The night went on peacefully as the stars shone bright above, with barely any clouds getting in the way of their light. After dinner time ended, the researchers continued their work without the slightest bit of hesitation, aided by the lighting set around the area. Irwin roamed the camp with a tired demeanor, his sleep deprivation growing clearer the more time passed—yet his eyes sparked with energy from time to time, showing his excitement for his progress.
The rest of the researchers were gradually and visibly getting more tired, but were also maintaining their focus. It was admirable to see them so absorbed by their job, pushing themselves to their limits in the pursuit of their goals. Their motivation also seemed to have increased after collecting ‘fresh samples’—the corpses of the beasts Ascalon and Lilithra had dealt with.
Ascalon watched over the camp with a warm smile, allowing himself a moment of quiet reflection. Despite the few roaming beasts in the distance, and the occasional eerie noise coming from afar, the atmosphere around the area remained incredibly calm amid the scientist’s busy activity.
The knight wondered about their studies on the dungeon beasts, and asked himself if there might be a way to contain the creatures or close their ‘entrance’ into the world somehow. The catastrophe was supposedly caused by the monsters leaving their dungeon, so perhaps sealing the gateway could be a solution. Still, these were simply fleeting thoughts in his mind, and nothing he could just go and decide to do by himself.
Just as he was mulling over his ideas, Selorien and Lilithra approached him. The elf yawned as he raised his hands high, stretching before speaking up.
“What’s up?” Selorien asked mid-yawn, his voice slightly muffled. Lilithra mimicked his actions and straightened her back, a small groan escaping her lips as her joints cracked softly. The content smile on her lips showed just how satisfying that must’ve been!
“There seem to be no threats at the moment.” The knight replied, smiling softly at his friends. Selorien let out a small sigh, perhaps relieved he didn’t have to exert himself for the time being, while Lilithra took the chance to chime in.
“Nice! Ragna just told us they’re about done, so we’ll be heading out in a bit.” She revealed with an eager grin, pleased about the situation without a doubt. It meant they were almost done with their third quest!
“Excellent, but let us not drop our guard!” Ascalon added in a bold voice, his eye flaring with conviction. Even if the mission was almost over, they couldn’t simply relax and slack off—they needed to stay focused in case anything unexpected occurred.
His friends nodded at his words, though Selorien didn’t look as enthusiastic, as per usual. After a short while of silent vigilance, Ragna’s voice echoed around the camp.
“Alright guys, great work! Let’s pack it up!” The dwarf’s words were met with multiple cheers, and the scientists quickly began dismantling their equipment to bring it back to the truck. The group helped them out, loading the vehicle carefully and steadily, and soon, the makeshift camp had been packed away.
“I can’t believe we got so much done today!” Lilly’s voice cut through the air, garnering everyone’s attention as they prepared to board the truck.
“We really outdid ourselves. I believe we’ll be back for sunrise—meaning we spent less than a day here.” Irwin replied with a tired voice, yet his expression was adorned with a pleasant smile.
“We deserve a raise!” Ragna joked as he climbed onto the truck, with the rest of the researchers giggling around him.
“We’ll be lucky if we get some recognition for our work… but anyway, we can keep chatting inside—come on, everyone.” Irwin gestured to the group to get on the truck, and the rest quickly complied.
While the military personnel boarded their own vehicles, the rest finished getting into the truck, with Selorien joining Damian in the front cabin once again. Soon, the convoy parted, leaving the desolate ruins behind.
As time passed, a peaceful silence filled the truck. The researchers had slowly fallen asleep on their seats, their steady breathing creating a relaxing atmosphere. After all their hard work, they had certainly earned their rest! Amidst slumbering colleagues, Ascalon and Lilithra remained awake, watching the night sky across the window.
After a few moments, Lilithra leaned closer to Ascalon and spoke in a hushed whisper, her gentle voice reaching only his ears.
“Do you want to sleep? I can keep watch.” She stated with a smile, causing Ascalon’s chest to tingle. She was so kind and selfless it filled him with emotion. He shook his head slightly, a small grin on his face as he responded.
“I am fine, do not worry—rather, you should rest.” Ascalon whispered with a worried tone, wondering if Lilithra might feel tired. Contrary to his belief, she denied with her head, her bangs bouncing a bit from side to side.
“I’m good, hehe.” She giggled softly, her eyes drifting toward the sky once more.
The vast, dark firmament was sparkling ever so faintly, offering a gorgeous and pleasant view. A sigh escaped the knight’s lips, thinking that no matter where he went, the sky always remained the same—unchanging, steadfast. In an unfamiliar world filled with uncertainties and surprises—some more pleasant than others—it was reassuring to know some things didn’t change.
With these deep, arbitrary thoughts occupying his mind, the night passed in the blink of an eye. Soon, the vehicles were welcomed into New Lumingard just as the sun rose in the horizon, paving the way to a new dawn.
The researchers slowly woke up, and the peaceful ambience changed into a more animated one as they began chatting. Lilithra looked tired but cheerful, and Ascalon could even picture Selorien sleeping soundly in the cabin—the research trip had been quite calm overall!
It didn’t take long until they reached headquarters, stopping inside the garage before everyone got out of their vehicles. The military men saluted them and left first, while everyone else gathered for a friendly farewell.
“I’m glad to say you three did an amazing job—it has been the smoothest field research we’ve ever done.” Irwin declared with a warm smile, watching over Ascalon, Lilithra, and a still-sleepy Selorien.
“Absolutely! It was like most beasts were too afraid to even approach!” Ragna chimed in excitedly, his long beard swaying as he chuckled to himself. It was indeed thanks to Ascalon’s presence, and Lilithra’s charm, that many of the roaming monsters had been compelled to retreat before even getting close!
“I hope you’ll join us again sometime.” Lilly spoke shyly, fidgeting in place as she looked up to the trio. The sight was endearing, and the three of them smiled warmly. For a brief moment, their thoughts drifted to Athanya’el, each of them wondering how she might be faring under Raphael’s care.
“I’m happy to have met you, guys!” Lilithra spoke once she gathered her thoughts, beaming with joy. “And I hope you make it big with your research!” She added playfully, yet her firm gaze showed her words were sincere.
The researchers smiled back at her, even the usually aloof Damian, and waved at the group before busying themselves with the truck’s contents. Ascalon and his friends decided to not bother them and headed out, navigating the maze-like corridors until they finally reached the headquarters’ main hall.
As they checked the time, Lilithra’s gaze caught a glimpse of the popularity rankings. She was about to groan, remembering the whole thing, when she saw her name wasn’t in third place anymore.
“Look! I did it!” She exclaimed in joy, seeing her popularity had dropped to the ninth spot. Selorien looked utterly baffled by her reaction.
“This is the first time I’ve seen someone happy about something like that, hah.” He scoffed, causing Lilithra to grin mischievously.
Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.
“You wouldn’t understand how nerve-wracking that was, Mr. popular guy!” She replied, sighing softly in relief, likely more content with being less notorious—at least, for the time being. Ascalon watched from the sidelines, curious about why she had suddenly dropped off.
Was it perhaps because it had been a while since the colosseum fights? Even Lucretia and the Flaming Fists’ girl, Zarya, had fallen to third and fourth place, replaced by some unfamiliar names—though the interesting thing was that Selorien still held his fifth spot! At this point, it was to be expected, Ascalon thought.
As his friends bickered about the rankings, Ascalon sensed Kain approaching, his voice snapping Lilithra and Selorien to attention.
“Morning, everyone. Let’s not waste any time.” The Canidae spoke as he walked past them, leading the way to, most likely, the same room as usual. The group exchanged brief glances before following, expectation and eagerness guiding their steps.
A short while after, they all sat in front of Kain’s desk, while he rubbed his long chin as he read something on his network interface. The silence in the room felt oppressive and caused Lilithra to gulp, the sound echoing against the walls and prompting Kain to sigh in resignation.
“First of all, I was told you all did an amazing job, so let me congratulate you on that.” Kain said in an almost proud tone, earning a beaming smile from Lilithra. “Irwin and his team were incredibly pleased by your presence, and even asked for you to be their regular escorts… though that might be problematic for future tests.” He declared, rubbing his temples.
Ascalon couldn’t help but agree. As much as he would like to accompany Irwin and his group again, it would be beneficial for other Guild applicants to participate in these escorting missions. There was much experience to be gained from these opportunities, after all! At his side, Lilithra seemed dejected, though that was to be expected of her. Sensing their silence, Kain continued.
“That aside, and without further ado—congratulations, you’ve successfully completed all tasks, and earned the right to create your Guild.” He proclaimed with a cheerful voice, displaying the most animated expression they had ever seen from him. Lilithra jumped in her chair, her fists tightly clenched as she repeated ‘yes’ under her breath. Just then, a blue window appeared before her, startling her slightly before she leaned in to read it intently.
[Congratulations on fulfilling the prerequisites for [Guild Creation]]
Please carefully fill the following boxes with your data.
Guild Leader: Lilithra Vexeria. Guild Name: [___________] Guild Type: Select Type▼▼▼
Guild Type is merely an informative tag for better Guild sorting.
Combat Alchemy Crafting Adventure Mercenary Miscellaneous Security Research Trade Exploration Information
Guild's Associated Territory: New Lumingard. Guild Crest: Select Crest / Upload Crest
Leave blank if you do not have a Crest ready. Guild Description: [___________]
(Max. 350 characters). Guild's Goals. [___________]
(Max. 350 characters). Guild Base's name: [___________]
Leave blank if the Guild does not have a base. Founding Members:
Confirm Guild Creation.
“Ooh!” Lilithra blurted out in excitement as she read the contents, while her friends exchanged curious glances. Noticing they weren’t seeing the screen, Lilithra recited the contents out loud.
Ascalon listened intently and absorbed every detail with keen interest, fascinated by how thorough the network was. He felt a surge of elation overcome him, realizing their Guild was about to finally become a reality. Selorien also seemed enthusiastic, swaying on his seat as he smiled mischievously, evoking a playful air around him.
Lilithra herself was busy filling in the details, and after a few moments, she seemed to have finished. Taking a bit more to re-read what she wrote, she let out a proud ‘hmph!’ and proceeded to recite the contents aloud once more.
Guild Leader: Lilithra Vexeria. Guild Name:
Knights of the Braveheart Vigil.
Guild Type: Select Type▼▼▼
Guild Type is merely an informative tag for better Guild sorting.
Combat Exploration Security Adventure
Guild's Associated Territory: New Lumingard. Guild Crest: Select Crest / Upload Crest
Leave blank if you do not have a Crest ready. Guild Description:
A Guild dedicated to helping those in need and standing against evil and injustice! Everyone is welcome to join, regardless of background, lineage, race, or anything! We’re a tight group of friends, hoping to meet more kindred spirits! If that sounds interesting to you, send us your application!
Guild's Goals.
We can help with dungeon clears and collect materials. We offer guarding services for short or long voyages, and we’re willing to explore anywhere! As for inside goals, we aim to create a safe space for members so no one will feel left out! We’ll do our best to support your own objectives and help your growth!
Guild Base's name: [___________]
Leave blank if the Guild does not have a base. Founding Members: Lilithra Vexeria. Selorien L'Adariel. Ascalon Rendland.
Confirm Guild Creation.
As she finished reading, she looked shyly at them for confirmation, her heart racing with anticipation. Both Selorien and Ascalon nodded resolutely, with zero hesitation. Lilithra beamed at them with utmost happiness, and dramatically raised her finger to finally press the confirmation button.
In the next moment, a new window appeared before all of them, though they were slightly different for Selorien and Ascalon.
Congratulations! The C Rank Guild [Knights of the Braveheart Vigil] has been created successfully.
You now have administrator privileges under the [Guild] tab on your profile!
A tutorial will show up the first time you access this feature. Go now?
Confirm / Deny
Lilithra tilted her head as she read her window, while the others saw their own version.
You have been included as founding members for the Guild [Knights of the Braveheart Vigil] and need to confirm its validity.
Upon confirmation, you will be added as Guild members and will unlock the [Guild] tab on your profile.
Note: If you are already in a Guild, you have to abandon it first.
Confirm / Deny
Ascalon and Selorien didn’t think twice before confirming, both their expressions showing a bold smile, and were greeted with a new window instead.
Congratulations! You are now a founding member of the Guild [Knights of the Braveheart Vigil]!
You now have moderator privileges under the [Guild] tab on your profile!
A tutorial will show up the first time you access this feature. Go now?
Confirm / Deny
While Selorien seemed accustomed to this and manipulated the network with confident movements, Ascalon took a deep breath before pressing confirm, bracing himself for whatever this ‘tutorial’ might bring!