Moonlight Ring and a Tower Master's Devotion
Yoahim returned to his room and fiddled with the ring he'd received from Lawrence.
"Item info."
Rare
A ring infused with the power of moonlight. Increases damage to undead by 10% when equipped. +5 Intellect stat. +300 max mana. +10% status ailment resistance.
"Ho ho."
As Lawrence had said, it was an item with solid effects. The undead damage bonus wasn't useful right now, but it was a good option for the future. It also gave a modest Intellect boost and a whopping 300 increase to max mana. And with status resistance on top, it was definitely a valuable piece.
"I've gained a lot since coming here."
Yoahim nodded to himself and rose from his chair. With all his business at the mage tower concluded, he planned to head to the mercenary guild for his reward.
Knock knock knock.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Who could that be? No one was supposed to visit.
Yoahim tilted his head and opened the door.
"What the—nobody's here?"
Was that little shit Genie pranking him again? Nah, he couldn't be that stupid.
Yoahim tilted his head again and closed the door. As he turned back, a sweet breath tickled his ear.
"Hello."
Yoahim jolted in surprise at the whisper-soft voice and leaped backward, banging his head against the door. He grimaced, then looked up.
There stood a stunning woman with deep indigo hair and sparkling golden eyes.
"Lilith?"
"Hee hee, surprised you? Sorry, just kidding."
"You used magic to get in?"
"Yeah. Already leaving? You promised to have a meal with me."
Right, he had. Yoahim nodded, then noticed Lilith was dressed differently from yesterday. Yesterday it had been a sleeveless robe, but today she wore something like Gregorius's uniform. Pants instead of a skirt, and they suited her tall frame and long legs perfectly.
"Different outfit today, huh?"
"You noticed? Got a meeting this afternoon. What do you think?"
Lilith spun in place like she was showing off. Her indigo hair floated up toward the sky before cascading back down.
"Looks good."
"That's all you've got?"
Lilith pouted slightly, lips pursing in mild dissatisfaction. When Yoahim stared at her in confusion, she sighed.
"Fine. We're both short on time, so let's head to the cafeteria quick. It's on the third floor."
"There's a cafeteria in the mage tower?"
"Mages are busy. Better to eat here than go out. Food's pretty decent."
Yoahim nodded and followed Lilith out of the room. They took the inter-floor teleporter to the third floor.
The third floor was an open space without walls, the entire level serving as the cafeteria. Yoahim spotted a few mages shuffling like zombies, trays in hand, toward the tables.
"Over there."
The mage tower's breakfast was simple: a bowl of oatmeal porridge, a slice of rye bread, two sausages, a boiled egg, a glass of milk, and a bit of salad.
Yoahim grabbed his tray alongside Lilith and headed to a corner seat.
"Didn't expect this."
"What?"
Yoahim scooped up some porridge with his spoon.
"You eating like this. Thought you'd be having steak with wine, all elegant."
Lilith covered her mouth gracefully and laughed.
"Why? Craving that kind of meal?"
"Nah, not really."
"I'm the tower master, but at heart, I'm just a mage. The strongest in Barakan, sure, but that's it—no more, no less. Of course, I do fancy meals sometimes, given my position. But not often."
Yoahim nodded at her response. Barakan was governed by a council of eighteen mages and one tower master. They were representatives of the mages and citizens, not rulers.
"So, what's this about?"
Yoahim asked abruptly midway through the meal. Lilith set down her spoon and dabbed her lips with a napkin. She tilted her head slightly.
"What do you mean?"
"You called me to eat because you had something to say, right? Or was it really just 'let's grab a bite'?"
"Do I need a reason to invite you to eat? I told you yesterday—I revere you."
"Revere me?"
"Yes, revere."
Lilith's lips moved subtly.
"I respect and love you, so it's reverence. Yes, I revere you. Of course I do. You created me, made me exist here. Why wouldn't I respect you? Why wouldn't I love you? You're the master of my soul, the navigator of my life. I respect you like a child respects their father. I love you like a child loves their mother. And I revere you."
Yoahim swallowed his food past the lump in his throat. He couldn't move his head. The brilliance radiating from Lilith's golden eyes was too dazzling.
"I revere you like a young acolyte worships their god. It's love, and ecstasy too. I'm your zealot, your servant, your follower. Want me to be honest? I hope the heroes hate you. I hope you fight them, face their scorn, grow weary and wounded, and return to me. So I can heal your wounds. So I can possess you completely."
A strange heat enveloped his body. Yoahim was speechless. He could only listen to Lilith's voice.
"I was afraid. If ignorance is sin, then knowledge is pain. The moment I learned this world was built on lies, an endless void gripped me. But you pulled me through. My god, my love, my master. I exist for you. You're the beacon of my life—scorching and radiant, leaving an indelible scar on my heart. That's why I can't forget you, and you can't abandon me."
It was heavy. Not the mood—heavy with Lilith's love and affection. Overwhelmingly so.
Yoahim could barely swallow. The bizarre pressure from a level 200 mage was no match for a level 27 Dark Knight.
She'll devour me. If I stay like this, she'll devour me—mentally, physically, maybe both.
Yoahim pictured himself trembling on Lilith's bed.
"How happy I'd be to follow you. I'd cast off this tower master title too. But I can't. I have my role. Barakan and the tower are shackles on my ankles. Shall I burn them? Smash them? I have the power."
Lilith was a powerhouse, countable among the strongest—though not quite on Kallagon's level. Even if all Barakan's mages attacked, she'd crush them. Then burn the city and follow him.
A horrific thought. Killing everyone for one person—that wasn't what Yoahim wanted.
"But I won't. Because you need a place to return to. This is your anchor. When everything ends, you'll come back here. It's the anchor you circle back to."
Yoahim forced out a voice.
"...We don't know how it'll end. This world might vanish."
"You are my anchor."
Lilith smiled.
"With an anchor, you never lose your way. Get it? If you don't return, I'll come find you."
She's mentally unhinged. He knew why. Lilith was the only one who knew this world wasn't real—besides him. In a way, as her creator, her obsession made sense.
"You get me, right? We'll meet again. Somehow."
Lilith, having finished first, stood up. She didn't try to bind him mentally or physically because of her confidence. Confidence that she'd reunite with him, no matter what.
"I've got a meeting, so I'll go ahead. Safe travels. And come back."
Yoahim nodded stiffly. No reason to upset her.
As she left with her tray, Lilith turned her head and grinned.
"Actually, no need to come back. I'll come get you."
She's lost it.
Yoahim watched her retreating figure, the click of her heels echoing. Only after she vanished did he move.
He returned his tray, boarded the teleporter, and let out a hollow laugh at the absurdity. A chill ran through him.
Everything she said was dead serious.
"If a friendly character's like this, the enemies must want me dead."
Radius and Liana definitely would. These are my characters—why?*
Yoahim laughed hollowly again and descended to the first floor.
"Hello."
Instead of Merilda, another woman was at the desk. Pointy hat suggested mage—probably covering for Merilda.
"I'm a mercenary. I completed the request to deliver a letter to the mage tower last night. To claim my reward at the guild, I need proof of completion. Could you write a quick note?"
"Ah, Merilda mentioned you. One sec."
The mage woman scribbled a few elegant lines on paper, stamped the tower seal, and handed it over.
"Thank you. See you."
"Safe travels, traveler."
Yoahim bowed slightly and left the tower.
"...Guess I should hit the mercenary guild first."
He was rattled by Lilith, but business was business. He headed for the guild.
It was in the plaza, easy to find.
"Damn, it's huge."
Barakan was a big city, and its guild matched—massive scale. Yoahim eyed the grand building briefly before entering.
With its size came crowds. Mercenaries everywhere, recruiting parties or grabbing jobs amid the lively din.
Yoahim pushed through the bustling hall to the desk.
"Welcome. What can I do for you?"
The desk clerk was a burly middle-aged man, thick forearms, long scar on his face—probably a retired merc. Yoahim pulled out two papers and his mercenary tag as the man scratched his chin with a thick finger.
One paper from the tower, one from Serina Village guild. The tag to verify identity.
"Here for request rewards."
"Mm, hold on."
The man glanced at the papers, nodded, and bent to rummage under the desk—a safe, probably.
"Here. Your promised pay."
Yoahim pocketed seven silver coins. As he turned to leave, the man called out.
"Yoahim, right? Your tag says one more job and you're up for promotion. What do you say? Take a request here?"
The back of the tag listed completed requests and grades. Hit enough high-grade ones, and you qualified for promotion.
Bronze to steel meant more jobs, better pay. No reason to refuse if he was sticking with this.
"What kind?"
The man grinned.
"Ruin exploration. Tempting, eh?"
Yoahim grinned back.
A chance for good loot.