"Regarding the 'key'..."
The old woman paused, observing Roland's expression.
Only after seeing no change in his posture did she continue.
"The Lord Pontiff says it can be given up to You, but..."
Before she could finish, Roland interrupted, his brow furrowing slightly with a trace of banter in his tone. "But what? You want me to work for you?"
"Of course not!"
The old woman blurted out hurriedly.
"It is just that there will be some trouble—for You." After deliberating for a moment, the old woman quickly added, "You should also know that the vessel has arrived in Romanvia, and the 'key' is in Romanvia as well. If the two come close to each other, it is highly likely that the second kin will awaken prematurely, though... only temporarily."
"It matters not," Roland said casually.
He did not take the second kin she spoke of seriously in the slightest.
"If you have anything else to say, say it quickly. My time is precious," Roland said with a wave of his hand.
As his words fell, an eerie smile spread across the old hag's wrinkled face. After contemplating for a moment, she spoke, "The Lord Pontiff says that if possible, he hopes to bring the vessel back and break the seal on Lady Second Kin. It is just that right now, it seems to have become even more difficult, so this will require some of Your assistance."
"Hmm... I will consider it," Roland said, rubbing his chin as he feigned thought.
The vessel, naturally, referred to Messiah Tanner.
In the original plot, whenever this protagonist faced a life-threatening crisis, this second kin would turn into the ultimate worker and step in to save the day. Though an unpredictable factor, in the early game, it acted as her golden finger instead. This was precisely why Roland also wanted to get the "key."
This was the key artifact required to break the second kin's seal.
With this item, he could command the other party for a short time.
At worst, it was leverage at the demigod level.
...
In the end, Roland agreed nonetheless. The reason was simple: the cycle for the entire plan was very long, and it was impossible to capture her right now. Messiah Tanner's master was an old flame of the Great Sage. If she were seized during such a sensitive period... tsk, putting aside whether they could even escape Romanvia, there was no guaranteeing the old man wouldn't go mad.
Furthermore, regarding the second kin.
Messiah Tanner was actually aware of it.
She knew that something had been harboring inside her body all along, roughly starting from that unforgettable period in her childhood. Although she was unclear about its true identity, once she met the Great Sage, she would learn everything and formulate a meticulous plan around it. In fact, her process would end up being largely similar to that of the Church of the Fallen Mother Goddess.
"A double agent... how interesting..."
Roland chuckled. This was the true reason he had agreed.
Even without his help, Messiah Tanner would intentionally throw herself into danger anyway. Although all of this lay in the distant future, it didn't stop Roland from watching this fine show with a god-eye perspective. What was more, he could interact with both sides, standing in the middle and playing both off each other. Thinking about it was immensely entertaining.
Leo Company.
Leo Archer looked at Roland with a flattering expression.
"Oh my, what wind brought Young Master Roland here today? Hahaha... your presence truly brings honor to my humble little shop!" Leo Archer put on the demeanor of a slick merchant, rubbing his hands together as he asked cautiously, "What would Young Master Roland like to buy? Rest assured, I have plenty of goods here, and I'll give you a twenty percent discount—how does that sound?"
Roland took a sip of the man's tea.
A look of disgust flickered across his face.
Leo Archer caught this reaction and inwardly cursed. These good-for-nothing, useless nobles can only rely on their miserable status to lord over others. Especially these noble offspring—these arrogant brats are infuriating to look at. However, he only kept these thoughts inside and showed nothing on the surface.
On the contrary, he appeared exceptionally respectful on the outside.
"Let me guess... you must be cursing me in your heart, right?"
Roland set down the teacup and suddenly spoke.
Leo Archer froze for a moment, deliberately feigning a look of panic. "How could that be, Young Master Roland? I admire you from the bottom of my heart, especially Grand Duke Lucifiel. His Grace the Duke is my idol! Truth be told, if it weren't for my lack of talent and ability, I would have loved to join the battlefield and slay enemies too!"
He spoke with impassioned vigor.
His face even flushed red from emotion, making him look thoroughly excited.
Unfortunately, no matter how vivid his performance was, in Roland's eyes, it was merely the antics of a clown. With his god-eye perspective, he naturally knew who Leo Archer really was—one of the leaders of St. Romanvia's largest intelligence and assassination organization, as well as a Seventh-Rank powerhouse himself. He was the complete opposite of the talentless nobody he claimed to be.
The true Leo Archer was cold-blooded, ruthless, and driven solely by profit.
However, Roland simply watched him perform in silence.
It felt rather comical.
At the same time, while praises for the Lucifiel family continued to pour endlessly from Leo Archer's mouth, his brain did not stop for a second. It operated at full speed, pondering why the youth before him had come. The moment the youth stepped through the door, his subordinates had rushed over to report, and he himself had noticed right away.
What a joke—the son of the Grand Duke of the Northern Territory.
Along with those obvious noble traits.
If he couldn't recognize him immediately, he might as well get out of the intelligence and assassination business.
"By the way, how is the matter I instructed you to handle coming along?"
Leo Archer froze, clearly caught off guard.
He looked at the youth before him, who seemed to feel no impropriety whatsoever after uttering those words. On the contrary, the youth was looking back at him with a smile. This unhurried demeanor caused Leo Archer's brain to briefly short-circuit. Could it be that he really had posted a mission with the "organization"? But on second thought, he thoroughly rejected the idea.
If the youth had truly commissioned a mission from the organization behind him,
given his status and identity, there was no way Leo Archer wouldn't remember it.
"Ah, hahaha... Young Master Roland, what are you saying? I'm afraid I don't quite understand."
Leo Archer forced a laugh and asked with a bewildered look.
Roland clicked his tongue twice.
He seemed dissatisfied.
At least, that was how it appeared to Leo Archer.
"The 'key,' of course." Roland looked mockingly at Leo Archer, whispering like a devil, "To forget so quickly... it seems you didn't take my words to heart at all, Mr. Archer. As the leader of 【Shadows】, and a Seventh-Rank powerhouse yourself, is your memory really this poor?"
The voice detonated inside Leo Archer's mind.
He immediately looked at Roland in utter disbelief.
The youth remained completely calm, except for a trace of amusement in his eyes. It was as though witnessing his shock brought him delight—what a truly... arrogant, twisted sense of humor.
"Hahaha..."
Leo Archer reacted swiftly.
He then cast a glance around his surroundings and breathed a sigh of relief in his heart.
"Who are you looking for?"
Roland's voice drifted over.
"Is it him?"
Immediately afterward, Roland's shadow grew pitch-black and began to squirm. One stood behind Roland, his gaze locked firmly onto Leo Archer. Should the man make the slightest move, One could twist his head off in an instant, and the entire company would be buried alongside him in a heartbeat.
"..."
Rate on N.U.
