After nearly an hour of discussing the infiltration route, the escape plan, and the layout of Green Serpent's headquarters known to The Whisperer, the conversation finally came to an end.
Karen closed the holographic display above her desk.
"That will be all for now."
Arche gave a slight nod.
Karen then gestured toward the door.
"You may get some rest."
Arche had only taken a single step before stopping.
"Then... where am I supposed to stay?"
"If Green Serpent is really looking for me, going back to Firmament isn't an option."
Karen gave a small nod.
"Of course."
She pressed a small button beneath her desk.
A few seconds later, the door opened.
A man in a black suit stood outside.
"Yes, Miss Karen."
"Escort our guest to one of the vacant rooms."
"Make sure he can rest comfortably."
"Understood."
Karen looked back at Arche.
"For now, The Whisperer's headquarters is the safest place for you."
Arche said nothing.
He simply gave a brief nod before following the man out of the room.
The door slowly closed.
Silence returned.
Elthea, who had been standing beside the desk the entire time, finally spoke.
"So... what do you think of that kid, Karen?"
Karen raised one hand.
A silent gesture telling Elthea to be quiet.
Elthea immediately closed her mouth.
A moment later, every wall in the room emitted a faint glow.
Several magical symbols appeared briefly before fading away.
The room returned to normal.
Elthea smiled faintly.
"As always."
"You're so careful that you even waited for the soundproofing system to restart."
Karen let out a quiet sigh.
"You've been my bodyguard for a long time."
"You should be used to it by now."
Elthea chuckled.
"True enough."
She folded her arms.
"So, what do you think about Arche?"
Karen remained silent for quite a while.
"To be honest..."
"I don't understand him."
Elthea tilted her head.
Karen continued.
"That kid is hunting Green Serpent members."
"He's already killed six of them."
"Two entire shifts."
"And yet the ones he killed were nothing more than low-ranking field operatives."
Karen tapped the desk lightly.
"For a beginner..."
"He should be the one being hunted."
"Not the other way around."
Elthea nodded slowly.
"I was thinking the same thing."
"On the outside, he really does look like a rookie."
"And yet he even managed to make you reveal footage of his three targets."
"Oh, right."
Elthea suddenly remembered something.
"What happened to those three Green Serpent members you captured?"
Karen answered flatly.
"I already released them."
Elthea's eyes widened.
"Huh?"
Karen continued without changing her expression.
"I simply told them that someone was hunting them."
"And advised them to be more careful."
Elthea blinked several times.
"Then what about Arche?"
"Weren't you using them as a bargaining chip to convince him to infiltrate Green Serpent's headquarters?"
Karen smiled faintly.
"They were a bargaining chip."
"But that wasn't their primary purpose."
She leaned back in her chair.
"Elthea."
"I can read Arche's intentions."
"His patterns are simple."
"Quite easy to predict."
"However..."
Karen narrowed her eyes.
"I can't read his abilities at all."
"How he killed six Green Serpent members."
"And even managed to escape their pursuit."
Elthea suddenly raised a finger.
"Ah."
"I just remembered."
"He could detect my presence too."
Karen turned toward her.
"Even though I was using an Invisibility Cloak and my augmented suit."
Karen fell silent once more.
"Judging by his appearance..."
"He's obviously a beginner."
"His equipment is cheap."
"He isn't carrying high-end thermal sensors."
"And he doesn't look like a veteran scavenger."
She stared at the desk in front of her.
"This is the first time I've met someone whose combat ability I can't read at all."
"Even though his movements are as open as a book."
Elthea also fell silent.
After a while, she murmured,
"Was he deliberately drawing my attention?"
"Or..."
"Does he have a bigger objective?"
"That kid is hiding far too many secrets."
Karen stared straight ahead.
"Something I can't read..."
"...is something I don't need."
"His existence will only become an obstacle to my business."
Elthea looked at Karen for a long moment.
"So..."
"You're going to discard him?"
Karen answered without hesitation.
"Of course."
"If he succeeds in wiping out Green Serpent..."
"That's good."
"If he dies there..."
"That's good too."
Elthea laughed softly as she shook her head.
"You're truly terrifying."
Karen closed her eyes for a moment.
Then answered calmly.
"Yes."
"Because I'm on the side of money."
***
I arrived at the room The Whisperer had prepared for me after being escorted there by one of its members.
The door closed quietly behind me.
This room was far better than the one-hundred-nexbit inn I had rented in Firmament. The bed was large, the floor spotless, and there was a work desk, a wardrobe, and even a proper bathroom.
"..."
I set my bag on the floor and sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Reina."
"I've already started scanning."
Reina's eyes emitted a faint glow in front of me.
A few seconds later, she sighed.
"Just as I expected."
"What is it?"
"Four surveillance cameras. All mounted in the ceiling corners. Six hidden audio recorders. Two behind the walls, one beneath the desk, one behind the ventilation grate, and the rest concealed inside the light fixtures."
I let out a long sigh.
"So I'm being watched after all."
"Yes."
Reina folded her arms.
"For now, don't do anything suspicious."
I lay back on the bed.
"No. There's nothing I wanted to do anyway."
I stared at the ceiling.
"Tomorrow... according to Karen's plan, someone will guide me to Green Serpent's headquarters."
"And then you'll kill Garrick."
"Yeah."
The room fell silent once more.
A few moments later, Reina spoke again.
"Arche."
"Hm?"
"How about we just run away?"
I turned toward her.
"I think this is a suicide mission."
I slowly shook my head.
"No."
"Why?"
"I'm gaining a lot from this deal."
I took a deep breath.
"My original goal was only to kill those two bastards."
"But if I can also erase the one-hundred-thousand-nexbit bounty on my head..."
"That's a huge advantage."
Reina fell silent for a moment.
"...That's true."
"But the risk is enormous."
"We could escape to another city."
"And look for information there."
I closed my eyes briefly.
"It's not that simple."
"Hm?"
"As long as that bounty still exists..."
"I'll never have any peace."
"Even in another city, there could be scavengers hunting me for the reward."
Reina let out a small sigh.
"...Haah."
"You're right."
"Fighting bounty hunters one by one would be even more dangerous."
Silence filled the room once again.
Then I remembered something.
"By the way, Reina."
"What?"
"Elthea's magic earlier."
"Could you really have broken through it?"
Reina immediately nodded.
"Of course."
"It was only ordinary magic."
"Not noble magic."
I raised an eyebrow.
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"I just didn't expect to find a mage on a continent filled with anti-magic mechanical monsters."
"But when you think about it..."
"The Whisperer deals with humans far more than monsters."
"Intelligence work, smuggling, the black market."
"It makes sense that they'd recruit mages."
"Magic is extremely effective against humans."
I nodded slowly.
"That makes sense."
"Then..."
"If Elthea was only using ordinary magic..."
"Do I stand a chance against her?"
Reina thought for several seconds.
"Hmmmm..."
"Maybe."
"After all, you've studied Magitech spell formulas."
"In theory, Magitech is superior to ordinary magic."
"It even surpasses the magic used by the nobles of Olfein."
"That's why Evernoir became the strongest kingdom of magic."
"..."
I fell silent.
Without realizing it, my thoughts drifted back to that kingdom.
The palace corridors.
The library.
The research laboratory.
Then my older sister's face.
"...Ellora."
And Lily.
I murmured quietly.
"I wonder how Sister Ellora and Lily are doing now..."
"I hope they're both safe..."
Reina immediately froze.
Then panic spread across her face.
"A-Ah!"
"I'm sorry, Arche!"
"I didn't mean to bring up Evernoir!"
"I'm sure Ellora and Lily are doing fine!"
"Ellora is the greatest Magitech mage there is!"
"Hahaha... I'm sure nothing's happened to them!"
I looked at Reina as she forced an awkward smile while frantically waving both hands.
Before I knew it, I let out a small laugh as well.
"Thank you, Reina."
"But I don't mind."
I looked up at the ceiling once again.
"I just..."
"...know they're probably worried about me too."