That guy really got on my nerves. I felt something snap in my head. Then, whoosh! My body shot forward like a spring. I had activated a level 3 Haste spell, speeding me up instantly.
"Huh?" I heard Chad's surprised voice. He was frantically looking around, having lost track of me. But I was already quietly behind him. Without any hesitation, I aimed at the back of his head and cast a level 1 Magic Missile spell. It's a basic spell, but that's why it's the fastest and easiest to use.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
"Ugh! Argh! Ugh!" Chad groaned as the Magic Missiles hit him in the back of the head without any defense. His body wobbled, losing balance.
Shing! I quickly drew the sword I had for self-defense. When an opponent is temporarily unable to fight, sometimes swordplay is more effective than spells that take time to cast. Just because you're a magician doesn't mean you always have to use magic. That's being too stubborn about the rules.
Thud! I grabbed Chad's hair and pressed my sword to his throat. Then, without hesitation, I slashed horizontally.
"Gurgle. Gurgle. Gurgle..." Chad choked on his own blood, unable to speak properly as he struggled.
"Use this to light your way to the afterlife," I said, casting a Fireball spell. I lifted Chad's mouth open and shoved the burning sphere inside.
Whoosh! Flames erupted, turning Chad's head into a blazing inferno. He was dead.
[Level Up! Reached Lv. 2!]
[Level Up! Reached Lv. 3!]
[Level Up! Reached Lv. 4!]
With Chad's death, my level jumped up by three. Fighting the small fry in the organization barely gave any experience, but taking down a leader seemed to make a difference.
"The boss is dead!" "Everyone run!"
With Chad gone, his underlings lost their will to fight and began to flee. But I had already stationed soldiers at the mine's entrance and exit. Plus, we had already scouted out the secret passages that were always part of mines like this in Paradiso. We had troops stationed there too.
They couldn't escape. Their only choice was to die quickly or slowly. Chad's group wasn't just a simple criminal gang; they were a vicious bunch. They committed murder and kidnapping for slave trading, so there was no need to capture them alive.
The situation in the underground mine was quickly resolved. After rounding up the remnants of Chad's group and capturing the buyers who came for illegal trades, a system message appeared.
[Quest 'War on Crime' completed. Loyalty of the territory's people increased by 23!]
[Quest 'Destroy the Underground Organization' completed. Loyalty of the territory's people increased by 34!]
[Loyalty reached 100! A small golden age is upon us!]
[With the small golden age, the people praise the lord's grace. Their productivity will increase by 33% for a month.]
[Internal Affairs - Loyalty: 100/100]
"I'm glad I saved the quests to complete them all at once. This is the quest trick! Completing them all at once to directly trigger a small golden age!"
Now, I didn't have to worry about the people's loyalty for a while. With the production bonus from the golden age, I could relax for a month.
While the cleanup was underway, I checked on the people who had been trapped in the underground mine. Originally, I planned to go into town to find promising talents to nurture. But there were quite a few prisoners in the mine too. I thought maybe I could find some good talent here as well. Opportunities can be found anywhere.
Unfortunately, most of them were just ordinary people. Just level 1 with basic stats. I understood why. With such low levels, they couldn't resist the criminals and ended up captured here.
As I watched people explain their situations and get escorted back to their families by the guards, I noticed a girl who stood out. She hadn't moved at all in the prison, just staring at me blankly.
I had felt her gaze since entering the mine. She was watching me with a curious expression. Was it curiosity? Or was there a reason? I naturally scanned her information.
[Lena – Lv. 2]
[Strength: 8]
[Stamina: 8]
[Magic: 0]
[Intelligence: 5]
[Agility: 5]
[Charm: 5]
[Physical Defense: 2]
[Magic Defense: 0]
[Special Trait: Tenacious Endurance S / Fighting Spirit Extreme F]
[General Trait: Challenge, Growth]
"Wow, even though she looks young, her tenacious endurance is already at S level. That means she has a strong ability to endure pain and trials. A promising talent was right here! Amazing!"
I was intrigued by Lena's tenacious endurance trait. I also took note of her general traits. Unlike special traits, which one might not be aware of, general traits show one's usual inclinations. She was aware of them.
A young girl interested in challenge and growth meant she was ready to enjoy new stimuli or training at any time. She was stuck here because of her current situation, but still.
"She's a promising talent. Definitely a promising talent!" I couldn't help but smile at finding a hidden gem. But I realized my smile might be misunderstood by Lena, so I approached her slowly and calmly.
Thankfully, she looked at me intently rather than with caution. Then she spoke first.
"Are you the lord?"
"Yes, I am Jared, the lord of the Krivia territory. What's your name?"
I already knew her name through my insight, but I pretended not to know to keep my abilities hidden.
"Lena, Giselle, Ellis."
As she said her full name, a memory flashed through my mind, sending a chill down my spine. The name Lena is common in the world of Paradiso. But there is only one Lena Giselle Ellis.
The Wall of Lamentation, Lena. In ten years, she would stand at the forefront of the Demon King's army in the Holy Demon War. She would be the greatest adversary who first challenged the protagonist of Paradiso in the main story. She was right here.
"Being in the position of an extra can connect you to people like this!" I realized. From the perspective of an extra, before the main story begins, I could meet someone who would later become a major figure in history.
The Wall of Lamentation, Lena. The strongest tank who effortlessly withstood attacks from hundreds of players, never budging. The fortress she guarded was said to be impenetrable. Lena was a brilliant defender of the Demon King's army.
But right now, she was just a pitiful girl dragged into the underground mine. Something must have happened in the next ten years to change her drastically. I suspected the Demon King's temptation or the schemes of demons hiding in the human world played a part.
If she had been influenced or recruited by demons, there would have been a sign on her status screen. One of the future named characters was here! I wanted to talk to Lena immediately. But seeing her pale face and cracked lips, it seemed she hadn't had proper food or water in a long time. And unlike others, she didn't seem to have anywhere to go.
I ordered Rakis right away. "Rakis, could you prepare some bread and water for Lena? And if possible, some meat soup too."
"Yes, we have some left from what we cooked before coming here. I'll bring it right away. It should still be warm."
"Thank you."
He followed the order diligently. I took Lena's hand and said, "Would you like to sit comfortably for a bit? Let me check your condition first. Just hold my hand tightly."
Her hand was rough and calloused like that of someone who had worked hard for years. It felt like touching the bark of an old tree.
"Ah." I heard a trembling voice from Lena as she held my hand. I patted her head to reassure her and carefully used a Heal spell. My magic wasn't abundant, but it was enough for a level 1 Heal.
"Do you see the white energy? As it naturally flows into you, your stamina will increase. Do you feel the warmth?"
"Yes, I feel it. Thank you so much. I never imagined the lord would care for an orphan like me."
Lena's eyes welled up with tears. Her clothes were old and worn, her body carried a stale smell, and her hair was matted. Everything showed she hadn't been cared for in a long time.
I asked carefully, "Where were you? Do you have a place to return to?"
"I was at an orphanage. But... I don't want to go back. The director sold me to the mine."
"What?" I was shocked. Due to frequent wars, there were many orphanages for children who lost their parents on the continent of Nas. Orphanages received various support, making them relatively easy to run. They also received many donations from benefactors. But to sell a child from there to a mine? That couldn't happen unless someone was blinded by greed.
"I have nowhere to go. I need to find a way to live. It's okay. I only have my body, so I'll work hard!"
Lena's bright response, despite her dark circumstances, was admirable. Usually, when pushed to such an extent, one's general traits would lean towards survival, resentment, or anger. The director of the orphanage she trusted sold her to an underground mine involved in slave trading.
But Lena wasn't like that. "It's actually a good thing. I can take her in and prevent the Demon King's influence. That way, I can prepare for the Holy Demon War and have a promising talent as my retainer instead of the Demon King's."
I quickly made up my mind. Lena seemed like the perfect 'seedling' for nurturing talent. I didn't want to lose her at any cost.