Chương 26: Power Exists to Protect

Adventurers returning from the Dungeon lined up at the counters to exchange their Magic Stones for money. Coins clinked as glittering valis fell onto trays.

"Sixty-one thousand two hundred thirty-eight valis in total. Here you are." The surrounding adventurers stared at the two young newcomers. They had exchanged enough Magic Stones to match the haul of three five-person Lv. 1 parties. Envious looks immediately turned their way.

"Sixty thousand valis! Mr. Cael is amazing. You earned as much as three Lv. 1 parties all by yourself. Lili only followed behind picking up Magic Stones, and Lili got rich too. Amazing!" Lili cried out in delight.

"Hm. Only that much? I thought I killed a lot more." Cael rubbed his chin, not doubting for a second how much he could earn. This should only be a small portion. After all, he had killed so many monsters. It was a pity the Dungeon had absorbed the Magic Stones from the earliest ones he had cut down. These were only the stones from the last wave. When Lili heard him, she lowered her head and tugged at her hood, looking guilty and dejected.

"Lili is sorry, Mr. Cael. It is all Lili's fault for being too slow. Otherwise, you should have earned more." Heh. Next, he would surely say, Since Lili understands her mistake, I will deduct the lost money from your share. Then he would curse her, kick her to the ground, and say, This is all your fault. I could have earned more without you. Lili had already prepared herself to face the adventurer's ugly true colors.

"That has nothing to do with you. Those Magic Stones would have been absorbed by the Dungeon anyway." Cael smiled slightly and rubbed Lili's head, his fingers gently ruffling the twitching animal ears under her hood.

"Besides, Lili is still young and small, and you were carrying so much. Just keeping up with me and collecting this many stones was already impressive." She was only fifteen, three years younger than him.

"Do not blame yourself. You did great."

"Eh?" Lili suddenly raised her head, disbelief filling her eyes.

"M-Mr. Cael?"

"And this is your share. Hold on to it. If you lose it, I will not replace it." His voice was stern, but there was gentleness inside it. A pouch that clinked with coins was placed into her arms. Lili caught the heavy money pouch and did not know what to do. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

"Uh!"

"It was not as much as I hoped, but this was our first time working together. How about I treat Lili to a drink?" Cael smiled at Lili, who stood there holding the money in confusion.

"Mr. Cael, why... why are you giving Lili this much money?" Lili stared at him in shock and confusion. Why? Why had he not deducted her share? She was alone. He was so strong. Even if he gave her nothing at all, there would be nothing she could do.

"Because that is what we agreed on. Sixty-forty. Was it too little?"

"Mr. Cael never thought about kicking Lili away after leaving the Dungeon and keeping all the money?" The money in Lili's hands suddenly felt hot.

"Why would I do that?" Cael asked as if genuinely confused.

"Mr. Cael is so strong, and Lili..." Before Lili could finish, Cael interrupted her gently with his arms folded.

"I see. You were afraid I would use my strength to exploit you, so you kept pretending to be happy." Lili's expression stiffened. He had seen through her.

"Power does not exist so people can bully those weaker than themselves. It exists to protect the people they treasure." Cael crouched in front of Lili and smiled at her frozen expression.

"A real man keeps every promise he makes, even if it costs him his life. And a real man does not bully women, especially women who cannot defend themselves." Lili stared in disbelief at the adventurer before her, the boy saying things that overturned everything she thought she knew.

"I have never teamed up with a supporter before. I look forward to working with you from now on, Lili." Cael gently held out his hand. For a moment, Lili's mind went blank. She blinked, then reached out and shook his hand.

"L-Lili looks forward to working with you too." Why? This was so strange. This adventurer was so strange.

"Come on. Let's go have a drink. A tavern at night is the perfect place to wash away the fatigue the Dungeon leaves behind." Cael held Lili's small hand and decided the matter himself.

"Oh..." Lili lowered her head in response. Was this part of a bigger scheme? Was he planning to wait until Lili saved more money before making his move?...

"Then, Lili, see you tomorrow." After leaving the tavern, Cael waved goodbye to Lili. While they were inside, he had also signed a party contract with her, making her his exclusive supporter.

"He really is strange..." Lili stood in place, watching his back slowly disappear beneath the magic-stone lamps. Then she lowered her head and looked at the contract in her hands. No. There was no point thinking too much about it. In any case, Lili had earned twenty thousand valis today. She was almost there. Only three hundred thousand valis remained before she could reach one million and leave Soma Familia. She had already made a promise with that man, Captain Zanis.

As long as she gathered one million valis, she could make Lord Soma let her leave. No matter what, Lili had to leave Soma Familia. Her fists tightened at the thought.... Cael looked up at the stars and full moon. A smile slowly gathered on his face. Today had been a truly fruitful day. Not only had he opened a door to another world, he had also met Lili. In the end, another ability had manifested too, and he had earned over thirty thousand valis on the side.

Of course, he knew Lili had used little tricks to take quite a bit from him. Under Transparent World, none of her small movements could escape his eyes. But that was fine. Lili might take some valis from him today. She might trick him again later. But someday, she would have to pay him back with the thing she guarded most fiercely: genuine trust.

"I will go back and have Lady Hestia update my Status. Then, after Lady Hestia falls asleep, I will go check that world." Cael closed his eyes. The leaf of World Gate Key had changed into the shape of a maple leaf. On one corner of it, a door had appeared in a Japanese-style pattern. As long as he summoned it, he could freely travel between the two worlds. He was looking forward to it. What kind of world was it? If he had not wanted to avoid worrying Hestia, he would have gone to see it right now.