"Found out what?"
Leon looked at Iris.
"Hehe—can't believe you don't know what this is, Leon."
For once, Iris felt the joy of having her knowledge and experience "beat" Leon's. She lifted her chin proudly, her expression practically saying: Go on, ask me.
Leon blinked, then smiled.
"Then I'll have to consult the noble Lady Iris. Could you grace me with that precious knowledge?"
Iris nodded with a very satisfied look.
"Since you put it that way, I'll reluctantly tell you. That thing is actually a talent some plant-type monsters can awaken after reaching fourth tier: Life Reversion."
"Life Reversion?"
Leon's gaze shifted as memory clicked.
It really was an extremely rare ability—so rare that even someone like him, who'd cleared every side quest in his previous life, had nearly forgotten it.
"Right," Iris said, explaining carefully. Her brows lifted without her noticing. "Plant monsters are restricted by terrain and can't move freely—but they aren't helpless. Once they face a life-or-death crisis, they activate Life Reversion, hiding all of their life essence inside an extremely concealed underground root. After some time, it can sprout again and restore itself."
"And because it's hidden deep underground, people rarely find the life-root," Iris continued, clearly pleased with herself. "But this man-eating flower was stationed on top of a castle—convenient for hunting—yet that also meant its root couldn't be hidden deep enough. That's why we found it so easily!"
Leon had the sense Iris wanted him to praise her, so he did.
"Well done, Iris. Your knowledge is as vast as the sea and as wide as the sky."
Iris nodded repeatedly.
Yes. More. Keep going.
She didn't know why—most people's praise usually didn't move her at all.
But Leon's praise—even if exaggerated and a bit fake—made her genuinely happy in a different way.
Was it because she'd unconsciously begun to approve of him as a person?
Or something else?
Iris couldn't tell. Sometimes she felt like she couldn't even understand her own thoughts.
[Iris Affection +1. Current Affection: 79%]
"I remember fourth-tier life-roots can increase vitality if you eat them," Leon said. "Iris, let's split it—half each—and try it."
Iris had no objections. If anything, she was looking forward to what it tasted like.
Leon took out his dismantling knife, cut the red-glowing root in two, and handed Iris half.
The texture felt like a boiled potato—easy to cut.
Leon took a small bite and sensed the changes in his body.
A faint milky sweetness flowed across his tongue. Once swallowed, he immediately felt an intense fullness flood through him.
Compared to mana and stamina, vitality was much harder to raise.
Normally, it only increased during tier advancement.
Leon's current 30 vitality was partly innate, and partly from his classes—First-tier Mage, First-tier Trickster, and Second-tier Phantom Walker.
Phantom Walker contributed the most—nearly 70% of his current vitality.
Generally, the vitality increase trend went: rare warrior-type classes > normal warrior classes > rare caster classes > ordinary caster classes.
Then there were racial differences too.
Typically: dragons strongest, pure-blood elves next, then draconic/elf subraces.
Humans, beastfolk, and halflings were among the bottom.
That ranking was basically consistent with attribute caps overall.
After finishing the whole piece, Leon saw his panel update:
[Primary Stats: Vitality 34 / Mana 31 / Stamina 31 / Strength 32 / Agility 41]
Four vitality in one go.
He checked Iris's stats too:
[Name: Iris C. Forlorn]
[Primary Stats: Vitality 61 / Mana 69 / Stamina 33 / Strength 38 / Agility 43]
Iris gained six vitality?
As expected—pure-blood elf aptitude. Same item, higher conversion.
But from another angle, even Iris only gained six, which meant the item's own conversion ceiling was limiting it.
Leon being only two points behind Iris was proof of the boost from his three classes.
If he had only a single class, as a human, his gain would likely have been far worse.
If humans couldn't rely on sheer numbers to produce occasional high-growth prodigies—and didn't have access to divine blessings—they really wouldn't be able to compete with the continent's other intelligent races.
Leon moved on, searching for more loot.
…
In the garden area behind the castle.
Leon pinched his nose, frowning.
It was the man-eating flower's bone-dumping ground.
All the remains of monsters and intelligent beings it had devoured had been excreted into the garden behind the castle.
Looking down from above, the whole open space resembled a filthy swamp—slick, sticky mud with broken bones half-buried throughout, faintly visible beneath the surface.
But the most striking sight was at the garden's center.
In a place reeking of stench, a lotus was blooming—its petals a vivid blood-red, eerily beautiful.
The seed pod was huge, big enough for a person to sit inside.
From the holes in the pod, first-tier magic mosquitoes flew in and out, as if nesting inside.
At that moment, Iris came over.
"I think… I can sense my father's presence."
Her gaze went distant, head turning slightly as if feeling for something.
Leon's heart stirred—was this some bloodline resonance unique to pure-blood elves?
"Iris, you mean your father's remains might be hidden in this swamp?"
"No," Iris said slowly. "Not here… but nearby. No—half should be in the swamp, and half somewhere else."
"Where's the other place?"
"Under this castle."
Leon nodded slightly. Then the Elemental Magic Ring was probably beneath the castle too.
Because according to player strategy posts Leon remembered from his previous life, the Elemental Magic Ring was found beneath the castle encountered in this branch region.
Which also meant part of the reason the man-eating flower could grow into fourth tier was likely because a sixth-tier powerhouse had died here.
"Let's go, Iris," Leon said. "By my estimate, my target should also be underground."
He turned and descended the stairs leading below.
The castle was small and its interior layout was simple—paths were easy to spot.
Iris quickly followed, her expression complicated.
"Leon… is your target item my father's relic?"
"Given what we've seen, there's a high chance it is," Leon admitted calmly.
At this moment, denying that possibility would be the worst move.
"I thought you'd say it had nothing to do with him."
"Iris," Leon said, feigning anger, "we've known each other for ten days and gone through life and death together. You still distrust my character that much?"
Iris panicked—this was the first time she'd seen Leon angry.
She hurried to explain:
"That's not what I meant. I meant the advancement item you want should be something naturally formed here, unrelated to my father."
She explained—but Leon could hear the lack of conviction.
He turned to look at her, and saw an expression he'd never seen on her face before.
Fear. Worry. Tension. And something more subtle and hard to name.
Right—although Iris was physically 36, in elven terms, her mind and appearance were still close to a human teenage girl.
Even though she'd been given a heavy responsibility as a diplomat…
at her core, she was still simple-hearted.
When faced with an impossible choice, she would hesitate, struggle, and blame herself.
"Iris," Leon said softly. "You're worried about me, aren't you?"
Iris looked up in surprise, meeting Leon's eyes.
Leon lifted a hand and gently stroked her smooth cheek. She froze—but didn't pull away.
"I have a strange habit," Leon said. "I don't believe in 'tests,' and I don't like forcing my friends to choose. Because anyone faced with a choice will weigh it and overthink. And the truth is, some things can't be measured. Once you choose, you might lose something forever. Don't you think so?"
The words sounded a bit cloudy, but Iris immediately understood what he meant.
"I understand," she said. "But what should I do?"
"You're worried that the item I need to advance might be your father's final relic," Leon said, "and it might also be something needed to bring your mother back. And then you wouldn't be able to choose. Right?"
He named her fear directly.
Iris nodded slowly.
"In my hometown there's a saying," Leon continued. "When you can't decide, let someone you truly trust decide for you. Iris… can you trust me enough?"
Leon stared into her eyes as he asked.