Chapter 580 - 510: Dark Moon Gathering

Chapter 580: Chapter 510: Dark Moon Gathering

He immediately pulled Roland to sit down at the room’s only wobbly-legged wooden table.

Paying no mind to whether the chair was sturdy, he began to endlessly describe his "grand blueprint."

From leveraging Roland’s good looks to take on certain "special" commissions, to combining their abilities to efficiently clear out Demon lairs, and even looking ahead to saving enough money to buy gear and form a small Adventurer Group...

Holland spoke with the eloquence of a rushing river, his thoughts leaping from one topic to the next, occasionally peppering in complaints about past failed missions and optimistic projections of future profits.

Roland tried several times to interject with questions or offer a different opinion, but he was drowned out by Holland’s increasingly excited narration.

He eventually gave up trying to argue, leaned back against the wall, and just listened quietly, a look of resigned indulgence on his face.

Whenever Holland paused to ask, "What do you think?" he would offer a short "Mhm," or "Sure."

Outside the window, the bright afternoon gradually faded into a warm dusk, which in turn slowly sank into a cool, indigo night.

The clamor from the tavern downstairs gradually subsided, leaving only the sound of scattered conversations and the soft clinking of cups and plates being put away.

Holland didn’t stop until his throat was parched. He grabbed the glass of water on the table, which had long since gone cold, and drained it. Smacking his lips as if he wasn’t quite done, he glanced at the deep night outside and finally wound down.

"Ahem... alright, let’s call it a day."

Holland stood up and stretched, his bones letting out a series of faint, cracking sounds.

"As for the specifics, we’ll figure out our first move after we get news from Ogre about the black market and you’ve handled your business."

"Get some rest, pal. Today’s been one hell of a day."

After seeing the finally quiet Holland out, Roland gently closed the door, shutting out both the Priest’s lingering, excited energy and the deepening night.

In the time that followed, Ogre was diligent in carrying out Roland’s orders, but progress was slower than anticipated.

The problem lay with the division of power in Lin Ye Town.

The area of the abandoned mine’s black market had always been turf controlled by several intersecting, more secretive, and more dangerous factions.

Ogre’s influence as a local strongman primarily covered the town and the surrounding wilds; his reach didn’t extend deep into the abandoned mining district.

The investigation required pulling new strings and planting informants, which naturally took quite some time.

Roland, however, did not remain idle during this period.

He spent a great deal of time in his room, using the contractual link in the depths of his soul to carefully study and practice coordinating with his Servant Demon, Celeste.

However, without a body, Celeste was like a snake stripped of its claws and fangs; not even one percent of her Power remained.

The Energy she could provide was extremely limited and highly unstable, and she was unable to manifest to help him.

She was more like a passive "Trait amplifier" or a weak source of information and Perception.

If he wanted her to truly utilize her Succubus talents for Illusion Technique, infiltration, and intelligence gathering, a suitable "vessel"—a body capable of containing at least a portion of her Power—seemed essential.

As for Holland, the former Priest’s enthusiasm for forming an "Adventurer Group" was astonishingly high.

Even though the "group" currently consisted of only him and Roland, he had already sprung into action with great fanfare.

He had already come up with a name for their duo: "Dawn Embers."

According to him, it symbolized "the light of Hope reigniting from the ashes of despair."

Though Roland thought the name was a bit over-the-top, in a way that was quintessentially Holland.

Not only that, but Holland had also, with great earnestness, drafted a simple set of "group rules." They covered principles for dividing loot, retreat signals for dangerous situations, and even the duty of mutual aid between members. He also commissioned the town’s old silversmith to forge a few bronze brooches with an abstract design of an intertwined Flame and blade to serve as their team emblem.

Faced with Holland’s almost fanatical zeal, Roland found he couldn’t get a word in, nor did he have much interest. So, he simply let Holland do his thing.

’Still, he couldn’t help but be a little curious.’

’Why would a former Priest, who had experienced life in the Church and then wandered for years, be so invested in forming what seemed like a two-man Adventurer Group born of child’s play?’

Time slipped by quietly during this rather uneventful period of adjustment and waiting.

「A few days passed in the blink of an eye.」

Inside the room, Roland sat with his eyes closed in concentration. A barely visible wisp of pale purple smoke coiled around his fingertip as he attempted to mold it into a simple symbol.

It was another attempt to resonate with Celeste’s lingering consciousness.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

Just then, a series of slightly hurried yet firm knocks sounded at the door.

Roland glanced out the window.

Dawn was just breaking, the morning light still faint.

Thinking it was Holland with some new, fantastic idea about "Dawn Embers," he shook his head with a sigh, dispersed the Energy at his fingertips, and rose to open the door.

However, it wasn’t Holland standing outside the door.

It was Ogre.

The Half-beastman chieftain’s wounds had clearly not yet healed; his left arm was still in a crude splint and his face was etched with fatigue, but his eyes were exceptionally sharp.

Upon seeing Roland, he immediately lowered his head slightly in a show of respect.

"Master, there’s news."

Ogre’s voice was kept low, raspy from a night of hard travel.

"About the black market at the abandoned mine."

Roland’s gaze sharpened. He stepped aside, motioning for him to come inside to talk.

Ogre stepped into the room, gently pulled the door shut, and then continued his report in a hushed tone.

"According to messages from the informants we planted, as well as intelligence pried from a few brokers who frequent the black market... there has indeed been some movement there recently. And it’s big."

He paused, seeming to organize his thoughts, his expression growing grim.

"Around midnight, three days from now, there’s going to be a ’Dark Moon Gathering.’ It’s not a regular trading day. Word is, a few major players are organizing it. Seems they have some important ’goods’ to unload, or... to dispose of."

"Several of the main areas deep within the abandoned mine will be opened up, but security will be several times tighter than usual. I hear they’ll even be using Magic to screen people at the entrance."

"More importantly..."

Ogre looked up at Roland, his throat bobbing as he swallowed.

"My informant overheard whispers... This gathering isn’t just attracting local Adventurers and Mercenaries. It seems people are coming from much farther away. There might even be... groups of Casters interested in the ’goods,’ or in the gathering itself."

The Dawn Light, filtering through the window, cast a lattice of light and shadow across Ogre’s rugged, scarred face.

’Midnight, three days from now... the Dark Moon Gathering...’

’Unknown "goods," mysterious powerful figures, covetous visitors from afar, and... possibly Casters...’

An undercurrent far more significant than any ordinary black market transaction was stirring in the depths of the abandoned mine.

But that wasn’t what concerned Roland.

His eyes narrowed, his fingertips tapping a steady rhythm on the weathered wooden table.

The only thing he knew for certain right now was that the mysterious traveling merchant he was looking for...

...would very likely be there.