Helen’s black panther, large enough to carry two people, soared through the sky with impressive speed.

  (Enjoying the view, Mister Warden? Take a good look at the city. Low-Levelers like you rarely get such a view!)

  I swear, I’d never get used to this.

  The wind slapped his face the moment he dared to peek down at Londorus. The expansive city was a bustling blend of mansions, diverse establishments, stadiums, parks, and public training grounds, each spaced generously from the next.

  According to my mentor, Earth's greatest cities were packed like sardines, housing millions of people. It’s hard to imagine, but why would she lie?

  One million people… That’s the entire Novus population. Even if only ten thousand people live here, it already feels full of life.

  "Alan Warden…"

  Isabella had said before he reentered the cryo-pod…

  "It’s time for you to learn what happened to the Santa María’s crew…"

  He also recalled an earlier scene: Amelia trying to convince her sister to leave the guild, and Marissa rejecting the offer.

  It’s so comforting to see that the only conflicts you all know are regular problems like these. Disagreements are nothing compared to what humanity has already suffered. I relentlessly worked for eight months so that people like you could have adventures, eat delicious food, and be free to do whatever you want…

  His mind was filled with the many hostile glances other guilders threw at him. His body trembled, recalling a fraction of the many painful deaths he experienced. And yet…

  Alan shut his eyes, leaned his face against Helen’s back, and exhaled, thinking of his Guild Master. I want to keep this peace as long as I can.

  (Mr. Warden, did you just take a sniff out of me?)

  (Huh? N-No! That’s not what I--!)

  (Could you remind me what the copilot rules were?)

  (‘Don’t grope, don’t puke, don’t fall’, right? But I’m not—)

  (Let’s do a barrel roll. Just for the heck of it!)

  (N-No thanks, that’s not neccesa—waaaah!)

  (Here we gooo!) Helen maneuvered her flying feline beast in a spiral trajectory, forcing Alan to embrace her waist more tightly. (Isn’t this fun, Mr. Warden?) She laughed out loud before leveling off the mount.

  Alan stayed quiet, swallowing his vomit. Now I get why Astrid said Helen is always teasing her.

  He shook his head to get rid of those thoughts and opened his User Interface.

  We’ll be back before your return, Astrid. I promise.

  (By the way, this Private Chat function is amazing! It’s as if we had telepathic powers. Awesooome! Why don’t people talk like this all the time?)

  (It’s considered rude.)

  (Figures… Can I ask you something?)

  (Sure. Shoot!)

  (Why are you helping me? You said it yourself. I’m about to enter the Lion’s Den.)

  (Ah, who knows? Although I must admit that those puppy eyes of yours did the trick.)

  (But you even knocked out Tamara for me. You’re risking your friendship.)

  (You really think our relationship is that thin? She may look feeble, but she’s quite tough, don’t understimate here. Besides, I was just bored, okay? Don’t think too hard about it.)

  (Thanks, though. Whether you’re doing this for your own amusement or not, I appreciate it. Although Marco might have taken a third of the guild, it’s so comforting to see that Astrid is surrounded by loyal people like you. Tamara and Marissa also have my respect.)

  After hearing that inside her head, Helen snickered. (I never pictured you as a sentimentalist Mr. Warden. I’d like to share a piece of my heart too, but we’ve arrived. So… Why don’t we do a ‘nosedive’ and land with style?)

  (Oh, come oooooon!)

  As the lynx flew downward, Alan repeated Helen’s rules in his head. Don’t grope, don’t puke, don’t fall! Don’t grope, don’t puke, don’t fall! Dammit, Helen, you damn little--

  (You're quite an odd fella,) she blurted out through Party Chat before ordering her panther to open its wings mere feet above ground. “We’re here! The Drinking Banshee.”

  Alan jumped down in a hurry and placed his forehead against the ground as if it was sacred. “Oh, thank god!”

  “Did you enjoy the ride?”

  “OF COURSE NOT! I-I felt like I’d die at any moment and I almost soiled my pants!”

  As he stood up, Helen ordered her winged feline to disappear inside a jewel that she stored in her inventory absently.

  Neat, he thought. A three-story brick Tudor-style building stood before him. Located at the western outskirts of the city, with no other neighboring buildings within a 1500 feet radius, it looked as if it wanted to distance itself from Londorus itself.

  As they marched toward it, Helen continued their private conversation. (Tell me, Mr. Warden, how good are you at keeping a low profile?)

  (What do you mean?) he asked as they crossed the lobby decorated with dissected monster heads absently.

  (Because we’ll get in trouble if they find out you’re here. You know, the Ex-Shooting Stars that hate you?)

  He halted at the sight of a place full of people. Just by looking at the nearest tables he could recognize some of the guilders that had walked away just some hours ago while glaring at him. (Wait, what?! I thought we were sneaking in through a back door! Let's disguise at least!)

  In a panic, he returned to the safety of the lobby where Helen leaned against a wall and looked at him with an amused expression.

  (The best disguise is the one at plain sight,) she said as she opened her User Interface, and through it, changed her combat suit for a faux leather burgundy crop top and skirt. She then walked toward Alan and messed his hair roughly. (As for you. This should do it.)

  She opened a virtual window and flipped it to face him. It was a mirror, revealing that Alan’s auburn hair had changed to black.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  (A-Are you sure about this?)

  (Listen, we’re partners in crime on this, right? So let’s end this quickly before Tamara wakes up. So try not getting caught while I look for someone. A certain guy who surely knows where Marco is. Let’s go.)

  Leaving him no opportunity to mentally prepare, Alan reluctantly tailed her closely and covered his mouth with the collar of his jacket. But he knew doing that would only gather attention. Once his gaze locked on a napkin on the edge of a near table, he snatched it and covered his nose and mouth with it

  Helen looked back at him and giggled. (Good thinking. They won’t be able to read your level if they can’t see your face. I could have lent you one of my cloaking artifacts, but your level it’s too low to use them. So… consider this a test and prove you can be our next strong-willed First Officer! Good luck.)

  A strong-will—Oh, for the love of…! Goddammit!

  Once they reached the bar, Alan was giving the back to almost fifty people. It only takes one of them to ruin everything. Is doing this even worth it?

  His mind reminded him of Marco’s grand act at the PVP arena and gritted his teeth. Oh, right…

  “Helen!” a man called as he leaned against the counter. “You’ve finally jumped ship, huh? It's so good to see you here.”

  “Hey, Luke. Does that mean I came at the right time for you to buy me a drink?”

  Luke chuckled. “Everything is on the house today, thanks to our new patron, Ms. Maher. So by all means!”

  “If that's the case, bring me a stein of beer, pronto!”

  Is this what she was referring to by ‘disguise in plain sight’?

  “Wait, who’s that?” the man asked, squinting at Alan.

  “Huh? Ah, it’s just Pete, my protege from the Rogue Division. You know, the one that always finishes off his opponents while yelling ‘huzza!’”

  “Uh… Yeah. Sure. Hey, Pete, is something wrong?”

  Alan pressed the napkin against his face more tightly. “Don’t mind me, I just have a…” He paused before mumbling, “Allergy…”

  “A what now?” The guy grimaced.

  (There are no allergies in The Novus, Mr. Warden, but nice try.)

  Helen then cleared her throat and grabbed Luke’s arm. “Anyway, have you seen Matt? I’ve been looking for him all over the place. You think he’s hiding from me?”

  While Helen held the man’s attention, Alan caught sight of restroom signs in the distance and sneaked away. (I think I’ll hide in the bathroom while you find where Marco Souza is, okay?)

  (Yeah, that would be for the best.)

  He passed by three other occupied tables, feeling hundreds of eyes examining his every move, but once he reached the corridor, he relaxed his shoulders.

  Following the signs while still covering his nose with his left hand, he ignored the gaze of someone passing by him and marched forward.

  Five more steps and he would enter the men’s restroom.

  “Hold on,” a woman said behind him, grabbing his right wrist. It was someone strong enough to stop him in his tracks and force him to turn around. A pair of amber eyes then scrutinized him for a second.

  Of all people, the worst imaginable person had to find me first!

  She pulled his other hand, revealing his face, and Alan found himself at a loss of words.

  Saying nothing either, she wrinkled her nose and pulled Alan inside the women’s restroom, where she pushed him towards the sinks.

  “Amelia, please—!” he pleaded with a broken voice.

  “There’s not a single thing you could say that could justify you being here,” she said in a controlled voice, although the gleam in her eyes was full of killing intent. She placed her hand on the door for a couple of seconds, before revealing that she had created a rustic black lock, out of thin air. “But I don’t want you to think that I’m unreasonable.” She chuckled. “So I’ll give you ten seconds to explain yourself. Depending on your answer, I may even send you back to Londorus myself. Shooting Stars’ HQ is still your last checkpoint, isn’t it?”

  That’s the most terrifying smile I’ve ever seen!

  “T-trust me, I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t have a good reason!”

  “Eight…”

  “Hold on! I just want to talk to Marco! I mean, I need to talk to him about—!”

  “Five…” she said, forming a ball of fire in her palm.

  “Oh, come on! Since he quit the guild, this might be my only chance—”

  “Two…” She took a step forward.

  “I won’t be able to move on if I don’t speak to him!” He shut his eyes, ready to suffer the burning of his skin and bones, but Amelia did not throw her spell. She was staring at him with a troubled face.

  “What does that even mean?”

  “S-sorry, but I can’t tell you…”

  "I said no bullshit!" Her eyes were as fierce as those of a predator, which made Alan step back.

  “I’m sorry, Amelia, I know you’re his confidant, but this is something between—!" Alan’s voice died as Amelia grabbed him by the neck and lifted him off the ground. His HP dropped considerably as her long nails drew blood.

  "Is this all a joke to you?! I barely know you, Alan Warden, but I can already tell that you don’t care about anything! You disgust me!"

  “W-wh-at?”

  "Look at your actions! After what happened to you earlier, you come here looking for more?! And worse of all, even though you know you’re useless, here you are, expecting Lord Marco to listen to your charade! If you want to make a clown out of yourself, fine, I don’t care! But can you at least think of the consequences of your recklessness first?!"

  "W-we're—immortals—here! T-there’s—no—conse—!"

  "That's what an amateur would say!” she cried, pushing him against the white-tiled wall. “Every time you die, your money gets cut in half. Amass a great capital and you'll start picking your fights more carefully. Without money, you can't gear yourself, can't buy a house, travel, or eat well. Make enemies out of anyone with that laid-back mind of yours, and people will start harassing you, making your stay here a complete nightmare! So I ask you again, why are you here?!"

  “I can’t tell—!”

  She let him go with a grunt. Alan collapsed, coughing and holding his neck.

  "Every person that messed with you last night has already quit the guild, so what were you thinking?!” she continued. “Or what? Are you trying to impress your beloved Queen Astrid by sticking it to the man that betrayed her?”

  “I-I’m not—cough—trying to…”

  “You’re so pathetic,” she said, showing her canine teeth. “Your lack of self-respect is impressive. Do you think she would let you—” Amelia shut her mouth and shook her head as if she was reprimanding herself.

  “I’m not doing this out of recklessness, I promise,” he said, standing up. “But thanks for worrying about me…”

  “What the hell are you talking about?! What makes you think I care about a loser like you?” she winced, prompting him to tilt his head to one side.

  “We wouldn’t be here if that was the case.” He folded his arms, regaining his confidence. “You brought me here to talk me out of this ‘madness’ of mine. Am I wrong?”

  "Is that right?” she sneered. “Are you telling me you can tell all that just from my actions? What if I’m just luring you into a trap?”

  “What kind of trap would this be? You can kill me just by blinking.”

  “Fine,” she shrugged, smirking in a way that terrified him. “If I’m that easy to read to you, tell me what else your ‘third eye’ can see in me.”

  Oh, crap.

  "I-I-I’m more concerned about what's to come once I find Marco, you know…”

  He tried to create some space between them, but the enclosed room only allowed him to move to his right side.

  Amelia followed him, like a cat cornering a mouse. "So little me isn’t worth a tiny fraction of your time? I thought we were having fun chatting. Am I that insignificant to you? Or do you just hate me that much?"

  "Actually… I don’t…"

  She quickly lifted her leg back. "Say something or I'll kick your balls so hard that—!"

  A scene flashed before his eyes: The moment Amelia shielded Marco from Marissa’s wrath.

  "I don’t think you’re a bad person, Amelia!"

  Amelia froze in her place. "HUH?!"

  "Although you killed me several times, I don’t hold a grudge against you!” he started blurting out. “You were doing it because of him, right? I could see it in your eyes. Every time you killed me you showed anger, yes, but just because you really thought I had stolen Marco’s guild position. I can't see you as an evil person if you care for others!"

  “Is that all?!” she cried, still in a kicking stance. He only nodded, waiting for it, but she stepped back, grunting. “...Go.”

  He slowly opened his eyes. “Really?”

  “Yes. I’m done with you. Whatever you say to Marco, I bet it’ll be freaking entertaining.”

  She snapped her fingers, making the lock on the door combust, but Alan was still in his place, staring at the exit.

  “You won’t tell anyone I’m here?”

  “Just disappear from my sight, Ghost,” she said, folding her arms.

  (Little Red Burning Hood is in a good mood, huh? Your puppy eyes really worked on her,) Helen said through Party Chat. (By the way, I got your info. You can find Marco in the Sakura Room. I’ll tell you how to get there.)

  “Thanks, Amelia,” Alan said, reaching the open door. “I owe you one.”

  “Whatever…” Amelia whispered as he stepped outside. After sighing, she opened her palm, and created a small orb of fire that quickly turned black and sprouted wings and insect-like legs. Taking flight, the little creature attached quietly to Alan’s jacket.

  * * * * *

  * * *

  * *

  *

  (Do you see a staircase to your right? Go to the first floor.)

  (Helen, do you also think I’m a nutcase?) Alan asked as he climbed the stairs.

  Alan heard her sigh, even though it was a telepathic communication.

  (Well, as our pyromaniac friend already said, why would you risk coming here after what they did to you? Just because you don’t hold a great amount of gold and have nothing to lose, doesn’t mean they can’t kidnap you and ask Astrid for a ransom.) Helen paused so that Alan could reflect on it. (Now that you’re under her protection, you hear? You’re something else to worry about.)

  (Everything will be fine, I promise.) From the first floor, having a wide view of the bar, he found Helen at the far right corner, getting too close to Matthew Berstein’s comfort zone. (After all… You’re keeping an eye on me for Astrid, don’t you?)

  From her place, Helen took a second to look at Alan in the distance and throw a dirty look at him. (Who knows? Maybe I just find this whole situation… entertaining.)

  He snickered. (I’ll be back in a minute. Secure our escape route.)

  (Have fun~.)

  Alan turned around and checked his new destination. In front of him, a series of doors. He read each sign as he passed them by. Dahlia, Chamomile, Iris… Here it is… Sakura.

  He then took a deep breath before storming inside. “MARCO SOUZA, WE NEED TO TALK!”