Chapter 196

“The Saint, huh? Unlike the children under my command, you’ve really put in the effort. Quite the commendable child, for an adventurer that is.”

Muedron expressed her admiration in her own way.

Saint Aikora. Not only had Seojin managed to get her from out of the tower, but he had also managed to recruit the saint as an ally.

Even Raul wouldn’t have been capable of such a feat.

However, at that moment, Seojin frowned as he looked at Muedron.

“Your way of speaking is certainly odd.”

“Do you not find it to your liking?”

“It’s not in my nature to dislike someone just for their manner of speaking.”

“Yet your demeanor says otherwise...”

“But letting someone like that join me is a different matter. I don’t dislike it, but working together could be uncomfortable, couldn’t it?”

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

Suddenly, swords were drawn. They belonged to the subordinates who had been observing the conversation from behind.

The sharp swords aimed at Seojin had no effect on him.

“Were you trained to recklessly draw your swords while your superiors are speaking? How disgraceful.”

With a cold voice, Seojin discreetly scanned his surroundings.

Raul seemed indifferent, as if to say, ‘handle it yourself,’ while Alio appeared rather amused by the situation.

And Aikora?

Naturally, the saint was ready to exert her strength for Seojin at any moment.

“Is this how you train your underlings? Did you teach them yourself?”

“I do not conform my subordinates to a predefined frame.”

“So, you set some basic standards and leave the rest to their loyalty?”

“Quite aggressive. Is that how you managed to bring the saint into the secular world?”

A chilly smile formed on Muedron’s lips. The atmosphere turned cold.

The swords aimed at Seojin remained, but patience had its limits.

“Aikora.”

“Yes, adventurer.”

“Please remove every curse placed here.”

“Right away.”

Muedron’s eyes narrowed. Her displeasure was evident, and her subordinates hadn’t missed their leader’s mood shift.

The sword strikes came in a flurry, avoiding vital spots but aiming to deliver significant damage.

Yet.

“...!”

“Oh?”

“Ah!”

The swords failed to reach Seojin.

Muedron and Seojin had, at some point, ended up sitting at a table that appeared before them. The swords swung by the subordinates were blocked by some unknown resistance.

“What have you done now?”

“A show of strength, I guess you could say? To prevent you from engaging in a useless power struggle.”

“A candid child. Do you feel provoked by what I do?”

“Not everything provocative has to be an outright insult. Though, forgetting your place can inadvertently lead someone to challenge you.”

“Forgetting my place?”

“Out of respect for Raul, we let you join. Unfortunately, you’re not of much use to our plan. So, honestly, don’t you think you should quietly keep your head down?”

Muedron’s gaze shifted. She looked at Raul with disbelief, but Raul just shrugged as if it were none of his concern.

Muedron faced the bold adventurer again.

“Do you even know my name?”

“Do I need to? The name of a fool who throws away her own dreams to lap up the honey dripped by the emperor?”

“Grand Emperor Kalus is...”

“Strong, imposing, and someone no one dares oppose. That’s how it has been until now. You’re just one of the losers who submitted to him.”

“Until now. You speak as if you can change much.”

“Much has already changed. Now that we have all gathered here. Has there ever been such a case before me?”

Of course, there hadn’t been.

That’s why even Muedron had to admit, at least internally, that this adventurer was remarkable.

But as much as she needed the adventurer, her strength was undoubtedly needed by him.

‘Yet this arrogance...’

“Raul. Do we really need to bring this woman along?”

At Seojin’s words, Muedron stopped to think.

She was both astonished and curious about Raul’s response.

And, it defied her expectations.

“That’s for you to decide.”

“...Raul.”

“Why?”

“Have you forgotten what matters?”

“I haven’t, which is why I’m doing this. Do you think we can leave without this kid?”

“What do you mean...?”

To Muedron, it must have sounded absurd. He understood the adventurer’s significant role. But wasn’t Raul supposed to be at the center of their plan?

“Seems like Alio has noticed, right? That’s why he’s staying quiet.”

“Indeed, my friend.”

The Golden King showed a kind smile.

Unlike Muedron, he had been more interested in Seojin from the start, had asked Raul more detailed questions about him, and had long since grasped what kind of person Seojin was.

“Frankly, that kid doesn’t need any of us. Sure, it’d be a nuisance if all of us tried to drag him down, but he’ll find a way regardless.”

“Ha...?”

“Besides, this saintly friend of his and I will do our utmost to help. Alio will too.”

“Raul, is this adventurer a warlock?”

“A warlock? Have you forgotten who I am? You’re accusing me of being brainwashed?”

Muedron’s mouth hung open in disbelief.

For someone who had always managed everything with ease, this was an entirely unfamiliar situation.

The two friends were saying this adventurer was more important than her, even to the point of lowering their own worth.

“Seojin, can’t you think it over again? She might be strange, but she’s not a bad person.”

“I don’t discriminate between good and evil. Anyone who bothers me is bad.”

“Can’t really argue with that.”

The unfolding conversation was hard to accept for Muedron. She saw Saint Aikora struggling to remove the curses as well. They were a collection of particularly tricky ones, but they were falling away as easily as if they were being swept aside by a broom.

Muedron looked back at the adventurer before her.

There was no mocking smile on his face, no vanity. Just an emotion that seemed to say he was truly bothered by her.

Ridiculously, Seojin was looking at Muedron as if she were a disobedient child.

“From now on, the things we’ll discuss are somewhat sensitive. Make your decision quickly. Will you get off the ship, or will you stay on quietly?”

“The ship...”

“If you’re staying, I’m in charge. If you’re thinking of giving unsolicited advice, it’s time for you to disembark.”

Muedron looked around again. She saw the faces of her colleagues, and the stranger who had appeared out of nowhere.

For some reason, Raul’s last words came to mind—Start by practicing how to think.

‘Was I still caught in an illusion?’

Below her were countless adventurers. Those were all the adventurers she could have encountered. Their behaviors fell significantly short of her standards.

‘So this child is different from the others.’

That was the logical conclusion. It was something that would not have been difficult for others to reach, Muedron finally came to realize. And as Raul had said, she wasn’t inherently an arrogant person.

“I apologize. It was foolish of me. I will faithfully comply with any requests you have in the future.”

Muedron apologized, and Raul reinforced that apology.

“This is a sincere apology. You can trust it.”

“Then I’ll gladly accept it. As for the Golden King next to you...”

“Say the word. If it involves gold, I’ll spare no expense to procure what you desire.”

That settled it.

The Golden King knew his place well, and now Muedron would not oppose Seojin either.

After locking eyes with the four of them, Seojin finally brought up the secret topic at hand.

“From now on, the most important thing for us is to secure an ore known as moonstone, by any means necessary, and as much as possible.”

“Moonstone?”

“More on that later. Alio, do you by any chance have a personal stash of it?”

“I’m afraid not. That’s not something you can get just by throwing gold at it. The emperor himself has placed restrictions on it.”

“The emperor himself?”

“It’s managed by nobles under the emperor’s orders. Funny as it might be, I’m not a noble...”

If the Golden King couldn’t do it, then it really is a problem that can’t be solved with money.

“What about you, Muedron?”

“Same here. Moonstone is classified as an item that can’t be found even using under-the-table methods.”

“And Raul, you wouldn’t have it, obviously.”

“Naturally.”

Seojin had to give up on that bonus. After assessing the situation, he shared what he had learned with the three.

“Orichalcum, adamantine. You’re familiar with these, right?”

“Of course.”

“Moonstone is similar to them. It’s only known for its hardness, because nobody knows how to utilize it properly.”

Both were taken aback by this. Only Aikora, who had a rough idea, waited quietly.

But Seojin hadn’t finished. “What I know comes directly from the god associated with the stone, so I’m sure it’s true. Muedron and Alio, you will need to...”

“Wait a minute. What did you say?”

“The god at the top of Pantheon. She lamented that even though it was given to the humans, it couldn’t be utilized properly.”

This time, all three of their jaws dropped—Even Muedron, who tended to take things lightly, and Aikora, who knew some of the situation already.

“If you get amazed by every little thing, it’ll take us forever to get anything done. Let’s overthrow the emperor first, then we can explore the new continent, right?”

To them, Seojin, who spoke as if it was nothing special, left them no choice but to nod in bewilderment.

* * *

The Dunberton House was a prominent noble house in the Camilton Empire. Although the title—count—was not that high, the power of a noble lay in the role they played.

But now.

Count Dunberton was filled with an uncharacteristic sense of confusion.

“I understand. I’ll issue you a pass to enter my mining site...”

“A pass?”

“...You didn’t want passage?”

“I don’t think so?”

Kartna, the leader of the Valaran Thieves Guild, asked back with a chuckle.

Count Dunberton.

A handsome appearance, decent eloquence. And, with his family’s long lineage, he had enchanted many daughters of prominent families. He was a notorious womanizer.

Against him, Kartna pressed with overwhelming dominance.

“Really? You think my goal is simple tourism, Count?”

“Ah, but... it’s not in my power to allow you more than...”

“What a beautiful young lady. I can fully understand why you would be so captivated.”

Flap.

Kartna twirled a photograph between his index and middle fingers.

“I understand that feeling. Innocence! Love! When else should one engage in romance if not in their youth?”

“...”

“But then.”

Another photo was added to the pile, then another, and yet another.

With four photos in hand, Kartna’s lips curled into a smile.

“I might sympathize, but would they?”