Ascension from Dual Professions

Chapter 225: Chapter 218: Dolores’s Secret

Jon led the Warrior siblings and Dolores, clearing out the Demons along their path. Once they arrived at the location of the Demonized Ancient Tree, he told the Ranger maiden he sensed a strange gaze and asked her to search the area.

It was best to trust a professional’s abilities in this area. Dolores’s scouting Skills were at least several levels higher than his own, a fact proven when she had spotted the Titan Tree Python on the outskirts of the Black Forest before he did.

But after moving through the ruins for a moment, Dolores gave her report.

"Boss... I can’t find any sign that anyone’s been here..."

"You mean... no sign of a *human* presence..."

Jon rubbed his chin, his gaze sweeping over the ruins once more. A few new thoughts occurred to him, but he didn’t let them show on his face, simply nodding at the Ranger Maiden.

"I understand... Thank you."

"It was nothing. I’m a Ranger, it’s what I do..."

With her hands behind her back, Dolores kicked at the rubble underfoot. She didn’t go over to help Moon and Sati clear out the Demonized Ancient Tree’s core. Instead, she lingered by Jon’s side, repeatedly stealing glances at his face.

Naturally, this unusual behavior did not escape Jon’s notice.

"What is it? Is there something you want to ask me?"

"Um..."

The girl murmured in affirmation and fell silent for a moment. Then, as if she had finally mustered her courage, she met Jon’s gaze.

In her amber eyes, Jon saw apprehension and awe, along with a sliver of deeply hidden anticipation.

"Boss... have you heard of the ’Moon Thieves’?"

"The Moon Thieves?"

Jon’s brow furrowed the instant he heard the name.

"You mean that branch of Moon Elves who were exiled for blaspheming the Moon God?"

Dolores clearly hadn’t expected Jon to state the name and its background so matter-of-factly. For a moment, her eyes widened.

"Boss, you know about them?"

’I don’t just know about them, I’ve killed quite a few.’

The thought crossed Jon’s mind, but he didn’t say it aloud.

He simply folded his arms and looked the girl over once again.

The Moon Elves: a branch of Elves living in Esifa, the Land of Eternal Night. They were called "Moon" Elves because this was also the Saint Land where Neso, the God of the Bright Moon, was born.

Because of this connection, these Elves were naturally close to the Moon God, and the vast majority of their people were devout believers.

But, as the saying goes, it takes all sorts. It was inevitable that some impious individuals would emerge from among the devout—and the Moon Thieves were the most rebellious faction of all.

They claimed the Moon Elf race was being controlled by the Moon God, forcing them into blind worship. Using this as their justification, they attempted to "liberate" the minds of their people, urging them to remember their "ancient glory" and walk an independent path.

If that was all there was to it, the Moon God and His followers wouldn’t have paid much attention to such dissent.

He was a true god; if some chose not to believe, plenty of others would. No one was stopping them from seeking independence, as the Moon Church never interfered in mortal affairs to begin with.

The problem was, this band of Moon Thieves wasn’t all talk. They attempted to prove their theories through direct action, which eventually escalated to them attacking fellow kinsmen who rejected their ideology.

After one particularly vile incident, where they attempted to prove their theories by "dissecting the brains of their kin who worshipped the Moon God," even a deity as benevolent and merciful as the Moon God flew into a thunderous rage and delivered divine punishment.

All the ringleaders were melted into nothing by the moonlight on the spot. The rest of the Moon Thieves were exiled, forever forbidden from returning to Esifa.

Furthermore, as a mark of their punishment, these Elves were branded with a commandment: "to fear all natural light." This meant they could see neither sunlight nor moonlight, forced to live out their days in subterranean spaces, never to see the sky again.

Over time, the Moon Thieves gradually evolved into beings akin to the "vampires" of literature—dark-skinned and red-eyed, they were emotionally sensitive, neurotic, and prone to frenzied outbursts of anger.

Jon’s encounters with them, naturally, had all been in the heat of battle inside various underground Dungeons.

After all, despite their wretched state, they had inherited the natural talents of the Moon Elves. All sorts of ambitious villains were more than happy to take them in as watchdogs.

But...

"What’s your connection to the Moon Thieves?"

Jon said coolly, his eyes on Dolores’s choppy purple hair and her healthy, rosy-fair skin.

"Based on your features, even if you are of mixed blood, it would likely be with the Highland Elves. That would be consistent with your origins in the Pestide Duchy, just as you said."

"But you chose this moment to bring up those blasphemers. What are you trying to imply?"

Sensing the veiled contempt and disdain for the Moon Thieves in Jon’s tone, Dolores flinched slightly and averted her gaze.

"Ah... well... haha..."

Seeing her hesitation, Jon lost his patience for the conversation and turned to walk toward the Warrior siblings.

"If you haven’t figured out what to say, don’t say anything at all."

"Everyone has their secrets, so I don’t mind you keeping some harmless things to yourself. But—"

He drew out the last word, his voice carrying a subtle warning.

"I will not tolerate deceit."

Hearing Jon’s words, an embarrassed look appeared on Dolores’s pretty face.

She unconsciously ground the frost on the ground with the toe of her boot, her fingers twisting the straps at the edge of her leather armor.

Jon’s blunt warning pierced her heart like a cold arrow. It made her recall his forthright gaze when he’d first hired her at the tavern, his calm demeanor in the face of provocation, and especially his acceptance of her throughout their journey. He had never held anything back or shown the slightest suspicion toward her, a Ranger he’d only temporarily recruited.

And so, just before Jon was too far away for a private conversation, she finally made up her mind and shot her head up.

"Wait! Mr. Jon!"

Jon stopped and looked back over his shoulder. His ice-blue eyes showed no impatience, only a quiet, appraising gaze as he waited for her to continue.

The purple-haired girl took a deep breath, as if to exhale the entire heavy burden of her past.

"The truth is... I was raised by a Moon Thief."

She swallowed hard, finally lifting her head to look Jon straight in the eye. Her amber gaze was a mixture of fragility and the apprehensive fear that he would despise her.

"She taught me so many things... how to track prey in the darkest caverns, how to distinguish the heartbeats of different creatures in complete silence, how to move like the wind through the shadows... My archery, my intuition for danger... it all came from her training."

Dolores spoke faster and faster, as if afraid she would lose her nerve if she paused.

"Without her, I probably would have died long ago in some beast’s lair on the borders of the Pestide Duchy."

Then, her voice dropped, trembling with a hint of confusion.

"But... she also left me with... I don’t know if you’d call it a good influence or a bad one..."