Even though she felt helpless against Ren's indifferent attitude, Argo kept pressing on, like a stubborn cat refusing to let go of the fish in its mouth.
She tapped the tip of her pen against her notebook, eyes gleaming, voice full of nosy curiosity:
"Come on, don't just sit there like a statue. Let me ask you some other things. When's your birthday? Hometown? Favorite food? What kind of girl do you like? Do you have a girlfriend yet?"
Ren was in the middle of chewing a piece of toasted bread. He just gave a faint "hm" before swallowing it down, face as calm as if he hadn't heard a thing.
"...Hey, answer me, will you?" Argo tilted her head, eyebrows raised.
"Like eating a lot. Girlfriend, none." Ren mumbled, reaching for the next chicken leg, his words muffled by food.
Argo nearly choked from laughter. "If I tried to sell that kind of curt answer of yours, I'd definitely go bankrupt."
Feigning seriousness, she flipped to a fresh page in her notebook and scribbled: 'Hobby: eating a lot. Girlfriend: none. Definition: a moving rock.'
Ren glanced over, frowned at the messy writing. "Don't make up nonsense like that."
"Not nonsense at all." Argo narrowed her eyes, a mischievous grin on her lips. "You know, lately quite a few people have been coming to me to ask about you."
Ren nodded absently, pouring himself some water. "Mm."
Argo rested her chin on her hand, shaking her head in disbelief. "That's all you've got to say? Listen carefully: most of them are girls."
Ren slowly chewed another piece of meat, expression unchanged.
"Did you even hear what I just said?" Argo was starting to lose patience, her voice half a tone sharper.
"I heard." Ren answered, short and calm, as though his popularity among the opposite sex was a trivial matter unworthy of concern.
Argo slammed her notebook onto the table, thud! making the dishes rattle. "Unbelievable! You're the first person I've ever met who's talked about so much by girls and yet doesn't react at all!"
Ren only shrugged, looking tired, though the corner of his lips curved ever so slightly, whether from genuine amusement or simply because the food was too good, no one could tell.
Argo narrowed her eyes at that faint smile, a strange feeling flickering inside her. But she quickly brushed it away, covering it up with another tease:
"Maybe I'll start a new service tomorrow. Selling Ren's love profile. Basic package: 'No girlfriend.' Premium package: 'Eats a lot.' Guaranteed bestseller."
Ren set down the chicken bone, his face turning serious as he looked at her. "And how much are you planning to charge for that?"
Hands on her hips, Argo let out a sly laugh. "Depends on the customer. If it's girls blushing, the price doubles."
Ren sighed, half exasperated, half amused. "...You really are... a sly merchant."
In the flickering glow of the oil lamp, the two sat across from each other: one digging for every scrap of information, the other brushing it off while focused on eating.
The air between them felt light, both humorous and warm, as though the world outside, full of danger and battles, had been sealed away by the humble wooden walls of the little tavern.
"Don't tell me you actually like boys?" Argo stared at the scraps of info she had managed to gather, then shot Ren a half-suspicious, half-teasing glance.
"Don't jump to conclusions." Ren said bluntly, putting down his empty plate just as he swallowed the last bite.
He lifted his head, eyes calm. "Besides, you've been asking me so many things, now I've got something I want to ask."
Argo instantly grew wary, hair standing up like a cat on alert. "Don't you dare ask me for money."
Ren gave her a sideways look, lips curving in weary resignation. "I can already tell what you're thinking before you even open your mouth."
"Tch." Argo pouted, resting her chin on her palm in mock sulk. "Fine, ask away. I won't charge you… but don't expect me to pay you back for the info I just got."
Ren shook his head, drawing in a deep breath. The brief silence between them made the flicker of the oil lamp stand out even more.
"So, what is it you want to know?" Argo pressed, her tone caught between curiosity and caution.
Ren leaned forward onto the table, eyes locking onto hers, his gaze carrying a rare flicker of seriousness.
"About you."
Argo froze. The pen in her hand nearly slipped from her fingers. For a moment, the slyness vanished, replaced by genuine unease.
"...Asking about me?" She forced a laugh, trying to mask her surprise. "What, switching roles now? I'm the one who collects information, not the one being interviewed."
"Doesn't matter." Ren replied, calm voice underscored by a steady gaze. "I just think… maybe it's about time I learned more about the person sitting across from me."
Argo looked at him, lips pressed together. It was rare to see this kid take something so seriously.
She blinked a few times, then burst out laughing, tapping her pen against the notebook. "Fine. But remember, if you ever try to write a profile about me, I'll be the first to charge you royalties."
Ren smirked, this time not retorting, only silently observing the expression on her face.
"So how exactly did you end up with that fuzz on your face?" Ren asked, half-teasing, half-casual.
Argo jolted as if her tail had been stepped on, instantly reaching up to touch her cheek. "What's that supposed to mean? I'm a girl, you know!"
Ren shrugged nonchalantly, eyes never leaving her. "Just curious. I heard from Kirito that since you haven't finished some quest… you can't unlock a certain special technique."
Her brows furrowed, arms crossing as she glared. "That idiot, running his mouth everywhere… tch."
"So what is it?" Ren leaned on the table with one elbow, tilting slightly toward her. "I want more info. Is it the thing that lets us fight with weapons while also using our bodies?"
There was something in his tone he rarely showed, genuine interest. His eyes gleamed as though he had just caught sight of an important missing piece.
Argo hesitated. She knew Ren wasn't the type to ask out of idle curiosity. If he was asking, it was tied to the way he fought.
"Well… yeah, there are some special techniques like that." Argo lowered her voice, tapping the notebook lightly. "But you think unlocking them is easy? Quest chains, hidden conditions, piles of skill checks… If I told you everything, I'd be digging my own professional grave."
Ren stayed silent, gaze fixed steadily on her.
That penetrating stare made Argo squirm until she finally sighed, ruffling her messy blonde hair. "To put it bluntly… yeah, it's a form of Martial Arts Skill. Not everyone notices, since most are too focused on Sword Skills and weapon mastery.
But if you're patient, you can learn how to make your body itself a weapon."
Ren murmured under his breath, so quietly it almost drowned in the cold wind blowing from the lake, "So… I wasn't wrong after all."
Argo caught it, narrowing her eyes. "Hey, what reckless stunt are you plotting this time?"
Ren didn't answer, only gave a faint crooked smile, his eyes sinking into some private thought.
"It's a system that runs parallel to Weapon Mastery, a supporting pillar. The two don't conflict like when you pick up a new weapon and have to start over."
Argo paused, carefully sketching a few rough lines in her notebook as though to illustrate.
"On the contrary, it fills in the gaps of whatever fighting style a player chooses. It's called an Extra Skill."
Ren narrowed his eyes slightly. "Extra Skill…?"
Argo nodded, smiling as though unveiling a great secret. "Simply put, they're skills 'outside the usual framework.' For example, if your Weapon Mastery is focused on swords, an Extra Skill could open a path to using your body, hands, legs, even evasive movement, as an extension of that weapon."
Ren rested his chin on his hand, eyes sharpening. The idea clearly stirred something he'd envisioned before.
"Of course, not everyone can unlock them." Argo continued, her tone turning sly again. "Extra Skills usually come with absurdly long quest chains, hidden triggers, or specific combat scenarios. No clear guide. People have to stumble, fail, and try hundreds of times before they catch a spark."
She snapped the notebook shut, tilting her head at Ren. "That's why they're rare, valuable. And also… worth money."
Ren chuckled, shaking his head. "In the end, it all circles back to that."
Argo shrugged without shame, eyes gleaming as though waiting to catch his reaction.
"More importantly, there's a limit." She leaned in slightly, voice dropping into an unusually serious note.
"There's a cap on how many players can receive the quest. Which means only a limited number can ever obtain that skill."
Ren frowned faintly, a flicker of regret in his eyes.
"I can tell you straight," Argo went on, tapping her notebook,
"Martial Arts already hit the cap. Even if you tried to retrace the quest now, the system won't give it anymore. Among those who got it: Asuna, Kirito, a few weird ninja-types from some guild… and me. The rest? Gone."
Ren said nothing. The thought that a path perfectly suited to his fighting style had been locked away weighed heavy in his chest.
Sensing his thoughts, Argo gave a light laugh and clapped once, as if to disperse the gloom. "But don't get discouraged. You know yourself better than anyone. There might be other Extra Skills out there—just as unique, just as powerful. We just haven't uncovered them yet."
She propped her chin on her hand again, mischievous smile returning. "Honestly, with the way you fight, even without an Extra Skill, I don't think you're at much of a loss. Just keep refining that 'self-made' style of yours. Who knows, maybe someday the system itself will recognize it as a skill."
Ren gave a faint smirk, but didn't argue, eyes darkening as if swallowing some silent vow.
"Well then, Merry Christmas." Argo lifted her cup, smile playful but voice slower than usual.
Ren raised his own cup, clinking it gently against hers. "Merry Christmas."
The soft chime of glass echoed, simple yet clear, cutting through the stillness.
Outside, cold wind swept through the narrow street of Usco Village. Lanterns swayed under the eaves, casting pale golden light onto the stone path.
In that moment, the two sat in silence. A Christmas feast without a tree, without gifts, only food, the wind, and two drifters in a strange world.
Yet their presence alone made the cold sting a little less.
Argo took a sip, eyes sliding toward Ren. "Not too bad, huh, even if it's just water."
Ren shrugged, though the faint curve of his lips betrayed a soft smile. "Better than being alone."