บท 41: Chapter 40: Taking a stroll.
"81 Players found dead inside an inn this morning, and based on the wounds on their bodies, it was their doing," A man reported to Madam who was sitting on a sofa, playing with her dagger. "It's like that Night of Death incident all over again. Should we report it to the executives?" he asked.
"It's not our business. Let the people from the Association deal with the report," Madam threw the dagger up in the air. "Although it's unfortunate for those Players, it's a good sign for us because that gives us a lead. That man should be here in Alma City, and they must have made contact with him," she pointed out and caught the blade with only her index finger and middle finger.
"But we are talking about the Night Terror. Not only do we not have enough personnel, but if the leader is here too, they would love to collect our heads, Madam," The man looked at Madam's calm and laid-back demeanor.
Madam was deep in thought and then she stood up as she grabbed her leather jacket.
"I'll take a stroll outside. Just keep your eyes wide open because we need to get him..." Madam sighed and then left the room.
Madam leaned on the tower and watched people passing by until she heard something interesting. She heard about a Player from the Soaring Sun Guild that cleared the Sacred Dungeon alone all the way to the 11th floor. It had been a while since she heard something interesting like that because it was almost at the same level as the Fingers.
She decided to go to the Guild Hall building, and it was made by the 3 as a place to recruit Players. She entered the Guild Hall and looked at Players with amazing armor and weapons gathered with different banners on their capes. They were all petrified to see her in the building because they never thought she would come to visit them.
"You, come here," Madam looked at a huge guy with expensive-looking armor and a massive broad sword on his back. The huge guy had the Soaring Sun emblem on his cape.
The huge guy hurriedly approached Madam and stood in front of her like a statue. Although she was half the height of the huge guy, her presence was a lot bigger than his body. He didn't know why she wanted to talk to him and it gave him a cold sweat.
"So, who was it? The one who cleared the Sacred Dungeon down to the 11th floor on his own?" Madam stared into the guy's eyes with her arms crossed.
"I don't know, Madam. I wasn't here when it happened, and we have been looking for that member as well because our guild leader wants to see him," The big guy answered as he averted his gaze and lowered his head to submission. "I remember that Vania was here yesterday. If you want to, I can bring her here," he nervously said and wished to go as soon as possible because the pressure was killing him.
Madam nodded up, telling the big guy to get Vania. The guy ran as fast as he could as if his life depended on it.
Vania wondered why she was brought into the Guild Hall even though it was her day off from work. When she saw Madam sitting on the couch, she was petrified because she knew who Madam was even though she had never seen her before. What made Madam so recognizable were her tattoos and her daggers.
"Go, Madam is waiting for you. You don't want to keep her waiting, aren't you?" The big guy looked at Vania and then left because he didn't want to get involved any more than that.
Vania approached Madam with hundreds of thoughts running through her mind because she met with Rigel and helped him. She knew it was Rigel who cleared the Sacred Dungeon down to the 11th floor. She was breaking a sweat before Madam could ask anything of her, but she remembered her promise and swore, giving her a bit of courage.
"Are you a new Player?" Madam looked at Vania's emerald eyes. "For someone who entered the tower not long ago, you managed to climb quite the rank in the guild, huh?" She stood up and looked at Vania from up close.
Vania didn't know what to say, and she believed her silence was the best thing to do.
"Let's cut to the chase because I have no time to idle around in this place. I want you to tell me the man that cleared the Sacred Dungeon yesterday," Madam said and looked at Vania who was smaller than her.
"I don't know. If I knew, everyone in the guild wouldn't look for that man in the first place," Vania answered. "I have been here the whole day yesterday, and I was asleep when that happened," she explained and she wasn't lying about it.
"I see, I guess that Player is trying to not attract attention," Madam hummed and nodded with understanding. "But, what if that person isn't a Player? The incident last night happened after the person came out of the Sacred Dungeon. What a coincidence, don't you think?" she squinted her eyes and kept staring at Vania.
Vania looked confused, but at the same time anxious because somehow Madam noticed the oddity in the situation. She knew Madam's previous work and what she had achieved, the infamous Headhunter Madam who never failed in finding her target through all means.
"Maybe. I don't know anything about it," Vania shrugged and tried to stay calm.
"Have you heard about what happened in the Player Association building? And what happened in Vern?" Madam asked as he crossed her arms.
"I heard about it, but I don't pay much attention to it," Vania didn't want to play ignorant, and she tried to show Madam that she had no interest in other things outside the guild's work. "I only know that a Non-Player killed them all."
"Yeah, it was. Do you know what the funny thing is? Aren't you and that Non-Player came from the same world? What's it called? Earth? I know that you and he came from the same world because your world is the recent one that entered the tower, and that man entered the tower not too long ago," Madam pointed out with her eyes squinted, connecting the events.
"Yes, but that doesn't mean I know about him. There are billions of lives on Earth, and I wouldn't know anyone from there who isn't a Non-Player," Vania exclaimed, showing her annoyance toward Madam.
Madam sensed the sudden aggression from Vania, and it made her smile because she found Vania suspicious.
"That's true, and I also don't know many Players that came from my world, but in your case, it sounds quite suspicious," Madam responded as she put her left hand on Vania's right shoulder. "I know the Soaring Sun Guild, a bunch of weaklings except your leader. Even so, your leader might struggle to reach the 11th floor on his own," she gripped Vania's pauldron and it started to make a cracking sound.
"Now, the Non-Player that caused all those messes, the man from Earth, he killed my Finger. That man from Earth just entered the tower in less than a week and he killed my Finger, and now it has been months. I think he's strong enough to clear the 11th floor on his own, but he knew it would be suspicious to go there as nobody," Madam explained as her grip started to hurt Vania's shoulder.
"But it wouldn't be suspicious if someone helped him, giving him a set of armor and a cape that represents the Soaring Sun Guild. The one who could give him those things must be someone from Earth, someone from the Soaring Sun Guild, and coincidentally on the 1st floor yesterday," Madam could see the fear and anxiety in Vania's eyes. "If I have to deduct it, you're the only one who met those criteria," she smiled as she pulled her dagger and showed it to Vania.
Vania was petrified and her knees were so weak that it was hard for her to stay standing up. She could only use the most famous words in such a situation that would put her in a safe place.
"Those are all just speculation. Where are the proofs? You can only use intimidation because you have none, and even though I'm not your match, I'm not scared of you," Vania shoved Madam's hand on her shoulder.
Madam looked at her left hand and it was quite the hit, and then she chuckled and grabbed Vania by the neck, lifting her whole body.
"I like your guts, but we'll see," Madam threw Vania's body like it was nothing, sending Vania to the wall. "If I can prove it and turns out it was you who, you'll be on my death list," she smirked and then left the Guild Hall.
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