Ch. 721: Chapter 721-730

Chapter 721 Diversionary Tactics

"Big Brother!" Colette was no longer able to hold back her overflowing feelings and threw herself to the chubby young man, who readily caught her with open arms.

"It's nice to see you again, Colette," Lux said as he gave the adorable little Dwarf a hug. "Did you miss me?"

Instead of answering, Colette lightly pounded Lux's stomach with her clenched fist, making the Half-Elf smile.

Clearly, the adorable dwarf still hadn't forgiven him completely for keeping them in the dark about his plan to fake his death.

A few seconds later, Helen also joined her best friend and went to hug Lux as well. As soon as she felt his warmth, the tears in her eyes poured like rain.

Although the other three tried to hold back their tears, Matty, Andy, and Axel still teared up as they gazed at the Half-Elf whom they looked up to like a Big Brother.

If not for the fact that they were in a public area, they might have also joined Colette and Helen in hugging the Half-Elf, who had disguised himself as a chubby young man.

Lux felt extremely guilty after seeing the young Dwarves' expressions, so he simply stood his ground and allowed Colette and Helen to use his clothes to wipe away their snot and tears.

Eiko, who felt out of place, jumped off from the table and landed on Colette's head. She then pressed her head against Lux's stomach, joining the group hug.

The Dwarves in the tavern looked at this scene with amused expressions on their faces. It was very easy to see at a glance that the humans and the little Dwarves knew each other and that their relationship looked quite close.

"Let's go back to your table first," Lux said. A few minutes had passed, and the two dwarf girls were still hugging him. "I'm also feeling hungry, so let's all have lunch together."

Colette and Helen nodded before grabbing Lux's hands and pulling him toward their table. Naturally, the two girls sat beside Lux, with Eiko perched on top of his head like always.

Matty and the others had no complaints about this and simply stared at him as if they were afraid that he would disappear again without saying goodbye.

"Relax. I'm not going anywhere," Lux replied.

"How long will you be staying with us, Big Brother?" Colette asked.

"Two weeks," Lux answered. "There are places I need to go, and I only came here to see you guys and apologize for what happened in the past. However, this is not the place to do that. Let's talk after we've finished having our lunch."

Lux then gave Robin a side-long glance. He didn't expect to see the low-profile Prince of the Kingdom of Gweliven with Colette and the others.

The timing was also good because he needed to talk to Robin about a few things and ask the latter to pass a message to his sister, Princess Anastasia, telling her that he would like to talk to her before he left the Kingdom of Gweliven in two weeks' time.

Robin, who received Lux's stare, arched an eyebrow as if sensing that the Half-Elf needed him for something. But since this was not the right time and place to talk, he simply remained silent and observed the scene in front of him like a bystander.

"Waitress, can I take an order?" Lux asked.

"Coming," the waitress replied as she returned to Colette's table to take the chubby young man's order.

"I'd like to order two servings of the Chef's signature dish, Porkchop Surprise," Lux said.

"I want, too!" Eiko spoke in order to let her Papa know that she wanted the dish as well.

"Three Porkchop Surprise then." Lux smiled at the waitress, who smiled back at him before going to the kitchen to inform the Chef of their orders.

Sid briefly glanced at the waitress' back before shifting his gaze back to the table, where several dishes were already served.

Amir had already told them that the most popular inn inside the town was part of Twilight Rain's undercover intelligence network in Wisp Tree Town.

Usually, the most common establishments served as the Dark Guild's base of operation, which meant that they were in enemy territory the moment they set foot inside the inn.

Aside from the Maid and the Tavern owner, there was also a Merchant, a Stall Keeper, and a Butcher, who were all under Twilight Rain's employ.

These people were the Agents that had been planted in the Dungeon Town, which served as one of the important hubs of the Kingdom of Gweliven.

Agents that were ready to act when their superiors gave them an order.

After thinking long and hard, Lux decided to let the Order of the Griffin handle this case because his Blood Contracts were limited.

If possible, he wanted to use them to bind an Elder of Twilight Rain or someone who had great influence in the Dark Guild, utilizing them as his eyes, ears, and mouths inside the nefarious organization that wanted to take over the Dwarven Kingdom by any means necessary.

'One step at a time,' Lux thought. 'There's no need to hurry since I can't stay in the Kingdom of Gweliven for a long time. However, I still need to deal with the people that are targeting Colette and Aina before I go.'

Actually, after making Amir one of his double agents, an idea had already formed inside Lux's head.

Since Scarlet and Amir had relatives who happened to be Elders of the Dark Guild, he planned to use them to make these high-ranking people go to certain places, where he and his Undead Legion would be waiting for them.

Of course, although Scarlet and Amir were working for him now, that didn't mean that they would betray their relatives. Even Scarlet, who was loyal to him only because she was revived by Lux using the coffin, would think twice before letting her Grandpa become one of Lux's pawns.

In order to find an effective way to deal with the current situation, Lux asked his Guild Members for advice in the chat.

"Just kill every Assassin that comes," Cethus replied. "As long as everyone they send keeps on dying, they will think twice about sending more."

"That will not always work, Cethus," the Commander of the Stronghold of Norria, Thoram, commented. "While it may help solve the problem in the short term, Twilight Rain will certainly learn from their mistake and send a force that will be enough to decimate an entire city.

"We're talking about High-Rankers moving in groups here. Maybe you can deal with a few low-rankers, but when those Heavy Weights start to put their foot down, you will be unable to do anything about it."

Keelan, who was busy laying out the foundation of their Branch Guild, Ars Goetia, gave his opinion about the matter.

"Usually, the Main Guild Headquarters of the Adventurer's Guild in the Kingdom of Gweliven would issue us missions when things started to get out of control," Keelan explained. "However, there are occasions when even our strongest adventurers feel helpless and that is if 'many things' are happening at the same time.

"To give you some idea, we may be ordered to help repair a broken bridge or dam in a territory within the kingdom. That is all fine and good, but when another problem arises, let's say a plague, famine, or even war, we are forced to divert our attention to much more important things, instead of dealing with the smaller ones."

Cai, who had just finished her lunch also joined the conversation, and the words she said made Lux realize that the answer to his problem was really simple.

"Just like Guildmaster Keelan said, how about you just create trouble for Twilight Rain and divert their attention to you?" Cai proposed. "That Amir fellow said that there is a Merchant in that town that is part of Twilight Rain's umbrella, right? Why don't you start with him? As a Merchant, he will certainly know the other Merchants belonging to the Dark Guild.

"If all of their Merchants are being attacked, killed, or kidnapped, they would certainly focus all their attention on finding the culprit. Also, it will be best if you don't ask the Royal Family for help. I'm pretty sure that there are also spies working for the Royal Family. As long as the King is kept in the dark, the spies will also be kept in the dark.

"This will then make Twilight Rain think that someone was purposely targeting their information network and uprooting it from the ground up. As long as you are smart and make these attacks at regular intervals, the focus of those bastards will no longer fall on Aina and Colette."

Lux thought that this proposal was sound, so he decided to capture the Merchant in Wisp Tree Town and give him a tickle session to make him spill the beans.

Unlike the Assassins who were trained to commit suicide when captured, Merchants were different. They had more to lose, and they certainly didn't want to die.

As long as Lux could get some names from that person, he would task Sid and Shax to launch a covert operation that would make the Dark Guild feel as if another organization was trying to challenge their rule.

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Chapter 722 Can You Help Me Convince Your Papa To Marry My Sister?

"We just reunited, yet Big Brother has to go away again," Colette said with a pout as she lay on the bed. "I am starting to hate that Dark Guild, Twilight Rain."

Helen nodded her head in agreement. "Not only did they try to assassinate Big Brother, but they're also targeting your sister now. They even went as far as sending an Assassin to kidnap you to serve as a hostage in order to blackmail Big Sister Aina into obeying them.

"Still, we were lucky this time," Andy commented. "Big Brother just happened to be in the city, and Eiko came to meet us. If she hadn't been there, the Assassin would have definitely succeeded in capturing Colette."

"I won't forgive those bastards!" Matty clenched his fist in anger. Just imagining the things that Twilight Rain could have done to the person he loved made him feel as if he wanted to start killing people. "If only I was a High-Ranker already, I would have definitely given all of them a beating!"

Emma, who was also in the room and serving as a bodyguard, sighed in her heart. She had once been captured by Twilight Rain, and they conducted many experiments on her, forcing her to become a monster against her will.

If Lux didn't come to save her, she might have already died somewhere—used as convenient cannon fodder by the Dark Organization that hid within the shadows of the Kingdom of Gweliven.

Everyone in the room looked depressed, but this depression broke when the four-armed hero, whom Lux had left behind to guard the dwarves, spoke.

"You kids are safe now," ALL-MITE said. "Why? Because I am here."

Everyone stared at the Unsung Hero, who was the strongest member of Lux's covenant.

Although the Wraith King, Leoric, was several ranks higher than ALL-MITE, if the two of them fought in the same rank, the one who would come out as the victor was none other than the four-armed Hero.

Why? Because ALL-MITE could increase his power exponentially, beating any opponent of the same rank.

"Your name is ALL-MITE, right?" Robin asked the Four-Armed creature who looked like Venom, and Masked R*der combined. A villain and a hero character that were popular in Lux's original world.

"That is I," ALL-MITE replied.

"Were you there when my sister got kidnapped by Twilight Rain?" Robin inquired.

"What?! Twilight Rain also kidnapped your sister, Robin?!" Colette, who had almost been kidnapped just a few hours ago, propped herself up from the bed and looked at the Dwarf who often joined them on their expeditions.

"Yes," Robin replied. "And just like today, they almost succeeded. The one who saved her was also your Big Brother."

"Amazing!" Helen gasped. "Even when we can't see him, Big Brother is always there helping people."

"Eiko, Big Brother is really the best!" Colette picked up the Baby Slime that was lying on top of her pillow.

"Un!" Eiko nodded her head. "Papa best!"

Colette then remembered something important, which made her lightly tap her forehead.

"I need to talk to Big Brother about my sister." Colette then looked at Eiko with a mischievous smile. "Eiko, can you help me convince your Papa to marry my sister? My Sister is very beautiful, right? Although she looks standoffish and doesn't show much emotion on her face, they look good together, right?"

"No comment!" Eiko replied before giggling.

The Baby Slime knew how much Colette wanted to matchmake her Big Sister to her Papa. However, Eiko didn't want to interfere with Lux's love life because she respected his decisions on most things.

Iris had also told her that there might come a time when her Papa would have more than one wife.

For the most part, Eiko didn't really care. She already had Lux and Iris, but having more people in their family was fine with her.

ALL-MITE, whom Robin had asked a question of earlier, shook his head to answer the Dwarf Prince, who was hiding his true identity from his friends.

"It is regrettable that I wasn't there when it happened," ALL-MITE answered. "I became part of Master's Covenant recently."

"I can tell that you can fight most Rankers," Robin stated. "But will you be able to protect Colette from High-Rankers? Twilight Rain is a huge organization. They have many High-Rankers within their ranks."

"I can't fight against High-Rankers," ALL-MITE replied truthfully. "But as long as we are not dealing with a Saint, Master will be able to do something about it."

"You sound confident."

"I am confident."

Robin quieted down as he gazed at the powerful bodyguard that Lux had left them. Not only did ALL-MITE look intimidating, but his words were also firm and confident. He truly made people feel they were safe when he was around.

Perhaps, this was why Lux decided to leave the Four-Armed Hero with the Dwarf kids. It was so that they would not feel depressed even if he was not around.

"Then can you tell me where Lux went?" Robin asked.

Unlike Colette and the others, he didn't call Lux Big Brother or by any other honorific. It was as if he was referring to Lux as an equal, which he rarely did with people. This was especially true since Lux wasn't a Dwarf like them.

ALL-MITE smirked after hearing Robin's question. Lux had told him that they were currently in one of the hidden bases of Twilight Rain, so there was a very big possibility that someone was eavesdropping on their conversation.

But before Lux left, he made sure to use his Soul Book to check every nook and cranny of the room to ensure that no one would be spying on the kids while he was away.

Having thought of this, ALL-MITE decided to say a few things to Robin, which made the latter tilt his head in confusion.

"Let's just say that Master is currently busy negotiating with someone," ALL-MITE said. "Depending on the outcome of the negotiation, things might get lively here in the Kingdom of Gweliven."

Robin didn't really understand what ALL-MITE was trying to say, but he could see the smile on the Four-Armed Hero's face, which made him believe that Lux was somewhere in Wisp Tree Town, doing something that would ensure Colette's safety.

 

Chapter 723 Why Don’t You Tenderize Him A Bit More?

Sam Wiggins was a very successful Merchant.

He started as the leader of a caravan that traveled between the different cities of the Kingdom of Gweliven for trade and commerce.

In fact, he was so successful that many of the High-Ranking Nobles of the Kingdom of Gweliven patronized his services. With his strong portfolio, he even received an offer to become the Head of the Merchant Union in the Dungeon Town of Wisp Tree Town.

This position held considerable power, allowing him to decide which businesses were given permits and certifications to operate.

Simply put, he had complete control over the trades happening inside the city, which would make any Merchant wish that they were him.

This was also the reason why Twilight Rain spent many resources in order to win him over and become one of the Honorary Elders of their Guild.

With this newfound backer ready to crush any opposition who wished to stand in his way, Sam felt that he was the Underground Emperor of Wisp Tree Town.

With a single wave of his hand, those who annoyed him would disappear, never to be seen again. After tasting this power and authority, Sam thought that he was invincible.

To this day, he felt that way, but not until half an hour ago when he found himself hanging upside down inside his own office, looking eye to eye a monster without a face.

'Damn you, Amir!' Sam cursed the Blonde Assassin in his heart with a vengeance. 'You led their people to me!'

An hour ago, Amir had gone inside his office to complain that Sam had given him the wrong information about Colette. The Assassin even claimed that he almost died when he faced off against an Argonaut-Ranked Monster, whom he believed was Colette's Beast Companion.

Naturally, Sam thought of Amir's complaint as complete bullsh*t. He even mocked the Assassin for creating excuses for his own incompetence. As the Honorary Elder of Twilight Rain, he always made sure that the information he gave to their agents was accurate.

This was why he didn't believe Amir when the latter insisted that there was a strong Monster guarding Colette, which Sam didn't know of.

Originally, Lux's plan was to shift the blame on Sam so that Amir would not be punished by the organization. However, after getting everyone's suggestion, he decided to change his strategy and catch the Big Fish, which they would use to catch a Bigger Fish.

"What are you doing in my office?!" Sam shouted in the hope that his voice would reach the guards that were patrolling around his mansion. "Who sent you?! If you don't release me right now, I promise you that you will regret the day you were born! You have no idea who you are dealing with!"

"Wow. He can spout off the lines of a third-rate villain," Asmodeus commented. "I am almost impressed."

Lux chuckled in agreement with the Archlich's words. They weren't worried about Sam purposefully shouting in an attempt to attract attention. All the guards around the mansion had already been dealt with by Sid, Shax, and Amir, who had become one of Lux's double agents.

"Asking him questions right now is a waste of time, Master," Asmodeus said. "It will be best to make him understand what happens if he doesn't give us the answers we need."

"My thoughts exactly," Lux replied. "Shax, you know what to do."

The Nightgaunt then raised his clawed hands and tail to tickle the Dwarf to oblivion.

Since Sam was hanging upside down, his drool, and snot flowed over his eyes, making a pitiful scene.

However, no matter how embarrassed or disgusted he was, the only thing he could do was laugh, and laugh, and laugh some more.

Finally, after five minutes of tickling torture, Lux ordered Shax to stop so that Sam could regain his breath and give him the information he wanted.

"As you already experienced, my friend here is very good at tickling people," Lux stated. "I don't advocate hurting people, so instead of a painful torture, I make them laugh instead. Now, I will ask you several questions.

"If you don't answer them correctly or purposely try to make your answer vague, you will experience a ten-minute tickle session. The one you had only lasted five minutes. So if you want to laugh again, feel free to lie to me."

Sam had suffered many hardships in the past before he reached the position he currently had. He suffered pain and had his share of getting beaten up until his nose and ears bled.

Although he wasn't as resilient as the Assassins of Twilight Rain, he was still someone who had weathered several storms in his life.

But nothing could have prepared him for the different kind of torture he had just experienced under the clawed hands and tails of the faceless monster, whom he sensed to be silently laughing at him.

"W-What do you want to know?" Sam asked.

His face was very wet from a mixture of his drool, snot, and tears, making his vision a bit blurry. Even so, Lux didn't give him the opportunity to wipe it away.

After all, if he lied, the same thing would happen again, so wiping it away was unnecessary.

"You are an agent of Twilight Rain, correct?" Lux asked.

"Did that bastard Amir rat me out?!" Sam wasn't able to hold back the frustration inside his chest, so he shouted before he could even stop himself.

"I think you have forgotten something very important," Lux stated. "The only one that can ask questions here is me. The only thing you need to do is answer my question and nothing else."

"Master, he still has some fight left in him," Asmodeus commented. "Why don't you tenderize him a bit more? Maybe a good laugh will make him loosen his lips."

"You're right, Shax why don't you tick—"

"No! Forgive me! I will answer your question. Please, no more tickling!"

Sam begged and wailed as he continued to be dangled upside down by Shax's tail.

Lux pondered a bit before nodding his head.

"I'll give you one chance," Lux said. "If you don't give me the answer I want, you're going to get it."

"Yes! Thank you!" Sam replied with gratitude. "Indeed. I am an agent of Twilight Rain. But I am only an ordinary agent. I don't hold any high position in the guild… Hahahahaha!"

Before Lux could even confirm if Sam was lying or not, Shax took the initiative to tickle the Merchant until his drool, snot, and tears once again flowed over his face.

Lux didn't stop his Nightgaunt, who seemed to be enjoying what he was doing. Fortunately, Shax knew when to hold back before his victim lost his mind completely.

"What position do you have in Twilight Rain?"

"Hic… I'm… sob… an Honorary Elder."

Tears started to fall like rain from Sam's face because he truly regretted his decision to lie earlier. At first, he thought that Lux wouldn't have a way to know whether he was lying or not. But after being tickled once again, the worst-case scenario in his mind was proven to be true.

The Faceless Monster could tell if he was speaking a lie.

"Who are the other agents here in Wisp Tree Town that belong to Twilight Rain?" Lux asked.

This time, Sam answered truthfully, even giving more names than Amir did.

Since Shax didn't tickle the Merchant again, it meant that the latter had spoken the truth, which made Lux frown.

'Over a dozen individuals, but all of them are small fries,' Lux thought. 'Well, it doesn't really matter. What we are after are the Merchants anyway.'

"Do you know any other Merchants that are serving under Twilight Rain?" Lux inquired.

"I-I only know two other Merchants," Sam answered. "The only reason why I came into contact with them was due to a major incident that happened, which required us to temporarily collaborate with each other."

"Major incident?" Lux arched an eyebrow. "What major incident?"

"O-One of Twilight Rain's Honorary Elders died in Wolfpine Barony," Sam answered. "The entire town was wiped from the face of the world, and one of the casualties was someone who had close ties with the Guildmaster. He asked us to gather as much information as we could in order to understand what caused the tragedy."

"I see…" Lux nodded his head in understanding.

Unknown to Sam, the Half-Elf had also been there on that fateful day, which made him realize how easy it was for Power Houses, who held absolute power, to perform a one-sided genocide without fearing its consequences.

Because of what happened back then, he didn't do the same to the Haca Dynasty when Lux summoned Barca and the others to help save Garret's family from those who wished them ill.

He didn't mind killing soldiers or warriors on the battlefield because they were there to fight and kill others.

What he didn't want to do was involve the innocents, who didn't have the strength to protect themselves. Lux had his bottom line, and that was the one thing he didn't want to cross even if he were to become a Powerhouse who could influence the world with a single word from his lips.

"What are the names of these Merchants, and where are they located?" Lux continued his interrogation.

To his surprise, Sam mentioned the name of a Merchant who was stationed in one of the cities that he had been to in the past.

"Lucius Ballard," Lux muttered. "I guess my first stop will be Whitebridge City after all."

Whitebridge City was where the great battle between the Monster Outbreak and the defenders of the city happened. This was also the place where Lux had faked his death in order to fool the Higher-Ups of Twilight Rain, tricking them into thinking that he really was dead.

Since the enemy was inside the city where Aina's Guild Headquarters was located, it was only natural for the Half-Elf to pay him a visit.

Now that Scarlet had successfully become a Ranker and a Slayer candidate, it was time for him to reappear in the Kingdom of Gweliven and make those who thought that he was dead understand that it would take more than killing him to kill him completely.

 

Chapter 724 Sam’s Proposal

"If you know what's good for you, it will be best if you keep everything that happened here a secret, okay?" Lux said with a devilish smile on his face. "I have placed a tracker on your body, which will always tell me your location.

"Of course, you can also divulge my information to your superiors. I don't really care what you do because sooner or later they will find out about me. However, if my information came from your lips, you better make sure that you hide in a place where I can't reach you.

"I don't mind if you hide in Twilight Rain's Main Headquarters. In fact, I would greatly appreciate it if you did."

The Half-Elf paused before raising the dwarf's chin with his finger, making Sam look up at him.

"That will make things easier for me because I can bring the High-Rankers of the Kingdom of Gweliven with me in order to raid that place, and crush you bastards once and for all.

"I will also ask the King to invite the Saints to ensure that no one will be able to leave that place alive. So, if you think you can hide under a fortress and feel safe, think again. The moment I catch you, I'll make you laugh until you lose your mind."

Sam didn't know whether Lux was lying or not, but he still nodded his head like a hen pecking rice in order to acknowledge that he understood what Lux was trying to say.

"I'll let Shax stay here for a few days to keep you company, while I pay a visit to Lucius," Lux stated. "If I don't see him in Whitebridge City, I'll assume that you warned him of my arrival. When that happens… hehehe."

The Half-Elf chuckled and it made all the hairs on the back of Sam's neck stand on end.

"I-If you like, I can contact him in advance," Sam proposed. "I will tell him that an important client wants to meet up with him. That way, he will certainly not leave the city. We often introduce high-profile Nobles, as well as other influential people in the Kingdom to each other. He won't be suspicious if we do it this way."

"Oh? Something so convenient exists?" Lux arched an eyebrow. "Very well, tell him that I will meet up with him tomorrow at three in the afternoon. He can specify the place, and I'll be there."

"C-Can I make a suggestion?" Sam asked. "If I tell him that he will be meeting with a Half-Elf, or a Human, he will certainly raise his guard. I propose that you look for a Dwarf to meet him. The more influential, the better."

Lux rubbed his chin as he thought of the influential Dwarves that he knew. He didn't want to use Commander Thoram, Keelan, or any of the Dwarves from the Leaf Village for this mission because he didn't want to trouble his Guild Members.

He needed to find a Dwarf that wasn't affiliated with him, who had a high position within the Kingdom that could potentially entice Lucius to meet up with him.

Suddenly a smile appeared on the Half-Elf's face as he thought of the perfect person for the undercover mission.

However, that person currently had a grudge on the Half-Elf, so Lux wasn't sure if the latter would agree to his request.

'Well, I can always look for others if it doesn't work,' Lux thought.

The King of the Kingdom of Gwelien, King Uther, was very grateful to Lux for helping save his precious daughter, Princess Anastasia.

If he asked the King for a favor, he was certain that the person whom Lux wanted to help him would have no choice but to agree, even if he still bore a grudge against the Half-Elf.

"Very well, tell him this," Lux said after giving it some thought. "Someone named Nevreal will come to meet him."

"N-Nevreal?!" Sam gasped in shock. "Are you talking about THAT Nevreal?"

"What? Are there other Nevreals in the Kingdom of Gweliven?" Lux asked.

Sam gave Lux a bitter smile before explaining to the Half-Elf who the middle-aged dwarf was.

"While the possibility exists, there is only one Nevreal that holds enough influence in the Kingdom of Gweliven to have an audience with the King anytime he wants."

"Oh? That middle-aged dwarf was that important? It looks like I still have no idea who's who in this Kingdom."

Lux now understood why Nevreal was the one taking care of the low-profile Prince of the Kingdom of Gweliven, Robin.

"Very well, set up the meeting," Lux ordered. "Just tell Shax if it pushes through. He has a way of relaying a message to me regardless of how far apart we are. I already told you this, but if you try anything funny, I'll make sure that you will have the best laugh of your life."

The red-headed teenager then left Sam's Residence through the front door. Along the way, several guards were lying on the floor, who had lost consciousness.

None of them were seriously hurt because Lux had ordered Leoric and his Wraith Knights to just knock the living lights out of them to ensure that no one would be able to disturb his chat with the Head of the Merchant Union, who was also a part of Twilight Rain's Information Network.

————

Half an hour later, Lux returned to the inn and told Colette and the others about his plan to visit Whitebridge City.

Naturally, the little, adorable, blonde Dwarf was extremely happy to hear her Big Brother say that he planned to meet with Aina in order to talk about a few things.

Colette was trying to find a good excuse to make the two meet, especially since her Sister was now being approached by many influential Dwarves, who were asking for her hand in marriage.

Some of these suitors were of the same age as Aina, while others were old enough to be called her Father.

For Dwarves, who were able to live up to 300 to 500 years, having a big age gap wasn't a big deal to them.

This difference in age didn't even hold a candle against the Elves, who usually had partners that were hundreds or thousands of years older than them.

If not for the fact that Aina's family had a special tradition, she might have already been engaged to someone long ago.

Only the men who were approved of by their entire family would be able to marry Aina and Colette.

If Colette didn't approve of anyone, no one could marry her Big Sister even if her entire family gave their nods of approval to someone.

This was the rule that their father had made in order to prevent his daughters from marrying at a young age because he was over protective of them.

If only Colette's father knew that his own daughter was pushing entire mountains to make her Big Brother and Big Sister become a couple, he would definitely puke blood.

Fortunately, he just thought that Colette was fond of Lux because he had saved her during the Kobold incident. If he only knew how serious his daughter was, he would definitely come to Elysium and invite the Half-Elf on a fishing trip.

 

Chapter 725 Do You Believe In Love At First Sight?

"I understand why you are asking for my help in this matter," Robin said. "But, wouldn't it be better if you let the Rankers of the Kingdom deal with this personally?"

Lux shook his head. "I'm pretty sure that Twilight Rain has already planted their spies in almost all the cities of the Kingdom, including the Royal Palace. If any prominent members of your Kingdom's Elites start to move, they will certainly catch wind of it."

Robin was unable to refute Lux's words because this was indeed the truth. Even his father acknowledged that even those he trusted might have already been bribed by Twilight Rain in order to help them usurp his rule.

"Understood." Robin nodded. "Since you are doing this for the sake of the Kingdom, I will help you. I'm sure that Nevreal will set aside his personal grudges in order to rid ourselves of these hidden dangers."

"Tell Nevreal to meet me at the earliest time tomorrow after we arrive in Whitebridge City," Lux stated. "He will be meeting with that Merchant in the afternoon, so we need to create a foolproof plan in order to ensure that he will not be able to escape."

Lux wasn't too conceited to think that the mission to capture Lucius would be an easy one. He was only able to capture Sam because he used the element of surprise in order to do so.

Just like Amir, the Half-Elf was certain that the Honorable Elders of Twilight Rain had artifacts that would allow them to instantly teleport to somewhere in order to escape those who wished to catch them.

Unlike the Head of the Merchant Union in Wisp Tree Town, Lucius was more prominent, and more influential. He also had powerful bodyguards, including one High-Ranker that went by the name Ferron.

Because of this, capturing him would not be easy.

"Just to be on the safe side, make sure that Nevreal also brings a bodyguard with him," Lux proposed. "A High-Ranker would be good."

"Okay." Robin nodded.

He could tell that this mission carried a lot of risks, and he didn't want Nevreal to be hurt, or worse, captured by the enemy, whom Lux was planning to capture alive.

After their talk ended, Robin returned to his room and used his artifact to contact Nevreal, who was currently in the Royal City of the Kingdom of Gweliven, Aeronwen.

——————-

The next day, just an hour after sunrise, Lux and the little band of Dwarves entered the Teleportation Gate of Wisp Tree Town in order to head directly to Whitebridge City.

Dungeon Towns had access to a Teleportation Gate that could easily connect to all the Major Cities of the Kingdom.

The only problem was the Teleportation Fee. The farther the place was that you wanted to go, the more expensive it was. Because of this people only traveled to nearby cities before riding in Wagons in order to save a bit of gold during their travels.

Lux didn't have this problem because he was filthy rich. In the past, he didn't even have a hundred gold coins.

Now, he had millions.

After arriving in the city, the first place they visited was the Guild Headquarters of Eternal, where Aina was already waiting for her sister's arrival.

As soon as Lux entered the Guildmaster's Office, the sight of the doll-like beauty, who looked so perfect in any angle, made Lux's heart skip a beat.

'She really looks like the younger version of Luna,' Lux thought as he tried to calm down his wildly beating heart.

Although this wasn't the first time he had seen and talked to her, Lux still felt like he was a fan that was meeting his favorite idol for the first time.

If only he was holding glow sticks in his hand, he would certainly be waving them right now, just like the fans who go to Luna's concert would do in order to cheer for her.

"Big Sister!" Colette immediately went to hug Aina, who also held her lovingly in her arms.

Although the doll-like beauty's expression didn't change, Lux was certain that Aina was very happy to see that Colette had returned safely from her mission.

"Big Sister, I have many things to tell you!" Colette said as she reluctantly took a step back from Aina's embrace. "That Dark Guild tried to kidnap me while I was out on a mission! If Eiko wasn't there, I wouldn't be standing here with you right now!"

Aina briefly narrowed her eyes before shifting her gaze to the Half-Elf, who had removed his disguise after entering her office.

"Words cannot express how grateful I am for your timely assistance in rescuing my sister each and every time she is in trouble," Aina said. "If there is a way to repay you, just say the word. As long as it is within my ability to do so, I will do it without fail."

"Then, can I have your autograph?" Lux asked before he could stop himself from talking.

In front of Aina, he was not the Guildmaster of Heaven's Gate, but a Fan who regretted not being able to go to her concert because he died before he could get that opportunity.

"Autograph?" Aina's expression didn't change. "What's that?"

Colette also tilted her head in confusion. "Big Brother, what's an autograph?"

"Um, an autograph is when you give people your signature as a sign of goodwill," Lux tried to explain the concept of Autograph to the Dwarves who were hearing about it for the first time.

"Big Brother, getting my sister's autograph is lame," Colette pouted. "You should just ask her hand for marriage. Don't worry, I will convince my parents to approve of yo-ouch!"

Aina, slightly pinched her sister's cheeks with a dead-pan face, making the other Dwarves chuckle.

"Stop playing matchmaker and rest for now," Aina said before releasing her hold of her little sister's cheeks. "Your Big Brother and I have things to talk about in private, so be a good girl and don't leave the Guild Headquarters until we are sure that no one will try to kidnap you again."

Colette rubbed her right cheek, but still nodded her head obediently. She then winked at her Big Brother before giving Lux a thumbs up.

"Goodluck, Big Brother!" Colette said in passing before leaving the room with her friends.

Only when Lux and Aina were the only two people in the room did the doll-like beauty turn around to walk towards her desk where she usually completed her duties as the Guildmaster of Eternal.

"Please, have a seat, Lux," Aina said as she made a gesture to the chair in front of her table. "I would like to hear all the details about Twilight Rain's failed kidnapping attempt on my sister."

Lux nodded and sat across Aina. He then relayed everything that happened, including his plan to capture Lucius, who was the Head of the Merchant Union in Whitebridge City.

"It seems that I owe you a bigger favor than I initially thought," Aina replied after listening to Lux's entire explanation. "Twilight Rain has indeed made several attempts in order to make me their pawn against the Royal Family. But, I never thought that they would try to capture my sister and use her as a bargaining chip in order to make me agree to their demands."

Aina's words were steady, and firm, but Lux could sense the anger hidden between her words. Although the doll-like beauty's expression was still calm on the surface, deep inside her heart, a raging volcano was about to erupt.

"Don't worry, if my plan succeeded, Twilight Rain will have no time to bother you and your sister for a period of time."

Aina stared at Lux, holding his gaze. Her clear, blue eyes, that seemed to contain a myriad of emotions and nothing at the same time, made Lux feel as if he was looking at a woman who had sealed her heart away.

He didn't know what Aina's circumstances were, but being able to raise Eternal's Rank to the Gold Rank was not an easy task.

For such a small body to carry so many responsibilities on her shoulders, Lux couldn't fathom just how many things Aina had sacrificed in order to get to where she was now.

"Why are you going this far for us?" Aina asked. "I know you care about Colette. But, what you are doing far exceeds the boundaries of friendship. Do you perhaps have a hidden agenda?"

Lux was about to shake his head, but stopped midway. Although he didn't really have any hidden agenda, and just wanted to help Colette because he wanted to help her, he believed that this was not the answer Aina was looking for.

Because of this, he decided to tease the doll-like beauty and see how she would react to his words.

"Do you believe in love at first sight?" Lux asked. "What if I tell you that I fell in love with someone who looks exactly like you in the past?"

"Love at first sight…," Aina replied. "I am aware that this exists, but I've never felt it before. As to you falling in love with someone who looks exactly like me… I can tell that you're not lying."

Aina then rested her chin on the back of her intertwined hands and narrowed her gaze.

"So, Lux Von Kaizer," Aina said in a tone that was as flat as a board. "How confident are you in capturing Lucius alive?"

Lux didn't answer this question right away, instead he lightly tapped his finger on top of Aina's table and glanced at the map of the Kingdom of Gweliven, which hung on the wall of her office.

"There's no guarantee that I will succeed," Lux said after a few minutes. "But, even if I don't, it will be fine."

The Half-Elf had already prepared a contingency plan just in case his attempt to capture Lucius failed. Even if the Dwarf managed to escape, he would have a way to track him down, as long as he was within the territory of the Kingdom of Gweliven.

 

Chapter 726 What Makes You Think That This Will Work?

"Damn it!" Piccoro cursed out loud. "Just how long does that bastard Half-Elf plan to stay inside that Dungeon! How many days should I keep waiting here?!"

After the Gate of Famine had been conquered, Piccoro decided to stay and wait until the Half-Elf appeared, so that he could personally invite him to the Crystal Palace to have a nice long talk about certain things.

Of course, if Lux rejected his invitation, Piccoro would not hesitate to use force and drag the Half-Elf back with him whether the red-headed teenager liked it or not.

He even praised himself for thinking ahead, so he asked the three Saints, as well as the other envoys of the Crystal Palace to escort Aur back to their territory.

The Dragon Prince also wanted to wait until Lux exited the dungeon. But, after Piccoro promised him that he would personally bring the Half-Elf back to the Crystal Palace, Aur decided to go with the others and return to their homeland.

However, three days had passed and there was no sign of the Half-Elf appearing at all!

If not for the fact that he couldn't destroy the Gate of the Domain, Piccoro might have already smashed it to bits out of anger and frustration.

"You want to play the waiting game huh?!" Piccoro growled at the Gate in front of him. "Fine! I'll play your game! I swear that the moment I get my hands on you I'll make you understand the consequences of angering me!"

The Dragon Born crossed his arms over his chest, and sat cross-legged in front of the Gate of the Fallen.

He had no intention of leaving until he captured the annoying Half-Elf and gave him a good spanking!

————

Headquarters of Eternal in Whitebridge City…

"Achoo!"

Lux rubbed his nose, while walking down one of the hallways of Aina's Guild Headquarters.

"Someone must be thinking about me," Lux said. "Do you think it's your Mama, Eiko?"

"No!" Eiko replied. "Ugly Dragon Born!"

"Hahaha!" Lux laughed. "An ugly Dragon Born is thinking of me? No thanks!"

He had just finished his talk with Aina, and advised her to not leave her Guild Headquarters until he finished dealing with Lucius.

Aina agreed to this request.

She also promised that she wouldn't let Colette, and her friends, take a single step outside of their Guild Base, with the exception of Robin, whom Lux wanted to take with him.

Now that his business with the doll-like beauty was over, it was time to meet with the middle-aged Dwarf, who was still upset with Lux for needing to cough up ten million gold coins.

Nevreal swore on that day that he would never make a deal with the Half-Elf again, even if an axe was placed above his head.

But, this time it was different. This concerned the Dark Guild Twilight Rain.

Nevreal would set aside his grudge any day if it would help end the tyranny of this organization a day sooner. So, when Robin contacted him and told him that Lux wanted his help in order to seize one of the Honorary Elders of the Dark Guild, Nevreal didn't hesitate and agreed to meet up with the Half-Elf and listen to his plan.

As soon as Lux left Aina's office, he put on the mask and transformed into a chubby Human once again, so that his true identity wouldn't be revealed just yet.

"I've been waiting for you," Robin said as soon as he opened the door of his room to let Lux inside. "Nevreal has already arrived. We will meet him at the Dancing Lass Inn."

The Half-Elf nodded his head and followed Robin outside of Eternal's Guild Headquarters.

Robin was wearing a hood that covered his head, and face, preventing those who were familiar with him from identifying him.

Although he was doing his best to be low profile, that didn't mean that he was safe from being targeted by Twilight Rain.

When they arrived at the Dancing Lass Inn, Robin didn't even bother to ask the Innkeeper which room Nevreal was staying in.

The Inn was one of Nevreal's properties, so he naturally had a VIP room all to himself, complete with soundproofing enchantments to prevent anyone from listening in on private conversations.

This was also one of the meeting places of the Order of the Griffin, so there were always guards on duty, who were playing the role of customer.

"Your Highness, it's good to see that you are safe," Nevreal said as soon as Robin closed the door. "I would greatly appreciate it if you didn't go anywhere on your own, especially after this incident. I hope you understand me, Your Highness."

Robin sighed before reluctantly nodding his head. "I understand. I will do as you say and no longer travel alone."

After getting Robin's promise, Nevreal then shifted his gaze to the Half-Elf, who was looking at him with a smile.

"Start talking." Nevreal snorted. "Lucius is a very influential person in the Kingdom of Gweliven. He and some High-Ranking nobles are very close friends, which makes him truly dangerous if he is really one of Twilight Rain's agents. Are you sure you have the right information? If this is just a joke, then I'm telling you that it's not funny."

"It's not a joke, Sir Nevreal," Lux replied in a heartbeat. "This is the truth. In fact, I'm very surprised that His Majesty didn't consider something like this happening. Money makes a kingdom prosper, and it can also orchestrate its downfall. Twilight Rain was very smart to target these merchants because a single word from them and the economy of this Kingdom would crash.

"You should even be grateful that I managed to find this out early. Otherwise, it would be too late for regrets when this annoying Dark Guild decides to start a civil war."

Nevreal didn't refute Lux's words because this was indeed one of the greatest worries that he, and His Majesty, dreaded.

The only reason Twilight Rain had not made their move yet was due to the fact that they still weren't confident that they would be able to move the hearts of people, and rally to their cause.

For that to happen, they needed to make the King look incompetent when dealing with National Affairs. Unfortunately for them, King Uther was a smart and just leader. Not only did his laws make the citizens' lives better, they also ensured that they would stay loyal to the Royal Family.

"Okay, so this is what you're going to say to Lucius," Lux explained. "First, you will tell him that you want him to invest in a big project. This project involves expansion into the Savage Lands that are located in the Westernmost part of the Kingdom.

"The base of operation will be none other than Leaf Village, and you will need a huge amount of money in order to build a stronghold. In return, for his investments, he will get 20% of all the resources that will be found in the uncharted regions."

Nevreal rubbed his chin before shaking his head. "This won't work. For something like this, the one who should be making the investment will be the Royal Family. Expansion is a National Affair, so they might get suspicious if such an important matter is handed over to a Merchant."

Lux nodded. "I understand your concern, but it is exactly why this will sound appealing to a Merchant. Expansion and exploration have a high chance of yielding unexpected results. If a Silver, Gold, or Mithril Mine is discovered, they would profit a lot, even if they will only get 20% of whatever is found in the Savage Lands. Any merchant will be unable to resist this offer, so they will definitely bite this bait."

"You sound confident. What makes you think that this will work?"

"Let's just say that I know a merchant that understands what moves them."

Nevreal pondered a bit, but he was still reluctant to use this excuse. Seeing that the middle-aged Dwarf was still not convinced, Lux decided to throw ing another excuse that would help him convince Nevreal to follow through with his plan.

"If Lucius asks why the King isn't personally funding this project, just tell him that His Majesty is focusing his attention on the recent incidents that happened inside the Kingdom," Lux stated. "You can tell him that his Majesty was pooling his resources to investigate what happened in the Wolfpine Barony, and find the culprit for its destruction."

Nevreal, who was hesitating just a minute ago, became solemn after remembering what happened in Wolfpine Barony.

Truth be told, his King was truly pooling resources to hire Elites in order to find the base of Memento Morin inside his Kingdom.

Although Twilight Rain was a threat, someone who commanded a Calamity Ranked Beast was a walking time bomb that might explode at any time.

Since the excuse that Lux gave him was truly what was happening in the shadows, Nevreal finally agreed and brainstormed with the Half-Elf until they had a fool-proof story that would not have any flaws.

 

Chapter 727 Such A Killjoy

While Lux and Nevreal were talking in private, Lucius was inside his Merchant Guild, and checking the reports from his subordinates that were currently in other towns and cities of the Kingdom of Gweliven.

Truth be told, the Guildmaster of Twilight Rain had also ordered him to try and find a way to make Aina work for them.

However, the doll-like beauty was unmovable like a mountain. Lucius had sent many disposable pawns in order to try and negotiate with her, but her answer was always no.

This annoyed Lucius very much.

There was a saying in Twilight Rain that if they couldn't have something, they would just destroy it.

But before moving ahead with that last resort, they decided to use the age-old tactic of using Aina's sister as hostage, in order to make her submit to their will.

Just as Lucius placed the last document in his hand on the table, a knock was heard on the door of his office.

"Come in," he ordered.

A Dwarf with brown hair, who looked battle-hardened entered the room with steady steps. He was none other than Ferron, Lucius' right-hand man and bodyguard.

"Nevreal arrived in Whitebridge City half an hour ago," Ferron reported. "Are you really sure that you want to meet up with him?"

"Of course," Lucius replied. "He is very close to the King, and I want to know what he wants from me. My only concern is why he contacted that country bumpkin, Sam, instead of talking to me directly. I didn't think that they were acquainted."

"This is true," Ferron agreed. "Maybe he didn't think that Sam had what it takes to collaborate with him, so he decided to talk to someone with more experience and influence, such as yourself."

"I always like flattery," Lucius grinned. "Especially coming from you, Ferron. However, we shouldn't let our guard down. Make sure to have our Elite Guards watching the surroundings while Nevreal and I talk. I don't want surprises, especially surprises that might get me killed."

Ferron nodded. "I'll stay by your side and have Rankers surround the building. That way, we can handle any kind of unexpected surprises."

——————

At around two in the afternoon, a messenger arrived to give Nevreal a letter that came from Lucius.

The name of the meeting place was written there. After seeing the name of the location, a smile appeared on Lux's face.

"This Tavern is one of the gathering places for the members of Twilight Rain," Lux said. "It seems that you are heading inside the Lion's Den."

Nevreal frowned, but he wasn't afraid. Although he was only an Initiate that didn't mean that anyone could bully him. As one of the individuals who had a High-Ranking position in the Kingdom of Gweliven, he possessed several artifacts that could kill Rankers.

"Draven, come," Lux ordered.

Immediately, the Half-Elf's shadow moved and transformed into the Shadow Lord, who almost made Nevreal jump in fright.

"Y-You!" Nevreal stuttered as he patted his chest. "Can you not do things that will give me a heart attack?"

"Sorry, but I want to ensure that someone can help you escape when things get messy," Lux apologized. "This here is my subordinate, Draven. He can travel using shadows. As long as he is with you, I will be able to see, and hear, everything around you.

"Depending on the situation, I will immediately conduct a raid. All you need to do, Sir Nevreal, is make sure you escape as fast as you can, so that you don't get caught in the crossfire."

Nevreal nodded. "When things get dicey, I will not hesitate to teleport back to the Capital City. When I return, I will bring High-Rankers with me and help clean the aftermath."

Once their plan had been established, Draven merged with Nevreal's shadow, making the middle-aged Dwarf feel a little safer knowing that an ally was watching over him.

"Remember, prioritize your safety," Lux stated. "All you need to do is buy me some time to encircle the place, and prevent anyone from escaping. Robin will stay here, since this is one of the safest places in the city."

Robin, who was listening quietly on the side, nodded his head in understanding. This was an operation of great importance, so he didn't want to get in the way, and jeopardize Lux's plan.

When everything was ready, Nevreal left the Inn and headed towards the Black Horse Tavern, where he was going to meet up with Lucius.

While this was going on, three adult Dwarves appeared at the Teleportation Gate of Whitebridge City. One of these Dwarves had red hair, and an intimidating face that was enough to make babies cry the moment they saw him.

He was none other than Harrus, the leader of the Rankers that tried to kidnap Princess Anastasia not long ago.

The Brawler was summoned to the city by Lucius for another matter, which concerned the Dark Guild greatly.

There had been sightings of a Seven-Headed Monster at the Northern Regions of the Kingdom of Gweliven, and Twilight Rain wanted to know if this was the same monster that had erased Wolfpine Barony from the face of the world.

If so, they would do their best to have a talk with its Master, so that they could become allies.

A powerful monster capable of destroying entire cities was something that greatly interested the Guildmaster of Twilight Rain.

If they could make it their ally then they would have a Trump Card that would make their conquest of the Kingdom of the Dwarves much easier.

"Harrus, while we're here, why don't we deal with that rude Guildmaster that rejects our Leader's good will?" One of the Rankers asked. "I'm sure that once we break her arm or leg, she will be more willing to have a proper dialogue with us."

Harrus snorted after hearing his subordinate's proposal.

"We didn't come here for that," Harrus replied. "The Slayers are already moving to make that brat submit. It is only a matter of time before she kneels and begs our Guildmaster to make her his servant."

"Tsk!" The other Ranker clicked his tongue. "Such a killjoy. I'm just saying that things will get resolved faster if we handle it on our own, rather than an Assassin that is still wet behind the ears."

Harrus ignored the Dwarf's complaint and walked with steady steps towards the Black Horse Tavern where Lucius was waiting for his arrival.

After his failed attempt to capture Princess Anastasia, Harrus received a lot of ridicule from his comrades, making him feel like killing people.

However, since it was indeed a fact that his carefully planned mission failed, he had no choice but to accept responsibilities and be demoted from his position.

Even so, the Guildmaster of Twilight Rain still held Harrus in high regard. Because of this, some of the important tasks were still handed to him.

This was the Guildmaster's way of letting Harrus redeem himself, and the red-headed Dwarf was quite thankful for the trust given to him.

Little did he know that the same person that had gotten in his way was also present in Whitebridge City, and was currently targeting one of their Honorary Elders, whom he was about to meet very soon.

 

Chapter 728 What If I Refuse To Leave?

"It is my great pleasure to meet you, Sir Nevreal," Lucius said as he shook hands with the Dwarf whom the King of the Dwarves thought highly of.

"Likewise, Mr. Lucius," Nevreal replied. "I hope our meeting today will be a fruitful one."

"Of course. Please, have a seat."

"Thank you."

The two were in a VIP room located in the Black Horse Tavern. The Half-Elf had already informed Nevreal that this was one of the businesses that belonged to Twilight Rain. To his credit, the middle-aged Dwarf had been to more dangerous places in the past, so he was confident that he would be fine.

"It is very rare for me to get to talk to someone as influential as you, Sir Nevreal, so why don't we talk about why you came here to see me today." Lucius smiled. "But, before that, may I ask why you were introduced to me by a good friend, Sam? Did you meet with him first before meeting up with me?"

"Sam?" Nevreal frowned. "Sorry, I don't know who this Sam fellow is. I just asked one of my subordinates to look for a Merchant who had the ability to carry out the request that His Majesty asked of me."

"Oh?" Lucius arched an eyebrow. He already knew that Nevreal was on good terms with the King, but he didn't expect the middle-aged Dwarf to be currently doing some tasks from the King as well. "Well then, did Sam not fit the requirements for the King's request?"

Any merchant would jump at the opportunity to create a connection with the Dwarf King. In fact, some of them would be willing to go above and beyond their means to carry out whatever tasks the King would ask of them if need be.

"Well, if he did, I wouldn't be here in front of you right now," Nevreal replied as if this was the only natural thing to do. "Now, since both of our time is precious, let's talk about business. Currently, His Majesty is thinking about expanding the territory of the Kingdom.

"Because of this, he tasked some people to head to the Westernmost Region of our Kingdom, to a small village called Leaf Village. From there, they would head to the Savage Lands and create a stronghold, serving as a base for the expedition forces that would venture further West."

The corner of Lucius' lips rose because expansion and exploration was a great opportunity to call first dibs on some resources that could only be found in unclaimed, and unexplored, regions.

"This sounds like a grand undertaking," Lucius commented. "And, what kind of assistance can this humble merchant do for His Majesty?"

"We need funds," Nevreal replied. "And supplies. We need a lot of them."

"Funding, and Supplies?" A look of understanding dawned on Lucius' face after hearing Nevreal's explanation. However, he kept his face as calm as possible, so the middle-aged Dwarf didn't notice the greed that appeared briefly at the depths of his eyes.

Nevreal nodded. "Yes. We are looking for a Merchant who has the funds, as well as the resources to ensure that the newly built Stronghold can become operational as soon as possible. Aside from you, we are looking at other candidates as well to take the job. You're just the first that I visited, and I'll probably be visiting others as well.

Lucius smiled, but this smile was the smile of someone who didn't plan on letting others get a share on what he had set his eyes on. But, in order to close the deal, he needed to better understand why the King was looking for a merchant to share the profits of the expedition with.

"I understand that venturing into the unknown is filled with uncertainty," Lucius stated. "But, as a merchant, I don't see why His Majesty would want to let others take a percentage of future profits. If he funded this expedition, wouldn't that mean that all the resources that could be discovered in the exploration would belong to the Royal Palace's Treasury?"

"That is true," Nevreal admitted. "Unfortunately, His Majesty is preoccupied with a few things, so he needs an experienced Merchant to handle the Logistics of the Expedition."

"Just what could be more important than expanding the territory of our Glorious Kingdom?" Lucius inquired.

Nevreal didn't answer right away. As a merchant, Lucius was able to see the conflicted expression on the middle-aged Dwarf's face.

He was certain that Nevreal was fighting an internal battle or sorts, which meant that the reason why the King was delegating this task to others was due to something more important than territory expansion.

As a Merchant, he had seen this face countless times, and it was at this moment when he knew that he should stay silent, and allow the other party to take the initiative to disclose important information that was not known to the general public.

"I'm sure that you've already heard about what happened in Wolfpine Barony, right?" Nevreal asked.

"Yes." Lucius nodded. "It is truly a tragic incident. I even lost a few of my acquaintances when the city was destroyed."

Lucius sighed deeply because the task given to them by the Guildmaster of Twilight Rain was a very difficult one. He had used a lot of manpower to track the whereabouts of the monster that destroyed the Barony.

However, all the people that he had sent to look for answers, never returned. Some of those people were even promising subordinates that he had been training for years.

"Since you already know about this matter, I will disclose a few things to you," Nevreal stated. "His Majesty is currently focusing his attention into tracking the Monster that destroyed the town. Such threats cannot be ignored, so he had spent considerable resources hiring specialists to do the job for him.

"Because of this, I am now looking for Merchants to continue the proposed expansion of the Kingdom, while his Majesty focuses on other things."

Lucius nodded his head in understanding. The spies of Twilight Rain, who had been watching the King's every move had said something similar, which gave credibility to Nevreal's words.

Now that he understood the gist of the story, he just needed to close the negotiation with the middle-aged Dwarf in order to get a share of the resources that would be discovered once the exploration of the Savage Lands started in full.

However, just as he was about to do that, the door of his office abruptly opened, and a Dwarf with red hair entered as if he owned the place.

"I was looking for you, Lucius," Harrus stated. "You were not in your Merchant Guild, so I came here to meet you."

"Harrus…," Lucius said with a displeased look on his face. "Didn't Ferron tell you that I am talking with a very important guest right now? What's the meaning of this?"

"Important guest?" Harrus snorted as he gave Nevreal a side-long glance. "Which is more important? Your guest or me?"

Lucius glared hatefully at the arrogant Ranker, who was making things difficult for him. Just as he was about to shout and ask the red-haired dwarf to leave, his right-hand man, Ferron, entered the office and stood between Harrus and Lucius.

"Get out of this office," Ferron said coolly. "You purposely ordered your subordinates to rough up my men, forcing me to deal with them, while you come here uninvited. Leave while I'm still being nice."

"Hoh~" Harrus eyed Ferron who was a peak B-Ranker, making him a Pseudo-High Ranker.

After his failed attempt on kidnapping the Princess, Harrus trained, and spent all of his resources so he could raise his rank as much as possible. The reason why he did this was to ensure that those who were eyeing his position would back down.

Just like Ferron, Harrus was now a peak B-Ranker. If the two of them really fought for real, no one would know who would emerge victorious between the two.

"What if I refuse to leave?" Harrus asked as he moved his face closer to Ferron. "What are you going to do about it?"

A tense atmosphere descended inside the room, as Harrus and Ferron confronted each other.

Meanwhile, back at the Inn, Lux opened his eyes, and a look of surprise flashed inside its depths.

"It's him," Lux thought. "There's no doubt. That's the same Ranker that tried to kidnap Princess Anastasia."

Since Draven had hidden himself inside Nevreal's shadow, the Half-Elf was able to see and hear everything that was happening inside the room.

He had already confirmed that Lucius was being protected by several Rankers, and had already dealt with half of them.

However, after Harrus' appearance, the Half-Elf was forced to put Lucius' abduction on hold, and just watch to see what was going to happen next.

He didn't know why the red-haired dwarf had appeared in Whitebridge City. But, whatever the reason, he had to ensure that this wasn't related to Colette and Aina, who would be powerless to fight against a High-Ranker, who had tried to kidnap a member of the Royal Family in the past.

 

Chapter 729 Don’t Worry, Everything Is Under Control

Nevreal eyed the red-headed Dwarf with a solemn look on his face.

He had read the report of Princess Anastasia's abduction. King Uther had even asked a master painter to draw the sketches of the people who tried to kidnap his daughter, so that his agents would be familiar with their faces.

The middle-aged Dwarf understood then and there that this was indeed the same person that had tried to use the Princess as a hostage against the King, which made his blood boil.

What many didn't know was that Nevreal was actually one of King Uther's Sworn Brothers. This was why he was given unconditional trust by the King, and even awarded him his seal that the middle-aged Dwarf could use in times of emergencies.

Perhaps sensing Nevreal's gaze, Harrus shifted his attention to the middle-aged Dwarf and gave him an annoyed look.

"What?" Harrus asked with annoyance. "You have a problem with me?"

"No," Nevreal replied. "Carry on."

Lucius, who saw Harrus disrespect his guest, wanted to punch the red-haired Dwarf so badly.

However, he was only an Apostle, and the one standing in front of him was a High-Ranker.

If he really smacked Harrus out of anger, the one who would end up getting hurt was him. Since that was the case, he merely glared at the annoying Dwarf, who could potentially ruin the negotiation that was supposed to take place.

"Leave, now!" Lucius growled. "If you stay here for even a minute, I'll make sure to let HIM know that you're getting in the way of my business! Let's see if you'll feel good after that!"

Harrus frowned after hearing Lucius' threat. Although the person in front of him was someone whom he could kill with a single slap of his hand, he couldn't do that because the Merchant was an Honorable Elder of their guild.

No matter how arrogant Harrus was, he knew that making Lucius his enemy would not give him any benefits. Also, his reason for barging into Lucius' office was to make sure that the merchant had no choice, but to talk to him.

In the past, Lucius had ignored Harrus' presence, and even refused to meet with him personally.

The merchant would always use a middle-man, like Ferron, when dealing with him, which annoyed the red-haired Dwarf in the past.

"Sure, I'll leave, but let me clarify something," Harrus stated. "I didn't do anything to your subordinates, so don't accuse me of anything I didn't do. I'll wait for you at the inn I'm staying at. Make sure to personally come, or else…"

Harrus no longer said anything and turned around to leave. When the troublemaker was finally gone, Lucius was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief before sitting back on his chair.

"I'm sorry you had to see that," Lucius said apologetically. "That person was an acquaintance of mine, but we're not that close. I apologize for any inconvenience he may have caused you."

Nevreal waved his hand as if what happened earlier was not a big deal to him.

"I understand," Nevreal replied. "Things like this happen, so don't worry about it."

Lucius smiled and nodded his head. He then shifted his gaze to his right-hand man, who seemed to be pondering something.

"What's wrong?" Lucius asked.

Ferron moved closer to Lucius and whispered something to his ear.

"Earlier, I felt a strong presence in the area so I went to investigate," Ferron whispered. "Half of the Rankers we have assigned to protect the perimeter have all been knocked unconscious.

"I thought the one who did it was Harrus and his subordinates, but he said that he didn't do anything to our people before he left. Although I don't know if his words can be trusted, it is best if we return to the Merchant Guild to ensure your safety."

Lucius was surprised to hear such a thing and a suspicious thought came to his mind.

'Am I just overthinking things?' Lucius thought as he glanced at Nevreal, who was calmly sipping the tea that he had been served earlier.

As a Merchant, he was always thinking a few steps ahead of his competition, allowing him to reap the profit before others could lay their hands on them. However, he found the timing of his men being attacked, and Nevreal's appearance to be a mere coincidence.

His suspicious nature that allowed him to survive for the past few years was on high alert, so he decided to play it safe and heed Ferron's warning.

"Since I already caused you great discomfort for the day, why don't we end our meeting here," Lucius said. "I've already heard Sir Nevreal's proposal, so I'll carefully consider it. I will let you know the answer in a few days."

"Okay." Nevreal nodded. "I look forward to a favorable reply."

The two shook hands and after that, then the middle-aged Dwarf left the Tavern and returned to his Inn where Lux and Robin were waiting for his return.

—————

"He clearly became suspicious," Nevreal stated. "Although he tried to hide it by keeping a calm demeanor, I have faced many nobles in my life that I can tell what they are thinking with a glance. He has raised his guard. So, now what?"

"Don't worry, everything is under control," Lux replied before looking at his Shadow Lord who now stood beside him. "Draven, did you manage to place your Mark on Lucius?"

Draven nodded. "Yes. Master. I have placed a mark on his shadow. Although I am unable to see his surroundings, I am able to know his location, as well as hear the things around him."

"Good." Lux sighed. "What bad timing. Now, we have no choice but to play the waiting game and see if we can continue our operation tonight."

Nevreal glanced at Robin who was keeping his silence, and asked the Prince what was on his mind.

"Would you like to return to the Royal Palace with me, Your Highness?" Nevreal asked.

Robin shook his head. "I'll stay here. I won't be able to rest easily until I know the outcome of Lux's operation. Also, that Ranker… he was the leader of the one that tried to kidnap my sister, right?"

"It is him," Lux said firmly. "If not for his unexpected appearance, our plan would have proceeded more smoothly. Still, since Lucius is still in the city, that means that he only suspects Sir Nevreal.

"But, since the offer we gave him was very tempting, he will definitely find it hard not to bite our bait. All we need to do is wait for two things to happen. Either Lucius comes to find us on his own will, or we wait until Harrus leaves the city.

"I have something in mind for what to do with Lucius, so I don't want any member of Twilight Rain to get wind of it."

The Half-Elf then glanced at Draven who had the ability to transform into anyone whom he had personally killed.

There were many ways Lux could achieve the goal he had in mind.

If his hands were forced, he would not hesitate to take the Merchant's life, and replace him with someone else.

Someone whom he could trust that would follow his orders faithfully.

Just like the Undead under his command, that would not hesitate to jump in a sea of fire as long as he wished for it.

 

Chapter 730 Let Him Go On A Wild Goose Chase

"You shouldn't have done what you did earlier," Lucius complained as soon as he sat down on the couch. "Do you have any idea who that person was?"

"No, and I don't care," Harrus replied. "I only came here for the information regarding the Monster that attacked the Wolfpine Barony, as well as the funds that are needed for our expedition."

"… People like you are the worst," Lucius snorted.

However, the merchant still tossed a storage ring towards the red-headed Dwarf that contained everything that he was looking for.

Harrus checked the contents of the storage ring before nodding his head in satisfaction.

"I got what I came here for," Harrus stated. "But, I'll still be staying here in Whitebridge City for two days. I hope you don't mind."

"As long as you don't interfere with me, you can stay here for as long as you like," Lucius replied. "Don't barge into my office again, especially when I am meeting with important people.

"Remember this, I am an Honorary Elder of our Guild, so you had better behave yourself in front of me, or I'll tell our Guildmaster about this incident. I'm sure that he would like to speak with you once he knows who I was talking to earlier."

Harrus scoffed. "You still haven't moved on from this incident? How about you focus more on the one responsible for knocking out your guards? All of them may be Low-Rankers, but they are still Rankers. Did you perhaps offend some people? Are you being targeted?"

The red-headed Dwarf gave the merchant a mischievous smile, making the latter feel more annoyed about what happened earlier.

Not only did his meeting with Nevreal get interrupted, some of his elite guards were also taken out without his notice.

Ferron stated that this attack happened simultaneously, preventing any of the guards from sounding the alarm.

Clearly, there was someone, or some people, who had the ability to cause trouble for him inside Whitebridge City.

This greatly alarmed the Merchant because he had indeed made enemies in the past. If one of those people were targeting him then Harrus' appearance was perhaps a blessing in disguise.

'There is still a possibility that they are Nevreal's people,' Lucius thought.

Since Nevreal was one of the King's men, it was quite possible that they had discovered that Lucius was one of the undercover agents of Twilight Rain in Whitebridge City, which was one of the Major Cities of the Kingdom of Gweliven.

However, he had no way of confirming this. The only thing he could do was keep a low profile and let Ferron and the remainder of his guards protect him, while the culprits for knocking his men unconscious were still at large.

"Tell you what," Harrus said. "I'll help you find those who are responsible for what happened today. However, I want proper compensation for my troubles."

The red-headed Dwarf was in need of more resources so he could keep breaking through the Ranks and become a true High-Ranker, which would make his position immovable within Twilight Rain.

Even though he had failed in the past, as long as he was one of the strongest members of the Dark Guild, his critics would not openly taunt him face to face, in fear that he would retaliate.

"You will?" Lucius asked.

"Why not?" Harrus shrugged. "At the end of the day, you're still an Honorary Elder of the Guild. Helping you is the same as helping the guild."

"You're right." Lucius nodded. "Regardless of our differences, we are still on the same side. Very well, I accept this proposal. Find the one responsible for attacking my guards, and you will be compensated."

"Now we're talking." Harrus grinned. "But, before I do anything. Let's talk about the compensation first."

While Harrus and Lucius were negotiating the compensation for the High-Ranker's services, Lux was pondering what his next move would be.

Truth be told, he wasn't afraid of Harrus or Ferron. Far from it, he was confident that he would be able to deal with them if he truly wished for it.

However, there was one problem.

They were inside Whitebridge City.

If a battle suddenly took place inside the city, innocent bystanders might get hurt. Although it was understandable that property damages were inevitable, the loss of lives was something that Lux wanted to avoid no matter what.

Also, Robin, Nevreal, and the Dwarven King, would be disappointed in him if he used the city as the battlefield between him and Twilight Rain.

"Large scale battles are a No, so how about assassination attempts?" Lux glanced at the middle-aged Dwarf who was smoking a pipe, while looking outside of the window. "Will the City Guards protect Lucius if he asks to be protected by them?"

"The possibility exists," Nevreal answered after blowing a white smoke from his lips. "He is one of the most influential people here in Whitebridge City. Since the Guards are here to protect the people, they might agree to his request. So, what are they talking about right now? Also, did you put a tracker on me too?"

Nevreal didn't know how Draven did it, but the Shadow Lord managed to put a tracker on Lucius' shadow when the two of them were talking in private. This made the middle-aged Dwarf wonder if Lux had also ordered his subordinate to put a tracker on him, so that he could monitor his every move.

"I didn't ask Draven to put a tracker on you, Sir Nevreal," Lux answered. "You are an ally, and I know you value your privacy."

"That's good to know. I was feeling restless earlier because I thought you also planned to monitor me."

"Don't worry. I have no interest in the daily routines of middle-aged Dwarves."

Nevreal didn't know if he should be happy or feel insulted by Lux's slight jab at his age. Even so, he still waited for the Half-Elf's answer to the question he asked a moment ago.

"Right now, he is negotiating with Harrus," Lux replied. "The one that tried to kidnap Princess Anastasia wants to get some resources in exchange for hunting down the person responsible for knocking Lucius' guards unconscious."

"Oh?" Nevreal. "Then, what do you plan to do about it?"

"What else?" Lux narrowed his gaze. "Let him go on a wild goose chase, while we target the one person that truly matters."

Lux knew that sooner or later, Harrus and him would fight against each other. But, he chose not to do that now.

He had limited time to stay in the Kingdom of Gweliven, and he planned to use his time wisely.

"Tonight, we're going to strike," Lux stated as he pressed his palms together.

"Aren't you afraid that he has a life saving artifact that will allow him to escape?" Nevreal inquired.

"It doesn't matter," Lux replied. "Whether he escapes tonight or not, our objective will be met regardless of the result. Twilight Rain will surely focus their attention on the one that is targeting their Honorary Elder.

"I also asked two Assassins to deal with the other Merchant that Sam spoke of. Since this attack will happen on the same day, they will think that they are dealing with the King's undercover agents that even the King himself, and the spies of Twilight Rain around him, are not aware of."

Nevreal emptied his pipe before glancing outside the window of his inn.

It had been more than a year since he first met Lux in Leaf Village, and in that span of time, the Half-Elf was no longer the same person who had desperately tried to survive inside a Kobold's Nest, while trying to save his friends.

Nevreal would be lying if he said that he wasn't looking forward to what the Half-Elf would achieve a year from now.

Especially after the red-headed teenager received the World's Blessings, and stepped onto the path of becoming a True Ranker.

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(A/N: I will be posting the different rankings of things in this chapter, and the next chapters to refresh your memories. Some of you don't read the author's notes where I post the rankings of Skills, Equipments, Guilds, and Power Rankings of mortals and monsters. So, here are the rankings to give you guys a better idea of what the power scaling is.)

Let's start with Skills first.

Normal Skills -> [EX] Skills -> [SSR] Skills -> [Epic] Skills, and [Divine] Skills.

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For Equipment, we have the following Rankings.

Rare, Unique, Mythical, Legendary, Demigod, Divine

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In order to not increase the word count, I will be posting the rest in the next chapter.