22 | The Reaper is Born
"That boy…," Vi clenches a fist.
Keen gives a signal to stop her from engaging recklessly. "We are here to practice synchronizing our attacks."
"Barging into the unknown without gathering information. How naive of those newcomers," Shina smiles. However, her lip twitches irritably.
Vi holds herself and takes a deep breath to relax. There is no point in being impulsive. Dealing with the blob monsters is tricky and any recklessness can result in their own deaths.
Besides, seeing human corpses is not new to her.
Keen inspects the enemy levels. All five of them are level twenty. As soon as he finishes looking at the blob monsters ahead, they suddenly stop jumping mindlessly and start moving like fast snails in a semi-circular formation towards their direction.
"They have tracking ability?" Vi whispers.
Shina ignores her question and starts casting buff skills on her instead.
Keen is about to give the hand signal for their discreet assault when he suddenly remembers something and immediately orders for their retreat. "Use your
"What? Why?" Although still surprised, Shina quickly casts the concealment skill, making all three of them invisible to the senses of the approaching enemies.
As soon as they are back near the northern gate of Topsy Town, the
"Why did we retreat?" Shina inquires with an obvious annoyance.
Keen browses his Character Tab and sighs in an effort to calm himself. "Tch. I almost forgot that we're not trying to destroy monster cores."
[ Memory: 494 ]
He has lost six units of his memories so far. Furthermore, he is able to confirm that there is no specific order as to which memory is taken from them after each day. That and the fact that continuous memory loss really does happen while they stay longer in Esprit.
"You what?" Shina heads towards him, but stops herself from further confrontation. She can already feel in his leaking dark aura that he is pissed off.
"We don't destroy monster cores to avoid getting unnecessary
'So even his monstrous vampire ability is being affected by the daily memory loss,' she thinks to herself while explaining to Shina about the method that Keen has been implementing thus far.
Shina falls silent. After a few moments, she initiates a question. "So your plan is to learn
Vi gasps. She never thought about it that way.
Keen nods. "I'm wondering if we can view the contents of monster cores, just like in a viewing screen, so we can objectively select which ones are most probably our own memories."
"You have a point. One reason that accelerates a Transfer's insanity is acquiring too much unnecessary Release fragments," Shina affirms and sits on a large rock debris beside him, "But I don't know if it's possible. There are no records of anyone trying that method. Your idea is straight out of a wishful thinking. We don't know the extent of Esprit's programming."
"It's worth trying," Vi raises a hand confidently.
Keen decides not to mention to the magus grandis about his intention to make a memory-keeping equipment from the Beast of the Lake's skin after he learns
"Anyway, we can start your practice in
"It needs to be practiced?" Vi looks at the mage she despises.
◎◎◎
Elise welcomes Keen and Vi but raises a brow to Shina. She doesn't know if the mage knows what face she makes but she is certain her emotion is clearly conveyed.
"What do you see in her, anyway? I believe I have stronger support spells than that jack-of-all-trades witch," she stomps her staff against the Guild Hall's floor.
"Aaaah, Elise is so beautiful even when she's angry," a Transfer hoots after sipping the last drops of his coffee.
Jerud appears before him and hits his head with a light tap of armored knuckle. "Don't you go drooling on Elise, you punk."
Keen laughs. "It's lively as ever in here."
"Have you officially recruited her?" Elise runs towards him.
Instead of answering her, Keen heads to Cassandra and inquires about the creation of a guild emblem.
As if an exaggerated automated response, the receptionist pulls out a drawing board and starts explaining how to acquire a guild emblem.
According to her, guild emblems can be made from any material. If a guild has no member capable of using
Each guild emblem is also customized for each member. Its back is to be engraved with the name of its owner, so exchanging or use of others' emblem is prohibited.
"The guild emblem can be as intricate as possible, however the guild wants it. That is, as far as their resource and skills go," Cassandra finishes her explanation.
Rutherford watches with intent eyes and a wide smile from a nearby table. "You're as beautiful and elegant today as ever, Cassy. I'll never get tired of going back here every time I finish my missions."
As he is about to confront Shina again, Keen calls out to her. The red-clad also asks Elise and Jerud to join him and his partner Vi. They head upstairs. After Jerud, who is in the rear, takes the fourth step, Elise casts her teleportation skill and all five of them disappear.
Thirty minutes later, the five teleport back in front of Cassandra as Rutherford is trying to flirt with her.
"He's still trying to sweet-talk an NPC," Vi sighs in disbelief.
Elise has a cheerful smile on her cheeks and Jerud places a palm on his face in obvious concern for the elf's demeanor. Shina is silent but she doesn't seem pleased.
"What happened?" Rutherford whispers to Keen while his eyes remain on the receptionist.
Keen ignores him and conjures fifty thousand gold pieces placed on five, large leather sacks and leans closer to the receptionist with a smug tone. "I'd like to apply for the creation of my guild: Reaper."
The other Transfers inside the Guild Hall all look to the reception desk.
Rutherford is making a scene and seemingly about to grab the red-clad. His face has an expression of disbelief and anger. Whispers and gossips start buzzing within the Guild Hall.
"What are they arguing about?"
"Let's wait and watch. We may witness the birth of new rogues in Esprit."
"We better get off here. Those two guys are monsters."
"Let's go monster-hunting than be involved in their quarrel."
"I wonder who will win between them in a duel."
"I'm betting on Rutherford. His experience in Esprit is far greater than the new guy."
"A duel may break out! This is exciting."
As if to answer all the whispering, Rutherford finally speaks in a very manly composure. "Have a duel with me."
Instead of answering, Keen turns away from the famous blade master of Topsy Town, grabs Vi by the wrist and disappears. Shina follows them. Elise and Jerud teleport their way upstairs.
Rutherford grunts impatiently. His hands are clenched to fists while he looks on the floor. "That guy…the snake must have bewitched him already!"
Cassandra offers a smile. "Are you looking for your next mission, Traveling Adventurer Rutherford?"
His mood suddenly switches as he faces Cassandra with a smile and bright mood. "Marry me, Cassy!"
◎◎◎
Keen and Vi head to the Northern Forest again. The sun is still not setting and there are barely any roaming monsters nearby. The place has become more peaceful since they defeated the Beast of the Lake.
Another difference this time is that Vi has become more capable now. She can run faster and has better reflex than her first time going there. Her vicinity awareness has also improved well.
Keen has also not initiated in carrying her against her will.
'He may have finally acknowledged that I've become stronger.' She smiles confidently. However, somewhere deep in her subconsciousness, she wants him to carry her in his arms again.
Vi shakes her head dismissively.
"Distracted?" Keen looks at her.
She ignores him, trying not to show any of her womanly emotions. "Shut up."
They reach the lake where they battled with the Beast of the Lake. Even when Keen steps on the water, no boss-level monster appears. He takes another step and feels the water seeping through his footwear.
With a serious tone, he glances at her while removing his hood. "We'll be too busy tomorrow. Wanna take a bath together tonight?"
Vi is taken by surprise. She is wondering whether he is actively trying to make her fall for him by showing his face during a setting sun. That's when she realizes that the sun's streaks, although cooler than during noon, are directly on his face.
Keen laughs, then looks away and steps back from the lake. "I was sure I would melt under the sunlight right there. I had to use your hostility as precaution to regenerate my face using
'So he's always been afraid to show his bare face under the sunlight because he might die?' She feels a slight pain in her chest with his statement.
Vi has always regarded Keen as an independent and strong man ever since she first met him. The overpowered fighting skills and instincts, including his ability to plan carefully, made her think he's not afraid of anything. But his very ability has actually been scaring him. Most vampires in the legends are known to die in sunlight.
'That must be the reason why he keeps hiding his face.' Vi bites her lip.
"I guess I'm a noble vampire then," he smiles as he sits on the grass.
"Mmm. Maybe." Vi looks away from him.
'So he doesn't really wanna take a bath together. Of course.' Vi smiles as she stares at the vermillion sky.