Chapter 71: Killer Bug Quest

While paying off his sword in installments, Rohan didn’t just swing it around.

As Rohan juggled his studies and training, the Monolith anomaly occurred four times in foreign countries whose names Rohan didn’t even know.

However, up until now, there has been only one other returnee.

The information from the sole returnee and survivor, cross-referenced with the information Rohan’s group brought back, was extensively publicized after the intersecting parts were verified.

The biggest difference this time was that the returnee came back covered in wounds.

While checking external information unattainable within Abyss City, Rohan consistently investigated the information gathered from the second restricted document: the names Lowell and Jenny.

He invested most of his time on the internet, but with a simple search, there were too many people with the same names, making it difficult to narrow down.

He tried to narrow it down, suspecting they might be related to Solaris in the Southern Region.

Even after narrowing down the region, he couldn’t find any plausible information.

He pondered again, reciting the sentence once more.

The sentence itself seems to refer to people… but what if it’s not a person’s name?

Assumptions continued to pile up in Rohan’s head.

It was a tricky problem, unsure if he should even utter the names, making it difficult to ask someone else to look into it.

It felt like he had no choice but to go and find out himself.

Amidst the gloomy progress with even the Shop Skill being updated, there was one piece of good news.

Rohan finally received his first paycheck from The Flower Bookstore.

Today, as usual, he promised to treat Clara, who always sat in the corner of the bookstore, to a delicious dinner.

“Look at this! I can clear Stage 4 solo now!”

“Congrats, Oppa!”

“If I raise one more party, I think I can handle Stage 5 too, right?”

The two thoroughly enjoyed their meal, drinks, and even some gaming.

“Ah, right. Clara.”

“You called?”

Before leaving the restaurant, Rohan rummaged through his jacket’s inner pocket.

He gave Clara half of the paycheck he received from the bookstore.

This is quite late.

This was a reward for her help back when they dealt with the Yellow Toad Gang, a human trafficking organization.

Considering Clara’s abilities and skills, he felt apologetic, thinking it was a ridiculously insufficient amount, but he planned to make it up to her as much as possible if they worked together from now on.

“Sorry for the late payment. I got a notice that the commission work is done, so the money should be coming soon. Let’s go look for a house then.”

“Oh, Oppa! This much money… I’m okay!”

He knew it. Rohan anticipated Clara shaking her head.

He knew the girl in front of him wouldn’t readily accept the money, so he’d thought a lot about it before coming here.

“Clara.”

“Yes…?”

“About what we talked about before. You’ve decided to work with me from now on, right?”

Clara nodded without hesitation at Rohan’s question.

Her purple twin tails wagged like a puppy’s tail.

“Even though we won’t officially start until after we graduate from the Academy?”

“Yes. I know.”

Although Rohan mentioned the risks, the girl’s eyes were still full of anticipation.

He was grateful. Therefore, he could speak seriously.

“Then we need to be proper about money matters. That way, I can feel at ease too.”

“Haa… I-It’s really okay…”

As if she couldn’t find the right words besides “It’s okay,” Clara bit her lip.

Sensing they were one step away, Rohan smiled warmly, recalling the moments they had in the dungeon.

“And.”

“Yes?”

“Clara, you told me not to keep saying it’s okay. I feel the same way.”

“…!”

Clara’s face flushed as he reminded her of the time she impulsively expressed her feelings.

She hurriedly averted her gaze, sipping her juice through the straw.

“Keep this. It’s the money you rightfully deserve. If you don’t take it, I’ll leave it at the restaurant.”

“Thank you, Oppa… I’ll put it to good use.”

Clara knew for sure now. Rohan would really do just that.

From the moment he said he’d feel at ease if she accepted the money, her actions were limited.

“Spend it comfortably on whatever you want, Clara.”

“Okay!”

“Is there anything you want to buy? Just curious.”

“…Something I want to buy?”

At Rohan’s question, Clara stirred the ice with her straw, thinking.

When she first settled in Academy City, she thought she’d invest in the game first if she earned proper money.

Now, she also wanted to buy pretty clothes and new underwear.

Things that went beyond the category of self-satisfaction.

Before going to the bookstore where Rohan was, she started paying attention to her appearance, and the thought that she desperately lacked clothes crossed her mind every day.

I want to pay for the meals when I eat with Oppa…

She kept these thoughts to herself though.

“Nail art gel and some decorating cubic zirconia?”

This answer wasn’t a fabricated lie either.

“Cubic zirconia are those jewel-like things you put on your nails, right?”

“Yes…! I can buy a set for 15 Tokens.”

Clara would buy inexpensive ones from a general store anyway.

Even if she indulged in nail-related purchases, it wouldn’t exceed 1 Coin.

“Did you do your current nails yourself? Not at a salon?”

“Salons are expensive… and, I have to talk to people…”

Rohan couldn’t help but laugh.

It was a reason that was so perfectly Clara.

Rohan realized the preciousness of everyday life in these moments.

It was like gaining the motivation to study to death and swing his sword until bedtime again today.

“Clara, you’re really dexterous──.”

Bzzzzz!!!

Rohan and Clara’s phones rang simultaneously, interrupting their conversation.

Not just these two, but all the customers inside the restaurant were checking their smartphones.

A message with a red exclamation mark.

It was sent from the Public Security Bureau that protected Academy City.

Rohan’s eyes widened as he saw the familiar photo attached to the message.

Looking down from the restaurant, he saw Public Security Bureau vehicles busily moving around.

A foreshadowing!

With recognition, the waiting came to an end.

A translucent notification window popped up before his eyes.

Dead men tell no tales. Eliminate them…

It meant to deal with them before they get caught by the Peacekeepers and blabber about the Elf Elders’ plan.

Simple logic, but without the option of eliminating traces of the battle, it seems he needed to move quickly.

And the reward.

The word “Transcendence” particularly caught his eye. Rohan couldn’t help but be tempted.

Is it the Transcendence I know?

In Abyss City, if you drew the same character consecutively, you could use a system called Transcendence.

It was possible up to six times and was a system that accounted for a significant portion of Abyss City’s revenue.

First, let’s move.

Quest confirmed. He’d find out once he received the reward anyway.

Rohan picked up the longsword he had placed beside him while still seated.

Clara grasped the change in Rohan’s atmosphere along with the message.

“Clara. Do you have all your weapons? Do you need to stop by your house?”

“I have everything. We can move right away.”

As Rohan stood up and moved, Clara followed, looking at his broad back.

While going down the stairs, Rohan sheathed the sword he was carrying with a leather harness on his back. He carried his sword this way even as a Hunter, finding it comfortable.

“Clara. Let’s go meet her today.”

“Huh? Meet who…?”

Rohan grinned at the puzzled girl.

“Shion.”

The secluded residence where Shion and the Elf Elders resided.

A large number of guests visited the place after a long time, all the way from the distant country of Yamal.

The leader of the group had a considerable number of his members waiting outside and entered with a minimal number of escorts.

The head of this criminal organization, which dominated a region of Yamal, was a Doberman Beastkin wearing a beige coat.

He had personally performed a “Dan-i” (ear cropping) surgery, resulting in sharply pointed ears. It made him look even more fierce.

The bulky figures accompanying him on both sides were also Beastkin with belligerent blood.

“Bring out the item I saw in the picture. I’ll verify if it’s genuine.”

“Here it is.”

The Chief Elder took out a jet-black coin.

On both sides, a meticulously drawn hand.

The peculiar ominous aura emanating from the coin indicated it couldn’t have been arbitrarily crafted.

“It’s authentic. Explain the request.”

The Beastkin nodded in satisfaction, returning the coin.

It would be in his hands once the mission was complete.

While the conversation continued inside, Shion’s room was locked with multiple padlocks.