NOVEL WEB Chapter 62
62. I Wish This Could Go On Forever
The capital city, Grand Adonis, had a structure where people lived closer to the center the higher their social status.
At the center lived royalty, nobility, and the super-rich, while the outer layers housed the lower classes and those with less income.
This natural division resulted in a roughly five-layered residential structure.
On the outermost layer of the capital, adjacent to the city walls, was the headquarters of Heimat Transport.
This company, mainly handling material transportation, was where Jack Jarce worked.
With his enhanced skills, allowing him to perform physical feats far beyond a normal human’s abilities, it was the perfect job for him.
In fact, it wasn’t uncommon for him to carry out transport volumes dozens or even hundreds of times greater than other employees using his skills.
That evening, after finishing his work, Jack entered the company building.
“I’ve finished today’s tasks.”
“Oh, good job! Here’s today’s pay. Thank you!”
The president greeted Jack with a smile and handed him some silver coins.
There were about twenty coins in total.
“Huh? This is way too much…”
Jack was confused.
It was clearly more than twenty times his daily wage.
“It’s a bonus, a bonus. You always work several—no, dozens of times harder than the others.”
The president was in a great mood.
“We’re a relatively new company, but since you joined, our performance has been skyrocketing. Soon, we plan to move our base to the third layer instead of the fifth.”
“Really, that’s amazing. Today, you even finished all the hauling by yourself…”
From the work desk at the back, a female clerk named Hannah approached.
“N-no, it’s nothing…”
Jack couldn’t help but feel embarrassed.
Feeling bashful to look directly at her, he glanced at her intermittently.
Hannah was a woman in her mid-twenties.
Her freckled face with slightly droopy eyes gave her an unpolished look.
She wasn’t an outstanding beauty, but she had abundant charm.
More than anything, just talking to her was comforting and soothing.
“I think you should be confident. You do an amazing job and never act arrogant. It’s wonderful.”
Hannah also hinted at her feelings for Jack.
Even someone inexperienced like Jack could understand it.
Since he started working here, he felt their distance was steadily closing.
At forty-three years old, Jack was experiencing the first romantic stirrings of his life.
“Well, well, things are looking good between you two.”
The president looked at them cheerfully,
“Oh, right. I got some opera tickets from an acquaintance. How about you two go together? They’re reserved seats for this Saturday.”
“What, President…?”
“Honestly, you’re so slow in making a move. It’s frustrating to watch.”
The president grinned.
“Hannah, you don’t mind, do you? Would you like to go?”
“Well, since you offered…”
Hannah blushed and accepted the tickets from the president.
“Here’s yours.”
“I-I…”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Hannah accepted the tickets, and you’re not going to refuse, are you?”
“N-no… Thank you.”
Half-pushed by the president, Jack took the ticket.
He still felt bashful.
But it wasn’t a bad feeling.
At his age, he felt like a teenage boy again, experiencing sweet, aching pangs of youth.
“Do your best, Jack.”
The president patted Jack on the shoulder and whispered in his ear.
“It’s about time you settled down. Hannah is a good girl.”
“I-I’ll do my best.”
Jack nodded, his cheeks burning.
“I’m heading out. See you on Saturday, Jack.”
Hannah smiled.
(Saturday, huh…)
Thinking about it, it was Jack’s first date in his life.
“I-I’m looking forward to it too.”
Jack, nervous, responded while looking at the ticket.
He exhaled a breath of joy.
“I wish this kind of life could go on forever…”
Jack murmured with a mixed smile.
──An impossible wish.
The next moment, a tremendous tremor struck the area.
“What the…!?”
Jack rushed outside with the president and Hannah.
“A pillar fell from the sky! Weird mist is spewing out, and people nearby are collapsing… Damn, what the hell is that!?”
“It must be poison mist! You guys need to get out of here, fast!”
Nearby residents were in a panic.
Near the city wall, they saw a spire about fifteen meters high.
“Look, over there!”
Hannah pointed at the pillar.
Around it, a dark green mist was swirling.
The mist was slowly spreading.
As soon as the mist touched the stone houses, they emitted white smoke and crumbled one by one.
It seemed to be a corrosive poison.
The area was already in chaos with people fleeing.
“We need to run. Jack, Hannah, let’s go together──”
Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrroooooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrr!
The president’s words were cut off by a deep roar that shook the air.
A massive shadow rose beside the pillar.
A gigantic figure made entirely of white bones.
Thin limbs and wings resembling those of a bat.
Its face looked like a dragon, the world’s strongest monster.
A beast in the shape of a bone dragon.
“W-what the hell is that…!?”
“Hey, we didn’t get any warning about monsters appearing!”
“What’s the Adventurers’ Guild doing!?”
Employees ran out of the building, shouting in fear and anger.
The bone dragon turned towards them and started approaching.
“Everyone, run! Head away from the poison and the beast!”
The president shouted.
He led the panicked employees and ran in the opposite direction of the beast.
In the midst of this, Jack stayed behind.
“A monster… huh.”
He stared at the giant creature advancing down the main street.
“Jack, run!”
Hannah shouted desperately.
“Go ahead. I’ll hold it off.”
Given the current situation, the poison spread slowly, and the residents seemed to have enough time to evacuate.
The real problem was the beast.
Its walking speed was surprisingly fast.
Someone needed to hold it off until everyone had evacuated.
“W-what are you saying!? You’ll get killed──”
“Just go. If you hesitate, everyone will die.”
Jack spoke firmly to the stunned Hannah.
Even if they contacted the Adventurers’ Guild, many would die before adventurers capable of fighting the beast could arrive.
He was the only one who could fight now.
“I’ll stop it.”
It was the first time.
Using his skills in a life-or-death battle.
“Raaaaaah!”
Jack roared and charged.
Emblems resembling those on a knight’s armor appeared on his limbs.
With his enhanced skills, his physical abilities increased dozens of times, and he dashed forward.
He sprinted onto the main street, rapidly closing the distance to the bone dragon.
(Is this a dragon…?)
The closer he got, the more instinctive fear he felt towards the giant creature.
He knew fighting wasn’t his strong suit.
But he had to do it.
“I will stop you. This thing!”
He punched the ten-meter-long giant with all his might.
His supersonic punch created a shockwave, resonating loudly.
With a cry, the beast was blown away.
“I can fight──”
Jack, with emblems shining on his limbs, stood ready.
Even against a monster, he could stand his ground with his enhanced skills.
No, he would win──.
To protect those dear to him.