Fors, who was finishing eating her third slice, froze halfway through her bite. Mechanic and very rusty, she turned to look at him in disbelief.
"We are going to do what?"
As if he were discussing the weather, Adryan replied casually, "Hunt a demigod."
"..."
Now completely rusty, she turned her torso to look at the rest of those present, to confirm whether it was her ears playing tricks on her or whether that crazy guy really said what she heard.
All those present, without exception, showed varying degrees of disbelief, shock or bewilderment.
Even the youngest, the least experienced, showed this because although they did not know precisely what a demigod was, they could understand its power!
Beyonders who transcend human limits and acquire divinity are considered fundamental forces in any organization, orthodox or not.
They were going to hunt one?!
This could not be taken lightly!
"Kenway... Do you understand what you're saying? Do you know what that means?" Xio unconsciously placed her hand on the hilt of her sword, something she did in moments of stress.
"Mhm," The redhead nodded usually.
"..." A vein jumped on her forehead, and a little of the edge of her sword showed, but Fors placed a hand on hers and gently lowered it without even looking at her.
"Boss, is this even a good idea? It's a demigod." Sasha nervously entered, and Nathan nodded next to her.
"I still want to live, in case it wasn't obvious," Charlotte scratched his neck hard, a nervous laugh filling it.
Opera, Jerry, and Ademisaul looked at everything in confusion.
They had the least experience of this world, so they didn't quite know how to react; they only knew it was a bad idea.
Coming out of her momentary stupor, Sharron tilted her head almost imperceptibly to one side and said, "Mr. Adryan, could you tell us more about this hunt you want to do?"
"Of course, that's what I was getting at." The redhead rested his chin on his palm and explained the current situation.
"A few days ago, an Imperative Mage from the Tamara family prayed to my Lord for help.
"In case you don't know, the Tamara family is an angel family from the Fourth Epoch of the Tudor Empire. They have managed to survive until today by hiding, but they have suffered several fragmentations that caused several branches to turn to Evil Gods.
"This demigod is part of the last righteous line of the Family according to his words, but this dying branch is being hunted by the corrupted branches that separated."
"Tomorrow, I'm going to have a chat with him. Depending on how it goes, we'll help him face his pursuers."
"Imperative Mage... Which path is he from?" Charlotte asked curiously but no longer so nervously.
"Sequence 4 of the Arbiter Pathway."
Xio jumped at that, "A demigod of my path?"
"The Tamara family controls the Arbiter path; I'm aware that they possess formulas up to Sequence 2 at least," Adryan smiled, "Very juicy, don't you think?"
Rolling his shoulders, he continued somewhat indifferently: "But it all depends on the information he gives me tomorrow. The possibility of an enemy demigod is high, and he won't come alone, so once I confirm the information, I'll need your help dealing with the mosquitoes.
"I'll tell you your roles once that happens. Until then, make sure you get a good rest."
"I hope you know what you're doing," Maric growled a little, his gaze more intense than before.
The smile on the redhead's face sharpened dangerously, and his eyes sparkled.
"Of course I do, Maric. Who do you take me for?
"Besides, it's just a demigod."
"… just a demigod, says this madman…" Fors murmured with a lost look in her eyes.
Although she was much calmer now, knowing that they would have the support of another demigod, she was worried that this guy was so casual about killing one.
"Don't be a crybaby." Giggling, Adryan took another bite of his cake.
It tasted much better now.
Playing with his fork a little, he focused on a still-stunned Opera.
"Opera, I'll come for Ademisaul in a few days to have him work at my company so he can act as a Robot.
"In the meantime, please change his appearance a little. Dye his hair and teach him how to apply a little makeup. It should be easy for him to learn that now that he's a Robot, but let me know if there are any problems."
"Ah. Yes, yes. No problem..." Opera nodded, and the young man in question nodded in return.
"I promise to learn quickly," Ademisaul said.
Looking at everyone, before this short but no less exciting party meeting would end, Adryan gave one last announcement.
"Hazel should be joining us this week. The new member's trial period is also coming to an end.
"If nothing happens, that barbarian will soon be official."
At the last meeting, he had already discussed Vivian's future recruitment, so this announcement was not strange to anyone; it only confused Nathan a little more.
With nothing more to do or say, after eating most of the cake and Sasha taking away what little was left, the group members left Warehouse 7 in their respective groups...
After a while, only Adryan, Flora, and Serena remained in the room.
The latter did not move to leave. She just looked around the room for a moment.
Her sensitive spirituality as a Secret Supplicant allowed her to detect particular hidden existences as well as hidden presences.
A while ago, her spirituality had sent a sudden reminder, a freezing morning breeze that disappeared as soon as it appeared.
'Something came in here quickly... Very quickly...'
Squinting her eyes, she turned her attention back to the seated duo.
"There's someone else here."
Hearing the words he longed to hear, the corners of his lips turned up.
Without looking anywhere, Adryan spoke into the air mischievously, "It's rude not to introduce yourself once your name is called, don't you think?"
At his voice, the shadows under one of the tables darkened even more and began to weep as if they had become a black sea.
From that black sea, a part of it separated and rose. Forming a person who had a serious look on his face.
A familiar man from Bayam Ascent with deep brown eyes accentuated by slight dark circles under them and short black hair.
"You can't help getting into trouble, can you, Mr. K?" He said with a small sigh.
The person who had been in charge of introducing him to the Tower and guiding him through it more than a month ago. Mysticism Magister Uron Maltir!
'Uh, I didn't think he was also part of the team watching me. But it makes sense; someone who has been watching me for so long is the best person to guide me...' Adryan concealed his slight surprise at this.
He chuckled, "I didn't think you were my babysitter. How have you been, Mr. Uron?"
The Mysticism Magister gave a disinterested nod in response but said nothing more.
Facing those present, he walked to one of the chairs in front of them and sat down. His posture could not be described as anything other than perfect.
Uron looked at him with calm eyes.
"So far you have not given us any problems integrating into Lenburg, although not using a very discreet profile you have managed to hide well. May I ask why the interest in breaking that calm?"
"Just because I'm keeping a low profile doesn't mean I'm not playing my cards, Mr. Uron~" Adryan smiled mysteriously at the man.
Turning to his side, his smile softened, "It's okay, Serena, you can go. I'll take it from here."
The woman gave a slight nod and left the room without saying anything else...
Flora watched this expressionless interaction.
This was what worried her.
Although she had reservations about Adryan planning to hunt a Demigod, something she still couldn't quite process, for now that was only a possibility, so there was no need to worry yet.
Her genuine concern was the Wise Owls!
They were being watched all the time by them; the moment when they were most attentive was undoubtedly on the days when everyone got together.
Once the princess told them what she wanted to do, the Wise Owls would undoubtedly react and want to obtain more information about it.
She didn't know all the information; the princess had kept the most important thing to himself for that reason, only telling her that he planned to do something and that he needed to talk to the Church about it.
Knowing the man very well, Flora was sure it was another one of his crazy ideas. A very big one if he needed to talk to the Church first.
She had tried to think of what it could be, but even in her wildest thoughts, hunting a demigod was one of the least likely.
The first problem they had to overcome was to convince the Wise Owls to let him do this madness.
In response to their words, Uron nodded slightly in acknowledgment, "I suppose it was our mistake to think that you would just be an entrepreneur."
"You said that not me," Adryan chuckled, "So? What do you think of what I want to do?"
"I think you have an enormous desire to die, Mr. K" Uron sighed.
Then his gaze hardened, and he said:
"I don't need to tell you that the Church cannot afford a confrontation between two demigods here in the city. The destruction and loss of life that would bring is unacceptable."
"You say that as if I planned to confront a demigod in the middle of the street," Adryan sighed, bored and disappointed.
"Have you forgotten what path I follow?
"I am a Conspirator of the Hunter Pathway. Choosing prey to hunt is my bread and water. I would never choose prey that I cannot kill."
Uron's eyes trembled a little, "To call a Sequence 4 Beyonder prey is to underestimate their existence as High Sequence, Mr. K.
"To underestimate existences that have already surpassed the human plane will only lead you to an early grave."
Leaning his cheek against his knuckles, the redhead raised an interested eyebrow.
"They may have divinity in them, but you must also remember that they are still mortal; they have to eat and sleep to live, in the same way that they still age, only much more slowly.
"They also bleed, and anything that bleeds can be killed."
"..." Uron said nothing in response; he just closed his eyes and let out a muffled sigh.
After a few moments, he opened them.
"How exactly do you plan to deal with this enemy demigod? It is obvious that he will have the support of others, but even so, once someone reaches Sequence 4, they become very difficult to kill."
"With enough preparation, there is no one you can't kill." Adryan laughed a little, "Besides, how will I do it... Why do I have to tell you?
"I'm a Conspirator. If I go around telling everyone who asks me what I'm planning, I'll fail like one."
Flora felt one eyebrow twitch but controlled her expression. Her eyes shifted slightly, and she looked annoyed at her partner's back.
'You're making it harder for them to help us, you idiot!'
For a moment, Uron's expression twisted into a grimace. Then, he assumed his role as a reader and separated himself from the scene, regaining his composure.
With a solemn voice, he said.
"If you wish to receive the help of the Church then-"
"Help?" Adryan cut him off with a raised eyebrow, "Who said I needed your help?"
Stunned, Uron expressed his confusion, "Isn't that why you said all that in this meeting with your team? To ask for our participation in this?"
Adryan snorted as if he had heard the funniest thing in his life.
"Please, don't get too excited. I didn't say that to ask for your help."
"You didn't? Then why?"
Flora shared the same thought, but knowing the redhead, she thought she had an idea why... And she didn't like it at all.
Adryan smirked.
"I said it so you don't get in the way. This is my prey, after all."
"…" Opening and closing his mouth, the Wise Owl was stunned.
Not waiting for him to recover, the redhead continued, "The most I'll say is that it will be in the Lumea Forest. I'll give you the exact location the day it happens, but don't think it's to help.
"The only reason I'm giving you this information is for your own peace of mind. So that you can assess the situation and intervene if you see fit, but unless it is absolutely necessary, you will stay where you are, like good little boys and girls.
"Is that clear?"
Returning to the reader's state, Uron stared blankly at the man, although his eyes trembled slightly.
"I will notify the Church of your words and information; they will make the final decision."
Adryan nodded without interest, "I am sure they will accept before the end of the day."
"Before I forget. I want you to stop watching me for the duration of this hunt. If your noses are digging around my kitchen, you risk ruining my plan."
"..." Uron only nodded in agreement with his words, his expression indecipherable.
His body faded colors, and the shadows quickly covered him, leaving a very dark figure.
This dark figure collapsed all over the floor, merging with the shadows under the tables, completely indistinguishable.
Now that they were alone, Flora turned and looked at him with evident annoyance.
"Having their help would have been very useful."
"I won't deny that. But it's not necessary.
"The most important thing they have to do is observe and ensure the situation doesn't escalate. Otherwise, they would have just been a nuisance."
"What am I going to do with you…" Knowing there was no going back, the white-haired woman could only resign herself.
Not wanting to be in that hole longer than necessary, she changed the subject a little.
"Shall we wait here for his answer?"
"Yep. Once we receive the yes, we'll move."
...
A while later, a reminder of their spirituality made the duo look at a table at the back of the room.
On top of it, a white letter sealed with the symbol of the Church was resting.
Using his threads, Adryan pulled it towards his hands and opened it.
He began to read by extending it in front of him so that his dear worm could see it too.
We accept the terms. But if we are forced to intervene, all the spoils of this hunt will pass into the hands of the Church.
Finally, any damage to the forest will be yours to repair.
Sincerely, Archbishop Thaddeus von Hohenberg.
Smiling, the redhead burned the letter and threw the ashes in the tray in the corner.
"Come on, we have a train to catch."