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The Perseverance to Survive in this World – Part 04

“Mr. Silver Face, I intend to bring in someone more knowledgeable about this matter than we are. Would that be acceptable to you?”

“Someone more knowledgeable?”

“Yes. I will go get them now.”

The staff got up and left the room. Hikaru used Mana Detection to follow their path, and he noticed the staff leaving the building and entering another one.

Sensing the mana signature of the aforementioned person, Hikaru blurted, “No way.”

“What’s wrong?” Lavia asked.

“Nothing. I just didn’t expect this person to be here.”

After about ten minutes, the staff returned with a person in tow. The individual, dressed similarly to Hikaru with a black hood and a wooden mask, was slightly shorter than him.

“Allow me to introduce you. This person comes from the Quinbrand Empire…”

“I’m Wood Face.” The person’s mouth curled into a smirk.

What are you doing here, Unken? Hikaru held back the urge to say something.

“So, Wood Face, do you have information on the locations of the workshop producing the Accursed Toxin, the workshop producing the cure, and the storage facility?”

“Would it kill you to look a bit more surprised? It took me quite some time to carve this mask.”

Disappointed, Unken removed his mask, but Lavia, oblivious to the situation, was left confused, glancing back and forth between Hikaru and Unken.

“Oh, the girl didn’t know, huh? I should’ve kept the mask on a bit longer, then.”

“Sir Unken, it seems the plan to surprise Mr. Silver Face has failed.”

“Well, that was a waste of time, Guildmaster.”

Hikaru was taken aback. He had assumed this man was just a staff member, but apparently he was the guildmaster. He was levelheaded, though quite young to hold the position.

“Let’s get down to business,” Unken said. “As you mentioned, we have nearly pinpointed the locations of the production sites of the poison and cure, and the storage facility. I attempted to infiltrate them and failed. Security has been tightened, and I can’t make a second attempt.”

“You tried and failed?”

Unken was capable of using Stealth. Hikaru summoned his Soul Board.

【Soul Board】Unken F. Balzack
Age: 211 | Rank: 51 | 53

【Vitality】
【Natural Recovery】2
【Stamina】5
【Immunity】
【Magic Resistance】1
【Perception】
【Smell】1
【Taste】2

【Magical Power】
【Mana Capacity】6

【Strength】
【Muscle Strength】9
【Weapon Mastery】
【Short Sword】6
【Bow】3
【Projectile】4
【Armor】2

【Agility】
【Stealth】
【Life Cloaking】2
【Mana Cloaking】2
【Imperceptibility】2
【Group Cloaking】1

【Dexterity】
【Dexterity】3
【Tool Mastery】
【Medical Apparatus】2

【Willpower】
【Mental Strength】3

【Instinct】
【Instinct】4
【Detection】
【Life Detection】1

His Soul Board was as impressive as Hikaru last saw it. Holding a Level 2 in the Stealth category in this world showcased his considerable skill.

“It’s frustrating, but there wasn’t much I could do,” Unken said.

“Must be guarded by someone tough.”

“No, there are traps set in place.”

“Traps…”

Dungeon traps came to Hikaru’s mind. Pressure plates triggering mechanisms, statues spewing fire.

“They’re entirely different from the ones found in dungeons. During the infiltration, we made it quite far before our presence was detected. We managed to escape, but after that, they added more traps and reinforced security.”

“Hmm… Wait a minute. ‘We’? Are there others with you?”

“Of course. A single individual can only do so much. You should meet them. If you’ll excuse us, Guildmaster.” Unken rose to his feet.

The guildmaster gave a wry smile. “You call me Guildmaster, but you hold the same position.”

“It’s not the same. I manage a guild in a small town, while you work in the holy city. Follow me, Silver Face.”

Unken led Hikaru and Lavia out of the guild. Unken, however, used the back exit while Hikaru left through the front.

In the guild’s lobby, the guildmaster put on an act. “I apologize for not being able to assist you.”

“It’s all right. It’s a shame the information about the dungeon hadn’t been updated.”

They were pretending that the suspicious masked man had come here for information about a dungeon.

---

After leaving the guild, Hikaru swiftly activated Stealth and hurried to their rendezvous point with Unken.

Silver Face’s existence had already been exposed during the Ruler’s Rumble tournament held in Einbiest. Considering that he defeated the adventurer Ryver, who worked for Bios, the state’s top brass likely considered him an enemy.

The Church’s spies in the Adventurers Guild would undoubtedly relay this information. Hikaru did not think this small ruse would completely fool them, but it was better than doing nothing.

Hikaru deactivated Stealth in the back alley and joined Unken, who then led them to the white city wall that surrounded the Holy City of Agiapole.

“This way.”

As one might expect, a thorough cleaning was unfeasible on something as large as the city wall. There were areas where the white paint had chipped off or dirt remained. They entered a ramshackle hut, where a staircase led underground.

After a few minutes of walking through the underground passage, they reached a lumberjack’s cabin, surrounded by a forest.

“So you have a route that avoids checkpoints.”

“Yes, or else the Empire’s spies wouldn’t be able to operate.”

Come to think of it, earlier in the guild, the guildmaster introduced Unken as someone from the Quinbrand Empire, knowing that he was a guildmaster in the kingdom.

“Does everyone know you’re working for Quinbrand?”

If he remembered correctly, the receptionist at Pond’s guild, Freya, had some suspicions but didn’t seem completely sure.

“The Master here is an exception. He’s brilliant, so he knew immediately. People like him tend to have a successful career.”

“I see.”

I should’ve checked his Soul Board, Hikaru thought.

“I wouldn’t use weird sorcery on him if I were you. He has sharp instincts.”

“Uh…”

Hikaru recalled how Unken sensed something when he checked the old man’s Soul Board the first time. Using his ability on someone with a high level of Instinct required caution.

“To be clear: I’m not actively working for the Empire.”

“It sure looks like you are.”

“I don’t leak information about Ponsonia. It’s just that, given our long-standing relationship, I occasionally lend a hand to the Empire.”

“You don’t have to make excuses.”

“I’m not.”

“Really, now?”

“Y-You snot-nosed brat…”

“Enough, both of you,” Lavia said. “I get it. You’re good friends.”

“No, we’re not!”

“Far from it!”

Suddenly, several figures silently approached the hut.

“Unken, what’s the meaning of this? Why are outsiders here?”

Their physique suggested they were Man Gnomes just like Unken. Fellow spies of the Empire.

“I live in Ponsonia, so I’m technically an outsider too,” Unken said. “Anyway, I thought you’d know him.”

“What? There’s no way I’d know someone with a silver mask… No, wait. A silver mask… Silver Face?!”

The spies’ breaths caught in their throats.

Hikaru had gained some recognition without him realizing it. After what he did at the Ruler’s Rumble, it wasn’t odd for spies from other countries to know him.

What an overblown reaction, though.

Unbeknownst to Hikaru, his skilled use of Stealth in full view of the public had made him a subject of interest to spies. He had unknowingly become a topic of rumors.

“I heard Silver Face is a warrior from Einbiest. Why is he helping the Empire?”

“I’m only doing this because I don’t like Bios’ methods. I might end up assisting the Empire, but that would just be a coincidence. And for the record, I have no connection to Einbiest.”

“Then which country are you from?”

“I’m not employed by any country. I’m a free agent.”

“Hmph. You talk like an adventurer.”

He was indeed an adventurer. There seemed to be a preconception that people involved in espionage had to be affiliated with something.

“I heard you have a magic item that can make you disappear. Even if you manage to slip past security, infiltrating will be difficult.”

“You mean the traps, right? Unken told me about them. I think I can handle traps.”

“You sound confident.”

“Even if I messed up, it wouldn’t harm you guys in any way. Just give me the information, and I’ll go get the cure.”

The spies exchanged glances.

“Fine. If it means getting our hands on the cure, we’ll even make a deal with demons.”

Come on. Demons? Really?

Hikaru wondered if his silver mask gave off an eerie vibe.