The towering iron gates of the Graciano Estate loomed before them, casting long, skeletal shadows across the cobblestones.
[ Slay the Silestal Guild Master (A) ]
[ Time Remaining: 12 Minutes and 42 Seconds Remaining ]
Hyun-soo stood with his back to the cold stone wall, checking his musket, the clicking of the mechanism was the only sound breaking the oppressive silence.
"Ji-ho," he whispered, his voice cracking. "Are we actually doing this? We're standing in front of the man's house just to tell him we aren't doing it in front of his face."
Ji-ho didn't look at him. He stood in the center of the path and was staring at the second-floor window.
"We aren't telling him that," Ji-ho corrected. "We're here to listen to his terms and negotiate. I'm simply letting him explain himself while we still have the leverage to change the variables."
"Explain himself?!" Hyun-soo hissed, stepping forward. "The penalty is fifty-percent imprisonment! If that coin flips the wrong way, the knights won't negotiate; they'll just put us in chains before you can say a word!"
Ji-ho finally turned his head, looking at Hyun-soo with a tired gaze. It was the look of a man who had grown weary of explaining the obvious, his patience thinning as he once again had to bridge the gap between what he's thinking and Hyun-soo's panic.
The heavy iron gates began to groan, swinging open as if moved by an invisible hand. A lone figure detached itself from the shadows of the gatehouse. A knight approached them with a relaxed, composed pace. He had a polite, calm expression that felt more like a welcoming host than a jailer. His hair was dyed in a striking, bloody red, clashing with his ruby-colored narrowed eyes. He wore heavy plate armor tinted in a grim, greyish black, and the massive sword sheathed at his hip was dyed in the same oppressive shade. Despite the lack of color, a perceivable white panther, was expertly carved onto the sword's handle seemingly the barony's emblem.
The knight stopped exactly five paces away. He didn't reach for his sword; instead, he offered a slight, respectful bow, his ruby eyes settling on Ji-ho with a look of genuine interest.
'He seems remarkably composed,' Ji-ho thought. 'It's a striking contrast to the Baron's display back at the tavern.'
"I'm sorry for the late introductions," the knight said, his voice smooth and professional. "I am Schilder, the head knight of the Dark Rose Knights, under the great Baron Rael's orders."
He noticed the two of them tensing up and gestured toward the path ahead. "There's no need to be wary; the master is expecting your presence."
Ji-ho didn't blink. He simply adjusted his cuffs and replied, "Lead the way then, Schilder. We wouldn't want to keep a man of his standing waiting any longer than necessary."
Schilder led them away from the gates. The estate was a maze of meticulously kept hedges and silent fountains, the air growing colder as they approached the looming shadow of the mansion.
Hyun-soo stayed close to Ji-ho, his eyes darting toward every rustle in the dark gardens. But Ji-ho's focus was entirely on the man walking ahead of them.
"Your master," Ji-ho began, his voice breaking the silence. "He doesn't seem like a man who enjoys wasting his resources. Why send his head knight to play the part of a guide?"
Schilder didn't stop, but his head tilted slightly to the side. "You're observant. Most of the people coming here are too busy praying to their gods rather than thinking what's in it for them."
"I'm not interested in prayer. I'm interested more about your master," Ji-ho replied. "The Baron could have sent any squad of soldiers. Sending the leader of the Dark Rose Knights suggests that our presence here is more than just a legal formality."
Hyun-soo finally spoke up, his voice barely a whisper as he leaned toward Ji-ho. "Yes, that's right. When I first saw him in the guild tavern, my first impression of him wasn't really that good. At that time, he looked like a muscle-headed ruffian who knows nothing but purely violence." He stole a wary glance at Schilder before continuing, his voice trembling slightly. "I've never seen anyone give off an aura like that. It felt like if we even breathed wrong, we'd be dead before we could log out."
Schilder chuckled softly, a slight grin was briefly seen on the knight's face.
"Indeed, the rumors spreading through town were somewhat exaggerated," Schilder said, his ruby eyes glinting. "While it is true he was once a hunter, it isn't common knowledge that he is also the third son of the Feliciano dukedom."
"The Dark Rose Knights are primarily comprised of the newest generation of the Feliciano dukedom's Silver Knights," Schilder explained as they climbed the stairs. "In fact, the current Duke, the previous Duke's eldest son personally appointed us to serve as the Baron's official guard."
Hyun-Soo leaned in. "So, are they still in touch? I thought he ran away to be a hunter."
"The bond between the Feliciano siblings was never strained; in fact, they remain incredibly close," Schilder replied, his gaze fixed forward. "The eldest son inherited the dukedom and has fully supported his youngest brother, even after Rael was ennobled as a Baron for his contributions to the Great War between the State of Afruvite and the Holy Kingdom of Fascia. Meanwhile, the second son serves as a chancellor under the Crown Prince of Afruvite."
Ji-ho remained quiet, his mind cataloging the political weight of the Baron's family. "I wonder why he ever left the Duke's estate," Ji-ho muttered, the thought accidentally slipping out.
Schilder caught the words in passing and slowed his pace. "As for that, even we don't know his reasons for leaving. We often wonder ourselves why a son of a Duke would willingly throw away a life of luxury only to embrace such hardships and suffering."
Schilder's voice shifted, carrying a tone of deep, unshakeable reverence. "But make no mistake, it is precisely that choice that makes him who he is. In the mud of the Great War, he wasn't a Duke's son. He was a demon with a blade who never asked his men to do anything he wouldn't do himself."
The knight stopped at a pair of massive, iron-bound oak doors, his ruby eyes glowing with pride. "To the world, he is a 'ruffian' noble. To us, he is the only man worth dying for."
Hyun-Soo butted in, his brow furrowing as he looked at the heavy doors. "If he's really that kind of person, then why did he put on such a dramatic scene inside the tavern? Walking in with a literal army and making a public declaration of war? It doesn't exactly scream 'discreet war hero'."
Schilder's slight grin returned, more enigmatic this time. "For that, you'll have to find out for yourselves," he said, his voice dropping to a low, knowing murmur.
Without another word, he knocked twice on the heavy iron-bound oak before pushing the handles. The doors groaned as they swung open, revealing the dimly lit expanse of the High Solar.
The room was vast, filled with the scent of cedarwood and expensive tobacco. At the far end, a massive fireplace crackled, casting long, dancing shadows against walls lined with the mounted heads of beasts.
Rael wasn't sitting at a desk. He was standing by the hearth, his back to them, slowly sharpening a long, blue-hilted dagger with a whetstone. The rhythmic shhh-shhh of the blade was the only sound in the room, and it set Hyun-Soo's hair on end.
As Ji-ho and Hyun-soo stepped into the High Solar, the atmosphere shifted instantly. The air itself felt thick, a physical weight designed to crush their lungs. A sharp, red system notification flared in the corner of Ji-ho's vision.
[ Warning: High-Level Presence Detected ]
[ Debuff: Hunter's Terror — All primary stats reduced by 30% ]
[ Effect: Fear Applied (Continuous) ]
Hyun-soo's knees buckled. His bear ears pinned back so tightly they vanished into his hair, and his hands trembled as he gripped his musket.
'What is this...?' Hyun-soo's thoughts were a frantic, stuttering mess. 'I can't breathe!'
Beside him, Ji-ho remained standing, his posture as straight and formal as the day he was born.
[ Passive Skill: Cold Resolve is active ]
[ Effect: Fear-inducing Debuff has been nullified ]
'Persistent,'Ji-ho noted, his mind tracking the red flicker of the "Fear Applied" icon as it refreshed every second. 'He is radiating a constant state of lethal intent. For any other player, this would be a permanent stun-lock.'
He glanced at Hyun-soo, whose breath was coming in shallow, ragged hitches. 'Hyun-soo is hitting his limit. If I don't break the Baron's focus, the continuous pressure will force a logout or a system-enforced collapse.'
"Schilder tells me you didn't run," Rael said, his voice a low, dangerous velvet. "A bold choice for a rabbit."
He finally stopped sharpening the blade and turned. The firelight caught the amber glint in his eyes, focusing entirely on Ji-ho. He noted the steady hands and the unyielding gaze of the boy in the butler's vest, who stood tall while the air around him screamed for him to crawl.
"Aren't you scared, kid?" Rael smirked, his amber eyes locking onto Ji-ho's steady gaze. The aura intensified; the red notification in Ji-ho's vision pulsed with violent speed. "You should be down on your knees by now. I wonder how you're still standing."
Ji-ho adjusted his cuffs, the "Fear" notification still flashing rhythmically in his periphery. He ignored the pressure, his voice a chilling monotone that pierced through the Baron's oppressive presence.
"Fear is a biological response to a perceived threat," Ji-ho replied flatly. "But perception can be filtered. You're using this aura because you want to see if we're worth the risk of a real conversation. If I were on my knees, I'd be useless to you. Am I wrong?"
Rael's smirk didn't vanish; it sharpened. The oppressive weight of the aura didn't lift, but the red "Fear" notification in Ji-ho's vision finally stopped its frantic pulsing, settling into a steady, low hum.
"Wrong?" Rael chuckled, the sound more like the rasp of a blade. "No. You're exactly the kind of arrogant brat I expected. But being right doesn't keep your heart beating, kid."
Hyun-soo finally managed to draw a ragged breath, his knees still trembling as the continuous pressure shifted from 'paralyzing' to 'bearable.'.
'He's actually doing it,' Hyun-soo thought, his mind racing to keep up.
He tossed the whetstone onto the desk and stepped into the firelight, his amber eyes scanning Ji-ho with a look of genuine evaluation. "You're right about one thing. A man on his knees can't hunt."
The Baron leaned against his oak desk, crossing his arms. "So, you want to negotiate? Tell me, Shade. What makes the Guild Master's life worth more than his head on my table?"
Ji-ho's lips parted, but for the first time, no clinical logic followed. The words died in his throat. He had successfully analyzed the Baron's predatory nature, but he lacked the one variable that mattered: the context. He didn't know the history between Rael and the Guild Master. Was it a blood feud? A broken contract? Or something buried in the Baron's past as a hunter?
Without that, any rationale he offered would be a guess, and Ji-ho didn't gamble on guesses.
Rael's smirk sharpened, his amber eyes tracking the slight tremor in Ji-ho's hands. "What's the matter, kid?" the Baron asked, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous purr. "Did you run out of pretty words? You talked about 'dynamic variables,' but you look like a hunter who just realized he forgot his arrows."
Ji-ho's jaw tightened as his mind racing to find a way out, 'I overextended. I assumed I could bluff my way through a political minefield without knowing where the mines were buried.'
The Baron stepped closer, the smell of dark wine and cold steel following him. He raised the blue-hilted dagger he sharpened, the firelight dancing along its edge. "You came here to negotiate, Shade. But in my house, the only currency I accept is truth. If you don't have it, then you're just a rabbit in a fancy vest."
Ji-ho lowered his head slightly, a rare admission of a tactical misstep.
"I don't know the story between you and the Guild Master," Ji-ho said, his voice dropping into a low, freezing monotone. "And I won't insult your intelligence by pretending I do. I came here to negotiate, but I can't move a piece on a board I can't see."
Beside him, Hyun-soo's breath hitched, the sound sharp and jagged in the heavy silence. He turned his head toward Ji-ho, his eyes wide and trembling with a look of pure, unadulterated shock.
'Wait, what?'Hyun-soo's mind went blank, the fear debuff momentarily forgotten in the face of this new, impossible reality. 'Ji-ho, the guy who always has a plan, the guy who calculates every breath like a math equation ... he's actually admitting he doesn't know what to say?'
He looked at Ji-ho, searching for the usual cold, calculating smirk, but he found only a flat, honest admission of ignorance. A cold sweat broke out across Hyun-soo's brow. To him, Ji-ho's "honesty" felt like a death sentence. 'We're dead. We're so dead!'
Meanwhile, Rael froze, the blue-hilted dagger pausing mid-air. The smirk on his face didn't vanish. It evolved into something darker, a look of genuine respect.
"A rabbit that admits he's lost his way," Rael whispered. The oppressive weight in the room suddenly vanished as the Baron let out a sharp, exhaling breath. The red "Fear" notification in Ji-ho's vision flickered once and extinguished, leaving the air feeling strangely light and empty. "Honesty is a dangerous gamble, Shade. But it's the first thing you've said that didn't sound like a textbook."
With the [ Hunter's Terror ] debuff completely removed, the physical pressure that had been crushing Hyun-soo's lungs disappeared in an instant.
Hyun-soo let out a long, ragged gasp, his shoulders dropping so abruptly it looked like his strings had been cut. He stumbled back a step, his knees buckling before he caught himself against the cold stone of a nearby pillar. His bear ears, which had been pinned flat in terror, sprang back up with a frantic twitch. He began to draw in great, greedy lungfuls of air, his chest heaving as the color slowly returned to his face.
'I'm alive... I can actually breathe,'Hyun-soo thought, his hands still trembling as he wiped a thick layer of cold sweat from his forehead.
He shot a look of pure, disbelieving relief at Ji-ho, his eyes wide and watery. To him, it felt like they had just walked out of a collapsing building.
Rael turned back toward the hearth, the firelight catching the silver thread of his midnight-blue tunic.
"The Guild Master and I... we weren't enemies," Rael began, his voice losing its jagged edge and softening into a hollow, nostalgic tone. "Long ago, we fought side-by-side in the same party. We were more than friends; we were brothers-in-arms who survived the worst the Great War could throw at us."
He stared into the embers, the reflection of the flames dancing in his amber eyes. "Even after our party disbanded, we remained in contact. I trusted him with my life, and he with mine. But then, without a word or a trace, he disappeared. He went completely out of contact, leaving a void where his presence used to be."
The Baron's grip tightened on the edge of the mantle until the wood creaked. "One day, he just disappeared without a trace. He just left a note stating that he was going on a field research about some ancient glyphs he had found somewhere inside the Mystic Forest. After that, he never came back."
The Baron's voice dropped to a low, troubled whisper. "This town, it was his. I took over this town not out of greed, but to keep the seat warm. I had to ensure that if he ever walked out of the shadows, he'd find his home exactly as he left it."
As the Baron spoke the final word, the translucent quest window in front of Ji-ho and Hyun-soo flickered. The timer, which had been ticking down toward their doom, finally hit zero.
The aggressive, crimson border of the window dissolved. Instead of a violent explosion of light, the shards rearranged themselves into a soft, amber-hued interface. The glow was steady and mellow, radiating the quiet solemnity of a formal pact.
[ The quest 'Slay the Silestal Guild Master' was updated to 'The Lost Brother' ]
—————
[ The Lost Brother (S) ]
Difficulty: S
Quest Type: Investigation
The truth has been laid bare. You are no longer an assassin, but a bridge between two legends. Baron Rael does not want a head; he wants an answer. He wants to know why his closest friend vanished.
Quest Clear Condition:
● Find the missing Guild Master within the Mystic Forest
● Inform Baron Rael of the Guild Master's true status — dead or alive
Quest Clear Reward: Unknown
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