Chapter 167: Chapter 155: Lilith von Braun

"A big shot?"

Roland raised an eyebrow. He took the pouch of money, weighed it in his hand, and then casually passed it to Teresa behind him.

"I wonder what this... big shot wants with me?"

Including his time in the Black Water Territory, Roland had already dealt with the Adventurer’s Guild on many occasions.

However, the more contact he had, the more curious he became about the inner workings of this organization.

On the surface, the Adventurer’s Guild was mainly responsible for posting quests and paying rewards to Mercenaries or Adventurers based on the mission’s content.

But Roland had noticed that aside from trivial quests like escorts and retrieval jobs commissioned by Merchants and commoners, for which a finder’s fee was paid, most of the quests to subjugate Demons were posted and funded by the Adventurer’s Guild itself.

This was something he simply couldn’t figure out.

Roland refused to believe the Adventurer’s Guild was some kind of charitable organization dedicated to "maintaining world peace."

Therefore, after some deep thought, he arrived at two possibilities.

First, that the powers behind the Adventurer’s Guild were able to gain some special benefit from the subjugation of Demons.

But, strangely, the proof of subjugation usually only required a specific part of the Demon.

A goblin’s ears, a Lizardman’s Scale, the tip of a Snake-man’s tail, or even the Bear Goblin head he had just turned in.

Roland had carefully examined these trophies, but he had never been able to discover any hidden value in them.

Based on this analysis, the Adventurer’s Guild’s primary source of income was most likely the second possibility.

That it was sponsored by high-ranking officials from the various nations and organizations it collaborated with.

Having reached this conclusion, Roland couldn’t help but feel a profound curiosity about this "big shot" pulling the strings.

Upon hearing Roland’s question, Laurie simply shook his head with an apologetic smile.

"I’m sorry, Mr. Roland. I’m just an ordinary receptionist, so I truly don’t know the specific reason for their invitation. However..."

As he spoke, the clean-cut young man tapped his fingers on the counter twice, then pointed up to the second floor.

"She is waiting upstairs right now. If you wish, you may go and ask her for the details directly. Of course..."

Laurie offered a gentle smile at just the right moment to avoid any misunderstanding.

"It’s entirely up to you and your schedule. She has indicated that she will be staying for a few days, so you may come visit her at any time."

"I understand."

Roland nodded, his expression calm. He wasn’t worried by Laurie’s somewhat evasive words.

His recent work accepting quests to eliminate Demons, including his feat of slaying the Bear Goblins, had objectively enhanced the Adventurer’s Guild’s reputation.

Besides, he hadn’t made any enemies since arriving in the River Domain.

Therefore, the invitation was likely a reward or an attempt at recruitment. There shouldn’t be any malicious intent.

Despite this, Roland didn’t let his guard down.

In a world filled with Extraordinary Power, he was accustomed to approaching the unknown with the utmost caution.

So, after a moment of thought, he spoke with a faint smile.

"Laurie, I’m free to see this esteemed person now. However..."

He gestured to the side, indicating those behind him.

The Elf Maiden was brazenly leaning forward to eavesdrop, while the silent, silver-haired woman beside her had also pricked up her ears.

"I’d like to bring my two teammates along. After all, the credit for wiping out the Bear Goblins belongs to all of us."

"Well..."

A flash of hesitation crossed Laurie’s face.

But in the next instant, his expression relaxed, as if he had just received some kind of message.

"Of course you may, Mr. Roland."

"Very well..."

Roland, who had keenly observed the change in the receptionist’s expression, narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Then please, lead the way."

"Certainly. Please, follow me."

Laurie nodded, spoke a few quiet words to another receptionist, then stepped out from behind the counter and gestured for them to follow.

"This way, please."

He made an elegant gesture, leading the trio toward the stairs.

In stark contrast to the bustling main hall, the second floor of the Adventurer’s Guild seemed to be enveloped in an invisible Barrier. A profound Serenity reigned, and the only sound was the muffled Echo of their leather boots on the wooden floorboards.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK! 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Laurie’s knocking sounded especially abrupt in the silence.

Even before the door opened, the receptionist had already adopted an extremely deferential posture, his voice unconsciously dropping to a hush.

"Miss von Braun... Mr. Roland is here."

His voice was tight and strained, betraying the depth of his awe.

After a moment of silence, a languid reply, like a voice from a dream, drifted from within the room.

"Come in."

Looking as though he’d been granted amnesty, Laurie let out a long sigh of relief. He gently pushed the door open, bowed to Roland and the others, and then quietly withdrew.

Watching him depart, Roland exchanged a glance with Teresa and Avril before being the first to step into the room.

In sharp contrast to the bright, open hall of the first floor, the room was dim and hazy.

Heavy curtains were drawn tightly shut, the only illumination coming from a few flickering candles.

In the flickering firelight, the room’s outline was barely visible.

The decor was simple to the point of being spartan, with no extraneous decorations. It looked like any other ordinary inn room.

A graceful figure was curled up in a lounge chair by the fireplace.

Only after the trio had fully entered the room did the person stretch their arms, give a long yawn, and slowly sit up.

In the dancing candlelight, her Violet hair seemed to glow with a strange halo. Her slender, yet shapely, figure appeared to be shrouded in a veil of mystery.

When she turned to face them, she revealed an unforgettable visage.

Her skin was the color of honey, and she possessed a mature charm.

Her almond-shaped eyes were tilted slightly upward, their every glance full of natural allure, yet their depths were as still as a deep pool, holding a world-weariness that belied her beautiful face.

She stood there, a figure of alluring serenity, of vibrant detachment.

These contradictory qualities merged wondrously within her, making it impossible to look away, yet daunting to approach.

The moment Roland saw her, a flicker of almost imperceptible surprise crossed his eyes.

It wasn’t because of her stunning looks, but her extraordinary height.

Thanks to the boosts from his multiple Profession Attributes, though he hadn’t measured it precisely, he estimated his own height at around one-point-nine meters.

Yet the woman before him only had to lift her gaze slightly to meet his.

This meant she had to be at least one-point-eight meters tall.

Such a height, rare even among women, did not detract from her allure in the slightest. Instead, it blended perfectly with her delicate face and graceful figure to create a unique, ethereal beauty.

But what was even more noteworthy was...

Roland’s right hand drifted unconsciously to the hilt of the sword at his waist, his eyes narrowing.

Thanks to the Fire Element Affinity granted by his [Heart of the Furnace], he keenly detected the almost imperceptible fluctuations of Magic Power emanating from her.

"A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Roland..."

Just as Roland was steeling himself, the woman’s languid voice broke the silence.

She offered a graceful curtsy, her long Violet hair swaying with the movement.

"And you as well, Miss Teresa, and..."

Her gaze shifted, lingering for a moment on the Elf Maiden.

"Miss Avril. Thank you all for accepting my invitation."

The candlelight cast a flickering Shadow across her delicate collarbones.

"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Lilith von Braun..."

After a meaningful pause, her lips curved into a barely perceptible smile.

"I am the current governor of the Adventurer’s Guild for the River Domain, responsible for all its affairs in this region."