Chapter 381: Dinner

Soren watched the Puppeteer fall apart, its limbs and torso collapsing inward. He stepped quickly and plucked the core before it could hit the ground. Then countless messages appeared in his vision.

───────

[Ding!]

.....

[Equity Stake Liquidated]

[Target: Theater Puppet]

[Stake: 100%]

[Dividend: +90 Refined Mana]

───────

.....

.....

.....

───────

[Equity Stake Liquidated]

[Target: The Puppeteer]

[Stake: 100%]

[Dividend: +1000 Refined Mana]

───────

’Good, with this, I absorbed about twelve thousand mana.’ His eyes glinted in satisfaction. ’A few more Gates, and then it will be done.’

With that thought, he turned toward Ryan. "Let’s gather the loot and leave the place."

"Yes!" Ryan replied enthusiastically and started picking up the mana cores the other puppets had left behind.

About ten minutes later, they finished, divided the loot, and headed out through the exit portal. They stopped by an exchange shop to sell the loot, then drove back to Ryan’s apartment to pick up Ethea. After they returned to the hotel, Soren helped Ethea change and attend to her other needs, while Ryan was left alone in the living room to prepare the snacks and set the table.

Soren wheeled Ethea into the living room and brought her up to the table.

"You two wait here," Soren said, positioning the wheelchair securely. "I’ll start dinner."

Ryan and Ethea both nodded. Soren turned and walked into the kitchen, pulled out his cooking equipment, and got ready to start. But even as he set out the ingredients, he kept his ears on the living room, listening to their conversation.

"...Sister-in-law, I heard you wanted to know about what really happened in the Golden Gate back then."

"Yes. If it’s ok, I want to learn more about it. But if you’d rather not talk about it, I understand. You don’t have to force yourself."

"No, it’s alright, but..." Ryan paused, and Soren could tell what he was about to say. "Can you promise not to tell anyone else? What I’m about to say... it’s not something I want spreading around."

"...I promise." Soren heard Ethea’s sincere voice. "Whatever you say stays between us. I won’t repeat a word of it to anyone. Well, aside from my husband."

"Haha, right, you can freely talk to Brother Soren about it. But I really appreciate your understanding." Ryan then took a deep breath. "It all started when we discovered the Golden Gate..."

Soren listened to Ryan’s tale while his hands moved automatically across the counter. He prepped the meat, trimmed the vegetables, and set the pans on the stove, their sizzle blending into the background.

Ryan kept the story general and didn’t go into too much detail.

He told her that after being thrown into the Golden Gate, he had lost consciousness and drifted through dreamlike scenarios that felt real but weren’t. He mentioned he had no idea how much time had passed before he finally opened his eyes and found Soren there.

He then described the Sunless Reliquary and spoke briefly about being chosen as a successor. He also told her about their conversation and his acceptance of his master’s inheritance. However, he didn’t tell her about who his master was or what happened during the inheritance process, nor did he mention the exact nature of the legacy he received.

Ethea also listened silently, and after some time, Ryan finally finished his story. Then they started talking about the incident, and the topic gradually shifted to his upcoming exams. He asked for her guidance, and she gave her suggestions.

Soren was glad to ’see’ them getting along so well, and found himself imagining a future moment when his little sister, Nura, could sit at the same table with them. It would bring back a piece of his life he thought he had lost for good.

’...Hmm.’

Come to think of it, Ethea had mentioned seeing her earlier this morning and insisted they find a way to step in as soon as possible, pull her clear of the family’s influence, and save her before things got any worse.

’...Let’s think about this more carefully.’

His thoughts naturally turned toward the problem. By the time he finished plating the food and bringing the dishes over to the table, he had the outlines of a plan forming in his head.

"Dinner’s ready."

Ryan stood up hurriedly and took his own portion while Soren placed Ethea’s and his own.

"What were you guys talking about?" He asked as he sat down. "Can I join in?"

"Mm. We were talking about his upcoming transfer exam." Ethea answered with a smile. "I was giving my opinions about what to expect and do."

"I see." Soren nodded, understanding that he hadn’t missed out that much. Then, as if he’d remembered something, he turned to Ryan. "Speaking of which, should we hold off on the Gates until your exams are over? You might need the time to study."

"It’s alright." Ryan shook his head without missing a beat. "I’m not worried about the written exam, so we can keep going. Besides, clearing Gates helps me grow stronger and sharpen my skills, which is far more useful for the practical exam anyway."

"The practical exam might involve surviving in a Gate, so I recommended he spend more time on field experience," Ethea added. "The academy puts a lot of effort into training students in real Gates from the third year onward, so they can adapt to the real world more easily. That’s why diving into Gates will prepare him far more than reading textbooks."

"That’s right, so you shouldn’t worry about it, Brother Soren." Ryan grinned and dug into his food.

"Haha, that’s a relief." Soren chuckled as he reached for Ethea’s bowl. "It actually saves me the trouble of finding another party member while you’re busy."

"Huh?" Ryan paused mid-bite, his spoon hovering in the air. "Wait, what about the exam days then? You’ll be going alone?"

Soren raised a brow. "What do you mean? I will head to the academy with you and wait outside. Missing two days of diving won’t hurt us."

"...Thank you." Ryan smiled at him, then watched as Soren gently fed Ethea a bite before quickly looking down at his own bowl. ’...Right. Just focus on the meal.’