Krugalo and the others were a little conflicted as they stared at the jar of liquor, and they didn’t know what to do with it.

They should be thanking Blue Maple, but Blue Maple’s gift was also very valuable. Besides the fact that the axe could obtain various races’ trust, this jar of liquor was more valuable than the small axe.

They didn’t know what to do, especially when Blue Maple just casually picked up this jar of liquor from somewhere. Their emotions were extremely complicated.

Blue Maple could see their conflict.

“If you think you don’t deserve this without any work, then you can craft some hidden weapons for me.” Blue Maple said plainly.

Krugalo and the others’ eyes immediately lit up because that was a lot easier to handle.

“Alright! What kind of hidden weapons do you want? We can craft some for you, anytime.” Krugalo answered excitedly because only then could they accept this jar of liquor.

“Whatever, you guys can decide.” Blue Maple’s tone sounded a little lazy.

This was an impromptu idea in the first place. He had already completed his task, so he started feeling a little lazy since he could just leave after collecting his hidden weapons.

“If that’s the case… then we will craft a set according to what Thieves typically use.” Klubdi was the one who spoke as he knew of Blue Maple’s abilities as a Thief.

Krugalo, the tribe leader, glanced at Klubdi before he nodded to express his approval. Furthermore, Blue Maple didn’t object.

“Alright, craft a set according to what Thieves use. But we still have some of those hidden weapons in stock, so we’ll give them all to you after crafting a new set. They’re just sitting there collecting dust, anyway.” Krugalo quickly made a decision.

The dwarves quickly got to work.

Klubdi initially wanted to invite Blue Maple to view the crafting process, but Blue Maple suggested that he wanted to rest. He was a little fatigued after their journey, and he still had to visit and observe the crafting process? He was too lazy for that.

Most importantly, the crafting location was extremely noisy, and Blue Maple hated that the most. He enjoyed peace and quiet.

Blue Maple did consider asking them to help him unseal the sword that Old Man Fang had given to him. That sword was still sealed after he finished his third class advancement, and unsealing the sword required forging, and certain materials were required.

However, Blue Maple contemplated for a few moments and decided that was unnecessary. One sword was sufficient.

He didn’t really care whether or not he had that anyway…

Blue Maple was arranged to stay and rest in a specially designated twin room. The reason why he was given a twin room was because… dwarven beds were only that big, so Blue Maple couldn’t lie down unless he combined two beds together…

Blue Maple didn’t close his eyes to rest as he lay on his side. He was just lying ther quietly as he stared blankly at the cave’s ceiling.

Blue Maple was zoning out as an inexplicable aura of loneliness was released from his body. He felt like he was isolated from the world as he lay down on the bed, on his side.

This feeling was sudden and inexplicable.

Blue Maple was just chatting idly with dwarves before this, but he felt like he was isolated from the world and all by himself.

The empty room had unnaturally good sound insulation. This small room was opened in a cave, while the magic lamps on its walls radiated gently while the smell of dirt permeated the room. The freshness of nature made Blue Maple feel even more strongly that this world was an isolated one.

Blue Maple would feel this way even if he opened that stone door to his room and started conversing with the dwarves outside.

“This world will be a great one if the humans from the real world hadn’t existed.” Blue Maple’s lonely words echoed across the room.

His words were inexplicable, and nobody could understand them.

“They are just one race, and even though they do have some imperfections, they…”

“…are quite good.”

Blue Maple’s emotions were a little moody.

Blue Maple was just feeling fine, and he was being his own cold self when his emotions suddenly turned into this. Just as Mystery had said, this fellow was a weird one. He did weird things, said weird things, and even his emotional expressions were also strange.

The feeling that Blue Maple gave to onlookers was that even he didn’t know what he was doing, from him letting the Demon General, Garillo, leave after plundering him, to the fact that the dwarves were the one who were supposed to be thanking and rewarding him, and he gave an excellent jar of liquor to them instead. These wee inexplicable things.

From an outsider’s perspective, Blue Maple’s actions couldn’t be explained, and his reasons were bizarre.

Blue Maple did something strange again.

Blue Maple gradually gathered his dark blue Heavenly Fire in his hands as the peaceful flames swayed quietly as it brought a thread of warmth to the cold and damp room. However, Blue Maple became even more disappointed and frustrated.

The fires started transforming, but they didn’t transform into blue feathers this time.

They stacked up like petals and slowly accumulated in Blue Maple’s palm. It was a blooming rose as it glowed beautifully in Blue Maple’s palm while the flames swayed, and it looked extremely lively and pretty.

This was a blue rose created from dark blue flames, so it didn’t have the usual delicate and tender beauty. Instead, it looked profound and enchanting, and it was riveting even though it didn’t release any alluring fragrance.

Blue Maple stared blankly at this rose.

“Should I not… have come to this world?”

Blue Maple had always been conflicted about whether he should have come into this world. He had always believed that doing so was his mistake, and he shouldn’t have enjoyed this world’s beauty and wonders.

However, every person had their selfish desires, especially when their kin or family was involved. Therefore, Blue Maple had to continue staying in this world, and he had to live with this conflict in his heart. He just didn’t usually reveal such emotions.

Today was the first time that he had seen another race’s tribe.

Even though he tried his best to control himself not to look and not to listen, he still unwittingly witnessed and heard everything. He heard the dwarven children’s games and laughter, the other dwarves’ peace and harmony. He heard their conversations, and every single one of them was about their wonderful life.

The rose made from bluish fire levitated quietly within his palm, like a pretty lady who was slumbering quietly.

“Hibernating quietly for five years is my best choice to spend these meaningless five years.”

Blue Maple’s five lonely years truly didn’t mean much, other than the literal difference of being awake and being asleep. Perhaps, he had some selfish desires that urged him not to waste his five years.

This rose was still floating and burning quietly, while Blue Maple continued muttering to himself.

“Unfortunately…”

“Rose… you can’t answer me…”

Blue Maple’s tone was a little sad as he continued muttering quietly.

Blue Maple finished his sentence before the rose in his palm started blooming excessively, and… it began to gradually wilt…

The petals dropped one after another as they dissipated into blue fire. The beautiful blooming rose was finally helpless as it dissipated, and not a single particle remained, like it had never appeared before.

Radiating beauty, ordinary life that was passing away…

A withering rose.

Blue Maple’s eyes were vacant as he lowered his palm, the one that the rose was floating on, and everything descended again into peace.

……

……

But the tranquillity didn’t last long.

Blue Maple’s eyes subsequently reverted to his usual coldness and calm.

“This cannot be part of Silent’s plan. Then… is this truly a coincidence?” Blue Maple was a little confused.

His sorrowful emotions disappeared entirely, like nothing had happened.

Blue Maple was very good at hiding his own emotions and other things about himself…

He didn’t believe that this was part of someone’s plan. Ever since he discovered something strange with the game back then, he had been very carefree and followed his own desires so that others couldn’t predict his actions.

Blue Maple made his decision to return to Aika City not too long ago, and he didn’t even have a plan to return to a human city before that. He even considered to continue wondering around in the wilderness after his third class advancement.

Blue Maple’s subsequent actions were like the flip of a coin, and he would just go wherever his thoughts wanted to in that moment.

Nobody could predict his time and location.

“Can a coincidence like this exist?”

People who were confident in their own ability and in themselves had a hard time understanding luck and coincidence. However, Blue Maple knew that coincidences were possible, but he had a hard time accepting the fact when it was happening to him.

“I’m an idiot. Even if Silent did do this, so what? She’s always been like that.” Blue Maple chuckled to himself as he supported his chin gently.

“Today must be the 25th.”

Blue Maple retrieved his calendar and checked the date as he spoke to confirm his thoughts.

Today was the 25th. Only two more days remained before the game’s official announcement of the cherry blossoms.

Blue Maple was naturally in and around Gong Liang City for the cherry blossoms. Even Blue Maple couldn’t understand why he was here, even though he hadn’t promised anything. Perhaps, he was here because there was nowhere else to go. Perhaps, he had a so-called faint feeling that he should be here. Who could explain everything?

Blue Maple closed the calendar’s floating panel after checking the date before he relaxed onto his bed.

“The hidden weapons can only be crafted after tomorrow afternoon. I’ll just take a nap…”

……

……

Blue Maple’s eyes closed out of fatigue, and he fell into a deep sleep like he was exhausted…

Rhythmic and regular breathing could be heard in the quiet room while there was still gentle light glowing inside. Blue Maple had forgotten to turn them off.

Feather quietly came out from his pet space just as Blue Maple fell asleep, and he perched on the bedstand in the form of a black eagle. He stared at the sleeping Blue Maple with a tilted head and a confused look on his face. Feather could see everything that was happening in the outside world, except he hadn’t said anything.

Feather quietly returned to the pet space subsequently, and he didn’t disturb Blue Maple at all.

He turned off the lights in the room at the same time…

……

……

Blue Maple slept until afternoon in the next day until a dwarf came forward to wake him up, and to tell him that his hidden weapons were ready.

Blue Maple woke up dazedly as the dwarf guided him to where the hidden weapons were crafted. He behaved like his own cold and lonely self along the way, and nobody could see any change in his emotions at all.

Blue Maple was only thinking in this moment what hidden weapons that Thieves commonly used would look like. He didn’t study Thieves closely before this, so he didn’t pay attention.

Blue Maple was almost a little eager.

Perhaps, his new toys could divert his attention.