Chapter 482: Whispers in the Capital [ 1 ]

"Someone has been asking questions about Greyfen."

Pax placed three folded parchments on Sage’s desk, his expression unusually serious.

The afternoon sunlight streaming through the windows illuminated the scattered maps and reports covering the table, but Sage barely glanced at them.

Instead, his attention remained fixed on Pax, who had arrived without his usual leisurely attitude.

Sage slowly lowered the document he had been reading. "That’s a rather unpleasant way to begin a conversation, Pax. Especially when I’ve spent the entire morning convincing myself that everything is proceeding wonderfully."

"I’m afraid your wonderful morning is about to become considerably less wonderful, Guildmaster," Pax replied as he pulled out a chair. "Over the past few days, several of my contacts have reported unusual interest in Greyfen. Nothing particularly alarming at first, but after comparing their information, I believe someone may be investigating the same region you recently visited."

Sage leaned back in his chair, studying him carefully. "How much do they know?"

"Not enough to identify what you discovered, as far as I can tell," Pax answered, unfolding the first parchment. "Most of the rumors concern the beast migrations. Several mercenary groups have noticed that monsters are abandoning territories they previously occupied, and hunters returning from the region have reported unusually large stretches of wilderness with very little beast activity."

Sage rubbed his chin thoughtfully. That was hardly surprising. The disturbances around Greyfen had been significant enough that even ordinary travelers would eventually notice something was wrong.

What concerned him was whether anyone had begun connecting those disturbances with the underground mana formation.

"And what exactly are these mercenaries saying?" Sage asked, gesturing toward the parchment.

Pax glanced at his notes before answering. "Some believe a powerful beast has established its territory deeper within Greyfen, forcing weaker creatures outward. Others suspect the appearance of some valuable natural treasure. Apparently, one particularly imaginative fellow is convinced that an ancient dragon has awakened beneath the mountains."

Sage blinked before slowly turning toward him. "An ancient dragon?"

"That’s what the man claims," Pax replied, his lips twitching slightly. "According to my contact, he’s been telling anyone willing to listen that the beast migrations are proof of a dragon’s awakening."

Sage considered that explanation for a moment before nodding approvingly. "Excellent. I sincerely hope he continues spreading that theory. In fact, if he could somehow convince everyone that the dragon is particularly large, extremely vicious, and fond of eating curious nobles, that would be even better."

Pax stared at him. "Guildmaster, are you suggesting we encourage ridiculous rumors?"

"Certainly not," Sage replied with an innocent expression. "I’m merely expressing my admiration for the man’s imagination. Besides, if people insist on inventing explanations for something they don’t understand, who am I to interfere with their creativity?"

Pax shook his head, although a faint smile appeared on his face. Unfortunately, the amusement didn’t last long. He unfolded the second parchment and pushed it across the desk.

"The more concerning information involves your expedition," Pax continued. "Several people have been asking why you personally traveled to Greyfen. They know you were accompanied by a small group, and some have begun wondering whether the Guild discovered something valuable during its investigation."

Sage’s expression became thoughtful. Their journey hadn’t been conducted under complete secrecy.

At the time, they had been investigating unusual beast movements, and there had been no particular reason to conceal every aspect of their travels.

Unfortunately, seemingly harmless information could become troublesome when examined by someone sufficiently curious.

"Do they know who accompanied me?" Sage asked.

"Some of them," Pax replied. "Your presence attracted the most attention, naturally. A few witnesses also recognized Mina and Lucan. However, I haven’t found anything suggesting that the identities of your companions are the main focus of these inquiries."

"How disappointing," Sage remarked, placing a hand against his chest. "Apparently, my reputation has become so magnificent that merely leaving the capital causes people to investigate my whereabouts. Fame truly is a terrible burden."

Pax gave him an unimpressed look. "Guildmaster, I suspect they’re considerably more interested in what you found than in your personal magnificence."

"Must you always destroy my happiness with unnecessary facts?" Sage complained, earning another faint smile from Pax.

However, Sage’s amusement faded when Pax unfolded the third parchment.

"There’s also been some interest from people associated with noble households," Pax explained. "Two of my contacts reported inquiries concerning Greyfen’s recent disturbances. They’re asking about abandoned beast territories, unusual mana activity, and whether anyone has discovered valuable resources in the region."

Sage’s fingers stopped tapping against the desk. "Which noble Houses?"

"I haven’t confirmed their identities," Pax admitted. "And I’d rather not give you unreliable names. For now, all I can establish is that certain individuals with noble connections are gathering information. Whether they’re acting under direct instructions or pursuing their own interests remains unclear."

"Good," Sage replied, surprising Pax slightly.

Pax raised an eyebrow. "Good, Guildmaster?"

"Good that you’re not presenting guesses as facts," Sage clarified. "The last thing I need is to start treating some innocent noble as an enemy because his servant happened to ask a few questions in a tavern. We already have enough potential trouble without manufacturing additional enemies."

Pax nodded in agreement. "That’s why I wanted to report the situation before taking further action. None of these inquiries proves that anyone knows about the dungeon. However, the number of people interested in Greyfen appears to be increasing."

Sage remained silent for several moments, his gaze drifting toward the map spread across his desk.

The dungeon had yet to manifest, and its exact danger remained unknown. Nevertheless, the possibility of someone discovering its existence before the Guild could claim it was becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.

"Has anyone mentioned a dungeon?" Sage finally asked.

Pax shook his head. "Not once, Guildmaster. At least not among the reports I’ve received. Most people still believe the disturbances are connected to monsters or valuable resources. Nobody seems to have reached the same conclusion as your expedition."

Sage released a quiet breath. That was reassuring, although he wasn’t foolish enough to believe the situation would remain unchanged indefinitely.

Greyfen wasn’t some private estate where he could simply lock the gates and forbid visitors. Anyone willing to brave the wilderness could investigate the region, and the ancient ruins weren’t going to disappear merely because he wished to keep them hidden.

"Then we do nothing," Sage declared.

Pax blinked. "Nothing?"

"Nothing that would attract attention," Sage corrected, leaning forward. "Think about it, Pax. If we suddenly begin warning people away from Greyfen, they’ll naturally wonder what we’re hiding. If we start questioning every merchant and mercenary who mentions the region, we’ll only convince them that something valuable is waiting there."

Pax considered his reasoning before nodding slowly. "So you intend to let the rumors circulate?"

"Exactly," Sage answered. "Let them argue about dragons, rare treasures, and territorial disputes between powerful beasts. The more different explanations they invent, the less reason they’ll have to settle on the correct one. We simply need to ensure that none of our people accidentally provides them with the missing information."

Pax leaned back in his chair, studying the documents thoughtfully. "That should work for the moment. However, there’s a possibility that someone might decide to investigate the ruins independently. We can’t prevent every mercenary group from entering Greyfen."

"Nor should we try," Sage replied. "Attempting to control an entire wilderness would be expensive, suspicious, and probably impossible. Besides, I have absolutely no intention of spending a fortune protecting a dungeon that hasn’t even appeared yet."

Pax chuckled. "I wondered how long it would take before money entered the conversation."

"Pax, money is always part of the conversation," Sage replied solemnly. "The sooner everyone understands that, the easier my life will become."