Wallace's heart raced as he double-checked the mission details once more.
His eyes widened, and a sense of disbelief washed over him. "It says to keep the citizens safe," he whispered quietly. But how could he? He couldn't even protect himself in his situation, let alone the others.
What is he supposed to do?
Lost in his thoughts, Wallace suddenly noticed a figure approaching.
It was Rederic, the Mana knight in shining armor, walking towards him in front of everyone.
"Sir," Rederic spoke, his voice filled with respect and urgency, "may I have access to your dungeon? Time is running out, and I'm afraid I'll miss precious moments..."
Wallace felt panic rise within him, uncertainty flooding his mind.
Should he grant Rederic's request?
Without thinking, he nodded and took the Magic Crystals from Mana Knight Rederic's hands.
His hands trembled slightly as he placed them in the Hologram, his heart pounding in his chest.
As the last crystal found its place, the massive door to his "Gaming Dungeon" slowly opened, revealing a mysterious abyss.
Twang!
Without hesitation, Rederic stepped inside, his determination clear.
Wallace watched, a mix of envy and longing swirling within him.
Tomorrow, he would have his chance to enter, but he needed it now, more than ever.
These knights, tomorrow will venture into the dangerous forest beyond Toraz Territory to confront the elusive "True Beasts," held the key to completing the mission. So, they would not be here to protect the citizens.
After all, if the system required Wallace to protect the villagers, it meant they were all in danger.
His heart sank, the weight of his mortal limitations overwhelming him.
How could he shield the innocent when he was just an ordinary man?
The same went for his fellow citizens.
Thinking of solution, he couldn't find any.
The realization struck him hard, sending a shiver down his spine.
The fate of the villagers of his town rested on his shoulders as their new Baron, yet he felt completely powerless.
Time slipped away, the gravity of his situation sinking deeper into his being.
Wallace knew that the stakes were high— Vending Machine—his precious cold drinks—and he had to find a way to overcome his limitations, or else the consequences would be dire—No Vending Machine for five years—And he won't be able to accept it!
As Wallace racked his brain, trying to find a solution to his difficult situation, a chilling feeling washed over his back, making his heart skip a beat.
Slowly, he turned his gaze forward, only to see the girl who had been crying earlier now standing upright in front of him.
Her face, covered in messy and torn hair, looked eerily like a ghost, sending shivers down Wallace's spine.
A strange sound came out of her mouth, "Urrrgghh..."
The words hung in the air like a sign of the terror in the night, and Wallace's eyes widened in horror as he prepared himself for what would happen next.
"Let me enter your dungeon too," she said, her voice filled with determination.
Suddenly, Wallace snapped out of his daze, struggling to understand her words. "Huh?" he stammered, desperately trying to make sense of the situation. He leaned closer, curious. "What did you say?"
There was a brief silence before the girl repeated herself, her tone resolute, "I said, I want to enter your dungeon too..."
Wallace furrowed his brow, still trying to fully understand her request. "Can you say that again?" he asked, sounding confused.
And then, with frustration and desperation, the girl shouted, "I, ELLENAIR, WANT TO ENTER YOUR DUNGEON TOO! LET ME IN! LET ME IN! LET ME IN!"
Her exclamation felt like a storm crashing and smashing upon Wallace's face.
He found himself speechless, realizing that he couldn't refuse her, especially since she wouldn't face death in his dungeon anyway.
Gathering his thoughts, he mustered a response, "You need 25 Neutral Magic Crystals..." he said, sounding resigned.
Ellenair, shocked by the requirement, struggled to find her voice amidst the enormity of the demand. After a moment, she regained her composure and protested, "That's too expensive!"
Determined to resolve the matter, Wallace reached out and took something from Ellenair's pocket. In her flustered state, her hands clumsily fumbled, briefly choosing the wrong pocket before finding the right one.
"Here, I only have five of them! Take it!" she exclaimed, thrusting the contents into Wallace's open hand.
Wallace's eyes widened as he looked at the messy substance on Ellenair's hands, his curiosity sparked.
"What are those?" he asked, sounding intrigued.
At that moment, Butler Mendez, who had been silently watching from the side, smoothly glided forward, startling both Wallace and Ellenair.
Waroossshh!!
The air swirled around them, capturing their attention and drawing them towards the Butler.
Butler Mendez carefully examined the strange contents in Ellenair's hands, studying them for a suspenseful few seconds.
Finally, he broke the silence with an awestruck tone. "It's really impressive," he said, his voice tinged with excitement.
"She found and kept these naturally, and based on my calculations, she must have been doing it for four to seven years. During that time, she must have killed countless Radioactive Beasts..."
Butler Mendez paused, letting his words hang in the air, before leaning closer to Ellenair and asking a question filled with anticipation.
"Tell me, miss, can you use Mana? And have you had this power since birth?"
The intensity in his gaze was unmistakable, reflecting his astonishment.
Ellenair proudly stood tall, her response filled with self-assurance.
"Of course! I'm also powerful!" Her confident statement made Wallace contemplate his own thoughts.
"Is she truly that amazing?" he wondered aloud, clearly curious.
Butler Mendez looked at Wallace with a surprised expression, as if he had just seen a ghost. He was about to react strangely but quickly composed himself, remembering that Wallace was under and confined the control of the Toraz family, not even letting him see the sun or rain.
Clearing his throat, he regained his composure and began to explain the importance of Mana Knights visiting territories like theirs for a month of "Beast Clearing."
"The reason why Mana Knights from all over the three Empires come to territories like ours," Butler Mendez started, his voice steady and authoritative, "is because of Magic crystals. These crystals come from the 'core' of Radioactive Beasts. When these beasts are killed, their 'core' is taken out and purified in the kingdoms. Some cores get damaged, destroyed, or turn to dust during this process. However, if a core remains intact, it transforms into a magnificent magic crystal."
Butler Mendez's gaze shifted to Ellenair, filled with curiosity and admiration.
"And here she is," he continued, emphasizing the significance, "choosing not to have her 'beast cores' cleaned in the kingdom. Instead, she lets these cores naturally dissolve within the bodies of the Radioactive Beasts she has killed."
Suspense hung in the air as his words settled, allowing the implications of Ellenair's actions to sink into Wallace's mind and the minds of the readers.