The maid: "I hope the adventurer is all right."
The black cat with golden eyes peeked out from under his arms, observing the scene with an almost insolent calm, his tail swaying gently.
Meow
When he spotted Venti, he let out a soft meow, as if recognizing the one who had helped him escape.
The guards then turned their attention to the young adventurer. Their gaze shifted from his dusty clothes to his bow, then to the marks left by the impromptu fight in the garden.
Guard #2: "You're the one who held the dog?"
One of them asked, visibly surprised.
Venti lightly scratched his cheek, a sheepish smile playing on his lips.
Venti: "Let's just say… I mostly bought myself some time."
He answered honestly.
The guards exchanged a glance.
Guard #1: "....".
Guard #2: "....".
Guard #3: "....".
Then they nodded.
Without him, the situation could have escalated much more seriously.
And even if they didn't understand exactly what he had done, one thing was clear:
This young adventurer had prevented an accident.
A few minutes later:
A few moments later, Aster was finally returned to his rightful owner.
Deith stood in the middle of the garden, both hands outstretched, his eyes shining with emotion.
When the maid knelt before him and gently placed the black cat in her arms, the little boy froze for a split second, as if he couldn't quite believe it.
Deith: "Aster."
Then Aster raised his head, immediately recognized Deith, and began to purr softly, rubbing his nose against his chest.
Deith: "Aster..."
Deith murmured, his voice trembling.
Deith: "Aster..."
He hugged the cat, burying his face in its dark fur.
All the fear and worry that had built up over the past few days seemed to vanish in an instant.
Aster, now perfectly calm, wagged his tail slightly, clearly delighted to finally be home.
The little boy was happy to see his pet again.
Venti stood nearby, a little apart, watching the scene with a discreet smile. He felt something relax within him.
This mission, seemingly simple, had taken a much more eventful turn than expected, but seeing the relief on Deith's face made him feel it had all been worth it.
FFFFFFFFFFfffffffffffffffff
A light breeze stirred in the garden, rustling the leaves and gently lifting the bard's cloak, as if the wind itself shared this moment of newfound calm.
Deith: "He's the one who found her."
Deith finally looked up at Venti.
His cheeks were still damp, but his gaze was filled with admiration.
Venti: "You're the one who found him… right?"
He asked shyly.
Venti crouched down to his level and nodded.
Venti: "Yes."
"Aster is fast, but he likes to explore too much for his own good."
He replied gently.
The little boy smiled, hugging his cat even tighter.
At that precise moment, the manor, the guards, the suspicions, and even the captured dog seemed distant.
All that remained was a child, his rediscovered companion… and a young adventurer dressed like a bard, standing beside him, carried by the wind and by a new feeling:
The feeling of having truly helped someone.
Venti: ".................."
But Venti remembered another detail:
The reward
The 10,000 moras.
He blinked once, then a second time, as if the information had only just resurfaced in his mind.
Until now, he hadn't spent a single mora since arriving in this world. Everything still seemed unreal:
Money, the guild, the missions.
Even this city and its inhabitants.
Yet, this reward truly existed, tangible, very real.
Venti: "Ten thousand moras..."
It wasn't a small sum, especially for a mission that, on paper, simply consisted of finding a cat.
Venti glanced discreetly around him.
The manor's garden was vast, impeccably maintained, every bush precisely trimmed, every path paved without the slightest crack.
Just by looking at the place, he understood better why such a reward had been offered without hesitation.
For this family, losing a cat wasn't just a minor inconvenience:
- It was a blow to their peace of mind.
- To their image.
- Perhaps even to the affection of a child they cherished.
He glanced down at Deith, still busy stroking Aster, completely absorbed by his companion's reassuring purr.
Venti felt a pang of embarrassment rising within him.
Venti: "Should I really be thinking about money now?"
The question crossed his mind, but he immediately remembered a simple truth:
If he wanted to survive, progress, and become stronger in this world, he would need resources.
Weapons, equipment, perhaps even books or information... everything had a price.
Even though he hadn't used a single Mora since becoming an Adventurer.
And besides, this reward wasn't given to him for nothing.
He had taken risks.
He had faced a rabid dog, used skills he barely mastered, and even found himself suspended in mid-air, unsure how to get down.
The moras were simply recognition of that effort.
A slight smile stretched across his lips.
Venti: "Very well… I suppose this will be my first real adventurer's reward."
"Even if I don't use them right now."
FFFFFFFFFFFFffffffffffffff
The wind blew gently around him, making the ornaments on his bardic attire tinkle discreetly, as if to approve his thought.
Venti raised his head, ready to face what was next:
- Discussions.
- Thank you
- Or even more thank yous
Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap
The muffled sound of footsteps suddenly echoed on the immaculate tiles, breaking the calm that had settled over the room.
Venti raised his head slightly as the door opened with deliberate slowness.
The butler entered, straight as a ramrod, his hands clasped behind his back, his face as impassive as a statue carved from stone.
He still suspected Venti, as it was his job to take care of Deith.
His gaze swept briefly around the scene:
- Deith holding Aster close, visibly calmed.
- The maid slightly withdrawn.
- Then Venti, instantly recognizable in his bardic attire and with his feigned nonchalance.
The butler's eyes lingered on him for a moment longer, as if trying to read his very soul.
The butler: "I see everything is back to normal."
He declared in a calm, almost solemn voice.
Deith nodded briskly, unable to hide his smile.
Deith: "Yes!"
"Aster has returned!"
"He found him!"
He exclaimed, gesturing enthusiastically towards Venti.
His gaze shifted to the black cat.
The butler inclined his head slightly toward the young adventurer, a measured gesture, but one that conveyed a certain respect.
The butler: "Thank you, adventurer."
Venti: "At your service."
Venti imagined a response without hearing the butler's thanks.
The butler: "In that case, allow me to thank you on behalf of the Garlo family,"
He said.
The butler: "Your intervention was… more effective than we had anticipated."
Venti lightly scratched his cheek, a little embarrassed by this sudden recognition.
Venti: "I was just doing my job as an adventurer."
He replied with a slight smile. Nothing more.
The butler observed the boy for a few more seconds, as if to confirm something inwardly.
The suspicions he'd harbored earlier seemed to have dissipated, replaced by a more pragmatic assessment:
Venti was neither an assassin nor a threat… just an unusual adventurer with strange abilities, but a clearly sincere heart.
The butler: "If you'll follow me."
He continued finally.
The butler: "I'll make sure your mission is officially validated… and that your reward is delivered without delay."
At these words, Venti felt his attention instantly rekindle.
The 10,000 moras resurfaced in his mind, bright and promising.
He nodded and straightened up, casting one last glance at Deith.
Venti: "Take good care of Aster, okay?"
Deith: "I promise!"
The boy replied, hugging his cat even tighter.
As the butler headed for the exit, Venti followed him.
A strange feeling washed over him:
It was just another mission, and yet, it marked a turning point.
This world was slowly beginning to recognize him not just as a stranger… but as a true adventurer.
Venti calmly took the mission document from his satchel, carefully smoothing it between his fingers before handing it to the butler.
The parchment still bore the official seal of the Adventurers' Guild, as well as the precise description of the request:
Find the cat named Aster and return it safe and sound to its owner.
At the bottom of the page, a space remained blank, reserved for the requester's signature to confirm the completion of the mission.
Venti: "I need your signature here,"
Venti explained in a measured tone.
Venti: "The guild requires official confirmation to validate the reward."
The butler took the document without the slightest hesitation.
His eyes scanned each line with almost meticulous attention, as if searching for the slightest inconsistency.
His gaze lingered for a moment on Venti's name, then on the mention of the reward.
The butler: "........................".
Ten thousand moras.
A considerable sum, but one that seemed to elicit no particular reaction from him.
The butler: "Indeed."
He finally replied.
The butler: "I was the one who accompanied the young master to the guild to submit this request."
"I am therefore authorized to confirm its outcome."
....................
He then took a carefully maintained quill from the inside pocket of his coat and dipped it in a small inkwell that a servant immediately handed him, as if everything had been perfectly planned.
With a fluid and confident gesture, he signed the document, then affixed the Garlo family seal next to his signature.
Even though he was the butler, he still had the authority to sign a document on behalf of the Garlo family.
The seal was clearly imprinted in the wax, irrefutable proof of the validation's authenticity.
Venti observed the scene intently.
Everything seemed so formal, so official…
It contrasted strangely with the reality of what he had experienced:
- A chase through the garden
- A rabid dog
- Improvised illusions
- And an uncontrolled flight through the air.
FFFFFFFFFFFFFfffffffffffffff
And yet, all of that now amounted to a simple signature on a piece of parchment.
The butler handed the document back to Venti.
The butler: "The mission is now considered complete."
He declared.
The butler: "Present this document to the guild, and your reward will be given to you without delay."
He inclined his head slightly, a discreet gesture, but one laden with gratitude.
The butler: "You have rendered an immense service to the young master… and to this house."
Venti retrieved the parchment and carefully placed it in his satchel.
A slight smile touched his face.
This signature wasn't just the guarantee of 10,000 moras:
It was tangible proof that he was truly progressing on the path of adventurers.
Step by step, mission after mission, he was beginning to take root in this world… carried, as always, by the wind.
Venti left the room in almost solemn silence, following the butler to the main corridor before turning toward the exit.
Venti: "This mission was rather amusing."
Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap
His footsteps echoed softly on the manor's polished floor, as the richly decorated doors and exquisitely patterned carpets passed around him.
The air was fresh and perfectly still, without the slightest breeze—a sensation that felt almost strange after everything he had recently experienced.
FFFFFFFFFFfffffffffffffffff
Venti: "Finally, the outdoors."
When he finally stepped through the large doors leading outside, a breath of fresh air greeted him immediately.
FFFFFFFFFFfffffffffffffffff
The wind caressed his face, gently lifting the feathers of his beret and making his green cape billow.
This simple sensation brought an instinctive smile to his face.
He inhaled deeply, as if reconnecting with something familiar, something reassuring.
The manor garden stretched out before him, peaceful now. Where just moments before there had been chaos and furious barking, only birdsong and the soft rustling of leaves remained.
The guards had returned to their posts, the dog had been led away, and the servants had resumed their usual tasks, as if nothing unusual had ever happened.
Venti cast one last glance at the building behind him.
This mission, as unexpected as it was intense, had just ended.
He patted his satchel lightly, feeling the signed parchment inside.
First big reward, he thought with a touch of satisfaction.
Without hurrying, he walked along the gravel path leading to the manor gate.
Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap
Each step took him further from this aristocratic interlude, leading him back to his true destination:
- The city.
- The guild…
- And the continuation of his adventure.
The wind blew gently at his back, as if encouraging him to keep going.
Suddenly, as he walked calmly toward the manor gate, a slight vibration struck his chest.
Venti stopped dead, blinked, then instinctively reached for his satchel.
Venti: "…Ah."
The memory came flooding back.
All that little tangle with the dog, the barking, the improvised dodges, the moment he found himself floating without understanding why his adventurer's crystal had kept vibrating repeatedly.
At the time, he hadn't paid any attention, far too busy avoiding being bitten or keeping his illusions active.
He took out the crystal and held it between his fingers.
Venti: "I wonder which skill leveled up."
Its smooth surface pulsed gently, revealing the familiar inscriptions that only he could see.
His eyes widened slightly:
Flight — Level 1 → Level 2
Illusion Creation — Level 1 → Level 3
Venti: "Heh heh."
A soft laugh escaped him.
Venti: "I suspected as much..."
The "Illusion Creation."
Skill leveled up twice, just like during his teleportation.
He thought back to that precise moment when, seized by panic, he had risen into the air without even meaning to.
He hadn't controlled his flight, but he'd maintained it long enough to avoid the dog's teeth.
Even clumsily, he'd used the skill.
And in this world, use meant progress.
But it was the creation of illusions that had evolved the most.
He saw himself concentrating again, trying again and again to divert the dog's attention:
- Blurry shapes.
- Unsteady silhouettes.
- Images disappearing almost as soon as they appeared.
[Venti's Stats — Visible only to him]
Name: Venti
Level: 11/100
Max HP: 3200
ATK: 740
DEF: 410
Elemental Mastery: 180
Identified Skills:
- Telekinesis — Level 2/10
- Stat Boosting — Level 2/10
- Intangibility — Level 1/10
- Flight — Level 2/10
- Soul Manipulation & Lie Detection — Level 2/10
- Elementary Anemo Mastery — Level 3/10
- Illusion Creation — Level 2/10
- Resistance Reduction — Level 2/10
- Stat Reduction — Level 2/10
- Mass Increase/Decrease — Level 2/10
- Teleportation — Level 4/10
- Wind Communication — Level 2/10
Stock exchange: 9000 Moras
Chapter 26: 10000 Moras
The End