Chapter 51: Dean Silver: Another Long-Term Meal Ticket Down the Drain
Listening to Rast’s words, Dean Silver's eyes narrowed slightly.
“If I remember correctly, whether it's the movements of the Twelve Seats of the Round Table or the specific intelligence on the Nightworld Remnants, such information carries the highest level of confidentiality within the Arcane Tower.”
It stared coldly at Rast. “With your current Obelisk ranking, you shouldn't have the authority to access that information.”
That was a matter of course.
As core personnel tasked with raiding the Nightworld, every movement of the Twelve Seats of the Round Table was classified by Starfall University, and any leak could lead to unpredictable consequences.
Just like how intelligence on the initial raid of the 「Nightworld Remnant: Deep Blue Port」 was leaked by unknown means, directly resulting in Shiltina being tailed by a dancer from the secret organization, 「Bronze Rose」.
If it hadn't been for her encounter with Rast—given the elemental suppression from the sequence and the other planned variables—Shiltina might very well have met with disaster.
“It’s just to verify some of my suspicions.”
Rast didn’t back down under Dean Silver’s gaze, casually toying with the 「Iron-Crested Moon」 revolver in his hand.
This emblem armament, which he obtained after clearing the Nightworld, had been modified by the Ashen Institute; faint blood-like marks now ran across its once iron-moon-like surface.
“I know Shiltina well. If it's something she can handle herself, she will never leave it to someone else.”
“But ever since I left the Nightworld and joined Starfall University, although I’ve constantly received Shiltina’s support, I’ve never once seen her in person.”
“Knowing her personality, she would rather owe you a favor, Dean Silver, than reveal herself… The only explanation is that she has something more important to do.”
“In other words—”
“Somewhere in the Nightworld, there must be an urgent, immediate crisis that has forced Shiltina to rush to the scene without even time to rest.”
“There’s a ninety percent chance that a new ‘Nightworld Remnant’ has appeared.”
Rast smiled. “It’s true that with my current clearance level in the Arcane Tower, I can’t locate where a new Nightworld Remnant has appeared. But sometimes, when direct thinking fails, reverse logic and elimination can do the trick.”
“I visited the press club and several other organizations. Using club networking as an excuse, I checked in with members stationed at other Nightworld outposts… What they could disclose, of course, couldn’t be a Nightworld Remnant’s location.”
“Excluding all those that have already been cleared, there are currently nineteen Nightworld entrances that remain active. After eliminating eighteen using that method…”
“The only one left is Nightworld No. 61 in the Red Frost Territory. That must be where the new ‘Nightworld Remnant’ has appeared.”
“So what?”
Dean Silver spoke indifferently. “The raid team for a Nightworld Remnant must consist of at least Tier 3 Night Travelers.”
“I know you're special. What’s recorded in your Obelisk profile might not reflect the full extent of your Nightblade abilities.”
“But the gap between Tier 1 and Tier 3 still exists. Sometimes, sheer power alone is enough to determine the outcome.”
Its tone turned icy. “In high-level raids, Tier 1 transcendents are just dead weight.”
“I’m well aware of my limits, Dean Silver.”
Rast said, “If this Nightworld Remnant were a brute-force mission centered on firepower, not only would I be no help—I’d just be a burden.”
“But this time, the Nightworld Remnant in Red Frost isn’t that type.”
His gaze shifted slightly, looking toward the dormitory window—toward the direction of the Starfall Obelisk.
“First, scouts are sent in to gather intelligence on the Nightworld Remnant.”
“Then, based on that intel, a strategy meeting is held, and a plan is formulated to conquer the Remnant in one go. That’s the standard procedure.”
“But this time, even the scouting phase has proven nearly impossible.”
Rast spoke softly. “I watched the Obelisk for five days. In that time, the names of seventeen individuals were wiped from the rankings, turning into stars in the vast night sky.”
“Without exception, all of these people specialized in self-preservation and reconnaissance. They were scouts for the raid team.”
He looked at Dean Silver. “Even if the university temporarily suppressed news of the Nightworld Remnant for confidentiality, so many Night Travelers dying in such a short time—it’s impossible to hide that from everyone. Each of them had friends and family.”
“Someone used a prophetic Nightblade to uncover the cause of their deaths. The clues were all the same—”
“‘Temporal Disorder’.”
Rast calmly looked at Dean Silver. “Of my past in Deep Blue Port, besides Shiltina, only you, Dean Silver, know the truth.”
“If it’s a matter of raw destructive power, I can’t compare to Shiltina—”
“But when it comes to chaotic spacetime, I doubt there’s anyone in Starfall University better suited to explore this Nightworld Remnant than me.”
“Those guys from the press club even managed to dig up something as classified as a prophetic reading.”
Listening to Rast’s words, Dean Silver flicked its tail in irritation.
“Little Tina understands your adaptability to temporal chaos better than I do, but if she hasn’t come to you herself, it means she doesn’t want you involved in this mess.”
It stared at Rast, a hint of frustration in those blood-red eyes. “Little Tina entrusted you to me. She asked me to look after you, to help you adjust to life in Starfall University—and this era.”
“But now you’re pushing me to throw you into the fire. When you two get back to Starfall, who knows how Little Tina’s going to scold me.”
“If you want her to scold you, you’ll first have to make sure we get back alive from the Nightworld, won’t you?”
Rast’s eyes were distant.
Though he looked outside, it felt like his gaze had reached far beyond the horizon.
“To be honest, I really hate the feeling of being indebted to someone.”
“But I haven’t even paid off the 1,600 Kor gold coins I owe Shiltina, and now I’m in debt to her for even more favors…”
“If I don’t find a way to repay her soon, I won’t be able to sleep peacefully at night.”
His voice was soft, as if talking to himself. “So please give me an answer soon, Dean Silver. If you refuse, I’ll just have to find a way to get to Red Frost on my own.”
“Knowing Rodri’s personality, as long as I point a gun at his head, he’ll probably drive me there without a fuss…”
In Dean Silver’s beast-like pupils, a rare expression of inner conflict appeared.
Its heart was filled with complex emotions—both sorrow and joy.
Joy, because it seemed that it hadn’t misjudged Rast after all.
Sorrow, because this guy was even more restless than Shiltina, and getting him to stay obediently at the university was nothing short of a fantasy.
Its plan to secure a long-term, stable meal ticket seemed to be ruined yet again.