Chapter 120 - Drawing The Line

I mean… I had only picked him up because he was a recruitable character in the first place. The man was already on the transfer market. His mind was already made up to leave! Had I known things would come to this, I would never have insisted on bringing Tragula to Fabian Corps, not even if I died. Did Mayer notice my guilty conscience? As if to bully me, he said, “In the first playthrough, when Fabian Corps rose to renown and began to threaten the Dark Knights’ name… I spurred the men in an impatient bid to close any dungeons we could.”

Although I knew a bit about the Dark Knights, I didn’t know exactly about their inner goings-on. I tipped more liquor into my glass for something to do.

“But the moment Fabian overturned the number of dungeons cleared against us, voices of dissent began to emerge from among us. They questioned if we were not finished already, that pushing the limits would be in vain.”

“…So Tragula was the one who voiced that doubt.” I didn’t know he had trolled so hard. Mayer’s ire was understandable.

“Yes. Not only did he speak out against me, but he also left the corps while taking an elite member with him. At a time where it was not even easy to find a replacement for the elites dead or wounded… I looked into what he did after that, and it turns out that he joined Fabian Corps?”

“Mm…” I didn’t know where to look, but my pricking conscience didn’t allow me to feign ignorance. In the end, I lowered my gaze and head together. “I’m sorry…”

“Well, it is not something you should apologize for.” Mayer frowned as he leaned back against his chair, exuding unforgiving irritation. “He was the one to betray us, after all.”

His golden eyes blazed with anger. It wasn’t easy enduring the murderous atmosphere around someone who could kill a person easier than slapping a mosquito to death. Gulping dryly, I asked, “It’s a wonder you didn’t kill him this time around.”

“Because someone of his level is not common. Closing the dungeons is more important than venting my anger. I intended on dealing with him after the battle against the demon lord was over.”

Wow… I didn’t know whether to say that he valued the greater good, had patience, or was tenacious. I was speechless by the extraordinary decision he made. “So… Is that why you keep sending him on raids? To prevent him from gathering a following in the Dark Knights in the first place?” I had seen the data about the dungeons Tragula was raiding, and they were places with little to offer, hardly good for even leveling up.

“Indeed. By the time I regained my memories, Tragula was already one of our high-ranking members and thus, I could not suddenly send him out of the corps. I had to make use of the man somehow.”

In short, he was going to squeeze every bit of value from Tragula until he left. I shuddered a little at that. “…You won’t be able to keep sending him around outside, though.”

“Of course. Judging by the greed he showed in the first playthrough, he is bound to protest at suffering for empty gains.”

“You’re waiting for that moment?”

“Yes. It will give me a reason to drive him out,” Mayer answered indifferently. Looking at him like this, he really had patience. I couldn’t believe he was the same person who wanted to enter dungeons alone just to gain the ability to wield mana.

“Speaking of which… What about the elite member who followed Tragula?”