The cold breeze of night swept through the stone-paved street as the two finally reached the old inn on the corner of town.
A middle-aged woman greeted them with a polite bow from behind the counter.
"Welcome. Looking for a room?"
"Rooms," Leornars said flatly, his eyes scanning the dim lobby.
"We need a room for the night. A meal. And water," Stacian added, sensing his distraction.
The woman smiled warmly. "Would you like two rooms or just one?"
Leornars turned his head toward Stacian. She met his gaze—and nodded.
"…Huh?" he blinked, surprised.
"We'll take one room," Stacian said calmly.
Leornars took a step back. "Wha—?"
"Would you prefer one bed or two?" the woman asked with a hint of something mischievous in her voice.
"Two beds!" Leornars quickly replied.
They were handed a brass key and led upstairs. The room was modest but spacious, with thick curtains and polished floors.
"…Why do I feel like that old hag gave us a special room for some twisted reason?" Leornars thought, frowning.
Stacian flopped onto her bed, sending the pillow toppling over. Leornars picked it up and placed it neatly back, then sat on the opposite bed, arms folded.
"Alright, time for something important."
With a snap of his fingers, Bellian materialized beside him, clad in his new attire. Leornars narrowed his eyes, analyzing every detail.
"He's improved. Leveled up, too. That explains why my necromancy skill is now level five. Still… too weak. A mid-ranked adventurer could crush him. I'll need to level up everything if I plan to destroy the Kingdom of Durmount."
He reached into the air with a gesture, attempting to summon the wolf he had slain earlier in the woods.
Nothing.
Again—no response.
"…That's new."
> "Inferno beast was not undeadified. No awakening response found. Beast Tamer class unlocked. You are now able to summon Inferno Beast."
A feminine voice echoed in his head.
Leornars groaned. "You could've just said that in the beginning."
He stood and raised his hand.
"Come forth—Ascian."
His aura surged—deep crimson, wild and heavy. His eyes glowed like dying embers.
The beast appeared.
"Ascian… It means 'bonds.' Seems fitting," Leornars said quietly as he examined the Inferno Beast's stats.
He tested his newly gained skills: decay, erosion, and the infamous Bubble, which dissolved stone instantly.
"Good for both crowd control and assassination. Especially useful in tight skirmishes," he muttered. "The guards in Durmount gave me more than just corpses. These skills are efficient."
Stacian, still lying back, broke the silence.
"Tomorrow, we should visit the church."
"The church?" Leornars raised an eyebrow.
"For blessings. Some rare skills or contract options need divine approval," she said matter-of-factly.
"You have a god?"
"I do. Goddess Minum, deity of fertility and life."
"…Hope I don't get her," he muttered under his breath.
They descended for dinner and eventually returned to rest. While Stacian slept, Leornars closed his eyes—his usual two-hour rest cycle.
He awoke.
A shadowy figure squatted in the corner of the room, its gaze locked onto him.
He couldn't move. Couldn't breathe.
It approached Stacian, then shifted back toward him. Its presence was unbearable. It emitted a sound that didn't belong in this world—no words, no thoughts, just madness.
It pressed a finger against his forehead—and vanished.
Leornars gasped for air, rising from bed, cold sweat coating his skin. He turned to find Stacian awake and pale.
"What… was that?" she whispered.
"I don't know," he replied.
Stacian's voice trembled. "Whatever it was… we wouldn't have lasted a second. Our chance of winning was—what, negative ten billion?"
Leornars walked to the window, his palms still shaking.
"…That power. It was beautiful."
---
By midday, they stood before the massive doors of the church.
Etched above the archway was a faded star symbol—dim, but somehow clear.
"This world is weird," Leornars muttered as he stepped inside. Stacian waited outside; tradition only allowed the unblessed to enter.
Inside, seven statues stood in a circle, silent and solemn.
"Already bored," he thought.
A priestess entered. Her eyes widened at the sight of him—his silver-white hair, crimson gaze. She masked her reaction with a shaky smile.
"W-Welcome, traveler."
She led him into a chamber filled with seven glowing crystals. One by one, he touched them.
Only one responded—glowing deep red.
"…The god of Law and Justice has chosen you," the priestess announced softly.
Leornars scowled. "Just great. My god is a lawyer. Why am I not surprised?"
As he turned to leave, the priestess called out.
"E-Excuse me… are you… The White Plague? The Prophecy King?"
He stopped.
"…I've been called that a lot. So, yes."
She dropped to her knees and began praying fervently.
Outside, Leornars stepped into the light—and froze.
Stacian was gone.
A carriage was just turning the corner.
He approached it calmly, opened the door—Stacian was tied inside.
The driver blinked—and was yanked into the air by his throat.
"And who gave you the authority to take what isn't yours?" Leornars asked coldly before tossing him into an alley like trash.
With a gesture, Bellian appeared and freed Stacian.
"What god did you get?" she asked, brushing herself off.
"…A lawyer," he said with a deadpan glare.
And without another word, the two headed toward the Adventurers' Guild.