Not insane

Dion leaned against the cold wall of the mission shop, arms crossed, his gaze distant. The moment he had walked in, all confidence and bravado, he had known this would be an uphill battle. It was one thing to act as if getting a sponsor was easy—it was another to actually make it happen.

For someone to sign off on him, they had to be Awakened. And not just that—they needed to have completed at least two missions to qualify as a witness. That alone narrowed his options to near nothing.

Most of the people who had been integrated into the Oracle alongside him, those who had the chance to awaken, were either dead, too proud to acknowledge him, or long gone from RidgeFort. Even if he scraped together enough Nyx Crystals to make an offer, no Awakened would be tempted by the pitiful sum he could manage. What he could earn in a week, they could make in a single day if they put in the effort.

So now, he waited.

He stayed near the corner of the shop, head slightly bowed, swallowing what little pride he had left. The woman from earlier—the one who had called him "kid"—was his best chance. And that thought alone stung. He had walked in all cocky, yet here he was, lurking like a scavenger.

He barely shifted when she finally exited the shop, though his instincts screamed at him to turn away before she saw him. He wasn't embarrassed—of course not. He just... didn't want to deal with her knowing look.

Unfortunately, she was an Awakened.

"I know you're there," her voice came, amused but certain. "Are you actually trying to hide?"

Dion sighed and stepped out, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "I might not be Awakened, but I do know better than to think I can hide from one."

That was what he thought, at least. What he actually said was, "Hiding? Please. I was just resting for a second."

The woman raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced.

"Right." She let the word stretch, then shook her head. "What do you want?"

Dion straightened. "I have a proposal."

"No."

He blinked. "I didn't even say what it was."

The woman was already turning away. "I don't need to hear it. I'm not a fool. I know what you want."

Dion clenched his jaw, hesitated, then fell into step beside her as she walked. "At least let me explain."

"There's nothing to explain. The answer is still no."

He exhaled sharply, forcing down the frustration creeping into his voice. He didn't have any other options. She was his best shot.

Dion quickened his pace to keep up with her, determination tightening his jaw. "if I fail...." he paused for a moment. "Then I'll serve you for a month."

The woman stopped, turning her sharp gaze on him. "You're not thinking straight." Her tone was dry, unimpressed. "If you fail this time, will you offer another month the next? And another after that?"

Dion's fists clenched, but his voice remained steady. "If that's what it takes, then yes."

She studied him for a moment, eyes searching for hesitation, doubt—anything that would prove him a liar. But Dion stood firm.

He wasn't throwing his life away just for the thrill of it. He had a goal.

This wasn't just about completing a mission. It was about the pass. The one given to anyone who had taken at least three missions, regardless of rank. With that, he could enter the places meant for the bold—the dangerous zones guarded by the city watch.

Those places held treasures. Not just wealth, but things that could boost Oracle integration. Rumors spoke of people who had stagnated, only to break through after braving those forbidden grounds.

If slaying more Grimlings wasn't enough to push him forward, then this would.

Or so he believed.

The city had its reasons for keeping people out, claiming that too many had risked their lives for rewards that weren't worth the cost. But Dion didn't care. He had no intention of listening to the warnings.

All that mattered was awakening. The rest? That was for the future.

But the woman didn't need to know that.