Chapter 602 - 39: An Old Acquaintance

Chapter 602: Chapter 39: An Old Acquaintance

"Melfield?"

She lowered her voice, repeating the name at a volume only the two of them could hear.

Murphy grunted a soft "Mm," his expression unchanging.

Cheris’s smile widened.

She didn’t expose Murphy.

She just smiled, her hand tightening on his arm as she pressed herself naturally against him.

The soft sensation came through their thin clothes, and Murphy’s brow twitched slightly.

But he said nothing and did nothing.

He simply let her hold onto him like that.

Cheris noticed his subtle, momentary reaction, and the amusement in her eyes deepened.

She didn’t press him further, nor did she say anything else.

She just kept her arm linked with his, leaning gently against him as she walked forward.

Her posture was far more intimate than when they had left the skyscraper.

It was as if their relationship had grown a level closer in that short time.

The manager froze for a moment, then immediately plastered an even more brilliant smile on his face.

Although he didn’t understand why Lady Douglas had suddenly become so happy, a happy VIP was a good thing.

As a subordinate, as a service provider, his job was to ensure the VIP’s happiness continued.

So he hurried to catch up, his smile growing more eager and his bow deepening.

"Lady Douglas, Mr. Melfield, this way, please! The elevator is over here. I’ve already had it prepared for you. It will take you directly to the VIP lounge on the tenth floor!"

The other attendants snapped to attention, their faces instantly breaking into even more sycophantic smiles as they bowed in unison.

"Welcome, Lady Douglas and Mr. Melfield!"

Each smile seemed more sincere than the last.

Melfield.

The name made Alonso freeze.

Melfield. It was a common name; many people had borne it in the Old Realm.

But none of the "Melfields" he knew could be considered a VIP.

Alonso tried to recall those years, those people, those events.

The "Melfields" from the Old Realm whom he had crossed paths with or who had caught his attention.

’One... two... three...’

He went through them one by one.

Nothing.

None of them matched the young man before him.

And none of them had been powerful enough.

Even among the Wizards who had historically traveled to the New Realm, there wasn’t a single one named Melfield.

Alonso was certain of this.

Because he had heard rumors of all the major figures from the Old Realm.

But not one of them was named Melfield.

’Is it a fake name?’

Alonso’s brow furrowed slightly.

’But if it isn’t a fake name, if it’s his real one...’

He suddenly remembered a name.

’Melfield Monte...’

It was someone he had chanced upon and heard of back in the Old Realm.

Not a VIP, just a minor character.

A War Slave who wasn’t even an Official Wizard.

The only reason he remembered the man was because that War Slave was supposedly the Governor of the Monte Territory.

Of course, he couldn’t care less about that status.

With his memory, he could remember anything after hearing it once, but that was all it was—a memory.

What he cared about was another piece of information.

This War Slave named Melfield was said to be the lover of the Enchanting Witch.

’The Enchanting Witch.’

’A being who controlled the World Origin in the Ancient Wizard World.’

’As the inheritor of her title, her power and potential were not to be underestimated.’

Of course, a so-called lover was nothing special.

For great figures like them, lovers were disposable commodities that could be cast aside at will.

Favored today, neglected tomorrow, and forgotten the day after.

Nothing could be more normal.

Besides, no matter if he was a lover, he was just a War Slave at the Peak of Grand Knight.

Not even an Official Wizard.

’Even the Enchanting Witch herself, given the power cap of the Old Realm, might not even be a Third-Level Wizard by now.’

’Let alone her lover?’

Moreover, Alonso’s gaze fell once more upon the young man in the long black shirt.

’That face is too young.’

’That aura is too powerful.’

’And he looks completely different.’

’There’s no way he could be that War Slave.’

’Besides, the Enchanting Witch would never come to the New Realm.’

’She has foundations and ambitions in the Old Realm. Why would she abandon everything to come to this strange world, like he did?’

’Her lover is even less powerful.’

’So, this person before me absolutely cannot be any Melfield I know.’

’The name is just a coincidence.’

’But no matter how much of a coincidence it is, this is a chance for him—Alonso, Alonso de la Torre.’

A massive opportunity.

There was a heart-wrenching reality.

Perhaps because the injuries from that unexpected disaster ten years ago were too severe, he had been forced to take out massive medical loans.

With the interest compounding, his monthly earnings weren’t even enough to cover the loan payments. He could only take out new loans to pay off the old ones.

It was a future without end.

Alonso understood the logic all too well.

Two-thirds of the money he earned each month went to paying off interest.

Not a single cent of the principal was paid down; instead, it just kept growing.

At this rate, he would never be able to pay it off in his lifetime.

Never.

What did that mean?

It meant he would forever be stuck wearing this cheap uniform, standing here, smiling at every person who passed by.

It meant he would never save enough money to advance to a Second-Level Wizard.

It meant he would forever remain a First-Level Wizard.

No!

’That’s not all.’

’First-Level Wizards also have to pay taxes. If you don’t pay enough level tax, you can’t maintain your rank.’

’If this continues, I won’t even have the money to pay the level tax.’

’I’ll slowly devolve from a First-Level Wizard to an apprentice, then to a commoner, then to one of those vagrants in the sewers who live on Nightmare Pills.’

This wasn’t an exaggeration.

He had seen too many such cases.

Those who came from the Outer Planes, those without status, those crushed by life.

Where did they all end up?

’The sewers.’

’Nightmare Transformation.’

’The collection stations.’

’Experimental materials.’

Alonso shuddered.

’No.’

’I won’t accept this.’

’How could I, Alonso de la Torre, meet such an end?’

’Who am I?’

’I was the first to tear aside the curtain of the Church Court.’

’I was the one who personally opened the passage through the Blackstone Mountains.’

’I was the one who guided the descent of the Silver Tower.’

’Back in the Old Realm, how glorious was I?’

’Those Cardinals, those Great Nobles, even the Pope himself had to bow their heads before me.’

’How could I have fallen so low?’

’I can’t.’

’I refuse to accept it.’

’I must become a Third-Level Wizard, expedition to Otherworlds, even a Fourth, Fifth, or Sixth-Level Wizard.’

’With my talent, it should be possible.’

’A mere Second-Level Wizard is not what I want at all.’

But the reality was, not only could he not reach Second-Level Wizard because of his debt, he was getting farther and farther away from it.

It was likely impossible in this lifetime; instead, he was plummeting towards becoming a commoner, towards death.

He wouldn’t accept it.

Of course he wouldn’t.

So, he had been waiting for an opportunity.

And now, this was his chance.

Alonso’s gaze was fixed on the young man, the young man in the long black shirt.

No matter who he was, no matter if he was from the Old Realm or not.

As long as there was a possibility he was from the Old Realm, as long as there was even the slightest possible connection between them.

That was his chance.

Even if the VIP was a VIP, if he came from the Old Realm, it might be possible to forge a connection and escape his current situation.

Even if the chance of forging that connection was minuscule.

Even if he might be ignored, reprimanded, or thrown out like a madman.

He had to try.

Because this was the first real hope he had seen in thirty years.

He couldn’t stand living like this anymore.

The pressure of his loan payments forced him to scrimp and save, to eat poorly and dress shabbily.

He hadn’t eaten a full meal in three years.

He hadn’t bought a new piece of clothing in five years.

He didn’t even dare to use Casting.

Because the more he used Casting, the more taxes he had to pay.

He couldn’t afford it.

He could only practice the Magic in his mind, over and over again, never daring to actually cast it.

He was sick of this life.

He would rather die than continue living like this.

So, Alonso took a step forward.

He left the spot where he had been standing for so long and walked toward the young man.