Chapter 24: The new journey

[ ] = Doruuk's thoughts

[Now I can leave this place and I want to go as far away as possible from this old man's villa, and one day I'll show you who I really am, remember that!]

I exit the room with heavy steps, rage flowing through my veins like molten lava. Solmir stares at me with those penetrating eyes, eyes that seem to bore into my soul and make screams of anger resonate within me. I must stay calm. His strength far exceeds mine, and unleashing my fury now would be a fatal mistake.

"Thanks for your help," I say with a controlled voice, each word carefully weighed, "but I want to be far away from this place before the sun rises."

Solmir curls his lips into a cruel smile. "As you wish, Doruuk, hahaha," he laughs, a hollow sound that echoes between the luxurious walls. "Go ahead. I only needed to remove your favor from my shoulders, and I've done that, haven't I?"

He looks at me with those arrogant eyes, full of self-satisfaction and superiority. In that moment, I understand how dangerous this man is, how much his power has corrupted him to the core.

"Yes," I respond dryly, "you have."

"Then allow me to ask you this question," continues Solmir, stroking his chin with slender fingers. "Why do you want to leave? You could stay a bit longer in this luxury, which I don't think you'll find elsewhere, right?"

His voice is honey hiding poison. Every word is a calculated attempt to manipulate me, to keep me under his yoke. The luxurious villa surrounding me is a golden cage, and Solmir is its jailer.

"I have my reasons and I don't want to tell you," I respond with cutting coldness.

"As you wish, hahaha," he laughs again, but in his eyes I see the frustration of not being able to bend me to his will.

We leave that oppressive place, and once in the garden illuminated by the moon, I stop. The night air caresses my face, a momentary relief from the tension gripping me.

"Now I'm leaving," I declare, looking toward the dark horizon, already imagining the steps that will take me far from this cursed villa.

Solmir approaches, his shadow seeming to unnaturally stretch in the darkness. "Go ahead, Doruuk, but keep this event between you and me. If I find out that you've let even a single word escape your lips..." He pauses, letting the veiled threat hang in the air between us. "You know very well what I can do, so it would be better if you keep your mouth shut and thank me for giving you such a great gift, hahaha."

"Don't worry," I respond with an icy tone. "I'm not someone who goes back on his word."

"Good, I hope so," says Solmir, then adds in an almost thoughtful voice: "And, Doruuk, I must admit that thanks to you my daughter is safe today. You were of great help to her."

The mention of his daughter brings confused memories to my mind, but I quickly push them away. "I did everything only for myself," I retort with detachment. "I don't help anyone without looking at my own profit."

A satisfied smile spreads across Solmir's face. "I must admit that you're a man I've come to like."

I don't respond. There's nothing to say to a man like him, a predator who feeds on the weaknesses of others, who manipulates and corrupts everything he touches. I walk away quickly, leaving behind that villa which from the outside seems sparkling and brilliant, but which hides a dark face that few can imagine.

[I need to disappear before the sun rises.]

[The only reason for leaving that villa was that I didn't want to get into future trouble. The old man's intentions didn't seem good to me; there was something rotten behind that facade of generosity. So the best thing was to leave, as soon as possible.]

I run through the streets of Drakathen, my breath heavy and my heart pounding in my chest. The streets are almost deserted at this hour of the night, only a few solitary figures hurrying home or to places still open. I wonder how many of them hide dark secrets like Solmir's, how many wear masks of respectability during the day.

The city sleeps, unaware of the machinations taking place behind the closed doors of its most luxurious villas. Solmir, with his power and wealth, can buy silence, can shape reality to his liking. But he cannot buy me.

I decide to spend the remaining time outdoors. I find a park, not one with rides or amusements, but a simple lawn with a few scattered benches. I sit on one of these, the cold wood beneath me.

Sleep threatens to overcome me as I sit there. Besides me, there isn't a soul in sight. The cold morning air surrounds me, penetrating through my clothes. Yet, there's something purifying about this cold, as if it were washing away the corrupted aura of Solmir's villa.

I observe the landscape around me, its silent and undisturbed beauty. I get lost in my thoughts, and a painful memory surfaces: my parents, whom I loved more than myself.

[What has happened in the world outside this game? Has anyone been able to see me? My parents must be worried. I want to go to them, but I'm trapped here in this game against my will.]

[Ohhhhh, life, where have you taken me...]

Time passes while I'm immersed in my thoughts, in a silent dialogue with myself that leads to no answers, only more questions. The sun begins to rise on the horizon, tinting the sky with shades of pink and orange. I rise from the bench, my limbs numb from the cold and immobility, and head toward Hector's inn, where I had taken a room.

When I arrive, Hector looks at me in surprise. He probably wasn't expecting to see me return.

We exchange a few brief words – nothing important, just empty words to fill the silence. Then I retire to my room, where I collapse on the bed and let myself be enveloped by sleep, a dreamless sleep, a brief oblivion from worries.

After a few hours of rest, I wake up. The sun is high in the sky now, the city pulsating with life. I head to the guild to collect the money that's owed to me.

I enter the imposing guild building, with its stone columns and colorful banners. Inside, the atmosphere is one of efficiency and professionalism. I approach the counter where the secretary sits, a stern-looking woman with glasses sliding down her nose.

I hand her the slip of paper that Frenya had given me. The secretary examines it carefully, then raises her gaze to me with an expression that mixes curiosity and suspicion. She rises without saying a word and goes to get the money.

"Here's your money," she says when she returns, counting the coins in front of me. "It's 223 gold coins. But tell me, where did you obtain such a considerable sum?"

She scrutinizes me with eyes that seem to want to penetrate every defense, every lie.

"I prefer not to answer," I say in a neutral tone. "I earned it by working."

The secretary tilts her head slightly. "Young man, be careful," she warns me in a low voice. "Around here, anything can happen."

There's a note of sincere concern in her voice, or perhaps it's just my imagination.

"Alright, I'll keep that in mind," I respond, collecting the coins.

[Excellent!! Money, beautiful and plentiful. The language of money is understood by the mute, the blind, and the deaf. Everyone hears the language of money. With this amount, I'll manage well for a while.]

I take the money and exit the guild, feeling the reassuring weight of the full purse against my side. The sun hits my face when I step outside, making me squint.

Now I need to head to a very important place for me: THE LIBRARY.

[I never studied much in real life, but here I need to study to SURVIVE! Knowledge is the key to survival.]

With this conviction, I enter the city library, a majestic building with tall columns and windows that filter light in golden beams.

As soon as I cross the threshold, I'm welcomed by a reverential silence. I see only serious people, all with their heads immersed in books. Despite the presence of numerous people, there's no one talking. The silence is total, almost oppressive.

And then I enter, with my voice ringing like a trumpet as I address the librarian at the reception desk.

"GOOD MORNING! I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT A BOOK ON LUMINOUSA, CAN YOU HELP—"

Before I can continue, the librarian and all the people around shoot me such icy glances that I'm immediately forced to fall silent. I approach the counter and repeat my request, this time in an almost imperceptible whisper.

The librarian looks at me sternly. "Fine, I'll give it to you," she says in a controlled voice. "But you can't take it home. If you want to read it, you must do so here, understood? And if the book gets damaged, you'll have to pay, agreed? And speak in a low voice, as people here are very focused and busy reading."

"Alright, I'll be careful," I promise, feeling like a scolded child. "Thank you."

The librarian raises her hand in the air with an elegant gesture, and the book I had requested begins to float toward her, gently landing on her outstretched hand. Such a casual demonstration of magic reminds me once again how different this world is from mine.

"Here's your book," she says, handing me the volume with an impassive expression.

"Thank you," I murmur, taking the book with reverence.

I head toward a free table in a quiet corner of the library and sit down. The book is titled "Luminousa: Biography." I begin to read carefully, determined not to get distracted.

The text is clear and detailed:

"The Luminousa already reveals its field of specialization by its color:

If it's yellow = healing Blue = defense Purple = magic Red = physical strength Green = mental strength Black = corruption"

The word "corruption" immediately catches my attention. I continue reading:

"Corruption means that the Luminousa uses the minds of others to make you win. It's a Luminousa that focuses on putting pressure on your enemy or monster. It's the Luminousa that I assumed was black in color."

And the Luminousa I took it, was black in color.

Continuing my reading, I discover that the Luminousa can be removed if you no longer want it, but it's a long and expensive process, which is why most people avoid doing it. Since the Luminousa is a very valuable thing, its costs are high.

[Good, I discover new things as I go along.]

Time passes as I continue to absorb as much information as possible. I learn that the Luminousa can be enhanced through various processes and with money. Even if it's of low rank, there are ways to improve it.

I'm about to continue reading when I realize that evening has fallen and the library is about to close. I have to leave, even though I would have liked to continue studying.

[That was useful information. I must return soon to learn more.]

I decide to go to a restaurant to eat something. Hunger makes itself felt after hours of intense study.

[Since I have money, I can afford a luxury restaurant.]

I ask directions from citizens I meet on the street, and finally arrive at the restaurant that was recommended to me. It's an elegant building with large illuminated windows and a finely carved wooden door. From inside come sounds of chatter and laughter, the clinking of cutlery and glasses.

I enter and am greeted by a livered waiter who leads me to a free table. I sit down and order, enjoying the refined atmosphere and the inviting aroma of dishes being served around me.

After a while, my food arrives. I begin to eat calmly, savoring each bite. The environment around me is lively, with wealthy people dining and conversing amiably.

Ten minutes pass. I'm still eating, lost in my thoughts and the sensations the food gives me.

Suddenly, a deafening boom tears through the air. The main door explodes in a shower of wood and glass shards flying in all directions. The sound is so loud that it seems to reverberate inside me, making me jump in my chair.

Muffled screams rise in the air, while chairs scrape on the floor and people instinctively recoil, seeking shelter from the sudden danger.

From the gaping hole, wrapped in a cloud of dust and chaos, emerges a group of armed men who burst into the restaurant with determined and threatening steps. Light reflects off the blades of their weapons, creating sinister glints in the dusty air. For an instant, the only perceptible sound is the labored breathing of those present, frozen in terror.

Everyone remains silent, as if paralyzed by shock. I observe the scene with a mixture of confusion and apprehension, my hand still clutching the fork, the food forgotten on the plate.

The men move with determination through the restaurant, heading toward a woman sitting at a secluded table. She's a solitary figure, with one eye covered by a black patch that contrasts with her skin.

The woman calmly raises her gaze, the spoon suspended in mid-air in front of her lips. Then, with an unsettling calmness, as if the violent intrusion were nothing more than a slight breeze, she brings the morsel to her lips and resumes eating.

As if nothing had happened.

[Something big is about to happen here. Should I run? Or stay to see what happens? Whatever my choice, I feel that this night will change many things...]

Chapter-End.