Finally returning home, Larvan tries to control his breath and calm down.
Here we see a single storey eastern type house, a combination of concrete and wood, a traditional house that he had worked hard to obtain together with the land over the years of part-time jobs, as well as maintaining his education.
Larvan lets himself inside, forgetting to remove his shoes that have become worn out due to his continuous running, and with what happened earlier, his clothes that were barely intact throughout the experience, thanks to his rapid understanding and control over his will, maintaining at least some protection throughout his clothes and body, resulting in less visible damage.
As Larvan enters, we see the interior is a mix of Eastern and Western design. The living room, which connects to all of the other rooms, like the kitchen, which is next to it, is connected to the backyard with a door next to the refrigerator, hallways to the bathroom, guestroom, and bedroom.
Larvan heads to his bedroom instinctively, exhaustion kicking in, bangs his shoulders from wall to wall, finally reaches his room, plunges onto his bed, and falls into deep sleep.
The next day.
Larvan woke up around noon, his whole body sore after what happened yesterday, even though he was far away from the main area where the item's ability struck, a sliver of the stray electrical current still hit Larvan, causing the current predicament.
Becoming a Keyholder allowed him to use his will to protect himself and speed up his natural healing, but it was inefficient, he needed an item to make it more effective and efficient, just like the drink that was made by Og/Master, which fully refreshed his entire body, allowing him to be able to somewhat use his left arm again and disperse the electrical current that lingered in Larvan's body over night since the drink was not specialized for healing, it only hasten the speed of recovery with the vitality it gave.
Larvan lay around and thought for longer and contemplated, now that he had no job and paid for his full notice period required by his breach of contract, reducing his hard earned savings, going to the Ever Plains to earn, although dangerous, is much more profitable, and his only source of income at the moment.
He didn't have any grand ambition or dream, he just wanted a life he could enjoy more than normal and to live happily and carefree.
Larvan got up, washed himself, put on his home clothes, and ate.
As he ate, Larvan pondered.
"Alright, let's do this." -Larvan said with enthusiasm as if he had decided on something.
Larvan changed clothes and went out to go somewhere before he went to the Ever Halls.
But before that, he walked in the direction of the fight yesterday out of curiosity, trying to see the devastation that had happened.
Larvan walked, and as he arrived, his eyes widened.
The place was perfectly fine, there was not even a single trace of what happened yesterday.
Regardless, Larvan acted, looked around, as if lost and confused, then turned back like he had gone the wrong way.
Larvan was certain that the group yesterday knew that there was someone else around at that time, and that they would certainly monitor this area.
Then, Larvan's item activated, pointing somewhere behind him, someone was trailing him as he walked, and Larvan knew it was them.
"Why are they following? I didn't do anything yesterday, I just watched?! They didn't even see me!? How would they know what I look like?" -Larvan thought anxiously.
He walked for some time, reaching a much more crowded area, and he noticed that the arrow pointing at the one following him became two, then three.
Even so, Larvan was confident that they would do nothing, since if they really did, they would have done it a while ago.
He bet on the idea that everyone who passed by that area was being followed and not just him, but still, he acted normally and went to a shop he had a history with and knew all too well.
Finally, Larvan reached his destination, which was a mid size bakery cafe.
He entered the shop with a bright smile, as if he were going back home.
The shop was packed, and people were chatting, taking orders, and such.
Larvan got near the counter, close to the entrance where the bakers are.
Larvan took in a huge breath.
"Hey! Boss! Looks like your bread lost a little bit of flavor! Maybe because of being rushed! Are you guys lacking manpower or something?!" -Larvan shouted with a mischievous smile and all his might.
Suddenly, the noise of people talking stops, and everyone looks at Larvan with wide eyes, excluding the employees, as they know who he is.
Thud!!
A sound of a heavy slam was heard, and whispers could be heard everywhere in the cafe, a heavy footstep was muffling the whispers.
Then suddenly, a tall, well built handsome man showed with an intimidating aura.
People who didn't know of their relationship would have thought that Larvan was done for, as the owner of the bakery cafe was reputedly strict on everyone, including himself, and took his work seriously.
"Well, well, well, look who it is!!
It's your guy's senior, the fresh graduate,
Larvan!!!" -The bakery cafe owner suddenly said proudly, looking at his workers with a bright smile, losing the intimidating aura.
He approaches Larvan and hugs him tightly.
"How are you kid?" -The bakery cafe owner asked with a smile that reached both his ears as he pats Larvan on his shoulders.
"I'm fine, doing great actually, Old Man Ray." -Larvan replied with a bit of enthusiasm and a smile.
"Hah! If you were truly doing great, you would have changed these old clothes.
Is your new job not paying well?" -Ray, the cafe owner, said with a grin, and held Larvan's clothes, and stretched them with one hand.
The old clothes were stretched, then finally reached their limits and ripped, revealing Larvan's proof of being a Keyholder, but to others, it was only a tattoo.
Larvan and Ray were shocked, with wide eyes, with Larvan trying to cover the damaged part.
"Come on! old man Ray! They were nice clothes even though they were old!" -Larvan complained.
Ray, the bakery cafe owner, was lost in thought for a moment with a serious look, recalling what he saw.
"Umm. Can I talk to you in private?
And I may need some shirt, got some stuff that hasn't been used lying around?" -Larvan asked nervously.
"Oh! Ah! Yeah, sorry about the shirt.
Here, wear this shirt for now." -Ray, the bakery cafe owner, snapped out of it, replied, and abruptly found a replacement nearby lying around.
Larvan took the shirt from Old Man Ray's hand and wore it quickly, while also looking around as if on guard.
"It's fine, old man, it was an old shirt anyway.
Plus, I want to talk about my job, and I would prefer it not in public." -Larvan said, reassuring and serious.
Ray looked around the crowd, some of whom were still staring, while others were now minding their own business, and then he nodded.
"Come on, kid." -Ray said, tilting his head in a direction with a serious and worried look.
Larvan followed Ray towards his office.
"Ah?
But, that's my clothes?!
What am I supposed to use to get home?" -The random employee said in a concerned tone, with a face that was about to cry.
"Don't worry, just use your work clothes, I'm sure the boss wouldn't mind." -Another random employee said to console the other in a reassuring tone.
Both Larvan and Ray reached his office, Ray gestured to the sofa in the middle of the room, while he slowly walked towards his desk, Larvan understood, and sat on the sofa.
"Make yourself comfortable." -Old Man Ray said casually.
Larvan made himself at home as soon as Ray said so.
"Don't mind if I do." -Larvan said with a grin while reaching for something.
He took a candy from the jar that was on a table in front of him, unwrapping and eating it.
Ray was watching Larvan becoming comfortable before saying anything.
"I heard you got a job now?
so how was it?" -Old Man Ray asked with an earnest smile.
The room was quiet for a few seconds, and Larvan's eyes widened.
"As expected, old man.
Your information network is something alright." -Larvan said with a solemn grin.
"Old Man Rays has been taking care of me, ever since he found me on the streets, prepared myself for hunger to take me. He took me under his wing, like his own son.
He was the only family I knew, lying to him is something I would last consider, plus with his information network, he would find out about it eventually." -Larvan resolutely thought.
Larvan relaxed, preparing himself.
"I-it, it was fine, a good paying job.
B-but...
It looks like your info hasn't updated yet. I actually quit yesterday," -Larvan replied hesitatingly with a nervous smile.
Ray's earnest smile slowly faded, and the room's atmosphere became gloomy.
"I see." -Old Man Ray said, his face saddened and his eyes lowered.
"Don't worry, old man, I found a much better job that pays me well." -Larvan said reassuringly, gesturing that it would be fine.
The room became quiet again for a few seconds.
"So how was it?" -Old Man Ray looked at Larvan as he asked, with a somber smile.
Larvan tilted his head in confusion about what Ray was asking.
"H-how was what?" -Larvan asked with a confused look.
As Larvan asked, Old Man Ray took something out of his pockets and placed it in front of him.
"Your new job." -Old Man Ray said, with a reminiscent face and somber smile.
Larvan stared at what Old Man Ray had put down, a bracelet as clear as glass, but for some reason, He could tell that it was much stronger than diamond or any metal there was.
Snap!
"How was your first time in the Ever Halls?
Or better yet, how was being a Keyholder?" -Old Man Ray replied, still with his somber smile after snapping his fingers.
While asking that, after the snap of the fingers, a nearly invisible field enveloped the entire room like a barrier.
Larvan, shocked and eyes wide at what was going on and what Old Man Ray was asking, realized that he, his father figure, was also a Keyholder.
"Wa-wha-wa.. A-Ah... Ah?" -Larvan, speechless, struggled to say anything, his mouth shakingly opening and closing.
Clap!!!
Old Man Ray, noticing that Larvan is having a hard time processing, clapped his hands to snap Larvan out of it.
"Old Man!!! You were a Keyholder?!!" -Larvan agitated, abruptly stood up, and shouted out after snapping out of it.
Hearing Larvan's deafening voice, Old Man Ray smirked, but with a solemn face.
"Sit and calm down.
No need to be agitated." -Old Man Ray said.
Larvan, hearing Old Man Ray, opened his mouth and closed it hesitatingly, failing to think or form words, but then sat down, calmed himself, and the room's silence made his heart beat louder.
"Listen, kid, I will not stop you or convince you to stop entering The Ever Plains.
It's your choice and your life, but, as family and from one Keyholder to another, I can only give you my word of advice.
Always be prepared, no matter how much you think you have prepared yourself, it isn't enough, it won't be enough." -Old Man Ray explained calmly with a reminiscent and familial smile.
Larvan looks at Old Man Ray, intently listening, thinking many things through, but also still digesting the fact that he was a Keyholder.
"I can't believe this! Old Man Ray was a Keyholder?! Now that explains his vast wealth and his Irregular expenses for a cafe owner, that's one mystery solved, but why did he retire? Did he manage to achieve his goal? Was that why he retired? What was his goal for becoming a Keyholder? Was it just for wealth? And his advice about being prepared? Wha-" -Larvan thought deeply.
Smak!!!
Old Man Ray looks at Larvan with a gloomy, knowing face, as he claps his hands to get Larvan's attention, cutting off his thoughts.
"I know you have a lot of questions, but I can only answer a few since I don't want to revisit my past right now." -Old Man Ray said with a somber tone, while readying himself.
Larvan looks at Old Man Ray, not wishing to trouble him by bringing up his past, but also has countless questions that Larvan wants answered.
He ultimately resolves to only ask the important things.
"Wha-Why? Why did you retire?" -Larvan said, a little hesitant, while looking at Old Man Ray with a worried look.
Continue...