As Rohan drove along the open road toward the ruins with Clara in the passenger seat, a notification appeared—visible only to him.
[A Quest Has Appeared.]
[The Broken Crown – Act 3]
◇ Quest Objective:
You have finally found a clue.
To uncover the truth at the end of the thread, you may enter the ruins and investigate.
Alternatively, if you prefer caution, you may choose to return to Academy City.
◇ Category: Main Story
◇ Rewards for Success: Two Random Point Pouches, 10 Restaurant Reservation Tickets
◇ Penalty for Failure: None
‘The rewards are unusual this time.’
Restaurant reservation tickets—an item sold in the shop for 50P each.
Rohan had never purchased them before.
It was almost as if the game was telling him to have a nice meal after finishing this.
‘10 tickets mean 500P.’
Compared to Transcendence, this reward was lackluster.
But he would have taken this path regardless—at least the point pouches were a nice bonus.
Lowering his gaze from the quest notification, Rohan sorted out his thoughts.
‘One more main story arc is nearing its conclusion.’
The Broken Crown could end at Act 3, depending on the player's choices.
But it could also extend to Act 4.
In Abyss City, the best strategy was to experience both the Act 3 and Act 4 endings to claim all the rewards and currency.
However—
Rohan had no intention of taking this to Act 4.
The rewards? Of course, he wanted them.
Even if it was just points without any special items, he would have been satisfied.
But the longer he dragged this out, the longer Shion suffered.
‘I’ll end this in Act 3.’
He made his decision.
He would wrap this up before sunrise.
And to do that, he had chosen an alternative approach.
"Elder Chief Levin Maxwell!"
A name not even Shion knew—one that only a select few among the Elders were aware of.
Rohan could feel the shift in attention from within the building.
"Come out immediately and receive the orders of the Reverse Praise Society!"
What Rohan aimed for was a bluff backed by overwhelming information.
If an outsider appeared, knowing things that should have remained hidden, the other side couldn’t afford to act rashly.
The old men inside were nothing but passive recipients of the Reverse Praise Society’s directives.
They had no way to contact them proactively.
Step. Step. Step.
A middle-aged elf, likely a senior, stepped forward.
He addressed Rohan and Clara with courtesy—but his posture remained wary.
"...Who are you?"
"We are messengers of Hex."
"!!!"
"Such ignorance, and yet you act arrogant."
Rohan scowled.
"I did not summon you. I called for the Elder Chief."
Shing!
He drew his longsword from his back.
Releasing a suffocating killing intent, he took a step forward.
The elf stiffened, his body going rigid with tension.
Keeping his face twisted with irritation, Rohan walked straight to the entrance, Clara following quietly behind.
Fortunately, no traps or security spells were activated.
Rohan exhaled inwardly in relief and then seized the elf’s neck with crushing force.
"I spoke the name of the Reverse Praise Society myself. And yet you dare act this way after hearing it?"
"Kh...! I apologize...!"
"Do you think a mere apology is enough?"
The apology came naturally, as if compelled by sheer authority.
Power was sweet—that was why people lost their minds over it.
When Rohan infused his sword with mana, making it clear he was prepared to kill—
A panicked voice rang out from the entrance.
"Please, forgive him. This old man was slow to arrive, so I sent him ahead to greet you. Will you grant us your pardon...?"
Rohan slowly turned his head, feigning disinterest.
‘There he is.’
A decrepit elf who looked like he could turn into a tree at any moment.
Hunched over, accompanied by his fellow elders, he wore an extravagant robe that dragged across the ground, his staff adorned with glittering gemstones.
Meeting his target, Rohan steadied his thoughts.
He kept his expression unreadable, maintaining an air of dissatisfaction.
"So, you are Levin Maxwell?"
"Yes. I am Elder Chief Levin Maxwell."
The mention of the Reverse Praise Society, the coins, and his true name seemed to have convinced him.
His demeanor was nothing but respectful.
"Tch."
Rohan clicked his tongue and roughly tossed aside the elf he had been holding.
Sheathing his weapon, he scowled.
"I bring the words of Lord Hex. Lead me inside."
"...Yes."
The elders lowered their heads and stepped aside, creating a path.
Rohan strode forward confidently, with Clara silently trailing behind him.
She had no idea what was going on, so she simply watched Rohan’s back.
"..."
Silence filled the ruined halls.
Rohan didn’t match his pace to the slow-moving Elder Chief.
Instead, he ordered another elder to guide him forward.
It would have been absurd for a Reverse Praise Society envoy to show courtesy or respect to another faction.
His behavior was part of the act.
"Please, enter. This is the meeting room."
Without a word, Rohan walked in and claimed the seat of honor.
Pulling up a chair beside him, he motioned for Clara to sit as well.
‘Good. Now for the real work.’
He had practically walked in without a fight.
The quest was already as good as cleared.
Now, all that remained was for Rohan to use this situation to fulfill his own objectives.
"Hey, pointy ears."
"Y-Yes!"
"The stench of mold is unbearable. Do you even bother cleaning this place?"
"I-I apologize...!"
Rohan idly prodded at the elder who had guided them, reclining comfortably in his seat.
While he waited for the slow-walking Elder Chief to arrive at the meeting room, he traced the words "It's okay" on the back of Clara’s hand with his finger.
"Hehe."
The small gesture eased Clara’s tension, and a smile lifted the corners of her lips.
She glanced down at Rohan’s hand, starkly different from hers—his was larger, calloused, veins standing out.
On a whim, she wrote her own response on his hand.
"Oppa’s hand is really big..."
Even after finishing, Clara didn’t let go.
Having physical contact with him like this brought a surprising sense of calm.
Without thinking much of it, she placed Rohan’s hand on her lap, covering it with both of hers.
She felt his body tense slightly.
When he tried to subtly pull away, she tightened her grip.
Now that she saw his reaction, she really didn’t want to let go.
"I apologize once again for my slow steps..."
"Unnecessary. Sit down and listen."
Just as Rohan had expected, the Elder Chief and his entourage shuffled into the room.
Realizing he wouldn’t be able to pull his hand away, Rohan gave up and focused on maintaining his act.
Clara, despite knowing this was all a performance, found herself fascinated watching him work.
"Levin Maxwell. Do you possess the Judas’ Silver Coins granted by Lord Hex?"
Rohan stated the precise name.
The Elder Chief nodded and rummaged through his robe, producing a pitch-black coin and placing it on the table for Rohan to see.
Arms crossed, Rohan leaned back against his chair and continued.
"Let’s get to the point. Lord Hex has found a new vessel. Today, we will decide whether to dispose of the one you have been raising."
The Elder Chief’s wrinkled eyes widened in shock.
He looked as if he had just been struck by lightning.
"W-Why...?"
"Because we found a bloodline more reliable than Testarossa’s to eliminate the Solar Emperor.
Lord Hex dislikes placing his faith in low probabilities."
"..."
"You were merely one of many possibilities.
Just one of countless alternatives."
As Rohan delivered his fabricated decree, the Elder Chief’s gnarled hands trembled against his staff.
"Then what happens to us and to the promises made to me?
We abandoned Tigrova on Lord Hex’s word—"
"Shut up and listen. That’s precisely why I’m here today."
One sentence silenced the Elder Chief instantly.
Not out of anger, but because he was waiting for an answer.
The way he acted made it clear how deeply he had been consumed by his own desperation.
Rohan found it utterly repulsive.
Clack!
Rohan retrieved the two Judas’ Silver Coins he had taken from Doberman and placed them on the table.
With the one Elder Chief Levin Maxwell had, that made three.
The Reverse Praise Society—or Black Hand—required at least three such coins for someone to be formally inducted and protected.
"If I give you these two, then you’ll have three in total.
That should be enough to sort things out for yourself."
"...But as instructed, I have already wagered a coin on a commission.
There are people heading toward Academy City as we speak."
"They will fail.
I saw who you hired. Your choices were pathetic."
Rohan spoke with certainty.
The Elder Chief fell silent.
An elf elder—one of the few who had recommended Doberman—hesitated before speaking up.
"But... the results have not yet been decided."
"Hah. Is that so?
Are you saying I’m wrong?"
Rohan shot to his feet, his expression incredulous.
This 𝓬ontent is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.
The Elder Chief averted his gaze, already resigned.
The elder who had spoken was merely another disposable pawn—one who had no real information on the Reverse Praise Society or its deeper workings.
He had merely followed the tide of chaos in Tigrova, like a rat clinging to a sinking ship.
As Rohan took a step forward, the elders who did understand the Society immediately cleared a path.
Through the opening—
CRACK!
A fist slammed into the elf elder’s face, sending a spray of white teeth onto the floor.
"Kugh...!"
"Do not question me."
The elder collapsed onto the floor, groaning.
Not a single person moved to help him.
Everyone merely watched, gauging the situation.
"Fine. Let’s get on with it.
Where is Testarossa’s bloodline?
Shall we see the blade you have been forging?"
Rohan turned his gaze toward the Elder Chief.
With a heavy sigh, the old elf responded in a subdued tone.
"Elder Yi. Go fetch her at once."
"Y-Yes, understood...!"
One of the elders scurried away.
A short while later—
A confused-looking Shion Testarossa entered the meeting room, led by the elder.
"!? "
The moment she saw Rohan and Clara seated at the head of the table—
She froze.
Her breath caught in her throat.