Ch 119
Lisir looked down the hallway.
At this hour, when the day had grown dark.
The figure standing before his room.
A familiar face. However, he almost didn’t recognize them.
Because the atmosphere was quite different.
“Master Lisir.”
Dray’s agent—
was Maisy, whom Lisir remembered as the “glasses Miss.”
Her businesslike atmosphere remained the same.
However, if before it was a businesslike attitude when dealing with outsiders—
now it was a businesslike attitude when dealing with a VIP.
That stiff attitude was imbued with utmost courtesy.
—Finally, those fellows bowed their heavy heads and showed proper respect to their Master!!!
Lisir chuckled inwardly at Dangaleon’s voice.
Setting aside that expression, it seemed certain that his position within Dray and Pallag had greatly risen.
“I apologize for visiting so suddenly at this late hour, without any prior notice.”
“No, please, raise your head. It must be important business that has brought you to visit me at such a late hour. Would you care for something to eat?”
Lisir gestured towards the room, but Maisy slowly shook her head.
“No. I cannot impose any further. I will simply deliver my message and take my leave.”
As soon as Lisir agreed, Maisy got straight to the point.
“Tomorrow afternoon, there will be a gathering hosted by Guild Master Gus at his mansion.”
The banquet had concluded successfully, but Gus’s mansion was still bustling with outsiders.
Some of the banquet attendees had remained at Gus’s invitation to strengthen their relationships, and new guests were arriving to cultivate relationships with them.
People attracting people.
It was essentially a continuation of Gus’s purpose in hosting the banquet, and its true significance.
Currently, various secret conversations were taking place throughout Gus’s mansion, conversations that could not be had at the banquet.
Each one was not the usual gossip of high society, but serious discussions of business and relationships.
For instance, the outsiders currently remaining at the mansion were not simply banquet attendees, but Gus’s “true guests.”
The gathering that Guild Master Gus was hosting tomorrow was an important occasion for these true guests to cultivate their relationships.
“The two of them wish for Master Lisir to attend that gathering.”
“Me?”
Lisir asked back, bewildered.
Through his conversation with Pien over dinner, Lisir was aware of the current state of affairs at the mansion.
He knew the nature of the gathering Maisy had mentioned.
Unlike the banquet, which was relatively free and had the nature of a ‘party’—
this gathering had the nature of a restricted and secretive ‘club’.
Furthermore, most of the guests currently staying at the mansion were from out of town.
Merchants and powerholders from other regions, invited by Gus to expand his business.
‘What can I do there? Huh? Lisir, what can you do there?’
For Lisir, who was only just settling into his position in Bondales, his base, such doubts were inevitable.
At the banquet, which was largely attended by Bondales city nobles, quite a few people had reacted with, ‘Oh? Lisir? Is that…?’, but
attending that club meant that ten out of ten people would react with, ‘Lisir? Who are you?’
‘And even there, it’s hard to expect Rona’s support.’
Lisir’s doubts were clearly reflected in his expression.
As if expecting this, Maisy immediately brought up what she had prepared.
“It’s because the two of them wish to commend Master Lisir’s merits through a public occasion.”
“Ah.”
Lisir nodded, finally understanding.
‘So, they’ll gild my face and raise my standing in front of important people—is that it?’
It was an incredible offer.
And for good reason, it was about gilding his face and raising his standing—
in essence, it was the same as guaranteeing his identity in front of key figures in the name of a Grand Noble and an Archmage.
Lisir suddenly remembered the conversation he had with Pien at dinner yesterday.
✦✦✦
—These are the people among those staying at the mansion that you should remember.
—First, Romitis, the next Head of the Family of the magical noble family, Falan, who visited after hearing news of Pallag. You said you wanted to gain knowledge of 7th Rank magic, right?
If you get the chance, bring it up to him. Romitis recently reached the 7th Rank realm, so you might have a lot to gain from seeing him.
—And Brien, a wandering swordsman, who visited after hearing news of Dray.
She’s quite famous in the Central Continent. A 7th Rank swordsman with several significant achievements.
This person isn’t a bad subject for witnessing 7th Rank either—but I won’t recommend her.
I hear she’s quite materialistic—I don’t know what she’ll demand in return. Absolutely do not give her any reason to stand above you.
—Finally, Corsia, from the Silver Pouch Merchant Guild.
The Silver Pouch Merchant Guild operates with its base in the Central Continent, so it’s enormous.
Even the Golden Barley Trading Company would have to take a backseat.
Corsia is a person who enjoys great trust from the executives of that Silver Pouch Merchant Guild.
Cultivating a good relationship with her would be helpful in many ways—but I won’t recommend her.
No. I’ll advise against it.
This woman has more than a few unsavory rumors attached to her. Nothing has been definitively proven yet, but if you really dug into it, you could weave fabric from the dust that comes out?
If she approaches you, keep your distance without asking questions.
—Right. They’re all major big shots who play in the Central Continent. You ask where these people came from? What else? They were nearby and rushed over after hearing stories about the Talent Scout and Frozen Breath. The opportunity to meet those two isn’t a common one for them.
—Yes, I know. Of course, they’ll be grateful. However, I also heard half of it from Rona, so keep half of that gratitude and give it to Rona when you see her later.
✦✦✦
Lisir, having organized his thoughts through Pien’s story, nodded with an intrigued expression.
Those attending tomorrow’s gathering.
Normally, they were big shots he would only be able to speak to after receiving a position from the City Council and properly establishing his standing.
To have them see him, stamped with the names of a Grand Noble and an Archmage.
He couldn’t even imagine how many opportunities and paths that would open.
Lisir had to admit it.
Pallag and Dray’s offer was certainly attractive.
“Also, the two of them hope to spend some time with Master Lisir separately after the gathering. So, I would like to ask if your schedule is alright?”
It seemed that was only a part, not the whole, of their goodwill.
—That act of playing the injured, promising young man in the basement seems to have worked perfectly. Those guys are so recklessly generous with their position.
Lisir inwardly nodded at Klana’s words.
A Grand Noble and an Archmage.
At that level, they might be concerned with their own standing and weigh things carefully, but in their current offer, there was no such calculating intention.
It was so sincere that it was almost overwhelming.
At this point, he had no choice but to accept.
“Understood.”
As soon as Lisir replied, a brief smile appeared on Maisy’s face.
Lisir responded with a wry smile, and she cleared her throat awkwardly.
“Master Lisir’s positive and broad opinion. I will be sure to convey it to the two of them.”
Afterwards, Maisy mentioned the location and time of the gathering before leaving.
After confirming that she was gone, Lisir entered his room.
‘What do I do now.’
His original plan was to spend the night refining his ‘Enhancement’.
He had reached a limit in his self-directed efforts to overcome his current impasse, but there was no other way.
‘But, this changes things.’
Pallag.
He had approached much faster and more favorably than expected.
That Archmage, who could provide an abundance of teaching.
‘But, would he purely give magical teachings to me, who is not his disciple?’
Lisir fell into thought.
Mages are an extremely closed-off group, and the magical skills they handle are of the same nature.
7th Rank magical knowledge.
It is high-level knowledge that is not easily shared even with those of the same school.
Would he share such knowledge with himself, an outsider and a complete stranger?
“Ah, I don’t know. They owe me a lot, so they’ll do it. If they don’t, are they human? They’re demons.”
—Master!!! We demons are not such ungrateful beings!
“That’s right, that’s right.”
Lisir relaxed and lay down on the bed.
‘Time to normalize my biorhythm.’
Abandoning his original plan to stay up all night, he immediately fell asleep to avoid being late for tomorrow’s gathering.
✦✦✦
Corsia, a merchant from the Silver Pouch Merchant Guild.
While she was on business in a small town near Bondales, she dropped everything and rushed to Bondales.
To meet the legendary creatures that had appeared in Gus’s mansion, the Talent Scout and Frozen Breath?
Yes, normally that would have been the case.
The moment she gained even a little favor with them, a tremendous opportunity would be given.
However.
This time, it was not the pure instincts of a merchant that moved Corsia.
The Third Arm.
There was a request from the criminal organization that had showered her with countless favors, putting her where she was now.
The request was simple.
Retribution.
They wanted Lisir, the man who had ruined their business, to pay the appropriate price.
They said it was necessary for resuming business in Bondales in the future.
Thus, Corsia arrived in Bondales, and the opportunity came quickly.
The sparring match between Moria, Pallag’s disciple, and Lisir.
The event that had thrilled everyone in the banquet hall that day.
Now, after the banquet, the event was being discussed among the people of the mansion with a somewhat different feeling.
“Come to think of it, what happened to Moria after the sparring match? She seemed strange at the time.”
“I was also curious about that, so I asked Mr. Gus.”
“What did he say?”
“He didn’t tell me the details, but for some reason, Sir Dray and Duke Pallag took Moria to the basement and confined her.”
“Confined… This doesn’t seem right—”
“I heard there’s talk of her being a Black Mage who hid her age and identity?”
“Good heavens. How did such a terrible rumor start?”
“Sir Romitis said so.”
“The next Head of the Falan Family?”
“Yes. He said that Moria’s magical abilities were absolutely not something that could be explained by the 5th Rank realm. She showed glimpses of 7th Rank, though limited? And there were strange changes in her body during the sparring match—”
“Damn it. I’m an outsider when it comes to magic, can you explain it simply?”
“Look, who was Moria deceiving and pretending to be a genius mage? It was Frozen Breath, the former Tower Master of the Blue Tower, Duke Pallag. Could any ordinary mage deceive him?”
“That’s right. Impossible.”
“Therefore, Sir Romitis reached one conclusion. If Moria hid her identity and power and deceived Duke Pallag, her true rank would be at least the upper 7th Rank.”
“…Wait.”
“What?”
“Then, what about the young mage, Lisir, who defeated that Moria?”
“That’s what everyone’s talking about now.”
There were countless eyes in the mansion.
Those eyes watched Lisir being summoned by Dray and Pallag to the basement.
And they watched him leave the basement with an uncomfortable expression.
That fact spread throughout the mansion in an instant.
Corsia did not miss this opportunity.
“Sir Romitis, what do you think of the talent that mage Moria showed?”
“Unbelievable. To display such magical abilities at the 5th Rank realm. The Secrets of Ideation is a power that even I find difficult to handle—if that talent is real, it would be a genius who would leave their name in history.”
“…Then—Lisir. What do you think of what that fellow showed?”
“Actually, that’s what I want to ask. Brien, what do you think of the ‘strike’ that fellow delivered at the end of the sparring match? I’m an outsider when it comes to swords—”
Romitis, a High Mage as the Head of the Falan Family.
Brien, a High Swordsman as a renowned wandering swordsman.
Corsia called the two of them separately and encouraged their suspicions.
“Oh my. No matter what I say, I can’t convey the shock I felt. That strike. Even if I were his opponent, I wouldn’t have been able to react.”
“…You?”
“I’ve seen countless swordsmen. Among them were assassins. That strike he unleashed was on a level that made even the name of assassination techniques laughable. What kind of monstrous swordsman created that—”
“…But, he’s a mage—”
“Yes. That’s the core of the story we’re discussing now. Shall I rephrase the question? Sir Romitis, what do you think of that fellow, Lisir?”
“…”
The 7th Rank swordsman and mage explained how unrealistic Lisir’s abilities were.
Corsia used their claims to spread suspicion to others.
Thus.
The guests of the mansion reached the same conclusion as certain Archmages and Grand Nobles.
They concluded that Lisir was a more suspicious figure than Moria,
and thought that Dray and Pallag had also reached the same conclusion.
“This is a good flow…”
Corsia smiled triumphantly.
All that remained was to lead Dray and Pallag to voice their suspicions about Lisir’s existence at the upcoming gathering.
Suspicions spoken by a Grand Noble and an Archmage in a public setting.
The moment that spread through Bondales, his position would be in jeopardy.
Even the merits he had established in eliminating the hotbed of crime and corruption in Bondales would be tainted.
It was exactly the situation the Third Arm desired.
If this went well, she could repay her debt to them.
With that expectation—
“Let’s go.”
She headed towards the private room in Gus’s mansion where the gathering was taking place.
Corsia had already laid the groundwork to ensure that the topic of the gathering didn’t stray.
She had gathered the guests early in the morning and continued the conversation about Lisir until the gathering time.
A crowd of people, centered around Corsia, crossed the wide hallway of the large mansion.
“Has Moria’s treatment been decided?”
“Even if it’s Sir Dray, Duke Pallag rarely attends such gatherings. Perhaps it’s to explain the circumstances of the incident to us?”
“To be honest, I’m more curious about Lisir than Moria now—his treatment. What conclusion did the two of them reach about him?”
Soon, they arrived at the gathering place.
Many guests had already taken their seats in the large room.
It was a convention that those of lower status arrived first at such gatherings.
“…”
“…”
“…”
As they surveyed the composition of the guests, the expressions of Corsia’s group instantly hardened.
Lisir.
He was talking to another guest.
After exchanging glances, Corsia’s group approached him.
“Oh? Ah!”
Lisir greeted them with a friendly smile.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Lisir.”
He politely offered his hand to Corsia.
Corsia only stared at his hand with a cold gaze.
Influenced by Corsia’s actions, the others also looked at Lisir with cold gazes.
“…”
Lisir awkwardly withdrew his hand.
Yet, their cold gazes did not waver.
The person who had been talking to Lisir cautiously retreated, sensing the tension.
Just as the atmosphere was about to turn truly hostile,
the door opened, and one of the main hosts appeared.
Dray.
Corsia’s group immediately turned away from Lisir and approached Dray to greet him.
“Ah!”
At that moment, Dray quickly looked around the room, then looked towards Corsia’s group with a welcoming expression.
Corsia recalled the relationship between the Silver Pouch Merchant Guild and the Mastien Family.
One of the reasons why this was possible, perhaps.
The Silver Pouch Merchant Guild had maintained a good relationship with the Mastien Family for many years.
Therefore, Corsia thought that Dray had greeted her appropriately.
She approached Dray to greet him warmly.
However, Dray strode past her.
“Lisir! I’m glad you came!”
He approached Lisir, who was standing behind the group, and firmly grasped his hand.
As if that wasn’t enough, he embraced him warmly.
“…”
“…”
“…”
It was a friendly gesture that no one in the room could have predicted.
Corsia’s group was thrown into confusion by the unexpected turn of events.
✦✦✦
Translator’s Blog
Blog
- Your Crush is With Someone Else? Channel Your Inner Samurai, Not a Sad Puppy Dog.
- My Early 20s Emo Profile: A Journey Back to Myspace (And Why It Still Haunts Me)
- My Therapist Told Me to Stop Saying “Back In My Day” – Unrelatable TikTok Kids got me STRESSED
- 30-Year-Old Me Watching Skibidi Toilet TikTok: A Descent into Madness
- Acel World: I Was That Fat Kid
Leave a Reply