The Weathercock Pavilion, known for its excellent reputation on Floor 35, was still buzzing with players even late into the night.
Most were staying the night. Some were prepping for all-night grinding sessions in the field. Warm meals filled the hall.
But when Kai walked in, the entire place fell silent.
Black hair. Black eyes. Long black coat. Blue single-handed sword at his waist. No armor. His appearance was impossible to forget—especially for those who'd seen him earlier that day.
"…Hey, why's it so quiet all of a sudden?"
Some newcomers whispered, confused.
Kai ignored the stares and walked up to the front desk.
"Welcome back, dear customer!"
The NPC clerk greeted him warmly, recognizing his face.
"Would you like to stay the night or order food?"
"Stay."
Kai quickly transferred the lodging fee, then turned to Silica. "I haven't been to Floor 35 much. Anything here you recommend food-wise?"
"Ah—yes!"
Silica perked up. "The cheesecake is really good here. I also like the fried herring, beef stew with potatoes, and the vegetable salad…"
Kai smiled and reached out to gently ruffle her hair.
"You really like this place, huh?"
"Mm… Their food's great and the prices are fair."
Her cheeks turned red from the touch. She stiffened—this kind of affectionate gesture was unfamiliar to her, even from family.
Noticing her discomfort, Kai quickly withdrew his hand and turned to the NPC. "We'll have everything she just mentioned—plus one extra cheesecake to go."
They found a free table, sat down, and chatted idly while waiting for food.
"Um… I'm not doubting your level or anything, but I was just wondering…"
Silica stared at him, curious. "What floor do you usually operate on, Mr. Kai?"
"Lately? Mostly Floor 47. Sometimes I visit the frontlines, too."
"Really!?"
She clapped her hands, then quickly sat down again, blushing from excitement.
The item to revive Pina was on Floor 47—and Kai lived there.
Usually, players chose a floor lower than their level to camp on safely. So it meant Kai was far stronger than most here.
But her joy didn't last long. Silica's face quickly fell.
"Even with your help, I'd probably need to level up five or six times to survive on Floor 47…"
"That's true…"
Kai nodded, then opened his system window.
"Huh?"
Before Silica could react, a trade window popped up in front of her.
Items appeared: [Dragon Scale Boots], [War Dagger], [Rousing Light Armor], [Agility Necklace]…
"Huh?!"
Silica blinked. Then turned sharply toward Kai.
"These are all drops from dungeons above Floor 50. They should help on 47. Should cover a five to six level gap."
He spoke gently, smiling.
But Silica's expression turned wary.
"Why… Why are you helping me this much, Mr. Kai?"
She stared at him, pulling back slightly.
Because of her popularity among mid-level players, she often attracted unwanted attention—some even proposed marriage. It terrified her. Now, Kai's kindness made her nervous.
"…If you ask me that…"
Kai scratched his head. Honestly, he didn't have a solid answer.
He knew the story, liked her as a character, and figured helping her was no big deal.
But he couldn't exactly say "I know the plot."
So instead, he mimicked his system's tone, face stern:
"…If you don't want it, I'll just take the gear back and head to Floor 47 by myself."