Chapter 26: Do You Really Think That Can Move My Heart?

“This girl’s name is Yoschua Verdi.”

Wilhelm pointed at the girl on the screen as he spoke.

Even just through the video, the silver-haired, red-eyed beauty radiated an air of mystery.

The footage Wilhelm was showing was from the recent D-Rank Hunter Rank Advancement Exam, and to Marcel, an A-Rank Hunter, there was nothing particularly striking about it.

But Guild Master Wilhelm, who was more desperate than anyone to scout promising talent, saw things differently.

Wilhelm didn’t stop explaining, going over every detail of Verdi’s movements, magic, and even her attitude.

‘Was Master always this passionate…?’

Seeing Wilhelm like this for the first time, Marcel kept a calm exterior but was a bit surprised inside.

Wilhelm, who always showed a cool-headed demeanor no matter the time or place, now looked like… yeah.

‘He looks like he’s fallen in love or something.’

Thinking that, a faint smile crept onto Marcel’s lips.

Well, considering Master’s age, it made sense.

He was about the age to start thinking about marriage.

‘But isn’t she too young?’

The girl in the video looked to be at most in her mid-teens, which meant there was quite an age gap with Wilhelm, who was in his 20s.

If he were the fiancé of Deneb, the Master’s sibling, that might be one thing, but she’s still a minor, right?

“Marcel.”

“Ah, yes!”

Startled by Wilhelm’s call, Marcel hurriedly answered, worried that his inner thoughts had been caught.

“This is something I haven’t told anyone yet.”

Marcel quietly nodded.

It meant this was not to reach anyone else’s ears.

“Last night, information came in from the Hunter Association.”

“Information from the Hunter Association?”

“Yes. The Association tried to cover up this incident, but thanks to the surveillance I had placed on Deneb, I was able to find out.”

Deneb… that’s the younger sibling… the Little Master, right?

But what’s this about surveillance?

“Some time ago, I told Deneb to bring that girl here. In fact, Deneb entered a C-Rank Gate today as part of a party with her.”

‘A D-Rank Hunter going into a C-Rank Gate? Has he lost his nerve?’

He wanted to scoff, but since the Little Master was involved, Marcel quietly listened to Wilhelm’s story.

“But ironically, that party, aside from the girl and Deneb, was made up of Bandits.”

“…! Is the Little Master safe?!”

At Marcel’s concern, Wilhelm quietly nodded.

“That’s a relief.”

“Yes, it really is. But upon investigation, there were more than a few suspicious points.”

Wilhelm’s eyes narrowed. His gaze was intense enough to put even Marcel, an A-Rank Hunter, on edge.

“Not only did Deneb single-handedly wipe out a Bandit party composed of C-Rank Hunters, but she’s also recorded as having taken down the boss of the C-Rank Gate by herself.”

“…!”

Even to Marcel, a mere guild member, there were more than a few suspicious points.

Marcel didn’t know much about Deneb. She rarely visited the Guild House.

But from Wilhelm’s attitude and his low Hunter rank, he could infer how skilled the boy was.

He’d heard the kid had recently advanced to D-Rank, so that was about right.

For Deneb to handle even a single C-Rank Hunter alone would be a struggle, but to wipe out a Bandit party made up of multiple C- to D-Rank Hunters, and then take down a C-Rank Gate boss on top of that?

It was impossible. To handle a C-Rank Gate boss alone, you’d need at least a B-Rank Hunter.

That left only one suspect.

That girl who was said to have partied with Deneb.

“I can’t help but think the Hunter Association is hiding something from us.”

Having finished his thoughts, Marcel spoke in a cautious voice.

“I think so too. That’s why I have a favor to ask of you.”

Marcel nodded firmly.

If it had been a request to join a High-Rank Gate assault team like the guild he’d been in before, he would have refused on the spot and quit the guild.

But Wilhelm’s request wasn’t that.

“Escort my brother, and closely observe that girl.”

A relatively simple task that didn’t require risking his life.

This was exactly the kind of work Marcel wanted.

Wilhelm was talking as if it were a serious matter, but at most, it was just two D-Rank Hunters.

No matter how much Low-Rank Hunters strutted around, they wouldn’t stand a chance against him, an A-Rank Hunter.

“Leave it to me.”

“Good.”

After Marcel left the room.

Wilhelm, alone in the guild master’s office, sank into thought.

Right now, his attention was fixed solely on one girl.

‘I don’t know why the Hunter Association tried to hide the information, but…’

Yoschua Verdi. That girl was definitely special.

There was something there. That was probably why they were trying to hide it.

And.

‘I absolutely have to recruit her into our guild.’

Wilhelm recalled a mage Hunter from the past, one he’d tried every effort to recruit but ultimately failed.

He’d been watching that Hunter even before he rose to prominence in this industry, but in the end, he let him slip away.

That Hunter eventually became famous enough to be remembered as a legend.

Now…

Anyway, the more he thought about it, the more he regretted losing that talent.

So this time, he wouldn’t let her go.

* * *

“Well then, I’ll be going?”

I’d gotten the bounty, so our connection ended here. That was what I was thinking.

“Wait a moment! Ms. Verdi!”

Just as I was about to take a step, Deneb urgently called my name.

What now?

“Um, well… there’s something I’d like to ask of you.”

“Ask?”

I reflexively frowned, then relaxed my expression.

Because I still felt a bit guilty for suspecting him…

I figured I’d at least hear him out.

“Well, I’ve left the guild now.”

“…?”

What was this supposed to mean? He left the guild?

Wasn’t Royal Knights the guild where your older—no, your brother was the master?

“So, I was wondering…”

Deneb hesitated, fumbling over her words.

It seemed like he was about to ask for something difficult to agree to.

If that was the case, the answer was obviously NO.

“Ms. Verdi, I’m asking you one more time. Could you please form a party with me?”

Hmm, so it was this again~

I didn’t show it on my face, but if I had, I’d probably be wearing a frustrated expression.

I’d already refused, so why was he asking the same thing again?

“No—”

I was about to cut him off and say no.

“Ah, wait, wait!”

Deneb shouted urgently, as if she’d expected my answer from the start.

“Of course you’d refuse!”

He knew it well.

“But there’s a condition. One that even you, Ms. Verdi, would find reasonable enough to accept.”

Oh-ho, a condition, huh.

Could that really sway my mind?

“First, I won’t take any of the dungeon’s profits.”

“Alright, let’s do it.”

The moment I realized it involved money, I answered without hesitation.

“And— huh?”

“Let’s do it.”

Why would I refuse this?

The reason I went into Gates alone, regardless of the dungeon’s difficulty, was purely because I didn’t want to split the profits.

But now he was saying he wouldn’t take any profits? I wasn’t an idiot—there was no reason for me to turn that down.

“…Are you really okay with that?”

Deneb asked cautiously.

Instead of answering, I nodded.

Giving up the dungeon’s profits was practically the same as becoming my slave.

Worked out well for me. I’d been needing a cheap Porter to boss around anyway. And free was even better.

There was a limit to how many Magic Stones I could carry alone.

The higher the difficulty of the Gate I was clearing, the better the quality of the Magic Stones the Demon Beasts dropped.

Even if they were just trash mobs scattered all over the dungeon. I’d been disappointed last time when I couldn’t collect everything from the Gate I went to alone.

“How long’s the term?”

“Ah, well… is it okay until I want to stop?”

“Sure.”

I’ll make sure to work you plenty in the meantime.

“A-and, there’s one more thing I’d like to ask.”

Instead of answering, I shot him a look that said, “Go ahead and say it.”

“Ms. Verdi, please become my teacher! I’m begging you!”

“…”

I stared at Deneb with a blank expression.

This kid had asked me to teach him magic before, too.

He’d begged so much that I reluctantly taught him a simple spell anyone could follow.

“Do you have the aptitude?”

Not just any Awakened One could become a mage-type Hunter.

You had to be able to sense mana and control it.

To go further than that, you need talent.

Unlike swordsmanship, where you can reach a certain level just by swinging a blade, becoming a mage requires talent. Hard work is just a bonus on top of that.

Honestly, I didn’t get this far on effort alone either. I’m well aware that my talent is exceptional.

“Of course I do. I may not look it, but I became a D-Rank Hunter through magic alone.”

Deneb pulled a small stick from her pocket and held it out, speaking confidently.

So that staff isn’t just for show, huh.

“When I left the guild, Wilhelm hyung-nim told me that if I wanted to walk the path of a mage, I wouldn’t get any support from the guild or the family.”

Hearing Deneb’s words, I recalled something I’d heard before. The Lucius family had been renowned for swordsmanship since ancient times.

Well, I guess a mage popping up in a place like that is pretty much an apostate.

But kicking him out of the guild over it… that was a bit unexpected.

I mean, Deneb’s face lights up every time she talks about Wilhelm, so I figured the older brother really doted on his little sister.

‘Ah, so that’s why they attached this guy to him.’

Marcel. That bastard being assigned as a watchdog and bodyguard was probably Wilhelm’s order.

“I want to be acknowledged. By my hyung-nim, and by the guild and family too. And I’ve come to realize that I desperately need your help for that. So I’m asking you once more. Ms. Verdi, please become my teacher!”

Deneb bowed her head.

I could feel the desperation in that posture.

“Please!”

“…Hoo.”

Guess I have no choice.

If he’s going that far… I suppose I could at least think about it.

“Let’s talk about that later.”

“Eh, so it’s still a no?”

To Deneb, who couldn’t hide her blatant disappointment, I subtly gestured with my eyes toward Marcel.

I want to talk about this alone, just the two of us, without Marcel around.

A D-Rank Hunter asking another D-Rank Hunter to be their teacher — anyone would think that’s weird, right?

I mean, there are differences in strength even within the same rank.

But we’re just D-Rank Hunters. How much of a gap can there really be between Low-Rank Hunters?

Even the term “hidden master” only applies once you’re at least a High-Rank Hunter.

“Ah…”

Deneb seemed to catch on and quietly nodded.

“Then—”

“I didn’t say yes yet.”

I said to Deneb, who was already making an expectant face.

“I have conditions.”

“Anything, I’ll do anything!”

Saying you’ll do anything… that’s not something you throw around lightly.

What if I told you to steal some important treasure from your family?

But I’m not a villain. I won’t make such heinous requests.

“You won’t tell anyone about this.”

“Yes, sir!”

I whispered so Marcel wouldn’t hear.

Deneb said she’d left the guild, but Marcel was still here.

Marcel would probably report everything about me and Deneb to the guild without missing a single detail.

First, how to deal with that annoying bastard…

‘Ah, right.’

If Marcel really is, as I guessed, a Hunter whose spirit was broken and won’t challenge High-Rank Gates.

If that’s the case, with some luck, I might be able to bring Marcel over to our side.

And if that happens.

The moment Marcel becomes our ally, the path forward starts to become crystal clear.

‘Things might work out better than I thought.’

Glancing covertly at Marcel, a sinister smile crept onto my lips.