Helen glanced around the hallway, her breath slightly caught in her throat. That figure—the faint shadow she'd seen earlier—had vanished as if swept away by the wind. But she knew what she saw. Burning red eyes, a familiar posture. Ronan. Her classmate.
It wasn't a hunch. It wasn't her imagination.
That gaze was too familiar to ignore.
But no matter how hard she looked, there was no trace left behind. As if the figure had never been there at all.
Soon, other footsteps followed. Juan, Lex, and the others arrived.
"Hey, Helen. You look confused. What's wrong?" Juan asked.
Helen took a deep breath, trying to suppress the curiosity boiling inside her chest. "I thought I saw my friend… but maybe I was mistaken."
"Then let's head to the weapon center. You said you wanted to buy a weapon, right?" Lex chimed in with a grin.
Helen simply nodded. Her mind still busy replaying the image from before.
They walked together. This second floor was far more luxurious and crowded than the ground floor, as it contained restaurants, resource exchange centers, weapons, and skill scrolls.
The walls were made of crystalline material that occasionally reflected light with an aurora-like shimmer. The dark gray marble floor was split by thin golden lines. Their footsteps blended with the noise and murmurs of other Awakeners passing by.
Until they saw someone up ahead.
Lex instantly furrowed his brow. "Shit. It's that guy again."
Alongside three others his age, stood a young man wearing stylish clothes, his black hair slicked back neatly. His gaze was full of confidence, his smirk sharp. Edric Gruddenwarth.
"Oh, Mr. Lex," Edric said, his tone dripping with sarcasm like a dagger. "Didn't expect to see you here again. A little celebration after finishing a rank C dimensional rift, huh?"
Lex held his breath. "You're the one who should've gotten the credit, Edric. You know the illegal stuff and all that crap was just formality. But you bailed."
Edric shrugged indifferently. "Maybe I didn't want to get too popular. But if I wanted to… maybe I could rival that bastard Victor." His voice lowered, laced with venom.
Lex smirked. "Still salty about losing to him? Face it, he's better than you. You'll never stand a chance against him."
Edric's chest rose and fell. But he restrained himself. "If this was the old me, I might've punched you for saying that. But now, the universe has guided me to a higher version of myself."
Lex stared him down. "If that's true, your attitude should've changed. But clearly, you're still a jackass."
"Say whatever you like, Mr. Lex. I'm only here to say hi," Edric said casually. His gaze then shifted to Helen, his smirk turning charming. "Especially to you, the new member? Do you have a name?" he asked in a light tone, but with heavy implication.
Helen didn't answer right away. Her expression remained neutral. But before she could speak, Lex stepped forward, placing himself between them.
"You'd better leave now," Lex said coldly, his face no longer as friendly.
"Hey, relax. I ain't doing nothing," Edric replied with s smirk, raising both hands as if innocent. "I'm just curious since I saw her earlier this afternoon. Is she part of Aegis? If not, the Silent Will order is wide open for you, miss."
Helen looked at him flatly, showing not even a hint of interest. "Not interested," she replied curtly.
"Ouuu, that cold expression... you really are an ice princess, huh? Matches perfectly with a fiery man like me," Edric kept pushing, refusing to back down.
Before Helen could respond, Lex stepped in again, shoving Edric back with one hand against his chest.
"Enough, Edric! If you say one more word, it's not going to end well for you," Lex's voice now held a dangerous edge, his eyes sharp and unwavering.
Still, Edric stood his ground. No sign of backing off.
Lex stared at him for a long second, then said, "You're lucky I'm the one warning you. If it was Sir Alucard instead, you wouldn't be standing so casually right now."
Edric's expression changed instantly. So did the faces of his three companions—once relaxed, now tense.
Lex gave a faint smirk, his words like an icy blade.
"Yeah, this 'ice princess' you were harassing just now… is Sir Alucard's daughter. And if I tell him that a little bastard like you laid eyes on his daughter, I can't even imagine what he'll do to you."
A flicker of tension crossed Edric's face. But he kept his composure.
Who didn't know Alucard? An SS-Class Awakener—of which there were very few, even in powerful empires like England. He wasn't someone you messed with. A national figure.
Even so, he wasn't the strongest, not compared to the SSS-Class Awakeners… people whose power could level cities with a single gesture. People who could literally be counted on one hand across the entire world.
"Let's just get out of here, man," one of his friends whispered, trying to pull him away.
Edric glanced once at Lex, then smirked. The corner of his mouth lifted slightly.
"Well… maybe I just need to build a good relationship with Sir Alucard," he said, then turned and walked away as if nothing had happened.
Lex watched his back with a scowl.
"That bastard," he muttered.
"Let's just get out of here, Uncle Lex. He's just nobody," Helen finally spoke up.
Lex exhaled slowly, trying to calm himself. "Alright. Sorry you had to deal with him."
"It's alright. You were just protecting me," Helen replied with a faint smile.
Lex eventually smiled back. A warm sense of pride swelled in his chest, seeing the once-crybaby girl now standing strong as a real Awakener.
Helen was like a niece to him. Maybe not by blood, but in his heart, that never mattered.
They turned and left the place, continuing on their way.
---
Meanwhile, inside the resource exchange center…
"20 low-tier soul stones, and 6 mid-tier. Total is 5000 dollars. Tax for class-B Awakener is 10%, that's 500 dollars. Net total: 4300 dollars," a composed voice from a graceful woman in uniform broke the buzz of the room. She handed over a stack of cash with a refined gesture.
Veronica smiled as she took the money. "Thank you, Olivia. I know you're sweet… I'll treat you to dinner next time," she said lightly, her voice like a soft breeze carrying sweetness.
Olivia grinned, her smile mischievous yet warm. "So, who's he?" she asked, eyes glancing toward Ronan—standing a bit further away.
Veronica only smiled, then leaned in closer. Olivia instinctively leaned in too, ears ready for juicy gossip.
"He is…"
But the words hung in the air like morning mist with nowhere to go, because Veronica suddenly turned away and left.
Olivia pouted. "I'll be waiting for that dinner."
Veronica simply looked back and tossed a small smile. Her steps were light as she approached Ronan and handed him the envelope of cash—43 bills inside. "Total's 4300 dollars."
Ronan took it, then glanced at Veronica from under his hoodie.
"You sure you don't want a cut?" he asked, voice deep and sincere.
"Nope. Let's just say… that's what friends do," Veronica replied. Her smile still lingered, like the afternoon sun reluctant to set.
Ronan smiled. Briefly. That rare smile was like a small crack in a wall of stone.
"Dinner's on me then," he said.
"Deal," Veronica nodded. "So, what's your plan next? Want me to tag along? I wouldn't mind giving you some recommendations on how to spend that money."
Ronan paused. Just for a second. The sleepiness that had wrapped around him earlier was gone—replaced by calm and a full belly, thanks to having enough money to survive for two months. But right now, he wanted to be alone. Kind of a me time.
"It's fun having you as a guide. But… I think I'll go on my own now. So, thank you," he said softly but clearly.
Veronica nodded in understanding, "Fine. Give me your phone then."
Ronan gave a faint smile. He understood right away. He reached into his pocket, handed her his phone, and Veronica typed something before giving it back.
Ronan glanced at the screen. A new name had been added to his contacts:
Veronica Hellthorne
His left eyebrow arched slightly. "Hellthorne? I feel like I've heard that name before. Dorian, right?"
"Yeah, he's my little brother. Well… just two years younger than me, but definitely older than you," Veronica answered, her voice playfully teasing.
Ronan nodded. "Alright. It's so nice to meet you, Veronica."
Veronica smiled, "Don't forget the dinner."
Ronan gave one last smile before finally turning away.
And with that, they parted ways.
Veronica stood still, watching Ronan's back as he walked away. Her gaze was deep. Her glowing blue pupils shimmered faintly, and there—in a trace of Ronan's aura—she saw golden sparks among ordinaries, like fragments of sunlight amidst shadow.
A color she had seen before… in his brother, Dorian.
But in Ronan, the gold felt different. Wilder. Rawer. Uniquely his own.
A smile formed unconsciously on her face.
Then, a light tap landed on her shoulder. She turned to find Olivia, wearing that annoying old-friend expression.
"I've never seen you this aggressive before. Now I'm even more curious who he really is," Olivia said, her eyebrows dancing.
"Geez…" Veronica sighed, brushing Olivia's hand off, and walked away.
Olivia just chuckled softly, shaking her head. "That girl, seriously," she muttered, then followed behind.
---
Meanwhile, elsewhere on the second floor…
Lex and the others were in the weapon center. Rows of weapons of all types and classes were displayed neatly behind armored glass. They tried out several weapons, testing balance and comfort.
Not far from there, Ronan glanced into the place briefly, then looked away.
He'd thought about getting a new weapon, but immediately shook his head. His B-class dagger was more than enough. He wasn't the type to chase after strength greedily—he preferred tools that felt familiar, already a part of him.
So, he simply walked away.
His steps were relaxed as he walked down the busy but orderly hallway. Though many people bustled around, it never felt noisy. His Hunter's Sense skill worked perfectly—filtering sounds, movements, even the atmosphere. Letting him enjoy peace, even in a crowd.
But that peace was shattered when his body accidentally bumped into someone.
A guy. About his age. Same height.
Their bodies made brief contact. Both turned their heads.
Their eyes met.
Crimson met purple.
Ronan's eyes faintly glowed. The man's gaze was sharp and calm.
"My bad," Ronan said.
The man just nodded, then walked away as if nothing happened.
[The Son of Luck detected]
His steps halted as a hologram appeared in front of him.
[Ronan Raylinde]