OLD-WORLD EXTRA-Chapter 101: The Silent Archive

"C'mon, speak up, why are you acting so cryptic?" Emir asked.

Sounding embarrassed, Kiera said, "Well, it's just that I've been wanting to ask you to come with us to a ruin dive, but we don't have much to give you in return, so I was afraid it might seem like we are taking advantage of you."

He thought about it for a moment and asked, "Why ask for my help now? You guys going to level up?"

She sounded a chuckle as she said, "Yes, after meeting you, I realized that I-we can't go on like this, we have to go to more dangerous ruins if we want to make sure that we will live to see tomorrow."

"I see... Well, good on you, but what are my incentives to join you?"

"We have already decided on this, we would give you half of what we find and pay you 1 million UC. I know that this amount is nothing to you, and I'm embarrassed to even mention it, but that's all we can afford."

Emir paused for a moment.

[Hey Lyra, don't you think that this might be a good opportunity for me to learn about ruin team diving?]

[Of course, you have yet to become strong enough to think of handling everything yourself, so getting accustomed to team battles would be beneficial.]

'I'd like to know how those regular hunters operate in a ruin. Unfortunately, or rather fortunately, my own experience isn't exactly what I'd call ordinary.' He mused to himself.

Returning his attention to his terminal, he said, "There is no need for any payment, just take it as you owing me another favor."

"Said favor can potentially cost us more than the payment we planned, quite smart, Emir. But if us owing you is what you want, then sure, I don't mind." She replied.

"Good, what time and which ruin is it?"

"The Silent Archive, we meet there in 4 hours, it's quite close to the sector, but make sure to leave some time before the appointed rendezvous."

'Hoh... Interesting, we had our sights set on going there anyway. Talk about a stroke of luck~' He mused, now completely on board with joining them.

"No worries, I'll be there, though I didn't expect you to choose that ruin. Although the Silent Archive isn't really dangerous, but it has been infested with those underground factions. Are you sure about this?"

"We are, we planned this out for some time, and if something happens, we have you there with us, don't we?"

"Don't you think that you're trusting me too much?"

"I thought we already went past that? I'm not someone that trusts others easily either, but since we met, you didn't take any actions that would potentially harm us, and you don't have any benefit in doing so anyway, so it wouldn't make sense for you to stab us in the back."

"Good to see that you've thought this through. Anyways, best of luck with your preparations, and I'll see you there."

They soon bid each other goodbye and ended the call.

Emir then put his terminal back into his pocket as he silently exited the room.

And while he was heading home, he reflected on the conversation he had with Kiera.

'I hope that she understands that anything suspicious on her part will result in the death of her entire gang, but let's hope it doesn't come to that.'

His thoughts then shifted to the upcoming dive he would be undertaking.

The ruin he'll be exploring this time is quite different from the last one, after all, it used to be a grand library.

The prospect of exploring a once-grand library piqued his curiosity, and he wondered what secrets and relics he might uncover.

[Lyra, have you already bought the information package and routes?]

[Yes, do you want me to send the information to your neural network?]

Emir nodded, and in the next moment, all information relating to the ruin and the routes leading to it was present in his brain.

While sifting through the information, he asked, [Do you want to come with?]

[....]

[Lyra?]

Her reply came in stuttered and surprised, [I-I wasn't hallucinating? Are you sure, Emir? You know this might pose a slight chance of us getting exposed.] freeweɓnovel.cѳm

[Well, I won't come out and say that I forgot all that happened in the past, I definitely didn't. Do I trust you fully? No, it would take me a long time to be able to do that, but we need to start somewhere, and what's a better way to rebuild a relationship with someone than in the guts of dead monsters and hunters?]

[And we both know that you can disguise yourself so we can meet in the ruin no problem, let's just get our back stories straight on the way there, choose whoever you'll impersonate wisely.]

Lyra sounded a giggle as she said, [That would be quite romantic, I would love that. Alright, I'll reserve a spot for me in the transportation bus. Is there anything you would like for me to do before we go?]

[Yes, I need you to give a heads-up to my Mom. Tell her that I'll be gone for a while and that it might take me a long time to come back home.]

[Are you sure? I'm not certain that the AI manager of that ruin would be active...]

[Yeah. It doesn't matter, I just need her to know that I might be away for a while in case it happens.]

[Alright. Anything else?]

[Right... If I'm gone, I need you to help her with the relic business, make it a company, do whatever that you see fit, just don't show her the illegal side of the business, cause when the Order does catch on to us one day, she might take the stand, and we both know what would happen then don't we?]

[Consider it done.]

[I also need you to set up a will for me.] He said with determination seething through his

every word.