My Hermes System

Chapter 23: A new Beginning

"This house, it is yours"

"...What?"

Van could not help but blink a couple of times as Sarah handed him a set of keys. Did he actually hear that right?

"It's yours", Sarah also blinked as she looked at Van.

"It's… mine?", Van could not help but look at the keys on his hand, his expression filled with nothing but confusion. He looked at the houses in the neighborhood, and although the house in front of him was smaller than the rest, it was still a whole lot bigger than his house made of scraps back in the Relic Graveyard.

"What are you waiting for?"

Van's thoughts were quickly disrupted by Sarah's voice, "Open the door, I will be your first guest"

The two stared at each other for a while, but then, after a few seconds, Van lowered his eyebrows. "What do you want from me?", he asked in a chilling tone, "You can't be doing this without expecting anything in return, Miss Sarah"

Seeing Van's sudden change of mood, Sarah could not help but let out a slight chuckle, "I told you...", she said, "...It's compensation from the Explorer Association"

"But you already helped me enroll in the Academy", Van furrowed his eyebrows even further.

Once again, Sarah could only sigh as she slightly rolled her eyes, "Enrolling you to the company was my idea, which I paid for with my own pocket", she said as she fixed her golden hair, "The real compensation for families that were begrieved by Portal monsters is new housing."

"But--"

"Not this kind of housing, though", Sarah continued before Van can say anything, "I upgraded yours a little bit with my own money, again."

"...What?", Van let out a tiny gasp, "Then I can't just accept this. Why are you even doing this for me?"

"Because I can", Sarah looked Van straight in the eye, her tone adamant.

"This…", a complicated expression started to plaster all over Van's face, "I can't accept any more help", he said as he tried to return the keys to Sarah.

"You're quite stubborn, aren't you?", Sarah could not help but sigh again, "I am doing all of this because you have potential. It is my duty as a vital part of the Explorer Association to ensure your well-being. As you may know, the goal of Explorers is to, as the name suggests, explore the Portals. But the reason for that is to protect the country first and foremost."

"This country might need you to protect it someday...", she continued her speech, "...I am just looking at the future"

Van's jaw slightly dropped as he stared at Sarah's resolute eyes. It reminded him of when he still held a deep respect for the Explorers and System Holders. It was this kind of feeling that they emitted that made Van want to become one.

"There, is that good enough reason for you?", Sarah clapped her hands, "Now open the house. I have been holding in my bladder for a while now"

"O… okay", hearing Sarah's hurried words, Van quickly unlocked the door of the house and opened it. His eyes instantly widened as he saw the interior of the house. It really was… spacious.

He was going to live here from now on? Him?

"Move move"

Van's contemplation was instantly interrupted as Sarah slightly pushed him to the side as she rushed to the toilet. But not before touching something in the wall, which made the inside of the house lit up.