She didn't speak for a long while, and Damien was in no rush when inquiring about her choices either.
The decision to specialize is always the most crucial step in [Forsaken]. It is a once-in-a-lifetime choice that cannot be amended.
Something he had experience several times in various runs.
"I don't want to rush things just because I'm forced by circumstances," She said to Damien, her voice carried a load of hesitation and anxiety.
"You can always wait," Damien replied, offering her some breathing room.
At this moment, he was munching on a piece of catashroom. But his words still came through.
"If you don't want to job advance this early, that's okay. I believe I can still defeat that thing, but of course," He paused to study her face, seeing her guilty face, then continued.
"It would help if you could get a class, after all, this is no longer a game. Every bit of help means something."
When his voice finally settled, a hint of guilt lingered in her heart. But his indifferent and nonchalant attitude did ease her up a little bit.
Still, she couldn't really think it through.
After all, Theresa wanted to obtain a suitable class for herself. But circumstances are different.
Unlike Damien, she didn't have the confidence to face this ruined world with so much bravery and assurance.
And Damien does not expect her to.
They are people with different lives.
Perhaps to Theresa, [Forsaken] is a part-time entertainment, but to Damien, this is where he breathes and finds comfort.
Twisted and perverted as it sounds, it is something that others will never understand. And he expects no one to.
Due to this, his choices and decision is made without regrets. Because he is well aware of his own limit and how far they can take him.
That he will in the end, 'play' out this run in its fullest.
As for others, they may not have the same confidence in their own ability or certainty in the future, hence their hesitations.
At this moment, they abruptly stopped.
Their gaze was focused and narrowed toward the passage in front of them.
"Uh… Hello?"
Damien's hand instinctively moved toward his 'weapon' before he caught himself. Theresa was no slower, also taking a defensive stance.
A figure emerged from the shadows ahead.
Small, hunched, with clothes that had seen better days.
The voice belonged to a young woman, maybe in her early twenties, who raised her hands in a gesture that was half-wave, half-surrender.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you both," She continued, her eyes darting between Damien and Theresa, who was clutching a pebble in their hand.
"I heard voices and thought... well, I hoped you might be real people."
For some reason, the pebble in their hand made her shiver. It was a strange sensation. But she didn't want to be seen as weird and remained somewhat composed.
Seeing this, Damien and Theresa looked at each other, their hand loosened, yet still maintaining a distance.
"Who are you?" Damien asked, his voice cold, and his gaze contained a chilling aura that pierced Merlin's meek figure.
"Uh, Merlin, Merlin Emrys." She answered with a weak murmur.
At this moment, Theresa spoke up in a tone much lighter and pleasant than Damien's.
"I'm Theresa," She introduced herself, then pointed her finger toward the direction behind Merlin.
"Did you come from there?" She asked.
Merlin didn't think much of her question. Actually, she found Theresa quite friendly and approachable.
"Yes! I did," She nodded repeatedly.
Recalling that thing where she came from, she shuddered with fear.
"There is a very big, scary-looking skeleton over there, I don't think you should go this direction," She warned.
Hearing this, Damien chuckled a little. Due to the cramped space, any noise in the proximity was amplified manyfold.
Meanwhile, Merlin was startled, not understanding why this person was laughing," Did I say something wrong?"
Immediately, Theresa glared at Damien, causing him to shut up.
But seeing as he started to adopt an 'I'm innocent' look on his face, she ignored him and turned back to Merlin with a kind smile.
"Actually, we were looking to find this skeleton."
"Why?" Merlin asked, confused.
Who would want to find that thing? Isn't that seeking death?
At this moment, Damien sneered as he explained.
"Kid, you don't understand," He said, although from the look of it, Merlin is clearly older than he was.
"Big monster means more exp. This is the fastest way to become stronger."
Merlin found Damien's attitude and manners quite strange.
She was no stranger to the concept of exp and getting stronger. After all, who doesn't know what a game is in this era?
But hunting that thing?
'No! It's not worth it…!' Merlin thought to herself.
In the real world, she had played many games, but not one like this. The current trend of the games was simulations, and even the rpgs that were mainstream are relatively easy.
But this? Who made this hellish game?
Merlin studied Theresa and Damien, finally noticing his purple pupil.
'An undercity!' Her thought was kept to herself as she noticed Theresa's golden hair.
'This is a trait of the high noble in Lunden… But why is she traveling with an undercity?'
The pair in front of her stirred her curiosity greatly. A high noble and an undercity traveling together, attempting to hunt that giant skeleton behind her?
Seized by her curiosity, as well as her will to survive in this strange game, she stammered to request Damien and Theresa.
"May I join your party?"
They both looked at each other, and a mutual understanding instantly formed without a single word spoken.
'This…' He had his reservation, and rightfully.
Damien didn't mind partnering up with Theresa due to her display understanding of [Forsaken]. Theresa shared the same view regarding Damien.
Thus, the source of their cooperation hinges on this basis.
But looking at Merlin, this person is clearly timid and not knowledgeable. So for a moment, silence stretched between the three of them.
After a period of time, Merlin really couldn't endure the silence and shook her head with a deep sigh.
"It's okay if you don't want to, I would just be a burden anyway…" She murmured lowly, her voice trailed off toward the end.
At this moment, Theresa glanced at Damien, gesturing for him to lean his ear closer.
"I think we should let her in," She whispered.
Hearing this, Damien frowned.
"Why? She has clearly never played [Forsaken] before…"
Theresa shook her head and hoped that Damien would accept her suggestions with some consideration.
"Don't you think it is possible to invest in her? This is no longer a game… Besides skills, I believe trust is the most crucial factor."
Damien grew silent.
Her words made sense, and it left Damien in deep thought.
She continued by saying," If she is too slow, it is not too late to let her go after we leave the catacombs…"
Damien sighed. His reaction startled Merlin, causing her to tremble slightly.
On second thought, what Theresa said is indeed true. Skill can be trained, but trust is another problem altogether.
At this moment, Damien rested his eyes on Merlin's figure, as though to ponder of something significant.
Being observed, Merlin grew increasingly nervous.
For some reason, Merlin found Damien quite scary and oppressive. And judging from the way Theresa spoke to Damien, his words carried quite the weight between them.
Finally, Damien stopped deliberating and declared his decision.
"Okay. You can join us, Merlin."
He said with a deep exhale.