Chapter 98

Posted by Kuze, ? Views, Released on March 10, 2025

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After the afternoon classes ended, Nisia carried me on her back as we headed towards the academy’s main gate.

A maid with brown skin stood expressionless in front of a sleek, long limousine – it was Hilda.

The dark elf maid I had met during my previous visit to the Chronos mansion.

“Have the two of you arrived?”

Recognizing us, she bowed politely.

We mirrored her actions, greeting Hilda.

“Hello.”

“Hello, Hilda-san.”

“Yes, please get in. I’ll drive you to your appointment.”

Hilda opened the rear door.

“Thank you.”

Upon entering the car, Hilda closed the door and took the driver’s seat.

The car moved forward smoothly.

After some time, the car stopped in the bustling heart of Sunrise Street.

People in black suits were densely stationed, encircling the building.

Even though it wasn’t a military installation, the security was incredibly tight, creating a heavy atmosphere.

Knock, knock.

A guard tapped on the driver-side window.

Hilda rolled it down and faced him.

“With what purpose have you visited?”

“I’ve brought guests from the Chronos family.”

“Ah, that matter. Please step out and enter the building – someone will guide you from there.”

“Understood.”

Hilda stepped out first.

She quickly approached the rear door and opened it for us.

“We’ve arrived, please get out.”

“Yes! Edu?”

“Hmm.”

Nisia picked me up effortlessly as we exited the limousine.

Hilda led the way, and we followed behind her.

Upon entering the building, as expected, someone approached us.

“Welcome, visitors. I’ll guide you.”

With a striking appearance but a rigid expression, the commercial automaton in front of us began leading the way.

We arrived at the top of the building.

Numerous automatons were busy attending to various office tasks, though I noticed something unusual.

‘They’re not commercial models.’

Though not visibly distinct at first glance, the skeletal structure subtly differed from standard commercial automatons.

Additionally, all the automatons had horn-like antennas on their ears, likely for seamless communication.

Probably the latest combat models.

The fact that these many armed automatons were stationed in this central area of Fangju makes me increasingly curious about the man behind it all.

“This is the place.”

She knocked on the door.

“Hm? It seems you’ve arrived.”

Harpandel’s voice came from inside.

The door slid sideways open with a soft click, and Harpandel appeared.

“Edu, you’ve come? Nisia-san, please step in.”

“Hello, Harpandel-san.”

Nisia bowed slightly, her voice tinged with tension.

I greeted Harpandel as well.

“Hello, Grandfather.”

I tilted my head slightly while bowing, feeling a warm touch atop my head.

Harpandel, smiling contentedly, gently patted my head.

“Well then, both of you, please come in.”

“Yes!”

Nisia dashed inside quickly.

Behind us, Hilda’s voice could be heard.

“Then, please proceed with your discussion.”

“Hmm, thank you for your hard work. Rest now.”

“Yes.”

The door shut.

Only then did I look around the room. At the center of the spacious room stood two figures.

“Edu, welcome. It’s good to see you again, my friend.”

A middle-aged woman raised her hand, extending a graceful welcome.

The owner of Boutique – Diamant Coeur, Lises Argent.

“Hello, Lises-san.”

“Hello,”

I greeted her and Nisia followed suit, bowing her head.

After exchanging greetings, I shifted my gaze.

Seated in the prominent position was a man with a weary expression.

His gaunt figure and deeply sunken cheeks gave off a mummy-like appearance. His plain clothing and casually arranged hair made him seem far too ordinary to be one of the representatives of the commerce guild alongside Harpandel and Lises.

However, considering that he was the only person here I hadn’t met before, it was clear that he must be the man the others had mentioned – Hilton Jo.

Harpandel took his seat.

Nisia helped me settle into a chair, sitting closely beside me.

Finally rising from his seat, the thin man spoke.

“Then, let’s start the discussion, shall we?”

“I agree…”

Harpandel’s words were met with a listless response from the other side, conveying a lack of enthusiasm. But it seemed routine behavior for them.

Harpandel gave a nod and began his explanation.

“Edu, this man is the one Lises and I were going to introduce to you. His name is Hilton Jo.”

“Indeed, that’s my name… Young Hero. You can simply call me Jo.”

A hand extended quickly toward me.

The term “Young Hero” did catch my attention, but since Freya had used it in front of many people, it would be awkward to dwell on it too much.

“I’m Edu Numbersday.”

Taking his extended hand, I shook it with Jo.

At the same time, a voice sounded.

“Hm, you really are small.”

The muttering comment made me bristle.

“I’m not small…”

Really now, twice already?

Are you teasing me?

“Ah, did I offend you? If so, I apologize.”

His reaction was vague, lacking emotion.

Still, Jo’s eyes remained fixed on me, searching and deliberate, as though trying to size me up.

“So, why does Fangju’s young hero wish to meet me?”

Harpandel answered Jo’s question.

“It’s for future contracts; Lises and I have decided to invest in Edu.”

“Ah, so that’s why you bought such a large quantity of food earlier. It made me curious.”

Jo turned his gaze towards me again.

“However, I don’t think our hero consumes that much food.”

“It’s not for me to eat.”

“Well, that’s obvious when you think about it logically, just a remark.”

Jo responded casually with a shrug, agreeing readily with my counterargument.

What’s with him? Since the beginning, his attitude feels like he’s mocking me.

“So, what proposal do you have in mind?”

“How about you also consider investing in Edu?”

“Investing…?”

Jo scanned me again briefly.

But his tired eyes betrayed no emotion.

“Hmm, I don’t know about that.”

He rejected the idea outright.

“Would it be beneficial for me?”

Though phrased indirectly, it was essentially stating that I wouldn’t offer him any help.

“…Then, why don’t you give it a try?”

At my suggestion, Jo’s eyes widened slightly.

“Hm? Did you say a test?”

“Yes, even you, Jo-san, must have tasks that are difficult to accomplish. Delegate one such task to me.”

Now that most pressing matters involving Megabase have been handled, I have some time to spare.

With this proposal, Jo’s eyes lit up.

“Ho.”

The previously murky eyes gleamed, and for the first time, I could see myself clearly reflected in them.

“What if I request something outrageous from you?”

“Then, it would only end with that. We’d part ways.”

Returning his indirect implication from earlier, I saw the corners of his lips curl up slightly.

“Interesting, very well. I’ll delegate a physically demanding task suited for our young hero.”

“Yes, please tell me.”

“Have you heard of the Sealed City?”

“Of course.”

Sealed City.

A term referring to the mechanical kingdom that went astray during the early stages of the Invaders’ invasion when the central automated systems of a fortress city were hijacked, causing them to indiscriminately attack everything except themselves.

A repository of obsolete weapons that endlessly wander aimlessly, having lost what they were meant to protect.

But due to that very reason, relics of the old world remain undisturbed, some of which are priceless treasures that defy valuation.

“There are items I’d like you to retrieve from that city.”

“What kind of items?”

“Confidential materials in K Corporation’s Asian branch vaults. They contain records of all products manufactured and distributed, including their production processes.”

As he spoke, Jo displayed something on his wrist.

The small hologram projected above it showed a cereal box I was familiar with, featuring a tiger.

There were AOE versions of that cereal company too, it seemed.

The word combinations were slightly parodied, but it wasn’t hard to recognize the original.

“Is that all?”

“No way.”

Shaking his head, Jo continued explaining.

“There’s another treasure in that city – the prototype food printer.”

“A food printer?”

“Yes. It’s crude as it’s an experimental model, but I’m quite intrigued by its system and structure.”

“So, the confidential materials from K Corporation and the food printer – those will suffice?”

“Yes, I will also send over detailed information about the sealed city where these items are located.”