CHAPTER 43: JESSIE’S FATHER

Ash and Jessie exchanged a quick glance. This wasn’t the type of offer one received easily.

Jessie stepped forward, bowing slightly. "Commander, we don’t take your generosity for granted. But... may we know the boundaries of what can be asked?"

The commander’s scarred lips tugged into a faint smile. "Good question. Weapons, special items, authority, access to resources, protection—those are fair. Political power, forbidden artifacts, or anything that endangers balance are off limit."

Ash kept his eyes on the desk silently. His instincts screamed that the ordinary-looking man wasn’t "ordinary" at all. He couldn’t sense his presence—no breathing rhythm, no aura, nothing. Which meant either he was a harmless bureaucrat... or far more dangerous than the commander himself.

"What do you desire, Ash?" the commander asked, his tone carrying the weight of a test.

Ash’s mind flickered. This was a chance to anchor himself deeper in this system. He could ask for weapons, armor, and items.

But greed was a deep trap. He knew one thing—never reveal your full hand. Always ask for what you can use immediately, while keeping your ambitions hidden.

"I was interested in runic language lately, but have no idea where to start. If you could help me with that," Ash said, his voice steady.

The commander studied him, eyes narrowing with intrigue. Beside him, the ordinary man finally looked up—just for a second. And in that moment, Ash felt his blood run cold.

"Interesting," the commander finally said. "We can provide what you ask. But knowledge always comes with weight.

Learning runic language normally would take you centuries if you don’t have suitable profession. I have something for you, but it will take some days to reach here. Mastering the language will be up to you from that point—but it will provide you a solid launching pad."

He looked at Ash as if analyzing something.

"Although there are no strict rules against not revealing your profession correctly, it’s better to come clean before the government. Hope you understand that."

Ash’s heart wavered at the words—maybe he had a skill to see through his screen, or he was just guessing like that Ranker Association girl. But he didn’t feel like revealing anything if he wasn’t being pushed.

The commander smirked, amused by his audacity. "Then so be it. Your request will be granted."

The scarred man leaned back, but the ordinary one spoke for the first time. His voice was quiet, flat, and yet it sank deep into Ash’s ears.

"Don’t mind him. He’s just too involved with the government nowadays. Sometimes hiding something is better than revealing it, so you’re not bound to reveal your profession." There was warmth in his words towards Ash, then his eyes shifted to Jessie.

The room was pin-drop silent. The commander looked at the man, annoyed. "Your family is no better."

"When did I say it’s better? He must have reasons to not come clean about his profession," the man said in a calm voice.

The commander just bit his lips and didn’t say anything.

"Ash, you can go—Jessie, you stay here."

Ash looked towards Jessie and left at her nod.

"Jessie, are you mad or what? I don’t know how you cleared that dungeon, but it was nothing short of jumping into the maw of a dragon," the middle aged man’s whole attitude changed as soon as Ash left.

"We thought it was D-rank," Jessie said, pouting.

"Daughter, even if it was D-rank, you know how risky it was for an E-rank to enter. we can count the people who cleared a D-rank dungeon solo or in a duo as E-rankers." His voice was stern, reprimanding.

Jessie put her head down, listening to his words.

"I want to leave you free so you can grow, but don’t put your life on the line," he stood up and hugged her.

"I’m out of this family drama," the commander said, reaching for the door, but before going out he blurted an advice.

"Luther, the Ascension is approaching. If you keep her so close, she will never grow out of your shadow, and in the trial you will lose her." The commander left the room, shutting the door behind.

Ash stood outside, waiting for Jessie to emerge.

The commander looked at him but didn’t say anything and left with the captain, who was also waiting for him.

Inside, Jessie made sure commander went out and looked up. "You know I can’t run from all this. I have that title for a reason."

Hearing it, Luther had the face of defeat. This was something she had inherited from her family.

"Grandpa will force you to lead the family during Ascension," he said, feeling powerless. "You got permission to play around and live normal life. It’s good your plan of joining a guild failed badly".

"I’ve gotten something unique from that dungeon," Jessie told about the Twin Fang title ignoring his rant.

Outside, Ash was getting impatient—’Why is it taking so long?’

He was about to enter when Jessie opened the door and came out.

"Took you some time, huh?"

"Hmm... he gave me the reward I asked for," Jessie said, showing a box in her hands.

Ash was curious about the item inside.

Jessie opened the box, revealing a ring. It purifies the mana we acquire from beast cores, allowing us to consume more without migraine.

Hearing its usage, Ash wanted to slap himself. ’Did I make a mistake?’ He just hoped whatever he was about to get would really be helpful.

He had seen the diverse usage of runes—to make something sturdier—like on the vans, or to create areas restricted from using skills—like the prison. He was not quite sure about the limits, but it was a positive step toward his goal.

Jessie was showing off the ring, trying to make him jealous, but inside her emotions were in turmoil—stuck in a dilemma.

When she told her father about Twin Fang, his thoughts aligned with hers. Everything the system gave, everything that happened, was a hint for her future. It may not be true for others, but she was deeply tied to fate, making her vulnerable to its games.

Maybe it was the world’s way of saying that being acquainted with Ash would be fruitful for her. She had already seen her speed of leveling increase after meeting him.

At last, it was time for the choice—whether to tell him about the Ascension and keep him by her side or not.

Well, that was her decision, but it also depended on him—whether he wanted to walk the path of Ascension together or not.