The group walked calmly along the road until, in the distance, they spotted the long line of people waiting outside the gates of Valtheris.
Garrick let out a sigh.
“Looks like we’re dealing with this line again…”
Lysera watched the guards for a few moments before speaking hesitantly.
“I-I could try talking to them…”
Mirelya shook her head.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
She gave an awkward smile.
“People around here aren’t exactly fond of the Assassin class, Lysera…”
Lysera lowered her head slightly.
The light in her eyes dimmed a little.
“Ah…”
“That’s true.”
Ren crossed his arms.
“Well, first we need to turn in the quest.”
He glanced at the pouch fastened to Garrick’s waist.
“And sell those scales too, right?”
Garrick nodded.
“Exactly.”
A faint smile appeared on his face.
“With the money, we’ll be able to hire a carriage to Drakthar… and we’ll still have plenty left over.”
A short while later, the four of them joined the line.
Mirelya was the first to go through the inspection.
Then came Lysera.
Next was Ren.
Finally…
Garrick.
As soon as he stepped in front of the inspection crystal, one of the guards frowned.
“Hey…”
He looked back at the crystal.
“It detected something unusual in your mana.”
He raised his eyes.
“Are you sick?”
Garrick frowned slightly.
“Huh?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
The guard answered in a serious tone.
“By the king’s decree.”
“For the past few weeks, sick people haven’t been allowed to enter the city.”
Ren’s eyes widened.
“You’re serious?”
The guard answered coldly.
“Dead serious.”
A mocking grin spread across his face.
“If you don’t like it… you can stay outside with your boyfriend.”
The other guard burst into laughter.
“That’s right.”
He looked at Mirelya and Lysera.
“And leave these girls with us.”
“We’ll take good care of them.”
The two guards laughed.
The next instant…
Garrick stepped forward.
In one swift motion, he grabbed the front of the guard’s breastplate.
His expression remained completely serious.
“You’d better take back what you just said.”
The guard merely smiled.
“Oh?”
He tilted his head slightly.
“And what if I don’t?”
Garrick’s expression didn’t change.
It remained cold.
Emotionless.
“Simple.”
His voice was low.
“When your shift ends…”
He leaned in a little closer.
“…you’ll simply disappear.”
He paused briefly.
“No one’s going to miss a gate guard that quickly.”
The smile vanished from the guard’s face.
His expression turned hard.
At that moment, another guard a few meters away noticed the situation.
“Hey!”
“Is there a problem over there?”
The guard glanced back.
Then he slapped Garrick’s arm away from his armor.
“No.”
He straightened himself.
“Everything’s fine.”
A moment later, he looked back at Garrick.
His eyes were now just as serious as Garrick’s.
“I’d love to see you try.”
A faint smile formed at the corner of his mouth.
“It’s been a long time since I last cut someone.”
Garrick continued staring straight into his eyes.
Trying to keep his composure.
“Is it really that hard to apologize to them?”
Ren watched the situation unfold without understanding what was happening.
“Hey…”
“What are you two talking about?”
Mirelya also noticed the sudden change in the atmosphere.
“Garrick…”
Her voice was filled with concern.
“Don’t start a fight here.”
“You’ll end up being the one left outside.”
Garrick remained silent.
He continued staring at the guard.
The two of them locked eyes for several long seconds.
Finally…
The guard let out a long sigh.
“Fine.”
He turned toward Mirelya and Lysera.
“Girls…”
“I’m sorry for what I said.”
The other guard laughed.
“Oh…”
“You’ve gone soft, man…”
The first guard rolled his eyes.
“Shut up.”
He turned his attention back to Garrick.
“Let’s continue the inspection.”
He looked once more at the inspection crystal.
“But seriously…”
“If whatever you’ve got is affecting your mana…”
“We can’t let you into the city.”
Garrick sighed.
“I don’t have any contagious disease.”
He scratched the back of his neck.
“I was…”
He paused briefly.
“…bitten by a snake.”
…
Silence fell over the city gate.
Three seconds later…
One of the guards burst into laughter again.
“Hahahaha!”
He pointed at Garrick.
“A Gold-Rank adventurer got bitten by a snake?”
He kept laughing.
“Hahaha!”
The other guard crossed his arms.
“You’d better not be trying to make fools out of us.”
At that moment, Lysera stepped forward.
She stopped beside one of the guards.
“I’m the one who poisoned him.”
Everyone immediately turned to look at her.
Ren raised an eyebrow.
“Well, look at that…”
Lysera cut him off before he could continue.
“This adventurer decided to challenge the poison on my dagger.”
Her voice remained calm.
“In the end, he lost the bet.”
She discreetly pointed toward Garrick.
“We only came here to retrieve my antidote.”
The guard let out a sigh.
“Ah…”
“So you’re an assassin. Figures.”
His gaze hardened.
“You should know your class isn’t exactly welcome around here.”
The other guard waved his hand dismissively.
“Just go on in.”
Then he looked back at Garrick.
“And make sure you take that antidote as soon as possible.”
“I don’t want any bigger problems.”
As Garrick walked past the guard he’d argued with…
The man spoke without taking his eyes off him.
“My name’s Henry.”
A contemptuous grin spread across his face.
“You’d better hope we never cross paths out on the road, kid.”
Garrick took one more step, ending up beside him.
Then he answered calmly.
“My name is Garrick.”
Without changing his tone, he added,
“Likewise.”
The two passed each other.
For a brief moment…
It felt as though the world around them had slowed down.
Neither of them looked away.
Their eyes remained locked until Garrick had put about a meter of distance between them.
That was when Henry raised his voice for everyone to hear.
“Someone who loses to an assassin…”
A mocking smile spread across his face.
“…is nothing but a dog that knows how to bark!”
Garrick stopped.
He slowly turned his head back.
Before he could say anything…
Ren grabbed his arm.
“L-Let’s go, Garrick.”
He forced a smile.
“Forget that idiot.”
Garrick stared at Henry for a few more seconds.
Then he let out a long sigh.
He turned back around and resumed walking.
“Yeah…”
He scratched the back of his head.
“Man…”
He gave an awkward smile.
“What got into me?”
He glanced briefly at his own arm.
“Arguing with an idiot…”
He paused.
“Do you think that poison’s messing with my head?”
Ren shrugged.
“No idea, man.”
Garrick then looked at Lysera.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
“Thanks, Lysera.”
She lowered her head slightly.
“You’re welcome.”
Ren raised an eyebrow.
“Well, look at that…”
Lysera cut him off before he could continue.
“This adventurer insisted on challenging the poison on my dagger.”
Her voice remained calm.
“In the end, he lost the bet.”
She discreetly gestured toward Garrick.
“We’re only here to retrieve my antidote.” Find the original chapter at g.com.
The guard let out a sigh.
“Oh…”
“So you’re an assassin. Figures.”
His expression hardened.
“You should know your class isn’t exactly welcome around here.”
The other guard waved his hand dismissively.
“Just get inside.”
Then he looked back at Garrick.
“And make sure you take that antidote as soon as possible.”
“I don’t want any bigger problems.”
As Garrick walked past the guard he had argued with…
The man spoke while staring directly into Garrick’s eyes.
“My name’s Henry.”
A contemptuous grin spread across his face.
“You’d better pray we never run into each other out on the road, kid.”
Garrick kept walking for another step until they were side by side.
Then he replied calmly,
“My name is Garrick.”
Without changing his tone in the slightest, he added,
“The feeling’s mutual.”
The two crossed paths.
For a brief moment…
It felt as though the world around them had slowed to a crawl.
Neither of them looked away.
Their eyes remained locked until Garrick had put about a meter between them.
Only then did Henry raise his voice so everyone could hear.
“Someone who loses to an assassin…”
A mocking smile appeared on his face.
“…is nothing more than a dog that knows how to bark!”
Garrick stopped.
He slowly turned his head.
Before he could say anything…
Ren grabbed his arm.
“C-Come on, Garrick.”
He forced a smile.
“Forget about that idiot.”
Garrick stared at Henry for a few more seconds.
Then he let out a long sigh.
He turned around and resumed walking.
“Right…”
He scratched the back of his head.
“Man…”
An awkward smile crept onto his face.
“What’s gotten into me?”
He glanced down at his own arm.
“Getting into an argument with an idiot…”
After a brief pause, he muttered,
“Could this poison really be affecting my head?”
Ren shrugged.
“No idea, man.”
A moment later, Garrick looked at Lysera.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
“Thanks, Lysera.”
She simply lowered her head slightly.
“You’re welcome.”
Mirelya looked toward the city’s main street.
“Let’s head straight to the Lions Guild.”
As they walked, Ren looked back at the pouch containing the dragon scales.
“By the way…”
“How much are those scales worth?”
Garrick answered without slowing his pace.
“We’re going to need that money.”
His expression turned serious.
“That client tricked us.”
After a short pause, he continued,
“And judging by everything we’ve seen…”
“…the guild probably had no idea who he really was.”
Lysera looked at him.
“You really think so?”
Garrick slowly nodded.
“That’s what it looks like, at least.”
A short while later…
The group arrived at the Lions Guild once again.
As soon as they stepped inside, they walked straight to the reception desk.
The receptionist smiled when she saw them.
“Hello!”
“How have you all been?”
The four exchanged quick glances.
Without responding to the greeting, Mirelya took the quest document from her pouch and placed it on the counter.
Her expression was serious.
“What do you know about the client who posted this quest?”
The receptionist blinked twice in confusion.
“What?”
She tilted her head slightly.
“The client?”
Lysera stepped forward.
“That’s right.”
“That old man… Goro.”
Ren continued.
“There was a dragon inside that dungeon.”
He took a deep breath.
“And then that old man showed up and completely beat us.”
Mirelya added,
“On top of that…”
Her expression hardened.
“He was wearing armor from the Kingdom of Drakthar.”
The receptionist’s eyes widened.
She slowly brought one hand to her mouth.
…
Silence filled the room for several seconds.
Finally, she took a deep breath.
“You…”
Her voice faltered.
“Are you serious?”
Garrick nodded.
“Yes.”
Then he looked directly at her.
“But first…”
“I have a question.”
Without another word, he picked up Mirelya’s pouch.
She raised an eyebrow.
“What is it?”
Garrick answered calmly.
“Show her the dagger.”
Mirelya opened the pouch.
She carefully pulled out the weapon.
Then she placed it on the counter.
“Take a look.”
The receptionist carefully picked up Goro’s dagger.
She examined the blade closely.
Turning it over several times in her hands.
After a long moment, she slowly shook her head.
“I’ve never seen a blade like this before.”
She handed the dagger back to Mirelya.
Garrick crossed his arms.
“It belonged to that client.”
“Goro.”
The receptionist remained silent, staring at the four of them for several seconds.
Then she bowed deeply.
“My sincerest apologies… I-I don’t even know what to say.”
Guilt filled her voice.
“The guild had been dealing with that client for years… He only ever posted Rank C quests…”
She closed her eyes.
“How could something like this have happened…”
Ren looked visibly uncomfortable.
He raised one hand.
“You can lift your head now.”
She slowly straightened up.
Her face had turned slightly red.
Ren gave her a gentle smile.
“It looks like…”
“…you didn’t know anything either.”
The receptionist nodded.
“No.”
She took another deep breath.
“I’ll notify the Guild Master immediately.”
She gestured politely.
“Please wait here for a moment.”
The group stepped away from the counter.
As they waited…
A deep voice came from behind them.
“Hey.”
All four turned around at once.
A huge man clad in heavy armor was staring at them.
A faint grin spread across his face.
“I’ve never seen you around before.”
“Are you newcomers?”
The four nodded.
The man smiled.
“Welcome to the Lions Guild.”
His smile quickly disappeared.
“Now…”
“Move.”
Without the slightest hesitation…
He shoved Garrick aside with his shoulder to clear his path.
Ren immediately stepped forward.
“Hey!”
“Watch it!”
The man only turned his head slightly.
“Got a problem, runt?”
Ren looked up.
A large sign hung above the guild hall.
“Fighting inside the guild is strictly prohibited.”
He looked back at the man.
Taking a deep breath, he answered coldly,
“You idiot.”
The man stopped walking.
He slowly turned around.
“What was that?”
“What did you just call me?”
Before Ren could answer…
Garrick gently grabbed his arm.
“Ren…”
His voice remained calm.
“Forget it.”
He glanced briefly at his own arm.
“We need to leave for another kingdom as soon as possible.”
Ren clenched his teeth.
“But earlier… you almost got into a fight with those guards…”
“Garrick…”
The large man let out a mocking grin.
“You think you’re tough?”
He pointed toward the entrance.
“Let’s settle this outside.”
Mirelya crossed her arms.
“Enough.”
She stared directly at him.
“Don’t you have anything better to do?”
The man didn’t even bother looking at her.
“I don’t remember talking to you.”
Beside them…
Lysera slowly clenched her fists.
“I probably won’t ever have to come back here again…”
Her eyes hardened.
“It’ll be worth it.”
She was just about to reach for one of her daggers…
When a firm voice echoed from the top of the staircase.
“That’s enough, Brak.”
Todos immediately looked toward the stairs.
At the top stood an elegant, well-dressed man with an imposing presence, calmly observing the entire scene.
Brak clicked his tongue.
“Tch…”
He shot Ren one last glance.
“You’ll run into me again someday.”
Without another word…
He walked out of the guild.
The receptionists immediately bowed.
“L-Lord Leon.”
Leon smiled warmly.
“Hello.”
“Keep up the good work.”
Mirelya watched him discreetly.
“What an elegant man…”
Beside her…
Lysera simply lowered her gaze.
At that moment, the receptionist stepped away from the counter.
“Lord Leon…”
She gestured toward the group.
“It’s them.”
Leon silently studied each of them.
His gaze lingered on Garrick for a few seconds.
Then it moved to Ren, Mirelya, and Lysera.
Finally, he spoke in a calm voice.
“Hm…”
He turned around.
“Please, follow me to my office.”
The group quietly followed him.
Ren kept his eyes fixed straight ahead.
Avoiding eye contact with everyone around him.
As they walked…
Garrick suddenly staggered slightly to one side.
Before he could fall…
Lysera caught him by the arm.
He quickly regained his balance.
Looking at her, he said,
“Thanks.”
She simply gave a small nod.
Further ahead…
Leon cast a brief glance over his shoulder.
Several adventurers inside the guild had begun watching them.
Whispers spread throughout the hall.
“Wasn’t that group supposed to be hunting goblins?”
“What’s going on?”
“The Guild Master himself came to meet them…”
A few moments later…
The group entered the Guild Master’s office.
As soon as everyone had stepped inside, Mari entered behind them.
Leon spoke calmly.
“Please lock the door, Mari.”
“Thank you.”
Ren raised an eyebrow.
“They’re locking us in here?”
Mirelya also looked puzzled.
“What exactly are you planning?”
Leon walked over to his large wooden chair and slowly sat down.
He let out a long sigh before speaking.
“For several years now…”
He folded his hands on top of the desk.
“I’ve been searching for an infiltrator.”
He raised his eyes toward the group.
“I never knew his true face.”
“Not even his real name.”
“All we knew was that he could be either a client… or an adventurer.”
Lysera frowned.
“What exactly are you trying to say?”
Leon’s eyes shifted toward Garrick.
“From what I’ve seen…”
“…your friend has been poisoned.”
Garrick’s eyes widened.
“What?”
“How do you know that?”
Leon answered calmly.
“Before I became the Guild Master…”
He stood up from his chair.
“I traveled across nearly every continent.”
He slowly began walking around the office.
“I learned about countless cultures…”
After a brief pause, he continued,
“Including those of the Kingdom of Drakthar.”
Mirelya swallowed nervously.
“W-Why are you telling us all this?”
Leon continued walking around the group.
Without answering her question directly, he asked,
“I want you to describe that man.”
He looked at each of them.
“What was that client like?”
Ren answered first.
“Well…”
“He said his name was Goro.”
Leon stood perfectly still.
Then he slowly closed his eyes.
“…Ah.”
He took a deep breath.
“Goro…”
The next instant—
BOOOOOM!!
His fist slammed violently into the desk.
The thick wooden desk split cleanly in half.
Wooden splinters exploded across the room.
Everyone’s eyes went wide.
Mari immediately covered her mouth with both hands.
“M-Master?!”
Leon remained standing.
His face was filled with fury.
“All this time…”
He clenched his teeth.
“One of the Five Leaders…”
“…was right beneath our noses.”
He slowly lowered his head.
“…Goro.”
Garrick finally broke the silence.
“I still don’t understand…”
He frowned.
“The Five Leaders?”
Leon took a deep breath before answering.
“You don’t usually keep up with the news, do you?”
The four exchanged glances.
Mirelya answered first.
“What news?”
Leon folded his arms.
“For some time now…”
“There have been rumors that the Kingdom of Drakthar has been forming an alliance with the Demon Army.”
He paused briefly.
“And someone has been gathering intelligence on Valtheris.”
Mari lowered her eyes.
“I really didn’t want to believe it…”
Lysera stepped forward.
“So you just let all of this happen?”
Her voice hardened.
“Where was the Royal Guard?”
Leon answered without hesitation.
“They came.”
Silence filled the office.
Then he continued.
“And they were found completely burned to ashes…”
After a brief pause, he added,
“…inside a dungeon.”
Everyone swallowed hard.
Leon looked back at them.
“Your mission…”
He picked up the mission report from the broken desk.
“…was simply to eliminate a few goblins.”
No one answered.
Leon continued.
“And yet…”
He looked directly at each of them.
“You entered the very same dungeon where the Imperial Knights died.”
His voice became even more serious.
“Every single one of them was killed.”
He paused once more.
“But the four of you came back alive.”
Mirelya remained completely still.
“I’m not liking where this conversation is headed…”
Mirelya remained completely still.
“I’m not liking where this conversation is headed…”
Leon took a slow, deep breath.
“Very well.”
He slowly raised his head.
“I’ll ask you only one question.”
His expression became completely serious.
“And I expect an honest answer.”
…
Leon inhaled deeply.
Then…
He took a single step forward.
An immense amount of mana began pouring out of his body.
The air instantly grew heavy.
An invisible pressure filled the entire office.
Everyone felt their bodies stiffen.
Garrick’s eyes widened.
“What… a monster…”
Every instinct in his body screamed at him not to take another step.
Beside him, Mirelya felt a chill run down her spine.
“He looks like a warrior…”
She swallowed hard.
“But…”
“That amount of mana…”
“Is it… even greater than mine?”
Leon slowly assumed a fighting stance.
His gaze remained unwavering.
Without taking his eyes off the group, he spoke.
“Answer only once.”
His voice echoed throughout the office.
“Are you working together with one of the Five Leaders?”
A heavy silence fell over the room.
Leon’s eyes narrowed.
“…Yes or no?”
He took another slow step forward.
“And don’t even think about lying.”
The pressure of his mana intensified.
“I’ll know.”
Not a single person moved.
Not a single sound could be heard.
Even breathing felt difficult.
Ren slowly looked around.
Garrick’s face was tense.
Mirelya’s fists were tightly clenched.
Lysera’s eyes remained fixed on Leon.
No one dared to answer.
The silence stretched on…