Chapter 207 : Chapter 207

Chapter 207: Reina (4)

When playing ‘Heroes of Frey,’ the player character Ivan encounters numerous quests.

Starting from main quests that lead the main story, to side quests received from characters like professors or guild leaders, or progressed through extracurricular activities.

And while extracurricular activities during vacation periods served as a stepping stone for growth through training, they also granted opportunities to build fame.

In fact, there were many cadets who raised their value through these extracurricular activities during the vacation period.

‘Ivan in the original work was one of them too.’

This request I discovered now is precisely the extracurricular activity Ivan chooses in the original work.

The task category is VIP protection.

It is a job of guarding one person for a designated period.

The request form currently in my hand was the same.

In the content section, Mr. Parnaci’s explanation was written in a letter format.

[First, the client is an herbalist named Oliver. It’s been a little over half a year since I got to know him. His origin is unclear as he won't say, but according to what he mentioned, he has been wandering here and there for quite a long time and said he is a child of an exterminated family. So, he says a hostile family is targeting him, but he says he must go on this journey no matter what…… (omitted)

Anyway, it seems he is looking for manpower to protect his safety from the hostile family’s attacks, and I recommend you guys. He is someone trustworthy.]

‘Someone trustworthy’ at the end was a sort of guarantee phrase left by Mr. Parnaci.

Several conditions were needed to receive this guarantee phrase, and the conditions were that among his connections known for a long time, they must be capable, tight-lipped, and in a desperate situation.

Mr. Parnaci was approaching such people and introducing Shadow to them.

‘Just how wide are Mr. Parnaci’s connections?’

I suddenly wondered.

To think he even knows this Oliver.

If this is an ability, it is indeed a tremendous ability.

‘If he had been born on Earth, he would have been incredibly successful.’

Well, he is accumulating wealth that others would envy even now though.

Anyway.

‘If it’s like this, the situation will become interesting again.’

I chose that request form without hesitation and showed it to Luis and Dayle.

“Let’s go with this.”

Dayle said okay, but Luis expressed concern.

“Isn't it too vague.”

“Why? Do you think it’s too unclear what kind of human the person named Oliver is?”

Luis shook his head.

“That is not it. Since there is Mr. Parnaci’s guarantee, he must be a trustworthy person in his own way. What I am concerned about is not him, but the hostile family that is chasing him. It does not state here what kind of family that hostile family is, nor how large and strong of a family it is.”

“We can meet the client named Oliver and ask that directly.”

“No. Wouldn't Mr. Parnaci have already asked? Yet the fact that it is not properly written here means he answered vaguely even to Mr. Parnaci, and answering vaguely means there is some corner he wants to hide.”

A smile naturally drew on my lips at Luis’s deduction.

‘As expected, he is an intelligent character.’

It’s not for nothing that I, an evil boss, entrusted all of Shadow’s internal affairs to Luis.

Because there is no one else to entrust it to but him, I did it unavoidably.

Anyway, Luis’s deduction was accurate.

As Mr. Parnaci said, Oliver is a trustworthy person. Because he is tight-lipped and possesses excellent economic power.

His ability is good too.

However, he was also a person harboring many secrets.

‘And I know all those secrets.’

Because I experienced it through ‘Heroes of Frey.’

Several times.

So, although this request might seem reluctant to Luis, in my eyes, it was rather better than other requests.

Also.

‘Because it is an opportunity. To form a connection with Oliver.’

He was a figure from a family even greater than expected.

***

We, who decided on the task for the qualification test like that, went down to the basement and announced the result of the meeting.

“As a result of the executive meeting, we decided to approve your admission, Reina, with more than a majority vote in favor.”

“Kyaaa! Sister!”

Reina, who was clasping her two hands together and only looking desperately at my lips, hugs Rachel while shouting ‘Wow!’.

Rachel also hugs her and genuinely congratulates her.

“That’s great, Reina! Congratulations, really!”

“Yeah! Hehe! Thank you! Thank you, Captain! Thank you, everyone!”

Reina repeatedly bowed her head and expressed her gratitude.

She soon clenched her small fists tight and solidified her resolution for the future.

“Watch me closely! Because I will sweep up and gather all the black money accumulated by bad noble bastards, loan sharks, and evil boss bastards!”

“…….”

Why is that?

I feel like Luis glanced at me at the last part, ‘evil boss.’

……Must be a misunderstanding, right?

Anyway, since she was rejoicing while shouting ‘Waaa-!’ so much, I missed the timing to speak.

I notified her of the words I couldn't continue.

“It is still too early to be that happy. We only all agreed in favor, your admission has not been completely approved yet.”

“Uh…… really? Is there perhaps something left?”

“There is a qualification test. A test proving whether you are indeed a person suitable for Shadow.”

“Here, take it.”

As soon as my words ended, Dayle, who was next to me, approached her and handed over the request form.

It wasn't the one received from Mr. Parnaci, but a request form transcribed anew into the formal format.

Reina, who received the request form with a bow, immediately moved her gaze to it.

Rachel, who was next to her, also scans the request form together.

While they were frantically looking at the request form, I added the remaining supplementary explanations.

“You may accept, or you may refuse. The choice is free. However, refusal is disqualification. Until now, we are showing a request success rate reaching 100 percent, and unless intended, this statistic must not be broken in the future either. Naturally, mission failure will also lead to disqualification.”

“……!”

“Is it burdensome? You can refuse. Even if you lack confidence, you can likewise refuse. So, your answer?”

Reina took her eyes off the request form.

And shouted boldly.

“I will accept!”

Her eyes twinkled clearly.

At the same time, the golden aura is emitting once again.

“I will do it together too, Skeleton Mask.”

It was then.

Rachel, who was next to her, steps forward and says she will also participate in the work.

“It wouldn't matter, right? Since I wasn't a formal member of Shadow.”

“Eh? What do you mean, Sister! You don't have to help! This is strictly my test.”

“What do you mean? Since I also have to take a qualification test just like you to enter Shadow anyway, I am doing this? Would you please not misunderstand as you please?”

“Huh? Is that so?”

Reina looked at me with eyes asking if it’s really true.

To speak the truth, half is right and half is wrong.

If a person who is not a formal member wants to enter Shadow, they must take a qualification test, but because Rachel, she can enter even without a test.

The abilities, conduct, and results she has shown so far prove that.

Even if we held an executive meeting, it would likely pass unanimously.

Rachel herself would know that too.

‘But it must be for Reina.’

Her thoughts are obvious.

How could she send her younger sister with an uncomfortable leg on a request alone.

‘Of course she would try to follow along.’

So me, Luis, and Dayle were also anticipating that she would do this.

This was also the reason why Luis reluctantly agreed to choose this request with vague difficulty as the test task.

[Pretend you don't know and allow it, Skeleton Mask. Please.]

Rachel even sent a Whisper as if she was anxious because I stayed still without answering.

Belatedly, I nodded and answered.

“Her words are correct. Rachel also must take a qualification test to formally enter Shadow. Will you do so?”

“I will. Because I also want to enter Shadow.”

“Then the participants of this qualification test will be Rachel and Reina. It will be these two people.”

The two sisters rejoiced while hugging each other at my declaration.

“That’s great, Sister!”

“Yeah!”

“Listen.”

I opened my mouth.

“Our Shadow’s goal is to regain the glory of the past that dominated the nights of Icata. However, my goal is different.”

Everyone’s gazes focus on me.

Rachel and Reina.

And Luis and Dayle next to me also stare at me.

“My goal is to go beyond the nights of Icata and dominate the nights of the continent. That is the Shadow I will create from now on.”

Eyes widening perhaps due to surprise at the unexpected aspiration.

However, soon, every single one of them looks at me with even more heated gazes.

Like that, I made eye contact with each and every one of them.

“I look forward to you guys being together in that place.”

Silence fell.

I was a little surprised at that silence.

Only then did I realize what I had said.

Perhaps immersed in this atmosphere, the sincerity I had kept hidden deep down slipped out without me knowing.

It was fortunate I was wearing a skull mask.

Thanks to that, my surprised and embarrassed expression didn't show on the outside.

‘It’s cringe-worthy.’

Still, fortunately, it seemed I was the only one feeling like this.

Seeing that everyone was looking at me with eyes full of determination, it seems the timing of spitting out the comment wasn't bad in its own way.

……Thank goodness. I almost bit my tongue and committed suicide out of embarrassment.

Anyway.

“The request starts in one week. Utilize that time well, then return after succeeding perfectly.”

“Yees!”

“Yes!”

Rachel and Reina shouting energetically.

“Then I will be waiting.”

I, who hurriedly wrapped things up in the embarrassment that hadn't faded yet, turned my body and left the warehouse.

***

From the moment she received the qualification test request, Rachel moved busily.

The first thing she did was find gold.

A city 30 kilometers west of Icata, Aton City.

Rachel, who entered a mansion that was completely falling apart there, went straight in and tore up the floor in one corner of a room.

Crack!

When she tore off the wooden board, what was revealed was a space spacious enough for one person to lie down and a leather bag stored there.

The leather bag was as big as Rachel’s torso, and when she opened the zipper, surprisingly, a dazzling golden light emitted from within.

Gold pieces piled heavily.

It was what she had gathered while entering as Bishop Lutus’s foster daughter and active as a priest of the Darkness Council.

There were jewels and checks too, but unlike the Frey Empire, the currency of the Naimus Empire was only circulated within the Naimus Empire.

So Rachel had exchanged it all for gold and stored it.

Ziiip!

Rachel, who closed the zipper again, returned to Icata holding the bag.

Afterward, when it became late at night, she visited [Young Naroo Shelter], the inn Parnaci was operating.

“You’ve come.”

“Hello, Mr. Parnaci. Is he in?”

“Yes. Room 205. He is in the room at the end of the 2nd floor.”

Rachel, who went to Room 205 as Parnaci informed, knocked on the door.

Knock knock!

Creak…….

The face revealed as the door opened was a middle-aged man with a reddish complexion and a messy beard.

Seeing Rachel’s face, he smirked, raising the corners of his mouth and spoke.

“Come in.”

Rachel followed him into the room with a stiff face.

The man, sitting on a chair clutching a liquor bottle, looked back at Rachel and asked.

“So. Did you bring it?”

“Yes.”

The two people were acquaintances.

Rachel threw the bag she was holding in front of him.

The gold inside clashed, making a loud noise.

The man opened the bag.

He opened his eyes wide at the brilliance pouring out.

“……Wow. Is it real? When did you gather this much money?”

“None of your business. That should be over the 300 gold you demanded.”

“Certainly would be.”

“Then cure my younger sister as promised.”

This was the reason Rachel found the man.

To cure Reina’s leg before the request.

Back-alley doctor Duncan was the man’s identity.