Chapter 95 : Chapter 95

Chapter 95 - The Talk (2)

Cornelius Manzini was a clergyman and warrior who had devoted himself to religion.

If one were to ask how the words clergyman and warrior could fit together, he would have had nothing to say in the past, but in this day and age where gates opened, Dungeons and the Tower soared, and Demonic Beasts attacked people, it would be stranger if the two were separate.

Cornelius was a shield protecting the young lambs from the storms of the outside world where threatening fangs lurked, and this was a job only a warrior could do.

And as a warrior devoted to religion, there was a duty that preceded all other values.

The reason why magic and sorcery, which were once considered heretical, were accepted, and even why their general headquarters, the Magic Tower, was established in the Vatican.

It was because there was a public enemy that everyone had to devote all their efforts to annihilate.

“Did you say demon?”

Cornelius opened his mouth, his voice low and deep.

“Do you know what that word means, saying it now?”

“Of course, I do.”

And the one who had just mentioned that public enemy was now smiling brightly before him.

Kim Gyu-sik, was it? A Climber from the East.

He thought he was a peculiar fellow.

Despite being from the East, which was called a barren land for Climbers, he had shown remarkable results in the Second Ordeal previously held in the Tower.

Even though he would only be met with contempt and discrimination here, he hadわざわざ come to the Grand Unification Event and was successively causing conspicuous incidents.

Especially, crushing those damn Arklight bastards was something that Cornelius couldn’t applaud enough, but.

Even if they were guys he hated so much, bringing up ‘demons’ to the Mangrave Guild Master of the Vatican held a different meaning.

Demons. The residents beyond the dimensional rifts that were the source of ‘Gates’ and ‘Dungeons’.

There were even rumors that all the Demonic Beasts currently spread across the world originated from demons.

Of course, for that reason, their power was unfathomably strong, and their nature was so wicked and cunning that its depths could not be seen.

As befitting the name demon, they sometimes even attempted to contact humans and manipulate them to their liking.

And if signs of such a phenomenon were detected.

The Mangrave of the Vatican would pour all their efforts into ‘purifying’ those involved. Whatever the cost.

“If what you say is true.”

Cornelius said in a solemn voice.

“The Arklight Guild will be turned to dust by us, using all means necessary. But.”

He paused for a beat.

Because it was that important of a topic.

“If you are slandering the other party with an uncertain story... you will be the one to pay the price. Do you understand?”

No one in the world would want to make an enemy of the Mangrave Guild regarding ‘demons’.

Not only was it filled with excellent combat-capable warriors, led by Cornelius himself, but it was also an organization that received direct support from none other than the Magic Tower.

The Magic Tower, which as a rule did not interfere in matters between guilds, would change its tune if demons were involved.

So, what he had just said was no different from a threat to dig two graves if you intend to bury another, but.

“First, take the money.”

The opponent, without a single change in expression, held something out.

Truly.

As if he couldn’t care less, with a demeanor that even hinted at boredom.

“...”

Slightly bewildered, Cornelius checked what was being handed to him, and it was a sack full of money.

It was too sudden to be a gesture of goodwill, and too crude to be a bribe.

“...What is this?”

“It’s the investigation fee. No matter how much it’s for the public good, it all costs money. Think of this as the commission fee for that.”

“...”

This was something new.

Everyone knew that Mangrave was crazy about hunting demons, so when reporting related information, they usually focused on ‘can you do it or not’, and there was no one who showed sincerity like this.

Especially a guy who threw around such a large sum of money as if he were handing out a snack.

“You’re very confident. You seem to have a conviction that they are involved with demons.”

“The Arklight Guild goes on regular Dungeon conquests every month. And they report all of it to the association.”

At the sudden words, Cornelius tilted his head.

It was a matter of course. What else would a guild whose main job was Dungeon conquest do?

As he was thinking that, Kim Gyu-sik placed something on the table with a thud.

Looking at what it was, it was a calendar. The Arklight Guild’s activities for the past 3 years were detailed on it.

And on it, small annotations were written in units of days and hours.

“What is this?”

“The lies they told.”

“...”

The words came out so lightly that it took Cornelius some time to properly interpret them.

In short.

What was written on this printout, brought over as haphazardly as a university student's assignment.

Was the elaborate machination that a large guild like Arklight had prepared with all its might to deceive the association, which acted as the civil servants among Climbers.

He quickly skimmed through the documents with a slightly urgent hand.

Certainly, they were all plausible stories. Things that, if they were all true, would make one slap their knee and say, ‘I see!’

It even had detailed instructions on how to collect evidence for each item.

“...How did you find this out?”

“I just have good ears.”

“...”

Certainly, he had heard that this guy had various connections with the Hunting Alliance, which specialized in information gathering.

But, even so.

Among so many guilds, so many Dungeons, so many complex activities.

To pinpoint with this level of accuracy?

It would be easier to find gold dust in a sandy beach than this.

As he stared blankly at him in disbelief, Kim Gyu-sik smirked and replied.

“Who in the world reveals their trade secrets for free, Cornelius?”

“Trade secrets?”

“Did you think I would give you such information for free?”

Cornelius decided to revise his earlier assessment slightly.

This guy wasn't just peculiar.

He was a guy who was far beyond peculiar.

This guy, was he saying this to a party backed by the Magic Tower in a situation where a ‘purification’ case was involved?

The Magic Tower had a history of erasing an entire city for the sole reason that a ‘sign of demons’ was suspected.

“...Are you trying to pull a fast one on Mangrave right now?”

“It’s more of a business proposal than a fast one.”

To such a group.

He made a deal without batting an eye.

As if the possibility that they would refuse, or that his words would be wrong, was excluded from the very beginning.

“I will lend you my talent. You lend me your talent in return.”

“...Do you think our positions are equal? Seriously?”

In terms of the size difference between the groups, Mangrave was in a position to crush them with a single finger.

If he was saying this knowing that, then it was one of two things.

He was either an idiot beyond salvation.

Or.

“What did you think the ‘commission fee’ from a moment ago was for? I am requesting something from you on an equal footing. To be honest.”

A type of person he hadn't seen in so long that he wondered if they had gone extinct.

A madman with guts of steel.

“It seems like my side is getting the shorter end of the stick, don’t you think?”

Cornelius smirked.

He, very much liked such madmen.

***

“My, my. So there was such a side effect? That’s such a shame~”

“...”

Edgar Richter glared at the man before him with a cold gaze.

A crow mask, a black cloak.

The mysterious man called Raven.

No, calling him a man was a bit of a misnomer.

As far as Edgar knew, this man was not a resident of ‘this world’, at least.

He had met him frequently since he first made contact a few years ago, saying he would give him ‘power’ if he joined his cause.

But the feeling of unease he felt every time they met showed no signs of diminishing in the slightest.

“That’s not what you promised at first. I asked you for ‘power’, not a drug that turns people into unbridled beasts.”

“Well~ our esteemed Starlight didn’t take it himself, did he? You gave it to your subordinates first because you felt something was off, didn’t you~?”

“...”

“Everything in the world is an equivalent exchange, you know. You can’t get something for nothing, you know~? Lord Edgar may see us as just one of his means, but.”

And apart from this clown-like way of speaking, his insight that saw right through my head was as sharp as ever.

“You demonic bastard...”

“Aren’t there many people who actually call us that~?”

“...If you know that, then lie low. If Mangrave so much as catches a whiff, it’s over.”

“Oh my~? We’re not exactly trying to stand out either, you know?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

Edgar snorted and glared at Raven.

“I already know you’ve been contacting other guys besides me recently. Rapidly increasing the number of ‘contractors’ must mean you have some kind of scheme.”

“Oh my, you found out~?”

Even though he was admitting that what he just said was a lie, there was not a speck of agitation.

At this, Edgar’s gaze turned even colder as he muttered lowly.

“Do you even know how much money and resources I’m spending to hide my contact with you?”

“I don’t know why you’re dragging this out~ In that case, would you like to call off the ‘deal’ we made~?”

“...”

Edgar clicked his tongue and held out his hand.

“...Did you bring what I asked for.”

“Ah, you mean the ‘improved version’ of the drug I gave your subordinate? Of course, I brought it!”

As he said that, a vial containing a black liquid was placed in front of Edgar.

“But, is there any reason for our dear Starlight to dabble in something like this~? Ah, come to think of it, the tournament is just around the corner, isn’t it? In case you can’t win against that man named Kim Gyu-sik you recently got into a scuffle with-”

“As if that would happen.”

Edgar smirked and lifted the vial.

“He was quite impressive, but he’s still a minnow. The reason I’m accepting this suspicious drug you’re giving me is in case an obstacle that might block my purpose appears.”

“...Is that so~?”

Raven smirked and nodded his head.

“Well then, I too shall pray that there are no particular hardships in Starlight’s path~”

Leaving only those words, black smoke immediately enveloped his body.

When the smoke, which scattered in all directions like crow feathers, disappeared, only Edgar was left in the room. As if it had been that way from the beginning.

“...Hmph.”

Edgar snorted and shook the vial in his hand.

Even compared to the one he had given to Aaron and Lina, it was a liquid of a distinctly ominous color.

“That won’t happen.”

After all, the score would be settled soon enough.

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