NOVPUB"I wasn't thinking in terms of coins," Luka replied.
"But a trade…"
Jilun's lips twitched as he glanced back, and for a split second, he didn't bother to hide the tiny bead of drool at the corner of his mouth.
He wiped it away quickly, as though trying to regain his composure.
"A trade? Go on…"
'What could possibly match the value of the Everore?' Jilun couldn't help but think to himself.
Luka couldn't help but suppress a knowing smirk.
"I want the Soulreaper Dagger…"
Silence…
Jilun's expression darkened as he turned fully around.
Placing a firm hand on Luka's shoulder, he leaned in and whispered, "How do you know of such a weapon, boy?"
He was certain—absolutely certain—that no one outside the Round Table of the Black Veil even knew of its existence.
Luka leaned in with a smirk, whispering back, "What can I say? I'm just a very knowledgeable guy…" He flashed his teeth.
"…" Jilun slowly withdrew his hand, exhaling a long, heavy sigh as he glanced back toward the Everor.
With a gulp, he pinched the bridge of his nose and muttered, "We have a deal."
"I'm glad," Luka replied, extending his hand.
Jilun met it—
The two shook firmly.
'What an interesting person… I'll need to keep a close eye on him,' Jilun thought—
They both pulled away.
"Alright. I'll lead the way. If you'll follow me…"
"Of course," Luka said, falling into step behind him.
Together, they made their way back into the building, descending once again into the lower levels, where the hallway stretched further into the depths.
As they walked, a bit of small talk surfaced.
"Judging by your Academy uniform, I take it you're a student?" Jilun asked.
Luka gave a casual half-nod. "Yeah. First year. I'm taking a Ranger class. I also noticed your daughter attends."
He glanced to his right—
Rosie quietly walked alongside them.
"I'm in a Ranger class too," she said, joining the conversation.
She saw an opportunity—and getting a potential connection was never something to pass up.
"Nice. Who'd you get stuck with?" Luka asked, stifling a yawn behind the back of his hand.
"Mr. Stillflaw." Rosie sighed, placing her hands on her hips and lowering her head slightly.
Getting assigned to the weakest Ranger teacher in the entire Academy was disappointing enough—his eccentric personality only made it worse.
"When you start your second year, you can request a transfer," Luka offered, his tone casual but calculated.
He was aware of how close she was to the main character's classroom, and the last thing he wanted was for the two to become familiar.
"That's a good point… I've never actually thought about doing that." Rosie tapped her chin in thought, then gave a small, appreciative smile.
"I'll definitely look into it."
They continued chatting as they walked.
Eventually, they reached the end, where a massive iron vault stood embedded into the stone wall.
Flanking it were two towering statues carved from gray stone, each gripping a greatsword that rested tip-first in the ground.
Jilun extended his arm.
"Don't move. Give me a moment. I'd rather not see you crushed to paste by the guardians."
"Take your time," Luka replied, giving a lazy wave.
Jilun approached the statues and began disabling them, carefully activating a series of runes hidden at their bases.
With a final flick of his wrist, the vault groaned as gears clicked into motion—
Slowly creaking open, filling the air with a metallic howl.
Seconds later…
The vault revealed its contents—an organized hoard of wealth and relics.
Piles of coins—bronze, silver, and gold—were arranged in neat stacks.
Weapons of various designs, glimmering sets of armor, and aged scrolls rested in display cases and along shelves.
Jilun stepped aside and gestured toward the open vault.
"Please, help yourself. The Soulreaper Dagger should be among the concealed weapons—at the very back. There's a hidden chamber inside the vault. Open that, and it should be waiting for you."
"I'll do just that," Luka replied, striding inside.
He paid no mind to anything else.
None of it mattered to him.
His focus was singular.
At the far end of the vault, Luka approached a small, inconspicuous metal door, nearly invisible against the stone walls.
Placing his hand against it, he pressed in and opened it smoothly.
Inside was exactly what he had hoped to see.
The Soulreaper Dagger rested atop a pedestal, encased in glass.
"…" Luka's lips curled into a grin as he licked them unconsciously, stepping directly toward it.
He lifted the glass with care, then wrapped his fingers around the hilt of the dagger.
The weapon was cold to the touch.
"Perfect…" Luka murmured to himself, stepping back and giving the blade a few experimental swings.
With each motion, a thin black mist coiled off the blade's edge, twisting in the air like smoke.
"Killing monsters is going to be much easier now."
He fastened the Soulreaper Dagger to his belt, then turned to face the father and daughter duo.
"If you don't mind," Luka said, his tone eager, "may I try it out?"
"But of course," Jilun replied, a faint smirk on his face.
"We've secured a few monsters for training purposes. You're free to test it on them."
'Free XP?' Luka's thoughts lit up.
Training dummies were one thing, but real monsters?
That was an opportunity he wouldn't let pass.
"Then let's not waste any time." Luka's eyes gleamed with anticipation. "Take me to them."
"So," Jilun began, his tone measured, yet edged with a need for clarity.
"I can take this to mean our trade is officially complete?"
His eyes lingered on the dagger—
Secured at the side…
Then flicked back to the boy's face, searching for any trace of insincerity.
Jilun wasn't one to waste respect or resources unless the terms were clear and honored.
"…" Luka offered a small, casual shrug paired with a small smile.
"Yep. The Everore is yours, no take-backs."
A brief silence passed between them—
Jilun finally gave a slow, approving nod, his expression relaxing just enough to show that he was satisfied.
"Very well. Then I'll hold you to it."
