Second World

Jack turned to the commander, "I'm not welcome here anymore?"

"Heh, look at you. When I first asked you to stay at my place, it was as if I have to wring your arms for it. But now, I feel like I have to throw you out, if not, you won't be willing to leave," the commander replied. "Answering your question, of course, you are still welcomed. You are even welcomed to stay from time to time if you like. It's just that if you want to use my Training Ground again, I will have to charge you for it."

The commander knew the whole reason Jack was reluctant to leave was the existence of the Training Ground.

"How many coins?" Jack asked, he should have no problem paying for it.

However, commander Quintus shook his head. "I don't accept coins," he said. "10 merit points for three hours usage."

"Merit points?" Jack asked with surprise. He looked at the Themisphere Nobility Faction Badge in his inventory. There were only 50 points inside. So he could only use the Training Ground for fifteen hours. That was only a bit over one day of usage.

"So expensive?" Jack couldn't help but blurt out.

"Friend, that is already cheap," marquess Fernando had approached and joined in their conversation. "You remember I said I will show you the many privileges once you become a noble? The Training Ground was one such privilege, we have one that everyone can use in the palace barrack as long as you have merit point. But that public Training Ground there cost 20 merit points for two hours of usage, and the effect is only twice the gain from normal proficiency. Commander Quintus' private Training Ground here was already famous amongst the residents of the Noble District. As its effect is three times gain from normal proficiency. But this geezer is miserly, he just kept his Training Ground for personal use. The other nobles won't even be able to lay eyes on his Training Ground."

"Who did you just call miserly?" Commander Quintus growled at the marquess.

The marquess ignored him and continued, "so, you are already very lucky to receive his offer. You can use a Training Ground which is better, with a lower expenditure of merit points, but a longer time usage compared to the others in the faction."

Jack thought about it, so in the future even if other players joined the Themisphere Kingdom Faction, he would still hold the advantage in the Training Ground division as he had built a rapport with Commander Quintus who possessed a higher standard Training Ground. While the others could only use the regular one offered by the faction. He felt lucky now he had defended the commander's daughter during his first faction quest. Perhaps that was the luck from Goddess' Blessing at work again?

Jack bowed to commander Quintus, "thank you for your offer, I greatly appreciate it." After all, he was just a guest. The fact that the commander had let him use such a precious facility for two days was already very generous. Paying for future usage was only fair.

The commander nodded. "I won't be always at this place, but I have informed the servants. As long as you gave them the aforementioned merit point, they would let you use the Training Ground."

"Let's go, we will be late to the auction if we still don't depart," marquess Fernando said.

Jack bid the commander farewell before leaving. Lindsey also came out to send him off when they arrived at the exit. She told him that he was welcomed to join their training whenever he was free.

Jack and the marquess took a carriage on their journey. They stopped in front of a private residence that almost the same size as commander Quintus' one.

"The auction was held in a private residence?" Jack asked as they stepped off from the carriage.

"Are you kidding? Of course not!" Marquess Fernando replied. "This is my house."

"Oh? What are we doing here? I thought we go directly to the auction venue."

"I need to pick up something, and also someone," the marquess replied.

Someone? Jack thought. His sight then wandered to a lone figure who stood in front of the residence. The person was a young man, probably younger than him. His stature was rather short and skinny, but he was very neat. His attire was not luxurious as the ones nobles usually wore, but still very stylish. Jack used Inspect on him.

Dylan Fairdeal (Ranger, level: 11)

HP: 210/210

Huh? A player? It was so unexpected that he repeated his Inspect again? The data was still the same.

"The hell were you from?" This neat player said to marquess Fernando, "I have been waiting for ages here."

"Apologies," the marquess smiled apologetically. "Please wait a few moments more. I will just get something from inside and then we are good to go."

"Storm Wind, you wait here as well. I won't be long. Try to get to know each other, we will be going to the auction together."

With that, the marquess disappeared into his house. Jack turned to the neat player, who was staring at him as well.

Jack still found it hard to register him as a player. First, he thought that he was the only player that had managed to gain a pass into this noble district. Second, his attire didn't look like typical player armors nor robes. It looked more like those decorative clothes with no battle property which he had seen in an expensive shop within this Business District. Wait, did this guy buy his clothes there? What's the point of using those useless decorative clothes?

Another peculiar thing, this player's level was embarrassingly low. Level 11? The mainstream had been around level 18 or 19 already at the moment. What had this guy been doing all this time?

This neat guy seemed to sense Jack's inquisitive thoughts, he said, "something you want to ask?"

"Should I call you Mr. Dylan or Mr. Fairdeal?"

"Just Dylan is fine."

"Ok, just Dylan. How did you gain access to the auction?"

"How do you?"

"It's part of my quest."

"What a coincidence, so am I."

Jack looked at him skeptically. "You are also in Themisphere kingdom faction?"

Dylan's face which was indifferent all this time turned interested. He looked at Jack with fascinated expression. "You are in the kingdom faction?" He asked.

"You are not?" Jack asked back.

"No, the kingdom faction is rather hard to join. I am from the Trade Association," Dylan answered.

"Trade Association?"

"It was one of the league factions. One that emphasizes members with mercantile skills," it was Peniel who answered him. "They usually only accept members with a high level of Haggling skill."

"You never heard of Trade Association?" Dylan asked. "That makes sense. You looked to me like those brute kind who like to play hack and slash."

"Well, this is a world with magic and monsters after all. Hack and slash I reckon are what normal players do. What's your poison? You like to play merchant games?"

"I'm a businessman," he uttered with a prideful tone, he straightened his fancy clothes to further accentuate his elegant style. "your barbaric way holds no sway over me."

"How the hell did you get to level 11 then if you don't do any barbaric deeds?"

"It was unintentional. My faction's bodyguards fought the monsters during our travel. When they were defeated, I receive the experience points."

"Bodyguards? Travel? Tell me more about your faction. What's a merchant faction doing with traveling?"

"You ignorant brute. What do you think a merchant does? They take goods of little value from one town and moved them to another town that values the goods better, then sell them at a higher price. That's what calls trading, and it involves a lot of traveling."

"Wait, wait, wait! Are you telling me that you have been to another town aside from this capital?" Jack asked with a tinge of disbelief.