Chapter 92: Half Return

“…?”

Wilhelm just kept blinking at my words. That stupid look made me feel like blasting a spell at him right then and there.

Seems like he didn’t hear me properly, so I guess I’ll have to say it again.

“I am Yoschuko Verdiol.”

This time, I said it with style, striking a pose with my hand on my chest.

“So that’s what you were talking about.”

Wilhelm’s eyes narrowed.

How should I put it… It was the kind of look you’d give a pathetic creature.

“Then this list must be fake too.”

“Wha, what did you say?”

“Deneb, is this the kind of nonsense you’ve been up to? Disappointing… I’d been expecting good news from you lately.”

Wilhelm let out an exaggerated, loud sigh as he spoke.

“H-hyung-nim. This person is…!”

“Hey, Wilhelm.”

You son of a bitch.

…Can’t exactly say that, can I?

Forcing down my anger and curses, I calmly smiled and spoke.

“Is this enough?”

I spread my hand toward Wilhelm. What formed in front of my palm were five red magic circles. The preparation stage for casting high-level magic.

Next, I’d need to chant a spell to summon the magic, but I don’t need that kind of prep work.

“……”

I glanced around briefly. Somewhere to prove my power… Huh?

As I looked around, I spotted a large monitor in the corner of the office.

A video was playing on that monitor, and what was showing on it… was none other than me.

I mean, not Verdiol, but my current girl form.

‘What the hell is that?’

Looking closely, it was footage from when I was taking the Rank Advancement Exam to become a D-Rank Hunter.

My confusion over that screen lasted only a moment.

I immediately glared fiercely at Wilhelm.

‘You son of a bitch!’

An S-Rank Hunter, the Guild Master of one of the Five Great Guilds — that’s his public face.

But behind it, a psychotic stalker was hiding! You crazy bastard!

Without a moment’s hesitation, I reached my hand toward the monitor.

Whoosh! The monitor, engulfed in the high-level magic Hellfire, turned to ash and vanished without a trace.

“V-Verdi! Calm down!”

“How can I calm down after seeing that!”

“……”

Wilhelm stared at me with a slightly surprised face, as if my reaction had stunned him.

“You’re next! I’ll burn you up!”

Just as I raised my hand to use high-level magic again…

“…Is it really true?”

Wilhelm asked. At first, I thought he was asking if I was going to burn him up. But that wasn’t it. The look in his eyes had changed a little. At that, I glared at him for a moment, then finally calmed my excitement and sat back down as if nothing had happened.

…I’m the one who needs help right now, so I’ll hold back just this once.

“Yeah.”

“…The magic you just showed… that’s something you’d need to bring in a High-Rank mage Hunter to pull off.”

High-Rank, my ass. The number of mage Hunters who can use Hell Fire, including me, is less than ten.

Ah, maybe not even half that now. Some of them are dead.

“And the one who can use that magic without chanting a spell… is only one person.”

The moment I heard that, I couldn’t help but smile.

“Yeah, you get it now?”

“…What the hell is that form, Verdiol?”

Wilhelm frowned and asked me.

“What you’ve been doing for the past three years…”

“It’s not like I chose this, you know?”

He looked like he was about to spout nonsense, so I brushed it off vaguely. But it’s the truth. I didn’t choose to end up like this.

“…I can’t believe it.”

Wilhelm then examined my appearance with an incredulous face.

“Did you go to any lengths to escape public scrutiny?”

“Well, let’s just say that.”

You could’ve just said that from the start.

“How you did it… I won’t ask. I don’t have that kind of hobby.”

“Shut up!”

You son of a bitch.

“…So, Verdiol.”

Wilhelm let out a shallow sigh before speaking.

“What business brings you to me?”

“I told you. I’m making a guild, and I want to form an alliance.”

“An alliance? You?”

“Yeah.”

I could understand why Wilhelm looked so surprised. In the past, I never liked keeping company with anyone. Aside from Jihyeok, I never kept anyone by my side.

“Don’t get me wrong. It’s not for your sake. It’s for me, for my guild.”

“I never thought that. It’s just… a bit surprising. ‘We’ — I never imagined you’d have someone you’d call ‘we.’”

Saying that, Wilhelm looked over the list again.

“This list—”

“It’s all real. Why would I lie to you? Right now, I’m publicly a D-Rank Hunter. If anyone’s desperate for help… yeah, you could say it’s us.”

I don’t know much about Royal Knights’ situation. As one of the Five Great Guilds, no matter what tough obstacles they face, they can probably manage on their own somehow.

But we’re not like that.

A newborn guild. It’s time to climb the stairs step by step from here.

In this situation, forming an alliance with one of the Five Great Guilds is like taking an elevator straight to the top.

“Then let me ask. What’s in it for us?”

“I already told you.”

At Wilhelm’s question, I smiled confidently and answered.

“We conquer End Cave. I’ll give your guild priority on the credit.”

“…That’s laughable.”

Hearing my words, Wilhelm let out a short laugh.

“That’s a place the Five Great Guilds tried and failed to conquer together. And you’re saying you’ll take it with just two guilds? Besides, didn’t you fail to conquer it too?”

“That’s exactly why.”

To that question, I answered calmly, without backing down.

“That’s why I need your help. Wilhelm, you’re strong. The whole world knows your skill — the title Black Sword, reaching S-Rank Hunter. And your subordinates.”

I deliberately recited the names of Royal Knights’ executives, which I’d had Mr. Luca investigate yesterday, one by one.

“The Ten Knights of Royal Knights. Lilian, Kay, Atmos, Naserin, Ord, Vickers, Faye, Yaike, Porco, Hamires.”

Ha, fuck! I thought I’d pass out. Those damn difficult names. Memorizing them was a real pain.

“I know how excellent they are too. So I need your help.”

“…You, who never cared about anyone else, memorized all those names.”

Wilhelm looked surprised, as if he hadn’t expected me to know all his executives’ names. And maybe this was working?

Wilhelm turned his gaze to the desk. Then, as if lost in thought, he was silent for a moment before lifting his head to meet my eyes.

“Let me ask one thing.”

“What.”

“Conquering End Cave… what’s the success rate?”

At that question, I smirked and answered.

“What’s there to say? Obviously a hundred percent. I don’t lie. It’ll take time, though.”

“…Alright.”

After hesitating for a moment, Wilhelm spoke.

“But I have a condition.”

His gaze wasn’t on me.

“Deneb.”

“Y-yes?”

“Are you enjoying your life over there?”

“Uh… yes! Everyone’s been good to me… and Verdiol hyung-nim teaches me really well.”

…Being called ‘brother’ in this form feels really strange.

Maybe it’s because I was called Ms. Verdi for a while.

“Calling him ‘hyung-nim’ in that form.”

Wilhelm chuckled. His gaze turned back to me.

“Take good care of my little sister. That condition is enough.”

Saying that, he extended his hand, as if asking for a handshake.

“Of course.”

I grinned at Deneb, then confidently took her hand.

Wasn’t that the plan from the start?

* * *

And so, Royal Knights decided to form an alliance with our new guild as soon as it was established.

Once that happened, we’d hit the media right away. A new guild allied with Royal Knights?! Like that.

It would draw plenty of attention. Especially since among the members were Kim Jihyeok, already famous as an S-Rank Hunter, and Mateo, the leader of a fairly well-known religion.

In fact, those two were scheduled to be the main members for conquering End Cave.

Now all that was left…

“What will you name the guild?”

As I was thinking about the future, Marcel asked.

“The guild name?”

“Yes. I haven’t heard it yet…”

“Hmm, now that you mention it, I’ve never really thought about it deeply.”

A guild name.

Come to think of it, the name of the guild I was in with Jihyeok was…

“Wasn’t your previous guild name Solge?”

“Uh… yeah, it was.”

“It just came to mind, but what does Solge mean?”

“…That is…”

Solge.

…It’s short for Solo Gate.

As the name suggests, because I used to go into Gates alone.

I swallowed the words before they left my mouth. Thinking about it now, my naming sense is absolutely wrecked — I really just threw something together carelessly.

“It doesn’t really mean anything special. I just came up with it on the spot.”

“Ah, I see.”

I was glad he didn’t ask any more questions.

“So, will this guild’s name be Solge too?”

“No, I don’t plan to.”

At Marcel’s words, I quickly waved my hand.

Back then, I just wasn’t interested in organizations like guilds, but it’s different now.

And if I named it the same thing, people would get suspicious. I haven’t even saved Iris yet.

“A guild name…”

I think I need to think about this more seriously this time. We have quite a few members now.

* * *

A few months later.

In front of the bulletin board at the Association office.

Deneb and I had advanced to C-Rank Hunters.

“Congratulations on passing.”

After checking the list, I smiled brightly and said to Deneb.

“You too, Ms. Verdi!”

But wait, am I supposed to be happy about this congratulations? I was originally an S-Rank Hunter.

“I might rank up first next time.”

No matter how talented Deneb is, reaching High-Rank Hunter isn’t easy. For me, I just have to do what I used to do.

By then, I’ll probably rank up first.

“Hahaha… you speak the obvious so plainly.”

Deneb said with a laugh.

Actually, before this, I hadn’t planned on ranking up quickly.

I was just going to take it slow, rise naturally like flowing water without drawing anyone’s attention.

But now, I have a reason to do it.

Since End Cave is an S-Rank Gate, to challenge it, I need to at least reach High-Rank Hunter.

And Guild Master.

I tried to hand over the Guild Master position to Jihyeok, but Jihyeok said it had to be me, and the members joining from other guilds also said it was better if I was the Guild Master.

…Honestly, becoming Guild Master would make me stand out like crazy… but it’s also the most effective way to put myself in the spotlight.

If I save Iris, I can prove my innocence.

If I succeed in conquering End Cave, Verdiol will be innocent.

If I return as Verdiol while holding the position of Guild Master, it’ll be easier to reclaim everything I built before.

Of course, I don’t know if returning will be as easy as I think.