Chapter 20: Schnee's lucky box
"R-Return… Okay?" Celia cried just before Alex turned away.
He had already said his goodbyes, but Celia kept stopping him. Her tearful eyes and trembling self were just too much for Alex.
He thought of another pinky promise, but that wouldn't solve anything, would it?
Alex smiled awkwardly at Sara.
She was also here, holding her daughter tightly.
In the beginning, Sara was beyond shocked to see Alex's cathead. She immediately connected dots and realized that it was Schnee's doing. But something much more astounding muted her.
It was naturally her daughter.
In Celia's eyes, Alex was the same. He didn't become a humanoid cat on two legs, and he was still human.
The reason for it was simple; the charm skill didn't work on Celia.
After seeing it, Sara's shock melted, and she faintly smiled. For little ones, it was easy to form a bond with others.
Alex and Celia quickly became friends. But deep inside, Celia wanted to have a father. Although it was too confusing to her and she didn't know her feelings, Celia's little heart knew all answers.
She saw a fatherly figure in Alex, even though he was just eighteen years old student.
But it was really simple. After all, Alex spent time with Celia. He played games and ate Sara's dinners with her, and they genuinely shared their dreams.
That alone was enough for a little one to develop a love for Alex.
"He will return. Didn't you make a pinky promise? Now, now…" Sara smiled sweetly as she ruffled her daughter's hair and hugged her.
"I-I know!" Celia rubbed her little nose against Sara, her heart trembling!
Before Celia cried more, Sara urged Alex to take a leave.
"I will be back as soon as possible," Alex added before opening up his game system.
In that system, he operated to his class window.
Here, Alex saw a few options exclusive to him only. One of those options was naturally a leave ticket. He could form as many leave tickets as he wanted, but just for himself.
For others, such as his friends, Alex needed class points.
He hoarded class points by spending time with the Deathwill Sisters. Other than it, Alex could get those points through killing monsters and doing chores. He got many points after taking care of Stella's room.
He could make invite tickets through those points. Of course, those points also had more options, but those were held back for the future.
[You have used a leave ticket.]
[You have been sent to a random location.]
[Severlam Province(Lv.1 - Lv. 35)]
That was Alex's first journey to the 'normal' world.
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"What kind of skill did you give to Alex?" Sara confronted Schnee.
Although Alex had explained a little of his current state, he didn't have enough time to explain all details. In short, he told Sara that he and Schnee had a bet between themselves.
Since Sara suspected Schnee's scheme before, she headed straight to her room after putting her daughter to bed.
Of course, Sara also had her own reason to come here. She wanted to see how much Schnee trusted her.
"Have you seen him already? Of course, you have. You two are so close already," Schnee broadly smiled, her tone sultry and suggestive.
Sara didn't show anything on her face after those words, "He just said goodbyes to Celia and went to the outer world."
"Hmmm~~" Schnee hummed, taking a few steps closer to her sister.
Soon enough, these two were just a few inches apart. They could smell each other well, their breaths scratching each other's lips. A slight move forward would make their gorgeous faces bump into each other.
That kind of sight would be impossible in the former Deathwill Castle.
They didn't even know of each other's existence in the past. But each daughter was known as a prodigy in their mother's families. Their abilities were so unique and powerful that people willingly ignored their human bloodlines and sides, to say nothing of their compelling looks.
If it were the castle from the past, all guards and servants would look at them with wide eyes and hidden excitement.
Alas, the Deathwill Castle was pretty empty.
Only Schnee's golden and Sara's blue eyes shone in that dark world swathed in silence. But in those eyes, both of them saw support. That unique bonding stemmed from Elias Deathwill, their father.
Even if he was scum, he developed legendary class and a safe zone for his daughters. He had it all to genuinely love others; alas, he had failed. Unfortunately for him, out of his three daughters, only one would side with him after all he did.
"That's the skill," Schnee chuckled and flicked her fingers.
The silence around them and Sara's bright eyes reminded her of her current situation. She didn't want to face her sisters as an enemy or worsen their relationship. Therefore, she exposed the skill she had given to Alex.
Sara confirmed the skill.
"Come in. We have to keep a little decorum, right?" Schnee beckoned Sara to come into her room, "We don't want to become worse than barbarians; isolated and impudent. I will show you a little of my hospitality."
Sara nodded and followed her sister.
In that room, Sara took a seat and apologized, "Sorry for not trusting in you. I am glad you two had a talk."
If Schnee showed a different skill, Sara would've encouraged Schnee to talk with Alex. She wanted all her sisters to give him a chance.
In her eyes, Alex wasn't a bad person. Celia also helped Sara learn more about him.
"But if two of you ended up with charm skill on the line… Did you use it on him during your first meeting?" Sara added a question.
Before replying to her, Schnee came out with snacks and drinks. She dropped them on the table then jumped onto her chair.
She comfortably sank in and nodded to Sara's words.
Then, Schnee asked with a smile, "Say, Sara. You gave him a chance. Does it mean you would give Elias Deathwill a chance as well?"
"I would," Sara replied after a short pause.
Schnee's smirk slowly went away from her. She stared emotionlessly at her sister, then dropped the topic.
She added in an indifferent tone, "That bastard gave us enough hell. I would rather kill him and return to my true home… I had so much fun here… I still can't return, though…"
Schnee reminisced about her home. It was land inhabited by cat people, and she was pretty infamous here from young days. It started with pranks, then Schnee showed off her unique prowess.
But as those days flashed in her mind, Sara also recalled her home.
Tears soon flooded her eyes and tumbled down on her red cheeks.
Schnee blinked her eyes, perplexed by those sudden tears, "Why are you crying? What did happen in the Dullahan Kingdom?"
Sara's tears came out because of Schnee.
The cat woman wanted to kill their father. Still, the incident that had happened in Sara's home made her reevaluate the family's bonds.
If their father could prepare the whole legendary class and grounds for them, then there was hope for him and their mothers.
Sara genuinely believed in this.
To Schnee's inquiry, Sara didn't reply. She wiped off her tears and apologized, "I'm sorry."
Schnee, without any trace of her usual self, replied, "If my intel is right, there should be the Dullahan King's Sword in the castle's treasury. Don't even ask me how did that bastard get that sword. But if it's true, you can leverage it in the future."
Sara didn't ask how their father got his hands on it.
Instead, she asked, "How do you know it? I can't see any items inside the treasury."
Schnee chuckled, "We, cats, have peculiar skills. Before the successor arrived, I did my best to open facilities for myself."
Sara said with squinted eyes, "I am scared to ask about your skills."
"A lucky draw is one of them. How about I give you one?" Schnee fished out a box that was around adult head's size.
She put it on the table.
"Isn't it costly?" Sara asked.
Schnee shrugged, "I can make one each year. It pains me to part with it, but in my big sister, I trust."
It was oddly satisfying to have this kind of Schnee.
For that reason, Sara accepted the box.
She held it carefully, then looked over the system's message.
[Schnee's lucky box!
Schnee has cultivated this lucky box for one year. By opening it, her royal bloodline will bless you with one random skill.]
Sara took her eyes off the box, "It can be a negative random skill, right?"
Schnee turned her eyes to the side, "Perhaps."
That reaction told Sara enough, "What kind of negative skill did you get?"
"Nothing significant," Schnee replied with a stoic expression.
Sara saw through that lie, but she didn't press further.
Instead, she promptly opened the box.
[You have learned Love Map Skill.]
[Description: You've learned the ordinary skill, Minimap. On that minimap, you can use Love Map Skill. It will show you the location of people that you share a mutual love with.]
"Minimap? Isn't it what players have? You are luckier than me!" Schnee stood up, her tail erect and trembling.
Sara awkwardly smiled, "Thank you, Schnee."
"Didn't I add more responsibilities to you?" Schnee sighed, "If one of your beloved stays for too long in a danger zone, you will be the first one to check on them, won't you?"
"Oh, I see," Sara realized Schnee's intent.
Her sister wanted to lift a little of Sara's burdens! Knowing how responsible Sara could get, it was indeed Schnee's intent. She also wanted to tighten the bond between her sisters now that Alex had appeared.
"Can you see Alex's location?" Schnee teased.
Sara shook her head, "I can only see Celia."
Schnee crossed her arms and nodded, "I guess you aren't his type. Well!" she raised her chin and sneered, "I also wouldn't date an old man."
"Who are you calling old?" Sara's blond bangs went up, and she stared intensely at her sister.
"You, mommy," Schnee pointed her finger at Sara, then broadly smiled.
A small fight erupted between them.