Novel Full Chapter 1075: New Contact
Chapter 1075: New Contact
Bronnya leaned back with a creak of her armor, crossing her massive arms. “Didn’t think so many adventurers actually wanted to become dukes.”
“Idiot…” Void muttered from the table, not even opening her eyes. Then she went back to sleep.
“Huh?” Bronnya blinked, confused.
Lilith’s voice finally cut in. “They don’t aim to become dukes. Most of these vultures aren’t here to outscore the top competitors, namely the other dukes. They’re looking to pick off a couple of Shadow Vanguards, then sell the heads to the highest bidder.”
Scar nodded absent-mindedly. “They’ll let someone else claim the duke’s seat while they collect fat coin for the risk taken.”
Bronnya looked taken aback. “Wait, they can do that?!”
Scar finally sheathed her knife. “The king never said they couldn’t. If anything, it’s smart. Why aim for the crown when you can bleed the fool who does? Most adventurers would be happy to get enough money to retire from this life; they don’t want the life of a duke.”
Jallen nodded. “Besides, to be elevated to count, let alone duke, you need more than strength. Wealth. Influence. Cunning. If the king is testing who deserves the seat, he’s likely watching those qualities as much as raw might.”
“Ugh, I hate this political garbage,” Bronnya groaned and decided to change the topic from this boring one, which she did by slapping a meaty hand onto Lilith’s back with a grin. “I’d rather have a fight like you had. Wish I was invited!”
Lilith’s gaze darkened immediately. Her mind flashed back to Yoruha, the smug foxkin who slipped through her grasp without lifting a claw in true battle. She hadn’t fought. She just fled, leaving her thoroughly dissatisfied. “I did you a favor.”
Her chair scraped against the floor as she rose, eyes cold. “Enough sitting around. It’s time we met our new contact. Let’s hear what they have to say.”
Her teammates followed without question. Well, save for the sleeping Void, who was cradled in the arms of Bronnya, where she continued her peaceful slumber.
They didn’t even need to announce themselves; the city did it for them.
Eyes snapped to them from every corner. Men and boys alike stared shamelessly, more than a few making crude comments under their breath, though those whispers died the moment Scar’s head turned and her slit-pupiled eyes burned into them. The would-be hecklers stiffened, paling, and quickly went about their business as if nothing had happened.
Women, meanwhile, whispered in softer tones. Some tugged at their friends’ sleeves, voices hushed with awe. “The Scarlet Lilies. In the flesh!”
Most of those admiring gazes fell on two members in particular.
Jallen, their bright spearwoman, carried herself with the grace of a noble without ever having been one. Her posture, her smile, the way her long braid swayed with every step, it was the kind of elegance that couldn’t be learned in a court. It was simply her. A commoner who had pushed herself, through centuries of grueling effort, into something greater. She had once been bound by the limits of the Healer class, given to her by the Goddess, but she had refused to give up her spear. That refusal had carved out a new path after centuries of struggle: one where spear skills and divine healing flowed as one.
And then there was Lilith, who carried the aura of a predator who had already spilled oceans of blood. A walking storm of carnage who never fell short in her hunts. To the public, she was less a woman and more a force of nature, an untouchable badass who stood at the apex of violence.
Her reputation was a bit akin to Black Fang’s, just a lot more favorable to the average citizen. Lilith was an adventurer who mostly hunted monsters, while Black Fang was an infamous criminal who mostly killed humans. As such, Black Fang’s reputation was far more notorious than Lilith’s.
The whispers and stares followed them all the way until Scar suddenly froze. Her head snapped to the side, gaze honing in on a narrow alley.
“What do you sense?” Jallen asked, instantly alert, her hand hovering near her spear.
Scar didn’t move for several long seconds. Her sharp eyes combed the shadows, tracking something unseen. Finally, she muttered, “… It’s nothing. Just a dogkin rogue. Passing through.”
“Just a dogkin rogue?” Bronnya’s hand twitched toward her axe.
Scar nodded. “She’s good. I barely felt her presence due to the giant crowd all around us, but she noticed us and averted her path. She has outstanding senses, far better than most assassins I’ve met.”
“Should we prepare for a fight?” Bronnya asked, itching for action.
Scar shook her head. “No. She’s not here for us. Let’s go.”
And so they did, leaving behind the crowded merchant districts. The noise and bustle gave way to wide streets lined with manicured trees and finely carved stone. They had reached the noble district.
Their destination loomed soon after, a sprawling mansion of oriental design, with sweeping curved rooftops and paper lanterns glowing in the afternoon light. A koi pond rippled beside the path as they stepped through the gates. Bronnya looked for a few long seconds with amazement at the crimson fish darting beneath lily pads. The air here was calm, almost unnaturally so, as if the entire estate existed apart from the chaos of the city.
A butler in crisp robes bowed deeply and led them wordlessly through winding halls until at last they reached a garden. Bamboo rustled in the breeze, and the soft trickle of water from a carved stone fountain filled the silence.
And there, standing at the edge of the garden, was a woman with her back turned to them. She looked out over the koi pond, letting the sunlight trace the edges of her silken robe.
Lilith’s voice sounded as she addressed the woman.
“What did you wish to discuss with us, Lady Kaede?”
…
At the same time, a blonde-haired, utterly gorgeous dogkin was running through the crowded city of Valorian!