The deadline is tomorrow, Thursday, at 1 in the afternoon.
Considering it's already past 3 pm, there's no time to dawdle.
"Let's wrap up our exploration of the dungeon here. I'll handle the report, so you all can relax."
Both Travis and Monica visibly brightened up.
"Oh, wow! You're the best, Theo! Thanks, even though I didn't really do anything... I really hit the jackpot this time."
"Thanks, Theo! I owe you big time! What can I do to repay you? Anything you need?"
At least these freeloaders have some semblance of conscience.
Cute, really.
Well, given the team's composition, they've done their part just by carrying gear, scouting, and keeping the atmosphere light.
I chuckled lightly,
"There's nothing I particularly need. I have some matters to attend to nearby. I promise I'll be back before the evaluation ends tomorrow."
As I turned to leave—
"Where are you headed?"
Piel grabbed the hem of my clothes.
I could feel her trembling hand.
Hmm, I need a plausible excuse.
"I thought I'd explore the surroundings a bit since we're already near Fosspatil Pass."
Not a bad on-the-spot reason.
Active hero teams usually explore the surroundings when they're unfamiliar with the area.
"Can I come with you?"
Piel asked, her grip still firm on my clothes.
Her flushed face and bashful demeanor finally seemed fitting for a 15-year-old.
Now, she probably wouldn't try to strip me or pull any weird stunts.
My response was, of course—
"No, I'd prefer to go alone."
I needed to contact Amy quickly.
And in front of Piel, I couldn't comfortably use artifacts like 'Romeo & Juliet.'
Why would I let her tag along?
"I'll be on my way then. See you all tomorrow. Don’t worry about the report and just get some rest."
With that, I quickly turned and made my way out.
Andrew looked at me with his familiar disapproving gaze.
I'm used to it by now.
Now, let's move quickly.
I'm off to find a divine beast.
---
---
Divine Beast.
A natural enemy of spirits and one of the numerous hidden pieces in this world.
This is why I ventured all the way to the far-off Fosspatil Pass, which wasn't even part of the plan originally.
But it was something I planned to get eventually.
Beyond its power to repel spirits, it’s also quite helpful for stamina recovery.
Considering that the special effect [Overload] of the hidden piece [Natural Power] drastically drains stamina, the Divine Beast is essential.
[Natural Power] is a hidden piece, but when one stat exceeds 15, both the passive effect and the special effect disappear.
Hence, it's only useful in the early stages.
In the Spear Master route, Neike all his stats would reach 15 by the second year.
Moreover, around that time, he'd awaken a new ability to help with stamina recovery, further diminishing the need for a Divine Beast.
Yet, most players of this game would still acquire a Divine Beast.
The reason is simple.
It’s adorable.
Visually, it's no different from a regular pet.
And you can even name it.
‘I wonder what I'll get?’
While the Divine Beast doesn't have a fixed appearance, in this world, it usually resembles its owner in some way.
So, for the lonely Spearman route, a wolf appeared, and for the tricky merchant route, a raccoon did.
With those thoughts, after exiting the dungeon, I moved a fair distance away and scanned my surroundings.
Once I was certain no one was around, I took out the communication crystal and tried to contact Amy.
Shortly after, Amy's voice could be heard from the other side of the crystal.
─You called, Young Master?
Her voice was clear.
She must be nearby.
"Have you taken care of what I asked, Amy?"
─Yes, just as you instructed, Young Master. There was a small box on the edge of the cliff.
"You didn’t check its contents, did you?"
─...Of course not. I only confirmed it was as you described, then left it as it was.
Amy's voice, as ever, was calm.
She was likely telling the truth.
If she had opened the box, she wouldn’t be calmly communicating with me now.
In any case, this is good news. No changes to the plan.
"Understood, Amy. Good job. Tell me your current location."
─You wish to know where I am now?
"Yes, I’ll head over."
─Understood, Young Master. I am currently at...
After acquiring Amy's location, I ended the call.
If I go from here, it would take approximately an hour to get there.
---
---
An hour later, I reached Amy.
"You've arrived, Young Master,"
Amy greeted, bowing her head slightly.
"Yes."
As I replied, I inspected Amy's clothing.
Contrary to her usual maid attire, she was dressed in the tight-fitting uniform that members of Equilibrium wear for their missions.
······Seeing her like this reminded me of Seria.
I must remember to recharge [Magic Cartridge] soon.
She was covered in dust and there were visible signs of her ascent, confirming that she had indeed climbed the cliff as I instructed.
"You've worked hard, Amy,"
I approached her and patted her on the shoulder.
"It's nothing, Young Master. I simply carried out your orders,"
Amy replied, bowing her head modestly.
I nodded in acknowledgment,
"I know it might be tiring, but I need you to accompany me, Amy."
"Understood, Young Master."
With Amy following closely behind, I began walking toward where the divine beast was located.
Amy is excellent at what she does.
While she doesn't possess the physical prowess of Neike, Piel, or even Siena, she excels in various covert operations and has sharp instincts.
In unexpected situations, she was very useful.
I had no intention of unboxing the divine beast immediately since it would take some time to hatch.
All Amy would see is me retrieving a mysterious box from atop a cliff.
But the real reason for bringing Amy along was to demonstrate my worth to Equilibrium, the continent's most elite assassination group.
Though Jang Woohee is the daughter of Equilibrium's leader, she is still young and not actively involved with the group.
As of now, Amy is my only connection.
or some reason, they seem to be keeping tabs on me.
Their provision of the rare Spirit Repellent and the communication crystal is proof of this.
My plan is to use Equilibrium to counteract 'Turning White'.
'Turning White' might be the primary antagonist group in the main story, but Equilibrium is no pushover.
Unlike 'Turning White', where everyone and their dog is an executive, the elite members of Equilibrium are formidable enough to challenge experienced elf warriors.
While their numbers might be limited, their capabilities are not to be underestimated.
Jang Woohee's father, the current leader of Equilibrium, is especially powerful.
It is one of the reasons I want to keep a good relationship with Jang Woohee.
Lost in thought, I soon found myself standing before a towering cliff.
The box sealing the divine beast would undoubtedly be at its peak.
Uncharacteristically, Amy looked up at the steep ascent with a hint of annoyance and offered,
"The climb seems rather steep, Young Master. Should I retrieve the box for you?"
"No need,"
I responded.
Instructing Amy to climb the cliff was more of a loyalty test.
Only by passing such tests could I entrust her with even more significant tasks in the future.
"Just wait here for a moment."
Why would I bother to climb when I don't have to?
---
---
"Then I'll take a look around by myself for a while."
"Okay, Piel. See you later. We'll be resting near the dungeon entrance."
Responding to Monica's words, Piel nodded slightly and trudged out of the dungeon on her own.
In just a few hours, so much had happened.
Theo Lyn Waldeurk.
There was nothing she could say to him, especially all the embarrassment she has inflicted.
If she were to apologize, she wanted it to be genuinely heartfelt.
Yet, for some reason, she found it hard to meet his eyes.
Every time she did, her heart raced, and she felt a warmth spread throughout her body.
Piel recalled Theo's physique from a few hours earlier.
'There was no sign of the Great Demon on him.'
Although there was a mark on his left side, she had never seen such a mark before.
The chances of a new Great Demon emerging were extremely slim.
Thanks to Markvern, she was well-versed in all the traits of every Great Demon.
As these thoughts clouded her mind, Piel tried to think logically.
Soon, she thought of two possible reasons.
'The first possibility...'
The mark might be on a part she hadn't seen.
She had checked from his feet to the crown of his head... but she hadn't checked under his clothing.
'How... how can I possibly check that?'
Piel's eyes widened in shock.
Her face flushed with heat.
'How can I even bring that up?'
Lost in her thoughts, Piel fanned her burning face with her hand.
Of course, it didn’t help to cool her down.
After some time had passed and she managed to calm down, Piel pondered the second possibility.
The second theory seemed a bit far-fetched, even to her.
However, it wasn't entirely impossible.
It's a story that one would think only exists in myths.
If someone else heard it, they'd probably say,
'Tsk, tsk, the poor young girl is already... tsk, tsk.'
[Contractor of the Demon King].
