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After the Royal Palace sightseeing, as well as the Ethereal Guild\'s tour, which ran for at least four hours, every group, whether from the Obelisk Academy or the Sky Academy, altogether went to the place where inner peace could easily be found — Field of Harvest.

It was a vast field of raw agricultural products like vegetables and fruits. Moreover, numerous species of herbs that were used for making potions were procured in this place, making it a billion Obel piece of land.

Apart from the players with Production-related professions, there were also various infrastructures that served as the place where raw products were processed because the number of players was greatly lesser than the supply of the necessities. In other words, even with the existence of Skills acting as a helper, technologies were still utilized to some extent.

What Russell and the others experienced was the usual learning of stuff regarding the significant, rare ingredients to make potions. Celine, the Nature Alchemist introverted woman, seemed to be under ecstasy upon seeing up close the products she only saw in some books.

After that, everyone went on their own ways to have lunch. And as hours went by, the students of both academies, though were being handled separately, went to see the Etheria Colosseum — where Elizabeth and Rumia were lastly tasked to execute some proven guilty prisoners.

"There will be a mock battle, for Fighting-type professions only, between the first-year students of the Obelisk and Sky Academies.

"Here\'s the list of personally-handpicked contestants by Ms. Ayleen Mayfield.

"But first, are there any complaints?!"

Every student in a theater that served as a temporary lobby for every Obelisk student shook their heads.

"Very well! It seems all of you remember what you\'ve been taught."

Professor Murak\'s deep voice as though he was mad reverberated in everyone\'s ears. As a player, every person must be ready at all times as circumstances were unpredictable, especially inside a dungeon.

\'I knew I\'d be listed.\'

Russell casually thought. He felt like he was just conscripted into the military.

"Woah, isn\'t he the quiet one in the class? Why did Ms. Ayleen pick him to participate?"

"Hey! You didn\'t watch the Ranking of Exchange during the Emergence Anniversary, did you? He\'s skillful enough, though I\'m scared of his personality."

"Haha! I think I was sleeping that time..."

\'I can clearly hear you, kids.\'

Russell thought as he listened to the bubbling of some students sitting at least two seats behind him. Sitting beside him, from his right, was Amelie and Freya.

Based on Ayleen\'s list, with whatever criteria she based it on, Russell noticed that some chosen participants were the ones who won in the Ranking of Exchange in the Emergence Anniversary.

Apart from the Obelisk Academy, the other academies were also adhering to the "Ranking of Exchange" as part of the curriculum.

"Alright! If there are no more questions, let\'s go to the Colosseum!"

Professor Murak\'s voice cut off his thoughts.

After a few minutes of taking a walk, they arrived at a gigantic Etheria Colosseum.

What these students didn\'t know, except for Russell, was that underground of this enormous, grandeur infrastructure, there\'s the most secured prison in the entire country, second only to the ones found in the headquarters of the Obelisk Organization.

What screened in eyes of the newly arrived students from both academies were Ethereal Guild Members, undergoing arduous training as shockwaves could be felt on the ground, tearing the air apart.

"That\'s intense training."

Celiya, the noblewoman, spoke with admiration as she watched below a woman and a man fighting, which was only considered a mock battle for training purposes.

If not for the expansive magic barrier, they would be affected by the heavy atmosphere that the two Guild Members were exuding.

\'I don\'t know them.\'

Russell thought, scrutinizing the two players on the Colosseum\'s sturdy arena, which wasn\'t similar to the one used in the Obelisk Academy.

Glancing around, before the mock battle between the two academies started, Russell, with the help of his profound vision, noticed a woman sitting on the far side of the Colosseum. Due to its size that could hold tens of thousands of audience, anyone sitting from afar was obviously conspicuous.

\'Why is she here?\'

***

In the huge holographic screen that\'s projected midair, the time to start the mock battle could be seen.

"Uhmm, Princess, can I excuse myself for a moment?"

Although there was no seat arrangement at this time, each guide, such as Elizabeth, was still responsible for the students they were designated to accompany.

Sitting three seats apart from Russell\'s left side, Elizabeth glanced at him. Since everyone was "required" to watch the mock battle so the students could gain some insights, Elizabeth agreed to his request without even asking him where he was going.

Smiling as he nodded his head, Russell glanced back to Amelie, and Freya — who was still not talking for a moment regarding the Incomplete Last Defector of Reality because she thought it was not the right time and the right place to discuss it, just before he left for the bathroom.

Finding himself in one of the bathrooms, Russell took out the Mask of Night from his Dimensional Inventory. After wearing it, without utilizing the Shadow Disguise artifact\'s function, which allowed him to change his face and entire physique, Russell disappeared through the shadows.

***

"Argh-! Why is she late?!"

A woman, sitting alone far from the students, grumbled as she glanced at the time on her smartwatch.

"Who are you waiting for?"

Whoosh-!

"WHAT THE?!"

The woman almost jumped from her seat upon suddenly hearing an unexpected voice behind her.

Russell, who removed the Mask of Night, appeared behind the woman and almost got his face hit if his instinctive reaction didn\'t kick in.

"Who–"

The woman didn\'t manage to finish her words. Although it\'s been almost five months since she last met him out of nowhere, she couldn\'t forget the petty humiliation she suffered that day.

"That\'s a nice reaction. Assassins might have a hard time backstabbing you."

Russell commended the woman, but he also inwardly praised her overall power.

\'I was planning to change my face and physique, but...\'

Russell believed that the students\' gaze would barely, and intermittently land on their seats at the moment because the young players tend to admire fights happening in front of them, especially when it wasn\'t a life or death situation, but mere entertainment. In other words, they\'re inconspicuous from afar.

"I didn\'t get to know your name last time I saw you.

"Anyways, I\'m introducing myself again. I\'m Riya, from the Starlight Guild."

It was the woman who made a gamble against Russell on who was going to win in a battle in the Ranking of Exchange.

And the former, Riya, lost to a young man.

"I\'m Russell. Again, who are you waiting for?"

He asked, curious, as he took a seat just a seat away from her. It\'s like a scene where there\'s a quarrel between two people in a relationship.

"Forget it. Why are you here, by the way?"

Riya asked, curious about the young man\'s effort of approaching her since she was most likely a dot from afar.

"Well, I\'m a participant in the upcoming mock battle in a few minutes... So, would you like to make a bet, for the second time, with me?"

\'I\'m pretty certain you\'re here because of the auction.\'

Russell spoke as he inwardly thought differently.

"You must have improved for you to boast openly."

Riya\'s responded as her eyes constricted.

"What can I say? I want to see you lose again."

Riya\'s veins on her forehead bulged as she smiled at Russell without saying anything.

"Fine!"

"Riya-!! My apologies, though the mock battle hasn\'t started yet."

A woman\'s familiar voice, taking a quick pace to approach Riya\'s and Russell\'s respective seats, rang in his head.

Turning his head to check on the woman, Russell\'s expression froze.

"Czerina!"

***

"On the 7th round of the mock battle!

"From the right side, Russell Moon from the Obelisk Academy!

"And from the left side, Acelyn von Ephilon of the Marquis Ephilon household of the Sky Academy!"

Russell seemed to not hear the voice of the match\'s presider as his head was occupied and bothered by Czerina\'s presence.

She\'s the one from the Shadow Guild, that possessed a good public image, who managed to kill him when he and Amelie saved Maya\'s parents and destroyed the acting as a front infrastructure, Black Cat Pub.

In his unpublished novel, though Czerina was one of the villains in the long run, her aim was only against her family, which would drag Jiho, the main character, into the conflict for some reason.

Russell was surprised to see her because her noble siblings were watching at the moment, and though he knew that it was most likely she wouldn\'t be seen, it didn\'t mean that it was impossible.

\'Is it a coincidence...? No...\'

"Why are you spacing out in front of me!?"

The woman, named Acelyn, appeared a few meters from Russell, her words then jolted him awake from his stupor.

Holding dual shortswords, without saving one of her attack skills, Acelyn\'s dual weapons were ignited, reminding Russell of his fight that had taken place in the secret facility of the Shadow Guild.

Holding the plain-looking mysterious weapon, Russell blocked her attack, causing her blue eyes to widen in surprise.

At that moment, Russell rebutted as his cold voice resounded.

"Why are you shouting when you\'re attacking? Noble bitch."

Russell didn\'t hate all the nobles, but only those who were acting arrogant just because of their status and those who were abusing human lives by making them slaves.

Although slavery was a norm in a country with Monarchy, Patriarchy, or Matriarchy type of government, there were still those who owned slaves and treat them as human beings.

"Argh-!"

After Russell deflected the attack, he kicked her in the stomach and sent her flying away, outside the arena.

Bam-!

There\'s a momentary pause and silence about what just happened.

"...The winner is from Obelisk Academy!"

Without caring about the words of victory, admiration, and shock, Russell silently walked out of the arena and left.

***

\'I can\'t focus... f*ck!\'

At this moment, Russell found himself inside a cubicle, feeling like he was suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder because of Czerina. It\'s a different feeling when he met the one who killed him.

Although he wasn\'t afraid, Russell was still having those kinds of emotions, though not severe.

\'The best way to overcome something like this... is to confront it.\'

What he meant by confrontation wasn\'t revealing to her that he was alive, but rather casually having a conversation with the cause.

***

After the sun went down from the horizon, and the bluish moon showed itself over, the Ethereal Auction House was now crowded with people.

This auction house was located in one of the areas of the Ethereal Guild. It was made that way for a sole reason — high-level security.

Russell bought Amelie, and Freya went along. Ken, on the other hand, also went with his A-2 class friends, who were rich or more than rich enough to participate in such a monthly event.

Even without counting head by head, Russell estimated that there were almost a thousand people in this extravagant place, where money and items would be exchanged tonight.

Since this event was part of their free time, they could do whatever they wanted. The two princesses were also participating, as they were sitting a few seats above Russell\'s.

Taking their seats in rows just above, they waited for the crimson curtain to fall. After a few minutes, the dim surroundings were lighted as the auctioneer presented himself on the seemingly grand stage.

"Welcome to the 433rd auction of the Ethereal Guild!"

Claps everywhere reverberated throughout the auction house as the fine man spoke diligently and cheerfully.

"Tsk. Just present the items..."

Russell didn\'t miss the whisper of the person on his right side.

Slowly glancing to his right, Russell\'s deep blue eyes widened.

"C-Czerina?!"