NOVEL WEB Chapter 78
The dinner with Father was extremely calm.
Under normal circumstances, it wouldn’t have been so peaceful.
After all, I was planning to ask him about the hidden stories of Eustetia that I deliberately avoided reading in the Forbidden Library.
I was supposed to do that, but… I didn’t ask anything.
Instead, I just rambled on about trivial matters.
Like what happened at the Academy, my rise to the 5th Rank, and backtalk about the Royalty.
Oh, and I also showed him my Device.
Father didn’t seem overly surprised, as if he already knew, but he smiled warmly when he saw the contact list on my phone… um, friends?
Especially when he saw Fabiana’s name, he looked shocked and worried for no reason.
During all this, Father seemed to be constantly worried and pondering about what I might ask.
He even appeared to be waiting for me to ask something.
Still, I didn’t ask anything.
I just felt like… I didn’t want to break that peaceful moment.
If it were my past life, I would’ve asked right away without a second thought… Why did it turn out like this?
Maybe my heart has softened a bit?
Is my mind following my body? My steadfast mind?
No way. That can’t be true.
It must just be that I’ve aged mentally a bit, and since I spent time in such a peaceful and cozy home, I’ve changed like this.
And above all… um.
I didn’t want to have heavy conversations with Father, whom I hadn’t seen in a long time, nor did I want to make him uncomfortable or worry about me.
And the Nameless Captain.
In that peaceful atmosphere, the Nameless Captain was also present.
But that guy literally didn’t eat anything.
Moreover, he didn’t say a word.
He just sat there, cynically nodding his head, tilting it, and that was it.
I have no idea why he even bothered to come along.
I suggested he could leave it all to Uncle Kerian and go do some actual work.
But upon hearing that, he seemed deeply wounded, sulking for a while.
Someday… I want to peel off that mask.
He acts like he’ll never take it off, but the more he does, the more I want to see what’s underneath.
At least I do.
I’ve got a rebellious streak that’s drawn all kinds of insults from everywhere, and the more someone dislikes me, the more I want to mess with them.
I don’t know when it’ll happen, but I’m determined to take that mask off within five years.
With that mindset, we shared various stories, recalled many memories, laughed, ate, drank, and wrapped up our peaceful dinner.
Father said it was time for him to return to the Eustetia Duchy and hurriedly took me to the Academy.
After I entered the Academy, the Nameless Captain, too, blended into the crowd with a graceful, leopard-like stride.
Left alone, I didn’t head straight into the Academy but instead walked to the back alley of the Institute, where Stella had nearly been kidnapped.
I knew it from a brief conversation with Sara, but the back alley of the Institute, confirmed by what I found in the Forbidden Library, struck me as possibly even filthier than Gebihenum.
Drumrolls!
It’s only natural for demons to kill humans.
Monsters, Mages, Dark Mages, and even beasts, it’s only right for them to kill humans.
If I were to be modest, I could even say that it’s only natural for humans to kill other humans.
But as long as they’re just killing, I suppose that’s better than nothing.
But those scum in the back alley are selling such humans.
Digging deeper… the abnormal sexual desires? They even sell specific body parts!
Well… Most of those victims are either humans without any connections or those who deserve to die, they say.
Who knows? I guess I’d have to see it for myself.
Anyway, the back alley of the Institute is a lawless area that even the Empire’s nobility implicitly ‘uses.’
According to the nobles, it’s a suitable place for throwaway purposes. Since it’s filled with dirty scum, anyone who survives there must be useful.
The usual stuff includes murder contracts, tax evasion, money laundering, and whatnot, but that’s not what I’m here for.
I’m looking for some petty thieves.
Um, I guess I should call it the Information Guild to be polite.
Actually, I already know exactly where these guys are hiding.
Three of them at the Institute.
One in the Holy Kingdom.
And if I dig through all neighboring countries, I’ve heard there could be about ten or so.
It might have increased or decreased since then, but that doesn’t matter.
I’m going to the headquarters of the Information Guild.
I did think about coming here with the Nameless Captain, but for some reason, I felt I didn’t want to reveal this side of me to him.
It’s the same with Father and Uncle Kerian.
Someday, it might reach the Nameless ears, but I can handle keeping their mouths shut.
As long as I don’t attract anyone’s attention until I find the headquarters, I should be fine.
Probably?
…If any of the Information Guild guys are affiliated with the Nameless, I might get caught, but.
I’ll think about that later.
It’s not the time for such concerns.
I told the Nameless that there’s something in the underground of the Institute.
Damn. I never expected there would be a grave, or rather, a gift left by Arisa in the underground of the Institute.
Not just the weapons I liked to use in my past life, but also various potions, high-quality mana stones, jewels, and gold coins.
I think I even spotted a fragment of a Dragon Heart.
And, most importantly, an Elixir.
There’s an Elixir.
A purple Elixir.
A divine item surpassing the top grade.
“…It’s definitely mine.”
I can already feel drool forming.
*
I tied my hair up securely and hid it well.
Though it was a bit pricey, I wrapped myself in a hood cloaked in high-grade recognition-prevention magic.
I also packed about ten quality mid-grade potions.
I’ll definitely need them.
There were no tails on the way here, and that damned Adelia’s crows weren’t in sight.
The only thing following me was the gaze of the back alley merchants. Even that gaze didn’t recognize me as a noble lady but regarded me as an equal.
Things went really well.
With a satisfied smile on my face, I stared at the old, shabby door in front of me.
Sounds of merriment spilled out from the entrance of a tavern.
The sign read [Pierceous].
It’s the headquarters of the Information Guild.
This is where the heads of the petty thieves gather.
Of course, it’s rare for even nobles to know this information.
Maybe Fabiana doesn’t know either.
Well, someone like the Nameless should know, but if one doesn’t possess that level of intel, this place merely appears to be an ordinary tavern.
I opened the decrepit door of such a tavern.
Creek- The door opened with an unpleasant sound.
What a pointless creak.
It makes enough noise to announce a person’s arrival without even needing a bell.
They did this intentionally.
It’s a culture I’m rather familiar with, having soaked in the mercenary culture in my past life.
“…Huh.”
With the cozy feeling I hadn’t felt in a long time, a small laugh escaped me.
And where that laughter dispersed, there were faces of fierce-looking guys that even Yurasia would have drawn her sword against.
Seeing the kind of ruckus these guys were making while living in the back alley, they must be quite tough sorts.
Half of them are likely part of the Information Guild.
“…Wow, what a tough crowd.”
I chuckled again, glancing at their faces, unfazed I began to walk forward.
Pitter-patter- My tiny footsteps drew attention.
The noise of conversation dwindled, and an absolute silence fell.
“Who is this kid?”
“Ha-ha-ha! Hey, little one! This isn’t a place for you! Are you here begging?”
“Did you come to sell your body?”
“Who would buy such a pathetic thing? Hahaha!”
Laughter erupted from all around me.
I anticipated this. It was so predictable it almost felt stale.
Thus, there’s no reason to be rattled.
I memorized every face that laughed and plotted my revenge.
Consequently, I strolled right up to the bar where a guy was cackling away.
“Hey kid. Did you come to eat? Got any money? If you came to sell your body, go upstairs. There might be some takers. Heh-heh-heh.”
As I reached the counter, a man who seemed to be the owner leaned over to speak.
I stared intently at the man and replied.
“I came to buy some information.”
“Information? What kind of information? Want me to tell you the size of my brother? Huh? Heh-heh-heh.”
Ignoring him, I continued.
“Ophelia Bloomin. Where is she?”
Ophelia Bloomin.
The leader of the Information Guild, [Uranus].
Upon hearing that name, the man’s expression hardened.
“…Kid, where the hell did you hear that name?”
His aura turned sharp. The others felt it too, silencing their voices to stare at me.
I remained undeterred and asked again.
“Where is Ophelia Bloomin?”
In the silence of the tavern, my voice resonated.
Ophelia Bloomin.
Upon hearing that name, some people stood up.
Some trembled while others went outside.
“Wow, this crazy kid.”
The man leaned in further.
His breath reeked, like he hadn’t brushed his teeth.
“Whoever your backer is, that doesn’t fly here. So just tell me the truth. Who told you? Which bastard told you? If you cooperate, I might give you the pill to curb your rampant hormones. It seems you’d need an analgesic too, huh? If you tell me, I’ll let you leave alive.”
He licked his lips, emitting a foul smell.
I stared at him and surveyed the surroundings.
The ones who stood up were likely members of the Information Guild.
Those trembling were ordinary customers, and those who left.
No, they didn’t leave.
I could feel no footsteps or presence.
From the underground of this building.
There was a faint tremor.
An intruder had arrived, so they went to inform the owner.
I pointed at the ground and grinned.
“Isn’t the leader hiding down there like some bug?”
The man’s face turned beet red.
He clenched his teeth and raised the machete he’d concealed under the table.
At the same time.
“Damn you—”
Crack.
In two seconds, his nose shattered. His cheekbone crumbled. His eyeball burst. His jaw shattered. All his teeth were knocked out. His ribs broke, and thick blood soaked the floor.
Bam!
It took two seconds for the guy whose mouth reeked like crap to lose consciousness, face smashed in a puddle of blood.
I casually wiped the blood off my hands and turned my head.
“Next.”