Since I'd cleared the dungeon so flawlessly, it was time to claim my reward, right?
I'd conquered an unexpected level of dungeon in an unexpected place with one unexpected click.
As the dark spirit, which looked like it was made of black smoke, vanished, the blood-written characters that had filled the deepest part of the Goblin Camp's underground lair disappeared in an instant.
The King Goblin's corpse rapidly decayed, leaving only a skeleton behind.
Ravi, having witnessed the whole scene, stared at me in bewilderment.
"What was that just now...? Alvis, did you take it down? How did you even do that?"
Of course, I had no idea either.
But if I just said, "I don't know," honestly here... our connection with Ravi wouldn't go much further, would it?
From our conversation on graduation day, I'd already verified that maintaining some kind of relationship with her could change the future ahead.
So, to keep building that rapport with Ravi here too...
"It's gone—vanished. Looks like the entire dungeon was part of a blood and curse ritual. The King Goblin was the sacrifice. What you took out were just the lingering remnants."
"That explains why their numbers seemed oddly low... But Alvis, how did you know that? And how did you deal with that weird black thing earlier?"
"You don't think I've been acting like a total fool at the academy and that makes me an idiot, do you? You could at least leave room for the possibility that I know things you don't."
I went with bravado.
Truth be told, I knew jack squat about it earlier, but planting the image that I had insider info would make Ravi come to me later if anything came up.
"No, I didn't mean it like... Sorry."
"First things first, let's check this out. Wait there for a sec."
Time to claim the reward for clearing the dungeon, right?
I approached the skeletal remains of the King Goblin and cautiously placed my hand on them.
Probably expecting something else to happen, Ravi urgently called out from behind me.
"Ah, Alvis! It's dangerous!"
"It's fine."
Ravi wouldn't have known, but the moment that dark spirit vanished, I clearly saw the dungeon clear message pop up.
Once that message appeared, this dungeon was guaranteed absolute safety for at least a few hours.
As I touched the King Goblin's remains, the bones crumbled entirely into dust and vanished. In their place appeared a brilliantly glowing treasure chest—and floating above it, a tattered book.
"Ravi, I'm taking this book. No complaints, right?"
Nod, nod.
Ravi's eyes showed a flicker of greed, but she nodded without protest.
First up, the treasure chest.
I placed my hand on it, and it opened on its own. Inside, befitting a level 70 dungeon, were some seriously luxurious pieces of gear.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙▶ Acquired A-grade armor: Mithril Plate. ◀ ▶ Acquired A-grade weapon: Soft Adamantium Spear. ◀ ...
Besides the various gear, there were plenty of goblin-related materials you could normally get from the Goblin Camp, plus one unusual item I'd never seen before.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙▶ Acquired Exposed Curse Fragment #2. ◀ A sinister fragment that only the 'Resister of Fate' can touch. Curse fragments planted by someone exist throughout the world. Recovering and destroying these fragments, which spread negative influence everywhere, can create a configuration to defy predetermined fate. ◀
The sharp black shard lost its glow bit by bit in my hand, then began to crack.
I gripped the fragment tightly, and it shattered like brittle cookie crumbs.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙▶ Destroyed Exposed Curse Fragment #2. ◀ ▶ Gain the power of Dantalion the Blood-Drinker's subordinate. Resistance to bleeding and curses increases, and your attacks can now inflict stronger bleeding on enemies. ◀
The curse fragment turned to powder and vanished quickly, but I didn't feel any particular change in my body.
There was still plenty of gear and valuables left in the treasure chest—many of which would surely be useful to me—but...
For what lay ahead, there was a way to make better use of them.
"Ravi."
"Yes?"
"Take everything here."
I stepped aside to show her the contents of the chest as I spoke.
Ravi's eyes went wide, her ears perking up straight.
"All... all of this...? Alvis, you're not taking any? You were the one who took down that weird thing..."
"Yeah. Thanks to you, I made it here pretty safely. And goblin junk-tier gear isn't gonna do much for the Carrot Duchy anyway.
This stuff is top-notch. Mithril armor, soft adamantium weapons. This should make a real difference, right?"
"But... you earned it. The book too—it's only right you take them..."
"I know your country's situation inside out. Isn't it better for the one who needs it most to have it? Besides, I live alone in a rundown little shack with no room for this stuff."
As I said that, I circled behind her, grabbed the backpack she was wearing, and dumped out all the trash inside.
"Alright, toss all this junk."
"Ah—!"
"We'll pack it full of the good stuff."
I dragged Ravi's backpack over and stuffed it with the treasure chest's contents. Ravi looked at me with a moved expression.
I then shoved the leftovers into the large goblin sacks I'd collected, managing to pack nearly everything from the chest, just barely.
"Hmm, still a few bits left. We'll pocket those. Ravi, how far is it from here to the Carrot Duchy?"
"Huh? Are you planning to come all the way to our country?"
"You gonna carry all this alone? You'd be a perfect target for bandits."
"But I walked here on foot, so no carriage or anything for the way back... I'm fine as a Bunnykin, but it'll be tough for you, Alvis."
"What do you take me for? I'm a proud academy graduate who completed all three years. You think I can't handle that?"
Ravi glanced at me for a moment, then burst out laughing—Pfft.
"Why the laugh?"
"No, it's just... You seem totally unconcerned, which makes me feel silly for worrying inside."
Putting away her smile, Ravi bowed her head to me.
"Thank you so much, Alvis. And I'm sorry."
"Sorry?"
"Yeah. Truth is, over the past three years, whenever I saw you, I thought your head was empty except for hitting on me, Celine, Lenis, and Elfin. I'd secretly cheer when Brayden beat you up, wondering why the academy kept someone like you around."
Ravi's words hit without filter or mercy, nearly wounding me over something that wasn't even my fault.
"You know, sometimes you gotta sweet-talk and build people up, even if it's a white lie."
"But I was wrong. If I'd known you had such a kind and considerate side, I wouldn't have judged you so quickly. Judging three years of someone based on a few encounters... I guess I still have a long way to go."
No, that judgment was probably spot on... That's who you saw.
I swallowed those words and reached out to the final reward from this dungeon clear: the worn and tattered book floating in the air above the treasure chest.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙▶ The 'Resister of Fate' can use the 'Eye that Pierces Truth' on skillbooks obtained from completing specific secret dungeons to reveal their true value. Would you like to use the 'Eye that Pierces Truth' on the reward skillbook from the level 70 secret dungeon 'Goblin Camp Steeped in Blood and Curse'? 2/3 ◀
...! Yeah, use it!
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙▶ Swordsmanship Manual Vol. 4 has transformed into Radiant Secret Tome Vol. 4. ◀
A warm energy flowed from my eyes once more, and the book—which looked like it would crumble at a touch—suddenly became a pristine green volume.
The green book vanished into my body upon contact, and this time, I could distinctly feel the change.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙▶ Acquired Radiant Secret Tome Vol. 4, enabling the use of Light Saber—an advanced fusion technique of mid-level swordsmanship and holy magic. ◀
The vast knowledge from the secret tome flooded straight into my mind.
Even without opening the book, its contents felt vividly familiar, as if they'd always been there.
I instinctively knew how to wield the techniques it held, how to channel mana—how much and in what way—to execute them.
I even grasped that this technique was considered theoretically impossible by the world at large, yet incredibly powerful.
In the game Holy Warrior Brayden NX, pulling off something like this was blocked by the system.
But following the tome's instructions, I could now perform a technique impossible even in the game.
In that moment, I had a gut feeling.
I could free the defeated heroines of the original Loveholic from the pathetic fates they met in Holy Warrior Brayden NX.
I can do it. I know I can!