Just like that, their first day in the [Requiem Stronghold] passed without any problems arising.

The group slept extremely well in the hotel chamber they had picked, the comfortable beds and peaceful atmosphere a welcome change from the chaos of the Imperial Kingdom.

Even Pyra and Alphox seemed relatively happy as they played with one another, the two pets chasing each other around the room while their masters rested.

Next day came, and the very first thing that greeted everyone as they woke up was another announcement echoing through the stronghold, a familiar chime that had become part of the daily routine for its inhabitants.

Ding!

[Start of Day 4,594.]

[Please pray for the success of Lord Cavin, and all the other requiem guild members!]

"...Hm," Leon grunted, not particularly interested in the message, his mind already focused on the day ahead.

He ate the breakfast provided by the hotel, which was fairly high quality and far better than anything he had eaten in a while.

He had been in this stronghold for less than a day, but it truly felt like a peaceful place where he could recover from the constant battles.

Or at least, it would be if not for the announcement that echoed right afterward, shattering the calm atmosphere and making him pause mid-bite.

Ding!

[Celestial has decided to join our stronghold today, can we please ask him to head to the central building by himself, thank you.]

Leon’s expression still didn’t change at the announcement, though a glint of aura flashed in his eyes as he processed the information.

’Of course they’d know I arrived and where I’m staying, they probably have eyes everywhere in this city.’

"It could be dangerous," Violet spoke to Leon as she was beside him, her voice filled with concern, "Maybe we should..."

"...No," Leon shook his head, cutting her off firmly, "This place is too perfect, both in the living conditions and the closeness to all the opportunities of this domain, we can’t simply leave because of something like that without knowing what they want first."

Well, if he wanted to he could always go to another [Higher Domain] of course, the world map was open to him and he could leave at any moment.

[Higher Domain #2] seemed interesting and unexplored, and he could even return to [Higher Domain #54], which Leon knew best from his past life and the many years he had spent there.

The only reason he didn’t do any of that was simple: he didn’t feel the need to run away from every potential threat that crossed his path.

Leon sought ways to get stronger, and at this point, all he could do for that was focus on the things he already had, as well as his talent and the items in his possession.

Starting over in an entire new domain might be interesting, but who knows what opportunities awaited there that he might miss out on by leaving prematurely.

Overall, the situation didn’t call for immediate flight, though Leon was always ready in case of that, his hand never far from his weapons.

Once he was done eating, he said goodbye to the girls, asking them to be careful while he was gone and to stay together.

"I’ll be going out to fight monsters," Violet spoke, "If the girls want to come with me, we can focus on getting stronger while you’re away!"

"Yay~" Emilia beamed, excited at the prospect of gaining more levels.

"I want Pyra to evolve again, so this will be good training," Celeste added, her eyes gleaming with determination.

Emilia was Level 94, Celeste was Level 95 and Violet Level 98, each of them were fairly close to Level 100 and the challenges that awaited them there, though the final stretch was always the hardest.

Of course, it would still take many days if not weeks of constant grinding to level up, especially for Emilia and Celeste who were still catching up to Violet’s level.

But still, they were very close to reaching the cap and moving on to the Eternal Battlefield, which would be a significant milestone.

As for Leon, his experience points requirement was doubled because of the curse, so he still had a decent amount of time before he needed to worry about leveling, which gave him more flexibility.

’Well, unlike me, nobody is forced into the [Eternal Battlefield] so they can spend as much as they want here,’ Leon thought as he left the hotel, stepping out into the bustling streets of the stronghold.

He spent the next fifteen minutes asking around, and he was said just one thing; the central building was in the middle of the stronghold.

Leon decided to head there, and after a few hours of walking through the crowded streets and navigating the city’s layout, he arrived in front of it.

It was a massive circular building made out of steel, with glasses and several screens that displayed messages to the public, its imposing facade dominating the skyline.

It was heavily guarded by powerful-looking soldiers, and the entrance was wide open, inviting him inside like a mouth waiting to swallow him.

Leon stepped forward, summoning his sword and staff in hand in case anything happened, his senses on high alert for any sign of danger.

At the same time, he decided to equip one of the items he hadn’t used yet, a lion mask appearing in Leon’s hands from his storage space with a soft glow.

Fwoosh!

[Strength Lion Mask (Trophy): Wearing this mask will massively boost your reputation with most NPCs and races who value strength above all else.]

He had obtained it from the magicless guardian in the exiled lands, and it had been sitting in his inventory ever since, waiting for the right moment to use it.

It wasn’t that Leon wanted to hide his face either, but simply he felt it might be useful for the upcoming conversation and give him an edge.

He arrived in front of the building’s entrance, and the guards immediately recognized his ID from the announcement, their eyes widening slightly.

"Please head forward, signs will show you where to move," one of them said, stepping aside to let him pass.

"Alright," Leon replied, entering the building with cautious steps.