The Devil’s Sacred Sword (2)
The atmosphere in the tavern was as taut as a crossbow string, ready to snap at any moment.
A tense air, like walking on thin ice, where no one knew when the trigger might be pulled.
“Sienna.”
Dalen spoke in his usual dry tone.
”…”
At his words, Sienna, the tavern owner, snapped her head towards him, her eyes narrowing fiercely, a deep frown etched on her brow.
Dalen met her gaze with indifference, crunching the ice left in his glass. This is good. Did they freeze it with magic?
“Consider this your last warning.”
Sienna whispered angrily to the guard knight bleeding on the floor.
Click.
She slowly lifted her boot from the knight’s head and pointed at the young noble still sprawled on the ground.
“Hey, take your guard and get out of my tavern. If you don’t want to lose a knight and get scolded by your father, you’d better find a temple or an apothecary fast.”
“Uh, uh, okay. Don’t shoot.”
“Get out now. I’ll count to three. Three, two, …”
“Ahhh!”
The young noble scrambled to his feet at the dwindling count, supporting his knight, who was pierced by arrows, and hurriedly fled the tavern.
Thud.
Sienna watched them leave, then swiftly turned towards the back door as soon as the tavern door closed.
“Dalen, you’re late. Can we talk about the assignments that came in for you?”
“Sure.”
Crunch.
Dalen tossed the remaining ice into his mouth and followed her out the back door.
After the two slipped out, the tavern was left in a brief silence, broken only by the sound of Bourbon polishing glasses.
The quiet didn’t last long.
“Now, about that deal we were discussing earlier…”
“Did you hear the rumor about the cult being wiped out in the eastern district?”
One by one, the patrons resumed their conversations.
Some layabout got what was coming to him, just his luck.
The customers who frequented the back alleys of the Bronze District were not easily fazed by such incidents. A death here was just another day.
Too trivial to be scared by.
Instead, most of them pondered over Dalen and Sienna’s reactions, calculating how to approach them cautiously.
Dalen’s price would be higher.
The contact route should be through the Raven’s Nest informant.
Of course, their outward words and actions showed no hint of these calculations.
“They say the seventh sector of the eastern district is definitely in decline.”
“I heard the Silent Company is recruiting new members. Know anything about that?”
As usual, the patrons exchanged idle chatter, sharing rumors and information.
Squelch. Swish. Swish.
Among them, Bourbon silently mopped up the bloodstains on the floor.
“Are you satisfied with the performance?”
Click.
As soon as Sienna’s office door closed, Dalen was the first to speak.
Sienna stopped her brisk, clicking footsteps and let out a deep sigh.
“It was more than I expected. You may look like a bear on the outside, but inside, you’re a wolf.”
“Sounds like an insult.”
“Would you prefer I call you a snake instead?”
“That’s a double insult.”
Sienna laughed heartily. The soundproofed office ensured that not even a whisper escaped outside.
As she rattled a tin of tea leaves, Dalen sank into a long, plush sofa.
“You’ve brought in some new furniture.”
“Yes. Thanks to you, the tavern business is booming. What kind of manners is it to sell out an underground informant in front of more than half the city guard commanders?”
“It brought in more customers, didn’t it? For both the tavern and the informant.”
Dalen chuckled softly. Sienna brought out two cups and some snacks.
“Thanks to you, indeed. I hate being in debt, but I’ve owed you twice now.”
First, for keeping the Bronze District’s clients from falling into the cult’s hands.
Second, for significantly boosting the informant’s standing in the process.
As Sienna added this, Dalen took a cup with a serious demeanor and savored the aroma.
“Hmm.”
The scent of coffee.
It had been a while.
He’d been so busy these past few weeks that he was only now tasting the beans sent by the elder mage of Elgaia’s Tower.
Sienna watched him with curious eyes before speaking slowly.
“How should I repay you? What do you want?”
Dalen took a sip without answering.
The rich flavor spread warmly, with a slightly bitter awakening effect on the palate.
A subtle, tangy aftertaste lingered as it went down his throat.
This is amazing.
After enjoying the taste and aroma in silence, Dalen finally spoke as Sienna was halfway through her cup.
“I’m a client. You’re an informant and a broker.”
“That’s right.”
“Then just do your job well. Someday, I’ll be the one in your debt.”
Sienna lowered her gaze without a word. The office was filled with the quiet sound of sipping.
In that silence, Dalen mused.
‘A snake, huh.’
In this game, skill and cunning were never wrong comparisons.
He’d been subtly injecting the poison of emotional debt into those he deemed important.
‘For potential hero recruits, emotional debt is as lethal as any poison.’
Winning someone’s favor with money or gifts isn’t easy.
More effective is the moderate burden and sense of obligation from receiving help for free.
It was a method Dalen often used to recruit NPCs, having played the game through hundreds of times.
Even though the game had become a living world, the method hadn’t changed much.
He’d indebted Reberon by resolving his debts and helping him open a well-positioned forge.
He’d shackled Volkma by saving his life and helping him dominate the market.
Saving Felber’s apprentice and giving Gawain a chance for revenge were in the same vein.
‘And Sienna Eclasia is one of the most crucial NPCs in the late game.’
If Gawain or Reberon Ahakim were top recruitment priorities, Sienna was undoubtedly priority zero.
Even before her true nature was revealed, she was an informant who controlled the underworld and a competent combatant.
As her secrets gradually came to light, she’d become an even more formidable ally.
Of course, her inherent nature was a key factor in that potential.
Once she decided someone was hers, she was steadfastly loyal, no matter what.
‘Raising her favorability is insanely difficult, but once you pass a certain point, she becomes the most reliable ally.’
And the instincts of a seasoned player told him her favorability was nearing that point.
The recent string of events and Dalen’s actions during them must have had a significant impact.
Click.
Dalen set down his empty coffee cup.
If she was almost won over, there was no need to burden her further.
Loosening the reins a bit was the better choice.
Taking a slightly longer route but ensuring a firm hold was the key to winning hearts.
“Don’t worry too much.”
”…What?”
“When fighting the Apostles of Regression, you greatly helped in uncovering their movements. Keeping those pests in your tavern for a week was a favor to keep them from bothering me directly.”
Sienna had tolerated those troublesome guests not for her own benefit but for Dalen’s.
Someone of her caliber wouldn’t be intimidated by the son of a baron from some remote imperial estate.
Even if she’d put a crossbow bolt through the knight’s head, a simple apology under the Raven’s Nest’s name would suffice.
Yet, she hadn’t driven out those troublesome guests until Dalen arrived. What did that mean?
‘She acted as a filter and bait.’
A filter to keep the pests from directly targeting Dalen, enduring the nuisance for his sake.
Even if she drove them away, the pests wouldn’t give up.
They’d just shift their focus to Dalen.
They might have caused a scene at the inn where he was staying.
Of course, if they’d come to the inn, they’d have been beaten by him again.
”…If you see it that way, I’m grateful.”
Click.
She set down her empty cup.
“But it wasn’t a loss for me. I gained something too.”
Sienna said, standing with the two cups.
Unlike her usual self, always keeping a card hidden, she was unusually candid today.
Another sign that her trust level was nearing its threshold.
Watching her brew fresh coffee and tea, Dalen chuckled quietly.
‘Gained something, huh.’
It’s actually a welcome challenge.
If I hadn’t gained anything, it would mean I was an incompetent informant.
I don’t need colleagues who lack ability.
In a world racing towards destruction, Dalen only needed people with exceptional skills.
Even if they were incredibly difficult to recruit, what mattered was not the difficulty but their capability.
In the face of an apocalypse that couldn’t be overcome alone, there could never be too many competent heroes.
Anyway, it was time to get to the point.
Dalen leaned forward and asked, “So, what’s the assignment?”
Sienna, as if she’d been waiting, pulled out a stack of papers from a shelf.
She placed a thick bundle of requests on the table, the stack nearly half a hand’s width thick. As she clinked the tea leaves in her cup, she said, “This might take a while. Shall we discuss it over another cup of tea?”
“Sounds like a plan,” Dalen nodded.
For this kind of paperwork, one cup of coffee just wouldn’t cut it.
Over the past week or so, Dalen had received a total of forty-six requests.
Even after filtering out those with unclear identities or absurd demands, there were still that many.
Listening to Sienna’s briefings, Dalen felt his eyelids grow heavy, a fatigue he hadn’t experienced even after battling hundreds of frogmen and monsters.
‘At this rate, paperwork is scarier than any beast.’
As he rubbed his temples, Sienna paused her summary of the thirty-third request and set it aside.
“Feeling tired?” she asked.
“It’s not easy. I take back what I said about summarizing each one.”
Being an informant isn’t for just anyone.
Sienna chuckled softly at Dalen’s jest and gathered the scattered requests into a single pile.
“Maybe it’d be easier if I just picked out the ones that match your criteria. Is there a specific reward or type of request you’re looking for?”
Dalen thought for a moment before replying, “Something that enhances stamina. Or a client who can provide such a potion, spell, or ritual.”
In this world, leveling up isn’t the only way to increase abilities.
Leveling up is a privilege exclusive to players.
Other NPCs either undergo years of rigorous training or find special ways to enhance their innate abilities.
‘Special potions, permanent spells, or rituals are typical. Even contracts with dark gods are among them.’
Despite pondering it multiple times during breaks, increasing his stamina through leveling up seemed a distant goal.
Moreover, recalling his past characters, he hadn’t often focused on boosting stamina.
To restore the balance of his broken stats, he needed to find another way.
Of course, Sienna, unaware of the backstory, looked puzzled by Dalen’s condition.
“Stamina? You, lacking stamina?”
“After sitting at this desk for so long, I definitely feel the lack,” he replied with a low chuckle.
Though Sienna still seemed confused, she didn’t press further.
“That makes sense. Beating monsters and having good sitting endurance are different things.”
She played along with his jest, skillfully avoiding any detailed mention.
Everyone has secrets they must keep hidden, and Sienna knew that better than anyone.
“Potions or spells that enhance stamina, or rituals… Give me a moment.”
“Take your time.”
Dalen sipped another cup of coffee and sank into the sofa.
Meanwhile, Sienna quickly sorted through nearly fifty requests, checking again for any that might meet his criteria.
After a short while, just as Dalen finished his coffee, she spoke.
“Here. I’ve narrowed it down to about eight.”
Sienna summarized the eight requests for him.
Five of them were from herbalists, farm owners in the western region, and back-alley drug dealers.
Dalen pushed those to the side of the table.
“Let’s put these on hold for now.”
Accepting requests from herbalists wouldn’t be bad.
Since they dealt with the raw materials for elixirs, they were closely aligned with Dalen’s goals.
However, what Dalen sought wasn’t just herbs for general health improvement.
To enhance his superhuman physique, he needed legendary herbs or elixirs at the very least.
‘People who handle such high-grade items are rare even in this vast bronze district.’
And for NPCs of that caliber, Dalen already had their names and titles memorized.
Unfortunately, none of the current requesters were such prominent herbalists.
“Of the remaining three, two are from temples. One is from the Temple of the God of Light, Pawel, and the other from the Temple of the Water Guardian, Sisella.”
“Neither interests me.”
Sienna gave a playful smile.
“Do you really believe in the Eternal Palace of Hadash, even though you’re not from the north?”
“Race and faith are separate matters, aren’t they?” Dalen replied nonchalantly.
Of course, he didn’t truly believe in the northern warrior god.
Still, he thought a straightforward war god was preferable to the gods worshipped in the Empire or the Eastern Knight Kingdom.
In this cursed world, no god was above betrayal.
“Then there’s only one left. But honestly, I wouldn’t recommend it. It’s one I already filtered out.”
Sienna spoke with a hint of reluctance.
“The request seemed a bit odd. And as for the reward… I’m not sure it will be what you’re looking for.”
“What is it?” Dalen asked, scratching his chin.
Sienna furrowed her brow slightly and handed him a single-page request.
“The requester is a squire from the Holy Knights. The task is to defeat a demon in a labyrinth and retrieve a holy sword that was stolen.”
Dalen’s hand paused mid-scratch. He carefully examined the request.
After a moment of silence, he spoke.
“I’ll take this one.”
“Really?” Sienna’s eyes widened in surprise. Dalen nodded with a fierce grin.
“Yes, thanks to this, I’ll finally get to see a labyrinth.”
Tap, tap.
His thick fingers drummed on the table over the request.
A demon in a labyrinth that had stolen a holy sword.
Dalen knew of it.
It was one of the mid-game bosses that had troubled him as much as the Apostles of Regression.
He hadn’t expected to encounter it so soon, but facing it early wouldn’t be a bad thing.
“Contact the requester. Tell them I’ll be meeting them soon.”
Dalen rose from his seat.
The axe at his waist seemed to tremble in anticipation of tasting demon blood.