Chapter 75: Vanguard Battle 5
TL/Editor: Raei
Schedule: 5/Week Wed-Sun
Illustrations: Posted in discord.
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Every choice in life comes with a trade-off.
"Hey, you were lost in your book instead of watching the crystal ball. I'm not blaming you, but just curious about the book. Is it something you're reading for a new project, or just to relax? If it's a favorite of yours that you've read many times, could you share it?"
"Uh, well..."
Once I'd passed the crystal ball-watching mage to Antenor, I managed to lead our team out of the lab.
The group sped up, trying to escape from Antenor's relentless questions.
I didn't expect it to lead to an in-depth discussion about the book they were reading.
It's typical of the monster who enjoys listening as much as speaking.
Han Se-ah shot me a nasty look.
The camera drone and Han Se-ah's lovely face watched me closely, but I just shrugged and turned away.
I had to give up a mage to get our team out... a fair deal, I'd say.
"Phew, really. If he weren't a 6, I would've smacked him."
[Tower Research Lab Stone Statue Han Se-ah donates 10,000 won!]
Run and smack Roland in the back of the head for 100,000 won.
"But he's a precious member of our party who has always been reliable. I've received a lot from accommodation fees to guild connections, so I refuse. I'll gladly accept the 10,000 won though, Mr. Stone Statue."
-That's a 'professional' streamer
-Another money-collecting genius pops out like a carp
-If it were morning, I'd have smacked him and reset immediately
-fr
-Is a long tongue a trait of a mage?
Ignoring the chatter, Han Se-ah navigated between the similar-looking cabins, chatting with her viewers.
Grace and Irene, already worn out from the lab's questioning, silently followed.
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Raei Translations
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So we roamed, looking for our guest cabin, or someone who could show us the way.
Then a familiar face appeared.
"Hey, why are you here?"
"Charlotte? What are you doing on the 20th floor?"
"After the Full Moon Wolf, I wanted to see if anything changed in the tower."
The pink-haired noble lady, 2 'Ambitious' Charlotte Cavendish, and her faithful maid who had rogue skills, the blue-haired 1 'Maid' Mari.
With the arrival of the noble lady with her pink hair and her stern-faced, slender maid, the chat changed instantly.
A stark contrast to just a few minutes ago, when the chat was full of expletives.
A noblewoman and her maid certainly add a touch of fantasy.
And so, the chat turns into a wild competition again.
"Although you're a senior adventurer, you can't treat this place like an inn..."
"We have urgent news for the guild. We also need to inform the Magic Tower."
"Did you find something else after the Full Moon Wolf event?"
Charlotte's eyes widen with curiosity.
Given that the Full Moon Wolf event wasn't long ago, finding another odd event seems strange.
To the other NPCs, it's like we're detectives at a crime scene.
The NPCs see Han Se-ah as a skilled, promising, and brilliant mage who somehow attracts trouble.
When you put it that way, it sounds a bit funny.
"I would like to unpack first if there are guest accommodations."
"Oh, of course. I apologize, I've lost track of time in the tower."
The sun is shining brightly, but outside it's about 3-4 AM.
Unlike Han Se-ah who paused the game and took a break, our group needs rest.
Realizing we'd been exploring the forest before coming here, Charlotte quickly covers her mouth with her hand.
The quick-thinking maid is the first to act.
"Let me show you to a guest cabin. It's clean since the mages don't use it."
"They don't use it?"
"Because of An.. everyone stays in their labs."
She was definitely about to say it was because of Antenor.
The chat focused on her gently swinging pink hair and her every move, so they would have noticed her slip of the tongue.
Half of the chat is filled with lustful comments, the other half with complaints about chatty mages.
It's a mess.
Regardless of the chaotic chat, Han Se-ah follows Charlotte quietly.
She looks tired, despite her day off from the game.
Oddly, Kaiden, who escaped earlier, seems more energetic than Han Se-ah who rested for a day.
The cabin they show us looks the same as the others outside, but inside it's furnished with rugs, beds, and chairs.
After showing us in, Charlotte takes a seat at the table.
"All the cabins have beds. Just pick a cabin you like and flip the sign on the door. That means someone is using it."
"Thank you, Charlotte."
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Raei Translations
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"Now, why did you come here instead of staying in the safety of the tower? I'm curious."
By this time, the worn-out Grace, Irene, and Kaiden excuse themselves and leave.
We've reported our findings to Antenor and the guild so our work here is done.
Once we settled at the table, Han Se-ah also took a seat.
She'd just logged in, so she didn't seem ready for bed yet.
Charlotte, her eyes round full of curiosity, is listening attentively while savoring the warm black tea served by her maid, Mari.
"New monsters have begun appearing on the 20th floor, Charlotte. We've identified numerous orc warriors, along with orc shamans who seem to be in charge."
"Really? And when you say identified"
"It seems there could be a higher-ranking entity than the shamans."
At my words, not just Charlotte's eyes glittered.
Han Se-ah, who already knew about the 'Orc Kingdom' through the quest, perked up and regarded me with curiosity.
Mari standing behind Charlotte, Charlotte and Han Se-ah, and tens of thousands of viewers beyond the camera.
It was becoming like some sort of interview or interrogation, which felt absurd.
I moistened my lips with the warm black tea before me.
It was mildly bitter, but the warmth and subtle sweetness were soothing.
Maybe Mari's skill as a maid extends to brewing tea.
Perhaps her abilities don't lie in picking locks or disarming traps, but in housekeeping and making tea.
My nerves were unintentionally heightened, but after a few more sips of black tea, I began to explain.
"It's unusual for a mere shaman to command dozens of orc warriors. Orc shamans are respected for their unique intelligence, but they aren't typically capable of ruling and controlling others."
"Yes, indeed, it is peculiar to command dozens of orc warriors."
Considering the orcs' lack of intellect, a suitable explanation comes to mind.
Of course, I'm tailoring this to fit the 'Orc Kingdom' quest that Han Se-ah discussed with viewers during the stream.
To an orc warrior, an orc shaman is like a neighbor's child who attends a prestigious university.
They acknowledge the shaman's intellect and skills, but it doesn't mean they have authority to command.
If a university student from the neighborhood started giving orders, demanding labor and money, who would comply?
A neighbor can't command just because they have superior education and intelligence.
To an orc, a brutish creature, might and brute force hold more value than wisdom.
It's implausible for a shaman to dominate dozens of orc warriors.
"Therefore, there must be a higher-ranking monster commanding the warriors. The one who bestowed authority upon the shaman. Of course, this could be needless worry, and we might continue to see orc tribes led by shamans."
"But adventurers always anticipate the worst-case scenarios. The emergence of a higher-ranking entity is a reasonable hypothesis."
Charlotte and Han Se-ah nodded in agreement, finding my explanation logical.
Even though the events unfolding within the tower could diverge from those outside, other monsters possess nearly the same behavioral patterns both within and outside.
Even Grace, who came from a rural village, knows that the attributes of horned rabbits and foxes are the same inside the tower as outside.
Undoubtedly, Charlotte, being a mage, would understand this.
-The Orc Kingdom and the captured female adventurer that's all from me today
-So, those worthless orcs are causing a fuss? I bet a chieftain-level orc will appear
-Your peculiar tastes have piqued my interest
-You've gone mad
-That's something to watch after the stream
Sigh.
As expected, the viewers listening to my explanation were busy expressing their own fantasies.
Orcs and a female adventurer They're getting more and more ridiculous.
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