0…

I was teleported to another room with a great flash of light, and when I looked around, the only thing I could see was an empty room. It was just me, Lisa, and the merchant I remembered from the first mission.

[You are in the Merchant's Zone, You Must Wait Until All Team Shopping is Completed.]

"Couldn't you have done a different kind of magic? Like a water spell or something? I felt like my whole body was burning alive."

Lisa: "Hey, I'm not a magician, okay? Besides, instead of whining like a baby, you should thank me."

"Yeah, thanks, I guess."

Lisa: "Luckily, these rooms heal our wounds, though if your face was completely burnt, you might have looked better than you do now."

"Ha ha ha, very funny, since we're not dead, we both should have five hundred thousand gold, right?"

Lisa: "Good you remembered that, maybe I should not have saved you at all. Or maybe I should've thrown a bigger fireball just to be sure."

"Anyway, let's check this merchant out."

I got up and went to the merchant, having nearly died from burning alive or crashing down from miles high without a scratch, and yet I was pretty calm. I hoped I could buy something worth all this effort.

"Alright, let's take a look at these books…"

Lisa: "Books? Are you seriously going to buy a book?"

"Hey, you buy what you want, and I'll buy what I want, okay?" Lisa: "Just be quick, I don't want to spend all day waiting for you to pick a book."

"Sure, sure."

Fortunately, I wasn't planning on picking out books because I already had something in mind…

Approaching the merchant, I entered the [Books] section and bought the following books.

[All in one Blacksmithing Book - 50000 Gold]
[All in one Alchemy Book - 50000 Gold]
[All in one Plants Book - 50000 Gold]
[All in one Sword Mastery Book - 50000 Gold]
[All in one Wizardry Book - 50000 Gold]
[All in one Building Book - 50000 Gold]
[All in one Mining Book - 50000 Gold]
[All in one Ores and Stones Book - 50000 Gold]

"After all these books, I have 100000 gold left, buying these books for now should suffice."

[Purchase Successful.]

[Bookworm Title Unlocked, This Title Allows Access to Special Books.]

Lisa: "You spent four hundred thousand gold on books? You must be insane."

"Yeah yeah, can you be quiet?"

Special books, huh? Let's check out these special books…

[Special Books]
[The price for each special book will permanently double after your purchase from the Special Books tab.]

[Talent Upgrade Book] 100000 Gold
[Random Talent Book] 100000 Gold
[Random 10 Stat Book] 100000 Gold

This market is like a cheat, but will the prices double after every special book purchase? I guess that's fair enough for a market selling such items. With my current situation, getting a random talent would not make sense; I could end up with a powerful ability that makes combat easier, but considering my luck stat is 1, I'm not confident I'd get something good. Random 10 stat seems like a good option, but not a sensible choice for now. The last option, the Talent Upgrade Book, is what I'll buy.

[Purchase Successful.]

And the skill I will use this book on…

"Mini Map!"

[Mini Map Skill Upgraded]

[Added Features to Mini Map Skill: Now You Can See the Locations of Mineral Resources.]

"Bingo, this is exactly the kind of skill I wanted. I thought it would turn into a three-dimensional map or something, but this is even better. I guess now I can fully focus on my kingdom."

Lisa: "Your kingdom? Also, why do you keep talking to yourself? You're not crazy, are you? Though after everything, that question might be a bit silly."

"A little craziness never hurt anyone, right?"

Lisa: "Ha ha, tell me about this kingdom. You think I didn't notice the subject change?"

"Ah well, I didn't want people to know until it was a real kingdom, but I guess a little exposure won't hurt. Are you ready?"

Lisa: "Spill the beans already."

"I'm the king of a community made up of monsters, and the name of our territory is the Monster Kingdom!"

Lisa: "What?"

"I know it sounds confusing but-"

Lisa: "No, no, after all this time, that's probably the least surprising thing. What's surprising is how someone as foolish as you could be a king, are you sure you're not lying?"

"Yes, yes, you should visit sometime. Though, the monsters might attack you if they see something more terrifying than themselves, so be careful."

Lisa: "Very funny. So, where is this kingdom?"

"North of Drynsoll, you could probably get there in a few days with a super-fast horse carriage."

Lisa: "Super-fast horse carriage?"

"Well, it's a complicated topic, but I'm sure you could get there soon enough with a normal horse carriage. We're set up at the entrance to a huge forest."

Lisa: "Alright, you can count on my visit. I'm starting to get curious about what this monster-filled place looks like, I was an architect before I got sent to this place with monsters."

"Really?"

Lisa: "I know, unbelievable, right?"

"What's unbelievable is you being able to pass as an architect, how did you not flunk out? Anyway, you better hurry because sleeping in a tent is not very pleasant."

Lisa: "What, you want my help or something?"

"Of course not for free, even though I don't have money now, I will have a lot of it soon. At least, that's the plan."

Lisa: "It would be good if you make plenty of money before I come."

"Don't worry, that's on me, so this is goodbye then."

Lisa: "For now, I'll come to fix these tents. I've never actually seen construction tools in this world, how will you handle that?"

"I don't know, I guess I should ask Charles about it."

Lisa: "Charles?"

"The King of Drynsoll, I'm sure I could learn a thing or two about how they built that huge city from him."

Lisa: "You know the king?"

"It's a long story."

Lisa: "Seems like it, anyway we've already said our goodbyes, it would be good if we leave now."

"Exactly, our business is done you jerk! Send us back!"

Lisa: "Who are you talking to?"

With a great flash of light, I returned to the last place I was, I didn't even have time to answer Lisa. There was a lot to face, Lilith was gone and it's likely that the entire city that grew with Lilith's help might not have even existed. I've watched a few time-travel movies and they say the butterfly effect can be quite dangerous, I hope everything is alright.

When the light disappeared and I opened my eyes, I found myself in the last place I was, the whole city was in its place. It seemed like nothing had changed and Malik and Aiden were where I last spoke to them. I was glad they completed their mission.

"Guys, I'm glad you're all okay."

Malik: "Oh man, it was crazy, all those bets and battles. I almost lost in the first round."

Aiden: "It wasn't so hard for me, not to brag but I used to be a gambling addict."

It was both sad and funny how Aiden said this with a certain pride.

"Did you get anything from the merchant?"

Malik: "Not really, after the gold reduction thing I was left with ten thousand gold and I bought myself a double-sided axe. It's supposed to have electrical properties according to the seller."

I hadn't noticed at first but Malik was holding a massive double-sided red axe, it was as big as his old hammer.

"Yeah, when all my money suddenly reduced to one thousandth, I could only afford a few books with what was left."

Aiden: "Books and a giant axe? You peasants, I got this cool armor you see here with a full twenty thousand gold. The armor has a healing effect, so my wounds will heal faster!"

His shiny armor was quite eye-catching, I might go blind if I stare at the light shining from the armor for too long.

"I'm glad everyone is safe guys, I think we deserve some rest."

Malik: "Ahh, we've been working non-stop for months. I want to show my new axe to Gogo."

"Gogo?"

Malik: "The name I gave to that barbarian goblin, I thought after training for so long it would be a good idea to give him a name because I didn't want to keep calling him barbarian goblin."

"I guess you're right, since the only people I generally talk to here are Dagger and Lilith, I didn't feel the need to name others."

Aiden: "Hey man, are you okay?"

I was saddened to remember Lilith, wondering where she was and what she was doing. Maybe she's with her mother.

"I'm fine, hey Dagger!"

Dagger suddenly appeared beside me and knelt, placing his fist on the ground.

Dagger: "Yes, my King!"

"Prepare a great feast for tonight."

Dagger: "Sir, actually Lilith lady had instructed us to be ready for your return so we have been hunting continuously for days and organizing big dinner tables every day, like today, so the meals are already prepared."

Malik: "Really feels like it's already evening, when we returned from the first mission it was like no time had passed. How long have we been away?"

Dagger: "I had asked Lilith lady the same, she had said if our king does not return immediately we should continue with our lives. I even thought our king... had died. But Lilith lady was absolutely sure you would return and told no one to say anything and for us to continue our duties. Including today, you've been missing for 4 days."

Aiden: "I guess Lilith was right. I don't know why we returned later than the first mission but suddenly I'm starving, let's eat these meals."

"L-Lilith is here?"

Suddenly, I felt someone hug me from behind, and I immediately knew it was Lilith. I could feel her warm embrace and her slender arms and fingers wrapping around me, her warm face pressed against my back, hugging me with her body.

Lilith: "What do you mean is Lilith here? Of course, I'm here! Why were you so late? I was so worried about you!"

I was so happy to see Lilith, I thought she was gone forever. Apparently, time and space didn't work like in the movies I watched. I was so happy I could cry but I could feel from the wetness from her tears streaming down my back and the trembling of her hands wrapping my body that she was worried because we were missing for 4 days. So, I decided to save my tears for another time.

"I'm glad to see you Lilith."

Lilith: "I'm more glad to see you Daichi."

My long hair was disheveled, and I could barely see in front of me so I was just looking at the ground and the hands wrapped around my chest, the sight of a raindrop hitting the ground coincided with the start of a downpour.

Aiden: "Damn it! I wanted to eat meat and drink beer on a cool evening, did it really have to rain?"

Malik: "I actually like the rain, it looks quite romantic."

Aiden: "Yeah yeah, we should go inside the tent or we'll get sick."

Everyone dispersed to their tents, but I was still standing there because Lilith was still tightly hugging me and hadn't moved at all.

"Lilith? We should go inside, we might get sick."

Lilith: "Promise me you won't be this late again..."

She sounded like a wife scolding her husband for coming home late from work, which oddly made me smile a bit.

"I promise, I'll run back to you..."