— In the downtown area of Hoshito City, inside Sushi Haven, at a windowsill table —

Nom, Nom, Nom.

“You must really love sushi,” said Cassius, a fond smile painting his handsome, attentive features. On the other side of the table was a bunny-like girl with long, silky brown hair and large doe eyes that squinted in joy after each voracious chew.

Realizing that she was being a bit uncouth, Grace swallowed one last piece of sushi with a look of euphoria before reluctantly placing her chopsticks to the side. “I-I’m sorry… You must think less of me now…” Imaginary bunny ears seemed to droop atop her head as she silently moved her small pink lips.

Cassius rested his chin on his hands, a warm, soothing smile gracing his features. “Pay no mind to me; I think watching you eat is far more enjoyable than eating alone—or even eating at all.”

“T-That is…” Grace’s face flushed red, yet she readily took him up on his offer. After all, she hadn’t eaten anything before coming to the date because she wanted to do more things with him.

Cassius also began choosing from the large assortment of sushi he had ordered. At first, Grace had tried to insist that she would pay, but he firmly rejected the notion. As a man—albeit a pathetic one—how could he let a woman pay for the date? Even though he didn’t have much money, he still had a part-time job, which he just so happened to need to show up for tomorrow morning.

It was merely a library gig, but the people there were welcoming and kind, so it served as a comfort from the grueling training he had endured when he first started completing the system’s Daily Quests. The current Quests were just as physically difficult, but his mind had long since grown accustomed to how tough the system’s Quests were. Even the Side Quests and Urgent Quests it gave him had left him on the verge of death… yet he still pushed through them.

‘Speaking of which, on the matter of money, I wonder if I can make use of my strength to acquire more of it—but do so without attracting too much attention to myself…’

Bringing this matter up to Grace, she spoke in between adorable chews. “I don’t know much about making money because my family won’t let me work, but you seem very strong. I know you’re not awakened, but if you can somehow match up to the weakest of Hunters, you can explore Gates with a Party or Guild and obtain some Magic Shards.”

“Though, it is very dangerous… I would prefer you didn’t do this…” Her tone dampened, and her imaginary bunny ears once again drooped. “I-If you really need money that badly, then I can ask my family…! I’m sure they can—”

“That won’t be necessary,” Cassius said gently, seemingly in deep contemplation about something. “Don’t worry; I won’t do anything I know I can’t handle. But you mentioned these ‘Magic Shards’—what are they, if you don’t mind my asking?”

Although still worried, Grace replied, “Magic Shards are what lie inside the bodies of monsters, sort of like their cores. If you… slice them open, you can find them.”

“They vary in size, color, and the number of pointed edges depending on the strength of the slain monster.” She gagged a little at imagining something so gruesome yet quickly forgot about it when lines of sushi were stuffed into her gerbil-like cheeks.

“Inside of them… Ahh… Damn…” Cassius suddenly recalled a few shiny things protruding from the corpses of the monsters he killed.

He felt a tinge of regret over not snatching them up and obtaining some pocket money. Though, unbeknownst to him, the combined Magic Shards from all the monsters he had slain would have been enough to buy him a small house or a nice car.

“Izzz shomthingg da matttter?” Grace asked through her munching, tilting her head cutely.

Cassius sighed before shaking his head and returning that warm smile to his face. “It’s nothing much. Though, sometimes I wonder if I’m just empty air up here.” He comically knocked on his head, which made Grace chortle. A bit of food spat out of her mouth, causing her to shrink in embarrassment. Yet Cassius only chuckled in response before eating more of the sushi himself.

“Just make sure to eat to your heart’s content,” he requested with a smile.

“Mhmmhkay~!” Grace had no qualms. Even with a few customers staring at her beauty, she devoured the plates like she had been starved her whole life.

“Hah…”

The atmosphere inside that corner of Sushi Haven really was like a little slice of heaven. But the same could not be said for a large bush sitting directly outside the window the pair was dining at.

‘Fucking fluffers!! Why are they acting so chummy in there!? Don’t they have any shame!? Where is the morality!?’ Aya thought as she shamelessly wiggled her plump figure all around inside a bush, successfully scaring away nearby pedestrians.

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Suddenly realizing how she was acting, she frantically corrected herself. ‘I-It’s not like I’m jealous or anything…! I just wish they would learn some shame! Damn adulterers!!’

Seeing the bush jump all around and hearing terrifying grumblings, several pedestrians reported it to the authorities out of fear of a pervert being inside.

For a while, Aya had to outrun the police in a bush…

When she finally managed to lose them with her D-Rank Stats and return to the restaurant window, she was distressed to find that they had already left! It wasn’t until five minutes later of extensive searching that she found the adultering couple laughing and giggling while heading toward the…

“Hunter’s Association??” Aya blurted out, attracting the attention of a small child.

“Mama, that bush over there is talking…!”

“What nonsense are you speaking— Wait, that’s the pervert from earlier! The police—I must call them!”

“!!!” They’re onto me again! Time to ditch the bush!

Aya leapt out of the abused bush and sprinted away like a true criminal, which only further solidified the mother’s suspicions. After another series of chases by the local police, she eventually made her way just outside the massive Hunter’s Association building, where the adulterers had just ascended a flight of marbled stairs to enter.

She once again entered incognito stalker mode and did what she did best—stalking.

“You seemed interested in the Magic Shard discussion earlier,” Grace said in a soft voice. “Is that why we’re here right now? Are you planning to become… a Hunter…?”

As much as Cassius wanted to do just that, he knew that only death flags awaited him if he became a Hunter with what little strength he currently had. No, rather than make a fool of himself and possibly raise suspicion when he came back stronger after each raid, he wanted something else.

“I want information on the locations of Gates,” replied Cassius, his tone laced with a gentleness that made Grace feel warm inside. Yet she still asked, “Why would you wish to know the locations of Gates if you don’t plan to become a Hunter…?”

Answering her question, Cassius’s lips raised mysteriously. “I don’t know; why would I want to know something like that?”

Grace’s cheeks filled with air as she mock-pouted. “Fine then, don’t tell me. Humph!” She turned her head away, pretending to be angry, yet failing terribly.

Cassius let a soft laugh escape his lips, which only made Grace’s charming pout more prominent. However, before she could become genuinely aggrieved, he said, “I will tell you some other time, alright?”

Grace’s heart fluttered at these words, especially the “nother time” part, which meant they would be meeting up more often, right? Right??

“Mhm! You promise??”

“Yes, I promise.”

Grace could no longer restrain her giddy grin as she made a cute “Yippee!” sound before abruptly grabbing his hand. Yet, when she realized what she had done in her moment of glee, she furiously blushed and let go of his hand. “I-I didn’t mean to do that, I j-just…”

“It’s fine,” Cassius patted her head. “You can hold my hand whenever you feel like it. But maybe that would make you feel uncomfortable in the crowded environment inside?”

In her excitement, Grace had completely overlooked how they had already entered the Hunter’s Association and were now in the presence of hundreds of people. She felt mortified over how she conducted herself, quickly finding a hiding spot behind Cassius, where she shrank away and soaked in the shame. He found this amusing, yet his mood soured when two F-Rank Hunters took proud strides over to them, clearly up to no good.

Cassius was still enjoying the sight of his short, bunny-like companion and the several expansive floors of the enormous, modern Hunter’s Association branch when those idiots slipped around him. They couldn’t feel an aura from him, so they completely disregarded his existence. Their target, though, was the meek girl hiding behind him. She naturally became frightened when the two men began eyeing her up and down, failing to conceal their lust.

“Say, you have the aura of a Healer—are you looking to form a team with us?” asked the man with a Mohawk. “I am a DPS dealer, while he is a Tank. So what say you? Wanna join a reliable Hunter’s party?”

“Yeah, we promise to treat you well, miss!”

Although they hid their intentions behind friendly, shadowy smiles, Cassius understood them as if they were open books. He audibly scoffed before turning his back and Grace away from the men. She silently thanked him in her heart, a lovely grin forming on her small, round face as she clung a bit closer to him.

The faces of the two men immediately scrunched up in annoyance at the trouble caused by this unawakened nobody. Even if they were only F-Rank, they were still several times stronger than a strong mortal. To dare impede them in their pursuit of a woman—just who did this foolish man think he was? Plus, he was handsome, so he was just asking for a beating!

“Listen, dude, we know you just want to play the cool guy, but you need to learn your place,” the Mohawk man scorned. The larger man beside him added, “Brother is right; this is no longer the world of 40 years ago, where you can get away with things if you’re good-looking and tall. Just back away from the girl while we’re still being nice. After all, we only wish to discuss some things with her~”

Grace: “!!!”

She shrank back in fright upon seeing the looks on their faces; it reminded her of the way those snake-faced distant family members used to look at her when they came by to speak with her parents.

Feeling the poor girl’s dread through the shaky hands clutching his black dress shirt made Cassius’s face ice over. One after another, these idiots kept coming over to pester him and Grace.

Did she have to experience this every time she went out? Was that one of the reasons she seemed so sheltered? Even on the unfortunate day they met, Grace appeared to be “awwing” and “oohing” at everything in an ordinary neighborhood.

Seeing the two buffoons attempt to slip around to her again had Cassius on the verge of slashing them down to dust. The badass sword tattoo on his right arm started to vibrate in response to his intent, seemingly ready to reap another life at a moment’s notice. Yet, before both he and Serrated Devil Blade could take their first human life, a valiant feminine voice echoed out from atop the building’s second floor:

“You dare harass a girl in the Hunter’s Association?? And threatening someone is grounds for egging a fight, which is strictly prohibited in the Hunter’s Association! What do you have to say for yourselves!?”

A woman who looked akin to an armored Valkyrie gracefully leapt from the second floor of the mall-like Association building.