In reality, it was almost impossible to find the Renaissance Stone based on just one clue: that it was on the ninth floor. He was sure Crescent Moon knew it too. He was also a user of this kinky game. But for him, this information was like sweet rain.
«Q-Why...» Putting aside her joy, Crescent Moon asked me: «Why are you doing me this favor?». I couldn't help but be curious about the reason.
There was only one thing Leon had to say. «Because it seems more fun».
Crescent Moon kept her mouth shut for a moment, as if reflecting on my words, before shuddering. «You... are a really scary person».
Hey? And now what? I didn't know what he meant, so I stared at him motionless with my chin resting on my hand.
Late he realized his mistake. «Forget what I just said. That was talk. It doesn't matter what kind of person you are. If I can get that item, I can give up my soul», Crescent Moon murmured decisively and added a few words of self-hatred at the end. «Well, I'm sure you already know my situation».
They were completely incomprehensible words. How the hell would they know? What was he misunderstanding? I tried to recount the events of the meeting, but I couldn't understand it, so I stayed still. As always, that left me halfway.
«Of course... I guess you really knew that».
I didn't deny it. Anyway, it would be funny to deny it here. I just changed the subject as if I wasn't interested. «Now it's my turn».
When I started, all the masks turned towards me. They seemed to be eagerly awaiting what he would tell them this time. Feeling embarrassed for some reason, I dropped one of the information I had prepared, something as fascinating as the Vamdemon, but also useless to know. It wasn't even as impressive as the Renaissance Stone.
«Pshehe, this time, I already knew». Although the Round Table jewel glowed green, Clown looked somewhat disappointed. Of course, this wasn't something he had to worry about. He also seemed to blame himself for not bringing something more interesting.
«If that's okay with you, I'd like to continue. And the others?» Fox said.
They seemed to have prepared a lot considering last month's break, so the meeting continued after the first round. I spit out similar information non-stop, and as a result, the third round started before I knew it.
«I'll leave after this round». Goblin, who came first, passed his turn with difficulty before finally waving the white flag. But I guess everyone was in a similar situation.
«Hmm, I should stop here too». Even Fox resigned, making this round the last of the match. I particularly had no regrets.
It seems I heard everything there was to hear.
I couldn't figure out how states of affairs were moving since the confrontation with Noark, but I was getting an idea. It was the opposite of the rumors that spread through the city.
As expected, the palace is in a much more advantageous situation.
The failure of this conquest brought great losses, but the same happened with the underground city. Just based on what these guys said, blocking Noark was more of a last-ditch effort.
Now that ID tags can't be duplicated, I won't have to drastically revise my plan. It seems that there are no urgent problems at the moment either.
I discreetly shifted my gaze towards the Round Table. The green light was on for the information about Hercules that Crescent Moon had just pulled out.
«Now only you remain, Mr. León».
Naturally, the focus was on me. For some reason, everyone's eyes were shining.
Geez, no pressure.
Tap, tap.
I tapped my finger on the armrest and pondered what to say. How should I decorate the ending? I already had something prepared, but there might be something that fit better with the current environment. In fact, it didn't take me long to think of something suitable.
Grifo.
I smiled and stopped my finger. It wasn't a piece I had prepared in advance for this occasion, but... «Goblin».
«Yes?» Goblin was very startled and even stuttered.
Looking at him, I said: «Now that I think about it, you said something like that before. About Grandpa possibly being a wizard more powerful than the GM who created this community».
«¡A-ah! Sí. Use competition...»
While Goblin didn't seem to understand the meaning behind my words, Fox perked up. «Is this information about the Master?» He was better than Goblin, who seemed really clueless.
«Incorrect». I ignored Fox and headed to Goblin, as if I had let him pass before, but the group was fundamentally wrong about one thing. «This community was not created by the GM. To be exact, it is rather an existing place that was remodeled to its current form.»
I recited the information I previously heard from Baekho word for word. Everyone turned their eyes towards a place, the gem embedded in the center of the Round Table.
«...Es verde».
I was already expecting it, so I wasn't surprised. Not that I verified it for myself or anything like that, but I had no doubts about this information.
«To think that this place was not created by the GM...»
«Pshehe, it's the first time I've learned it, too.»
«So who the hell created this place?»
All the members of the Round Table fell silent and looked again at one person, the only one who could answer that question.
Well, this should be enough aggro on me.
In the midst of the heated silence, I spoke with a completely indifferent voice and without any emotion. «I hope it will be more entertaining next time».
That's what I said. So, they would come back with something more useful.
***
«Has... gone.»
When León left the Round Table, a heavy silence permeated the room for a long time. The reason was simple: his last words; to be precise, the emotion contained in that voice.
«Do you think he's mad at us?».
Clown laughed at Fox's murmur. «Pshehe Fox, you hold us in too much esteem. Do you think it's worth getting angry for us?»
«That's right...» Fox remained silent, half-refuted. It was because he remembered what the teacher said before.
«Nothing participating in the ganas».
This was an unnamed secret meeting for ordinary players. Fox had been using the information obtained here to good effect, so it was difficult for him to accept it at first. However, having heard what the teacher said, there was no point in denying it. There was no advantage for León here.
Well, I guess there aren't exactly any.
Zorro involuntarily let out a wry smile.
«I hope it will be more entertaining next time».
Entertainment; something that could calm boredom, even for a while; To put it simply, a hobby. If there was anything Leon wanted from this meeting, that would be it. But how had they been until now? They couldn't even provide that. Request a unilateral transaction...
«...We must have seemed pathetic.»
«Sure. That man is a different type of person than the Master. Although they are a little similar».
Fox tilted his head at Deer's words. «Similar?»
Crescent Moon answered his question. «At least since he came, we never felt Master's absence».
Little by little he began to understand what they meant. That's how special the Master's presence was at the Round Table. He was the one who had gathered the current members and taught them valuable knowledge that no one else knew.
«If there is any difference, Mr. León is not someone to run a charity. Pshehe».
«Charity?»
«Why, am I wrong? Or Fox, do you think the Master really created this place to obtain information?»
Fox made no rebuttal. Actually, I couldn't, because everything was like Clown said. The teacher always knew everything and spread it generously, as if he were a teacher in a classroom with his students.
«Pshehe, that's why you follow Master so well in the first place, Fox».
Fox didn't deny it either. «You're right. If I hadn't thought of him as a work of charity, I wouldn't have thought of him as a benefactor either».
All thanks to the teacher this meeting could be held. Just look at how things were not long ago. Before Leon joined, there were only four regular members. This was because once the teacher disappeared, the attendance rate dropped dramatically. The other members would only drop by from time to time, like Goblin, to see if the master had returned.
If they knew there was someone like that, they would keep coming, like Mr. Goblin did.
It felt strange. However, Fox left those feelings behind and focused on the conversation the remaining members were having. The topic of conversation was the person who had returned after a year, the teacher. Well, strictly speaking it was León, who seemed to be familiar with him.
«León has to be someone we've heard about at least once. If even the Master can call him great, he must be one in a million».
«True, he even treated the notorious corpse collector like a child».
«A boy... True, he said that. Pshehe.»
Once again, the time had come for deductive reasoning. «His last information was e-elusive. To think that this community was not created by the GM... How could I know such a thing?»
«Maybe he's familiar with the GM.»
«With the GM who only exists in rumors?»
«Maybe for us, but he called Master 'Grandfather'. There must be a world we don't know «.
«Ya veo... »
The clown asked a question to Goblin, who was genuinely admired by this. «But why are you acting like this today? Last time you acted like all my words were crazy».
«That was when I didn't know him very well».
«Pshehe, I guess your eyes aren't for decoration after all». Goblin mocked Clown's sarcasm and looked away.
That's when Deer parted her lips. «But am I the only one who has felt it?».
"¿Feel that?"
«When Master left, I felt an intentional thought».
«I felt it too».
«Wait, both of you. What intentional thought? Do you mean that the Master left a Verbal Message?» Fox was really surprised. A Verbal Message was a type of telepathic ability that could only be used in this spirit world. Its principle was similar to murderous energy, transmitting an intentional thought to the subject in the form of language. «Even Master said that it is difficult to use...»
«Pshehe, why are you surprised, Fox? So you thought Mr. Leon can't do that much?»
Clown's tone was irritating, but he didn't exactly have anything to say. Thinking about it calmly, it wasn't as surprising as he said. This was the guy who spit out all that murderous energy in the first encounter. It would be strange if he couldn't use a Verbal Message.
«Anyway, does that mean that Master exchanged conversation with Mr. Leon before leaving?»
«Yeah. It is clear that the two had something to say in private».
«And you don't know what that would be either, Mr. Clown?».
«Isn't it obvious? Master and Mr. Lion are monsters».
Fox licked her lips disappointed. If he could at least know what they had talked about, he could find out what situation his master was in.
«Pshehe, even so, was not a complete loss».
«Excuse me? What do you mean?» At Clown's words, Fox came to.
As he liked her raised ears and enthusiastic attitude, Clown laughed. «I didn't feel it at all».
«Please include explanations with your words».
«Intentional thought of Mr. León! I tried very hard, but I didn't feel it at all. Unlike the Master, who I could feel at least weakly».
Fox, who had some knowledge of Verbal Messages, froze on the site, and rightly so. As much as he spoke in a playful tone, as usual, the content was not at all light. «One moment. That means...»
Finishing off the words for her, Clown spat out the profit from today's meeting. «Yeah. Perhaps Mr. Lion is more of a monster than Master».
The truly shocking speculation left everyone speechless. Then came silence.
Goblin cautiously opened his mouth. «Um... Isn't it possible that only the Master said something? That would explain why Mr. Clown didn't feel any intentionality... E-wait, why is everyone looking at me like that? I'm just saying. Just saying. Actually, I didn't think that».
The silence continued a little longer after that.