Chapter 454 455-New Quest
?"Just a moment, I'll check the records."
The lady behind the counter flashed a smile, radiant with sweetness.
Ali's gaze swept across the hall, suddenly pausing.
She stepped back half a step, whispering to Howard, "In the corner of the hall, near the entrance, that woman, she's the one who approached Jelia yesterday."
Following Ali's direction, Howard's eyes landed on a somewhat familiar silhouette.
Despite only seeing her from behind, Howard recognized her instantly.
This was not good news.
Keeping his expression neutral, Howard patted Ali on the shoulder, "You go ahead and get the badges. I'll go say hello to her."
"Is it dangerous? She's here for you, isn't she?" Ali grabbed Howard's wrist.
"No... not right now, at least. And even if it were, you'd be better off not doing anything foolish and just leaving. She's not someone we can handle."
Howard shook off Ali's hand with a smile, his gaze turning icy.
"She's likely a level 2 magus and a Diocesan Bishop of the Church State. Both her power and influence are far beyond what we can provoke."
With that, Howard turned and walked towards Nula.
...
It was a small table for two, where Nula sat dressed like a novice adventurer.
She wore a Leather Armor on her upper body, with a shiny breastplate at her chest and a long sword and dagger fastened at her waist.
Her long hair was tied back into a ponytail.
Sitting alone in the Adventurer's Guild's hall, her gaze carried a mix of anticipation and hesitation, making her look no different from any other novice adventurer.
Except, perhaps, a bit wealthier.
The long sword was brand new, the protective oil not even wiped off, and the Leather Armor wasn't some many-times-handed-down piece of old gear.
The breastplate was engraved with complex inscriptions, revealing it to be a piece of magic equipment.
If novices could really get their hands on such equipment, the number of adventurers might increase by another thirty percent.
The thirty percent that survived, that is.
Behind the allure of freedom and high income lies an ever-persistent high mortality rate.
"Your acting is not bad, but it seems your brain isn't quite up to speed?" Howard remarked ungraciously as he sat down in front of Nula, "You're here for me?"
"I knew you'd come here. Just a whisper of something and you react, you're as timid as a mouse."
Nula retorted immediately, her gaze settling on Howard with a calmness that barely concealed her fear and unease.
Only she knew how dangerous this seemingly harmless man was.
Even Ankurei, a descendant of the Old Nobles, couldn't last three moves against him!
"That's called being alert and cautious, a virtue in our country. How come it sounds like cowardice when you say it?"
Frowning, Howard sat opposite Nula, lifting his chin slightly, "You mentioned something about a quest, but as soon as Antalya showed up, you all mysteriously vanished. What, did you think she'd eat you?"
"If extraterrestrials were all as timid and afraid of death as you, our business would have gone under a long time ago.
Our departure wasn't because of Antalya, at least that's not the main reason."
Nula shook her head, her fingers tapping on the table, "We received some additional intelligence about you through other channels. We've been sorting through that information recently."
"Intelligence? Besides you, there are others keeping an eye on me? And specifically gathering intelligence on me? I'm not exactly famous."
Howard's brow furrowed, recognizing this as unwelcome news.
No one collects information on someone else without reason, especially if that someone is a magus.
If they're not looking to gain something from Howard, then they must want to obtain something through him.
"Their motives are still unclear, but it seems they haven't discovered you're an extraterrestrial, so you can rest easy on that front. As long as you don't disclose it yourself, no one else will uncover this secret."
Nula rummaged through her Leather Armor and pulled out a piece of paper from an inner pocket, unfolding it and placing it in front of Howard.
"Pack your things well. In three days, I'll come to the tavern to pick you up. I hope you'll be ready by then."
With that, Nula stood up and left.
Her presence here was solely to wait for Howard, to deliver a message to him.
Now that the message had been delivered and the intelligence passed on, staying further held no purpose.
Watching Nula exit through the main door, Howard's gaze dropped to the piece of paper.
It featured a sketch of a person's profile, just the side view, and nothing more.
Who is this person?
Howard examined the sketched profile on the paper, touching his chin thoughtfully.
Nula wouldn't leave behind meaningless information; this profile must belong to someone closely connected to him.
Yet, after searching his memory, Howard found no match for the features.
"Such a cute girl, do I really know her?"
Howard's brows knitted together in confusion.
Forget it. If it doesn't make sense, don't dwell on it.
Howard neatly folded the letter along its creases and slipped it into his pocket before returning to the counter where Ali was finalizing the paperwork.
"Just sign here, and you're all set," the cheerful clerk behind the counter told Ali.
Howard waited as Ali finished up, thanked the clerk, took two adventurer badges, and turned to leave.
"Give me mine."
While adventurer badges are nominally registered to an individual, they're not like magic badges that can be bound to a person.
"What exactly are you hiding from us?" Ali drew out Howard's badge but didn't let go, "Tell me, and I'll give it to you."
Faced with Ali's earnest expression, Howard reluctantly chose to share some less sensitive details.
He omitted any mention of deities or his extraterrestrial status, simply stating that for certain reasons, Nula required him to complete three quests, and now the employer had come to demand their execution.
"It's a quid pro quo; I have my needs, they have theirs, and it doesn't concern you."
Howard took the badge, carefully storing it away.
"We can help you."
Howard waved the offer away.
"No need."
"Being part of a team doesn't negate my right to act independently. This is my own matter, and I'll resolve it myself. Once I have, I'll naturally return."
Ali remained silent, prompting Howard to click his tongue in frustration, "It's such a hassle. You go back first; I'm going to take a walk somewhere else. Can you ask Antalya for some time off for me?"
Without waiting for Ali's response, Howard quickly left the office.
By the time Ali tried to follow, Howard had already vanished.
...
After swiftly parting ways with Ali, Howard found himself wandering alone through the streets of Breeze City.
He was not someone who failed to recognize kindness, but neither was he one to misjudge the magnitude of situations.
Ali wanted to help him, so did Greg, and Antalya, each moved by different kinds of goodwill.
However, these were not the forms of assistance Howard sought.
On one side was a quest from the gods, and on the other, a few level 3 magi.
The scales could never balance.
Whether he faced it alone or with Ali and the others, the essence of the situation remained unchanged.
Those meant to die would still face death, and those who could survive would continue to live.
Rather than dragging them into this abyss of despair unknowingly, it was better to make a clean break.
Now, no one knew when he would leave, nor when Nula would arrive.
Zero, what should I do?
In his heart, Howard called out to that indifferent soul—the river monster.
Zero was its name, a change that occurred after the battle with Ankurei.
Now, Howard could contact Zero actively.
Zero's voice resonated directly in his ear.
"To face death alone or to grasp those hands extended towards you, the choice is yours. Yet, the emotions of sentient beings are fragile, and rationality to them is but a special state."
Howard remained silent.
Although Zero's words were not straightforward, he could still discern their meaning.
Betrayal is always a heavy term.
In the face of life and death, many things seem trivial.
Being an extraterrestrial is Howard's biggest secret and his greatest hesitation.
Perhaps Ali and the others could claim they wouldn't mind, but no one can guarantee what the future holds.
Indeed, it seems best to set out alone.
Howard didn't want to deceive Ali and the others, nor did he want to face betrayal.
Thus, the best option appeared to be leaving by himself, though he worried slightly about how Jelia might take it.
Sitting on the edge of the bell tower, he watched the slanting sun nearing dusk.
The thin clouds at the edge of the sky were dyed with streaks of blood-red sunlight.
A gentle breeze stirred, causing Howard's hair to flutter slightly, with a pair of straight swords placed across his lap, their blades unsheathed by a third.
Updat𝓮d from freew𝒆bnovel(.)com