abcnovels
Chapter 45
Chapter 45
[Translator - Jjescus ]
[Proofreader - Starfall ]
Chapter: 45
'It's about time for Barres to appear.'
Heading towards Edlen, Hanbit recalled the main villain of this episode.
Barres Loberger.
Outwardly, he was Brook's confidant, but he was the mastermind and the root cause of all the incidents that had happened in the past.
Even now, he reigned as the person in power, so he could be considered the main enemy.
'The man himself is disgusting.'
Barres was like the embodiment of the word "corrupt official."
His hair parted neatly down the middle, snake-like eyes under thick eyebrows,overlapping chins, and a protruding belly that wobbled with every move was hard to stomach for long.
Of course, thanks to his numerous experiences, Hanbit had reached the level where he could make fun of him.
"..."
Arriving at the guild, the three immediately met with Guild Master Cowen.
His gaze was fixed on the blond-haired girl.
"...It's not my fault,” Lia muttered, avoiding Cowen's eyes.
It was an atmosphere that anyone could tell they already knew each other.
-?
-They knew each other?
-Were they pretending not to know each other?
-If they acknowledged each other, they'd be caught by Brook and Barres.
-Her avoiding eye contact is cute. lol
Viewers watching the situation also roughly grasped the situation.
Hanbit decided to tell him about what happened in the waterway first.
"There's a temple inside the waterway... This is too careless."
Cowen's expression darkened at the situation that defied common sense. No matter how out-of-reach the information was, it was ultimately his fault.
"Look at this too."
Hanbit handed over Camon's note.
"What's this?"
"There was a hidden room under the temple altar. I found this note written by someone named Camon there."
"...Camon?"
Cowen's eyes widened, and he immediately snatched the note.
Lia, sitting next to him, fidgeted and hid her diary deep inside her bag.
"Ahh."
After quickly checking the contents, Cowen rubbed his face with his hand.
He said with a distant look in his eyes, "...So he took such measures. Or rather, was he that wary of Barres?"
After a moment of silence, Cowen looked up at Hanbit.
"What is your purpose? If you're an outsider, you wouldn't want to get involved in complicated matters."
"If that were the case, I would have just been hunting monsters. And it's not strange to help a friend, is it?"
"It wouldn't be strange under normal circumstances. But the darkness rooted in Norton runs deep. It's better for both of us to be clear about our purposes."
"Hmm."
At Cowen's firm words, Hanbit pretended to ponder for a moment and remained silent.
Of course, the best answer to give in this situation was the same as it had always been.
"Then write me a letter of recommendation for the Investigation Corps. You have the authority as a Guild Master, right?"
"The Investigation Corps... I see. If you're thinking about a letter of recommendation, the current mayor and Barres have more influence."
"Well, wouldn't catching a Holy Nation follower be a bigger achievement? The tragedy that befell the Norton family will also come to light."
"...Indeed."
The Investigation Corps, a group of experts from around the world searching for the existence of Erport.
Most adventurers dream of becoming a member of the Investigation Corps. It is a position that can bring wealth, honor, and fame.
This was true not only for ordinary players but also for the most advanced players.
"I understand your purpose. It's certainly a dream that an adventurer would aim for. However, the story isn't over yet."
Cowen closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them and looked at Lia.
"My lady, do you trust this adventurer?"
"Huh?"
She was taken aback by the sudden question.
Glancing at Hanbit, Lia scratched her head.
"Well... He doesn't seem like a bad person, does he?"
"That answer is far from sufficient. If you're off by even a bit, your life could be in danger, my lady. If you're unsure, I believe it would be wiser to eliminate the adventurer Black Dragon here and now."
-Excuse me?
-Did I hear that right?
-You heard correctly.
-He's saying this right in front of him. lol
-This is bad. Let's hand over Roper and escape.
A murder plan unfolding right in front of the person involved.
However, if Cowen had truly intended to kill, he would have already acted on it.
The fact that Hanbit was still sitting there unharmed meant that Cowen had other intentions.
"Eliminating him is the wise decision?" Lia asked, furrowing her brows. Her voice sounded slightly angry.
"I have a duty to protect you, my lady. I believe it is right to eradicate even the slightest possibility of danger."
"If you were so worried, you should have taken me out of Edlen through the secret passage that day! The reason I live in the slums is to avoid Uncle Brook and Barres!"
"It's for the future. In any case, we cannot leave someone who knows your identity unchecked. It requires absolute trust. I will not disregard the will of Mr. William, who wished to protect you."
Shing-!
Cowen rose from his seat and drew the sword from his waist.
He aimed it at Hanbit's neck.
-Uh oh, he's gonna die.
-Who's going to stream for us now?
-Thank you for loving Black Dragon until now.
-Stream -END-
"Cowen!"
Surprised, Lia also jumped up and tried to stop Cowen.
However, Hanbit, the person involved, calmly turned his gaze.
"Lia... No, should I say Lady Liventia? I suppose you were her escort."
"I was the shadow knight of the Norton family. Following my lord's orders, I escaped with the young lady and avoided execution."
Before William's execution took place, Cowen escaped with Reventia through the secret passage.
Even though it was an order, his heart was torn and shattered as he abandoned his lord and fled.
"Although I am a knight who failed to fulfill his role, I have the power to cut off the ominous bud here. Do not resent me; you were simply unlucky."
"What will change if you cut off the bud? Lia will still have to live in hiding, escaping pursuit for the rest of her life."
"The opportunity to punish Brook and Barres will surely come. It seems Camon has prepared something, so with that added to the equation, there might be a possibility. His sacrifice was also for the sake of the future,” Cowen, responding in a solemn voice, brought the sword closer.
"I said wait!"
Just before the cold blade touched his skin Lia stepped between the two.
"It's dangerous. Please step aside."
"You're the one in danger right now!"
-Hahaha
-Truth bomb from LiTube.
-She is in danger.
-Let's just trust Lia.
-'Do it for me'
Lia spread her arms wide seemingly to protect Hanbit.
Seeing this, Cowen moved his sword away so as not to hurt her.
"This is strange. You gave a lukewarm response to my question about whether you trust this fellow."
"Do I really have to say it out loud?"
"Yes. Trust is that important in this matter. Please tell me clearly. I will not put down my sword until I am certain."
"Ah..."
Lia sighed at his embarrassing coercion. However, knowing Cowen's personality well, she had no other choice.
She said in a tiny, almost inaudible voice, "...I trust him."
"I can't hear you."
"Oh, really! I said I trust him! He's the one who helped Artsvel, Phlone, and Ruby! Besides, this guy is super strong..."
Her true feelings, pouring out along with her frustration, continued for a long while.
Cowen listened silently, then slowly nodded.
"I see. I fully understand how you feel about this fellow, my lady. I had no hostility towards him from the beginning, so you don't have to worry. I have already finished my investigation."
"...Huh?"
The sword was already in its scabbard.
Lia realized it was just a trick to confirm her feelings.
"Cowen...!"
-Hahaha
-Cute.
-Have you been deceiving her all this time?
-Let's have a drink because it was cute.
-But her likeability is maxed out. lol
-Artsvel?Phlone?Ruby route confirmed
Lia's face turned bright red, and she trembled with her fists clenched.
"There's nothing you can do even if you glare at me like that. Your true intentions are the most important to me, and I trust your feelings that much."
"Why couldn't you have said that from the beginning!"
"You've become too accustomed to hiding your feelings, my lady. I would prefer it if you acted a little more your age."
"Ha."
Lia was speechless at his confident attitude.
Hanbit lightly pulled her arm to make her sit on the chair.
"It can't be helped that he's concerned about personnel selection. Even from my perspective as an outsider, you're in a dangerous position."
"I know that, but..."
Lia pouted as Hanbit soothed her and defended Cowen.
Hanbit, watching this with amusement, turned his gaze away.
"So, what's the plan? We're going to Camon's mansion first, right?"
"Of course, that's the top priority. I'd like to check the temple in the waterway as well, but it would be dangerous now. It's quite possible the enemy has noticed it."
Since they had rummaged through the waterway, it wouldn't be strange if anyone had noticed.
Whether it was the Holy Nation's followers, Brook, or Barres was unknown.
"Ah, right."
Remembering something, Hanbit took out a necklace from his inventory.
It was the Goblin's Spirit Necklace he had obtained from the challenge dungeon.
[Goblin's Spirit Necklace]
Rank: 3
Grade: Unique
Description: A trophy obtained from the Elder Goblin. Deploys a mana shield according to the owner's will.
"Here, you wear this."
"A necklace?"
Lia received the silver necklace with a jewel embedded in it.
"A trophy from the Elder Goblin. It's quite high quality,” Cowen, who recognized the item, said in a fascinated tone.
Then, stroking his chin, he asked, "You anticipate an attack, given that you need a protective magic tool?"
"What I found in the waterway at first was a piece of cloth used in the Holy Nation's combat uniforms. It wouldn't be strange if a battle broke out at any moment. Something strange happened to Lia too."
"Something strange?"
Hearing this for the first time, Cowen looked at Lia.
The blond-haired girl then took out a ring from her bag.
"Something flashed and sparked at the entrance to the secret passage. It felt really ominous."
"...That's unusual."
Cowen also frowned, as if he didn't quite understand.
Watching the situation, Hanbit feigned ignorance and asked, "What's that ring? Is it some kind of Norton family heirloom?"
"It's an heirloom and an identity that must not be lost. Very few families bear the mark of the Spirit King."
-The Spirit King?
-What's this now?
-Was that a manifestation of it?
-Hmm. If it's just a trace, isn't it trash?
-Does the Spirit King look like a joke to you?
[Explanation Guy has donated 1,000 won.]
[RP Setting: The Spirit King is an ancient spirit strong enough to cause damage across the entire country. There are almost no complete records of it...]
-Thank you for your hard work, Explanation Guy.
-I've seen him on other streams too. lol
-Activity GOAT
The chat window became chaotic as the term Spirit King appeared.
[Lower Spirit - Intermediate Spirit - Higher Spirit - Highest Spirit - Spirit King]
The ranks of spirits are clearly distinguished.
The Spirit King was four levels higher than the lower spirit, Sylph.
Even Hanbit himself, despite his long hours of effort, was limited to borrowing the power of the highest-ranked spirits.
That's how much of an unknown realm the Spirit King's existence was.
[Norton's Ring]
Rank: ?
Grade: ?
Description: A ring imbued with traces of the Spirit King, Sallion. It has been passed down as an heirloom according to the will of the first Norton.
'No wonder that they're after this ring.'
The massacre of the Spirit Summoners that took place about 100 years ago from the current time.
The power of spirits, already rare, mostly disappeared after that incident.
In such a situation, a part of the Spirit King, which held tremendous potential even in its mere traces, was enough to become a target.
'They're a bunch of clowns.'
The culprit behind the Spirit Summoner massacre was the Holy Nation.
And those same people were now after this ring, seeking its power for their technology.
The strange reaction that appeared on Lia's ring was one of their search techniques.
In other words, their pursuit and attack were imminent.
"So we're going to Camon's workshop now?"
"No, we're going to the house of someone named Harpen."
"Harpen?"
When Hanbit repeated the name, Cowen nodded.
Then, walking towards the exit, he said, "We don't have time, so let's hurry."
Ding-!
[Main Quest #4 Completed.]
[Progress increased.]
[Main Quest #5: Infiltration]
You have learned more about Lia's situation.
To reveal the truth and set her free, you need a way to prove Brook and Barres' crimes.
Head to Camon's workshop, as mentioned in his note.
'Camon's Workshop' is located inside a sealing stone kept in the mansion of the city noble, 'Harpen.'
Objective: Secretly infiltrate the mansion and steal the sealing stone.
Reward: 100,000 gold, 50,000 experience, 5 Stat Points
*Current progress: 45 percent
[Translator - Jjescus ]
[Proofreader - Starfall ]