"Good night, Nash," Shein said as she made her way to her own bed and peeked from outside the door.Nash, lying in his own bed, watched her go and nodded slightly in return. They were staying in a cheap inn on the outskirts of town. The room was hot and stuffy, and there were issues with the bathroom, but the low price made it worth the discomfort. Nash had even rented two rooms to ensure a little extra space."WHAT? I'M SHARING A ROOM WITH THIS BOY? I DON'T WANT IT!" It was Merlene, the woman in the red dress.Nash took a deep breath and tiredly looked at her. He had paid for the room rental in the inn's lobby and was in no mood to deal with Merlene's drama. "Then go and find your own room. Use your own money. You are richer than me, Miss Tre Devilla," he replied bluntly.Despite knowing that Merlene was an accomplished player with a fortune far greater than his own, Nash couldn't help but wonder why she hadn't found an inn for herself. He had even paid for her dinner the night befo
Nash furrowed his brow in deep thought as he held two skewers of meat over the fire, flipping them with expert precision. He knew they still had to discuss how to free Lisa and the others."Hmmm," he said, taking a deep breath. "We've got to come up with a plan on how to save them."As Nash pondered their predicament, his companion Shein burst onto the scene, jogging over from the nearby meadow with three horned chickens in her hands. The creatures had fainted, making them easy prey for the players to bone it and made a meat skewer from it."We're in luck," Shein said, grinning widely. "I caught these for us."They were in the open meadows of Torrenfield, where players hunted low-level monsters to resell their corpses at the market or process them for food. The owner of the inn where Nash was staying had told them they could sell the bodies there as food raw materials for a good price.Nash thought it was a golden opportunity, a chance to level up while eating for free and earning mon
"Excuse me, can you tell us where we can sell the results of our monster hunts?" A man with a bushy beard and a haggard face let out a sigh when he was approached. He had been sitting there for a long time, and it seemed like every day there were people asking the same question. However, despite his annoyance, he couldn't refuse and always answered their inquiries, one by one. It had become a part of his life.He raised an index finger and pointed towards an alley. "Keep going straight and then turn right at the intersection. There, you'll find a shop where you can sell your monster hunting products.""Thank you," the person replied gratefully.The man rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Indeed, how much did he hunt to the extent that he had to--"He was about to finish his sentence, but his words caught in his throat as he saw rows of Horn Chicken corpses being dragged along the streets using ropes, like a carnival procession."T-That's a lot!" he thought to himself."I guess I have to bu
"Let her go," Nash said calmly, yet his expression was threatening. The young man, who had been holding Merlene's hand, pulled her back and shielded her from the angry men who had lost their money to her at the gambling table. Nash had predicted this would happen, especially when he saw the three bags of money in Merlene's hands. Suddenly, Nash thought about using the money to buy a pass at the guild.But he quickly dismissed the idea.(Cut it off, Nash! Never mind borrowing. She's already hired you with counterfeit money and intends to run away. You're wrong if you intend to ask that woman for help.)He scolded himself silently.Nash hastily shook his head, dispelling the bad idea as fast as he could."Hey, who are you to this woman? Trying to be her prince on a white horse? Sorry Dude, but we have our own business with her, so you better leave before you regret it," one of the men stepped forward and tried to intimidate Nash with his chest puffed up like a male bird showing its gall
Merlene's loud scream caught the attention of every diner at the renowned restaurant. All eyes turned towards her, causing her face to flush with embarrassment. She was used to being the center of attention, but this was not the kind of attention she wanted.Nash, on the other hand, seemed unfazed by the commotion. He casually took a bite of his steak, relishing in the taste of a well-cooked meal. It had been too long since he had enjoyed anything other than bland food like potatoes and processed meals.Shein, who was also annoyed by Merlene's behavior, was tempted to lash out at her. However, the promise of a medium-rare steak silenced her. She savored every bite with a serene expression that suggested she was in paradise.Merlene, still upset, pursed her lips in frustration. She knew that Nash was not obligated to follow her orders, but she still demanded that he stay away from Arcane."Why should I?" Nash asked, genuinely curious. "Don't you want to save your two friends?"Merlene
"Are you battered again?" asked the little Chisato, her face showing no surprise. She carried a wicker basket full of freshly baked oatmeal cookies that looked too big for her tiny hands.Nash, with bruises and other minor injuries on his face, turned to her with an annoyed expression. He wouldn't have been hurt if those naughty kids hadn't been constantly looking to mess with him. However, he managed to dispel them all and make them cry while running back home. This wound was much lighter than before."Noisy, did you lose again?" Nash teased Chisato, sticking his tongue out. Chisato was known for being blind in understanding directions and often got lost somewhere. Nash met Chisato and her grandmother two months ago when they moved into the old house next to their parents'. Since then, they took care of Nash and fed him, even though he still acted stubbornly."No, I was just scouting the area before delivering some bread to Old Man Jenkins' house, you stupid Nash!" Chisato puffed out
Crack!The sound of rotting wood being stepped on suddenly caught the attention of a man clad in iron armor. He turned towards the noise, but all he saw was a dark, endless corridor with no lighting. Shuddering, he turned back and tightened his grip on the iron spear in his hand.Meanwhile, three people were huddled in a dark alley with worried expressions etched on their faces. One of them covered his mouth and glared at the person he was holding."Shhh, be quiet! Do you want us to get caught?" scolded Merlene, annoyed that they had almost been discovered by the dungeon guards of the Arcane Guild.As Nash had made a deal with Merlene, she had promised to reveal a secret way to infiltrate the underground and escape from it. However, Nash hadn't expected the secret path to be right under the stable where he had slept a few days ago, hidden beneath a pile of hay."This world is indeed very narrow," Nash thought as he bent his body to crawl through the narrow hole. He couldn't stand and
"Who is there?" Adam narrowed his eyes sharply and kept them fixed on the dark alley beside him. Nash, Shein, and Merlene held their breath and stayed still, knowing that they were doomed if they were discovered, especially by the leader of the Arcane Guild himself.Pontifex, who felt uneasy being underground all the time, spoke up. "Perhaps it's just rats, Master Adam. Shouldn't we be returning to the surface soon?""Hmm," muttered little Adam. He continued staring intently at the dark passage as if waiting for something.Merlene screamed inwardly. (Hurry up and leave, damn it! I'm almost peeing my pants out of fear!)"Maybe you're right. Maybe it's just rats passing by. But somehow, I want to see those rats," said Adam."Huh, you mean—" Pontifex Roman hadn't finished his sentence when Adam stepped into the dark alley with a small grin on his face as if he had spotted his prey. Nash clenched his fists tightly, ready to cast the [Sandblast] skill to create a dust storm to help them