The room filled with the low, excited murmurs of the other newbies.

"It has to be true," one whispered, leaning toward his friend. "The rumors about the Demon Lord in that southern cave... it fits perfectly. A creature like that just sitting there would warp the mana for miles. That’s why the distortion is so bad."

"Exactly," another added. "There’s no other reason for a quiet place like the south to suddenly turn into a death trap. It’s that monster’s fault."

Johnn slammed his fist onto the table, his face twisted with a rare look of pure anger. The smell of alcohol was gone, replaced by the sharp intent of a hero.

"That’s why I’m itching for this orientation to end. I’m going to make that ’Demon Lord’ pay. That monster is the reason Oozewell is gone. It killed everyone in that town just by existing. I won’t let it happen again."

Maddy’s heart sank. A cold, hollow feeling opened up in her chest.

"Is it me..? Am I the reason that slime town was massacred?"

The faces of the villagers, the fear in the eyes of the people she had passed, and most of all, Hoppy, flashed through her mind. She thought of the little girl’s mother, her lost home, and the tears she had shed.

"Did my power... my very presence... pull the mana in until the local slimes went insane? Was I the ’powerful creature’ that triggered the distortion? Making hoppy... suffered so much?"

She looked down at her hands, trembling slightly under the table. To Johnn and the rest of the world, the cause of the disaster was a monster that needed to be hunted. To Maddy, the realization was much worse: she might have accidentally destroyed lives simply by trying to find a place to call home. Every word Johnn spoke about "making the monster pay" felt like a direct promise of a blade to her own throat.

The orientation ended, but Maddy’s heart felt so heavy. As she stood up, a dark thought crossed her mind.

"If I am the cause of all this suffering... then those five adventurers were just doing their jobs. They were seeking justice. If I were in their shoes, I would have done the same."

Suddenly, a warm hand landed on her shoulder.

"Hey, are you okay?"

Johnn asked. He looked at her with genuine concern, his earlier anger replaced by a soft smile.

"You look like you’ve seen a ghost. Are you worried about starting your first quest?"

He let out a small laugh, trying to lighten the mood. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

"Look, if you’re scared, just come with me! If you’re by my side, you won’t have to worry about a single monster. I’ll handle everything."

Maddy didn’t feel comforted. She felt a surge of cold irritation. She reached up and firmly removed his hand from her shoulder.

"I don’t need a man’s help."

Johnn winced as if he had been stung. He pulled his hand back, looking a bit hurt, but he didn’t give up. As Maddy turned to walk away, he called out to her.

"Wait! At least tell me your name! Just your name, that’s all I’m asking!"

But Maddy was already at the exit. She didn’t look back, disappearing into the crowded hallway without a word.

Johnn stood there for a moment and sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Man... why is she so hard to get?"

He watched the door where she had vanished, a determined spark in his eyes.

"But I guess that just makes me want to know her even more."

Maddy didn’t head for the quest as she had planned. Instead, she wandered through the crowded marketplace, where the sunlight felt too bright for the darkness in her mind. Every time she saw a child, Hoppy’s tear filled eyes flashed in her memory. She couldn’t stop thinking about the facilitator’s words. If her own power had truly caused the distortion, then she owed that little girl everything.

"I wonder what she is doing now. I bet she’s finally living up to her name and being happy, now that she’s back with her father. Maybe I’ll give her two bags of my Crispy Blade Chips—no, I’ll make it ten! She really did love those."

She finally reached the stall. It was a busy spot selling slime related goods and luxury jars. Customers crowded the front, waving their coins and shouting for service. Maddy pushed through the wall of people, her small frame allowing her to slip into the front row.

The father was there. He looked different from the broken man from last night. He was smiling, his hands moving fast as he wrapped jars and took gold. He looked like a successful merchant with a perfect life.

"Excuse me, Sir."

Maddy said. Her voice was quiet but it carried a sharp edge. The man looked up, his professional smile staying in place.

"Yes, miss? How can I help you today? We have the finest slime jam from the southern land."

"I am not here for uhm... slime jam. I wanted to see your daughter. Is she inside?"

The man blinked, his smile faltering for a second.

"My daughter? Oh, she is at her teacher’s house for a music lesson. She is very bright and a wonderful singer! I am a very proud father. Are you one of her fans? I’m sorry, but she isn’t available to sing in the square right now."

Maddy felt a wave of relief wash over her and offered a small, genuine smile.

"She’s already studying music? That’s wonderful. You’re a good father to enroll her so soon after everything that happened. I mean, the last time she told me about her hobbies, it was all drawing monsters and inventing recipes from their parts. It might seem strange to others, but to me and to you, as a monster chef—that’s a great instinct!"

She added,

"But I guess she has a talent for music too... Damn, she can even sing? Is there anything she can’t do? What a talented kid, you really must be so proud of her."