Roy was utterly mesmerized by the Elf girl's peerless beauty, his jaw slackening.
It seemed the struggling author named
"Zairen Yongdongji"
(宅人永动机) really hadn't lied to him: crossing over meant getting a wife, a blonde, pointed-ear Elf who perfectly matched his personal taste.
The countryside truly couldn't compare to Orario, the world center.
Having lived in the countryside for over a decade, Roy had only seen a handful of Elves. Since coming to Orario, his eyes had been thoroughly cleansed by the sheer number of pure, unadulterated beautiful girls. No wonder people sought encounters here.
Wait a moment! This person looks familiar.
Ryuu Lion!
The Level 4 Adventurer from the Astrea Familia, known as
"Gale."
Roy's breathing quickened. The sudden change in his rhythm startled the Elf girl on the bed.
The Elf girl snapped her eyes open. They were like a pair of celestial blue jewels, reflecting a complex mix of pain, sadness, and fury...
Bang!
The Elf girl grabbed a nearby fruit knife and leapt from the bed like a mother leopard. The bed frame let out a loud creaking sound. Roy wore a look of utter despair; that was his brand-new spring mattress!
A Level 4 versus a Level 1. There was no suspense. Roy couldn't even clearly see her movements.
A golden blur flashed before his eyes. Roy's face went blank as the sharp fruit knife pressed against his throat, the silver blade gleaming with cold light.
In a sense, he had been
"wall-slammed" (Kabedon).
A cold sweat droplet slid down Roy's forehead. His luck couldn't possibly be worse than the protagonist the struggling author wrote about, always having to risk his life for every win.
Ryuu's eyes were fierce, and her small face was murderous.
"Did the Rudra Familia send you to hunt me down?"
"I don't know any Rudra Familia,"
Roy slowly raised his hands in surrender.
"You slept in my bed, and now you want to kill me? Is this how the Astrea Familia and Elves operate?"
"Is this your residence?"
Ryuu's gaze shifted to the bed.
As an Elf with severe mysophobia, it was practically impossible for her to sleep in someone else's bed.
Yet, this place was indescribable.
It was clean, tidy, and odorless. The sun-dried blanket was folded into a perfect block at the foot of the bed, emitting a faint, refreshing fragrance. It was even more comfortable than her own bed.
It was unimaginable that a tent next to a street could be cleaner than an Elf's dwelling.
Although Roy referred to the place as a "dog kennel," it was small but fully equipped. The interior was surprisingly meticulous because, like Ryuu, he was a germaphobe.
"I apologize. I will leave now."
Ryuu knew she had been reckless. She lowered the fruit knife and, dragging her exhausted body, prepared to leave. The wounds left by that monster had not yet healed.
As she passed Roy, he called out to her,
"Wait, you're just going to walk away?"
"Do you want compensation?"
Ryuu stopped and showed a miserable smile.
"But I have nothing left now. My Familia, friends, and justice have all abandoned me."
"I see, the Astrea Familia was wiped out,"
Roy deliberately muttered in a low voice.
This must have happened in the last couple of days. He hadn't heard the news. Having been in Orario for half a month, he had already figured out the timeline.
Ten years ago, the Zeus and Hera Familia failed in their Black Dragon subjugation quest, leading to the complete annihilation of the two strongest Familia!
Two years ago, the God of Darkness, Erebus, launched the Great Conflict to re-energize a disheartened Orario after the annihilation of the two strongest Familia. He acted as the "Dark Faction" antagonist against the various Orario Familia, honing a new generation of adventurers and acting as a springboard for a new era!
And now, the Astrea Familia was wiped out!
Bell Cranel would arrive in Orario five years from now!
The phrase
"Astrea Familia was wiped out"
undeniably struck Ryuu's most sensitive nerve. If she hadn't just slept in his bed, incurring a small debt, she would have immediately cut off his head.
Ryuu's eyes held none of the clarity typical of an Elf; instead, they were clouded with a darkening madness.
Roy innocently spread his hands. It wasn't him who wiped out the Astrea Familia.
He had only arrived half a month ago...
However, according to the original timeline, Ryuu would next seek revenge by any means necessary, practically eradicating everyone involved in the incident.
And regardless of evidence, anyone rumored to be associated with the Dark Familia would become a target of her retaliation.
"Juggernaut. That's the name of the monster that attacked you in the Dungeon,"
Roy whispered.
Ryuu, who was about to leave, froze in place as if rooted to the floor. Her head stiffly turned back, and her piercing eyes glared coldly at Roy, a completely different intensity than before.
The thick murderous intent practically solidified, acting like a sharp knife held against Roy's neck.
Roy would not be surprised if this Elf girl rushed over and killed him the next second, but he had his own plan. A Level 4 fighter, if utilized properly, could help him grow quickly.
Roy calmly stated,
"I have absolutely no connection to the Dark Familia. You can easily confirm that. I've only been in Orario for half a month. I live to help others, and I am utterly incompatible with evil!"
Ryuu's eyes showed mistrust, and her small hand slowly moved toward the hilt of her sword, her killing intent undisguised.
Roy coughed twice. It wasn't easy to fool her. He kept his composure.
"If you kill me, you will never know the method to resurrect Alise Lovell and the others!"
Ryuu's pupils slightly contracted. "What are you talking about?"
"It seems you are interested in this topic. Put the knife down first."
Roy quietly changed his pants underneath. He was actually prepared to use the System to teleport to an instance world; he wasn't really planning to risk his life!
Ryuu looked away, feeling his shamelessness.
Roy said,
"Let's make a deal. Three years from now, I will give you the information about the Resurrection Secret Art. In the meantime, you must help me defeat some powerful monsters."
"Three years?"
Ryuu's gaze was chilling. She didn't have the patience to wait that long.
"I can obtain the Resurrection Secret Art right now!"
The immense gap in strength between them made Ryuu feel that Roy had no right to negotiate with her.
Roy instantly dropped his 'nice guy' facade and spoke coolly,
"If you think you can do it, go ahead and try, but you only get one chance!"
Roy's utter confidence confused Ryuu. Who exactly was the Level 4 between us?
Where did such self-assurance come from for a mere Level 1 Adventurer?
The two stood in a stalemate, engaged in a psychological battle.
"I do know the Resurrection Secret Art, but with our current strength, it's simply impossible to obtain. We would only be throwing our lives away!"
Roy softened his tone slightly.
Among the numerous instance worlds, the ones containing resurrection secrets were not places they could challenge right now.
Ryuu's small hand released the sword hilt, suppressing the urge to use force to seize the information. She also doubted that the legendary
"Resurrection Secret Art"
would be easy to acquire.