After the second match ended...

It was finally time for a long break.

Contrary to what I expected...

Today’s schedule had been planned for four matches rather than three.

And because of that...

There was a full two-hour intermission.

I headed toward the city...

With Ice Lord accompanying me.

We walked through the streets for a while...

Until the buildings around us gradually began to change.

The roads widened.

The noise disappeared.

And the storefronts became more luxurious and refined.

I narrowed my eyes slightly.

"This part of the city..."

I whispered.

"I’ve never seen it before."

The place was obviously upscale.

People’s clothes.

Their perfumes.

The way they walked.

Even the tone of their voices.

Everything...

Screamed wealth.

The streets were absurdly clean.

The trees carefully trimmed.

And the buildings...

Perfectly coordinated, as though someone had personally drawn them by hand.

Even the place we stopped in front of...

Was no exception.

A massive glass facade.

Soft lighting.

And an elegant silver logo above the entrance.

"This is the most prestigious district in the city."

Ice Lord said calmly.

Then walked inside.

The moment we entered...

Two employees in matching uniforms greeted us.

Professional smiles.

A slight bow.

That kind of welcome...

That instantly makes you realize the place is expensive.

I smiled faintly.

"When you see employees standing around just to welcome you..."

I muttered inwardly.

"Know that part of the bill is paying for them standing there."

We sat beside a long window overlooking the street.

Moments later...

A waiter approached wearing a neat white shirt.

In his hand was an expensive-looking glass bottle of water.

At that moment...

I smiled unconsciously.

I remembered an old joke that used to spread around in my country.

"When they serve you water in a fancy glass bottle..."

I mocked inwardly.

"Know that the bill will cost you a kidney."

Suddenly...

I felt something strange.

A slight sadness.

Or maybe...

Distant nostalgia.

I sighed quietly.

"How ironic."

I whispered.

Back then...

I could barely find enough food to eat.

And now...

Even places like this...

No longer meant anything material to me.

Life truly...

Can flip upside down overnight.

I turned toward Ice Lord.

He sat in his usual calmness.

Those white eyes of his...

Looked as though they stared beyond the place itself.

"What does Ice Lord wish to discuss with me?"

I asked politely.

He smiled lightly.

"Can’t we simply drink coffee and eat something light without a purpose?"

he asked.

The calm expressions on his face...

Matched strangely well with his white eyes.

I laughed softly.

"Of course. Why not."

Then I added:

"But if there are things you don’t want to know... you’re free."

I took a short breath.

"We can always just drink coffee."

Then I looked directly at him.

"But right now..."

"I want to understand a few things."

Ice Lord nodded calmly.

"Go ahead."

he said.

"I’m listening."

I remained silent for several seconds...

Then asked:

"You..."

I narrowed my eyes slightly.

"Were you born here... or transferred from the other world?"

Ice Lord fell silent.

But...

His expression said one thing.

Confusion.

For a moment...

It felt as though he was staring at me thinking:

"What nonsense is this idiot saying?"

"What a strange question."

he finally answered.

Before I could respond...

He added, his eyes nearly angry:

"Even from you... I didn’t expect such a question."

His usual smile disappeared.

"You should know very well that this kind of topic... is forbidden."

I didn’t answer.

How could I?

"What is he talking about?"

I whispered inwardly.

I truly...

Didn’t understand this reaction.

A simple question like that...

How did it anger him?

"Why do you want to know?"

Ice Lord asked.

I looked at his face.

Then pointed at him with my finger.

"With that angry expression..."

I said coldly.

"I’m no longer in the mood to continue this discussion."

Silence lingered for several seconds.

Then...

Ice Lord sighed lightly.

"I apologize."

he said calmly this time.

Then added:

"But you should know... the era of discrimination and class division between transferred Lords and those born here... ended long ago."

His tone became more serious.

"The price the entire world paid to destroy the Empire of the Transferred... was unimaginably high."

He lowered his eyes slightly.

"And because of that... the law forbidding discussion of this matter... must be respected by everyone."

I listened carefully.

But...

I couldn’t really say I understood.

Suddenly...

That feeling returned once again.

The feeling of ignorance.

The Empire of the Transferred.

The Great War.

The enormous cost.

All those words...

Painted only one image.

In the past...

There had been overwhelming discrimination.

Perhaps even worship...

Toward the transferred people over those born here.

I already knew there was a difference between them.

The transferred...

Possessed the System.

Quests.

Rapid growth.

Meanwhile those born here...

Were simply Lords without a quest system.

With lower growth potential.

But...

For a simple question to trigger this much tension?

That meant...

A bloody history lay behind it.

I sighed lightly.

Then said:

"You misunderstood me."

Ice Lord raised his gaze toward me.

"How?"

"I wanted to ask you something specific."

I said calmly.

"Whether you were transferred or not... would only determine the nature of my question."

"I..."

Ice Lord answered calmly.

"Was born here."

I nodded slightly.

"So that’s how it is."

Silence lingered briefly.

Then he asked:

"And what was your question?"

I exhaled quietly.

Then said:

"I’m sorry... but I can’t ask you."

He raised an eyebrow slightly in surprise.

"It’s a question only for someone transferred."

He stared at me silently for several seconds.

Then asked:

"And what about you?"

He took a sip from his coffee.

"Are you transferred... or born here?"

I laughed softly.

Then shook my head.

"You shouldn’t ask such a question."

I said it with a slightly mocking tone.

But inwardly...

I wasn’t comfortable.

After learning what happened between both sides in the past...

It seemed discussing this topic wasn’t a good idea.

In fact...

Perhaps no one should ever learn I’m transferred.

Should I lie?

Should I claim I was born here?

The thought seemed logical for a moment.

But...

No.

I wouldn’t do it.

I’d simply avoid the topic.

I lifted the water bottle.

Drank calmly.

Then placed it back on the table.

"Tell me."

I suddenly said.

"How do you increase your points?"

Ice Lord turned toward me.

"Strength... speed... endurance."

In the next moment—

A loud laugh burst from his lips.

A genuine laugh this time.

Some nearby guests even glanced toward us.

"So you really are transferred."

he said with a broad smile.

My hand froze briefly.

But worse than that...

He didn’t stop.

"And not only that."

he added while still smiling.

"You’re a newly transferred one... who knows absolutely nothing about this world."

"What is happening?!"

I screamed inwardly.

My eyes widened slightly.

This bastard...

How?

What exactly did I do?

What mistake did I make?

I rapidly reviewed my words in my mind.

Did I expose myself without noticing?

Was the question that obvious?

Or was the truth...

Far simpler than I imagined?

I calmed myself quickly.

Remaining silent...

Was the best option.

Maybe he discovered one of my secrets...

But there was no need to act as though it were a catastrophe.

Yes...

I would treat it as nothing more than a small secret slipping out.

Meanwhile—

Ice Lord continued watching me with that calm smile.

Then finally said, interrupting my thoughts:

"Well... it doesn’t matter."

He leaned slightly against his seat.

Then continued:

"A Lord born here... doesn’t need to increase his strength the way you people do."

He tilted the glass in his pale fingers.

"We possess a different path than yours."

"How?"

I asked calmly.

"We grow stronger the same way ordinary humans in this world do."

He raised his eyes toward me.

"We train... fight... accumulate experience... then advance through the ranks."

He paused briefly.

Then smiled lightly.

"But your method..."

"Is far crueler."

"Constant battles."

"Quests."

"Development points."

"And rapid growth... but dangerous."

I listened silently.

Then whispered:

"That sounds advantageous for you."

I tapped my finger against the table.

Then suddenly stopped.

"I remembered something."

Ice Lord raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

I turned toward him.

Then asked directly:

"Can you obtain something for me?"

"Of course... I’ll pay the price."

Ice Lord’s gaze shifted slightly.

Becoming more focused.

"And what do you want?"

I exhaled quietly.

Then said:

"A beast-control tool."

After a moment I added:

"And the higher its rank... the better."

Silence lingered for several seconds.

Then...

Ice Lord smiled.

The kind of smile that suggested he had expected this request beforehand.

"In truth..."

he said while raising a hand to call the waiter.

"I expected you to ask for something like this."

The employee approached professionally.

Ice Lord ordered another drink.

Then looked back at me once more.

"Let me see whether I can secure one."

His smile faded slightly.

Then he added in a deeper tone:

"But the price..."

"Won’t be simple at all."

"Name the price. We’ll find a solution."

I answered confidently.

Ice Lord’s expression barely changed...

But he continued staring at me with those white eyes for several moments.

Then whispered:

"Those flowers."

He tilted his head slightly.

"The Third-Rank flowers... would you consider making them exclusive to us?"

I fell silent briefly.

Then sighed calmly.

"That’s a large request."

I said while tapping my finger against the table.

"In truth... they’re not abundant enough to become something comparable to Ancient Weapons."

I paused briefly.

Then leaned back in my seat like he did.

"But..."

I smiled lightly.

"They’re enough to establish an exclusive supply for a limited period."

Ice Lord’s smile widened.

"That’s good enough."

He slightly raised his cup.

Then said:

"Let’s say... thirty more."

My eyes widened slightly.

"Thirty?"

He laughed softly.

"Don’t look at me like that."

"You know very well the value of what you possess."

He tapped his fingers against the table.

"Third-Rank flowers aren’t something easily found."

"Even within the major sects... the demand for them is extremely high."

He paused briefly.

Then leaned slightly closer toward me.

"In return..."

"I’ll provide you with a high-grade beast-control tool."

"And not only that."

I narrowed my eyes at him.

"What else?"

"Information."

he said calmly.

"About beasts."

"Their locations."

"How to tame them."

"And which species are worth risking your life for."

My fingers stopped moving on the table.

That offer...

Was far from simple.

Ice Lord smiled when he noticed my silence.

Then whispered:

"You aren’t merely searching for a tool."

"You’re searching for a beast worthy of taming."

Silence settled between us for several moments.

Outside...

The sounds of the luxurious district remained elegant and calm.

But at our table...

A real deal had begun taking shape.