Episode 152. Preparation (5)

Top floor of the Ladrier Hotel.

Inside a spacious hotel room.

Margo, a high cleric of the Death Council, sank deep into his chair and looked at the three people in front of him.

And he thought.

‘What kind of a combination is this?’

A woman lying face down on the bed as if everything was a bother, and a man sitting next to her, gazing at her with loving eyes.

And even a fellow with a strange iron chain wrapped around his waist, with ‘I am a punk’ written all over his face.

They had gathered for a strategy meeting, but all of them seemed to have no interest in the meeting whatsoever.

Letting out a sigh, Margo looked at the punk.

When their eyes met, the punk asked.

“What are you looking at?”

Margo’s brow furrowed on its own.

It was because the informal speech had put him in a bad mood.

‘He said he’s the vice-captain of Blood? As expected of someone from the slums, he has no manners.’

But he immediately smoothed his expression as if nothing had happened.

Because they weren’t here to fight.

As it was, Margo had already greatly disappointed Bishop Cristiano by failing to kill the skull mask last time.

This time, he absolutely had to wipe out Shadow as instructed, and to do that, he had to endure petty feelings even if he didn’t like it.

“Did you say your name is Dorian?”

“Yeah. You bastard.”

“……Do you happen to have a good plan? We don’t have time to just wait around.”

“Why are you asking me that? Those two lovebirds are right there.”

Dorian jutted his chin towards the man and woman on the bed.

“Those two are people of few words.”

“Are they nobles? As far as I know, it’s a crazy woman who treats corpses like dolls and a pervert who has a crush on his younger sister. That’s all I know about the two of them.”

Just then, the man who had been quiet looked this way.

“Hey. What did you just say?”

“What do you mean what did I say, you incestuous bastard. Are your ears clogged? Acting like you’re some kind of nobles.”

The man, High Cleric Vallary, shot up from his seat.

Sensing the aura of death roiling in his body, Margo’s face turned pale in an instant and he hurriedly intervened between them.

“Hey, wait a minute. Stop! Please, hold back!”

“Move.”

“Hey! Our target is Shadow, isn’t it? What’s the point of us wasting our energy on each other!”

As Margo said that, he sent a pleading look to Bishop Laitna, who was lolling on the bed.

“Isn’t that right, Bishop?”

“No. My target is the skull mask. I just need to get the skull mask’s corpse.”

“Isn’t that, isn’t that the same thing? We have to destroy Shadow to get the skull mask’s corpse.”

“Hmm. That’s true. Big brother, stop it.”

Watching the energy subside in an instant, Margo finally let out a sigh of relief.

A combination of a punk thug and a pair of crazy siblings.

His future looked bleak and he was already starting to fear Bishop Cristiano’s punishment.

“Heh heh. As expected of those who play with corpses, their level of nonsense is on another level.”

“Stop. Stop! Let’s just make a plan first. Please?”

After stopping Dorian, who was about to fuel the fire again, Margo sat down.

“First of all, our priority is to find Shadow’s base. We need to find them to kill them for money or use their corpses for research. Isn’t that right?”

Everyone nodded.

Margo continued speaking immediately.

“But the capital is so vast, I can’t tell if we’ll be able to find them or not, or how much time it will take. We also have to avoid the eyes of the investigation team formed by the academy. There’s a limit to just searching all of Icata. So, in my opinion, I think it would be better to focus on luring them out instead of looking for their base. Do you have any good ideas?”

He asked, but he didn’t have high expectations.

He had guessed it before coming here, and the recent incident had strongly confirmed it.

‘Looking at the situation, it seems I’ll have to do everything this time.’

It would be a hassle, but it wasn’t so bad.

Because he would be the one to design and command the operation.

This level of power was more than enough to wipe out Shadow, so the hunt was already half successful.

If that happened, most of the credit was likely to go to him, the one who commanded the operation.

‘Which means I’ll be the next bishop. Heh heh.’

It was then.

“There is one way to draw them out.”

Dorian, from whom he had expected nothing, opened his mouth.

“……Yes? There’s a way?”

“Yeah, you bastard. Hey. Do you know how a thief guild operates?”

How would he know?

Margo shook his head.

“Thief guilds originally live off of information. Taking on requests is just a side income compared to that. So, how do they get information? Do they run around and get it themselves? They do, but that’s only 30% of the total. The other 70% is obtained through intelligence posts.”

“Intelligence posts?”

“Yeah, intelligence posts. Places where information gathers like bars, shops, plazas, carriage stations, gambling dens, and pleasure districts. That’s what they call them. And they sometimes run them directly. I know one of those places. We can start from there.”

It was surprising.

He knew about an intelligence post managed by Shadow, who was known for their strict secrecy?

How on earth?

“Are you sure?”

“Of course. I’m sure.”

To Margo’s suspicious question, Dorian answered with a grin.

“Because I used to be in Shadow.”

***

The man woke from his sleep.

It was pitch black, but as if such darkness was no obstacle, he naturally got up from his spot and tidied up his bedding.

Then, he tied his long hair with a hair tie placed next to him and put on his glasses.

“…….”

Swoosh, he drew the curtain and looked down out the window.

The street, asleep at night, was still quiet.

There was no sign of anyone around the shop, and there was no sense of unease or awkwardness in the air.

A peaceful day, no different from yesterday..

The man, Luis, started his day earlier than others.

He left his room and entered the master’s office.

He immediately pushed the wall behind the office desk.

The blocked wall opened like a door, revealing a hidden space behind it.

It was a treasure vault where various types of materials, records, and information were organized and collected.

Why a treasure vault? Because Shadow was a thief guild that handled, bought, and sold information.

In the past, it was much larger and more secretly stored, but now, after most of it burned down and disappeared, this was all that remained.

Luis walked past the bookshelves and arrived at his own study located in the corner.

A wardrobe and a showcase.

With a familiar touch, Luis opened the wardrobe, changed into scruffy clothes, and then opened the showcase next to it.

Inside the showcase were human heads.

Of course, they weren’t real heads.

When Luis touched the jaw of a head a few times, a zipping sound was heard, and the face’s skin peeled off like a sticker.

A face mask.

Luis took off his glasses and placed it over his own face.

After finishing with makeup for disguise while looking in the mirror, in less than 5 minutes, Luis had become an elderly man.

“Ahem! Ahem!”

Clearing his throat and even changing his voice, Luis left the office with satisfaction.

It was then.

“Are you leaving?”

Luis turned around.

Dayle, who had woken up at some point, was standing crookedly.

“You’re up early, Dayle.”

“Isn’t this an urgent situation?”

Dayle shrugged his shoulders.

“Where would I find the time to sleep peacefully? We don’t know when they might attack. I stayed up a bit.”

“So, are you satisfied with the results of staying up all night?”

“A little?”

The wrinkles around Luis’s mouth deepened.

Dayle usually seemed like a slacker with no sense of responsibility, but Luis knew better than anyone how much he thought about Shadow and how hard he was working for its revival.

Compared to Gerard and Luis, Dayle fell short in many areas, such as his proficiency in thievery and his personal combat skills.

So, he locked himself in the underground storage and studied and trained every day without fail.

In particular, Dayle knew his role and what was needed of him in Shadow well.

And that was artifact development.

‘The reason he stayed up all night today must be to create a new artifact.’

Even though it was his first guild war, Dayle wasn’t afraid and was silently doing his job in the background, which felt reassuring.

So a smile appeared.

Because he was suddenly reminded of when Dayle first arrived.

‘He really looked like a con man back then.’

“What. Why are you laughing?”

Luis hurriedly hid his smile and brazenly asked back.

“……Laughing? Me?”

“Yeah. You were just looking at me and laughing.”

“I don’t recall doing so, I suppose the face mask must be crooked. Anyway, I will be back in the afternoon.”

“Are you going to the academy?”

“Yes.”

“Why? The boss isn’t there anyway, right? He went somewhere else on business yesterday.”

“I am a cleaner employed by the academy. It is only natural to report to work at the scheduled time.”

Leaving Dayle behind who was exclaiming, ‘Wow, professional spirit!’, Luis left Lunatic.

He turned through the deserted alley and headed towards the academy.

It was as Dayle said.

Gerard was not currently at the academy.

He had gone out to bring reinforcements.

To ‘Karagas,’ known as the slums and a lawless city.

‘Three days. I’ll be back within that time for sure. Please take care of Shadow until then.’

‘Nothing will happen. Please don’t worry and have a safe trip.’

Having arrived at the academy by carriage before he knew it.

In front of the huge main gate, laborers employed by the academy were going through a simple check-in process, and after 10 minutes, Luis was holding cleaning tools and focusing on cleaning as he walked around the campus.

The campus was generally clean.

At most, there was dust or fallen leaves and branches.

The professors and cadets, the people at the academy, were mindful of their usual conduct, so no one threw trash on the streets.

It was bound to be clean.

Ah.

It was messy until two days ago.

It was because of the aftermath of the nighttime terror attack.

Suddenly, Luis’s sweeping stopped.

The night attack reminded him of the cult’s betrayal and that, in turn, reminded him of Gerard’s words that the cult could become our enemy at any time.

‘Is he perhaps foreseeing it? How fascinating.’

Of course, he didn’t actually think that was the case.

Because Gerard had almost died due to the cult’s act of betrayal.

Luis had heard that he had barely survived with Rachel’s help.

So, Luis didn’t have any particular feelings towards Rachel.

Though he had disliked her at first.

‘She’s helping us now.’

Was it just Rachel?

Dayle, Gerard, everyone was doing what they could to win the war.

Clatter was the same.

Clatter, who had lost half of his body by taking the full brunt of the mana bomb, was currently recovering in the cemetery.

He was in the middle of making thorough preparations so that he could strike the heart of the cult at any moment.

‘Then, what about me?’

What could he do to win the war?

Luis thought about it, but no particular skills came to mind.

His practical combat ability was inferior to Clatter’s, and he couldn’t create groundbreaking items like Dayle.

Also, for information gathering, which is crucial in war, there was an excellent spy named Rachel.

So, what could he do?

‘……Perhaps funding and supplies procurement, and rear support.’

Gerard would give detailed strategies and roles when he returned with reinforcements.

With his current abilities, it seemed difficult to produce any tangible results by taking action.

It was bitter, but Luis didn’t mind it much.

For now, Gerard’s order to take good care of Shadow was the top priority.

It wasn’t in Luis’s nature to act out of a pointless sense of inferiority.

Before he knew it, the cleaning of his designated area was finished.

After exchanging greetings with the faculty member who was his supervisor, Luis immediately left the academy and came down to Icata.

He could have gone straight into Lunatic.

But a sudden thought made Luis turn and head towards the central plaza.

There was a restaurant there that was already bustling with people for lunch.

The name was [Parnaci of the Plaza].

It was a restaurant named directly after the owner.

Luis entered the place.

The interior was crowded with many customers.

After checking the faces of the employees busily moving between the cramped tables, Luis decided to find an empty seat first.

‘Is there no seat.’

It was then.

“Sir. There’s a seat in that corner, shall I guide you?”

He turned to check the owner of the voice.

A middle-aged man with a sturdy build and a good-natured impression.

He was the owner of this shop, Parnaci.

“…….”

Was it because he had stared for too long?

Parnaci tilted his head for a moment, then smiled again and asked kindly.

“Sir. You’ve been here often, haven’t you? There’s a seat over there. I’ll guide you.”

Only then did Luis nod his head.

“Then please feel free to call me when you’ve decided on your order.”

Parnaci, who bowed and headed to another table.

Looking at his retreating back, Luis reminisced for a moment. He had a deep connection with Parnaci.

‘You seem happy. Still.’

Parnaci of the Plaza.

This place, famous for its food and service, was actually an intelligence post for Shadow.

As the restaurant itself was a landmark of the plaza, various professions like adventurers, travelers, and merchants visited, and even nobles came, making the quantity and quality of information unimaginable.

Of course, that was all in the past.

With the disappearance of Shadow, the connection with this place was also severed.

Luis was just grateful that this place had survived the disaster caused by the empire and its watchful eyes.

Currently, he only visits occasionally.

There was no other reason.

Just because he missed those times.

He could have asked for help like in the past.

To be precise, ‘Parnaci of the Plaza’ was originally created as an intelligence post for Shadow, so they had the right to confidently demand duty and responsibility now that they had returned.

Parnaci’s support would surely be a great help at this time when the guild’s survival was at stake in a guild war.

But, Luis didn’t want to.

……No.

Honestly, he was conflicted.

That might be why he turned his steps from heading to Lunatic and came here.

Because now was a time when even a single helping hand was desperately needed.

“…….”

However, Luis did not take any action until the food came and he ate it.

The shop was doing better than ever, and Parnaci, who was attending to the customers, looked happier than ever.

He couldn’t bring himself to force a crisis upon him.

‘He has already fulfilled his duty in the past.’

Just like that, Luis stood up from his seat.

It was just as he was about to pay and leave the shop.

“Excuse me! You left this at your seat!”

An employee stopped him and handed him something.

What he received in a daze was a single slip of paper.

Luis unfolded the note.

And his expression hardened at once.

I know who you are.

Don’t even think about leaving, just come quietly to the back door.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep