Hearing the offer of 200 pounds, everyone in the room was tempted. That sum could easily buy the main ingredients for a Sequence 9 or even Sequence 8 potion, and all they had to provide was information.
Some people considered fabricating information to pocket the money, but as they glanced at Mr. Gaston on the main seat, they thought better of it. Among his many Beyonder items, he was bound to have something that could verify the authenticity of information.
Ebner's high offer had been calculated to draw the tall woman's attention, as it would be easier for her to approach him than the other way around, which would help build her trust.
Through deductive analysis, Ebner had figured out that the woman intended to find the Dragon-Eyed Python for revenge. And, judging by the weapon she'd obtained at the gathering, it wasn't quite sufficient—too high-stakes. Besides, having experienced one failed adventure, she might have difficulty gathering the funds to assemble a new team.
At a time like this, someone willing to pay a hefty price for the Dragon-Eyed Python's location would no doubt pique her interest.
And, to be fair, having 500 extra pounds on hand after his recent windfall had left him feeling a bit looser with money than usual. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been so willing to spend 200 pounds.
As expected, the room fell silent for a moment before the tall woman lowered her voice and said, "I have reliable information on the Dragon-Eyed Python, but discussing it here isn't ideal." Glancing toward Mr. Gaston on the main seat, she added, "Could I request a private area to speak with this gentleman alone after the gathering?"
"This is a simple matter." Mr. Gaston nodded as if he didn't recognize Ebner, then asked him, "My friend, would you be agreeable to a private conversation with this lady?"
Ebner was more than willing. With Mr. Gaston nearby, he could act as he saw fit without worrying about unwanted interruptions. Not that he had any intention of behaving poorly; both Mr. Gaston and Xio, who was committed to justice, would undoubtedly intervene if he attempted any kind of misconduct.
"I don't mind," Ebner nodded to the tall woman in agreement.
Afterward, Xio expressed her interest in buying a Silver Bear's right paw, even offering a generous price. Unfortunately, no one responded.
As time passed and no new transactions were proposed, Mr. Gaston declared the gathering over and began organizing each attendee's departure to prevent unnecessary conflict.
Half an hour later, only three people remained in the room besides Mr. Gaston: Ebner, Xio, and the tall woman.
Mr. Gaston examined the three of them and, imitating an elderly voice, said, "Follow me; I'll lead you to a safe place."
The tall woman frowned, glancing at Xio warily.
"She's my companion," Ebner explained, noticing the hesitation.
Seeing that Ebner and Xio were dressed similarly, the tall woman had already expected as much. After a slight pause, she nodded in acceptance.
Mr. Gaston led the three of them through a hidden exit in the gathering room, winding through several passages until they reached a spacious underground cavern. Only then did he come to a stop.
Looks like Mr. Gaston did quite a bit of tunneling in his search for the dream gate, Ebner thought, amused, before turning to the woman. "Can you share your information on the Dragon-Eyed Python now?"
The woman saw that Mr. Gaston had tactfully stepped aside to give them privacy. After gathering her thoughts, she said, "I know the exact location of the Dragon-Eyed Python, and I can even provide you with a detailed report… but I have one condition. You must take me with you when you go to face it, and I want its snakeskin! In return, I'll only charge you a hundred pounds for the information."
So she wants two revenge partners for free and even wants to profit from it. Ebner thought, already prepared to agree. After a feigned pause, he reluctantly nodded. "Fine, let's have Mr. Gaston certify our deal."
"Hold on!" the woman interrupted. "I also need to know your abilities. That python is extremely dangerous—I don't want to walk into certain death."
"Oh? Do you plan on testing me personally?" Ebner chuckled and shook his head. According to Gwen's Cave Adventures, this woman was only a Sequence 9. The Sea Breeze Hat alone would make short work of her.
"Preferably a spar," the woman replied. Sensing Ebner's confidence, she clenched her fists, unwilling to back down.
"I'll be your opponent, then." Xio stepped forward, taking off her inner shoe lifts, which had been interfering with her footing.
The woman looked at the short, oil-painted girl, who barely reached her chest, and offered a kind warning: "I'm a Sequence 9 Warrior. Be careful."
Xio straightened, nodded, and simply said, "Arbiter."
Since this was only a sparring match, neither woman used weapons. Xio stepped forward swiftly, aiming a low strike at the woman's knee. Usually, she would target the ribs or kidneys, but given the woman's height, she had to settle for a less ideal target.
The Warrior hadn't expected such agility from Xio. Though caught off guard, she still managed to respond, lifting her left leg to kick Xio's elbow in an attempt to shove her back.
But it was as though Xio had anticipated her every move. Twisting her body in a strange, almost contorted way, she evaded the attack and delivered a light but decisive blow to the woman's abdomen.
While not particularly powerful, the strike was enough to establish the victor.
"I yield." The tall woman wasn't one to cling to defeat. Lowering her head in disappointment, she accepted her loss.
Xio stepped back and, after a moment's thought, said, "You haven't undergone formal knight training, I suppose. You may have been granted skills from the potion, but your combat awareness is a little lacking compared to a properly trained knight. Otherwise, I wouldn't have won so easily."
Did Xio just lie without blinking? Ebner thought, amused. He had a clear view of the fight and suspected that while the woman was untrained, she had significant combat experience. If she had really been as lacking as Xio implied, she wouldn't have been almost "one-shot." Xio had likely relied on her Ring of Premonition.
From the superhuman speed of her initial advance to her uncanny anticipation and contorted evasions, all pointed to the Fool's power. Perhaps the Warrior's disorientation at the start was due to Xio's Arbiter abilities.
The woman only seemed disheartened for a moment before she composed herself. Now more open to cooperation, she joined Ebner in requesting Mr. Gaston's certification. Once they had a formal, detailed agreement of responsibilities and rights, she finally revealed the information:
"The Dragon-Eyed Python is located in a cave on an island I previously explored. It lies over two hundred nautical miles southeast of Damir. It's an uninhabited island with no shipping routes." Here, she hesitated briefly, before adding, "I'll need you to advance me thirty pounds. I have to recruit new sailors… After my last attempt, the surviving crew refuses to follow me again."
So she's also a captain, Ebner mused. Makes sense; she'd need her own ship to embark on adventures.
"Yes. Although my Aarenheim is an outdated sailing ship, I still dream of becoming a great adventurer like Ms. Edwina!" She said this with a determined glint in her eyes.
"Since we're certified, I have no problem giving you a thirty-pound advance." Ebner handed her three ten-pound notes and asked, "Where should we meet?"
"Two days from now, six o'clock in the evening, at the 'Stone Platform' on Damir's western shore," she replied.
...
Once the tall woman had departed with her advance, the three of them made their way back to the school dormitory.
When Mr. Gaston removed his disguise, he commented leisurely, "Though she's only been in the Damir area for about two weeks, her reputation is quite positive. Other than her recent misfortune, her collaborators generally praise her."
Having cleaned off his face paint and changed back into his regular suit, Ebner replied with a smile, "With your Notary in place, even if she did have any ulterior motives, she'd be forced to tread carefully."
"Notary isn't foolproof. High-ranking Beyonders or certain Sequence Fives can resist its effects." Mr. Gaston shook his head, cautioning.
Just then, Xio emerged, freshly scrubbed and back in her usual attire. The moment she appeared, Ebner froze, struggling to keep his expression neutral.
"What's wrong?" Xio asked, puzzled.
Without a word, Ebner took her to a nearby mirror.
The moment Xio saw her reflection, her mind went blank.
Her face had twisted into a skewed expression, resembling a comical smirk with one eye half-shut and her mouth slightly askew, a near-perfect embodiment of the "amusing" expression from his previous life's meme culture.
This was the side effect of the Ring of Premonition. Earlier, with her face painted, it had gone unnoticed, but now, scrubbed clean, her "true form" was revealed.