As time passed, Rohan did more than just swing the sword he had bought on an installment plan.
While he balanced studying and training, the Monolith incident happened four times in a foreign land whose name he didn’t even know.
But so far, there had been only one returnee.
The information from this sole returnee and survivor, along with the details Rohan’s group had brought back, was cross-verified. Only the overlapping portions were widely disclosed.
The biggest difference this time was that the returnee had come back covered in wounds.
As Rohan reviewed external information he couldn’t obtain in Abyss City, he also continued investigating the names Lowell and Jenny. These were details he had gathered from the second classified material.
He dedicated most of his time to searching online, but simple searches yielded too many people with the same names, making it difficult to narrow them down.
He tried refining his search by focusing on individuals connected to Solarea in the South.
Even with that limitation, he couldn’t find any promising information.
[Lowell… Jenny… We are here to fulfill your wish…]
He repeated the phrase once more while lost in thought.
‘The sentence seems to refer to people, but… what if they were not names at all?’
The possibilities in Rohan’s mind only continued to expand.
If they were figures whose names couldn’t be spoken aloud, asking someone to look them up for him was a tricky matter.
It felt as if the only way forward was to go and search for them himself.
Amid this dreary lack of progress, even his shop skills were still in the middle of an update.
But there was at least one piece of good news.
Rohan had finally received his first paycheck from Red Spider Lily Bookstore.
That day, as always, he planned to buy Clara a nice dinner in her usual spot at the corner of the bookstore.
“Look at this! I can solo a level 4 stage now!”
“Congratulations, Oppa!”
“If I level up one more party, I might even be able to tackle a level 5 stage.”
After finishing their meal, they made the most of their time, enjoying drinks and playing games together.
“Oh, right. Clara.”
“Mhmm? You called me?”
Before leaving the restaurant, Rohan rummaged through the inner pocket of his jacket.
Then, he handed Clara half of the paycheck he had received from the bookstore.
It’s already so late.
This was his way of repaying her for the help she had given him back when he was dealing with the human trafficking Yellow Toad Group.
Considering Clara’s abilities and skills, the amount felt woefully insufficient, and he felt guilty about it. But now that they would be working together, he planned to make up for it by looking after her as much as he could.
“Sorry for the late payment. I got word that the commission bonus has been finalized, so it should come through soon. When it does, let’s go find you a place to live.”
“O-Oppa—! This is such a huge sum… I’m really fine!”
As expected. Rohan had already anticipated Clara’s reaction where she would be shaking her head in refusal.
He knew she wouldn’t accept the money easily, so he had spent a lot of time thinking about how to approach this moment before coming here.
“Clara.”
“Mm…?”
“You remember what we talked about before? You’ve made up your mind to work with me from now on, right?”
Without hesitation, Clara nodded her head.
Her purple twin tails swayed like a wagging puppy’s tail.
“You know that we won’t be able to officially use our names until after you graduate from the academy, right?”
“Yeah. I know.”
Even though Rohan pointed out the risks, her eyes remained bright with excitement.
And for that, he was grateful. Because of that, he could speak seriously.
“Then we need to handle the financial side of things properly. That way, I can be at ease too.”
“Haa… I-I really am fine…”
Clara fidgeted with her lips, as if she couldn’t find anything else to say besides insisting she was fine.
Sensing that she was just one step away from accepting, Rohan smiled in satisfaction and recalled the moment they had shared in the dungeon.
“And one more thing.”
“Hm?”
“You kept telling me not to just say I was fine all the time, remember? Well, I feel the same way.”
“…..…!”
When Clara recalled the moment she had impulsively let her emotions burst out, her face turned red.
Hurriedly avoiding his gaze, she put the straw in her mouth and sipped her juice.
“Keep this. It’s money you rightfully deserve. If you don’t take it, I’ll just leave it at the restaurant.”
“Thanks, oppa… I’ll use it well.”
Clara knew for sure. Rohan would absolutely go through with that.
From the moment he said that taking the money would put him at ease, her choices had been limited.
“Spend it however you want, on whatever you like.”
“Okay!”
“Is there anything you want to buy? Just curious.”
“…Something I want to buy?”
At Rohan’s question, Clara stirred the ice in her drink with her straw and started thinking.
Back when she had first settled in the Academy City, she used to tell herself that once she earned proper money, she’d invest in games first.
But now, she wanted to buy pretty clothes and get new underwear.
Things that went beyond just personal satisfaction.
Ever since she started caring about her appearance before visiting the bookstore where Rohan worked, she had been feeling more and more that she simply didn’t have enough clothes.
I want to treat him to a meal too when we eat together…
But she kept that thought to herself.
“Nail art gel and decorative rhinestones?”
It wasn’t a lie; just not the whole truth.
“Rhinestones… those little gem-like decorations for your nails, right?”
“Mhmm…! I can get a set for 15 tokens.”
Clara always bought inexpensive items from general stores anyway.
Even if she splurged a little on nail supplies, she wouldn’t end up spending more than a single coin.
“You did your nails yourself? Instead of getting them done at a shop?”
“Shops are expensive, and… um, I’d have to talk to people…”
Rohan couldn’t help but laugh.
It was such a Clara-like reason.
During moments like these, Rohan came to appreciate the value of everyday life.
Once again, he had gained the motivation to study tirelessly and swing his sword until the moment he went to bed.
“Clara, you’re really good with your hands—.”
Bzzzz!
Rohan and Clara’s phones vibrated simultaneously, cutting off their conversation.
It wasn’t just them. Every customer in the restaurant was checking their smartphones.
A message marked with a red exclamation point.
It was from the Public Safety Department, the organization responsible for maintaining order in the Academy City.
[Elysium Public Safety Department: Today, 19:37 / Coordinated firearm store raids by criminal groups in the nation of Yamal / Planned armed robbery and murder incidents occurring simultaneously / Suspected escape route includes the Academy City / Attached photos / Report any individuals matching the descriptions to the Bureau immediately…]
Rohan’s eyes widened as he recognized the familiar faces in the attached photos.
Glancing down from the restaurant, he saw Safety Department vehicles rushing busily through the streets.
A premonition!
With that realization, the wait came to an end.
A translucent notification window appeared before his eyes.
[A quest has been triggered.]
[Act II: The Broken Crown]
◇ Quest Details: The criminals will be unable to resist their greed and will infiltrate the academy city. They have loose tongues. The moment the Snow Tiger Emperor learns that they are targeting Frozenheart, everyone involved will be in danger. But we know one truth. The dead tell no tales.
◇ Category: Main Story
◇ Rewards for Success: One transcendence, random point pouch
◇ Penalty for Failure: None
The dead tell no tales. Eradicate and eliminate…
It was clear. Before these criminals could be captured by the Safety Department and spill information about the elven elders’ plans, they had to be dealt with.
The logic was simple, but since there would be no way to erase traces of battle, he had to act swiftly.
And then… there was the reward.
The word that stood out the most was “transcendence”. Rohan couldn’t help but be intrigued.
Could it be the transcendence I know?
In Abyss City, if a player drew the same character consecutively, they could use the transcendence system. It allowed for up to six enhancements and was a major contributor to Abyss City’s revenue.
For now, I move.
With the quest confirmed, there was nothing more to think about. He would find out once he received the reward.
Still seated, Rohan reached for the longsword he had propped up beside him.
Clara who sensed the change in his demeanor along with the message observed him closely.
“Clara, do you have all your weapons with you? Do we need to stop by your place?”
“I have everything. We can move right away.”
As Rohan got up and started walking, Clara followed behind with her eyes on his broad back.
As he descended the stairs, Rohan slung the sword across his back using a leather harness. It was the same method he had used when he was a hunter; it was one he found most comfortable.
“Clara, let’s go meet someone today.”
“Huh? Meet who…?”
The girl looked puzzled, but Rohan simply grinned.
“Sion.”
***
A secluded residence where Sion and the elven elders stayed.
For the first time in a long while, a large number of guests had arrived. They came from a distant country called Yamal.
The leader of the group left a significant number of his subordinates waiting outside before stepping inside with only a minimal escort.
The leader of this criminal group, which held power over a region of Yamal, was a Doberman beastkin dressed in a beige coat.
He had personally undergone ear-cropping surgery, shaping his ears into sharp points. As a result, his appearance was even more striking and fierce.
The hulking figures flanking him were also beastkin with aggressive bloodlines.
“Bring out the item I saw in the photograph. I need to verify its authenticity.”
“Here it is.”
The chief elder produced a jet-black coin that gleamed ominously under the light.
On both sides, intricately drawn hands were engraved.
The sinister aura emanating from the coin was something that could not be replicated at will.
“It’s genuine. Now, explain the request.”
Satisfied, the beastkin gave a slight nod and returned the coin.
Once the mission was complete, it would be his.
While discussions continued inside…
Sion’s room remained tightly locked. It was secured with numerous padlocks hanging from the door.
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