Chapter 201: He Must Have Been in a Real Hurry
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 201: He Must Have Been in a Real Hurry
The meeting I had been summoned to was being held in Meeting Room 2. In the corridor leading inside, people who appeared to be mages were moving about busily. Before long, the scheduled time for the meeting arrived.
"You may not enter yet. Please wait a moment."
"What? It’s time."
"Not yet."
Despite it being the pre-announced time, a staff member stepped forward to block me as I tried to enter the room.
Is this some kind of power play?
Whatever the reason, I couldn't enter the meeting room right now. To make matters worse, there wasn't even a bench nearby to sit and wait comfortably.
"Where are you going?"
"The bathroom."
"You must wait here."
"Then should I just do it in the meeting room?"
"…P-please be quick."
* * *
Meanwhile, inside the meeting room, five high-ranking officials from the Guild Headquarters were seated. They had blocked the summoned explorers from Calax—including Yoo Eon—and three observation teams from entering while they discussed the agenda.
Aside from them, a significant number of staff members were stationed inside the room, but only the five high-ranking officials were currently speaking.
"I assume there is still no news of their return."
"Yes, that is correct. It has been two weeks as of today."
"The Northeast Branch sent several explorers to investigate, but they report that nothing has been found yet."
"We stationed guards at the internal portals of the 4th Stratum afterward, but no one has been seen using the inter-floor portals."
"In the end, we will need to question him regarding this as well."
This meeting was intended to be a Q&A session regarding several incidents that had occurred within Calax. Because of this, even those not directly summoned were granted permission to attend if they held a certain level of status within Calax.
"Let us begin the meeting. Open the doors."
"Yes, sir."
Atreus, the elderly man sitting in the center and one of the five high-ranking officials, spoke. The doors connected to the waiting area began to swing open.
Creeeeeak…
The seven summoned explorers—witnesses, observers, or those identified as potential causes of the incidents in Calax—along with the three observation teams, entered the room one by one and took their seats.
According to the Public Meeting Law, each participating team was led by an individual whose status, power, and other factors met the requirements, and they were allowed to bring five attendants.
Thus, Soles Getia, who met the requirements, entered with a stenographer and a secretary from the Mayerbridge Union. They were joined by an explorer from the Union who possessed skills helpful for recording minutes and verifying the truth.
Raya Delbaheim, who served as the de facto vice-commander of the Mayerbridge Union, was also present, and Rubia Spanya had accompanied them in case she could be of any help.
"Lord Delbaheim…! This is my first time here!"
"Rubia. You must remain silent inside the meeting room. Questions may be directed our way later, so if you know anything, please let me know quietly."
"O-okay!"
According to information previously obtained by the Mayerbridge Union, a total of twelve Cobalt-grade explorers had gone missing in the labyrinth around two or three days before and after the Calax Birth Festival.
These were all high-ranking explorers belonging to the so-called 'Small and Medium Clan Alliance' operating in the Northeast—officially known as the Calax Northeastern Explorer Clan Alliance.
Naturally, the Guild was aware of this, and a report had been sent to the Headquarters. The meeting was intended to determine the importance and severity of the incident and decide on future countermeasures.
As was the trend, people with some degree of causal connection to the incidents mentioned in the meeting were invited as observation teams first.
Creek.
One man stood at the head of Observation Team 1. He had unique hair that started black at the roots and faded into red at the ends, with a portion of the back tied long.
His eyes were a burning, fiery orange. Objectively speaking, Soles Getia was a handsome, middle-aged man.
As Soles, attending as the leader of the Mayerbridge Union team, took his seat in the pre-arranged area, the eyes of the five high-ranking officials turned toward him.
"Greetings, Lord Getia. I heard you have been quite busy with various affairs. I trust you are well?"
"Indeed, Lord Atreus. Everything is as usual."
"That is good to hear. I pray your clan continues to prosper."
"…Thank you."
Officer. It was a title used to subtly look down on the other person. However, Soles Getia didn't pay it much mind. The Guild Headquarters had always viewed the large-scale clans settled in each labyrinth city as their subordinates or tools.
Though they had no legal reason or justification for it, they maintained that stance solely because two Orichalcum-grade explorers belonged to the Guild Headquarters.
Next to enter was Melarus Masaher, the manager of the Calax Guild’s Northeast Branch. Since his office was an actual subsidiary of the Guild Headquarters, he stood at attention immediately upon entry.
Bow.
He gave a ninety-degree bow toward the five officials, including Atreus, before taking his seat.
"Masaher. It seems the Northeast Branch of Calax is not easy to manage."
"Not at all, esteemed Lord Atreus. Dealing with at least some incidents is the very reason the Guild exists to manage explorers."
"I see. I hope you continue your efforts for a long time to come."
"Yes. I shall engrave your precious and grateful words deep within my heart."
Melarus was being blatantly subservient, but he had no choice. The five high-ranking officials, including Atreus, were men who truly had the power to have his head.
After Melarus and his subordinates took their seats with disciplined, swift movements, the third door opened. Mystery Antoinette of the Antonio Brotherhood and her aides calmly made their appearance.
"Greetings, Antoinette. I trust the reconstruction project in the Southeast is proceeding well?"
"Most honorable Lord Atreus, under the cooperation and support of the Guild Headquarters, our Brotherhood’s long-cherished project is being launched without a hitch. I spend my days in gratitude that you would look after even such a minor task."
"Calax is a grand labyrinth city. How could managing a quarter of it be considered minor? I shall continue to watch over you."
"You have my deepest thanks."
Mystery Antoinette placed a hand over her heart and bowed slowly, a small smile playing on her lips as she took her seat. The key figures of the Antonio Brotherhood followed suit, bowing quickly and sitting behind her.
Soles and Delbaheim maintained calm expressions, and the other secretaries and Mayerbridge Union staff didn't even spare them a glance, but…
"Ugh, look at her playing the saint…"
Rubia stuck her tongue out as if she had tasted something bitter and furrowed her brows. She had personally witnessed the previous delivery and execution of the rogue explorers from the Antonio Brotherhood.
Afterward, the summoned explorers entered the seven tables and chairs arranged in the center of the hall one by one, taking their places with polite greetings. The atmosphere inside the hall grew solemn as preparations for the start of the meeting were finalized.
However.
"Hmm? One seat is empty. What is the meaning of this?"
"M-my apologies! One of the summoned explorers has not returned yet…"
"What… How could you fail to keep track of them and allow such a thing to happen?"
The high-ranking officials rebuked the staff member in charge of guiding the explorers. How could such a blunder occur in a place filled with important people where critical matters needed to be handled swiftly?
As the guide stood there bowing and breaking into a cold sweat, Atreus calmly raised his hand to stop the other officials' reprimands.
"Enough. What happened?"
"He… he said he was going to the bathroom…"
"Hmph… I see. Well, how can a human be unfaithful to their natural urges? Let us wait patiently."
The other summoned explorers were sitting on pins and needles. To be honest, they were like puppies caught between giants. Though they didn't know each other, they felt a certain sense of camaraderie from being in the same predicament.
I’m going crazy, who the hell is it…?
Do they think the Guild Headquarters is a joke…!
The Mayerbridge Union team was equally flustered.
"D-Delbaheim! I think the one who hasn't come yet is Aven…!?"
"…It would seem so. He doesn't seem like the type to behave so poorly, though."
"He must have been in a real hurry…"
Rubia Spanya, who had eaten her first meal at the Guild Headquarters cafeteria, understood Yoo Eon a little. The food had been delicious, after all.
Melarus, the Northeast Branch Manager, let out a heavy internal sigh so the five officials wouldn't hear. There was no reason or need to provoke their anger by wasting time like this. He worried that the fallout might splash onto him as the head of the subsidiary branch.
The members of the Antonio Brotherhood, excluding Mystery Antoinette, were surprised but didn't see it as a major problem. If his influence in this meeting was weakened, it might even be to their advantage.
Of course, they were unaware that Yoo Eon already knew of the Antonio Brotherhood's connection to the attempted assassination through Siv’s confession.
And finally.
Step, step…
The sound of footsteps echoing from the end of the long corridor leading from the waiting area began to be heard.
Since the doors were already open and the interior of the hall was incredibly solemn and quiet, only the sound of his footsteps softly filled the room.
Clink.
A man entered, the metal buckle of his belt clinking. His slightly awkward posture as he adjusted his waistband made it obvious to anyone that he had just returned from the bathroom.
A Cobalt-grade explorer with deep black hair and acquired heterochromia—one eye gold, the other black.
"Where do I sit?"
It was Yoo Eon.