Scarlet

I take a few steps in the direction of the stairs while putting my hands in my pockets again thanks to the lack of demons on the floor, only to pause as my right hand feels something. And when I grab it and take whatever it is out, I soon find it to be another potion.

“She didn’t…” I mutter, just staring at the potion. Then I remember the tugging sensation on my jacket while I was choking on the potion, along with her pulling something else out of her purse. “She did!”

Just how freaking rich was that lady?!

Potions are not something you just give out like candy!!! They take a Class III or higher Guardian pouring thousands of points of mana into, not to mention hours of work for each potion!!

Just one potion costs 1000 credits! Five of those could buy you a freaking house in a Tier 3 city!

And a single higher class potion costs the equivalence of almost two years of my salary right now…

“I thought you were happy about the salary you got from the Association?” Tar asks, curiosity showing in his voice as he appears in front of me.

I glance at him before sighing and continuing my way through the hall towards the stairs.

Yeah, I am happy. Do you know how much I was being paid from my last job back in Rothwell City? I was being paid a total of two credits per hour on the job. An entire quarter of what I’m being paid now while not even on the job.

“Oh,” Tar mutters, “is that normal in a Tier 3 city?”

I shake my head.

No. It’s normal for an orphan in a Tier 3 city. Regular people still tend to get three credits per hour most of the time.

In fact, most people don’t even bother hiring orphans out of the fear they may be a changeling in disguise.

Tar goes silent at that.

Neither of us say anything more about the subject all the way till I get to the stairwell.

I do wonder who that lady was though. To be able to just fork out so many potions without a care in the world, she has to be filthy stinking rich. Not to mention that she was in a five star hotel when the Fracture began.

Speaking of which, I have to try out one of the beds in this place before we leave.

“Seriously?” Tar mutters, but I ignore him at the thought of the comfortable beds.

Oh, I know. I can lie on the bed inside of one of the rooms when I next regenerate my mana!

“You’re serious…” Tar mutters again, only to shake his little tanuki head while flying next to me. “Well, I guess it’s more comfortable than lying on the floor.”

Now you’re getting it, my floating furry friend!

I smile at that thought, only for the smile to fade, replaced with a cold, serious expression as I reach the next floor. The twelfth floor. One where I hear the sounds of some huntsmen, quite the number of hounds, and a few spawn.

Well, looks like it’s time to clean up this floor. There don’t seem to be any civilians on it, so time to spam blood thirst some more.

I should also get enough Skill Points on this floor to bring the skill to level 5, where it should – emphasis on should – raise the percentage boost. Which’ll help me quite a bit.

After another binge of demon slaying that ends on the nineteenth floor, I collapse on a very comfortable bed, just bouncing up and down a couple of times before going still and letting my messages flow.

{Level 17 Demon Spawn defeated. An EXP penalty has been extracted for killing a creature below your level.} x30

{Level 18 Demon Spawn defeated. An EXP penalty has been extracted for killing a creature below your level.} x12

{Level 16 Demon Spawn defeated. An EXP penalty has been extracted for killing a creature below your level.} x15

{Level 15 Demon Spawn defeated. An EXP penalty has been extracted for killing a creature below your level.} x22

{Congrats, you have leveled up to level 20. Two Free Points have been awarded to you and your stats have been updated.}

{Congrats, you have leveled up to level 21. Two Free Points have been awarded to you and your stats have been updated.}

{Ten Skill Points are awarded for killing over two hundred and fifty demons total. Skill Points will no longer be earned through killing demons five or more levels beneath your own.}

{One Skill Point is awarded for killing a demon.} x48

[Skill ‘Life Drain’ has leveled up to level 4.]

[Skill ‘Blood Siphon’ has leveled up to level 4.]

Ah, gotta love just listening to those messages flow by after a lot of hard work.

“It’s something most Guardians and sapient demons seem to enjoy,” Tar says, hearing my thoughts.

Well, that makes sense. It’s a nice benefit.

Say, come to think of it, you fae contract with demons too, am I right?

Tar floats above me as I lie on the bed facing the ceiling before he answers, “That’s correct. But remember that I’ve taken your side through our contract.”

Right, right. I was just curious. You know how our human’s society is, and now I know how the fae society works. What about the demons’ society? How does their society work?

We didn’t actually go over that very much in high school. All they really mentioned were the noble demons, and that almost every last noble demon lives to see Class V in power someday. And that if you should ever find yourself in a Class V Fracture, which there have been very few of over the years, then you better pray to the stars that there are over a dozen Class IV Guardians near you ready to fight for their lives, or for the very slim chance that one of the small number of Class V Guardians might be in the area to get to the Fracture fast enough before you die.

“Oh,” Tar mutters before floating down and landing on my chest. “Sure. I’ll explain it while you regenerate your mana.”