VIP Chapter 124: Will’s Secret Departure
Three days later—
Sunday of that week—
Six o’clock.
For the past week, the four of them had gone out to complete a small dungeon exploration every day. “Shining Star” wasn’t highly ranked yet, so they could only access lower-level dungeons.
However, it was more than enough for their daily training.
And now…
It was time for everyone to finish their dungeon exploration, return to the adventuring team’s cabin, divide the loot, and…
finish eating the spoils!
A huge roasted suckling pig sat on the table, but only bones remained.
“Today’s snow mountain boar meat was quite delicious, good!” said Liya, eating heartily and not even leaving the trotters.
“This is nothing; there should be even tastier things in dungeons. We’ll encounter things like beef later,” Will explained with a smile, extending a finger.
“This is the first time I’ve discovered that monsters in dungeons don’t disappear when they die and can… actually be eaten.” Treya ate with a reserved demeanor, but she was so close to licking the plate clean—if Will hadn’t been there, she would have wanted to maintain her image as a well-behaved princess.
“Of course, they can be eaten. Monster corpses are also important loot from dungeons. And it’s not just creatures resembling common edible animals like pigs and cows; even insects, like moths, might look scary, but they’re delicious when fried,” Will continued, speaking with smug satisfaction.
Hmph, once they entered the dungeons, all the obscure knowledge he had accumulated over the years would finally have a chance to be used!
Now it was Liya and Treya’s turn. The two of them stared intently at Will.
“I somehow feel like you know things that only people who have been adventuring in dungeons for many years would know.”
“Hmm. Things you can’t find in books.”
“Ah… ah, that…” Will realized he tended to slip up. Unlike Iaar, these two were highly cautious of the “Mr. S” he knew.
Perhaps because…
Unlike Iaar, who had seen all the letters exchanged between him and S, these two had only recently learned of his existence.
To them, the formerly reliable “Mr. S” now seemed like a scammer running a letter fraud scheme.
“Listen up, Will. Don’t easily believe the nonsense of adventurers in dungeons. Even our professors have been tricked out of funding by them.”
“Yes. Especially since you, as the Young Master of the Hysterm Family, are too conspicuous and easily targeted by ill-intentioned people.”
Good!
Will had originally thought that since Iaar agreed, he could try to probe these two as well.
But now, there was no room for probing!
His mind was made up!
He, Will, would definitely not tell them that he had sneaked out once when he was a child!
Mmm…
It was only for one night, and he would appear as if nothing happened the next day, perhaps just looking a bit hungover like someone who had a few drinks—after all, for an adult male, occasionally sneaking out for drinks at night… should be considered normal, right?
Even though it didn’t sound like something a highly self-aware and disciplined good boy like Will would do.
“No, no, haven’t you heard? There’s a book called ‘The Illustrated Guide to Dungeon Creatures.’ I learned everything from there,” Will quickly offered an excuse.
Liya’s eyes held a hint of doubt.
She smelled something off. Will, who always taught her to be “frank,” seemed to be lying at this very moment.
As the “Teacher Liya” whom Will always addressed with respect… was she not the only one who could act in a “teacher” role?
Treya gazed at the “colorful” Will, the sole color in her eyes.
She also felt a slight strangeness. This Will, who taught her how to step into the darkness, seemed to be hiding some of his inner “colorful (lustful) desires” at this moment.
As his nominal fiancée, he seemed to have other, more important people…
—If he no longer opens his heart to me…
—If he disappears from my world…
—That will be the time to deal with him.
The two looked at Will, and simultaneously buried the latter part of the sentence in their hearts, like a bomb with a specific trigger condition.
“Alright, I’ll buy it and take a look someday. Maybe it’ll be useful for teaching.”
“A guidebook… that’s understandable.”
—They are so easygoing!
—Heh heh heh, as expected from teammates I raised myself; they still trust me.
—I’ll sneak out tonight; surely nothing will happen.
However…
A trace of doubt arose in the hearts of the two.
—”Why has he only worn the clothes we picked out for him once?”
—”It seems I haven’t seen him change out of that new outfit for these three days.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Six-thirty.
Will looked in the mirror, changing out of the clothes he wore into the dungeon into the ones the three of them had chosen for him.
—He wasn’t worried about his current clothes getting scuffed in the dungeon; otherwise, he’d have to show up naked tonight.
He had worn them once these past few days, and he had to admit, he looked handsomer the more he looked!
Especially this style… paired with his slightly scholarly glasses, it gave him a somewhat improper, wolf-in-sheep’s-clothing vibe.
A woman’s taste is indeed trustworthy!
Especially the taste of three women.
This outfit made him look more serious without being distant, not too childish, and even like a formidable person hiding many secrets.
Today…
He would definitely…
Surprise them!
That’s right, only when meeting a brother is worth dressing up for; meeting women is not.
Will tiptoed downstairs. Liya and Treya usually returned to their rooms to rest after dinner because the time after eating wasn’t suitable for magic circulation or physical training.
Seven o’clock was the perfect window for going out.
Only Iaar would be washing the dishes.
“I’m off~”
“Young Master, walk safely~”
The two greeted each other in barely audible whispers, mouthing the words.
“C-O-M-E B-A-C-K E-A-R-L-Y~” Iaar pouted again and mouthed four words to him.
Like siblings sharing a secret, planning a big project behind their parents’ backs.
And so, Will opened the door—
The sunset outside had not yet completely set, casting Will’s shadow, long and stretching into the house.
“Phew…”
Will felt his excited heartbeat…
Clutching the letter tightly in his hand…
“I’m coming to see you… S…”
Embarking on the journey to meet him for the first time in five years.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Six-thirty.
“Okay, changed clothes, adjust your collar.”
Shuna stood in the small cabin she rented in Novis, looking at herself in the mirror repeatedly.
“And the stockings. These stockings, which prioritize appearance over practicality, are the first I’ve ever worn.”
Especially the black stockings on her feet, she bent down and pulled them up carefully several times.
Keeping them just above her joint, then placing a coin to prevent them from slipping off.
“Yes, no problem.”
Her heart was beating very fast.
“Calm down, calm down, deep breaths… Haa… Haa…”
It was strange; even when facing the most difficult dungeons, her heart had never beaten this fast.
She couldn’t calm down even by stroking her chest.
“No matter, I’m leaving.”
*Bang.*
But the door she closed was opened again shortly after.
“Oh no, oh no, oh no, I forgot to bring this. He might not recognize me without it.”
Shuna rushed back in, picking up a small-sized “Illustrated Guide to Dungeon Creatures” from the table.
Then she carefully took out the metal bookmark tucked inside, placed it back, aligning it with its page, and gently put it away.
“Alright! Let’s go then!”
