"They should have seen my message by now…"0

Seated in the back of Annan's luxury car, Ashe turned the ring on his finger, summoned his Book of Gospel, and opened the Sorcerer's Handbook. Under Virtual World Exploration, he checked the team's status.0

Team Composition0

- Death Maniac Swordswoman, Black-White Witch0

Location0

- Continent of Time0

Status0

- Exploring 0

Before leaving home, Ashe had already arranged for the two of them to continue exploring the Virtual World.0

Of course, even without his instructions, they would have gone anyway. With his approval, the Swordswoman and the Witch could use his sports car. The map, however, seemed bound to his system and could not be shared.0

Just like with the Swordswoman's Leave Request, even if Ashe stayed out of the team, he still received a portion of their gains. Thirty percent of the mana experience they earned flowed back to him, and certain special mechanics they encountered could also trigger on his side.0

Unlike ordinary operators, Ashe could take unlimited leave. If he wanted, he could remain outside the Virtual World indefinitely and grow stronger simply by relying on the Swordswoman and the Witch.0

However, the moment he confirmed he would skip tonight's exploration, the system displayed a reminder.0

[Interacting with operators is an important way to maintain bonds. If operators believe you are avoiding contact, their favorability toward you will gradually decrease, leading to a drop in bond level.]0

Only then did Ashe realize that favorability...0