The Search

"Grant if we do not find the little girl then food will be nothing but a sweet fantasy of yours."

Her sweet coaxing voice drifted through the door and gently tickled my ears.

It was at that instant that my body shivered and my brain seemed to freeze.

Food.

I was hungry and I wanted to eat. Looking at my stamina bar, it was full but something strange popped up.

SP: 3600/3600

SP: 1678/3600

A second red bar appeared beneath the yellow one. And the status [Starving] flickered into my Status window.

When was the last time I ate again?

Counting back the time in the afternoon that I was threatened with a gun and my summoning now...

I nearly had gone a full day without eating.

Damn...

Busy or not with adjusting to the new place or recovering from my injuries, my mind was too distracted to hear the grumblings of my stomach.

If there was no Beatry to cook food then there would be no food.

Beatry=Food.

'Well shit...' I couldn't help but curse my luck.

The door swung open under the hastiness of my outstretched hand and I cleared my throat while gazing a down with a frown and a little tint in my cheeks. I couldn't meet her eyes as I was embarrassed.

Looks like I have to find a goddamn child.

My god do I hate kids. Those annoying pesky little shits.

-----

Ufufufu~

'It looks like food is an extremely important resource to Grant..' Stella came to that conclusion as she gazed down at that shy expression her servant was making.

It was cute to her eyes and she wanted to tease him. But that can hold off for now.

They have to find a naughty little girl who keeps on sneaking out. During her stay at the inn, she had found out that the redhead sneaks out after serving dinner to everyone and returns before midday to resume her duties as the Inn's cook.

It puzzled her why the girl hadn't returned to Hado yet. Despite being rebellious and rude to her father, Beatry feared and respected the man.

'What could've happened to the little wench?

She dismissed her inquisitive thoughts before grabbing Grant's arm and leading him downstairs.

"Ever since your kind had been miraculously appearing in Terrunn, people had been wary and are on the lookout."

Stella had decided that Grant's lack of knowledge of Terrunn could prove fatal.

So before they set out on any quest, she needs to solve that issue.

She wasn't in any hurry though. It's not like the people back at brightfield would find her so easily.

The two quickly reached downstairs and Stella bade Hado goodbye.

"Hado were off!"

"You two going on a date?"

'Curse you hado...' She frowned and looked towards Grant.

His face was still calm and tranquil and wasn't affected at all.

For some reason, she felt disappointed.

They headed out into the streets in search of a red-haired missing daughter.

"Stick close to me alright? I doubt anyone could harm you in Zirakib although there are the occasional strong ones..."

"Right..." Heeding her warning, Grant was curious. The more he learned about this world the more he wanted to explore it.

"Even though your kind is strong they are easily subject to enslavement. Since everyone is confused upon arriving and with most being naive, the natives easily exploit such individuals."

'If people like me could enter this world then Daniel?" His tranquil face distorted into a frown as he gnashed his teeth. What if he got hurt or was killed?

If Daniel did get sucked in here he should be fine for a few days or even weeks.

His friend had a gun and enough ammunition hidden within his sleeves.

Grant calmed down once more. Daniel should be fine even without him.

"Hm? What is the cause of that smile?" Stella wondered out loud seeing Grant break out into a grin.

"Just dying to know how my friend is doing..." He shrugged. That's right, he shouldn't worry about the sly fox Daniel.

He should be worried about the natives instead due to Daniel. He was a cunning and sly individual.

'I wouldn't even be surprised if he becomes the most powerful or influential person in here if he were to arrive.' Grant sighed in relief but his companion didn't share that thought.

Stella grew worried and uneasy.

"There are more of you... Here in Terrunn?"

"Maybe..."

Grant's unsure reply didn't ease Stella who bit her lip.

Her plans could be affected as the Wynn Empire knows summoning magic.

And the most logical thing for summoned individuals to do is to head to Arus' Dungeon.

What if she and Grant meet a fellow otherworlder there?

'That's dangerous!' Her frame trembled and she couldn't help but think of two otherworlders fighting.

Grant might not lose but she will get targeted. And even if Grant threw his life on the line to abide by the contract and protect her, it would be nearly impossible to do so.

It's easier to fight for your own sake than try to protect something.

"Are you worried that we would run into those like me?" Grant as if having read her mind due to seeing the slightly trembling girl asked a question.

She nodded in response and Grant furrowed his brows before saying something to reassure his master.

"Even if they were to come here I can easily kill them. Much less cripple them."

"Why is it that you are so extreme with handling things?" Stella frowned. That kill or be killed mindset of Grant is proving to be difficult.

It might even be the cause of their troubles.

"Tell me more about this land." Grant ignored her and asked a question while eyeing the surroundings.

He wondered why no one was looking at Stella.

Sure she donned a cloak but her white slender legs that showed up from time to time should have brought trouble already. And at certain angles, her somewhat mature and enticing face would be seen.

She puffed in frustration once her question wasn't answered.

"Terrunn is divided into six continents and eight seas. As you have already saw and witnessed, a system governs the world."

The adventurers guild soon came to view and they stopped to the side before even thinking of entering.

Stella had to orient Grant first.

"No one knows how the system works but one man does. His name is Arus, the creator of the unconquerable dungeon."

Grant's eyes seemed to light up and Stella giggled a bit at her servant.

'He's a foodie, a nerd and a brute at the same time.' Her view of Grant changed. He was really just a mentally disturbed human with great strength.

"The system manages the world and it has a mind of its own. It bestows classes, gives out skills and just as we had done before, facilitates contracts."

Grant kept on nodding like an eager student at a school. Like a sponge, he absorbed everything and did not bother interrupting Stella's rambling.

Except for strength, food, and sleep. Grant loved learning.

Knowledge is another form of power for him. He might be constantly calm and look dumb but inside that mind is countless schemes and tactics waiting to be used.

"Different races have different starting attributes and their own unique strengths. To balance things out, the system gives growth correction bonuses to those possessing classes. The higher tier the class, the greater the attribute growth upon leveling up due to the growth correction."

"Now unto the crucial parts."

"Every fifty years or a century, a demon lord is born. Terrunn was a peaceful world despite the internal struggles. That was all up until the demon nation attacked."

"They opened up portals leading to this world and the demon lord led their army to conquer and blight the land. If you were to look at world maps you will find locations marked as wastelands."

"In these wastelands are creatures tainted with demonic energy and no life thrives except for those fit for slaughter."

"Long story short, a hero would rise from the masses or be summoned from another world. Then they would slay the demon lord and bring back peace. The cycle repeats over and over agai-"

"That is ridiculous. And the system just lets such a thing happen over and over again? Isn't it supposed to be like a god?"

The eager Grant immediately cut off Stella from finishing.

Grant found that endless cycle of ruin distasteful and he grew disgusted of the system.

If the system was so powerful to govern the world then it could have done something to solve that problem right?

Stella shared his sentiment but she shook her head.

"The endless cycle of hate is needed to keep the balance of the world. And the system, although possessing intelligence only cares about balance." That was her answer and Grant was a bit infuriated.

"Tch..." He clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction.

"There's also the occasional monster lord that joins the fray. Making it a war between monsters, humans, and demons. The elves just sit in their tree, guarding it religiously and anyone trespassing into their territory would be shot down and executed. The dwarves went missing centuries ago."

"Why did they go missing?"

"The mountainous region that they call home is actually the place were the demons first descended. It was only a matter of time before they were eradicated."

"Damn it..." Grant was even more annoyed. There goes Grant's plan on visiting dwarves to

have exceptional gear crafted for him. And he wanted to learn more about them and even interact with such a race.

"I'll tell you more at the inn but first we need to find the trouble child."

And from Stella's reminder, Grant grew even more unhappy as a constant frown attached itself unto his face.

He hates children. They are annoying needy leeches who do not even want to learn.

They are weak and only want to play, wasting their lives away until they cry in the end due to losing precious time and making bad decisions.

It's not like Grant is afraid of children or anything. Yeah, it really isn't like that.

'I just hate them.' Grant reassured himself and convinced that he was not afraid of children, still frowning at how ludicrous Terrunn is.

'Maybe I could do something to change things but... Why would I do that?'

Changing the world takes too much effort and Grant is too selfish to even attempt it.

After all, when he was alone and in need of help no one helped him.

Now, why would he need to help the world when it had done nothing to benefit him? Even if it was another world like Terrunn?

He's no hero he's just a monster hiding in human skin.

A monster that was abandoned by his father and never got to see his mother.

Grant only wishes to live for himself. That's all that matters to him.

'Everyone only cares for their own benefit anyway. I am of no exception.' Pessimistic thoughts bothered Grant as he narrowed his eyes.

He was in a bad mood due to everything he had learned and the fact that he needed to find a child.

[ You have acquired [Truth Lv 1] ] The system's childlike voice rang out in his head.

It seemed to be peeved off at him for some reason. As if it was annoyed by his thoughts.

'Truth huh...' Grant noticed it and dismissed the notification with a thought. He'll just look at it later and focus on their mission for now.

The guild doors parted and the two entered. Everyone inside stopped what they were doing only to look at Grant and discuss with hushed voices.

And Grant felt some of the looks challenging him and mocking him. He paid no heed to such things.

"Why are we entering the guild again?" He asked as he took in the sight of the surroundings.

The guild hall's first floor was quite spacious, spanning fifty meters in diameter. A booth of sorts laid in the center of the room, it was the reception hall.

Spiral stairs leading to the second floor were present at the sides and bulletin boards filled with hung papers with writings over it.

The floor was made out of durable scented wood and the walls were a mix of fine wooden walls with stone pillars mixing within.

The interior of the guildhall looked like it was made to shelter civilians in case of an impending disaster.

There were also locked trapdoors leading to what could only be the guild's cellar.

"Any adventurer needs their fair share of work and the guildhall is the place to be. The request boards are packed with requests, either it is from rich nobles or the distressed village heads asking for help."

"Naturally, the little redhead would have to drop by here. She always does so in order to take a quest."

Stella explained before she fixed her robe up and strode towards the reception hall, falling in line.

"Feel free to look around while I have to wait in this stupidly long line. I have to ask sir Athal if he had seen Beatry." Stella allowed Grant to do as he pleases and shifted her attention to the line again. Patiently waiting.

'I shouldn't make more trouble for Stella.' Grant thought before heading towards the request boards.

He wanted to take a look and maybe nab a quest for him to do.