[: Daniel POV :]
Recalling Old Jack’s question from earlier, I closed my eyes briefly before opening them and gave him a heartfelt answer.
“There’s really no need to share with the people I hold dear, the ones who feel like family to me,” I explained.
It was a simple response, one that didn’t require a grand explanation. It was my most honest and genuine reply.
I had once been blind to the fact that I had a family all along, and I had lost them. But this time, I was determined not to lose them again.
Hearing my words, Old Jack’s lips curled into a satisfied smile, and I could see the pride in his eyes.
At that moment, he seemed like a proud grandpa, content with my response.
“Hmm, I see,”
Old Jack muttered, his wise eyes studying me, and the others nodded in agreement.
For the others, my words seemed to catch them by surprise at first.
But soon, warm smiles spread across their faces, and I could see just how much I truly meant to them.
It was a powerful reminder of the bond we had forged together.
At the same time, I couldn’t help but acknowledge how much they meant to me as well.
“But, don’t you think that you’re pushing yourself too hard? Perhaps, you should take a break, relax. You’ve been working tirelessly for the past few years,”
Areia said, her concern evident in her voice.
“It’s true, young master,” Fara chimed in, echoing her sentiments.
“We’re not suggesting, but maybe you should rest for a few days.”
Their words carried the weight of genuine care and concern.
They had noticed that I hadn’t been present in this world much lately, thanks to the endless hours I spent farming in Modern Fantasia.
Hearing their voices of concern, I couldn’t help but smile.
However, I knew that to protect the people who were precious to me, I couldn’t afford to stop.
“But, don’t you think that you’re pushing yourself too hard? Perhaps, you should take a break, and relax. You’ve been working tirelessly for the past few years,”
Areia said, her concern evident in her voice.
“It’s true, young master,” Fara chimed in, echoing her sentiments.
“We’re not suggesting, but maybe you should rest for a few days.”
Their words carried the weight of genuine care and concern.
They had noticed that I hadn’t been present in this world much lately, thanks to the endless hours I spent farming in Modern Fantasia.
Hearing their voices of concern, I couldn’t help but smile, though my determination remained unwavering.
“You don’t have to worry about me. If I’m tired, I’ll take a rest,” I reassured them.
My words were meant to ease their concerns.
“In fact, you two, shouldn’t you two get married soon?”
I suddenly turned the tables on them, throwing them off guard.
“WHAT!” Areia shrieked, her face turning beet red.
Lye, on the other hand, averted his gaze and didn’t utter a single word.
“Me? Marry this guy? Ha! No way, young master,”
Areia huffed, folding her arms and looking away.
But her blushing cheeks betrayed her true feelings, revealing her as more of a tsundere.
“She’s right, young master. I can’t marry this shorty,”
Lye shot back with a smirk.
I chuckled, well aware that Lye was putting up a tough front when, in reality, he was probably screaming inside.
“Who would marry a brute?”
Areia retorted, her tsundere nature on full display.
“Yes, I agree, but at the same time, can’t deny that he’s good-looking,”
Fara commented, trying to ease the tension.
“Hmph,” A
reia turned away with a huff, and I couldn’t help but sigh, though I couldn’t contain my amusement.
“Hey, wait. What’s the meaning of that?” Lye protested.
“You have ears, so just listen,”
Fara replied, and Lye fell silent, clearly unable to come up with a comeback.
I shook my head, thoroughly amused by their playful banter.
Finally, we reached our destination.
“Welcome,” the receptionist greeted us as we entered.
The restaurant wasn’t particularly large, but the interior had a pleasant ambience.
“Follow me,” the waitress led the way and guided us to an empty table.
“Please, make yourselves comfortable, and someone will be with you shortly,” she said before departing.
“Do any of you have anything specific that you want to eat?” Lye inquired.
“I have no special requests,”
Fara and Areia responded in unison, though their eyes were on me.
“Oh, just get the menu,” I suggested.
“Well, whatever you want,” they agreed.
“Alright,” Lye fetched the menus, and we perused the offerings.
We placed our orders and waited for our food to arrive, finally settling into our seats.
Eventually, the dishes arrived, and the waiter carefully set them on the table before returning to the kitchen.
“Let’s eat, and we can catch up later. We’re all hungry, right?” Fara suggested.
We dug into our meals, savouring the flavours, and as we enjoyed our food, we engaged in conversation about various topics related to the organization and recent global news.
“Young Master, did you know that the Unison Government has introduced a new form of tax where instead of levying taxes based on currency, they’ve decided to collect ‘Drops’ instead?”
Lye informed us, his expression reflecting the absurdity of the Unison Government’s actions.
“Well, ever since the Unison Government took control of the world, they’ve implemented numerous new laws and regulations, especially concerning Modern Fantasia,”
Areia added with an air of indifference as if she couldn’t be bothered by it.
The Bell Organization, ruled by Mother, had little concern for the world’s affairs.
As long as no one interfered with their operations, they preferred to remain in the shadows, observing from a distance.
However, it wasn’t as if Mother allowed them complete freedom to do as they pleased.
The other organizations were effectively on a leash, and if they overstepped their bounds or acted too recklessly, Mother would step in to administer punishment.
“First, they’ve imposed a rule that no human can use their powers without possessing a Deviation License Plate”
”If anyone uses their abilities recklessly, they’ll be subject to discipline by the Guilds, acting under orders from the Government,”
Areia explained, shedding light on the new regulations imposed by the Unison Government.
“It’s an effective method for constraining and limiting the powers that the population possesses, but the question is, for how long?”
Areia mused, her fork gesturing toward the world beyond.
“There’s no telling when a madman might decide to blow up a city or poison the water supply”
”The potential for destruction that humans possess is boundless, and it’s equally true for the dangers we face,” she continued.
“But fortunately for us, we don’t face those problems”
”Thanks to our young master, we can establish hierarchy and maintain control over our people, something the government is struggling to achieve,”
Areia remarked with a proud smile.
“Indeed, I’m not sure if imposing taxes based on Drops is a wise move,”
Areia commented, her brow furrowing in thought.
“Introducing this new tax system is essentially like hindering their citizens’ ability to level up and suppressing their power”
”Once a month, Unison will claim 30% of every Player Drop, whether it’s money or treasures acquired from Fantasia,” she explained. 𝑙𝒾𝒷𝘳𝑎𝒹.𝗇𝓔t
“I can’t fathom what the Unison Government is thinking”
”They’re essentially compelling their citizens to work while simultaneously siphoning off 30% of their earnings,” Areia chuckled, shaking her head in disbelief.
“All of these laws wouldn’t have been possible or effective without the establishment of Guilds,”
Areia emphasized, highlighting a key factor contributing to the successful imposition of laws and regulations.
“For now, there are five Major Guilds that have amassed hundreds of thousands of members, and if this trend continues, they could have millions by the end of the year,”
Areia informed us.
My eyebrow raised at the mention of the five Major Guilds, a topic I had some unresolved issues with.
I had worked with them in the past, and it hadn’t been an experience he would describe as memorable.
“So, what are we going to do next?”
I asked, curious about the plans ahead.
The Bell Organization had seemingly achieved all its objectives, securing the resources it needed and ensuring its peace.
At my question, Tess finally spoke up.
“The Tessera is about to begin,” he said, adjusting his glasses before continuing with his meal.
His words made me realize that the time had already come.
“I suppose things are about to get busier than ever from now on,” I commented, and everyone at the table seemed to agree.
I couldn’t be certain if Tess felt the same way about the Tessera event as he did in the Alternate Future, but I was sire to ensure that the events of that alternate future would never come to pass.
In that alternate future, Tess’s inventions had been one of the few crucial factors that had enabled our survival.
His countless creations had been instrumental in allowing humankind to endure the challenges they faced.
Yet, even with his remarkable intellect and contributions, the gods were jealous of his intelligence.