Ka—Boom!

"Ha... this satisfying feeling deep within me...Did I level up again?"

Mia murmured after sending a few fireballs at the group of slimes in the distance. She didn't know where the feeling came from but from what she understood for the past few hours of spending her time here, it was most likely due to leveling up. it was faint at first, but she could definitely feel it and thought she was just imagining it since she was simply too happy upon finally seeing her level increased to 2. But as she progressing further, the moment she levels up the second time, the feeling grows a bit stronger but not as strong as just now which is the third time as her level now stood at 4.

Mia just pulled out the card out of her pocket to look over her status and she was right on the mark. She does level up.

『 Mia LV.1->4 』

『 HP: 15/15->15/25 MP: 10/50->10/75

Class: Mage

—STR: 4->10

—INT: 10->15

—AGI: 4->6

—VIT: 3->5

—LUCK: 2 AP: 15->0 』

"I can feel it... I can feel the mysterious strength deep inside of me."

Mia couldn't help but uttered a line that one would mistake her for having an eighth-grade syndrome after feeling her strength increasing at an alarming rate. The feeling was just like a drug that can make one addicted to it, it was to the point that one thought they become an omnipotent god who could destroy anything with a simple flick. Of course, that was all merely an illusion of becoming stronger.

Just like the other times, once the smoke dispersed from the explosion spot, nothing remained other than a blackened ground. Once she was sure of that, Mia could finally take a breath since that means she had completed another quest which in turn, makes the zone becoming safer since the slimes have all disappeared upon quest completion. To be honest, she had wanted to accept another quest right after leveling up to 2 when Sheila had left. But to her disappointment, she couldn't take another one unless the timer of thirty minutes disappeared.

Mia didn't need to guess further as she judged it must have been the work of Sheila. It seemed Sheila had prepared in the situation that Mia won't listen to her advice and implanted a countermeasure against it before leaving. With no other choice, Mia finds herself seated on the ground before looking for something to do inside her inventory. She could just exit the Trial Tower and reenter which would put the timer rendered useless, but she didn't do so. After all, Sheila went out of her way to do this for her own sake, it would be rude of her if she disregards the advice completely.

Most importantly, just as Sheila said, if she went too far without taking any break, sooner, she would be overwhelmed and die at the hand of the slimes. Dying, that's not a topic she or any normal person would like to joke around. If she dies here, everything's over. She still hasn't repaid her adopted family just yet, and the kindness from her teacher who still supports her till the very end. She needs to repay them before moving on to another life, at the very least.

Plus, she also wanted to know about her real family's identity and, are they still alive somewhere out there. Moreover, why do they left her alone at the Orphanage Center? She had so many questions for them. There's no way she would let herself get killed at this point in time.

"Hmm? Why is there a book in my inventory?"

While Mia was browsing through her inventory, she stumbled upon a few things which she didn't remember adding in. The books were one of them.

"Is this... Light Novel? A fiction one at that?"

Mia slowly muttered while she was flipping over the pages and managed to read a few lines which she immediately concluded as fiction light novel. She had never read a novel before, but at least she did know that there exists a different type of novel out there. If she remembers correctly, was reading one of Sheila's hobbyist? Mia still wasn't sure whether her guess was right but, she still faintly remembers finding a few books in Sheila and Ria's bedroom. She didn't know what kind of book it was but certainly, the size of the book was almost the same as the one in her hands, that's for sure.

The only one who could access her inventory was also none other than Sheila beside herself, so it has to be her. It seemed Sheila has thoroughly been prepared for any kind of situation. If Ria had come to know about this information, she would begin to doubt whether the lie was the truth because of how unbelievable it is to her.

Without anything to do other than staring at the endless field of grassland or the always-sunny sky, Mia decided to read the light novel to pass the time. When she was living in the Orphanage, reading is considered as studying rather than something like a hobby where one spends their time leisurely. It's not that kind of luxury. Rather than doing that, it would be much more productive if she studies instead. A family would prefer adopting smart kids than idiot one, after all. Of course there a few cases differ.

Mia didn't believe it at first yet still diligently studying when she heard some of those kids who only cares about having fun wasn't able to get adopted due to such a reason. If she had decided to ignore the advice given by the Caretaker, she might still live in that Orphanage. It wasn't bad living there but it wasn't good either. She came to know about it after living for a few years with her adopted family. She came to know about the luxury of spending her free time on some of her hobbies after finishing the homework given by the adopted mother.

For the first few days though, she used the free time studying like she did when living in the Orphanage. It was when her adopted mother found out about it that she begins to look for something else. But even so, she never came across a game in the time she was discovering hobbies, this explained why she didn't know anything about 'status' when it popped out in front of her surprised gaze. Once Mia gets home that day, she immediately went up to her computer to look for a few games with a 'roleplay' genre that was recommended by Sheila. It was a very surprising and exciting experience that would forever live as one of a few good memories.

Just like that day, she was surprisingly enjoying reading the light novel in her hands. When the main protagonist didn't realize the trouble coming after his loves one, Mia didn't expect to finds herself worried about the fictitious character. Or the time when she came across a farewell lines from the main protagonist when he comes upon a realization that his presence caused his loved one to be in a dangerous situation, she couldn't help but feel sympathy for him, the bearer of a cursed fate. When she comes to her sense, a few hours have passed and that she had already finished six volumes of a light novel. Yet, she still didn't feel like she had enough and wanting for more.

Since the timer had surpassed the half-hour mark, Mia has to put a stop on her reading to resume training herself for the duel with a heavy and unsatisfied heart. After putting the book back into the inventory, she immediately equipped with the wand before accepting a quest that required her to kill a lot of slimes. The reward completely gone outside of her perception as she only took a glance at the required kill amount on the quest, other than that, she didn't bother looking at them. And thus, that's how Mia spends for the rest of her day, whilst she was on her break, she would resume reading the book as if it becoming part of her life now.

***

"Man, have you heard about that?"

"What is it? Are you talking about that time when you were being a complete moron, massaging your meat in the break room thinking that no one would enter during that time on your break but unfortunately for you, the manager entered the room and saw the ridiculous sight of your—"

"STOP! I WASN'T TALKING ABOUT THAT, DUDE!"

"What else is there to talk about? That was still the hottest topic of this week, you know?"

"I was clearly talking about something else!"

"But still, I couldn't help but become curious, you know? Can you tell me where did you get the will to actually 'do it' in the break room? Did you become even more aroused upon thinking that someone might enter the room during the time you—"

"PLEASE STOP, I BEG YOU! I..I already had enough of people looking at me as if I was a disgusting poop at the side of the r-road."

Slowly, the man mutters slowly becoming faint and his friend could eventually hear him sobbing and almost choking in his word at the end of it. The man even begins to think that he must have been possessed at that time of the day, for him to dare as far as doing such a ridiculous thing in the room where one would usually enter during their break. Of course, he didn't dare to mention this to anyone but, that was the best orgasm he had in his entire life. The look on his manager's face at that time was simply speechless beyond word. For clarification, the manager is a beautiful woman in her mid-30s.

"Anyways, I was talking about that crazy girl. You know the one who always causes trouble everywhere she goes."

After calming himself, the man whispered such a word to his friend while looking around at his surroundings as if afraid that people might hear of him talking about taboo. After all, there was an accident where the girl coincidently overheard someone talking bad about her behind her back and the result of it? No one ever heard of what actually happened to that person anymore after he retired from the job a day later. It was very obvious to others but they couldn't do anything other than keeping their mouth shut since they didn't want to be another victim like him.

"Crazy girl? Ah, you mean that girl. What, did she caused trouble again somewhere?"

"No, not yet at least. I heard that she will be having a duel or something, with someone who had already dropped out of the academy. Isn't that simply bullying at its finest?"

"Mhm, Indeed that's the case. So, why are you bringing the topic? There has to be something interesting for you to suddenly mentioning about it."

The man smirked for a moment at his friend's remark before returning his expression to what he believes as 'being mystery' and continues.

"Of course! Actually, this rumor has already been verified this morning so trust me, it's the truth!"

"Well, speak then. What was so interesting that you have to be all mysterious about."

His friend grumbles under his breath at him.

"Alright then, I'm looking forward to seeing your expression after hearing about it... you see, I somehow overheard that the Chairman will be coming here to watch the duel between that crazy girl and the unfortunate one. That very Chairman, you know?! Isn't it crazy? I know you might not believe me now but just wait for it. Surely, tomorrow or on the day of the duel that the Chairman will make his appearance."

The man ended the discussion there amidst his friend sending him weird gaze to him, believing completely that he was spouting nothing but bullshit. After all, it was the Chairman they were talking about, not some random Tom, Dick or Harry. If the Chairman would truly be coming here, it won't be this silent in the building. But still where in the world did his friend get his confidence from? Or is it truly true that the man went crazy after that day he was caught in the act by the manager? Either way, one thing that he still believes until now is that he definitely won't get any closer to the man for various reasons.

The man is simply too dangerous to get closer to. He also could indistinctly remember hearing the manager cursing in her room about how she couldn't forget about the scene she, unfortunately, had to witnessed that day, which would occasionally appear in her dream that causes her to stay awake for the rest of the night. No wonder the manager was still mad at his friend even to this day. It wouldn't be surprising if his friend were to be fired for such reason, yet the manager was simply too kind for her own good. Although both of them came to know about the supernatural side of the world when they were hired, they were still at the end of it, a normal person who simply have knowledge regarding it.