SGB: Episode 157
Episode 157: Lion (3)
The newbie wearing the Goblin Mask.
Strictly speaking, I'm the newbie, and he's the returning player...
Sorry, but if you're coming back after a long time, you should at least know what's changed. Or you should have listened carefully to the patch notes that the seniors told you about.
"Pl, please stop..."
I immediately withdrew my killing intent the moment the Goblin managed to speak. But if I end it here, they'll just think I'm a bad guy.
[Is this all?]
I decide on today's line, recalling the last words I left them with at the previous gathering.
Consistency is key to maintaining a concept.
"I had some hope since a new member joined..."
I mutter briefly, expressing my disappointment.
As if I had some expectations because of the new member, but as expected, it turned out the way I thought it would.
As if I was just trying to gauge his level, not bully him.
"Boring."
I turn my gaze away from the Goblin Mask, as if that was my only intention. And I glance at the Clown, Fox, Crescent Moon, and Antler Mask one by one.
Implying that I'll be even more disappointed if they only share boring information again today.
"Pfft, don't worry, Lion. I brought something you'll find interesting this time."
I don't answer.
I just rest my chin on my hand and wait.
Thinking inwardly,
'Clown, if he's saying this, it must be really important information.'
Is this why everyone bosses around their juniors?
Just as I'm pretending to be indifferent...
Clack.
The doors to the round table room close as the time comes.
It means there won't be any more members joining.
However, there's one thing I need to do before the meeting officially begins.
"Goblin, get a grip."
"This guy is funny. He's always acting all high and mighty."
"Pfft, compared to last time, Lion was being considerate, and he's still like this! Ha! Don't you feel ashamed because of him?"
The Fox and Antler Mask chuckle as if they agree with the Clown's words.
"Indeed... it wasn't as intense as last time."
"Yes. I was able to endure it this time."
I feel a pang of guilt as I see them subtly winking at me, as if thanking me for going easy on them.
The reason is simple.
'That was my full power...'
That's the maximum output of my killing intent, which I can freely turn on and off.
I practiced countless times after seeing the Kaltstein master use it in real life, but once I enter full-on mode, I can't control it.
Well, it's a good thing they interpreted it as consideration.
Is this why people should at least appear strong?
"So, sorry. I'm fine now."
Anyway, the Goblin finally comes to his senses.
He still avoids my gaze as soon as our eyes meet, as if traumatized by what happened earlier.
'He's definitely weaker compared to the other four.'
Just look at the Fox Mask.
She endured my full-on killing intent for much longer, but she's only wary and cautious, not terrified like this.
"Then who should we start with?"
Fox then looks at the Clown, taking the initiative.
The Clown shrugs.
"You save the best for last, right? How about we start with Mr. Goblin?"
"Ahem, sure."
The Goblin clears his throat as if to make up for his earlier blunder and shares information.
"Everyone knows that High Priest Ludwig of the Star went missing."
"So?"
"The culprit was Orculus. They kidnapped him and were using him."
Don't tell me, this guy is a priest?
Is that why he knows?
That thought crosses my mind, but the jewel on the round table emits a red light.
"Pfft, it seems like more than half of us already know about it."
I feel a bitter taste in my mouth.
It hasn't even been a fortnight since I delivered the letter.
Lee Baekho and the others who should know about it have already heard something—
"You'll get used to it quickly. You need more than just ordinary information to satisfy those two."
Huh?
"I didn't know about this. Maybe the temple will support the royal family because of this."
Listening to Fox and Crescent Moon, it seems like they didn't know about it.
'Then the red light came on because the Clown, Antler, and I knew about it?'
I can't help but click my tongue.
But has the Clown been observing me the whole time?
He gets up and scolds the other three.
"Hey, are there no unspoken rules anymore? I thought we agreed not to make it obvious that we didn't know something."
"Sorry, I felt bad for Goblin."
"We let it slide when it was just us. But there's a new member now, right? Let's all be careful from now on. Okay?"
"Al, alright."
Ah, so there was a rule like that.
Well, if they keep doing that, it's inevitable that it will be revealed who knows what.
I was secretly worried about this, but it worked out well thanks to the Clown stepping in.
'But it doesn't seem like he did it just for me...'
Something similar happened at the previous gathering.
[Crescent Moon, don't be too disappointed. Most people wouldn't know what you're talking about, you know?]
The Clown was the first to act like this back then.
That means...
'Did he judge that the information could be used to deduce his identity?'
Although I'm not sure, it seems plausible.
But if that guess is true...
'The Clown is either from the temple or the underground city. One of the two.'
The latter seems more likely.
I can't imagine him working for the temple.
Well, he might be intentionally playing a character like me.
'But that's not what's important right now.'
I focus back on the meeting and listen to the Goblin's next piece of information.
Was he shocked that the previous information received a red light?
"The Goddess of Stars has given an oracle."
The next piece of information immediately receives a green light.
But does even the Clown not know about this?
"I want to buy information about who received the oracle."
"I don't know about that..."
"Pfft, even the paladins don't know? It seems like the temple is really keeping it under wraps."
"We agreed not to say that!!"
"Ah, my apologies. But why are you so sensitive when it's something everyone knows?"
The Goblin Mask glances at me at those words, and the Clown laughs incredulously.
"You think he would even care about you?"
The Goblin Mask can only sputter angrily, unable to refute.
I make a mental note.
[Goblin Mask = Paladin.]
Anyway, the meeting continues.
The next turn after Goblin is Fox, who's sitting next to me.
"A Double Numbered Item will be auctioned at the Celestial Auction House next month."
Double Numbered Item.
In other words, it means a Numbered Item between 11 and 99 will be auctioned.
But did the Clown's words about following the rules have an effect?
Although there's no conversation after the information is shared, the atmosphere becomes heavy.
As if they're looking at each other as competitors.
'Phew, I need to get access to the Celestial Auction House soon.'
The Celestial Auction House is located in the Imperial City of Karnon.
And to enter the Imperial City, I need to gain more fame or increase my explorer rank and accumulate achievement points.
It will take at least a year.
'And I don't even have the money to buy a Double Numbered Item. I guess I'll have to give up this time.'
I cleanly let go of any lingering thoughts.
I don't even know what item it is, and if I had that much money, it would be better to use it on 'Garpas's Necklace' that I obtained from the Count's banquet.
"The royal family is planning to subjugate Noark."
After Fox, Antler shares information, and the green light comes on. So Lee Baekho's words about a subjugation force being formed were true.
I should stay away from that, as he advised.
Next is Crescent Moon's turn.
"Items presumed to be the Dragonslayer's equipment appeared on the black market. Although Dragonslayer itself wasn't there, something must have happened to him."
The green light comes on again.
I barely maintain my composure, keeping my chin on my hand.
Appeared on the black market?
I only took Dragonslayer itself.
At first, I'm confused, but I quickly figure out the situation.
'What Baekho said must be true.'
The Dragonslayer lost his memory.
Probably because of that pill.
The person who fed him the pill must have taken the rest of his equipment and sold it on the black market.
'It's finally the Clown's turn.'
It's now the Clown's turn, as we're going clockwise from Goblin. Everyone is looking at him with anticipation, as he built up the atmosphere beforehand.
"Hmm, would you like to go first, Mr. Lion?"
"You seem quite confident."
"Of course. If I share information that everyone already knows, you might not come back next time, Mr. Lion?"
I chuckle and nod.
I have no intention of playing along with his childish games, so I'm just telling him to go in the original order.
"Well, then it can't be helped. Maybe Mr. Lion's story will be more entertaining!"
The Clown shrugs flippantly.
And he stretches, contorting his body in a bizarre way, and then casually says,
"A Bonding spell that can bind up to six people will be created within three years."
Silence follows his words, spoken in a playful tone.
And everyone's gaze turns towards the center of the round table.
"Green light..."
It means that the Clown's words are true.
No, at least he believes them to be true.
"Crazy, is that even possible?"
"The guild, the royal family, the clans... everything will change."
The members exclaim in shock, regardless of the unspoken rules that the Clown mentioned.
Well, it's only natural.
It means that not only will the basic team composition change, but the scope of explorers' activities will also expand significantly...
'Six people can enter the last floor?'
It's practically like the probability of clearing the game has increased several times over.
Five people and six people are different.
It means that combinations and synergies that were impossible in the original game, whether it's 10x mode or 100x mode, become possible.
However, in the midst of all that, the Clown is only staring at me.
As if he doesn't care about the other members' reactions.
"So, what do you think?"
His eyes, hidden behind the small holes of his mask, meet mine.
The emotion within them is clear.
'This is like a child who wants to be praised.'
I chuckle and open my mouth.
Honestly, but without breaking character.
"This is... a bit interesting."
One praise sticker earned.
__________________
There's a saying, 'Even whales will dance if you praise them'.
Well, they might also dance after being whipped hundreds of times…
But there's a huge difference in efficiency.
What truly motivates people is the future.
The reward they desperately desire and anticipate.
"Ahem, then it's Mr. Lion's turn, right?"
The Clown, who received a praise sticker, awkwardly averts his gaze and changes the subject.
All eyes turn towards me as if they've been waiting.
Everyone's eyes are sparkling, thanks to the bombshell the Clown dropped earlier.
'...This is a tough one.'
Actually, I had prepared a few pieces of information to share here today.
But...
'The quality of information has increased significantly.'
Thanks to the words I left them with last time, it feels like everyone is revealing their trump cards.
The Clown is especially determined.
Information about a 6-person Bonding spell?
It's something I wouldn't have gotten if I hadn't adopted a mysterious persona.
'Phew, it's a good thing, but...'
The pressure has increased significantly.
What the hell should I talk about?
Of course, I do have information that would meet their expectations, but...
'This is something that will affect me too if others know about it.'
The problem is choosing information that's useless even if you know about it, like the Demonic Halfling one.
And besides, it would be strange to bring up a labyrinth-related topic when everyone else is talking about things outside.
'Hmm, this is the best option, I guess.'
I make a decision after carefully calculating the impact of this information.
And...
"You were curious about the oracle earlier, right?"
I look at the Clown and speak.
As if to say I'll reward him for entertaining me.
"I wasn't planning to talk about the reason—"
I cut off the Clown's misunderstanding and mutter,
"It was an oracle with a sacred relic."
"Yes?"
"A new sacred relic appeared in the world through an oracle given by the Goddess of Stars."
The Clown, who was momentarily dazed as if he heard something unbelievable, comes to his senses. And he looks at the jewel emitting a green light and asks cautiously,
"...May I ask what kind of sacred relic it is?"
His voice is cold, unlike his usual playful tone.
'Right, what's important to you isn't who received the oracle, but what the sacred relic is.'
I smile happily and answer,
"If you bring me something interesting again."
"Pfft, I'm glad you'll come back."
The Clown then laughs flippantly as usual.
But I can feel it.
That I'll be able to hear more interesting information next time I come.
Although I can't even imagine what it will be...
"I look forward to it."
When that time comes, I'll probably say this.
That it was boring.
The newbie wearing the Goblin Mask.
Strictly speaking, I'm the newbie, and he's the returning player...
Sorry, but if you're coming back after a long time, you should at least know what's changed. Or you should have listened carefully to the patch notes that the seniors told you about.
"Pl, please stop..."
I immediately withdrew my killing intent the moment the Goblin managed to speak. But if I end it here, they'll just think I'm a bad guy.
[Is this all?]
I decide on today's line, recalling the last words I left them with at the previous gathering.
Consistency is key to maintaining a concept.
"I had some hope since a new member joined..."
I mutter briefly, expressing my disappointment.
As if I had some expectations because of the new member, but as expected, it turned out the way I thought it would.
As if I was just trying to gauge his level, not bully him.
"Boring."
I turn my gaze away from the Goblin Mask, as if that was my only intention. And I glance at the Clown, Fox, Crescent Moon, and Antler Mask one by one.
Implying that I'll be even more disappointed if they only share boring information again today.
"Pfft, don't worry, Lion. I brought something you'll find interesting this time."
I don't answer.
I just rest my chin on my hand and wait.
Thinking inwardly,
'Clown, if he's saying this, it must be really important information.'
Is this why everyone bosses around their juniors?
Just as I'm pretending to be indifferent...
Clack.
The doors to the round table room close as the time comes.
It means there won't be any more members joining.
However, there's one thing I need to do before the meeting officially begins.
"Goblin, get a grip."
"This guy is funny. He's always acting all high and mighty."
"Pfft, compared to last time, Lion was being considerate, and he's still like this! Ha! Don't you feel ashamed because of him?"
The Fox and Antler Mask chuckle as if they agree with the Clown's words.
"Indeed... it wasn't as intense as last time."
"Yes. I was able to endure it this time."
I feel a pang of guilt as I see them subtly winking at me, as if thanking me for going easy on them.
The reason is simple.
'That was my full power...'
That's the maximum output of my killing intent, which I can freely turn on and off.
I practiced countless times after seeing the Kaltstein master use it in real life, but once I enter full-on mode, I can't control it.
Well, it's a good thing they interpreted it as consideration.
Is this why people should at least appear strong?
"So, sorry. I'm fine now."
Anyway, the Goblin finally comes to his senses.
He still avoids my gaze as soon as our eyes meet, as if traumatized by what happened earlier.
'He's definitely weaker compared to the other four.'
Just look at the Fox Mask.
She endured my full-on killing intent for much longer, but she's only wary and cautious, not terrified like this.
"Then who should we start with?"
Fox then looks at the Clown, taking the initiative.
The Clown shrugs.
"You save the best for last, right? How about we start with Mr. Goblin?"
"Ahem, sure."
The Goblin clears his throat as if to make up for his earlier blunder and shares information.
"Everyone knows that High Priest Ludwig of the Star went missing."
"So?"
"The culprit was Orculus. They kidnapped him and were using him."
Don't tell me, this guy is a priest?
Is that why he knows?
That thought crosses my mind, but the jewel on the round table emits a red light.
"Pfft, it seems like more than half of us already know about it."
I feel a bitter taste in my mouth.
It hasn't even been a fortnight since I delivered the letter.
Lee Baekho and the others who should know about it have already heard something—
"You'll get used to it quickly. You need more than just ordinary information to satisfy those two."
Huh?
"I didn't know about this. Maybe the temple will support the royal family because of this."
Listening to Fox and Crescent Moon, it seems like they didn't know about it.
'Then the red light came on because the Clown, Antler, and I knew about it?'
I can't help but click my tongue.
But has the Clown been observing me the whole time?
He gets up and scolds the other three.
"Hey, are there no unspoken rules anymore? I thought we agreed not to make it obvious that we didn't know something."
"Sorry, I felt bad for Goblin."
"We let it slide when it was just us. But there's a new member now, right? Let's all be careful from now on. Okay?"
"Al, alright."
Ah, so there was a rule like that.
Well, if they keep doing that, it's inevitable that it will be revealed who knows what.
I was secretly worried about this, but it worked out well thanks to the Clown stepping in.
'But it doesn't seem like he did it just for me...'
Something similar happened at the previous gathering.
[Crescent Moon, don't be too disappointed. Most people wouldn't know what you're talking about, you know?]
The Clown was the first to act like this back then.
That means...
'Did he judge that the information could be used to deduce his identity?'
Although I'm not sure, it seems plausible.
But if that guess is true...
'The Clown is either from the temple or the underground city. One of the two.'
The latter seems more likely.
I can't imagine him working for the temple.
Well, he might be intentionally playing a character like me.
'But that's not what's important right now.'
I focus back on the meeting and listen to the Goblin's next piece of information.
Was he shocked that the previous information received a red light?
"The Goddess of Stars has given an oracle."
The next piece of information immediately receives a green light.
But does even the Clown not know about this?
"I want to buy information about who received the oracle."
"I don't know about that..."
"Pfft, even the paladins don't know? It seems like the temple is really keeping it under wraps."
"We agreed not to say that!!"
"Ah, my apologies. But why are you so sensitive when it's something everyone knows?"
The Goblin Mask glances at me at those words, and the Clown laughs incredulously.
"You think he would even care about you?"
The Goblin Mask can only sputter angrily, unable to refute.
I make a mental note.
[Goblin Mask = Paladin.]
Anyway, the meeting continues.
The next turn after Goblin is Fox, who's sitting next to me.
"A Double Numbered Item will be auctioned at the Celestial Auction House next month."
Double Numbered Item.
In other words, it means a Numbered Item between 11 and 99 will be auctioned.
But did the Clown's words about following the rules have an effect?
Although there's no conversation after the information is shared, the atmosphere becomes heavy.
As if they're looking at each other as competitors.
'Phew, I need to get access to the Celestial Auction House soon.'
The Celestial Auction House is located in the Imperial City of Karnon.
And to enter the Imperial City, I need to gain more fame or increase my explorer rank and accumulate achievement points.
It will take at least a year.
'And I don't even have the money to buy a Double Numbered Item. I guess I'll have to give up this time.'
I cleanly let go of any lingering thoughts.
I don't even know what item it is, and if I had that much money, it would be better to use it on 'Garpas's Necklace' that I obtained from the Count's banquet.
"The royal family is planning to subjugate Noark."
After Fox, Antler shares information, and the green light comes on. So Lee Baekho's words about a subjugation force being formed were true.
I should stay away from that, as he advised.
Next is Crescent Moon's turn.
"Items presumed to be the Dragonslayer's equipment appeared on the black market. Although Dragonslayer itself wasn't there, something must have happened to him."
The green light comes on again.
I barely maintain my composure, keeping my chin on my hand.
Appeared on the black market?
I only took Dragonslayer itself.
At first, I'm confused, but I quickly figure out the situation.
'What Baekho said must be true.'
The Dragonslayer lost his memory.
Probably because of that pill.
The person who fed him the pill must have taken the rest of his equipment and sold it on the black market.
'It's finally the Clown's turn.'
It's now the Clown's turn, as we're going clockwise from Goblin. Everyone is looking at him with anticipation, as he built up the atmosphere beforehand.
"Hmm, would you like to go first, Mr. Lion?"
"You seem quite confident."
"Of course. If I share information that everyone already knows, you might not come back next time, Mr. Lion?"
I chuckle and nod.
I have no intention of playing along with his childish games, so I'm just telling him to go in the original order.
"Well, then it can't be helped. Maybe Mr. Lion's story will be more entertaining!"
The Clown shrugs flippantly.
And he stretches, contorting his body in a bizarre way, and then casually says,
"A Bonding spell that can bind up to six people will be created within three years."
Silence follows his words, spoken in a playful tone.
And everyone's gaze turns towards the center of the round table.
"Green light..."
It means that the Clown's words are true.
No, at least he believes them to be true.
"Crazy, is that even possible?"
"The guild, the royal family, the clans... everything will change."
The members exclaim in shock, regardless of the unspoken rules that the Clown mentioned.
Well, it's only natural.
It means that not only will the basic team composition change, but the scope of explorers' activities will also expand significantly...
'Six people can enter the last floor?'
It's practically like the probability of clearing the game has increased several times over.
Five people and six people are different.
It means that combinations and synergies that were impossible in the original game, whether it's 10x mode or 100x mode, become possible.
However, in the midst of all that, the Clown is only staring at me.
As if he doesn't care about the other members' reactions.
"So, what do you think?"
His eyes, hidden behind the small holes of his mask, meet mine.
The emotion within them is clear.
'This is like a child who wants to be praised.'
I chuckle and open my mouth.
Honestly, but without breaking character.
"This is... a bit interesting."
One praise sticker earned.
__________________
There's a saying, 'Even whales will dance if you praise them'.
Well, they might also dance after being whipped hundreds of times…
But there's a huge difference in efficiency.
What truly motivates people is the future.
The reward they desperately desire and anticipate.
"Ahem, then it's Mr. Lion's turn, right?"
The Clown, who received a praise sticker, awkwardly averts his gaze and changes the subject.
All eyes turn towards me as if they've been waiting.
Everyone's eyes are sparkling, thanks to the bombshell the Clown dropped earlier.
'...This is a tough one.'
Actually, I had prepared a few pieces of information to share here today.
But...
'The quality of information has increased significantly.'
Thanks to the words I left them with last time, it feels like everyone is revealing their trump cards.
The Clown is especially determined.
Information about a 6-person Bonding spell?
It's something I wouldn't have gotten if I hadn't adopted a mysterious persona.
'Phew, it's a good thing, but...'
The pressure has increased significantly.
What the hell should I talk about?
Of course, I do have information that would meet their expectations, but...
'This is something that will affect me too if others know about it.'
The problem is choosing information that's useless even if you know about it, like the Demonic Halfling one.
And besides, it would be strange to bring up a labyrinth-related topic when everyone else is talking about things outside.
'Hmm, this is the best option, I guess.'
I make a decision after carefully calculating the impact of this information.
And...
"You were curious about the oracle earlier, right?"
I look at the Clown and speak.
As if to say I'll reward him for entertaining me.
"I wasn't planning to talk about the reason—"
I cut off the Clown's misunderstanding and mutter,
"It was an oracle with a sacred relic."
"Yes?"
"A new sacred relic appeared in the world through an oracle given by the Goddess of Stars."
The Clown, who was momentarily dazed as if he heard something unbelievable, comes to his senses. And he looks at the jewel emitting a green light and asks cautiously,
"...May I ask what kind of sacred relic it is?"
His voice is cold, unlike his usual playful tone.
'Right, what's important to you isn't who received the oracle, but what the sacred relic is.'
I smile happily and answer,
"If you bring me something interesting again."
"Pfft, I'm glad you'll come back."
The Clown then laughs flippantly as usual.
But I can feel it.
That I'll be able to hear more interesting information next time I come.
Although I can't even imagine what it will be...
"I look forward to it."
When that time comes, I'll probably say this.
That it was boring.
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