Chapter 1: A New Companion

Windhymn City.

Within the Adventurers’ Guild reception hall.

A female adventurer, with raven hair and brown eyes, approached the counter alone.

From the storage pouch at her waist, she began to retrieve various materials.

“Six direwolf fangs… Slime crystals…” After the receptionist, Serene, finished counting, she offered her signature smile.

“Miss Black Rose, your skills are as exceptional as ever.”

The adventurer with raven hair and brown eyes was codenamed ‘Black Rose,’ her true name being Elara.

Upon hearing the praise, a faint, almost imperceptible smile touched Elara’s lips.

“The B-rank quest, ‘Clearing Small Monster Hordes from Villages,’ was completed with excellent results. Shall I settle the usual fifty gold coins for you?”

“Yes.”

Storing the gold coins in the interest-free Guild bank was less appealing than keeping them on her person.

Elara tucked her reward into her storage pouch, then turned to leave.

“One moment, Miss Black Rose.”

Elara glanced back.

“There’s something I should remind you about,” Serene said, lowering her voice.

“The Whisperwind Dungeon, located just outside the northern city wall, is set to open in a month. Based on past experience, a party of two or more is required to activate and enter it.”

Serene knew Elara was a renowned lone wolf within the Guild.

Elara’s brow furrowed, a silent complaint forming in her mind: ‘This dungeon is truly bothersome if I can’t enter alone.’

“Thank you, Serene.”

“You’re welcome, it’s my duty… Oh, right. There are recruitment notices for other party members on the bulletin board over there, or you can register your own party if you have companions.”

As she spoke, Serene pointed towards the wall where several people were gathered.

“Thanks,” Elara responded, changing direction.

The adventurers crowded around the bulletin board instinctively made way for Elara. It was rare for an adventurer of Elara’s caliber—upper B-rank—to be unattached to a party; most of these adventurers were C-rank at best.

Elara’s gaze swept over the notices, her thoughts beginning to churn.

‘Joining a party would mean a period of adjustment, and potential disputes over loot distribution. Most importantly, I’d be subjected to endless questions.’

‘Recruiting a lone wolf is even more troublesome. Aside from the lack of trust, what if they abandon me at a critical moment?’

“Well, well, isn’t it the famous lone wolf, Black Rose? Looking to join a party now?”

A grating voice drifted from behind her.

Elara cast a sidelong glance, recognizing the speaker: Hyena Pete.

“Oi, oi, don’t look so scary. You make it seem like we all owe you money.”

Pete approached, intending to casually sling an arm over Elara’s shoulder.

However, Elara evaded him with a Shadow Step.

Pete touched the long scar on his neck, grinning without anger or haste. “I’m serious. We recently lost a comrade and are in need of a new vanguard.”

He naturally knew ‘Black Rose’s’ formidable reputation. Her strength was at the upper echelons of B-rank, possibly even approaching A-rank, capable of completing B-rank monster subjugation quests alone.

“Teammates look out for each other, after all.” He eyed the storage pouch at Elara’s waist, then her delicate face, licking his lips. “Besides, as a woman, you certainly can’t carry all the monster materials yourself. Our party has two strong men…”

Elara didn’t wait for him to finish, stepping past him and his teammates, heading straight for the exit.

“Tch, what’s that b*tch putting on airs for?” Pete’s smile vanished as he rolled his eyes in the direction Elara had disappeared.

“Pete, let’s find another teammate first,” his companion advised.

****

Elara returned to her rented room, lying on the bed and pondering the dungeon. She had no clear ideas, her thoughts wandering to various other matters.

‘Ten years have passed already.’

She had once been an ordinary male university student on Earth, only to be struck by an out-of-control truck and transmigrated into this world, inhabiting the body of a fourteen-year-old girl who had drowned.

She didn’t possess any powerful ‘cheat’ abilities like those in novels, but she did have an appraisal skill that, so far, she hadn’t seen anyone else possess. However…

Her hand grazed the hourglass-shaped pendant she wore around her neck.

‘Appraise.’

[Name: Pendant of Time’s Remembrance]

[Effect: ???]

It was the same as always.

Elara wasn’t surprised by the result; even the appraisal skill had its unreliable moments.

According to her teacher, this pendant had been discovered during an early ruin exploration. Aside from its durability, it had no other effects, yet the appraisal indicated it possessed some kind of power.

…

‘Is there truly no teammate who would never betray me?’

She turned over, a sudden flash of inspiration striking her.

****

West of Windhymn City, at the s*ave Market.

“Hehehe… Isn’t this Miss Black Rose? Do you also need a s*ave? Is it because of the Whisperwind Dungeon…”

The corpulent s*ave merchant chuckled ingratiatingly as he waddled over.

Elara was inwardly surprised: ‘He not only knows me but also knows why I’m here.’

“You know all this?”

“Of course! The last time the dungeon opened, experts like yourself also came to me to buy slaves.”

The s*ave merchant had long since gathered information on powerful lone wolf adventurers. These were his potential customers, especially someone like Elara, who surely wasn’t short on money.

“Please, take a look at this one!” The merchant pointed to a burly male s*ave. “B-rank strength, earth magic, no illnesses or misfortunes, and quite handsome, too…”

“I’ll choose myself,” Elara interjected.

‘Without even thinking, this idiot boss probably assumes I have ‘those’ kinds of needs.’

She gave the merchant a disdainful look.

“Ahahaha… Very well! Take your time choosing.”

Elara slowly strolled, her appraising gaze sweeping over the wooden and iron cages—strong or emaciated men, voluptuous or withered women, children with vacant eyes.

None caught her eye; she couldn’t even be bothered to inquire.

Suddenly, her attention was drawn by a striking silver color in a corner.

Elara stopped before a cage filled with straw.

Curled on the straw was a small figure, approximately 1.3 meters tall, clad in coarse cloth clothes and trousers. What stood out was her silver hair and the pointed ears peeking from it.

“Miss Black Rose, are you interested in this one?”

“Tell me about her.”

The merchant cleared his throat. “This is my most valuable s*ave here: a pure-blooded elf! Their innate magic reserves are far greater than humans and half-elves! And she’s very young, only twenty years old, for just 4,000 gold coins!”

“Hey!” The merchant clapped the cage, startling the elf inside. She opened her eyes, revealing pupils as deep blue as the ocean, and struggled to look towards the familiar fat man and the new guest.

This scene had played out many times before.

“And she’s untouched, a virgin! Look again! This face, these features! Elves are always so…”

“I’ll buy her,” Elara said abruptly.

“Wha—” The merchant froze, as did the elven girl in the cage.

Only then did the girl fix her gaze on Elara’s face, studying her—a very beautiful, dark-haired sister.

“No, not…” The merchant hadn’t anticipated this. “This one…”

“Is she a non-sale exhibit, then?” Elara gave him another pointed look.

It had been a sudden, unbidden impulse, and she had already spoken. Normally, she would have no reason to buy such an expensive and seemingly useless s*ave.

‘Buy a burden and then have to act as her mother?’

But that initial impulse in her heart was gradually solidifying into a conviction.

“Ahahaha… Not exactly.”

The merchant had assumed Elara would be like previous customers, merely listening before waving him off to choose another. He especially couldn’t fathom why this female adventurer would buy her.

So, as usual, he had exaggerated his praise to boost his reputation.

“It’s just that this elf has a magic blockage disease,” the merchant finally admitted truthfully.

The elf in the cage lowered her eyelids, seemingly regretting that she had harbored any hope.

“What happens with this disease?” Elara took in every nuance of the girl’s expression.

“Her magic can’t circulate,” the merchant explained. “So, even though she’s reached maturity, her magic hasn’t accelerated her physical development, making her appear like a child.”

He paused. “And her lifespan is significantly shortened. This is a rare disease resulting from inbreeding among peers. Smaller elf communities often resort to it to maintain bloodline purity. It’s an incurable illness.”

‘Magic unable to circulate’ meant she couldn’t use magic. For an elf, comparing her to an unsharpened sword wasn’t even accurate; it was like a sword made of cotton.

Elara understood: ‘No wonder he didn’t mention the most crucial attribute earlier.’

And with a greatly reduced lifespan, the elves’ sole remaining advantage of longevity was gone.

“You’re telling me the truth? Aren’t you afraid I’ll haggle you down?”

Elara was somewhat surprised; she held a stereotypical view of s*ave merchants as cunning swindlers.

“Hehehe, you jest.”

The merchant rubbed his hands. “Honestly, I never expected you to buy her, and I wouldn’t dare conceal such information. The ‘Windhymn City Commodity Management Act’ would prosecute me, and I certainly don’t want to be arrested by the guards.”

Elves with this disease were the hardest goods to sell, making any price unsuitable.

“I was cheated myself at the time, bought her under the assumption she was healthy, alas!” the merchant fumed.

Such a s*ave would likely die in her cage, unsold.

“Name your price,” Elara said, glancing at the elf’s tightly clenched fingers on her clothes.

“If you truly wish to buy her, then 2,000, no! 1,800 gold coins.”

The price had been more than halved, but 1,800 gold coins was still no small sum; the merchant still hoped to recoup as much as possible.

“1,500, paid now.”

“Deal!”

‘Damn, I haggled too little.’

Elara was speechless, rolling her eyes at him again. This merchant’s acting skills were truly beyond compare.

After the payment was made, the s*ave contract was bound.

“Let’s go.” Elara extended a hand to the elven girl.

The elven girl’s eyes still held disbelief as she tremblingly reached out her hand.

Elara gently pulled her up. “Home.”