A memory and the day after

-Date: Unknown-

-Location: Unknown-

Violet looked ahead of herself and then behind. The sun was already starting to settle behind some buildings, and her hunt for food and money was coming to an end. This was the street she was used to occupying. This was the place where the merchants passing through the city would always pass through, and more often than not, they would take pity on her and throw her something to eat. Rarely they even give her a copper coin or two, saying that she should go and have her waist-long hair cut a little.

In the urban landscape where she lived, it was not uncommon to witness children imploring for charity. In fact, numerous children were in similar situations, dispersed throughout several thoroughfares that people frequented. However, what set this particular girl apart was her monopolization of a prime street corner. The reason for her exclusive claim? Intimidation.

Violet never tried to threaten anyone. She was a small, scrawny kid dressed in something that just barely passed as rags. Hygiene was a luxury that she seldom got to taste. Her face was battered and dirty, some other signs of **** invisible underneath her clothes. But what truly scared other kids off were her eyes.

She got called many names because of her differently colored orbs. 'Freak', 'Monster', 'The Cursed Child', the list went on and on. Nobody from the people she knew ever understood why she was born the way she was. Some believed that she was cursed just after birth, others thought that she was blessed by gods instead.

...but that didn't matter to the homeless. She could've even been a reincarnation of the great Simon, the Prophet of Light - so long her status was the way it was, nobody would bat an eye at her. Not that it really mattered to her.

Violet rose from her spot, feeling the chilly, damp cobblestones with her bare feet. She let out a sneeze and picked up a pouch containing some coins, as well as another with a few pieces of bread she had acquired. With both in hand, she headed back to the place she considered her 'home'.

Stepping into a dark alley in another part of the city, she noticed a few drunks sitting by the walls, bottles half filled with whatever they were drinking by their legs. Noticing her arrival, they seemed to wake up from their ****-induced state, if only to half-heartedly greet her in hopes that she would give them some of her hauls. But Violet wasn't the type to share. She obeyed her mother's orders, down to the dot.

...but this day wasn't going to be easy on her. One of the drunkards seemed to have woken up the skills from his glory days as his hand suddenly got hold of her shin with a vice-like grip. She tried to struggle free, but her malnourished body didn't allow much strength.

...

The man snatched her bag with bread before throwing her aside.

...

This wasn't a successful day after all. Mother was going to be mad.

...

Violet quickly skittered forward, doing her best to bring out any speed from her tiny legs. She just barely managed to avoid getting robbed by another beggar and then reached her destination.

...

What welcomed her was a slap to the face.

"Why did you let them get the food?!" her mother asked in a threatening tone. "What will we eat now?"

"...I-I'm s-s-sorry..." she stuttered a response, which was promptly silenced by a second strike.

"Sorry?! Sorry won't bring us food!" the woman yelled at her, getting a hold of her left hand. "Look at this hand! Do you see how pathetic it is?"

"...I-I-I'm s-sorry..."

"Useless! Gods, why did I give birth to such a failure of a child! You can't even bring food to the table!" her mother squeezed Violet's hand harder, to the point where the girl winced with pain. "You need to have sense beaten into you," she continued, slowly getting hold of a small, metal rod.

...

...

...

-Currently, 17.04.1052-

-About 14:00-

"...urgh..." Violet let out a pained sound whilst trying to move a little from her lying position. The warmth of the sun's rays was letting her know that the day had sprouted in full. A gentle breeze that caressed her face was pleasantly chill and brought forth a smell of old pine needles. She was lying on something rather comfortable, which radiated heat back into her, helping her combat the searing pain of her left side.

Why was she like this...?

Violet opened her eyes slowly, immediately seeing the blue sky. A breath in, and a breath out. Sluggishly, she started moving her head, doing her best to quell the urge to cry out with pain. With every beat of her heart, her veins pulsed, giving her an idea of what was wrong... but how did it happen, exactly?

...

'...an explosion... wait. Where was I in the first place? Right... Penalty Zone... wait, am I not there anymore?' she moved her head at the thought, but... no, she was no longer in those plains, it seemed. She was in a clearing in a forest. It appeared that everything ended well... almost everything, that is. But where was that man?

With a slight groan of pain, she **** her right arm to try and support her weight, just to raise herself a little, but to no avail. Her body was too tired, too hurt right now.

'Dammit.' she moved her lips slowly, expulsing some of the air in her lungs. It felt... weird, the way her vocal cords vibrated slightly in this position. Almost as if they were partially damaged as well.

...

Defenseless and unable to move as she wanted. Violet let out a heavy sigh, staring into the sky blankly. A situation like this was... unique in its own right, and yet, it kind of reminded her of her childhood. She was just the same way back then as she was at the moment.

...

A second sigh escaped her mouth. She hated this feeling, but she knew there was little she could do right now. If only she could use her storage ring... but it was on her left hand. There was but a possibility of her using that hand for some time. Maybe if she asked Travis...

'...he still saved me, didn't he?' Violet thought, closing her eyes slowly. 'But how did he defeat the boss? That thing wasn't something he should've been able to take on. With an attack that devastating to me, just being hit by one of its strikes would've been fatal...'

...

But there was no way to answer that at the moment. Therefore, the best she could do was wait.

...

At least it was warm.

-About 20 minutes later-

Some time passed. Violet wasn't able to gauge it precisely, but she was certain that at least a quarter of an hour came by.

Suddenly, she heard the sound of leaves crunching and twigs snapping. The footsteps were getting closer and closer. She tried to count how many people were approaching, but there was only one. Was it Travis? Violet reached for her thigh with her right hand, hoping to find her belt with knives. Unfortunately, it was not in its usual spot. She already knew that the sheaths with her daggers were undone, but she hoped that she could still rely on her throwing weapons.

...

The steps came closer. A smell of blood filled the air faintly. However, as Violet slowly opened her eyes, she noticed Travis holding a rabbit somewhere to her left. A groan of pain escaped her mouth involuntarily.

Nearly immediately, he looked at her. Seeing her eyes open, a small smile went onto his face.

"Thank gods, you're awake. How are you feeling?"

Violet remained silent but shrugged a little.

"...I see," 'She doesn't want to talk to me... she must be pretty mad about the situation.'

'...He'll think that I don't want to talk if I don't do something...' "...thank you."

"...I'm sorry-- wait what?" the man looked at her with a slightly startled expression.

"...you s-saved me, no? Thank you," she said again, albeit her voice shook a little.

"...No, don't thank me. I'm sorry. I brought you into that situation in the first place. We should've left while we still could've."

"...We agreed to stay. It was my decision, too."

"But it doesn't mean it's any less my fault, Violet," he snapped back. "I should've learned the first time that Penalty Zone is not a place for extra quests. It's supposed to penalize me. And you almost died because of that."

"...but I didn't."

"That doesn't make what happened fine! Look at you! You're barely alive. You've been in this state for half the day! And you want to say it's fine?!"

"...you told me about the Penalty Zone. You're not at fault for my choice. I failed to assess the situation myself."

"...and I failed to realize that the boss would be strong. I got blinded by how weak normal Telinars were."

"That's why we're both at fault. What's important is that we made it out alive."

"..."

"...how bad is it?"

"...Your left hand is shattered. At least a few bones are broken, but I decided to not check it too much. I bandaged you and did what I could to stabilize everything, but I don't have a healing skill," 'The healing potions I had were only so effective. Trying to use <Full Restore> on her also didn't work. Consumable spells are solely self-use, as per RALS's explanation.'

"..."

"Left side of your body got burned in the explosion, and cut by something, I'm assuming the skill itself. The wounds aren't deep, but definitely not something to scoff at, either."

"..."

"You need a healer to recover."

"...my ring. Do you have it?"

"...yeah," 'It stayed on her hand, even though she wore it on the left one.' "Why?"

"Bring it to me. I have a healing potion inside."

Without much question, Travis quickly rummaged in the pocket of his pants and gave the item to the woman.

Violet looked at the gem on the ring for a moment. 'It's cracked. It will still work, but I need to have it fixed soon.' she thought before pointing her hand to the right and willing the contents of the storage space to come out.

Within a few seconds, the gem on the ring cast some brilliant light in front of itself, and seemingly out of thin air, a small backpack materialized. And then, a larger sack also made its appearance, immediately tumbling to the side.

'So... is that how you use it?' Travis wondered, seeing Violet point toward the backpack.

"In a small pocket on the side-- urgh!" she said but suddenly flinched with a whine, having moved her hand too much.

"Alright, alright, don't move..." he quickly stepped over and rummaged in the pocket. Nearly immediately, he got hold of a small ampoule filled with an orange-looking liquid. It seemed to have a bit of a fiery glint to it, constantly shifting in the container.

"...not that one. The red one," Violet said, looking at the man with her green eye.

"...here," the Apostle quickly found and uncorked the correct potion. Quickly yet with care, he got the bottle close to the woman's mouth. "Slowly, now."

...

The potion had a slightly sour taste, and the smell reminded her of berries mixed with leaves. Violet rarely ever used healing potions, but she was certain that this was the correct one. The moment she started swallowing the first dose, she felt her arm starting to shift, deep under the skin.

Within short seconds, she felt her fingers slowly fix their positions. Similarly, her radius started mending its cracks and breaks, and her collarbone moved slightly. The entire process was... strangely painless, at least in comparison to what it felt like until now.

...however, this was going to be far from enough. The pain she felt diminished considerably, but Violet felt it clearly: the mending of the bones was very brittle, and still plastic. It wouldn't take a lot of damage for the repairs to be reversed.

"Thank you, Travis," she said, very slowly rising to a sitting position.

"...are you sure you're fine?"

"I only had one healing potion. This will have to do. It'll be fine within a few days." 'So long I don't strain myself.'

...

Then, Violet looked down. Her shirt and cloak were gone, and her chest was covered by two layers of a white bandage, the appendage just barely enough to cover the middle section of her breasts.

Her gaze ventured up to the man.

"Your shirt was done for," 'Please don't get mad over it. I didn't even do anything weird...'

"....I see," she answered, nodding her head a little. Looking at her left arm and hand, she saw some sticks and pieces of branches tied together using another bandage, forming a primitive stabilization. "Thank you for... not leaving me behind."

"...that's nothing you should be thanking for. How would I dare leave somebody I dragged in there?" 'Besides, if I did, her group would've definitely went after me.'

"..."

"..."

"*Sigh* I'm going to assume you had some time to piece everything I told you about?"

He nodded silently, letting out the air from his lungs. While it wasn't easily visible, his muscles were tensing up by the minute.

"...I understand that you must want to deny what I said. Truth be told, so do I. But what I said is what we uncovered, no matter how hurtful."

"...yes, I get it."

"But that's not everything. I'd like to speak with you about the Apostle Competition."

"...what exactly?"

"I only told you things relating to Holia," Violet said, slowly getting up from her position. As Travis followed her example, she fixed her hair and did a light stretch of the healthy part of her body. "However, there are other things you may want to know. Things that, until the previous night, I could've dismissed as unrelated. But I want to first emphasize that what I'm about to tell you is something that should not be spoken about with anyone else."

"...go on," 'So vague... the way she speaks is a little weird in general, now that I think about it.'

"First of all, Forna's supreme priest has formed an elite hunting squad consisting of the best soldiers from at least three countries: Forna, Chis, and Moil. Together, they've been going to dungeons around the capital, hunting in them no doubt. Before, their movements seemed like a random whim, but... since the Competition is real, your words about him being an Apostle might be true."

"I see..." 'Hmm, that seems to be a clear confirmation. Then he's likely the Apostle of Light.'

"Second, there's been movements in Dansel and Fila. From what I know, the princess of Fila disappeared, and the prince of Dansel set off on a journey with the elite troops of the royal family."

"...alright... anything more?"

"Dragon of Eternal Ice, Desa, has ventured out from the dragon's lands. We do not know where or for what reason she went out. Since we haven't received an update for more than 2 weeks, it's likely that nothing serious happened."

'A dragon...? RALS, were dragons eligible for being chosen as Apostles?'

[Processing...]

[No. Dragons are spectators of the event and are excluded from being chosen. However, they are not restricted from interfering if an Apostle would do something that could endanger a significant number of lives.]

'...I see.'

"...and the latter two happened on the 1st of April. That's why I believe they are connected."

"...1st of April... that's when the Competition officially began."

"Weren't you chosen earlier?" Violet frowned slightly, tilting her head.

"All Apostles were given 2 weeks to become accustomed to their class."

"...then, does that mean the three of them could be Apostles?"

"...not Desa. Dragons are spectators of the event, not the participants. However... I have an inkling that the other two are indeed Apostles. Do you know anything more about them?"

"...depends on what you already know."

"Not much. I've only ever heard that Fila is a country of beast-men, and that's about it."

"I see. Both Danzel and Fila are countries mainly composed of beastkin. The former is known as land of canines, whereas Fila is ruled by felines."

"...Canines, felines... hmm, it does ring a bell."

Violet appeared slightly surprised at his words.

"Solim," Travis continued. "Known as the strongest god after Trigal when it comes to physical ability, he's the God of Transformation. From what I know, he does have a sweet spot for beastkin for some reason."

"...I see."

"Do you know if the two have set off together?"

"...not to my knowledge. We do know that they met a few times in the last month, but we can't be certain about setting off together. However, the observations have been conducted not by our group, but by another."

"Hmm..." 'Could Freya be the other one?'

"Do you have an idea about the other one as well?"

"Just a hunch. If they traveled together, I'd say there's a good chance that the other one could've been chosen by Freya, Goddess of Alchemy. Freya and Solim were said to be rather close and they both like nobility, so I wouldn't be surprised."

'He does seem to have quite some details about the gods.' Violet realized, seeing the man not even flinch when speaking. 'Did that RALS thing tell him that...?'

"But that is only a hunch and only could be true if they traveled together," Travis noted, seeing Violet's focused expression. Without a doubt, she was mulling his words.

"I understand. I will keep this in mind."

"Alright. Is there anything else you want to tell me?"

"...I have something that I'd like for you to consider. A proposition, in a way."

"...go ahead."

"I may be mistaken, but it appears as though you didn't inform Miss Cecilia about your class due to potential exposure. And on top of that, joining a group could hinder the speed of your growth."

"Pretty much, yes."

"I will keep this brief. I understand you won't join us, but I want to propose something different. Rather than joining us, you could work with us as an unaffiliated individual. Free to roam as you wish while keeping contact with us."

"...why would you propose that?" he formed a suspicious expression.

"Right now, the situation on the continent seems stable enough. However, I'm sure you know that won't last. Gods interfering in the world will cause quite a stir, eventually. You've had your class for roughly a month now, and the situation already is a mind-boggle to many. What will happen in a year or two? That's why I'm proposing that. It's a deal both you and we will benefit from greatly."

"How so?"

"We can support you, help you find good hunting grounds, and look out for other Apostles. We can hide you from the world if need be."

"And what would your group gain from it?"

"The front seat in the carriage on its way to change the world. I think you realize that in some time, Apostles won't be able to hide easily anymore. If we can say we helped one of them, this will definitely grant us a place in history."

"...you don't seem to understand what you're saying, Violet," Travis said slowly. "Being affiliated with any Apostle will make every other one your enemy. Maybe currently you can take them on, but when the time comes in a year or two, I highly doubt it," 'In a single night, I grew to level 54 from 29. That's an insane leveling speed. If other Apostles are like this, they will be in triple digits soon if not already.'

"I know. Just like right now we have numerous opponents, if we openly aid you, inevitably more will appear. But you don't seem to comprehend the sheer scale of the event you are partaking in. In a month, it has prompted a dragon to make a move. If whatever prompted that keeps happening, in a year we might see entire countries go to war."

"..."

"What we want is to gain the ability to change how everything will unfold. What you want is to grow stronger. Our interests align spectacularly. We have connections, the intelligence network, and the **** of numbers. You have power and are a participant in the most important event for the future of the continent. We each have what the other wants. What I'm proposing is for us to work together."

"...I see," 'She does have the same type of tongue Cecilia does. I suppose that's why they are so similar. She's almost literally her mirror image.'

"..." 'Did I say it correctly?' Violet wondered, seeing the man's seemingly unfocused expression. 'He appears to be considering it at least a little.'

"..." 'In a way, she is right. I haven't looked at the big picture too much because I was worried about the current status... but the Competition will have a powerful effect on the entire world. Looking at the speed of my own growth, by the end of it, some Apostles will likely have levels as high as 500. This will make them huge targets.'

"I know you want to create your own team to participate in the event. If you decide to work with us, we will surely help you with that," '...I might even be willing to join.'

"..." 'While I do understand why she's saying all that, there is one problem.' "That is what you are saying. What guarantee do I have that this would really happen? Can you prove to me that your words have value to them?"

"...I suppose my words are everything I have," Violet answered after a short moment, looking to her side a little blankly. "But you can believe me when I say that my superiors wouldn't dare treat you lightly. Your class is not something that anyone would ever dare look down on. Our main Psion has already expressed quite an interest in you as well, and he is very respected in our group." 'Mister Joseph is no different from Mister Cedric's right arm.'

"..."

"It's alright if you won't accept. All I'm asking for is for you to simply consider it," 'Please, do accept. I definitely said too many things about Red Crown.' she thought to herself, almost as if trying to send a mental message to the man.

"...I'll think about that."

"Very well. Then, I suppose we should move on, unless you want to ask anything?"

"There is one thing I'd like to know if you'd be willing to share."

"Go on."

"How many people in your group know of me?" he asked, putting a slight emphasis on the last word.

"...About four."

"...'about' four?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Me, Miss Cecilia, Mister Joseph, and our commander. I do not know if they told anyone, but I believe it's unlikely."

"I see," Travis nodded lightly. 'Not very reassuring.'

"Why do you ask?"

"I'd like to ask something of you. Do not tell anyone that I'm an Apostle."

"...I see."

"Truth be told, I'm not sure what my future actions will be. I'll give your words a thought and decide soon, but I can't guarantee any response. That's why I'd like to ask this of you."

"...I'm sorry, but that's an impossible request," Violet's dual-colored eyes looked to her side, her lips twisting ever so slightly. She appeared... conflicted if only a little.

"What do you mean?"

"You already have our eyes on you. Once I return, mister Joseph will surely ask me about my mission, and I can't lie to him."

"Can't, or won't?"

"...don't misunderstand me, Travis," Violet said slowly, turning her head to him fully. "I realize what significance your class bears. However, it doesn't change the fact that my loyalty is to my group first."

"..."

"But I can offer something similar."

"...what is it?"

"Mister Joseph can sense the mana of others, and he is our main Psion. If I tell only him about your class, he will undoubtedly search our group thoroughly."

"...so, instead of not telling anyone, you will only tell one person?"

"...there are definitely some people who will get the wind of this news. What I can guarantee is that only the most trustworthy ones will learn of this."

'My initial plan failed. I relied too much on RALS and overestimated it.'

"I understand that this news may be disappointing for you. However, it was highly likely to happen once you changed your class. Nevertheless, I want to assist you. I assure you that I will take all necessary steps to handle this situation discreetly until you decide what to do next."

"...thank you for this much, I suppose." 'I'm being pitied in here, aren't I?'

"But I can promise you that whatever your decision will be, our group will not be hostile to you unless you provoke us. And just to reassure you, we will continue to study the situation in Holia as long as we can."

The man looked away for a moment.

'That's a touchy spot, I forgot.' "I know my words cannot convince you, but we will not dare lay a finger on anyone."

"...let's just go," he said, slowly bending down and picking up the blanket from the ground.

"...yes."

'Right now, I need to soak this in.' Travis thought whilst packing the blanket. Surprisingly, it was rather small when folded, and it fit nicely at the bottom of the bag. 'Dammit, I'm not going to have any rest for the next few days, am I? At least the Daily Quest was easy today. 5 points into Wisdom, and soon, all my stats will be in the 3-digit area.'

The two of them packed up rather quickly. Violet took out a new, gray shirt for herself from the sack (she didn't take out a bra, likely because she wasn't able to easily put it on). After that, she carefully put it on, being as cautious as possible to not move her left hand too much. And then, she used the ring on her hand again, sucking her two packs into the storage space.

With their preparations complete, they set off, undeterred by the fact that the sun had begun its descent toward the horizon. Despite the approaching darkness, the duo pressed onward, determined to make progress toward their destination.

As they journeyed on, the path they tread upon was predominantly composed of jagged cuts on the rugged rock surface, with occasional patches of earth sprayed on top for better traction. Violet, while walking alongside her companion, made a conscious effort to observe his gait. 'He seems... much stronger than before. I can't tell exactly, but he feels... just about 20 levels below me, rather than 40... it seems hunting most of the monsters in the Penalty Zone gave him a lot of power.'

Meanwhile, Travis was consumed by a thought that appeared when he glanced over his stats.

'100 Agility gave me <Sprint>. I kind of anticipated something to appear with 100 Intelligence, as well. Did I not fulfill the conditions? Would using mana be a condition? Hmm, that's something to consider.'

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