Vol 2 Chapter 11

"Right. So what's happening with your guild?"

As Kapros asked again from the part that was interrupted earlier, Lucrecian clicked his tongue and spoke.

"If the guys from underground come out again, we've decided to wipe them out without mercy. I don't want any more trouble... And this time, we've properly created a new guild, which will be managed by Sio here... no, since he's the guild master instead of me now, let's call him Master Sio. Master Sio will be in charge."

Behind Lucrecian, Sio smiled good-naturedly. But did they think Kapros would be fooled twice?

"What about you?"

"I have to leave to complete my quest. It's a shame to be alone, but I hope we can meet again someday."

"Not that, the guild."

It was natural for him to prioritize completing his quest now. Kapros didn't want such an obvious answer, but rather wanted to ask about Lucrecian's change in position within the guild. Lucrecian blinked his purple eyes and answered slowly.

"Ah, well. I'm not the guild master anymore, but I'll remain a member. They all begged too much. I told them to welcome your group anytime in the new guild, whether I'm there or not, so contact us whenever you need."

It still sounded like Lucrecian was the guild master no matter how Kapros looked at it. He wondered if it was okay to hear such arrogant words, but Sio, who had become the new guild master, just looked happy.

As Kapros stared at Lucrecian, unable to easily continue speaking, Lucrecian grinned above his mask.

"The name of the new guild will be Shadow Peace, so remember that."

"Hmm..."

Kapros decided to ask one last thing.

"Alright. But let me ask one more thing."

"Sure. Go ahead."

"Why are you showing me such goodwill?"

Even after the quest was over, Lucrecian hadn't left their side. The goodwill he showed was so obvious that even someone without much perception could feel it. Of course, they had a connection as fellow quest performers and Kapros was grateful for the help, but the problem was that it kept feeling subtly off.

"Why ask such a question? I told you. It's because I like you, hyung."

Could Kapros really believe that someone who hadn't shown much affection even to his own guild members kept showing such goodwill to him for just that reason?

As Kapros stared at him lost in thought, Lucrecian momentarily held a strange smile.

"Hmm... You don't believe me. Actually, there is one more reason besides that."

At that moment, the sound of Yu-wan quickly grasping his sword handle came from behind where he had been leaning against the wall. Kran's legs twitched as if he was about to stand up from where he was sitting. But Kapros remained unchanged, still looking at Lucrecian. Several minutes passed in this strange standoff.

Perhaps frustrated by Kapros's expressionless face, Lucrecian frowned first.

"As expected, you don't fall for such tricks. It's no fun."

"..."

"W-what...!"

A dumbfounded voice was heard from behind, but Kapros had anticipated this and merely waved his hand once.

"The reason?"

From what Kapros had observed so far, Lucrecian was someone who, despite his excellent skills, found everything bothersome except when personal interest was his motivation. He was mischievous and often pretended to have ulterior motives, and while he showed suspicious behavior, there was no sense of intent to harm them. That's why Kapros was even more curious about his intentions.

"Hmm... Haven't you ever wondered why I stayed in the underground dungeon even after completing the quest?"

Though he said he would explain the reason, Lucrecian's story went back to when they first met. Kapros recalled having such a thought when he first met him but had let it go.

"Actually, I hadn't completely finished my quest in this city."

As Lucrecian continued speaking, he took out a small glass vial from his pocket. Everyone's gaze naturally focused on it.

Inside the vial, as thin and slender as a finger, a small amount of colorless liquid that looked like water was sloshing around. It didn't look special at all from the outside.

"I found the place below the dungeon and saw the third memory, but I couldn't find the reward I was supposed to get from that place. No matter how much I searched, it didn't appear, and I even searched the entire city, but it was in vain. I thought I'd never get it, but finding this was all thanks to you, hyung."

"Me?"

"Yes. The moment I met you and saw my dagger flashing, I became certain that the reward item was still in this place, so I quickly guided you. And as I expected, after your quest ended, I realized there was one place I hadn't thought of before."

"Where was that?"

"The ceiling. Since my quest ended below that place, I had no reason to pay attention to the ceiling until now, but you got an item from there, right? I thought I'd give it a try and climbed up the wall, and lo and behold, there it was. I wonder why I never thought of looking there before... It was the first place I visited, and a place I went to many times."

Lucrecian spoke, grumbling a little at the end. Only then could Kapros truly understand the reason for the goodwill Lucrecian had shown him.

So, at first, it was in case Kapros could help with his unresolved quest. Second, after finding it, he couldn't help but feel goodwill. Wasn't that it?

'It's really nothing special.'

"So... what is that item?"

As soon as Kapros asked about the identity of the item, Lucrecian, as if he had been waiting for this, held up the vial that looked like it might shatter at any moment in the sunlight coming through the window, pinching it between two fingers.

"Haha. This? It might not look like much, but..."

He suddenly showed a very satisfied smile.

"Actually, it's a deadly poison that can affect even dragons with just one drop."

At that moment, everyone stepped back from him. Lucrecian then smiled pleasantly and put it back in his pocket.

"This is incredible on its own, but if you apply it to a weapon, don't you think something even more amazing might come out? It was worth the long time spent searching for it."