The question lingered in the space between them.
Simple. Direct. No pressure behind it—yet it carried weight all the same.
"Do you want me as your mentor?"
I waited. Instinctively.
This was where something should happen. A thought forming, a reaction surfacing, even a slight shift in intent.
Something. Nothing came.
Viole didn't move. Didn't speak.
Didn't think.
I paused.
…That wasn't normal.
Every decision so far—no matter how small—started somewhere. A brief consideration, a flicker of reasoning. Even the simplest choices had a starting point.
This didn't.
There was just… nothing.
Indecision?
That was the closest thing I could label it as. A blank space where a process should've been.
I let out a quiet breath.
Well… fair enough.
She did try to kill us.
"Yeah, no, that's reasonable," I muttered to myself.
A short pause.
My gaze shifted back to her.
Crimson hair. Sharp eyes. Composed—too composed—for someone who had been trying to cut us down not long ago. Like that whole exchange had barely registered.
I tilted my head slightly.
"…I mean."
Let's be honest.
"…she's really pretty."
"If it were me…"
I paused again, weighing it out for myself this time.
"…I'd say yes even if she tried to kill me."
Yeah.
No hesitation there.
She is strong. That much was obvious. S-Tier wasn't just for display—it showed in the way she moved, the way she carried herself. That speed alone was enough proof.
I almost snorted.
Okay, yeah. That part matters. At least a little.
Not like I get chances like this.
The thought settled in, half-amused, half-serious.
Imagine being asked like—
"Hey, want to be trained by a top-tier adventurer who nearly killed you but also happens to look like that?"
…Yeah. No.
My thoughts were still lining themselves up when I started speaking again, half out of habit.
"Of course, you wouldn't want—"
"Okay."
I stopped.
Wait.
"…Huh?"
I blinked, trying to catch up.
"…Wait—what?"
There was a brief, disjointed second where everything just… stalled.
"Eh?!"
He said it. Just like that?
No buildup. No hesitation.
No thought—
And then it came.
—
Oh…
Now the thoughts surfaced smoothly, as if they had always been there, just waiting for the decision to be made first.
Clear. Direct. Efficient.
He wasn't chasing rank. Didn't care about recognition.
But S-Tier class proficiency—
That mattered.
Experience. Skill. Efficiency.
Learning from someone like that increases survival.
That was it.
No over analysis. No weighing of pros and cons.
Just value.
I stared at that process—if you could even call it that.
"…So that's how you decide things."
I let out a quiet breath, something between realization and acceptance.
Honestly… He wasn't wrong.
Strength like that doesn't just present itself. And when it does, you don't hesitate.
You take it.
No matter how it comes.
My gaze shifted back to Mina.
Yeah.
All things considered—
"She's definitely the best option."
Skill. Experience.
…and—
"…yeah, also that."
I shook my head lightly, a faint trace of amusement slipping through.
"If I were actually out there…"
A small pause.
Then a thought lingered for a second longer than it needed to.
Back to me.
Right.
Still here. Still… this.
No body. No control. No say.
Just watching. Feeling. Existing.
…
I exhaled quietly.
No point going down that road again.
Not now.
I let it settle. Let it fade.
And focused back in.
Not that it changed anything.
The thought still lingered—my situation, my lack of answers, the constant wall I kept running into every time I tried to understand it.
There wasn't enough information. Not even close.
But… I hadn't given up.
Not yet.
There just wasn't anything I could do about it right now.
So instead, I let it settle. Filed it away like everything else I couldn't solve yet.
And focused on what I could do.
Make the most of it.
…At the very least, try to enjoy it a little.
Yeah.
Might as well.
Before I could drift any further, movement cut in.
Mina stepped forward, closing the distance without hesitation. Her hands reached out and took Viole's, warm and firm, like the decision had already been celebrated in her head before it was even spoken aloud.
"Umu! Very well."
Her voice carried a lightness to it—genuine, but not entirely innocent.
Then her gaze shifted.
Past Viole.
To Liora.
And there it was.
That look.
Subtle. Brief. But unmistakable.
Smug. Playful.
Like she had just won something.
No—like she was claiming something.
I blinked.
…Oh.
Oh, I see it now.
Viole, of course, didn't react. Didn't even notice. To him, it was just a statement. A simple exchange.
But I heard their earlier conversation.
I knew exactly what that look meant.
"…You're not even being subtle about it," I muttered under my breath.
A soft sound cut through the moment.
"Ahem."
Liora.
Mina released Viole's hands almost immediately, the shift smooth enough that anyone not paying attention might've missed the timing.
Liora straightened slightly, her expression returning to its usual composed state.
"Well then," she said, voice even, "since the deal is sealed, that means I've fulfilled my end."
Her gaze settled on Viole.
"Which means it's now your turn to fulfill yours."
A small pause.
"Make sure those four don't spend their reward on something pointless."
That caught attention.
Not just ours.
"Hey—!"
Kiran's voice came from the side, quick and just a little defensive. The others turned with him, expressions varying between awkward and determined.
"We already decided what to use it for."
Liora raised a brow. "Oh?"
Kiran nodded, stepping forward slightly. "The Inventoria Tome."
That made her pause.
"We went to the library," he continued, more confident now. "Read about it. All of us agreed."
Eira gave a small nod. Luna followed, quieter but firm. Rath just crossed his arms, but didn't disagree.
"It's not just storage," Kiran added. "Food doesn't spoil inside it. That alone makes it worth it. And even if the space starts small…"
He gestured vaguely, like trying to picture it.
"Not having to carry baskets or packs for meals—it's already a huge advantage when traveling."
The explanation settled into the room.
Liora's eyes widened slightly.
Then—
slowly—
she turned to Viole.
The look she gave him this time wasn't subtle at all.
"…You influenced them."
Flat. Certain.
Viole didn't react.
Because, technically, he didn't.
He just… mentioned it.
Once.
I scratched the back of my head—mentally.
"…You kind of did, though."
Liora exhaled softly, something between disbelief and reluctant acceptance. Then she reached under the counter and brought out a small bag, placing it on the surface with a muted clink.
"Your reward."
The weight of it was clear even before it was opened.
"Fifty gold," she said. "Twenty-five from the Scholar's Guild for the undead dire wolf. And another twenty-five from the Adventurer's Guild."
Fifty.
That wasn't a small amount.
Not even close.
Before I could process it further, Mina's gaze shifted to the bag, her expression turning thoughtful—then casually dismissive.
"Fifty gold, huh."
She tilted her head slightly.
"Almost equal to a successful exploration of a C-rank dungeon, assuming you only bring back a D-rank relic or artifact."
The comparison landed quietly, but the implication was clear.
That was… a lot.
I felt the shift immediately.
Not emotional. Not excited.
Just—noted.
Viole registered it.
Not for status. Not for rank.
But for value.
Exploration. Relics. Artifacts.
High return.
My lips twitched slightly.
"…So that's where the real money is."
Behind Mina, Aris remained still, silent as ever. Watching, but not engaging. His presence felt more like a constant than a participant.
Liora let out another sigh.
Not the tired kind.
The kind that came from accepting something whether you liked it or not.
Then she turned and headed toward the Guildmaster's office without another word.
I watched her go, the faint creak of the door marking her absence. A few seconds passed. Quiet, but not empty.
Then she returned.
A book in hand.
It wasn't flashy. No glow, no dramatic aura spilling out of it. Just a solid, well-bound tome. But there was weight to it—something subtle, the kind you only notice when you're paying attention.
She placed it on the counter.
"The Inventoria Tome."
Her fingers rested lightly on its cover as she began.
"Normally, when a tome is read aloud, its contents disappear. Completely. The spell bound to it is absorbed by the reader immediately."
I leaned in slightly, listening.
So it's a one-time use.
Makes sense why it's expensive.
"The Scholar's Guild," she continued, "makes it a priority to acquire tomes retrieved from dungeons. They study them. Replicate them when possible. It benefits everyone."
Her tone stayed even, but there was a quiet pride underneath it.
"Tomes themselves are considered relics."
That tracked.
Magic with permanence—or in this case, controlled consumption—wasn't exactly common.
Then—
"This one is different."
A small pause.
"They managed to prevent the contents from disappearing upon use. The spell can still be absorbed, but the information remains intact."
I blinked.
Oh.
"…That's actually huge."
No destruction. No loss. Lower cost. Repeat use.
While she spoke, something else was happening.
Viole moved.
Quiet. Unbothered.
He opened the pouch and began dividing the gold.
No hesitation. No announcement.
Ten. Ten. Ten. Ten. Ten.
Equal shares.
Clean.
By the time Liora finished, it was already done.
Kiran noticed first. Then Eira. Luna. Rath. There was a brief moment of hesitation—then acceptance. No one argued.
No one refused.
They accepted it.
Just like that.
Mina, on the other hand, caught it midway.
Her gaze shifted from the tome… to the coins… to Viole.
There was a question there. Clear as day.
She didn't ask it.
Not yet.
She just watched, curiosity tucked away for later.
Liora closed the tome and tapped it lightly.
"Alright. All of you—come with me."
She gestured toward the back.
"Using a tome isn't something you do in the open."
The four moved immediately, gathering themselves and following after her. Luna and the others gave a small nod toward Viole before turning away, the others trailing behind him.
The door closed.
And just like that, the space quieted.
Only three left.
Mina shifted her weight slightly, then looked at Viole.
"So," she started, tone casual, "what's this 'deal' you had with her?"
Simple question.
Viole answered just as simply.
"She finds me a mentor. I make sure they don't waste their reward."
That was it.
No elaboration. No framing.
Just facts.
Mina held his gaze for a second longer.
"…Hmm."
That was all she gave.
But it wasn't empty.
Mina was quiet for a moment after her comment.
Not idle quiet. Measured quiet.
Then her gaze shifted toward the back room where the four new adventurers had gone.
"What's with those four?"
She tilted her head slightly.
"They're clearly not your long-term party members."
Direct. Observant.
Fair question.
Before Viole answered, the door to the back room opened.
Liora stepped out alone, the tome resting in her hand once more. No rush in her movement, no sign of concern. If anything, she looked… settled.
So they're done.
"They aren't," she said, picking up the conversation without missing a beat.
Mina looked at her.
Liora continued.
"They're new adventurers. Copper rank. They accepted a goblin extermination request."
She glanced once at Viole.
"He was looking for one as well, but it had already been taken. So I had him accompany them."
Viole spoke before the explanation could settle.
"You asked because you were worried about them."
Flat tone. No accusation. Just correction.
Liora's expression tightened for half a second.
"That is not exactly how I would phrase it, but yes."
Which usually meant that was exactly it.
She folded her arms.
"It wasn't inherently dangerous. Goblin extermination requests are common enough."
Then she added, more pointedly—
"But with inexperienced adventurers, anything becomes dangerous if they don't know what they're doing."
I almost laughed.
There it is.
Guild receptionist language for yes, I was worried they'd die.
Mina's lips curved faintly, like she caught the same thing.
Liora ignored it and continued.
"In the end, the group succeeded. More than that, they rescued eleven survivors."
That changed the room slightly.
Mina's posture sharpened.
"Eleven?"
Liora nodded.
"Abducted villagers and travelers. Taken by goblins and left in the cave."
A pause.
"Because of the undead dire wolf occupying deeper territory."
I felt the memory stir—blood, stone, movement, severed flesh still trying to move.
Not pleasant.
Mina's eyes narrowed slightly in thought.
"The Scholar's Guild was transporting a massive undead carcass the other day when we returned."
She looked to Liora.
"That was it?"
Liora nodded immediately.
"Yes. That was the same creature."
Then her gaze slid toward Viole.
"The Scholar's Guild purchased it for twenty-five gold from him."
Mina blinked once.
"Him?"
Liora gave a short nod.
"Because he was the one who took it down."
She paused.
Then corrected herself with visible reluctance.
"No. Not took down."
Her tone shifted into professional precision.
"More accurately—he incapacitated it."
Now that got Mina's full attention.
Liora continued.
"He severed its limbs. Removed the head. Then burned it to slow the regeneration—enough so they can escape."
Even Mina went still.
I had to admit, hearing it described clinically made it sound worse.
Liora went on, voice steady.
"By the time the Scholar's Guild and supporting adventurers arrived, the burned limbs and head were still attempting to crawl back toward the main body."
A small silence followed that sentence.
Yeah. Still horrifying.
"That delay gave them enough time to encase each part in ice for transport and study."
She placed a hand on the counter.
"Undead monsters do not naturally appear outside dungeons."
There was weight in that statement.
"So this one muted and came here. Evolved, adapted, or was altered somehow."
Her eyes sharpened.
"We need to know how. And why."
The room settled into a quieter kind of seriousness.
This wasn't just about one quest reward.
It was about something abnormal entering the world.
Mina broke the silence first.
"Then the payment makes sense."
She rested a hand on her hip.
"Under adventurer law, the slayer—or the registered party that cleared the quest—owns the spoils of war."
Her eyes flicked to Viole.
"That includes monster remains."
Then to Liora.
"So the Scholar's Guild bought the carcass from them."
Liora nodded.
"Correct."
Mina looked at Viole differently now.
Not with flirtation. Not teasing.
Amazement.
Measured, but clear.
I noticed it immediately.
And honestly… fair.
Compared to Viole, she was already near the summit of her field. S-Tier. Established. Earning amounts of money most people would never even see in one place. If she really was only in her twenties—
Then she is a monster in her own right.
Yet here she was, staring at a former silver-ranked swordsman who had carved apart an undead anomaly and sold the remains for twenty-five gold.
I almost laughed.
"…Nothing attracts attention like unexpected competence."
Viole noticed her gaze as well.
Naturally, he responded in the least dramatic way possible.
"I didn't do it alone."
Mina blinked once.
Viole continued, voice calm.
"Eira and Rath assisted with the fire."
There it was.
Credit distribution.
No pride. No embellishment. Just correction.
Mina stared at him for half a second longer.
Then waved it off casually.
"That's not the important part."
Cold efficiency. I respected it.
She turned to Liora instead.
"What about the other four?"
"The ones who went in with you."
Liora set the tome down and answered immediately.
"They're currently mana burned."
Mina's expression didn't change much, but mine did.
"…They're what now?"
Liora's eyes shifted to Viole.
"You should be fine," she said. "Your mana pool ought to be developed enough by now, considering you've reached D-tier class proficiency."
That was useful information.
Apparently proficiency affected capacity.
Good to know.
Liora rested one hand over the cover of the tome.
"Mana burn—also called mana exhaustion—is what happens when someone exceeds their available mana."
She spoke like someone reciting standard instruction.
"Mana is expended through spellcasting, powering mana devices, or learning spells through tomes."
I focused harder.
This mattered.
"When a tome is used, the spell bound within it is forced into the user."
That wording alone sounded aggressive.
"If the user lacks sufficient mana, the body compensates by converting stamina in an attempt to meet the cost."
I frowned.
That sounded terrible.
"And if the spell is too advanced…"
A brief pause.
"It may begin drawing from life force instead."
Yeah.
That would do it.
"That is why most tomes recovered from dungeons are to be submitted first to the Scholar's Guild. They assess the risk, document the contents, and provide compensation."
Smart system.
Because otherwise some idiot would read a glowing book in an alleyway and die trying to learn fireball.
Liora tapped the Inventoria Tome lightly.
"Which brings us back to this."
Her gaze settled on Viole.
"Your turn."
Then she paused.
"…Actually."
That single word carried caution.
"What are you planning to do about your subclass?"
I felt Viole's attention sharpen.
Liora continued.
"You said mage."
She folded her arms.
"Are you certain?"
Mina glanced sideways, interested again.
Liora went on.
"Choosing a subclass follows the same principle as choosing your main class."
She looked directly at Viole.
"Saying it aloud is not enough."
That sounded familiar.
"To lock the choice, you need a mentor."
I blinked.
Wait.
Again?
"No matter what their class proficiency tier is," Liora added. "If they are qualified to guide the path, they can validate the selection."
Then, with deliberate emphasis—
"So if you intend to lock in Mage as your subclass…"
Her eyes flicked briefly toward Mina.
"…You need someone to mentor you."
A small silence followed.
I felt the shape of the moment before anyone moved.
Mina.
S-Tier Blade—Duelist.
Currently standing right there.
Offering mentorship already.
And now subclass locking required one.
I almost groaned.
"…There's no way she lets this pass quietly."
Mina heard enough.
The moment Liora mentioned Mage, she turned back to Viole with a look that was sharper than before.
"Why mage?"
Straight to the point.
Then she continued before he could answer.
"Combat-wise, it's a poor subclass early on."
No softness in the assessment.
"Attack spells take time to learn. Time to control. Time to cast effectively under pressure."
She raised a finger, counting it out almost absently.
"And that's assuming you have the mana pool to support it."
Another beat.
"In the beginning, it offers little to no practical benefit in a fight."
That was the voice of experience.
"That's why adventurers who aspire to become mages starts at early ages."
Not dismissive—just informed.
Then her expression shifted.
The sharpness eased into something more concerned, more genuinely curious than critical.
She looked at Viole again, as if trying to understand whether this was ambition, ignorance, or something else entirely.
Before he could respond, Liora spoke first.
"Oh, it isn't for combat."
Her tone was smooth.
Too smooth.
I recognized that tone immediately.
She was enjoying this.
Mina glanced at her. "No?"
Liora smiled faintly.
"Viole's reasoning is far more grounded than that."
She placed one hand over the tome.
"He wants practicality. Survival utility."
Her eyes slid toward Viole with unmistakable amusement.
"Take fire and water, for example."
Mina stayed silent.
"If he learns enough to create flame, he can cook, keep warm, or make light."
A small pause.
"If he learns water, he can produce drinkable water when needed."
Then, almost casually—
"He isn't trying to become a battlefield mage. He wants to make travel less inconvenient."
I nearly laughed.
The way she said it made him sound like a man choosing a subclass for camping supplies.
Mina's eyebrow twitched.
There it is.
Not because the logic was bad.
Because the logic was annoyingly solid.
She turned back to Viole, studying him more openly now.
"How old are you?"
Her tone changed again.
Curious. Interested.
And her eyes—
Yeah.
I caught that.
"Oh, she is absolutely eyeing you now."
No question.
Strong, quiet, competent, practical, younger than expected—
Yeah, dangerous combination.
Liora reacted too. Her mouth parted slightly, like she was ready to say something about Mina's sudden interest or where this tutoring arrangement was heading.
But Mina spoke again before she could.
"Vane."
That halted the moment.
"The sword mage in our party. Leader of the Arkhons."
Her gaze stayed on Viole.
"He's already in his thirties."
Then she crossed her arms lightly.
"When we asked him why he chose sword mage—Blade main class, Mage subclass—he said almost the same thing."
Now that was interesting.
Mina continued.
"Not power. Not flashy combat."
She tilted her head.
"He said magic made life easier."
A faint smile touched her lips.
"Heat when it's cold. Water when supplies run low. Light when caves get dark. Utility first, battle second."
I paused.
Well.
That changed things.
Mina wasn't mocking Viole.
She was comparing him to someone she respected.
Maybe greatly.
Maybe enough to remember exact reasoning years later.
I glanced inwardly at Viole.
Same calm presence. No reaction worth noting.
After Mina mentioned Vane, Aris let out a soft chuckle.
Low, warm, brief.
"I remember that," he said. "Almost word for word."
So it wasn't just her memory.
Vane really had said it.
That seemed to be what finally nudged Viole's curiosity.
He looked between the three of them—Mina, Aris, even Liora—and asked the question plainly.
"What are your subclasses?"
Simple.
But I understood why he asked.
There were no known restrictions on choosing one. No law. No sacred rule.
Yet every time he mentioned Mage, people reacted.
Not hostile.
Just… like it was odd.
Uncommon.
Like someone choosing to walk uphill when there was a road beside them.
Mina answered first.
"Blade."
She said it casually, as if it were obvious.
"My subclass is also Blade with dual wielding duelist as my sub job."
That tracked immediately.
Her speed, footwork, balance, weapon control.
Yeah. Entirely believable.
Then she turned her eyes toward Aris.
A silent order.
Your turn.
Aris gave a small, patient smile.
"Mine is Mage."
Gentle voice. No flourish.
That made me blink.
Interesting.
Mina took over again before the silence could form.
"Let me explain."
Her tone shifted into instructor mode—direct, practical, slightly impatient.
"You do know that class proficiency only grows through relevant use, right?"
She looked at Viole.
"For example, Blade grows through blade weapons."
A rhetorical question.
She didn't wait for an answer.
"And you also know that once combat growth slows down or halts, mentorship becomes necessary."
She lifted one shoulder lightly.
"And the higher your tier goes, the harder that becomes."
Then she pointed a thumb at herself.
"Take me. I'm currently S-Tier."
No pride in the statement.
Just fact.
"When I hit the ceiling of that tier, the only way forward is finding someone above me."
I let that settle.
So even monsters hit walls.
Good to know.
Mina continued.
"Subclass growth is slower. Much slower."
She stepped a little closer to the point she wanted to make.
"That's why choosing the same class for both main and subclass is efficient."
She tapped two fingers together.
"One form of training advances both."
"Main class grows normally. Subclass grows slower—but it still grows."
There it was. Optimization.
"If you choose Mage as your subclass…"
She looked straight at Viole.
"Then combat with a sword only advances Blade."
A pause.
"And Mage only progresses through mage use, mage study, or mentorship."
Another pause.
"To make your Mage subclass even minimally useful in battle, you'd need to raise it to around D-tier."
She crossed her arms.
"Then maybe you can reliably cast something simple. Fireball or Waterball."
Her expression flattened.
"You start at F no matter what."
The room quieted after that.
It was a solid explanation.
Logical. Structured. Hard to argue with.
I felt Viole listening carefully. Not passively—carefully. He was sorting each point, measuring it.
And internally—he agreed.
Some of this he already knew. The rest fit cleanly into what he suspected.
Mina was right.
From an efficiency standpoint, from a combat standpoint, from a growth standpoint—she was right.
But then his thoughts settled where they always did.
Practicality and convenience first.
If magic could make travel easier, daily life easier, survival easier, then it had value even before it became combat-ready.
As for fighting—
He would rely on the sword.
Improve enough to survive.
That was all.
No greed for dominance. No hunger for prestige.
Just enough.
I almost sighed.
Even while agreeing with everything she said, there wasn't the slightest sign of him changing course.
No doubt. No hesitation.
Just calm acceptance of the slower road.
I looked at Mina.
She had delivered a full strategic breakdown.
And somehow, I was pretty sure she'd failed completely.
"…You're trying to persuade a man who thinks utility water is worth years of slower progression."
Aris looked at Viole with open fascination now.
Not the loud kind. Nothing dramatic.
Just genuine interest, quietly growing.
Then he spoke.
"If Mage is truly your desired subclass…"
His tone remained gentle, thoughtful.
"Then Elara might be interested."
Mina glanced at him.
Aris continued.
"She's our Spellcaster. S-Tier Mage proficiency."
I straightened internally.
Another S-Tier.
How many monsters were in this clan?
"She enjoys unusual cases," Aris added with a faint smile. "And you would qualify."
Before the idea could settle, Mina cut in.
"Isn't she busy helping the Scholar's Guild study that monster?"
Practical objection. Immediate.
Aris lifted both shoulders.
Maybe yes. Maybe no.
Then he answered anyway.
"We could ask."
Simple enough.
"And if she isn't available…"
He looked back at Viole.
"…someone else in the clan may be."
That was the moment Liora chose to intervene.
Her hand still rested on the Inventoria Tome, fingers tapping lightly against the cover.
She looked between the two members of the Arkhons, then at Viole.
"Are the two of you trying to recruit him?"
Straight line. No softness.
Mina blinked.
Aris smiled faintly.
Liora didn't stop.
"Because at this rate, Mina mentors his main class."
She nodded toward Mina.
"Elara mentors his subclass."
Then another slight tilt of the head.
"And Vane, who already chose the same path he intends to take, serves as direct reference."
She folded her arms.
"All roads seem to lead to the Solari Clan."
There was a touch of dryness in her tone.
"One of the strongest clans in the Thaloria Kingdom."
Then her gaze slid to Viole again.
"With top-tier adventurers guiding him."
A pause.
"He's rather lucky."
I almost laughed.
Lucky.
That was one word for it.
Then Liora's expression softened slightly, the teasing edge fading into something more practical.
"If that is the case, then good."
She spoke more seriously now.
"Because Viole is a solo adventurer."
That caught Mina and Aris immediately.
I felt the shift.
Their attention sharpened.
Liora continued.
"And now that he has been promoted to Platinum rank, dungeon diving will become mandatory."
Well.
That sounded unpleasant.
"Even if he tries to continue accepting lower-ranked commissions, I won't process them."
She said it without apology.
"Those requests are meant for lower ranks. If I hand them to him, he is effectively taking work from adventurers who need it."
Cold logic. Hard to argue with.
"So he cannot continue avoiding higher-risk commissions."
Then, bluntly—
"And he cannot solo all of them."
That landed.
"Which leaves only two sensible paths."
Liora raised two fingers.
"Join a clan."
"One."
"Or commit to a long-term party."
"Two."
She lowered her hand.
"And now, one of those solutions appears to be presenting itself directly in front of him."
Her eyes flicked toward Mina first.
"With Mina clearly taking a liking to both his skills…"
A tiny pause.
"…and his looks."
Mina's brow twitched.
Then to Aris.
"And Aris showing open interest."
Aris, to his credit, only smiled.
Liora turned fully toward Viole.
Then asked a question that was very obviously not just a question.
"Why not join them?"
Silence followed.
Not empty silence. Thinking silence.
Viole didn't answer immediately.
Of course he didn't.
He never rushed words he didn't need to say.
I waited with everyone else.
Viole stayed silent.
But inside, thoughts began to settle into place.
He agreed with Liora.
Not emotionally. Not because of pressure.
Because the facts were sound.
The opportunity in front of him was favorable. Exceptionally so.
Mentorship. Access. A powerful clan willing to open its doors without him even asking.
That alone carried weight.
Even her statement about refusing to process low-rank commissions if he kept taking them—
He didn't resent it.
There was no law stopping him. No written rule saying a Platinum-ranked adventurer couldn't accept work beneath his tier.
But he understood what it meant.
If he kept taking those requests, then lower-ranked adventurers lost chances to earn, gain experience, and survive another week.
He knew that.
So he agreed. Again, facts.
Still, among everything laid out in front of him, one thing stood above the rest.
Convenience.
Efficient advancement. Solved bottlenecks. Available mentors. Future party access.
Useful.
But then another thought followed immediately.
He did not want to be bound.
Did not want obligations tied around his neck.
Did not want to owe a clan simply because he entered through their gate.
So his thoughts narrowed to a single answer.
Trial.
Ah.
Of course.
Take the benefit.
Avoid the chain.
Viole finally spoke.
"Do you allow a trial period?"
He looked between Mina and Aris.
"Or probationary membership?"
The room shifted slightly.
Mina blinked.
Aris smiled.
And inside Viole's mind, the plan was already forming faster than his words.
Mina said they weren't working for two weeks.
That meant two weeks of mentorship.
Two weeks to secure his main-class progress.
Two weeks to meet this Elara and lock in Mage.
Two weeks to gain what he needed.
Then leave.
Clean. Efficient. Minimal attachment.
I stared.
"…You opportunistic little gremlin."
Honestly impressive.
But before the plan could fully settle, another problem surfaced.
Even if mentorship went perfectly…
Even if subclass selection was secured…
He would still be solo.
And dungeon diving required parties.
The Guild enforced that unless the adventurer was Adamantite rank and entering lower-tier dungeons alone.
Meaning—
This solved one wall.
Not the next one.
Viole spoke again, adjusting in real time.
"During the probationary period…"
He paused.
"I'll decide whether to join or not."
Smooth. Noncommittal. Reasonable.
And internally, the real continuation surfaced.
He would observe the clan.
Study the parties within it.
See if there was anyone he could trust enough to fight beside.
That thought landed heavier than the rest.
Because trust, for Viole, wasn't casual.
It was expensive.
Scarce.
Earned slowly.
I let out a dry mental laugh.
"…Right. Minor detail."
In combat, trusting your companions is only one of the most important things imaginable.
You know. Tiny issue.
And for someone who had been exploited, used, and taken advantage of when he first became an adventurer—Yeah.
That wasn't something you patched over in two weeks.
Still…
I found myself agreeing with him.
Caution was wise.
Use the trial. Learn what you can. Watch everyone carefully.
Then decide.
Before anyone could respond further, the door behind Liora opened slowly.
All four of them emerged.
Kiran first, trying to stand straight and failing halfway through it. Luna followed with slow, careful steps. Eira looked like she hadn't slept in three days. Rath somehow managed to look annoyed and half-dead at the same time.
They looked terrible.
Honestly, impressive they were upright at all.
"…Damn," I muttered. "They got wrung out."
Liora turned immediately.
Since they were conscious, her receptionist instincts activated faster than sympathy.
"Good. You're awake."
Then, with practiced efficiency—
"Drink the mana potions. They're part of the guild care package."
She pointed toward a side table where supplies had apparently already been prepared.
"Now is the time to use them. Replenish your mana. You may recover some stamina as well."
The four didn't argue.
No energy for pride.
They shuffled toward empty seats in the reception hall, collapsed into them one by one, then uncorked the bottles.
I watched as they drank.
A few seconds passed.
Then slowly—color returned.
Shoulders lifted. Eyes focused. Breathing steadied.
Not full recovery, but enough to stop looking like wandering corpses.
Liora observed them for a moment from behind the counter, satisfied they weren't about to die dramatically in the lobby.
Then she picked up the Inventoria Tome and looked at Viole.
"Come with me."
Business resumed.
Mina and Aris both gave small nods, content to wait.
Viole followed Liora into the back room.
Smaller space. Quieter. Cleaner than expected.
A single table. Two chairs.
Liora gestured.
"Sit."
Viole did.
She placed the tome carefully in front of him, then stepped back slightly.
"When you are ready, open it."
Simple instruction.
No ceremony.
Viole took a moment first. A breath. Stillness.
Then opened the book.
His eyes settled on the first lines of text—
And I understood absolutely none of it.
Not one word. Not one symbol.
Then it hit.
A rush.
No—a pull.
Sudden and violent.
Something inside us was being drained.
I panicked instantly.
"…What the hell is this?!"
The only comparison I had was horrifyingly simple.
Like someone punched a straw through my body and started sucking everything out.
Strength. Stability. Substance.
I felt like I was melting from the inside.
And because I was tied to Viole, I felt all of it.
For the first time, this wasn't just observing him.
I was experiencing it too.
"Okay—nope. Hate this. I hate this completely."
As the draining continued, another sensation emerged beneath it.
Something forming.
A hollow.
No, not empty—
A space.
Somewhere beyond flesh, beyond body, beyond anything I could place.
Then—
it stopped.
Abruptly.
The pull vanished.
The room returned.
I steadied myself mentally, trying to remember how to exist.
Viole's thoughts surfaced, calm as ever.
So that's how it feels.
Learning a spell from a tome drains mana… then forms the spell structure in the mind.
I stared in disbelief.
"That's your takeaway?!"
Liora watched him closely.
"Are you alright?"
"Yes."
Short. Steady.
She studied him another second, then nodded.
"Sit for a moment longer."
Then she continued.
"Since you remained conscious, you can proceed."
Apparently that was noteworthy.
"Utter the word Inventory while visualizing the space."
Viole closed his eyes.
I followed instinctively.
There it was.
The space we felt being created.
Unseen, but present.
Defined without walls.
Then he spoke.
"Inventory."
A white opening appeared in front of him.
Circular. Clean-edged. Quietly unnatural.
I jerked internally.
"…Okay, that is cool."
Viole reached inside carefully.
No hesitation. Just inspection.
He tested the dimensions by feel alone, mapping it with patient movements.
Several seconds passed.
Then his thoughts surfaced.
Enough for six small baskets.
The same kind he usually carried.
Not large but sufficient.
And it will grow over time.
Practical assessment. Immediate.
I had to admit—
That was excellent.
No more hauling food. No awkward bags. No exposed supplies.
Liora nodded as if confirming the same thing.
"The space expands as your proficiency develops."
Then she added—
"Opening and closing it only consumes a small amount of mana."
Efficient upkeep.
Good design.
She turned toward the door.
"Rest another minute or two."
Then, over her shoulder—
"You've just established a new mana pathway. Don't stand too quickly."
I almost laughed.
Even magic had aftercare instructions.
Viole remained seated, calm and silent.
I, meanwhile, was still recovering from being spiritually vacuumed.