Chapter 74 :

Episode 17 : A Child's Decision (2)

Upon finding out that Alaine was nowhere to be seen after HwanGi told her not to wander around without anyone beside her, she still did it.

Only I, HwanGi, Mya and Asher were the only ones who knew Alaine was gone, searching for her all around the place while still enjoying the event happening around us.

Even though I told HwanGi about Alaine's disappearance, it was Asher who informed me of it. I couldn't understand why Asher was paying attention to our group nor did I know why she had joined our search for Alaine, but I did know that I didn't have a good feeling about her intentions.

"Yoo.. First Player! Why do you have to waste your time fighting those idiots?" Asher with her hands in her pocket, she asked after getting a few steps closer to HwanGi.

HwanGi spoke, not even looking at Asher. "It wasn't right to watch them beat up someone."

"Well, you almost got yourself into that mess! If you were to die by them, then I would be sad."

"Why would you get sad over my death?"

Asher chuckled. "Well duh! I want to kill you myself! I can't let anyone take your ‘Numbers’!"

"..." HwanGi sighed at Asher's response.

"Then I should kill him first, then you wouldn't get to have his ‘Numbers’." I said, smirking in the process.

Asher smiled at me which almost seemed sinister. "I would love a challenge."

"You guys.. My life is not-" HwanGi spoke but instead got interrupted.

"Quiet you." Asher said, snapping her fingers at HwanGi.

It appeared Mya did not like how Asher was behaving toward HwanGi and so, she shouted. "Get your hand off of uncle! Witch!"

HwanGi heard what Mya said and immediately told her. "Mya, please don't call her that. It is rude."

"But she was clearly annoying you!"

"I know but it doesn't mean you should call her a witch."

"Hmph." Mya pouted, glaring her eyes toward Asher who was sticking her tongue out.

———

After walking around the town, we observed every place we could see, finding any clue to help search her Alaine.

Not only that, we also asked the people we came across about Alaine as we slowly but surely got a little clue where she might be.

Asher went ahead to buy some snacks she just discovered and it was recommended by the one whom she asked.

While HwanGi was asking someone if they had seen Alaine, he had left Mya with me, although Mya didn't want to leave his side, she still obeyed HwanGi.

Naturally, I took this chance to talk to Mya about an important manner. "Mya, I know you dislike me but I need you to answer me honestly."

Mya looked at me and nodded after a short hesitation. 

"What will you do now that you're a player?"

Mya flinched upon hearing my question, I could also feel her grip on my hand getting tighter and I knew very well I shouldn't be asking a child about this.

Since children were told by storybooks that players are destined to be going to death's door. 

Because of how much they are forced to enter places they had no choices on and including the fact that players must deal with dangerous enemies thrown to their faces, making it hard for a normal adult to even survive through 2/10 of the stages, it's difficult for anyone to live properly after becoming a player.

And for a child to become a player like this, it must be devastating for their parents to know this, along with themselves.

"I.. I want to follow m-my mother's footsteps." After a short moment, Mya finally gave me a response.

"And your mother was?" I asked while glancing at her with a grin.

"..S-She may not be a player but she was an adventurer w-who loved to explore the world, fighting m-monsters and collecting rare loots.."

"Every time she w-would come home, my sisters and I would get amazing souvenirs from our mother's adventure and incredible bedtime stories she would tell us..!" 

Mya continued on talking about her mother without giving me a chance to speak.

"My mother was also an anthophile, so she brought a ton of flowers for the tavern.. So much so that the tavern's name got changed after having flowers masking the whole tavern..!"

"..My father wasn't in the slightest angry at her since it made the tavern popular because of the fascinating flowers being shown outside and inside the ‘Bouquet’ Tavern.."

"..My mother's passion for adventure also became a worrisome thing for my father to be anxious of, since she would jump into an adventure without a moment's notice..!"

"She eventually went on an extremely dangerous trip! And this.." After talking so long, Mya finally stopped to stare at her amulet, watching her face being reflected onto the surface of the amulet.

With how quiet she was, I quickly recalled what she had told me when I first encountered her, so I said to her. "Oh, that amulet? I remember you telling me that the amulet was your mother's." 

"Yes, she gave this to me after she passed away…" Mya became sad, almost wanting to cry.

I crouched down to look eye to eye with her, patting her head. "Your mother was a great person."

Mya's tears forming on her eyes and yet she held her tears in, trying her best not to cry in public. "Yes.. she was.."

I was kinda impressed that a little girl like her was able to keep her tears in when talking about her deceased mother. Normally, any children would cry after losing their loved ones.

"That's why I want to be like her.. Brave and adventurous.." Mya spoke in a determined manner, grasping her amulet firmly.

I said to her as I tried to discourage her to make sure if she truly desired this. "Even though it was what led to your mother's doom? You might die."

"I don't have to worry about that.. I know uncle will protect me.."

I shook my head and questioned her seriously. "You must depend on yourself for your safety. What if he's not there to protect you? Then what?"

"If that happened.. I will definitely do my utmost to survive in any situation.. Just like what my mother said.. ‘Train harder to have an easier path toward victory’."

"Ho. I'll look forward to seeing what a person you'll turn out to be in the future, Mya Rose." I grinned, extending my fist out which led to Mya giving me a fist bump.

Mya giggled and smiled. "You don't sound like a villain at all.." 

"Seems like you two have opened up to one another." 

Mya and I both shifted our eyes to that voice's direction, discovering it was HwanGi who had talked to us.

"What?" We stared at him before HwanGi got awkward and asked.

Asher came back while holding onto a fried chicken skewer and munching it. "Hey, I got myself snacks and some hints on where Alanine or whatever her name was again." 

Now three of us, HwanGi's, Mya's and my eyes were directed at Asher, staring at her when she arrived.

"What? Why are you all looking at me? Oh no, get your own fried chicken skewers." Asher swiftly ate the whole fried chickens on the skewer before tossing the skewer into the trash can. 

Me and Mya chuckled before I started asking Asher about Alaine's whereabouts. "You said you know where she is?"

"Yeah, I got some info from the seller while I was buying fried chicken skewers. He told me he saw a blonde girl come here to buy his fried chicken skewers and went off toward a casino."

HwanGi had a surprised expression on his face when he heard what Asher said. "A casino..? Are you sure?" 

"My hearing is great. So yeah."

Without a doubt, I was somewhat baffled that Alaine would go into a casino, I figured that maybe Alaine could have randomly entered the casino without her even knowing it.

HwanGi instantly asked Asher. "Do you know where the casino is?"

"Oh yeah, I do. I have been there and almost got kidnapped by those imbeciles."

"Huh?"

"Jeez. It means Alanine is in trouble."

"It's Alaine." I corrected her.

"We need to get there quickly! Who knows what will happen to Alaine. Asher, show us where the casino is." HwanGi glanced at Asher as he spoke in a serious manner.

"Well, better follow me." Asher proceeded to walk toward the casino's direction while saying and taking out a fried chicken skewer from her inventory.

 

Mya didn't waste a moment to let go of my hand and swiftly went to HwanGi to hold his hand.

‘Hah. I guess she prefers HwanGi-ssi over me.’ I thought, chuckling quietly while shrugging my shoulders.

I pondered if it was right to let Mya come with us when we were going to enter a casino soon enough, nevertheless, if from what Asher had said, the casino may be filled with imbeciles, thus we needed Mya to come to use her sleeping skill onto those guys.

Plus HwanGi didn't mention this, so I presumed he thought the same thing I did.

And with that, we began to follow where Asher was going, walking as fast as we could while making sure to avoid bumping into people.