Chapter 77: The Day After
Inigo returned to Amber’s Hearth after walking Lyra home, his steps light and his thoughts all over the place. The moon hung low in the sky, casting a soft silver glow across the cobblestone streets. His heart was still racing—not from battle, not from fear—but from something far more terrifying: romance.
He had sung. Actually sung. In public.
And it worked.
His lips curled into a grin the moment he stepped into his room. The door shut behind him with a soft thud, muffling the sounds of the city. He collapsed onto the bed and stared at the wooden ceiling, one arm behind his head.
God, I actually sang Somebody to You in front of people who don’t even know what pop music is. He cringed. A little. But at the same time, the memory of Lyra’s expression—the softness in her eyes, the kiss she gave him—wiped away any lingering embarrassment.
"That’s a win," he murmured to himself. "That’s a damn win."
And not just in love. His balance now sat at a whopping 170,235 tokens. The Minotaur dungeon had paid out well, especially after bonuses. He didn’t quite understand the algorithm behind the "Freedom Actions" and "Shock and Awe" multipliers, but apparently the system loved theatrics. Sing a song in public? Get paid. Saving the girls in the dungeon and being cool while at it? Double it.
Inigo chuckled and folded his arms behind his head.
Still, the money didn’t answer the deeper itch. The nagging question of "what now?"
He had a business that would likely explode once the city’s elites got a taste of his burgers. He had companions—real ones—and probably a girlfriend now, pending confirmation.
But the thrill of the dungeon was different. That danger, that high-stakes edge-of-death adrenaline, couldn’t be bottled. And part of him didn’t want to let it go.