Welcome to the Café of the Dark Guild’s Successor - Chapter 168

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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A café operated by the Heir of the Dark Guild
Episode 168
“Is my face really that easy to read?”
“Not at all. But I can tell anyway.”
Sophia held me tighter.
Raiely opened both arms wide and embraced Sophia, who was holding me.
The moment they squeezed, suppressed emotions surged up and my eyes reddened. I squeezed them shut to keep from crying.
Quickly composing myself, I pushed Sophia and Raiely to the side.
“Move. I can’t breathe.”
“Now tell us. What happened?”
“Did you fail?”
Raiely, who had heard the meeting at the Mage Tower with us, asked with concern.
“We succeeded in destroying the Sacred Object… but Grandfather disappeared in the process.”
I recounted everything—how Desikan appeared at the Mage Tower himself and how Grandfather got caught up in it all.
“…So I’m planning to go to the Middle Ground.”
“I’m coming with you.”
Sophia, who had been listening with a grave expression, declared this the moment I finished speaking.
Bewildered, I tilted my head.
“I thought you’d try to stop me.”
“Would you listen if I did? That’s why I’m coming with you.”
I grabbed Sophia’s sleeve as she was about to leave to pack her things.
“You work with your head, not your body. Taking you won’t help.”
“Then can I go?”
Raiely stepped forward, rolling up her sleeves to show off her muscles.
“You can’t either. Where’s the Master? You need to look after Raven.”
“But—”
I silenced Raiely’s protest and forcibly linked her arm with Sophia’s.
“I came to tell you, not to take you with me. And to see your faces.”
“Don’t act like this is goodbye.”
Raiely ruffled my hair with her free hand.
“What are you doing?”
I brushed her off as an annoyance, but her touch carried such concern that I didn’t truly mind it.
“You’re the only Guild Member who’s never failed a mission. You won’t this time either.”
“Right. Desikan? No matter how strong he is, what does it matter?”
I couldn’t respond to Raiely and Sophia’s words, brimming with trust.
I’d never taken on a task with such low odds of success.
“I’m telling you not to lower your guard. That’s how you remember the value of your life.”
Raiely’s voice grew serious and she lowered it as she continued.
“Do you know what it’s like out there right now?”
“Why?”
“Things have changed dramatically in recent days. Now Beasts appear anywhere.”
As Raiely spoke, Sophia tried to slip away saying she’d go pack, but I caught her and forced her to sit down.
“They attack the village every day. Fortunately there’s a pattern, so defending isn’t too difficult. But it’s not just this village.”
“Many villages have already been erased from the map. People don’t walk the streets anymore. We see more corpses than the living.”
I was left speechless.
I’d heard Biedler’s coalition forces were distributed across various regions, but they prioritize large territories over small villages.
“If you don’t eliminate Desikan or whatever he is, things will only get worse.”
“There’s nowhere to run anyway. Let us help.”
“And we’d be quite useful, actually. We reconnoitered the Verdian Territory yesterday.”
“What?”
That was exactly the information I needed for my planned departure to Verdian Territory tomorrow, and it caught my interest.
“If you’re curious, take my hand.”
When I still hesitated, Raiely spoke as though hurt.
“We’re friends, aren’t we?”
In ten years of knowing each other, this was the first time either of them had spoken that word directly.
My eyes wavered.
I had always thought of Raiely and Sophia as nothing more or less than colleagues.
But the moment I considered this might be the last time, I realized the only people I wanted to see were these two—except for someone at the Mage Tower.
‘If this isn’t friendship, what is?’
In the end, I couldn’t refuse anymore and took the hand Raiely offered.
“…Thank you.”
Both of them smiled brightly, as if that was all they needed.
“The Verdian Territory is a massive fortress. The walls are too high to sneak in—that much is impossible. Security has gotten even stricter lately.”
“Hmm.”
“What’s strange is they’ve never been attacked by Beasts. Because of that, many people enter the territory, but none come out.”
“But who are we? We’re Raven. We found a rat hole.”
Raiely unfolded a map and circled the southeastern outskirts of the Verdian Territory.
“This is the only way to enter undetected. Out of four Guild Members sent to scout, only one came back.”
“Very suspicious. Anyway, thank you. I’ll give you more detailed plans once I’ve had time to strategize.”
“Got it. We’ll stay in this area. I can’t take many with me since Raven needs to function.”
After finishing our conversation, I used a Teleportation Magic Stone to return to the Mage Tower.
Upon arriving at the tower, I turned back before heading to my room.
I hesitated in front of Seniel’s door before knocking.
“I’m coming in for a moment.”
There was no answer, so I turned the handle—fortunately, it wasn’t locked.
Creak.
As I carefully opened the door, the darkened room came into view. It was a plain space.
Seniel lay facing the wall.
Thinking they were asleep, I quietly approached the bed and sat at the edge.
“Asleep?”
There was no answer, but their breathing quickened subtly. They weren’t actually sleeping—they were pretending.
I pulled the blanket covering Seniel’s waist and gripped their shoulder.
“That was a long day. Wasn’t it?”
“…….”
“Seniel, you’re the most precious person in this world to me. Worth more than my own life.”
“…….”
“That’s why I want you to stay here. I don’t want to lose you too.”
Unable to keep pretending they hadn’t heard, Seniel raised their hand and covered their ears.
I laughed softly and removed that hand.
“I know you’re awake. Look at me.”
Eventually, Seniel slowly turned their body and sat up.
“I’m your sister’s sibling, but I’m also the Prince’s subordinate and a member of the Knights Order. Even if you try to stop me, I’ll go.”
Those transparent, azure eyes gleaming with clarity.
Today, seeing eyes that reminded me of Grandfather was unbearable.
“Besides, only you and the High Priest can enter the Middle Ground anyway. At least let me come with you to the entrance.”
“Seniel.”
“And who knows—maybe I can enter too. It’s the same blood, after all.”
I couldn’t see it in the darkness, but looking closer, Seniel’s eyes were glistening with tears.
The skin around their eyes was reddened, and when I glanced at the pillow, there were damp marks there too.
“You cried.”
“What? Am I a child? Would I cry alone?”
“You are a child.”
I wiped away the tears from Seniel’s eyes with my fingertips, pulled them close, and held them.
“You play tough by yourself but you’re the most tender of all.”
“Sister, I’m not playing tough—I really am strong. You saw it yourself.”
“I know. You’ve grown so much stronger, my brother. Mom and Dad would be proud.”
When Seniel smiled brightly, light shone through even in the darkness.
“Alright. Tomorrow let’s go together and bring Grandfather back. There’s so much we haven’t said.”
“And save the world while we’re at it?”
We locked eyes and burst into laughter together.
“That’s quite grand. How did I end up like this with you?”
“Right? I thought running an ordinary café would be this hard.”
I laid Seniel back down, now completely free of tears, and lay down on the bed myself.
“Let’s sleep together tonight.”
“Okay.”
It was the first time we’d lain down together since leaving the café as children.
Not knowing what would happen tomorrow or what lay ahead, I tried to commit Seniel’s face to memory a little longer.
***
Morning broke.
Having spent the night with my eyes barely closed, I woke Seniel and returned to my room.
As I started to pack, I wondered if it mattered, so I emptied my pockets instead.
After changing into combat clothes, I arrived at the Conference Room to find it already crowded.
Everyone looked exhausted, dark circles under their eyes—they’d all been up all night.
“Shall we look at these?”
At the High Priest’s call, I stepped forward and saw the table piled high with items.
I was overwhelmed by the quantity—it seemed they’d collected every precious thing available.
“These are from both the Mage Tower and the Temple.”
I positioned Cayden, Biedler, and Seniel at my side, then began selecting items for each of us.
“Take this one too.”
“This one has a function that causes explosions in emergencies….”
“This one amplifies Aura strength threefold as a support tool.”
Accessories began to accumulate, soon covering my body in abundance.
“This makes it too difficult to move.”
“Actually, I’ll just take this one.”
To improve efficiency, we streamlined ruthlessly and equipped only Artifacts suited to each person.
Rather than more accessories, we sought offensive Cloaks, Armor, Speed Boots that enhanced mobility, Magical Swords, and Self-Homing Bows—far more covetable weapons.
While the three of them carefully selected and gathered weapons, Gregory opened several boxes he’d set aside separately.
“These are for you, Rosia.”
Inside the box lay a Sealing Chain of unusual material.
“These are the chains used to seal Desikan in the past. If you should encounter him, this may prove useful.”
The chain was powerful enough to suppress Desikan’s strength, making it the most valuable item of all.
After carefully placing it in my pocket, Wyatt brought out another box and opened it.
“This is an Artifact that drains Demonic Energy from Beasts in proportion to Mana consumed. There’s no limit, but be careful—expending too much Mana could cause you to collapse.”
A black Earring and Ring Set. I carefully removed them and put them on.
“I’m sorry to ask you to undertake such a difficult task. Wyatt, elder of the Mage Tower, and Rifed, High Priest of the Temple, shall accompany you.”
We needed to find an entrance to the Middle Ground, and there was no knowing what might happen in the Verdian Territory.
Both the Mage Tower’s elder and the Temple’s High Priest were added to our party.
“Then let us depart.”
The two of them were already prepared to leave, as if their roles had been settled beforehand.
Wyatt used a Magic Stone and his own Mana to open a massive portal, and we all passed through it toward Verdian.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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