Little Pink Starfish

In the continued battle, the players who had previously been killed and revived became especially proactive. Since they had already lost a chunk of experience, if the world boss just surrendered without a fight, wouldn’t that be a huge loss for them?

Normally, the rewards from a world boss would be worth dying several times over—but that was only if the boss was actually killed, not if it gave up.

Sadin was momentarily stunned by the fury of the Bix clan and their determination to avenge Eagle. He frowned, glancing toward the manor’s guards who had arrived.

Compared to these seemingly “loyal to the bone” Bix clan members, the manor’s guards—including Ichabod, Aken, and even himself—seemed far too calm, their loyalty appearing much weaker.

After all, these were the very same people who had once tried to assassinate Eagle!

But in reality, that assassination had been Eagle’s scheme to flush out hidden enemies. The attackers merely took advantage of the bait. Even Sadin hadn’t expected their move to be such a lethal one.

If it weren’t for those Bix clan members interrupting and blocking the mysterious lich—practically extinct in the Kingdom of Esmia—the situation could have turned out far worse.

In the end, though, Eagle wasn’t hurt at all.

So while Sadin had some negative feelings toward those assassins, it never reached the level of hatred. The Bix clan, however, was clearly outraged, acting as though they were deeply vengeful just because someone tried to kill Eagle—even if they had failed.

Sadin didn’t like Pei Sen, but he had to admit he admired how well the man led his people. How had he managed it? Not only did these outsiders obey him, but they were also genuinely loyal to Eagle.

“If we don’t do something now, we’ll look far too indifferent,” he muttered. It would also reflect poorly on their loyalty to the count—definitely not a good look.

Ichabod, unlike Sadin, wasn’t from Burke Angre’s side. He was an old follower of the Lanno family and needed to stick with Eagle. Especially now that Eagle had officially come of age.

Originally, they had planned to accept these people’s surrender—at least to capture them and deal with them later. Maybe Viscount Frey would send word asking to ransom them back, and Sadin would have agreed.

But now, faced with the Bix clan’s willingness to die for Eagle, Sadin felt… awkward.

He was thinking about possibly accepting a ransom, but these Bix clan members looked like they’d rather die for revenge.

…The contrast made even Sadin feel slightly embarrassed.

“Well then, let’s just kill them all,” Sadin said casually.

Everyone on the scene understood—Sadin’s words were essentially a death sentence for the assassins. If he went all out, whether it was Delin or the high-ranking swordmasters, he could take them out in no time.

The lich, who had been watching from afar, paled under his cloak. Things were going in a terrible direction!

He gritted his teeth and finally pulled out a small crystal skull from his robes. It was just a skull, about the size of a fist, completely black yet glowing faintly like a magical crystal. A wave of deathly darkness spread out, making Jack, standing nearby, glance over.

Jack remained calm—even serene.

He had once been a slave, someone meant to die. Now he was merely repaying his debt to Viscount Frey. Among the assassins, Jack was the weakest. But when one looked over at the group, Jack was always the first person noticed—his aura was just too unique.

Sadin saw him first. He didn’t even bother with Delin. Cautious by nature, Sadin always preferred to eliminate potential threats before they could grow. Jack looked weak, but something about him screamed leadership.

Sadin’s judgment was spot on.

But just as he was about to act, the lich crushed the black crystal skull.

A dense black fog engulfed him. The young lich felt like he couldn’t breathe—this single-use item was way too expensive. He was practically broke!

“This is a massive loss…”
Not only did he fail to earn anything, but he also lost big time. It was suffocating.

At the last second, the lich grabbed Jack, pulling him close. One of Sadin’s sword strikes slashed across his body, nearly knocking him over. But the black mist enveloped both him and Jack, and they vanished on the spot. The others stood stunned for a moment.

The lich had escaped—with Jack!

Sadin’s face darkened. He had just ordered the execution of all the assassins, yet two had escaped. Another blow to his pride.

He hadn’t expected the black-robed lich to have such a magical artifact. He planned to use teleportation magic himself, but the lich beat him to it.

Delin looked grim. As a high-level mage, his fate was sealed. Sadin’s eyes were on him, and there was no escape.

“Jack…” he growled. Even though the lich had acted on his own, all Delin could see was Jack running while they were left behind.

If he’d had the chance, he would have run too. But now he was out of options.

Meanwhile, deep within Moon Tree Forest near Arzi Town, two figures suddenly appeared in a dry cave. A matching black crystal skull shattered on a velvet mat.

Jack looked around in surprise. The next moment, the lich collapsed, and Jack rushed to catch him. That earlier strike from Sadin had seriously injured him.

The lich’s hood had slipped off, revealing… someone who didn’t look like a lich at all.

He had a mop of fluffy, curly black hair, delicate features, and even some baby fat on his cheeks—downright adorable.

To be honest, Jack thought he looked more like a lich than this guy.

Jack’s body had suffered permanent damage from his time as a slave, leaving him frail and pale. He only reached mid-tier swordsman thanks to heavy medication—not for fighting, but just to survive.

“Thank you,” Jack said. If the strike had hit him instead, he’d be in worse shape.

The lich sat down heavily, gritting his teeth. “Don’t thank me. I only saved you so my loss wouldn’t be too bad.”

He was still waiting on most of his payment for this mission. Which, by the way, had completely failed.

Not to mention that fixed-point teleportation artifact? Crazy expensive.

His cave, compared to the lavish undead fortresses of other liches, was pitiful. He was dirt poor. And being a lich was expensive. Without money, he couldn’t even replace his lost skeleton army.

He hadn’t saved Jack out of kindness—he just hoped Jack would pay him back for that skull.

“I get why you saved me,” Jack said honestly, “but I have no money right now.”

The lich snapped, “I know you don’t—but Viscount Frey does!”

“This mission failed. I lost a lot of people—especially Delin, who was a key figure…”

Even among Frey’s forces, someone like Delin was rare.

The lich’s eyes widened. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, even if I go back to Viscount Frey, I may not be trusted anymore. And I have no money.”

If Frey didn’t pay, the lich would get nothing.

The lich: “……”

No way. He couldn’t have saved this guy for free!

Jack sighed. “Why don’t you come back with me? Maybe the viscount still needs me.”

The lich was deeply aggrieved. Did he really have to protect Jack all the way back now?

It felt like he was working for free.

While Jack planned his return, Sadin and the others finished off the remaining assassins—with help from the Bix clan.

Even Delin, the once-proud mage, was brutally hacked down, his body riddled with swords.

But that’s what you get for being an assassin. No glory in that line of work.

The players were thrilled. With the world boss defeated, the mission completion message popped up. The rewards for major quests were massive—many players began glowing with the white light of level-ups.

Thankfully, the “NPCs” couldn’t see the glow, or the scene would’ve been utterly bizarre.

Third-wave players especially benefited, leveling up several times in one go.

“We definitely need to participate in more big events like this.”
“No kidding. Nothing else compares reward-wise.”
“Alright, quest’s done—back to gathering bricks and building the city.”
“Honestly, city-building is kinda fun.”
“I wouldn’t do this IRL, but in-game? I could go at it for days!”
“Not possible—you can’t stay logged in more than 20 hours…”
“Hahaha true.”

While the players joked around, Sadin hadn’t left yet. He glanced at the Bix clan, and honestly, everyone was watching them.

Their speech was odd—often broken and hard to understand. Likely due to language differences.

After the battle, even surrounded by the bones of their fallen, they looked happy. They had shouted about avenging the Count earlier, and now they were laughing. A confusing bunch, indeed.

The game system censored words unsuitable for “NPCs,” so when players spoke inappropriately, the locals only heard jumbled nonsense.

Eventually, players would learn to speak carefully around NPCs, avoiding censored terms. But for now, most players still said whatever they wanted, making communication hard.

Back in the manor, Pei Sen, as the quest issuer, received even greater rewards. Between the Arzi incident and this assassin plot, he gained five full levels, breaking past level 30.

“Is Bix Magic Cube encouraging me to issue more quests?” Pei Sen wondered.

He informed Eagle that all the assassins had been dealt with.

Eagle thought for a moment. “Have Sadin bring back all the bodies, put them in proper coffins, and send them to my dear uncle.”

If Viscount Frey dared send assassins, Eagle dared return them as corpses.

Pei Sen could already imagine the scene. If he were Frey, he’d be furious.

“Pei Sen, can you take me out now?” Eagle asked.

Pei Sen sighed. “Young master, where do you want to go this time?”

“Kesso’s missing, right? Let’s go check out Adrien.”

Pei Sen had never been there himself, only seen it in player screenshots. Just as he was about to agree, a maid announced that Adrien’s city lord, Laco Lee, had come to visit Eagle.

What a coincidence.

Laco Lee had been preparing his warehouse and brought all of his possessions to Golden Rose Manor, leaving almost nothing for himself.

When he finally entered, he was visibly nervous.

At Eagle’s birthday party, he had been calm and composed. Now he was reverent to the point of fear.

“I offer everything I have to Lord Eagle Lanno,” he said, voice shaking. “Please don’t—” (kill me).

Originally, he planned to flee with his wealth. Unlike Soan, who had no title, Laco Lee was a baron and could probably live well elsewhere.

But he’d been terrified by the sight of the Bix clan executing people in the streets. He didn’t want to oppose someone with such terrifying power.

Better to surrender everything and live.

Eagle stood before the kneeling Laco Lee. He knew that, as a knight, Laco’s oath of loyalty was real. If he fled now, Eagle could command his capture, and no one would shelter him.

“I accept your loyalty,” Eagle said.

He had already killed Wallis and Soan. This one, who knew when to bend, could stay.

Lady Mary was already managing Casey City. As for Arzi, Eagle still hadn’t decided.

Its strategic location ensured it would attract adventurers and merchants again. Managing it would be difficult. If the appointed leader couldn’t control it, another “Soan” could rise.

“If nothing else works, I’ll send Aikin,” Eagle mused.

Aikin had been freeloading in the manor for too long. He needed a job.

Besides, Aikin still had a few capable knights. That should be enough to suppress low-tier adventurers.

With Laco Lee’s case settled, Pei Sen pretended to forget Eagle’s earlier request to go out.

But there was no escape. As soon as night fell, Eagle stood up. “I’m going to change.”

Pei Sen: “…”

“Are we using teleport scrolls again?”

“Those are expensive,” Pei Sen replied tactfully.

“Then we go through the garden,” Eagle said. “I know the paths by heart. Can’t we avoid most of the guards that way?”

Pei Sen: “…”

You really planned this out!

Although the manor had no real gaps in its security, slipping out during a guard shift change from the garden wall might actually work.

Pei Sen could no longer refuse. With the assassins gone, the risk was low.

And maybe they could run another dungeon for skill books or something.

“Alright, we’ll leave tonight.”

“Okay.”

Next to them, Perks the cat nearly exploded.

Leave? Again?!

The cat wanted to stay in the manor!

The fat black cat began sneaking toward the door, trying to escape and hide.

But just as it reached the door, a hand lifted it by the scruff.

It was heavy, and it hurt a little. But the cat didn’t dare complain.

“Meow?” It tried to be cute.

Pei Sen wasn’t buying it.

“Run again and I’ll toss you into the pet slot.”

The cat wanted to cry.

“Also, you blew our cover last time. If you get us exposed again because you can’t hide in the shadows, your training will double—and you’re losing at least half your weight!”

The cat tucked its tail, resigning to fate.

As a shadow cat, it should be able to melt into darkness. But it was way too fat, and its success rate was abysmal.

The cat hated effort. But this time, it had no choice.

As night fell, Pei Sen and Eagle donned their black cloaks again—freshly cleaned and lightly scented.

This time, Eagle wore it with more confidence. They quickly slipped through the quiet garden.

At the wall, Pei Sen leapt up with ease. Now a mid-tier swordsman, he had mastered supernatural strength.

“Young master, give me your hand.”

Under the moonlight, Eagle looked up and smiled as he placed his hand in Pei Sen’s.

With Pei Sen, he felt happiest.

They didn’t use a scroll this time, but it felt smoother than before. They left Golden Rose Manor unnoticed.

Since they planned to visit Adrien, they headed toward Arzi to clear a dungeon on the way.

“Hey, isn’t that two NPCs over there?” Some night-shift players spotted the cloaked figures.

“They look familiar.”

“Should I screenshot and ask the forum?”

“Yeah, do it.”

Soon, the forum exploded with replies.

Lilith: “Ahhh, my little count is stargazing with the steward again?! So romantic, I’m crying!”

Everyone else: “???”

Stargazing???

But they recognized them—it was the runaway little count and his steward!

Last time, that investigative quest failed, and no one knew why.

“Should we follow them?”

“Won’t we get caught?”

“Maybe not if we’re careful.”

“Alright, let’s go.”

They posted their plan to follow the pair.

Pei Sen glanced at the forum, almost rolling his eyes.

Following me?

Ha. You think I can’t see the forum too?