Chapter 204

“Great Undertaking, Year-End Party.”

Irene quietly repeated the information she heard from the Violet’s report.

Her cold gaze was directed somewhere in the air.

Violet, watching her friend, felt that Irene was deep in thought.

“What should we do? Should we attack right now?”

Violet asked Irene, already ready to spring into action at a moment’s notice.

The moment her friend gave the command, she was thinking of breaking through the wall and rushing out.

“At this time, everyone should be asleep, right?”

“Pour the water! Let’s take care of everything while the instant noodles cook!”

However, contrary to expectations, Irene shook her head.

“No, let’s wait for now. There’s not much time left until the Year-End Party.”

“Why? Didn’t you hear what he said? He plans to stir something at the Year-End Party.”

“Of course, we’ll give a warning. But…”

At that moment, Irene’s calm and emotionless voice reached Violet’s ears.

“I’m not planning to attack in advance. It’s better to respond on-site. The clan is in disarray right now. No one has experienced a situation like this before. Everyone will come to their senses only after witnessing Rigel’s actions firsthand.”

“Aha! So when they try to execute their plan, we show up and stop them! Just like superheroes!”

“That’s right.”

Irene nodded at Violet’s words.

She admired her friend’s keen insight while feeling a bit self-deprecating inside.

“Violet, you occasionally hit the nail on the head.”

Her friend’s words were indeed correct.

Though she claimed to be disappointed by the behavior of the hunters forming internal factions, what she really wanted to do was somewhat of a hero’s play.

“But this is precisely the opportunity to eliminate the enemies as cleanly as possible. Their main forces are gathering in one place.”

Moreover, there was one more important point.

At the year’s end assessment, the company’s main executives, key personnel, and important figures from the clan would all gather.

In front of them was a golden opportunity to completely undermine Rigel’s faction.

‘Still, we must minimize the damage first.’

Irene asked Violet for a few things.

A little while later, Violet, having completed the meeting through the network, spoke up.

“Disguise? That’s easy! I just happened to get a silicone mask. By the way, why is the broker interested?”

“Look into the banquet hall where the Year-End Party is being held and the company managing it. And also arrange that meeting mentioned by the Scholarship Officer last time. I’m not sure why you think it would be more effective if you did it…”

Violet pondered for a moment before answering.

“Got it! I’ll help with that too. But you have to do me a favor in return.”

“What is it?”

“If we reclaim the clan, we’re going to have a lot of money, right? So buy me a helicopter!”

Flustered by the unexpected request, Irene soon smiled gently.

“Are you happy with just one? I’ll buy you enough to form a fleet. Need a tank too?”

Violet cheered at her friend’s promise.

“Yay!”

Chief Morgan was packing up the exploration equipment with a gloomy face.

The relic hunt had failed again.

“Ugh, another wasted effort. I told you so, didn’t I?”

While Morgan was organizing the tools, Viktor threw a can in irritation.

Morgan looked at him with an annoyed gaze.

“I’m telling you, it’s here! There should be a Magic Staff or a Holy Grail. This area has always been known for frequent relic discoveries related to healing!”

“Do you have any idea how long I’ve been hearing that? Give it up. The chief isn’t coming back.”

Morgan vented his frustration.

“Damn it, Viktor! Then why the hell are you still here if you keep saying you’re leaving? If you’re just going to nag, get lost!”

At Morgan’s irritation, Viktor shut his mouth and glared at him.

For a moment, the two men stared at each other, feeling a sense of futility in their actions before turning away.

Morgan muttered.

“By the way, you heard that recording too, didn’t you?”

“That thing Irene shared with us? Why?”

Viktor scoffed.

“That kid is an inexperienced rookie. She claims it’s for the clan, but to me, she just looks like a spoiled brat after her father’s inheritance.”

“But…”

Morgan hesitated.

“The evidence she showed was shocking, no doubt. Rigel supposedly is planning to sell us out. We need to deal with that kid first.”

“And after we deal with her? Who do we put in charge? An old-timer, an opportunist, or amateur with no skills?”

Viktor spat a cynical remark.

“Helios needs a competent leader. It has to be the chief. But he’s in that state. What can we do with a clan that’s already fallen?”

Silence fell.

The two lost themselves in their thoughts.

“By the way, the Year-End Party is soon, huh?”

Morgan cautiously changed the subject.

“Oh, that party to celebrate the performance? Do you have anything to brag about? The performance has been a mess for years, and Rigel is just scheming to sell us out.”

“Is that so…”

“Pull yourself together. I’m looking for a new spot, so get your act together and come over. We need to face reality.”

“When are you heading out then? Just quit already.”

“Mind your own business.”

Viktor got up and left the place.

Morgan watched him with a complicated expression.

‘Damn it, how did you end up like this?’

Once, he was a passionate man like him, but within a few years, he turned cynical.

And yet he kept muttering about leaving for years while staying in the clan.

‘Isn’t it ridiculous?’

While lamenting his fate, the image of the chief’s daughter appearing with that voice recording surfaced in his mind.

She wasn’t even a formal hunter, just a student trying to save the clan desperately.

‘Damn it. I said that, but am I any different?’

As Morgan felt a sense of shame, a faint glimmer of hope rose in his heart.

Perhaps that little girl, the chief’s daughter, could do something.

But Morgan soon shook his head.

‘What can that little kid do? I’m just fumbling around with scraps here, and I’ve got years of experience.’

Morgan sighed and packed his equipment.

First, he needed to rest and discuss how to deal with Rigel’s faction with his subordinates.

And he had to embark on another relic hunt. He couldn’t give up, not even for the chief’s sake.

After we made contact, we headed to the agreed-upon place.

A beautiful blonde girl with a wave-like gleam in her hair appeared with her attendants.

“Sister Adela!”

“Violet! It’s been a while. How have you been?”

“Good!”

I embraced her like a close family member, not caring about the stares from others.

Sister Adela smelled wonderful.

The surrounding attendants looked a bit taken aback.

“…Miss?”

“Oh, this child is preparing to enroll in our academy this time.”

After the meeting, I guided Sister Adela and her attendants.

The prepared spot had Irene, Mr. Kress, and those corresponding to the loyal faction gathered together.

Thus was born the Irene faction.

“Ms. Adela. It’s a pleasure.”

“Likewise. It’s been a long time since Vittorio Arcade.”

Sister Adela’s violet eyes took a quick look at Irene.

After a while, her gaze softened as if she were checking on a friend.

“Then, I’ll step outside for a while!”

I waited outside for a while.

‘Is it going well?’

The reason for arranging this meeting was simple. Since the opponent had a huge clan backing them, we also needed to showcase an influential force behind us.

And while Cascadia might not overshadow the three major clans, it was strong enough to put up a fight.

Irene’s thoughts were as such.

“We’ll actively cooperate with the West District expansion. It’s better for Cascadia to move in cooperation with other clans rather than getting pressured by the absence of Magnavis. Helios won’t lose anything on their side either.”

For now, there was little chance of making unreasonable demands like Luminexa.

The real problem was whether Sister Adela would accept that. Since Irene hadn’t secured a place in the clan, the promises she could make were ultimately hollow words.

Sister Adela was a good person, but since this was a business matter, she would surely divide public and private matters sharply.

This was a time to trust my friend’s capabilities and sincerity.

How much time has passed? The two came out of the room.

Fortunately, Irene’s expression was bright.

“Thank you for your cooperation.”

“Please convey my thanks to the Scholarship Officer. I received word that helping the Helios Clan would also be a great benefit to us. If that person guarantees it, we can trust it.”

I never expected the Scholarship Officer to step in here.

What exactly did she ask Sister Adela for that they reached an agreement?

‘The Scholarship Officer is omnipotent!’

Sister Adela smiled as she looked at Irene.

“By the way, how is your transfer preparation going? I hope we can become senior and junior at the academy. I’m looking forward to it.”

Showering her with a warm smile, Sister Adela departed with her attendants.

Only then did Irene receive a handkerchief from Mr. Kress and wiped the sweat from her brow.

“That was tough. That person is friendly to us, but she was very thorough when it came to business. If we hadn’t prepared properly, the negotiation would have failed.”

“Well, still, it turned out well! Now we have a strong backing, right?”

“That’s true, but…”

Despite the positive outcome, it seemed the negotiation process was quite arduous.

Irene plopped down onto a nearby chair and muttered.

“What would Father have done in this situation?”

Hearing that made me feel somewhat bittersweet as a friend.

Though there were many people around to help, in the end, it was Irene who had to do what her parents should have done.

‘Now that I think of it…Irene has lost her mom too!’

‘Aww, how sad!’

Sadly, Irene’s mom had passed away in an accident.

To be more precise, she fell in battle against monsters when Irene was young.

And Irene’s father was in no state to care for his child, barely managing to save himself.

If he had died, inheritance would have gone to Irene, but with him being in such a state, the shares were tied up.

Her position within the clan was also quite ambiguous.

‘If only Irene’s father had some consciousness left…’

But it couldn’t be helped. She had to focus on reality.

At that moment, I felt a lifting of the fog in my mind.

What I had forgotten finally surfaced.

A groundbreaking method to overcome this predicament.

“That’s right!”

I stood up and shouted briefly.

“Irene, let’s go home! I have something to show you!”

The Violets waiting at home took out the spoils from our previous mission from the inventory.

‘With this…’

‘Bring in the slaves too! If we promise them proper meals instead of bread and water, they’ll definitely cooperate.’

A little later, upon returning home, Irene frowned at the things we had spread out on the floor.

“Irene, look at this!”

She seemed to realize what we were showing her.

Considering the last time we met, it certainly wasn’t a pleasant memory.

“Violet, this is…”

On the floor lay a complex machinery apparatus resembling a human form.

It was the totality of Ether technology and magical engineering designed by Magnavis and assisted by the three major clans.

“Now, listen closely to what we have to say. This is…”