Messages From a Rich Brat
Axel's mind was so tangled by the whirlwind of events since he woke up that he hadn't even noticed the small, intricate ring resting on one of his fingers. When his gaze finally landed on it, a flicker of recognition stirred in him.
It was the very ring Rael had worn in the dungeon.
A deep frown creased Axel's forehead. "Why would he give me his ring?" he muttered to himself, turning the band thoughtfully.
As his fingers brushed against its surface, the ring emitted a faint ripple, expanding outward like a drop in still water. The sensation was uncanny, as though his hand had passed through the surface of a liquid.
Intrigued, Axel pushed his fingers further into the ripple. To his astonishment, his hand slipped into a small dimensional space, cool and smooth to the touch. He explored the other side for a moment before realization struck.
'There are things in here!'
He pulled his hand back, withdrawing the small pouch he had carried on his waist in the dungeon. His heart quickened as he opened it and scanned the contents with his senses. Relief washed over him, everything was intact. The beast materials and other valuables he'd stored were all present, not a single item missing.
Satisfied, Axel tossed the bag aside and turned his attention back to the ring. This time, he didn't insert his hand. Instead, he sent his senses through the ripple, probing the dimensional space within. His eyes widened in disbelief.
It was filled with an assortment of items. Among them were a dozen or so small, intricately designed bottles, their contents glowing faintly under his scrutiny. Axel recognized them instantly as potions, the same ones Rael had produced during their ordeal in the dungeon. Two distinct types were present: one filled with a crimson liquid, the other with a shimmering blue-green solution.
'So many.'
He stared at the ring in awe, questions swirling in his mind. Why had Rael given him so many of these valuable potions?
Axel knew their origin well, they were crafted by Potion Palace, renowned for its unparalleled quality. These weren't just any potions; they were Major grade, confirmed by his system when he had consumed one.
The blue-green ones were restorative potions, capable of healing severe injuries in moments, while the red ones restored vitality and Mana, a godsend for prolonged battles.
The sheer value of the potions left Axel staggered. A single Major-grade potion from Potion Palace could cost at least a hundred thousand credits, and even with the money, acquiring an original was no easy feat. Potion Palace produced only a limited number annually, making them coveted treasures among awakeners.
Counterfeits flooded the market, but they paled in comparison to the real thing.
"What is this brat intending by doing this?" Axel wondered. He knew Rael was rich, but the fact that he had given him such valuable items, was it just gratitude for his help during the dungeon?
"Oh..."
The thought hit him like a bolt. Axel remembered Rael's promise of five million credits.
Thinking it over, Axel couldn't help but feel the deal was a little ridiculous. The premise had been that he'd ensure Rael's safety out of the dungeon. But in hindsight, both of them had contributed significantly to their survival. It hadn't been one-sided, and Rael's actions made the promised five million seem unnecessary.
Not to mention the fact that Axel had lost consciousness during the fight with the boss monster and hadn't even seen the dungeon's conclusion. For all he knew, that rich brat might not even have survived.
As these thoughts swirled, Axel's senses scanned through the bag's remaining contents. He confirmed that most of it was made up of materials from the mutated dire wolves. A lot of them, actually, likely the spoils from the swarm he'd defeated before facing the boss monster.
But one set of materials stood out conspicuously. Thick white fur, sharp red claws, two red horns, and a faintly shimmering blue core the size of a fist. These were unmistakably from the Mutated Twin-Horned Alpha, the boss monster.
Axel sighed softly at the sight. Rael had been thorough, even leaving the boss monster's materials for him. That brat really knew how to handle things to his liking.
The five-million promise seemed unlikely now, but Rael's consideration in gathering these materials, knowing he would need them, was just as valuable.
"Not bad," Axel muttered with a slight smile. His opinion of Rael ticked upward. These materials would fetch a good price, enough to fund his plans for the foreseeable future.
Still, his mind wandered. He had no idea what had happened after he lost consciousness. How had Rael dealt with the false ranker? What had the Association's response been to the Guardian Domain and the false ranker's appearance? He was left in the dark.
As the questions swirled, a thought occurred to him. Shouldn't Rael have left some kind of hint about what had happened?
Pulling up his system interface, Axel navigated to the menu and clicked on notifications. In the notification section, an icon indicated he had received two private messages. He clicked on it and, as expected, saw Rael's name as the sender.
Rael had shared his system information with Axel earlier in the dungeon to allow him to view his stats, so it made sense that Rael could contact him through the system.
With a sense of curiosity, Axel opened the first message. The text popped up, and immediately.
---
Ah, brother Axel, I suppose you must be awake now when you get this message. I'm glad you're alive, whole and hearty. Well, it was quite a shocker as you suddenly lost it and passed out, but it's such a relief that it was right after defeating the boss monster, because I wondered what I would have done if that thing came at me haha.
Oh, brother Axel, I know you must be wondering how things turned out after you passed out. You don't have to be too worried; I've pulled some strings and covered a few things, so the Association couldn't get any good details of what really transpired. Although they are now aware that it was a Guardian Domain, and also about the appearance of the false ranker.
Oh, as for that false ranker, you won't believe what happened. Haha, I really tried my best to get some information from that guy, but you won't believe how tight-lipped he was, to the extent that I was even frightened! Would you believe that guy actually bit off his tongue and committed suicide? I was chilled to the bone, brother Axel. Just what sort of information was he hiding to choose death over spilling the beans?
Well, I managed to get some clues, though. I'll tell you about it when we meet.
Oh, and I got you admitted to the Saint Augustus Hospital branch in the Crescent Heights District. Their fees are quite on the high side, but you don't have to worry, brother Axel, I've got everything covered. You can stay as long as you want until you're fully recovered.
---
Axel's lips twitched involuntarily. Warmth stirred in his chest at Rael's thoughtfulness, but irritation gnawed at him as well.
Was it the overfamiliar tone? The constant "Brother Axel" every other sentence? Or maybe it was just the way Rael seemed so… comfortable? Sweet-talking his way through a life-or-death situation like it was a casual dinner conversation.
"Tsk," Axel muttered. He couldn't deny that Rael's antics were effective, though. Rael had covered a lot of ground while he was unconscious.
Shaking his head, Axel navigated to the second message. Unsurprisingly, it was also from Rael.
—
Oh, brother Axel, I forgot to mention something in the last message. The Association should be taking this case quite seriously, so be expecting their contact anytime soon. Just a heads up, they'll definitely be checking your system information, so be prepared for that.
Also, I didn't forget about the promise I made. I've transferred five million credits to you; it should trigger as soon as you read this message.
---
Axel's eyes widened. Right on cue, a system notification chimed.
[You have received a transaction request of 5,000,000 credits from (Rael Faelith).]
[Accept/Reject]