Chapter 23 - 23: A New Beginning (1/2)

Chapter 23 - 23: A New Beginning

"This house, it is yours"

"What?"

Van could not help but blink a couple of times as Sarah handed hiht?

"It's yours", Sarah also blinked as she looked at Van

"It's… mine?", Van could not help but look at the keys on his hand, his expression filled with nothing but confusion He looked at the houses in the neighborhood, and although the house in front of hier than his house made of scraps back in the Relic Graveyard

"What are you waiting for?"

Van's thoughts were quickly disrupted by Sarah's voice, "Open the door, I will be your first guest"

The two stared at each other for a while, but then, after a few seconds, Van lowered his eyebrows "What do you want fro this without expecting anything in return, Miss Sarah"

Seeing Van's sudden change of ht chuckle, "I told you", she said, "It's compensation from the Explorer association"

"But you already helped me enroll in the Academy", Van furrowed his eyebrows even further

Once again, Sarah could only sigh as she slightly rolled her eyes, "Enrolling you to the company was my idea, which I paid for with olden hair, "The real corieved by Portal "

"But--"

"Not this kind of housing, though", Sarah continued before Van can say anything, "I upgraded yours a little bit with ain"

"What?", Van let out a tiny gasp, "Then I can't just accept this Why are you even doing this for ht in the eye, her tone adamant

"This…", a complicated expression started to plaster all over Van's face, "I can't accept any more help", he said as he tried to return the keys to Sarah

"You're quite stubborn, aren't you?", Sarah could not help but sigh again, "I a all of this because you have potential It is my duty as a vital part of the Explorer association to ensure your well-being As you ests, explore the Portals But the reason for that is to protect the country first and foreht need you to protect it so at the future"

Van's jaw slightly dropped as he stared at Sarah's resolute eyes It reminded him of when he still held a deep respect for the Explorers and Syste that they emitted that ood enough reason for you?", Sarah clapped her hands, "Now open the house I have been holding inSarah's hurried words, Van quickly unlocked the door of the house and opened it His eyes instantly widened as he saw the interior of the house It really was… spacious

He was going to live here from now on? Him?

"Move move"

Van's contehtly pushed him to the side as she rushed to the toilet But not before touching so in the wall, which made the inside of the house lit up

"!!!", Van slightly backed away in shock as the entire house was filled with light Could it be… this whole house was powered by crystals!?

'Isn't this… too wasteful?', Van could not help but take a deep breath He felt it was too much Even in the Academy, ht Only the facilities were powered by crystals

A car, a house powered by crystals Van felt like he was in the future… or maybe perhaps it was more like the past?

"How is it?", Sarah's soft voice resounded through the house

"This… is mine?", Van still couldn't believe the fact that he had his own house now

"Yes", Sarah nodded her head, "Well, only until you graduate You need to buy it frohtly chuckled

"That…", Van slightly backed away as he tightened his hands, "Are you a loan shark!?", he then pointed at Sarah, the keys jangling in his hand Was this her goal all along? To increase the interest and ht

Sarah, however, only laughed as soon as she saw Van's nervous expression, "It's just the association's policy Don't worry, I will give you a huge discount", Sarah said as she winked, "Besides, with the crystals you received only on your first in the acadehborhood by the tiraduate"

"I… That's impossible", Van quickly denied it However, a sht of getting rich enough the buy the entire neighborhood

"Well, that's that", Sarah clapped her hands, "I still have ato attend to"

"Ookay", Van nodded as he escorted Sarah to the door

"For food…", Sarah glanced back towards Van before going through the door, "There's a et lost I will visit from time to time if I am in the area"