"Now it's over, right? Can I go?"
"Wait, this time it's really nothing much."
Just having a few drops of blood drawn, what was the big deal? She was tired enough to want to go in and sleep right away. It wasn't because blood was drawn, but because of that con artist's attitude that sucked the soul out of her.
"What is it?"
At her sullen tone, Cider went back inside the passage with an embarrassed face and brought something out.
"My scythe?"
It was the scythe Esperanza knew, except that the leather on the handle had been cleanly stripped off. A magic stone was embedded in the center of complex gears and pipe circuits. Cider removed that round magic stone and reattached the handle.
"Want to try holding it?"
This time it was exactly the weapon Esperanza knew, so she grabbed the weapon without suspicion.
"Try swinging it."
"This isn't something you can swing indoors, you know?"
When asked if it was okay to blow up the entire research lab, Cider quickly shook his head.
"Then shall we just try opening it?"
A round wind blew at her feet. Black energy swirled along the blade of the scythe. That energy wrapped around her wrist following the hand gripping the handle.
Awe filled the eyes of Cider, who always crossed his arms diagonally and watched as if observing.
"A 'real' mage."
He whispered. Esperanza, in the center of the wind, couldn't hear him. As the wind's trajectory widened, the stacked papers began to flutter. Esperanza was startled and stopped the opening.
The papers floating in the air quietly settled down as if sweeping the floor. The energy that had wrapped around Esperanza also disappeared. That energy that had seemed like powdered magic stones.
"Esperanza."
"Yes? Ah, yes."
Esperanza, who had returned to normal, put down the scythe. Cider smiled brightly.
"Please take care of me from now on."
"No dissection. No blood. Absolutely, absolutely no experiments."
Whatever she said, he didn't mind. In his eyes flickered the existence of a 'real mage' who used magic with her own magical power without magic stones.
"No, I'm talking about your goal. The Golden Claw?"
"You'll help?"
"Wholeheartedly, I'll help you with all my best efforts."
Unlike when holding the scythe, Esperanza couldn't hide her suspicion.
"No blood."
"I won't ask for more. This is enough. Of course, if you gave some, I'd gladly receive it......"
"I said I won't give any."
Cider shrugged.
"That's fine too."
Until just now, it had been simple interest. Interest in humans from 13 years in the future and advanced magical engineering from 13 years in the future. Interest in a world that, even excluding the existence of 'Cider Claiborne,' had achieved tremendous development in just over 10 years, a world that would completely change.
But the woman before his eyes was a mage. A real mage. One who freely used magic with the magical power flowing in her own body. Unlike magical engineers like himself, a real one who didn't need to receive help from magic stones to fill up magical power.
The woman standing at the ultimate position that magical engineering aimed for grumbled with pursed lips. And on those rose petal-like delicate lips, now visible. Purple eyes full of confidence in herself. The essence that couldn't be hidden even by drawing out word endings and rolling her eyes.
What should he try doing from now on? Did she say there was a year left? He didn't doubt for a moment that that one year would be more colorful than the past 25 years.
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The employees of Avondale mansion were adapting to the changed daily routine since the guest began staying.
"It's much better than before."
"Before was too much."
The Count, their master, would fall asleep late at dawn absorbed in research, then wake up late in the morning, or even in the afternoon. And after having meals that were just enough to get by, he would either dive back into research or enjoy simple hobbies that could be done in the mansion, only going outside when there were absolutely necessary schedules.
No matter how normal it was for servants to have no occasion to meet their master, serving an eccentric master who rarely attended clubs, riding grounds, or even balls that general male nobles of his age would go to, made them wonder if their master was really alive.
Compared to that, now that the lady had begun staying, work had naturally increased, but at least they could confirm their master's survival, so they didn't need to worry about employment insecurity. And Miss Esperanza Hunter, who was staying under the pretext of being a guest, was unpretentious and easygoing, making her easy to serve. It was just a matter of preparing one more meal and cleaning one more room.
If there were any servants with complaints, it would be the servants in charge of the shooting range. They had become nearly ten times busier than usual. This meant the use of the shooting range had increased about ten times.
"Another hit. Is there any point in doing this?"
Even though she casually shouldered the huge gun that would be difficult to carry with both hands and shot without aiming, it hit the center. The target set up at an invisible distance had only the center pierced through.
Esperanza put down the gun set to minimum output and tapped her stiff shoulder.
[Combat Mode OFF]
The letters that had been sparkling at the top of her vision soon disappeared.
"My senses can't get dull. It takes quite a while to recover to normal, and this is the only thing I can do right now."
Was it two years ago? There was a time when she couldn't log in for several months due to some business. When she returned, her ranking had naturally dropped, but what was more surprising was that it took three whole months to restore her fallen ranking. It wasn't that people had become particularly stronger in just those few months, but that Esperanza's combat power had declined.
'Cyrus was really surprised. He asked what on earth had happened to make it like this.'
He was also the one who helped with rehabilitation that wasn't rehabilitation. Until she regained her sense of combat. They had both played the game since server opening, but some people were skilled from the beginning as if born in the game world, while others couldn't keep up after just a short break, not even knowing properly what was in the menu until then.......
But that experience helped in emergency situations like now. Esperanza knew what she had to do. In uncertain situations like now, the only thing she could trust was her own ability. There was no reason to let something rot when she definitely had it.
"That thing. What happens if you use maximum output?"
"I've never tried it outside a dungeon. Inside a dungeon, I think I brought down some cathedral. The one in central Nine Holder."
"Santa Juliana?"
"Ah, that one. The whole thing flew away. Along with the ten Typhons that were inside, all of them."
And Esperanza had also become almost unable to fight. At that time, she was progressing the conquest together with Cyrus, who was ranked 4th, and since they had entered as just the two of them as an elite few, it was really close. The reward was good though.
"But you can't use it often, right? How long can you last after using it once?"
"I can't last. At all."
Her magical power would hit rock bottom and she'd have to lie down until the dungeon conquest was over. If she couldn't stand it and logged out, a light penalty would be applied. That's why return tickets were good. You could get out of the dungeon without penalty. Since they were that good, they were cash items.
"Oh dear."
Cider, who clicked his tongue, received Esperanza's gun. He looked like he wanted to disassemble it.
"Will you at least hold onto this?"
When Esperanza stared at him, as if annoyed, he took out a cigarette-style paoran from his chest and offered it.
"I don't smoke paoran."
Since hunter bodies didn't get substance abuse disorders anyway, hunters could smoke paoran or do drugs as they pleased within the game, but Esperanza never got used to that acrid smell.
"Really?"
He took back the cigarette he had offered to Esperanza. He took out a uniquely shaped lighter from his pocket and lit it. When Esperanza frowned, he giggled and laughed.
"You really hate it."
"I said I hate it."
"You said you don't smoke, but you didn't say you hate it? ......Alright, I won't smoke."
He immediately rubbed the cigarette against the chair armrest and put it out. Nevertheless, he still wasn't very trustworthy. What had she seen so far to trust him?
Unlike the atmosphere emanating from his loosely tied hair and aristocratic profile, Cider Claiborne's words had no weight.
Esperanza still remembered him coaxing "just a little more" while squeezing out blood. It wasn't difficult to give a few more drops of blood that came out from just a needle prick. She was freeloading without anywhere to go and enjoying luxuries. But if he said he'd only take one drop with his mouth but filled a bottle, trust was bound to break.
Though there had been no trust to begin with.
"This is quite something."
The highest level of praise that could come from his mouth came out. Her shoulders naturally tensed with strength.
"It's the best among the rifles I have. It's something I use when entering to conquer large dungeons. Though it has the disadvantage of not having fine firepower control."
Where would you find something without such disadvantages? From the level of shooting bean-sized things to firepower that could pierce straight through a cathedral turned into a dungeon, even though it could only be controlled in just three stages of low, medium, and high, making it unusable as a solo weapon, there was nothing like it.
"There are only three magical power filters. This could be improved."
"Really?"
Cider shouldered the rifle like it was his own and nodded. His usual arrogant smile deepened.
"When I say I can do something, I really can do it."
Esperanza pursed her lips and mumbled.
"Ah, I see......."
Cider smiled and shrugged. That sullen reaction might be boring, but knowing that it was her way of grumbling made it quite amusing. To think that a mage who could blow away this mansion with her bare hands expressed complaints in just such a way.
"Not today though. There's a place we need to go. You haven't forgotten, have you?"
Right. That was today. Esperanza looked at the low, gray sky.
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Today they decided to stop by a magical goods store. The Golden Claw wouldn't be sitting there obviously, but they might be able to hear some rumors.
Since it was her first outing, she paid attention to her appearance. Esperanza wore a deep purple dress made by the tailor, a hat of the same color, and peach-colored gloves that were lighter than that. The dress that clung to her body's curves shone with a brilliant light like its owner's eyes.
"Miss, you could go to a ball right now. I think everyone would only look at you. Really, you're so pretty...... How can the Count stay sane seeing such a pretty miss?"
The maid who had managed the former Countess's clothes was now also managing Esperanza's clothes, but Esperanza thought her fuss was a bit excessive.
"Annie, no matter how you look at it, it's not to that extent."
Esperanza said while looking at the woman in the mirror who looked like a noblewoman in a portrait. Very beautiful, but not to the extent of being mesmerizing. Of course, she was pleased with it.
"Miss is too harsh on yourself."
Annie followed her out to the entrance hall chattering, then suddenly closed her mouth tight. Because the sound of neat shoes echoed on the floor.
'For mesmerizing beauty, that side is closer.'
The long blonde hair of the man wearing a heavy black frock coat hung over the coat tails. Cider Claiborne, who wore a silk hat pulled down deep and even carried a cane, looked like a perfect gentleman. More like someone who would sit in parliament than in a research lab or shooting range.
Under the shadow cast by the hat brim, his clear lip line twisted subtly.
"You'll stand out."