Chapter 74
Chapter 74
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: Serin Night Guild Master's Visit
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"Oh, Obilon!"
The Solar Guild Master, Buffalo's urgent voice rang out as Obilon was carried away.
The Flower Deer Guild had plenty of skilled healers on hand.
So there shouldn't be any major issues.
That said, not a single person among them was paying it much mind.
They were all solely focused on the fact that Obilon—the promising next-generation talent—had collapsed.
The aftermath of Obilon's defeat rippled far beyond imagination.
Naturally, all eyes turned to Leyzon.
"Who the hell is that guy?"
"Leyzon? They said Leyzon, right? Never heard the name before."
"Did the Steel Wolf Guild have someone like that besides Iron Wall?"
Whispers spread among the merchants.
The large guild masters' eyes gleamed with a strange light.
This event had been set up just to scout Obilon's skills.
Yet it had ended up solidifying the Steel Wolf Guild's position instead.
They couldn't have been pleased about that.
And amid those gazes...
One person watched with a slightly different intent.
Serin Night Guild Master Aegis.
'Looks like he's properly drawn everyone's attention.'
Leyzon cracked his knuckles upon sensing Aegis's gaze.
A few strands of straw slipped from between the folds of his sleeve.
He quickly swept them away with his foot before anyone noticed.
Leyzon grinned faintly at the drowsy voice that echoed in his mind.
The voice belonged to Eden.
Leyzon's undead, the cursed doll.
The one who had sent Obilon flying with a single blow wasn't Leyzon at all.
It was Eden.
Eden could transform her body just as freely as Haron, the living armor.
More precisely, as long as she maintained the basic form of the doll, she could shift into any shape she wanted.
Leyzon had tucked Eden inside his clothes.
As a result, his outfit was stuffed full of her straw.
'Straw muscles.'
The moment the duel with Obilon began...
Eden's straw had gripped Leyzon's muscles tight.
The instant explosive power surged through his entire body...
Leyzon felt his vision blur as if he were launching forward.
By the time he came to, his fist was already buried in Obilon's side.
Even in that moment, Obilon had tried to block Leyzon's punch.
He clearly hadn't registered it with his eyes.
Yet his instincts had detected the attack.
'Obilon's no ordinary prodigy, huh.'
With senses like that, he'd have beaten most opponents on his level.
It was no wonder he'd dismissed Leyzon, who was only one ascension level apart.
But he'd picked the wrong opponent.
His foe wasn't at ascension level 9.
He was at depravity level 18.
With twice the level difference, it was a total mismatch—like bullying a kid.
In the end, Obilon's three-section staff shattered, and he went flying through the air.
The match was decided in one strike.
'This way, no one will suspect I'm a necromancer.'
The clothes Leyzon wore were made of the same material as his black mask.
He'd gathered every piece of gear that could conceal his identity.
A little undead movement wouldn't give him away.
'Preparation is key.'
Ever since the dungeon run, he'd prepared everything he possibly could up to today.
That was Leyzon through and through.
Crack—
His muscles and bones ached all over.
He'd performed motions impossible for his real body.
The aftereffects lingered.
'Gonna be laid up for the rest of the day.'
Unless it was a situation like this, he wouldn't use it again.
Leyzon hurried down from the stage.
He caught sight of Rafila forcing a wry smile.
This incident had given the Steel Wolf Guild some much-needed attention.
But separately from that, it would stir up all sorts of headaches.
Starting with how to explain Leyzon—that was his new problem.
Leyzon shot Rafila a quiet glance.
'Get back to work.'
That was all he could say.
Once the duel ended, a commotion broke out as people rushed to approach Leyzon.
A new promising talent had emerged, so everyone wanted to at least make his acquaintance.
But Rafila blocked them all.
The guild masters grumbled about him acting high and mighty, but Rafila didn't yield an inch.
Just as the guild masters were about to give up...
The Serin Night Guild Master, Aegis Gaibel, suddenly received an invitation from Rafila.
"Serin Night Guild Master, I'd like to talk privately."
It had been ages since Rafila approached him first.
Aegis was quite surprised.
He hadn't initiated contact since their party disbanded.
'What's this about?'
Rafila and Aegis were almost the same age.
Rafila was just a year or two older.
Back in their early pioneer days, they'd coincidentally met and formed a party.
Rafila had been quite sharp-edged at the time.
He'd grown up in the slums and back alleys.
So he had a habit of clashing head-on with anyone who slighted him even a little.
The one he butted heads with most was Mad Fire, another active pioneer then.
When those two fought, a building flying apart was par for the course.
Rafila and Aegis forming a party had been pure chance.
Aegis had always aimed high.
But her party members couldn't keep up.
Eventually, she decided to form a new one.
Around then, Rafila had left his party for the same reason.
He, too, strived for the top.
Both were already well-known pioneers.
Rafila was a sturdy tank.
Aegis was a solid melee DPS.
There was no reason they wouldn't team up.
On top of that, Aegis brought in two acquaintances she knew well.
A mage and a healer.
The party progressed amazingly well.
All skilled members made dungeons a breeze.
'Back then.'
Aegis reminisced about the past.
'We were so young.'
But memories aren't always sweet.
Aegis got along great with Rafila.
Though born out of wedlock, she was still nobility.
In her eyes, the rough Rafila was always entertaining.
People are drawn to their opposites, after all.
She loved his fearless attitude back then.
Talking with him was pure joy.
But that's exactly what caused the rift.
One party member, the mage, harbored feelings for Aegis.
He knew where her gaze lingered.
Unable to contain his jealousy, he started trouble.
"Die, you bastard!"
In the dungeon, the mage blasted Rafila—the tank—in the back with a spell.
Rafila took damage and got hit by a phantasmal beast.
It was attempted murder.
Aegis rushed in to save him.
Rafila, eyes blazing with rage, chased the fleeing mage and caught him.
Then he beat him to death.
Aegis couldn't stop him in time.
After demolishing the mage, Rafila stood up, covered in blood.
"Aegis."
He glared at her with fury boiling in his eyes.
"If you're the party leader, act like one. Don't drag petty lovers' quarrels into it."
As leader, Aegis should have kept her emotions in check.
Or watched her members more closely—it never would have happened.
She was shocked.
And realized how indifferent she'd been to the party.
Rafila and the mage had clashed repeatedly, subtly.
The mage's jealousy had needled him over and over.
Aegis had been inexperienced and young.
Too inexperienced to lead properly.
After that, Rafila left her party immediately.
He was fed up, but more than that, his injuries were severe.
Bad enough he had to quit pioneering for a while.
Aegis visited him several times, but he refused to talk.
Eventually, they drifted apart.
Long after, Aegis founded the Serin Night Guild.
And rose to the top of the major guilds.
Meanwhile, rumors spread that Rafila had killed his own party member.
His reputation plummeted.
Aegis denied it repeatedly, but the rumors wouldn't die.
Rafila's image solidified as the worst.
He founded the Steel Wolf Guild too, but it attracted rough types over true talent.
Even as a major guild, scandals never ceased.
From that day, the two walked opposite paths.
Aegis couldn't bring herself to approach Rafila.
It felt like her fault he'd lost a brighter future.
Maybe arrogance, but...
She couldn't shake the guilt.
Then today, Rafila approached her first.
Not as casually as before, but still.
'Wonder why.'
Aegis glanced at the window and smoothed her hair.
She thought she'd forgotten those girlish feelings long ago.
Yet it felt like an extension of the past.
She shook her head to clear the stray thoughts.
Instead, she considered another reason Rafila might have called her.
'Probably about what happened earlier.'
The half dark elf Rafila had brought, Leyzon.
His display of power had surprised even Aegis.
But among all the guild masters there, she alone sensed something off about him.
It didn't feel like his power—more like some external force intervening.
'High chance it's about this.'
Whatever it was, if Rafila asked her to keep quiet, she would.
The least she could do for an old party comrade.
Still, she couldn't help the flicker of hope.
With that, Aegis arrived at the room assigned by the Flower Deer Guild Master.
"Ahem."
Clearing her throat, she knocked on the door.
"Rafila, it's me."
For some reason, no reply came from inside.
Aegis tilted her head.
'This is the right room.'
Maybe he'd stepped out briefly.
She glanced around.
A Serin Night Guild Master meeting privately with another guild master would draw eyes.
So she'd come quietly, discreetly.
Waiting out here and bumping into someone would be awkward.
'What to do.'
After a moment's hesitation, she tried the doorknob.
Click—
To her surprise, it turned easily.
Sorry, Rafila, but she'd wait inside.
He'd understand—he was the one who called.
Aegis opened the door and stepped in.
Since it was a room provided by the Flower Deer Guild, there were no signs of heavy use.
As she entered...
"Huh?"
Someone lying on the bed, book in hand, looked up.
Aegis blinked as their eyes met.
There sat a girl with hair streaked in white and black.
She looked much younger than Aegis.
The girl's appearance was striking enough to make even Aegis pause.
Aegis's lips parted slightly.
A beautiful girl in Rafila's room.
And dressed so lightly, too.
In that instant, the old feelings she'd harbored in her heart came crashing down.