"Ugh, why do I have such a big bill? I wasn't even at home for more than three days combined. Natasha had to screw me over one last time before she left, huh?"
Usually, Liam would have asked Natasha to share the bill with him and saved money that way. But he couldn't rely on that option anymore.
The only option Liam was left with was to apply for a job again and get hired as soon as possible.
Luckily, he had one asset in his name—his house. The renovations for the upper floor had been completed, and it was ready to rent out.
"I should make a post about it before I send my resume out. I should also get started on sending the evidence of Edward's corruption before I forget all about it."
Liam spent the next few hours updating his resume and sending it out before creating a new profile on the best renting and leasing site, legally registering himself in the system.
Once it was done, the only thing left to do was to post the details of his rental online. Luckily, he had a sizable house fully paid for (which had drained him of all his savings).
The only problem Liam faced was the location of his house. It was a bit on the outskirts, with limited resources nearby. While this had helped him fetch a good price initially, he wondered if it would now become a hindrance.
Eh, I'll deal with it when the time comes. For now, I should focus on heading out and submitting the evidence needed.
Liam locked his house and walked toward the police post office to mail his blackmail evidence.
Dropping the small parcel into the mailbox, Liam headed back home. But on his way back, he suddenly paused and looked around.
"Huh? I know I'm not a fan of these neighborhoods, but I don't remember this place looking this ancient before. Did I take a wrong turn while heading home?"
Walls that towered over Liam surrounded him on both sides, and the only way to move was forward.
It wouldn't have been so unnerving if Liam could see the end of the road. But all his eyes could make out was a distorted shape of the path continuing ahead.
[Warning: User has entered an unstable magical dimension. Scanning the surroundings to assess danger level.]
[Update: Current Status - Safe.]
The system informed Liam where he was. As soon as he realized he was in a magical dimension, his curiosity grew.
He had seen magical dimensions in his memories before, but this was his first time experiencing one in real life.
"So this is a magical dimension? It feels... rather normal. I think this place lacks the magic to sustain it. Did the creator of this place run out of magic or something?"
Liam asked aloud. He didn't expect an answer, and he didn't get one. All he could do was continue walking until he reached the end of the path he had taken.
After walking for about an hour or so, Liam still did not see an end to the corridor. At this point, he was getting tired of walking.
"Tsk, can't I do anything about this? I don't think any of the magical dimensions I saw before gave me so much trouble. I feel like I'm missing something…"
Liam rubbed his forehead as he tried to recall what he might be overlooking in this situation.
In most of Liam's memories, he was able to see the "true" essence of this place. It sounded fancy when he said it like that, but it simply meant Liam could observe the magical flow of a magical dimension to determine where he needed to go.
He hadn't perfected this art yet, as it had only been a couple of days since he started, but Liam knew it was the perfect moment to try.
"System, guide me through the process of seeing magic. I feel like I've wasted enough time in here."
Liam muttered these words in a voice just loud enough for himself to hear.
[Understood.]
Liam's eyes felt cold, and the numbness made it difficult for him to keep them open for long. But once he got past the initial discomfort, it became easier for him to adjust to the feeling.
This cold and numbing sensation in his eyes wasn't something Liam could endure for long, but he could manage for a few minutes at least.
He looked at the walls on both sides and quickly noticed that he could see past one of them.
On the other side, an old man was leaning against the wall, trying to peek at the door. The wall also appeared fragile, and Liam was certain he could break it apart if he applied a little bit of force.
Let's see. I think I can even hear what that old man is muttering if I focus on it using my magic. I'm sure I know how to do it…
Liam took a deep breath and let his magic flow. He still needed the system's help to focus, but he had improved significantly compared to when he first started.
As a result, he was able to break down the wall and enter the hidden space.
The old-looking man, who had been hunched toward the wall and trying to spy on Liam, quickly stepped back with a flexibility that no one should possess at his age. It made Liam certain the person before him was not ordinary.
"A-Ah, are you new in our society? I don't think I've heard of you before. Which guild are you a part of? No, more importantly, what is your rank? You must be in the top 1000 if you were able to see through that outer mirage."
The old man muttered under his breath, sounding both flattering and annoyed at the same time.
Looking at him, Liam got the feeling that the old man was trying to gauge his worth by inspecting him closely.
But another thing Liam noticed was the way the old man spoke. His posture was regal, and he didn't seem as surprised to see Liam in his territory as he should have been.
System, any idea what this old man is talking about?
Liam had not been taught any of this, so he could only turn to his system for guidance. With some luck, his system would be able to tell him what was going on.
[Checking data scans…loading data…matching data found…]
[This shop is affiliated with the International Magius Society. More information is unavailable at the current moment.]
Just hearing the system say these words was enough for Liam to gauge the hidden meanings behind them.
Magic seemed to not be as hidden as he had thought. Rather, there appeared to be a whole society based around it, complete with its own rules.
Liam didn't know much about that world, but he wondered if he could become a part of it and make some money.
Cough
"Are you going to keep me standing here all day, boy? Hurry up and tell me your rank and guild so I can show you stuff that's in your price range. It's not every day a newbie like you manages to come here. You should consider yourself lucky."
The shopkeeper spoke with such confidence that Liam almost found himself believing the bluff about this being an elite place.
But compared to the treasures Liam had seen in his sleep and memories, this place was filled with sub-par energy. He would have called out the old man's fraud, but somehow, the old man didn't look as if he was lying.
The pride and confidence in the old man's words made Liam wonder if he was the one mistaken this time.
"I don't know what rank I am. As for a guild… I haven't joined one, but I've received some offers. I needed time to think about them before making an official decision."
Liam tried to test the old man by gauging his reaction to these words.
The old man looked a little disappointed to hear Liam say this, but he wasn't overly violent or condescending.
"Tsk, you must be one of Ashley Dew's admirers. I've seen a few of you by now. Kid, you seem like you have potential, so I'll give you a warning—going solo won't help you in this world. Instead, you should join a guild to help your talent flourish."
The old man spoke with confidence as he watched Liam like a hawk.
Ashley Dew? Who's that? Sounds like someone important. I'll need to look more into him later.
Liam tucked the name away in the back of his mind before quickly realizing the old man was still watching him.
"Hahaha, is that so? I guess I'll need to give my choices some solid thought… hahaha…"
Liam tried to distract the man in front of him by laughing and changing the mood, but the old man didn't look impressed.
"Tsk, you'll be in trouble if you take things so easy, kid. When I was your age, I was working my back off trying to perfect my magic so no one would be able to take advantage of me. But look at yourself. Tsk, you're so feeble and weak that you worry me."
The old man continued to spout words that had no meaning to Liam as he led him inside. Liam paid the man a little bit of attention before turning his focus back to the shop.
Once again, mediocre items flashed in front of his eyes, and Liam almost frowned upon seeing the prices of some of these items.
"Since you're here for the first time, I'll do you a favor, kid. I'll sell one of these items to you for half the price, so choose wisely."
The old man might not have been smart when it came to magic, but he certainly had sense as a shopkeeper and a seasoned swindler. Even now, he was trying to entice Liam into buying from his shop by offering incentives.
But Liam was a seasoned haggler and an expert in scams. He could tell that nothing here was worth its price. The most he could hope to find here was useless tinkering ware that he could find anywhere else.
Still, he pretended to look around and waste time to appear productive.
His pretending lasted half an hour because, by that time, the old man grew impatient and decided to come over and ask Liam what was taking him so long.
"Kid, are you looking for treasure or trying to find something to make me go bankrupt? Hurry up and find what you came here for, and leave me alone."
The old man raged, and Liam hesitantly picked up a flute in front of him.
Seeing Liam finally select something pacified the old man, and he looked at Liam's choice with a serious expression. Liam could instantly tell that his choice was going to get criticized by the old man.
______
I'll post 2 long chapters tomorrow and then slow down since my break is coming to an end.