...

Somewhere in the Sundown Hotel

'Damn fucking bitch! I will kill Ariana for getting such a girlfriend!'

A rabbit-kin and a scavenger were jumping and dashing through the hotel, fighting with each other. Panic broke out, and unfortunately for him, they followed the doctrine of the underworld: Don't see, don't act. They would only act after the fight was over and wouldn't interfere at all while he was fighting, what he assumed was a crazy scavenger bastard.

Why did Quill assume that he was crazy? At first, he thought that the scavenger would just fuck off, back to Ocilia, and he could then ambush him, but no. The scavenger enjoyed every second of the fight like a damn maniac, 'I fucking hate Moorgrel!'

Moorgrel was like an insane version of the most brutal section in High-Town. Murder was commonplace, and everyone acted much more ruthless, almost ready to throw their life away for a good fight.

After everyone had left, he stopped at the foyer, readying himself to end the battle as quickly as possible. The scavenger didn't care, as he smiled like a moron, throwing his spear at Quill at speeds he could barely perceive.

To avoid it quickly, Quill used part of his energy on certain spots of his body while using a skill he learned from a prostitute, which made him contort weirdly, almost breaking his back. However, as it flew past him, he felt the annoying skill the scavenger used before. He transformed into something akin to pure energy, flying straight to the spear, catching it, and doing a spin attack at him with full force.

Quill used the skill again, [Contortionist], a version of acrobatics, but much less helpful while moving but extremely good when stationary. Together with [Evasion], he could barely avoid the tip of his spear.

While barely evading, he used [Sleight of Hand] and [Circus Arts] to pull out multiple throwing knives, glazed with a potent venom, costing him quite a penny, and it was the same he used on the noble weeks ago. However, it was only strong against those who didn't have a [Poison Resistance] skill or similar. If one had at least the third or fourth skill level, it would barely work, causing, at best, a stomach ache.

He threw them at the scavenger, who defended himself with his forearm. They struck and scratched him slightly, 'Please, let him not have anything!'

After the throwing knives fell to the ground, Quill saw that the scratches didn't turn purple, so he didn't lose any time since it didn't work and immediately flashed at him, his dagger drawn. He sidestepped beside him, using his [Mystic Skills] continuously. He calculated at extreme speeds to choose the best point of attack. Small windows popped around the scavenger as everything felt slow down, his mind boiling, showing a percentage where to attack, 'Left shoulder, 25.32%.'

The [Mystic Skill] was called [Stochastic Analysis]. He could calculate attacks, probable test answers, what to say next at a date to get someone in bed, and many more. For this, he needed to think about what he wanted while using potential answers and variables. His skill would start to calculate the probability of the event he wanted to happen for all the given responses with all the variables he gave, giving him a percentage in the end.

He was lucky. His blade went through the shoulder, shattering a bone and separating a muscle. However, the scavenger didn't even flinch, only turning around and punching at him with so much energy that he could feel it without it even being close to him, 'Fuck me!'

Quill used his other [Mystic Skill] immediately before the ball of energy could crush his head. The scavenger hit him, but the energy dissipated, and he immediately pulled out another dagger, separating the scavenger's arm. Before the arm hit the ground, he jumped back and started to sweat immensely, 'One minute, maximum.'

The [Mystic Skill] he used was called [High Interest]. It was a skill that would allow him to postpone a certain amount of damage, which he took in a specific time window. After a minute, he would get it back, but over time. Depending on the avoided damage, it would multiply manifold and last for at least a day.

It sounded like a great skill, but in a minute, his brain would contort, his heart clenched, and his lungs would become erratic - death would be preferable over the next couple of days.

Thus, before he became nothing more than a bag of meat and pain, lying around and begging for death, he needed to finish it as fast as possible. So, he immediately used [Stochastic Analysis] at too many probable events with thousands of variables, almost frying his head. He became dizzy, and his eyes immediately dried from the heat his head emitted, making his vision blurry. Still, he found a way to end it in less than a minute.

He leaned forward, flashing at the scavenger to his back. The scavenger turned around, using an enormous amount of energy again to punch with his stump, but Quill was gone, flashing to his side. The brute, even though rough, expected it as he immediately stabbed, with the back of his spear, to the side, but also became confused as he couldn't feel anything, only see how he hit what seemed to be an after-image. Regardless of his miss, he couldn't feel Quill around anymore.

Quill, though, saw him. He somersaulted over him, and his blade almost brimmed with energy, already showing signs of getting weaker, yet it was enough. With a well-placed slash, the brain of the scavenger parted in two, he died.

After landing, Quill started to sweat and became slightly wobbly. He ignored the commotion outside, not in the mood to get apprehended by some third-rate guards. He grabbed into his pouch, taking out multiple stamina and regeneration potion to preemptively heal him, 'This is gonna suck.'

He gulped them all down and immediately ran back to Ocilia, 'Please survive, you stupid bitch!'

...

Upper floor (Sundown Hotel)

"Hehe, you got me, but do you want some strawberry cake before we go?"

Ocilia suddenly felt how the threads around her moved. She ducked and saw how a dagger slid where her neck was, and a maid appeared over her. She had deep red eyes, and her smell wasn't that of a beast-kin but something entirely else. She had a demonic stench that remembered her of the Lady but magnitudes stronger. She looked like a normal cat-kin, but something about her was off like her appearance was unreal.

However, it wasn't crucial for Ocilia. While squatting, she jumped to the side of the attack, simultaneously using her threads to entangle the cat-kin. However, the cat-kin suddenly disappeared when her threads touched her slightly, leaving nothing behind, not even her mana.

Ocilia stood up, looking around, confused. She used her [Mana Sense] but couldn't find her, 'What weird skill.'

She didn't wait, though, and was about to conjure her threads around Fiorello, yet the ones around her suddenly started to tingle again. She avoided a hit from a cat-kin maid again, but this time from below. Ocilia attacked her again, but as before, the maid disappeared with only a slight touch, 'What is going on?!'

"How about you leave? I guess my head is worth something, but is it truly worth so much that you would bet your life on it?" The moment she heard him, his voice was alluring and made sense, but like before, she felt the skill usage as it was too apparent, probably a powerful skill he trained little.

She tried again and again and again. After what felt like an eternity, she was slowly getting tired, and her mind became susceptible to Fiorello's manipulation skills. Even though she tried to ignore the cat-kin or attack both of them simultaneously, her threads never seemed to reach him, and her focus forcefully switched to the immediate danger.

It was bizarre, but as she slowly became mesmerized, like she was in a nightmare she couldn't escape, some weird thought popped into her head, remembering the tellings of her Master's skill test and how he flipped out, giving her a ridiculous idea, which now seemed like the best way to end it before it became too dangerous: Why should I play by their rules? I would destroy the fucking game in the first place.

With this in mind, she had enough. Her threads went all around the room, this time not touching Fiorello, who smiled at her, "Oh, you did need longer than expected to get insane, but..."

However, his words were stuck in his throat when Ocilia ended her quick chant. The threads caught fire, starting to burn the whole room, and only now did Fiorello lose his cool, panicking. He quickly stood up, running towards a flower vase on a stand that caught fire.

Everything became slightly distorted, and like a film that concealed reality, it vanished, showing a room that looked very different. She looked around, trying to escape the weird state of mind, only to see how Fiorello wasn't running toward a flower vase but to some strange mana artifact. It looked like a wooden figure with enchantments and mana gems meticulously placed on it.

Only now did Ocilia understand what was happening, as clarity slowly returned to her, pushing away the fog that made her thoughts unfocused, 'He trapped me in an illusion with a mana artifact...'

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Rage invaded her, and more threads appeared, trapping Fiorello before he could touch the mana artifact. He used some of his energy to try to break free, but it was weak, barely able to even strain her.

As she was about to contort her threads, cutting him to pieces, she quickly became calm again, using all her mental fortitude skills. She wanted him alive and had him now, 'Yes, at las...'

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a noise akin to a cattle. Looking around, she saw the mana artifact in flames, becoming redder and redder by the moment, heating and bloating. The mana gems cracked, and even without her [Mana Sense], she could tell something was about to happen. She immediately dashed out of the room into the corridor, closing the doors behind her quickly. However, as she remembered Fiorello was still inside, it was already too late.

BOOM!

The door violently slammed against her from the explosion's force, being ripped apart out of the hinges holding it. She flew through the whole corridor while pressed by the door, crashing into a wall. She felt how her bones cracked and one shoulder dislocated.

When she thought it was all over, she heard another explosion, like that of cracking glass, and only a moment later felt how splinters from what appeared to be part of the mana gems flew at insane speeds in her direction, penetrating the door that rammed her into the wall. It was pure luck as only one hit her hand while few others were deflected by her attire, leaving injuries like contusions.

After it was over, she pushed the door away, making it fall, and saw the utter chaos and destruction. She immediately thought about Fiorello, 'Maybe he is still Ali...' Her thought was interrupted by the system, signaling that she got [Experience] by killing someone, '...fuck!'

She immediately walked back to the burning and smoking suite to get at least some proof that it was him she could show later to her Master. However, after a few steps, Ocilia suddenly felt wobbly and leaned against the wall, as she could barely stay straight, her vision and mind all exhausted from the fight. She immediately pulled out some potions and drank them only to hardly notice how Quill was running towards her, screaming, "What the fuck happened?!"

She waved her hand in dismissal while finishing her mana potion, "Nothing much. However, I found Fiorello, he was inside."

He tilted his head in confusion, "Was?"

She nodded while drinking a stamina potion. After finishing it, she said, annoyed, "Long story short, he is dead, and we need to look for his body parts..."

Interrupting her was Quill, who suddenly grabbed his head, "Fuck!"

Ocilia became concerned as his body started to spasm out violently, "What is happening..." She pulled out a healing potion, "...are you hurt anywhere?!"

He clenched his teeth but looked at her with his cocky smile while forcing himself to speak, "I am fine. Go and look yourself, but I am dead weight, so..." He slumped against the wall and sat down, breathing erratically, "...just throw me later over your shoulder like I am a fucking princess and carry me out."

She walked toward him, but he only held his hand in front of him, "Stop! Go and fucking look! The faster we are out, the better!"

She was confused but nodded nonetheless. She trusted him that he knew what he was doing.

...

Many Hours Later, Aurum's room, Wintersleep Hotel

"Aha."

"What?!"

Aurum looked sternly at Ocilia and wasn't amused, to say the least. From the moment she entered the hotel, with her holding Quill over her shoulder, who looked like he had been tortured for months, panic broke out. He immediately organized healers and potions to stabilize him, but it seemed that whatever he had, going by what he told, would last for a week. So now he had a healer stationed around the clock at his bed.

Ocilia wasn't better. Her being able to sit straight before him was a miracle. The healer told him that she had broken bones, fractures, internal injuries, and whatnot. Yet, she looked happy, which made him pop a vein.

However, as the initial panic subsided and she recovered partly, he wanted an explanation. After listening to her insane story, she also presented him with the mangled head of what might look like a fox-kin, with a lot of imagination.

He rubbed his head, "This is Fiorello?"

Ocilia nodded, "Yes, it is!"

"Are you sure?"

Ocilia became exasperated, "Aurum, it is! Trust me! I caught him..." She stopped and reworded her word choice, "...well, I caught his head... maybe."

Aurum leaned back in his chair, annoyed but also somewhat relieved, looking at the head lying on the table and hoping it was not just Ocilia going berserk and killing some poor fox-kin.

He also panicked like Ocilia after hearing the rumors about what happened at the estate. However, he didn't act like her. He was more composed and just continued his work, thinking he couldn't do anything even if he wanted to. Looking for a fugitive was the specialty of the military and intelligence, far from his forté.

Yet, the relatively controlled response coming from the estate ensured him. Nobody would be safe if someone died, and another purge would have started already, leveling the underworld.

He looked tired at Ocilia and nodded, "Well, good job, I guess? When will you go?"

She became overly enthusiastic, standing up but also almost immediately falling down as she was visibly tired, "Now, of course!"

Standing up, He shook his head, "Sleep first. I will visit Quill and..." He smirked at her, "...Ariana wants to have a word with you."

Ocilia tilted her head in confusion, "A word with me? What do you mean?"

Aurum shrugged, "You will see."

...

30 minutes later, Ocilia's room

"Are you out of your mind?!"

"Sorry..."

Ocilia was sitting on the bed while looking down at her hands, not daring to look at Ariana, who had been reprimanding her for the last 20 minutes, making her feel like dirt. She told her proudly everything, even embellishing her story a little, thinking it was something to be celebrated. However, the moment she finished, she was assaulted with a lecture about how stupid and irresponsible it was.

Araina raised her voice, "What are you sorry about? I want to hear it!"

Ocilia's voice became barely audible, as she felt terrible, "I made you worry about me, but..."

Ariana interrupted her, "No buts! You moron running around in the underworld..." She suddenly stopped, making Ocilia look at her, "...heuk! The moment you appeared, all mangled up, I thought I would lose you... Idiot! Moron! Dumbass!"

She was crying, making Ocilia's heart clench, 'Is this what Mother meant when she said that if you have someone you love, you can't act recklessly anymore?'

Ariana suddenly screamed again, "If it wasn't for Quill, you would've died! You... heuk!" She stopped and suddenly squatted on the floor, hugging her knees, crying and shaking.

Ocilia slowly stood up and hugged Ariana, "I am sorry, this will never happen again..." Even though she said it, she couldn't promise it. There was something inside her that loved what she did. It was exciting and fulfilling, which made her dream come ever so close.

Ariana kept sobbing, but after another moment, almost silently, said, "I love you, you idiot... heuk."

Ocilia smiled sadly, answering her, "I love you, too."

Like this, Ocilia only went to sleep in the morning after talking for hours with Ariana, trying to convince her that everything was under control and she would never again act as impulsively as before.

...

At the same time, Quill's room

"Aurum, seriously... argh..." Quill shook slightly and looked afterward with a smile at his friend, "...a raccoon-kin guy as a healer? Next time, get me someone more with a pair of breasts, and I don't mean a fat guy."

Aurum frowned at Quill but sighed in the end, "I see that you are fine as ever." He sat beside his bed and stared at his friend, being overly worried about his condition.

Quill raised an eyebrow, "Why shouldn't I? I am all honkey-dorey." As he said it, blood came out of his mouth and right eye, making him look like an insane person.

Aurum sighed, pulling a talisman out of his pouch, which he got from the Temple, which reduced pain, and hung it at the end of the bed, activating it, "Here you go. While it doesn't help much, you already had too many potions and are probably poisoned. So, have a go with it."

Quill frowned, "You are really a downer. Can't you give me the good stuff?"

Aurum sat down again and chuckled, "The good stuff is for those who didn't have already drank 15 potions..." He sighed, "...by the way, thank you."

Quill looked at Aurum only to smirk at him, "Are you gay or something? Just get me..." He convulsed again, but it stopped after some moments, only for him to laugh, "...hehe, fuck it, and thanks for not letting Ariana inside. I can't stand her crying."

Aurum nodded, "No worries. However, she will probably visit you tomorrow. I heard how she screamed at Ocilia, so be ready."

Quill rolled his eyes, "She was always so dramatic. Remember when she couldn't eat meat after seeing how the kitchen staff slaughtered a pig?"

Aurum chuckled, remembering her always crying when seeing meat on their plates. Because of her, they didn't eat meat for weeks, "Yeah, but do you remember her also cooking for us after we were complaining that the vegetarian food sucked?"

"She is such a pussy, really..." He convulsed again, only to stop after a moment, looking at Aurum, "...hey, can you do me a favor?"

Aurum rolled his eyes, "No drugs or prostitutes."

Quill clicked his tongue, "You can really kill all of the fun of being bedridden."

After staring at each other for a moment, both laughed. Like this, Aurum stayed with Quill, talking about old stories and listening to his obviously embellished story of fighting an army of scavengers till his friend fell asleep.

...

The next morning, Quill's room

"I want to thank you, Quill. I know what happened, and it was all Ocilia's fault, dragging you into this mess."

"You look like shit."

Ariana stood beside his bed, holding a tray, frowning, and wanted to lecture him about how irresponsible he was but decided against it. Going by what Ocilia told her last night, it was mostly her fault.

She ignored his harsh words, knowing how he was, and sitting down on his bed, "I brought you food."

He raised an eyebrow and was about to say something, but she interrupted him, already knowing him too well, "No, I will not be naked with Ocilia or some cheap whore while feeding you. You need to get used to me wearing clothes, and I don't mean lingerie."

He sighed, smiling, "You are really no fun, you know."

She frowned but ignored him, opening the lid, "I will feed you, and if you say something about having a steak, I will get a funnel and force-feed you like a goose. Are we clear?"

He raised an eyebrow, smirking at her, "Kind of hot, I need to say."

She looked at him thoughtfully but needed to chuckle in the end, "Hehe, now shut up and open your mouth."

Quill straightened up first, only for him to groan, "Urgh, I can eat alone. Give me the tray."

She gave him first the spoon, which he took but couldn't hold straight as his hands shook violently from all the spasms his body went through frequently. She quickly took it back and frowned at him, "I said open your mouth, you moron!"

He sighed and obviously gave up, knowing that he needed help, "Fine, Mommy."

She put a little fruit porridge and caramel on the spoon while becoming more serious, "I really love Lia, and I know what you did, so thanks. Please don't joke around anymore. Even though I stayed with her all night, I almost punched Maurice when he told me I couldn't visit you..." She looked at him, almost tearing up again, "...you are one of my best friends, and I love you. Seeing you like this is really hard."

Quill smiled at her, "Don't worry, I love you too. Now, give me the disgustingly sweet stuff. I am starving."

She nodded, also smiling back, "Open your mouth."