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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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Chapter 135
The restaurant operated by the Inoria Foundation exuded elegance from its exterior.
The pristine white bricks stacked along the outer wall seemed to assert purity amidst the bustling street, while the golden-plated gates and statues lining the entrance pathway created an atmosphere that elevated the guest's dignity.
A passerby unfamiliar with this place might feel overwhelmed by its grandeur.
"Shall we?"
Ian followed Estevan into the restaurant, stepping onto the long, crimson carpet.
The interior was just as magnificent as the exterior.
His first thought was that the prices would likely be exorbitant, but the faint traces of life in each room indicated that the establishment had no shortage of patrons.
As a waiter opened a door to serve food, hearty laughter spilled out from within.
“Hahahahaha!”
The moment was brief, as the sound vanished when the door closed again, silencing the room.
Ian was impressed. While not perfect, the restaurant clearly prioritized soundproofing.
This was the kind of place where one could discuss secrets with relative ease.
“This way.”
Estevan opened the door to one of the rooms, halting the conversation that had been audible from within.
As they entered, Ian saw familiar faces seated around a circular table.
"Ian!"
A cheerful voice rang out, bright and clear.
Audrey Pretus stood, pushing back her chair with a radiant smile.
Beside her were Sasu Diem, Priest Rease, and Gawain of the Blue Flower Knights.
When their eyes met, Gawain lightly raised his glass and gestured to a seat beside him.
"Come, comrade, take a seat."
Comrade—it wasn’t an inaccurate term. They had crossed life-and-death situations together. It felt fresh to hear such an address for the first time.
As Ian entered, Estevan closed the door behind him. Taking a seat, Ian noticed that Gawain immediately initiated conversation.
“It hasn’t been that long since we last met, but you’ve grown even more in the meantime. If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t believe it.”
“Hmm?”
“You’ve reached Level 5, haven’t you?”
Surprised by Gawain’s confident tone, Ian quickly realized why.
When they first met, Gawain had claimed he could assess someone’s level just by observing them.
At the time, Ian thought it was merely an insight honed by experience. However, the way Gawain recognized his growth immediately suggested it was an innate intuition.
If he could even discern the extent of someone’s potential, it was the perfect ability for recruiting talent.
“There’s no point in hiding it from you.”
“Why hide it? Strength is meant to be displayed. Humility isn’t something we need to concern ourselves with just yet.”
“While that’s not entirely wrong, flaunting too much could invite resentment.”
“True, but here, there’s no need for such caution. We’re all equals here, aren’t we?”
“…Equals? Are you Level 5 as well?”
Gawain smiled, setting his glass down as he gestured to his collar.
The leaves encircling the blue flower emblem had increased from one to two.
“You’ve gained another leaf.”
“Hahaha! With your achievements being praised everywhere, I couldn’t just lag behind, could I? The only option was to keep up.”
Ian furrowed his brows.
What is this lunatic talking about? Levels aren’t something you achieve through sheer effort.
Experience, talent, skill, luck, mindset, and mana—only when these six elements align perfectly can one ascend to a new realm.
That’s why most people remain at Level 4 their entire lives.
Countless individuals fail to ascend because they lack just one of those elements. Yet, Gawain acted as if he achieved it simply through hard work. And he was still young.
However, Ian felt no jealousy. All that mattered was staying on good terms with him.
The connection itself was important. If needed, he could always ask for help.
So, Ian offered an unfeigned smile.
“So, does that mean I’m ahead of you for now?”
“For now. But I’ll catch up soon enough. Just wait and see, comrade.”
As Gawain burned with competitiveness, Ian was about to respond when Estevan interjected.
“Now, Sir Gawain, it’s clear you and the young master share a close bond, but must you monopolize him? The others are waiting, are they not?”
Diem nodded politely.
“It’s been a while.”
“You look well, thankfully.”
“Indeed. Being with the priest has done wonders for my health.”
He gazed at Rease with a tender expression.
Rease, however, smacked his thigh lightly, scolding him with a glare.
“Don’t act like this in front of others! Honestly! I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine. Are you two… a couple now?”
“E-Erm… Well, yes. We are. After that incident, we ended up taking on a few requests together, and one thing led to another…”
“You suit each other well.”
“R-Really? Ahem. In any case, Young Master Ian, I’m glad we’re together again. Surely this is the will of the Lord?”
“Though one of us is missing, that may very well be the case.”
Instead of Grio, who had once stood firm with his sturdy shield, Gawain of the Blue Flower Knights had joined them.
It might sound rude, but Gawain felt far more reliable.
Lastly, Ian looked to Audrey. She smiled warmly and asked,
“Is Dior with you?”
“…I came alone.”
There’s something there, Ian thought. Perhaps they had feelings for each other.
Hearing his response, Audrey visibly deflated, leaning back in her chair.
Just then, the door opened, and a variety of dishes were brought in.
Gawain gestured to the empty spots on the table.
“I ordered in advance, knowing you’d come.”
“You mean you just wanted to eat more. Look—steak, stir-fried pork, fried chicken wings. It’s all meat. The only vegetables are garnishes.”
“And what’s wrong with that?”
“It’s shameless! How do you say such things with a straight face?”
Audrey teased Gawain with a giggle, and he, looking sheepish, picked up his glass again.
Despite already having had a few drinks, he didn’t seem drunk.
Ian cut into the steak before him and took a bite. The moment it touched his tongue, it melted with barely any chewing. Delicious.
“This is excellent.”
Gawain grinned with pride.
“Right? I didn’t order more for nothing. Eat as much as you want. If it’s not enough, we can order more. The Inoria Foundation is covering everything.”
Estevan cleared his throat.
“Ahem. Yes, please, enjoy. If you successfully complete this request, I can arrange meals like this for you many times over. Consider this additional compensation. While I’ve explained before, ah, listen as you eat.”
That was the plan anyway.
“The ruin you’ll be exploring dates back to the transition from the Terramin Era to the Rogolrod Era….”
“Why did you stop mid-sentence?”
“…It’s a temple. However, it is not a place dedicated to the Lord. It’s simply a place of worship for a deity. Not one of the petty gods from the outside world, either. But this isn’t particularly important, so let’s move on. Your task is to retrieve an artifact from the site—the ‘Angel’s Key.’”
Estevan paused and scanned the reactions of those seated around the table.
Gawain tilted his head, seemingly puzzled, while Audrey immediately frowned.
“Wait a second. Isn’t this different from what we were initially told? I thought our goal was to search for the missing people in the ruins. It feels like the mission has shifted into something else entirely.”
Estevan calmly acknowledged Audrey’s observation.
“That’s correct. Since Ian has agreed to join us. The original focus was on locating the missing individuals, but Audrey, weren’t you the one who pointed out Ian’s exceptional talent as a treasure hunter? Not only does he have mastery over the languages of various eras, but he is also strong enough to face sealed beasts.”
“I did say that. So?”
“Given his involvement, we’re expanding the scope of the mission.”
“…And the search for the missing people becomes secondary?”
“Exactly. While both objectives will be pursued, retrieving the ‘Angel’s Key’ takes precedence. Of course, I can assure you all of a reward that is twice what was originally promised.”
Hearing this, Diem and Rease’s eyes widened in surprise.
Audrey and Gawain, however, remained indifferent. It wasn’t that they disliked gold coins; they simply had no pressing need for them. Audrey, as the granddaughter of the Green Tower Master, and Gawain, with the unwavering support of the Blue Flower Knights, were already well provided for.
Audrey raised her hand slightly.
“Everyone? Would you mind if I spoke on our behalf for a moment?”
Ian didn’t object, and after a brief consideration, Gawain nodded, sensing there was no disadvantage to letting her take the lead. Diem and Rease, caught in the flow of the group, silently agreed. Estevan clicked his tongue lightly.
“…Tch.”
“Estevan. I’d like you to give us one more option.”
“Go ahead.”
“Judging by how much importance the Inoria Foundation places on this ‘Angel’s Key,’ it must be quite a significant item, correct?”
“I won’t deny that.”
“And assigning such an important task to outsiders like us—is that your way of safeguarding against the possibility that we might run off with the artifact or misuse it?”
“What are you saying? There’s no way any of you would do such a thing. A mage of the Green Tower, a knight of the Blue Flower Knights, and the Red Spear Knight of Berger.”
Diem and Rease exchanged uneasy glances. Compared to the three mentioned, they were simply mercenaries without notable affiliations or noble titles.
Perhaps they wondered if there was something secret about their own backgrounds. But no, that didn’t seem to be the case.
“With such reputable individuals, I trust you completely. So—”
“Wait. Why didn’t you address the latter part of my question?”
“……”
“What exactly is this ‘Angel’s Key’? What does it signify?”
“The foundation refers to it as a key for convenience, but it is simply a spear. A spear imbued with holy power. When you encounter it during your exploration, you’ll recognize it. ‘Ah, this must be the Angel’s Key Estevan spoke of.’”
“And the artifact won’t cause any harm to the one who holds it?”
“For now, no. Beyond that, it’s difficult for me to say.”
“So it’s potentially dangerous. In that case, I’d like a different kind of compensation instead of gold coins.”
Audrey’s expression turned deadly serious. Ian quietly observed the proceedings as he chewed his food.
This was already known to him, but it seemed to be new information for the others.
“A different artifact?”
“No. I heard there’s a secret artifact shop operated by the Inoria Foundation. I also heard that one can enter if they know the passphrase, correct?”
Estevan’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Noticing the sudden attention directed at him, Ian met Estevan’s gaze with a confident look.
It was natural for him to be suspicious, but Ian had never mentioned the artifact shop to Audrey. If he had intended to share such information, he would have provided the passphrase too.
“Who told you about this?”
“Well, there are no eternal secrets. I found out by chance. But you’re not denying it, are you? I thought you’d feign ignorance, but this is even better. Once we complete this mission, provide us with access to the artifact shop.”
“That’s beyond my authority to promise. The artifact shop is not a place just anyone can access. You’re not qualified yet—except for Ian. However, I can use my authority to grant you a chance to purchase artifacts you might need. Will you accept that?”
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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