Chapter 161 : Chapter 161

Chapter 161 - The Conference (2)

A sharp saw. A sturdy rubber hose. Barbed wire. A Zippo lighter. Oil.

“Looks like you’re doing some garden maintenance.”

I grinned at the merchant who said that as he casually packed my purchases into a bag.

Well, to be precise, it wasn’t maintenance but cleaning.

Trash cleaning, that is.

“...What on earth are you going to use that for?”

Seeing me return, dangling the plastic bag, Seo Ah-in spoke in a dumbfounded voice, but instead of answering, I walked on with a cheerful gait.

What am I going to use it for, you ask? When have I ever done anything useless?

But I understood why she would ask such a question.

The atmosphere inside this building was hardly one that suited such mundane items.

It would be more accurate to say it was a place that boasted a blinding splendor.

Starting with the basic combination of marble floors and chandeliers, the mana-infused materials and composite formulas plastered all over the building gave the impression that this was the most ‘luxurious’ place on Earth.

This was the Lancester family’s headquarters, located in Europe. Nominally, they were also an official sponsor of the Association, so it wasn’t strange for a conference to be held in a place like this.

Which meant.

It was inevitable that hostility would be directed towards me, who had recently drawn a great deal of aggro.

“...Everyone’s glares are terrifying.”

“Indeed. Shall we just sort them all out at once?”

As Seo Hye-in narrowed her eyes and said so, Darien also gave a reply that showed her agreement.

Stop, stop.

There was no need to stir up trouble beforehand.

We would be exchanging hefty blows soon enough anyway.

Above all.

“My, my. Seeing everyone glaring daggers at my son-in-law, you all have quite the nerve, don’t you?”

When a human-shaped spirit was pouring out streams of murderous mana, the guys who were staring at us had no choice but to hastily avert their gazes.

That’s right. Seo Jin-seong and this person were also attending this conference.

More than anything, the loose ends related to the ‘Black Night Incident’ had to be completely resolved this time.

“...”

And Han Si-yeon’s gaze sharpened for a moment as she saw the hardware store bag I was dangling.

After carefully examining the items inside one by one, she soon grinned and turned to look at me.

“You’re planning to do something terrifying, aren't you, my son-in-law?”

That was certainly the plan.

Though, the fact that she could immediately deduce that just by looking at the contents of the bag made me think that this person was quite a character herself.

“You look quite hale and hearty now, Ms. Han Si-yeon.”

“Oh my. Why be so distant with the name? Want to try calling me Mother-in-law?”

“...”

I mean, what Mother-in-law?

She had been calling me son-in-law and what not since before, and it was difficult to react when she teased me like that every time we met.

“...”

And seeing my reaction, Han Si-yeon let out a deep sigh and swept her hair back.

Her eyes, now narrowed and filled with a chilling aura, swiveled to land on the Seo sisters behind me.

Simultaneously, the faces of those two turned deathly pale.

Hmm.

Their timing in turning pale was so perfectly synchronized that it even made me think, in this respect, they were definitely family.

“...Peep...”

“...Peeep...”

“...”

They were even identical in letting out strange noises while utterly terrified.

Anyone who heard them would think they were chicks.

“W-wait a minute, Mother. W-we tried our best too. But that man is duller than a block of wood, he doesn’t even try to accept it...!”

“Oh my. Now you’re even making excuses?”

“I-it’s not an excuse...! C-Climber Seo Ah-in! Didn’t we really work hard! Please back me up!”

“Th-that’s right! We used every method we could think of...!”

“Hmm. A double excuse...”

The Seo sisters desperately flapped their arms and spewed out some words, but they froze simultaneously again at the words Han Si-yeon uttered while stroking her chin.

Well, in the lore, she was known for her strict discipline, so it was understandable that they would react like that.

“...Don’t just understand it, Gyu-sik.”

As I was thinking that, Meirin puffed out her cheeks and lightly tapped the back of my head with her palm from behind me.

Because of our height difference, she had to somehow struggle and stand on her tiptoes to give me a little pat.

Hmm. Cute.

“You should reflect on the fact that you’re not feeling anything when such talk is happening right in front of you. Really...”

My goodness.

Had I committed such a great wrong that even this person was saying such things?

As I deliberately put on a shocked expression, Meirin began to stammer in a fluster.

“N-no, I-I’m not saying that you’re a bad person, Kim Gyu-sik. Why are you usually so mentally tough but get so sulky at times like this? Gosh, i-it’s my fault...!”

“It’s fine as long as you know.”

I chuckled and ruffled her hair.

And realizing I had done it on purpose, Meirin’s cheeks puffed up again.

Hmm. Cute.

“...That’s strange. Daughters. Didn’t you say you definitely tried? Why can’t we have that kind of back-and-forth at all?”

“No, that’s because Kim Gyu-sik suddenly did that, it’s not our fault—Hey! Kim Gyu-sik! You trashy bastard! How could you show us that at this timing!”

“...”

Ms. Seo Ah-in.

Was this something so infuriating that you had to break your formal speech concept?

***

“...Terrifying, truly.”

Estelle muttered, a nameplate reading ‘Chief of Staff of the Climber Association’ placed before her.

Of course, her real name was Raven, a glorious follower of the King of Flies, but this fake identity of Estelle had been useful for all sorts of behind-the-scenes machinations and sabotage until now, so it was a name she had grown quite fond of.

Thanks to that, she had taken special care of it. Her current status as Chief of Staff, a position no one could easily approach, proved that fact.

And that was precisely what directly conflicted with the reason she had just expressed her impression of it being terrifying.

‘…It’s full of monsters, isn’t it?’

Indeed, the atmosphere, which allowed one to instantly grasp just how incensed Lancester, who had only been beaten by Kim Gyu-sik, was, could be found everywhere.

It seemed they had mobilized all the top-tier climbers they could, including the EX-rank climbers who could be called the core of the family.

The Lancester family possessed a total of 5 EX-rank climbers. Since Damian had been erased, that left 4.

But the presence those 4 occupied in this place was truly enormous.

‘The Necro King, the Devourer, the Sword Calamity, and...’

Her gaze passed over the formidable figures seated and moved up to scan the face of the man sitting at the most honored seat.

“...”

A white-haired man wearing a mask.

On the surface, he looked as if there was absolutely nothing there. Compared to the EX-rank climbers who were still pouring out enough mana to suffocate others, he looked as placid as could be.

But.

If one had reached a certain ‘level’.

If one could get even a thread-like clue as to how high a place this man had reached.

It was certain that even she, who had lived for so long, would have no choice but to freeze.

An overwhelming ‘strength’ that any living creature would inevitably feel fear towards.

“...”

Second to none. Undefeated and ever-victorious.

The overwhelming number 1 in the current climber industry.

The strongest who was rated EX-rank only because the measurable climber rank only went up to EX-rank.

Altair ‘Undying’ Lancester.

‘It’s been a really long time since he showed himself in an official capacity, right?’

He was a man who hadn't appeared once since the Black Night Incident that had turned the climber industry upside down.

But the fact that he himself showed up instead of sending a representative directly revealed just how serious this situation was.

‘Well, it’s understandable...’

Raven propped her chin on her hand with a bitter smile.

It wasn't just a simple loss; Damian, who could be considered a key figure in the family, was thoroughly disgraced and beaten to the ground, so it was natural for them to be furious to the tips of their heads. It was logically understandable.

“...”

But.

The point that felt out of place was.

Was Altair really a man who moved by such logic?

It wouldn't be strange for a man who had reached such a level to have some kind of twisted mindset. For her, who had consistently observed humans for a long time, it was a proposition she held with near certainty.

What's more, Altair was a man who had 'proven' such a proposition several times until now.

“...And so, our guild’s financial settlement for this year is...”

And inside the conference hall, where such terrifying figures were lined up, only the stammering words of the host, who was in charge of the guild’s financial settlement that had unfortunately been completely pushed to the back, echoed with a deathly pale face.

He was at least managing to speak properly under the pretext of it being his job; everyone else had their gazes fixed on the floor, trying not to even make eye contact with Altair.

The same was true for the association members who were the organizers of the event.

Can't blame them. Just as Raven was thinking that with a bitter smile inwardly.

“So.”

Altair, whom everyone had been watching, suddenly opened his mouth.

It was a slow, drawling voice, but with just that shallow echo, the faces of most people began to turn from livid to deathly white.

This was especially severe for those who knew what kind of person Altair was.

“Where is he?”

“...Ah, Guild Leader Altair. I’m sorry, but I didn’t quite understand what you said. Could I ask what you mean...?”

As soon as the host, who was sweating profusely, opened his mouth with the lowest possible posture.

One of his arms was severed.

“...Huh?”

It seemed even the victim didn't realize it for a moment.

Judging by how he stared blankly for a while at the sight of blood gushing from the cross-section of the wound in time with his heartbeat.

Of course, after that, he was rolling on the floor with a piercing scream.

“How dare you interrupt when the Guild Leader is speaking. How rude.”

The middle-aged man who said that while sheathing his sword was none other than the EX-rank climber, Sword Calamity.

Raven inwardly smiled bitterly again and swept her hair back.

In the end, they’re causing a spectacular scene again, those psychopaths.

A group of madmen who always threw tantrums at the world, yet their power was so great that they ended up subjugating the world. The Lancester Guild.

It seemed they were about to show that this evaluation was, once again, perfectly accurate without any exaggeration.

“Good. The Guild Leader is displeased that you didn't voluntarily capture the one who provoked him, even though he is personally waiting. So.”

And amidst the host's high-praised screams, Sword Calamity, who continued to speak without a change in expression, then dropped a bombshell.

“Find him now. Or I’ll kill one of you here every minute.”

The expressions of everyone in the hall turned dark.

At the very least, everyone here knew well that these guys were crazy enough to do such a thing without a second thought.

Weren’t they the kind of people who would immediately cut off a person’s arm if things went even slightly awry?

“P-please wait a moment! We’ll find him right away!”

“Ah, there’s no need for that.”

And.

As soon as she heard the voice that followed, Raven, who had been sitting still, couldn’t help but burst out laughing inwardly.

As expected, this man.

He always knows how to appear at the most interesting moments.

“Aren’t those hoodlum bastards’ habits getting worse because you people keep coddling them like that?”

With those words.

Someone strode into the hall.

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