Arua Raven stopped at a well-known upscale restaurant in District Seven to meet her clanmates for the first time in a long time. Of course, it was his first visit. If they had organized this meeting in one of the places they normally went, they would have only ended up more depressed.
«¿No vas to ask?»
«We're not all there yet». At Raven's brief response, Abman seemed somewhat uneasy.
As an uncomfortable tension began to descend, Ainar spoke. «No, everyone is already there. Missha said she wouldn't come. I was hoping he would change his mind, but if he's not here now, it means he hasn't».
«...I see. So there are only the three of us left». Raven let out an involuntary sigh. As he did so, similar sounds came from his side. Everyone felt dejected.
«¿Raven?»
«¿Ski, Sr. Urikfried?»
«What happened to Erwen? Have you been in contact?»
«I sent him a letter. I told him we were going to discuss the loot from the last expedition, and Mr. Yandel's... inheritance, so we'd like him to come».
In reality, he had only contacted Erwen out of a sense of duty. He didn't expect the elf to come at all, considering how he left them last time.
«Did you receive a response?»
«No, I didn't receive it. But when we finish splitting the loot, I'll mail you your share».
«Ya veo.»
«Anyway, enough of that elf. I never imagined that Miss Karlstein would also be absent. I didn't expect it at all. I thought the most important person in this discussion would surely come». Raven sighed and looked at Ainar. Then he asked carefully: «How is Miss Karlstein? He's fine?»
Raven was really worried about her. The last time he saw her was during the funeral procession held by the palace. At that time, they were very far apart and it was not the right time to have a conversation. He wondered how it was.
«Of course it's not right. She spends the day locked in her room and doesn't even eat well. I once forcibly gave him food and he threw it up».
«Ya veo... »
«That's why I don't go home often these days. I think she feels more uncomfortable when I'm there».
«So where are you staying now, Miss Ainar?»
«I'm staying in the holy land. But it seems that Missha eats the minimum when I'm not there. So I just bought a lot of food for the house».
«That's a relief.»
«Raven, what do you think? Is it okay to leave Missha alone like this?»
«That's right...» Raven spoke based on her own experience over the past month. «First, I think the reason he can't eat is because of guilt. You know. The act of eating itself... brings discomfort...»
Raven's explanation was vague, which was not like hers, but Ainar and Abman nodded in apparent understanding. «Oh, right.»
«I think I understand what you mean too. But what does that have to do with it?».
«... I don't know. How to help Miss Karlstein, that is. I don't think it's a bad idea to give him some alone time, but I don't know if that's the right answer either.»
«True, it's not like you have all the answers».
Ainar hadn't meant it maliciously, but Raven felt her chest tighten and a wave of sadness wash over her anyway. Ainar was not wrong. If he were here, he certainly would have been able to figure out the best way to handle this.
«Before that, let's order. If we keep lazing around like this, they'll kick us out». Abman must have noticed that something was wrong because he changed the subject.
Raven shifted gears from the heavy conversation to choosing something from the menu as well. «Oh, I've never been here before, but the food is very good. What are you two doing? Eat».
«Oh, sure...»
Once the food was served, they chatted while eating, and then began to officially talk about work.
«There are no problems with loot settlement. All you had to do was divide everything into five equal parts. The problem is the inheritance... Have you all seen Mr. Yandel's will?».
«Ah, I've seen it. Aside from the allocation ratio, there was nothing in it. Well, what else could you expect from that guy...?». Abman laughed a little before interrupting. Then he carefully posed a question. «But isn't it strange?»
«Strange?»
«The proportion. To be honest, I don't understand why he split it like that».
«Ah, about that...»
Raven nodded slightly sympathetically. She had also been surprised at first. He never imagined that everyone would receive the same 20% of his inheritance. She thought for sure that most of her wealth would go to Missha or Ainar. However, Bjorn Yandel was not that kind of person. Since all I had written down was the proportion and not what exact items would go to whom, they would have to come to an agreement on it between themselves, but each other's share was the same size.
«Since you didn't finish your sentence, I guess you have a guess».
Raven smiled sadly. «It's obvious why Mr. Yandel would do that». That cunning barbarian warrior had wanted to ensure that even after his death, they would not hurt each other arguing for money and could continue to support each other and themselves without problems.
«...I don't think we should leave Missha alone like this.»
Yes, if he were here, this is what he would have wanted.
***
Three days after my return from the Round Table, Amelia and I put on our full gear and visited the castle.
We met a man at the designated meeting point. «Nice to meet you. You are Iron Mask, right?». Her nickname in Noark was Felic Barker, the leader of the clan to which the young Rainwales sisters belonged. In total there were about thirteen members.
«Nice to meet you. I am Iron Mask». I also called myself Bjorn, son of Thor, but instead used my new nickname when introducing myself. There was nothing particularly wrong with that. In this city, many people used pseudonyms and titles.
«Let's enter».
As we followed the man inside the clan base located within the castle walls, the smell of alcohol immediately hit my nose. In the well-decorated interior, the rough-looking clan members lazed around drinking and smoking cigarettes. It was not a hideout for criminals.
«Do you want to drink?» When we sat on the couch across the street, Felic Barker offered us bottled alcohol.
«No», Amelia said dryly.
I just accepted the bottle, as it would be strange if we both refused to drink. After all, we came here to join the clan. In this city, refusing to drink with someone was the same as saying: «I don't trust you».
Click.
Touching the base of the helmet, I lifted it just above my chin and drank in one gulp. Felic Barker smiled. «Good good. I like. Ah, but there's one thing I want to ask you. Is that okay with you?»
«Question».
«Why did you choose our clan?».
The answer was simple: because the Rainwales sisters belonged to this clan. It was our best way to ensure that we would have a valid reason to be around them when that incident occurred within five months. However, we couldn't tell him that.
«Emily said you guys made us an offer first».
«But if even half of the rumors about you are true, you would have had better offers».
I gave the answers I had prepared beforehand. «Because having a clan seems more convenient, but if we go to a place like this, we will surely get a smaller part of the loot».
«You're saying you prefer a Troll head to an Ogre claw».
«Yes, is that a problem?»
Felic Barker stared at me as if trying to gauge my true intentions, but there was no way that would work. How could he look me in the eyes if I wore an iron helmet over my face?
Just as he thought this, the guy suddenly burst out laughing, his eyes shining. «Ha! Hahaha!» Unlike Auril, this guy was a joke. His arrogance was nothing more than talk. His tone also sounded strangely false. «Good very good».
«What's so good about it?»
«Makes me like you more.»
«So we pass?»
«No, not yet». Felic moved his finger slowly at us like some kind of mafia boss. «We operate with a merit-based system. There are three ranks someone can have in the clan, excluding me, and the portion of loot you get is determined by your rank. But we still don't know what you're capable of. Have you ever heard the term 'law of the jungle'?».
«Yo to.»
«Then this will be quick. If you want the Troll's head, take it. And test yourself. In this world, this is how you stand out...»
Oh, I had been wondering what he was talking about. «Good.»
«¿Eh…?»
«You say you want to know if the rumors are true or not».
«Yes, but...»
«So why do you talk so much?». When I got up from my seat, Felic blinked at me, startled.
What, you thought if you acted tough it would scare me? These types of scenes are designed to be skipped as soon as possible.
What, you thought if you acted tough it would scare me? These types of scenes are to be skipped as quickly as possible.
«Enough talk, tell me what I should do. What, do I have to kill you?»
«Enough talk, tell me what I should do. What, do I need to kill you?»
«...Fights are only allowed between members. And I didn't necessarily mean kill...»
«...Fights are only allowed between members. And I didn't necessarily mean kill...»
Ah, how boring. «So who do I have to destroy?» I glanced at the clan members in the area, at which point one of the big guys who made eye contact with me shuddered. «Looks like he's my opponent, then».
«That's right. But the fight doesn't have to be to the death...»
Ugh, stop making so much noise.
As I approached with killing intent, the big man moved out of my way and looked at Felic with the clear look of someone begging for help.
As I approached with killing intent, the big man moved out of my way and looked at Felic with the clear look of someone begging for help.
At that moment, Felic came to and spoke. «Wait! There is a vacant lot behind».
«Ah, then let's go there».
«And special abilities are prohibited during a duel.»
Ha, I didn't think there would be a rule prohibiting skills. That meant that combat had to be carried out only with our passives and our default statistics. It seemed like Noark was really a macho place. «Destroy it without using special abilities... Well, that won't be very difficult». After thinking about it for a moment, I willingly accepted the rules.
But what was this? «I would prefer that no one die, if possible...» Felic said very quietly.
I turned to him surprised. «But then I won't be able to move up!».
«All you need is for them to give up».
«That? Can I ascend even without killing anyone?». Weren't bloody power struggles the norm in the underground world? Furthermore, it was he who brought up the «law of the jungle» first. «What's going on? What sense does it make?» I stared at him as if I really didn't understand him.
Coincidentally, he also had a similar expression on his face. «You... Didn't you say that you had been in Noark for less than a month?».
«¿Y?»
«Nothing...» Felic was the first to look away.
***
In a dark room with the windows covered in thick fabrics, Missha Karlstein lifted her upper body off the mattress, with deep bags under her eyes. Another day has begun.
He looked through the curtain just enough to see that it was daytime and lay back down on the bed. Sleep did not come, and his unwashed body was still covered in sweat from the nightmare of the previous night. More than that, his stomach was empty to the point of pain, to the point that it hurt.
Missha dragged her emaciated body out of the room. He stopped in front of Bjorn's room, which had not been touched since that day. He almost felt that if there was that door, he would find the person he had been longing for sleeping inside. But once again he did not dare to check it.
Turning weakly, he went down the stairs to the first floor, which was as dark as the second. The curtains were drawn because of people coming to leave flowers.
«Came again...» Missha murmured distantly.
On the table was a note left by Ainar written in crooked letters. He said that they had refilled the pantry and that she should check it.
Rattle.
Missha checked the pantry. It was filled mostly with things she liked to eat, like rye bread, vegetables that were often used for cooking, and meat and fruits.
Just looking at him made him nauseous. I couldn't even smell it. Rye bread was Bjorn's favorite, not to mention the meat. Vegetables were something he always had in reserve, as Bjorn was very picky about food, which meant he often had to eat his share.
In the end, Missha was about to run away from the pantry, but she was aware that she had to eat. If he didn't, his body would fail. Bjorn wouldn't have wanted that.
«Bjorn…»
In the dark kitchen with the lights off, he collapsed into a chair and sobbed for a while before finally getting up again and heading to the pantry. Which was when it happened.
«Oh, you're here. I thought no one would be home». An unknown male voice sounded behind her.
A thief?
Missha grabbed the knife on the cutting board and turned around. The action was so agile that it was hard to believe it was performed by someone who looked so haggard.
«Woah, woah. That's dangerous». The unidentified man had no problem grabbing her wrist to subdue her. Even when she forced herself against his grip, he didn't move. «Are you going to start brandishing me a knife when it's been so long since we last saw each other?».
«So long...?» Missha looked at her attacker's face. It was too dark to make out, but it looked familiar.
He was human, with snow-white skin, and not a single scar was visible on his body, which seemed to indicate that he had grown up in a wealthy home. She wore platinum hair, a symbol of nobility, well combed back.
«Red Cat, are you a player?»
«Hmm? Player?»
«An evil spirit».
«¡N-N-No, no
Thanks to that light yet creepy way of speaking, he immediately remembered where he knew that man from. «You are that one...!»
«I guess you remember? I'm Baekho Lee. I'm going to let you go, so stay calm». After introducing himself with a strange-sounding name, the man let go of her arm as promised. Missha cradled her sore wrist and took a step back. The platinum-haired man then smiled in a way that probably seemed reassuring. «Don't be so on guard».
He got goosebumps. Unlike her wide, curved lips, her eyes did not smile at all.
«I just came to ask you a question».