Warsaw Uprising Monument.
"It depicts soldiers emerging from sewers. It was their fight for freedom. We can see the weight of their determination and bravery—it's an impressive monument, so well done," the blonde-haired woman began a loud history talk that would have been like a ramble for most.
With his eyes plastered to the monument, Jake stood still and listened to her. He didn't expect to get such a rich knowledge guide for free.
It was a topic that intrigued him, too.
These two went from monument to monument. Jake's tour guide spoke about the past as though she could read hidden letters etched on monuments.
Sometimes, she opened her bag and whipped out a book to absorb more information. If there was something she couldn't find on paper, she would research it on the phone to confirm her doubts.
She was so much into history that Jake couldn't utter a word.
And it wasn't like she was doing all of it for him. It was all solely for herself.
'Much better than being a stalker,' Jake thought.
That was when the woman's phone rang out. She asked Jake for a second before turning around and answering the call, which surprised Jake.
'So she knew I've been listening all this time... well, I stuck to her,' Jake nodded. He looked up and found out that it was already darkening. 'How does jet lag work? I'm feeling okay, so I guess it's all fine?'
Meanwhile, the woman talked with the person on the other side.
"I'll be back soon," she said.
[Why did you leave immediately after coming to the hotel? We told you that you could sightsee as much as you want after the tournament... please, you could have listened to us for once...]
'Oh, she must be a player... I can't see any resemblance to the other participants,' Jake thought as he picked up the words of the woman's receiver. He recalled her expression as he stared at her hair, but no player that he'd studied back home appeared in his mind.
She must look much different in the game world.
'Just hair and eye color is enough to look much different,' Jake thought.
To the words that Jake had heard, the woman replied curtly, "The tournament starts tomorrow. There's nothing much we can do. All you can do is repeat what you have learned about others and remember all their tricks and skills. If you believe I'm wrong, I will leave the guild if we lose the tournament."
Jake stood still, staring at her.
"Yeah..." he muttered.
"I thought you were more talkative, though," she said.
"That makes you sound like you know me," Jake replied.
"All I know is that you're Archer," she replied. "I heard you saying 'lovely' a lot. You're one of the most dangerous players. I must have studied you the most to know who you are after hearing a single word from you."
"How long are you going to keep me in the dark?" Jake asked. All he wanted to know was who she was and what team she belonged to.
"Meredith," she said. "The Meredith in the game."
"Ah."
Now that he knew who she was, Jake could see one of the players he had studied in her. In the game, her hair was purple and unrestrained, while her eyes shone red. She exuded a different kind of confidence in the tournament. It was as though she had it all to defeat everyone.
She was a mage that Last Coin was the most wary of and someone he couldn't read at all.
Jake rolled his eyes down and stared at her ample bust, 'Yeah, she is that Meredith.'
A sudden, little hand entered his vision.
Meredith turned her hand over, joined her index and middle finger, and bent over those fingers, drawing Jake's eyes back to her face.
"I'll defeat you," she said.
Jake smirked.
His intense gaze put Meredith in silence.
He said, "If you're as strong as I believe you are, you will bring out more of my archery and take it to the next level. I look forward to fighting you. Initially, the plan was to let Last Coin deal with you, but you're mine."
These two stared at each other before smiling and returning to the hotel.