"Register it under the name...Atlas Mariorett." Atlas finally spoke, revealing the real surname he had hidden for months after escaping the Eternal-class Ruin. The moment those words left his mouth, he felt an emotion he had never experienced before, one that came from deep within his heart.
He couldn’t describe it as relief, nor could he call it the feeling of a burden being lifted from his shoulders, that had already happened when he reached S-rank.
If Atlas had known how to describe this feeling, he would have called it...belonging, as though his whole existence had finally returned to where it should have been from the very beginning, But...he knew neither the feeling nor the word itself, so his attention shifted to something else that happened at that exact moment.
Deep inside his chest, where the Codex always entered and emerged, the relic suddenly gave off a faint hum before falling silent once again.
The next moment even that thought was interrupted as the receptionist called out to him. A sheet of paper materialized before her in the same way the Guild receptionist had done earlier, and she began writing his name before speaking, "Alright, Sir Atlas Mariorett, I won’t need anything else. We don’t ask for personal information or pry into our guests’ affairs, the registered name is enough and...the payment of course."
She smiled slightly at the last part as she picked up the platinum coin Atlas had placed on the counter. Once she finished writing, the paper shimmered before transforming into a metallic key instead of a card like the ones used in the Guild. Placing it before Atlas, she continued, "This is the key to your room, there is a maid waiting near the staircase. Simply show her the key and she will guide you to your room."
Atlas picked up the key and examined it briefly. The number 230 was engraved neatly along one edge. Whether it represented the room itself or merely matched the lock didn’t matter much to him. The maid standing near the staircase at the far left side of the Inn would explain the rest.
After that Atlas turned and walked toward her. Following her instructions through several quiet corridors, he arrived at his room barely two minutes later. The moment the door opened, he paused for an instant. It could honestly be called the most luxurious yet strangely simple room he had ever entered.
The bedroom alone was larger than several chambers he had explored inside Abyss-rank Ruins. Every piece of furniture was crafted from expensive polished wood, while soft carpets covered the floor and elegant decorations filled the room without making it feel excessive. Atlas silently looked around before letting out a quiet sigh, dismissing the slight feeling of being overwhelmed by such luxury. Without wasting any more time, he walked into the bathroom.
He had already placed the Spirit Bag on the couch in the living room before entering the bedroom. Now, after what felt like a long time, he finally had the chance to take a proper bath again.
Several minutes later Atlas stepped out wearing only a towel around his waist, revealing the body that had gradually changed through his constant increase in strength. It wasn’t merely his muscles or well-defined abs that had transformed. His entire physique had become naturally balanced and refined, every part proportioned to an almost flawless degree.
Even Atlas found himself staring at his own reflection for a brief moment, slightly doubtful of what he was seeing. The body reflected in the mirror was refined enough that even kings or queens would envy it.
Looking at himself, Atlas finally understood why his Explorer attire had gradually begun feeling tighter after reaching S-rank. He had noticed it earlier but continued wearing it simply because he had nothing else to change into.
After observing his reflection one last time, Atlas didn’t walk toward the wardrobe. Instead, he returned to the living room, picked up the Spirit Bag and took out the Relic. He wanted to test it. Earlier, while Carial had explained everything about it, Atlas had deliberately refrained from activating it for two reasons.
The first was because he had no intention of testing an unknown Relic inside that unfamiliar room. The second was Carial himself, Throughout the entire explanation, the Relic Evaluator had never once asked Atlas to activate it, that alone was enough to make Atlas cautious.
After all, Carial could have simply asked him to test it. Whether Atlas agreed or refused was a different matter entirely, but there was nothing difficult about asking the question, that small detail had caught Atlas’s attention that’s exactly why...he refrained from using it there.
He never trusted another person’s words without verifying them himself, If Carial had exaggerated or lied about the Relic’s ability, relying on it as a trump card during a future battle could easily become a fatal mistake.
Just as Atlas was studying the Relic while organizing his thoughts, the sound of a doorbell echoed through the room, followed by the familiar voice of the same maid who had guided him earlier.
"Mr. Atlas, your meal is ready. Although it isn’t dinner yet, we always prepare a complimentary meal for our new guests as part of our services. If you would like, I would be happy to introduce you to our Inn’s signature dishes."
Atlas turned toward the door, the moment he did, an idea suddenly surfaced in his mind, causing a faint smile to appear on his face.
’Let’s test it...and see if my memory remains as well.’
That had been the biggest question lingering in his mind ever since Carial finished explaining the Relic and they had come back inside the Guild again, If he truly went back even one second into the past, would he retain the memories from before the temporal shift, or would they disappear along with the reversed time?
There was no way to ask Carial now, nor could he have tested something like this in front of everyone inside the Guild. That left him with only one option, He had to verify it himself.
Without wasting any more time, Atlas began pouring Spirit Energy into the Relic. He didn’t know the exact amount it required, but based on Carial’s explanation, he estimated that rewinding only two or three seconds would consume nearly half of his current Spirit Energy reserves.
Just as the maid outside was about to speak again, Atlas suddenly felt it.
His entire body began moving on its own.
At first, only his muscles trembled. Then, without him activating his speed or any Ability, the flow of time around him seemed to slow. Before Atlas could even confirm whether the Relic had truly activated...
Everything went black.
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!
Use arrow keys (or A / D) to PREV/NEXT chapter