The mission's reward was a total of fifteen merit points. Finding the missing Child Scholar was worth only five, while assisting the local Government Office in capturing the Carp Spirit was worth a full ten. It was self-evident which task was more difficult.
And yet... the three of them had worked themselves to the bone just to find him.
Meanwhile, Zhao Ci had captured the Carp Spirit in just one day.
This...
'Perhaps only a genius like that could so casually offer to take responsibility for others.'
It left a bitter taste in his mouth.
Something he might not achieve even if he gave it his all.
Yet someone else had done it without breaking a sweat.
For a moment,
a pang of bitter envy struck him.
He knew it was wrong to feel this way, but he couldn't shake the thought.
"Let's go. We'll head back to the inn. You can rest for the night, and tomorrow, we'll return to Lingge."
"Alright!"
...
「The next day.」
「Wangshu Palace.」
The sun was setting.
