Chapter 24: Hidden Dragon

"Hello, everyone, I am Baron Tell."

Baron Tell's voice resounded out in the quiet and dull room. The people inside all had a look of shock when they saw a person enter without any signs at all.

After all, being able to do that means one is a master of some kind. Baron Tell was basically displaying his power and might in front of these people.

However, flaunt as he might, there was one...two people who were unfazed by it. It was the veteran, Rip, and the other is of unknown origin.

The leader of the group broke out of his stupefied state by shaking his head. The leader's name is Gladior.

Gladior stood up and walked towards Baron Tell and put his right hand in front, asking for a handshake.

"Nice to see you, Sir Baron Tell."

Baron Tell gazed down only with his eyes and on his face had a hint of annoyance. However, when he raised his eyes to look at Gladior, he spoke with a smile and shook the hand.

"It is also nice to meet you, Conqueror's disciple, Gladior."

"Hahaha, nothing of the sort."

"Well, please."

Baron Tell gestured for Gladior to sit down at the chair in front of a table. Gladior sat with no hesitation and crossed his arms.

He watched every movement Baron Tell was making as he sat in the chair across from him.

Although he tried to hide it, Gladior had a look of indignation as he was quite upset at the fact that even he didn't notice how Baron Tell was able to enter.

After all, it means that he didn't amount to much if a noble of a weak kingdom could escape his senses. It must have hurt his pride in being a disciple of someone powerful.

'Pathetic.'

Of course, Baron Tell didn't miss that look.

"Now then, shall we talk about the results of your exploration?"

Still has a creepy smile on his face, Baron Tell initiated the conversation with Gladior.

"Alright, but first, let me call the mage, Grizelle."

Gladior raised two of his fingers up towards the people sitting in the back. He beckoned the mage with it.

Seeing the signal meant for her, Grizelle stood up and walked towards the table. Her elegant steps and unfazed face was something that could be considered an art.

"I am the mage-"

She tried to introduce herself, but Baron Tell's harsh voice stopped her from doing so.

"That's enough. I'm not talking to you; just show the results."

"What was that?!"

Of course, because of that, someone who has the same status as Grizelle, an Adventurer, got mad. He retorted with a sharp voice.

"Are you looking down on us?!"

"Haha, that is not so."

"Then, what's with that look?!"

Baron Tell's face was looking down at the Adventurer who was making a ruckus. His face was clearly saying that he was talking to someone worthless.

"I wonder what you are talking about."

"You! Just because you're-"

Splash! With the sound of a huge amount of water dropping to the ground, the Adventurer's voice stopped all of a sudden.

"W-what...?"

A weak voice came out from the group of Adventurers that was just watching the event unfold. It seems someone wasn't used to seeing this sight as he vomited. It was Raygar.

When Raygar looked up again, he could see the head of the guy who was arguing splattered all over the room. His blood was everywhere, and brain matter was clinging onto the attacker's clothes.

That attacker then said with a calm voice while swinging his sword that was dirty with blood.

"My apologies, Sir Tell and Sir Gladior. Please continue your discussion."

The attacker's identity was Rip. He then went back to his seat as if nothing happened.

"Clean."

Grizelle muttered as she used her magic to clean the room of the disgusting corpse.

The other Adventurers didn't react as they just sat there. There were even some who treated it as a trivial matter.

"What is your name, good sir?"

Baron Tell asked Rip with an amazed look on his face. After all, Rip did him a service for killing that guy.

"Hahaha, I'm no one important. They call me Rip."

"I will remember it."

Rip didn't answer anymore and just bowed his head. Baron Tell, Grizelle, and Gladior started talking as well.

And while they were talking, Raygar, who vomited earlier, and got better after calming himself, asked Rip with a small voice.

"S-senior, why did you kill him?"

"Ah. Sorry 'bout that. Forgot you were a newbie. Hahaha."

"P-please don't tease me. I got surprised when you killed him out of the blue."

"Then, this senior of yours will teach you a few tricks to stay alive in this business."

Rip said while crossing his arms. His face was serious as he turned his eyes towards Raygar.

Raygar as well had a serious look on his face with the intention of listening well.

"Unless you are sure of your strength and can crush any threats, you must never provoke anyone."

"A-anyone?"

Raygar asked with a hint of disbelief in his voice. After all, Rip emphasized the word 'anyone' with a nod.

"That's right. Beggar, a housewife, an old man, even a young man like you. Do you know why?"

Raygar took his time with a 'Hmm.' before answering Rip's question.

"Is it because there's a possibility that I might die if I provoke someone?"

"It's not a possibility because it's a certain thing. What if that beggar was a master with a hidden mission? What if that housewife was a woman who retired from the frontlines? There are countless crouching tigers in the world."

Rip shrugged his shoulders before continuing with a grim voice.

"If you offend those kinds of people, you would die."

Raygar gulped down some saliva in his mouth. He didn't see things this way, so it was an eye-opener for him.

He didn't expect that the middle-aged looking man was a man of great knowledge.

Raygar asked once more, hoping to get some more survival knowledge.

"T-then, how is that connected to why you killed that person?"

"That's because that noble-"

Rip pointed at Baron Tell before continuing.

"-is a hidden dragon. If I let that guy continue yapping, we could have died. Look at them-"

He then pointed at their comrades for this mission, the Adventurers beside them.

"-no one raised a fuss when they heard what Baron Tell said, right? Because they knew better than provoking someone."

"S-so, there was a possibility that Baron Tell would have killed us if that guy got on his nerves?"

"It's not a possibility; it's a certain thing. If you want to live, you better make sure that you remind yourself that it is a certain thing."

Raygar nodded his head strongly before murmuring the phrase, 'It is a certain thing...' again and again.

"Besides, if you're gonna be an Adventurer, you gotta prioritize yourself and your loved ones. Got it?"

"Y-yes, senior. Thank you for your advice."

Raygar lowered his head. If he didn't hear what Rip said today, he probably would have caused a problem somewhere and die in the middle of nowhere.

It was a lesson for someone like him who was just starting.

At the same time, Baron Tell's voice was heard, interrupting the two.

"I see...so the danger level is still the same."

"Yes. Even the Limiter couldn't confirm what you have detailed, so I would have to disappoint Sir Tell."

"No, it's fine."

Baron Tell stood up from his seat and took out a pouch from his inner pockets. It was the payment for the job well done.

"Here, as promised for the payment, 10 gold."

Gladior also stood up and received the pouch with a 'Kaching!' sound from the pocket resounding in the room.

"I have confirmed the payment."

After hearing Gladior's words, Baron Tell vanished in the blink of an eye.

Gladior also turned around to the group that he was leading.

"Well then, let's divide it."

"I'll have the gold!"

"I'll get the change then."

When they heard Gladior's words, the silent adventurers all turned into a rowdy bunch.

It took quite a while for them to divide the loot, and it was after an hour that the group was able to exit the premises of Baron Tell.

The one who led the adventurers recently, Gladior, was walking the streets for quite a while before arriving at an inn where he was staying.

Entering the inn with a loud shrill, the innkeeper looked at him and nodded his head.

Gladior didn't react and just walked towards the stairs to go to the room where he was staying.

Gladior arrived on the second floor in no time, and just before he entered the room, he knocked and asked with a small voice.

"Milady? It is I, Gladior."

"Enter."

A voice came from the inside of the room. Having received permission to enter, Gladior opened the door carefully before enetering.

As he closed the door, he turned his face in front of where the room owner was standing.

He then kneeled and spoke with a quiet voice.

"I am very sorry about the recent events, Milady."

The owner of the room was wearing a magician's outfit with the hood on.

The owner of the room...no, Grizelle spoke.

"It is fine."