Chapter 467: The Lord's Request (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 467: The Lord's Request (2)
“...A request, you say?”
The moment I heard the lord's words, my first reaction wasn't joy at the major opportunity that had just landed in my lap, but suspicion.
It seemed he had somehow gotten a vague sense of my abilities, but that wasn't reason enough to entrust me with a request.
This wasn't just anyone; he was the lord of the Astrein family, who wielded immense influence not just on the 1st Floor, but throughout the human territories below the 10th Floor.
It was impossible that he lacked trustworthy people to whom he could entrust a request.
“You seem suspicious.”
When my reply was delayed, the lord stared at me intently and began to press me.
With the thought that he was an impatient old man, I politely bowed my head.
“I apologize, my lord. But I find it difficult to understand what conviction or trust you could have to offer a request to me, someone you've only just met today.”
“I understand.”
“Furthermore, although I have not yet established a clan, I have companions I am responsible for, so I must be cautious. I hope you will be generous in your understanding.”
After hearing my words, the lord tapped the table with his fingertips for a moment, then took a sip of his tea and continued.
“Do you wish for me to speak frankly?”
“To be frank, yes.”
“In that case, read that letter.”
“Pardon?”
“Then you will understand.”
“...”
At the lord's words, I fell silent for a moment.
The letter was stamped with the seal of the Twilight Holy Society, a major clan that dominated the Tower. Moreover, it was still sealed with wax, as if it had never been opened.
He was telling me to be the first to read a letter that was clearly addressed to him.
...What on earth is he thinking?
I tried to read the lord's inner thoughts, but he simply stared at me with a consistently expressionless face.
Just then, after a brief silence.
Rip—
In the end, I tore the letter's seal.
An aide or a strategist must be endlessly cautious, but a leader of a faction sometimes needs to show decisiveness.
Especially when dealing with a noble.
As I slowly read through the letter, I had to stifle a gasp at its unexpected contents.
I had expected it to be filled with political pleasantries and ceremonial phrases, but the letter's content was surprisingly concise.
A new dungeon had recently been discovered on the 8th Floor of the Tower, and the Twilight Holy Society was officially requesting cooperation to clear it.
But this raised a few questions.
One, why would a major clan like the Twilight Holy Society seek help from an outside force? And two, of all possibilities, why did they ask the Astrein family for cooperation?
Of course, it was an undeniable fact that the Astrein family wielded immense power, but there were nobles on the 8th Floor as well.
Above all...
“Were you thinking, 'Players and residents are supposed to be in conflict, so what ulterior motive could they have for sending a letter like this?'”
Clack—
The sound of the teacup being set down shattered my train of thought.
I stared intently at the lord and opened my mouth.
“...Is that a skill?”
“It's the power of observation, cultivated over many long years. Even if one possessed the ability to read others' minds, a person who relies on it can neither take responsibility for nor lead a family as its head.”
I nodded at the lord's words.
Inwardly, however, I let out a dry laugh.
It was rather funny hearing such words from a man who would have undoubtedly used such a convenient skill more than anyone if he actually had it.
“As you know, the relationship between players and residents is not very good. That's because many players are like colts with their reins cut loose.”
The majority of players were originally ordinary people.
Not hunters, martial artists, or mages—just normal people.
Overnight, they gained the power of skills and traits.
Thanks to that, I'm told the early days of the Tower were plagued by constant chaos from all sorts of crimes.
Of course, the presence of major clans now acts as a sort of deterrent, and the number of players who commit crimes indiscriminately has drastically decreased, but many residents who remember those days still remain.
“The major clans are each sponsored by a great Constellation. Besides, with a few exceptions, they are well-disciplined, so there's no reason for nobles not to join hands with them.”
“Are you cooperating with the Twilight Holy Society?”
“Well, depending on your perspective, you could see it that way.”
This was the first I'd heard of it.
To think that nobles and major clans could be in a cooperative relationship.
Then again, even on Earth, no matter how severe the conflicts between genders, age groups, or even nations, those were ultimately issues between the common people.
In reality, while Korea and China are like cats and dogs, major incidents often break out revealing politicians who have taken bribes from the Chinese government.
Hearing the lord's words, I was lost in thought for a moment.
The Twilight Holy Society was, of course, included among the targets of Lucifer's revenge against the Constellation Eden.
Cooperating with them meant that, in an emergency, the entire Astrein family could become our enemy.
...There's nothing to be gained by killing the family head here.
It would be far more beneficial to use the Astrein family to get close to the Twilight Holy Society and extract information that could be useful later.
I suppressed my killing intent.
“Also, just as there are frequent disputes, large and small, among the major clans, it's not as if all nobles get along unconditionally.”
“Does that mean the nobles of the 8th Floor and the Twilight Holy Society are on bad terms?”
The lord nodded at my question.
“To begin with, few nobles have an amicable relationship with the Twilight Holy Society. It's only natural. From the nobles' perspective, how could they look kindly upon those who spread the absurd ideology that 'all are children of the Lord, therefore all are equal' to their subjects?”
“...”
“I can see what you're thinking written on your face. Keep this in mind.”
“I will listen attentively.”
Pretending to adjust my posture, I sent a glance toward a maid standing a short distance away.
When our eyes met, she shyly blushed and lowered her head as if embarrassed. It was cute.
“That sometimes, even poison can be used as medicine. Their mere presence allows me to maintain a certain level of security in my territory without spending tax money, and the holy water provided by the church is very useful in war. It's not that the other nobles don't know this, but they view the Twilight Holy Society with distaste because they fear their own power and status being shaken by religion even more.”
The lord took the letter back from me, then conjured a flame at his fingertips and burned it.
Then, he took a cigar cutter from his coat and began to smoke a cigar.
“Hoo... You have the look of someone with more questions.”
“I understand that you intend to send my party in response to the Twilight Holy Society's request for cooperation. But is there a reason for you to take the risk of sending me, a mere acquaintance, to such an important affair?”
The lord, who had been alternating sips of coffee and puffs of his cigar, fell silent for a moment before exhaling smoke and speaking.
“It is just as you are thinking.”
Meeting the lord's eyes, I clicked my tongue inwardly.
As expected, he was just as difficult to deal with as Amelia's father.
“So, your answer?”
“I will give you my answer after I've reviewed the contract.”
“You're cautious.”
“I have many people to look after, so I ask for your generous understanding.”
The lord did not smile.
Fortunately, he didn't seem to consider it rude, but he was still a man whose thoughts were difficult to read.
An hour later.
After a fierce war of words, I revised the contract to some rather favorable terms and stamped my seal.
*
Returning to the clan house, I immediately gathered the four of them and explained the contract I'd made with the lord.
“Hmm... A dungeon. That's like that special area we cleared on the Tutorial Floor, right?”
“That's right.”
I nodded in response to Lee Serin's question.
Thanks to the information Lucifer gave us, we were able to discover a special area called the 'Forgotten Falcon's Shrine' on the Tutorial Floor.
The 'Incomplete Moon's Eye' is also a skill I obtained there.
“Of course, since it's a dungeon that has never been discovered before, it will be more dangerous than the one on the Tutorial Floor. So, whether you participate is up to each of you.”
“I'll go.”
Yoo Ah-rin answered immediately.
“I heard that in the Tower, you can get stronger faster by taking on risks. Besides, not only will you be there, Master, but a major clan like the Twilight Holy Society will be with us, so I don't think it will be that dangerous.”
“I'll go too! I'm the party's healer!”
At their answers, the gazes of the four of us, including me, naturally turned to Wi Ryeong-ah.
“...I'll go too.”
“You don't have to push yourself. Our agreement, Miss Wi, was only for cooperation during the floor tests.”
Wi Ryeong-ah shook her head at my words.
“I'm not pushing myself. I just want to get stronger quickly, like Miss Yoo.”
Wi Ryeong-ah bit her lip, her expression growing quite serious.
“...Because I never want to repeat what happened on the 5th Floor.”
Perhaps because the memory of nearly being killed by the Beast of Gévaudan had become a trauma, she showed a strong will to overcome it.
The moment I saw the firm resolve in her eyes, I no longer tried to stop her.
“Alright, so it's decided that everyone will participate. The problem is that the rendezvous point is on the 8th Floor... Fortunately, we have a good amount of time before the dungeon raid, so the three of you, excluding Miss Wi, will challenge the 4th Floor test tomorrow.”
Once the meeting was concluded, the three of them, excluding Lucifer and me, left the office.
As soon as we were alone, I moved to the seat across from her.
I watched Lucifer in silence for a moment, then gave a faint smile.
“Thanks.”
“...For what.”
“Hmm, for not getting angry?”
As I said before, the Twilight Holy Society was definitely one of the targets of Lucifer's revenge.
I was inwardly surprised that she hadn't gotten angry about the fact that we had to cooperate with them to clear a dungeon.
Honestly, I thought she would have torn the contract to shreds.
Of course, she was quiet throughout the meeting, but that was normal for her, so it wasn't particularly strange.
“Do you think I'm the kind of person who gets angry over every little thing?”
Lucifer crossed her arms and glared at me.
Wasn't she?
“If it means I can get my revenge, I'd even crawl on all fours in front of those bastards. I'm not so swayed by personal feelings that I can't think straight, so don't worry unnecessarily.”
“...You'd crawl on all fours?”
“Of cour—”
Clink—
The moment our eyes met, Lucifer's pupils widened.
To be precise, she was flustered by the sight of the leash, dog-ear headband, and tail in my hands.
“Then, would you mind putting these on just once?”
Immediately after, Lucifer's face turned bright red.
