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Chapter 81: The Guild's Will
Praised so openly by Aiden, Lefiya's cheeks flushed a delicate pink. Still, she had to admit his reasoning made perfect sense.
Walking alongside Ais Wallenstein, a First-Class Adventurer renowned throughout the world, it was only natural that they would draw attention. Not to mention, Aiden was a striking young man escorting two famous beauties. Their little group was bound to turn heads as they strolled down the street.
Without dwelling on it further, the trio continued to snack and sightsee, making their way toward the Hephaestus Familia's shop.
But Aiden knew better. He was acutely aware that the piercing gaze he had felt earlier wasn't directed at Ais or Lefiya.
It was a gaze that felt heavy enough to pierce straight through to his soul. And it was coming from the very top of the unreachable Babel Tower.
He immediately guessed who was watching him.
Is it because of what happened yesterday…? Aiden silently speculated. Yesterday, blinded by the temptation of a million Valis, he had carelessly exposed his abnormal traits to Heith, the pink-haired healer from the Freya Familia. It was highly likely that the Goddess of Beauty had taken notice of him because of that incident.
Whatever. I'll deal with it when it comes.
Though Freya was infamous for her obsessive collection of talented individuals, she wasn't inherently malicious. Most of the time, she relied on her irresistible charm to conquer her targets, making them willingly join her Familia rather than resorting to brute force.
Of course, if she ever stumbled upon a soul that completely enamored her—like Bell, the original protagonist—the goddess would throw all caution to the wind and do something utterly insane.
But he wasn't Bell Cranel. He highly doubted his soul was shining brightly enough to make Freya lose her mind.
"What a perceptive child. He noticed."
At the absolute pinnacle of Babel Tower, within a lavish room that overlooked the entirety of Orario.
Standing before a massive, floor-to-ceiling window was an unimaginably beautiful goddess draped in a translucent black gown. She watched the scene on the streets below with deep amusement.
Her silver hair flowed down her back like liquid moonlight, and her silver eyes reflected the sprawling cityscape, reducing the labyrinth city to the size of a delicate model.
In her hand, she gently swirled a wine glass. The crimson liquid inside shimmered like molten rubies, catching the dim ambient light and rippling with a mesmerizing halo with her every subtle movement. Vast expanses of her pale, flawless skin were exposed, exuding an intoxicating charm that could bring nations to their knees.
She was the Goddess of Beauty, Freya.
"Shall I bring him to you, Lady Freya?"
Behind the goddess, a figure as silent and immovable as a mountain emerged from the shadows.
It was a Boarman of towering, exaggerated proportions. His face was devoid of any emotion, yet his voice carried a heavy weight of absolute loyalty and reverence.
He was the Captain of the Freya Familia and the sole Level 7 adventurer in Orario—Ottarl, the Warlord.
"Not just yet."
At Ottarl's inquiry, Freya swirled her glass one last time and brought it to her lips, taking a delicate sip. She smiled and shook her head, her gaze never leaving the white-haired boy far below.
"According to what little Heith told me, the adventurer responsible for the recent anomalies in the Dungeon—the one making things so much more entertaining—is very likely this child."
Her voice was soft and melodic, carrying a hint of lazy delight.
"How fascinating… What kind of possibilities will you bring? Could you be the hero we've been longing for?"
Freya looked out toward the endless azure sky above, her words sounding like a quiet confession to the heavens.
"Do you wish for me to test him?" Ottarl asked again. His sole purpose was to clear away any obstacles in his goddess's path and grant her every desire.
"That child seems quite close with Loki's children, doesn't he?"
Freya didn't answer his question directly, but Ottarl already understood her intent. His goddess didn't want to intervene personally just yet; she wanted to observe.
Saying nothing more, Ottarl silently retreated into the shadows, returning to his post like a fiercely loyal gargoyle.
.....
Meanwhile, in Orario's Seventh District, deep within the Guild Headquarters.
Inside the Guild Master's office at the Pantheon.
A rotund figure, whose appearance completely contradicted the elegant and slender stereotype of his race, slumped heavily into his lavish chair and let out an irritable sigh.
This was the Guild Master, secretly mocked by his own kin as the "Guild's fat pig." He was the white-haired, green-eyed elf, Royman Mardeel.
Spread across the mahogany desk in front of him were several adventurer dossiers.
Ever since the anomalies in the Dungeon had begun, the Guild had been conducting a covert investigation. Utilizing their unparalleled intelligence network, they had recently zeroed in on a few adventurers who were most likely the catalyst for the strange occurrences.
But the Guild had no intention of interfering.
On the contrary, Royman had actively abused his authority to suppress the information. He had masterfully misdirected the investigative efforts of the major factions, specifically keeping the Loki and Freya Familias entirely off the scent.
"Orario needs a hero… Will it be you?"
Royman's eyes darted across the scattered files. These were the candidates the Guild had painstakingly filtered down, and sitting right at the very top of the pile was the name Aiden.
After a long moment of silence, he carefully gathered the papers, turned to a heavy iron safe behind his desk, and locked them away.
He had no intention of letting anyone—aside from himself and that person—see these documents. A single leak could ruin everything.
He knew he was a greedy man. He craved power, lived a life of decadent luxury, and was despised by countless people behind his back. But deep down, he genuinely wanted what was best for Orario.
The recent Dungeon anomalies and the emergence of new monster species had undoubtedly brought chaos and casualties. But they had also brought unprecedented opportunities. Adventurers were flooding into the labyrinth, driven mad by the promise of wealth and experience points. Those with true courage and luck were growing stronger at an astonishing rate.
For a city that had been stagnant for far too long, this was a blessing.
Because of that, the person responsible for this beneficial change had to be protected by the Guild at all costs.
Orario needed a hero.
The Three Great Quests had to be completed. The One-Eyed Black Dragon slumbering at the end of the world had to be slain. This was the burden Orario bore, the destiny shared by all living creatures in the lower world.
To achieve that, the Guild needed adventurers to grow stronger. Orario desperately needed more top-tier combatants.
For the sake of that grand objective—for that heavy, undeniable cause—Royman was willing to pay any price. He would throw away his ethics and discard his humanity if it meant succeeding.
And now, a new possibility had finally appeared.
Any spark that threatened to extinguish this new hope had to be ruthlessly smothered in the cradle.
This wasn't just his will.
It was the divine will of the great Ouranos, the god who had sat in the deepest depths of the Guild since the very first descent, using his supreme divine presence to suppress the Dungeon itself.
.....
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