Chapter 395. Resolve (1) (1/2)
“Shall we go to the office? There are a few unwanted people listening in. Well, not that they’ll live to tell the tale.”
Kim Hannah threw a meaningful smile behind Seol Jihu.
One of the captives who met her gaze bit down on his lip.
François Delon. He was a Level 6 White Swordsman from Area 2.
Most importantly, he was from Sinyoung, the organization that Kim Hannah used to be a part of in the past.
How must he feel after meeting his past colleague as an enemy? Not in a battlefield, but as a captive, to boot.
“Alright, we’ll do that. Chohong, throw them all in the jail.”
Seol Jihu readily agreed.
“You’re talking about the underground prison under the royal palace, right?”
Chohong snickered and dragged the captives away.
Next, Seol Jihu entered his office and sat down behind his desk.
“I’ll start with the news about Scheherazade.”
Kim Hannah looked at her clipboard and started in a monotonous tone.
“While the video was playing, Valhalla’s Team 1 raided the Temple of Luxuria’s main branch and successfully captured Roberto Servillo.”
“I heard you guys almost ran into a problem.”
“Organizations within Scheherazade noticed the situation in the middle and rushed to the plaza. They tried to threaten the Triads into stopping the screening of the movie, but they went back reluctantly after realizing that Miss Baek Haeju was there.”
Kim Hannah cleared her throat.
“That small incident was resolved without a hiccup, but the problem happened elsewhere.”
“Where?”
“While a member of Team 1 was rans… investigating the bishop’s private storage, there was a slight holdup.”
Kim Hannah corrected herself in the middle and cleared her throat.
“It must have been when the movie ended. While Team 1 was investigating the bishop’s private storage, Scheherazade Royal Family supposedly sent their guards to the temple.”
“…And?”
“Things might have gotten complicated if not for Team Leader Phi Sora’s quick judgment.”
Kim Hannah spoke clearly.
“As soon as Team Member Yi Seol-Ah notified her of the guards’ arrival, Team Leader Phi Sora changed the plan to joining up with the Triads and leaving. The team swiftly left Scheherazade with the bishop.”
Seol Jihu sighed.
Scheherazade Royal Family dispatched guards to the temple?
Given their close relationship with Sinyoung, they probably didn’t have good intentions in doing so either.
Since the royal families had jurisdiction over incidents that happened inside their cities, being delayed any longer might have made the matter more complicated.
“Miss Maria is in Team 1, right?”
Seol Jihu smacked his lips.
“Tell her to come see me later.”
“Understood.”
Kim Hannah smiled bitterly.
“Anyway, what happened after that?”
“Team 1 safely brought the bishop to Eva and locked him in Eva’s underground prison. The Scheherazade Royal Family naturally became a dog chasing after a butterfly. But it seems they have no intention of giving up because they’re supposedly sending an envoy to Eva. I was told he would arrive tomorrow.”
“First guards, and now an envoy.”
Seol Jihu tapped on the desk with his index finger.
“They should know what their action signifies… Why do you think they’re going so far?”
“It’s most likely to secure the bishop who is the main culprit behind this incident. Because the bishop is related to Sinyoung, and Sinyoung is related to the Scheherazade Royal Family.”
“So because Sinyoung can’t afford to make a move, they’re making the Royal Family move in their place?”
“That seems likely. Sinyoung’s involvement in this incident is clear, so they’re likely finding it difficult to move openly.”
Indeed, a member of Sinyoung was confirmed to have participated in this incident, and François Delon wasn’t a simple, run-of-the-mill member either. To say that they knew nothing of this matter would be a stretch.
“Looks like they at least have some conscience left.”
Seol Jihu chuckled and gave a sarcastic remark.
“What will you do? As the capital of humanity, the Scheherazade Royal Family holds higher authority than the other royal families.”
“Authority? Oh please. Without Sinyoung backing them up, they wouldn’t be able to say a thing.”
Seol Jihu snorted.
“Let the envoy come. I’m curious what he has to say for himself…. Oh right, didn’t you say we had guests from Haramark?”
Seol Jihu waved his hand like the first problem wasn’t anything important and then asked.
“Yes, they must have set out a day after the movie. It’s…”
Hearing Kim Hannah’s report, Seol Jihu’s eyes widened.
“Really? Why are they here?”
“I don’t know the details. They just said they had an urgent matter.”
“An urgent matter… Where are they now?”
“I guided them to Valhalla’s dorm on their day of the visit. They have been waiting for ages. Should I bring them in?”
Seol Jihu nodded.
Kim Hannah bowed respectfully before turning around and leaving the office.
*
“It was an exciting film.”
The visitors were none other than the executives of Sicilia, Taciana Cinzia and Claire Agnes.
“It reminded me of the time I went to see a movie with my boyfriend in an old, back-alley theatre. It was quite memorable.”
“It’s hard to believe Miss Cinzia had a time like that.”
“Fufu, everyone has a time when they’re young and immature. Anyway, B-grade movies have their own cheap charm. Of course, people either hate it or love it… But don’t worry, I enjoyed it a lot.”
Cinzia sat with her legs crossed as she tied a knot with a red lace on her coat.
Seol Jihu smiled quietly. He knew Cinzia hated small talk. Her admission that she enjoyed the movie was likely a way of telling him that she was intrigued in the matter and was fully supportive of Valhalla.
“I’m glad to hear you liked it. The folks over at Scheherazade seem to have found it boring though.”
The corner of Cinzia’s mouth curled up.
“You can’t do anything about their personal taste. Well, not that this movie is a simple matter of personal taste… Anyway.”
She then crossed her arms and asked suggestively.
“I visited today, but I’ve been meaning to talk to you for some time. Have you heard anything from Chung Chohong?”
“From Chohong? No.”
“Hmm, I asked her to deliver a message when she came over to give the enhancement stones.”
“…Ah.”
Seol Jihu shut his eyes.
“I’m sorry. Chohong must have forgotten about it.”
“It’s fine. We would have called directly if it was something urgent.”
Cinzia raised her hand and continued in her unique, lethargic voice.
“I’ll cut to the chase.”
Cinzia did not speak in a roundabout way.
“Something that is very important to Sicilia came up. We looked into it ourselves, but we just couldn’t figure out a way to resolve it.”
“Okay.”
“But then we noticed how interesting things were getting and couldn’t bear to sit still.”
From the sound of it, Cinzia seemed to have come to ask for help.
Seol Jihu opened his eyes and looked straight at Cinzia and Agnes.
A problem that even these two couldn’t resolve? He was already curious, but now he was dying to know.
“What’s the matter?”
“Do you remember the Tigol Fortress War?”
“Ah, yes, thank you for your help back then.”
“Don’t get ahead of yourself. We’re not here to ask for compensation. What I want to talk about are the Executors.”
Executors. As soon as Cinzia mentioned this word, Seol Jihu’s eyes sunk low.
“Before the Tigol Fortress War, humanity had a total of five Executors. After the war, that number decreased to four.”
Seol Jihu nodded.
Originally, the only empty seats among the Executors were the position of envy (Invidia) and gluttony (Gula).
But with the Star of Pride (Superbia) being beheaded by Sung Shihyun’s sword, the empty seats had increased to three.
“Though I say that, there’s no way to be certain how many seats are empty. The trial to become an apostle is something that the Seven Gods bestow to individual Earthlings. So long as they or their organizations remain quiet, there is no way for the public to know. Meaning, it’s entirely possible that new Executors have been selected for both envy and gluttony.”
Cinzia continued slowly.
“I am bringing this up because I received news that Pride has recently selected a new apostle candidate.”
Seol Jihu’s eyes lit up.
“The Executor of Superbia… May I know who it is?”
Cinzia did not reply. She only turned her head languidly and stared at the woman standing next to her.
Seol Jihu, who followed her gaze, jolted.
Agnes, who had remained quiet until now, slowly opened her eyes and looked back at Seol Jihu.
“…You mean.”
“That’s right.”