Evil Avalon

Chapter 143 Behind a cool smile

(TL:By Rafael,valhallatls.blogspot.com)

On stage, Kirigaya pointed to members of the press raising their hands, addressing their questions one by one.

"Earlier, you mentioned that transfer devices were found in addition to those on the 1st and 7th floors. Could you tell us specifically which floors they are on?"

"So far, we've discovered one on a shallow floor and another on a deeper floor. Both have been registered. Details will be announced later after further adjustments."

"Do you think there might be other transfer devices yet to be found?"

"Of course. Based on that premise, we are continuing our search in collaboration with volunteers both domestically and internationally."

"You mentioned exercising a 'priority usage right' for the transfer devices. Are there any organizations that Kinran-kai refuses access to?"

"With the support of the Japanese government and other collaborators, negotiations regarding 'priority usage rights' have gone smoothly with dungeon associations worldwide. We will deny access only to criminal organizations. This policy is unlikely to change."

Though Kirigaya's responses were composed, the Q&A contained several pieces of information that deeply impacted us.

The "shallow floor" gate room Kirigaya mentioned is likely on the 5th floor. As for the deeper floors, it's probably the 25th or 30th. It seems these gate rooms have already been located.

On the other hand, accessing the gate room on the 10th floor requires navigating a hidden passage and passing by Obaba's shop. The 15th-floor gate room lies at the far end of the DLC area, and the 20th-floor gate room, currently used as Arthur's sleeping quarters, has not yet been reported as found.

But why are gate rooms suddenly being discovered in quick succession?

Previously, a recognition barrier prevented non-players from approaching gate rooms or even their vicinity. It seems this barrier is no longer in effect, which means the remaining gate rooms might also be found soon.

This will undoubtedly intensify the level-up race. The adventurers on the front lines, currently around level 30, might reach level 50, significantly altering the world's order and systems.

Until now, I planned to strengthen my family, believing that reaching level 30 would be enough to fend off most threats. But reaching level 50 would drastically increase the mortality rate, even with player knowledge. Bringing Kano or my parents to such a level would be...

Across the table, the Mamiya siblings seemed similarly troubled.

"They say anyone can use the transfer devices if they pay, except criminal organizations. But how trustworthy is that claim? We'll probably have to curry favor with Kinran-kai from now on," remarked Mamiya's sister.

"Yes. I doubt the entry fee of '1,000 yen per floor' will suffice. They'll likely demand exorbitant usage fees from some groups," her brother replied.

If Kinran-kai refuses access, one cannot use the gates, falling behind in the competition and weakening their organization.

In other words, to ensure Kinran-kai doesn't deny access, one would need to pay not only the entry fee but also hefty bribes to appease them, as the Mamiya siblings suggested.

(Still... blindly trying to curry favor could be risky.)

Kinran-kai's leader, Kuki, is cunning and shrewd, while their second-in-command, the "mad dog" Kirigaya, is no less intimidating. Beyond the entry fees, they'd likely exploit any opportunity to bleed others dry.

Nobles and strategy clans will undoubtedly struggle to placate Kinran-kai, but if gates are seized, even we won't remain unaffected.

"Excuse me, I have a question!"

As I leaned back in my chair, arms crossed, pondering our next move, my sister Kano, who had been quietly sitting until now, suddenly leaned forward and raised her hand enthusiastically. She was about to say something outrageous again.

"I was thinking... If there are still undiscovered transfer devices, what if I find one? Could I become rich?"

Even at this point, my sister was scheming for a windfall. She puffed out her chest, looking pleased with her idea, but her thought process, as expected, was naive.

"You could claim priority usage rights, but managing it would be difficult without the ability to oversee operations globally," Mamiya's brother said.

Indeed, as he mentioned, profiting from a transfer device would require the backing of a large organization. Moreover, if we drew too much attention, we'd be targeted by groups worldwide and dragged into disputes over rights. Even so, Kano seemed unwilling to give up, rubbing her hands together as she pressed further.

"Um... couldn’t we manage it using Kirara-sama's or the Mamiya family's influence?"

"Within Japan, it might not be impossible, but managing overseas would require more resources and funding than we have. Besides, since the most critical 1st-floor transfer device is under Kinran-kai's control, recovering costs would be tough."

Kirara, from the noble Kusunoki family, shared her insights calmly, discouraging Kano from pursuing her plan.

For any profits from transfer devices, the 1st-floor gate room is key. Without it, the costs of sending adventurers to deeper floors would outweigh the earnings. Kinran-kai's control over this crucial device is precisely why they announced it so publicly.

(But we have our trump card: the "gate room on the school’s basement first floor.")

If we could use that room, we might thwart Kinran-kai's ambitions in Japan. By making it publicly accessible for free, even the poor and E-class adventurers could benefit, accelerating their level-ups. This step is probably necessary to avoid being left behind completely.

After weighing my options, I looked ahead to see that the media Q&A had ended, and service staff entered with trays of bottles and glasses. As minors, we opted for sodas.

"A toast to Kinran-kai's success and everyone's growth!" Kuki declared.

Raising our glasses, we echoed the toast, signaling the start of a feast. Aromatic dishes began to arrive, and Kano eagerly dove into the vibrant vegetable dish, exclaiming how delicious it was though the taste was also a intricate mix of strategy, power struggles, and ambition painting a vivid picture of the challenges in this world.

My stomach and intestines roared, demanding more. As I hurriedly stuffed vegetable dishes into my mouth to avoid losing to Kano, Mamiya's older brother began speaking to me, alternating his gaze between me and Kano.

"Hey, hey, you said you’re Kirara-chan’s ‘kouhai’, right? Could it be that you were in the same Thief Research Club?”

“…That’s intriguing…”

Even Mamiya’s younger sister was looking at me curiously from behind her mask. Kirara-chan is a relative of Haruka Mikami, a prominent figure even among nobility, and the eldest daughter of a highly ranked viscount family. Naturally, she’s a center of attention at the Adventurer School. That she would sit at the same table as an E-class student seemed to pique their interest. Honestly, it’s something I find strange myself.

On the other hand, Kirara-chan wore a troubled expression behind her Venetian mask.

"Of course, I invited Narumi-kun to join the Thief Research Club. But he refused me.”

“…Refused an invitation from the esteemed Kirara-oneesama herself? I can’t believe it. Why?”

The Thief Research Club is one of the Eight Dragons, a prestigious organization that only allows the most influential students to join. It seemed incomprehensible to them that someone would decline a direct invitation from the club president. The younger sister’s fox mask shifted slightly, as if she were regarding me with suspicion. Come to think of it, wasn’t Chi-chan planning to join the Thief Research Club when she moved up to the senior division next year? She might have already been guaranteed a spot.

Well, my primary reason for not joining the Thief Research Club is because it’s heavily influenced by the Mikami family. Moreover, for someone like me, who just wants a quiet school life, joining would be a burden. Moving from E-class to the Eight Dragons would be far too conspicuous.

"But that means you must be a very capable student. How about working for us after graduation?"

"Brother! Hiring someone whose background we don’t even know… especially someone who looks so obviously weak… I can’t imagine they’d be of any use."

When Mamiya’s brother said "working for us," he meant serving the Mamiya family as a retainer. Chi-chan instantly reacted, grilling her brother with a shocked expression. As for whether I look weak… well, I certainly don’t look strong. Tch.

Listening to the exchange, Kano chimed in while poking at a bean dish with her fork.

"Chi-chan, you just don’t understand. Oniichan is the strongest, stronger than anyone else!”

“…Stronger than anyone? Are you including not just me but also Kirara-oneesama and even my brother?”

"Of course! Oh, look, the next dish is here!"

As Kano and Chi-chan argued, the service staff brought out the main course—an elegantly plated meat dish. Thanks to Kano’s unnecessary remarks, Chi-chan was glaring daggers at me from behind her fox mask. It was hard to enjoy the luxurious meal with this tension.

Certainly, if I unleashed all my abilities and skills without restrictions, I might even be able to surpass Kirara-chan and Chi-chan. But boasting about being stronger than nobles would only invite trouble. In this world, combat strength isn’t everything. I decided to bow my head and deflect by saying, “I didn’t think I’d be of much use with my skills.”

While I was caught in my thoughts, my carefree sister happily devoured her meat. …We’ll have a little talk later. For now, I decided to focus on the exquisite piece of meat in front of me. As I slid the knife into it, it sliced effortlessly, releasing a wave of juices. What is this meat?

"Mm~! This meat just melts in your mouth… Wait, Oniichan! Over at the other table… isn’t that Sanada-sama?!”

As I chewed slowly, savoring the heavenly flavors, Kano pointed frantically to a table ahead. Wasn’t that where Mikami was sitting? …There he was.

A young man with a gaunt, pale face was seated, deeply reclined in his chair, tilting a glass in his hand. I had expected him to be here.

"That’s Sanada Yukikage-sama, the leader of Aozora-kai, which rivals Kinran-kai, and the number two of Colors. I heard he and Kuki-sama weren’t on good terms, but I guess that was just a rumor.”

"Yeah! I thought so too and didn’t expect him here, but my mom is a huge fan of Sanada-sama. I at least want to say hi, if not get his autograph!”

This foolish little sister of mine… Sanada isn’t just a regular noble. He’s the strategist of Japan’s strongest adventurer clan. Even compared to most nobles, his status is far above. It’s impossible, I told her, but Kirara-chan chimed in with reassurance. Why?

"Since Mikami-sama is at the same table, let’s go together to greet them."

“Yay! I was a bit scared of Kuki-sama, but Sanada-sama and Kotarou-sama seem like kind people!”

At the table with Sanada sat Mikami. Kirara-chan had apparently already planned to greet Mikami, so she invited us to join her with a smile. Though I appreciated her kindness, the individuals at that table seemed as hazardous as nuclear waste. There’s no way I could let Kano go there alone.

Even as I tried to politely decline, Kano eagerly jumped at the idea, and now Chi-chan was nervously asking if she could join as well. The discussion spun out of control, leaving me no choice but to accompany them…

As Kirara-chan finished the final dessert and suggested we make our way over, I reluctantly rose, reassuring myself that we were only going for a brief greeting. Mamiya’s older brother gave me a meaningful smile, but I decided to ignore it.

"Oh my, welcome. Everyone, this is my niece," the bejeweled Mikami greeted, her radiant smile dazzling the room as she introduced her niece.

"I have come to pay my respects. I am Kirara Kusunoki, eldest daughter of the Viscount's family," Kirara said, slightly lifting the hem of her skirt in a flawless curtsy.

Behind her, Kano and Chi-chan were only briefly mentioned as "her juniors," keeping their introductions understated, which was considerate.

Chi-chan, being a noble herself, performed a perfect curtsy in return. As for Kano, a complete commoner with no experience in high-society manners—well, she somehow managed to mimic the gesture and pull it off. Nice save, Kano.

(But this crowd is something else.)

At the table sat Haruka Mikami, the Crimson Ninja and leader of her clan, who was also a Countess. Beside her was Kazumoto Kuki, leader of the Kinran-kai and Number 4 in the Colors hierarchy. Across from them was a woman with voluminous long hair tied back, wearing a loose kimono and sipping her drink while fixing them with a piercing gaze. This woman was—

"Hey, you three in the back—girl and the two guys. I can't see your faces with those masks. Take them off."

The woman was Shigure Rokurogi, a senior member of Ten Rakshasas, Japan's largest raiding clan, and one of the Adventurers' Guild's most formidable forces. Despite being nearly fifty, her face showed no signs of age; she could easily pass for someone in her twenties. She must be the powerhouse the guild had sent regarding the Samurai information leak.

Kano tilted her head quizzically, as if asking for my permission to remove her mask, while Chi-chan, who knew who Rokurogi was, shrank back, overwhelmed by the commanding tone and sharp gaze. Even someone like Chi-chan, destined to enter the Adventurer Academy as the top student next year, was like a child before a titan like Rokurogi.

(I'll have to signal Kano to keep her mask on.)

Both Ten Rakshasas and Colors could potentially become enemies in the game's story later on. If possible, I’d prefer not to reveal our faces unnecessarily. But with Rokurogi this tense about the Samurai incident, I wasn't sure we could avoid it. My best bet was to reveal my face first and somehow negotiate for Kano to be spared.

Preparing to drop into a full prostrate bow at a moment's notice, I loosened my shoulders and was about to step forward when a calm, low voice interjected.

"Rokurogi-san, someone of your stature intimidating children? Don’t you think that’s a bit unbecoming?"

"Huh? A brat like you thinks you can lecture me?"

Rokurogi's sharp glare intensified, but the man, unfazed, merely narrowed his eyes and smiled disarmingly. "It's fine now," he said, his voice smooth as he turned toward us.

The man in the blue-collared robe was Yukikage Sanada, the Number 2 in Colors.

Sanada had been instrumental in supporting their leader, Tazato, since the formation of Colors. As a strategist and tactician, he had propelled the clan to its status as Japan's strongest. His brilliance in battle and strategy was undisputed. "It's fine now," he repeated, causing Kano to practically leap with joy.

(What an insufferably shady guy...)

The smile Sanada wore wasn’t like that of someone genuinely kind-hearted, like Akagi. It was a calculated, rehearsed expression, and I knew it all too well. He was the very person who would eventually betray Colors and leak Japan's most classified secret—the Samurai data.

If the Holy Empire were to make a move, Sanada would undoubtedly be at its center. Beneath that composed smile, who knew what schemes were brewing?

TL Note- Long time no see, the author finally updated the chapter, Chapters will come every Sunday......if nothing unexpected happens.............

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