Chapter 389: Side Story, Dream Flower (12)

"I apologize. We're too incompetent..." Fermin muttered weakly, her head bowed.

The other members felt the same way. They burdened rather than helped their Vice-captain, which was quite shameful.

"No. It's okay."

But Rachel just shook her head calmly.

She knew they couldn't help it. The mana wave that attacked them at that time wasn't the kind they could deal with. Running away together was the best course of action.

"Vice-captain..."

About to cry, Fermin held her hand softly and released brilliant mana with her eyes closed, enveloping Rachel's entire body with it.

It was a simple but rare talent: 'healing and regeneration.' Her internal injuries, including muscle pain, were healed at once thanks to this.

Rachel laughed softly.

"Thank you."

"No. This is something obvious for me..."

"Vice-captain!"

Marcus, Karen, and Dale returned at that moment, having been assigned on patrol. Xtra had said he would be away to look for herbs, leaving the security up to them for the time being.

"There seems to be no danger nearby. And we caught this."

They carried a wild boar known as "Licorit," a low-middle-class monster famous for its excellent taste and nutrition.

"Let's roast it today. You need to recover."

"That's great. Let's all eat it together."

Rachel was currently amiable to everything. Having gained the most important realization as an Elemental Master, her heart had become lighter as well. As soon as she recovered from exhaustion, she planned to fiercely hone her 'attribute harmonization.'

"Yes. I will prepare it right away."

The members lit a bonfire in the center and prepared the beast for cooking. Sitting around the flame, they began grilling it.

Its meat, priced at least tens of millions of won, ripened, but the members' expressions remained dark. Last night's raid instilled in them a sense of helpless defeat.

"... It must have been Lancaster, right?" Marcus asked as he passed by. When the other members looked at Rachel with dim eyes, she nodded faintly.

"I guess."

They grew silent. The crackles of the fire as it cooked the Licorit meat amid the empty field seemed deafening.

"For now, let's eat."

Rachel put a slice of it on her plate, but the members just gnawed as if they had no appetite.

Their depression lingered.

"What happened to the local guy?" Marcus touched Fermin's shoulder to change the mood, causing her to hurriedly straighten her back and recover from being lost in thought.

"What?"

"The local guide. I've been trying to comprehend it, but I just can't seem to understand. How can an ordinary guide keep giving instructions even in a mana storm?"

The other members were similarly skeptical. Their comfort was indeed thanks to their guide, but now that Lancaster had ambushed them, it seemed a bit odd.

"Oh, that's..."

She looked at Rachel. Rachel gazed back at her in turn, her eyes telling her she could tell the truth.

"You know... Xtra, right?"

"... It was him after all."

The members reacted as if they had already noticed it to some extent.

On the contrary, Fermin was the one puzzled. How could this not be surprising?

Waving her hand, she raised an even more shocking suspicion.

"More importantly, I've been thinking about it a bit more."

"About what?"

"This mercenary seems to admire our Vice-captain..."

"... Admire? He likes her?"

"Yes, but it's still just a suspicion."

The other members frowned and turned to her. Rachel, on the other hand, looked a bit guilty.

"No, I mean, listen. You too, Vice-captain."

Fermin raised the question she had been pondering over.

Why would a mercenary as competent and powerful as Xtra take over the mission with a payoff of only 700 million won? It wouldn't be because of money, of course, and not because of fame.

Then, frankly, perhaps he was drawn to Rachel herself.

"Convincing, isn't it?" She ended her explanation.

When they all looked at Rachel, she frowned and put down her meal.

"No. That's not it—"

Ring- Ring-

Loud noises rang out simultaneously. Their smartwatches' alarms had been activated.

"... What is this?"

"Our watch alarm?"

"Why is it ringing now?"

Electronic devices were rendered useless in Central Asia, turning their smartwatches into normal ones. However, messages still pushed into them.

[This is a message from the Hall.]

[Congratulations. The 'British Royal Court Guild' has passed the first test.]

[Click the link to check the 'Hall Certificate.']

"If this is a test... Does this mean that the Association prepared this in advance?" One of the members muttered, but no one answered.

* * *

I was making an armor using Viper skin in the helicopter. Those monsters had strong leather and high mana resistance, making them perfect for defensive items.

"... This should be enough."

[Viper Leather Armor], It covered everything from shoulders to waist.

Skinning, sewing, soldering... The mana of Stigma solved all the problems I had with it, including its performance. Moreover, the Young Dwarf's Dexterity made its design seemingly derived from Roman mythology.

"How do I give it to her, though?"

I wanted to give this to Rachel.

But I had no reason to, and I doubted she'd just blindly accept it, considering her personality. Still, I already made it based on her size.

I couldn't wear it myself.

"... Geez. Why did I have to have that kind of dream?"

I had a strange dream last night. In it, I saw a young Rachel who looked exactly like Evandel and the still uncorrupted Lancaster.

Rachel in those days was more cheerful than she was now, and Lancaster had infinite affection for the princess and his motherland.

It was so vivid and melancholic that it turned into an emotion, making me sympathize with her.

Ring- Ring-!

"Ugh! Oh, that scared me."

My smartwatch rang loudly, which was quite odd. Was there any place in Central Asia where radio waves could still be transmitted?

I calmed my startled heart and looked at it.

[This is a message from the Hall.]

[Congratulations. The 'British Royal Court Guild' has passed the first test.]

[Click the link to check the 'Hall Certificate.']

"... Hall Certificate?"

I clicked it almost instinctively.

[Your affiliation is the 'British Royal Court Guild.']

[Your name has been set to 'Xtra.']

[Click to check your Hall Certificate.]

"What is this now?"

- Can you hear me?

Just then, Rachel's voice entered my ears.

"Yeah."

- Um, about...

"The Hall Certificate?"

-Yes. That. We just got a message too. I don't know what this is, but... you're included here too.

Rachel sounded disconcerted.

I clicked on the [Hall Certificate],

—[Hall Certificate]—

▶Name: Xtra

▶Public Grade: A+

▶Affiliation: British Royal Guild

▶CIass: Assassin • Observer

▶Relationship: None

*You must have this certificate to enter the Hall.

*You belong to the 'British Royal Guild,' allowing you to use their various facilities and systems.

"Ha..."

I scoffed.

I don't know about the Hall, but this 'certificate' was one of the settings I discarded in the past.

* * *

"Look, I told you." Aileen looked at the hologram screen in the 'Hall,' the ceiling of which rose high to form a huge dome with slopes made up of green crystals.

"E.S. will be number one."

[1. Essence of the Strait]

The first guild to be granted [Hall Certificate] was the 'Essence of the Strait,' led by Chae Nayun. The Creator's Sacred Grace with Yun Seungah and Kim Suho gained a disappointing second place.

It was just as Aileen had expected.

"The British Royal Guild came in 17th. Did you know?" Jin Seyeon asked, watching the situation with her. As the highest-ranking hero in the Association, she was recruited to the Hall as a supervisor.

Aileen shook her head.

"No. Why would I? After all, only Rachel's there."

"The mercenary they hired is quite unusual."

"What do you mean?"

"Hmm... Take a look at this."

Jin Seyeon levitated a board in the air.

On the very top of its hologram-like surface, [1. Chae Nayun], then [2. Kim Suho] was written on it.

This leaderboard was based on the points they acquired during the Hall procession. The Hall itself gave them their scores according to its observation and evaluation, not by the Association.

[8. Xtra]

▶ Killed Intermediate Level Monster, Viper.

▶ Repelled 13 unidentified raiders

▶Public evaluation: A+

"Eh? Did he deal with a Viper alone? And what does it mean by unidentified raiders? Did he fight the djinns?"

Adult Vipers were intermediate-level first-class monsters, putting them in the list of enemies almost impossible for mercenaries to deal with. In addition to that, he also defeated 'unidentified raiders.'

"He's far exceeded the level of mercenaries."

"Yes. It seems he's the only one in his field to receive a certificate, too."

"Really? Did the Hall make a mistake, then?"

"I don't know. Didn't the British Royal Guild come with a vacancy? He seems to have filled that void."

"Hmm..."

Aileen crossed her arms and pondered.

Whatever it was, this decision was made by the Hall.

"... Let's observe for now. Neither I, you, nor they know in detail what this Hall is yet."

The 'Hall,' a large-scale field formed in Central Asia, was a 'being' completely different from everyone's thoughts or expectations.

Yes, it was a 'being.'

This 'Hall' thought and communicated like a human. It had even established communication with the Association.

The long e-mail that started with [Hello. I am a giant field formed in Central Asia. You can call me the Hall.], seemed like a joke at first, so they left it buried in their spam bin for a while.

Anyway.

Was it a living computer, a highly advanced artificial intelligence, or an actual sentient 'space'?

Aileen didn't know yet.

All of their questions would begin only after it had begun in earnest.

"They will be here soon," Aileen said, and the door opened. The two looked beyond it.

Beyond the entrance to the hall, there were twelve heroes.

Chae Nayun, Yoo Yeonha, Lee Jinah, Lee Jiyoon... All of them were famous for being part of Korea's 'Essence of the Strait.'

"Nice to see you. It's been a long time, hasn't it?" Looking at them, she grinned.

* * *

"Is... this the second test?"

The British Royal Guild resumed their march the next day, encountering daunting obstacles.

It was a huge and magnificent maze. With its walls' width around 5m and their height exceeding 20m, this entire place looked like ogres or giants built it.

"I don't know. This is..."

- Don't go in there. Wait.

Xtra spoke, causing the crystal ball to sparkle.

At that moment, all the members' eyes focused on Rachel.

She felt nervous for no reason.

- It will be better to rest here today.

"R-Rest?"

- Yeah. You haven't recovered from exhaustion yet. And there's something I have to give.

"... You have something to give me?"

- Yeah.

Rachel shut her mouth just before she could answer. However, noticing each of her subordinates' interested, uncomfortable, suspicious, and sinister looks, she felt compelled to.

"... W-Why?"

- I got some herbs to help with your condition. There is a lake nearby, so you can...

Xtra continued talking after that, but Rachel felt so giddy she just hung up halfway through.

"Hehehe, for now, I think it's better to rest as he said," Marcus smirked. His thick eyebrows looked particularly sly today.

"... Don't laugh."

She glanced at him up and down, then made her way to the place Xtra talked about.