Midir reached out with agile speed, steadily catching the girl who was about to lose her balance. Looking closely, he realized the girl before him was actually Yasi, who had handled their registration back in the royal capital.
As he helped her up amidst her repeated apologies, both sides recognized each other simultaneously, making the scene one of pleasant surprise.
“Thank you... Huh? Why is it you? And Miss Aila?” Yasi was surprised and felt a bit of unexpected joy at running into acquaintances in Emerald City.
“Eh? Yasi? What are you doing here in Emerald City?” Aila was also taken aback, asking with a look of disbelief.
After the three of them worked together to tidy up the scattered documents, Yasi led them to a quiet booth near the hall. There, she began to detail her recent circumstances.
As it turned out, Yasi had recently been transferred to the Emerald City branch of the Adventurers Guild to serve as a Branch Director. Initially, she thought this was a sign of a promotion and had taken up the post with great joy.
However, once she arrived, she discovered that both the nature of the work and the city's prosperity were far cries from the royal capital, which couldn't help but leave her feeling a bit disheartened.
“I guess I was just too young. At first, I was wondering why no one else wanted to transfer here. It turns out the benefits for a director here are about the same as what I had in the capital. Although my authority is a tiny bit higher, there’s nobody here!”
Yasi complained as she poured hot coffee for the two of them. The presence of familiar faces had immediately loosened her tongue.
“I say, Yasi, don't think too much about it. You're here now, so you might as well make the best of it. A director is still an official, after all. Many people would kill for this job!” Aila reached out to take her cup, offering words of comfort.
“Yeah, I’ve actually come to terms with it myself. It’s just that seeing people I know made me want to vent a little. But speaking of which, why are you and Mr. Midir here? Don’t you usually avoid commissions in this area?” Yasi smiled and looked at Midir, who was sitting to the side.
She still had an impression of the white-haired man before her and had heard many rumors about him back in the capital. However, she hadn't seen him since he registered with the guild, which had naturally piqued her curiosity.
“He’s basically half a client of mine now~ My goal is to take him to Crown Peak. That’s pretty much the gist of it,” Aila replied, taking a small sip of her coffee.
“Oh~ Then you’re really out of luck. The entrance to the Valley of Ice was just closed last week. Several groups of adventurers have already come by to ask about it.”
“This sort of situation has rarely happened in history, so the Adventurers Guild can’t really help you much there.” Yasi wore a look of realization but indicated she was powerless to help.
“However... if you use unofficial channels, you might have a chance to get a travel permit.” Just as the two were feeling disappointed, Yasi seemed to think of something and lowered her voice.
Aila immediately perked up at this option, casting an inquiring gaze her way. “What is it? There are unofficial channels?”
Yasi looked around cautiously to ensure no one else was in the booth before whispering.
“Well, I can’t be a hundred percent sure since I’ve only been in Emerald City for a few days. But while I was going through the guild archives earlier, I found a name—The Grey Gentleman Society. It’s a private secret society with considerable influence within the Emerald City-State. They might have the ability to help you get a permit for the valley. Of course, you’ll have to pay a corresponding price.”
“The Grey Gentleman Society?” Midir’s brow twitched involuntarily upon hearing the name, a flicker of surprise rising in his heart. He turned to look at Aila and saw the same expression of astonishment on her face.
“Where did you put that card? Hurry up and find it!” Aila said urgently.
Under her prodding, Midir quickly retrieved the grey card Whiskey had given him from his storage space and placed it gently on the table.
“I assume there aren't two organizations called The Grey Gentleman in this city? Take a look at this card,” Midir said, pushing the card toward Yasi.
Yasi took the card and, after examining it closely, a look of wonder gradually appeared on her face.
“We’re definitely talking about the same thing. But you just got here and you’ve already been in contact with them? That’s truly amazing!”
Under her explanation, the two finally learned some information about this Grey Gentleman Society.
If the Holy Church of Light was the overt controller of the Emerald City-State, then this nearly unknown Grey Gentleman Society was the other master lurking in the city's shadows.
“What’s surprising is that The Grey Gentleman Society doesn't have a deep foundation passed down from the Age of Gods like the Holy Church of Light. Instead, it’s a power that has quietly risen in the last few decades.” Yasi’s voice carried a hint of contemplation as she continued to reveal what she knew.
The information she had found in the archives wasn't much, only a general overview, but one detail was particularly noteworthy.
That was the attitude of the Holy Church of Light toward it—not only did they not resist it, but they seemed to implicitly allow its existence to some extent. This delicate balance made one ponder the reasons behind it.
“So, is this organization something like a thieves guild? Dealing specifically with things that can’t be brought into the light? But according to what you said, that doesn’t seem quite right...” Aila asked, somewhat confused.
Yasi nodded slightly, acknowledging Aila’s thought, and explained further.
“Your understanding makes some sense, but The Grey Gentleman Society is far more complex and mysterious than you imagine. I suspect its members likely include elites from all walks of life in Emerald City, including the wealthy and powerful. Their ability to operate in the shadows is largely due to this complex social network.”
“If you urgently need a permit for the Valley of Ice, then The Grey Gentleman Society is undoubtedly your best bet for a breakthrough. However, you still need to be exceptionally careful.”
...
Afterward, the three of them continued to chat about other topics for a while. During the conversation, Yasi asked about Rosal’s recent status and expressed her concern upon learning that Rosal had started her own journey with others.
Meeting an old friend in a strange place is always a joy. By the time Yasi saw the two of them out the door of the Adventurers Guild, the sky had unknowingly turned dark.
“Aila, what’s your take on that Grey Gentleman Society?” Walking down the street under the dim yellow glow of the streetlamps, Midir suddenly broke the silence and looked toward Aila.
Aila pondered for a moment before slowly speaking.
“I think... it’s feasible. Since we got such a useful piece of information from Yasi, it would be a shame not to check it out. It’s just that a subterranean organization like that feels a bit unsettling.”
“Well, since you agree, let’s go test the waters and see what they’re really about!”
Having made their decision, the two left the path toward their inn and headed toward the address Yasi had given them under the twilight of dusk.
Before the sky turned completely black, the two finally arrived at the location. To Midir’s surprise, the address was actually in the heart of Emerald City’s downtown area.
They were currently standing before a magnificent grand hotel, whose decor seemed quite out of place in the peaceful city of the Church.
Midir checked the address Yasi had given him once more and pointed at the hotel sign printed in flamboyant script.
“Would a secret society really put their base in a place like this? I feel like this is a far cry from my impression of an underground power.”
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