Since I needed a high-level pyer as an ally, I might as well have started exeg it now. Time to appear friendly to her.

  "Hahaha, well..." I rubbed my neck while ughing awkwardly. "I didn't expect you tnize me from that distance. But you are here, not because of me, right?"

  "Hmm." She looked at me with searg eyes. "I was on patrol for the PK. But I thought it best to return to where he first appeared. And to check if the victim—well, you—were okay."

  Although she had priorities, she en to iing with others. She might have been a well-rounded pyer who valued her responsibilities and the social aspects of the game. Aowledging it might be a good step. "Thank you, then. Also, returning to the initial location allows fathering additional information. But this means you have lost track of him pletely."

  "Indeed, it is a bit disappointing. Seems I need another way to capture him..." Her ha up to hold her with a far-seeing gaze. Perhaps she was thinking about the said way? But then, her eyes g me with her head subtly tilted. A faint smile broke out as she stated, "So rare someone grasps these subtleties so quickly."

  Oh?

  'Is she reading me?'

  I let out a light ugh, sensing a mix of amusement and a hint of disfort. Luna was sharp—that was obvious—and I couldn't show that she'd gotten to me. If anything, this was my ce to recim trol of the versation (perhaps also test how much she knew).

  "Few do, I suppose. But it seems you have already formed some iing clusions about me. What is it, exactly?"

  At my words, she... smiled. "Oh? I never expect you to ask back. Some things—Hmm. They reveal themselves in time, don't they?"

  Ah? Luna seemed to be doing that on purpose. I mean to be ambiguous... yet her tone implied she knew something, though, refuse to eborate more. And how she kept looking at me, smiling like that, almost forced me to respond more. But, well, for what? Instead of going with the flow she was making, while she herself wasn't about to offer anything more, it was better to moot the transition with a casual shift.

  "Fair enough. Shall we return to Vaughan, then? Hope you don't mind the walk."

  She nodded. "I keep my on on standby just in case that guy shows up again."

  'I like that she uood the point of my suggestion.'

  During our trip back to Vaughan, none of us spoke, rest the forest's peaceful mood after the prior disturbahe occasional rustling of leaves and distant sounds of nature filled the sileween us. The wind whispered. Twigs break underfoot. Good. I ehe tranquility and wao share this feeling with Luna. Because, well, I shouldn't limit my social iions with her to what we have established?

  I turo the girl beside me and said, "By the way, I haven't introduced myself yet. You call me Luo."

  "o meet you Luo; I am Luna."

  Aatus bar appeared—Oh, level 73? She was (clearly) a seasoned pyer, and knowing her py style might be helpful for me down the line. I could see ways to make good use of her knowledge. To test it, I asked, "If you were on patrol looking for PK, why were you looking around Vaughan? If there is any otion, Disciplinarian will e."

  My question was logical. As NPC w enforcers, Disciplinarians rarely needed pyer assistao keep the peace, especially for somethiive like Pyer Killer (PK).

  But I couldn't shake a memory from earlier: during the fight, I'd caught a fleeting sense of anure, almost hidden, when Luna frohe PKer. That robably the Disciplinarian, watg from a distance, ready to aly if necessary. Otherwise, who would betting into trouble than the w enforcers themselves? And if they were present, she didn't o act as a "hero" unless she wa.

  Hearing my question, Luna smiled as she leaned slightly. I felt like I was being peeked, somehow. I immediately turowards the tall trees that lihe road ahead. Faint ughter could be heard beside me then.

  "Certainly because Raid was done. You see how he aimed the target? If you missed it, he threoisoned k you."

  'So the Raid is over, huh?'

  So fast! I didn't see Noir return—Or, more precisely, I wasn't focused on that matter.

  And perhaps they returned using [Teleportation], right? It was often seen after distas, everaveling from one location to another within the Vaughan area (or other cities). But I read on Wikia that it wasn't reended for newbies, at least until reag level 15, as there were side effects of nausea due to the status still being too low.

  What Lu, then, after the Raid, a few pyers were often low on supplies, so they were likely to head to the spot to gather raw materials.

  That pce was definitely around Vaughan.

  It ossible to search for raw materials around the Raid area, but the [Teleportation] I mentioned earlier, if it was at a very far distaneeded to use [Dragon Wing]. Most pyers hesitated to use items if they could return them for free. Yes, free. Every pyer was given the prompt "Instant teleport to Vaughan" right after the boss died, and it only sted eight seds for pyers to choose whether to [Accept] or not.

  That was why most would choose to sear Vaughan instead.

  Busy looking for materials. Potiohin. With pyers in weakeates, PKers k rime hunting time. Stealth-based like the one Luna fought, preferred subtle methods—poison, si kills, or debuffs—to avoid drawing attention from Disciplinarians, as by staying quiet, those PKers could bypass instaion. With how things dide to make the NPC move, pyers like Luna could take a when needed.

  It was all starting to click. I clude that PK around Vaughan after Raid... was a on occurrence.

  Knowing the dynamics here—how Disciplinarians operated and how PKers took advantage of the event—was valuable. And seeing how Luna pyed within those bounds? It was a good move from her, I would say. But hearing that also made me realize ohing...

  'She has been watg me from the beginning!'

  I meant not just when I was attacked because she even noticed I had been targeted by PKer as he reparing the poison! Did she also see... see... that... I turned my head towards her slowly.

  And she broke into a smile?!

  "Yes, Luo, that is cute."

  Ah, right. Great. Wonderful. Really perfect. Fuy teenage hormones. I let out a short sigh, feeling the srickle on the bay neck. She must have seehing—me charging after animals like a child.

  "I wish you could just fet that. It was… a bit shog, even to myself." Her smile only grew wider. Clearly, she wasn't going to let this one go. So, I took a breath and brought us back to the main focus. "Anyway, that aside, if you need help with that PK issue, you have got me. The real me."

  "Oh?" she tilted her head, amused. "And the real you would make food bait, then?"

  I shrugged, feeling my fideurn. "Well, I could at least draw him out."

  "But he'd run away again, and you'd end up chasing another animals."

  I couldn't help but giggle; she was dead serious and wouldn't let that one go. "Alright, fair point. Well, I hope you handle him ter. Me though... I still have [Newbie Prote]; I won't die right away if he attacks me. But, who knows, maybe he will reize me and run away. Though a bait that doesn't die right away is a good one."

  Luna immediately fell silent at my words, looking like she might be thinking about something? I would let her be, then, and we tinued walking until we entered Vaughan.

  Ding!

  Wele back to Vaughan, students!Enjoy your stay!Passing Vaughan's massive gate, we were enveloped by the academy's bustling activity. Although some pyers (and NPCs?) began to greet Luna, I remained focused on tinuing to walk to report my Quest. And Luna, thankfully, was still following. Since I really wao know if she indeed could be useful...

  I meant that having Luna follow me around might be beneficial; I want to see how Cecil reacts to her presence. For now, two possibilities came to mind, and from those, too, I was already thinking about proach I would take ter.

  Wele to the Dragonic Department's Research Lab!Having already reized (more precisely, having walked the road ond memorized), I headed straight to b 3B.

  When I re-entered Cecil's b with Luna in tow, I mentally braced myself for various reas. And Cecil, engrossed in her work, looked up as the sound of the door echoed through the room with a soft whoosh. Yes. At first, she raised her head and lowered it as if ign my presence. However, she then raised her head again with both eyes widening slowly, probably surprised to see another person behind me.

  The shock was worsening, like in slow motion. Cecil's mouth opened wide. She got down from her small stool. Faced us in disbelief. Alright. This was the deg factor.

  If Cecil's rea was no different from before, or even worse, thanks to this girl, I had to employ a tactful unication style to handle Cecil's annoyance, which was troublesome. And Luna was obviously a super burden; it was better not to tinue tag her.

  But if option two es up, I would—

  "Whoaaa, Lunaa!" Cecil's rea eventually broke out ihusiasm; she jumped around slightly, csped her hands, and walked quickly to the girl beside me like I did between them.

  And Luna behaved politely with a gentle smile while bowing deeply. "Good afternoon, Senior Cecil."

  Being treated with such respect seemed to make this NPC happy? Look at that! She folded her arms and nodded proudly. Was she obsessed with titles or what? Even the b, usually a pce of strict focus and quiet, seemed thten with their iion.

  Patting Luna on the shoulder, Cecil said, "Why don't you e by anymore? Chris is taking up all your time, isn't he?"

  'Oh, Chris?'

  I was ied in the object of their versation (that NPC with advanced programming), but then... Cecil instead let out a puppy's eyes—Uhh, seriously? While Luna, there, stood upright again and responded with a slight chuckle. "ly, Senior Cecil. I have been busy with patrols tely."

  "Huh? Patrols?"

  'This is my ce!'

  As I had sidered, if the sed option came up (like what happened now), I could take advantage of the situation to build a good rapport. The problem was if Luna would cooperate... but it was better to execute it.

  I quickly eheir versation.

  "Yes, luckily, Luna is willing to go with me. If not, I would be finished sino preparation at all..."

  Cecil turo me with a look full of suspi, even raising her brow. "Is that so?"

  And it wasn't just this NPC, but Luna too appeared suspicious—as seen when I stole g her. Her uanding of the game's social dynamid her responsibilities (such as patrolling for PKers) naturally made her cautious of pyers whose iions weren't clear. This altered behavior, especially seeing me ined towards solo py and suddenly emphasizing being together, certainly raised red fgs.

  In a sense, she knew I aimed to use her preseny personal be.

  If Luna ter expined our meeting was just a ce, emphasizing the general post-Raid activity patterns rather than any particur e to me, I would o adjust my approach.

  Somehow, this kind of pn that required others made me nervous. This was why I wao finish everything myself if possible—Huh...?

  'Luna gave me a faint smile?'

  D.N.A.