Chapter 38

"……Huh?"

The sudden sound made me stop in my tracks, eyes wide.

It felt as if I had been abruptly pulled back to reality. The chill that ran down my spine left me staring blankly at the sky.

The jellyfish I was about to move towards reacted similarly.

They were stunned by the sudden announcement.

Only the knights continued to move normally, seemingly unaware of the sound.

'World Quest start conditions have been met.'

'After the specified number of days, the World Quest "Demon Invasion" will begin.'

'For more details on the World Quest, please check the official website for updates.'

The announcements kept flowing, and I tried to process the information, frowning.

Given the timing, it was highly likely that the resolution of the Demon Knight infiltration was the trigger.

However, if that was the case, this might be a bit awkward.

If the invasion started too early, there might not be enough players to defend against it.

As I was thinking about these various issues, the final words of the announcement stopped my thoughts in their tracks.

'During the World Quest, locals will not be able to respawn. Please be cautious.'

"What...! Hey, that's—"

'The announcement is now ending. Please continue to enjoy Magica Technica.'

My protest fell on deaf ears as the World Quest announcement ended.

The knights, who were now looking at us with confusion, called out, but I could only give them a half-hearted response.

If the locals can't respawn, it means that if the demon invasion reaches the city, many of them will die.

This could become a much more serious situation than I imagined. Frowning, I signaled to the jellyfish and approached Christoph.

"Sir Leader, may I have a moment?"

"Hmm? Ah, sure, Quon. Is it about the demon? Don't worry, interrogating an explosive opponent is quite difficult."

"Yes, well... he left us one piece of information."

"Really?"

Christoph's eyes narrowed.

Actually, the information came from the official announcement, but explaining that would be difficult.

It would be simpler to say we got it from the Demon Knight.

"It seems the demons are planning a large-scale invasion. This infiltration was just the preparation."

"What? You can't be serious... Is it true?"

"Hard to believe it's a lie, given the official announcement."

Regardless, this information must be relayed to the kingdom.

We don't know the exact start time yet, but preparation always takes time.

I hope it won't start immediately, but an attack without other players around is unlikely.

That would be too much to ask.

"Originally, their goal was the extinction of humanity. They were trying to infiltrate the country secretly, but if that fails—"

"A direct assault. It's a bit simplistic, but considering their power, it's not an impossible strategy..."

My words were taken seriously, and Christoph pondered with a grave expression.

A demon invasion is no laughing matter. Given the scale, it's not something to be taken lightly.

However, we can't afford to sit and wait.

My seriousness must have been conveyed, as Christoph, with a sharp look in his eyes, nodded.

"Understood, we'll handle it from this side. You—"

"We'll call out to all the foreigners. They'll be eager to join the battle."

The death of locals is a serious issue, but for the foreigners, it's just a large-scale event.

Players will flock to the capital like it's a festival.

While they may not be serious enough, they are still a valuable force, especially for defense.

For now, we need more information. I need to check the official website.

"We'll let you know if we find anything."

"Thanks. I'll report to the king... I never thought it would come to this."

"There's no other choice. I haven't been this serious in a while."

Christoph relaxed a bit and smiled, nodding.

He probably thought I was joking, but I was completely serious.

Against an army, I have to be serious.

I haven't faced an opponent that required my full strength before, but this time, I'll have to give it everything.

I'm looking forward to it.

"For now, leave this to us. Can you take Lirina and the others home?"

"Sure. We need to report as well."

"Right. Thanks."

I nodded and bowed, then left Christoph's presence.

First, I'll tell Shreid's daughter that everything is resolved.

It's almost time to log out, so I need to wrap things up quickly.

I also want to check the event information.

* * * * *

Despite the various complications, we managed to ensure Lirina's safety.

After resolving the Demon Knight infiltration, we returned to the knight's guild and brought Lirina and the others back to the Rambert residence.

With the Fybe family gone, Lirina and the others should be safe.

Back in the living room, Lirina, who had been tense, finally relaxed and bowed to us.

"Thank you, everyone. Thanks to you, we not only escaped the demons but also got to see my father. I can't express my gratitude enough."

Her slightly trembling voice made us exchange wry smiles.

We didn't do it for the thanks; it was out of curiosity and to complete the game event.

Thus, receiving thanks made us a bit uncomfortable.

But, if we didn't accept it, she wouldn't be satisfied. I put away my wry smile and spoke to her.

"You're welcome. We had our own reasons, so don't worry about it."

"Thank you for saying that."

Lirina's face showed the same wry smile.

She seemed to understand our nature.

Judging that a formal attitude would be a hindrance, she smiled and continued.

"Still, I'm grateful. If there's anything I can do to repay you—"

"Two women don't have much to spare, right? You should be getting some compensation from the knight's guild."

It's a mystery if they have personal income, but maintaining this house is challenging.

They own the land, but they can't afford to waste money.

Lirina understands this, which is why she's troubled.

Her maid, as usual, came to her aid.

"Then, Miss, how about renting this house to them?"

"What? What do you mean?"

"Normally, renting a house is quite expensive, but as a reward, we can offer this house at a discount. Quon and the others get a base, and you get rent. It's a win-win situation."

Lirina's eyes widened in surprise, and the next moment, a system window appeared before us.

Taken aback by the timing, I read the content and was speechless.

'Special Limited Event "The Orphan and the Capital's Shadow" completed. Rewards are being distributed.'

'Event Reward: Clan House [Rambert Residence] Rental Purchase Rights'

A Clan House is a home that can be used as a base by a clan of players.

Even a small property costs at least 100,000 per month in-game, which translates to 100,000 every 10 real-world days.

While that's manageable for players who have progressed this far, a mansion is a different story. Even at a discount, the price would be nearly ten times higher.

Yet—

"Are you serious? 200,000 per month for this size of a house!?"

"Moreover, it's a clan payment, not personal. For four of us, it's quite manageable."

The jellyfish, eyes wide with shock, browsed the details.

Their faces showed barely contained excitement.

They were probably planning to form a clan, and a cheap clan house was too good to pass up.

While normally, such a price would raise suspicions of fraud or a haunted house, this is a trusted event reward, so it's likely genuine.

"We'll live here as well, so it will be a communal living arrangement. If you're okay with that, we can offer the place at a discount."

"Got it! Absolutely, absolutely!"

"But you haven't formed a clan yet, right?"

"Of course, we'll form one right after this! This is a golden opportunity we can't miss!"

"Alright."

I chuckled at the high-energy jellyfish and shrugged.

For Lirina, frequent interactions with familiar people wouldn't be bad.

Regular income would also be a plus, as Elsa said. It's a mutually beneficial arrangement.

However—

"I appreciate the offer, but I'll have to decline."

"Quon? That's—"

"I'm not joining your clan, so I have no reason to rent this place."

The jellyfish frowned slightly but smiled.

They probably wanted me to join, but they also realized I carried them through the battle.

Their teamwork is decent, but they're still far from my level.

"Oh... I thought Quon would be in the same clan."

"I only recognize one person as my equal in this world. If not at that level, I don't want to form a clan."

"You mean Himakoto... You're right, the level difference is huge."

I couldn't help but chuckle at the jellyfish's dry sigh.

Currently, I only recognize Himakoto's strength.

While she still has a lot to learn, her talent is exceptional.

With continued training, she will eventually reach my level.

If that condition is met, I wouldn't mind forming a clan with her.

"So, don't worry about me. Take the jellyfish in. It'll be more fun for them to live together than with a single guy around."

"Understood. Thank you for your consideration, Quon."

"Sure. If I get an invitation, I'll drop by."

I waved to the bowing Elsa and left the Rambert residence, logging out.

"Thanks for everything. I really appreciate it."

"We're the ones who should be thanking you. Thank you for helping us find our father."

"We're also grateful. We just stumbled upon the event, but you brought us this far. If there's anything we can do to help, please call us."

"Alright... Lumin, let's go."

I called Lumin, who was playing with a cat's ears, and bowed to everyone.

With a grin, I turned and logged out.

■Avatar Name: Quon

■Gender: Male

■Race: Human

■Level: 14

■Status (Remaining Status Points: 0)

STR: 17

VIT: 14

INT: 17

MND: 14

AGI: 12

DEX: 12

■Skills

Weapon Skill: Katana: Lv.14

Magic Skill: Enhancement Magic: Lv.11

Set Skill: Death Point Strike: Lv.11

MP Auto Recovery: Lv.6

Plundering Sword: Lv.8

Identification: Lv.12

Life Sword: Lv.9

Demon Slaying Sword: Lv.4

Tame: Lv.3

HP Auto Recovery: Lv.6

Sub Skill: Mining: Lv.1

Title Skill: Fairy's Blessing

■Current SP: 10

■Monster Name: Lumin

■Gender: Female

■Race: Fairy

■Level: 8

■Status (Remaining Status Points: 0)

STR: 5

VIT: 8

INT: 22

MND: 16

AGI: 14

DEX: 9

■Skills

Weapon Skill: None

Magic Skill: Light Magic

Skill: Light Attribute Enhancement

Flight

Medium Magic Resistance

MP Auto Recovery

Title Skill: Servant of the Fairy Queen