"Of course, there must be rewards for the brave." The viscount's voice rang out calm and commanding, yet with a rare touch of gentleness beneath it.
He rose to his feet and approached slowly, each step seemed to carry the weight of an entire dynasty.
In Yofilis's hand was a finely carved wooden box. When opened, the silver gleam of three radiant medals filled the entire room with light.
"First, I shall present these medals of honor, bearing my personal crest, to three brave souls." His gaze passed over Kirito, Asuna, and finally came to rest on Ren.
"With these, you may move freely through most of Lyusula's territories. No guard post or gate shall dare to bar your way."
Kizmel bowed her head slightly, her eyes shimmering with proud light.
Kirito and Asuna exchanged brief, astonished glances. This was clearly more than just a material reward, it was recognition equal to the heroic deeds of the Dark Elf warriors themselves.
Ren silently reached out his hand to accept it. The medal felt cold against his skin.
[You have completed a Hidden Quest]
[Defense]
[You have received EXP...]
[Level Up!]
[Level Up!]
The familiar system sounds echoed in his head one after another, like a rapid chime.
Ren flinched slightly, his eyes flicking toward the interface's corner. He exhaled sharply when he saw the number beside his level, not an increase by one, but two, jumping from 13 straight to 15.
"No way…" he thought, a rush of dizziness and excitement flooding through him.
He remembered clearly: before the battle, his experience bar at level 13 had already been three-quarters full after defeating the Two-Headed Turtle in the dungeon, and slightly more after slaying monsters on the road to Usco Village.
Now, with the massive experience gained from defeating Varzak, an opponent far above his current level plus the bonus reward from the hidden quest "Defense of Yofel Fortress", the sum was enough to propel him two levels at once.
In that moment, Ren felt his body grow light, as if the system itself acknowledged that the bloody, shadowed path he had chosen was the only one leading to strength.
'I think I got something from defeating him too…' Ren felt his pulse quicken, excitement rising.
He couldn't help but wonder what the drop from Varzak would be: a unique sword, a cursed piece of armor, or a rare quest relic?
Even so, Ren forced himself to take a deep breath, pushing curiosity aside. This wasn't the time for daydreams, before him stood Viscount Yofilis, the central figure of this entire campaign.
The man leaned slightly forward, his sharp, luminous eyes sweeping across all three of them. His voice, steady and dignified yet warm, filled the chamber:
"Beyond the rewards I've already granted, I shall also bestow upon you another privilege.
Each of you may choose one item from the spoils of this battle. Whether a weapon taken from the fallen or a treasure recovered from the field, if it remains in my possession, it shall be yours."
The air in the room instantly grew heavier. Asuna held her breath, eyes gleaming.
Kirito furrowed his brow in thought, while Ren unconsciously tightened his grip on his sword hilt. The thought of Varzak's loot resurfaced, a quiet flame burning deep inside him.
At Yofilis's command, the door opened. Two Dark Elf guards entered, carrying a dark wooden chest.
When the lid was lifted, the light in the room danced over spoils still tainted with smoke and blood:
[Elven Stout Sword] A one-handed blade once wielded by a Forest Elf commander. High stats and a safe enhancement limit up to +15.
[Mantle of the Fallen Crest] A torn silver-edged cloak once worn by Varzak. It carries a strange hidden effect: boosts dark defense but slowly drains the wearer's health.
[Ring of Verdant Echo] A silver ring engraved with forest patterns. Slightly increases HP regeneration when out of combat.
[Broken Fang of Nephila] A shattered fang from a giant spider. A rare material used for crafting poison weapons.
[Torn War Banner] A bloodstained banner of the Forest Elf knights. Weak in stats, but a symbol of honor, it can be used to gain trust or unlock quests in distant lands.
[Sealed Black Tome] A decayed book bound by silver cords, impossible to open immediately. Its cover bears an ancient Dark Elf curse sigil.
The shimmering light across those items filled the chamber with a tense, electric air.
All three, Kirito, Asuna, and Ren, stared silently, each lost in their own calculations.
Kirito didn't hesitate for long. His eyes lit up the moment he spotted the silver gleam of the Elven Stout Sword.
He stepped forward, gripped the hilt, and gave it a light swing. The crisp whoosh that followed was cleaner and sharper than the broken Anneal Blade could ever produce.
"Exactly what I needed," Kirito murmured, eyes gleaming with renewed excitement.. as if he had already forgotten the old sword that had carried him through countless battles.
Asuna, meanwhile, was calmer. She examined each item carefully, her brows faintly furrowed, until her gaze settled on the Ring of Verdant Echo.
She gently lifted it, slipped it onto her finger, and felt a cool surge of energy flow through her.
"With this, maybe I can ease the pressure of having low HP," she said softly, a small smile forming clearly content with her choice.
Ren stood still, his eyes drifting over the remaining items, the tattered cloak, the bloodied banner, the sealed tome… all valuable in their own ways, yet none of them truly important to him.
His sword was fine, his armor sufficient. These trinkets wouldn't make him much stronger.
Ren remained silent for a long time, long enough for both Kirito and Asuna to glance at him. Finally, he lifted his gaze toward Yofilis, his voice calm yet unwavering.
"Forgive me, but… could this reward be exchanged for money or perhaps land ownership instead?"
The atmosphere in the room shifted instantly. Kirito blinked in surprise, Asuna's eyes widened slightly, and Yofilis's gaze narrowed, not in anger, but in intrigue.
Kizmel blinked once, her long ears twitching slightly, the way they did when she heard a language she didn't quite understand.
Her violet eyes flickered with confusion as they shifted from Ren to the viscount, as though silently asking whether that was truly something humans did.
In her gaze glimmered a faint surprise, not born of greed, but from the stark contrast between how humans and Elves perceived the meaning of a reward.
Viscount Yofilis was silent for a brief moment before a low chuckle escaped his lips. The sound wasn't loud, yet it resonated through the chamber, amused, and perhaps even admiring.
"Land is not something that can be easily granted to outsiders," he began, his voice steady and deep, "for it is bound by bloodlines, ancestry, and oath.
However… gold and valuables that hold trade worth are a different matter. If that is what you desire, I can oblige."
He nodded slightly, a gesture that affirmed his decision while also reminding everyone of the immutable boundaries of the world he guarded.
Upon hearing that, Ren's lips curved faintly, not a broad smile, but a subtle one, carrying both relief and something quietly restrained.
"Gold will do," he replied calmly. "If possible, I'd like to exchange my choice for money. But as for the rest… please, keep them."
He paused for a moment, his eyes glancing toward the window, toward the residential blocks and half-ruined structures beyond, where the silhouettes of people still busied themselves after the chaos of battle.
Kirito's eyes widened. "You're seriously thinking about them before yourself?" he blurted out, half teasing, half genuinely impressed.
Asuna cast him a sidelong glance before turning to Ren, her expression softening. "Thank you," she said quietly, her voice warm and sincere — few words, yet weighty in meaning.
Kizmel smiled, her long ears trembling faintly with emotion as she bowed her head slightly. "That act… is worthy of reward. I thank you on behalf of the people," she said, her tone carrying a strange resonance, part pride, part release of a burden.
Yofilis observed them all, a glimmer of satisfaction passing through his eyes. "Very well. The conversion shall be arranged.
The sum will be deposited into the Fort's treasury account, you may use it as you see fit, for repairs or other needs."
His gaze shifted to Kirito, then to Ren, his tone deepening with a touch of solemnity. "But remember, gold is easily given, yet only responsibility earns the hearts of others."
Ren nodded, resolve flickering in his eyes once more. Kirito swung his new sword lightly, grinning as though he'd just found a long-lost companion.
Asuna murmured something to Kizmel as the elf steadied a small chest beside her, both of them glancing toward the window where sunlight spilled across the room, as if the fortress itself were finally exhaling in peace.
Yofilis folded his hands, his gaze sweeping slowly across each face before returning to the disordered stack of documents before him.
Yet his voice carried still, warm, solemn, and commanding, filling the room like the echo of a great bell:
"Prepare yourselves. You know as well as I do... to ascend to the next floor, you must face the Guardian."
The quill in his hand hesitated, then was set down. Yofilis leaned forward slightly, his voice dropping lower, each word weighted with intent:
"Perhaps… I can offer some help. Not much, but I know a little about the one who guards this gate."
Light streamed through the window, reflecting in his eyes, a glint of wariness flickering beneath their calm surface. He drew a slow breath, as though dredging up an old and hazy memory:
"What I know of «Wythege the Hippocampus» is—"
He didn't finish. Kirito suddenly stepped forward half a pace, his face draining of color. His voice cut through the air, urgent, threaded with barely contained alarm:
"Did you say «Hippocampus»… not «Hippogriff»?"
The air in the room fell still in an instant. Asuna turned sharply toward Kirito, startled, while Kizmel narrowed her eyes, her ears twitching faintly, as though straining to catch something uncanny in the air.
Ren stood silent, feeling his heartbeat quicken, a sharp, instinctive warning echoing in his chest, whispering that something was very wrong.