The merchant was silent for a long time, as if he was thinking about something.
Finally, after a while, when Kael thought that he had no intention of trading with him, the merchant finally spoke.
But this time, his voice sounded a little dissatisfied:
"Hey, who do you think I am to ask me if I sell that thing? Remember, the Artifacts you want to buy, I have them all. And if there is an Artifact that I don't have, then it definitely doesn't exist."
"…So, bluntly speaking, you have [Letter to the Past], right?"
"Of course."
Although they were talking through a door, Kael could still tell that the merchant was smiling arrogantly.
"If that's the case, then I want to buy it, is that okay?"
"Of course, but since this is a rare Artifact, it's not cheap. Furthermore, I don't accept money."
Of course he knew that.
In Tower of Glory, no matter how much money a person had, they still couldn't buy an Artifact from this person.
Instead, they had to exchange it with items, and they had to be rare, not common ones.
That's one of the reasons why it's considered the most difficult game in history.
But that's okay. If he didn't bring anything with him, then why the hell did he come here in the first place?
From his pocket, Kael took out a level 4 Core.
Purple, small as a tennis ball.
To get it, he had to die once, literally, and then defeat Shadow Slayer.
In a way, this was worth Kael's life.
But if it could be used to exchange for [Letter to the Past], then he was more than willing.
"How about a level 4 Core? Is that okay?"
The merchant sneered.
"It's more than okay."
And so, after Kael threw his Core inside, a system notification appeared right in front of his vision.
He didn't even need to check to see what it was about.
[Congratulations! You've obtained an Artifact!]
[Your Artifact is called Letter to the Past.]
[With it, you can send letters to your past self. How is it? Doesn't it sound too wonderful and heaven-defying?]
[If you're worried that it might cause serious damage to the timeline, then your worries are for naught! Because you can only write 5 words!]
'See?'
***
Floor 1, Midgar City.
After hearing that his mother and sister had woken up the day before and were in better condition than ever, Hans, who had just returned from the 10th floor, immediately rushed to the hospital.
In his previous life, he had dreamed many times about his family being alive, and spending time with them.
But when he opened his eyes, Hans realized that everything that had just happened was not real.
It was just his delusion.
His mother and sister were dead.
That was an undeniable truth.
To be honest, in this life, Hans was really worried that he would not be able to protect them again.
But at that moment, Kael Draven - a stranger, reached out and decided to help him.
He had added fire to Hans's frozen heart.
And also brought light, pushing back the darkness and despair that had always tormented him.
"Oh my god Hans, where have you been for the past week? Why have you suddenly become so skinny? Are you eating properly?"
That was what Hans' mother asked the moment she saw her son.
She didn't ask about money, didn't ask about her own illness, but asked about her beloved son.
"Tsk, Mom, your daughter just woke up, why aren't you worried about me?"
Hans's sister puffed her cheeks, snuggled into her mother's arms.
Even though she was older than Hans, when she was with her family, she still acted like a kid.
Like a child in the form of an adult.
"Haha, I'm fine, Mom. A lot of things happened this past week, but overall, everything was fine. I also met a very good friend."
He scratched his head as he told them everything.
"Oh right, Hans, what's your relationship with the person who paid the hospital bills for me and your sister? Are you two friends?"
"That's right, Hans! How did you get to know such a handsome guy? If possible, introduce me to him, please, little brother…"
Damn it.
His sister just used the world's most dangerous technique:
Puppy Eyes!
But unfortunately, Hans was a person who had lived through a lifetime, so this skill was now completely useless for him.
"Yes, he is Kael Draven - my friend. And I borrowed money from him to pay for your hospital bills."
"In that case…"
The mother was about to speak, but was interrupted by her beloved son:
"Yes, yes, I know. I am earning money to pay him back as soon as possible, Mom. So you don't have to worry or do anything. All you need to do is rest."
"That's good that you know. Even if you're close friends, you still have to pay back properly. Especially when the amount of money you borrowed is so large."
"I know, I know." He smiled wryly.
Perhaps sensing that the situation was getting quite tense, Hans's sister didn't hesitate to interject:
"Alright, Mom. That's enough about the loan issue. It's time for us to talk about something else, right?"
She winked at Hans crazily.
"Like what?"
"Like when are you going to cook beef stew for the whole family? Huhu… I've been in the hospital for so long, I really miss your cooking!"
Crocodile tears were used.
What a person fit to be an actress.
She could even become an S-list star.
"Sigh. Okay, okay, I know. When we get back, I'll cook a great meal for the whole family."
"Yay! You are the best!"
The conversation continued like that, and Hans just sat there, listening and observing everything.
Not saying a word.
Everything was so peaceful.
Making him feel truly content.
To the point that he thought it was all just a dream.
'Hah, who would have thought that one day, the dream I had every night would come true.'
And it was all thanks to that person.
Suddenly, the room became strangely quiet.
Both Hans' mother and sister were now focusing on him.
In their eyes, worry was the most obvious emotion.
After a moment of hesitation, the gentle mother opened her lips:
"Hans, are you okay?"
"What do you mean? I am perfectly fine."
"If that's the case, then why are you suddenly… crying? Are you sure you're completely alright?"
"Hmm?"
He slowly moved his finger near his eyes, only to realize that what his mother said was true.
Hans was crying, without even realizing it.
However, there was one thing he knew for sure.
"Don't worry, Mother. These are just tears of joy."