The Author's POV

Chapter 288

Inside of a fairly decorated household, cheerful laughter and the voices of people discussing something could be heard.

On a large table, sat a family of eight, composed of two males, and six females.

Lifting her fork and waving it in the air, the eldest-looking female sibling spoke up.

"Hear this, today when I was diving inside of a dungeon with my squad, we managed to find a ranked core."

"Really? That is fantastic."

The father exclaimed in surprise.

Taking a bit of the food on the fork, the eldest female sibling continued.

"Yeah, according to the appraisal results, it seems like the core will sell for a lot of money. The commission will be around 1 million U."

"1 million? My god, that's fantastic."

Her mother praised.

"Dinner is on you then, sis."

"Hehe."

"Um—"

Whilst the family was joking with each other, sitting towards the right side of the table, a girl with a small petite body and large eyes, tried to speak up multiple times. Unfortunately for her, no one was able to notice her struggle as everyone was too busy listening to the eldest's recount of her day at work.

"Um? Ava?" This continued for a couple of minutes until finally, her mother noticed her. "What is wrong Ava? Is there something that you want to say?"

"Um, emm, I-I..."

Shily lowering her head, Ava tried to speak up. However, the words that she wanted to say never came out of her mouth.

"Come on Ava, don't be shy. Just tell us what you want." Her oldest sister kindly smiled as she encouraged. "We're family. We won't judge you."

Biting her lower lip, Ava clenched her small fists. After a while, looking up towards her parents and siblings and mustering all of her courage, Ava said.

"I-I would like to drop out of the Lock."

"..."

Ava suddenly dropped a bombshell, and the room turned completely silent.

—Clank!

The silence continued for a while until it was disrupted by the sound of forks dropping on the plates. Almost simultaneously, everyone stood up and looked at Ava with concern.

"What!?"

"What are you doing Ava?"

"Is everything okay, are they bullying you at the Lock?"

Under the barrage of questions, Ava was unable to answer as she buried her head towards her chest.

"Guys, please calm down. Let Ava talk."

Noticing Ava's predicament, Ava's mother raised her hand and gestured everyone to quiet down. It was then that everyone noticed Ava's state and quieted down.

Finally managing to get everyone to stop talking, Ava's mother walked up to Ava. Bending down, she touched her hand and softly asked.

"Ava, please tell us why you want to drop out of the Lock. Is it perhaps because they are bullying you? Or is it something else?"

The Lock's competitive nature was quite well known. It wasn't a rare occurrence for students to drag other students down just so that they could stand on top of them.

Although controversial, it was this type of competitive nature that granted the best results.

Ava's mother was currently fearing that her daughter was being treated this way due to her shy nature and character.

Throwing a grateful look at her mother, with her fingers fidgeting, Ava softly muttered.

"N-no, it's not that?"

"Then why do you want to drop out?"

Her mother asked.

Secretly, she was breathing a sigh of relief.

As long as Ava was not getting bullied, then nothing else mattered.

Once again fidgeting, Ava responded.

of joining the Lock was for me to develop my abilities so that I can get a job...but for the past two

was a couple of ranked beast tamers, none of them chose to work for the Lock for one simple reason, the exorbitant cost needed

to maintain their beasts and help them involve an absurd amount of money needed to

teach Ava. The only thing she could

already found a job

this now?" Ava's mother stood up. "Ava? Could they have scammed

this was a

no, I have

without consulting us first?" Ava's father suddenly interrupted the conversation. Then extending his hand towards Ava, he seriously asked.

"O-okay."

and took out her contract. Handing it

and I don't think that this is

be the

of her hand and seriously looked at it. However, upon looking

"What the."

what is it? Did

"Honey, is everything okay?"

"Shhh, be quiet."

exclaimed as he read through

forming a large 'o' shape. Noticing his odd behavior, Ava's mother and siblings

It wouldn't come as a surprise to them

father shook his head. Then, with trembling hands, he looked

the contents of this

a

Ava nodded her head.

"Oh my god."

with his hand, Ava's father

"Father what is wrong?"

"Honey?"

due to his reaction, everyone quickly took the contract from his hands and

"What..."

"!"

contract, they all showed similar reactions to the father as they speechlessly looked

lowered her head

"So, can I go?"

***

At the same time.

an older lady furiously glared in his direction. With her arms crossed, she

to take

side of his neck, Smallsnake pitifully

leader's words,

"A trip? To where?"

"That..."

Smallsnake's mouth twitched.

Smallsnake silently cursed Ren with all of

least give me more to

having asked multiple times, Ren had still not told him about the location of

could only

I

"You don't know?"

"...I don't know."

I was so close

was confronting Ryan's mother, standing next to him was Ryan, who was currently playing with the console in his hand,

Smallsnake whispered in a

me

promptly ignored by Ryan who continued

"Useless."

underneath

me for a couple of years on some unknown trip that you don't

"Yeah..."

nodded

about the dangers? Is it

"..."

did not reply. However, this was enough for Ryan's mom who quickly grabbed

that as a no, and I'll also

to be extremely important

no." Ryan's mother promptly cut Smallsnake off. "I'm not going to expose my thirteen-year-old

"Mom."

hem of

staring at Ryan who was looking at her, her face softened

"What is it Ryan?"

me go

is going to be a dangerous trip. No matter

be taken aback as she quickly tried to dissuade

will

can you be so sure

our leader is

"Your leader?"

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