Chapter 99: Dark Elf
"Archmage Gray is the winner of the competition. Everyone, thank you all for your participation."
The fat ball-like nobleman who started the whole betting session gathered the gold coins on the table. After distributing the gold coins to the people who won the gamble, he placed away the remaining gold coins into his own pouch.
In the end, this gambling session only attracted the interest of some attendants that followed nobles to participate in the World Expo. After the Hearthstone demonstration ended, the crowd's attention shifted to the next arcanotech device.
The fat nobleman who started the gamble walked into the crowd. He chose to keep his distance from the center of the Crystal Palace. His nimble footsteps were quite inharmonious with his size.
He continued to walk past the crowd and arrived at an empty corner. Then, he walked past a marble sculpture and disappeared. In his place was a tall and slim individual wearing a neat mage robe. The shadow of the hood covered that person's face. One could only see the purple hair falling down from the side of the hooded robe and the special dark-purple skin color characteristic to dark elves.
The dark elf was fiddling with the coin-filled purse. He winded around the various countries' exhibition halls and arrived before Farucci's exhibition hall. Then, he entered through the entrance.
"To be able to enjoy the Grand Duchess of Blackwood's renowned entertainment at a time like this, I, an unremarkable nobody, am truly humbled."
After walking into Farucci's exhibition hall, the dark elf walked into a small unremarkable room located inside the exhibition hall.
Madam Schroder was standing in the center of the room. Minutes ago, she was discussing with the other countries' nobles present in the Crystal Palace about what was going on in Norland recently.
"An unremarkable nobody?"
Madam Schroder shot a glance at the dark elf in white. Under the shadow of the hood, she could see the insignia of a black bird on that dark elf's neck area.
That was their symbol. Madam Schroder had only heard about them.
Compared to major nations with thousands of years of history, the city-state of Norland was akin to a tottering infant still learning to walk. Merely, the knowledge this infant country obtained from the underground remnants allowed it to be able to defeat its surrounding countries.
Apart from that, Norland was open to all races. Because of that, Norland became a country of multiple different races. Even though humans were the most numerous and dwarves the second-most, there were many unknown races living in the shadows of Norland. Likewise, there were also a lot of secret organizations.
When even the Necromancy Association was able to establish themselves in this city, who could possibly imagine how many races that humanity were incapable of accepting were living in this magic academic filled city?
After all, beneath Norland was a city multiple times larger than Norland itself.
Among those secret organizations, the most well-known would be an organization with the symbol of a black bird.
"I don't care who you are and what you might be, as long as you're able to give me the information I seek, all of these shall be yours."
On the table before Madam Schroder were two piles of gold coins. Just from a glance, there were at least two thousand. Besides the coins, there was also a pile of gems.
One truly couldn't help but gasp in admiration at how wealthy the high ranking nobles were.
"Grand Duchess of Blackwood, I guarantee that I've obtained all the information that you seek. But, while I am able to inform you of a portion of them, I will have to keep the remaining portion confidential."
The dark elf tidied up her robe. As a professional working in the shadows, wearing all white was truly quite conspicuous and unbefitting of her occupation.
But, in the World Expo, most participants were white mages specialized in the Runes of Order. As for the white mages, their outfits were all similar to her current outfit. Because of that, even though he was dressed in a very eye-catching manner, no one will bother to pay attention to it.
"Let me hear the portion that you're able to tell me first."
Although she was a nobility, Madam Schroder was not a rude and unreasonable person. She did not order the dark elf. Instead, she was engaging in talks with her.
Originally, she was planning to ask the dark elf after the World Expo finishes. But, after she saw the game 'Hearthstone' and how the Nation of the Holy Church's Archbishop Desireless actually went up to demonstrate the arcanotech device, she was unable to contain her curiosity anymore. She wanted to quickly find out exactly who that young man called Joshua was.
"Grand Duchess, thank you for your understanding. Madam, I believe that, with your information network, you should know that he had a cooperative relationship with the Weissenasche Theater."
The dark elf picked up a gemstone from the table and began to examine it. But, she soon placed the gemstone back onto the table.
Ever since watching 'Beauty and the Demon,' Madam Schroder has been searching for any and all information about the person or people behind 'Beauty and the Demon.'
Unfortunately, by the time Madam Schroder arrived in Norland, 'Beauty and the Demon' was already enjoying great fanfare. Apart from Sir Weissenasche himself, Madam Schroder was unable to encounter anyone else that had anything to do with 'Beauty and the Demon' in the Weissenasche Theater.
The information network Madam Schorder had in Norland was only able to point out that Sir Weissenasche was cooperating with a young man.
"He came to Norland two months ago. He currently resides in Norland's seventh business street in a tavern called 'Hearthstone.' Moreover, he possesses a very close relationship with the dwarven Frostaxe Clan. Their relationship was established from that Hearthstone Tavern," The dark elf revealed the information she knew.
"Then, what is his relationship with the Ecclesiastical Templars... and demons?"
That was what Madam Schroder really wanted to know. At the beginning, Madam Schroder was on guard against Joshua. After all, the main actor for 'Beauty and the Demon' was a Sin Demon.
It was only after her short interaction with the Sin Demon on the meet-and-greet that Madam Schroder made the resolution to invite Joshua to partake in an afternoon tea.
The change of an era will forever be confronted with dangers. Madam Schroder was not a believer of the Holy Church. On the contrary, she was not fond of a nation controlling its citizens by the means of religion for it was completely against the freedom and self-thought advocated by Farucci.
"The Ecclesiastical Templars are also customers of the Hearthstone Tavern. Even Archbishop Desireless himself is a frequent customer of that tavern." When the dark elf's words reached this point, she paused before saying, "As for his relationship with demons, that is something that I cannot speak of."
"You cannot speak of it?"
That was the information Madam Schroder wanted to know the most. But, the dark elf actually chose to keep that matter confidential?
"I believe that if you are to go ask the Holy Church, you will definitely receive the answer to that question. But, I must abide by the rules of our organization. If I reveal that information to you, I'm afraid that I might not be able to live to see tomorrow."
At this moment, Madam Schroder had the urge to order her attendant to shut the door to interrogate this dark elf. But, in the end, she restrained herself. After all, her attendant might not be a match for this dark elf.
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