Hajime!

[Hajime - jap. for 'Begin']

Youngwoo woke up early and got up quickly. He made a quick stretch before he grabbed some clothes to change into, a towel, and rushed to the showers. Before time reached 6:30 in the morning, he was already after breakfast, going quickly towards the Gate.

His plan now was simple. Get to floor 13, clear it and subsequent floors, figure out a strategy against banshee, profit. Yeah, he was sure that with Iris on his side, he'd be able to do that. But... before that, he needed to finish floors 13-19.

First things first, however, he still needed to receive his reward for floor 12 (he honestly forgot about that). After returning to Issar and getting his reward (which happened to be the Greatsword of Power this time; it seemed that Donnie took the Ruby of Power). Oh well, not that he cared. The accessory was neat to him, but it wasn't mandatory. He came back to the 1st floor and deposited the weapon in his room.

He then transmitted to floor 13. Taking in the scenery of now-rebuilt Issar, he felt the atmosphere lit up as the day was coming in full. Yes, this place was serene like nowhere else, and life was blossoming all around. Youngwoo wasn't sure about the season, but the weather was rather nice. The sun was shining, but not straight up blaring down. The clouds in the sky provided occasional shadow all around the place. He formed a tiny smirk as he took his steps forward.

After a few minutes, he reached Savi's home. Well, he didn't need to receive the special reward anymore (since Iris' Wardstone was already bound to him), but he didn't want to leave the matter to its own devices. That would feel wrong for him.

After reaching the estate and exchanging a talk with Johnathan, Youngwoo received an amethyst from Savi. Quite strangely, the stone he received looked exactly the same as Iris' Wardstone. It had roughly 2 cm in diameter and light fractured through it in a neat manner. Oh well, Tower be Tower, it had its ways. Soon enough, he was going around with Savi, having received a quest from the Tower.

[Quest name: Importance in looks and style]

[The estate of Issar is prospering. So much so, even, that Lord Balholm, overseer of Hol estate, wishes to come around and check the hamlet himself.]
[Objective: Help improve Issar estate further. Follow quests given by Issar's denizens about improving the looks of the town.]
[Time remaining: 25 days]
[Your actions will score you points depending on how impressive they will be to Issar's denizens. There is no fixed point system.]
[*Your actions may deduce your score as well as increase it. There will be penalty if your score is lower than 0 points.]

[Your score: 0]

[Quest reward: Unlock transfer to floor 14.
0-500 points: nothing
501-2000 points: 30 silver coins
2001-5000 points: 1 gold coins, 1 free item of E-rank or lower
5001-10000 points: 10 gold coins, 1 free item of D-rank or lower
1st place: eligibility to make 1 request of Savi Mahoney, Issar's overseer]

'Hmm... okay, this is the first time I'm hearing of that guy. Better ask Savi.' He thought as he was reading the quest whilst helping Issar's overseer paint a wall.

"Do you know Lord Balholm?" He asked, not stopping movement of his hand.

"Yes, he oversees the nearby estates."

"Can I ask you what's he like?"

"A jerk." Replied Savi after a short moment of thinking.

Youngwoo snickered momentarily hearing the man's words. 'Is it that bad?' He shook his head for a moment, but didn't reply.

"Don't get me wrong." Continued Savi. "He's got a lot on his head, and he did appoint me here, so I am thankful to him for that, but... he really is a jerk. Can't take a joke, is pretty arrogant, and very full of himself."

"So, is this entire restoration of Issar about pleasing him?"

"...unfortunately so." The blonde man sighed. "I know his personality, and if our estate doesn't look perfect to him, he'll remove me from my position. Not that I'm tied to it, but... I can't leave those people behind. With position of a lord, I can at least make sure all the money goes to them." He looked around, seeing how there were Hunters and Issar's denizens alike working. Yes, there was a great deal of **** in his tone of voice. He was tied not to his position, but the people whom he had been helping for years.

"I see. I'll make sure to help you out as much as I can, Savi."

"Thank you, Youngwoo." Savi smiled widely. "Though, if I may ask, where is Dragon Witch?"

"Hilda couldn't come yet. She is a part of a guild, so..." Youngwoo shrugged.

"I see." Savi nodded. "I don't want to sound nosy, but I hope you two are coping well?"

"Oh, yes, we are. We've been spending a lot of time together." The taller man scrubbed his head a little. Well, NPC be NPC, but Youngwoo really felt like Savi was his friend. There was no harm in telling him that he got well with Hilda.

"Ah, I see." Savi chuckled. "I hope that both of you will be safe in the future."

"Thank you. Though, I'll bite back, you know? Do you have anyone, Savi?"

There was a short moment of an awkward silence as Savi suddenly stopped his brushing and froze on spot. There seemed to be a dark complexion washing over his face, but he suddenly nodded.

"Yes, actually. There's a girl from my hometown whom I've liked for a long time. I hope that I'll get along with her."

"I hope so. I expect that next time I come around, you'll be introducing me to her."

"Hah." He chuckled, but Youngwoo saw that there was something that he wasn't saying. Something bad.

"Savi. Is something the matter?"

"Huh? Why do you ask?" He returned to his brushing quickly. Yeah, that kid in a man still couldn't hide easily.

"Savi."

"Youngwoo?" He turned and looked at him with questioning gaze.

"I can see that something's bothering you. I am in no position to **** you to talk, but... I'm concerned about you, as a friend. What happened?"

"..." Savi put down his brush and put it away for a moment. "...do you mind if we take it somewhere private?"

Youngwoo nodded lightly, putting away his own tool. It seemed that whatever happened was at least somewhat serious. Quickly walking behind Savi, he noticed that the man was not taking him to his estate, but rather, outside of the town. As they started walking through the fields, Savi made a quick turn around. Scanning the area around, he ensured that the two of them were alone, before he begun:

"Youngwoo. If I told you I am insane, would you believe me?"

"...what? Of course not. You're unconventional, but far from crazy. But why do you ask?" He tilted his head. 'Okay, now I'm really concerned.'

"I... There's something happening." He said with a grim expression. "There's something off with this place. I cannot explain it, but... sometimes, at night... there are voices lurking around."

"Voices?" 'Is he schizophrenic?' "What type of?"

"At first, they were... quiet and calm. Some nagging, a little of complaining, all quieter than a whisper. I thought that only I could hear them, and that maybe it's simply an issue with me. But... since a week or so, they started getting more aggressive. They begun becoming louder, and... people started hearing them."

"You mean people who live in Issar?"

"Yes. I... I don't know how or why, but those voices that only bothered me before, now begun bothering other people. And now it's happening every night. Every night for the past week, there's been someone who was awoken by them. Some say that they were wailing in pain, some that there was eerie screeching that only they could hear."

"..."

"I'm saying that there is something off with this place in itself. It cannot be a coincidence. Youngwoo, this place... I think it's cursed."

"Cursed?" Youngwoo heard Iris' voice. Did the word pick her attention?

"Why do you think that?" He asked, a little unsure.

"I... It's a feeling. I can't explain it... But I feel some darkness lurking beneath my feet whenever I step in Issar. It doesn't happen anywhere else, only in the town."

"So you're saying that only Issar is affected?"

Savi nodded.

"That's why I want to ask you to leave. Please. I don't want this to affect you as well."

Youngwoo stood in place for a moment, not sure how to answer. There was something off about the way Savi spoke, but... he wasn't the type to make up stories, and the taller one knew it. There must've been something to what he was saying.

"...you're so young, and you've already gone senile?" He asked with a bit of ridicule. "Do you really think I'll leave a friend in need?"

"Youngwoo, I don't want anything to happen to you. I'm serious."

"Don't be ridiculous. I'll find out what's happening with Issar."

"Please don't joke like that. I've asked some magicians to check the entire estate already, and they found nothing. I don't want to sound rude, but you're just a swordsman. You can't detect magic, can you?"

"Maybe I can't." Youngwoo shrugged. "But who said it has to be me looking?"

"Huh? Do you know someone who can help us?"

"Well, let's just say I know a guy who knows a guy." He formed a tiny smirk, and his gaze ventured to Iris, floating a few metres away from them both. Noticing his stare, the woman put on a pout.

"...I really think you shouldn't attempt this."

"Don't sweat it, Savi. I won't let anything bother Issar or its residents. You have my word."

"...Thank you."

"Now, how about you go and finish the job we were doing? I'll have to contact the person to help you out."

"...y-yes." Savi bowed his head (quite deeply, actually), and started quickly going towards the town.

As Youngwoo looked around and saw that he was alone with Iris, he asked:

"Iris?"

"Che. Bothering me as usual."

"You seemed interested."

"Just heard a word I haven't heard in long time."

"Do you think you can help me here?"

"Che. I'm an offensive mage, not a hexer or a psion, you goddamn idiot." She crossed her hands on her chest. "I only heard some things from people that used curses."

"..." Youngwoo raised an eyebrow. He couldn't understand why Iris was almost constantly in bad mood lately. "Did something happen?"

"...what do you mean?" She frowned at him. "Has all the oil in your head gotten out?" She almost growled at him. Yup, she was angry.

"...I'm just worried." He said quietly. To be honest, he really was. Iris seemed to be confronted with a lot of things that she hated from the moment she appeared from her Wardstone. He didn't want her burdens to increase further.

"..."

"We're bound together, aren't we? How could I turn a blind eye when I can see that something's off with you?"

"..." Iris turned away from him, but didn't respond.

"I won't **** you, but... if you ever want to talk, I won't laugh at you. I never could."

"..." She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. Her knuckles became white with sheer **** she was squeezing her elbows with. But, she kept her voice firm. "Curses are functionally just spells with triggers, but they require some kind of a medium. An item or a person charged with magic acting as a power source. Find that, and you'll find your curse." And then, she shot upwards, only stopping about 15 or so metres above him, going as far away as her subspace allowed her to go.

Seeing that she didn't want to speak with him anymore, Youngwoo slowly took his steps towards the town. After stepping inside, he got a new notification.

Meanwhile

She didn't understand it. She couldn't understand it, nor did she want to. Iris floated above him, not wanting him to see her in her state. She grabbed both her hands and held them together as strongly as she could. This what was happening was beyond the scope of what she was prepared for.

She's been nothing but awful to him for the past day. She ridiculed him more than usual, and even insulted him, but he didn't react. Hell, it even sounded like he was understanding her pain. She huffed a little.

'As if.' She thought. No, that man could never understand. Her past was too deeply stained with blood and terror she brought. If he ever knew, he'd only feel repulsed. He'd leave her alone, just like the other one. Then why... why, WHY?

Why was her heart beating like this? Why did she feel warmth on her face when he said that he'd listen? Why were her eyes watering so quickly after she flew up here? Why was her breathing so ragged?!

'I... I CAN'T be falling for a man AGAIN!' She made a resolute choice. No matter her feelings. No matter what she thought. No matter what happened. She would never say it. She would never admit it. Feelings are not for her.