Accelerator went to the cashier at the Babel Tower to exchange magic stones. After filtering out what he needed to keep, the rest of the items were placed inside the remaining handbag.
"I'm here to exchange money."
"Ah, just a moment. Here we are. Could you please place the items you want to exchange on the counter... Accelerator!"
What a stroke of bad luck. He purposely came to the Babel Tower to avoid running into the pink-haired girl. Knowing her personality, she would cause a scene at the counter, drawing unwanted attention to him.
"I thought something happened to you. You're a bit late compared to other first-time adventurers."
"I thought I'd exchange the money later." He intended to retrieve the bag he placed on the counter, but the girl was quicker.
"Oh, this is your magic stone bag? It's a bit small. It doesn't look full at all. Seems like you had a tough time, huh? If you want to explore deeper floors, I suggest you find a supporter. They can help you carry more... drop... items..."
She turned the bag upside down, and a large pile of magic stones instantly poured out, spilling onto the base of the counter.
'Doesn't this girl know how to check the magic stones in a back room?' Accelerator thought wearily.
Misha looked at the bag suspiciously, then at him, and then at the pile of stones on the counter. Her mouth moved, but no sound came out. The situation seemed to have caught the attention of the staff and adventurers nearby.
With a snap of his fingers, the taste of blood filled his mouth. A simple hypnosis spell made her resume her work. He took back the bag and replied.
"It's just an ordinary magic bag."
"Uh, okay." Misha said absentmindedly.
"I'll check the value of the items right away." She quickly began sorting the different magic stones, her speed surprisingly fast. So, this is what she's like when she's serious. Things gradually returned to normal as the adventurers stopped paying attention and resumed their work.
"Magic stones, magic stones... War Shadow's finger... Magic stones. Wait, War Shadow's finger? You went down to the 6th floor of the Dungeon with no Falna on your first day. THAT'S UNUSUAL."
No, she's the unusual one. She just broke through the hypnosis spell just by seeing a finger. Luckily, he had blocked all sound from this area, so everyone was just looking at her like she was a fool.
"There's nothing unusual when you've seen my abilities."
"You... you... I don't even know what to say anymore." She slapped her hand against her forehead and sighed. Hey, that's supposed to be his action. She decided to say no more as she checked the remaining items. Despite that, her eyes widened as she saw drop items from deeper floors.
"If you exchange all of this, you could earn nearly 90,000 valis. Wait here a moment." With that, she quickly took the materials inside.
A while later, she returned with a rather large bag.
"This is the money you earned. Do you have any complaints?"
Of course, he did. The bag could be much smaller if she had used higher denomination coins. She was probably still annoyed with him after what happened earlier.
"If you don't mind, could you talk with me for a bit?"
"Sure."
He and she returned to a familiar room.
"Alright, the first thing I want to ask. Why are you so strong without a Falna?"
That was quite an unexpected question. He thought she would scold him. It seems she wanted to give him the most accurate advice based on his strength.
"So, do you understand what Falna is?"
"Falna is a blessing from the gods. It grants humans strength and allows them to surpass their limits. Falna is represented as something called Status. The Falna itself is set up as various parameters. It includes basic abilities, developmental abilities, magic, skills, and an overall level. It physically manifests in the form of a tattoo-like block of text detailing all the characteristics, along with the symbol of the corresponding familia."
He didn't mind sharing this knowledge since it wasn't a secret.
"That's correct, but that's not the focus of the question. Falna is the development of the soul and spirit. The leveling system is like a container representing the soul and its growth. The higher the level, the more power you gain. Essentially, your soul gradually reaches a higher state."
"So, you're saying there are other ways to develop your soul?" Misha asked in surprise.
Nodding, he took a can of coffee from his bag and took a sip.
"Yes. There are various ways to develop one's soul. Falna is just the simplest method to achieve that. The ancient heroes developed their souls on their own through sheer determination."
"So, are you like them?" Misha looked at him with eyes sparkling like stars. He took another sip, then calmly replied.
"No, I'm not."
"Oh..." She immediately deflated. He could almost feel like she had dog ears drooping on her head. Is she a demi-human hybrid? After a moment, he told her.
"I'm a mystic. Someone who studies the mysteries and the nature of the world."
Misha's face grew contemplative as she listened to his words.
"Hmm, I've heard that other forms of magic besides Falna are cumbersome and less effective. What makes your magic different?"
"I made a contract with a spirit." The practice of humans making contracts with spirits has existed since ancient times. It was a simple reason to justify why he didn't join a familia. Moreover, the nature of Qliphoth might be similar to a spirit in some way.
"Wow... That's amazing. Can you show me your spirit?"
"She left after we exited the Dungeon. So, maybe next time." A sneeze echoed from some tavern. Accelerator looked Misha straight in the eye.
"I won't join any familia. The conflict between the two types of power could kill me." Of course, this was a complete lie. But it wasn't far from the truth either.
"Oh. So, what level do you think you are compared to other adventurers?" Misha asked curiously.
"I don't know, and I don't care."
"In that case, could you show me some interesting magic, Mr. Mystic?" Misha used her puppy eyes again.
"No." This time he flatly refused. Arranging his belongings, he stood up, preparing to leave.
"Please keep this matter a secret."
"Honestly. By the way, how far did you actually go in the Dungeon?"
"12."
"So, you're at least around level 2 or 3..."
Ignoring Misha's mumbling, he left the room. The entrance to the Dungeon became more crowded as a group of severely injured adventurers exited. He checked his watch before leaving. It was almost evening. He wondered if Qliphoth had finished checking the city again. Someone was watching him from behind, so he blended into the crowd and left.
...
"Captain, is something wrong? The healer is calling for you."
"It's nothing." His instincts told him that the person from earlier was somehow connected to this.
"It's unfortunate that we couldn't reattach your severed hand. But your teammates are all fine. Luke just fainted, and Jin won't be able to fight for two weeks."
"So, we'll have to stop exploring for a while then. Haha."
"Don't move too much. It's a miracle you're still alive after losing that much blood. You also need to rest. We'll settle the costs later." After saying that, the healer left.
"All the money we earned over the past few weeks has gone down the drain."
"I'm sorry, Captain."
"I told you, it's not your fault. How about coming with me to the Dungeon tomorrow to make some money?"
"But..."
"Don't worry. We'll only go up to the 5th floor. You also need to gain more combat experience. Besides, I feel like I could fight another battle right now. So, join me in the Dungeon, okay?"
"Yes, Captain." The Elf shouted with a bright red face.
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.
.
"So, he told you to check out some corners of the city again?"
"Yeah, it's really boring. I already checked this place once before."
"Once, you say, was about five years ago. The city has changed a lot since then."
"I know that, but the master said he'd go out with me today, not like this."
"What do you expect from that awful guy? Don't worry, I didn't let him know that going to the Guild isn't actually necessary for exploring the Dungeon. He'll end up with a mess of trouble."
"When the master decided to go through the main gate of the Ganesha Familia, he already brought a heap of trouble with him..." Qliphoth mused for a moment. "By the way, your friend, Syr."
"What about her?" Chloe asked curiously.
"Nothing. It's nothing. Aren't you supposed to be working?"
The two girls were chatting in Chloe's private room.
"I'm just taking a little break. I'm tired. It's really busy. All thanks to my sweet little girl. She's drawing in a lot of customers."
"She really is adorable. But what if some customer has bad intentions?"
"Then..." Chloe clapped her hands together. "Even if it's a god, they'd get a permanent ban from the tavern. Mama Mia would personally see to that." Then she glared at Qliphoth.
"Have you been teaching the girl anything bad?"
"Nehehe... just a little. All because someone doesn't know how to teach kids. But it looks like someone's calling you."
Chloe sighed.
"I'll get you later. See you." Chloe left and went downstairs.
"Hehe... Bye." Then Qliphoth gradually became invisible in the material world.
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When he arrived at the entrance of the Hostess of Fertility, a black cat emerged from the corner of the building.
"Qliphap. How did your investigation go?"
"Master, there were only a few insignificant changes. It can be said that the city has moved past the chaotic period. Familia like Loki have solidified their positions in the city. I'll share more details when we get home, meow."
Staring at Qliphap, he was slightly surprised to see her using this magic for the first time.
"You really do look like a real cat."
"Meow, I am a real cat right now. We've been communicating through telepathy this whole time." After saying that, Qliphap climbed onto his head and settled there. Though it was uncomfortable, he couldn't blame her. Opening the door, he stepped into the tavern.
"Welcome to the Hostess of Fertility."
In front of me was Ayla, dressed in the tavern's uniform. The girl had become an employee at the tavern.
"I'll have some black coffee. Is there a ban on animals in the tavern?"
Ayla's face showed no surprise when she saw him. It seemed she wanted to be a perfect employee.
"There's no ban on animals as long as they don't bother other customers. Would you mind sitting at the counter?" Following the child's guidance, he slowly walked to the counter. The bar was a long L-shape, and he sat in a small corner near the end, far from the other spots. A perfect place for anyone who wanted peace and quiet. The cat jumped off his head and lay down on the counter. The dwarf tavern owner looked at him before bringing out a dish of milk for the cat.
"I hear you're a friend of Chloe and the guardian of that child, right?"
"Yes."
The owner smiled and said to him, "I've heard a bit about your past. If you're planning to change, then do it well."
"I will."
"Ayla is wonderful. She's very understanding and smart. Chloe, although a bit cunning and perverted, is very affectionate toward those close to her. She talks about you a lot. You're strong, right? Make sure to protect them well," the tavern owner said while still preparing food for customers.
"You don't have to tell me that. It's obvious."
"Haha. You seem to be quite curt. Come on, don't frown like that. You'll start looking old."
"Meow...meow..." The cat drinking milk lifted its head and meowed.
"This cat agrees with me too."
He shot a glare at Qliphap. The cat turned back to drinking its milk.
"This cat belongs to you, right? What's its name?"
"Qliphap."
"Meow...Meow," the cat protested. It seemed she refused to acknowledge herself as a cat.
"Qliphap, huh? That's a strange name... Hmm, do you have plans to go out during the festival this weekend?"
"What festival?" That was new information to him. Since leaving five years ago, there hadn't been any festivals around this time.
"It's Monsterphilia," another person chimed in.
"It seems we meet again. Here's your coffee," Syr said.
"What are you doing here?"
"Are you looking for Chloe? She's currently being punished for skipping work earlier."
"And your job?"
"The kitchen's a bit busy, but the others have taken care of everything. Things have slowed down a bit now."
She looked pleadingly at the tavern owner, asking for permission.
The owner nodded her head, granting it.
"You should take them out somewhere that day."
"Are you okay with this? There will be a lot of customers that day," he asked, turning to the owner.
"Our tavern opens in the afternoon. You can take them out in the morning. The others will handle the preparations."
"Thank you." He said with genuine gratitude. This was a rare opportunity for Chloe and Ayla to spend time together. He didn't mind accepting the kind gesture. The cat lifted its head in surprise, making some confused noises.
"Meow...???"
Syr was surprised when she noticed the cat. She only now paid attention to it.
"Is this your cat?"
"Yes. Its name is Qliphap."
"That's a nice name." Syr reached out to pet the cat. Qliphap shuddered, her fur standing on end. The cat then stood up and jumped into his lap.
"Ohh."
"Qliphap hates being touched by strangers."
"Why?" He asked Qliphap telepathically.
"She emits a divine presence, even though it's well-hidden. I hate it, Master."
This was a problem. Normal people couldn't emit divine presence, not even those with Falna. So, Syr could only be someone directly granted power by a god, a demigod, or a god herself... From what he had gathered, the god related to this tavern could be Freya.
'Did you get detected again?' He asked Qliphap.
'Don't worry. I have enough knowledge to hide my energy. Plus, my demonic energy is completely foreign to this world. Even if she detects it, she'll only think I'm a strange cat.'
He glanced at Syr as she looked back at him. Trying to guess was pointless now. Even if she were a god, as long as she treated everyone well, he didn't care.
"Do you have any plans tonight?"
"No. I was planning to take Ayla home after eating."
"But Ayla wants to stay here tonight. Right, Ayla?" Syr directed her question to the child serving tables.
"Yes!" The girl shouted from afar. Syr smiled a little.
"She's so adorable. It seems you two have found yourselves a little princess." Syr said with a happy expression on her face.
"Why don't you spend some time with Chloe tonight?"
"Isn't she being punished?"
"The punishment can be postponed to another day. Isn't that right, Mama Mia?" She directed the question to the tavern owner.
"That's fine. Chloe, come here right now."
With incredible speed, Chloe appeared instantly.
"What is it, Mama?"
The tavern owner didn't say anything and just gestured with her chin toward Accelerator and Syr.
"You can take the night off and go out with Accelerator. Mama agreed," Syr replied cheerfully.
"What about the punishment?"
"It'll be waived if you go out with him. Ayla and I will handle the work." Now he understood why Syr was called a witch. She was blatantly tricking her friend, winking at him.
"That's right, Mama, go out with Uncle today. I'll be the best employee at the tavern today," Ayla said enthusiastically. The adventurers around them cheered in agreement. But they all fell silent when he shot them a deadly glare.
"What do you think, Chloe?"
"I'll go with you. What about you?"
"No problem. Let's go." It seemed he would have to postpone his discussion with his partner until tomorrow. After all, he was planning to talk with her anyway.
Syr and Ayla were both smiling the same way as he and Chloe left the tavern. He wondered if leaving Ayla there was the right decision. Qliphap tried to follow him but was stopped by Ayla.
"Be good, Qliphap. Let Mama and Uncle Accelerator go out together. Syr, can you watch the little kitty for me? I'll work extra hard for you."
"Meow...Meow...Meow..." The cat let out a pleading cry.
"Sure. Come here, you sweet thing. You're so adorable." Syr took the cat and petted her.
"MEOWWWW...." The cat's distressed cry echoed throughout the tavern.
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.
.
Accelerator and Chloe didn't have much to say to each other. They walked together silently through the streets of Orario.
"So, what have you been doing for the past five years?" Chloe decided to break the silence.
"I traveled the world with her. What about you?" he replied.
"After you left, I continued taking on different contracts for a long time. Everything ended when I got too tired, meow," Chloe replied thoughtfully.
"I thought you'd stay with Njord Familia. What led you to the tavern? Was it an assassination?" he deduced based on what he'd heard.
"Yes."
"Well, that's Demi Ymir for you. The gap is insurmountable." He chuckled a bit as he thought about what had happened.
"Yeah. Mama Mia is terrifying when she's angry. I was out cold for almost half a day after taking a punch from her, meow."
"And after that?"
"As you know, I ended up working at the tavern. At first, I thought it was terrible. But after a while, I realized living there wasn't so bad. It wasn't the life I'd dreamed of, but it was the life I wanted, meow," Chloe admitted sincerely.
"The life you want is pretty twisted, shotacon. But I'm glad you've found your place," he replied earnestly.
Chloe was the person closest to him in this world. Even though their first encounter wasn't great, they quickly teamed up for various jobs afterward. She helped ease his homesickness because her personality reminded him of a certain red-haired shotacon he knew.
They continued walking. The bustling scenes of the city center gradually faded. The lights from the magic stones became fewer, and the atmosphere grew colder.
"Hey, Accelerator."
"What?"
"You've heard all about my life through our talks." Their meetings and missions weren't just cold business. As they grew closer, they shared their own stories. Her life as an assassin was both sad and reprehensible, somewhat resembling his past.
"Then I realized, I really don't know who you are. Every story you've told, every place you've been, gives no clue about your past. Even when I investigated you, all I found was a traveler named Accelerator."
He stayed silent, waiting for her to continue.
"But I can see in your eyes a nostalgic longing. It's eating away at you, gnawing at you until it seeps out. Maybe meeting Ayla eased that longing a bit. But it hasn't disappeared. Often, during our conversations, you tend to reminisce about something..." Chloe's voice slowed down.
"You must have had a family before."
Accelerator was surprised. Chloe had never shown such depth before.
"I know what you're thinking. Don't underestimate a woman's intuition. Your family is still alive, isn't it? That's why you're searching for them."
"Yes, they're alive and safe," he confirmed. His affirmation made Chloe smile.
"Finally, you've told me. So, did you lose your family? If so, you must have lived far from here, right? What was your old family like? Meow."
"Tch... Now it's time for the guessing game, huh, Kitty?" he growled.
"Sorry about that. I got a bit excited... So, let's start with the simplest question. What's your name?" Chloe walked ahead of him, taking long strides down the road with her hands behind her back.
"My name? You already know that."
"You know that's not what I mean. 'Accelerator'—that name is strange."
"You probably haven't really heard what some consider strange names."
"Even so, that name is confusing. It sounds like something you'd name an object, not a person... Even though I was born into an assassin family, I still have a name of my own. What I want isn't the name associated with your current appearance, but the name that represents who you truly are."
She wanted him to open up, to tear down the wall separating him from others.
"Tell me. Who are you?"
Accelerator grew quiet. Chloe wasn't in a hurry; she stood, waiting for his answer.
Since arriving in this world, he had always been busy. Even in the calmest moments, he was constantly thinking about how to get back home. It wasn't that he didn't have time to rest; he just kept himself busy on purpose. To numb the growing longing for his family.
Indeed, he had imprisoned himself. Separated himself from them. But as the city's manager, he could still see and watch over them anywhere. He was still in the same world as Last Order. He could still find her and keep her safe. But now, in a completely different world, Qliphap was the only one from the old world he could rely on. When their efforts to find a way home yielded no progress for years, he grew increasingly anxious.
Because, damn it, there was no clue at all.
Everything he'd done in the past eight years was based on his theories. He had buried himself in studying this world's magic, sneaking into the gods' realm, descending into the chaos. All in vain. Not a single clue about the existence of another world. Crossing the "Chaos" was his last theory. But if that wasn't the answer, he'd be stuck here forever. Even if the theory was correct, how could he find his world among countless others?
He unconsciously distanced himself from Chloe, fearing that growing closer to her would hurt her when he returned. (Or perhaps it would hurt him when he left.) Looking into Chloe's eyes, he felt his heart tighten a little. He had gained another close bond in this world.
Almost a year of accompanying her through the dark times wasn't short. That time was much longer than he'd spent with his family.
"Are you afraid of having to make a decision?" Chloe asked, looking at his face.
"I..."
"Shh..." She put a finger to his lips.
"If that time comes, I'll accept whatever decision you make. So cherish the present moment." Isn't that what he regretted most? Not creating more happy memories for Last Order. He had nearly repeated his regrets again.
"Thank you, Chloe..." he smiled back at her. Closing his eyes for a moment to think, he decided to tell her.
"I don't remember my real name," Accelerator said in a low tone.
"I don't remember who my parents were or what they looked like. The only thing I remember about my name is that my surname has two characters, and my first name has three." He glanced at his hand.
"When I was young, I became a test subject for researchers to develop special abilities. 'Accelerator' was the name of that ability. It became my name afterward." Then he clenched it. Since Chloe was like him, he felt more comfortable not hiding anything.
"I massacred the lives of over 10,000 innocent people just to achieve something meaningless like power. Then, to atone for my past sins, I continued killing more people. In the end, a hero punched me to make me realize I didn't need to do that anymore."
"Someone actually managed to punch you, meow?" Chloe laughed. She was trying to lighten the mood.
"Yeah, that bastard did."
"I'll have to meet him someday, meow."
"Please don't, he's unlucky enough already..." he replied to Chloe's joke. Looking into her eyes, he continued,
"After that, I used my power to atone in a better way. And that led to my current situation. So, I can be sure that 'Accelerator' is my true name. Does that answer your question?"
"It sure does. Honestly, I've gained more than I expected." She quickly ran ahead again, taking long leaps on the rugged stone road.
"I just didn't expect you to say so much, meow."
"I'm surprised that I said so much. Maybe because our pasts are somewhat similar."
"Maybe so. Thanks, Accelerator. I finally understand you better."
Chloe turned back to him with a bright smile. Her black hair was drenched in the moon's silver light. Her clothes swayed in the gentle breeze. The quiet night around them highlighted her under the faint moonlight as if the whole night's stage was hers.
His heart skipped a beat.
"When we have time, we can share more memories," Accelerator suddenly suggested.
The unexpected moment left Chloe frozen.
"I didn't expect you to say that." Then she giggled. "Alright. Next time, tell me about your family, meow." She turned back and walked with him. The two continued walking together as before. Maybe the distance between them had gotten a little closer.
"We're almost there. Do you want to buy anything?" Chloe asked him, pointing at a stall about to close.
"Sure."
"Let me buy it for you. Consider it a favor you owe me, meow." Chloe quickly headed towards the fruit stall that was about to close. Accelerator decided to wait a bit. Suddenly, he felt a presence disappear.
'Am I being watched? No, the person had been watching me for a while and just stopped.' The surveillance must have happened while he was talking with Chloe. He looked directly in the direction his senses pointed.
The Babel Tower. The shelter of the gods. Only a few gods knew about his existence, and those weren't in the tower. That meant this watcher was someone he didn't know. Based on his encounters since arriving in the city, only two gods fit this profile.
Loki and Freya. One had seen his power at the tavern. The other was connected to Mia and Syr. Based on what Qliphap had learned about them, he could rule out Loki. That left Freya as the only possible observer.
She must have learned about his power from Syr's report.Although the gods cannot use their Arcanum in the lower world, it's a rule they imposed themselves. The gods can easily break that oath.
'How much does she know?' He could be sure that he was currently under Freya's watch. This could be very troublesome.
"Hey. Hey. HEY, ACCELERATOR." A voice rang out beside him.
"Tch... Don't shout in my ear like that."
"You were zoning out again." Chloe glanced behind him. "What's over there, meow?"
"Nothing." It was all just speculation. Jumping to conclusions wasn't his style.
"Alright then..." Chloe sighed. "I've bought the stuff. Let's hurry, or we'll be late, meow."
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"Knock... Knock..." The sound of knocking echoed through the dark space. The door creaked open slightly, and a voice called out.
"Who might you be, visiting at such a late hour?" The black-haired girl was cautious at night; not every adventurer in this city had good intentions.
"Long time no see, old hag."
"Watch your mouth, Accelerator, meow."
Two voices spoke one after the other behind the door.
"That voice... Accelerator, Chloe." The black-haired woman opened the door to welcome them.
"Long time no see, Maria."
"Long time no see, Maria. Meow."
"It has been a while since I've seen both of you. For you, it's been five years, Accelerator," Maria said with a gentle tone, laced with a hint of reprimand. "I'm glad you're still alive."
"Sorry about that. We brought some gifts for the children." He handed a basket of fruit to Maria.
Carefully accepting the gift basket, Maria spoke to them.
"Oh, thank you both. Would you like to play with the children for a while? Fina really misses you two."
"It's late, and we don't want to disturb the kids. We'll take our leave now, meow." Chloe bowed to Maria, preparing to leave. But Maria seemed to remember something and called Chloe back.
"Hey, Chloe. Syr just passed by before you came. Did you see her on your way here?"
"We didn't see her. Maybe she went back ahead of us."
"I hope she's safe. Goodbye, and don't forget to come back."
We bowed to her and then left. The atmosphere gradually grew colder, reminding us of the passage of time. On the rough cobblestone road, they headed toward a place even colder than now.
"Hey, Chloe."
"What is it?"
"Does Syr also help out at the orphanage?"
"Yeah, it seems she's been doing this long before us. She helps out at the orphanages every weekend. Sometimes I see her playing with the children too, meow." Chloe responded proudly.
"She seems like a good person."
"Yes, Syr is absolutely wonderful. I'll have to prepare a gift for her for helping me today, meow." He wondered if she would still think that after having to work extra tomorrow as punishment. Syr's appearance at the orphanage before him and Chloe made his suspicion grow. But it could all just be a coincidence. There were more important things he needed to take care of soon.
"We're here."
"Yes, we've arrived."
The two had reached the city's cemetery. We walked between the cold graves. Accelerator took the bouquet from Chloe. With a simple spell, the petals began to glow and floated around the desolate graves. Though the day hadn't yet arrived, the two still paid their respects to the lives lost in those dark days.
After a minute of prayer, the two left the cemetery without saying a word. They walked slowly back toward the inn, both stopping abruptly. A chilling sense of annoyance radiated from them.
"You're considerate for not disturbing us in the cemetery. Show yourselves." Chloe spoke with a deadly sharp tone.
Shadows began to emerge from the darkness. One, two, three... A total of nearly 20 people appeared. The figures, all clad in concealing clothing, slowly approached the two. Nearly 20 people with power levels ranging from Level 1 to Level 4 were closing in on them.
"Chloe, how many do you plan to handle?" Accelerator asked in a cold tone. He had no intention of holding back this time.
"You handle them all, meow," Chloe replied nonchalantly.
"You used to fight over them with me back then."
"Back then, whoever dealt with more would earn more money. Now if I tear this uniform, Mama Mia will kill me." Chloe glanced at her uniform, shuddering at the thought of Mia punishing her. The assassins, mistaking this for a sign of fear, quickly advanced. After a moment, Chloe suggested to him.
"How about I take care of the lower levels, and you handle the rest?"
"Fine." Accelerator didn't say much more as a staff appeared in his hand.
"The four elements of Aristotle create all things. Allow me to control this world."
As if signaling the start, the assassins rushed at the two. Accelerator quickly leaped onto a nearby two-story building.
"Hot + dry." A wall of fire followed, blocking the stronger ones from reaching Chloe. Several slower ones got caught in the flames. Their confidence burned away along with the spirit robes they wore, turning to ashes. Sensing the danger from Accelerator, two Level 4 assassins immediately focused on the mage, launching knives straight at his throat.
"Cold + wet." A wall of water appeared, stopping the knives in their tracks. The assassins instantly abandoned their weapons, stuck in the water, and retreated. The lower-level ones, terrified by the wall of fire, attempted to flee. Accelerator had no intention of letting any of them escape.
"Cold + wet and cold + dry." The brick rooftops transformed into bottomless swamps, pulling the unlucky ones down. Wooden houses sprouted long branches that tightly wrapped around the remaining assassins. The two Level 4 assassins, shocked to find themselves trapped, struggled in vain to break free.
"Hot + wet and cold + wet." A dark cloud formed above, growling with the fury of a storm. It unleashed lightning upon those who had not yet fallen, knocking them out instantly. The battle lasted less than 30 seconds. He returned to Chloe, who seemed to be interrogating one of the conscious ones. As she broke each bone in his hand and tore off pieces of flesh, a look of enjoyment crossed her face. Do all cats enjoy torturing their prey? Quickly muting the sounds to avoid disturbing the surrounding area, he asked her.
"So, did you get any information?"
"No. All of them were hired by a fully-covered, unidentified individual. He paid a large sum to suppress us."
"I see."
Suppress, not kill. These were hired to test his strength. This was definitely Freya's doing. Anticipating this, he had only used magic. Syr only knew him as a mage. Revealing any other cards wasn't a good idea.
"Ahhh... Everything I said is true. Please spare my life." The guy cried out in pain as his hand became increasingly deformed.
"Accelerator. Is he telling the truth, meow?"
"Heartbeat, blood flow, bioelectricity—all confirm he's telling the truth."
Looking at the lowly grunt coldly, Accelerator kicked him straight in the head. He passed out instantly. This was his mercy toward him. With a simple wave of his hand, the walls spit out those it had swallowed. The buildings quickly returned to their original shape, dropping the captives to the ground.
"Let's go, Chloe."
"Sigh. I thought tonight would be peaceful. You never run out of enemies, do you, Accelerator?" Still with a look of regret on her face, Chloe teased him.
"Trouble finds me; I don't go looking for it." He replied.
The two continued to banter all the way back to the tavern, leaving the unconscious ones lying on the ground.
.
.
.
"We're back, meow."
"Ah, Chloe's back from her date, nyan! Everyone, Chloe's back from her date!" The other brown-haired cat girl shouted loudly for the entire tavern to hear.
"Anya, don't spread rumors, meow." As Chloe was dealing with her friends, Ayla approached him, holding Qliphap in her arms.
"How are you feeling today, kiddo?"
"Very happy! Did you and Mom have fun on your night out?" The little girl said with a bright smile. The entire tavern fell silent. This little one was clearly steering her comment in a different direction.
"We've found our new colleague, nyan," the brown-haired cat girl chimed in again.
"One Syr is more than enough. We don't need a mini Syr... How do we stop this kid from hanging around Syr?" A human colleague's voice trailed off at the end of her sentence.
"Congratulations on fitting in with the Hostess of Fertility."
The tavern buzzed with the staff's playful banter. Chloe stood frozen, shocked at how cunning her child had become. She should have been proud. The kid was just like her.
"Don't say such things, little one. Hm... Syr isn't with you all?"
"Oh, Syr doesn't stay at the inn with us. She has somewhere else to go at night," another cat girl replied.
"Hey, you there. You've already got Chloe, and now you're trying to flirt with Syr too? I won't forgive you, nyan."
"Anya, that's not what he meant." Ignoring the annoying brown cat, he knew his brain would short-circuit again if he tried to respond to her.
"Hey, Chloe. How about staying at my place tonight?" Chloe covered her friend's mouth before she could say anything stupid.
"No, thanks. This place is my home too. I'll stay here with my friends." She gave him a mischievous smile. "But I might visit your place later."
"Fine." He pulled out something resembling a smart watch. "You can come to my place anytime you want."
Chloe was surprised as she accepted the watch.
"I thought you didn't intend to show anyone your hideout."
"Ordinary people wouldn't be able to get there without the guiding bracelet. Even if someone steals it, it's useless unless the wearer is you or Ayla."
"Thank you." Chloe put it on her left wrist. After a moment of admiring it, he thought it suited her well.
"Meow..." Qliphap let out a tired meow, reaching out for him.
"Can I keep Qliphap here today?" Ayla asked in a pleading tone. He had no reason to refuse. Besides, Chloe had some business to settle with the demon. Just one look at her sharp gaze directed at the cat, and he knew it was best not to interfere. You reap what you sow, Qliphap. He left, leaving behind the pitiful cries of Qliphap in the tavern
.
.
.
.A little while earlier, in the highest room of the majestic Babel Tower, a goddess of sensuality was swirling a glass of wine in her hand. She had long silver hair, silver eyes, and skin as white as fresh snow. Her proportions were perfect, as if the golden ratio itself had originated from her. Her clothing was mostly black and red, revealing much of her stomach and chest. She was Freya, the goddess of beauty.
"What do you think of him, Ottar?" she asked.
The towering beastman beside her replied, "I don't understand magic very well. But he is a powerful one. His strength is around level 5. No, level 6 to be exact."
"What makes you so sure?" Freya inquired with curiosity.
"Although the ones hired weren't very strong, the two level 4s were just mid-tier. But the way he fought didn't seem like he was holding back his power."
"And what else?"
"Most importantly, he realized that you were watching."
Freya's eyes gleamed with madness as she stepped forward and touched the glass window. "Yes, he noticed I was watching. And it seems he's cautious about revealing his true strength. Push him further. I want to see his real power... I want to possess him." She stared intently downwards, trying to track where Accelerator was heading.
"As you wish, my goddess," the beastman agreed.
"Show me your true power, Accelerator." Freya's smile widened, signaling that difficult days lay ahead for Accelerator.
...
A few short stories.
"The black cat is so adorable, nyan."
"Indeed, such a cute cat. I wish the one next to me was like that too."
"Nyan... I'm also very cute, you know."
The lively chatter filled the tavern as Syr carried the cat into the kitchen.
"Is this okay, Syr?"
"Don't worry, Ryuu. Mama Mia already agreed. Besides, Qliphap is very well-behaved." The black cat let out a tired meow in Syr's arms.
"Qliphap? Isn't that the name of the one who takes care of Ayla?" one of the waitresses recalled from a conversation earlier that morning. The entire kitchen fell silent as everyone turned to look at Ayla, who was blissfully eating a fruit sundae after a long day.
"Hey, Ayla, is this the cat of the person who takes care of you?"
She swallowed the delicious bite with a happy face and looked up at everyone with innocent eyes.
"No. Qliphap is the one who takes care of me, and she's the cat." In Ayla's eyes, whether Qliphap was in human or cat form, she was always the same—a caring guardian.
Gulping, the waitress asked Ayla again, "So Accelerator let this cat take care of you?"
"Meow."
Ayla nodded in agreement, and Qliphap meowed as if to confirm. The room erupted in a flurry of chatter, with rumors about a neglectful father starting to spread in the tavern. Meanwhile, Ayla...
"This is so delicious!"
She was overjoyed as she enjoyed her tasty sundae.
...
"Hey, Eina." Misha hugged the elf girl from behind.
"Misha, don't do that. You're interrupting my work. Where did you go just now?"
"I went to Babel Tower for something." She had gone to meet some members of the Ganesha Familia to ask about Accelerator's background. He had registered as a traveler when he entered the city, but she knew there was more to him than that.
"Today, I was assigned a very special adventurer."
It was rare for her friend to be this excited. Let her correct that—it was rare for her friend to be this boastful. It seemed she had just been assigned to a very special adventurer. Or maybe she wanted to show off her adventurer after seeing the "Bell Cranel" file yesterday.
"Alright, tell me more about this adventurer of yours." Since the adventurer had just returned from the Dungeon, the information hadn't yet been compiled by his advisor. Moreover, Misha had no intention of revealing the true floor he had reached. After all, she was his advisor.
"Well, he's a very powerful new adventurer. He reached the third floor of the Dungeon on his first day."
She spoke with a tone of pride. However, Eina looked puzzled.
"If you don't want to tell me, then fine. Don't forget, you've got a pile of paperwork you didn't do this morning. You might still have time if you start now." Eina glared at her before sitting down in her chair.
"Hey, what I mean is..." She continued talking, but her friend ignored her. Suddenly, she remembered his identity. It seemed he had cast some sort of spell on her.
"Not fun at all." She pouted, recalling what had happened. Reflecting on it, he was a cold, distant person who didn't trust others easily. Maybe she should make him trust her more. But first, she had to give him a good scolding tomorrow.