The Achievement Junkie

Chapter 305 “How Could I Ever Thank You?“

’JACK! Are you crazy?!’

’Eliza, calm down.’ Jack put his hands up innocently even though she couldn’t see him. ’I have to get a certain item out of the vault so I can better contact Daruun. Also, it turns out that it’s a great opportunity for me to gain a few levels before the election at Trodar. There are only six months until the first round of elections starts, so I’ve got to hurry.’

’Jack... remember, you promised me that you’d stay alive.’

’I know, and I’m very much alive. Nothing in here has been able to so much as touch me thanks to Tralon and Argyle,’ Jack stated.

’Okay... But you’d better be willing to spend some money when we go on our dates, considering it’s the storehouse you’re raiding,’ reasoned Eliza. ’And don’t tell me that’s not worth it, because your wives should be more important than anything else, right?’

’I... Okay, I won’t hold back but at least keep it within reason.’

’Thanks, Jack!’ Eliza giggled. ’By the way, what level are you, Jack?’

’...’

’Jack? Jaaack? I know you’re there.’

Hesitant, Jack swallowed some saliva lodged in his throat before whispering softly, ’We’re... lv. 47.’

’What was that? I didn’t catch what you said,’ prodded Eliza. ’Speak up, Jack. Are you trying to keep secrets from your wife?’

’Bowzer and I are... lv. 47,’ Jack sighed.

’You’re what?! You’re lv. 47 in just a few days?!’

’Eliza, calm down. This leveling strategy only works because we’re using my old pact that takes half of Tralon’s and your father’s EXP. Without that, I wouldn’t--’

’Are ya serious?! Ya already reached lv. 47?!’

’Jack, how’d you do that so quickly?’

’Big Bro! Why’d you forget about me? I want to level up too!’

’Jack... Have you really leveled up that much? Will you not need us anymore?’

Each of his party members quickly joined the conversation, adding their own question or thought to the mix. Jack was helpless against the slew of interjections, incapable of answering everything all at once.

’Guys... Guys! Please, calm down for a second. I can explain!’ Jack did his best to regain some control. ’I’m in the storehouse of the Leisure Guild, which has a dungeon I built with mobs reaching levels as high as lv. 70. That’s why Bowzer and I are traveling with Argyle and Tralon. I only got there so quickly because the storehouse mobs have grown too much after the past thousand years and we wiped out a city’s worth of jakals.’

’Jakals? Are they supposed to be as strong as lv. 60? Even with those two doing the killing, that many jakals would take forever to kill’ asked Rydel.

’Not if you take them all out in one attack from a legendary spell.’

’Then what about the shadow goblins that Daliea’s been talking about?’ Eliza asked. ’She’s been so excited to know that her race still exists and can’t wait to meet them. But if they were in the storehouse, that means you put them there in the past. If you had placed some shadow goblins in the storehouse, how come you only mentioned that now?’

’I... I forgot...’

’You forgot?! Jack, don’t just scratch your head and dodge my question! For something that important to Daliea, you should’ve told her from the beginning. Also, how do you plan to get them out of there?’ Eliza questioned her husband mercilessly.

’First off, the shadow goblins have already been removed from the dungeon and she’ll meet them once we’re done handling things on our end,’ answered Jack. ’Second, I really did forget! Making this dungeon was something I did when I first started being a hero, way before I was even lv. 85. Most things I’m known for happened after I was lv. 85, so of course I’m going to forget a few things.’

’Jack, how did those shadow goblins get in the dungeon if you’re the one who made it?’ DAliea asked, grabbing everyone’s attention.

’Well... I don’t remember who it was, but someone had given me a quest to capture a small number of shadow goblins. I didn’t kill any of them, I only placed them in one of my dungeon floors because each floor was supposed to be different...’ Jack explained his past actions. ’But because of that, this tribe was forgotten by the rest of Kartonia and avoided extinction.’

’I guess you’re right...’

’Daliea, I didn’t do it with the intent to hurt your people. Honestly, at the time I was so focused on leveling up and grinding, I was doing anything and everything to get stronger. And it was a great test of my skills to face your people without killing them. It was very difficult so I thought it would be a waste to kill such amazing opponents,’ Jack reasoned, trying to persuade the goblin girl. ’I had never known them as anything other than mysterious goblins at the time... But I am sorry for acting in such a way and for not remembering them up till now.’

’It’s okay, Jack. At least you know better know,’ replied Daliea in a calm, glad tone. ’It may not have been your intention, but you still managed to save my race... That’s something I can’t overlook, Jack. And I’m so happy that my people are still alive.’

’You’ll have to help them relearn your native tongue but I’ll make sure they’re properly trained,’ added Jack.

’Jack, how could I ever thank you?’

Eliza could sense the tension building in the conversation and she could also see Daliea’s blushing face. She nudged Maura beside her, making sure that her fellow wife saw how affectionate Daliea appeared to be at the moment.

With a sigh, Maura nodded to Eliza. They seemed to act in code, understanding the meaning of each other’s thoughts and actions while others only saw the surface level.

’Daliea, you don’t have to--’

’How about you marry Jack?’

’Eliza! I don’t want to force--’

’I-I would be willing.’

’...’

’Jack, speak up!’ Eliza shouted. ’A beautiful woman that we all care about just offered you her hand in marriage. Don’t tell me you’re opposed to having more than one wife because we already know the truth behind that excuse.’

’...’

’Jack,’ Maura chimed in, ’we feel that Daliea cares about you just as much as we do. And after everything she’s done for us, we know that you care about her too. Right’

’...’

’Right, Jack?’

’Can we please not talk about this right now?’ Jack pled with his wives.

’Why not listen to them? They’re your wives, they deserve that much respect.’

Jack turned to Argyle. He could feel the seriousness behind the swordsman’s intimidating glare and his sudden opinion. ’Fine... We can talk I guess. I’ve got some time while Tralon recharges his mana.’

Back in Prachten, the party had paused their return to town and stopped at the side of the road. There, both Eliza and Maura looked to Daliea. Speaking verbally so Jack couldn’t hear here encouragement, Eliza smiled, "Daliea, if you want to, then just do it. Maura and me won’t be mad at all."

"But... Eliza--"

"She’s right, Daliea," stated Maura. "Jack’s dense and hard-headed, so it took forever for him to open up to us, even after we became his wives. If you don’t act now, then I’m not sure when you’ll get another chance like this."

Without a word, DAliea nodded.

’Hello? You wanted to talk, but now you’re silent... If we’re not talking then we’ll--’

’Jack!’ Daliea’s shout got Jack to be silent and listen. ’Jack... A lot has changed since I first offered myself to you. In Reinolt, I almost forced you to make me your wife... But after traveling and seeing your party grow I couldn’t find it in myself to act that way again.

’Jack, I still want to be your woman... more so now than ever.’

’I... I don’t know what to say...’

’Do you care about her Jack? Yes or no?’ Argyle threw out his question without fear or hesitation, gaining his daughter’s respect.

Speaking in person, Jack looked back to his father-in-law, "Argyle--"

’Jack, if you care about her, then why not? Give me one good reason.’ Argyle didn’t let Jack hide their conversation from the others, keeping it within the group.

A rollercoaster of emotions started to fill Jack’s mind as his party members didn’t let him bottle anything up.