Chapter 254

“Mina, you came at just the right time! How did it─”

“Smack!”

Despite Mina’s greeting, Harnier immediately locked herself in her room as soon as she returned.

Indeed, there was much to do.

Since returning after the first day’s events, she had to discuss with Mina and prepare for the next day.

Comparing the schedule for the first day and the following day, they were polar opposites.

Today had many events where her fiancé, Carsein, could participate directly, but starting tomorrow, he would perform most of the matches alone.

This moment was truly crucial.

She needed special preparations that weren’t about the women who had their eyes on Carsein.

She needed to firmly engrave into those women who saw him as easy prey that he was her fiancé.

But she couldn’t even think about such things now.

No, she couldn’t think about it because…

“If our first meeting was a contract for mutual objectives, I want to remain in a good relationship with you until the end.”

At that sentence,

Harnier trembled, “Ugh…”

Her face felt like it was going to explode.

Her heart was racing madly.

The heat all over her body made her feel like she was standing next to a blazing furnace.

Until the end?

That meant… with me…

“Gyaahhhhh…!”

*Thump, thump*

Immersed in happy fantasies, Harnier violently beat up a pillow.

“Oh my.”

Seeing her unusual reaction, Mina quickly followed and peeked in.

To hear something so wonderful.

Mina, who had pressed her ear to the bedroom door, smirked wickedly.

I wonder what happened today.

As someone who had been missing for a certain period of time to prepare for the next day, Mina was naturally curious.

“It must have gone well, then?”

There’s no way such a reaction wouldn’t come if it hadn’t gone well.

Nodding, Mina realized her job was to accelerate the romance between these two.

“Miss Harnier, are you feeling that good?”

“Mina?!”

“You’re too vulnerable. You didn’t even lock the door while indulging in your happy thoughts. What did you hear from Young Master? Did you receive a confession or something?”

“That’s not it…! I, I…”

Oh, what a beautiful sight this is.

Startled, Harnier sat up, hugging a pillow, and rambled on.

With a sinister smile, Mina silently urged her to answer clearly.

So, Harnier, blushing fiercely, started pushing Mina out of the room.

“No, stop! I just want to be alone for a bit… Go away. Quickly!”

“Really? Miss Harnier, you could at least tell me.”

“Minaaa…”

*Click*

Grumbling, Harnier chased Mina out and locked the door tightly.

“If our first meeting was a contract for mutual objectives, I want to remain in a good relationship with you until the end.”

“Ugh… What should I do…”

His voice played endlessly.

In the room, muffled screams could be heard through the pillow, which was crumpled several times, making it look shriveled by the next morning.

Harnier tossed and turned all night.

***

As time passed, it became nighttime.

After finishing the first day of the martial arts tournament, it was time to wrap up my day.

But I stayed awake, not sleeping.

I only returned to my lodging in the middle of the night, so Harnier might scold me if she knew.

Still, I had to do it.

I needed to get clues from Harnier without disrupting our relationship.

I had to investigate how to get clues and what this mysterious stat meant.

“This experience point thing definitely got influenced by Harnier. Even intentionally stepping on traps didn’t increase the experience much.”

I even went far to catch monsters other than traps, but it was the same.

Such a large amount of experience points didn’t come all at once.

Even if it were a sub-episode, I didn’t get enough experience to level up seven times.

This confirms it.

Harnier is the one who raised my level to boost her stats.

But I still know nothing.

Even knowing this, I’m not sure how to plan the next steps.

I don’t know how to get clues.

And the meaning of this mysterious stat remains unknown.

It’s best not to rush into it.

“It’s about time to head back.”

Considering the danger level in the field, it’s better to avoid unnecessary trouble.

“So the sub-episode was nothing special.”

This place was slightly away from the arena, where only a few monsters spawned continuously.

I thought maybe this sub-episode was related since it triggered when I entered.

“Sub-episode. ‘Clearing the outskirts region monster extermination IV.'”

[Monsters cleared: 30]

Other than ordering to clear the monsters, there was nothing else.

The goal wasn’t specified, and the completion time wasn’t mentioned, so there was no reward.

Just as I was about to turn around…

*Thud.*

“Whoa.”

Oh, I almost tripped.

What did I step on…

“Hmm?”

Something caught on my shoe.

I didn’t leave any monster corpses here. If it were loot, it wouldn’t be strange, but there’s no such loot in this field.

If something caught on my shoe…

*Ding!

“Sub-episode. Awarding the reward for exterminating the monsters in the outskirts region IV.”

“…Of course.”

“Damn game. Why give rewards like this? Ugh.”

With a grumpy tone, I bent down and picked up whatever was caught on my shoe.

I kind of expected it, but there was no information provided.

I sighed and turned around.

“Hmm. Is it confirmed now?”

“! Talpon.”

“I’ll say this beforehand—I wasn’t tailing you. I hope you won’t misunderstand.”

“What misunderstanding? There’s no reason.”

How fortunate it is that none of the other characters who know I’m here would raise an alarm.

“Anyway, Talpon, why are you here?”

“Hmm…”

Talpon glanced around and confirmed no one was nearby before handing me something.

“A letter from Lindel.”

“Wait, Lindel? Isn’t that…”

“Yes. One of the western tribes that survived back then, just like us. I had to find you because I have information about foreigners.”

“…”

This makes sense.

I immediately took out the letter and read it.

The first line was a greeting from the chief of the Lindel tribe.

The story of this symposium spread widely among the westerners, and he thanked me for improving their perception and expressed gratitude.

Then it got to the point.

Talpon included that he had vaguely heard I had connections with the Kingdom of Wederos and decided to share the information considering the circumstances.

And then,

A mention of the prophet I had longed for appeared.

“The prophet who suddenly disappeared. It was about half a year ago, he appeared in Lindel.”

“But he didn’t look quite normal.”

Unlike when he was active as a prophet, his appearance was anything but normal.

It was so serious that it felt like seeing a ghost.

Unlike the last time I saw him, his body was emaciated, with bones protruding visibly.

He seemed to have been injured all over, making me wonder what he had been doing.

When he finally recovered and woke up, he stopped eating altogether.

Most importantly, his eyes were lifeless.

They looked completely drained of vitality.”

‘Judging by this… it seems pretty serious.’

Normally, if someone’s body was damaged, I’d understand that much, but this seemed to be more than just physical.

From the sound of it, it must have been a huge event, especially psychologically damaging.

Continuing to read the text,

“We wanted to help him, given the favor he had done for us, but he suddenly left again after waking up a few days.”

I couldn’t even ask where he went.

But I remember his last appearance.”

This stranger who came from somewhere else repeated that he had failed, showing his worn-out appearance.

“I… have failed,” I said.

***

Failed?

Failed at what?

I kept thinking about it on my way back to the lodging, but I couldn’t grasp it.

Scratching my head, Talpon spoke up.

“It doesn’t seem like very helpful information.”

“I don’t really know. Whether it’s helpful or not.”

The conclusion was so unclear that I couldn’t distinguish whether it was helpful or not.

“Amidst all this complexity, I apologize for asking this, but Carsein, I have a question.”

“What is it?”

“Did you notice anything suspicious in the arena?”

“Suspicious?”

“I’m asking if you noticed anything with your own eyes. Anything, please tell me.”

By ‘your eyes’…

He means… the power of the Kingdom of Wederos. Did you see anything with that?

“Nothing particular. Why?”

“…Hmm. I see.”

Talpon placed his hand on his chin for a moment, then lowered it, saying he misunderstood.

“I should go back. Just in case, I’ll say this: it’s best not to mention you’re a descendant of the Kingdom of Wederos anywhere.”

“Why?”

“Although perceptions have improved, the Empire doesn’t exclude Westerners solely because they are barbaric.”

He tapped his finger near his eye.

“Because they don’t know their strength.”

“…”

Though brief, it was easily understood.

To the Empire, the power of the West is an unknown territory.

Given they possess the strength to defeat monsters, they must be feared.

Especially Wederos is seen as even more dangerous.

“Well, you’re clever, so I don’t think you’d miss this, but please be careful. If it’s revealed…”

“I understand. From the Empire’s perspective, it would be extremely dangerous.”

The rest is obvious.

Talpon confirmed the contents of the letter I had just read and burned it, acting on his words.

“Oh, I forgot.”

*Swipe*

“I should have asked this.”

With thoughts of the Kingdom of Wederos and the prophet filling my mind, I remembered this too late.

Well, it doesn’t matter.

After all, I can’t chase after Talpon anymore.

*Ding!

“Family member randomly appears!”

“Talk to the randomly appearing family member until the conversation ends.”

Due to this prompt,

On the first day of the Yellow Dragon Martial Arts Tournament, one of the family members is supposed to appear.

If I deviate from this, a family member might notice Carsein is missing, and my affinity will decrease proportionally.

Given Another Plan is always active in Chapter 3, such a scenario must be avoided.

As I approached the lodging, a figure appeared.

…Considering it’s random, it’s not very random at all.

“Player has met the target!”

“The person you are meeting is Duchess Isabella Bargrand.”

A luxurious envelope in her hand was particularly irritating.

Thinking back to the day she offered me pocket money during the sports meet.