Episode 91
A terrarium isn’t much different from a regular information exchange unless specific phrases are mentioned.
So the woman who greeted me at first didn’t verify my identity and was just a regular employee, not someone related to the Goddess Church.
However, with the specific phrase, “The 22nd guest knocked on the door,” it’s possible to summon a trader related to the Goddess Church.
Then, if I mention the name of the archbishop from my faction in response to the upcoming inquiries, we could get down to business.
But instead, I mentioned the name of a cardinal.
Even among the Goddess Church, there were few who knew even one cardinal’s name, and none from the human side.
So the man wearing the top hat hesitated just a bit.
On the surface, it didn’t show at all. He could pull off quite a crafty act—no, Altife.
If others hadn’t noticed the subtle shift in his tone, they wouldn’t have suspected a thing.
“What is your relationship with Beled?”
At his question, I let out a snicker, intending to provoke a sense of insult about the current situation.
“Are you trying to obtain information for free from the exchange? You’re tainting the name of the terrarium.”
“We apologize, but our responses must be cautious. Please understand this.”
He smoothly brushed off my words, maintaining a consistent demeanor. This meant he couldn’t proceed without me clarifying first.
“If I say I’m one of her assistants, can we trade information then?”
“Please stick to one sentence.”
“What’s the reason?”
I held his gaze steadily and continued speaking, a smile still lingering in my tone.
“Are you trying to use the power of the eyes embedded in your forehead to discern the truth?”
“……”
He stayed silent for a moment, then,
*smirk.*
He smiled.
“Somehow, I feel you should be treated as a special guest.”
The man’s eyes changed.
A moment ago, he’d been the picture of a conventional employee, passively responding to a boisterous customer’s complaints, but now he was fully revealing his original cunning nature.
“22nd guest. Schugenharz Troa Vargan. I won’t ask how you know that phrase, but your second response truly surprised me.”
“I didn’t think a mere name would hold that much value.”
“You’re lying… You’re quite the enigma.”
“I’ve heard that many times before.”
“I’ve heard a fair bit about this.”
Having read novels to the point of exhaustion and knowing the hidden backgrounds and incidents of this world, I find it somewhat fascinating.
A sentence calling for the Staff Member of the Goddess Church.
Words to continue the transaction.
Naturally, this was information I had from reading the novels.
The challenge in getting this far wasn’t about those things, but rather figuring out the location of the Terrarium. It wasn’t too difficult to find out after feeding some nearby beggars.
During this process, Helion did catch on a bit, but that’s irrelevant.
In any case, he will ultimately follow what I intend to do.
“Well then, Lord Vargan. Allow me to ask just this one thing.”
He posed a different question instead of inquiring about his relationship with Cardinal Beled.
“Should I consider you a partner? Or should I see you as an enemy?”
“You’re a partner.”
It seemed he was using the power of his gaze, hidden beneath his hat.
As long as the density or thickness of the obstacles between his eyes and the target was below a certain threshold, he could use it despite the concealment.
After a brief moment of silence.
“It’s the Truth. How intriguing. Yes, truly intriguing.”
His tone of voice rose a bit as he suddenly stood up. Bowing respectfully, he pressed one hand firmly against the opposite shoulder.
This was the etiquette among Nobles when a man met someone for the first time.
“Let me introduce myself anew. I am ‘Ultreman’, a Bishop of the Goddess Church.”
“I was one of the Bishops involved when Zagan seized the Nest.”
“Embarrassingly, I fled to stay alive during that incident. As the only survivor of the Goddess Church present at the time, I must carry the weight of their lives with me.”
“You’re quite the silver-tongued Altife.”
Caliculea, who had performed in the Play, felt less alien compared to other Altife, but Ultreman was particularly the same.
Perhaps it was something he was hiding, but I would call him skilled.
Had we been conversing without any knowledge of the interest, I would have missed it entirely.
“I graciously accept the compliment.”
Ultreman raised his head to meet my gaze.
His pupils were like those of an average person, not slit like Zagan or Ami.
“Actually, I’ve been keeping an eye on Lord Vargan for a few months now.”
“Is it really okay to spill such information so casually?”
“I’d consider it a small gesture for our future transactions.”
In short, there’s got to be a give for a take.
He viewed me as a suitable worth for negotiation and began to unpack his bundle to build that bridge.
“There’s a common denominator between the unusual reactions shown by Ocell Lampit Borg, who belongs to the Academia’s Formist, and the incident where Bishop Caliculea was killed—Lord Vargan.”
He smirked as if to say he wasn’t going to lie that the Goddess Church was unaware of this.
Ultreman was right.
“Yes, as you said. The one who cursed Borg and restricted his actions, as well as the one who killed Caliculea, is me.”
“You attempted to bring attention to yourself through them. The reason was to build a bridge for us to connect, correct?”
“To put it metaphorically, Borg is a crow, and Caliculea is a magpie. I crossed the bridge they created to meet like this.”
“Rikulea must be like a magpie. That’s how we ended up meeting after stepping on the bridge we built together.”
“Furthermore, judging by the strong scent of Zagan, it seems you had your neck chopped off during the final exam.”
“Well, it just turned out that way.”
They already know about my beheading of Zagan and my somewhat complicated relationship with the Cardinal. Yet, they still act so nonchalantly.
Borg, Caliculea, Zagan.
Connected to them, I am a direct descendant of Schugenharz, one of the most prestigious families. A promising genius as well.
The Goddess Church must have been quite curious about me. They were probably vigilant yet intrigued.
I approached them calmly to avoid shocking them into radical reactions. Gradually, this has grown and led to where we are now.
In the end, this place can be said to be the red fruit borne from an apple tree that has soaked in water and sunshine.
“To get back to the main point, Vargan. You called us partners. It seems that’s not a lie based on what I’ve confirmed.”
Naturally, this raises a question.
As a prospective hero, what kind of connection do I want to establish with Altife, my enemy?
“Please tell me why you sought me out today. It seems the connection with you, Vargan, will last quite a while, so I want to carefully press the important first button.”
Ultreman, who is Altife, smiled just like a regular person. It seems he’s been trained professionally, as it comes naturally.
“I don’t think our connection will end up being a one-time thing either. So, let’s set aside the numerous topics we can discuss later and bring up the business at hand.”
“What is it? If it’s something our Terrarium possesses, we can trade for any rare items or information.”
I slowly opened my mouth.
In this episode, more than anything, this information was the most important and necessary.
“One of the Twelve Divine Beasts, Frikkanrisk’s child, is currently bound to the hero, Craine, who belongs to Dortmund.”
*
After obtaining the information I wanted, I immediately left the Terrarium and headed to my lodging.
The Terrarium is an exchange that must exist in every large city. Now that I’ve made connections there, it’ll be useful moving forward.
It’s not like I must avoid the Goddess Church entirely.
When other protagonists find out about this, they’ll be busy cursing and criticizing, but so what? I’m not a protagonist; I’m the villain. In the end, all that matters is achieving my goals.
As I was about to enter my lodgings, I noticed someone standing at the door.
He was leaning against it, quietly watching me. He had been waiting.
What an honor.
“You’re quite late, Vargan.”
“Well, my life is always busy… But what about you, Helion? Who were you waiting for at this late hour? You must be quite fatigued from today, yet here you are, not resting.”
“You still manage to sound so nonchalant.”
“Oh, were you waiting for me?”
It did seem like that.
I tried to show a youthful reaction.
While spending time with them recently, I had been trying to act as quietly and modestly as possible. Sometimes, a little lightness like this is necessary.
“…….”
Helion’s gaze slowly scanned me.
It seemed he was checking if I had changed; it felt different from how Alicia would inspect for injuries.
It feels completely different from what it is.
The gaze feels as if it aims at something other than my well-being.
“Where have you been?”
“I just went out for a little walk to enjoy the night breeze. The city looked quite beautiful. Hmm… you seem quite curious. Should I mention the course I took?”
“It must be a place you’re hesitant to talk about.”
“I didn’t go anywhere that would tarnish a hero’s dignity, so you needn’t worry.”
“Right. Vargan is a student who knows how to take care of himself and sees the future better than anyone else. I’m not worried.”
I’m just grateful that the hero thinks so highly of me.
I smiled gently in appreciation. As I attempted to pass him with light steps.
“Vargan.”
Helion is persistent today.
Does he want to have a deep conversation?
“Helion, do you still have something to say?”
I turned my body to meet his eyes.
I was momentarily overcome by a chilling sensation. It felt as if something sharper than a blade or a sharp point struck me.
It’s not a curse. Nor is it magic.
This is the power possessed by a man named Helion.
His expression is as calm as a lake reflecting the moon, but inside, there’s something terrifying.
Is this the resolve of someone who will someday rank second among heroes? Looking at that supreme aura gives me chills while also bringing a smile to my face.
Yeah. You need to be at this level to bring down an Altife of Archbishops.
“I won’t interfere.”
He slowly opened his mouth. With every word he spoke, the heavy pressure in the air gradually lifted.
“Feel free to do what you intend to do, Vargan. If you need help, I can offer assistance.”
He doesn’t stop me from acting. He simply wanted to convey his intentions.
“But if it falls short of the results I aim for….”
Helion places great importance on results.
If he judges that the losses outweigh the gains, he will cut off without hesitation.
There’s no room for sympathy. He’ll sever it cleanly.
No matter what it is.
“I meant that I would stop you.”
He smiled.
It’s an expression meant to relieve some tension.
Perhaps it’s the maximum sense of stability Helion can offer, but it still feels incredibly awkward.
“No one will believe you if you say to relax with that expression.”
“Expressions are hard to practice. Should I take this opportunity to learn from you, Vargan?”
“If I have time later, maybe then….”
⎯Ah. I found it.
In the midst of the conversation.
I received a signal from one among the 329.
It died right away, but I managed to pinpoint the location. She must have realized that her position was discovered, so she’ll likely try to hide again or escape the city.
I turned my body back outside instead of entering my accommodation. I said to Helion.
“Helion, about that help you just mentioned. I think I need it right now.”
“We’ll need to call the other team members too.”
“No.”
Isn’t the tranquility of this charming night in Dortmund too noisy for that?
“We’ll go alone.”
