33: Do you have any opinions about the Grey Elves?

"Everyone."

A group of people walked out of a building at the end of the plaza; the leader speaking appeared to be the butler.

A young man followed beside him, nodding and bowing, while fully armed guards lined up in a row behind them.

These guards were all physically imposing and well-equipped. Their orderly and murderous formation made the crowd in the plaza feel a heavy sense of pressure.

As the butler spoke, the noisy plaza instantly fell silent.

"Since you have all come here today, I assume you are satisfied with the Count's deposit."

The butler spoke with an elegant and solemn tone, "Then, without further ado, I shall read the mission details to you."

"Due to the large number of personnel required for this mission, we have specially invited elite members from various major factions..."

"I hope you will all prioritize the mission above all else and avoid any unpleasantness that might affect its progress."

"The mission details are as follows:"

"In the early stages, the area will be divided into different zones. A fixed number of people will investigate and search each zone, reporting information within a set time to the person in charge of that zone—namely, the guards behind me."

"Those who provide valid information or hand over what they find will receive generous rewards."

"Furthermore, anyone who conceals information or embezzles the target items will, once discovered, be listed as a top-priority fugitive by the Duchy. Please be aware."

"Now, the search targets are as follows. Please prioritize your findings according to the established sequence:"

"Sequence 1: Any unknown sources of pollution;"

"Sequence 2: Anything related to undead creatures;"

"Sequence 3: Special Meditation Method storage stones;"

"Sequence 4..."

The butler read through a long list in one breath, but Ronan had already broken into a cold sweat after hearing the first three.

How could it be such a coincidence that all of them were somewhat related to him?

If nothing unexpected happened, that 'special Meditation Method storage stone' probably contained the Starry Sky Meditation Method.

As for handing it over? Handing it over was out of the question.

Setting aside the fact that the bead inside the stone had long since disappeared, if he actually handed over the Starry Sky Meditation Method, the other party might just find a reason to physically eliminate him.

"Now, we will distribute the zones each of you will be responsible for investigating. Roland."

The butler called out, and the young man beside him immediately stepped forward fawningly, holding a stack of cards.

"Please come forward as a team to collect your zone numbers."

Upon hearing this, the various teams consciously formed long lines.

The fully armed guards surrounding the plaza made everyone's behavior improve by several notches instantly.

The three members of Ash Leaf's team simply lined up behind Ronan and his group.

The two dwarves were still conversing privately in refined tones, while Ash Leaf wouldn't stop pestering Ronan.

"Your name is White Night? Is that your code name? What's your real name?"

"Why does your team only have three members?"

"Are you permanently based in Moonless City?"

"...'Do you have some kind of problem with Grey Elves?'" A string of questions were thrown at him, and since Ronan hadn't even opened his mouth, Ash Leaf was getting a bit emotional.

Aside from their unique ears and skin color, Grey Elves were actually not much different from humans.

If you ignored her ears, Ash Leaf looked like a youthful and beautiful girl of sixteen or seventeen.

Her eyes were large and round, and with the added charm of being a mage—unlike the mainstream—those eyes held a hint of wisdom and mystery, making people feel unconsciously attracted to her.

"No, I don't,"

Ronan hurriedly denied. He couldn't answer at all; the questions she bombarded him with were like dozens of ringing alarm clocks spinning around his head.

"Really?" Those alluring eyes narrowed instantly, filled with suspicion.

"Of course it's true! Since I came to this world, the first people I came into contact with were Grey Elves,"

Ronan said firmly. "To tell you the truth, my former teammate was also a Grey Elf from a magical family. He was meticulous, thoughtful, knowledgeable, and an excellent archer. Even when he finally sacrificed himself in a crisis, he pointed out the true culprit for me..."

"How could you dare say something like 'I have a problem with Grey Elves'?!" His voice unconsciously took on a hint of a sob.

Evil Axe, who was not far away, couldn't help but remark, "The captain's former teammate really was remarkable..."

"I-I'm sorry!" Ash Leaf immediately bowed ninety degrees in apology.

"It's fine, I was just speaking from the heart. It has nothing to do with you." He wiped away non-existent tears... The line moved quickly, and before long, it was Ronan's team's turn.

Evil Axe was still whispering with Red Hammer, and since Drill Mouse's height put him at a disadvantage, Ronan was responsible for taking the card.

"Adventurers Guild, Number 408..." The young man handing out cards paused and looked up, staring straight at Ronan.

"Adventurers Guild, Team 408..." He repeated, then turned to the butler.

"Uncle Saunders, there were rumors recently that a team from the Adventurers Guild was caught in a beast tide while escorting the County Princess, and the whole team died heroically... It seems to be this Team 408."

"They couldn't be imposters, could they?" The young man took a step back pretentiously, the fearful expression on his face greatly exaggerated.

"Is that so?" The butler's tone was flat as he squinted at the young man. "Are you questioning the Master's recruitment standards, Roland?"

"Of course not! I absolutely trust the Count's judgment!" the young man said earnestly.

Then he changed the subject, "But as a childhood playmate of the County Princess, I also confirmed this news..."

"Do your job, Viscount," the butler said coldly, clearly seeing that the young man was deliberately targeting them.

He looked at Ronan and gave a nearly imperceptible nod.

This movement was so slight that no one present noticed except for Ronan.

Although Ronan felt surprised and curious, he only nodded back slightly in respect without saying much.

Having been rebuffed, the young man immediately became well-behaved.

He smiled as if nothing had happened and obediently handed over the number card.

However, the gaze he directed at Ronan carried a blatant look of malice.

Ronan had been wondering where this mysterious hostility came from, but as soon as he heard the title 'Viscount', his confusion vanished.

Viscount Roland.

Isn't this the person who posted the mission in the Mercenary Blood Pact, wanting to get rid of the team members?

When Evil Axe was surrounded by Mercenaries before, those Mercenaries had taken the mission he posted.

If it weren't for the other party's incorrect information, Evil Axe's situation might have been even worse.

Ronan quickly reviewed his experiences since entering the city and confirmed he hadn't offended anyone.

Evil Axe was the same; he didn't even know this Viscount existed.

Then all signs pointed to the only possibility: Russell... who was by County Princess Celia's side.

The County Princess's hobbies were a bit strange, but she was a decent person and wouldn't have bad intentions toward them.

But Russell was different.

He only needed to say a few bad words in front of the nobles around the County Princess, and a group of people would immediately rush to cut off Ronan's head and present it.

This is power... A servant of a great house is a power in his own right. Looking at the Viscount bowing and scraping before the butler, Ronan couldn't help but feel a surge of emotions.

He looked at the magic robe he was wearing and turned to ask Ash Leaf,

"You said this is a Prefabricated Academy Robe?"