230 [BONUS] A Short Break

BONUS Chapter for reaching 500 GT!

Thank you everyone! �

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Two nights? Ragnar counted in his head. "So we couldn't finish this quest on this day?"

"Nope. We need at least about . . . a week real-time to finish it," replied Ren with a wry sigh. That was how strenuous the quest was. And addition to that, the four-hour real-time limit per day was a chore. He was tired of just imagining it.

He didn't want to be with Ragnar in that amount of days without expecting any return. But . . .

Ren briefly gazed at Evie and took a deep breath . . . she was the only thing that kept him grounded on this quest.

"What do you say, warrior?" Sharina's slit green eyes widened with eagerness.

"Do I have a choice?" Ragnar muttered under his breath, and Ren elbowed him.

"Yes. We'll accept," Ragnar said.

Sharina smiled. Her sharp tusks protruded outside of her mouth. "Good! Good! Join us over the fire tonight, and we shall feast in your honor. Now that brave warriors guard our clan, our children can finally sleep peacefully at night."

Sharina spoke some more before Ren and the others pulled away and retreated to a noncrowded area.

"What's next?" Ragnar asked, eying his surroundings. It was the peak of the afternoon, and the job wasn't until tonight.

"Should we do other quests while we wait for the night?" Evie suggested.

"That won't be necessary," said Ren. "We can pass the time by speaking to the inhabitants and look around . . . But if you want to do simple quest then I won't stop you."

Ragnar raised a brow. "You sure are calm. Others are hurrying left and right to complete the quest, and we are just going to wait for the night without doing anything?"

Ren nodded. "That's right."

". . ."

"Then . . . I'll look around and meet you guys here."

When Evie left, it was only when Ragnar faced Ren.

"I think you should tell me what you know. Sharina doesn't wear a mask. The Moon Blades are good and all, but I want the mask."

Ren's eyes didn't leave Evie as he answered Ragnar, "Relax. You should know me by now."

"I do. And that concerns me."

Ren finally returned Ragnar's gaze. "It's much easier to explain if the scenes are already happening. Besides . . . our fate is already intertwined, and no matter what happens . . . I WILL get you that mask."

After that, Ren and Ragnar pass the time by sightseeing and talking to the inhabitants.

Ren went to the center area where the clan fire was located.

The Clan Fire was sacred. It's the heart of any clan. It burns low during the day when it was used for cooking and crafting. But as night fell, it rose to a roaring bonfire where the clan gathered to eat, talk, perform magic and rituals and tell stories.

Every clan kept the fire burning as hot and high as possible -- the taller and more extensive the fire, the stronger the clan. Every clan competed to build the most incredible fire, and dousing these fires by their enemies meant defeat.

To extinguish the fire was an act of war and treason.

Ren was disrupted from his reverie when he heard a familiar voice.

"Ruru. How about this Horn back rocky lizard or whatever its name is . . . It looks strong and intimidating," Rosie coed.

"Can you have golems as your pet?" Lucia asked, staring at the mud golems that pulled wagons and broke stones with their fists to help the Orcs in their many constructions and crafts.

Ruru's fluffy ears wiggled on each side while she pointed her fingers together. "I . . . I want a cute pet . . ."

Rosie released a breath, waist tilting to the side while a finger skimmed her chin. "Egh . . . we came all the way here because this part is rich with strong beasts. But if you want cute monsters . . . then we should have traveled in the land of the elves."

"Egh?" Lucia whined, lips puckering out. "I don't want to go back there. That Maze forest is confusing as hell! And the monsters are indeed cute but so aggressive and strong. Not to mention that we have died there numerous times already. Have you forgotten why we're here and doing miscellaneous jobs? It's because our ATP is so short to go on raids."

Ruru shrunk even more. "I-I . . . I-I'm sorry." She sniffled. "I-it's my fault . . ."

Rosie cut Lucia a glare, and the latter panicked and quickly appeased Ruru.

"I-it's not your fault. I-it's because we're weak that we can't even give you a pet."

Ruru cried even harder, and the two panicked even more.

As he watched the drama, Ren couldn't resist the small smile stretching his lips. He had to admit that he miss the girls' shenanigans. Their friendship was one of a kind, and it was refreshing to see them interact with each other if he had to be honest.

"What are you looking at?!"

Ren blinked, and his eyes went to Lucia's pouting face.

"Creep," Lucia spat. "Keep your eyes to yourself. Let's go, girls."

Lucia hugged Ruru, comforting and hiding her from Ren's sticky gaze, while Rosie eyed Ren and purred.

"Don't be so harsh. He's kinda cute, don't you think? And isn't he the Ren who defeated Scar?"

"I don't care who he is. I don't like the way he stares at us."

"His name though . . ." Rosie giggled. "It reminded me of my Ren."

"Oh yeah . . ." Lucia forgot her anger at the memory. "I wonder what happened to him. He doesn't show himself anymore."

Ruru stopped crying, and her face brightened at the mention of Ren. "I miss Pii."

The three chatted with each other as they walked and disappeared from sight.

Ren's face darkened the more he listened to their conversation before they totally disappeared. He forgot how Lucia was a snob and the girls' snotty attitude towards strangers and men as a whole.

Ren took a deep breath and was about to go to his next destination when a group of players huddled around him.

"You're Ren who defeated Scar, right?"

"Are you really an Arcanist? Is it true that they copy the skills of others?"

"What spell did you use to defeat Scar?"

"You're so popular that many players look up to you. They even recreated their accounts and wanted to be an Arcanist. Can you tell us how you become one?"

Ren was getting dizzy with the barraged of questions, and he pointed at the horizon.

"What's that?"

Everyone looked over at where he was pointing but couldn't find anything. And when they flicked their eyes back on Ren, he was gone.