As soon as the woman left the room, I made sure to wait a few minutes, making sure there wasn’t anyone lingering outside who might suddenly barge in.

The coast seemed clear, so I called out quietly, “Lila, you can come out now.”

There was a small shuffle from beneath the bed, and Lila poked her head out cautiously. "Is the coast clear?" she whispered.

"Yeah, it’s safe." I confirmed, nodding as I moved toward the table beside my bed where my shirt and bag were placed.

I grabbed my shirt, pulling it over my head while Lila fully emerged from her hiding spot.

As I was getting ready, slinging my bag over my shoulder, I noticed Lila standing there, her face scrunched up in thought, obviously trying to muster the courage to say something.

“What’s on your mind, Lila?” I asked, raising an eyebrow, knowing full well where this conversation might lead.

She hesitated for a moment. "I’ve been wondering… why did you lie about your class? To both me and that woman? You told me you were a tamer, but you gave her a completely different class."

I knew this question was coming. After the exchange with the government official earlier, it was only a matter of time before Lila confronted me about the inconsistencies.

I turned to face her, trying to decide the best way to respond without giving away too much. "Lila," I said slowly, "it’s not something I want to get into right now. Some things are better left... unsaid, for now at least. Maybe one day, I’ll tell you the truth about my class, but today isn’t that day." My voice was calm but firm, hoping she’d understand.

Lila frowned, clearly unsatisfied but thoughtful. "I don’t really get why you’d want to keep it a secret. I don’t know how the class system works or why it’s such a big deal in human society… but," she paused, taking a deep breath, "if that’s what you want, I’ll respect your wishes. I won’t ask about it anymore."

I could tell that even though she was letting it go, the lie still bothered her. But she was honoring my request. She wasn’t pushing me.

"Thanks, Lila." I said with a small smile. "I appreciate it."

She nodded and gave me a small smile in return, though her eyes remained thoughtful, still processing the conversation as we prepared to leave the room.

“Alright, time to get back in the bag.” I said, opening the flap of my bag as I crouched down.

But before she could move, she hesitated, looking up at me with an uncertain expression.

“What’s wrong?”.

She glanced down at the floor, fidgeting for a moment before finally speaking. “What are you going to do now?”

“Well, first things first, I need to pay off the hospital bill and the monthly payment for my debt. That’s the immediate priority.” I paused, seeing right through her hesitation. “But that’s not really what you’re asking, is it?”

She met my gaze and quietly nodded. “It’s... about my family.”

Ah, of course. I’d almost forgotten about her situation with all that was happening.

“Can you help me find them?” Her voice was soft, almost pleading.

I sat back down on the bed, and asked her: “Why not use your Pathfinder ability? That should make it pretty simple, right?”

Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

She nodded again but bit her lip. “I can, but... if they’re being held against their will, like I was before you found me, it won’t be that easy. I’ll need help to get them out... and I was hoping you could help me.”

Her words made sense. I knew, logically, that our deal was over. We had an agreement—if she helped me find the hidden reward on the first floor, I’d get her out of the dungeon.

That was the deal, and I’d upheld my end. I had no obligation to stick around and help her with this.

But as I stood there, looking at her—this small, innocent creature who had been through so much already—I found myself torn.

She was too innocent. Too kind for this cruel world. If I didn’t help her, she’d be left to fend for herself, and I knew all too well how that would end.

I’d seen enough suffering, loneliness and desperation, to know that I didn’t want that fate for her.

I thought back to my own life—on Earth, where I had no family, no real connections.

This body, this character I inhabited in this world, hadn’t been much better off. His mother had died when still a child, and had been left to navigate this world on his own.

I’d grown up watching other people, people who had family, friends, people who cared about them... I envied them, sure.

But I would never wish the feeling of being in my shoes for anyone. Especially not on her.

I looked at Lila, who was staring up at me with those hopeful eyes.

She had grown up with a family—parents, siblings. She had a support system. She had people she loved, people who loved her back.

That was something I never had, and in a way, I envied her for it.

Yet, that envy wasn’t enough to make me turn my back on her.

“Alright.” I said, my voice soft spoken. “I’ll help you find your family.”

Her eyes widened, hope lighting them up in a way I hadn’t seen before. “Really? You will?”

“Yeah.” I nodded, my decision solidified. “I can’t just let you do it on your own. If they’re being held somewhere, we’ll get them back together.”

A smile spread across her face, and for a moment, I felt a strange warmth.

“Thank you, Leon.” she said quietly, her voice filled with genuine gratitude.

I just nodded, trying to push down the strange feeling in my chest. I wasn’t doing this for a reward or because I had to.

I was doing it because I couldn’t let her go through what I had.

“Alright, get in the bag.” I said, managing a small smile. “Will start the search once I've paid off my debt.”

"Okay!" She hopped in, and I closed the flap gently, slinging the bag over my shoulder.

As I stepped out of the room and into the hallway, the soft light of the religious center hit my face.

The interior was well-maintained, the stone walls polished to a pristine shine, giving off a calm, sterile feel.

Despite the religious symbols subtly carved into the stone, this wasn’t a place of prayer—it was a place of healing, a space designed to mend the broken.

It looked exactly like the pixelated designs I had seen in the game back when this was just a game world, but now those designs had taken on a vivid realism.

The familiarity made me feel as if I had been here a thousand times before, navigating these halls with ease. In truth, I had—just not in this reality.

I didn’t need anyone to guide me through the numerous halls and corridors.

My feet carried me with certainty toward the reception room, a place where I had often gone to in the game. It was all too easy, just like muscle memory.

As I approached the reception desk, the person behind the counter glanced up at me with a polite smile, clearly used to handling patients.

I opened my bag and glanced down at Lila.

She was sitting quietly, and before I even had to say anything, she handed me the exact number of credits I needed to pay.

A short smile tugged at my lips.

She was trying so hard to be useful, to show that she wasn’t a burden. It was adorable, in a way.

'Thanks.' I gestured with my mouth, taking the credits from her tiny hands.

I handed over the 10 credits to the clerk, who glanced at me before taking them and marking my payment complete.

Without another word, I left the place, stepping into the cool air outside. As I walked, I pulled out my remaining credits and counted them.

44 credits. That was all I had left. Not even close to what I needed to pay off my monthly debt. Had I not gotten the 50% discount for this month, I’d be in deep trouble.

Even now, I was still short. I needed 50 credits, and I only had 44.

I sighed, knowing what I had to do. My dagger—it wasn’t much, but it was the only thing I had that could get me those last few credits.

If I sold it, I’d have just enough to cover my debt.

I glanced down at my hip, where the dagger rested. It had served me well, but at this point, I had to make a choice.

My debt or my weapon.

I shook my head. “It’s not like I’m defenseless.” I muttered to myself.

My slime’s offensive form had proven more than capable. I could make do without the dagger, for now at least.

With that decision made, I headed toward the nearest vendor, selling off my weapon.