In a luxurious restaurant found in the market district which was just near at the Sunrise hotel where Lloyd was staying, four teens sat on the table, drinking their coffees while waiting for their orders. Those four were Lloyd and the three people he had saved from the two minotaur hellspawns, namely Jouzo Mizurugi, the only male in their party, and the twins, Risa and Romina von Rosenberg. The twins were part of a royal family in another fortress in the real world.
After Lloyd had saved them, he had to escort them back to the city. He was also feeling tired so he didn't want to stay in the outer district any longer. He carried the wounded Romina while the other two followed him silently, afraid of making noises that would attract other hellspawns in the streets.
After they had arrived at the city, the group had insisted on treating him to a meal. How could he refuse a free meal? He believed that a curse would befall on him if he would refuse something that was given for free.
That was how they arrived in this situation. Lloyd and Romina were sitting side by side while he was dressing her wounds. He didn't have any healing skills nor healing potions, so all he could do for her was to clean the wounds and dress it up to prevent it from getting infected. Being an awakened aspirant didn't mean they were immune to all diseases. There were several abnormal illnesses that were meant for awakened to contract such as the hellspawn disease.
"Thank you for saving us earlier…"
Romina's voice was so soft and she felt so shy in front of him while he was busy dressing up the wounds on her left thigh. Sometimes, Lloyd's hand would brush off into her skin which would make her yelp a little bit.
"Why were you three being chased by those mad cows?" He asked them.
They avoided his gaze as they chuckled nervously. Lloyd sighed and continued.
"You're too reckless. Whatever you were planning that time, it wasn't worth it if you had died. You only get to live once."
"Of course, we know that…" Romina wanted to retort, but she knew he was right. They were indeed reckless.
"We were killing some goblins that time. But we were so arrogant and let one escaped. When the goblin came back, it brought those two angry cows to us by sacrificing itself." Jouzo decided to explain their situation.
"Are those goblins really that smart?" Lloyd asked.
"Yes. Although they are weak, they become a bigger problem if they call their allies or bring another stronger hellspawn by using their lives to take revenge."
The others also nodded in agreement with Jouzo's explanation. Lloyd didn't think that dealing with a measly goblin would create that much trouble if not killed immediately.
He remembered that terrible hibernating statue in the middle of the town square of the outer district. What if he failed to kill a goblin and it would go there to wake it up? The whole outer district might be turned upside down since a defiled emissary could influence the terrain it occupies just by releasing its destructive power. He shivered in fear upon thinking about it.
"Still, you are so strong… uh…" Jouzo excitedly said, but got confused upon remembering that he didn't know his name.
"Lloyd." Lloyd plainly stated his name.
"Oh. You're so strong, Lloyd. Are you perhaps from any elite families in your hometown?"
His eyes were sparkling like a fanboy who had seen his idol. Lloyd shook his head in response and added some words.
"Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not. I'm just some poor teenager from the poor and dirty slums."
He took a sip from his coffee. He had expected them to become snobbish afterwards. All of the people he had encountered before asked him if he was from elite families whenever he would try to dress properly once in a blue moon. After hearing that he was from the slums of the outer district, they would lose interest and look at him with disgust.
However, their eyes showed amusement instead of the usual disgust he had always experienced from the eyes of others. They even became more interested at him as they kept on asking questions.
"Wow! You're so strong despite not being part of an elite family. Where are you from?" Jouzo suddenly stood up and leaned closer to Lloyd just to ask his question which made the people on other tables stare at them.
"Hey, take it easy."
"Oh, sorry." Jouzo was a little embarrassed at his own actions so he sat down quickly. "I was just so excited. We actually wanted to grow stronger, that's why we were in the outer district earlier. We want to become as strong as you."
Lloyd once again took a sip from his coffee, not knowing what to say to them. He didn't become this abnormally strong just by killing hellspawns, though. Without the second awakening, his stats were absolutely garbage.
The only good thing in his original soul tree system was that he could craft any weapon, providing that his rank and mana were high enough to craft a world-breaking weapon that could potentially kill any hellspawn even if his body was weaker than an average mundane human. He decided to tell them without revealing his secrets, of course.
"I'm not strong. I'm actually weaker compared to those abominations outside. Those elite hellspawns seemed weaker because I awakened in an abnormal way. However, I can't reveal those things. Sorry."
"I see." Their spirits seemed so down.
"What makes you so eager to get stronger quickly?"
"It's— Ow!" Before Jouzo could explain, Risa suddenly pinched hard his side. "What was that for?"
"Stop spilling every secret we have!" Risa growled at him. "I'm sorry, Lloyd. We can't just casually disclose our objectives."
"Well, it's fine. It's not like I care anyway. After all, I'm just an outsider." Lloyd said emotionlessly.
"If you say it like that, I'd feel guilty…" She looked down in shame upon hearing his reply.
"Hm. I could see that you're still far from forming a second core. Did you guys just awaken recently?"
"Um, yes. How do you know?" They looked quite surprise and became a little bit wary.
"Let's just say I have an ability that allows me to see your ranks."
Fortunately, Lloyd had been wearing painted contact lenses he had painstakingly bought with the help of Klaudia ever since they had arrived in the city, in order to hide his glowing red eyes that would make him be mistaken for a hellspawn.
They would have been frightened to death for sure the moment these three laid their eyes on him back in the ruined cathedral and happened to see his eerie red eyes. Even without seeing them, they were already starting to become distrustful. The influence of his title was strong enough, even without his corrupted soul being discovered.
Maybe he should craft a magical one next time to alter his eye color and hide his 'wonderful' existence from the peeling eyes of people who had revelation skills like Klaudia. It would be a disaster if people find out he had a corrupted soul system. He couldn't dare to imagine himself being hunted by thousands of people who were living inside the city just because of his annoying Corrupted Soul title.
Of course, he still would have to practice countless attempts and produce failed ones in order to achieve the desired product since he didn't have any idea of how to craft an anti-divinity item.
"And also, how long have you been stuck in this place? If you answer this question, I'll help you until you could form your second core." He asked another question.
Finally, their doubts had been cleared and was replaced by curiosity.
"Really? You'll help us?"
"As I've said just a while ago, only if you answer my questions. Take it or I'll leave." He said seriously.
They thought for a moment and weighed the pros and cons. His offer wasn't so bad after all so there was no way they would back down from getting help in ranking up. It was like their second soul core would be handed directly in a silver platter without them doing anything stressful.
"Alright. We accept your offer."
Romina had decided to accept his conditions on behalf of the three of them. Lloyd thought that she was the one leading their group and had the final say. She then started answering his previous questions.
"Yes, we had just awakened recently, although, we never had any notable progress after that. As for how long we've been stuck in this place, it was a year ago, I think? The people who had been the longest are those who are occupying the Arcadia headquarters. They have been stuck here for three years already."
Lloyd was surprised. He had assumed earlier that they were all sent into this place at the same time except for housekeeper Seb and his companions, who had snuck into the portal in order to escape from their pursuers. However, it seemed that it wasn't the case. He had also found out a crucial information. The ones in control of this city were those who had been here the longest. By spending four years in this hell hole, he could deduce that they were probably long past rank III.
'So, that's where Luna and Klaudia went. They probably had something to discuss with those people.' Lloyd thought.
"Alright. That's good enough for an answer. Tomorrow, meet me at the entrance around 10 am. We'll start your training towards ascending to rank II."
"Thank you, Lloyd!" They excitingly said simultaneously and bowed to him, which made him flustered.
"H-Hey, stop that. Ahem! Anyway, here is our food. Let's eat already so because I am starving and wanna take a rest already." He changed the topic immediately as he saw the waiter coming out and brought their food to their table.
They filled their stomachs with the food they had ordered. Lloyd was pretty satisfied with this restaurant's food, although he liked it better in the casino. He should really come back there soon.
After leaving the restaurant, they bid each other farewell and he reminded them once again not to be late for tomorrow's training. When they were gone, Lloyd walked tiringly towards the Sunrise hotel. He looked at the clock hanging on the wall which indicated that the time was already 1 am. He yawned and hurriedly climbed towards the third floor and entered his room. He didn't even bother turning on the lights. Upon reaching his bed, he immediately lied down and slowly closed his eyes.
"I'm dead tired."
Just like that, he slowly drifted into the land of dreams without even noticing that someone else other than him was actually inside the room who was staring at him with great malice.