Preparation & Ring

After making his outdoor training plan, Rain started thinking about it.

'So first, let's think about where should I first go?' 

Hidden pieces, if you think there will be many of them. Even the bed on which you are sitting now and reading this shit. There might be some hidden pieces under it.

Rain knew there were many hidden treasures to be found, from rare artifacts and powerful elixirs to unique skills and abilities.

Soon, he started lining up his priorities. In the current situation, the thing he most needed was the elixir.

It would help him restore his former rank.

Living as a weakling was surely uncomfortable, and the freedom he wanted wasn't free.

At his current strength, it was nearly impossible to even think about getting freedom.

But then Rain's expression turned troubled. He remembered that he also had recipes for some elixirs. However, he wasn't an alchemist.

'I mean, who thinks about becoming an alchemist while training with a sword? It would be great if I had some old man near me who could teach me, like in those novels,' Rain grumbled inwardly.

There wasn't any trustworthy person who could make elixirs for him. It's not like Rain didn't know anyone.

He knew many alchemists from the game. However, all of them were heroines, supporting characters, or extras, and he didn't want to interact with them at all!.

Some of them even had annoying personalities.

Soon, Rain's forehead furrowed, and he scowled as he remembered one of the most annoying ones.

"The most annoying one is the alchemist heroine. She tests her newly invented potions on living people in the name of fees." Rain clicked his tongue.

He had died so many times due to her potions while playing the game, and he didn't want to encounter her in real life. He didn't like her at all.

Although Rain didn't want to judge her, she had been a bad ending for him, and he didn't want to interact with heroines at all.

***

After some time, Rain decided to collect an artifact, which was nearby.

It's because the place where the elixir was located was slightly dangerous.

'I'll go there after collecting this artifact,' he thought and made a quick note.

'Let Mark collect the ingredients for the elixir recipe. I'll learn alchemy later in my free time and make some elixirs myself.' 

"Mark," he called through the intercom. As the house of a high-class family, it had an intercom to call the staff. After some time, someone knocked on his room door.

Knock

Knock

"Come in, Mark," Rain said.

Mark entered the room and greeted him. "Good morning, young master. I'm here."

"Good morning, Mark," Rain returned the greeting. "You don't have to knock on the door every time. Sometimes you can just ask me before entering. After all, you are my assistant," Rain calmly explained.

Mark nodded, feeling grateful to Rain for treating him with such kindness. "And get Father's appointment. I want to meet him," Rain instructed.

"Yes," Mark replied, slightly surprised, before leaving the room.

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[Rain's room, Holmes Family Mansion]

Rain was sitting on the wooden chair by his study table, engrossed in a book on advanced mana control.

The pages were filled with complex ideas that he struggled to grasp, but one line caught his eye: "Breath mana naturally, like oxygen, letting it flow through your body. But be careful - this is risky until you have full control."

The thought intrigued him, but he knew he wasn't skilled enough to try it yet. He continued to read.

After a while, Mark returned and asked for permission to enter before entering Rain's room. "The lord has agreed to meet you and wants to see you now," he said calmly.

"Let's go," Rain said, relieved that he could proceed with his plan.

As the family head, Charles was always busy, and Rain never knew when he would have a chance to speak with his father. Moreover, he wan't very keen to meet his parents and waste their time either. He wouldn't have bothered if it was neccesary. 

Charles's study was only a few steps away from the library. It didn't take much time before Rain and Mark arrived there. 

Rain knocked twice, and a hoarse voice called out, "Come in."

As Rain entered the room, he noticed many details in Charles' Study. 

The room was organized, with wooden bookshelves lining the walls and filled with books of all shapes and sizes.

A few paintings added a touch of color to the otherwise muted space.

Charles was sitting at his desk, surrounded by stacks of papers and books, scribbling on a piece of paper. He looked up as he heard footsteps.

"Good morning, how are you doing?" Charles asked.

"Good morning, I'm fine. How are you, Father?" Rain asked. As he watched Charles working, Rain felt the urge to help him. However, he knew Charles wouldn't let him, and might say to focus on training.

"I'm fit and fine. So what brings you here today?" Charles asked, settling his pen down. Wouldn't Charles know his son? Until it's not neccesary his cold son won't even call him father. 

Rain took a step forward and approached Charles. "I want all of my accumulated training funds," 

'Huh?' Charles was shocked. He lifted his face and stared at Rain.

After all, his son, who had always been proud and never asked for a single penny, was now asking for all of his accumulated funds.

"Really? All of it?" Charles leaned forward in his chair, confirming it again.

Rain's funds had been accumulated for five years, and he never used a single coin from it.

"Yes, all of it," Rain nodded.

"Why?" Charles was curious about the reason for his son's sudden change.

"I want to go on outdoor training and I need your permission for [that] too," Rain stated as if it were obvious.

"Is that so?" Charles leaned back in his chair, looking thoughtful. Although he was still dubious about it, since Rain had gone for outdoor training many times before, he didn't pry.

He was just happy that his son was changing.

He had tried to prepare many things for Rain in the past, but Rain always refused, saying he would get stronger on his own. While it sounded good. But which parent would let their child suffer? He always wished that Rain would use funds from family. 

Charles thought for a while. 'Now that he will go to the Academy, he might need money and new artifacts. Let's give him some more things when he goes there.'

"Head butler, give Rain all of his due funds and coming-age artifacts," Charles told the head butler over the intercom. Then he turned to Rain.

"And Rain, although my permission is granted for your outdoor training, take care of yourself," Charles said sternly, but the warmth in his voice couldn't be hidden.

Rain was moved by this.

For the first time, someone was worried about him. It made him happy, but he only smiled slightly and said, "Thanks, Dad."

After leaving Charles' study, Rain went to the head butler and collected his allowance, which was around 3000 gold coins and one mid-tier space ring.

He wanted to buy a mid-tier space ring to make hunting easier. With 3000 gold coins, he could buy a high Unique tier space ring that also had the effects of artifacts. 

There is a ranking for artifacts - normal, advanced, rare, unique, supreme, epic, legendary, mythical, and godly.

Each ranking has low, mid, and high tiers.

Most of the artifacts Rain had used until now were advanced or rare.

In the game, after failing to talk to Emma many times, Rain saved all of his money and bought a ring for her as an engagement ring.

However, he never got the chance to give it to her. In the end, after killing the villain Rain, the ring became a popular and sure hit drop in the game, along with a proposal letter. Many players liked it.

Most casual players skipped or threw away the letter, but some seasoned players read it, hoping to find some hidden clue.

As Rain had the same name as the villain, he was curious about the letter. So he read it.

The letter said: 

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Dear Emma,

Do you remember when we first met at our parents' picnic gathering when we were just five years old?

I was sitting at the shore of the lake, and you came from behind me and asked me to become friends.

I was surprised, but you said I looked lonely, and we became friends that day.

After that day, I never felt lonely again. We played together every day and even got engaged. Every day was like a sweet dream.

However, after your incident, we didn't meet for almost two years, and I was so worried about you.

I wanted to come to you, but I couldn't. When we finally met at the ten-year-old ceremony,

I was happy to see you, but when I tried to hold your hand as I used to, you looked at me with disgust and walked away.

I didn't know what had happened.

I asked my parents why you acted like that, but they never answered.

They just said I should stay away from you.

So, I thought it may be my fault, and I came to apologize to you again and again, but you never forgave me.

However, I believe that we are friends, right?

I want you to know that I am still here for you, and I will wait for you for 1 year, 5 years, 10 years, or even 100 years, as long as it takes for us to become friends again.

I promise not to bother you or pressure you. I just hope that one day, we can be friends again, like we promised in childhood.

Thank you for being my friend once, and I hope you can forgive me one day.

Love you

Your childhood friend,

Rain. 

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Just like that, Rain started walking towards his room after taking his funds.

He buried the memories of the letter deep in his mind. No one except him will know about it.