Arnold didn’t answer right away. His eyes moved across the three of them before settling on Zich.

"A blue grade secret realm turned up near the border between our settlement and Velhari territory," Arnold said. "Someone found it after the undead dragon incident."

The room went quiet the moment Velhari territory came up. Helen’s smile faded, while Jayden’s hand tightened on the chair arm, though he kept his eyes on Arnold.

Zich stayed still in his seat, but his eyes narrowed a fraction. He’d heard about dungeons, hunting grounds, settlements, and layers, but not secret realms.

"A secret realm is different from a dungeon," Arnold added, his gaze resting briefly on Zich. "Dungeons are usually built around a challenge, a boss, and a clear condition."

"Secret realms are closer to a separate space. They can contain monsters, rare materials, hidden rules, and resources you won’t find in normal hunting grounds."

Helen leaned forward. "Blue grade means it’s not the lowest, right? I’ve heard of secret realms before, but I’ve never entered one."

"Right," Arnold said. "White is the lowest confirmed grade. Blue is above it, and even a blue grade realm is valuable in Layer One."

Jayden finally spoke. "If it’s valuable, why are only three of us being called? The Association has more experienced players."

"Because experience isn’t the only requirement here," Arnold said. His tone didn’t rise, but the answer made Jayden close his mouth for a moment.

Zich’s fingers rested lightly on his knee. From Arnold’s explanation, this place sounded better than an ordinary dungeon.

If monsters, rare materials, and hidden resources existed inside, the secret realm was almost perfect for him. He needed stronger materials, more graves, and higher strength and intelligence.

His mana was still too low for Tiamant. If the realm held stronger monsters than ordinary Layer One areas, it might raise the stats he cared about quickly.

Another thought entered his mind, and his expression remained calm only because he forced it to. The Lucky Handband was still sitting inside his storage, waiting for this kind of opportunity.

If luck could really be pushed for twenty-four hours, using it here might bring rare results. Zich kept that thought to himself for now.

"I understand enough," Zich said. "A special place appeared, and everyone wants it."

Arnold nodded and went on. "The problem is its location. The entrance appeared close to the border line, and the Velhari discovered it soon after we did."

Inside the office, the air dropped several degrees. Zich could feel how serious the matter had become.

Humans and Velhari already argued over hunting areas. Putting both races near a rich realm was asking for blood.

"They claimed we lacked the strength to manage it," Arnold said. "I refused their claim, and the final agreement was simple. Both sides will send representatives."

"So we’re going in with Velhari," Helen said. Her voice remained calm, but the playful part of her expression had disappeared completely—a rare sight for Zich.

"You won’t be entering as allies," Arnold said. "This is a temporary agreement. There’s a difference."

Zich understood what Arnold meant without needing the rest explained. Temporary agreements were just promises people kept until breaking them became profitable.

"If they attack first, are we expected to endure it for the sake of peace?" Jayden asked, his tone cold.

"No," Arnold answered. "In that case, you defend yourselves and report the cause clearly. What I won’t accept is one of you starting a conflict because your pride was scratched."

For a brief moment, Arnold’s eyes rested on Jayden, whose jaw moved slightly before he looked away.

"The Velhari have already prepared their own team," Arnold said. "Their representatives will meet us near the entrance when the time comes."

"Do we know who they are?" Helen asked.

Cole answered this time. "Not fully. We know they’re not sending weaklings, and at least one of them has experience above what most Layer One players should have."

Zich slowly folded his hands together. The more dangerous the Velhari team was, the more useful they could become if handled properly.

And by useful he meant something different. For a moment, even his eyes showed it.

Jayden, who noticed it, couldn’t help but speak up, his eyes carrying obvious dislike. "Some people here may need to remember that this is a settlement mission, not a private treasure hunt."

Zich met his gaze calmly. "If you’re worried about treasure, you can walk behind me and pick up what I leave."

Silence followed. Helen covered part of her mouth with one hand muffling a soft laugh while Cole turned his head slightly as if he didn’t want Arnold to see his reaction.

As for Jayden, his expression had turned beet red. His fingers pressed into the chair arm hard enough that faint lines appeared on the polished wood.

"Enough," Arnold spoke. He didn’t shout, but the room settled at once with no one daring to speak any further.

Zich leaned back and said nothing more. Annoying Jayden was easy, but doing it too much in Arnold’s office would only make the old man watch him more carefully.

Arnold looked across the three of them again. "You were chosen because each of you has shown ability beyond the average player in this settlement. Helen has power and judgment, Jayden has training and background, and Zich has unusual summons."

"You won’t enter the realm to conquer it," Arnold added. "Your job is to explore, observe, gather what you safely can, and return with information."

Zich didn’t believe the word "safely" had much meaning in a place both humans and Velhari wanted. Still, information gathering didn’t stop him from picking up resources if they happened to fall into his hands.

"The official departure time is in one day," Arnold said. "Use that time to prepare your equipment, potions, and anything else you believe will keep you alive."

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