Once Michael and Helen entered the inn, Raskya immediately spotted the duo and walked closer to them.
Teasing these two was rather amusing to her, especially since Helen wasn't that easy to rattle in normal cases.
Raskya's smiling face quickly turned serious when she noticed tear marks on the girl's face and the limp Michael was walking with. Coupled with the paleness of the boy's face and the overall weak feeling he was exuding, she realized that something terrible must've happened.
[Are you two alright!? What's going on?](Raskya)
"We're alright. I got into a messy situation again once I left Kyovashad."
[Huh? Again!? Why does it sound like you're getting Preferential Treatment?](Raskya)
[Aunty!](Helen)
Seeing Raskya's baffled face and Helen raising her voice at the woman, Michael realized something was wrong.
[Eh? What's wrong, lass? I was just joking... there's no reason to get this angry. Unless...](Raskya)
Seeing the strange look he was getting from the hostess, Michael sighed and resolved himself to ask what was going on later.
He patted the tigress hand to calm her down and sat at an empty table with her. Raskya promised to bring some food over and quickly left for the kitchen.
Before Michael could start asking questions, Burt and Christine walked downstairs. They saw Michael and came to greet him.
[Hey man! Didn't you say you'll leave for Yelesna? Did you return so fast? Do they have a Waypoint there as well?](Burt)
[Hello.](Christine)
As always, Burt was overly enthusiastic, while Christine seemed only to have eyes for Helen.
Michael looked questioningly at Helen, asking for her permission, and when she nodded, he asked for the two to take a place. Burt sat next to Michael, while Christine happily sat next to Helen.
[You were wounded.](Christine)
Both Burt and Michael were surprised to hear the statement, especially Michael since he thought the girl's eyes only focused on his lover.
"Mhm. You can say that I had a streak of bad luck..."
[Hmm? What are you people doing gathering around without me?](Aybdah)
[Heh. Who told you to visit that sort of place at this hour? I wasn't expecting you to return tonight anymore, much less for dinner.](Burt)
[Tsk. Admit it. You're just jealous that I didn't invite you. Miss Helen.](Aybdah)
Seeing that the entire party arrived and took seats at his table, Michael explained the situation to them.
Hearing the whole crap he went through in the short span of four hours or less, the remaining three members were speechless. Helen was also biting on her lower lip, obviously concerned.
[Damn! I didn't know it was that dangerous to leave the city these days. Crap! If it were me, I would've died for sure!](Aybdah)
[That's strange. Me and Christine often venture out to hunt and increase our levels, but we have never encountered so many creatures at once. Much less a ' World Event.' I haven't even heard the term before...](Burt)
[What's an Event?](Christine)
Helen was brought out of her thoughts by Christine's question, which was very obviously directed at her.
Pondering momentarily to choose the right words, Helen cleared her throat and explained.
[You all know that the Sanctuary always tried to protect its inhabitants. That's why Quests are offered so often. However, spontaneous events occur in some instances, which will negatively affect the surrounding people. If such happenings can put many lives at risk, the Sanctuary would issue a unique Quest called a World Event, where the nearby Wanderers can join hands to complete it. Whenever it happens, all the Wanderers in a particular area can see a large golden circle on their MAP, indicating that an Event is taking place over there.](Helen)
Pausing to think, Michael remembered the golden circle while checking his MAP. To his great misfortune, it seems there were no Wanderers nearby to save his ass in his time of need.
[However, based on the difficulty and gravity of the Event, experience and gold coins are rewarded when completed. Even more so than regular Side Quests.](Helen)
"I can attest to that. I'm already at 2,945/2,990 of my current level. I should get to Level 13 with another couple of monsters killed. My gold reserves also increased quite a bit."
Looking at the 24,170 gold coins waiting to be spent, Michael swallowed hard and tried his best not to grab the item boxes patiently waiting in his Inventory.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
Especially so for the brightly shining golden one. He had a total of four item boxes ready to be opened.
Thinking about the chest he left behind after completing the Event, Michael felt sour - especially after he suffered so much.
[Damn! That's amazing! You left me even further behind...](Aybdah)
[I'm pretty sure he would've preferred less experience and fewer troubles. I'm glad you somehow made it. I still find it weird, though. It's not like it's very common to meet so many demons and other creatures when adventuring in the wilderness. Especially near the roads that get cleared quite often.](Burt)
[Right. I was thinking along the same lines. Especially for an ancient Vampire that was sealed Heaven knows how long ago. It's a bit strange. He also got four more Side Quests, all of them from picking stuff from the floor...](Aybdah)
[Preferential Treatment?](Christine)
Helen winced at the words while the other two turned speechless. It was Michael's second time hearing the term, and judging from how Helen reacted to it, he wasn't sure if it was a good or a bad thing.
"It sounds good, but I somehow doubt it is. Helen?"
[This... *sigh* is the Sanctuary's way of helping Wanderers with high potential grow faster. It really is preferential treatment, as you get more Quests and encounter more Events... but you also need to deal with more monsters in the process. Stronger as well.](Helen)
[Wait, wait, wait! Are we seriously talking about it as a possibility? No offense, Michael, but even the strongest geniuses don't usually get it. Miss Helen, if I'm not wrong...](Aybdah)
[I didn't get Preferential Treatment. I just...](Helen)
"Cleared more Dungeons solo. I heard it from your father."
Seeing the appalled look on her face, Michael realized that he shouldn't have mentioned it.
'This Preferential Treatment bullshit is similar to how main characters attract trouble wherever they go in novels. It's incredibly rewarding but equally dangerous. Now that Helen knows I know about the achievement, she'll worry that I'll do something stupid... Which I might very well do, willing or unwilling.'
He knew better than any of the people on the table how unreasonable authors were when it came to throwing their MCs in the shittiest situations, counting on plot armor for them to make it out somewhat alive.
If the 'author' in his case was the Sanctuary, he was in for a world of pain.
"Don't worry, I won't do anything stupid."
[...mhm.](Helen)
[Well, this is a bit awkward, but if you are genuinely getting Preferential Treatment, it will be an issue for us to party together in the future.](Aybdah)
Seeing the usually cheerful and casual Aybdah furrow his brows, Michael was surprised and looked at the other two people. Even Christine was showing signs of reluctance.
It wasn't hard to put two and two together.
"I'm guessing that means that whenever I get this 'Preferential Treatment,' it would also apply to you guys in my party?"
[It would. That would explain the Ghoul horde and the Boss. I kept thinking about it but couldn't make sense of it, no matter what.](Burt)
[It's good experience and loot.](Christine)
[Ugh... I don't want to sound like an ungrateful asshole, but I'm not sure I'm ready to experience that sort of crap every time we go out. I mean, last time, Michael handled it on his own, more or less, but the situation could've ended tragically for all of us if Captain Helen and the guards didn't come to save our asses.](Aybdah)
"No worries. I completely get it. I still have to complete the Yelesna Quest I was given, so I'll be out of the city the following days. It would be good in the meantime for all of us to decide if we'll keep partying in the future. If this preferential treatment is as much of a trouble magnet as it sounds, it would be foolish for you to jump headfirst into danger every time with me."
The situation turned awkward, but Michael quickly defused it through jokes and casual conversation. He wasn't absurd enough to blame them for hesitating and worrying about their lives.
The conversation topic quickly switched to something more pleasant, and the three people were reassured when Helen told them about Monk Bozan and Telgun's investigation that would take place soon.
Probably, it was most comforting to them that they wouldn't be dragged into the mess between two gigantic factions warring against each other.
With the food finished and the drinks gone, everyone returned to their rooms.
Helen followed Michael, and after using a Cleaning Marble each, they changed into something more comfortable and sat in the bed. With how tired and in pain Michael was, there were no naughty thoughts on his mind, while Helen still looked worried as she burrowed into his embrace.
"*Sigh* I was caught off guard by this whole Preferential Treatment thing this time, therefore the wounds. Don't be silly. It will be much different now that I know to expect the worst every time I go out or clear Dungeons."
[But your party...](Helen)
Realizing that he couldn't nor did he want to lie to her, Michael stroked her hair as he explained calmly.
"It's for the best that way. Instead of having calculative people who might run at the first sign of trouble, having others around me that I can trust with my life is better. This whole thing might be a blessing in disguise."
[But Dungeons are not that easy...](Helen)
"Hey, don't be like that. You could clear them without the help of four minions tanking the main damage. I should be able to do the same easily."
[It wasn't easy at all! I lost count of how many times I almost died before. Seeing my father's worried face every time I returned injured and covered in blood broke his heart. But I was blinded by the loss of my mother and everyone's expectations of me... I had to keep going even if I was unwilling to do so. I don't want you to go through the same thing.](Helen)
Stroking her back and hugging her tighter, Michael calmed his breathing and, with every touch from the back of her neck and down her spine, tried to guide her breathing to match his in an unconscious manner.
He learned this back on Earth, and it surprisingly worked every time he broke up with the girls he was dating. As for why he knew the trick, it was because he was weak to girls crying and spent over two years in a somewhat toxic relationship just because he couldn't break up with the girl once she started crying...
Surely enough, five minutes later, after nobody had talked anymore, Helen was much calmer, and her breathing was even.
"I realized I wasn't as prepared for wilderness exploration as initially thought. That doesn't mean that I can't get out of Kyovashad anymore. Leaving aside the Main Quest involving Lilith, the Sanctuary also has expectations of me if this preferential treatment is true. I can't exactly let down the entire world..."
[I know...](Helen)
"Also, if it's true, that's also a good thing. The faster I level up, the faster I can catch up to you. Then, we can go Dungeon and questing together."
[I'm Level 83.](Helen)
Hearing the declaration, Michael almost choked on his own saliva. Wasn't she supposed to be only between levels 50-60!? Maybe 70...
What's with the sudden increase?
[Surprised?](Helen)
"Who wouldn't be!? I thought you were supposed to be Level 70 or so at max."
[I hid my level to avoid annoyances from the nobles. Once you reach higher levels, they try to recruit you through all possible means. I want to live a normal life and do as much as possible for the city and the world... but on my terms. Not because I'm coerced by someone else.](Helen)
"Who else knows besides myself?"
[Mina, Aylin, and my dad. I didn't tell the other girls yet. Oh... and after I meet with Prava today, she might also have a general idea.](Helen)
"Would that be an inconvenience?"
[No. If I'm not wrong, she will soon be under pressure from the Merchant Alliance and the nobles. The last thing she would want is to add another enemy on top of that. On the contrary, I think she will try to make an ally out of me, probably by using you as a means.](Helen)
"I'm not sure I like that idea."
[Well, there's nothing much you can do about it at the moment.](Helen)
"I've wanted to ask for a while now, but how strong is Prava?"
[I'm not sure exactly, as I've always felt she kept hiding a portion of her power, but she should be Level 70-80.](Helen)
Taking a deep breath, Michael decided to be polite with every beggar he met from now on. It's true that in the other worlds, even the lowest of men you find on the street might be an expert in disguise.
With tiredness from all the fighting in the real world and the imaginary one, Michael soon fell asleep alongside Helen.
All problems would have to wait until the following day.