“Then, having seen both up close, from your perspective, which one is the correct method?” Bellum asked.
“I suppose that depends,” Izroth replied calmly.
“On?”
“Whether or not you’re willing to accept the truth.”
“What are you-”
“Alright, I think I’ve played along long enough. To be honest, I was somewhat curious. Why is it that someone with your abilities seems to hold no interest in their ranking? At first, I thought that perhaps you simply lacked any ambition. Or, maybe this was all just a way for you to kill some time. But then, it dawned on me. Even though this is our first time meeting, I have seen your name before.” Izroth stated nonchalantly.
He then continued, “Ranked 15th on the event leaderboards, Bellum. That’s you, is it not?”
“Certainly, I am ranked 15th; however, it was not as if it is some great secret. After all, both you and Lieutenant Niflheim have access to the event leaderboards.” Bellum noted.
“You’re not wrong. But, if I’m right, our meeting didn’t just happen by chance.”
When Izroth said those words, Bellum’s expression shifted as she narrowed her eyes and stopped walking.
Not long after she did so, Izroth halted his steps as well and turned to face Bellum.
“Oh? Did I say something unnecessary?” Izroth inquired.
Bellum sighed faintly and replied, “No, you are correct. Our meeting did not happen by chance. Although I am unable to go into the full details of the matter at this point, I can assure you that my intentions are not-”
“I’ll stop you right there,” Izroth said as he held up one hand and cut Bellum off.
He then continued, “I did not bring this up to hear your reason. At the end of the day, you are a member of my 9th Division. No matter your circumstances before joining, so long as you follow the rules, I could care less about your intentions. And, to be perfectly blunt, your magic is rather useful.”
Bellum’s eyes widened in surprise as a startled expression formed on her face.
The next moment, she released a small helpless sigh and smiled lightly.
“Then, since you have no intention of digging any further, can I ask why you decided to bring it up?” Bellum inquired out of curiosity.
“It’s simple. I want to know why you stopped after crossing the first line.” Izroth said calmly.
During the test to join the 9th Division, Bellum stopped immediately after she stepped across the first line.
Naturally, Izroth did not believe that someone capable of climbing to the 15th-ranked spot on the event leaderboards could possess such fragile willpower. Therefore, he was curious as to why Bellum chose not to continue.
“The truth is, I have grown weary. That’s why, even if it is just for a fleeting moment, I would like to rest.” Bellum stated as her voice contained a hint of despondency.
Although she hid it well, Izroth caught a glimpse of the disheartened look in Bellum’s eyes as she spoke. It was clear to him that she had her own set of troubles and burdens.
‘It seems that she is someone who can be trusted, at least, for the time being. I’ll just have to wait and see what the future holds.’
In the end, Izroth did not sense any bad intentions for Bellum; however, it was obvious that she had something in mind since their meeting was not by chance. But, rather than listening to her come up with excuses for keeping certain details to herself, Izroth decided to make his stance clear.
That way, until Bellum was ready to talk, there would be no excuse for misunderstandings.
“Then, when you’re ready, I’ll be waiting. Until that time comes, feel free to rest for as long as you’d like.” Izroth commented with a carefree expression.
Izroth turned to face the direction of the route being taken by the 9th Division and said, “We should catch up with the others before we fall too far behind.”
After he spoke, Izroth resumed his steps into the depths of the Ferae Jungle.
Bellum stood silently as she watched Izroth’s back as he walked away.
“He’s different from what I envisioned. But-” Bellum thought to herself as she followed after Izroth.
“It’s not a bad thing at all…” Bellum said to herself softly.
…
Approximately one hour later…
The 9th Division ventured deeper into the Ferae Jungle with Niflheim leading the way.
So far, their journey was progressing smoothly as the group had not faced a single monster attack ever since they left the Cave Mortem Monsoon.
“I wonder how much longer it’ll take us to reach the Tempest outpost at this pace…” Champion muttered to himself as he seemed rather lax for someone near the front of the group.
Champion was not the only one with a relaxed attitude. Many of the 9th Division players were casually talking among themselves without much of a care in the world.
When they first entered the Ferae Jungle, everyone was tense and on edge. However, after not running into any trouble for so long, their initial uneasiness faded away.
Of course, the relaxed atmosphere did not escape Niflheim and Menerva.
While it was not a bad thing for everyone to grow more accustomed to one another, they were currently in hostile territory with limited information available to them.
Being levelheaded was a good trait; however, there was a difference between levelheadedness and letting one’s guard down. And, right now, the 9th Division was treading that line in a dangerous fashion.
That being said, Niflheim understood the 9th Division’s current position. Most of the players in the division lacked the same competitive mindset that the elite and core members of top guilds had. That’s because at any time, if those top guild players failed to perform up to the expected standard, there were many others waiting to seize their spot. This drove everyone to capitalize on the moments that presented themselves. And, it was what remained absent from the members of the 9th Division.
Just as Niflheim was about to address the issue over the voice conference, someone else beat him to it.
Menerva, “I will only say this once, so listen carefully.”
When Menerva’s voice sounded, everyone immediately fell silent. There was always a bit of distance to her voice whenever she spoke, but this time, her tone was more serious than usual.
Menerva, “Those who lose sight of the assignment at hand—our 9th Division does not require such half-hearted individuals. You all may have joined the 9th Division, but I would like to remind everyone that your position is not set in stone. If we suffer an avoidable loss due to your lack of awareness, the consequence that follows will be without clemency. Just so my words are not misconstrued, I am referring to your termination from the 9th Division. It would be unfortunate to forfeit the unique opportunity that has been presented to you. Or, must I remind everyone of the benefits received thus far?”
The atmosphere became increasingly tense after Menerva spoke as the members of the 9th Division returned to the same state of high alert they had when they first entered the Ferae Jungle.
Indeed, it was not every day someone was willing to gift them something worth almost 100 gold coins as a mere “welcome gift”. Not to mention, the war objective was also one of high value.
These types of opportunities did not come around every day for players like them who did not have the support of a big guild. If they let it slip away, they would have to live with the regret that inevitably follows.
“So, you’ve chosen to bear the role of the stick. You sure chose the troublesome one… In that case, I guess it’s time I respond with the carrot.” Niflheim thought to himself.
Niflheim, “It’s just as Lieutenant Menerva said. We can’t afford to lose sight of the mission we’ve been entrusted with. Remember, if you contribute properly and aid in our overall success, the rewards you’ll get will make our welcome present seem like a passing thought in comparison. That’s why I hope everyone will give this mission their best. If you do that, your efforts alone will leave me content. And, of course, you will be rewarded in kind.”
Niflheim’s words put a bit of ease on the tense atmosphere and reinvigorated the determination of the 9th Division members.
At the same time, despite the irritation and discomfort it brought about, Menerva’s earlier remarks stayed stuck in the back of the group’s minds as a constant reminder of the potential consequences.
