Chapter 918

Anton knew he wouldn't be staying at the Port Side Hotel for long. His plan was to find accommodations closer to whichever magical organization in Remuth eventually accepted him.

The sun had already begun to set, however, so it was time to rest for the night.

He rented one of the hotel's standard rooms. The price was reasonable, and since he only intended to stay for one night, there was no need for anything more expensive.

The moment he stepped inside, Anton was disappointed.

The room was small, containing only a narrow bed, a tiny table with a single chair, a lamp, and a window. Worse, it was dirty. There wasn't even a private bathroom; guests had to use the shared facilities in the hallway.

Anton simply shrugged.

It was only for one night.

He cast the Cleaning spell from his Sorceress spell tab several times until every inch of the room was spotless.

Smiling in satisfaction, he couldn't help thinking that the hotel should be paying him for cleaning the room. He wondered how surprised the staff would be when they saw it after he checked out.

From his inventory, he retrieved a Frozen Orb Air Conditioner and a Fire Bolt Magic Lantern, activating both.

Within minutes, the small room became perfectly comfortable.

Anton had little to do that evening.

He had already spoken with his family and informed them that their regular monthly meetings would be suspended while he focused on gaining admission to one of Izmorta's magical organizations.

He had also explained to Anders and Anna that if they needed to contact him, they could activate their magic communication earrings. Once he noticed the signal, he would enter his Diablo System and join whatever game they created in the non-ladder multiplayer section of his Diablo II System.

Anton also told Anders that once he found a semi-permanent residence near the magical organization he joined, he would return to Rose Manor through a Portal Scroll to update everyone in person.

Since the current Diablo II ladder season had already ended, there was little left for him to accomplish inside the game.

All eight of his characters had reached the maximum level long ago, and he had already collected nearly every powerful item available for each class.

He wasn't particularly interested in completing his daily quests in the Diablo Immortal section of his Diablo System either.

Instead, Anton entered the non-ladder multiplayer lobby of Diablo II.

To his surprise, two games were currently active.

One was password-protected, which he immediately recognized as Paul and Eric's game.

The other was most likely his father helping Sonya level her Paladin.

Anton was surprised that Paul and Eric had already settled in somewhere and even found time to play.

Doing so in a public place was risky.

Whenever someone entered the world of Diablo II through his system, their physical body disappeared from the real world until they returned.

Curious, Anton entered Paul and Eric's game.

He found them in Act V, busily leveling their characters.

After sending them a message, he asked them to meet him inside Atma's Tavern.

A few minutes later, both of them entered and sat across from him.

"Why are you two playing already?" Anton asked. "Have you found somewhere safe to stay?"

"Our families rented a few rooms at an inn," Paul explained. "To save money, Eric and I told them we'd share one room."

"They're all busy settling in," Eric added. "Even if someone checks our room and notices we're gone, they'll probably assume we've gone out to explore the city."

Anton nodded.

"For now, I'd avoid playing unless you're absolutely certain it's safe. You'll have plenty of time to enjoy the game after your mission is over and you've settled in Ormunda."

Paul smiled.

"This is actually our last night. Tomorrow we'll head straight to the Forest Oak Organization to apply."

"The Forest Oak Organization?" Anton asked. "I thought you planned to apply somewhere else."

"We did," Paul replied, "but it's located in another kingdom. The journey would take too long, so our fathers decided we'd simply apply to one of the organizations here instead."

"I thought your fathers had connections there."

Eric snorted.

"Apparently that doesn't matter. My father finally admitted that no one can influence the acceptance process."

Paul continued.

"Once we've completed the rebirth process, we'll tell our families that we failed the entrance exams. After that, we'll explain that your family accepted us as retainers. We'll also tell our fathers that your family is willing to support our magical training. Hopefully that'll convince them to return to Ormunda through one of the Portal Scroll routes the Ormundans are establishing."

"If they still hesitate," Anton said, "you can tell them that I can help them become wizards as well."

Both young men stared at him.

"I possess a powerful magical item that allows people without natural talent to train as wizards."

He raised a finger.

"Keep that information confidential. Try convincing your fathers without mentioning it. Only tell them if absolutely necessary."

Paul's eyes widened.

"Are you planning to give them access to your family's bloodline legacy?"

Anton shook his head.

"No. I have a different method."

"It's a legendary weapon called the Insight Spear. It possesses a magical array that generates an aura capable of dramatically accelerating magical training. Even someone with very little natural talent can train almost as effectively as someone with average aptitude."

He paused.

"I don't intend to grant any more outsiders access to my family's bloodline legacy. There are only a limited number of places available, and those should remain reserved for family members."

"My father recently remarried, and his wife has two young sons. When they're older, they'll probably receive access before anyone else."

Eric hesitated.

"So... does that mean you'll eventually revoke our access to your family's legacy because we're not related to you?"

Anton smiled reassuringly.

"I promised that you'd be allowed to keep it if you joined my family as retainers."

"I keep my promises."

"I won't take that privilege away from either of you."

Both Paul and Eric visibly relaxed.

Afterward, the conversation shifted to the eight Diablo II classes.

Once the rebirth process was complete, both of them intended to delete their current characters and begin again from scratch.

The problem was deciding which class to play first.

Anton patiently explained every class in detail, discussing their strengths, weaknesses, popular skill builds, and recommended equipment.

He didn't mind spending so much time explaining everything.

He had nothing else planned for the evening.

Even after an hour of discussion, Paul and Eric still couldn't make up their minds.

Finally, Anton laughed.

"Why choose only one?"

"You'll eventually have plenty of free time. Try every class."

"My family doesn't need you to become powerful warriors or legendary wizards. What we really need are capable people who can help manage the family's businesses."

That suggestion immediately excited both of them.

The idea of eventually experiencing every Diablo II class had never even occurred to them.

"I'll play the Warlock next!" Paul declared enthusiastically.

"I think I'll try the Assassin," Eric said.

Anton smiled.

The rest of the evening passed as he continued explaining different builds, equipment combinations, and strategies for each Diablo II class.

Paul and Eric grew even more eager to finish their mission so they could return to Ormunda, begin their lives as Anton's family retainers, and enjoy both their new responsibilities and the countless adventures waiting for them inside Diablo II.