Regardless of what hormonal reaction or whatever the spider equivalent was Anna might be having, Timothy didn't have the luxury of paying attention to it.

He finished changing into a fresh outfit with practiced speed, using the scarf as a makeshift curtain between them.

Before stepping out, he turned to her with a firm look.

"Don't step outside. For your own sake."

She didn't respond, but he could feel her gaze following him as he moved.

Just to be extra cautious, Timothy locked the door behind him.

It wouldn't stop her if she wanted to cause chaos, but it gave him a sense of control, however false it might be.

Out on the street, he realized he had no cash.

He considered an online transfer, but he was trying to conserve funds.

Fortunately, a public transport bus rolled up, and he hopped on.

It was a miserable ride.

As a B-rank hunter, Timothy's enhanced senses picked up everything, from the acrid tang of body odor to the unmistakable stench of someone's lunch coming back for revenge.

It was hard to tell if people genuinely lacked hygiene or were just trying to commit nasal terrorism.

Either way, he held his breath in intervals until they reached his stop.

The fare payment almost escalated into a confrontation.

The driver tried to overcharge him, and though Timothy briefly considered just paying the difference for peace's sake, he didn't have that much physical cash on him.

Luckily, the situation resolved itself, the driver backed down when he realized they were right in front of the Hunter Association's head office.

Not the place to pick a fight.

The whole encounter left Timothy with a bitter taste.

Even here, in front of one of the most important buildings in the city, touts and petty crooks roamed freely.

It was clearer now why the privileged kept their distance from the lower class.

There was a rift, not just in wealth, but in behavior.

Not like theirs were better but still...

Or he could have just bought a vehicle of his own... A stray thought phased through his head, but luckily, it didn't leave any laster effect.

Without wasting more time, Timothy stepped into the association building.

The grandeur of the place still impressed him, even if he'd seen it several times before.

He spread out his perception subtly, mapping the area in his mind.

As a B-rank hunter, if only nominally his senses were sharp enough to detect the presence of others, and likewise, some stronger hunters took notice of him.

One signature, however, was absent.

Joshua's not here…

That was unusual.

The guy rarely missed a chance to mock him and him likewise.

Inside, the lobby was packed.

Multiple reception counters were active, but the lines stretched on endlessly.

Timothy considered skipping the queue, he was a B-rank hunter now, and surely that came with perks.

But a moment's hesitation crept in.

Was this even the right place to ask for remuneration? Do B-ranks go through the receptionist like everyone else?

The idea of going upstairs and demanding answers crossed his mind.

But that would attract even more attention, and he wasn't eager to paint a bigger target on his back.

With a sigh, he got in line.

His pride stung a little, but between avoiding attention and asserting himself improperly, he chose the quieter route.

Still, he remained alert.

Every time he visited this place, something strange happened, and rarely in his favor.

As he waited, his mind wandered back to the recent B-rank raid they had completed.

It had been a solid victory, but unfortunately, the dungeon wasn't one of those rich in harvestable mana crystals.

Pity.

Dungeons… gates… world shards.

Timothy frowned.

What exactly was their purpose? What determined whether a gate led to a dungeon or a world shard?

It couldn't be random.

At least, he didn't want to believe it was.

The association knew more than they let on.

Maybe they could tell the difference before a gate opened.

Maybe… they were even controlling some of them.

No, he told himself, shaking the thoughts away.

It wasn't the first time his mind went down that spiral, and it wouldn't be the last.

But without more concrete evidence, he was just speculating.

Still, there was something off.

In that last raid, the bride they encountered hadn't been an ordinary dungeon creature.

She could speak.

Intelligent, almost… regal.

That made her the second being he'd met in a dungeon capable of human speech.

He mused with a faint smirk, there's another intelligent being sitting at home right now.

Anna might not be human or even bipedal but she could hold a conversation.

That was more than enough reason to start asking the right questions with the right incentives.

He was still lost in thought when a sharp voice cut through.

"Can I help you, sir?" the receptionist asked, clearly annoyed.

Timothy blinked, snapping back to reality.

Time always seemed to move differently in his head, he wasn't aware it was already his turn

"Sorry," he replied smoothly, handing over his Hunter ID.

The receptionist took one look at it and froze.

Her eyes widened, but she regained composure quickly and handed it back with a more respectful tone.

"My apologies. How may I assist you, sir?"

He was relieved not to see the gold-digging receptionist from last time.

This one was far more professional.

"I've got some mana crystals to trade," he said calmly, and ten small crystals shimmered into existence on his palm as he offered them forward.

Since Timothy had no bag or pouch, the receptionist awkwardly reached over and manually collected the crystals from his open palm.

She set them aside and began typing on her terminal.

Meanwhile, Timothy's mind wandered as he pondered how best to phrase his next request, specifically, how to ask about his payment.

"May I ask which dungeon these crystals are from?" the receptionist suddenly inquired.

Timothy flinched inwardly.

He hadn't considered that they might cross-check his recent raid records.

If he gave the wrong answer, it could raise suspicions.

"A C-rank dungeon," he replied smoothly.

"But they're not from the boss monster, just some of the lesser creatures."

The lady nodded, her eyes scanning the screen.

"And when exactly did this raid take place, sir?"

"Who said I was the one who did the raid?" Timothy shot back, keeping his tone even.

She glanced up at him, assessing.

Even after setting the crystals aside, Timothy still found it odd how they could determine both rank and purity so quickly.

Their evaluation methods remained a mystery to him.

Not long after, another staff member arrived with a trolley and loaded the crystals and others into a sealed container, wheeling them away toward another counter.

Timothy watched with mild surprise, it all seemed rather exposed.

He considered the security again.

Sure, there were guards, and the structure itself felt reinforced, but if he wanted to cause trouble… could he? The answer was probably no.

The Hunters Association, backed by government resources and years of knowledge on awakened abilities, likely had far more countermeasures in place than they let on.

A moment later, the receptionist returned her attention to him.

"Sir, would you prefer the evaluated value of your crystals to be transferred to your account, or would you like to exchange them for items in our storage?" she asked politely.

That was new.

Timothy raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"What do you have available for exchange?"

"We offer hunter gear and raw materials, though with the quantity and quality of these crystals, the best you'll be able to get is D-rank equipment," she explained confidently.

Timothy leaned forward slightly.

"Would it be possible to inspect the available materials? I have an interest in monster carcasses... and armor, in particular."

The receptionist gave him a brief look, then nodded.

"That is possible, sir. Your rank does grant you access to the exchange room. If you'll give me just a moment, I'll process your request and escort you there."

She tapped away at her console for a few moments.

Soon, another receptionist came over to replace her at the counter.

Timothy silently noted this move as it explained why and how the receptionists rotate.

The woman gestured for Timothy to proceed upstairs, instructing him to show his hunter ID for access.

Timothy followed the instructions, heading up the staircase.

Once at the top, he waited near the entrance hall.

The receptionist didn't appear right away, but after a short while, she emerged from a corridor and waved him over.

As he approached, Timothy felt a pang of irony.

All the eyes he had hoped to avoid now followed him as he made his way through the upper floor.

This was the very hallway he hadn't dared walk down during his last visit with the chairman.

Still, it presented an opportunity one he had been waiting for.

The receptionist seemed polite and professional enough.

Perhaps now, he could finally start asking the real questions that had been gnawing at him.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.