Chapter 90: 089 will be more troublesome than expected
The atmosphere in the entire square had become somewhat heavy at that moment.
The surrounding knights and adventurers all looked this way, their faces full of surprise as they watched the heavy atmosphere among Vivian and her companions.
Shane had also been thinking about the problem and, for a moment, did not speak either.
It was Leon who broke this oppressive silence.
“No matter what, we must carry out this secret mission together next,” Leon said warmly as a member of the Lamijion Adventurer’s Guild. “For the sake of Lamijion, this mission must be impeccably done. Please, enlighten me?”
With those words, Leon extended a hand toward Vivian.
Seeing this, everyone fell silent, including Vivian who looked at the hand extended in front of her, her expression full of hesitation.
After a while, Vivian sighed and prepared to shake hands with Leon.
But at that moment, someone stepped in to stop it.
“It’s not appropriate for men and women to behave this way, let me do it for you, Captain Leon.”
The seductive woman, who had been gazing at Leon with an infatuated look from the beginning, suddenly stepped forward and grabbed Vivian’s extended hand, her eyes full of hostility as she watched Vivian.
Vivian murmured the other woman’s name in a soft voice.
“It’s me. We haven’t seen each other for quite some time, Vivian.”
The seductive woman, named Udilis, wore a smile, though her eyes held no laughter.
And Leon, whose handshake was intercepted by Udilis, subtly frowned and equally subtly immediately released his hand.
Vivian, failing to notice this, started a conversation with Udilis.
“I didn’t expect you to be here.”
Vivian fixed her gaze on Udilis’s face.
“If the captain is here, naturally, I would be too,” Udilis said matter-of-factly.
“Is that so?” Vivian seemed to sigh again, but she quickly displayed her characteristic gentle smile and said, “It’s still the same as before. Wherever Leon is, there you will be.”
“That’s a compliment to me,” Udilis replied with a smiling face. “Initially, I didn’t want to come, but I knew you would definitely be here.”
The implication was fairly clear.
Udilis was saying that she showed up because Vivian was here.
“So what?” Vivian shifted her gaze to Leon and asked, “Is your presence here because of President Riley’s request?”
This was what Vivian wanted to clarify first.
Because Vivian knew that President Riley was acutely aware of the rift between her team and Leon’s team. If Riley had assigned her this mission, it seemed unlikely that she would also assign Leon’s team to come.
Alis was also well aware of the issues between Vivian’s team and Leon’s team, which is why he was so surprised to see Leon’s team here.
Although there was no deep grudge between Vivian’s team and Leon’s team, a rift indeed existed. Had it been someone else, maybe it wouldn’t matter, but Riley, being Vivian’s childhood friend and lifelong confidant, would definitely not assign Leon’s team knowing this issue.
Indeed, that was the case.
“Originally, President Riley had assigned another team,” Leon did not hide anything and smiled, “However, that team encountered a last-minute issue, so we came directly in their place. President Riley should be receiving the news soon, shouldn’t she?”
A single sentence not only failed to ease the atmosphere but instead made it increasingly perilous.
“So you mean you acted first and reported afterward?” Alis asked with apathetic nonchalance, “If I remember correctly, the details of this secret mission were not supposed to be disclosed, right?”
Which means, the person who received this commission should not reveal the specifics to anyone else.
So, from where did Leon and the others obtain such secret information and carry out this operation of acting first and reporting afterward?
The answer was quickly revealed.
“Of course, it was the information I received.”
Magre, who had been staring at Merica, finally shifted his gaze and spoke with smug satisfaction.
“For others, this task is quite secretive, but my father is one of the decision-makers for this mission. Is it strange that I, as his son, am aware of it?”
Upon hearing this, Alis openly clicked his tongue.
Not just Alis—Shane, who was quietly observing the situation from the sidelines, was speechless in his mind as well.
This Magre character’s background was not simple; his father appeared to be one of the decision-makers in Lamijion and thus knew the details of this secret mission—it was not surprising.
However, the fact that one of the town’s decision-makers so casually shared such critical information about the mission with his son, even allowing his son to freely disseminate it, really made one question whether there was something wrong with the individual’s mind.
Surely, President Riley must have been hopping mad about this in the guild by now?
And these uninvited individuals seemed to think that, based on their status and position, they could just interfere with this mission, no wonder Alis openly clicked his tongue.
(And to think they said their team was so exceptional that it would be impossible for them to not be chosen, that was clearly contradictory.)
Shane somewhat understood why Leon’s team was unpopular.
Vivian took a deep breath and said, “I think, I need to wait for President Riley’s decision before I can cooperate with you all.”
Clearly, Vivian intended to wait for Riley to come and stop Leon and the others.
“There is no need for that.”
When such a voice arose, everyone was momentarily taken aback.
Because, the voice did not come from anyone present, but from a young man who looked young yet was fully armed and exuded authority, with a solemn expression on his face, surrounded by many knights.
Seeing this young man, everyone immediately straightened up.
Including the ever-overbearing Magre, everyone present saluted him and informed the bewildered Shane of his identity.
The newcomer was none other than the son of the lord of Marquis Mula’s Domain, the captain of the Knight Order, and the highest decision-maker of this Lamijion, Beren Mura.
“Leon’s team’s intervention was approved by me.” Beren scanned everyone present and said calmly, “I know there’s some friction among you, but you are all talented individuals. I hope you will put the greater good first for this mission, and I believe President Riley will understand.”
“…Understood,” Vivian said after a long silence, her expression neutral, “Since Lord Bellen has said so, we will do our best.”
“Yes,” Leon also said respectfully, “In the face of the bigger picture, we cannot afford personal conflicts.”
“It’s good you understand,” Beren’s stern face relaxed slightly as he said, “We should not delay any longer, start preparing to depart now.”
Everyone bowed and acknowledged.
Shane, with no personal stakes, stood aside and witnessed everything, endlessly cynical in his thoughts.
Though he did not know exactly what had transpired, he was certain of one thing.
This journey was likely to be much more troublesome than he had imagined.