Chapter 1438 - 1403: The Bet

Being stared at calmly by someone like Lann, even if the hostility and intent to kill in those eyes aren’t clear, but rather seem intrigued, is enough to make most people feel physically uncomfortable when facing them.

Their bodies react with discomfort upon sensing such outrageous danger.

But Dikoschek isn’t an ordinary person. Although he indeed does not know magic, nor is he a special human, his position and work content have long forged his mind to be anything but ordinary.

"Hahaha!" Dikoschek suddenly burst into laughter, which was quite abrupt in the banquet hall, attracting many curious glances.

"Vizimir rewards me for every mystery solved with recompense and prize. My dedication to my work allows me to live a decent life. You can laugh at me, but I have to support my wife and kids."

"This is not funny at all, Dikoschek."

Lann said while eating lobster meat dipped in mustard sauce.

"Of course, you can work hard to support your family, but if you don’t mind, please don’t come to trouble me. In my eyes, this hall is full of valuable mysteries."

Lann’s tone was quite indifferent. To him, the Kings of the Four Northern Countries are now so reckless and aggressive, clearly about to stir up a huge mess, and those involved in intelligence can’t escape blame.

To further their positions and purposes, how much junk have they added into the intel presented to the Kings? Only God and they themselves would know.

’Spring and Autumn Writing Style,’ ’Journalism’... These things are intuitively mastered by those engaged in intelligence and public opinion.

The decisions of the Kings depend on the comprehensive judgment made after receiving various information, and who is responsible for delivering this information to the Kings?

Such a person is Dikoschek, standing beside Lann.

Strategic misjudgment often occurs because such people have failed.

Lann is currently thinking, while those idiotic Kings have not yet executed their stupid plans, to intercept them early, thus his displeasure towards Dikoschek.

But this fat and robust intelligence chief seemed to have been waiting for this comment all along.

He smoothly picked up where Lann left off.

"As you say, sir," he said respectfully, "The entire Airetusa is an unsolved mystery, and I suppose you’ve noticed that something unusual is about tonight’s atmosphere."

"Of course, to clarify, I’m not talking about these bizarre magic candles."

Lann said with a shrug, "I don’t understand."

"I completely believe you, sir." Dikoschek also started to pick food onto his plate. "Because I can’t quite understand it either, but I very much want to make sense of it."

"Have you noticed something? Something that is incredibly obvious to me: Why in this luxurious and magnificent hall, not a single person wearing a crown is present?"

"I’m not surprised." Lann picked up a piece of neatly marbled salmon. "Because the Kings probably prefer traditional banquets, where they can play until dawn beside tables smeared with sauces and beer, then collapse under the tables to sleep soundly. More importantly..."

"Those crowned fools have already sent their trusted agents here, and through these agents, they can know all sorts of secrets and information, isn’t that enough?"

Dikoschek had no reaction to how Lann referred to the Kings, he just brought up another name.

"But Viggo Fortez, this member of the association is still ensuring all spies are present without exception."

Dikoschek calmly looked at the giant beside him, "He gathered all the royal spies here, even those not qualified to attend received invitations in a roundabout way, why did he do that?"

"You mean... Viggo Fortez?"

The mention of this name made Lann rare in the conversation, pause his action of eating snacks.

This young talent among the mage group, he can’t say he doesn’t recognize him.

Because shortly after the Battle of Sodden Mountain concluded, this already accomplished Great Mage, under the ridiculous excuse of ’revisiting fundamentals,’ came to reside at Airetusa for a while.

But after only meeting Lann once and conversing once, his process of ’revisiting fundamentals’ abruptly ended.

The young and promising Great Mage is plotting something deeper and grander, things that ordinary people don’t even know, nor can they perceive.

Lann doesn’t know much about him, just vaguely has this feeling, yet also doesn’t know what he is truly pursuing.

A person who is highly skilled and superior in capability, yet whose goal is unknown to anyone, is undoubtedly terrifying.

Not knowing his goal means not knowing what methods he would adopt, what he would be fixated on, or to what extent.

Once the real objective of a person is unknown, it equates to much of their existence actually hidden in darkness, not understood by others, nor can it be assessed.

No one knew what he might do or was capable of doing.

"We can make a wager, my lord," Dikoschek said confidently. "You have your own purpose for attending this banquet; of course, everyone else at the banquet has their own purpose too."

"Even if it’s just to put an aphrodisiac in the wine and find a companion for a wild night, that’s still a purpose."

"But I can guarantee you, my lord." The plump and sturdy spy, with an expressionless face, stuffed a pickled olive into his mouth and spat out the pit.

"Everyone’s purposes will create impact and conflict, and within two hours, Viggo Fortez will seek a private conversation with you. If I am wrong, I’ll eat this entire plate."

As he spoke, he pointed to a silver platter with small, slimy live octopi crawling on it.

The spy smacked his lips in disdain: "For the plague’s sake, who thought of serving this stuff as a dish?"

"What do I eat if I lose?"

"Nothing at all, my lord," Dikoschek looked around quickly, "If you’re willing, I’d just like to hear what you discuss, and in return, you can see my reaction after hearing it."

Deliberately leaking some information to specific people, then observing their reactions and actions, and the information hidden beneath those actions and reactions—this is a common tactic used by spies.

Under Lann’s perception and observational skills towards human emotions, even if Dikoschek performs well, he could hardly escape Lann’s scrutiny.

Lann merely smiled at this spy leader’s wager, then walked away silently.

The spy leader himself showed no emotion either.

And indeed, about an hour and a half later, Lann lost the bet naturally and unsurprisingly—

The young talent among the wizards approached him.

-----------------

Under the kind gaze of Tishaya and Henry Gemitis, Lann entered the circle of chat among the Great Mages, looking like he was searching for his two female companions.

They were having a joyous conversation amongst themselves, even those Great Mages unfamiliar to Lann displayed one hundred twenty percent kindness considering Tishaya and Gemitis’s attitudes.

The two of them were the strongest pillars among the Northern Wizards.

Even if previously they misunderstood Lann due to certain rumors, in such an occasion, it was necessary to put on a smiling face.

Tishaya initiated the conversation, directing Lann towards Henry Gemitis, saying she needed to ’examine his heart.’

This act quickly spread through the low murmurs among all banquet attendees in moments.

It was practically an announcement of who cured the heart disease of the oldest and strongest human mage.

Many linked this to the rumored experiment involving the Demon Hunter; some even invested in the experiment project earlier.

However, they were surprised not only by Henry Gemitis’s complete recovery but also by the rapid development of the crystal cultivation project capable of direct organ transplants now.

A heart nonetheless?

Thus, the Great Mages became even more enthusiastic towards Lann.

Though most didn’t worry about their lifespan, organ replacement was indeed the frontier field nowadays.

Everyone wanted to learn more.

Henry Gemitis seemed somewhat tired. Though his heart was fine, this new style of banquet was undoubtedly not to his liking.

Hence, aside from the exchange with Lann, he offered only polite perfunctory words, showing a clear intent to leave the seat and rest.

Francesca Fendapei, with her large and bright eyes as clear as ice crystals, gazed at Lann with a look of deep meaning and hidden vigilance.

Alto Tranowa seemed to have an outgoing personality, even making a ridiculous face before greeting Lann.

At that moment, the group was having a joyous conversation, as Margaret and Triss observed the young Demon Hunter, while the female Warlock Lydia, often accompanying Viggo Fortez, used a lace fan to cover the lower half of her face, watching her master.

Viggo Fortez exchanged a few pleasantries with Lann, then suggested finding a place for a private chat.

In Lann’s view, only Tishaya and Henry Gemitis showed some surprise.