Ed woke up at dawn.
He hadn’t been able to sleep deeply due to the worries from the events of the previous day.
He debated whether to obediently pay the protection fee until his Heavenly Swirl Star was unsealed, but it was difficult to make a decision without knowing exactly how much they would demand.
For now, there were only two children left in the orphanage and not many staff to care for them, but he couldn’t predict how the situation would change over time. There was even less certainty about when the Heavenly Swirl Star would finally open.
That was why Ed had decided to visit the St. Arian branch in Avgenil early that morning to seek help. It was less burdensome than asking Montrant for help.
Fortunately, he had already met the priest there a few times, and thanks to Bedrick’s prior recommendations, the priest had been quite favorable toward him.
Just as he was tidying his clothes and about to leave the orphanage, he ran into a woman who had arrived early for work.
She had short, slightly wavy brown hair. It was Donna, one of the caregivers Ed had hired.
She used to run a small grocery store on Benevolence Street, but after becoming acquainted with Ed a year ago, she had decided to pass the business down to her son. That was when Ed made her an offer, and she agreed to work at the orphanage.
Since Donna was also a follower of St. Arian, she had little hesitation in helping Ed.
For Ed who was currently looking after only two young girls, having an experienced woman with childcare skills was an enormous help.
However, Ed heard something from Donna that completely took him by surprise.
“The Black Hand is missing? All of them?”
“That’s what I’m saying.”
She had always been friendly with Ed, but ever since she became an employee of the orphanage, she maintained a respectful and formal tone when speaking to him.
“That’s why there was such a commotion at dawn.”
Ed couldn’t believe what he was hearing and just stared blankly at her. Even though he knew he might look foolish, he had to confirm it.
“They’re not dead, but missing?”
“Yes. Those guys always gathered at the same tavern, but not a single one of them was found there. The floor was soaked in blood, but there wasn’t a single body to be found.”
“…….”
Ed searched his memory. Had there ever been such an incident in the original story?
Of course not. There was no way a dark guild in some countryside town disappearing without a trace would have been included in the novel….unless it was something directly tied to the main story.
Besides, there were countless secret organizations operating in this world. So it was difficult for Ed to make any hasty assumptions.
“I-I see…”
In the end, Ed could only say those words.
Originally, he had planned to visit St. Arian to resolve the issue with the Black Hand, but now, that was no longer necessary.
Whether he should feel relieved or empty, he wasn’t quite sure.
Since he had already run into Donna, he considered waking the children with her. However, just then, he noticed someone lingering in front of the orphanage gate through the window.
For a brief moment, an uneasy thought crossed his mind. Could it be a missing member of the Black Hand? But he quickly realized his concern was unfounded.
That messy, orange hair, tousled like a lion’s mane, was all too familiar.
Without hesitation, Ed approached the gate, opened it, and spoke.
“Deron? What brings you here?”
The man standing there was Deron, the adventurer Ed often encountered at the inn.
Deron wore a strange expression on his face as if struggling to explain something. If Ed had to put a name to it, it was probably embarrassment.
“That, uh… Have you found someone to train the kids yet?”
“…Huh?”
Ed was so caught off guard by Deron’s question that he stood there with his mouth slightly open.
And for good reason. Didn’t Deron firmly refuse just a few days ago?
When running the orphanage, Ed had hired only the bare minimum number of staff. Currently, there were three people working alongside him.
The first was Donna, who cared for the children.
The second was a cook who was also Donna’s friend whom she had recommended for the position.
The last was a young man who handled various tasks such as cleaning, chopping firewood, and assisting guests when they arrived.
Since the orphanage had only been running for a short time and there were only two children under care, there was no need for a large staff.
St. Arian had offered to provide educational support, but Ed had politely declined.
Lina and Versilia already knew how to read and write, and even if new children were to arrive, for now, Ed still had the time to teach them himself.
The only remaining task was hiring someone to train the children physically, but since Deron had turned him down, he had been planning to look for someone else.
And yet, here was the very person who had refused him, showing up again.
Ed quietly looked at Deron and decided not to ask for an explanation. Somehow, he felt like he already knew the reason, and it seemed better not to bring it up.
“No, I haven’t found anyone yet. Are you offering to do it yourself?”
“They were putting together a party recently, but they didn’t even consider an old man like me.”
“Oh…”
Ed swallowed a dry chuckle at Deron’s words.
That was exactly why he had chosen not to ask. And yet, Deron, without much hesitation, had openly admitted everything.
It was just like him. He was straightforward to a fault.
Deron scratched his head awkwardly and let out a sheepish laugh.
“So, out of spite, I quit being an adventurer.”
“Well, if you help train the kids, I’d be more than grateful.”
“Really? I suppose I should apologize for acting all high and mighty when you asked me last time.”
“No, it’s fine. I know that’s not what you meant. Anyway, come inside.”
As Ed stepped back, Deron who was looking slightly embarrassed walked through the front gate. Before the door had even closed, he changed the subject as if trying to shift the conversation.
“Have you heard the news?”
“That the Black Hand has gone missing?”
“So you already know.”
Deron let out a dry chuckle, then immediately moved on to another topic.
“It’s not just that. The political situation has been quite chaotic lately. Did you hear about the crushing defeat in the recent battle on the southern coast?”
Ed’s steps came to an abrupt halt.
Distracted by the awkward atmosphere, Deron didn’t notice and continued speaking.
“They say the resistance from those natives on the new continent has been fierce.”
To the south of the Paletia Empire where Ed belonged lay a small kingdom called Oberon.
The only landmass Oberon bordered was the Paletia Empire; the rest of its territory was completely surrounded by the sea.
During the era of the Conqueror Emperor, the Paletia Empire had invaded other continents and formed an alliance with Oberon.
However, that had been centuries ago. Now, as calls to annex Oberon into the empire grew louder, the current emperor had decisively dismissed such opinions.
Instead, he used the expansion into a new continent as justification.
Oberon had always ventured across the seas in search of new lands, and recently, it had discovered a new continent, making several attempts to establish a foothold there.
But the excitement of discovery was short-lived. Oberon soon encountered fierce resistance from the native people, so further progress was difficult.
Surprisingly, these natives possessed maritime skills and combat abilities on par with those of Oberon.
Using this as a pretext, the emperor decided to support Oberon and was planning to seize the new continent together.
According to Deron, that operation had ended in failure.
This was something Ed already knew from the novel. It was a clear sign that the emperor’s power was weakening.
In other words, Ed had once again reached a point in the story he was familiar with.
And he instinctively knew. It was time for him to leave the orphanage for a while once more.
***
In a mysterious space draped in silver curtains.
Several figures were sitting around a round table in the center.
Their faces were concealed behind silver masks, making them indistinguishable. One of them finally spoke.
“One of our financial sources has been completely destroyed.”
“Was it in your region, Nick?”
“Since Nick was the one who called this meeting, I’d say that much is obvious.”
Except for Nick who had first spoken, the others remained indifferent. Instead, their gazes turned to him with reproach, as if questioning whether such a trivial matter truly warranted a meeting.
Nick didn’t seem to care about their reactions and simply waved a hand.
“This isn’t a minor issue. An entire branch of the Dark Guild has vanished. And by ‘vanished’, I don’t just mean they were killed. I mean they disappeared. Completely.”
One of the figures who still sounded uninterested scoffed.
“You’re making a big deal out of nothing. Isn’t it just that the people under your command were too weak?”
Another voice joined in, just as dismissive.
“Then go and find out yourself. You’re not seriously asking for our help just because a single Dark Guild branch went missing, are you?”
Nick let out a short sigh and started shaking his head.
“Do you really think I’d call a meeting over something that insignificant? Given the circumstances, we need to make a careful decision. The Lumina Church and Duke Zest are already breathing down our necks. I called this meeting to determine whether it’s wise for me to take action myself.”
A subtle shift of emotion flickered behind the silver masks.
The Lumina Church was a huge religious force that shared power over the empire alongside St. Arian. The people gathered here had been lying low after stealing one of Lumina’s sacred relics.
As for Duke Zest’s involvement, it stemmed from a brutal murder committed during their escape. The victim had been none other than the duke’s third son, who was a former priest of Lumina.
The one responsible for both the theft and the killing was absent from this meeting. And not a single person seemed to mind.
“I agree. We can’t just let those who interfered with our plans walk free.”
“So do I.”
“Same here. No matter how closely they’re tracking us, there’s no way they could know what’s happening in some remote countryside.”
With the majority in favor, there was no need for further discussion.
Nick bowed his head slightly and spoke one last time.
“All for the dawn.”
The others surrounding the table echoed in unison.
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