Chapter 126: Treading on Thin Ice.

Chapter 126: Chapter 126: Treading on Thin Ice.

Chapter 126: Treading on Thin Ice.

The man then gestured for Osborne to go ahead, making it clear that he was expected to enter the passage without any further explanation.

Osborne was curious as to how he was supposed to make his way through the dark path, since the passage appeared to extend quite far beyond the entrance and he couldn’t see anything that would help him navigate it, but on stepping into the passage, the mounted torches on the walls automatically began lighting up, illuminating the cold passage.

He briefly glanced at the torches, trying to determine whether they had been activated by a magical mechanism or whether some other method had been used to make them respond to the presence of someone entering the passage, although he couldn’t immediately identify the source of the effect.

The wall also began closing behind him the moment he stepped in, and the sound of stone grinding against stone echoed through the passage until the entrance had been completely sealed, leaving him alone in the underground corridor.

Osborne looked at his now-blocked retreat. Since there was no going back, he headed deeper down the passage, maintaining a steady pace while paying attention to his surroundings in case there were any hidden mechanisms or other dangers waiting for him further ahead.

Although he had agreed to meet Albert the previous night and had received the membership card through the young nobleman’s arrangements, he still knew very little about the Black Ledger, and he had no intention of becoming careless simply because the organisation had allowed him to enter its branch.

For all he knew, the hidden passage could lead to a place where members were tested before being granted access to the organisation’s services, or perhaps it was simply a security measure meant to prevent outsiders from discovering the location of their actual establishment.

Either way, he had already come this far, and unless he wanted to abandon the opportunity to learn more about the organisation, he had little choice but to continue.

He couldn’t help but notice the passage spiralled downwards, which reminded him of a certain place he’d once been to.

Osborne continued walking until the corridor finally began to widen, revealing an opening at its end that led into a much larger space, and he quickened his pace slightly as he approached the entrance, curious about what kind of place the Black Ledger had built beneath the seemingly abandoned shop.

Eventually, he arrived within a hall.

The hall was spacious, and at its end was a reception with a person behind the counter, while several passages extended from the sides of the cavern, suggesting that the underground establishment was considerably larger than he had initially imagined.

The ceiling was high enough that the light from the torches couldn’t fully illuminate every corner, and the uneven shadows scattered across the walls gave the place an unsettling appearance, although there was enough light for him to see the reception clearly as he approached.

Osborne approached the counter, each step echoing through the spacious cavern, and he couldn’t help noticing how quiet the place was, since he hadn’t encountered anyone else along the passage and there didn’t appear to be any other visitors waiting to be attended to.

The absence of other people didn’t necessarily mean that the Black Ledger lacked customers, however, as an organisation that dealt in information would naturally have reasons to keep its operations discreet, especially if its clients included nobles and other influential individuals who preferred to conduct their affairs away from public attention.

"Name and registration..." The receptionist, a woman with unique black-and-white hair, pushed back her glasses and asked calmly.

Her expression remained composed as she looked at him.

"Dokebai..." Osborne said before taking out his card and placing it on the counter.

The receptionist lowered her gaze towards the card, examining it briefly before raising one hand and swiping it over the surface. A brief ghoulish green glow was seen before it returned to normal.

Osborne watched the strange light disappear, his interest quietly piqued by the possibility that the card contained some kind of magical inscription, although he decided against asking about it for the moment, since he had come here to make use of the organisation’s services rather than satisfy every curiosity that crossed his mind.

"And what business do you have for us today?" She asked.

---

"I’d like for you to help me find someone." Osborne said, his gaze resting on the receptionist as he considered how best to explain his request without revealing more information than necessary.

He had already prepared beforehand, so Osborne reached into his pouch and took out the quest posting of the missing person he had undertaken, placing it on the counter before pushing it towards the woman.

The receptionist took the paper before eyeing it silently upon reading its contents.

Osborne watched her reaction, hoping to catch any signs of surprise or recognition, but the woman maintained a calm expression throughout her examination, making it difficult for him to determine whether the details meant anything to her.

Nevertheless, she didn’t pry, nor did her features falter, showing just how professional she was, and after spending a little more time reading the document, she placed it neatly on the counter and looked back at him.

"We’ll undertake this request." She said. "Expect a reply within the next three days."

"The payment shall be issued once we’ve calculated the request’s difficulty."

’Three days... Well, it’s still within the Guild’s set time limit, so it’s alright.’ Osborne thought to himself, finding the arrangement reasonable.

Besides, he had no particular reason to rush the investigation, since the quest had already been accepted by the Adventurer’s Guild and he still had time before he needed to report his findings, meaning that waiting another three days wouldn’t cause him any serious problems.

He wasn’t particularly worried about the pay, to be honest. The only reason he still stuck with this mission was due to the strangeness of it, as he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to the disappearance than what had been written on the quest posting.

So he felt the need to look into it.

"Would you like to lodge another request?" She asked, her tone remaining as calm as before while she waited for his response.

Osborne shook his head, only to stop midway as another thought suddenly came to mind, causing him to reconsider whether he should take advantage of the opportunity while he was already here.

’Can I?’ He wondered, briefly considering the possibility that the Black Ledger might possess information about the McClain family.

If he could gain any leads towards them, perhaps he could find a way to deal with his ever-growing demonification.

He had originally intended to leave the matter alone until he had a better understanding of what was happening, but considering how much trouble he had gone through to reach the organisation’s branch building, it seemed wasteful not to ask about something that had been bothering him for a while.

He looked at the woman in silence before asking, carefully choosing his words as he tried to make the request sound as ordinary as possible.

"Can you help me gather information regarding the McClain family’s sudden disappearance, as well as their dealings and actions in the past year..." Osborne asked, hoping that the organisation might be able to provide him with some answers.

Sadly, he regretted it the next moment, because a sudden chill enveloped the cavern, spreading through the spacious hall so quickly that he immediately became aware of the change despite not being able to identify its source.

All of a sudden, he felt as if countless eyes were watching him from the shadows, their gazes falling upon him from every direction while an invisible pressure settled over the room, making the previously quiet atmosphere feel strangely suffocating.

Osborne unconsciously reached for his blade, his fingers brushing against the hilt as his instincts warned him that he might have stepped into something far more dangerous than he had expected.

’Did I miscalculate...’ He wondered, feeling agitated as he tried to understand what had caused such a sudden reaction, since he had merely asked about a noble family and hadn’t expected his request to provoke anything resembling hostility.

He had considered the possibility that the McClain family might possess some influence, but he hadn’t expected a simple inquiry about their recent activities to cause the entire organisation to react as though he had crossed an invisible line.

For a brief moment, he wondered whether the receptionist had deliberately led him into a trap or whether the Black Ledger had some connection to the family that he hadn’t known about, although he quickly realised that drawing conclusions without evidence would only make it harder for him to assess the situation properly.

"I’m afraid we can’t help you with that request." The receptionist replied, her expression remaining unchanged despite the oppressive atmosphere that had suddenly filled the cavern.