Chapter 36: Sworn ally.

They both went to the southwest of the city, and it was indeed a place where outlaws lived based on how they hated each other. Vania wore her shiny knight's armor and a cape with a guild emblem on her, making sure those outlaws didn't dare to get involved with her. She rented a room for Rigel and they both went inside the room to talk privately.

"Are you the first? The Non-Player from our world?" Vania asked.

"Yes," Rigel nodded.

"Thank God..." Vania sighed with relief. "I have been thinking about this for months. I'm scared of what would happen to Non-Players from our world when they enter the tower. They would be killed or enslaved, and I don't want that to happen," she said and she looked anxious.

Adapters or Non-Players from Earth wouldn't come into the tower until a year and a half. Rigel never bothered about the fact they would be hunted, and he had no obligation or responsibility for someone else's life inside the tower.

"You're worried about them even though millions of lives are currently being taken by monsters on Earth? You should focus on yourself and get out of the tower so you can save those innocent children so they won't be monsters' food," Rigel responded as he looked at Vania. "You have no power here. You're only killing yourself trying to save Non-Players," he added.

Vania couldn't argue with that logic because she knew she was nothing but a mere soldier in a guild and an ant compared to top Players. She knew she couldn't do anything, but she couldn't ignore it and would do anything if she could save them.

She sat down and leaned her back against a drawer while hugging her knees with a sad expression. She never thought the world inside the tower was no different from Earth where power and wealth control the masses.

"I remember you said that you hate the tower, so what are you doing here?" Vania asked and looked at Rigel with a pitiful expression. "Nevermind. You won't answer it," she looked down and hid her face.

"To see the prideful mentor that devoted herself to helping Invitees acting like this is quite funny," Rigel scoffed as he lay down on the bed. "Ignorance is a bliss. The less you care, the fewer problems you have," he added as he closed his eyes and put his hands behind his head.

"How could you say something like that? Don't you feel sad thinking those people are going to suffer?" Vania frowned as she looked at Rigel in disbelief.

Rigel scoffed and started to chuckle when he heard those questions from Vania.

"If they're strong, they will go back up even if they suffer," Rigel answered. "And for the weak, don't waste your time thinking about them because they can't even stand up for themselves," he added. "I know because I was one of them. So don't even try to argue with me when you never experienced being stared down by everyone as they wished you to die because you're good-for-nothing," he continued.

Vania could hear the anger and hatred in Rigel's voice, and she felt bad because the man next to her had suffered more than she did both on Earth and inside the tower. She had no right to speak about this topic when she had been living her life without any significant issues.

"You're a kind person, and I'm grateful that there's still someone like you in this world. Also, don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to put you down or crush your ambition. If you want to protect someone, you need to have the power to do so because, if you don't, not only do you give them false hope, you're also killing yourself," Rigel said as he stared at the ceiling. "So focus on yourself first, and be the best version of yourself."

Vania stood up and looked at Rigel on the bed, thinking how could a young man like him act like someone who wasn't his age. She felt a bit at ease and relieved after hearing those words from him, especially when he could acknowledge her kindness. It made her make up her mind and knew what she wanted to do.

"Rigel, let's do it," Vania sat on the bed and looked at Rigel with a serious expression.

"Do what?" Rigel furrowed his eyebrows and stared at Vania's emerald eyes.

"Promise each other that we won't be at each other's throat, and no matter what happens, we will always be allies and won't harm each other no matter what," Vania looked Rigel in the eyes. "I don't know what you have been through, or what are the things you have done here inside the tower. But I know for sure you're just trying to survive, and I'm not going to judge you for what you have done. We came from the same world, and neither of us is alone," she said and showed her sincerity.

"I promise. But if I saw you becoming like them, I want you to know that I'll hunt you down and kill you," Rigel responded with a serious expression.

"Yes, I understand and I want you to kill me if I became like them," Vania nodded and she showed her resolve in her eyes. "We will take our own path, and we might not be able to help each other, but I know when we need each other, we will have each other's back," she continued.

Rigel didn't know if Vania would be okay when the time came because she was a Player. Her whole life in the tower was controlled by the System and the Gods. A single flick and her life would change drastically the moment she didn't go as the Gods wanted her to.

"So what's your plan now? You're a part of a guild, and I believe the people you serve won't be pleased with your way of thinking," Rigel pointed at the emblem on Vania's cape.

"I have friends that I'm trusting my back on them. I know for sure that they will have the same opinion as me, and when the time comes, we might make a guild and make a revolution," Vania answered and she looked determined with her ambition.

"That's some ambition you have there. I'm not you're out of your mind or just brave. But I don't think I have the right to say that because mine is even crazier," Rigel chuckled. "I believe there will be a lot of people that will support you. Believe in yourself and do your best," he assured.

"Thank you," Vania smiled as she looked down. "Anyway. Since you're being hunted, I guess I can give you a hand," she stood up and pulled something out of thin air. "You can wear this and people won't dare to even look at you," she showed a red cape with a gold emblem on it and a set of armor, the same cape and armor that she was wearing.

"You're giving me those things? Are you sure you want to give it to a murderer like me?" Rigel asked. "You know if I wore those, they would notice that I'm not a guild member, right? If that happens, I'm going to kill them without hesitation," he asked.

"Well, I know them very well that they don't value life that much. So, why don't you crush their reputation and teach them a lesson?" Vania tilted her head with her eyebrows raised and a big smile on her face.

Rigel raised his eyebrows and never thought there would be an interesting person like Vania. He didn't hesitate to grab the cape and armor because it was the thing that he needed the most at that moment. He put them on, but they were a bit too tight since the armor was for Vania's size, and she couldn't help but laugh when she saw how tight it was on him.

"I can fix it..." Rigel said with a serious expression while in that super tight armor that he could barely breathe or speak in it.

"Please stop..." Vania laughed to her heart's content because, in her eyes, Rigel looked so ridiculous. "I can't..." She started to crouch and hugged her stomach because it started to hurt from laughing.

After Vania calmed herself down, she looked outside the window as she tried to catch her breath.

"What are you planning to do now?" Vania asked.

"I'm going into the Sacred Dungeon. I need to get stronger," Rigel answered after he removed the armor.

"I see. I wish I could join you, but I have been ordered to recruit new Players to join the guild. Becoming a saleswoman inside the tower, who would have thought," Vania chuckled. "If you wear them, nobody dares to look at you because that emblem is from the Soaring Sun Guild, so you'll be fine," she pointed out.

"Thank you," Rigel said as he looked at the cape in his hands.