An Extra’s POV

"Huu…"

Once Rey was done collecting all the Monster Cores, he heaved a heavy sigh.

As misty breaths escaped his lips and nostrils, he could clearly see the gateway to the next Floor.

The doorway existed at the furthest end of the ring—almost as if it was being guarded by the Boss Rey had just defeated.

That was his next destination.

"I Leveled Up three times just now…" Rey mumbled, realizing just how much EXP he must have received from the Boss and his minions.

With every Level Up, it got increasingly difficult to do so again.

Considering the fact that Rey had Leveled Up a total of five times before reaching the Boss Room by killing hundreds upon hundreds of BigFoot Monsters, it was surprising that he was able to Level Up three times just from a hundred others and a Boss.

'The BigFoot Monsters here were holding weapons, so they're probably stronger than the ones I faced outside…' Was Rey's line of reasoning.

The Boss had to also be quite strong.

With those thoughts in mind, Rey was happy he didn't dawdle at all.

'I still have about two hours left. I can still challenge the next Floor, right?'

Rey knew he was pushing it, but he liked his current streak.

He didn't want to ruin the momentum.

'If I can reach Level 30—no, Level 35—today… I'll be satisfied!'

He stared at the black gate that led to the next Floor. It wasn't covered in frost or anything, which surprised Rey.

That had to mean that the gate had special properties, or… the Floor that it led to was extremely hot.

Rey braced himself more for the second possibility.

"I'll have to speedrun this one…" He whispered, more white clouds of cold air escaping his lungs.

Time wasn't on his side.

*******

Alicia silently read her book in the library, flipping through the pages with a small smile on her face.

She wasn't smiling due to what she was reading, but because of something else.

… Someone else.

'In a few more hours, Rey will come here.' She didn't want to explicitly admit to herself why she was happy about this prospect.

But she was.

almost done with the current book in her hands—a literature text regarding the common practices of the people of H'Trae which had now been

particular book before, but that was so long ago—back when she just

happened since then, and so she wanted to revisit the literature and see if she could have a new, more informed, grasp on what

bunch of mundane things—like the outlawing of eating certain

ensure proper sanitation of the streets

Capital. Places such

transactional oversights were also mentioned in

Alicia to grasp

found this

about a

all of this…' As she chuckled, a dark thought suddenly appeared in her

doesn't want to go back…

enough to cause

though, she quickly

inconsequential regulations recently placed on previously accepted

them

Kingdoms used to practice

catalyst for stopping the slave trade was the rising conflict beteeen the Humans and other Races, as well as the most important one

rise

and the Human Kingdoms began to

was the abolition of

still some who engaged in the slave trade—both buying

among the highest kinds of criminals

in the

awful… selling humans

matter the world, the stain of slavery remained in their

wasn't legal

it was, I'd have some issues with this place.' As Alicia had these thoughts, she noticed someone enter

a familiar presence she could spot from a mile away,

'R-Rey?!'

the boy she had been thinking of for so long now entered the Library and instantly spotted

doing here so

what he did in his spare time, and while she had been meaning to ask him about it, Alicia didn't think

Rey said with a

'Hmm. Strange…'

to her,

'He smells nice!'

time

like he smelled or anything—at least, Alicia didn't want to think he did—but he just didn't have

with a smile

I was thinking we should go to

her brow in

in the library. He was often very interested in reading as

even been thinking of introducing him to the current book she was reading once she