The Notes of the Highers
Inside the Nightglass Covenant 7th Office, Yuna notices a black-covered document on a side desk.
Title: The Top 10 Highers
Yuna frowns.
"Highers…?"
She doesn't understand the term, so she purchases the notes.
As she reads, her expression slowly changes—from confusion… to shock.
What Are Highers?
The notes explain:
Highers are the true controllers of the Nightglass Covenant.
They are the founders of the organization.
They are the ones who:
Create the rules
Enforce absolute authority
Decide punishment and mercy
Their authority is insane.
Most adventurers don't even realize how powerful a Higher truly is.
Highers are:
Completely mysterious
Never seen publicly
Their appearances are unknown
Their true strength is beyond estimation
Even elite adventurers never meet them.
Yuna's hands tremble slightly as she continues reading.
The Highers of Nightglass Covenant
According to the notes, Nightglass Covenant has 11 Highers.
Yet only 10 names are written.
The listed Highers:
Ashryn Mordelle (Male)
Sylas Nyxhart (Male)
Rael Veydrin (Male)
Dante Marchetti (Male)
Shunsuke Kouzen (Male)
Xesa Palamond (Female)
Yxes Palamond (Female)
Jerry Ssenkard (Female)
Nexy Wodahs (Female)
Jenny Nocturnes (Female)
Yuna freezes.
"There are supposed to be 11 Highers…"
Her eyes scan the page again.
"Then where is the last one?"
No name.
No hint.
Nothing.
She thinks:
"Did only I notice this?"
"Or did others notice it… and choose not to ask?"
A chill runs down her spine.
A Desperate Hope
Yuna exhales.
"If even one Higher accepted my mission…"
She shakes her head.
"No… that's impossible. Highers aren't normal adventurers."
She turns away from the notes and looks at her mission post—still untouched.
The Man Who Accepted
Suddenly, a calm voice speaks behind her.
"Hey. I'll do it."
The entire hall goes silent.
Yuna turns around.
A man stands there casually.
An adventurer nearby snaps:
"Are you insane?!"
"That temple is cursed! You'll kill yourself!"
The man looks at him—just once.
"Did you say something?"
The adventurer's face turns pale.
"N-no… nothing."
The man turns back to Yuna.
"My name is Shun."
He smiles faintly.
"Let's go."
Yuna's eyes widen in disbelief.
"R-really? Thank you so much for accepting my job!"
"It's fine," Shun says. "Let's move."
On the Way
As they walk, Yuna steals a glance at him.
Handsome… calm… confident…
She shakes her head hard.
"No, no. Focus."
"I need to save my friends."
Inside the Temple
They arrive at the cursed temple.
Shun suddenly stops.
"Don't come in," he says.
"I'll go alone."
Yuna hesitates.
"Is… is that okay?"
"Yeah. It's fine."
Shun steps forward.
The Sleeping Giant
Inside the temple, a Giant sleeps, radiating danger.
Yet it doesn't react.
Why?
Shun has already sealed both his and Yuna's presence using concealment magic.
He moves silently, using advanced camouflage techniques.
He finds Yuna's teammates—alive, unconscious, trapped.
Shun understands instantly:
"This temple is not normal."
"If chaos starts, everyone dies."
He chooses precision, not battle.
One by one, he gathers them.
Escape
Moments later, Shun exits the temple with all of Yuna's friends.
Yuna's eyes fill with tears.
"They're alive…!"
Shun looks at her seriously.
"Listen carefully."
"Never come to this temple again."
He pauses.
"This is for your own good."
Internally, Shun analyzes:
This Giant is not controlled by any mage…
Nor by an Oracle…
Farewell
Shun helps Yuna settle her friends in a hotel.
Yuna bows deeply and offers him money.
"Thank you… please take this."
Shun accepts it casually.
"Huh. Thanks."
As he turns to leave, he says one last time:
"Never go back to that temple."
"I won't," Yuna says.
"Thank you… you're a really good person."
Shun smiles—genuinely.
And then, he leaves.
Two Days Later
Two days pass.
Yet Yuna's friends remain unconscious.
She sits beside them day and night, fear slowly eating her heart.
They aren't dead…
Shun said they aren't dead…
She keeps repeating those words to herself.
Awakening
Suddenly—
Bilives gasps and opens his eyes.
"W-Where… where am I…?"
Yuna freezes.
Then one by one, the others wake up.
The moment she realizes they are all alive—
Yuna breaks down in tears.
Bilives struggles to sit up.
"Yuna… why are you crying?"
"Who hurt you? Just tell me."
"Was it Paul?"
Yuna shakes her head violently.
"No… no…"
"I'm crying because I'm happy."
Confusion
Bilives closes his eyes, memories rushing back.
"Wait…"
"The Giant…"
"We were captured…"
"Our bodies turned to stone…"
He looks at Yuna's legs.
"And your leg—how is it normal?"
Yuna wipes her tears and explains everything.
"When I escaped the Giant's area, my leg healed automatically."
"I don't know how you all were freed from the stone."
She pauses.
"I hired an Unofficial Adventurer."
"I think he did something."
"That's why you're all okay."
The Savior
Bilives grips the bed.
"Then I want to thank him."
"Who saved us?"
Yuna answers softly:
"His name is Shun."
Bilives looks determined.
"Where can I find him?"
"I must thank him properly."
Yuna shakes her head.
"I don't think we should disturb him."
"He helped us quietly."
Doubt
Paul suddenly speaks, irritated.
"Why did you ask for help from Unofficial Adventurers?"
"You should've gone to Official Adventurers… or the Government."
Yuna's expression darkens.
"I did go to the Government."
Everyone turns to her.
"They refused to help."
"They said they wouldn't save you."
Silence fills the room.
"They offered me money—to stay silent."
"I used that money to hire an Unofficial Adventurer."
She clenches her fists.
"If I went to Zeror Trav, they would've questioned me endlessly."
"There was no time."
"So I chose the fastest option."
Betrayal
Bilives stares at the floor.
"The Government… betrayed us?"
Paul's voice turns cold.
"Huh…"
"From today onward, I'll never work under the Government again."
"They abandoned us."
The others nod silently.
A New Decision
Bilives looks at Yuna and smiles faintly.
"Yuna… you're really smart."
"And a good friend."
The others agree.
"We're lucky to have you."
After a long silence, Bilives speaks again.
"We quit Zeror Trav."
Everyone looks at him.
"We become Unofficial Adventurers."
No hesitation.
No regret.
They all agree.
Quitting Zeror Trav
Bilives and his friends arrive at the Official Adventurers Organization, Zeror Trav, to submit their resignation.
The manager processes Yuna, Paul, and the others without asking any questions.
But the moment he sees Bilives's name, he freezes.
"W-Wait…"
"Mr. Bilives… you're quitting too?"
The manager stands up immediately.
"Why?"
"Why are you quitting?"
"Please tell me!"
Everyone can see it clearly—
The manager is a huge fan of Bilives.
Bilives remains calm.
"It's a long story."
"I don't want to talk about it."
The manager opens his mouth to say something more…
but stops.
Bilives signs the papers.
He officially quits Zeror Trav.
Freedom
Outside the building, the group exhales deeply.
They smile.
They laugh.
They feel free.
"We're finally out," someone says.
They all agree on one thing—
They will apply to Nightglass Covenant.
At Home
That night, Bilives returns home.
He sits in front of his father.
"Father…"
"I quit Zeror Trav."
His father looks at him quietly.
"Huh…"
After a short pause, he speaks calmly.
"It's your decision."
"I won't force you."
Then he adds gently:
"But at least tell me…"
"Why do you want to quit adventuring?"
Bilives shakes his head.
"I didn't quit adventuring."
"I quit the organization—Zeror Trav."
His father sighs and smiles weakly.
"Huh…"
"I think I'm getting old."
He lowers his gaze.
"That's why I don't understand your feelings."
"I'm not a knowledgeable person."
"I don't know what you truly want."
He looks back at Bilives.
"Sorry, Bilives."
"I'm really an illiterate person."
Bilives immediately responds, firm but gentle.
"It's okay, Dad."
"And please stop calling yourself illiterate."
He smiles.
"In my eyes…"
"You're one of the most knowledgeable people I know."
His father chuckles softly.
"Hmm…"
"You haven't changed at all, Bilives."