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The Second Player As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting Orario in a warm, orange twilight, the city seemed to offer a gentle reward to the returning adventurers.
Breathing in the fresh surface air, which felt entirely different from the oppressive atmosphere of the Dungeon, Kai finally allowed his boiling blood to cool.
Unlike his battered state yesterday, today he was simply covered in a thin layer of dirt and dust.
Seeing Kai return in one piece, Eina smiled with genuine relief.
It seemed he had actually listened to her warnings.
However, her good mood instantly evaporated the second Kai handed over his pouch of Magic Stones.
Over fifty Magic Stones.
Three intact Dungeon Boar hides from the second floor.
His haul was more than ten times what he brought in yesterday, and as a result, Eina’s lecture was also ten times as intense.
In all her years working at the Guild, she had never seen an adventurer dive straight into the second floor on their second day and massacre fifty Dungeon Boars.
She didn’t even want to imagine the risks he had taken.
Yet, Kai looked even healthier today than he did fighting Goblins yesterday.
She was terrified to even calculate his growth rate.
Once again, Kai found himself dragged into the private consultation room.
Just as he swallowed hard, bracing himself for a hurricane of scolding, Eina looked at him with deadly seriousness.
“Kai, you must absolutely never tell anyone about how fast you are growing.” With that, she turned on her heel and walked out of the room.
When she returned, she handed him a heavy pouch of Valis.
“Kai, you might eventually become the most dazzling hero of this generation in Orario.
But you must not reveal your brilliance until you have the strength to protect yourself.
And…
if at all possible, try to delay your level-ups.
I’m sorry, I might be overstepping my boundaries here.” “Not at all.
I really appreciate your concern, Eina.
Don’t worry, I’m not a child.
I understand the importance of keeping my trump cards hidden.” “Good.” Eina kept Kai in the consultation room for another half hour.
However, she didn’t scold him this time.
Instead, she brought out the Guild’s official monster encyclopedia and maps, giving him a crash course.
She was doing everything in her power to make sure he stayed just a little bit safer.
….
Meanwhile, in a completely different universe, a young girl stared at a terminal, lost in thought.
She wasn’t just confused by the sudden appearance of this bizarre “game”—she was deeply bewildered by her current situation.
The reason was simple: she had amnesia.
Her memories began exactly at the moment a little bunny-girl had dragged her out of a mechanical sarcophagus.
Fortunately, the little bunny treated her with immense respect, and the girl’s intellect was sharp enough to quickly assess the situation.
Her subconscious instincts also played a massive role.
Even though she didn’t remember what the “System” was, her instincts told her it was incredibly useful—borderline omnipotent, even.
[Doctor, you’re awfully relaxed.
Aren’t you worried that these people from Rhodes Island might be trying to harm you?
I scanned that ‘sarcophagus’ of yours.
You were supposed to sleep for much longer.
They forcefully woke you up early.] It’s just an intuition.
I don’t think these people mean me any harm.
[Alright then.
At the very least, being the commander of a pharmaceutical company sounds like a lucrative gig.
By the way, how do you feel now that I’ve synchronized your physical stats?] Pretty good, actually.
When I first crawled out of that ‘sarcophagus,’ I felt like I was floating.
But after the synchronization, I feel like I could crush a rock with my bare hands.
[It’s not quite that dramatic…
by this world’s standards, your physical strength is about on par with an average Feline.
Don’t worry though!
Your growth rate will only accelerate from here.
Eventually, Doctor, you’ll be able to crush a Draco’s flames with your bare hands!] Which is exactly why I told you I have no idea what a ‘Feline’ or a ‘Draco’ is.
Still, it feels nice to be healthy.
“Doctor, the situation outside is deteriorating rapidly.
Reunion has launched a surprise attack on Chernobog.
We need to evacuate the city immediately.” Image: Amiya & Doctor Amiya walked up to the Doctor.
The expression on the young girl’s face made the Doctor’s heart ache.
Amiya was still just a child, yet her shoulders bore a crushing weight of responsibility.
Perhaps Amiya was the exact reason why the Doctor was so willing to trust this mysterious pharmaceutical company known as Rhodes Island.
“I’ll follow your lead.” The Doctor slipped the terminal into her pocket and stood up.
Inside her mind, she called out to the System.
System, can you help me understand this world?
[Of course!
Even though I don’t have access to the main storyline’s script, I can provide all the basic intelligence you need.
Races, history, geopolitics—as long as it’s not plot-sensitive, I know everything!] ….
Today, Kai bought something new for Hestia: a cream-filled honey cupcake from the popular bakery!
In Orario, cream was a luxury item.
The cupcake was less than half the size of yesterday’s cake, but it cost a tenth of his total Valis—roughly equivalent to his entire earnings from the day prior.
On top of that, he bought a bouquet from a flower shop.
The concept of “flower language” didn’t exist in Orario, but it was the thought that counted.
When Kai returned to the basement, Hestia was in the exact same pose as yesterday, though she had swapped out her reading material for a different book.
“Hestia, I’m home.” “Mhm.
Mhm.” Perhaps because of her bold invitation the night before, Hestia was currently acting like a shy, flustered maiden.
Seeing Kai return, she mumbled two soft acknowledgments and immediately buried her face in a sofa cushion, refusing to meet his eyes.
My goddess is just too cute!
Kai placed the cupcake and flowers on the dining table, taking a moment to glance at the meal she had prepared.
It was standard home-cooked fare: a meat dish, some vegetables, and a bowl of soup.
Simple, but incredibly warm and inviting.
More importantly, food cooked by the Goddess of the Hearth was guaranteed to be divine.
After setting down his purchases and taking off his adventuring gear by the door, Kai plopped down on the sofa.
He had to admit, Hestia really was petite.
Even with her lying fully stretched out, there was still plenty of room for him to sit.
Reaching out, Kai gently stroked Hestia’s head like he was petting a cat.
The silky texture of her hair immediately calmed his nerves.
As a side note, Kai used to pet a cat back in his hometown.
However, the little feline was exceptionally aloof and only let Hera touch it.
Kai could only sneak a few pats when it was asleep in Hera’s arms.
It was the most beautiful cat he had ever seen, though Hera claimed that, out of sheer boredom after being exiled from Orario, she had secretly brought the cat back from her hometown.
Kai obviously wouldn’t ask Hera to make a trip all the way back just to satisfy his minor selfish desires.
“Hestia, let’s eat.
I brought back the most popular dessert from the bakery today.” “Mhm.”