening the door, don¡¯t ever do it. Those guys have no self-restraint. A noble is involved in this case. Should anything happen to her, you¡¯ll be in trouble.¡± ¡°U-Understood, Sir!¡± ¡°Then go.¡± As the nervous coachman trotted awkwardly back to his seat, the adventurers, too, mounted their horses. The carriage lurched into motion and rolled away from the Count¡¯s residence. ¡°Let¡¯s head back inside, East. After writing our report, we¡¯ll prepare for the investigator¡¯s arrival.¡± East didn¡¯t answer. He simply stood there, glaring at the direction the carriage went. He watched until the carriage turned the corner before returning to the mansion. Once inside, he spat out a curse. ¡°You seem to be in a bad mood, East.¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡± he replied. ¡°This job is¡ªHuh?¡± The voice did not belong to his fellow knight. It came from outside. He whirled around and saw a towering man. Legs as thick as logs. Torso as wide as two people, almost entirely devoid of fat. Pulsating muscles. A bull neck so thick that, even if he was slammed head first onto the ground, he might just be unfazed. Atop it, however, sat a head with strangely kind eyes. He seemed to be more or less forty years old, with a large scar on his cheek and blond hair cut short. ¡°C-C-Commander!¡± ¡°What brings you here?!¡± Not only East, but the other knights, too, were shocked at the appearance of their leader. People called him the Sword Saint. A living legend to even the knights on active duty. His name was Lawrence D. Falcon, Commander of the Knights of Ponsonia. ¡°It is a huge problem that you failed in your mission to protect the Count. However, you did well to secure the prime suspect.¡± ¡°Sir.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t look too pleased, East.¡± ¡°With all due respect, Sir.¡± East told the commander that there was little reason to believe that the young lady was the culprit, and knights were supposed to escort her originally. His fellow knights looked displeased. ¡°I believe we still have a lot of work to do, Sir.¡± ¡°His Majesty the King has his eyes on this case,¡± Lawrence said. ¡°Which is why I came here in a hurry to observe.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the investigator?¡± ¡°We left separately. He should arrive soon.¡± ¡°Commander, I have a request. Please send me to escort the young lady. I don¡¯t trust those adventurers.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°But Sir!¡± ¡°I just told you: His Majesty has his eyes on the case. We will follow legal procedures in the presence of the investigator.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Not buts, East.¡± ¡°Y-Yes, Sir!¡± East straightened his posture. Seeing this, his fellow knights felt relieved. This should prevent him from acting on his own. ¡°Though I understand your concern.¡± Commander Lawrence nodded gravely. ¡°I want to know more about the case. The investigator has not yet arrived, but speak to me anyway.¡± Volume 1 - CH 4.2 The coachman was in low spirits. Enticed by the astonishing payment, he took the job not knowing that he was to transport a noble, and a murderer at that. What¡¯s more, he was threatened by a knight, who warned him not to trust the adventurers with him. ¡°Next.¡± The coachman showed the commission papers to the guard at Pond¡¯s gate. ¡°Hmm, transporting a suspect to the capital. I¡¯ve been informed about this.¡± He checked the inside of the carriage. ¡°The capital might be close, but still be careful.¡± ¡°I will.¡± The carriage passed through the gate of the massive outer walls. ¡°Hmm?¡± The coachman felt something odd. He sensed the legs of the horse grow heavy ever so slightly. He had been traveling these roads for twenty years. He would notice even the slightest difference. He looked over his shoulder. Two adventurers on their horses were positioned left and right, stifling their yawns. Turning his eyes back up front, he saw the party leader Nogusa. ¡°Nothing seems out of the ordinary¡­ It must be the road, then.¡± The road outside of town was rough. Though well-trodden, it was unpaved. The horse¡¯s legs must have turned heavy because of the change in the road¡¯s surface. The coachman sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t feel too good about this. I¡¯ll just have to finish the job quick.¡± The carriage rattled onward. A bunch of keys clinked. The Rank C adventurer, Nogusa Garage, was in high spirits. He had not expected to get promoted to Rank C so soon. He was glad they managed to snatch the transport job from the four-woman party called the Four Eastern Stars. He never really liked them. The brothel prepared for them in Pond¡ªa town they ridiculed for being scrubby¡ªwas full of fairly beautiful ladies. And the girl they were escorting was pretty as well. Things were going great. Nogusa even thought that the world was revolving around him. The escort job was an easy one. It would take six hours from Pond to the capital by carriage. The horses had to rest every two hours, which meant taking a break twice before reaching the capital. The first break was over and they were moving again, when Nogusa, who had mostly sobered up, suddenly gained interest in the girl inside the carriage. ¡°Hey, driver.¡± Nogusa, riding up ahead, moved his horse closer to the coachman. ¡°Y-Yes?¡± ¡°Hand me the keys.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The carriage¡¯s keys. I¡¯ll look after them.¡± ¡°I-I can¡¯t do that¡­¡± ¡°Do you have any idea who I am? I¡¯m Nogusa, a Rank C adventurer. You dare oppose me?¡± ¡°I-I-I would never! I-It¡¯s just that nobles are involved in this matter,¡± the coachman stammered. ¡°Hey, Nogusa! Up ahead!¡± Immediately, Nogusa reached for the sword hanging by his waist and surveyed his surroundings. Depraved as he was, he was still a Rank C adventurer. ¡°What¡¯s this? Someone collapsed?¡± A man staggered out from behind a tree by the side of the road. He seemed to have gone to the forest to collect medicinal herbs, fruits, and mushrooms. ¡°E-Excuse me, good Sir,¡± the man said. ¡°Can you spare some water? I got lost in the forest and just now got out.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Nogusa gestured to his comrades with his chin to go ahead. ¡°Fine.¡± He dismounted from his horse and handed the man a flask. ¡°This enough?¡± ¡°Thank you very much!¡± The man accepted it, overjoyed. ¡°I only have this to show my gratitude.¡± He presented a wilted medicinal herb. ¡°Tsk. Keep it. Now get out of here.¡± ¡°Really? Thank you so much. You are such a big-hearted man.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. You can show your gratitude by spreading my name. It¡¯s Nogusa Garage. A man who will become a legend.¡± ¡°A legend¡­ I understand, Sir. I will do just that.¡± Nogusa got on his horse and chased after the carriage. His colleagues, who were positioned at the front and back, returned to their original formation as soon they spotted him. ¡°Helping others sure is a lot of work,¡± Nogusa said. ¡°They say that¡¯s the best part of being an adventurer.¡± ¡°Sure, if you¡¯re helping the ladies.¡± ¡°Damn right!¡± The three men burst out laughing. It was an uneventful escort mission, and things were going well¡­ ¡­or so they thought. While they were taking their second break, Nogusa punched the coachman and took the keys to the carriage. ¡°I¡¯m just gonna say hi,¡± he said as he opened the carriage door with an obscene smile on his face. ¡°Wait, what?¡± The girl was lying down on the seat¡­ No, it was a bulging sheet. Nogusa removed it only to find a pillow and cloths stuffed under it. The young girl was nowhere to be found. A disguise. ¡°What?¡± Nogusa muttered in confusion, unable to comprehend what was going on. A small, locked carriage. They kept their eyes on it all the time. Yet abruptly, the girl¡ªLavia D. Morgstadt¡ªhad disappeared. Let us turn back the clock a bit to when the carriage carrying Lavia had just finished its first break and was starting to move again. Lavia was seated inside the rocking carriage, staring at her own hands on her lap. Hands that were handcuffed. The boy named Hikaru had not returned since then. He said he would save her today. But with no contact at all, she was starting to think that he only gave her momentary hope. That the boy was just sweet-talking her. There were only three escorts. A large number of people could probably surround them and take them down easily. But Lavia didn¡¯t think she was that valuable, and even if there were people who wanted her for her abilities, they wouldn¡¯t risk going against the king. Lavia let out a deep sigh. ¡°Where I¡¯m from, we have a saying that sighing will make good fortune run away from you.¡± ¡°But there are times when you just?¡ª¡± Lavia gave a start. ¡°Keep it down, now. We don¡¯t want to alert them.¡± A boy with black hair and black eyes was sitting next to her. ¡°Ah, uh, what?¡± ¡°You want to know how I got in here? While I¡¯d love to explain, we don¡¯t have much time.¡± ¡°R-Right.¡± She kept staring at Hikaru in disbelief¡ªat the boy who appeared inside the carriage out of nowhere. This person is my savior, she thought. Hikaru had assumed every possible escort pattern before he executed his plan, but what he was really worried about was the key. How many locks were there? How many did he have to unlock before he could set Lavia free? The worst possible scenario he imagined was the Alchemists¡¯ Guild¡¯s guildmaster accompanying the transfer. He would construct a magic cell and go with the carriage to the capital, then unlock it there. In that case, Hikaru would have no other choice but to kill the guildmaster en route to free Lavia. Fortunately, the man was busy. Hikaru snuck into the Alchemists¡¯ Guild to check the guildmaster¡¯s schedule and found out that he would be having dinner with someone today at a restaurant in Pond. The next worst scenario was if there were multiple keys. They could have two identical keys, one in Pond and one in the capital. In other words, no one had the key during transport. In that case, it would¡¯ve most likely gone like this: 1. Once Lavia got in the carriage, it would be locked. 2. A knight or someone from the mansion would put the key in a safe. 3. Hikaru would then steal the key from the safe. 4. Go after the carriage. 5. Return the key to the safe after Lavia was rescued. Fortunately, the coachman had the key. In short, all he had to do was steal the key from the man, then return it afterwards. It was the best case he could imagine. And then there were the handcuffs. The alchemist guildmaster fitted Lavia with handcuffs that would come off on their own after a period of time. A logical approach¡ªno need for a key, but it still lasted a while. Fortune was smiling on Hikaru. All he had to do was get Lavia out, and in time the handcuff could be removed. Hikaru assumed other scenarios as well. He went over what he had to do for each situation, even checking the location of the safe for the key yesterday. But fear often exaggerates danger. He only had one key to steal. And the coachman had it. The coachman was always on his seat. Sneaking up to him and taking the key was the perfect job for the Stealth ability. Hikaru made his way to the dungeon earlier to check the handcuffs, and witnessed the Alchemists¡¯ Guild¡¯s guildmaster putting them on Lavia. As soon as he learned that the coachman had the key, he immediately headed to the gate, where he waited. While the guard was checking the carriage, he got on top of the roof and lay down. The solidly-built vehicle did not so much as budge. The horse, however, seemed to sense the added weight. It turned its head to the back. Hikaru¡¯s blood froze. But that was all. After that, he simply lay sprawled on top until the first rest break was over. When the carriage started moving again, he crept up to the coachman and took the key. The rocking of the carriage prevented the man from feeling anything. Hikaru then unlocked the carriage, snuck back up to return the key, and entered the vehicle. He had already anticipated that with his Stealth and his Blessing set to Stealth God: Bearer of Darkness, the adventurers wouldn¡¯t see him, but just to be safe, he did all this as a caravan passed by. And that was how he appeared before Lavia. ¡°Get a blanket right away to make it look like you¡¯re sleeping,¡± Hikaru said. ¡°If it¡¯s not enough, stuff in some clothes as well. Wear this too.¡± The camouflage was crucial. With this trick, even if they peered inside, they wouldn¡¯t realize right away that she had escaped. It would probably be effective until the next rest stop. Hikaru took out a plain brown coat from his knapsack for Lavia to wear. It also hid the handcuffs, so there shouldn¡¯t be any problem even if they passed by someone on the way back. And now for the crucial part. Volume 1 - CH 4.3 There was a concerning matter to tackle first before making the escape. Lavia didn¡¯t have the skill Stealth. That was merely his assumption, however. ¡°Lavia, I have a question. Just continue with what you¡¯re doing.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°I can do anything if it means setting you free, correct?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± She simply nodded, not even asking what he meant by ¡°anything¡±. Hikaru nodded in return. Now he could use her points without worry. ¡¾Soul Board¡¿Lavia Age: 14 | Rank: 6 | 0 ¡¾Magical Power¡¿ ¡¾Mana Capacity¡¿11 ¡¾Magic Principle¡¿2 ¡¾Spirit Affinity¡¿ ¡¾Fire¡¿5 Ohh¡­ Hikaru almost let out a sound. It¡¯s so unbalanced. Not that he was one to talk, of course. All the points were allocated towards Magical Power. He had not seen huge numbers like 11 and 5 even among the seasoned adventurers. Only Unken. I can see why the king would want her power¡­ High magical power and proficient in fire magic. On top of that, she had an unknown Skill called Magic Principle. Hikaru was annoyed at the fact that he couldn¡¯t read the description on other people¡¯s Soul Boards. She has no points left, so no Stealth for her¡­ This was well within expectations though. The name field bothered him. Normally, it would read Lavia D. Morgstadt, but only Lavia was there. That only meant that deep inside her, she had completely cast aside her family name. All right. Time for plan B. Hikaru opened his own Soul Board. ¡¾Soul Board¡¿Hikaru Age: 15 Rank: 16 10 ¡¾Vitality¡¿ ¡¾Magical Power¡¿ ¡¾Strength¡¿ ¡¾Muscle Strength¡¿1 ¡¾Agility¡¿ ¡¾Power Burst¡¿1 ¡¾Stealth¡¿ ¡¾Life Cloaking¡¿1 ¡¾Mana Cloaking¡¿1 ¡¾Imperceptibility¡¿5 (MAX) ¡¾Assassination¡¿3 (MAX) ¡¾Instinct¡¿ ¡¾Detection¡¿ ¡¾Life Detection¡¿1 ¡¾Mana Detection¡¿1 He had ten points available. Hikaru put one point on both Life Cloaking and Mana Cloaking, and a new field appeared. ¡¾Group Cloaking¡¿Grants Life Cloaking, Mana Cloaking, and Imperceptibility to anyone in direct contact with the user¡¯s body. Max: 5. The effect is limited to each respective Skills¡¯ max points. Aha. Sounds complicated, but basically maxing out Group Cloaking is pointless unless the other three Skills are maxed out as well. He had two points in Life Cloaking and Mana Cloaking at the moment. Even if he put three points in Group Cloaking, the effects would be limited to only two points. That¡¯s within expectations as well. He now had eight points left. He added one more point to both Life Cloaking and Mana Cloaking and put three points on Group Cloaking. With this he would be able to grant Lavia a three-point Stealth skill. Lavia didn¡¯t have the buffs from a Blessing, however, as she didn¡¯t have a guild card. Something to be worried about. Nogusa¡¯s Life Detection only had one point. Even the national hero Unken only had two points on Cloaking and a point on Group Cloaking. Hikaru just had to believe that this was enough. He had taken other measures for this. I could use up my remaining three points, but I¡¯m not sure how much difference is between 3 and 4 points, and I might need extra points on Muscle Strength to carry Lavia. For now, I¡¯m saving the points. All that¡¯s left to do is¡­ Hikaru checked his guild card. He expected to see a new Blessing called ¡°Group Cloaking God¡± or something, but there was none. Perhaps because he didn¡¯t max it out. Instead there was one called Common Town Night Burglar God: Town Thief. Must be because of all the sneaking I¡¯ve been doing¡­ Well that¡¯s one more reason not to show the Blessing field to anyone. In the meantime, Lavia finished with her preparations. ¡°It¡¯s almost time,¡± Hikaru said. ¡°Make sure you¡¯re mentally prepared.¡± ¡°Can you tell me what¡¯s going to happen next? I think it¡¯ll be much easier to move if I knew the plan.¡± ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right. I open the door, we go outside, I put the lock back on, we jump off, then hide behind a tree or some bushes by the side of the road.¡± ¡°Will it work? There are lookouts.¡± ¡°I almost forgot something.¡± Hikaru was reluctant to speak, but he had to tell her, so he tried to endure the embarrassment. ¡°While we move, hold my hand and never let go.¡± He held out a hand. Lavia¡¯s face was asking why, but she didn¡¯t put it into words. Seeing Hikaru¡¯s cheeks turn a bit red, she blushed as well. ¡°¡­Okay.¡± She grasped his hand. Her hand was soft and oh-so fragile. ¡°Hey, Nogusa! Up ahead!¡± ¡°What¡¯s this? Someone collapsed?¡± ¡°E-Excuse me, good Sir. Can you spare some water? I got lost in the forest and just now got out.¡± Something unusual occurred outside. It was the last measure Hikaru had taken for good insurance. He had asked Kelbeck of the Thieves Guild to get someone to distract the adventurers for a moment. The price was 20,000 gilans. Hikaru wanted to complain about it being a rip-off, but he reluctantly agreed. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Hikaru removed the lock and opened the door, pulling Lavia along with him. As he made her stand on the steps, her eyes widened. Adventurers on their horses were riding on both sides. They kept watch of their surroundings, while staying wary of the man in front of them. It was a common ambush tactic¡ªstopping a carriage, then attacking from both sides. They had not imagined that the person they were escorting was going to escape. With Group Cloaking, they could escape without being seen. Even in broad daylight. ¡°Don¡¯t let go.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± As soon as he reattached the lock, Hikaru jumped off the foothold. They floated in the air, hand-in-hand. The carriage was moving further and further away. The adventurers deployed on either side moved to the front and back of the carriage. Nogusa was approaching the man that collapsed on the road. They landed on the ground, moved several steps, then stopped. ¡°Over here.¡± Hikaru surveyed the surroundings before heading to the bushes on the side of the road, opposite from where the collapsed man came. It was only a five-meter distance, but Lavia was tense, feeling like her heart would burst out of her chest. Why didn¡¯t the adventurers notice them? Who was that man lying on the road? Why was Hikaru so confident? Too many questions ran through her mind. They were able to make it to the bushes without being noticed. She had managed to escape. Lavia breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Stay alert,¡± Hikaru said. ¡°We¡¯re not out of the woods yet.¡± She stiffened. They were still by the highway. The adventurers would turn back immediately as soon as they found out that she was gone. ¡°There¡¯s a settlement about two kilometers back from here. Caravans usually stop there to rest. We¡¯re going to secretly hitch a ride.¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite far.¡± ¡°If only a caravan passed by now.¡± They weaved through the bushes, distancing themselves from Nogusa, before coming back out to the road. ¡°What¡¯s next? Where will we go with the caravan?¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to hide in Pond.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°You¡¯re wondering why hide in a place that¡¯ll most likely get searched.¡± ¡°W-Well, I¡­ But why Pond?¡± ¡°People searching for you would think: who would help or kidnap you?¡± Lavia pondered the question for a moment. ¡°A powerful noble, or perhaps someone from outside the kingdom? But I doubt anyone from outside knows about my abilities.¡± ¡°Exactly. So nobles will most certainly be suspected. And Pond is under the direct control of the royal family, so a lot of nobles build their houses there.¡± ¡°So Pond will get searched.¡± ¡°No. Since it¡¯s under the direct control of the king, he can have the town searched thoroughly. Every noble knows that it¡¯s not an ideal place to shelter someone. So they would assume that they would flee to their own domain instead. Of course, Pond will be roughly searched, but if we can get through that, Pond will be safe for¡ª¡± Hikaru shut his mouth, grabbed Lavia¡¯s hand, and pulled her off the road. ¡°What¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°Shh.¡± They hid behind a small tree. Volume 1 - CH 4.4 8-11 minutes Hikaru waited with bated breath. A tiny pinprick from the distance was running towards them, getting closer. It got bigger and bigger until he could make out what it was. Someone riding a horse. Just an ordinary rider? No, wait¡­ Hikaru couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. Something totally unexpected had occurred. It was a knight on the horse. A knight with a huge frame that a standard-sized horse looked small in comparison. I¡¯ve never seen that guy before! Hikaru did not see that person. He was present when Lavia was led out of the Count¡¯s house, but he proceeded directly to the gates to wait for the carriage. In other words, he did not know who East had talked to at the manor. Judging from the situation, he¡¯s going after Nogusa and his friends. His muscles tell me he¡¯s much stronger than East. Who is he? If he caught up to the carriage, there was a good chance he would check inside. Once they noticed Lavia was gone, they would immediately start searching for her before the two of them could even get back to town. Of course with Hikaru¡¯s Stealth, they could hide themselves. But that was all they could do. How would they get food? Freya might even mention how he was asking questions about the Count¡¯s murder. His plan was to go about his usual routine once he returned. If he stayed close, Freya, upon hearing the news of Lavia¡¯s escape, would share it with Hikaru first before telling anyone else. He believed they were that close at this point. Plus, he planned to take some quests from the guild. No one would expect that the person who helped Lavia escape would show up at the Adventurers¡¯ Guild as usual that day to do some quests. Hikaru had to be back in Pond before news of Lavia¡¯s disappearance arrived, or he would become a suspect. If they couldn¡¯t return to town, it would mean a life of wandering from place to place. The authorities could track the name Hikaru down through the guild card. The only choice left, then, would be to leave the kingdom. That itself wouldn¡¯t be a problem. But Hikaru and Lavia had not traveled great distances before, and they didn¡¯t have the expertise either. Lavia, in particular, had spent her life like a bird in a cage. Her stamina could pose some issues. I should stop that guy. Hikaru arrived at a conclusion. ¡°Stay here and don¡¯t move,¡± he said. ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± Lavia asked. ¡°A pursuer.¡± Hikaru took out his silver mask and put it on. He then summoned his Soul Board. I¡¯m glad I saved three points. He selected the Strength section, spent a point to unlock Weapon Mastery, and put two points on Projectile. ¡¾Strength¡¿ ¡¾Muscle Strength¡¿1 ¡¾Weapon Mastery¡¿ ¡¾Projectile¡¿2 Hikaru already had a point on Muscle Strength, and two points on Weapon Mastery would put him on the same level as an advanced practitioner. Even if Hikaru didn¡¯t have much experience in combat, his Skills should grant him the ability to fight. He had already considered getting Projectile or Bow mastery beforehand. After Assassination there was Sharpshooter, making for a great match. There were a few reasons why he didn¡¯t go for Bow: it would be difficult to fight with it in a confined space; if he ran out of arrows he couldn¡¯t attack, and the weapon itself was bulky. With Projectile he could basically throw anything. Even the stones lying by his feet. Hikaru picked up a few and stuffed them into his pockets. His hands trembled at the unforeseen occurrence. It wasn¡¯t fear. Nervousness, perhaps. Calm down. You can get through this. He squeezed the stone in his hand tight. Commander Lawrence D. Falcon spurred the horse onward. East and the other knights had told him all about the case. The investigator would ask them questions later, but Lawrence himself wanted to hear it directly from his men. There were a few curious matters about the case. He thought East was right; something had to be done about the escorting adventurers. Lawrence would need to return to the capital anyway to submit his report to the king. In that case, he should just join the transport. A logical decision. Unlike East and the other knights, he had no reason to wait for the investigator in Pond. At this speed, I should catch up with the carriage shortly. Suddenly, the horse¡¯s right eye spurted blood. The horse reared, neighing. Lawrence tried to stay on it, but he was thrown backwards, his whole body hitting the ground hard due to the speed he was going. Before his eyes, the horse staggered, then fell over on its side. ¡°Who¡¯s there?!¡± Lawrence quickly got up. He might¡¯ve fallen off a horse, but his body, protected by an armor of muscle, suffered only a few scratches. He wanted to ride light, so the only gear he brought was a narrow, longsword for self-defense. He never expected to be ambushed. Cursing, he drew the sword from its sheath. One sword wouldn¡¯t be enough against multiple enemies¡ªbased solely on the weapon¡¯s durability. He was confident¡ªno, certain¡ªthat he could easily take down several bandits on his own. ¡°My name is Lawrence D. Falcon!¡± he bellowed. ¡°I am a nobleman of this land and leader of the kingdom¡¯s prestigious knights. Whoever you are, know that attacking me means death!¡± The commander?! And his name is Lawrence?! Hikaru remembered the story he heard in the temple. The Sword Saint himself?! A master of the greatsword¡ªhmm? That¡¯s not a greatsword. What¡¯s going on here? Was he unprepared? Did he get the wrong intel? Hikaru looked around, but there were no other knights following him. Lawrence was alone. Calm down. It doesn¡¯t matter how skilled they are, if they¡¯re alone, my Stealth can do the job. But I want information first. I want to see his Soul Board. Hikaru moved slowly to the grassy area. Lawrence was on high alert, his masterful attention in all directions. Birds took off all at once to keep their distance from the man. Intimidating even at this distance. Hikaru was a hundred meters away from Lawrence, but he could feel a crushing weight on his body. He couldn¡¯t stop himself from sweating buckets. Maybe I can just leave him alone, he thought. He was tempted to choose the easy option. He could do just that, but he still needed to check the man¡¯s Soul Board. If this man could run as fast as a horse¡ªa superhuman feat¡ªLavia¡¯s disappearance would come to light in no time. The carriage was only a kilometer or two from here. Let¡¯s do this. Hikaru stepped forward. He wondered if the crunch of the grass would give me away. Stealth was doing a great job; Lawrence, who was looking around warily, showed no signs of noticing him. Eight more meters¡­ Lawrence was standing in the middle of the highway, so Hikaru would need to step out into the open to get into the five-meter range of his ability. Six meters¡­ There was almost no grass now. Two more steps. Hikaru took one step forward. Suddenly, Lawrence looked in his direction. Hikaru froze. But the man did nothing else. ¡°Show yourself, you coward!¡± Lawrence roared. He¡­ He doesn¡¯t see me. If he turned off his Stealth here, the man would see him for sure. Steeling himself, Hikaru took one more step and summoned Lawrence¡¯s Soul Board. ¡¾Soul Board¡¿ Lawrence D. Falcon. Age: 35 Rank: 48 ¡¾Vitality¡¿ ¡¾Natural Recovery¡¿8 ¡¾Stamina¡¿11 ¡¾Immunity¡¿ ¡¾Magic Resistance¡¿2 ¡¾Disease Immunity¡¿2 ¡¾Toxin Immunity¡¿1 ¡¾Perception¡¿ ¡¾Sight¡¿2 ¡¾Hearing¡¿1 ¡¾Taste¡¿1 ¡¾Strength¡¿ ¡¾Muscle Strength¡¿16 ¡¾Weapon Mastery¡¿ ¡¾Sword¡¿3 ¡¾Willpower¡¿ ¡¾Mental Strength¡¿4 ¡¾Charisma¡¿1 ¡¾Instinct¡¿ ¡¾Instinct¡¿6 What an absolute freak! Hikaru instantly backed away. His 6 points on Greatsword was on par with the Adventurers¡¯ Guild¡¯s guildmaster and national hero Unken¡¯s 6 points on Short Sword. But his 16 points on Muscle Strength was on a whole different level. Strength maxed out at 30 points, but he had never seen someone with more than 10 points on it before. What¡¯s more, he had a stat called Heaven Sword, clearly derived from Weapon Mastery. A total of 83 points, all spent. He didn¡¯t seem to be able to use magic at all, but he might not even need it. Hikaru, on the other hand, had only a total of 31 points. What to do¡­ What to do? Hikaru steadied his quickening heartbeat. Natural Recovery 8 and Stamina 11. If I don¡¯t stop him, he¡¯ll definitely sprint to the carriage. I have to do something. He studied the stone in his hand. What can I do with a stone like this? He felt a tinge of regret. No. He shook his head. Without Projectile, I couldn¡¯t have stopped his horse. I chose the best option. No time for regrets. What I need to do now is figure out how to win with the cards in my hand. While Hikaru was pondering his options, Lawrence cast his gaze forward. ¡°That way,¡± he said. ¡°Watching from afar, I see.¡± Lavia was in that direction. Volume 1 - CH 4.5 10-13 minutes Seriously?! He can tell from this distance? She¡¯s at least five hundred meters away! Is it the 6 points on his Instinct? Lawrence did not give Hikaru time to think. Lawrence leaned forward. He was aiming straight for Lavia. No, you don¡¯t. Hikaru couldn¡¯t put her in danger. He moved faster than he could think. He threw the stone in his hand with a sidearm motion. His Soul Board had improved his strength and accuracy. If it hit the right spot, it could knock a man unconscious. An attack from behind Lawrence, from his blind spot. But¡­ With a grunt, Lawrence turned his body around and swung his sword. There was a sharp clink, and the stone split in half, flying left and right. He sliced such a small target?! Hikaru froze momentarily, shocked. ¡°So you were there all along,¡± Lawrence said. ¡°This is the end for you.¡± He raised his longsword with one hand. A shiver ran down Hikaru¡¯s spine. He knew he couldn¡¯t stay where he was. The sword sliced through air, the pressure cleaving through the tall grass. Hikaru couldn¡¯t believe it. His swordsmanship was beyond human levels. Shit. Fuckin¡¯ monster! Hikaru leapt to the side, but his left arm was hit, blood spurting out. His head was boiling hot. Just one point on Power Burst was not enough. But if it wasn¡¯t for Power Burst, his body would have been cut in half by now. Calm down. Calm down. Words filled Hikaru¡¯s head¡ªinjury, pain, what to do, death. Times like this, you have to keep a calm mind. He bit back the urge to scream. First, hide the blood. He pulled out a hand towel and tied it over the wound. He had trouble doing it with his mouth, but he managed to stop the bleeding temporarily. It should last a few minutes. Let¡¯s just quietly retreat for now¡­ Leave, and then what? He didn¡¯t see how he could beat Lawrence with his current Skillset. The man could easily cut a thrown stone. Damn it. I don¡¯t mean to kill him, while he shows no mercy. I have to think of something¡ªhmm? Something was off. An odd sensation, like failing to remember the name of someone you knew. Hikaru racked his brain hard as he ran through the bushes. What is it? What¡¯s bothering me? Sweat was pouring out of his body, but he felt cold. Was it because he was losing blood? Soul Board. A thrown stone. Cut in half. Lawrence¡¯s slash. Oh. He stopped in his tracks. How did he notice the stone? Hikaru had to be within five meters to summon Lawrence¡¯s Soul Board. The man sensed a gaze on him, but he wasn¡¯t certain where the enemy was. He must have simply swung his sword in the direction from which the stone came from. The issue was: Lawrence did not notice him even when he was within five meters, but he noticed the stone. Because it moved away from me. The stone was flying away from Hikaru and eventually moved out of the range of his Stealth. Lawrence heard the wind and swung his sword. In that case, there is one way out of this. Hikaru came up with an idea. A very risky gamble, the kind he had never made before. Suddenly, Hikaru heard the rustling of bushes. ¡°Hikaru? Where are you?¡± It was a teary-eyed Lavia. ¡°What are you doing here?!¡± Hikaru approached her and grabbed her arm. Lavia jumped, but she immediately realized that the voice belonged to him. Hikaru activated Group Cloaking. ¡°I just thought¡­ that you couldn¡¯t beat him.¡± ¡°I, um¡­¡± Lavia knew. Lawrence was indeed incredibly strong. In contrast, he was just a lanky boy. ¡°Let¡¯s get away from here,¡± Lavia said. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be fine. We don¡¯t have to go back to town.¡± It was a tempting suggestion. His mind wobbled. But¡­ The situation was different from earlier, when he thought a life of wandering might not be a bad idea. ¡°Your arm!¡± Lavia gasped. Hikaru was wounded. It needed to be treated as soon as possible. The only way to do that was to go back to town or find an adventurer outside who could use Healing Magic. The latter required luck. After a bit of thinking, Lavia said, ¡°You go ahead, Hikaru.¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. I can wait for a couple of days. Five or ten, even. I¡¯ll be all right. I¡¯m not hurt.¡± ¡°¡­¡± That was not an option. If they let Lawrence go, he would find out about Lavia¡¯s disappearance and try to get back to Pond faster than them. And he would take this road. Hikaru would have to bet everything on Group Cloaking to hide his injury, all the while risking the chance of running into Lawrence. There was another possible risk. Even if Hikaru and Lavia made it to Pond safely, the town would already have learned about Lavia¡¯s disappearance, and the guards would get to work. After entering the town for treatment, there was a good chance of Hikaru¡¯s wound drawing suspicion to him. Besides, what about Lavia? She would have to stay far away as the guards would be searching the area around the town. Lavia, who had no Stealth, would have to leave and go to monster-infested regions. It was too dangerous. Lavia¡­ Hikaru could feel it. He was holding her hand, so he knew. She was trembling. Lavia was scared. She told Hikaru to retreat while hiding her fear. In that case¡­ If we¡¯re going to gamble anyway, might as well not leave it to chance. Their mind would be put to the test. To overcome fear. ¡°I¡¯m not heading back without you,¡± Hikaru said. ¡°Hikaru¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ll take down Lawrence as planned, you and me.¡± Lavia looked confused. ¡°Me too?¡± ¡°You will be exposed to danger. But if all the options come with risks anyway, I want to choose the one where I take the future into my own hands. Would you help me?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Lavia smiled. ¡°The danger is nothing compared to what you did for me.¡± Her hands were no longer shaking. Hikaru¡¯s mind was made up. After swinging his sword toward the long grass, Lawrence approached warily, and frowned when he didn¡¯t see a body. ¡°I missed?¡± But a short distance away, he found a trail of blood. ¡°I knew they were around here somewhere. The way they conceal themselves is worthy of praise. Not a bandit, I presume? Someone from outside the kingdom¡ªthe Empire?¡± There was no one to answer his questions. ¡°You can run, but there is no escape.¡± He followed the trail of blood. It stopped halfway, but all he had to do was follow the trampled grass. ¡°Strange¡­ They can conceal their presence so well, yet these tracks look like they were left by an amateur.¡± The assailant clearly passed through here. Lawrence continued following the tracks. ¡°Hmm?¡± He found himself back out on the road. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Lawrence had been keeping an eye on the road. He didn¡¯t want merchants and travelers taken hostage. So he was certain that not a single soul passed by the highway. He could understand hiding in the grass, but it was hard to imagine them crossing the road. ¡°Then they¡¯re still in the grass somewhere?¡± Lawrence pondered. Come to think of it, it looked like there was another set of footprints. His distress was understandable. Lawrence had never fought anyone who had the same level of Stealth as Hikaru. He never thought that they could cross the road in broad daylight unseen. Hikaru had already considered crossing the highway as an escape route. As a matter of fact, he attacked from the opposite side of the road from Lavia, so that even if Lawrence dodged, Lavia would not be noticed. However, he didn¡¯t expect to run into her as soon as he crossed the road. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The grass on the other side suddenly caught Lawrence¡¯s attention. He thought he saw something move. He stepped out onto the road and listened carefully, but heard nothing. ¡°An animal?¡± This happened all the time. Small animals were good at hiding. When humans became aware of their presence, they seemed to just vanish. ¡°It could be the assailant¡­ Too many possibilities.¡± One thing was for certain: the assailant would not attack again. Lawrence was starting to think that they got away. ¡°Frustrating, but I suppose I should just let them go.¡± He collected himself. He checked his horse¡ªit was dead. The stone used to kill it was lying some distance away. ¡°A single throw from a small stone. A very capable individual, but I can¡¯t afford to lose any more time.¡± He looked to where he was headed. If he ran, he should make it to the carriage that the adventurers were escorting. Lawrence took a deep breath. His muscles swelled up as he leaned forward. The moment he started running, he drew his sword and held it at the ready. He sensed a tremendous presence from the grass. ¡°What¡ª¡± What he saw stunned him. Stunned Lawrence the Sword Saint, the strongest swordsman in the Kingdom of Ponsonia, a man who had come face-to-face with death on numerous battlefields. An enormous magic circle was hovering in the air. The size of a magic circle needed for regular spells was about one meter. Even Mages who were considered highly skilled in Ponsonia¡¯s Alchemists¡¯ Guild could, at best, only create a magic circle of about two meters. Yet the magic circle that Lawrence saw had a radius of five meters, a feat that only the best Mages in the royal court could achieve. Symbols flickered inside like living creatures. An incredibly huge fireball emerged from the magic circle, expanding as soon as it materialized. ¡°The caster¡­ is right there!¡± Lawrence spotted a hand sticking out of the grass, facing the sky. It was about a hundred meters away. The fact that he was able to see the small feminine hand so easily was a testament to his experience and innate ability. ¡°I will not let you cast your spe¡ª¡± An indescribable sensation seized Lawrence. He felt the Reaper¡¯s gigantic scythe right at his neck. His instinct told him that someone was out there. Someone other than the Mage was close by. ¡°You can tell, huh? Instinct sure is a pain.¡± The moment he heard the voice, Lawrence felt warm liquid gushing out of his throat. ¡°Wh-What¡­¡± He put his hand on his neck. Fresh blood stained it red. He knew then that his jugular had been cut, but he had no idea who did it, or how they were even able to do it. ¡°You¡­¡± Lawrence turned and saw a boy standing with his back to him. In his right hand was a dagger, blood dripping from its tip. He was showing only the side of his face¡ªa face covered in a silver mask. ¡°Unless you want to bleed to death, don¡¯t move. Most people would die from this, but you¡¯ll survive.¡± ¡°Wait! Who the hell are you?!¡± After a moment of thought, the boy said, ¡°Call me Silver Face.¡± He walked into the grass, and vanished. Lawrence couldn¡¯t move. The magic circle had disappeared; the spell was not cast. If it was, Lawrence would have been vaporized. The realization dawned on him: he was spared. Volume 1 - CH 4.6 Hikaru asked Lavia to re-bind the wound tight. He wasn¡¯t losing as much blood now, but he had to be treated fast, or he would bleed to death. Tch. I wish I had 8 points on Natural Recovery like that freak. Fortunately for Hikaru, as soon as they arrived at the settlement, they found a caravan resting. The merchants had potions for emergencies, a liquid in a vial, containing dissolved magical catalyst. It was filled with Healing Magic. Hikaru didn¡¯t want to just steal one, so he left a gold coin in exchange for a vial of potion. He poured it on his wound, and it closed up. He didn¡¯t know how much it cost to ride on the back of a merchant¡¯s wagon from there to Pond, so he didn¡¯t bother paying. Made it back in one piece. Hikaru had planned the whole thing carefully, performed numerous simulations in his mind, but in practice, a lot of things could go wrong. Lawrence was the worst example. One mistake and he would¡¯ve died. Despite all that, Hikaru triumphed. He managed to pull through using a reckless strategy of distracting Lawrence with Lavia¡¯s magic while he attacked from the front. Lavia was shocked that the soldiers guarding the gate did not notice them at all. She didn¡¯t ask any questions; she simply let Hikaru pull her by the hand into town. ¡°Oh,¡± Lavia gasped. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Hikaru asked. ¡°The handcuffs¡­¡± The mana on the handcuffs had worn off earlier than expected. They couldn¡¯t find a place to dispose of it, so they kept it for now. Hikaru added three more nights to his stay in the hotel. He entered the room, closed the door, and left Lavia there. ¡°Stay here,¡± he said. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got some more work to do. It won¡¯t take long.¡± Lavia looked like she wanted to say something, but Hikaru left alone. He went to the Adventurers¡¯ Guild. Freya was there as usual; he asked her about commissions. ¡°Hmm? You look a little pale,¡± she said. ¡°Y-Yeah. I didn¡¯t get much sleep last night,¡± Hikaru replied. ¡°Didn¡¯t you go straight back to your place after dinner?¡± Her unwanted remark caused a stir among the adventurers. She just revealed that she went out for dinner with Hikaru. ¡°I went for another round of drinks,¡± he said. ¡°What?! No fair! I didn¡¯t drink much, you know.¡± ¡°We can go out again sometime.¡± ¡°Oh, o-okay.¡± Hikaru, still a little out of it, did not realize that he had just invited Freya for a drink. He had never been in a pub or tavern before. This should be enough, he decided, then left the guild. He waited for news of Lavia¡¯s disappearance, but no such information came while he was there. It¡¯s all good. I have an alibi now. I should be fine. I didn¡¯t miss anything. I¡¯m sure. I ran countless simulations, after all. Everything¡¯s good. Hikaru returned to the hotel after buying food and healing potions, keeping a wary eye on his surroundings. After closing the door behind him, he let out a long, long sigh. He had done everything he was supposed to do. He wanted to believe that he got all the bases covered. His body went slack; he almost crumpled on the spot. ¡°We¡¯re safe. We should be fine¡ªugh.¡± Lavia came running and threw herself at him. ¡°O-Ow!¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. You were gone, and I was scared.¡± ¡°Sorry. I just did some finishing touches. We should be good now.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Really, really.¡± He could finally say that the escape plan was a success. ¡°I want to use some potion.¡± Hikaru pulled away from Lavia and took off his cloak. The healing potion he used earlier only served as first-aid treatment. He rolled up his sleeves, removed the bloody hand towel, and poured the potion on the wound. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± It hurt so much that he almost shed tears. The wound was slowly reacting to the potion. Not only did it stop the bleeding, but it also reconnected severed tissues. It felt itchy. Hikaru drank the other half of the potion, as it was said to aid in blood production. It tasted like a nasty herb. It would take a few more hours for him to fully heal, but he had nevertheless learned the true value of Healing Magic and healing potions. There was only silence for a while now, so he looked over his shoulder. Lavia had her back turned to him. ¡°Lavia?¡± Her cheeks and ears were red. He wondered why. ¡°Um, I¡¯ve been wanting to ask,¡± she said. ¡°Can I make myself disappear by holding your hand? Does it work with sound too?¡± ¡°Something like that. It works with sound to an extent, but not loud noises. The people in the next room may or may not hear anything.¡± ¡°I see. In that case¡­ I¡¯ll do my best to be quiet.¡± ¡°No, I mean you can still speak in whispers¡ªhngh?!¡± Lavia grabbed the back of his head and pulled on his hand, drawing their lips together. Tongue hotter than Hikaru¡¯s own body slipped into his mouth. ¡°¡­Fwah!¡± What seemed like a long kiss that lasted for minutes probably ended in only seconds. Hikaru panicked; it was all too sudden. ¡°I told you I¡¯d give you my everything if you rescued me,¡± Lavia said, her eyes glazed. She did say that. But something bothered Hikaru more than her current behavior. ¡°You¡¯re not afraid of me?¡± he asked. ¡°Afraid?¡± ¡°I appeared inside the carriage from out of nowhere like magic. As you said, I made both of us disappear. I led that knight around by the nose and seriously injured him. I¡¯m that kind of person. I¡¯m not normal.¡± ¡°Not normal¡­ Perhaps. So what?¡± ¡°What I¡¯m saying¡ª¡± ¡°I told you. I¡¯d give you my everything if you rescued me. Don¡¯t you remember?¡± ¡°¡­I do.¡± ¡°Even if you were a cold-blooded man, a rotten undead, or a monster disguised as a human, I wouldn¡¯t go back on my word.¡± Hikaru felt the world tumble. She must¡¯ve really meant it when she said ¡°everything¡±. She accepts me for who I am. In retrospect, Hikaru might have feared the power of the Soul Board. He stayed away from others because of it. He was afraid he¡¯d lose himself in the power and hurt those around him. But Lavia was different. She accepted everything about him. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯ll give me your everything?¡± Lavia looked at him with upturned eyes. Her face turned red all the way to her ears. ¡°I-I heard it hurts the first time¡­ but I¡¯ll try my best to keep quiet. And if possible, I¡¯d like us to hold hands the whole way.¡± Her words made Hikaru lose all his reason. They were grimy from the long day on the road, but it didn¡¯t bother them one bit. They made love far into the night and fell soundly asleep in each other¡¯s arms. ¡°Life will be rough for you. You may be clever, but you¡¯re also reckless. Someday, somewhere, you might just suddenly die.¡± He still remembered her words clearly. It was far from a compliment, but strangely enough, he didn¡¯t feel offended. He was an arrogant boy, but in front of her, in front of Hazuki, his cocky side concealed itself. ¡°Senpai¡­ I died, like you said.¡± I knew it. My hunch is usually right. ¡°But I came to another world, and I¡¯m somehow managing to survive. I¡¯m still arrogant, though.¡± That¡¯s all right. Smiling, Hazuki just stared at the air without looking at Hikaru. So far, he had thought. She seemed so far back then. It felt like he could reach her if he just reached out his hand, but he couldn¡¯t close the distance. He was content with that. Just being able to watch Hazuki up close, even without touching her, was enough for him. He believed that Hazuki shared the same sentiment. But you should find¡­ ¡°What was that? I didn¡¯t quite catch it.¡± You should¡­ ¡°Hazuki-senpai? Hazuki-sen¡ª¡± He jumped awake. Dawn was breaking. Hikaru realized that his whole body was tense; he let out a deep breath. He looked puzzled. Did she ever say that? She wants me to find what? Deep in thought, Hikaru turned his gaze to the side, to the person sleeping in the same bed with him. The mansion was the world to me. It was a little too big for people to live in, yet too small to spend one¡¯s lifetime. I think that¡¯s why I loved books. I could go anywhere when reading. Of course, even if I could read, there were places I couldn¡¯t imagine. What¡¯s an ocean? What¡¯s a mountain? Lake? River? Once they found out about my extraordinary magical gifts, I was forbidden to go outside. A maid who felt sorry for me taught me a lot of things; how to read, places I hadn¡¯t seen, and what it meant to love someone. Not long after, she was fired for teaching me unnecessary knowledge. I couldn¡¯t even say goodbye. One day she was just gone, and when I asked about her, they just gave me a curt answer: ¡°She will never see you again.¡± I spent my days reading books. I learned that doing unwanted things would only get someone in trouble. Books were only meant to be read. No matter how much I read, it never bothered or hurt anyone. Eventually, I felt my heart wearing down. Soon I would be used as a weapon. A dark future was waiting for me. One rainy night. A young boy, not much older than me, snuck into our home and killed my father. Strangely enough, I wasn¡¯t scared of him. Afterwards, he rescued me while I was being transported to the capital. He was like a hero I read about in novels. I thought I was a heavy burden, but he saved me so easily. My life, once black and white, rapidly gained color. I knew Hikaru was hiding something important. But I didn¡¯t mind him not telling me about it. I didn¡¯t doubt him, nor did I stop having faith in him. He was my savior, my hero who granted me freedom, and the first person I ever loved. I would give him my all. I wanted to accept everything about him. Volume 2 - CH 1.1 Prologue: It All Begins in a Remote Region Near a Dungeon It¡¯s always the ordinary people in the middle of nowhere who notice something unusual. A villager harvesting tomatoes¡ªred, but a little smaller in size¡ªraised their head. ¡°Hmm? What¡¯s that sound?¡± It sounded like the ground sinking. There was no record of an earthquake ever occurring in this area. Although curious about the sound, nothing happened afterwards, so they continued harvesting their tomatoes. In the evening, after finishing their work at the farm, the villager came to the village square, where the village chief¡¯s house, the church, and the only store in the village all stood facing each other. It was the busiest place in Cotton-elka, a village with a population of a hundred and twenty. ¡°Working hard, I see.¡± ¡°Oh, Pastor. You have to harvest them now, or they¡¯ll get too ripe. There¡¯s no one in this kingdom who doesn¡¯t know about Cotton-elka¡¯s dried tomatoes. How can I not work hard?¡± ¡°So nothing unusual, huh? That¡¯s good to know.¡± ¡°Unusual¡­¡± The villager remembered what they heard at noon today. What was that sound? But before he could talk about it, another villager came and struck up a conversation with the pastor. ¡°We¡¯re opening the drying area tomorrow and getting right to work,¡± the villager said. ¡°I see. Dried tomatoes are the lifeblood of the village,¡± the pastor replied. ¡°I hope work goes smoothly.¡± ¡°Paula was so good at peeling tomatoes¡­ Oh, sorry.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. She certainly knew how to work efficiently.¡± The pastor wore a grim look that was quickly replaced by a wistful smile. Everyone in the village knew Paula. The pastor¡¯s only daughter, she took care of all the work that required precision, writing, and math, which the villagers were not very good at. She was a good-natured, simple girl, whom everyone thought was going to marry a young man from the village. One day, however, she just disappeared together with her friend Pia, daughter of the village chief, and Priscilla, daughter of a hunter who lived on the outskirts of the village. The letters they left in their respective homes said they became adventurers, but the villagers hadn¡¯t heard from any of them in the past six months since they left. Though the pastor didn¡¯t show it, it was clear that he was worried. ¡°You two must be tired,¡± the pastor said. ¡°Go have dinner and get well-rested for work tomorrow.¡± ¡°We will.¡± ¡°Bye, Pastor.¡± The two villagers went on their way. Smoke was rising from many houses¡ªit was dinner time as usual in Cotton-elka. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The pastor looked to the west. The sun was setting. At the foot of the mountain lay the fortress city of Leather-elka. Unlike Cotton-elka, it was a place bustling with people. What caught the pastor¡¯s attention was the color of the sunset painting the mountains. It looked redder than usual, as though mixed with blood. ¡°I don¡¯t like the look of that.¡± The pastor¡¯s fear turned into reality. Cotton-elka would become a hot topic of conversation among adventurers due to a monster invasion. The door to the Adventurers¡¯ Guild opened, and a dark-haired, dark-eyed boy entered. Most of the people who hung out in the guild were adults, mostly rugged men, so he stood out a little. ¡°Lord Hikaru!¡± A group of three girls spotted the boy¡ªHikaru. Although older than him, the girls were also among the younger members of the guild. Hailing from a remote village, the girls¡ªPaula, Pia, and Priscilla¡ªwere recently saved by Hikaru when they were attacked by a horde of Goblins. The veteran adventurers who tried to escape using Paula as bait after a falling-out were still missing¡ªmost likely lying low somewhere far away, waiting for things to cool down. Hikaru walked towards the girls. ¡°You didn¡¯t come by the guild yesterday, so I was wondering what happened,¡± Paula said. ¡°I dropped by in the evening after spending the whole day reading this.¡± Hikaru showed a book from the guild¡¯s library. It was torn apart in places from years of use, and barely anyone had touched it recently. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°I borrowed it from Mr. Unken so I could learn how to butcher monsters. Reading is knowledge, after all.¡± As a matter of fact, Hikaru was very busy yesterday. He tricked a party of adventurers on an escort mission to the capital to rescue a prisoner, Lavia. After that, he intercepted Lawrence D. Falcon, the commander of the knights. He managed to show up at the guild in the evening. He wanted to take on an easy commission, but the injury on his arm prevented him from doing so. Although the wound had healed, he still wasn¡¯t in top shape. He was using the book as an alibi. ¡°You mean that thick book?!¡± Paula exclaimed. Hearing Paula¡¯s remark, Freya slipped out of the counter and strode toward them. Adventurers gathered at the counter started cursing. She was still as popular as ever. ¡°Hello, Hikaru,¡± the receptionist greeted. ¡°Hello. Um, what about work?¡± Adventurers who looked forward to hitting on the receptionist every day were staring daggers at him. Perhaps to them, the guild¡¯s receptionists were like celebrities they could meet every day and talk to casually. ¡°I heard Sir Unken lent that book to you,¡± Freya said. ¡°Returning it to him is part of my job.¡± Unken was the guildmaster. He was proficient in Stealth, the same ability that Hikaru possessed, but no one knew what he was doing before being appointed as this guild¡¯s manager. Hikaru speculated that he might have assassinated the king of the neighboring empire of Quinbrand. ¡°Are you sure? You must be busy,¡± Hikaru said. The adventurers nodded. Freya laughed dryly. ¡°Not really. All I do is chat.¡± I see. Do your jobs, adventurers! Can¡¯t you see all those posts on the bulletin board?! ¡°But did you really read the whole thing?¡± Freya asked. ¡°I did.¡± ¡°Then how about a bit of a quiz?¡± Freya cheerfully flipped through the pages. ¡°What¡¯s the most effective way to kill a Muddy Rock that lives in swamps?¡± ¡°Use ice-type Spirit Magic. They¡¯re easier to destroy once frozen.¡± ¡°What does a powdered yellow medicinal plant do?¡± ¡°Heal paralysis.¡± ¡°Describe the closest dungeon to Pond.¡± ¡°There are two of them. The first one is called the Underground City of the Ancient Gods, and it¡¯s a five-day trip by carriage up the northern highway. Jointly-controlled by the government and the Adventurers¡¯ Guild, only adventurers ranked E and above may enter. Plenty of undead-type monsters have been spotted there. The other one is called¡ª¡± ¡°The Forest of Deception!¡± Paula interrupted. ¡°The dungeon was created by a monster, a Dungeon Master. The monsters you kill inside turn into Spirit Magic stones, turning it into an industry. Isn¡¯t that right, Lord Hikaru?¡± ¡°Uh, yeah.¡± Hikaru nodded. Why are you asking me? Paula was right. He was surprised she knew so much about it. Freya chuckled. ¡°So you really did read the book. I¡¯ll return it to Sir Unken.¡± She closed the book. She looked the same as always. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Hikaru?¡± Freya asked. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± It didn¡¯t look like news about Lavia¡¯s disappearance had reached here yet. But they would learn about it sooner or later. His alibi should prove useful then. In reality, it wasn¡¯t that old book that Hikaru read, but the latest edition. He had plenty of opportunities to read it in the library. He was a much faster reader than the average person, and he had a good memory. He actually already knew all that stuff before he even borrowed the book from Unken. ¡°But please read the latest edition in the future, okay?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Freya said, then left with the book. ¡°What was that about?¡± Hikaru wondered. He had no idea what she meant by that, which was understandable. Only guild personnel knew that the latest edition of the book was a copy that Freya herself made when she took the receptionist¡¯s exam. The copy was naturally newer and more neat, so it was currently the one being stored in the library. ¡°How do I look?¡± Later that evening, in the hotel room. Standing before Hikaru was Lavia. However, she looked completely different from before. She was wearing an outfit that Hikaru got her¡ªa bright-green dress with a belt around the waist, high-cut boots, and knee-high socks. Pants would¡¯ve been better for adventuring, but Hikaru thought it was a waste for someone as pretty as Lavia to be wearing trousers, so he went with this. He found it in a thrift store he went to today. Her beautiful silver hair was tied behind her back. Hikaru also bought a dark-red cap, which gave her the air of an active, young girl. There was no trace of the elegant daughter of a nobleman. ¡°You look perfect,¡± Hikaru remarked. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You actually look great.¡± ¡°I was just thinking how good you are at picking out clothes for girls. Like you¡¯re used to it.¡± ¡°Th-That¡¯s not it. I was thinking about you while looking for clothes, and it just happened to catch my eye.¡± ¡°You were thinking about me?¡± ¡°Yup. All day.¡± Lavia pursed her lips, her cheeks flushed. Hikaru found it adorable. ¡°I¡¯m still bothered by it, though. This costs a lot of money, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯re good.¡± Hikaru had to spend some money, but he had enough to support both of them for a while. Now that they were basically couples, he had to buy something necessary. Contraceptives. Lavia might only be fourteen, but according to Roland¡¯s memories, fourteen was old enough to get pregnant in this world too. Interestingly, the contraceptives here were actually gems imbued with dark magic. Carrying it in your pocket reduced sperm activity in men and affected the ovaries in women. Since the effects on men were less severe and basically rendered them sterile, those who needed it carried it around. The effect on women, however, was much worse, such as causing irregular menstruation, so it was mostly men who carried one. This looks like I¡¯m expecting to do the deed frequently with her¡­ Still, prevention is better than cure. Yes. Regret always came last, so better prevent pregnancy now than later. They didn¡¯t have the luxury to raise kids at the moment. The vendor poked fun at him when he bought the gem, but Hikaru believed it was a necessary expense. It cost a thousand gilans. Including the money he had deposited with the guild, Hikaru had over 100,000 gilans left. A little over a million in Japanese yen. The cost of living here was low, so it was enough to live off of for a year. ¡°We¡¯re going out tomorrow to buy some other stuff you need,¡± Hikaru said. ¡°A couple more clothes, and some underwear, which I can¡¯t buy myself.¡± ¡°Yeah. Are you sure, though?¡± Lavia was concerned about people recognizing her in the streets. After all, she could change her attire, but not her face. She was still wanted for the murder of Count Morgstadt, her own father. Fortunately, Hikaru had a way to hide her. ¡°You can go anywhere now,¡± he said. ¡°You can decide where you want to go.¡± ¡°Anywhere¡­? Then I want to go adventuring.¡± Hikaru nodded with a laugh. ¡°I knew you¡¯d say that. We¡¯ll start preparing for adventures tomorrow.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± ¡°Before that, how are you feeling? Does it hurt anywhere?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ It hurts a little, but I¡¯m feeling a lot better.¡± ¡°All right. Take it easy, now.¡± ¡°B-But if you want to, we can also do it tonight¡ª¡± ¡°Th-That¡¯s not why I asked!¡± ¡°I see¡­ I get it. I have the body of a child, so you don¡¯t find me attractive.¡± ¡°N-No, that¡¯s not it! I think you¡¯re¡­ very pretty and attractive¡­¡± ¡°Hikaru¡­¡± They moved closer, holding each other¡¯s hands. They ended up staying up late into the night. By the time they woke up the next day, the sun was already high up in the sky. The gem that Hikaru purchased immediately came in handy on the first day. Volume 2 - CH 1.2 ¡°Mom, dad, I¡¯m off!¡± ¡°Take care! If any adventurers mess with you, you tell me right away. I¡¯ll give them a good beating.¡± ¡°Oh, dear. Are you really going to say that every single day? Take care, Freya. Make sure you work hard.¡± Freya chuckled. ¡°I will!¡± Freya left her parents¡¯ bakery. In order to bake bread to sell in the morning, her parents were up before sunrise to fire up the kiln. Waking up to the aroma of fragrant bread and sweet butter and heading to the guild with freshly-baked bread was her daily morning routine. ¡°Good morning.¡± ¡°Good morning, Freya.¡± When Freya arrived, there was already a receptionist at the guild¡¯s counter. A beautiful woman with a somewhat shadowy look¡ªAurora. ¡°Anything new?¡± Freya asked. Aurora cast her gaze down, looking more and more gloomy. ¡°Sir Unken wants to see you.¡± ¡°Sir Unken?¡± Wondering what he wanted so early in the morning, Freya put her personal belongings in her locker and changed into her uniform. It was eight in the morning, and the guild was already somewhat crowded, but Aurora should be able to handle things alone. Freya went to Unken¡¯s room¡ªthe guildmaster¡¯s office. ¡°Freya? Come here.¡± There was a lounge for guests, but Unken called her directly to his desk. Freya breathed a sigh of relief; she assumed it wasn¡¯t anything important since she wasn¡¯t asked to sit down. She didn¡¯t think she did anything wrong, but being summoned to the office like this made her nervous. And the bitter expression on Unken¡¯s face only made it worse. ¡°Do you need my help with anything?¡± Freya asked. ¡°We received a message. And I need to ask you something.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°The message is: the day before yesterday, the party led by Nogusa, Distant Glittering Stars, failed in their escort mission.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Freya remembered Nogusa, of course, a Rank C adventurer who came all the way here from the royal capital. The highest rank of the adventurers in Pond was D. How could she possibly forget him? Nogusa and his team came here to escort Lavia, a suspect in the murder of Count Morgstadt, to the royal capital. Because of the importance of the case to the kingdom, high-ranked adventurers were assigned to the job. ¡°Th-They failed? Were they ambushed by bandits? Or was it a vicious, mutated monster?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°D-Did they run away with the girl?¡± ¡°No. I mean, I think that¡¯s most likely what happened, but it¡¯s out of the question for now.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ So what happened, then?¡± ¡°Freya, this is a major blunder by the Adventurers¡¯ Guild.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Then why do you look thrilled?!¡± ¡°N-No, I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Do a better job of hiding it.¡± ¡°¡¯Kay.¡± Freya¡¯s spirit sank. If it was just any other incident, she would have listened quietly. But it happened to be a case she was interested in. An adventurer whom Freya cared about¡ªa boy named Hikaru¡ªwas quite curious about the Count¡¯s murder. I¡¯ll tell Hikaru about this. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll want to know. The thought brought a smile to her face. Unken sighed. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s better than a grim look. Nogusa said that during their second rest stop, he took a look inside the carriage, and the girl had vanished into thin air.¡± ¡°Vanished? Wait, Nogusa and his team gave statements? So they went to the Adventurers¡¯ Guild in the capital?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But they¡¯d be the first people to be suspected. No human being can just vanish into thin air.¡± ¡°If Nogusa¡¯s party were the ones who set the girl free, it makes no sense for them to show up at the royal capital¡¯s guild and give such an absurd statement. It¡¯s extremely foolish.¡± ¡°I agree¡­ Where did the girl go, then?¡± ¡°If we knew that, we wouldn¡¯t be having this problem. There are two things that complicate matters. One is the driver¡¯s statement. Apparently, Nogusa demanded the keys to the carriage.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Judging by their character, they were probably curious about the girl.¡± It made sense. Freya had heard that the Count¡¯s daughter was a beautiful girl. Any creep would be curious. ¡°So, um, how do I put this¡­ What you¡¯re saying is¡­ they¡¯re idiots.¡± ¡°You could¡¯ve just gone straight to the point,¡± Unken said. ¡°Anyway, they might be idiots, but they¡¯re still Rank C adventurers. This is a serious blow to the reputation of the royal capital branch.¡± ¡°Um, what about the other thing that complicates matters?¡± ¡°About that. You know about the security in the Count¡¯s residence, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. Knights were dispatched as guards.¡± ¡°Yes. One of the knights said they didn¡¯t trust the adventurers, so they went after Nogusa¡¯s party. But he wasn¡¯t able to catch up to them. He got ambushed by bandits.¡± ¡°Bandits? Between Pond and the capital? That¡¯s unusual. Who¡¯s this knight that went after them?¡± Unken nodded. ¡°Commander Lawrence D. Falcon.¡± ¡°Lord Lawrence?! The Sword Saint?!¡± Frowning, Unken quickly covered his ears. ¡°Keep it down.¡± ¡°Sorry¡­ But bandits should be no match for him.¡± ¡°Exactly. Mr. Lawrence said he was attacked by a bandit. A child who called himself Silver Face.¡± Freya¡¯s mouth dropped. ¡°Whaaaat?!¡± ¡°Close your mouth.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± She brought a hand to her mouth. ¡°But a child can¡¯t possibly best the Sword Saint! Wait¡­ This sounds similar to Nogusa¡¯s statement. Insisting about something that¡¯s nigh impossible.¡± ¡°What do you think? Are these two incidents completely unrelated?¡± ¡°Most likely. It¡¯s shocking, sure, but some people are just gifted in combat. A child prodigy is not unheard of.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s say they¡¯re a prodigy. Can a child really defeat the Sword Saint?¡± ¡°I-I would need more details before giving my thoughts. Do you know anything more about the case?¡± ¡°Not much. You¡¯re of the same opinion as Aurora. Completely unrelated incidents.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Freya nodded. ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°No, I still have a question. Are there any young and skilled male adventurers in the vicinity? Actually, they don¡¯t have to be exclusively adventurers.¡± Hikaru flashed through Freya¡¯s mind. But Hikaru should have been reading a book the day of the escort mission. ¡°I can¡¯t think of any,¡± she said. ¡°I see. I should ask Gloria as well. I doubt I¡¯ll get a different answer, though.¡± Using Group Cloaking, Hikaru left the inn together with Lavia. Group Cloaking was a Skill he obtained from his Soul Board that allowed him to share the effects of his Stealth to anyone he touched. Plenty of people were already up and about at this hour. Though Lavia¡¯s clothes and cap gave her a completely different look now, it was better safe than sorry. ¡°So this is a town.¡± This might be Lavia¡¯s first time to walk through a town. Hikaru kept the thought to himself. Pond was situated on a plain, and since it was also a satellite town, development was carefully planned. Everything looked new to her. The housewives gathered around a well behind a tree, the elderly walking briskly, carrying a shopping basket, the boy getting scolded by a shop owner, the man pulling a wagon full of jars for sale¡ªeverything. ¡°Hikaru.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°I smell something good.¡± It was the hotdog stand. Hands folded, the muscular owner was staring at their direction¡ªno, he was practically glaring at them. Group Cloaking should be active. Is he waiting for me? Hikaru wondered. ¡°We can¡¯t skip breakfast, I guess,¡± he said. Hikaru disabled Group Cloaking somewhere out of sight. As they approached the vendor, the man held out his massive hand. ¡°Sixty gilans,¡± he said boldly. ¡°Bold of you to assume I¡¯m buying two.¡± Letting out a sigh, Hikaru handed the money and took two hotdog sandwiches, one for Lavia, who regarded the food with great interest. The vendor could hardly see her face. Hmm, it looks exactly like the hotdogs in Japan¡­ Hikaru thought as he took a bite. ¡°Hmm?!¡± His eyes widened. ¡°H-How is it?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s too spicy! Are you stupid?!¡± Hikaru bellowed. Crap. This hotdog is literally hot. It was too spicy. He felt his body temperature instantly rise. Sweat would be trickling down his head at any moment. The ketchup wasn¡¯t as watery as last time. Now the question was¡­ ¡°What did you do to the mustard?¡± Hikaru asked. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Answer me.¡± ¡°I was curious about these spices that a peddler was selling.¡± ¡°So you added them? Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s your fault! You didn¡¯t come yesterday! I let a different regular taste it and he said it wasn¡¯t spicy enough!¡± ¡°Why are you blaming me?! Damn, it¡¯s too spicy¡­ Let¡¯s go. It¡¯s best if you don¡¯t eat it¡­ Huh?¡± Lavia was staring blankly at Hikaru. She had already eaten half of the sandwich. ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Hikaru shot a suspicious look at the vendor. The man shook his head. It¡¯s the same as yours, was what he meant. ¡°Do you like spicy food?¡± Hikaru asked. ¡°Hmm?¡± Lavia looked puzzled. Volume 2 - CH 1.3 They started walking. The hotdog was too spicy for Hikaru, so he returned it to the vendor. Lavia was full from the one sandwich. ¡°This is no big deal!¡± the man cried as he finished the rest. ¡°I¡¯ll show you around town,¡± Hikaru said. ¡°Okay,¡± Lavia replied. Hikaru used Group Cloaking as much as possible while walking down the streets. ¡°That¡¯s Dodorono¡¯s Armor Workshop, where I bought your clothes. It¡¯s an armor shop, but they sell casual clothes as well.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s an armor shop¡­!¡± ¡°The owner¡¯s a dwarf with a screw loose.¡± ¡°A dwarf!¡± ¡°And that¡¯s where I got my dagger, Leniwood¡¯s Weapon Workshop.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s a weapon shop¡­!¡± ¡°The owner is an elf¡­ who¡¯s also a bit nuts.¡± ¡°An elf!¡± Lavia would have the chance to enter the stores one of these days, but for now it was best to keep her out of the public eye until the heat regarding her disappearance died down. ¡°And that¡¯s the Adventurers¡¯ Guild.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Lavia?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve dreamed about this place¡­¡± You even dreamed about it? ¡°Hikaru.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯m so glad to be alive¡­¡± She must¡¯ve really wanted to be an adventurer that bad. ¡°If I went in there, people would say something like ¡®What¡¯s a kid doing in here?¡¯ right?¡± ¡°Yes, it happens.¡± Hikaru wondered if this world had the same clich¨¦s. ¡°We¡¯ll go in next time to gather information.¡± ¡°I can go in there?!¡± ¡°Well, I make a living by being an adventurer. People will know soon that I¡¯m working with you. It would be strange if I didn¡¯t bring you to the guild at all.¡± ¡°I want to go inside!¡± ¡°Yes, next time.¡± ¡°Next time¡­¡± Lavia looked like a dejected puppy. ¡°I-In a few days.¡± Her face lit up. ¡°Okay.¡± That¡¯s not fair. When you smile like that, it makes me want to take you in there now. Hikaru needed more information first before he could do that. He just had to fight off the urge for today. ¡°That¡¯s about it for now.¡± They had been walking all morning, buying clothes, underwear, and daily necessities for Lavia. They bought sandwiches from a bakery known for its delicious bread. They sat down on a bench and started eating. The bread was soft and sweet, the best bread they had eaten in the past few days. ¡°Are we going around town some more?¡± Lavia asked. ¡°No, I think that¡¯s it for the places I wanted to show you. There¡¯s something I want to do later in the afternoon. Wanna go outside town?¡± ¡°We¡¯re going adventuring?!¡± ¡°Uh, more like preparations for an adventure.¡± Hikaru scratched his cheek. ¡°I want to see how powerful your magic is.¡± The early summer sun was shining bright. Outside the town, the muggy smell of earth and grass permeated the air. Hikaru wondered if he should buy clothes with brighter colors. Adventurers who didn¡¯t have a permanent residence or base of operations were said to buy secondhand clothes and switched attires between summer and winter. It was common to do so because of the market for used clothes. I think back in the old days of Japan, people would pawn off their kotatsu and cotton clothes in the spring. Hikaru was currently wearing a Night Wolf overall made by Dodorono. Both the top and bottom were black. The cloth he wore over it blocked direct sunlight, but if it got any hotter, he would need lighter clothes. ¡°There are a lot of monsters outside, right?¡± Lavia asked, her eyes darting around. Because of the proximity to Pond, traffic was heavy on the highway¡ªfrom wagons carrying goods, travelers, adventurers on horseback. Hikaru and Lavia got off the road, waded through the grassy field, crested a gently-sloping hill, and arrived at an area not directly visible from the highway. All around them were plains dotted with shrubs. There were insects and birds, but no monsters. Even if one showed up, there were plenty of places to hide, and once hidden, Hikaru could just use Group Cloaking to flee. ¡°Hikaru, how far do these plains go?¡± ¡°About a day on horseback.¡± ¡°That big? Wow¡­¡± A breeze whistled between them. It felt nice. ¡°What do we do now?¡± Lavia asked. ¡°Use magic?¡± ¡°Before that, I¡¯d like to see your Soul Card, if that¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡¾Soul Card¡¿ ¡¾Name¡¿Lavia ¡¾Registration¡¿ Pongee-elka Temple, Kingdom of Ponsonia ¡¾Religious Services¡¿Sun God Festival (6) ¡¾Blessing¡¿¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª It was different from the Adventurers¡¯ Guild card. Hikaru¡¯s card looked like this: ¡¾Adventurers¡¯ Guild Card¡¿ ¡¾Name¡¿Hikaru ¡¾Registration¡¿Pond Adventurers¡¯ Guild, Kingdom of Ponsonia ¡¾Rank¡¿G ¡¾Blessing¡¿Stealth God: Bearer of Darkness Hikaru noticed something on Lavia¡¯s card. ¡°Your name¡­¡± Lavia¡¯s family name, Morgstadt, was gone. She stared at her Soul Card for a while. ¡°Because I¡¯m free now,¡± she said. ¡°¡­¡± She was free from her family, from her father. ¡°So why did you want to see my card?¡± Lavia asked. ¡°I wanted to see what you got under Blessing. What¡¯s this Religious Services before it?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s the number of times you donate to the festival.¡± ¡°Donate?¡± ¡°When you donate to the temple¡¯s annual festival, they record it on your Soul Card. They say the Sun God will hear your prayers.¡± A person received the grace of a god through their card¡¯s Blessings without any middleman. There was no entity that would grant you bonuses for giving donations. ¡°Uh, I think¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably just a money-making scheme,¡± Lavia said. ¡°So you knew.¡± ¡°Of course. The Church¡¯s high-ranking officials are fat and wear fine clothes.¡± The organization was clearly rotten on the inside. ¡°What kind of Blessings do you have?¡± Hikaru asked. ¡°You don¡¯t have anything selected right now.¡± ¡°Um¡­ Hikaru?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t get weirded out.¡± Lavia picked up a stone and started writing on the ground. ¡¾Common Spirit Magic User God: Basic Spirit Mage¡¿7 ¡¾Wide Area Noble Blood Relief God: Noblesse¡¿7 ¡¾Magic Principle Creation God: Challenger of Magic Principles¡¿5 ¡¾Flame Spirit Magic God: Flame Magus¡¿4 These Blessings granted the user the power of the corresponding god, and the fewer the characters, the more powerful it was. Freya told Hikaru that four-character Blessings would make you a high-ranked adventurer. Three characters were extremely rare, two legendary, and one was mythical. Needless to say, these characters were not based on Japanese kanji, but the language in this world. The person who created the card systems was apparently someone with the Blessing of the Wisdom God. ¡°Something like that,¡± Lavia said. Hikaru studied the writing, nodding to himself. ¡°What does Magic Principle mean?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what got your attention?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just curious.¡± Lavia¡¯s Soul Board went like this: ¡¾Soul Board¡¿Lavia Age: 14 | Rank: 6 | 0 ¡¾Magical Power¡¿ ¡¾Mana Capacity¡¿11 ¡¾Magic Principle¡¿2 ¡¾Spirit Affinity¡¿ ¡¾Fire¡¿5 She had two points on Magic Principle. Roland had decent knowledge on magic, but most of it was gained through self-study. As such, it was unorganized and lacking in places. On the other hand, it was remarkable how he managed to study magic thoroughly on his own. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t know much about it either,¡± Lavia said. ¡°My magic just developed on its own.¡± ¡°On its own? What do you mean?¡± ¡°Before I explain, would you look at my magic?¡± Hikaru nodded. That was why he brought her here today in the first place. ¡°Sure. Go ahead.¡± Magic mostly referred to Spirit Magic. It was believed that Spirits were the backbone of this world¡ªthat they made up nature in this world. On the Soul Board, there was Spirit Affinity, which was further categorized into Fire, Air, Earth, and Water. It was presumed that there existed a Spirit for each element. Using one¡¯s own mana to manipulate the power of the Spirits and bring about supernatural phenomena¡ªthat was Spirit Magic. There was also Healing Magic, which Paula used. It involved expending one¡¯s own mana to directly manipulate someone¡¯s natural healing power and amplify it. ¡°O¡¯ Spirits, heed my call. With the primordial flame, incinerate!¡± The use of Spirit Magic required an incantation. This was apparently in a written agreement between Spirits and humans back in ancient times, and it was believed to be absolute. Hikaru, however, questioned it. On the Soul Board, there was Magic Creation under Spirit Affinity, so he thought that perhaps the agreement wasn¡¯t entirely absolute. But that was a different matter altogether. As soon as Lavia finished reciting the incantation, a ball of fire about three meters in diameter materialized above her and dropped in front of them. It was hot enough that Hikaru could feel his skin getting seared. The moment it touched the ground, the flames burst like a popped water balloon. Heated air climbed rapidly, sucking the air around like a vacuum, and a pillar of flames rose like a swirling vortex, about five meters high. And then the flames vanished. The grass was unscathed, except where the flames initially erupted. Weeds filled with water had been reduced completely to ashes. Smoke filled the air. ¡°This is Fire Breath,¡± Lavia said apologetically. ¡°It¡¯s a basic fire spell.¡± She seemed like a child rebuked for doing something wrong. ¡°Incredible. I¡¯ve imagined it to be this powerful, but it¡¯s still surprising to see for real.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve imagined it?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Lavia had five points on Fire Spirit Affinity. The Rank C adventurer Nogusa had four points on Sword and three points on Earth. Unken, the national hero, had six points on Short Sword. With all that in mind, it was safe to assume that five points was quite a significant number. There was, of course, the possibility that the power levels for Weapon Mastery and Spirit Affinity were measured differently. ¡°So you¡¯re not afraid of me?¡± Lavia asked. ¡°You don¡¯t fear me?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Lavia put a hand on her chest and let out a long breath. ¡°Thank goodness. I was actually really nervous, worried that if you saw my powers, you¡¯d leave me.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen. But I understand how you feel. When I told you about my ability, I was scared too.¡± ¡°You mean the Soul Board?¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s a power beyond human understanding. Maybe we¡¯re just alike.¡± Lavia held Hikaru¡¯s hands tight and rested her head against his chest. Her cap fell. ¡°I¡¯m glad you were the one who saved me. You don¡¯t fear me, and you won¡¯t leave me. Right?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t. I promise.¡± ¡°Hikaru¡­¡± She looked at him with moist eyes. Hikaru felt the urge to give her a kiss. ¡°Someone¡¯s coming,¡± Hikaru said. ¡°They might¡¯ve seen the magic you used. Let¡¯s get out of here.¡± Hikaru activated Group Cloaking, and they left. Volume 2 - CH 1.4 ¡°How many times can you use that spell?¡± Hikaru asked as they strolled through the plains. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ I can use it thirty times without a break.¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s incredible. I wonder if I can use magic too.¡± ¡°Everyone has mana, so if you practice, you should be able to.¡± Hikaru stopped and started reciting the incantation for Fire Breath. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Nothing¡¯s happening.¡± ¡°Normally, you need to first deepen your relationship with the Spirits and practice releasing mana¡­¡± ¡°Normally? Was it different in your case?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ It was.¡± Lavia was six years old when her aptitude to magic became known. That time she was still living in their main residence as the daughter of the Count¡¯s second wife. It all started when a horse that strolled next to her stepped on a nail and went wild. Right when it was about to hurt her, Lavia suddenly released magical powers that lay dormant within her. It was a simple mana discharge, like the one she used when Hikaru met her in the dungeon, only enough to alter the air around. But the amount of power she released was enormous. The horse fainted, and the coachman and her attendant all collapsed in a heap. Lavia alone was on her feet. That was how the Count discovered her powers. After the incident, large beasts and tied-up Goblins were brought before her to test her abilities on. She was made to recite different Spirit Magic incantations, and the findings said that she had great affinity to Fire. She somehow just learned to use fire magic without studying or training. All the monsters that were brought before her were reduced to ashes in one shot. The Count was both pleased and afraid of Lavia¡¯s power. He had her isolated, forbidden to go outside. It was also around this time when the Count hired knights as guards, since ordinary men wouldn¡¯t be able to handle her if she went out of control. Thus, while the Count was testing the limits of Lavia¡¯s abilities, he began exploring ways on how to use her. Hikaru had a feeling that the border skirmishes between the Kingdom of Ponsonia and the neighboring Empire of Quinbrand were Count Morgstadt¡¯s idea. How could he use his own daughter, his own blood, like some kind of a tool? Only a select few were privy to Lavia¡¯s powers, including the king himself. She had value as an instrument of war. Hikaru¡¯s chest tightened just thinking about what she¡¯d been through. The past is the past. She can enjoy life to the fullest now. Lavia and I, together¡­ Hikaru gathered himself. Lavia was free now. ¡°I know it¡¯s a touchy subject, so thanks for telling me,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I wanted to tell you.¡± ¡°Can you tell me more about your magic? How much of the Fire Breath can you control?¡± ¡°Control?¡± ¡°You said it was a basic spell. But what you used was too powerful for something basic. If an ordinary Mage cast it, it would be less effective, right?¡± ¡°I think so. I don¡¯t know if you can call it control, but I can adjust the location where it¡¯ll appear and the direction it flies to. I can¡¯t change how much mana it consumes, though. That part is constant.¡± ¡°So even though it consumes the same amount of mana, yours was bigger.¡± I see, Hikaru thought. It must be the five points she has on Fire. The higher the number, the bigger the fire ball. In other words, even with the same amount of mana, there¡¯s much higher firepower. Hikaru had no idea what war was like in this world, but he assumed Spirit Magic was considered a valuable asset. If thirty of those Fire Breath spells hit the enemy, there would be no hope for them. ¡°Can you change the shape of the fireball, then? Or perhaps compress or expand it?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never thought about doing that before.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s try it when we get the chance. Unfortunately, this area is too open, so we can¡¯t run tests here.¡± There were only grasslands nearby. Two small birds were frolicking about in the skies. Hikaru didn¡¯t want to burn down such a tranquil place. ¡°We¡¯ll have to examine your Blessings some other time as well.¡± Lavia chuckled. ¡°Hmm? What¡¯s up?¡± Hikaru asked. ¡°You sound like a scholar, talking about running tests and examinations.¡± ¡°Really? Doesn¡¯t it bother you when you don¡¯t find answers to your questions?¡± ¡°A bit, but I¡¯m not as fixated on them as you are.¡± ¡°Speaking of which, I have one more question.¡± Lavia chuckled again. ¡°Sorry. Some other time, then.¡± ¡°No, go on. I said I¡¯d give you everything. That includes my experiences and knowledge.¡± Hikaru was surprised by Lavia¡¯s candor. ¡°All right, then. Did you have that much mana from the start?¡± He was curious about her Soul Board¡¯s available points being zero. She most likely got her six ranks from killing the monsters brought to her. Not something you¡¯d ask a young girl to do, not even for experiments. Her points were allocated to Mana Capacity and Fire Spirit Affinity at some point. ¡°No, I had much less at first,¡± Lavia said. ¡°I hardly ever had opportunities to use magic, but sometimes it felt like my mana increased.¡± She had a remarkable eleven points on Mana Capacity, which allowed her to use Fire Breath, a basic fire spell, thirty times without rest. ¡°Did you do anything special?¡± Hikaru asked. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± So the points were automatically allocated. A human¡¯s potential was quantified as points. You earned more points as you grew older and by increasing your Soul Rank. If you excelled at something, your abilities would be enhanced in the form of talents, and points were then allocated accordingly. In Lavia¡¯s case, her stats were unbalanced, with only her gift in Spirit Magic being improved. ¡°Did that answer your question, Professor?¡± Lavia teased, peering into Hikaru¡¯s face. ¡°The mystery just deepens. Which is why racking your brains is fun, Miss Lavia,¡± Hikaru replied with a smile. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Shh. There¡¯s something there.¡± ¡°What?¡± Hikaru spotted a creature with a red horn on a slope a hundred meters ahead, its face buried into the ground, grunting¡ªa Red-Horned Rabbit. A monster that Hikaru hunted down to fund Lavia¡¯s rescue operation. ¡°Let¡¯s kill it,¡± Hikaru said. ¡°They¡¯re worth decent money.¡± ¡°Is that a rabbit?¡± ¡°Can you wait here? We¡¯re downwind, so it shouldn¡¯t notice you if you just stay still.¡± ¡°Can I come with you?¡± ¡°Sure, I guess. Don¡¯t let go of my hand.¡± Hikaru hesitated for a moment. He was simply going to approach the rabbit and stab it with his dagger¡ªnothing special for Lavia to see. Though the act could be seen as cruel by some people. There was one more reason he really didn¡¯t want her to see him kill the rabbit. She had killed helpless creatures with her magic in the past. He figured those were painful memories for her. But Lavia said she wanted to go adventuring. She had to get used to killing living creatures. It was too late for playing nice. Hikaru activated his Group Cloaking and inched closer to the Red-Horned Rabbit. It didn¡¯t take long for them to close the distance. Hikaru pulled out his dagger and stabbed its heart through the back. The creature quivered, then went limp. ¡°Wow.¡± That was all Lavia said. Hikaru could feel her discomposure through her hand, but she wasn¡¯t as shocked as he had expected her to be. Good. ¡°Your Stealth is way more amazing than my magic,¡± Lavia said. ¡°I just happen to be the right person for this job. Hmm?¡± Hikaru saw the dirt where the Red-horned Rabbit stuck its head. It was eating something that resembled a potato. Is this their staple food? I can use this info when I get asked how I hunt them. ¡°Hikaru? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯ll just drain this thing¡¯s blood, then we head back.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it heavy?¡± ¡°I can carry one just fine.¡± Hikaru put a point on Muscle Strength for this purpose. Lavia was surprised to see him stuff the rabbit in a sack and carry it like nothing. ¡°All right. Let¡¯s head back, shall we?¡± Volume 2 - CH 1.5 Hikaru told Lavia to wait at the hotel, while he alone headed to the Adventurers¡¯ Guild to butcher the Red-Horned Rabbit. Stopping by the hotel every single time is such a drag. The best thing would be for Lavia to roam around alone, so I gotta work on that quick. And by that he meant leveling up. Hikaru was considering using the Soul Board to give Lavia some level of Stealth. With 5 points, he could put 1 point each on Life Cloaking, Mana Cloaking, and Imperceptibility. One point on Imperceptibility should be enough against ordinary people. Lavia¡¯s current Soul Rank was 6, so it shouldn¡¯t be that difficult to gain 5 levels. It¡¯s kinda hard to move around with Lavia practically restrained. News about Lavia¡¯s disappearance should be out by now, but since she was confined in her home for most of her life, only few people knew what she looked like, including the guards and those involved in her search. In which case, as long as she had a bit of Stealth, she could walk around town no problem. If her disappearance was an open investigation, though, it would be a different story. ¡°Crowded as usual.¡± Upon entering the Adventurers¡¯ Guild, Hikaru spotted the receptionists, Freya and Gloria, working full steam to accommodate the adventurers crowding the counter. Not only were adventurers flocking to them to ask them out as they always did, but at this time of the day, around sunset, they were also submitting reports on their commissions. For now, Hikaru headed for the butchering area to get this part out of the way. He didn¡¯t notice Gloria glancing at him. ¡°Now, then¡­¡± Hikaru had gotten quite used to butchering Red-Horned Rabbits. Not that he had ever butchered other creatures before. After hanging the Red-Horned Rabbit, he used a butchering knife to flay it. There were other adventurers around butchering their catch, and they were all good at it. They probably made a living out of it too. ¡°Whoa! Is that a Red-Horned Rabbit?! Lucky guy!¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. Nice.¡± ¡°And his skills¡­ Nah, looks like an amateur.¡± Other adventurers in the area approached Hikaru. Perhaps it was the unusual color of his hair and eyes, or the fact that he was only a boy, that attracted their attention. Some were dingy older men, others were young, but unlike the ones Hikaru had seen so far, these people seemed like actual adventurers. The adventurers lounging around in the guild felt an odd kind of pride for their job title. Most of them loved to act rowdy and show off. Professional adventurers, however, didn¡¯t stay in the guild for too long. They quickly accepted commissions, left town, and worked on clearing their objective. Monster Hunters like the ones in this butchering area, Plant Hunters, Jewel Hunters, Bodyguards, Adventurers, and Quest Hunters would rather be working than stay in the lobby. ¡°I can¡¯t seem to get the skin off very well. Do you have any tips?¡± So Hikaru asked for their advice. ¡°Give me your knife,¡± said a man with a bandana wrapped around his head. ¡°Your left hand is in the wrong position. You lift it up like this to keep the skin taut.¡± Hikaru nodded as he watched the demonstration. ¡°Butchering Red-Horned Rabbit is very basic stuff. Here, try it.¡± ¡°Thank you. Am I doing it right?¡± ¡°Yes, just like that.¡± He¡¯s absolutely right. This is going great. ¡°This guy has never butchered a Red-Horned Rabbit, by the way.¡± ¡°Y-You snitch!¡± Laughter erupted. The whole thing about Red-Horned Rabbits being a rare catch was true. The man probably never had the chance to process one before. ¡°This one time, a client only wanted the stinger from a Rogue Bee, and I seriously considered beating him up.¡± ¡°Just the stinger? Yeah, you don¡¯t want to deal with the poison. I mean, take Poison Toads for example. You touch its skin, and you¡¯re in deep trouble.¡± ¡°What about gloves?¡± ¡°I use waterproof ones, but dealing with poison means I dispose of them after only one use. I spend so much, it¡¯s hardly profitable.¡± ¡°Gathering plants is way easier than hunting monsters.¡± While Hikaru was busy working on his trophy, the adventurers were talking about all sorts of things. They didn¡¯t necessarily belong to the same party, but they still exchanged information anyway. ¡°Yo, kid. By the looks of it, you¡¯re just starting out as an adventurer. You must¡¯ve been really lucky to catch a Red-Horned Rabbit.¡± Once the adventurers finished butchering, they washed the tables and checked their tools for any defects. After giving a pat on Hikaru¡¯s shoulder, they left. Now those are actual pros. The only adventurers Hikaru had seen until now were the ones flocking to the receptionists, so he got excited to meet actual professionals. I¡¯ll tell Lavia all about this later. She¡¯ll be delighted, for sure. Hikaru broke into a smile as he imagined the look on Lavia¡¯s face. The guild was still crowded, so Hikaru went to Pasta Magic first, a diner that Freya showed him to last time. As the name suggested, the restaurant specialized in pasta. Hikaru tried to enter, but the place was packed. An employee came out and told him that the restaurant was full. ¡°Is the manager around?¡± Hikaru asked. ¡°I brought something he wanted.¡± He lifted up a waterproof bag made of monster skin. There were two bags, one filled with meat, and the other with guts. The meat was to be sold to the Adventurers¡¯ Guild. Soon after, the manager came out. He looked like a bear, so Hikaru called him Mr. Bear in his mind. The man had never actually told him his name. As soon as he learned that Hikaru was here, he immediately strode outside. He had a vague idea of what the boy came here for. The floor of Pasta Magic shook, causing panic among the customers, but when they realized that it was the manager causing it, they chuckled. Customers seemed to love him. ¡°Are those guts?!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Well done! Can I pay later?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± The manager delightfully stuck his head inside the bag. ¡°Ugh, it stinks!¡± He then lumbered back into the kitchen. ¡°Weird guy.¡± Chuckling, Hikaru left the restaurant. When he returned to the Adventurers¡¯ Guild, dusk was already settling, so there were fewer adventurers now. One of the adventurers he met earlier at the butchering area had just finished having the value of his goods assessed. He left the guild with a big smile on his face. He must have gotten a good price. Hikaru also wanted to have his Red-Horned Rabbit appraised, but there were several adventurers gathered around Freya, and none at Gloria¡¯s counter. Gloria¡¯s purple hair, tied up on either side, hung over her chest. Her breasts were far larger than the average woman¡¯s, and were among the largest in the guild. Hikaru, however, was not fond of her. He had no idea what went on behind those narrowed eyes. ¡°I really don¡¯t want to¡­¡± Gloria was staring at Hikaru with a faint smile. He looked at her, and she raised her right hand, beckoning him. Fine. Hikaru took the meat of the Red-Horned Rabbit to her. ¡°Appraisal, right? Oh, a Red-Horned Rabbit.¡± Gloria assessed its value quickly, which amounted to 9,000 gilans. ¡°Did you butcher it yourself?¡± Gloria asked as she handed over the payment. ¡°You seem to have gotten the hang of it.¡± ¡°I still have a long way to go. A Red-Horned Rabbit in perfect condition is worth 10,000 gilans, right? 9,000 is quite high.¡± ¡°You get a bonus for being a promising rookie.¡± ¡°Please stop pulling my leg. I¡¯m sure an adventurer like me is a dime a dozen.¡± ¡°Absolutely not. It¡¯s not just me who¡¯s watching you, but Freya as well. You should be able to raise your Adventurer Rank in no time at all.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just complimenting me to boost my motivation.¡± ¡°I mean it. By the way, where were you the day before yesterday?¡± ¡°What?¡± The question caught Hikaru off guard, and he couldn¡¯t get a word out. Gloria¡¯s narrow eyes opened slightly. She was watching him warily. The day before yesterday was when he rescued Lavia. Freya came over. ¡°You were studying, right?¡± she said. ¡°Y-Yeah,¡± Hikaru replied. ¡°I was reading about some basic knowledge needed by adventurers.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Gloria wondered. ¡°Yes,¡± Hikaru said. ¡°Freya already confirmed it.¡± Freya nodded. She had finished dealing with the adventurers; the guild was empty. That was close, Hikaru thought. He ground his teeth, frustrated at himself for being too optimistic. He never expected such a question out of nowhere. We¡¯ll save the disappointment for later. Why did she ask me that? Gloria was no longer giving him a leery look. ¡°Hikaru is actually very studious,¡± Freya said. ¡°I see,¡± Gloria replied. It¡¯s like she¡¯s convinced that I was involved in Lavia¡¯s escape. Hikaru didn¡¯t think it was just a random question because she hadn¡¯t seen him. She didn¡¯t see him either yesterday, yet she specifically asked about the day before that. ¡°Oh, Hikaru. Are you free after this? Freya asked. ¡°Huh? Uh, yeah, a little bit.¡± ¡°Okay. We¡¯re just closing the guild. Meet me out front in half an hour.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Hikaru had no idea what she wanted. ¡°It¡¯s rare for you to ask a guy out,¡± Gloria teased. Freya flushed. ¡°I-It¡¯s not like that! I¡¯ll, uh¡­ I¡¯ll go put the ledgers away!¡± she stammered, leaving the counter. ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving, then,¡± Hikaru said. ¡°Mr. Hikaru,¡± Gloria called as he was about to turn away. ¡°Do you really only have Metropolitan Residents, Townspeople, and Villagers Relief God: Civilian as your Blessing? She had asked the same question before. She seemed to be really curious about his Blessings. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m just a novice adventurer who can¡¯t complete commissions without hard work and study,¡± Hikaru replied as calmly as he could. ¡°I see. Be careful, then. Freya is no lightweight.¡± Hikaru laughed. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯re going out for drinks. Bye.¡± Feeling Gloria¡¯s gaze on his back, Hikaru left the guild. Volume 2 - CH 1.6 Freya said it wouldn¡¯t take long, so they decided to talk as Hikaru walked her home. It was already dark, and Hikaru wanted to return to Lavia as soon as possible. ¡°So, Sir Unken actually called me to his office today.¡± Freya had changed from her receptionist¡¯s uniform to plain clothes, a stylish burgundy dress that Hikaru wouldn¡¯t have expected her to wear. She gave a ditzy vibe, but it looked strangely good on her. ¡°He did?¡± ¡°Yeah. You were curious about Count Morgstadt¡¯s murder, right?¡± ¡°Is there progress with the case?¡± ¡°Actually¡­¡± Freya told him that the Count¡¯s daughter had vanished into thin air en route to the capital, and a soldier was ambushed by a young bandit. In fact, it wasn¡¯t just a soldier, but the commander of the kingdom¡¯s knights himself, but Freya withheld that information. News about the commander¡¯s defeat must not be made known to the public. ¡°Were they killed?¡± Hikaru asked. ¡°No. Just badly injured. He survived.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Hikaru believed the commander wouldn¡¯t die, but actually knowing that he was alive gave him relief. ¡°Do you think that the girl¡¯s disappearance and the ambush are related?¡± Freya asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know. There¡¯s not much to go on. Common sense says they¡¯re unrelated.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Is the Adventurers¡¯ Guild going to search for the culprit?¡± From what Freya just said, Hikaru assumed that Gloria also knew it was a young bandit who ambushed the soldier, and she suspected him. ¡°No,¡± Freya said. ¡°It¡¯s a government matter.¡± The Adventurers¡¯ Guild operated above national borders, but since having a good relationship with nations was important, it maintained close contact with governments. However, with cases like this¡ªa knight being ambushed¡ªthe government would not request the guild to search for the perpetrator in order to preserve the dignity of the Order. ¡°But that means the guild failed the commission, right?¡± ¡°Yes. Sir Unken seemed dejected. He¡¯s expecting a severe reprimand from the government.¡± ¡°Well, he always looks dejected,¡± Hikaru joked. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Freya chuckled. ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll be fine from here. My house is right over there.¡± ¡°You have a bakery?¡± ¡°We do. Please try our bread if you get the chance. It¡¯s amazing.¡± ¡°I bought some today.¡± ¡°What?! Really?!¡± The famous store where they bought sandwiches from turned out to be Freya¡¯s home. ¡°So, um, you can invite me to dinner any time,¡± Freya said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I-It¡¯s nothing! Never mind. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow!¡± Freya scuttled into the closed bakery. ¡°Invite to dinner? Me?¡± After racking his brains, Hikaru remembered. The day he rescued Lavia, Hikaru¡¯s arm was injured from an attack by Commander Lawrence, but he showed up at the Adventurers¡¯ Guild to strengthen his alibi. ¡°You look a little pale.¡± ¡°Y-Yeah. I didn¡¯t get much sleep last night.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you go straight back to your place after dinner?¡± ¡°I went for another round of drinks.¡± ¡°What?! No fair! I didn¡¯t drink much, you know.¡± ¡°We can go out again sometime.¡± ¡°Oh, o-okay.¡± ¡°Oh, no¡­ I had a lot going on in my mind back then. I know all sorts of alcohol, but I can¡¯t even drink. Hell, I¡¯m only fifteen.¡± In this world, you drank at your own risk. And if you were old enough to earn your own coin, you were old enough to drink. Hikaru set aside his prior appointment with Freya for now. ¡°I¡¯ll keep a low profile while gathering information about Lavia¡¯s case. Do what I must.¡± The next morning, Hikaru and Lavia left the town to grind for levels. Although the Adventurers¡¯ Guild had a party system, it did not affect the Soul Rank. Whether or not you belonged to a party, working with others to kill monsters would increase your Soul Rank. Though the fact that Hikaru¡¯s rank was increasing more slowly than when he was fighting alone suggested that operating in pairs reduced efficiency by half. Meanwhile, back in the town of Pond, Paula, Priscilla, and Pia were gathered at the Adventurers¡¯ Guild for a discussion. ¡°So what do we do about our party?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll leave it up to you two.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll form a new one. Just the three of us.¡± The girls ran into trouble in a forest half a day¡¯s walk from Pond. Their previous party, composed of the three of them, all hailing from the same village, plus two young men from a neighboring village, were deceived by a group of veteran adventurers. The forest wasn¡¯t normally dangerous, but by ill fortune, a horde of Goblins had established a settlement there recently. The veteran adventurers decided to sacrifice Paula so they could escape. Being a woman and a noncombatant, Paula was the ideal breeding receptacle for the goblins. Then Hikaru came to her rescue, thus beginning their relationship. The veteran adventurers and the two boys from the neighboring village had not returned to Pond ever since. ¡°It makes sense to form a new party, but I think three members is not enough.¡± ¡°What are you saying?! The three of us are far better than having people we can¡¯t trust. Besides, who would even treat female rookie adventurers as proper teammates?¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± There were a few adventurers who approached Paula and her friends solely because they were female and young. But they all really just wanted to hit on them. There were no kind and honorable adventurers who would seriously show them the ropes. ¡°If we need someone trustworthy, there¡¯s Lord Hikaru,¡± Paula said. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Pia groaned. ¡°Wh-What?¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re crazy about him, but I don¡¯t think the feeling¡¯s mutual.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind!¡± ¡°Uh, that¡¯s not what I was getting at.¡± Paula fell in love with Hikaru at first sight after he gallantly saved her from being nearly attacked by Goblins. Pia sighed. ¡°Love sure is a pain.¡± Suddenly, a man covered in mud walked into the guild. ¡°So this is the town¡¯s Adventurers¡¯ Guild.¡± He had gashes all over his body and looked like he would collapse at any moment. His appearance betrayed urgency, sowing restlessness in the building. ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°Paula?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Mr. Pippin!¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Paula ran up to the man. ¡°Is that really you, Paula?!¡± ¡°Mr. Pippin, are you okay? What happened?¡± ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Freya came out from the counter. Pippin was about to crumple to the floor, but Pia managed to hold him up. ¡°R-Right. I have to inform the Adventurers¡¯ Guild,¡± Pippin said. ¡°Monsters are pouring out of the dungeon. The village¡­ Our village is in danger!¡± The guild moved fast. First, the matter was brought to Unken, the guildmaster, who then immediately sent a report to the royal capital¡¯s Adventurers¡¯ Guild. Paula healed Pippin with her Healing Magic, and he was currently resting after drinking some water. Freya asked for more details from Pippin. Cotton-elka, Paula¡¯s village, was the closest settlement to the dungeon known as the Forest of Deception. However, the dungeon was owned by Leather-elka, the nearest fortress city, and adventurers who wanted to enter the dungeon traveled from there. As such, the villagers of Cotton-elka lived lives that had nothing to do with the dungeon. But out of nowhere, a severely wounded adventurer showed up in the village. They said that the dungeon was teeming with nearly ten times the usual number of monsters. The village chief¡ªPia¡¯s father¡ªimmediately sent Pippin and another person on a run. Pippin came to the Adventurers¡¯ Guild in Pond, while the other reported the matter to the knights in Leather Elka. Unken appeared. ¡°Pippin, was it? Can you speak now?¡± Pippin was sitting right in the middle of the lobby, surrounded by adventurers. Everyone wanted to listen to his story. More than half of the adventurers saw Unken as nothing more than the old man in the butchering area, so when Freya addressed him as guildmaster, a collective gasp rose from the crowd. Unken sat down across from Pippin. ¡°First, I want you to tell us everything the adventurer told you, down to the last detail.¡± Aurora, a receptionist, had a pen and paper ready for taking notes. ¡°What I just told you was pretty much everything. The adventurer¡­¡± ¡°¡­passed away.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± The adventurers stirred. ¡°Did he say anything about the monsters?¡± ¡°Oh, right! I think he mentioned something about monsters that could only be found in the deeper levels.¡± Unken¡¯s face turned grim. There were two types of dungeons in this world: the first type included natural caves and ruins, while the second type referred to structures created by a Dungeon Master, monsters with unknown ecology. They created dungeons like ants¡¯ nests, producing pseudo-monsters. The Forest of Deception was a dungeon created by one such Dungeon Master, consisting of five levels and extending underground through several entrances. The first and second levels were made up of foliage, so they were called the Green Floors. The third and fourth levels were made up of tree trunks, so they were called the Wood Floors. And the fifth level was made up of roots and soil, and was called the Root Floor. Different floors generated different monsters, and the middle level that Pippin mentioned meant a Wood Floor. As a matter of fact, adventurers had only reached the fifth level, and not much progress had been made in exploring it. There might even be more than five levels to the dungeon. ¡°Freya, check the catalog,¡± Unken ordered. ¡°Right here!¡± Freya already had the documents at the ready. ¡°What kind of monsters appear in the middle levels?¡± ¡°There¡¯s the Lesser Basilisk and Woody Bat, both Rank E. These two species also appear in the upper levels. There¡¯s also the Treant, Lost Man, Evil Eye, all Rank D. Rank C monsters appear as well, although rarely, namely the Executioner and Lesser Wyvern.¡± Upon hearing the last two, the adventurers shrieked. Executioners were ogre-like monsters standing three meters tall, with unusually long arms, except their arms were blades. Lesser Wyvern meant inferior dragons, but they were as large as a house and breathed fire. Paula swallowed. What would happen if such monsters streamed out of the dungeon and attacked Cotton-elka? ¡°Guildmaster, has there ever been a case of monsters leaving dungeons?¡± asked a calm Aurora. ¡°There has. It is said that Dungeon Masters kill living organisms inside the dungeon to absorb nutrients and magical power. However, pseudo-monsters themselves are not significantly different when inside or outside the dungeon. As a matter of fact, dungeons created by Dungeon Masters are often discovered by adventurers and hunters that follow the monsters back inside.¡± Unken pressed his hand against his temples; he seemed to be having a headache. No one could blame him. ¡°Rest well today, Pippin. The royal capital branch will decide our next course of action. We might have a much clearer grasp on the situation tomorrow.¡± Volume 2 - CH 2.1 The royal capital of the Kingdom of Ponsonia, the heart of the nation, was called G. Ponsonia. Civilians, who made up the majority of the 250 thousand-population, lived in the Second Residential District, while the First Residential District, located in the center of the city, was lined with the mansions of the nobility. And at the middle of it all stood a tall building¡ªthe royal castle. The castle was so large that it took three hours to walk around it. Not only did it serve as the residence of the royal family, but it also had a guest house for state guests, lodging facilities for the knights and some personnel of the army, and even dormitories for the servants working in the vast city. On the small parade ground within the castle, a man had been wielding a large, two-meter sword since early morning, swinging it around easily. Though his cropped blond hair, the hardened muscles, the scars that marred his body all gave him the air of a soldier, there was a gentleness to his eyes. It was Lawrence D. Falcon, Commander of the Knights of Ponsonia. ¡°Are you feeling fine now?¡± A girl was walking along the pathway lit by the morning sun. Even without knowing her, the attendants accompanying her clearly marked her as someone of noble birth. Lawrence immediately put his sword on the ground and dropped down to one knee. ¡°As you were,¡± the girl said. ¡°I cannot display such a slovenly appearance.¡± ¡°And I am saying it is fine.¡± ¡°As you command.¡± Lawrence rose to his feet and gazed at the approaching girl. Her orange hair, long and wavy, glistened even brighter in the morning sun. Her amethyst eyes, staring at Lawrence, were filled with sagacity. Her refreshing sky-blue dress, with its trendy lace pleats, looked great on the girl who just turned seventeen this year. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re doing well,¡± she said. ¡°It is my only saving grace.¡± Only a few people knew about Lawrence¡¯s defeat in the hands of a young bandit. Known in the kingdom as the Sword Saint, Lawrence was highly popular, and was the symbol of Ponsonia¡¯s military prowess. The higher-ups believed that his defeat, especially against a young boy, would tarnish the reputation of the kingdom. ¡°You seem well yourself, Princess Kujastria.¡± ¡°I follow the same routine every day.¡± She flashed a sarcastic smile, an unusual expression for someone believed to never stop smiling. Her name was Kujastria G. Ponsonia, a royalty and princess of this kingdom. Since her brother, Austrin, was the crown prince, she would be entering a political marriage soon. One could even say that it was long overdue; she had turned seventeen this year, yet she was still unmarried. ¡°Leave us,¡± Kujastria said. ¡°But Princess¡­¡± ¡°This man right here is the best swordsman in the kingdom. If that is not enough to ease your worries, you may stay where you can see me.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± She just shooed her people away. Though disgruntled, her attendants kept their distance from Kujastria and Lawrence. ¡°Did you need anything, Your Highness?¡± Lawrence asked. ¡°News about the Forest of Deception arrived yesterday. Did you hear about it?¡± ¡°I did. A dungeon deluge. Is the army being dispatched?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the other way around.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°Last night, Father made the decision to ignore it. The monsters leaving the dungeon are indeed dangerous, but fortunately there are no towns in its vicinity. He is of the opinion that the number of monsters would eventually decrease.¡± A Dungeon Master couldn¡¯t constantly create monsters. It must lure living creatures inside the dungeon to grow. Ignoring it, therefore, was a valid approach. ¡°That¡¯s strange,¡± Lawrence said. ¡°I heard there was a settlement nearby.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What will happen to it?¡± ¡°They will be asked to evacuate.¡± ¡°¡­I see,¡± Lawrence groaned. He knew now why Kujastria wanted to talk to him in private. She didn¡¯t agree with the king¡¯s¡ªher father¡¯s¡ªdecision. She believed that the army and the knights were there to protect the people, and there was no better time to mobilize them. As things stood, the villagers would be asked to evacuate somewhere far, and not provided any assistance afterwards. Kujastria was a kind-hearted girl. No, she was more than just kind-hearted. She knew that the people were the pillars of a nation, and she understood when to use force. She just couldn¡¯t say these things out loud. She had been walking in the shadows all this time, trying to avoid offending the crown prince. If Kujastria expressed her dissatisfaction with the king, nobles that opposed Austrin would gather around her. This would lead to a struggle for the throne that would split the kingdom in two. To avoid such a fruitless conflict, she had remained quiet all this time. ¡°Since the army and the knights won¡¯t be mobilized, does that mean the Adventurers¡¯ Guild will deal with it alone?¡± Lawrence asked. ¡°No. We can¡¯t afford to let high-ranked adventurers go.¡± ¡°Does His Majesty plan to go to war?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± There was another reason for ignoring the dungeon deluge: Ponsonia¡¯s hostile relationship with its neighbor, the Quinbrand Empire. There had been skirmishes between the two nations over the past few years, and the king intended to crush the empire completely once the time was ripe. The moment war broke out, knights and soldiers alike would be mobilized, and high-ranked adventurers would be summoned to fight. As a matter of fact, this was also why Kujastria had not yet married. The king was serious about destroying Quinbrand. Annexing the empire would increase the kingdom¡¯s presence on the continent, which would in turn affect Kujastria¡¯s marriage. ¡°You have just suffered a serious injury, and now you¡¯re about to carry more burden.¡± ¡°This is nothing. The wound has already healed. Please rest assured.¡± The young bandit¡ªHikaru¡ªhad severed Lawrence¡¯s jugular. However, the wound itself was not deep and was quickly healed using Healing Magic. The problem was the amount of blood he lost, which he was already gradually recovering. He was expected to fully recover in a few days. ¡°My father has been acting strange lately.¡± ¡°Your Highness, you shouldn¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°His ardent desire for Count Morgstadt¡¯s daughter, forsaking citizens so easily¡­ Would a war with the Empire really bring a brighter future for the kingdom?¡± Lawrence did not have the answer to her question. Nor was Kujastria looking for one. She was a bird in a cage. She was not allowed to leave the castle, nor was she expected to do anything. All she could do was chirp before the kingdom¡¯s sword. Even if her cries rang true, none would lend her an ear except Lawrence. Volume 2 - CH 2.2 ¡°That pigheaded king!¡± ¡°Oh, my,¡± Gloria gasped. ¡°I think that was a little too far, Sir Unken.¡± ¡°What? Are they going to arrest me for disrespecting royalty? That would be hilarious. You can only disrespect someone who¡¯s worthy of respect. What is this incompetence?!¡± They were in the guild¡¯s special room open only to guild staff. Unken tapped on a document. It contained the decision to abandon Cotton-elka, sent through a long-distance transmission using magic items. ¡°The decision can¡¯t be reversed, can it? Then there¡¯s only one thing to do,¡± Gloria said. ¡°¡­I know.¡± ¡°Mr. Pippin is waiting on the first floor.¡± Unken exited the room with his hand on his temple. Gloria followed him and locked the door. Many adventurers were gathered on the first floor of the Adventurers¡¯ Guild, curious to know how the guild would deal with this incident¡ªmonsters surging out of a dungeon. The decision would affect them as well. Pippin, sitting in a chair in the lounge, lifted his head. Next to Pippin was Freya, who should have been preparing for lodging. Behind them were Paula, Pia, and Priscilla. ¡°I have bad news,¡± Unken said. ¡°The army will not be mobilized. The guild has also received a directive not to deploy any adventurers above Rank C. All I can do is issue a special commission to adventurers to evacuate the people of Cotton-elka to Pond.¡± ¡°Wait, what? The government won¡¯t do anything?!¡± Pippin exclaimed. ¡°Evacuate to Pond¡­ Are they telling us to abandon our village?!¡± ¡°So they¡¯re just ditching us?!¡± Pia snapped. Unken noticed her for the first time. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°We¡¯re from Cotton-elka too.¡± ¡°I see. Then you can help with the evacuation.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant! Everyone in the village is a farmer. Leaving the village means throwing away everything we own. It took decades to cultivate those tomato fields!¡± ¡°Human lives are more important.¡± ¡°I know that! So why won¡¯t they help us?! Isn¡¯t the army supposed to help in times like these?!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t answer that question.¡± ¡°You old¡­¡± Pia swung her arm. ¡°Pia, no!¡± Paula grabbed her friend. ¡°Causing a scene won¡¯t solve anything.¡± ¡°Paula is right,¡± the calm Priscilla agreed. Pia ground her teeth. ¡°I¡¯ll kill the monsters, then.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Adventurers protect people from monsters. I¡¯ll fight. Fortunately, I¡¯m not high-ranked or anything.¡± She smiled cynically. ¡°I-I would advise against that,¡± Freya interjected. ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous. You¡¯re all only Rank G!¡± Rank G was the lowest adventurer rank. Paula and her friends had only been adventurers for a short time, and had only completed small commissions. They were currently still at the lowest rank. ¡°Entry to the Forest of Deception is only allowed for adventurers Rank E and above,¡± Freya added. Rank E monsters appeared on the first level of the dungeon, hence the requirement. ¡°I don¡¯t plan to enter the dungeon. I just want to protect Cotton Elka. Paula, Priscilla. What about you guys?¡± Paula noticed Pia¡¯s fingers trembling slightly. She was scared. Like Freya said, they were novice adventurers. How could they possibly fight dungeon monsters head-on? ¡°I¡¯m coming with you.¡± Paula¡¯s decision was quick. ¡°Me too,¡± Priscilla added. ¡°Y-You can¡¯t go!¡± Freya said. ¡°The Adventurers¡¯ Guild won¡¯t authorize it. Sir Unken, please say something.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not violating any code. I cannot stop them.¡± ¡°But Sir!¡± Paula and her friends left the guild. Pippin, also from Cotton-elka, chased after them. ¡°Sir, they¡¯re leaving.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wasting your time. Suicidal people don¡¯t listen. We should focus on¡ª¡± ¡°The special commission,¡± Gloria said. ¡°Kill commissions limited to ranks D and E, and escort commissions for ranks F and G. Please verify them.¡± She brought the forms over. ¡°Good. You¡¯re always one step ahead.¡± ¡°Thank you for the compliment,¡± the receptionist said. ¡°Now you¡¯re just getting ahead of yourself. Dial it back a bit.¡± Unken began reading the commission form. Freya¡¯s expression brightened when she realized that he wasn¡¯t abandoning the villagers. ¡°It¡¯s too early to celebrate, Freya. With the guild¡¯s current budget, we can only afford five adventurers to fight the monsters and ten for escorts.¡± Five adventurers for combat was too few. Clearing out the Goblin settlement that Hikaru discovered the other day required sixty adventurers, with the reward for the commission paid out of Pond¡¯s budget. Ignoring the Goblins would have rendered the roads near the town unusable, impacting Pond¡¯s economy negatively. But in this case, the guild had no excuse to do the same. ¡°What about the royal capital¡¯s guild? Maybe we can use their budget¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get your hopes up too high. I doubt they¡¯ll disburse funds. I will still contact them, nevertheless.¡± If the guildmaster himself believed that, then they couldn¡¯t expect much help. ¡°Anyway, is there anyone from this guild willing to go to Cotton-elka? We¡¯re issuing commissions now.¡± The faces of the adventurers tightened. A huge figure collapsed with a loud thud. Standing over three meters tall, it had four inhuman arms, but no matter how much power it had, it could no longer grab, lift, or destroy anything. Its pulse had stopped. ¡°Well?¡± ¡°I think it went up.¡± Lavia, her hand on her chest, breathed out. She had felt an itchy sensation rising from deep within her body that made her want to scream out. Her Soul Rank had increased. They rode a horse to get to this forest to grind for levels. Powerful monsters inhabited this area, like the one Hikaru just took down, a green-skinned giant¡ªthe Forest Barbarian, also known as the Keeper of the Woods. They often worked in pairs, and two of them were lying here. The moment they spotted a human, they would sprint at a speed belying their huge physique, tear off the person¡¯s limbs, and eat them. As such, fledgling adventurers feared these monsters. Forest Barbarians were Rank D monsters, but with Hikaru¡¯s Stealth, they weren¡¯t much of a threat. He sprang at them from behind and stabbed their spine, killing them with a single blow. He told Lavia to hide behind a tree while he engaged them. Even then, it was enough to get her Soul Rank up. ¡°What¡¯s my Soul Rank at the moment?¡± Lavia asked. ¡°Hmm¡­ 8. You started with 6, so it went up by 2. The goal is 11, so let¡¯s keep going.¡± ¡°So I don¡¯t have to kill them myself.¡± As long as she was with Hikaru, the energy that was released when a monster died also entered Lavia, increasing her Soul Rank. Hikaru didn¡¯t know how it worked exactly, so he just accepted it. ¡°All right. Time to chop ¡®em up.¡± Hikaru took out a butchering knife. He could just let the animals in the forest eat the Forest Barbarian¡¯s corpse, but there was a part of it that was valuable: the skin on its back. ¡°Ugh, it¡¯s tough.¡± The skin was so tough that a butchering knife couldn¡¯t pierce it. It was smooth and green, but once treated, it turned into a deep-blue, which was then used as raw material to create leather armor. It would be even better if he could bring back the entire body, but even he couldn¡¯t carry a three-meter giant back to town. Lavia was looking around restlessly. They were deep in the woods, where the only sounds were the trilling of insects and the chirping of birds. ¡°You can calm down,¡± Hikaru said. ¡°Sorry. It¡¯s my first time in a place like this.¡± Lavia had been excited since leaving town. ¡°Let¡¯s take it slow.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t I have to use my magic?¡± ¡°You mainly use fire magic. While it doesn¡¯t spread, the smell of smoke draws attention.¡± That day and the next, Hikaru and Lavia grinded for levels in the forest. Their efforts paid off, and Lavia¡¯s Soul Rank increased to the goal of 11. During this time, Hikaru didn¡¯t show up at the Adventurers¡¯ Guild. He had found a peddler at a lake near the forest, who was buying monster parts. The prices were low, but Hikaru sold the items to them anyway as he didn¡¯t want to draw unnecessary attention to himself in the guild. Herbs and monster parts that fetched for high prices he sold to the Thieves Guild instead, an organization with a base in the sewer systems underneath Pond, away from the eyes of the authorities. Though it was publicly known as the Thieves Guild, it actually had a different name that Hikaru didn¡¯t bother finding out, partly because anyone who knew it were identified as members of the underworld. The organization didn¡¯t steal or kill, but took on commissions that barely violated the law, or selling shady goods on the black market. Volume 2 - CH 2.3 ¡°This is quite something,¡± Kelbeck said, pleased to see the items that Hikaru had brought with him. Head of Pond¡¯s Thieves¡¯ Guild, he had short red hair and a large tattoo on his face that resembled a flame. His toned body, his thick shirt, along with his baggy pants and high-cut boots, gave him the appearance of a veteran mercenary, but Hikaru was unfazed. ¡°How much will you pay for it?¡± Hikaru asked. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ 15,000 gilans.¡± ¡°You must be joking. I heard Black Moonflower buds alone go for 20,000 gilans. Add to that the other medicinal herbs and the Honey Crystals from a Rogue Bees¡¯ nest, this should be worth no less than 30,000 gilans.¡± ¡°True. Your Honey Crystal is in good condition, but it¡¯s not really worth that much at the moment. There was a huge raid on Rogue Bees near the border last month. The royal capital is overstocked with the crystals.¡± ¡°The Adventurers¡¯ Guild received a commission for Black Moonflowers from a moneybag. They¡¯re good for kidney diseases. 27,000 gilans.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like we can¡¯t sign up for the Adventurers¡¯ Guild. 22,000 gilans. Final offer. Didn¡¯t you come here because you can¡¯t sell these out in the open?¡± ¡°Deal. In my case, I just don¡¯t want to draw attention. I¡¯m not really doing anything shady.¡± ¡°You sure talk big for a kid. Don¡¯t adventurers want attention? That way, you can make as much money as you want from designated commissions. Here¡¯s your money.¡± Kelbeck placed a leather bag containing gold and silver coins on the thick table. Hikaru checked the contents. ¡°Thanks. Wait, there¡¯s 2,000 gilans extra.¡± ¡°A little bonus. I knew about the moneybag wanting the Black Moonflower, but I didn¡¯t know about its medicinal properties. Where did you learn that it¡¯s good for the kidney?¡± Hikaru¡¯s knowledge came from the memories of Roland, his body¡¯s previous owner. As he became more familiar with this world, the memories faded gradually, turning into simple information. ¡°I had a friend who was familiar with Sorcery and herbs.¡± Hikaru grinned. Kelbeck raised an eyebrow. His large build might suggest that he couldn¡¯t do anything that required precision, but he was in fact a skilled Artificer, someone who incorporated Spirit or Healing Magic into physical objects using Spirit Magic Stones or Magic Gems. This included locks that used mana signature as the key itself, and handy tools that warmed the air. These techniques were called Sorcery to distinguish them from Magic. ¡°They¡¯re dead now, though,¡± Hikaru added, wearing a rueful look. ¡°I see. I thought you didn¡¯t have any friends ¡®cause you¡¯re always just wandering around by yourself, but I guess you do socialize.¡± ¡°That¡¯s none of your business.¡± ¡°By the way, how was the actor I sent?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Kelbeck was referring to the man who took part in Lavia¡¯s rescue mission. His job was to briefly stop the carriage that Nogusa¡¯s party was escorting. Hikaru had never used Group Cloaking before that point, so just to be safe, he hired someone to distract Nogusa and his team for even a moment, ensuring a flawless escape. ¡°I heard that a certain girl was in that carriage, and she disappeared without a trace,¡± Kelbeck went on. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Curious. How did she escape without anyone noticing? That reminds me. There was someone who entered my office before without my men noticing. Is this a coincidence?¡± ¡°If you have something to say, spit it out.¡± Hikaru stared at Kelbeck. He was ready to activate his Stealth and pull out his dagger at any time. Kelbeck was the only person who connected Lavia to Hikaru. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t bring her here. ¡°Whoa, there. Don¡¯t give me that look. I¡¯m just kidding.¡± Kelbeck raised his hands jokingly. Sweat beaded on his forehead. ¡°I don¡¯t like unfunny jokes,¡± Hikaru said. ¡°Got it. My bad. You didn¡¯t kill anyone, you just hired an actor from us. I don¡¯t really gossip about the nobility anyway, and I don¡¯t particularly care who killed the Count.¡± It was actually Hikaru who killed the Count. As soon as he stopped glaring at Kelbeck, the man relaxed. ¡°I¡¯ve gotten myself a troublesome client,¡± he groaned. ¡°I think we can do good business with each other,¡± Hikaru replied. ¡°You called me a client. I¡¯ll take that as you understanding that it¡¯s safe.¡± ¡°Safe? Did you see the look on your face when you were staring daggers at me?¡± ¡°It looks like you sent your men away because you thought I might be dangerous. You can keep them around next time.¡± ¡°You noticed that too, huh?¡± ¡°I try to protect myself.¡± ¡°Clients don¡¯t usually protect themselves.¡± After their back and forth, Kelbeck reached a decision. Although he had always treated Hikaru favorably, accepting a job and even purchasing materials from him, he was unable to gauge just how capable Hikaru was. Pointing out that his men weren¡¯t around was what convinced Kelbeck that Hikaru was, in fact, skilled. What he didn¡¯t know, of course, was that Hikaru only knew because his Life and Mana Detection didn¡¯t pick up anything. ¡°I¡¯ll even sell you some magic items,¡± Kelbeck said. ¡°My apprentice has been working hard lately, so I have some interesting stuff. An earth magic item that can punch holes in walls, an explosive that combines fire and air magic, and a healing item created after greasing some priest¡¯s palms.¡± ¡°Thank you. Sounds interesting indeed.¡± Hikaru talked business with Kelbeck. Could come in handy. Hikaru had been considering buying supplies. He realized the need back when he fought Lawrence D. Falcon, the Sword Saint. Hikaru had his Projectile Skill, but just throwing stones at Lawrence was completely ineffective. His Dagger of Strength, his only means of attacking, was not enough either. I specialize in Stealth. I should focus more on offense rather than defense. Hikaru then went to see Leniwood, a dashing elf at the Leniwood Weapon Workshop. ¡°Hohoho! That¡¯s one fascinating weapon.¡± The elf gladly accepted Hikaru¡¯s request. He said he could have a prototype ready the next day. Either he worked fast when he was excited or business was just slow. In short, Hikaru was quite busy. So it was not until the evening of the following day that he learned about the Forest of Deception. ¡°Did Paula leave for Cotton-elka already?¡± Hikaru wondered why the guild was even more deserted than usual, when Freya told him about the Forest of Deception. Some adventurers were looking to make money by killing monsters that had overrun the dungeon, while others had left Pond because they were scared. The receptionists were also busy dealing with matters related to the Forest of Deception. The adventurers who had accepted the commissions to slay monsters around Cotton-elka and escort villagers to Pond were meeting with Unken and Gloria in a separate room. They were scheduled to depart tomorrow. As such, Freya was the only one at the counter. ¡°Where have you been the past two days?¡± she asked. ¡°You always just pop in out of nowhere. I thought you went to Cotton-elka too.¡± ¡°No. This is news to me.¡± ¡°You have keen ears for the strangest things, though.¡± Hikaru had no idea that something huge had happened in the past two days. What he was concerned about was information about Lavia¡¯s disappearance, not the dungeon. ¡°But I¡¯m glad you¡¯re still in Pond,¡± Freya said. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You¡¯re Rank G, so don¡¯t think about going to the Forest of Deception. I don¡¯t care if people you know are there. Entry to the dungeon is limited to¡ª¡± ¡°Adventurers ranked D and higher, right?¡± ¡°Right. You¡¯ve read all our resources.¡± Hikaru had consumed all the reading materials available in order to create an alibi for the day of Lavia¡¯s disappearance. Everything was inside his head. ¡°I must say, this incident is very intriguing,¡± he said. ¡°The kingdom wants to ignore the Forest of Deception. That place is an artificial dungeon created by a rare life-form called a Dungeon Master. As I recall, it uses Spirit Magic Stones, Magic Gems, ores, and metals to create monsters. Sounds like a sure-fire way to make a killing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Wait¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Oh, i-it¡¯s nothing.¡± Freya was acting strange, but Hikaru let it slide. ¡°I wonder if the dungeon will sustain itself if ignored,¡± he continued. ¡°If it keeps on creating monsters¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ The dungeon does produce raw materials, but a mine with a good vein is much more valuable.¡± ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is that the kingdom currently has its eyes on something more valuable than the dungeon.¡± ¡°¡­No comment.¡± ¡°I get it.¡± ¡°What did you get?! I didn¡¯t say anything, okay?!¡± ¡°You¡¯re good. Are they trying to start a war?¡± ¡°I, uh¡­¡± ¡°I get it. I¡¯m good now.¡± She¡¯s so easy to read. Freya fell for Hikaru¡¯s bait. ¡°H-Hikaru!¡± ¡°I have just one last question. Paula and her friends already left, right?¡± ¡°Uh, yeah. They took a stagecoach yesterday afternoon.¡± ¡°Okay. Thank you.¡± Hikaru left the counter. Freya looked like she still had something to say, but kept her mouth shut as other adventurers were coming. Volume 2 - CH 2.4 ¡°So there you have it,¡± Hikaru said, now back at the hotel. ¡°Were you listening?¡± Lavia slowly appeared in an empty spot¡ªthe power of Stealth. Until now, Lavia just stayed at the hotel, but today she went to the guild to practice her Stealth Skill. Her Soul Board was currently as follows: ¡¾Soul Board¡¿Lavia Age: 14 | Rank: 11 | 0 ¡¾Magical Power¡¿ ¡¾Mana Capacity¡¿11 ¡¾Magic Principle¡¿2 ¡¾Spirit Affinity¡¿ ¡¾Fire¡¿5 ¡¾Agility¡¿ ¡¾Stealth¡¿ ¡¾Life Cloaking¡¿ ¡¾Mana Cloaking¡¿ ¡¾Imperceptibility ¡¿3 The points she gained from raising her Soul Rank were allocated to unlocking Agility and Stealth, and the rest poured into Imperceptibility. Life Cloaking and Mana Cloaking were Skills that specifically countered Life Detection and Mana Detection, respectively. So Hikaru chose Imperceptibility to deceive the eyes of the common populace. In fact, no one noticed Lavia. Not many people had Detection Skills, but Hikaru had one point each on both Life and Mana Detection, which allowed him to know where Lavia was. Ideally, he would have wanted 1 point each as well on her Cloaking Skills. ¡°I-I was,¡± Lavia replied. ¡°No one actually noticed me. It was kinda lonely, even.¡± ¡°Stealth is solitude. Anyway, don¡¯t you feel a lot safer now?¡± Lavia nodded. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Hikaru asked. ¡°Nothing¡­¡± She looked somewhat dispirited, but there was something Hikaru wanted to talk about first. ¡°So, about the situation in the Forest of Deception?¡± he asked. ¡°What are your thoughts?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Lavia?¡± She was clearly acting strange. Words like dungeon and monster were her favorites. ¡°What do you want to do?¡± Lavia asked. ¡°Help them?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯m not sure. To be honest, I don¡¯t really want to play with fire. But I also don¡¯t like the idea of the person I saved just charging straight to their death. I risked my abilities getting exposed saving her.¡± Hikaru recalled the time he saved Paula. Paula and her friends were surrounded by a horde of Goblins, but he defeated the Goblin boss to force their retreat. At that time, he managed to come up with a good explanation to fool Freya, but he doubted the same trick would work again in the future. Paula, for the sake of her home, decided to return to their village, where the monsters were advancing. Her death would leave a bad taste in Hikaru¡¯s mouth. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of at least taking Paula and her friends somewhere safe,¡± Hikaru added. ¡°I knew it¡­¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Lavia was wearing a grim look. She even seemed desperate. ¡°D-Do you like girls like Paula?!¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°S-Sure, I said I¡¯d give you everything, b-but I need to be mentally prepared. I-I¡¯m not saying you¡¯re not allowed to like other women. Um, Paula is pretty, so I understand¡­¡± ¡°She¡¯s not really my type.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Lavia looked puzzled. Hikaru finally understood. She was anxious. Lavia obtained everything the world had to offer through Hikaru, and right now, she was fully dependent on him. ¡°I-I, uhh¡­¡± Lavia stammered. ¡°Rest assured. I love you. I like Paula purely as a person. I would say the same thing even if she was a man.¡± ¡°Aaaaahhh¡­¡± Realizing that she had the wrong idea, Lavia covered her red face and crouched down. I gotta say, I didn¡¯t expect her to say she¡¯d be okay with another girl so long as she was mentally prepared for it. I guess it¡¯s because she was born to a family of nobles, where men can have multiple wives. Not that I have any plans for that. Hikaru crouched down beside Lavia and rubbed her back. Also, Paula is out of the question. There was just something off about her. She wasn¡¯t exactly normal. ¡°Achoo!¡± Paula sneezed. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Priscilla asked. They were in a post town located along the road connecting Pond and the fortress city of Leather Elka. The inn they were staying at was quite cold in the winter, complete with gaps in the windows and doors. Since they had only been gone from the village for about half a year, they hadn¡¯t completed that many commissions for the Adventurers¡¯ Guild, which meant they didn¡¯t have money. They didn¡¯t expect to be forced to return to their hometown like this. They had to pay for the carriage too. ¡°I-I¡¯m fine,¡± Paula replied. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a cold.¡± ¡°Well, this room is dusty. Let¡¯s just go to bed.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The three girls crawled inside the bed, which was actually just a sheet over a straw mat. Still, it was far better than sleeping on the ground. ¡°We¡¯re going off the highway tomorrow,¡± Paula said. The road connecting Pond and Leather Elka was well-maintained and wide enough for horse-drawn carriages to pass by each other, but the road to Cotton Elka was narrow, and there were no carriages available. They didn¡¯t have enough money to rent one either. From here onward, they would have to continue on foot. ¡°When we left¡­¡± Pia trailed off. They left the village to become full-fledged adventurers. They believed they could become one. They were going to earn money to send back to the village. The fact that monsters were multiplying in the dungeon could only be described as bad luck. But even without that happening, would they have been able to become full-fledged adventurers? With the magic lamps turned off, the room was dark. Feeble light was streaming in through the crude frosted glass. The girls fell asleep with worry in their mind. Paula woke up early. She slept well for some reason; she thought that perhaps she was adapting to the life of an adventurer. After leaving the inn, they had breakfast of bread and soup at a food stand. The bread was tough, and the soup was too salty, but they had to eat as much as they could to keep their strength up. After buying some packed food, the girls left the post town. Carriages overtook them on the highway. Three female adventurers in a group was apparently unusual; a lot of people called to them, mostly just to flirt, men who only wanted to hook up with random women. They reached the fork leading to Cotton Elka in the late afternoon and were relieved to find no one else heading in that direction. It was disheartening to be completely alone, but at least no one would be eyeing them lasciviously. The girls missed this road so much, even though they were just in Cotton Elka a few months ago. The only people who came to the village were peddlers, once a month, and the tax collector, once a year. The road was rough, but not too bad enough to walk on. ¡°Hostile to the left,¡± Priscilla warned. ¡°Probably a monster.¡± Although constantly in a daze, she was the daughter of hunters; she was skilled at spotting animals. Pia took the huge shield she was carrying on her back in her hand and brandished the mace that hung from her waist. It wasn¡¯t that she was a clergy forbidden to use blades; she was simply not accustomed to using bladed weapons, and maintenance was expensive. So she opted for a mace as a weapon. Paula also had a mace. But in her case, it was just for self-defense. Her role was to use Healing Magic on Pia and Priscilla if they got injured. ¡°Enemy spotted. Three Forest Rats.¡± The Forest Rat was a large rodent, about 60 centimeters long. Branches and grass were attached to their long body hair, which allowed it to blend into the forest. Despite their camouflage, they were ferocious omnivores. It pounced at a human as soon as it spotted one. ¡°We¡¯ll take them down one at a time.¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°O-Okay.¡± Paula¡¯s hands trembled. They had fought monsters several times before, but she still couldn¡¯t get used to it. Forest Rats darted across the uneven ground. The three creatures jumped simultaneously at Pia, who took position in front. ¡°Hmph¡­ Ah!¡± Pia missed her swing. The Forest Rat in front of her bared its sharp teeth, then flew off to the side. Priscilla had shot it with an arrow. ¡°Ugh.¡± ¡°Pia!¡± But the other two were biting Pia¡¯s arms and legs. She swung her arms around, but they wouldn¡¯t let go. ¡°Hold still.¡± Priscilla fired more arrows, hitting the one on Pia¡¯s arm. Pia then swung her mace down on the other rat on her leg, crushing its skull. ¡°Pia, are you okay?!¡± ¡°Ow¡­¡± Pia held out her arms, tears in her eyes. The Forest Rat was dead, but it was still hanging on to her arm. Paula carefully removed the creature. ¡°Ouch!¡± ¡°S-Sorry.¡± Blood spurted out of Pia¡¯s arm. Priscilla dealt with the other one on her leg, but the result was the same. Paula immediately recited an incantation. ¡°O¡¯ God who art in heaven, in your name I ask for a miracle. In my right hand is the gift of life, in my left the blessing of death. Bless us who live in this world. My mana I offer¡­¡± Paula¡¯s body glowed a faint gold, and a wave of mana surged from her hand to Pia¡¯s arm. ¡°Hngh¡­¡± Pia was feeling an itchy sensation. Her wound frothed, then slowly closed up, leaving only a pink scar that should vanish in a few days. Paula also used magic that neutralized poison just in case. Forest Rats were unsanitary creatures. In fact, one of the first things that newbie adventurers were told was never to eat their meat unless you wanted a stomachache. In short, the Forest Rat was a monster that could not be hunted for its meat, nor could its parts be used as raw materials for anything. Paula and her friends continued on their way, coming across monsters from time to time. They didn¡¯t encounter any when they were on the highway. Unfortunately, unfrequented roads meant there were no one around to kill them. ¡°I owe you two,¡± Pia said as they were setting up camp for the night. The wounds all over her body had closed. ¡°What are you saying?¡± Paula said. ¡°You drew those monsters¡¯ attention.¡± ¡°Paula¡¯s right,¡± Priscilla agreed. ¡°I could take a good aim because of you.¡± ¡°R-Really?¡± Pia was surprised by the unexpected recognition. She had been feeling ashamed that all she did was stand there and get injured, while Priscilla killed most of the monsters with her arrows. ¡°Yes. So hold your head up high,¡± Paula said. ¡°We¡¯re now full-fledged adventurers.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ you¡¯re absolutely right!¡± ¡°Yup.¡± Pia and Priscilla nodded. Afterwards, the girls decided to take turns being on lookout duty. They should arrive at a lumberjack¡¯s hut by noon tomorrow. There was a fork there, one road leading to Cotton-elka and the other to a neighboring village. Paula remembered the two boys that joined their party. What were they doing now? Volume 2 - CH 2.5 The next morning, they had breakfast of packed food, then set out for Cotton-elka. ¡°These packed foods don¡¯t really fill the stomach,¡± Pia grumbled. ¡°We should be in Cotton-elka in the evening. We would¡¯ve arrived way earlier if we had horses.¡± ¡°Our food is pretty much the same as packed food anyway. It¡¯s still a while before we get the proceeds for the tomatoes.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ They should be harvesting them right now. Next step is to dry them, then sell to the peddlers, and then we profit.¡± Put it another way, this was the time when Cotton-elka was struggling financially. Talking with Pia brought back memories of the village to Paula. No matter how hungry they were, they weren¡¯t allowed to eat the tomatoes. Priscilla¡¯s father, a hunter, would sometimes secretly give her bird he had caught in the forest, and it was unbelievably delicious. Last year and the year before, Cotton-elka flourished thanks to the abundant harvest of tomatoes. The girls were well-fed, which in turn gave them energy. They would never escape poverty if they just stayed in the village. They wanted to live life their own way, not reliant on the tomato harvest. So they left the village. ¡°Do you think they¡¯re mad at us?¡± ¡°Wh-Where¡¯d that come from?¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t sent a single letter since we left.¡± ¡°Well, the plan was to send a letter together with the money.¡± The three novice adventurers, who had their plates full just trying to survive, had never been able to send money back to their families. ¡°Ungrateful children,¡± Priscilla muttered. Pia and Paula groaned. Not that Priscilla¡¯s situation was any different. ¡°I kinda don¡¯t wanna go back to the village now.¡± The girls continued on dejectedly. They reached the fork at noon as scheduled. Before them was the junction and the lumberjack¡¯s hut, flanked by small hills. Behind the hut was a thick forest. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s have lunch.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make some tea.¡± It was just a dingy cabin, but it had a well and a kettle. Unfortunately it was empty, so they couldn¡¯t talk to the lumberjack. ¡°¡­¡± Pia and Paula entered the hut to put down their luggage, while Priscilla stopped at the entrance and whirled around. ¡°Hmm? What¡¯s wrong, Priscilla?¡± ¡°Someone¡¯s here.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Get down!¡± Priscilla dove inside the hut and pushed Paula down. A second later, an arrow hit the door. ¡°We¡¯ve got company!¡± Priscilla exclaimed. ¡°Humans, not monsters.¡± Freya, receptionist at Pond¡¯s Adventurers¡¯ Guild, was worried about Hikaru, who had not shown up since this morning. He didn¡¯t go to Cotton-elka, did he? Why would he go there? Gloria crept up to Freya. ¡°Your mind seems to be somewhere else,¡± she said. ¡°Is there an adventurer you fancy?¡± Freya yelped. ¡°Gloria?! Y-You scared me!¡± She tried to push her away, but Gloria just dodged with a smile. Meanwhile, adventurers were watching them from afar. ¡°The gentle Freya, and the mature Gloria.¡± ¡°So nice¡­¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ¡°By the way,¡± Gloria said. ¡°Sir Unken told me something earlier. Do you know what happened at the capital yesterday?¡± ¡°The capital? What happened?¡± ¡°Actually¡­¡± Gloria whispered in Freya¡¯s ear. Freya¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°R-Really?!¡± ¡°Yes. I think they¡¯ll make a move. Now you don¡¯t have to worry about your darling.¡± ¡°What?! I-I, uh¡­ I have to go organize the library!¡± Freya scurried away from Gloria. ¡°Hikaru! Up front!¡± Hikaru and Lavia were on horseback galloping at high speed¡ªboth of them on one horse. Normally, they would have had to hire two riders, but since Hikaru and Lavia were both light, the rider agreed to take them both. A dandy man was riding the horse. In fact, it was the same man whom Hikaru hired back when he went to grind for levels. He bumped into the man by chance. The man was aware of what was happening in the Forest of Deception, and when Hikaru told him he was going to Cotton-elka, the man asked if he had a death wish, to which Hikaru replied that there had to be something he could do to help. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll give you a ride,¡± the man had said. ¡°But payment will be upon your return. I¡¯m broke, so make sure you pay me.¡± An adventurer in the past, the man came at a station he rarely visited, hoping to help out in some way with the current problem. In any case, the man¡¯s horse was fast. They had passed the post town, the area where the girls had set up camp, and were now coming to the junction where the lumberjack hut was located. ¡°What the hell?! Is that a fire?!¡± ¡°A raid, I think.¡± ¡°What?!¡± The man stopped his horse about a hundred meters away from the hut billowing black smoke. Hikaru spotted six people surrounding the hut. ¡°Lavia, let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± The two jumped off the horse. ¡°What are you two doing?!¡± the man exclaimed. ¡°You go hide,¡± Hikaru told him. ¡°You can¡¯t fight with that arm, can you?¡± The man couldn¡¯t move his left arm. It was most likely the reason why he quit being an adventurer. ¡°I think people I know are inside,¡± Hikaru added. ¡°Get as far away as you can and come back in half an hour. We should be done by then.¡± ¡°You¡¯re awfully confident.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have considered coming to Cotton-elka if I wasn¡¯t. I¡¯ll see you later!¡± Hikaru and Lavia sprinted away. ¡°Damn it!¡± the man cursed. ¡°I guess all I can do is provide a ride.¡± He turned his horse around and sent it to a gallop. Once they were out of sight, Hikaru and Lavia joined hands and activated Stealth. If they were to use it separately, they would not be able to hear each other, so Hikaru used Group Cloaking instead. ¡°First, I¡¯ll charge straight into the hut,¡± Hikaru said. ¡°Get ready to cast fire magic at any time.¡± ¡°How powerful do you want it?¡± ¡°Maximum power. But I want you to target the hut. We just need to scare them.¡± Hikaru knew he was being soft, but he didn¡¯t want Lavia killing people. ¡°Hikaru, I¡­¡± ¡°When I give the signal, you shoot. Got it?¡± ¡°¡­Got it.¡± Lavia, knowing they didn¡¯t have much time, reluctantly agreed. Hikaru and Lavia parted ways. Lavia climbed up the hill and looked for bushes to hide in, while Hikaru sprinted down the road. ¡°They¡¯re not coming out.¡± ¡°Do they want to burn to death?¡± ¡°W-We¡¯re not going to kill them, are we? They¡¯re our acquaintances.¡± ¡°Huh? Shut the fuck up. It¡¯s too late to think of them as friends. We can¡¯t go back to town because of them.¡± As Hikaru drew closer, he heard the men¡¯s conversation. He assumed they were adventurers-turned-bandits. It¡¯s those guys¡­ It was the veteran adventurers who tossed Paula into the horde of Goblins. And the two boys from the neighboring village, who were in the same party as Paula and her friends, were with them. Hikaru could easily imagine what they were doing here. They didn¡¯t return to Pond, expecting Paula¡¯s party to report them to the guild, and they had nowhere to go. The boys probably suggested they stayed in their village. It was almost certain that Paula and her friends were the one inside the hut. Now, then¡­ Hikaru pictured his Soul Board. ¡¾Soul Board¡¿Hikaru Age: 15 | Rank: 17 | 1 ¡¾Vitality¡¿ ¡¾Magical Power¡¿ ¡¾Strength¡¿ ¡¾Muscle Strength¡¿1 ¡¾Weapon Mastery¡¿ ¡¾Throwing¡¿2 ¡¾Agility¡¿ ¡¾Power Burst¡¿1 ¡¾Stealth¡¿ ¡¾Instinct¡¿ ¡¾Detection¡¿ ¡¾Life Detection¡¿1 ¡¾Mana Detection¡¿1 Helping Lavia gain Soul Ranks increased his own rank by one. Unfortunately, his stats were not suited to dealing with a bunch of hostiles at once. The roof was rapidly collapsing. They were running out of time. Paula and her friends were huddled together in the middle of the hut. ¡°Ugh¡­ I can¡¯t last¡­ much longer,¡± Paula mumbled. ¡°They actually set the place on fire,¡± Pia growled. ¡°How low can they go?! Let¡¯s go, Priscilla! We¡¯ll take down as many as we can!¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± Priscilla said. ¡°Why not?!¡± ¡°Whether we leave now or wait until the last second, the result will be the same. Then it¡¯s better to wait.¡± ¡°What are we waiting for exactly?!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll attack the moment the roof collapses.¡± Priscilla gave a thought-out plan. Her strategy involved striking the moment the enemy dropped their guard. But the hut was filling with black smoke, and they could no longer keep their eyes open. ¡°You make a good point, but¡­¡± Pia coughed. ¡°But we won¡¯t last¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Priscilla!¡± ¡°¡­Fine. Let¡¯s attack them head-on.¡± ¡°I have a better idea. You go out the window facing the east. There¡¯s no one there.¡± Volume 2 - CH 2.6 ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°L-L-Lord Hikaru?! What are you doing here?!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll explain later. The hut is collapsing. Go!¡± ¡°W-Wait!¡± While Pia and Paula were utterly confused, Priscilla followed Hikaru, so the two girls moved as well. They climbed out through the waist-high window and found one of the veteran adventurers lying on the ground up ahead. ¡°Was this your doing?¡± Paula asked. ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s get out of here quick.¡± Hikaru headed for the woods. Once inside, they wouldn¡¯t be found right away. Hikaru planned to have Lavia, who was hiding in the bushes, cast fire magic into the hut. The adventurers assumed that the girls were still inside. If powerful magic was shot at it, they would definitely panic and flee into the forest before checking for bodies inside. Hikaru, however, skipped over that part. ¡°Screw that!¡± Pia roared. ¡°We¡¯re not running away without a fight. They think we¡¯re still inside. This is our chance to¡ª¡± Hikaru face-palmed. ¡°Hey! They¡¯re out of the hut!¡± It was only logical that being loud would give them away. Hikaru thought the adventurers would come after them, but they didn¡¯t. ¡°F-Forget them! You there! I-It¡¯s not like we attacked anyone¡ªAaah!¡± There was an explosion, followed by a scream. Wondering what was happening, Hikaru readied himself, when he saw a figure on horseback heading towards their direction. ¡°Were you the one inside the hut?¡± Hikaru couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. It was the first time he had seen a white horse since coming to this world. Moreover, the person riding it seemed straight out of a fairy tale. It was a young woman, with blonde hair tied back in a chignon, and piercing blue eyes. Her well-shaped nose and pink lips gave Hikaru the impression of a perfect beauty. There was something unusual about her. Her silver breastplate looked like a work of art, with magnificent ornamental carving on its surface. Her thin cloak and inner garments were all an elegant beige, highlighting her immaculateness. And this immaculateness was what was wrong. In a world where walking outside would get you covered in dust and dirt, and where fighting would mean spraying yourself with blood, wearing clothes of such color was foolish. They got dirty very quickly. The fact that she was wearing them suggested that she had the means to buy new clothes immediately, or her line of work involved frequently meeting with people in high positions. When the adventurers spotted Paula and the others escaping from the hut, they sprang into action. They fled. ¡°Fuck! We¡¯re out of here!¡± ¡°Oh no, you don¡¯t.¡± The lady on horseback threw the rope around her waist, wrapped it around the man¡¯s arm, and pulled him down to the ground. She then dismounted, pulled out a sword, and pressed the tip of the blade against the man¡¯s nose. Sunlight glinted off her silver breastplate. Her every movement was so refined and breathtaking. ¡°You don¡¯t look like a bandit, but you burned a hut and attempted to attack the people inside. I can¡¯t let that slide. I, Selyse Lande of the Four Eastern Stars, hereby put you under arrest.¡± Upon inquiry, Hikaru learned that a party of adventurers known as the Four Eastern Stars was on its way to Cotton-elka. After finally completing a commission that dragged on for so long, they returned to the royal capital¡¯s Adventurers¡¯ Guild, where they learned about the situation in the Forest of Deception. Despite there being no commission issued, they decided to head for Cotton-elka immediately, purely for the purpose of helping people. Their virtuousness surprised Hikaru. Or not really. They¡¯re so sure of themselves. They wouldn¡¯t charge into a place crawling with monsters if they didn¡¯t have the confidence. The Four Eastern Stars was an all-female party of adventurers, each one of them Rank B. Because commissions to the Adventurers¡¯ Guild sometimes specified that only parties could take it, most adventurers joined one. One veteran adventurer and two younger ones were lying on the ground, tied up. ¡°It looks like you know these people,¡± Selyse said. ¡°We do!¡± Pia exclaimed. Her voice was shrill, and there was a twinkle in her eyes. ¡°We fought together once in the woods near Pond. It was against Goblins! Then they double-crossed us. My friend here, Paula, was going to be sacrificed!¡± She was trying her best to explain, but could not get the point across. Pia seemed to know about the Four Eastern Stars; she admired them. As a female adventurer, Selyse, a Rank B adventurer, must be a huge celebrity in her eyes. ¡°Pia, I-I don¡¯t think she understood,¡± Paula cut in. ¡°Actually, we filed a complaint against them to the guild,¡± she explained instead. ¡°They tried to escape by offering my friends¡­ or rather me, to the Goblins. They knew what they did was wrong, so they never showed up in Pond again. I think they¡¯re here because these two younger men live in a village nearby.¡± Selyse looked at the man. ¡°I see. You know what happens if you hand over a girl to a horde of Goblins, don¡¯t you?¡± The men shrank from her icy stare. They couldn¡¯t speak because they were gagged. ¡°So, who¡¯s the boy?¡± Selyse turned her gaze towards Hikaru. ¡°I just happened to be in the area¡ª¡± ¡°He¡¯s Lord Hikaru! Right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± It was hard to believe she was the same person who gave a coherent explanation just now. ¡°Um, what?¡± Selyse was confounded as well. ¡°I was just on my way to Cotton-elka,¡± Hikaru said. ¡°Did you run into a man on horseback on the way?¡± ¡°Ah, that guy. He said that bandits might be attacking people, so we sent our horses to a gallop.¡± That was close, Hikaru thought. He was glad that Lavia didn¡¯t have to use her magic. The name Four Eastern Stars was familiar to him. It was related to the murder of Count Morgstadt in the town of Pond. The people that were transporting the murder suspect, the Count¡¯s daughter Lavia, to the royal capital was a party called Distant Glittering Stars, led by Nogusa, a Rank C adventurer. But it wasn¡¯t supposed to be their job. The mission was originally assigned to the Four Eastern Stars¡ªSelyse¡¯s group. Even though they didn¡¯t take the commission, there was a possibility that Selyse had learned Lavia¡¯s name and appearance from the guild, so Hikaru could not show Lavia to them. Also, Selyse was much stronger than Nogusa. ¡¾Soul Board¡¿Selyse Lande Age: 19 | Rank: 41 | 2 ¡¾Vitality¡¿ ¡¾Natural Recovery¡¿6 ¡¾Stamina¡¿5 ¡¾Immunity¡¿ ¡¾Magic Resistance¡¿1 ¡¾Toxin Immunity¡¿2 ¡¾Strength¡¿ ¡¾Muscle Strength¡¿3 ¡¾Weapon Mastery¡¿ ¡¾Sword¡¿4 ¡¾Shield¡¿4 ¡¾Armor¡¿3 ¡¾Agility¡¿ ¡¾Power Burst¡¿4 ¡¾Balance¡¿3 ¡¾Willpower¡¿ ¡¾Mental Strength¡¿4 ¡¾Faith¡¿ ¡¾Holy¡¿5 ¡¾Charisma¡¿ ¡¾Appeal¡¿3 Her 5 points on Sword under Weapon Mastery caught Hikaru¡¯s attention. Lawrence D. Falcon, the inhuman Sword Saint and commander of Ponsonia¡¯s knights, had 6 points on Greatsword. She was just one level lower, which meant she was very skilled. Selyse¡¯s party had three other members. They were patrolling the vicinity for other bandits, so they weren¡¯t here. A light-footed scout, a nun, and a Mage in a robe with a white hood over her head. If each one of them was as good as Selyse; the four of them together would probably be stronger than Lawrence. We should leave as soon as possible. ¡°You¡¯re going to Cotton-elka, too?!¡± Paula asked. ¡°Wh-Why?¡± ¡°I-I just felt like it,¡± Hikaru answered. He couldn¡¯t tell her that he was headed there to make sure that she didn¡¯t throw away the life that he saved. It would have sounded like he was going there to help her, or worse, that he believed he could suppress the dungeon alone. ¡°Wow. You¡¯re going to a dungeon full of monsters just because you felt like it?¡± Selyse said. ¡°Either you¡¯re confident in your abilities, or you¡¯re just stupid.¡± She eyed Hikaru with pure curiosity. ¡°With the Four Eastern Stars around, we should be fine!¡± Pia said. ¡°Thank you for coming. Now the village will be safe. Please stay with us in Cotton-elka. My father is the village chief, so our house is the biggest!¡± She inched closer to Selyse. ¡°I-In that case, you can stay at my place, Lord Hika¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine on my own.¡± ¡°What?!¡± With Lavia around¡ªshe should still be lurking in the bushes¡ªthere was no way he could stay at Paula¡¯s house by himself. ¡°I¡¯ll be heading to Cotton-elka on my own,¡± Hikaru said. ¡°Besides, that horseman is coming back.¡± ¡°Why not just wait for him here with us?¡± Selyse suggeted. ¡°That man said he was going to call for backup, so we can hand over these guys to them. My friends should be back soon.¡± ¡°Good idea!¡± Paula agreed. ¡°Please stay, Lord Hikaru.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll just go meet the horseman.¡± ¡°Come on, now. Just stay here.¡± Selyse reached a hand out. Hikaru evaded her grab. ¡°I¡¯ll see you later.¡± ¡°Stubborn, are we?¡± ¡°I get nervous when I¡¯m surrounded by women. I¡¯m very shy, as you can see.¡± Hikaru turned his back on the girls and trotted back the way he came. Selyse watched him with great interest, Paula with regret, Pia with indifference, and Priscilla absentmindedly. Volume 2 - CH 3.1 ¡°Oh, that¡¯s our village, Cotton-elka!¡± It was still two hours before dusk. Paula¡¯s group and the Four Eastern Stars arrived at Cotton-elka with plenty of time to spare. Pia rode Selyse¡¯s horse with her. Paula and Priscilla were each riding on another member¡¯s horse. The veteran adventurers and two young men who attacked the girls were transported to Pond by the reinforcement called for by the horseman, the reinforcement being guards who regularly patrolled the roads, so they were trustworthy. Since this was a matter between adventurers, they were handed over to the guild. The horse carrying Hikaru did not return to the forest cabin. Paula wanted to wait for him, but Pia said, ¡°We can¡¯t let Lady Selyse wait here!¡± so she reluctantly agreed to leave for Cotton-elka. She was sure that Hikaru would come later. Cotton-elka was a small village with only 120 residents. The fences surrounding the village had holes in places, making them inadequate for keeping monsters out. Mountains rose to the north and east, and a large forest with a dungeon called the Forest of Deception was located to the west. Most of the houses had shingle roofs with stones to prevent them from being blown away by the wind. Straw and special clay filled the gaps between the stone walls. ¡°Adventurers! Adventurers are here!¡± a villager shouted, running into the village. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to see that,¡± Pia said. ¡°It¡¯s just, this is the sticks.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a natural reaction,¡± Selyse said. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be embarrassed about.¡± ¡°Lady Selyse¡­¡± Pia¡¯s eyes lit up even brighter. Paula sighed inwardly. Lord Hikaru was the one who saved us. He was also the one who brought the horseman, who then told the Four Eastern Stars about the situation. Yet she only cares about Selyse¡­ She¡¯s practically all over her. She dismounted from the horse. ¡°Please cheer up,¡± the woman riding the horse said. ¡°We are here to help the village. Hold your head up high.¡± Her rich gray hair was tied to the left, cascading down her equally rich chest. Paula couldn¡¯t help but compare it to hers. She might as well be called the Saint of Benevolence. Her name was Sophie Bloomfield, a devout follower of the Church and a member of the Four Eastern Stars who used Healing Magic. Paula knew the name Sophie, not as an adventurer, but from the hearsays and anecdotes that reached the church she grew up in. Accordingly, there was an extremely talented Healer named Sophie in the Church. She was all but promised a high position in the Church, but she chose to stay away because she wanted to use her power in places where it was needed. Or that His Eminence the Pope had given her an important mission. There were all sorts of anecdotes about the Church too, and the Church officials who visited Paula¡¯s father from time to time shared them with him. She had no idea that Sophie had become an adventurer, though. The person who gave Priscilla a ride was a Rogue-type adventurer by the name of Sara. She was a slender woman, about the same age as Paula or slightly older, with wavy, purple hair cut quite short. At a quick glance, you would think she was a man. There was a hint of childlike innocence in her mischievous smile. Paula concluded her to be a Rogue-type because she carried only a small knapsack and a bow on her back, and her only other notable belongings were the two daggers on her waist. Her clothes were short-sleeved, and she was wearing a pair of leggings. Riding on Sara¡¯s horse instead might¡¯ve been less mentally exhausting¡­ It would have been way more relaxing to ride with the boyish, easy-going Sara than with Sophie, a Healer just like her, but with a much higher position in the Church. Their names sounded similar too. Paula, Sara. Not one of them had spoken to the last member of the Four Eastern Stars, a robed Mage wearing a hood low over her eyes. Paula couldn¡¯t tell her age or gender. Since they were supposed to be an all-female party, she assumed she was a woman too. ¡°Dear God! Lady Sophie Bloomfield?! Your reputation precedes you,¡± said Paula¡¯s father, the pastor. He turned to Paula. ¡°We have a lot to talk about, but for now, please show Lady Sophie around.¡± Paula expected to be reprimanded for leaving the village and becoming adventurers without telling anyone, but Sophie¡¯s presence had left the matter unsettled for now. She was grateful for that, at least. Hikaru and Lavia were camped about a kilometer from Cotton-elka. The dungeon was already full of monsters, and there was a danger of encountering them, but Hikaru was able to keep his Stealth on while sleeping. As long as they were snuggled close, his Group Cloaking would keep them safe. A new Blessing had actually appeared on Lavia¡¯s Soul Card. Imperceptibility God: Fading Remnant4, which was probably the result of putting three points on her Imperceptibility stat. With this, she was even less likely to be seen by monsters and human alike. ¡°What¡¯s the Four Eastern Stars like?¡± Lavia asked after Hikaru explained the situation. ¡°Will they be a problem?¡± He couldn¡¯t talk about it while they were on horseback. Incidentally, the horseman told them to take care before he left. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Hikaru replied. ¡°It feels like we need to be wary around them, though. I didn¡¯t know Rank B adventurers had that kind of vibe. Definitely levels above the common adventurer.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°They have this aura about them. They talk succinctly and move gracefully.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I think we should be really careful around them. Wait, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Lavia was frowning. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°I need you to talk to me. We¡¯re about to do something pretty dangerous. If you notice something, whatever it is might help us.¡± ¡°I-It¡¯s not like that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Just tell me anyway.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Lavia lowered her head, her face red, though it wasn¡¯t immediately apparent in the light of the bonfire. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ this is the first time I¡¯ve heard you give such high praise to a woman. I feel weird, like I can¡¯t breathe.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re jealous.¡± ¡°I-I am! Ah, I can¡¯t believe it. I don¡¯t want to be like this.¡± Hikaru couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°I-It¡¯s not funny! I didn¡¯t want to tell you, but you forced me to.¡± ¡°My bad. Then I¡¯ll come clean too. The reason I avoided entering the village was partly to avoid the Four Eastern Stars, but also to spend time alone with you and not worry about anyone seeing us.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not disappointed in me for being jealous?¡± ¡°Not at all. In fact, I¡¯m happy. I¡¯ve never had someone feel that way for me before. I¡¯m even happier that it¡¯s you.¡± ¡°Thank goodness. I¡¯m so glad that it was you who rescued me.¡±h The twigs in the bonfire cracked. Lavia gently leaned in close, and Hikaru embraced her. The night wore on. The next morning, Hikaru and Lavia made their move. They wanted to find out more about the Four Eastern Stars and also check out the village. Furthermore, adventurers commissioned by the Adventurers¡¯ Guild in Pond would be arriving by the end of the day. It didn¡¯t take long for them to find the Four Eastern Stars. Villagers were gathered in Cotton-elka¡¯s square, where the village chief¡¯s house, the Church, and the village¡¯s one and only store stood facing each other. ¡°Everybody, calm down!¡± Pia shouted. The three girls were standing guard outside the village chief¡¯s house. ¡°How can we calm down? They¡¯re powerful adventurers aren¡¯t they? And right now they¡¯re discussing their raid on the dungeon, right? We want to listen too.¡± ¡°The Four Eastern Stars are extraordinary adventurers, that¡¯s for sure,¡± Pia said. ¡°But they want to talk to the chief in private, so we can¡¯t let you through.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve changed. You used to be so well-behaved.¡± ¡°What does that have¡ªI mean, what¡¯s that gotta do with anything?!¡± Pia was struggling to maintain her character. With their Stealth active, Hikaru and Lavia made their way to the back of the village chief¡¯s house, a two-story structure that was just a little more solidly-built than the rest of the ramshackle houses. They quickly found the back door and entered the house, slipping past some older women engaged in idle chatter. Voices were coming from one particular room. ¡°I thought you were sent by the Adventurers¡¯ Guild to clear out the dungeon.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a big ask. There¡¯s only four of us. The Forest of Deception, on the other hand, creates hundreds and thousands of monsters. Furthermore, there¡¯s no map of the deeper parts of the dungeon. There are too many variables. It makes a raid difficult.¡± Selyse and the village chief were having a conversation. Hikaru and Lavia put their ears to the door. ¡°So you¡¯re here for a different reason.¡± ¡°We¡¯re here to make sure there are no casualties. We can buy you time, so please evacuate to a nearby town with the adventurers arriving later.¡± ¡°That¡¯s easy for you to say, but it¡¯s tomato harvesting season. What about our fields? It¡¯s all we have.¡± ¡°Your lives are more important.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re ignoring the dungeon. I¡¯m not leaving.¡± ¡°We will assemble a team of high-ranked adventurers as soon as possible to deal with the monsters. On top of that, the Dungeon Master¡ªIs there something wrong, Sara?¡± ¡°Someone¡¯s eavesdropping.¡± Hikaru heard the voice coming directly from the other side of the door. A second later, it opened. ¡°Hmm? I don¡¯t see anyone.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not often your intuition is off the mark. What about the other room?¡± ¡°The door¡¯s closed, so I don¡¯t think they escaped. Must¡¯ve been my imagination.¡± Sara cackled. Hikaru and Lavia managed to move to the room across the hallway in the nick of time. Just before eavesdropping, they left the door ajar so they could hide just in case. As soon as Hikaru realized that Sara was approaching, they moved quickly, closing the door at the same time as the door to the chief¡¯s room opened. Stealth erased the faint sound that the door produced from closing. That was close. There was a possibility of Hikaru¡¯s Stealth still working even if they stayed in the hallway, but he didn¡¯t want to risk it. Hikaru checked Sara¡¯s Soul Board. Volume 2 - CH 3.2 ¡¾Soul Board¡¿Sara Age: 18 | Rank: 39 | 9 ¡¾Vitality¡¿ ¡¾Natural Recovery¡¿2 ¡¾Stamina¡¿3 ¡¾Immunity¡¿ ¡¾Toxin Immunity¡¿2 ¡¾Strength¡¿ ¡¾Muscle Strength¡¿1 ¡¾Weapon Mastery¡¿ ¡¾Short Sword¡¿2 ¡¾Bow¡¿4 ¡¾Projectile¡¿1 ¡¾Agility¡¿ ¡¾Power Burst¡¿3 ¡¾Flexibility¡¿3 ¡¾Balance¡¿4 ¡¾Stealth¡¿ ¡¾Life Cloaking¡¿2 ¡¾Mana Cloaking¡¿1 ¡¾Imperceptibility¡¿1 ¡¾Dexterity¡¿ ¡¾Dexterity¡¿5 ¡¾Instinct¡¿ ¡¾Instinct¡¿5 ¡¾Detection¡¿ ¡¾Life Detection¡¿1 Sara did not see through Hikaru¡¯s Stealth. It was most likely her Instinct that told her someone was there. Instinct was a tricky stat, giving Hikaru a hard time when he was fighting Lawrence, commander of Ponsonia¡¯s knights. Selyse referred to Sara¡¯s Instinct as mere intuition. Selyse moved to close the door, giving Hikaru relief. ¡°Wait a minute! They could be hiding in that room!¡± Hikaru¡¯s heart jumped at the sound of another voice. Lavia squeezed Hikaru¡¯s hand, and he squeezed hers back. Whose voice was that? Hikaru checked the person¡¯s Soul Board. He almost let out a gasp. ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anyone there,¡± Sara said. ¡°Open it, Selyse!¡± ¡°You want me to open it? We¡¯re having a discussion about the village. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if someone was eavesdropping.¡± The door opened. There was no one inside, but the window was open. ¡°Ah, guess they made a run for it.¡± ¡°Hngh! I guess so!¡± ¡°Are you satisfied, Selica?¡± The woman entered the room. Hikaru and Lavia were huddled in the corner, watching with their Stealth on. The girl named Selica removed her hood, revealing her black hair. ¡¾Soul Board¡¿Selica Tanoue Age: 17 | Rank: 104 | 29 ¡¾Vitality¡¿ ¡¾Natural Recovery¡¿4 ¡¾Stamina¡¿4 ¡¾Immunity¡¿ ¡¾Magic Resistance¡¿5 (MAX) ¡¾Disease Immunity¡¿1 ¡¾Toxin Immunity¡¿3 ¡¾Magical Power¡¿ ¡¾Mana Capacity¡¿19 ¡¾Spirit Affinity¡¿ ¡¾Fire¡¿5 ¡¾Air¡¿5 ¡¾Earth¡¿5 ¡¾Water¡¿5 ¡¾Spirit¡¯s Affection¡¿3 ¡¾Magic Principle¡¿0 ¡¾Spell Creation¡¿2 ¡¾Dexterity¡¿ ¡¾Tool Mastery¡¿ Selica Tanoue. She was Japanese. Hikaru and Lavia left the village chief¡¯s house and moved to the outskirts of the village, where tomato plantations lay. Some fields were already harvested, while others were still full of ripe tomatoes. A large poplar tree stood next to a well. They sat down on a nearby bench. ¡°That was scary,¡± Lavia said. ¡°I thought for sure they would find us.¡± Her cheeks were flushed; she seemed more worked up than usual. In short, she was delighted. Growing up a caged bird, she must have been longing for this kind of thrilling adventure. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Hikaru? Why are you frowning?¡± ¡°Remember the girl from earlier? The one with the black hair.¡± ¡°Yeah, just like yours. Wait.¡± ¡°Yup. She¡¯s most likely not from this world.¡± The name on her Soul Board. Her black hair and black eyes. The fact that she didn¡¯t speak this world¡¯s language that well. And her ridiculous stats. All of this Hikaru shared with Lavia. ¡°The problem is: she would be curious if she learned about me. It would¡¯ve been good and all if she was just an ordinary adventurer, but she¡¯s a member of the Four Eastern Stars.¡± ¡°How about befriending her to gather information? She might not know about me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to take any unnecessary risks.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s such a great opportunity. She¡¯s in the same situation as you.¡± Lavia looked worried. She was concerned about Hikaru despite being all alone in the world, not having any relatives left. Or maybe it was because she was alone that she was worried. Hikaru could feel his chest warming up. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I have you.¡± ¡°Hikaru¡­ Are you really sure about this?¡± ¡°Yeah. We might get a chance to talk one of these days. There¡¯s no need to introduce myself right away. At any rate, we now have a clear goal.¡± Hikaru organized his thoughts. ¡°The Four Eastern Stars are taking a realistic approach. They will wait until all the villagers have evacuated. Paula will probably also remain in the village. In order to achieve our first objective¡ªnot letting Paula die¡ªwe have to stay in the village with the Four Eastern Stars and the other adventurers.¡± ¡°Right. Let¡¯s do our best to protect the village.¡± Lavia clasped her hands tight. Hikaru chuckled. ¡°We¡¯re not doing that.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ What?¡± ¡°Protecting the village isn¡¯t the only option. There¡¯s a way to quickly eliminate the danger altogether.¡± Lavia looked puzzled. ¡°It¡¯s simple. Just kill the Dungeon Master.¡± ¡°Y-You can¡¯t do that! It¡¯s too dangerous!¡± ¡°Come on. Just think about it. The Forest of Deception is a dungeon governed by a Dungeon Master. The Dungeon Master is in the deepest part of the dungeon that¡¯s crawling with monsters.¡± Lavia finally realized what he was getting at. ¡°Are you planning to¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m going in alone. Killing a monster without being noticed. Sounds like the perfect mission for me, don¡¯t you think?¡± At first, Lavia vehemently opposed the idea. ¡°If you really want to go, then take me with you,¡± she had said. Hikaru explained the situation to her very carefully. Lavia¡¯s attacks were effective in eliminating multiple monsters, but wouldn¡¯t be of much use in this case. His Stealth was also most effective when he was alone, and he could move a lot easier by himself. Lavia eventually agreed that there was a possibility Hikaru would safely reach the Dungeon Master. When she said that she would follow him inside if he didn¡¯t return, he had no choice but to promise her that he would attack only if he was a hundred percent sure that he could kill the Dungeon Master, and to retreat if there was even a one percent chance that he couldn¡¯t. And so the plan was set. ¡°Huh? L-Lord Hikaru?! What are you doing here?¡± Hikaru met Paula in the church¡¯s chapel. The adventurers sent by Pond¡¯s Adventurers¡¯ Guild had just arrived, plunging the village of Cotton-elka into even more chaos. Hikaru used this opportunity to catch a hold of Paula as she returned from lunch. ¡°Quiet,¡± he said. ¡°Can I talk to you for a moment?¡± ¡°Uh, yes. Sure.¡± Hikaru¡¯s Life Detection, which allowed him to sense people up to ten meters away, detected the presence of two people at the very edge of the Skill¡¯s range. Paula¡¯s father and Sophie were inside the chapel, in the living area of the pastor¡¯s home. Hikaru didn¡¯t want Sophie to hear them. ¡°This is Lavia,¡± Hikaru introduced. ¡°She¡¯s in a party with me.¡± ¡°What?! This little girl?!¡± ¡°Ssh!¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Paula quickly put a hand over her mouth. Life Detection showed no movement from Sophie. ¡°We won¡¯t cause you any trouble,¡± Hikaru went on. ¡°I¡¯m leaving the village for a bit, so could you provide her with food for a few days?¡± ¡°My name is Lavia. Pleased to meet you.¡± ¡°O-Okay. I think that¡¯s manageable.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pay you.¡± Hikaru reached for a leather bag. ¡°Y-You don¡¯t have to. You¡¯ve saved my life twice already.¡± ¡°Consider it a donation to the church, then. The church provides the food, right?¡± ¡°Y-Yes¡­¡± ¡°Then here¡¯s my donation.¡± ¡°Th-Thank you. My father will be very happy.¡± Paula accepted the leather bag with extreme reluctance. There was about 10,000 gilans inside, which was more than enough payment for a few days¡¯ worth of food and a place to sleep. ¡°Also, could you do me one more favor? Please don¡¯t tell anyone about Lavia,¡± Hikaru said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to lie. Just don¡¯t tell anyone about her.¡± ¡°Um, can I ask why?¡± ¡°I¡¯m scared of men,¡± Lavia answered, hanging her head. ¡°Something happened in the past, and Hikaru is the only one I can talk to properly.¡± ¡°O-Oh, I see. It¡¯s okay.¡± Paula waved her hands around. ¡°You don¡¯t have to say any more.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Wiping away fake tears, Lavia turned her back to Paula. Nice acting¡­ I guess women are actors in every world. Hikaru watched the scene with a bit of amazement. That should be it for this matter. Lavia would be taking refuge in this church. She had 3 points on Imperceptibility, so it should be easy for her to spend a few days without anyone noticing her. If she found herself in danger, she could just cast fire magic while hiding. ¡°Um, I hope you¡¯re not upset, Lord Hikaru.¡± ¡°Me? Upset? About what?¡± ¡°Pia meant no offense. I¡¯m sure she knows that we only made it out of that hut because of you.¡± Paula was concerned about the incident at the lumberjack¡¯s hut. Pia only thanked the Four Eastern Stars, even though it was Hikaru who helped them escape. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s all right. It was all thanks to the Four Eastern Stars that we were able to subdue the adventurers so smoothly.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that.¡± ¡°If it really bothers you, then please take care of Lavia for me.¡± ¡°You can count on me.¡± Paula pounded on her chest, then turned to Lavia. ¡°Please don¡¯t hesitate to ask me anything.¡± She sounded like an older sister. We should be good now. Suddenly, a loud commotion came from outside. Volume 2 - CH 3.3 The Forest of Deception was a dungeon in a section of the vast forest that stretched to the west of Cotton-elka. It was believed that the monsters from there would roam the woods and disperse. Now it seemed that several of them had gathered together and were making their way to Cotton-elka. ¡°There¡¯s about a hundred of them. More than half are small fry: Branch Men, Leaf Monsters, Forest Rats, and Rogue Bees.¡± Sara of the Four Eastern Stars brought the news. She went alone to scout the area around the dungeon and confirmed that the monsters were advancing towards Cotton-elka. Adventurers who had just arrived in Cotton-elka gathered in the village square, while the villagers huddled together in the distance, looking hopeless. Hikaru and Lavia were in the shadows of the closest house, using Group Cloaking to erase their presence. ¡°Lavia. Those monsters are ranked F and G,¡± Hikaru said. Sara was right in calling them small fry. These rankings, however, were based solely on a party battle against a single species; a completely different rating would be necessary for monsters coming at you in large numbers. Sara declared them to be small fry anyway so as not to discourage the adventurers. ¡°The rest are Lesser Basilisks and Woody Bats.¡± The adventurers stirred. ¡°Hey, aren¡¯t those rank E?¡± ¡°Dozens of them doesn¡¯t sound good.¡± They appeared to be adventurers ranked E and below. There was a calm group of four, probably adventurers who took the kill quests. There should be a Rank D among them¡ªHikaru hoped so. ¡°I also spotted one Treant and one Lost Man. The Branch Men and the Leaf Monsters seem to be spawned by the Treant.¡± The adventurers grew noisier. Both the Treant and the Lost Man were Rank D monsters. ¡°Should be a piece of cake,¡± a man said. ¡°We can take care of the Treant and the Lost Man.¡± ¡°I was thinking we would deal with those two,¡± Selyse said. ¡°Whoa, whoa. I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re rank B or C, but this is Pond territory, and we¡¯re here on an official commission.¡± His other three companions backed him up. Selyse did not argue back; she was here purely as a volunteer, not official business. ¡°We, the Wild Horn, will take charge.¡± The men strutted to the edge of the village. The other adventurers followed them; they were here to escort the villagers, but they couldn¡¯t just sit idly by. ¡°Did you hear that, Lady Selyse?¡± They¡¯re way weaker than you guys.¡± Pia was clenching her teeth so hard that her gums might start bleeding. Paula shrank a bit. ¡°What do we do?¡± she asked. ¡°We¡¯re going out there, of course,¡± Selyse replied. ¡°I want you girls to reassure the villagers. In times like this, it¡¯s better to have familiar faces by their side than strangers.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± And so the Four Eastern Stars also made their way to the outskirts of the village. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Pia. Pia?¡± ¡°Men sure are awful.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you can just lump them all together like that.¡± ¡°Are you talking about your beloved Lord Hikaru? What¡¯s so special about that lanky twig?¡± ¡°Wh-What did you say?! I won¡¯t let anyone insult Lord Hikaru, not even you, Pia. He saved us!¡± ¡°He¡¯s fishy. Back when he saved you from the Goblins, they just retreated. He said he killed the boss with a poisoned rock, but how is that even possible? The same goes for what happened in the hut. How did he get inside? Maybe he was in on it with the adventurers.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe you.¡± Paula, face red, was ready to pounce on Pia. ¡°Stop,¡± Priscilla slid herself between the girls. She might look to be in a perpetual daze, but she moved with the nimbleness of a hunter. ¡°We can¡¯t be fighting among ourselves when there are enemies coming.¡± ¡°S-Sorry.¡± ¡°I-I know that.¡± Priscilla¡¯s remark brought them back to their senses. ¡°Good. Let¡¯s get everyone back to their homes. Then we¡¯ll patrol around the village.¡± The girls awkwardly hurried to the villagers. ¡°Wow, she hates me,¡± Hikaru said. He had witnessed the whole thing. ¡°The disrespect,¡± Lavia hissed. ¡°I hate that girl,¡± She was angrier than Hikaru. Hikaru calmed her down, chuckling. Then they followed the other adventurers. A total of seventeen adventurers came from Pond. Four of them were members of a Rank D party called Wild Horn, who took the kill quest, and the other thirteen were ranked F to G, here for the escort commission. They left Cotton-elka, crested a hill, and made it to the entrance to the vast forest, where they encountered a pack of monsters. The Wild Horn party stepped forward. Three members wielding melee weapons¡ªswords and greatswords¡ªcharged in to scatter the enemies. As its name suggested, the Branch Man was a humanoid monster made of tangled branches. Standing just over a meter tall, its body was light and flimsy. A sword could easily cut it down. Leaf Monsters were ball-like monsters made of rounded leaves. They ranged in size from as small as a soccer ball to over one meter in diameter. But they were also just as flimsy. The Rogue Bee was a large bee, and the Forest Rat was a small critter that Paula and her friends had killed before. None of these monsters stood a chance against a Rank D party. ¡°Hahaha! So weak! Weak! Perfect for making money!¡± Pseudo-monsters created by a Dungeon Master all had cores inside their bodies, no exception. When a monster¡¯s life force was fully depleted, its body crumbled into ashes, leaving behind a core¡ªa stone that contained magical power, such as a Spirit Magic stone. The party Wild Horn left behind mounds of ashes. ¡°O¡¯ Spirits, heed my call. Flames rising higher than will-o-wisps, incinerate the approaching danger!¡± The incantation was being recited by the last member of Wild Horn, a Spirit Mage. ¡°Flame Wall!¡± As the monsters scrambled to the sides, about to slip past the other three members, a fierce wall of flames rose before them, over two meters high. Both the Branch Man and the Leaf Monster were vulnerable to fire. Flames spread to their bodies, leaping to the nearby monsters, burning them. ¡°Pretty good coordination,¡± Hikaru remarked, watching from atop the hill. He was feeling somewhat thrilled. This was the first time he¡¯d seen a decent fight from adventurers. Their superb tactic justified their big talk. The escorting adventurers were doing fine too, as they only had to slay the occasional monsters that slipped through Wild Horn. ¡°Can they keep going and just kill them all?¡± Lavia asked. ¡°No. The problem starts here. Look.¡± Just as the three members of Wild Horn were about to enter the forest, they abruptly turned around and retreated. An adventurer who followed them close behind failed to react quickly, and was blown away. A thick wooden arm emerged from the forest. It was a Treant, a gigantic, Rank D monster. It looked like a beech tree that was centuries old, with a trunk over one meter in diameter. There was a face on the hollow of the trunk. Its undulating roots acted as legs to support its body, and its branches moved freely like tentacles. Teammates of the adventurer that was sent flying rushed to him and carried him away from the front lines. The Treant spread its branch out wide, revealing dozens of hanging bats. Woody Bats¡ªmonsters with half of their bodies transformed into wood. A strange cry came from behind the Treant. It sounded like the pained squeal of an animal that had its neck twisted. Then, about ten Lesser Basilisks, monsters that were a hybrid of chicken and snake, appeared. At this point, the adventurers here for the escort mission had no choice but to retreat. ¡°Shit!¡± a Wild Horn member cursed. ¡°There¡¯s more than just small fry!¡± Sara had already notified them about the monsters beforehand. Ignoring her intel and charging straight right in would inevitably lead to this. ¡°Let¡¯s deal with the Treant first!¡± ¡°Gotcha!¡± ¡°Magic!¡± ¡°Ready!¡± Wild Horn had no intention to retreat. Two of the frontliners spread out to the left and right to keep the Woody Bats and Lesser Basilisks in check. They were attacking a bit then retreating, without killing the monsters. The third guy was going up against the Treant. Hikaru guessed what they were going for. ¡°They¡¯re buying time for the incantation to finish. Not bad¡­¡± Hikaru took note of the strategy. As soon as the Mage finished chanting, the man in front withdrew. ¡°Can they kill the Treant?¡± Lavia asked. ¡°Wrong move. It¡¯s not the Treant that they need to watch out for.¡± ¡°What?¡± Lavia looked at Hikaru. ¡°Flame Lance!¡± A magic circle appeared in the air, and a spear of flame as large as a tank¡¯s gun materialized, then flew. The spear pierced the Treant cleanly. The man at the front was watching with his guard completely down. Something closed in on him. Hikaru had a clear picture of the situation from atop the hill. The reason for Wild Horn¡¯s failure boiled down to one thing¡ªthey didn¡¯t pay full attention to the intel that was provided to them. Sara talked about one more monster. Like the Treant, it was also Rank D¡ªthe Lost Man. An entity that moved while distorting space itself. It was so huge to be clearly visible from a distance. Had they stayed calm, they would have noticed it, but they were too focused on the intense battle. ¡°What¡ª¡± The man in front was grabbed by the leg and pulled down. The Lost Man revealed itself. A purple humanoid monster. Suddenly, the monster screeched. The Lost Man dropped the man. An arrow was stuck on its arm. ¡°Just in the nick of time. Aren¡¯t you the lucky guy?¡± The arrow was fired by Sara. The Lost Man glared at her. It had three yellow eyes, with no hair. Sharp teeth lined its mouth. ¡°D-Damn it. Didn¡¯t expect to be saved by you guys.¡± ¡°If you wanna show off, cool, but you¡¯re gonna kill the other adventurers with the way you fight.¡± The fire magic had almost completely consumed the Treant, but the Woody Bats swooped down toward the escorting adventurers. Selica¡¯s wind magic took care of them. Selyse was dealing with the Lesser Basilisk, while Sophie was using her Healing magic to heal the adventurer hit by the Treant. ¡°W-We¡¯re here on a commission to kill monsters!¡± the Wild Horn member barked. ¡°We didn¡¯t do anything wrong!¡± ¡°Sure, if you actually managed to kill them,¡± Sara said. ¡°Fuck¡­¡± The man couldn¡¯t say anything back. ¡°Wh-What about the Lost Man?!¡± ¡°After I shot it with an arrow, it used camouflage to escape.¡± Sara shrugged. Thus the first round of the Cotton-elka defensive battle ended¡ªor rather, was coming to an end. Volume 2 - CH 3.4 After using its camouflage, the Lost Man hid by the entrance to the forest, behind a tree trunk. Wild Horn and the other uninjured adventurers were collecting Spirit Magic stones from the mounds of ash. The Lost Man waited. Two meters away from it lay a pile of conspicuous white ash, with a Spirit Magic stone buried in it. It was waiting for someone to come and get it, then it would attack. Abruptly, the Lost Man lost consciousness, stabbed in the back with a Dagger of Strength. ¡°Camouflage, huh? More like basic imperceptibility. I could still sense it with my Life and Mana Detection. Is this really a Rank D monster?¡± Hikaru studied the Lost Man as it turned into ashes. He then picked up a Spirit stone¡ªa blue translucent gem¡ªfrom the ashes and put it in his pocket. ¡°Anyway, I better hurry.¡± Hikaru started walking towards the depths of the vast forest. Paula had told him that there was a well-trodden path leading from Cotton-elka to the Forest of Deception, so all he had to do was follow it. It was actually a little better than an animal trail. Monsters sometimes headed for Cotton-elka along the same path. ¡°Do they know about the human settlement? Or do they follow the scent of humans?¡± At first, Hikaru took down every monster that appeared, but there was no end to them, so he eventually stopped. Since the Four Eastern Stars were in Cotton-elka, he wouldn¡¯t have to do anything unless a very powerful monster showed up. For now, he prioritized moving fast. Apparently, there was a more serviceable road to the dungeon from the fortress city of Leather Elka, which had control over the Forest of Deception. Perhaps a lot more monsters were headed that way. Of course, that side was well-defended, so Hikaru had nothing to worry about. Hikaru had been walking for three hours now. The tall forest went on and on, until suddenly, he came upon a wall of branches. The Forest of Deception started from there. The passageway, about five meters in both width and height, descended gently. Despite the gradual descent, there was plenty of light. Small leaves covered the ceiling, and sunlight shone through the trees. But the light from the sun shouldn¡¯t reach this place, which meant it was some kind of effect created by the dungeon. Thankfully, the route to the fifth level was included in the Adventurers¡¯ Guild¡¯s manual. Hikaru brought a copy of it with him so he wouldn¡¯t get lost. Each floor was similar in size, with winding paths ranging between five and ten kilometers long. ¡°A dungeon¡­ My very first dungeon!¡± Hikaru couldn¡¯t keep his excitement in check. He loved games, and he just stepped into a real-life dungeon. ¡°Ugh, my eyes hurt. Is this where it got its name of Deception?¡± The walls of the passage, made of tangled branches, were semi-transparent. Beyond it were more tangled branches, ruining his perception. On a related note, he did not know the type of tree. He had never seen it before. Branch Men and Leaf Monsters were running through the passage, going past Hikaru without noticing him. Listening carefully, he could hear the sound of creatures running here and there in the cave. Monsters were running wild. What bothered him was that there seemed to be very few monsters inside the dungeon. Had most of them gone outside? There were several entrances to the Forest of Deception; some of the monsters left without Hikaru spotting them. But there was no point in worrying about them. Right now, he just had to do what needed to be done. ¡°First, I need to check my weapons.¡± Hikaru examined the new weapons he ordered from Leniwood¡¯s Weapons Workshop. He had 2 points on his Projectile. To make use of it, he had concealed throwing knives inside his cloak, six on each side. He had a hard time deciding how many to get. He wanted a lot because they were supposed to be disposable, but too many would weigh him down. And making them lighter would reduce their power. In the end, he decided on a knife that was just heavy enough and was about the size of a fountain pen. It was more like a suntetsu than a throwing knife. Right on cue, a herd of Lesser Basilisks were running down the passage. Hikaru threw his weapon at the chicken head as it passed by, piercing its eyes, and penetrating clean through to the other side. The Lesser Basilisk fell forward. ¡°A critical hit?¡± He didn¡¯t expect to kill it with one shot. The fallen monster turned to ash. The other Lesser Basilisks looked around restlessly, then scurried away without finding the assailant. ¡°Lesser Basilisks are Rank E monsters. I guess I hit it at the right spot?¡± Hikaru¡¯s Assassination was maxed out at 3 points. This stat had the following effect: when attacking without the target noticing, the attack will have a lethal effect. Once maxed, the Skills Sharpshooter appeared, but since he had no points available, he hadn¡¯t learned it yet. Sharpshooter¡¯s effect was as follows: when attacking with a projectile without the target noticing, the attack will have a lethal effect. Sharpshooter wasn¡¯t that different from Assassination, but the fact that it existed separately could mean that Assassination¡®s effect did not apply to Projectiles and Bows. In other words, the knife he threw just now didn¡¯t have the Assassination buff. ¡°I guess that means just Projectile plus Muscle Strength is powerful enough.¡± With 2 points on Projectile, he could hit even a running target. His accuracy would drop if the target was running faster or farther away, but a Rank E monster posed no problem. Hikaru picked up the Spirit Magic stone buried in the ashes, retrieved the throwing knife¡ªit was covered in ashes, not blood¡ªand put it back inside his cloak. ¡°As for close combat, I killed the Lost Man with one stab earlier, so I should still be good. I¡¯ll try killing a higher-ranked monster if I see one.¡± He still wasn¡¯t used to walking while using both Life and Mana Detection. Since he specialized in Stealth, he wanted to reliably spot the enemy first without being noticed. He didn¡¯t know what rank the Dungeon Master was¡ªthere were many different species, apparently¡ªbut killing Rank D monsters and higher should give him an idea how strong he was. ¡°I guess I¡¯m not using this one anytime soon.¡± Hikaru currently had the Dagger of Strength for melee use, throwing knives for long-range use, and another dagger strapped to his waist. The last one was the new weapon that he ordered from the elf Leniwood¡ªa small but wide, custom-made weapon with a chunky grip that was too large for his hands. It had a button under the grip, a safety next to the button, and even a safety pin. It was designed like a grenade, but it was actually a knife. ¡°All right. Let¡¯s get a move on.¡± Hikaru continued walking. It should be nighttime now, yet the dungeon was still bathed in light. Hikaru had already descended a set of stairs once. He was on the second level, but sunlight still came from the ceiling. It must be the dungeon doing its magic. He had to keep his wits about him, or he might just forget that he was underground. A dungeon, in essence, was like a man-eating plant that grew by feeding on adventurers who entered it, attracted by materials such as Spirit Magic stones. The inside was designed to be comfortable to humans to some extent. Hikaru brought a magic lamp for light, but there was no need for it. It was bright all the way to the fourth level. From the fifth level, however, it was pitch-black, but adventurers were the kind of people who thought, ¡°It¡¯s pitch-black, so there must be treasure up ahead.¡± They would venture into the darkness fully knowing that monsters had the upper advantage in the shadows. ¡°Not a lot of monsters around, though. Did they all leave? Or are dungeons supposed to be like this?¡± Since then, Hikaru had spotted Lost Men and Treants, all of which he slayed. He left the Evil Eyes alone because there were too many of them. The idea was to kill the monsters that would be a threat outside. Upon checking his Soul Board, his rank had not gone up. He had one point left, and he would like to have more if possible. The more points he had, the more varied the strategies he could formulate, which in turn would make escape easier. Hikaru realized that he was racking up levels while killing monsters in the woods, but not here. ¡°Maybe killing dungeon monsters doesn¡¯t raise my Soul Rank?¡± Suddenly, the ground shook. Volume 2 - CH 3.5 Hikaru stopped and looked around warily. He sensed a large, powerful presence unlike anything he¡¯d encountered before. It didn¡¯t actually trip his Detection; it was simply his human instinct warning him. Hikaru didn¡¯t have the ability to sense others in his previous life, but this was clearly different. The aura was so overwhelming that he could feel the presence so clearly. He could hear something being torn to pieces. It sounded as if an airplane had flown close overhead. A noise so violent that even if he screamed out loud, no one would probably hear him. Hikaru sensed the entity coming up from deep underground. It passed through the second level where Hikaru was and flew straight up into the sky. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Hikaru wiped away the sweat from his forehead. He wasn¡¯t briefed about this. The strongest monster he had heard of so far was Rank C. The monster just now was more than just a rank above the Lost Man or Treant. To make matters worse, it had taken to the skies¡ªit had been released from the dungeon. ¡°I hope it¡¯s not heading for the village. If I had a cell phone, I could contact Lavia. No, wait. I guess there¡¯s no reception underground. Now¡¯s not the time for this. Gotta move fast.¡± His plan was to take it slow and steady, but after seeing that monster, he had to kill the Dungeon Master as soon as possible. He prayed it was not headed for Cotton-elka, but foreboding premonitions at times like this usually came true. ¡°Would killing the Dungeon Master get rid of all the monsters? I didn¡¯t see that mentioned anywhere.¡± It would. He had no choice but to believe that. He also hoped the Dungeon Master was smaller. ¡°Looks like we¡¯ve got ourselves a customer.¡± Something was closing in from ahead, shaking the ground. Even though it was about a hundred meters away, Hikaru could see the monster approaching. It was that huge. It was about five meters tall, just barely touching the ceiling. Its belly was mottled yellow and red, and its back was covered with brown scales. It advanced on its two hind legs¡ªthe inferior version of a dragon. ¡°A Rank C monster: the Lesser Wyvern.¡± Hikaru struggled to find the part that earned its name ¡°Lesser¡±. Its gaping mouth was lined with sharp teeth, and flames spewed from its mouth. It could spit out fireballs. Its scales were said to be so hard that only a skilled adventurer could break through them and wound it. This monster shouldn¡¯t be on the second level. Otherwise no adventurers would come near the dungeon. However, Hikaru, who was in the path of the Lesser Wyvern, remained calm. Rank C meant that even the Four Eastern Stars could kill it, and he had already witnessed their fighting style. This was important as he could easily imagine what the monster was like. The Lesser Wyvern, lumbering along smoothly, suddenly let out a shriek and fell forward. Blood gushed from its torn ankle. Its eyes closed, and it stopped moving. The body of the Lesser Wyvern turned to ashes from one end to the other. There was a dagger stuck into its brain. ¡°If it falls, my blade can reach it. And if I can reach it, I can kill it with my Assassination.¡± Hikaru clutched his chest to calm his rapid heartbeat. His Soul Rank had increased. ¡°Thanks to that terrifying monster from earlier, I wasn¡¯t that nervous.¡± The Lesser Wyvern was a dangerous enemy, and not something you fought alone. Monster rank corresponded with the overall rank of an adventurer party, but Hikaru was not one to lose against a mere Rank C creature. ¡°So killing dungeon monsters does increase Soul Rank. It just takes a little bit more time.¡± Hikaru had several theories about the Soul Rank. Increasing it involved more than just sucking the soul of a being you killed. It might also be a matter of the soul¡¯s quality and quantity. Monsters in dungeons did not have souls, but a life-and-death battle improved the quality. Buried in the huge pile of ash that was the Lesser Wyvern was a thumb-sized red gem. ¡°A ruby? I can¡¯t sense any mana from it, so I guess it¡¯s just an ordinary gemstone.¡± Hikaru put the ruby in his pocket. ¡°Speaking of which. When you kill monsters in this dungeon, you get Spirit Magic stones, Spirit stones that can be used as catalysts for magic items, gems, and metals like this one. But Freya¡­¡± When Hikaru was enumerating the things that could be obtained from the dungeon, Freya gave him a puzzled look. He wasn¡¯t wrong, but her reaction was baffling. ¡°No use thinking about it now. I wonder what Freya¡¯s up to right now. I just hope she thinks I¡¯m staying put.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t come today¡­. Hikaru didn¡¯t come to the guild today.¡± It was nighttime, and the Adventurers¡¯ Guild had closed for the day. At the counter was Freya, at her wits¡¯ end. She was thinking about the boy with the black hair and black eyes. He had just become an adventurer, and with the lowest rank of G, she didn¡¯t think he would do anything reckless. But Paula, who was on her way to Cotton-elka, was an acquaintance of his, and he had apparently saved her life once. ¡°He didn¡¯t follow Paula and her friends to Cotton-elka, did he?¡± She heard today that the Rank B party Four Eastern Stars had also headed for Cotton-elka. Although the news made her feel somewhat relieved, Freya could not shake off the unease completely. Hikaru had planned to take enough time to rest, but he couldn¡¯t take it easy once he saw the huge Lesser Wyvern and the other fearsome monster that took off into the sky. He continued on even through the night. The third and fourth levels were called the Wood Floors. The floor itself was made of wood, the walls of tree bark, and the ceiling of overlapping branches. Light was streaming in through the branches, though it was dimmer than when he was on the Green Floors. He spotted a few Lesser Wyverns here and there, which he decided to kill. It consumed a bit of his precious time, but even just a few of them advancing to Cotton-elka could produce a considerable number of casualties. Hikaru¡¯s Stealth worked wondrous, allowing him to take down Lesser Wyverns without any problem. An Executioner, also a Rank C monster, appeared as well. It was a humanoid about three meters tall, with gray skin. Its arms were all blades that were sharper than ordinary swords. There wasn¡¯t any sort of covering on its smooth body. Its long, unkempt hair hanging down gave it a bit of a horrific vibe. The monster¡¯s blades were dangerous, but unless it saw an enemy, it wouldn¡¯t swing them. Hikaru stabbed the Executioner in the chest from behind. His Mana Detection saw mana concentrated there. His blade pierced through skin and flesh easily thanks to the buff from Assassination. The Executioner collapsed, leaving behind a Spirit stone. One shot for the Executioner as well¡­ Hikaru breathed a sigh of relief. He assumed that his foe was unaware of him, but he couldn¡¯t really check the Soul Boards of monsters. He could run into a monster that could see through his Stealth at any moment. His Imperceptibility stat was maxed out, but Life Cloaking and Mana Cloaking only had 3 points each. Hikaru¡¯s Soul Rank increased after killing the Executioner. After a moment of hesitation, he decided to put his two points into both Life and Mana Cloaking, bringing the total to 4 points each. One more and they would be maxed out. He also wanted Sharpshooter, but safety came first. Eventually he reached the end of the fourth level. It should be dawn right now, but it was difficult to tell the passage of time inside the dungeon. Hikaru had killed three more Lesser Wyverns and three Executioners, but his Soul Rank had not increased. And he made it to the fifth level¡ªthe deepest floor that adventurers had been able to reach so far. This level, called the Root Floor, had floors covered in dirt. The walls were half roots and half soil, while the ceiling seemed to be only roots. ¡°I guess this dungeon doesn¡¯t have any treasure chests, or doors that only open once you solve a puzzle, or anything like that.¡± It was simply a labyrinth filled with roaming monsters. The fact that you could obtain valuable items like Spirit Magic stones made it worthwhile for adventurers to enter it. ¡°Hmm.¡± The fifth level was dark, so Hikaru turned on his magic lamp. He was worried about monsters noticing the light, but had no other choice if he wanted to proceed. The light from the lamp revealed the skeletons of two adventurers. They were huddled close by the wall, one in metal armor and the other in leather armor. The dust, rust, and decaying leather indicated that they died quite some time ago. Other adventurers should have reached the fifth level. Perhaps no one had been here for a year or so. They seemed to have been holding hands. ¡°By the looks of it, they made it back here, but they ran out of strength.¡± There was a bag lying right next to the corpses. Hikaru was aware of the adventurer¡¯s rule of a dead person¡¯s gear belonging to the person who found it, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to pick it up. ¡°If I could use fire magic, I could burn their bones and offer a quick memorial. Oh, I guess they bury the dead in this world.¡± Two adventurers. Undiscovered for a long time until Hikaru arrived. He saw Lavia and himself in them, and he quickened his pace. Volume 2 - CH 3.6 The defensive battle in the village of Cotton-elka had changed. Instead of fighting in the woods where visibility was poor, the battle was taking place on the plains near the village. The Four Eastern Stars had taken command. Under Selyse¡¯s instructions, the adventurers, who had signed up for the escort commission, were cutting the tall grass and burning them down. Spotting the monsters as quickly as possible was important, and the forest monsters¡¯ nature made them reluctant to come out in the open. The goal was also to urge them not to come to the village. ¡°Three Lost Men and two Treants coming from ten o¡¯ clock.¡± However, their countermeasure only served to temporarily allay their worries. The monsters advanced anyway. The weaker ones had stopped coming, and only those ranked E and higher headed for Cotton-elka. Sara searched for the enemies, and as soon as she spotted them, she immediately informed Selyse. Selyse then decided which combatants to deploy depending on the number of foes, crushing them steadily. The party Wild Horn, adventurers who came on a kill commission, were no longer complaining, instead quietly following instructions. The adventurers that were here to escort the villagers were not able to do their jobs because the villagers decided to stay in the village, so they joined the fight for the time being. Monster swarms attacked every two hours at first, but by dawn the attacks came once every hour. Everyone sensed that the frequency had increased. And then, at nightfall, the earth rumbled, and a roar erupted from afar. When they heard it, the expression on Selyse¡¯s face changed. The calm smile that she always wore was gone, replaced by a grave look. If that monster comes, even Selyse and her team would have a difficult time dealing with it, Paula thought. She barely had any sleep. ¡°Pia, Priscilla,¡± Paula called when she found her friends. Though Pia wanted to offer help as much as possible to Selyse, going out to the edge of the village every time monsters showed up, she was not once asked to join the fight. Priscilla, on the other hand, was asked to intercept every now and then, partly because her arrows were effective at keeping the monsters at bay, and partly because there were no other adventurers who could use a bow. Pia was not happy about that. She wanted to be useful to Selyse, whom she admired so much, yet only Priscila was asked to fight. Oh, Pia¡­ She really doesn¡¯t get it, Paula thought. We¡¯re just starting out as adventurers. Attacking from long range is one thing, but close-combat is out of the question. They just don¡¯t want you to get hurt. I can¡¯t really say that to her, though. Pia didn¡¯t seem to see the obvious. What¡¯s more, she was unaware that her goal had shifted from helping the village to wanting Selyse to acknowledge her. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Pia asked. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s just a scratch.¡± She indeed had a scratch on her arm, wrapped in a bandage. Priscilla noticed that Paula¡¯s eyes were on the bandage, and she gave a small shake of her head, telling her there was nothing to worry about. Is she pretending to be hurt, so Selyse would show her concern? Paula sighed inwardly. ¡°The monsters seem to be appearing more and more frequently now.¡± ¡°Hmm? Yeah, I guess so. But don¡¯t worry! We have the Four Eastern Stars here, led by Lady Selyse!¡± There was only Selyse in her eyes now. ¡°We need to do something soon,¡± Paula said. ¡°What? Are you saying that Lady Selyse is gonna lose to those weaklings? I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re my friend. You better watch¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m saying. They have to be on guard at night, and they fight during the day. They can¡¯t keep doing that forever.¡± Pia groaned. ¡°I suppose you have a point. I don¡¯t want to see Lady Selyse sleep-deprived either.¡± That¡¯s not the issue! Paula held back the urge to shout. ¡°I think we should evacuate the village while we still can,¡± Paula suggested. ¡°You¡¯re probably right,¡± Pia readily agreed. Relieved, Paula made her way to the village chief¡¯s house together with Pia and Priscilla. ¡°Priscilla, what about your father?¡± Paula asked. ¡°Monsters already destroyed our house.¡± ¡°What?! What happened to your father?!¡± Priscilla¡¯s mother was already dead, and her father made a living by hunting in the forest alone. Their house was located in the woods, on the outskirts of the village. ¡°He abandoned the house. We missed him while he headed for Leather-elka.¡± ¡°I see. Don¡¯t scare me like that.¡± Priscilla laughed. ¡°Believe me. I was way more shocked when I saw our destroyed house.¡± It was apparently just Priscilla¡¯s way of making a joke. It¡¯s not funny! Not under these circumstances! Paula¡¯s gaze darted to the church¡ªher home. She could see the back of the house, and the door was slightly open. Hmm? Paula could¡¯ve sworn she closed the door when she left. Her father shouldn¡¯t be out yet so early in the morning either. ¡°Perfect. My father¡¯s right here,¡± Pia said. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Pia¡¯s father, the village chief, was in the square in front of the church. Paula shifted her focus to the man. Their conversation would determine the fate of the village. ¡°Hey, Dad!¡± Pia called. The village chief turned around with a frown. His hairline was receding, and he had a long, wavy brown beard that ran from his ear to his chin. He would have exuded dignity if he had a heavier build, but the village¡¯s financial situation made it impossible for him to gain weight. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you,¡± the man said. ¡°We should evacuate,¡± Pia said. ¡°Please gather the villagers.¡± Paula couldn¡¯t believe her friend¡¯s bluntness. No! That¡¯s not how you do it! There¡¯s no way he¡¯ll agree now. You know that, don¡¯t you?! These people are stubborn. They won¡¯t even make anything else besides dry tomatoes, even if we¡¯re broke! Now that she thought about it, Paula and her friends decided to become adventurers partly because they had grown tired of these people¡¯s stubbornness. At how they didn¡¯t make any effort to change their situation. ¡°And here I thought you¡¯d become a little bit smarter outside the village,¡± the village chief said. ¡°But instead you came back with a foul mouth. Now you want to abandon the village? The world must be ending.¡± ¡°Yes, it is. You know there¡¯s a lot of monsters coming, right? We have to get out of here.¡± ¡°What? Where did all that confidence from yesterday go? You said we¡¯d be fine with you around, and that Lady Selyse would get rid of all the monsters. So you were all just big talk? Is that what you¡¯re saying?¡± Paula¡¯s head was starting to hurt. Why did you say that, Pia?! We can¡¯t possibly kill all those monsters! Was it Miss Selyse?! Was it because of her that you thought that was possible?! The village chief did not try to hide his displeasure. ¡°Not even just big talk. More like a barefaced lie. My daughter, whom I thought abandoned the village, returned a bigmouth. How sad.¡± ¡°O-Of course not! Lady Selyse is not gonna lose to some monsters! But if you stay here, you¡¯d just be a burden.¡± ¡°Is that so? I thought Miss Selyse was a noble adventurer who came to protect us, but apparently she only cares about glory and sees us as nothing but a burden.¡± ¡°What did you say?! I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re my father. You take that back!¡± ¡°Stop! Let¡¯s pause for a bit, okay?¡± Paula cut in. ¡°Please listen, chief. This dungeon problem will not be ending soon. We can¡¯t continue fighting a never-ending battle.¡± ¡°I thought killing monsters is a profitable venture. All these adventurers ever talk about is how much money they make by killing monsters in a dungeon. Why not just call for adventurers who want to make money?¡± ¡°About that¡­¡± The village chief had a point. However, the royal capital¡¯s Adventurers¡¯ Guild had decided to ignore the Forest of Deception. Pond¡¯s Adventurers¡¯ Guild instead used part of its budget to send the party Wild Horn. ¡°No other adventurers are coming,¡± Paula said. ¡°The government and the army won¡¯t make a move. You should know that.¡± ¡°¡­I do.¡± The village chief turned his eyes away, looking increasingly bitter. Cotton-elka was a remote village with a small population, whose only product was dried tomatoes. The money they earned each year was insignificant, and yet they continued to pay taxes to the kingdom. Compared to neighboring countries, taxes in the Kingdom of Ponsonia were high, at 55%. When life was hard, they sent young villagers to work in other cities¡ªoften they never returned¡ªand somehow managed to survive. Despite all that, the government did not come to their rescue when the village was facing a crisis. The village chief was more frustrated than anyone else. He was fully aware that evacuating was the better option. ¡°How can we abandon the fields that our grandfathers and grandmothers, and their grandfathers and grandmothers, cultivated? We¡¯re tomato farmers. This is all we can do.¡± They couldn¡¯t convince him. The village chief quickly returned to his house. He knows, but he¡¯s decided to stay. The villagers know that if they stay, they will die. If the chief says they should evacuate, they will prepare to evacuate. But that¡¯s not good enough. Evacuate, and then what? With no money, all that awaits them is death. That¡¯s why he doesn¡¯t tell them to evacuate. Not saying anything is the same as telling them to die here. Paula realized just how short-sighted she was. Her hands were aching from squeezing them too tight. ¡°What¡¯s his problem?¡± Pia grumbled. ¡°I can¡¯t believe he would bad-mouth Lady Selyse like that. Well, I¡¯m not dying in this place.¡± ¡°Pia!¡± Paula grabbed her arms. ¡°How¡­ How could you say that?!¡± ¡°Paula¡­ Th-That hurts¡­¡± ¡°Your father¡¯s upset! You can see that, can¡¯t you?! The Pia I knew watched her father closely. She knew what kind of work he was doing.¡± ¡°¡­Paula.¡± ¡°We have to face reality. We can¡¯t turn our eyes away from this village. We have to think about what we, as adventurers, can do for this place.¡± Priscilla held Paula¡¯s hand. ¡°You¡¯re grabbing her wound.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Her hand was on the bandage. Paula quickly let go. She could feel some sort of liquid falling. She realized she was crying. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m just going to cool my head.¡± ¡°Paula, wait!¡± Pia called. ¡°Paula!¡± Paula ran to the church¡¯s back door and into her room. Volume 2 - CH 3.7 ¡°What am I doing?¡± She was the one who asked Pia to persuade the village chief. She was the one who thought that if they talked to him properly, he would understand. She didn¡¯t think things through. And she took it out on Pia. ¡°I¡¯m such a jerk.¡± A sudden knock came at the door. ¡°Breakfast is ready,¡± said a gentle voice. ¡°Come to the dining room.¡± It was her father. Paula became an adventurer without consulting him. When she returned the day before yesterday, he did not say anything except, ¡°Welcome back. Could you bring in the laundry?¡± as if she just returned from a quick trip. ¡°Coming.¡± As she wiped her face, Paula remembered that she had to bring food to the girl that Hikaru left in her care. When she stepped out into the hallway, her father was waiting for her, so she decided to bring food to her later instead. Her father was astonished to see her red eyes. ¡°This is nothing,¡± Paula said. ¡°I know.¡± His hair was the same shade of green as Paula¡¯s, with streaks of gray. Whenever he smiled, the wrinkles around his eyes deepened. Paula almost didn¡¯t remember him being this old. ¡°Paula.¡± ¡°Y-Yes?¡± ¡°I was born in this village and raised as a pastor. I didn¡¯t want to force the same on you, but I think I might¡¯ve subconsciously wished for it.¡± Paula had no idea where this was coming from. She looked at the face of her lanky father. ¡°You seem to have grown a lot in the few months that you were away from the village. Did you meet someone special perhaps?¡± Hikaru¡¯s face flashed in her mind. ¡°What?! I, uh¡­¡± ¡°Ah, so I was right. I¡¯ve always thought that we can never change what we are. But I see you¡¯ve broken one of your shells. Come, let¡¯s eat. The tomato soup will grow cold.¡± Her father gave her a slight push from behind, and she started walking. She didn¡¯t notice the girl watching them from a corner in the hallway. Adventurers had put up tents in a corner of the village. The Four Eastern Stars were no exception, sleeping in their own tent, its ropes suspended around tree branches. ¡°Haah¡­ I¡¯m so exhausted.¡± It was a custom-built tent that could fit not only four, but ten people. Even when standing upright, their head did not touch the ceiling. It was an excellent tool that could only be used by the Four Eastern Stars, who were accustomed to camping in the wild. Sara stripped off all her gear and clothes, then leapt onto the pile of blankets with only her underwear on. A black-haired girl stared down at her, arms crossed¡ªSelica. ¡°What do you mean exhausted?! You can stay awake for three days and three nights!¡± ¡°Only when I force myself to stay up. Right now, I¡¯m sleepy. I¡¯m taking a nap.¡± ¡°And where are your clothes?!¡± Her breasts were rather small in size, but the smooth curve from her hips to her thighs was quite sexy. It pissed Selica off slightly because it was something she didn¡¯t have. She seemed to be showing off. ¡°I know there¡¯s no other people around.¡± ¡°Good grief! So you found no problem during your recon?!¡± ¡°Nope,¡± Sara replied, lying on her stomach. Her eyes were already closed. ¡°Visibility is pretty good, so I¡¯m sure we¡¯re fine. I gotta say, though. It was surprising. I checked the east and south sides, and they said they weren¡¯t watching ¡®cause it¡¯s the opposite direction of the dungeon.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a problem, then! So what did you do?!¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. I get it. Thank you so much, Lady Selica. You saved the village.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?! Are you asleep already?!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that why you brought it up? To say something like, ¡®I killed the monsters on the eastern side.¡¯¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about!¡± ¡°What?¡± Sara¡¯s eyes snapped open, and she lifted her body up. ¡°There¡¯s a huge burnt area on the eastern side. That and the piles of ashes made me assume that you used Spirit Magic to incinerate them.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going east! Besides, I¡¯m not going to use Fire Magic unless I¡¯ve been asked to! And the wind has been blowing from the east since yesterday! We wouldn¡¯t want to burn the village!¡± ¡°So who left those burn marks there?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± The two exchanged glances. ¡°Have you told Selyse about this?!¡± ¡°Nope. I think she¡¯s fighting at the western front right now. Where¡¯s Sophie?¡± ¡°Treating adventurers!¡± Sara quickly put on the clothes she had taken off. ¡°I¡¯m gonna go take another look.¡± ¡°Wait! I¡¯m coming with you!¡± The two women dashed out of the tent and headed east of the village. There was only barren land there, with barely any grass, leading directly to a bare mountain. It wasn¡¯t the result of burning, but rather the soil had always been infertile. They spotted a burn mark just outside the village, a circle about ten meters in diameter. There were three piles of ashes, with no loot in them. ¡°What do you think?¡± Sara asked. ¡°It¡¯s clearly Spirit Magic! Looks like a beginner Mage used all their power and just barely managed to eke out one spell!¡± ¡°But there¡¯s more than one¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s the problem!¡± There were a total of five marks. In every one of them were piles of ashes. All the marks were about the same size. ¡°Sara! Can you tell what kind of monster was killed from their ashes?!¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I can¡¯t be sure. Most of them are the size of Forest Rat or something. But then there¡¯s this.¡± There were three very large piles. ¡°I think it¡¯s a Treant,¡± Sara said. ¡°How powerful is a Mage that can kill a Treant with fire magic?¡± ¡°Definitely a Rank D adventurer or higher! If they can cast this level of fire magic in rapid succession, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they were Rank B!¡± ¡°Can you do that?¡± ¡°A foolish question!¡± Selica crossed her arms and threw out her chest. Sara, a head taller than her, patted her on the head. ¡°Good girl.¡± Selica slapped her hand away. ¡°There¡¯s a Spirit Mage in the village!¡± ¡°No one asked, though.¡± ¡°I hope we¡¯re on the same side!¡± ¡°I agree, but still¡­¡± ¡°They¡¯re definitely an ally! Otherwise, the monsters would have invaded the village without anyone noticing! Just imagine the casualties!¡± ¡°I guess¡­ They¡¯re doing great work, but why are they hiding? If it weren¡¯t for that, I¡¯d be enthusiastic.¡± They returned to the village, talking along the way. They could speculate all they wanted, but they could never be sure. They didn¡¯t notice the figure hiding behind a rock, watching them go. ¡°They found out, as expected.¡± Lavia emerged from her hiding spot. After verifying that the two members of the two Four Eastern Stars were gone, she headed south, deep in thought. After eating the meal Paula had brought earlier, she went out for a walk. Of course, she had her Stealth on, so Paula wouldn¡¯t have noticed her leaving. She had noticed the battle between adventurers and monsters on the west and north sides last night. But the south and east sides were so neglected, so Lavia patrolled the areas alone. Fortunately, the monsters didn¡¯t bother hiding themselves. It would¡¯ve been dangerous if a Lost Man appeared, but fortunately there were none, so she was free to fire magic from behind them. The monsters only noticed her after the spell was cast¡ªnot while she was reciting the incantation, not even when the magic circle appeared¡ªso she was able to take them down safely. She then collected the Spirit Magic stones. Lavia yawned. ¡°So sleepy.¡± All this work had left her exhausted. Sara finally realized that the east and south sides were shorthanded, so scouts should be checking on them from now on. She might just have time to sleep. Lavia quietly returned to her room and lay down on her bed. It was noon. Lavia was sleeping, Selyse was fighting off the monsters while giving out instructions, Pia was admiring her, Priscilla was sent somewhere, and Paula was wondering what to do with the villagers. Cooking smoke was rising, and adventurers were having lunch. ¡°What do we do? We¡¯re here on an escort commission, but the villagers aren¡¯t leaving.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ But if we just follow the Four Eastern Stars, we can make some pretty good money.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s what¡¯s troubling. It¡¯s dangerous, but we managed to take down a Lesser Wyvern earlier.¡± ¡°She said we¡¯d split all the loot equally later. If we leave now, we might not get our share.¡± While they were engaged in idle conversation, the air burst. It sounded like a jet plane flying low was falling from the sky. The shadow circling above the village of Cotton-elka was so large as to render all the monsters until now as mere jokes. Selyse was staring at the sky above. Sophie fell in beside her, and then Sara, and lastly Selica. Paula and Pia also came out of their houses. So did Priscilla, who was staying at the village chief¡¯s house. ¡°Something big is coming.¡± Lavia woke up and went out the back door of the church to look up at the sky. Villagers came out of their houses, but no one said anything. No one screamed or cried. It is said that when a person is struck with abject terror, they become speechless. People normally call this state despair. Volume 2 - CH 4.1 ¡°Who said there were only five levels?!¡± Hikaru grumbled. He knew the way so far and was able to take the shortest route, but from the fifth level, he had to make a map of the place himself as he went on. This was extremely time-consuming. Eventually, he found a descending staircase leading to the sixth level. ¡°Is it noon now? Damn it. I can¡¯t even keep track of time anymore. I wish I had a wristwatch.¡± Although there were spring-operated watches in this world, smaller ones such as wristwatches and pocket watches were available only as magic items. Each one was made with highly-advanced Sorcery, making it very expensive. So far, he had not encountered any Lesser Wyverns or Executioners, and his Soul Rank had not increased. He had no idea what to do with the one available point he had left on his Soul Board. ¡°Let¡¯s just go down for now.¡± The stairs that led down was different from the previous ones. Instead of a crude staircase with steps of varying heights, this one was made of stone, with pristine and uniform steps. It was shaped in a long spiral, so he couldn¡¯t see what was ahead. Hikaru carefully descended with his Detection Skills active. After going down for about thirty meters, the staircase ended abruptly. The entrance to the sixth level was right in front of him. It was spacious. So large that it could fit a whole baseball stadium inside. Even without his magic lamp, there was plenty of light pouring down from above¡ªfrom the high ceiling made of branches and leaves, just like the first level. The walls were tree trunks, which turned into roots near the floor. And underfoot was an uneven ground, a mixture of soil and roots. Hikaru was frozen, his breath in his throat. An entity that made the vast space seem small¡ªan enormous monster¡ªwas crouched down on the ground, curled up like a cat. It had jet-black scales and a shape that resembled that of a Lesser Wyvern, but it was so large as to make a Lesser Wyvern seem adorable in comparison. A Black Dragon. ¡°You¡¯ve gotta be kidding me¡­ Things just went from zero to a hundred. Is this the Dungeon Master?¡± The moment Hikaru stepped into the space, the Black Dragon opened its eyes. ¡°Who goes there?¡± A powerful shockwave hit Hikaru. It felt like a huge hand just slapped him. The voice blasted him backwards with tremendous sound pressure. ¡°Ugh.¡± He crashed into the wall near the staircase. His whole body went numb, and he fell on his hands and knees. His flesh burned. That was just its voice?! And it could speak¡­ Wait, how did it see me? I should have my Stealth on right now. Don¡¯t tell me Stealth doesn¡¯t work on that thing. Hikaru was panicking. Losing his composure. His heart drummed loud in his chest. Calm down. Collect yourself. Gotta stay cool, or I¡¯ll lose my Stealth. He looked at the Black Dragon. Its head remained raised, its eyes sweeping the surrounding. It hasn¡¯t noticed me? No, it definitely asked who was there¡­ Did it sense a presence, and is now searching for it? The Soul Board¡¯s Instinct stat came to Hikaru¡¯s mind. Lawrence D. Falcon¡ªthe commander of the Knights of Ponsonia and known as the Sword Saint, the first foe whom Hikaru had a hard time against since coming to this world¡ªhad 6 points on his Instinct. This allowed the man to slice the stones that Hikaru threw at him, though in the end, Hikaru prevailed in a head-on combat. It¡¯s much more sensitive than that guy. But it¡¯s lost track of me. What¡¯s going on here? The Black Dragon¡¯s gaze darted around curiously. If I entered, it would know my location? The Black Dragon looked up at the sky. Hikaru followed its gaze and saw a large hole in a section of the ceiling. What¡¯s that hole? Is there Skill or a Magic spell that gives my location away? Like my Detection? Hmm¡­ Hikaru activated his Mana Detection. And then he realized what was going on. There was a thin, thread-like string of mana crawling across the floor near the entrance. The threads led to the Black Dragon, but Hikaru¡¯s Mana Detection had a range of only ten meters. The threads seemed to be longer. It noticed me because I stepped on the threads. If he stepped on a thread again, the Black Dragon would sense Hikaru¡¯s presence and most likely attack, not just emit sound pressure. Lesser Wyverns breathed fire, so there was a chance that the Black Dragon could do the same. In a dungeon with no exit, massive roaring flames would mean certain death. I have 4 points in Mana Cloaking. Can I slip past it if I maxed it to 5? No, wait. It being a mana thread doesn¡¯t mean it detects mana specifically. What if it senses life instead? Or what if it was just a weight sensor? He had only one point left. What do I do? The creature that flew over Cotton-elka¡ªa White Dragon¡ªrapidly descended and landed in the central square, blowing away roofs with a shockwave. The earth trembled, and dust and sand rose. The gale sent several people tumbling to the ground. Sunlight reflected off the white scales covering its body, giving it a somewhat mystical appearance. But its large mouth, sharp teeth, and ferocious eyes indicated clearly that it was a threat to humans. The White Dragon opened its mouth to the heavens. ¡°Get down!¡± The Four Eastern Stars immediately rushed to the scene, and as soon as Selyse saw the White Dragon, she held up her shield and hid Selica and Sara behind her. It let out a roar. A roar that shook the earth, rattled houses, and blew people away. Everyone near the square fainted, and the only store in the village collapsed. ¡°Selica, Sara, are you okay?!¡± Selyse shouted. Her shield, a type of magic item that reduced the impact of all kinds of attack and spells, had protected them. ¡°We¡¯re good!¡± Selica exclaimed. ¡°Ow, my ears¡­¡± ¡°Good. Thank goodness Sophie is in the med area. There should be a lot of people injured.¡± ¡°Would be great if they were only injured!¡± They were not intimidated by the White Dragon. But the adventurers following them were different. Half of them fainted, and the rest were paralyzed with fear¡ªsome of them wetting themselves. ¡°Split up and evacuate the residents!¡± Selyse ordered. ¡°Anyone conscious, go!¡± ¡°What about you guys?!¡± ¡°I wish I could say we¡¯ll take it down. We¡¯ll buy you some time.¡± Slumped down on the ground, the leader of the Rank D party Wild Horns noticed an unusual expression on Selyse¡¯s face. She was smiling, but she was focused, her gaze never leaving the White Dragon. ¡°G-Got it!¡± the man said. ¡°Hey, get up! This is not the time for a nap!¡± Trembling, the leader tried to stand up and fell back down on his buttocks. Not one adventurer laughed. Everyone who remained conscious were in a similar state. Some of them even started crying. The Four Eastern Stars couldn¡¯t help them up; their hands were full. The White Dragon had already sensed the hostility directed at it¡ªthe only three people in this situation who were ready to fight it. ¡°Oh¡­ The roar was not enough to make you flee.¡± The dragon probably thought it was speaking calmly. Yet the air still shook. Selyse was listening with her shield on the ready. ¡°You speak the human language?¡± she asked. ¡°Humans are not the only intelligent creatures out there. You worship the gods and kill other lifeforms. You are naught but mass murderers.¡± ¡°Are you a monster from the dungeon? There shouldn¡¯t be a dragon¡¯s den nearby.¡± ¡°Correct. I am a White Dragon created by the Master¡¯s wish. I am the brother of the Black Dragon, and the most powerful one there is.¡± Selyse¡¯s face contorted. There was another dragon. ¡°What is the matter? Are you not going to attack? Is the sword hanging from your waist a mere accessory?¡± ¡°Not at all. It¡¯s a blade that has sucked the blood of many dragons.¡± Selyse flashed a smile. The White Dragon¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Nonsense!¡± It took a deep breath. ¡°Selica, Sara, Plan B!¡± ¡°Right!¡± ¡°Gotcha!¡± The girls dispersed to the left and right. The White Dragon spewed fire on Selyse. The powerful flames seemed to engulf Selyse, but she drew her sword and slashed at the flames. ¡°Whoa¡­¡± Adventurers cheered. The sword had cut through the flames. The ground on either side of Selyse were scorched, but she was unharmed. ¡°What is that sword?¡± The blade was so slender as to seem a mere accessory. It glowed faintly with a silvery light. A magic item with Sorcery imbued into the blade itself. ¡°Like I said: It¡¯s the sword that has sucked the blood of many dragons¡­ the White Ray Blade.¡± ¡°The White Ray Blade¡­ It¡¯s my first time seeing it,¡± said one adventurer. ¡°What? She¡¯s been fighting monsters all this time, hasn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Are you stupid? The weapons she¡¯s been using so far were for small fry only. That weapon is what earned her the name Sun Maiden. It means she¡¯s going all-out!¡± ¡°Is that thing really that awesome?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a magic sword. If you feed mana into it, there¡¯s nothing it can¡¯t cut. It was kept in a temple in the royal capital for a long time, but I heard the temple lent it to the Four Eastern Stars after they completed a commission for them.¡± The adventurers quickly helped the others retreat. The fact that Selyse remained unperturbed had no doubt encouraged them. Phew¡­ Glad that worked out. Selyse, however, was on edge. She knew she could cut through the flames, but she didn¡¯t know where the fire would end up. There were too many people around. Her priority was to buy time to avoid as much casualties as possible. I can¡¯t win in a head-on battle. The foe was incredibly huge. There was no way she could get close to the monster and engage it in battle. Selyse thought of ways to buy time while keeping her distance. Getting too close was out of the question. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? If you think that was a fluke, why not try it again?¡± Selyse goaded. ¡°I see. You wish to buy time.¡± Selyse¡¯s face twisted. ¡°I do not like the fact that you cut my flames, but I know better than to be stubborn. I will do this instead.¡± ¡°Wait, stop!¡± The flame spewed by the White Dragon burned a house. Selyse knew there were villagers taking refuge inside. Screams erupted momentarily, then ceased. The house collapsed with the raging fire. They were dead. People actually died. Volume 2 - CH 4.2 ¡°Weak! Too weak!¡± the White Dragon howled in amusement. ¡°Why¡­ Why did you do that?! Living beings sometimes kill for food, kill when they are attacked. But only a child who doesn¡¯t know right or wrong kills for pleasure.¡± ¡°A foolish sentiment. I am a living creature, yet also not. I need not eat humans. My duty is to kill them. The Master has unlocked the dungeon, so I came here to kill.¡± The White Dragon spun around and swung its tail, destroying the village chief¡¯s house, the church, and the wreckage of the store. All Selyse could do was hope that none of the villagers were hiding in those houses. This thing¡¯s only goal is to kill humans. A pain in the neck. She couldn¡¯t buy time. From the White Dragon¡¯s point of view, Selyse, the adventurers, the villagers, were all the same¡ªnothing but ordinary humans. If it thought they were buying time, it would simply switch targets. Close combat is the only option. Keep its attention solely on me. I¡¯m going to remind it that there are humans here that could kill it. Selyse took a step forward. The White Dragon looked at her with a start. It sensed an extraordinary aura coming from her as she sauntered with her sword lowered. ¡°Come, then. I will take you on!¡± It breathed out flames, but Selyse cut through them with a single stroke. The White Dragon bent forward and lunged at Selyse. Its huge body collided with the crumbling church. It raised its front leg in front of Selyse¡ªand swung it down. The White Dragon¡¯s face scrunched up. The sword had blocked its foot. Not only that¡ªit severed it. Purple blood gushed out from the cut. The dragon roared. Selyse quickly raised her shield to block it, but the sound pressure lifted her off the ground, and sent her flying more than ten meters away. ¡°Miss Selyse!¡± ¡°She actually cut the dragon¡¯s foot!¡± The adventurers were elated. Selyse staggered to her feet. She could barely stand. Ugh¡­ Took almost all my mana. Exhaustion took hold of her. The White Ray Blade could cut anything by feeding it mana, but the harder the object, the more mana it required. Slicing through flames consumed very little mana, and she had experience with cutting rocks and metal. But she didn¡¯t expect to use up so much mana against the White Dragon. I underestimated the toughness of its scales¡­ The next attack will be rough. Selyse did not have a large supply of mana to begin with. She was a fighter who overwhelmed her opponents with her swordsmanship and physical abilities. While the White Ray Blade allowed her to momentarily wield tremendous power, she only used it as a trump card; it wasn¡¯t something she could use over and over again. ¡°You will pay for this.¡± Her trump card seemed to have worked. Selyse was all the White Dragon could see now. All she had to do now was buy as much time as possible. Her plan all along was to flee, not slay the foe. The Plan B that she told Selica and Sara meant to retreat. Selica would have gone to Sophie, while Sara to the village chief. The White Dragon, though enraged, watched Selyse¡¯s weapon warily. Its eyes are on me now. Now to buy more time. Feigning composure, Selyse faced the dragon. Meanwhile, Paula and her father were evacuating to a designated shelter¡ªa square on the outskirts of the village. It used to be a farm where goats were raised, but after the animals were sold off, it was now just a regular square. ¡°Paula, you¡¯re safe!¡± Pia was already there with the village chief. There were about fifty other villagers, but the entire population of the village was more than twice that number. Just then, Priscilla arrived with about ten people in tow. ¡°I told them it¡¯s not safe inside their houses, but they wouldn¡¯t believe me.¡± Rather than being out in the open, they had chosen to remain near the dragon, as long as they couldn¡¯t see it. Or perhaps they had lost consciousness. ¡°Dad, take care of the rest!¡± Pia said. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go fight with Lady Selyse. And I will witness her basking in the glory of slaying the dragon up close.¡± ¡°Slaying the dragon? What nonsense. A human can¡¯t possibly that monster.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one spewing nonsense. Lady Selyse is the leader of the Four Eastern Stars! She can slay the White Dragon!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s possible,¡± Sara said. She came running without a sound, not even out of breath. ¡°Miss Sara! Where¡¯s Lady Selyse?!¡± ¡°She chose to retreat. She¡¯ll buy us as much time as possible, so let¡¯s run to the woods, behind some big rock, or some other place where we can hide.¡± ¡°N-No way¡­¡± Pia hung her head. The village chief wore a look that said he already expected this. Sara laughed. ¡°We¡¯re only human. We can¡¯t do the impossible. Anyway, I¡¯ll go buy time with Selyse, so go. Quick.¡± A bell tolled out of nowhere. Attached to a hastily-built tower, its ringing meant only one thing. ¡°Drat. Why would the monsters attack now?¡± Sara pressed a hand on her forehead and looked up at the sky. ¡°Like I said, we¡¯ll buy you some time. Go! Now!¡± She sprinted away so fast that no one could even stop her. Astonished, Priscilla wondered if that was her going all-out. ¡°Phew. Who would¡¯ve thought monsters would be coming at this time?¡± The village chief sat down, and so did the other villagers. ¡°Wait, why are you sitting down?¡± Pia asked. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what Miss Sara just said? We have to get out of here!¡± ¡°We¡¯re not leaving.¡± ¡°What are you saying?! Why do you think Lady Selyse is fighting out there?!¡± ¡°I told you already. Even if we abandon this village, only death awaits us. Then we choose to die here.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He was just bringing up this morning¡¯s discussion again. ¡°Pia. If you want to live as an adventurer, you can leave us here.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Now go.¡± ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll go. I¡¯ll do just that!¡± Pia turned away from the village chief and started walking. ¡°I¡¯ll go help Lady Selyse. I don¡¯t care if I can¡¯t do anything. I can¡¯t just leave behind someone who¡¯s risking their life for this village.¡± She hurried away. ¡°You¡¯re a coward, dad! And an idiot!¡± She headed toward the heart of the village without looking back. The village chief watched her go, dumbfounded. ¡°Uncle.¡± Paula bent down beside the village chief. ¡°I think Pia was crying.¡± ¡°Probably. She hasn¡¯t changed at all. When she gets into a fight with me, she calls me an idiot and cries. Then in the next three days, she doesn¡¯t talk to me even when I call her.¡± Tears spilled from the village chief¡¯s eyes. He wasn¡¯t crying; emotions were pouring out as tears instead of words. ¡°Paula,¡± he said. ¡°Please take Pia with you and run away. We¡­ Cotton-elka will perish here today. I doubt Pia would talk to me. She needs three days before she feels better.¡± He laughed. ¡°Chief, everyone.¡± Paula stood up. ¡°This morning, Pia said we should leave. But the chief wouldn¡¯t agree. He said that even if we left this village, we would just die anyway. We only know how to grow tomatoes; we can¡¯t do anything in a place with no fields.¡± She turned to her father. ¡°And you said that we can never change what we are.¡± Paula¡¯s father nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. All we can do is grow tomatoes,¡± the village chief replied, glancing at the direction Pia ran off to. The villagers nodded as well. They all shared the chief¡¯s sentiment. They accepted his decision to perish along with Cotton-elka. ¡°You¡¯re wrong,¡± Paula said. ¡°I agree that we can¡¯t change what we are. Then why not think of it this way? Cotton-elka is where we are.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± The village chief looked at Paula for the first time. Above her was the sun. The chief squinted against the brightness. ¡°This place isn¡¯t Cotton-elka. Long ago, there was nothing but woods here, and our ancestors cleared the land. Wherever we go, we are us. Where we are is Cotton-elka.¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± ¡°Can we really only grow tomatoes here? Are everyone¡¯s skills dependent on these fields? If there¡¯s no field, let¡¯s make one. Just as our ancestors did in the past. Don¡¯t tell me you can¡¯t. Even I, a crybaby, fought monsters.¡± After Paula finished speaking, silence fell. Somewhere a house collapsed. Clap, clap, clap. It was Priscilla, clapping her hands. Another round of applause followed. Paula¡¯s father. ¡°Ah, they grow up so fast,¡± the pastor said. ¡°Chief, everyone, you heard her. She isn¡¯t a child anymore like we thought. They became adventurers because the village was struggling, and they wanted to send money. How long will you keep hanging your heads?¡± The villagers already had their heads raised. The first to stand up was the village chief. ¡°If we¡¯re going to die anyway, we die fighting. Paula, your words resonated with me. ¡®A village is not a place, it¡¯s a people.¡¯ These were the previous chief¡¯s words. My father¡¯s. And you reminded me of them.¡± The village chief stroked Paula¡¯s head. ¡°So¡­¡± Paula said. ¡°Yes.¡± The village chief nodded firmly. His dignity as the village¡¯s leader returned in his eyes. ¡°Listen up! We are leaving! Men, split up and gather the villagers. Women, children, and the elderly will leave immediately.¡± The villagers roared in unison, rising to their feet. Another house collapsed. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± People moved. Volume 2 - CH 4.3 Hikaru was in front of the Black Dragon¡¯s room, thinking. What to do? Going back to the fifth level and killing monsters to gain points is too inefficient. Might as well just retreat. Retreat? Lavia did tell me to come back if I can¡¯t ensure my safety. Sweat trickled from his temples. Sorry, Lavia. I can¡¯t stand the idea of running away without even trying. Hikaru summoned his Soul Board. There¡¯s only one way for the threads to not detect me. Hikaru only hesitated for a moment before putting a point on a stat under Agility¡ªBalance. ¡¾Soul Board¡¿Hikaru Age: 15 | Rank: 19 | 0 ¡¾Vitality¡¿ ¡¾Magical Power¡¿ ¡¾Strength¡¿ ¡¾Muscle Strength¡¿1 ¡¾Weapon Mastery¡¿ ¡¾Projectile¡¿2 ¡¾Agility¡¿ ¡¾Power Burst¡¿1 ¡¾Balance¡¿1 ¡¾Stealth¡¿ ¡¾Life Cloaking¡¿4 ¡¾Mana Cloaking¡¿4 ¡¾Imperceptibility¡¿5 (MAX) ¡¾Assassination¡¿3 (MAX) ¡¾Group Cloaking¡¿3 ¡¾Instinct¡¿ ¡¾Detection¡¿ The threads were only laid down right at the entrance. Beyond that, there was a gap¡ªjust wide enough for one foot. Hikaru jumped up and down to check the ground¡¯s condition. If it can sense me if I stepped on it, then I just don¡¯t have to step on it. Hikaru leaped¡ªwith his one point on Power Burst, he had the jumping power of the average athlete¡ªand landed on his tiptoes in the gap about five meters ahead. He wobbled a bit, but his body quickly stilled. Wow. I¡¯m pretty sure Balance maxes out at 20 points. If 1 point allows me to do this, what would 20 points be like? Can I cross a log bridge over the roof of a skyscraper doing a one-hand stand? Upon using Mana Detection, he spotted gaps in some places. He jumped across. ¡°¡­¡± The Black Dragon was looking around curiously. Was it sensing something? But there was no sign of anything there. Is this guy the Dungeon Master? The closer Hikaru got, the more he realized how incredibly gigantic it was. Its face alone was as big as a car. The gaps grew wider. There were almost no mana threads now, and the area around him, right under the Black Dragon¡¯s nose, was safe enough for him to run around in. I¡¯ll know once I kill it. But how do I do that? Hikaru racked his brain. A stab to the heart would kill a human being. This was because the heart pumped the blood that the body needed to function. And it was no different for other living things. He thought about this world. There was one sun, and the moon rose as well. The existence of Magic, Spirits, and gods might indicate otherwise, but the environment here was very similar to that of Earth. Even the gravity was the same. Same humans. There were even dogs and cats. What about dragons, then? They looked like lizards, except bigger. Their magical power and life force were at extraordinary levels, and the scales on its surface were probably tremendously tough. Nevertheless, it still must have a heart. The pseudo-monsters in this dungeon¡ªthe creatures, rather¡ªwere imitations of real living beings. The basilisk that Hikaru attacked with his throwing knife died from the hit, and plants such as the Branchmen, Leaf Monsters, and Treants also released mana once they stopped moving, then died. Hikaru guessed that their mana served as a substitute for blood. Then what about this Black Dragon? If it¡¯s similar to a lizard, it should have an incomplete heart. Unlike the human heart, which has two ventricles and two atria, a lizard¡¯s heart only has a single ventricle, where blood from both the artery and vein mix together. Its blood circulation is basically inefficient. Hikaru¡¯s Mana Detection showed mana flowing through its body like blood, with high concentration in the heart, located at the center, and in the brain area. He could stab it, but his blade wouldn¡¯t reach the heart, and its head was too high up, about ten meters. But there should be an artery in its neck that leads to the brain. Its neck was long, as thick as a log. Time to test it out! He hesitated only for a few seconds. Hikaru¡¯s jumping ability, enhanced by the 1 point on his Power Burst, was equal to that of an athletic adult. Moreover, he didn¡¯t weigh much, which allowed him to leap vertically about a meter with ease. Even then, he only reached the base of the dragon¡¯s neck. ¡°Right here!¡± Hikaru was equipped with two daggers. He pulled out one of them, the Dagger of Strength, and swung it as hard as he could. The blade cut through the scales, shattering them like glass, and tore through the flesh inside. The dragon howled. ¡°Hmm?!¡± But that was all. The blade pierced about fifty centimeters in, then was blocked by hard flesh. It was like cutting wood. Purple blood gushed out, but the blade wouldn¡¯t move any further. He couldn¡¯t even pull the dagger back out. The roar of the Black Dragon proved troublesome too. Hikaru was blown away by the sound pressure and slammed hard against the ground. ¡°Agh!¡± His body bounced and rolled backwards. ¡°What did you do?!¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Blood spilled from Hikaru¡¯s ears. His eardrums had been ruptured. One could consider it lucky that he couldn¡¯t hear the dragon¡¯s loud voice anymore, but the sensation of his brain being shaken made him wobbly. If it weren¡¯t for the 1 point he had on Balance, he would have collapsed on the spot. This is not good¡­ Hikaru spurred his body into motion. The Black Dragon shouldn¡¯t have actually seen him, but he touched the mana thread on the ground. Immediately after he started running, red flames billowed at the spot where he was. ¡°I can feel your presence¡­ Where are you¡­?¡± Flames sputtered from the Black Dragon¡¯s mouth. That¡¯s just not fair¡­ Just one jet of flames melted the ground, emitting heat and a burnt smell. My bones¡­ are good. Not broken. While resting in a safe spot, Hikaru ran his hand over his body. His arms and legs seemed to be fine, as he had landed on his back. But now his back felt numb. It could be internal bleeding or bruising. Either way, he couldn¡¯t afford to worry about that right now, and feeling no pain actually served him well in this situation. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and saw blood. He must have injured the inside of his mouth. Just knowing that I could break the scales is good enough for me. The Black Dragon noticed me as I was stabbing it. That means my Stealth was dispelled, and the Assassination buff wore off. Reaction time was about 0.3 seconds. That¡¯s all I need. Hikaru reached around his waist. His usual weapon, the Dagger of Strength, was still stuck in the Black Dragon¡¯s neck. Time to use this bad boy. He still had his other weapon, a new one that he had asked Leniwood to craft¡ªa prototype. ¡°Hikaru,¡± Leniwood had said. ¡°Interesting job you got for me. I¡¯ve never heard or seen such a weapon before. Anyway, this is just a prototype. Try it out and let me know how it goes.¡± ¡°You can only use it once, though. So make sure you use it on someone way bigger than you.¡± Someone bigger than him. The Black Dragon was the perfect foe to test his new blade on. Hikaru pulled the sword from its sheath. Its blade gleamed silver; it almost looked like any other dagger. The only thing that made it unique was the long, thin, triangular shape of the blade. Its pointed tip made it a weapon for stabbing. ¡°Tch. A nuisance has appeared right when White is gone.¡± The Black Dragon glanced up at the ceiling. It dawned on Hikaru. The hole in the ceiling¡­ Did something force its way out? He recalled the mighty presence that flew up into the sky. The Black Dragon called it White. And this area¡­ the Black Dragon is big, but it looks too big for only one. Hikaru arrived at a conclusion. There¡¯s another dragon! A dragon that could fly would soon discover Cotton-elka. Lavia was there. If the White Dragon could breathe fire too, it could cause damage over a wide area. She might have Stealth, but if there were other people nearby, she might get caught in the mess. ¡°I suppose I could simply burn the whole place. I am worried about the effect on the other levels, but I am certain the Master will not mind if it means eliminating the enemy.¡± The Black Dragon¡¯s monologue ended there. It felt something on its left side¡ªHikaru¡¯s prototype weapon stabbing it. The buff from Assassination should have worn off like it did earlier. But there was a delay¡ªthe time it took for the pain to reach the brain, for it to be recognized as an attack, and for the brain to confirm the presence of someone. It totaled 0.3 seconds. Pushing the tip of the dagger into its side, Hikaru made sure that the blade had entered the Black Dragon¡¯s flesh, all the way to the base. He pushed the button on the head of the hilt, ejecting the blade. This took 0.3 seconds. ¡°This thing flies pretty fast. Just don¡¯t expect it to fly straight. I hope that¡¯s okay with you. No amount of effort by the dragon would prevent the blade from piercing through an organ with no muscle. Even more so if the blade was like a needle, made for stabbing. ¡°Hmm?¡± A slight pain drew the Black Dragon¡¯s eyes to its feet. There was a boy dressed in black. A mere needle should not be able to inflict a fatal wound even if it punctured its internal organs. Unfortunately for the dragon, this was no ordinary needle. ¡°What are you doi¡ª?¡± The Black Dragon¡¯s body trembled. It was more of a jerk, considering its huge size. But that jerk was its last. ¡°A human heart weighs 300 grams, an African elephant¡¯s 20 kilograms, and a blue whale¡¯s about 600 kilograms. I don¡¯t know how heavy the heart of a Black Dragon is, but¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve set the magic item to activate one second after ejection!¡± It was Kelbeck who created the magic item installed in the blade. ¡°What are you gonna use this dangerous thing on? Well, as long as I get paid, I don¡¯t mind selling it to you. But this magic item goes ¡®Boom!¡¯ the moment it activates. I¡¯m talking about an explosion. A huge one. You can think of it as a mid-level fire magic.¡± Hikaru had ejected the weapon¡¯s blade and planted a bomb directly into the Black Dragon¡¯s heart. He named this new weapon the Blade Bomb. An extravagant means of attack, it was a disposable weapon made from an expensive magic item. But the immense power it packed was well worth the price. It was a quiet end. The body of the Black Dragon, its eyes wide open, immediately turned to ash, falling to the ground along with the Dagger of Strength. The blood, too, turned to ashes. Hikaru flopped down on the ground. ¡°Phew¡­ I¡¯m beat. I just want to take a rest. My Soul Rank seemed to have gone up. Maybe I should put points on Stamina or Natural Recovery. Not that I have time to give it some serious thought.¡± Buried in a pile of ashes was the Dagger of Strength and a large black stone¡ªa slightly-transparent gem the size of a fist. Hikaru couldn¡¯t tell what kind of stone it was, but it was a pure one. There was something up ahead. Something hidden by the Black Dragon¡¯s mana, perhaps. On the wall was a double door. ¡°The dragon mentioned a master. That means it wasn¡¯t the Dungeon Master. I hope it¡¯s smaller than the Black Dragon.¡± Hikaru picked up his weapon and the gem, stepped over the ashes, and headed for the door. Volume 2 - CH 4.4 It was utter chaos. The arrival of the White Dragon alone was bad news, but the lookout watching the outside of the village had rung the bell¡ªa raid was coming. ¡°Wh-Wh-What do we do?!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look at me! We¡¯re here to escort the villagers. And they¡¯re not leaving. We should at least save ourselves!¡± ¡°We can¡¯t just abandon the villagers!¡± ¡°They said they were staying!¡± ¡°Oh, shut up already!¡± the leader of Wild Horns interjected. ¡°A woman is fighting a dragon! We can¡¯t be whining here. Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°G-Go where?¡± ¡°To fight the monsters outside, where else?! We have to get rid of the small fry, or they¡¯re gonna get in the way with the battle against the dragon.¡± And that was the matter settled. With grim determination, the adventurers¡ªsome of them anxious¡ªheaded to the village outskirts. But what they saw beggared the imagination. Up until now, the monsters that showed up were at most Rank D¡ªsuch as the Treant, Lost Man, Evil Eye. And they only managed to kill them with the help of the Four Eastern Stars. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The Rank F and G adventurers who came here for an escort commission were left speechless. ¡°Lesser Wyverns,¡± said a member of Wild Horns. There were three Lesser Wyverns, Rank C monsters, and a few others here and there. They might be able to kill one Lesser Wyvern, though not without casualties, but three was a different story. The adventurers saw themselves getting annihilated. The Lesser Wyverns advanced slowly. They were completely underestimating the adventurers. ¡°It¡¯s over¡­¡± Their determination from earlier was already wavering. Some adventurers fell to their knees. The leader of Wild Horns wanted to do the same. He knew that nothing good would come from fighting monsters much bigger than him. Such intuition was what allowed him to climb to Rank D. ¡°Are those three the most dangerous ones?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious?¡± ¡°So you just need those three gone?¡± ¡°If we could do that¡ªwait, who are you?¡± Beside the leader was a girl he had never seen before. She was wearing her hood low, so he couldn¡¯t make out her face, but he was sure he hadn¡¯t seen her before in the village. ¡°I see. Then please take care of the rest of the monsters,¡± the girl said. ¡°I¡¯m more concerned about the White Dragon.¡± She raised her hands in the air. The leader rubbed his eyes. She was right in front of him, but it felt like if he lost focus, he would lose sight of her. ¡°O¡¯ Spirits, heed my call. A raging fire is what I desire. Fire to burn down all living things, all creation, the laws of the universe!¡± The leader¡¯s hackles rose. The ground around her emitted a light about three meters in diameter. He knew it was the invocation of Spirit Magic, but he had never seen light glowing over such a wide area. ¡°Dance, Spirits! I offer you my mana, so sing, Spirits! Take back our once pure world and burn everything down to ashes!¡± A tremendous torrent of mana swirled around them. One adventurer gasped and pointed to the sky. A huge magic circle appeared about ten meters above, and an enormous fireball slowly emerged from within. The moment they noticed the spell, the Lesser Wyverns stopped, and immediately started running toward the adventurers. Their instincts were telling them to kill the humans before the spell could be activated. What appeared from the magic circle was not a fireball. It was a twisting, serpentine flame. ¡°Flame Gospel!¡± The Lesser Wyverns did not make it in time. The spell was cast, and the massive, coiling flames swooped down on the lesser dragons. The monsters shrieked. The spell scored a direct hit, but instead of bursting, the flames wrapped around the body of a Lesser Wyvern before leaping onto the next one. Just as the three wyverns were burned completely, the flames disappeared. The adventurers could only watch mutely. ¡°Phew. Please take care of the rest,¡± the girl said. ¡°R-Right,¡± the leader of Wild Horns responded. The girl was already gone. He rubbed his eyes, but he couldn¡¯t find her anywhere. It felt like he was dreaming. But when he saw the Lesser Wyvern crumble to ashes, he snapped back to his senses. ¡°L-Let¡¯s take care of those monsters!¡± ¡°Y-Yeah!¡± ¡°R-Right.¡± Though hardly spirited, the adventurers picked up their weapons and charged. The monsters were not that far ahead, and they didn¡¯t seem to care that the Lesser Wyverns had been killed. This was the difference between a living monster and a dungeon monster. They didn¡¯t see my face, and it¡¯s an emergency, so it should be fine. Lavia glanced over her shoulder as she hurried to the village. Using a lot of mana at once left her a little fatigued. The monsters outside the village should be manageable now. The problem was the White Dragon. Meanwhile, devastation unlike anything Cotton-elka had ever seen lay all around the White Dragon. Collapsed houses, scorched earth, billowing flames. ¡°Lady Selyse!¡± Pia called. ¡°We¡¯ve moved all the injured!¡± After a fight with her father, she came here to help Selyse. But against the overwhelming power of the White Dragon, she would only be a liability. Selyse quickly ordered Pia to rescue the villagers who failed to escape. A few villagers had died, but some were still alive, injured. After Sophie healed the last person, she went to the square where the rest of the villagers were gathered. Pia had witnessed Selyse cut through the White Dragon¡¯s flames. It was a breathtaking sight that could only be found in a fairy tale or a play. When she realized that she was a part of this moment, Pia was filled with unspeakable rapture. I have to help her! From Pia¡¯s point of view, Selyse was fighting the White Dragon all alone. She was facing the vicious and ferocious entity all by herself. She revered her, worshipped her. But that couldn¡¯t be farther from the truth. Sara, a scout, shot arrows from the shadows to inflict a small amount of damage on the White Dragon, and when the dragon tried to attack her, she quickly concealed herself, confusing it. The Mage Selica prepared to cast a spell from the White Dragon¡¯s blind spot, emitting mana. A direct hit from the spell would be bad for the White Dragon, so it tried to attack Selica first, but she cancelled the spell and fled. Incantation took time, and since Selica couldn¡¯t move while chanting, she had not been able to fire a single shot so far, but simply turning the White Dragon¡¯s body created an opening that allowed Selyse to attack with her White Ray Blade. The White Dragon¡¯s body was covered in numerous shallow cuts, blood trickling to the ground. Still not enough¡­ Selyse was tense. The dragon¡¯s wounds were healing rapidly. Its huge body seemed to have an inexhaustible amount of stamina as it showed no signs of fatigue, while a single blow to Selyse and she was done for. She had to stay focused. The situation was at a standstill, but Selyse continued to fight anyway, waiting for a report that would break the deadlock. She knew better than to choose an option that gradually led to total annihilation, and Rank B adventurers always fought with a clear vision. ¡°Ugh!¡± The White Dragon spun, swinging its tail around. Flying rubble destroyed more houses. Selyse blocked the debris flying at her with her shield. Then, the White Dragon let out a breath of fire. Selyse slashed it with her White Ray Blade, but it didn¡¯t stop her surroundings from burning. Her skin felt hot. The White Dragon lunged at her, and she jumped to the side to dodge. Touching the ground would burn her hand, so she used her shield to prop herself, and jumped with one hand. The White Dragon, dashing past Selyse, whirled around, irritated. It was losing its patience. At that moment, the long-awaited report came. A girl appeared on the other side of the village¡¯s central square, now nothing more than a place littered with debris. She was an adventurer and the pastor¡¯s daughter, Paula. She raised her arms high and wide in the shape of a circle. Selyse immediately understood. The girl had succeeded in convincing the villagers to leave the village. Well done! She wanted to shout. This was something that even the Four Eastern Stars, as strong as they were, could do nothing about. Only someone who could strike at the villagers¡¯ heart could accomplish this difficult task, and Paula did it. Now they could execute a strategy. Buy time against the White Dragon and wait for dusk, and once the sun had completely set, retreat. The government wouldn¡¯t ignore a monster of this level, and Selyse could use her contacts to assemble high-ranked adventurers. Once killed, the White Dragon would no doubt drop a stone or gem of considerable value, and there were plenty of adventurers who would love to earn the title of Dragon Slayer. But one moment was all it took for the situation to turn dire. The White Dragon followed Selyse¡¯s gaze and spotted Paula, completely defenseless. It bent forward and broke into a run. It seemed slow, but it had huge strides. Clicking her tongue, Selyse stepped to the side of the White Dragon and swung her sword. Draw its attention and immediately retreat. But she thought wrong¡ªthe White Dragon ignored her. The wound she inflicted was shallow because she meant to withdraw. The dragon had learned that she was actually not thinking of killing it. That even if it went after her, she would just run away. There was no one left to protect Paula. Despair colored her face. ¡°Haaaahhh!¡± Pia stepped in front of Paula. Gripping a long sword in both hands, she dashed toward the White Dragon awkwardly. A thoughtless move. Selyse¡¯s hunch told her the girl was dead. Volume 2 - CH 4.5 ¡°I¡¯ll protect you, Paula!¡± Pia had always said. Paula was the most reluctant to become an adventurer, while Pia wanted to leave the village to become an adventurer the most. Pia wanted to allay her friends¡¯ fear. She had uttered the words countless times. But while the thought was there, the ability wasn¡¯t. They were only a party of novice adventurers, struggling even against Forest Rats, and Pia only managed to stop them by making them bite her. For a young girl, she kept getting herself hurt. Paula¡¯s healing abilities had improved after healing Pia numerous times, but she didn¡¯t want to leave any scars on her body. Deep down, she hoped they would quit being adventurers and return to being just ordinary girls, fall in love, and get married. Ordinary girls didn¡¯t have scars on their bodies. Paula never doubted Pia¡¯s intentions, but she knew that her friend was incapable of protecting her¡ªespecially against a huge, powerful monster. In fact, Pia couldn¡¯t protect her from the Goblins; Hikaru had to come to the rescue. ¡°Why¡­¡± Paula never thought that she would stand up to the White Dragon to protect her. ¡°Aaaaaaah!¡± Pia¡¯s sudden appearance startled the dragon. When it realized that she was charging in with reckless abandon, it quickly stopped in its tracks. The dragon spotted an arrow zipping straight to its eyes with deadly accuracy. It was a weak attack easily repelled by the scales on its eyelids, but it was no less annoying. There was a girl standing on top of a half-destroyed house, holding a bow in her hand. Priscilla. In her hand was the next arrow. ¡°Hiyaaahhh!¡± Pia swung her long sword at the White Dragon¡¯s foot, but the scales repelled the weapon away. The dragon felt nothing. Pia struck and struck again nevertheless. Unlike the human from earlier¡ªshe was no threat. Feeling indignant at itself for being cautious even for a moment, the White Dragon shook its unharmed foot casually. ¡°Pia!¡± Pia flew backwards and slammed hard on the ground face-down. Her sword rolled somewhere. Paula rushed to her friend and lifted her up. ¡°No¡­!¡± Just one blow. Just one attack tore Pia¡¯s armor off and broke the bones in her body. Her internal organs could be ruptured as well. Paula tried to use her Healing magic, when she felt the White Dragon approaching her. ¡°Sara, Selica! Fire!¡± ¡°Got it!¡± ¡°I know!¡± A hail of arrows from Priscilla and Sara rained down, while Selica recited an incantation. Selyse sprinted to the White Dragon from behind, but a roar was all it took to send her flying. It then breathed fire at Selica and Priscilla. They had moved too close to draw the dragon¡¯s attention, so they couldn¡¯t dodge the attack. Their arms and legs were set aflame. Paula, pushed away by the roar, quickly scrambled back to Pia. ¡°You¡¯re okay. You¡¯ll be fine,¡± she said. ¡°This is nothing. My Healing magic can heal you. ¡°O¡¯ God who art in heaven, in your name I ask for a miracle. In my right hand is the gift of life, in my left the blessing of death.¡± ¡°P-Paula¡­¡± Pia opened her eyes slightly, though her gaze was unfocused. She tried to find her childhood friend, but her feeble voice was drowned out by the footsteps of the gigantic monster. The White Dragon lumbered toward Paula and Pia. It didn¡¯t roar, breathe fire, or swing its tail; it simply walked leisurely. It was showing its composure. ¡°R-Run, Paula¡­¡± ¡°Bless us who live in this world. My mana I offer¡­¡± As soon as Paula finished chanting, the magic spell triggered, but it barely did anything. Pia only glowed softly. Her wounds still remained, her face ashen. It was too late. ¡°No! It should work! My magic will heal you!¡± ¡°Run¡­ away¡­ Save¡­ yourself¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve healed you countless times before! Every time you put your body on the line to protect me¡­ It should work¡­¡± Tears streamed down Paula¡¯s face. ¡°Paula¡­¡± Tears hit Pia¡¯s cheek and trickled down. It was then that Pia realized that her friend was there. ¡°You were¡­ the greatest friend¡­ I could ever ask for¡­¡± ¡°Of course. We¡¯re best friends. We had our disagreements, but you and Priscilla are the only friends I have.¡± Paula wrapped her arms around Pia¡¯s head. Paula was aware that the White Dragon was standing right behind her, and that Pia¡¯s body was barely responsive. But she couldn¡¯t leave. There was no way she could leave her friend behind while she ran. Growling, the White Dragon opened its mouth wide. Sticky saliva dripped from its fangs. ¡°Take back our once pure world and burn everything down to ashes.¡± An incantation. Up until that moment, no one had noticed a Spirit Magic spell being invoked. A girl was standing still behind a rubble; there was no one there just moments ago. A huge magic circle appeared above her head, and a ball of flame emerged. Sensing danger, the White Dragon turned its open mouth to the girl to interrupt her incantation. Then it froze. Selyse chuckled. ¡°You didn¡¯t think a roar was enough to finish me off, did you?¡± She stood at the dragon¡¯s feet. In her hand was the White Ray Blade, its tip piercing through the White Dragon¡¯s leg and pinning it to the ground. Selyse was not a Stealth user. She simply waited for the right moment. After eliminating the troublesome adventurers, the dragon slowly moved to devour its prey, letting its guard down in the process. Waiting for this exact moment, Selyse closed the distance in one breath. Under normal circumstances, the dragon would have noticed her a few steps ahead, but the Spirit Magic incantation provided the additional distraction that she needed to reach the dragon¡¯s feet. Her sword could only do so much, and it was unlikely that she could kill the White Dragon in one hit, so Selyse switched plans and decided to restrict the dragon¡¯s movement instead. She believed that the enormous magic spell cast by the unfamiliar girl would turn the tides in their favor. ¡°Flame Gospel!¡± A huge ball of flame shot out. Leaving behind a trail, it flew like a serpent, instantly closing in on the White Dragon. The monster twisted its body to escape, but its foot was pinned to the ground by the sword, and Selyse was pressing down on it with both hands. In a desperate move, the White Dragon let out a deafening roar. The ball of flame lost its shape and burned part of the monster¡¯s face, neck, and body. The roar knocked back Selyse, Paula, and Pia, who were all at close range. This was a blessing in disguise, as they were spared from the spread of the fire. ¡°I-Is it dead¡­?¡± Paula slowly lifted her body up. Her eardrums might¡¯ve been ruptured as she couldn¡¯t hear well. Pia was lying right next to her. ¡°Gwwoooooaaaahhhh!¡± But it was not enough. Flame Gospel would have killed a Lesser Wyvern in an instant, but it wasn¡¯t enough to slay the White Dragon. Severely wounded, the White Dragon surveyed its surroundings with a vicious gaze. Its skin was bubbling; its wounds were already starting to heal. ¡°God¡­¡± Paula prayed. How would they fight such a monster? This was far too much for humans. Even Selyse, the strongest adventurer Paula had ever known, had reached her limit when she skewered the White Dragon¡¯s foot; she was lying limp in the distance. The unfamiliar, young girl alone had both hands pointed toward the White Dragon. ¡°O¡¯ Spirit, heed my call¡­¡± She was reciting an incantation once more. She was still trying to cast a spell. Trying to fight. ¡°God, please¡­ please save us. I don¡¯t care what happens to me. Please save the villagers, those who are fighting for the village¡­ Please!¡± The White Dragon immediately noticed the incantation. It tried to move, but the sword stuck in its foot stopped it. The dragon pulled it out. The girl was about thirty meters away. Only seconds away if it sprinted at full speed. It could stop her before she finished her incantation. The White Dragon bent forward. Paula saw the girl stop chanting, lowering both her hands. Oh, she gave up too, she thought. ¡°God¡­!¡± Praying to the gods was the only thing she could do. And it frustrated her to no end. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± But Paula was about to witness a miracle. The White Dragon let out a short gasp. Its head slid off along a diagonal cut on its neck. ¡°What?¡± The head fell to the ground, raising a cloud of dust as it splattered blood all around. Immediately after, every part of the dragon turned to ash, mixing with the dust. ¡°Phew¡­ That was a close call.¡± Paula saw God. ¡°The burnt scales made it easier to slice it.¡± The young adventurer who had once saved her life was standing there, holding the long sword that Paula had dropped. Volume 2 - CH 5.1 As Hikaru said, it was a close call. The White Dragon, like its Black counterpart, could only be killed by destroying either its head or heart. However, with the Blade Bomb being a one-time-use weapon, targeting the heart was not an option. This left Hikaru with only one choice: he had to go for the head. But even if he leapt, Hikaru knew that he wouldn¡¯t be able to reach the dragon¡¯s head with just his dagger. As he sprinted towards Cotton Elka, he pondered his next move. The devastation in the square told him it was too late, but Lavia¡¯s spell had just unleashed a blaze of fire that burned the dragon¡¯s scales. It was the chance he needed. He picked up a long sword that was lying on the ground; who owned it, he didn¡¯t know. Using Mana Detection, he confirmed that there were no mana threads in use by the White Dragon to detect hostiles. To Hikaru, the White Dragon was just a moving target. He took aim at the dragon¡¯s neck as it charged towards Lavia. His Stealth and Assassination Skills combined to deliver a devastating blow. His 1 point on Strength allowed him to wield the long sword with ease, slicing through the flesh and severing the head from the dragon¡¯s body. He wondered what to do with the fist-sized, white gem buried in the ashes. A monster as huge as this would draw a lot of attention, and taking it with him would only cause trouble later, so he left it. As Hikaru surveyed the scene, he spotted a member of the Four Eastern Stars lying on the ground. Sophie rushed over to heal her. Priscilla was also there. They were too busy to look in this direction. ¡°Hikaru,¡± Lavia called as she trotted toward him. ¡°¡­That was terrifying.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was going to hide as soon as the monster turned to me.¡± ¡°Sorry. Come again?¡± ¡°Wait, your ears¡­¡± Hikaru¡¯s eardrums had ruptured. Lavia¡¯s voice sounded distant. ¡°Oh, yeah¡­ I¡¯ll fix it later,¡± he said. ¡°What about the dungeon?¡± He read Lavia¡¯s lips. ¡°That matter has been settled. Well, not completely settled, I guess.¡± Lavia gave him a perplexed look. ¡°Lord Hikaru¡­¡± ¡°Oh, Paula. You¡¯re all right.¡± Then he noticed. It was Pia who was lying beside her. Her terrible wounds were visible even from a distance. Her eyes were closed, and she seemed to be barely alive. Paula couldn¡¯t heal her with her magic. ¡°¡­How¡¯s Pia?¡± Hikaru asked. Paula shook her head weakly. ¡°She protected me¡­¡± ¡°Pia protected her,¡± Lavia whispered in Hikaru¡¯s ear. Hikaru saw Pia in a new light now. She was all over Selyse, like a fan obsessed with brand items. But she risked her life to protect her best friend. ¡°But I can¡¯t heal her,¡± Paula said. ¡°People just keep saving me from danger. You, and now Pia.¡± Tears pooled in her eyes. ¡°Paula¡­¡± Healing Pia was possible. Hikaru could use his ability to edit Paula¡¯s Soul Board and boost her abilities. But he had to keep his powers secret. He knew that if his abilities leaked out to the public, there would be nothing but trouble. Abandoning Pia would be easy. And Hikaru knew very well that that was the option he should take. But he was sure he would regret it. For a long time. Kneeling on the ground, Hikaru asked, ¡°Do you want to heal Pia?¡± He sensed Lavia gasp behind him. ¡°Of course¡­ Pia is my childhood friend, my best friend, the one who saved my life. She¡¯s selfish and reckless, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to hate her.¡± Hikaru could only hear half of what she was saying. But she conveyed her feelings well. ¡°Would you put your life on the line if it meant healing her?¡± Paula looked at Hikaru with a tear-stained face. ¡°I¡¯m not telling you to die,¡± he added. ¡°But you will live with a secret that you cannot tell anyone. You will agree to all my terms. Are you willing to do that?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll gladly die if it means saving her.¡± Her answer was loud and clear. I didn¡¯t tell her to die, though. ¡°Close your eyes,¡± Hikaru said. ¡°The next time you open them, your world will change.¡± He opened Paula¡¯s Soul Board. ¡¾Soul Board¡¿Paula Norah Age: 17 | Rank: 6 | 10 ¡¾Magical Power¡¿ ¡¾Mana Capacity¡¿2 ¡¾Willpower¡¿ ¡¾Faith¡¿ ¡¾Holy¡¿4 ¡¾Healing Magic¡¿2 ¡¾Support Magic¡¿1 Hikaru nodded. Ten available points. From what he¡¯d seen so far, 2 points on Healing Magic would be average. Healers working in clinics would have a max of 4 points, and he had only seen one so far. Paula must have judged that even someone that good couldn¡¯t heal Pia. If 4 points aren¡¯t enough, we¡¯ll just double it to 8. Assuming the maximum was 10 points, 8 would give her immense healing abilities. He put 6 more points on Healing Magic and 4 on Mana Capacity, exhausting all her available points. Hikaru glanced over his shoulder and saw Lavia looking worried. He understood her concern. There was no guarantee that Paula would not double-cross him in the future. She might tell someone about his ability. Nevertheless, he decided to believe Paula. Because at least at the moment, her desire to save her friend even at the cost of her own life was genuine. Just as he believed in Lavia, who took the blame for her father¡¯s murder. He saved himself by believing in someone. ¡°Open your eyes,¡± he said. ¡°Now try using your Healing magic. Give it your all.¡± ¡°B-But I tried earlier, and it didn¡¯t work.¡± ¡°Do you feel any different?¡± ¡°Hmm, huh?! It feels like I have more mana now¡­¡± ¡°Use all your mana on your Healing magic. And you have to hurry.¡± ¡°O-Okay.¡± Hikaru placed a hand on Paula¡¯s shoulder and another on Pia¡¯s forehead. He activated Group Cloaking just in case. ¡°O¡¯ God who art in heaven, in your name I ask for a miracle. In my right hand is the gift of life, in my left the blessing of death. Bless us who live in this world. My mana I offer¡­¡± Her sonorous incantation went on. Warm, golden mana poured out from Paula, something that had never happened before. It was a phenomenon that occurred when tremendous magical power was unleashed, but Paula herself was unaware, as she had her eyes closed. Golden light moved from Paula¡¯s hands to Pia. The flesh on Pia¡¯s belly twitched as it automatically repaired itself. It was like watching CGI. Looks like 8 points on Healing Magic is enough. Hikaru could have stopped at 6 or 5; there were probably people in this world with Healing Magic of around that level. However, until now, Hikaru had never heard of anyone healing a person with missing body parts and whose internal organs had been damaged to the brink of death. Not that these kinds of Healers didn¡¯t exist; they were simply the stuff of legends. Hikaru assumed that 8 points would be around legendary level. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Paula trembled. Hikaru supported her with both hands. ¡°Is this recoil from using your increased power all at once?¡± ¡°Y-Yes¡­ You told me to give it my all.¡± Paula looked at Pia, and her eyes grew wide. She touched her friend¡¯s wounds. She could feel taut skin under her palm, but most importantly, color had returned to Pia¡¯s face, and her breathing was stable. ¡°H-Her body¡¯s healed!¡± ¡°Good for you.¡± Paula¡¯s gaze darted to Hikaru. ¡°Lord Hikaruuuuu!¡± She threw her arms around him. ¡°Guh.¡± Hikaru¡¯s spine creaked. ¡°Ow¡­ Th-That hurts! Get off!¡± ¡°But¡­ But¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m injured pretty badly myself.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Paula quickly let go. ¡°A-Anyway, you must not tell anyone about this. Okay?¡± She nodded vigorously. Tears pooled in her eyes again. ¡°Let me heal you too.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re out of mana.¡± ¡°Just let me do it!¡± Hikaru sat down and let Paula heal him. The heat from the wounds all over his body vanished. He felt his eardrums heal and his hearing return. It was tremendously effective. ¡°Thank you so much, Lord Hikaru¡­¡± Paula collapsed on top of Pia and fell asleep. ¡°Hikaru, are you okay?¡± Lavia asked. ¡°Your wounds¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, all good. Actually, not really all good, but I decided to trust her.¡± Hikaru chuckled dryly. ¡°I respect your choice.¡± Her words put his mind at ease. ¡°So, we actually have a bit of a problem,¡± Hikaru said. ¡°A problem? I thought you were here because you killed the Dungeon Master.¡± ¡°I did. While there was a White Dragon here, there was a black one just as powerful in the sixth level of the dungeon.¡± Lavia¡¯s eyes widened. It was the worst kind of news she could¡¯ve gotten. It took a lot of effort and sacrifice to kill the White Dragon, and there was another one. ¡°I get it now! You need a Healer to fight the Black Dragon, so you enhanced Paula¡¯s abilities.¡± ¡°Uh, not really. I already took care of the Black Dragon.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lavia¡¯s brain froze. ¡°Here¡¯s the gem. Proof that I killed it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Hikaru handed her a black gem. Still, Lavia¡¯s mind did not start running. ¡°The problem is, there was a Dungeon Master just ahead. Lavia? You okay?¡± ¡°¡­Hikaru.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you promise to return if you weren¡¯t sure it was safe?¡± ¡°Um¡­ Well, that was in regards to the Dungeon Master, and that I could only engage it if I was a hundred percent sure that I could kill it¡­ And it wasn¡¯t really the Dungeon Master, so¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Lavia¡¯s eyes terrified him. ¡°Sorry! Its attitude was pissing me off, so I tried to see if I could kill it somehow.¡± ¡°Hikaru.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry!¡± ¡°You dummy.¡± She hugged him tight. ¡°I was scared too, you know. You shouldn¡¯t be too reckless.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really sorry.¡± Hikaru was happy to have someone who cared about him. Lavia let go of him. ¡°Anyway, I know you¡¯re not exactly normal, but you¡¯re really extraordinary. And I say that after witnessing a dire threat.¡± ¡°I just had a great weapon. Anyway¡­¡± Hikaru sighed. ¡°The problem lies after that. We need someone with a Blessing that¡¯s holy-related.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Lavia cocked her head, completely oblivious to what he meant. Volume 2 - CH 5.2 The sun was already setting. The gigantic White Dragon had been slain, and although monsters still attacked Cotton Elka sporadically, it was safe to assume that the biggest threat had been eliminated. ¡°I went to the entrance of the dungeon and checked inside,¡± Sara said after returning from her recon. ¡°There was no sign of any monster, and the air flow was stagnant. I think the dungeon¡¯s dead.¡± The villagers erupted in joy. Selyse furrowed her brows. She, Sara, and Selica had already recovered thanks to Sophie. Most of their arms and legs were badly burned by the flames, but Sophie¡¯s Healing Magic managed to fix even that. Priscilla was also healed by Sophie. Pia, still asleep, had suffered surprisingly light injuries, which Paula healed. She would have to explain things to her friend later. Paula herself woke up as soon as she recovered a bit of her mana. ¡°Does that mean the Dungeon Master is dead?¡± Selyse asked. ¡°I guess,¡± Sara replied. ¡°A dungeon may die when the Dungeon Master dies, like you said, or the Dungeon Master abandons the dungeon.¡± ¡°What are the chances of the latter?¡± ¡°Not zero, but it¡¯s hardly ever happened before.¡± ¡°So, who do you think killed the Dungeon Master?¡± ¡°No idea. But I don¡¯t think it abandoned the dungeon. They say a Dungeon Master without a dungeon is weaker than a civilian.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true¡­¡± Selyse was still not completely satisfied. ¡°The dungeon being inactive is great news for us,¡± the village chief said. ¡°We can¡¯t thank you all enough.¡± ¡°I mean¡­ the village¡¯s been destroyed,¡± Selyse said. ¡°Oh, that is nothing. You could call it a silver lining, I suppose; the fields are mostly intact. We can rebuild the village. The fields are more important than the houses, and the people are more important than the fields.¡± Several villagers had perished. Although some adventurers were injured in today¡¯s battle, it was fortunate that there were no deaths among them. The appearance of such a powerful enemy was beyond expectations, yet Selyse couldn¡¯t help but wonder if there was any way they could¡¯ve prevented casualties. ¡°I heard that you and your team are not here on a commission from the Adventurers¡¯ Guild. Is that true?¡± the village chief asked. ¡°It is.¡± ¡°Then would you please accept this?¡± The village chief offered the white gem that was buried in the ashes of the White Dragon. It glinted orange from the light of the bonfire. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re hesitating because of the mysterious Mage, yes?¡± Selyse nodded. She hadn¡¯t seen the female Mage since the battle with the White Dragon. Selica told her earlier that there were signs of a battle on the eastern side of the village, and that a Spirit Mage, whom they knew nothing about, had killed monsters there. It was no doubt the same female Mage. They all assumed that the Spirit Magic spell had slain the White Dragon. ¡°Lady Selyse. That person must have their reasons not to reveal themselves. In that case, I believe this should go to the brave Four Eastern Stars who fought the White Dragon.¡± ¡°Then how about this? We will sell this gem, take half of the proceeds, and donate the other half to Cotton Elka.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ That¡¯s an enticing offer, but are you certain? I¡¯m sure it¡¯s a considerable amount of money.¡± ¡°Yes. That Mage was clearly fighting for this village. They might have their reasons for not showing themselves, but they should be pleased that the reward for defeating the White Dragon would be used for the good of the village.¡± ¡°I see. We accept the offer, then. Thank you. I was thinking of sharing with the families of those who died and those whose homes were destroyed. I¡¯ll leave the sale to you.¡± The village chief left. ¡°Ah, my robe is burnt to a crisp!¡± Selica grumbled. ¡°And I bet the money will only be enough to buy equipment!¡± ¡°I think we should be glad that we¡¯re still alive,¡± Sophie interjected. The girls were so nonchalant that it was hard to believe they were on the brink of death just a while ago. ¡°A mysterious female Mage,¡± Selyse mumbled. ¡°Oh, yeah. There was that boy. An adventurer.¡± She remembered Hikaru, whom she met in the burning hut on the way to Cotton Elka. She had not seen him since arriving at the village. ¡°So what¡¯s the plan, Selyse?¡± Sara asked. ¡°The dungeon might be dead, but there are still monsters that ventured outside.¡± ¡°Good question. You will scout the nearby area for a couple of days, and we¡¯ll kill any monsters you find. Then we¡¯ll head back to the capital.¡± ¡°Aight, gotcha. Gonna go hit the sack, then.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°Nighty night!¡± ¡°Good night.¡± Selyse stared at the bonfire, lost in thought. Something was bothering her. There might still be something to this whole matter. However, the Four Eastern Stars were busy; they couldn¡¯t exactly pursue matters with no solid proof. Being Rank B adventurers meant constantly receiving designated commissions. ¡°Things just don¡¯t always go as you wish, I guess.¡± Selyse¡¯s murmur faded away in the smoke of the bonfire. Hikaru and Lavia entered the forest at night and arrived at the dungeon. It had ceased being active after the death of the Dungeon Master, and all the monsters in the dungeon had turned to ashes. In a sense, it was much safer inside the dungeon than outside. There was a passage that looked like the entrance to the dungeon, but they passed by it and went around behind one of the countless large trees in the area. ¡°Hikaru?¡± Hikaru touched the tree, and his hand slipped through the bark. ¡°Found it. It¡¯s over here.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a magic camouflage. It¡¯s hollow inside. Come on.¡± Hikaru beckoned Lavia closer. She reached out a hand fearfully, and it too slipped through the bark. ¡°There¡¯s a ladder right there,¡± Hikaru said. ¡°Yeah. There¡¯s a handle or something.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go first. You follow me. It¡¯s quite a long way down, by the way.¡± Hikaru jumped into the tree. Half of it was actually fake¡ªa camouflage. There was a wooden ladder attached to it that looked brand new, but considering that it was part of the dungeon, he was worried about it collapsing at any moment. There were other reasons for them to hurry. News of the dungeon¡¯s death would spread soon, which would draw countless adventurers. All the monsters inside were dead. In other words, they would be able to collect all the Spirit Magic stones and Spirit gems buried in the ashes. ¡°Hikaru, is this the shortcut?¡± ¡°Yup,¡± Hikaru replied as he descended the ladder. The pit was about fifty meters deep; they had to be careful not to slip. They descended the ladder carefully, step by step. ¡°Almost there.¡± Moisture in the air meant the ground was close. ¡°You okay?¡± Hikaru asked. ¡°My hands are exhausted.¡± Lavia did not exactly lead an active life. She had far less endurance than the average girl. ¡°It¡¯s a downward slope from here on out. Let¡¯s go.¡± They walked side-by-side down the narrow, gently-sloping path, the light from their magic lamp lighting the way. The walls and floor were the same as those on the sixth level. They had come all the way down via the ladder. ¡°Wow¡­¡± They made it to a large cavern. It was where Hikaru fought the Black Dragon. Lavia was stunned when she saw a small mountain of ash similar to the one that the White Dragon left behind. Hikaru had already told her that he killed it, but actually seeing it still left her shocked. ¡°This way.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Hikaru was already up ahead, on the passage leading to a back room that was guarded by the Black Dragon. The passage was only ten meters long. They came upon a battered wooden door; it was ajar, with light spilling from inside. On the other side of the door was a small room the size of a studio apartment. Light was coming from the magic lamp sitting on the table. In the corner of the round room was a bed with a dirty rolled-up blanket lying on top. There was a cabinet with drawers, but it was covered in dust. There was no sign of a meal, and there was no bathroom. Although the Dungeon Master was a life-form, it didn¡¯t need to eat; instead it converted the mana in the dungeon into life force. Lavia¡¯s breath caught in her throat. A person was lying in the corner of the room, clothed in a ragged robe. They had a tail. It was a reptilian demi-human, though it was hard to tell due to poor lighting. It was the only remaining corpse of the enemy in this dungeon. ¡°Is that¡­ the Dungeon Master?¡± Lavia asked. Hikaru nodded. ¡°When I came in, they were cowering in the corner, shaking. They were mumbling something, but they had clearly gone insane¡­ I think. I thought maybe we could talk. Once the dungeon returned to normal, the problem would¡¯ve been solved. But when I showed myself, they suddenly attacked me, so I killed them.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± ¡°But the problem is what lies ahead.¡± There was another door in the room. Hikaru strode toward the door and opened it. Darkness. He held up the magic lamp. There was a simple rectangular room, like a building under construction. On the other side was a staircase leading down. The wind howled. Lavia shivered. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Hikaru said, taking her hand. ¡°It¡¯s up ahead. The guy that struck fear into the Dungeon Master.¡± They pressed onward, huddled close. The stairway leading deeper underground was as crude as expected, as if it were still under construction. They made it to the bottom of the stairs and continued through a passageway that connected to a huge cave. Hikaru surmised that the Dungeon Master was trying to create a seventh level, hence the cave. ¡°Here we are.¡± Standing on unstable ground, Hikaru raised the magic lamp, revealing a large cave, much larger than the sixth level. And there was a figure occupying the center. ¡°That was fast.¡± Its scales glowed even in the dark. Its face alone was about two meters long, with a wide mouth, horns protruding above its eyes, and wiry whiskers. It looked like a giant snake, except it had clawed feet. ¡°A dragon?¡± Lavia said. ¡°Yeah. But he gets mad when you call him that. Says he¡¯s a drakon.¡± Its eyes were a deep crimson. It couldn¡¯t lift its body up as it was bound to the ground by a sinister black chain. ¡°He calls himself Fire Drakon.¡± Volume 2 - CH 5.3 When he killed the Dungeon Master, Hikaru felt a small tremor in the dungeon. He thought about returning to the village immediately and preparing for the White Dragon, but he couldn¡¯t ignore the passageway that led deeper inside. He found the seventh level, which was under construction, and discovered the Fire Drakon that looked far more vicious than the Black Dragon. ¡°A hundred years¡­ No, centuries had passed,¡± the Fire Drakon said when it saw Hikaru. ¡°A long time, even for me, a long-lived being.¡± Just like Hikaru, the Dungeon Master found the Fire Drakon, but it immediately panicked and fled. Hikaru theorized that the dungeon went out of control because the terrified Dungeon Master unshackled the dungeon. ¡°They are evil. It is only natural that they fear me. You are¡­ oh, fascinating. You are not from this world, are you? The Fire Drakon instantly knew that Hikaru came from a different world. Strangely enough, he didn¡¯t feel enmity toward the creature. Perhaps it was because of its dominating appearance that eclipsed even that of the Black Dragon¡¯s; he didn¡¯t think it would even consider him a threat. ¡°Why are you confined here?¡± Hikaru had asked. ¡°Unbind me from these chains, and I will grant you one wish. A rare weapon, a treasure, anything you desire. An individual with a Blessing of the holy attribute is needed to break these chains.¡± Hikaru had tried to hit the black chain with his Dagger of Strength, but it just slipped right through. He had to talk to Lavia about this. And he was also concerned about the White Dragon. Hikaru decided to return to Cotton Elka for the time being. When he stepped out of the Dungeon Master¡¯s room, he noticed a shortcut, clearly visible from the door. Either it was intended as an emergency escape route, or the Dungeon Master used it to do something outside. There was no way of knowing, now that the master itself was dead. ¡°You have returned. Does this mean you will free me?¡± the Fire Drakon asked. Hikaru nodded. ¡°Lavia.¡± After the battle with the White Dragon, Hikaru explained the situation to Lavia. He believed that a Blessing related to the holy attribute would appear if he put points to the Holy stat on the Soul Board. He considered asking Paula for help, since she could use Healing magic, but Lavia offered a suggestion. ¡°I said I would give you my everything,¡± she had said. ¡°You can use my Soul Board as you wish.¡± Since Soul Board points were finite, Hikaru didn¡¯t want to waste Lavia¡¯s. On the other hand, however, he wasn¡¯t sure if he could trust Paula. He had elevated her healing capabilities to a high level, but he hadn¡¯t explained the Soul Board to her yet. Even if Paula betrayed his trust now, the damage would be minimal. There was no need to tell her the secret of his strength or even about the Dungeon Master and the Fire Drakon. Lavia had eliminated a number of monsters, including Lesser Wyverns, and had participated in the battle against the White Dragon, raising her Soul Rank by 5. Hikaru unlocked the Willpower Board, then Faith, and put 3 points on the Holy stat. If no Blessings appeared, he would have to ask Paula, who had 4 points on hers. ¡¾Soul Board¡¿Lavia Age: 14 | Rank: 16 | 0 ¡¾Magical Power¡¿ ¡¾Mana Capacity¡¿11 ¡¾Magic Principle¡¿2 ¡¾Spirit Affinity¡¿ ¡¾Fire¡¿5 ¡¾Agility¡¿ ¡¾Stealth¡¿ ¡¾Life Cloaking¡¿0 ¡¾Mana Cloaking¡¿0 ¡¾Imperceptibility¡¿3 ¡¾Willpower¡¿ ¡¾Faith¡¿ ¡¾Holy¡¿3 Sure enough, a new Blessing appeared on Lavia¡¯s Soul Card. ¡°She has the Blessing of the Common Holy Governor God: Servant of a Holy Being. Is that good enough?¡± Hikaru asked. ¡°It is a little uncertain, but try it nonetheless.¡± Awfully haughty for someone who needs help. ¡°Try what exactly? Does she need to recite an incantation or something?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s doable,¡± Lavia said, and approached the Fire Drakon. The creature was incredibly tall, and much longer than the White Dragon. The black chains that bound the Fire Drakon emitted an ominous aura. ¡°¡­¡± Lavia gently held her hands over the black chains. Then, her hands gave off a faint golden glow. Particles of light gathered into the chain. Something tried to reject the particles¡ªit looked like smoke or flames¡ªbut the section that came in contact with the light was chipped away. ¡°It should work,¡± Lavia said. ¡°But it consumes a lot of mana.¡± ¡°You are doing good. Keep going.¡± ¡°You okay?¡± Hikaru asked. ¡°If you can¡¯t continue, just stop.¡± ¡°Surely she can do it.¡± Talk about an attitude! Hikaru shot the Fire Drakon a glare, but it wasn¡¯t the least bothered. Meanwhile, the particles of light issuing from Lavia¡¯s hand touched the black chains, slowly chipping them away as they crackled. Eventually, one of the chains snapped, and the rest of the links shattered like glass, before evaporating into the air. The Fire Drakon let out a breath of joy that flapped at Hikaru¡¯s and Lavia¡¯s clothes. ¡°Well done, human! Now take care of the rest!¡± Lavia leaned against Hikaru. Just one chain left her exhausted. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± Hikaru asked. ¡°Yeah¡­ I¡¯ll do my best.¡± ¡°Like I said, you don¡¯t have to force it.¡± ¡°Nonsense. There are only a few chains left.¡± ¡°This drakon has been here for centuries. A few more hours should hardly matter.¡± ¡°My freedom is nigh! Make haste!¡± ¡°Shut it.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± The Fire Drakon looked dejected, but it still had the same vicious grin. ¡°For the record, there¡¯s no reason for us to set you free,¡± Hikaru added. ¡°Besides, this dungeon went out of control because you scared the Dungeon Master.¡± The drakon laughed. ¡°It is their fault for appearing before me. I see. It was so terrified that the dungeon went out of control.¡± Hikaru¡¯s head hurt. Monsters streamed out of the dungeon and attacked Cotton Elka all because of this Fire Drakon. ¡°Maybe we shouldn¡¯t free it after all,¡± Hikaru said. ¡°Let¡¯s just bury this place and get out of here.¡± ¡°H-Hold on a second. Wait. Why?¡± ¡°Do you have any idea how much trouble you caused?! People died!¡± Hikaru roared. ¡°I see. But I did not frighten the Dungeon Master on purpose. They came to me and got frightened.. And if humans, fragile as they are, chose to live near a dungeon, they should be aware of the danger.¡± Hikaru groaned. Having lived for ages, the Fire Drakon was quite intelligent. ¡°Once I am freed from this place, I will vanquish evil beings. You have my word. Countless people destined to die will live on.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Hikaru.¡± Lavia tugged at Hikaru¡¯s clothes. Her steady breathing indicated she had recovered enough mana. ¡°I think it was an unfortunate accident that the dungeon went out of control. This Fire Drakon meant no harm.¡± ¡°I know that¡­ Ugh, fine. I don¡¯t mind if it takes a while, and you don¡¯t have to push yourself too hard. Can you break these chains?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± Smiling, Lavia put her hands over another chain. Hikaru was well aware that it wasn¡¯t the Fire Drakon¡¯s fault. But people were seriously injured; some even died. He and Lavia were in grave danger too, and he had to use his ability to alter Paula¡¯s Soul Board. The rational part of him said that he was being childish, but he just couldn¡¯t come to terms with what had happened. One by one Lavia destroyed the chains, taking rests in between. ¡°That should be enough. Stand back.¡± After the fourth chain snapped, the Fire Drakon gripped the ground with its sharp claws. ¡°Hnnggghh¡­¡± The air and ground trembled as it stood up. The remaining chains shattered. A cloud of dust rose, obscuring Hikaru and Lavia¡¯s vision. ¡°Finally¡­ The annoying chains are gone!¡± Like a dog barking at the moon, the Fire Drakon turned its mouth upward, opened it wide, and roared, breathing out a vortex of fire in the process. The flames were so powerful that even Hikaru, who had witnessed Lavia¡¯s fire magic, felt a chill run down his spine. The flames turned white from the immense temperature, melting the ceiling and the earth, erupting all the way to the surface. ¡°You stupid drakon!¡± Molten earth dripped down as orange liquid. Hikaru and Lavia fled to the unfinished seventh level of the dungeon. The wind was hot, and the air was filled with the odd smell of burning earth. ¡°Over here!¡± They scurried to the Dungeon Master¡¯s room on the sixth level and closed the door. Not only would the oxygen run out, toxic gas might even start getting released. They plopped down on the ground, breathing hard. ¡°That drakon better be ready for what¡¯s coming,¡± Hikaru muttered gravely. Volume 2 - CH 5.4 It was late at night at Cotton-elka. Only a few adventurers¡ªthose who were on lookout duty¡ªsaw the light that briefly illuminated the village. A pillar of flame¡ªor light, perhaps¡ªerupted in the sky above the vast forest that housed the dungeon Forest of Deception. Members of the Four Eastern Stars woke up, but by the time they stepped out of their tents, the flames were already gone, and there was only a bit of smoke rising into the air. Later, a red flying object appeared from within the smoke. The same flames were also observed in the fortress city of Leather-elka. People in the post town along the highway spotted the flames too. The light reached even the faraway town of Pond, but only faintly. ¡°What was that?!¡± Unken noticed the light. He had been working tirelessly at the Adventurers¡¯ Guild; he had not received any further news from Cotton-elka. ¡°Cotton-elka is in that direction. Did it come from there? If I could see it even from here, it must¡¯ve been a tremendously bright light.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Lavia to faint.¡± Hikaru carried Lavia on his back, secured her with a rope, and climbed the ladder leading out of the dungeon. In addition to expending a large amount of mana, running away for dear life from the Fire Drakon¡¯s flames had pushed Lavia over her limit. Killing the Black Dragon solo, and the White Dragon with Lavia and the other adventurers increased Hikaru¡¯s Soul Rank by 2. The higher his rank, the harder it was to level-up. He used one point to raise his Strength from 1 to 2, which allowed him to easily carry Lavia on his back. Soon he reached the surface. ¡°Hahahahaha! The outside is incredible!¡± The Fire Drakon was flying in the jet-black night sky, emitting a dull red glow. ¡°¡­Hey.¡± ¡°Ah, I love the scent of fresh air.¡± ¡°Hey, stupid Fire Drakon! Stupidrakon!¡± ¡°Hmm?!¡± The Fire Drakon spotted Hikaru in the woods below its feet. ¡°How dare you try to kill your saviors!¡± ¡°Oh, right. Humans are fragile creatures. Such degree of heat could have killed you, huh? Hahaha!¡± Hikaru¡¯s cheeks twitched. If he was within range, he would have dropkicked the drakon, but much to his chagrin, it was in the air, and could even breathe powerful flames. Noticing the look on his face, the drakon said, ¡°D-Don¡¯t be so angry. I am not an ungrateful Fire Drakon. Tell me what you want.¡± ¡°What can you even do? Remember: we freed you, and you almost killed us. That¡¯s at least two demands that you will satisfy.¡± ¡°I-I know, I know. You humans are so greedy.¡± Hikaru¡¯s blood pressure rose again; he was called greedy when he was being reasonable. Calm down, he told himself. I¡¯m talking to an idiot. Just think of it like you¡¯re dealing with a toddler. Now what do I ask from it? Lavia groaned, but she was still not waking up. Right. There¡¯s Lavia to think about. What do I do? Hikaru racked his brains. ¡°You can fly,¡± he said. ¡°So for my first demand¡­¡± Hikaru screamed. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Ah, Lavia just woke up, and now she¡¯s out cold again! Lavia! You have to stay awake!¡± Hikaru was holding on to long white hair. The drakon¡¯s mane. ¡°Let us go on a leisurely stroll under the night sky, shall we?¡± ¡°S-Slow down!¡± You¡¯re going too fast!¡± ¡°Hahahaha!¡± Hikaru was riding on the Fire Drakon with Lavia. It had a mane that grew down the back all the way to its tail, and the two of them were right around the neck, near the horns. Each of its hair was over a meter long. Lavia fainted again, so to be extra safe, Hikaru tied her arms and legs to the mane. Hikaru thought riding a drakon would be a magical experience, but he couldn¡¯t be more wrong. First of all, riding a vehicle without any kind of windshield was not right. The wind was so strong that he couldn¡¯t lift his head up, and so loud that it was impossible to hold a proper conversation. However, the scenery was spectacular. Hikaru had a sweeping view of the moonlit land, with the starry sky high above. ¡°So, how did you get trapped in that place?!¡± Hikaru asked. ¡°Oh, that. The memory vexes me still. I was gullible.¡± ¡°Gullible?!¡± ¡°I trusted a former comrade. A drakon that turned its back on the gods and became tainted with evil.¡± ¡°Wait a sec. What do you mean by turned its back on the gods?! Do drakons serve gods or something?!¡± ¡°You do not even know that?! How truly sad. Drakons fight dragons. Dragons are beings of the dark, and we, servants of the light, fight them on behalf of the gods.¡± Myths, Hikaru thought. Roland, the original owner of his body, was not so familiar with mythology, but Hikaru thought drakons appeared in them. Only a minor role, though. ¡°Can drakons talk to the gods?¡± ¡°Gods do not speak. There are only outcomes.¡± Hikaru recalled hearing similar words from the preacher at the temple. ¡°So you¡¯re saying you were tricked by an evil drakon?¡± ¡°Exactly. Well, I think that is it for our lovely conversation. That is our destination, yes?¡± Lights flickered in the distance. It was late at night, but there were still places with their lights on. As one would expect from the royal capital. Hikaru had asked the drakon to take him to the kingdom¡¯s capital, G. Ponsonia¡ªto the large building located in the center of the city, the royal castle. Princess Kujastria of Ponsonia was asleep in her luxurious canopied bed when she was awakened by a commotion in the hallway. A maid entered through the door. ¡°Princess! Are you awake?!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Kujastria got off the bed, perplexed about the maid¡¯s odd behavior. Her body stiffened. Perhaps a civil war broke out or something. But the maid didn¡¯t have time to explain what was happening. The fine windowpane of Kujastria¡¯s room had an expansive view of the outside. There was a violent tremor and what sounded like a low growl. Blinding light filled the room. The window shattered, and the wind gusted in. The maid screamed. Kujastria lost her balance, propping herself with both hands. ¡°P-Princess!¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m right here.¡± ¡°Thank goodness you¡¯re safe.¡± ¡°What was that?! What is happening?!¡± Kujastria knew she was unharmed, but the intense light had overwhelmed her retinas. Her vision wasn¡¯t returning to normal fast enough. She and the maid stood up, embracing each other. Kujastria looked out the window, and her breath seized. Her room was five stories above ground, but higher above, there was a drakon floating in the air, glowing faintly red. The creature, which she had only seen in illustrations in books about mythology, was so huge that she couldn¡¯t fully grasp the distance between them. It was clear that this drakon did something moments ago. Right down below, people were streaming out into the courtyard on the third floor. Most of them were knights, led by the lightly-armed Sword Saint, Lawrence D. Falcon. There was no nobleman in charge. There was no sign of her father the king, or her brother the crown prince, either. ¡°Puny human. I am a Fire Drakon.¡± Kujastria shuddered. She didn¡¯t expect it to speak the human language. She now realized that she was in a perilous situation. The Fire Drakon clearly possessed overwhelming power. The light from earlier was mere intimidation. And the fact that it spoke to her meant only one thing. ¡°Hmm¡­ Is there no royalty present?¡± There was no one who could speak to it. Lawrence might be the Sword Saint, but he was still only a member of the kingdom¡¯s armed forces. He was someone who operated under orders. ¡°Princess?!¡± Kujastria, her lips tightly pursed, stepped on the broken windowpane with her slippers and opened the glass door leading to the balcony. ¡°I am Kujastria, Princess of the Kingdom of Ponsonia. Legendary Fire Drakon, what business do you have at this hour?¡± The knights in the courtyard gasped in astonishment. Royalty should not appear in the face of an obvious threat. If Kujastria¡¯s bedroom was on the third floor, the knights would have blocked her path and prevented her from stepping outside. Of course, it wasn¡¯t as if she wanted to step out. She was barely managing to maintain her composure by putting strength into her shaking knees. There was almost no likelihood that the royal family¡ªthe king and the crown prince¡ªwould show up. They put their own wellbeing above anything else. If no royalty appeared, it would mean that humans refused dialogue with the Fire Drakon. ¡°Kingdom of Ponsonia? Hmm, you do not seem to be lying. A rather young nation, still.¡± ¡°Ponsonia is a long-lived dynasty over five hundred years old. I will not allow any insult, even from a¡ª¡± ¡°You consider 500 years long-lived? How laughable! From what I can see, you use primitive torches as a source of light, not holy mana. Hahahaha! Human civilization seems to have regressed.¡± Kujastria wanted to argue back¡ªthe streetlights in the capital were state-of-the-art magic lamps, and the nightscape here was the best on the continent¡ªbut she had to hold on to the railing, lest she got blown back by the sound pressure that the drakon¡¯s laughter produced. ¡°Hmm? Oh, right¡­¡± The Fire Drakon seemed to be talking to someone. ¡°Puny human, princess of Ponsonia, I command you. Cease your preparations for war this instant.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Dethrone the current king and choose a new one. Or else, my flames will rain down upon this castle.¡± The Fire Drakon let out a breath of flame into the night sky, turning it bright as midday. The hot wind pushed Kujastria off the balcony and into her room. Volume 2 - CH 5.5 ¡°That was quite fun, human. Now your wish has been granted.¡± Hikaru had asked the Fire Drakon to fly to the royal capital and order the king to stop the war. All for Lavia¡¯s sake. Lavia was currently being hunted for the murder of Count Morgstadt because the king wanted to use her as an instrument for battle. The kingdom of Ponsonia was on the verge of waging war on its neighbor, the Quinbrand Empire, and it wanted Lavia, a powerful Mage, as an asset. Instead of making her pay for her crimes, she was to be used in the war. A threat had appeared in the capital, demanding the king to be dethroned. This would send the royal court into chaos, and the murder of Count Morgstadt would become irrelevant. A dispute over the next ruler would begin. As far as Hikaru was concerned, he just wanted to get rid of the idiots hunting Lavia. They could even leave the country amidst the chaos. ¡°Yup, that was my wish.¡± ¡°What a peculiar wish! Once we return to the forest, we will part ways.¡± ¡°Wait. I still have one more wish.¡± The drakon groaned. ¡°Your last one was perplexing enough. I am a little afraid to ask.¡± Hikaru couldn¡¯t believe a creature so huge would even say such a thing. He really wanted to save the other wish for Lavia, but unfortunately, she was still unconscious. Probably just asleep from extreme fatigue. ¡°Can dragon scales be used for weapons?¡± Hikaru asked. ¡°I believe so. But my scales are extremely tough. Unless you use holy mana, I doubt you can process them.¡± ¡°Holy mana¡­ You mentioned it earlier, too. What is it exactly?¡± ¡°Magical energy that is harnessed from the power of drakons. Your ignorance suggests that the technology has been lost. Truly sad.¡± ¡°¡­¡± There was technology that Hikaru was unaware of. The Fire Drakon had been trapped underground for centuries, so the technology was lost during that time¡ªprobably due to war or something similar. Hikaru wanted to know more about this holy mana, but the Fire Drakon had already made it to the vast forest where the Forest of Deception was located, toppling down trees as it landed. He had to hurry, or the Four Eastern Stars might find them. Now what? ¡°Oh, I almost forgot. Take some of my hair with you. By simply wrapping it around a staff, the holy mana will boost your magical powers.¡± Holy mana again. ¡°Fine. That¡¯ll do.¡± The drakon laughed. ¡°Humans sure are greedy! I feel much better.¡± Hikaru pulled the drakon¡¯s hair. ¡°Ow,¡± the Fire Drakon mumbled. Hikaru took the ones that just happened to fall out. He then dismounted, carrying Lavia on his back. It was time for them to part. ¡°So where are you headed now?¡± Hikaru asked. ¡°To the home of drakons, of course. What is your name, human from another world?¡± ¡°Hikaru.¡± The Fire Drakon exhaled sharply. ¡°We shall meet again, Hikaru. Numerous people have come here from different worlds and brought great changes, and you are no exception.¡± With a thunderous laugh, the massive Fire Drakon hovered in the air, soaring higher into the night sky. Hikaru acted quickly, shielding Lavia from the shockwaves produced by the creature¡¯s laughter. The Fire Drakon then fused into the night sky, vanishing as if slipping through a rift in space. ¡°Just had to be a pain in the butt until the very end.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Hikaru?¡± Lavia woke up. She saw Hikaru holding her, and she rested her face on his chest. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I guess I was asleep,¡± she said. ¡°I had the weirdest dream. I was riding a giant drakon through the night sky¡­¡± That actually happened, but Hikaru decided to explain that some other time. There were a lot of things he wanted to tell Lavia. ¡°Can you walk? I want to be back in Cotton-elka before dawn.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Hikaru pulled on Lavia¡¯s hand and started walking. It was still dark when they arrived in Cotton-elka, but the villagers were awake, and the adventurers were discussing what to do with the giant creature. The Four Eastern Stars wore frowns. Hikaru made an error. The church that he had planned to use as a bed was half-destroyed by the White Dragon. He pulled a blanket out of the rubble and wrapped himself and Lavia in it. Hikaru, too, was completely exhausted. The royal castle of Ponsonia. It was the morning after the incident that would later be known as the Fire Drakon Catastrophe. Summoned to the throne room, Kujastria found herself face-to-face with the king and his chief advisors. Their expressions were not ones of admiration for the brave girl who had faced the Fire Drakon. The king of Ponsonia, her own father, eyed her indignantly. ¡°You overstepped your authority, Kujastria.¡± The king, now in his fifties, had thinning hair that was cut just below his ears, and was sticky with greasy sweat. His once toned body had recently lost weight. He was glaring at Kujastria. Although the man was dressed in the king¡¯s regalia, complete with the crown and mantle, the royal staff resting beside him on his throne, there was nothing majestic, dignified, or wise about him. ¡°Your Highness, do you not understand what you have done?¡± a man rebuked. Standing next to the king was the grand chamberlain, who was responsible for managing the attendants working in the royal castle. Normally, such disrespect towards the royal family would not be tolerated, but the grand chamberlain was the king¡¯s favorite. He was by the king¡¯s side instead of the Prime Minister. His fat, slimy lips quivered. ¡°Because of your conversation with that savage creature, monsters are becoming more active, and now you¡¯re telling His Majesty the glorious king to abdicate the throne.¡± ¡°Do not mention that!¡± the king snarled. ¡°It¡¯s bad luck.¡± ¡°Forgive me, Your Majesty.¡± Since the Fire Drakon¡¯s departure, the king had been surrounded by sycophants¡ªaristocrats who lacked competence but clung to their positions in hopes of lining their pockets by becoming the king¡¯s cronies. They let a few nobles with official ranks run the government, while they secured their own interests. The crown prince, Austrin, was first in line for the throne and could inherit it without taking any action. However, he was not present at the moment, and in a way, this was the right decision. After all, the king would hardly remain calm after being told by the Fire Drakon to relinquish his throne. The sycophants quickly dismissed the mythical drakon as a mere monster, claiming it had held the people of the royal capital hostage and forced the king to abdicate the throne. They also asserted that the brave King had decided to fight the monster. ¡°I understand how His Majesty feels,¡± one said. ¡°What a disaster.¡± ¡°Perhaps Her Highness wished to grab the spotlight.¡± Kujastria received no words of compassion, despite her arrival without being fully healed. She had sustained an injury from a shard of glass during the Fire Drakon¡¯s last display of power, and her arm was only wrapped in a bandage. At just 17 years old, she was too young to handle such an extraordinary being. Drained of energy and spirit, and having not slept a wink since the incident, she stood tall amidst the crowd of nobles. Only a very small fraction of them watched her with concern. Roland N. Zaracia¡¯s discovery of the spell for crossing worlds gave momentum to the nobility who were dedicated to research and practice. However, their efforts were dampened by the tragic fate of Roland¡¯s parents, who were ordered to commit suicide by poisoning for stealing national treasures. This incident demoralized the practical aristocrats, leaving the status quo unchanged, with corrupt aristocrats dominating and perpetuating injustice and collusion. ¡°We should focus on more pressing matters, such as our plan of action if the Fire Drakon returns,¡± spoke Lawrence D. Falcon, the renowned Sword Saint, as he stepped in next to Kujastria. ¡°Your Highness, please excuse us as we discuss matters of national security.¡± Although he was essentially suggesting that politics were not for children¡¯s ears, Kujastria still mouthed a ¡°thank you¡± to him. It was obvious that he was only trying to avoid offending the noblemen. Now that Kujastria was dismissed, she could receive proper treatment for her wounds. She bowed to the others before exiting the throne room, alone. Kujastria refused to have attendants, preferring to show that she was powerless to avoid any unnecessary conflicts with her brother, the crown prince¡ªproof of her wisdom. She was able to control her emotions to the extent that she could easily ignore whatever her father, the grand chamberlain, and the other nobles said to her. What in the world was that Fire Drakon up to anyway? That was what bothered Kujastria. If His Majesty doesn¡¯t give up the throne, would it really set the castle on fire? Kujastria shuddered. By the looks of it, her father would never relinquish the throne. What would the people of the royal capital think once they learned about the Fire Drakon¡¯s warning? The aristocrats were not unified; some belonged to the crown prince faction. Perhaps they would recommend that her father stepped down. This kingdom will fall into chaos. She stopped and looked up at the sky through the hallway window. The sky above the royal city was a clear blue, stinging her sleep-deprived eyes.