When Liam entered Merida’s apartment with big shopping bags in hand, the doctor and Serena stared at him in surprise.

  “Serena, look! I bought you a phone.”

  “Really?”

  The young girl beamed happily. Retly she had spent a lot of time with Kathrin who always showed her funny videos on her phone.

  “Of course, here.”

  “Wele back, Liam.”

  While Serena eagerly unpacked her phone, Liam noticed the skeptical and questioning uone in Merida’s voice.

  “I earhe first bit of money in Fate of aboul today. In a while I might make even more. I look for a then.”

  Liam spoke in a reassuring tone, but Merida didn’t appear enthusiastic, waving him off.

  Her gaze swept over Serena, showing a faint smile.

  She is really lonely, isn’t she?

  Liam sighed as he put away the clothes he bought.

  Suddenly an idea came to his mind.

  C? you ect my phoh the sole?

  […]

  C?

  [Pyer Liam, receive your challenge.]

  [Cook a meal for your sister and the doctor.]

  [Reward: Your phone will be ected to the VR sole.]

  Liam was surprised. It had been a few days since he got his st challenge.

  But what’s the point?

  Despite not uanding C’s purpose, Liam felt that it was a good idea. Merida had done so much for them it was time to give back, even if only a little bit.

  “Merida. How about I cook for us today?”

  “You? you cook?”

  “Well, how difficult it be?”

  Merida had a bad feeling, but she agreed, willing to give Liam a ce to prove himself.

  The young man smiled brightly as he stood i, s through his memory for recipes. But his eye twitched as he only came up with difficult, high-css meals.

  I do remember watg our chef create noodles with tomato sauce when I was a kid, delicious and simple. This should be doable, right?

  Liam enced himself as he heated up water, meanwhile cutting all kinds of vegetables.

  Twenty mier he put the food oable, satisfied with his performance.

  “Serena, put your phone away. We’re eating.”

  The young girl plied relutly as she sat down oable.

  “Enjoy your meal!”

  Filling their ptes, the trio begaing with bright smiles.

  But with every bite Merida and Liam gradually sched their faces, finding it difficult to eheir stomachs rolling in protest.

  Only Serena tinued eating happily, sidering her brother’s cooking a highlight ever since living oreets.

  Liam forced another bite down while asking Merida:

  “How does it taste?”

  “Good, good.

  Although I would’ve put salt into the water.

  And pureed the tomatoes.”

  “Oh, my bad.”, said Liam sheepishly.

  “And give more pepper into the sauce. And don’t put chilly in. And thi it. And…”

  Merida clearly found it amusing, listing mistake after mistake.

  “Ok, ok. I got it. It’s bad.”

  “Brother’s cooking is the best! Don’t lie!”, disagreed Serena with a pout, causing the others to ugh.

  After the meal, Merida dragged Liam into the kit. She couldn’t uand how the young man made such a mess cooking such a simple meal.

  Liam felt embarrassed as he helped the doctor to up.

  “How did you get sauce below the stove?”

  “Hehe…”

  Finally, aful evening came to an end as everyoo sleep.

  The day Liam decided to order a ride with his new phone, spending his moo save time.

  The driver was silent along the way. With a s installed into the car, there was o eain the guests.

  Liam scrolled through the programs. Right now, there was only one popur topic, Fate of aboul.

  Suddenly Liam stopped, narrowing his eyes as he came across the repy of an interview.

  Anchor: ”Star Gazer, right now you are regarded as the number one pyer on Falva Star. Are you satisfied?”

  Star Gazer: “Of course not! Our Falva Star isn’t sidered important in the federation, but I will prove those doubters wrong!

  Not only will I be first on Falva, but first in the federation!”

  Anchor: “A noble goal! Any pns?”

  Star Gazer: “Within five days I will clear the first dungeon! And from then on, I will only speed up!”

  Anchor: “Where does your fidene from?”

  Star Gazer: “It is not a secret that my family has explored the a ruins, tributing greatly to humanity.

  With the information I have in hand, I ’t help but be fident.”

  The aniled, glossing over some troversies in this statement.

  Anchor: “Some people don’t sider you the best pyer, sineone else mao clear the first unique quest. Any thoughts?”

  Star Gazer: “What does it matter? Only luck! While I was w towards the first dungeon, others still cared for the quest. Ridiculous!”

  Liam turned off the interview, his face stern.

  So this is Star Gazer…

  The fine, beardless face, with dashing eyebrows and short bck hair braself deeply into his mind.

  Five days? Groundless boasting! Lucky? Heh!

  Liam scoffed inwardly. He couldn’t help but look forward tning in the rich young master’s parade.

  A short while ter Liam reached his training room. Wearing the sole, he ehe game, finding himself ba the Ratkin vilge.

  One by one his party members appeared.

  “M guys.”

  “M.”

  “Hurry up! We have a duo clear! Expert, go!”, urged Cye.

  Bloody Edge looked at Cye with tired eyes.

  “Maiden, how you be so eager on this thankless m?”

  “Didn’t you guys watch the interview yesterday? Star Gazer wants to clear the dungeon in five days!”

  Most of the party shook their heads. Yesterday they iated with Silver Bde, not having much time to do anything else.

  In the end Silver Bde made everyone fair offers, naturally not paying them as much as Bleary Mirage.

  “Cye is right.”, agreed Silent Acacia suddenly, appearing more serious than usual.

  “Now that we officially took on a job, we have to put some effort in.”

  At this moment notifications popped up before everyone.

  [A tract ing Fate of aboul was detected.]

  [Do you wish to copy it into the game?]

  [Punishment for breach of tract: Perma ban from the game.]

  [Accept]

  [Dee]

  “What? We do this?!”

  Everyone was surprised, with Quickstep showing a pleasant smile. She had already experienced a pany trying to scam her out of her payment before, causing a tiring legal battle.

  But if the tract was enforced in the game, no one would dare to mess around.

  “You guys all accept.”, stated Silver Bde.

  The party members didn’t hesitate. Only Liam looked at Silver Bde, knowing the risk she was taking.

  Sihe tract was made in the pany’s name, a potential breach would ban the pany from the game, taking away all advertising opportunities.

  Naturally Silva would bee a sinner in her family’s eyes.

  However, this was only the worst-case sario.

  No one expected something like this to happen. Thus, the party was in a good mood as they followed Liam to meet the vilge leader.

  He was a hunchbacked Ratkin with white spots in his fur, looking at the party through thick gsses.

  “You did a great service for our humble vilge.”

  The old Ratkin leased as Liam handed over the gathered tokens.

  Although the quest didn’t bring substantial rewards, Liam was after something else.

  [gratutions. Retionship with Ratkin Vilge increased.]

  [Hostile -> Friendly]

  Liam smiled as his pn worked, gathering enough tokeerday to directly skip the ral retionship.

  But his smile froze as the vilge leader didn’t tialking. Liam rolled his eyes sending out his secret on Silver Bde.

  “Elder. Is there something else we do for you?”

  As soon as the young oke, the elder reacted, two sharp froh stig from his mouth as he grinned.

  “Yes, brave adventurers. You see, those dirty bandits usually don’t stand a ce against us…”

  Silver Bde was surprised by the vilge leader’s words, using a quick [I].

  [Vilge Leader Rathol

  Level: ???

  HP: ???]

  Surprisingly Silver Bde couldn’t see through the old rat, who tinued as if nothing happened.

  “… but those bandits acted before we k, taking Lersra, our precious healer, hostage. Please, adventurers, help us resg her.”

  The party quickly accepted.

  Following the quest description, they approached another young Ratkin with formidable cws, good at digging.

  The Ratkin introduced himself as S, leading them through the forest, carefully avoiding the scattered bandits until they reached an inspicuous hole.

  Under Liam’s lead, the party entered, finding themselves in a dim and moldy tunnel. Fortunately, the Ratkin were siderate enough to make the tunnel suitable for Nephilim.

  While the party advanced below ground, the vilge leader set off as well. The old Ratkin showed of impressive strength, weaving through bandits and reag the fort within seds.

  Immediately arms went off, with most bandits fag off against the vilge leader with trembling knees, ting themselves lucky sihey had taken a hostage beforehand.

  A few sed ter Liam’s party reached the end of the tunnel.

  “That’s it. If I dig through here, we should ehe fort. The vilge leader is buying us time. You guys o hurry up and save Lersra.”, expined S.

  “You t on us!”

  The young Ratkin nodded as he swung his cw, getting rid of the st yer of dirt.