The Mist Vol 5 Chapter 3

Vol 5 Chapter 3

"So what exactly do you want to hear from me about Caesar?"

"We want all the information you know about him."

The masked man answered as if he had been waiting for this question.

"You're planning to decide whether to accept Caesar's proposal or not after hearing what I say. As you know, I'm in an opposing position to him. What benefit is there for me in accepting this?"

At this sharp question, the masked man said nothing, but the person sitting next to him stood up and answered instead.

"Your thinking is reasonable, but one of our rules is to prioritize the organization's safety above all else in any situation. If it doesn't align with that principle, we have no intention of accepting any coercive proposal."

"Conversely, does that mean you'd accept any proposal as long as it aligns with that principle?"

As the man who had sat back down seemed at a loss for words, the masked man stepped in again.

"You have quite the ability to pinpoint the gaps in a situation. But from our perspective, that's the best course of action. So let me put it this way. If you tell us information about that man, we'll tell you the exact proposal we received from him."

"Vice-leader!"

"Shh."

Another man shouted in bewilderment, but the masked man silenced him with just a slight raise of his hand. Seeing that the others also looked clearly surprised, Kapros thought that this proposal might contain more dangerous content than he had initially thought. Seeing Kapros still hesitating, the masked man added one more suggestion.

"It will take a long time to make a definitive decision. Until then, we promise not to move against you. In fact, from our standpoint, that man and you who stand against him feel similar in value. We might even reject that man's proposal after hearing what you have to say. Is this satisfactory?"

There was no reason to refuse any further. The man's proposal was essentially an opportunity with nothing to lose for Kapros. It was crucial for him to prevent such skilled NPCs from siding with Caesar, and although they had lost to Caesar, they didn't seem intent on necessarily following his words. So there seemed to be no need to hesitate any longer. Kapros stared intently at the man's eyes hidden behind the mask for a moment, then nodded to indicate his agreement with the proposal.

"Very well. However, I don't know much. If that's alright..."

"It's sufficient. I'll take full responsibility, so don't worry."

"In that case..."

Kapros shared the little information he knew about Caesar. It was only about the intersection of the quest that Caesar and he were currently on, that Caesar was the master of a huge guild based in Zagreb, and Caesar's skills that he had been able to gauge while fighting so far, but that alone seemed to greatly satisfy the masked man.

"Thank you. This has been very helpful. Not just me, but our leader will be greatly satisfied as well."

"It's nothing."

"Now then, let me tell you about the exact proposal he made to us."

Finally!

Kapros focused intently, not wanting to miss a single word.

"He told us this: 'The world's seal will soon be broken. When the imprisoned god is revived, a war that will divide the entire continent will occur. If you're willing to show your strength then, help me.'"

As Kapros said he would leave now that they had both obtained satisfactory results, the masked man finally told him their name.

"We all go by the collective name 'Born'. We do all kinds of work for those who need us. If you, Kapros-nim, ever suddenly need our help, please contact the Colosseum reception assistant in Bistale using this name. We will make sure to help you at least once, no matter when."

'The Colosseum reception assistant?!'

Even Kapros, who hadn't been particularly surprised until now, couldn't help but be shocked at those words. To think that the seemingly ordinary woman who had helped them with the registration, smiling, was actually connected to such a formidable organization.

'I suppose that's Bistale for you?'

As he nodded while an involuntary laugh escaped him, the masked man, who had also stood up as if about to conclude the meeting, looked at Kapros and made an "Ah" sound.

"Come to think of it, about that brooch that seemed to surprise you a bit earlier."

At the mention of Aiagas again, Kapros unconsciously brought his hand to his left chest protectively.

"Yes."

"What Caesar-nim had was just a jewel, so it didn't give off much of a feeling, but that is surprisingly similar to the Flower of Rezul. Not just the color, but especially its aura and feeling are similar."

'The Flower of... Rezul?'

Ding!

At that moment, the sound of a notification window opening, which he hadn't heard in a long time, rang out, and a large translucent window appeared before his eyes.

'A statement related to Aiagas and a notification window.'

He had experienced a notification window appearing in a seemingly unrelated situation once before. It was the Legendary Seven Heroes quest that had started with the wizard Berman he had met by chance at the Wizard Tower in Torelit.

'Is it related to the quest...'

Given that the topic of Aiagas had already come up and a notification window determining his course of action had appeared, it seemed certain that the path would differ greatly depending on which option he chose. For now, since this topic had come up in such a place, it didn't seem like something that could be lightly ignored. Should he ask more about it?

He raised his hand and pressed the < Ask more about the Flower of Rezul > option, and the notification window disappeared with a clear sound.

"What is this Flower of Rezul?"

At Kapros's question, he could faintly see the eyes of the masked man curving slightly inside. It was a chilling smile that gave off a somewhat dangerous aura.