Who Says I'm Not a Proper Adventurer?

The person inside was none other than Buck, the boss of the "Ghoul Dogs."

He was in a truly wretched state.

His once-fierce face was now a sickly, ashen gray. His eyes were sunken, and his eyeballs were shot through with terrifying red veins.

He exuded a volatile irritability, like a cornered beast that hadn't dared to sleep for days and nights while being hounded by a Hunter.

At this thought, the corners of Lance's mouth lifted slightly, and he almost couldn't stop himself from laughing out loud.

This was all his masterpiece.

He certainly hadn't been idle these past few nights.

Every day, as if clocking in for a job, he would casually clean up a few dregs from the Ghoul Dogs. And each time, he left the [Blood Copper Coin], a symbol of revenge, in a highly conspicuous place at the scene.

This continuous psychological pressure had a remarkable effect.

Judging from the secrets he obtained from the few grunts he'd taken out over the past few days, Buck was now thoroughly convinced that the Blood Copper Coin organization was out for revenge.

He had even lost his temper in front of his subordinates several times. His displays of impotent rage left his men terrified and unsettled.

Lance remembered the secret from the unlucky bastard he'd dealt with yesterday. It had clearly stated that Buck had decided he couldn't endure it any longer.

He planned to go and fight to the death with the mastermind hunting his organization—the boss of "Blood Copper Coin," the Level 2 Fallen Mage, Cindy.

Seeing how things were going, his underlings were already starting to consider disbanding or finding a new boss to follow.

And now, Buck appearing in such an expensive weapon shop obviously meant he had liquidated all his assets. He was preparing to buy powerful equipment for a desperate, all-in gamble.

Lance couldn't help but marvel at how terrifying the [Illustrated Guide] system was.

There was no need for a direct confrontation. Just by grasping everyone's secrets and exploiting the information gap, he could kill without a trace.

'But...'

Lance stroked his chin as a new idea suddenly popped into his head.

'I can't possibly get all future secrets by beating someone up or killing them, can I?'

He remembered that the condition for unlocking secrets on the system panel was the word "defeat."

In gaming terms, the definition of "defeat" is quite broad.

If you won against someone in a competitive game or a card match, wouldn't that also count as a defeat?

If this hypothesis was correct, his methods for obtaining intelligence would become much more flexible.

He could go and test it on Cecilia tomorrow.

She was a celebrity of sorts at Violet Academy, and the Rosenthal Clan behind her was renowned. She definitely met the threshold for being recorded in the Illustrated Guide.

The only pity was that if Buck really went to fight it out with Blood Copper Coin, he probably wouldn't be able to get his hands on the "Fire-Stealing Marvel" mentioned in Jeff's secret.

Buck would surely carry it on him. If he died, Blood Copper Coin would just pick it up.

Although he was a bit curious about what a god-cursed item could be, Lance was able to let it go.

The road ahead was long. For such external things, it was his fortune to obtain it, and his fate to lose it.

There was no need to take risks for an uncertain gain.

Back home, Lance quickly took off his gear, put it away, and changed into a set of comfortable, casual clothes.

He picked up the [Starlight Journey Scrapbook] from his desk and examined it carefully.

In addition to the few landscape cards that were already inside, he had also inserted several Imprint Crystals he had made over the past few days, along with a handwritten letter.

His destination for tonight was Nia's place.

He had learned from Flora a couple of days ago that after receiving Amber's letter, Nia hadn't wallowed in sadness. Instead, she had immediately set off for White River City.

Partly to say goodbye to Amber in person, and partly to take the opportunity to leave Gray Rock Town and see the outside world.

By his calculations, she should be returning today.

Lance planned to deliver the scrapbook and then come back for his evening training.

However, he probably wouldn't get to see Nia herself tonight.

Because Nia had run home in tears after their last gathering, her overprotective uncle, Homman, was convinced that Lance had bullied his niece.

When Lance went to Nia's house looking for her the day before yesterday, he'd been chewed out by that cranky middle-aged man.

But as long as he could get this scrapbook into Nia's hands, that would be enough.

Knowing that silly girl as he did, she would surely stop being angry the moment she saw what was inside. She might even be moved to tears.

He figured he'd see her lively figure at the Adventurer's Guild first thing tomorrow morning.

He would also have to introduce Cecilia to her then. The two girls were around the same age; they might even become good friends.

Lance composed himself, tucked the scrapbook into his coat, and started walking towards Nia's house.

Gray Rock Town was divided into two areas by a clear creek.

The place Lance had previously rented was on the northeast side, near Copper Creek Forest and the Underground City.

That was the area where Adventurers and merchant caravans gathered, bustling with noise and activity.

The other side of the creek was on slightly higher ground.

This was where Gray Rock Town's administrative offices and civilian residential area were located.

The scenes on the two banks were starkly different.

As Lance crossed a sturdy stone bridge, he could see Guards in pairs on patrol, wearing Iris Flower Badges on their chests.

The aroma of freshly baked bread and roasted meat drifted through the air.

Lance's own residence was located at the junction of the commercial and residential districts, so it was very convenient to get to Nia's house.

He passed a wide central fountain where several children were playing and roughhousing.

Not far away, a second-floor window opened, and a mother in an apron leaned out, loudly calling her child home for dinner.

This area had a tranquil beauty, far removed from the hustle and bustle.

This was the inclusive Gray Rock Town, where different people could all find their own way of life.

After passing rows of townhouses with warm-colored exterior walls, the view suddenly opened up.

Ahead were several red-brick houses with their own private courtyards.

Lance walked up to the door of one of these houses and rang the Magic Energy Bell on the gatepost.

Soon, the door to the house in the courtyard was pushed open, and a woman poked her head out.

After seeing it was Lance, she turned back and shouted a few words into the house.

Immediately after, Homman stormed out of the house, his face dark and furious.

"You little punk! I haven't settled the score with you for bullying Nia, and now you're back again?"

Homman stood behind the iron gate, hands on his hips, making it clear he had no intention of letting him in.

Nia's room was near the backyard, so she couldn't see what was happening at the front gate from there.

Otherwise, no matter how angry she was, Nia would never let Homman block her friend at the gate like this.

Lance didn't even have to guess; the man had surely concocted a whole drama in his head, casting him as a heartless scumbag who'd toyed with his niece's heart.

"Wait! Vice-Chairman!"

Homman snorted coldly.

"Don't call me Vice-Chairman. You're not an employee of the Guild anymore."

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