Inside her office, I awkwardly tried to make myself comfortable in one of Tessa's chairs as Eleanor floated around, marveling at the modern contraptions. Tessa leaned against her desk, eyes narrowed accusingly at me.

  "Well?"

  I cleared my throat. "Y-yeah, so... a lot of things happened. It turns out that Eleanor is actually a pretty good person- er, vampire, and she's the heir to the vampire throne or something like that," I began, trying to summarize the situation as quickly as possible. "And I chose to gamble on the chance that she could at least prevent the vampires from becoming an enemy later on."

  "So you decided to do that on the very first expedition right after the forty first floor opened." Tessa said with a heavy sigh, her eyes still narrowed at me. "Do you have any idea what you've done?"

  "I'm getting the sense that I probably should've talked this out with the other top Players in the sector?" I offered, trying to gauge her reaction.

  The Tempered Disaster bowed her head, using a hand to massage her temples. "Yes, Luquier, you could say that." Her voice was tinged with a mix of exasperation and resignation. "But it's done now, and we can't change it. What's important is that we manage the situation before it escalates into something uncontrollable."

  I slowly sucked in a breath through my teeth. "Oh shit, I fucked up real bad, didn't I?"

  Tessa chuckled before she turned to pick up her mug and drank. She kept drinking until it was empty, tilting her head back to catch the last drops. Then, she set it down, meeting my gaze.

  "I keep forgetting you're basically fresh from the tower compared to most Players here in the sector," Tessa said with a hint of amusement in her eyes. "But yes, you could say you've stirred the pot a bit. You shouldn't be worried about what the other Players think of your choice that's quickly spreading like wildfire, but more so the rest of the population who aren't Players."

  I swallowed, nodding. My lack of interaction with non-Players almost made me forget that they existed. "I can imagine."

  Tessa gave a sympathetic smile. "I heard from Tommy how... dedicated you can be to games. You had dreams of getting on a professional team, correct?"

  I felt my ears burn at the mention of my past dreams. "Yeah, I did," I admitted. "But that was when I was just a teen."

  "So from my viewpoint, I completely understand why you made the choices you did. You probably still view everything as a game with no real consequences for yourself, seeing as you have powerful death-cheating skills," Tessa said, her gaze drifting to the floating vampire near the bookshelves. "But in this world, where the line between reality and the game blurs, your actions have very real implications. Many Players have voiced their grievances, but they're nowhere near as bad and harsh compared to the non-Players. Are you able to get where I’m going with this?"

  I nodded again. "Yeah. The non-Players aren’t able to handle themselves as well as we can, right? That’s why they’re upset with the choice I made for the Lambda Sector."

  "Correct. Think of it like you're a politician," Tessa said, her voice turning serious. "Every move you make now has an impact on the sector. It's not just about fighting monsters and getting loot anymore. With the addition of the Acts-"

  "All of us have to be careful in the choices we make," I finished for her, sitting back in my chair with a sigh. "Yeah, I got the feeling things were more serious when I nearly fought Clarice."

  Tessa frowned. "Wait, as in one of the Players from the Indomitable guild and a leader in the Angel faction alliance?"

  "Yeah...?" I said, suddenly feeling a bit nervous about the revelation. "We had a bit of a... misunderstanding. But it's sorted out now, I think."

  The sudden knock on Tessa's door seemed to signify otherwise. She raised an eyebrow before walking over and opening it. Clarice stood there, looking very nervous as she stood next to a woman that I could immediately tell was powerful.

  "Miss Iskra," the woman behind Clarice began, her tone firm and authoritative. "Could we have a word with Luquier Vaunt?"

  [Name: ??? | Level: 7498]

  [Title: Purging Prayer (SS)]

  [Faction: Angel]

  [Health: 100 | Strength: 100]

  [Speed: 100 | Magic: 100]

  [Risk: 0]

  I tensed up, recognizing how powerful her Shrouding was if even I couldn't discern her real stats. Eleanor quickly floated over to me, placing a hand on my shoulder in a silent gesture of support despite hiding behind me. Clarice looked uncomfortable, her eyes darting from the woman to me and back again.

  The woman was dressed in a sleek white and gold ensemble that couldn't be more obvious she was a Holy-attributed character. Her hair was tied back in a tight bun, and she had a stern look that was all business. "I'm here to speak with Luquier Vaunt regarding his recent... acquisition," she said, her gaze drilling into me.

  "Sup?" I called out, instantly wincing at my poor choice of greeting.

  The Holy-attributed woman's eyes narrowed, but she remained composed as she walked in. She didn’t take a seat, standing in front of the door with Clarice behind her. "Mr. Vaunt, I am Kahlesi Myanmar from the Indomitable guild, commander of the fifth pillar in the Lambda Sector's Angel faction. I understand you've recently formed an alliance with an undead creature. Care to explain?"

  "Ah, right," I stood up, casually placing myself in front of Eleanor. "Got a feeling you don't agree with my choice?"

  Kahlesi's gaze didn't waver. "The alliance between Players and undead is... unconventional, to say the least. It could destabilize the fragile balance we've worked hard to maintain."

  I raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Fragile balance? The factions were just introduced not even a few hours ago, and you Angel-aligned Players have already established a balance?"

  Everyone went quiet, looking at me with varying degrees of confusion.

  "Few hours ago...?" Tessa echoed, gazing at me with concern. "Luquier, it's been twenty-four hours already. Have you not been sleeping?"

  "I- huh, now that you mention it, yeah, I haven't slept in a while. Never realized time passed that fast," I admitted, rubbing my eyes. "The last time I slept was... the day before Celine and I joined you for lunch?"

  "Lunch- good god, Luquier, that was roughly three days ago," Tessa exclaimed, briefly setting down her mug. "I'm honestly shocked you're still lucid and coherent."

  Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

  "Well, I don't feel tired at all-"

  Kahlesi cleared her throat loudly, bringing my attention back to the conversation at hand. "Your lack of sleep is of no concern to me right now," she said firmly. "What is of concern is your sudden marriage to a vampire. What kind of message does that send to the other factions?"

  "How do people know I got mar- look, I'm sorry for jumping ahead, but I need to clarify something," I interrupted, feeling the heat rising to my cheeks. "It's not marriage in the traditional sense. It's a Binding Ritual, something that linked us together."

  Kahlesi silently stared- or judged- me for a moment. "Is that not considered a marriage regardless?"

  "Well, no, not really. It's more of a partnership, a pledge of mutual aid and protection," I said, trying to sound as convincing as possible. "And it's not like I had a lot of say in the matter. It was the only way to save Eleanor."

  The aforementioned vampire tapped on my shoulder. "So, you didn't really want to marry me?" she whispered playfully, though the tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife.

  "Eleanor," I hissed through gritted teeth. "This isn't the time for jokes."

  She simply stuck her tongue out at me, but her eyes remained on the Angel-aligned Players. "Well, let them think what they will. It doesn't change the fact that you're my savior, darling."

  Despite not helping my image, I had to admit that Eleanor's newfound vitality/confidence compared to her initial weakened state was a plus. Her voice was light, but I knew she was taking the situation seriously. She had made her intentions clear earlier, and she didn't seem like the type to renege on her words. The fact that she was willing to take such a drastic step to save her life had earned my respect, even if it was all a bit surreal.

  "Look, Kahlesi," I started, trying to find a way to explain my actions without sounding like I had completely lost my mind. "The whole point of this game- I mean, reality- is to survive and get stronger, right?"

  The angelic leader's gaze bore into me, unblinking and unyielding. "Survival is not the only point, Luquier. There are consequences to every action you take, especially when they involve those who are not Players like us."

  "Yeah, I know..." I sighed, my shoulders slumping. "I already had that conversation with Tessa, and I'm fully prepared to take responsibility if anything goes wrong."

  Tessa moved and leaned against the wall, arms still folded. "Let's not jump to conclusions just yet. We're still figuring out what we're dealing with here. There's no guarantee that by saving the vampire candidate, the Lambda Sector is doomed. And besides, Luquier isn’t the only Player around who’s been stirring up issues for the rest of the world."

  Kahlesi nodded in agreement. "Of course, but my main concern is for the people here in the Lambda Sector, those that I feel responsible for. You do see how it looks from an outsider's perspective, yes?"

  "The majority, yeah. But what about the Players who chose to ally with the Monster-faction? This First Act feels like something they'd get behind," I pointed out, trying to find some common ground. "They've got to be thinking about how they can get some foothold in the faction balance too."

  Kahlesi's eyes narrowed slightly. "And what makes you think we don't have our own alliances with them?"

  I opened my mouth, then closed it. I wasn't expecting her to respond with that. I just naturally assumed that most Players from the Angel and Prime Sapien wouldn't be too keen on allying themselves with a faction that were their benefactors' enemies.

  "Simply put, many of the top Players in the Lambda Sector are concerned about your growing influence here, especially since you're not even part of the faction system," Kahlesi elaborated, her eyes never leaving mine. "I'm sure the GPA agrees as well."

  Tessa smiled awkwardly. "Well, as the CEO of the Lambda Branch, I try not to take sides, but I can assure you that Luquier's intentions are noble. He's been a great asset to the sector, and his unconventional methods have saved many lives. That being said, I'm also aware of how the other heads of the GPA Lambda Branch feels, not to mention I do share their concerns about how things are progressing outside our expectations."

  Kahlesi's expression remained stern. "Your words are impressively neutral, but we are talking about the balance of power here. The GPA is a delicate structure, and alliances with creatures of darkness can be... disruptive. The leaders of the Lambda Sector’s Angel faction will need to discuss this further. In the meantime, I suggest you keep a low profile, Luquier. We are not the only group who are feeling threatened by your bold actions."

  Her words hit hard, and I couldn't help but feel a bit deflated. It had occurred to me that my decisions could indeed have such a wide-ranging impact, but I had been too focused on the immediate danger to consider the long-term consequences. "I'll keep that in mind," I nodded. "But I'm not going to back down from helping Eleanor."

  I felt the vampire's hand on my shoulder, giving me a gentle squeeze of appreciation. "Thank you, darling," she whispered. "Your support means everything to me."

  "Don't get too attached," I muttered, trying to lighten the mood. "I'm just trying not to have the world collapse before we get a shot at the fiftieth floor."

  "Your honor is admirable, Luquier. But unfortunately, I can't agree with the way you've gone about things," Kahlesi said firmly. "The GPA was created to maintain order and the factions have established a balance. The top Players have adapted to and cooperate with organizations intending to uphold order and peace. You have been one of the outliers."

  "Yeah, I'm starting to realize that..." I mumbled with a sigh. "But what's done is done. I just want to keep the peace and get stronger."

  Kahlesi nodded curtly. "I understand your intentions, but the GPA and the new factions are built on trust and rules. If an exception is made for an outlier, what would the normal civilians think?"

  She turned and walked out, Clarice trailing behind her. I watched them go, feeling the weight of their words settle heavily on my shoulders. It was a little jarring, considering Indomitable had a representative who tried to recruit me not too long ago. Now, two of their members were warning me of any disapproving actions in the future. To top it all off, during the entire time, I knew that Kahlesi had the strength to overwhelm me if she wanted to.

  "Well... can't say I wasn't expecting this to happen to you sooner or later," Tessa said, breaking the heavy silence that had filled the room after Kahlesi's departure. "At least it wasn't as bad as Nephilim's debut some few months ago during the start of the new reality. "

  I let out a sigh I didn’t realize I was holding as I managed a wry smile. "Oh? And how was he worse?"

  Tessa leaned against the desk, folding her arms. "Let's just say it involved him single handedly taking down a dungeon break boss that was supposed to be a group raid and accidentally starting a war between two of the top guilds we know today," she replied with a hint of amusement in her voice. "Helianthus and Inanis engaged in such a political battle trying to get Nephilim to join them that he eventually created his own guild to stop the uproar all over the globe. You know, the one you're in now."

  "Damn. That's... a lot more impactful than what I've done," I murmured, running a hand through my hair. "But not a lot of people talk about the Noble guild anyway..."

  "Well, of course. It was composed of only those Nephilim trusted and knew for a while, up until you joined. So there weren’t many chances for other Players to join," Tessa said, her gaze drifting to the floor briefly before looking back at me. "But your joining was also a surprise to many. You've become something of a celebrity around here, and not just for your exploits in the tower and dungeon breaks."

  "Celebrity?" I echoed, feeling a bit dizzy from the sudden influx of information. "What does that even mean in a world like this?"

  "Are you just never online? Do you have a life outside the game or what?" Tessa teased, though her eyes remained thoughtful. "But to answer your question, you've been a hot topic among Players. Your unique style and rapid growth in power have turned heads. Some envy you, others look up to you, and a few... well, they're a bit more wary. Along with some other rookie Players and the most recent one in eastern hemisphere- I think her name was Cadence or something- people are calling you guys this year's prodigy Players."

  I made a face. "Okay, well I don't know about prodigies, but I'm just trying to stay alive."

  [...You really make it too easy, Player. I don't even want to crack a joke ._.]

  "If anything, I believe my betrothed has chosen quite the... spirited, adventurous soul to form a bond with," Eleanor said as she stepped closer, a soft smile playing on her lips. "But it's your decision, Luquier. Do you wish to continue down this path with me, or shall we part ways and leave this alliance to fate?"

  I took a moment to close my eyes before reopening them to look at Tessa and Eleanor. "If the Lambda Sector and the rest of the nation needs me to be one of the scapegoats for this Act, then that's fine by me."

  Tessa made a face. "Okay, it's not that problematic for you to say that, but the rest of the GPA? They're not exactly thrilled with the idea of scapegoats." She paused. "But, if you're sure that's what you want..."

  Before I could say anything, Tessa's phone buzzed. She pulled it out and scanned the screen before her eyes narrowed. "Sorry, Luquier. Looks like the higher-ups are moving quick. They want to discuss a global procedure regarding the pacing of clearing tower floors."

  "No worries. I'll just... rest at home and keep a low profile," I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt. "Besides, I have a feeling the next few days are going to be pretty intense."