This chapter is brought to you by anubisscans. More updates on our website.
Support us by reading at anubisscans.com.
147
“That reaction — it seems you were already aware of Astra. Did Luna tell you?”
Diorama, having read Hanbit’s expression, shifted his gaze.
Luna, giving a nod, placed her smartphone on the table.
“Raphina and I said we’d help with the Snow Drake subjugation, right? We’ll be recruiting the raid members through Astra.”
An application displayed with a star logo.
Judging by the UI and the number of latest posts, it seemed a more active community than expected.
“But won’t the Astra invitation be unusable? I’m not a vanguard yet.”
“No need to worry. This is a privilege that was given to a sponsor.”
“A privilege?”
“Yes. Sponsors who provided capital at the time of Astra’s founding each received an invitation. It’s been over a year — but when I use it is my prerogative.”
The community Astra was reportedly established under the initiative of a vanguard named Grace.
In the early days, lacking capital, they had recruited a few sponsors to lay the groundwork.
Was the goal to gather capable vanguards that much?
“But would Grace actually accept it?”
Raphina, listening to the conversation, raised a worried voice.
Luna’s reaction was similar.
“Hard to picture, honestly. That prickly person would just flatly refuse.”
Words closer to certainty than speculation.
Curious, Hanbit asked the two:
“What kind of person is Grace?”
“Elite meritocracy? Sort of that kind of vibe. Like they can’t be bothered with people who aren’t up to their standards.”
“Ah…….”
With that explanation, a rough image formed.
A manner often seen among nobles in other worlds — not that the modern age would be all that different.
“Grace does pick and choose people, but Black Dragon-nim will be fine. You’re the one currently shaking the RP world the most. I’ll take responsibility and make them accept.”
“……CEO, you’re not going to get an earful again, are you?”
Raphina showed her concern once more.
What in the world had happened between them?
“You two don’t know Grace well — getting an earful is actually a good sign. It means the rationality is wavering.”
Diorama said with a confident face.
This person was evidently not ordinary either.
“Either way, this discussion only matters if the deal goes through, right? What do you think, Black Dragon?”
Luna, looking at Hanbit, asked.
The reason Vestige’s side had offered the invitation as the reward.
It was because they wanted information beyond the Belmora episode.
“Selling the episode walkthrough is fine. The sum of 1.5 billion is also agreeable. But the real matter is…….”
“Just a moment!”
Just then, a voice came from the conference room entrance.
Turning his head, a familiar face was standing there.
“……Yeonwoo?”
The unexpected appearance was surprising.
He came to the seat beside Hanbit and greeted everyone.
“I’m Joo Yeonwoo, head of DD Studio. Apologies for being late.”
“Hello. I’m Raphina.”
“Oh, you ended up coming? I’m Luna.”
Brief introductions exchanged.
Hanbit asked Yeonwoo who had sat beside him:
“What’s this? You said you couldn’t come.”
“You didn’t check your phone.”
“My phone?”
At those words, Hanbit pulled out the smartphone he had buried deep in his pocket.
He had it on silent — and 20 missed calls had stacked up.
“……There was something.”
“Looking at the state of the subway exit, I got a rough idea. Either way, glad I made it in time.”
Yeonwoo had also been planned to join the deal with Vestige.
But a Japan business trip that had been scheduled in advance was moved up, making attendance impossible.
The fact that he had shown up like this — had that schedule been cancelled?
“Pleased to meet you, Roper. I was just about to get into the deal discussion.”
“Pleased to meet you as well. It’s been a while since someone called me Roper. May I hear the situation first?”
“Of course.”
Diorama conveyed the preceding conversation briefly.
Since only the conditions had been presented, the real matter started from here.
“Providing Vestige with the information they need, and in exchange receiving an Astra invitation.”
Yeonwoo gave a nod and summarized.
The 1.5 billion Belmora episode walkthrough — a hook.
The real deal was in the ‘needed information,’ was his assessment.
“Indeed — no need to beat around the bush.”
Diorama, having had no intention of hiding the intent, gave a nod.
Shhk—
He pulled a large map from a box beneath and spread it on the table.
“It’s an RP map created directly by Vestige. Not a bad quality, would you say?”
“……It’s beyond not bad.”
“This is…… remarkable.”
Yeonwoo and Hanbit, having examined the map up close, were surprised.
Terrain expressed in extraordinary detail.
A map of treasure-level quality with key locations and verified information recorded.
“It was made with a large number of staff all working together, after all…….”
“Even seeing it multiple times it’s always impressive. Our big sis would lose her mind seeing this.”
Raphina with modest pride, and Luna with admiration despite having seen it many times.
Watching the reactions, Diorama smiled and said:
“Even in my own opinion, creating this was a good decision. Since Adventurer A’s guidebook didn’t cover it in detail, we gathered our own strength.”
He tapped the map with a finger.
A city in the outskirts of the Eastern continent’s Bastia Federation.
Belmora — another starting city.
“As you likely heard from Raphina, we at Vestige have been prioritizing Bastia as our main area. Walking a different path from Raven, where the walkthrough is established. That’s where we placed our bet.”
A reasonably set direction.
A decision understandable enough — but also a difficult road given the lower volume of information.
‘The expected value is lower there.’
The difference between Raven and Bastia is clear.
What matters more than the value of rewards is how many opportunities to become entangled with the Holy Nation are secured.
The point where that gap closes is a story far in the future.
“Among Vestige’s vanguards, are there those who started in Belmora?”
“There are two. Both giving their best — but recently it feels like they’ve hit a wall.”
The two who had come up as investigation team candidates representing Bastia had poured in time and effort.
But it seemed they were experiencing frustration in recent progress.
“You’re currently undergoing the investigation team’s vetting, correct?”
“Yes. Similar to the Raven-origin ones, they’re stuck at the eighth episode.”
Players who have completed each country’s episodes rise to investigation team candidate status.
They then undergo vetting by the investigation team and officially join as full members, from which point they gain the standing to exert influence on the world.
The well-known vanguards were currently grinding through this ‘vetting’ process.
“So — what information are you looking for?”
Yeonwoo, listening to the situation, posed the question.
Diorama, moving his finger, pointed to the upper northern part of Bastia and said:
“What we want is the solution to the stalled episode. And beyond that — to receive advice on the direction of progress going forward.”
“……Direction of progress?”
The solution was as anticipated.
But the follow-up words were a little vague.
Hanbit asked Diorama:
“When you say advice — are you asking for consulting?”
“Yes. We’d like to find advantages from having started in Bastia while not falling behind the Raven-origin players.”
Vestige’s RP business had many regular players in addition to vanguards.
With most of them active in the Bastia Federation, they clearly wanted to make the most of this region.
“Of course this is a hope — if you don’t have information on our end, we can adjust the terms. The Astra invitation would be difficult to offer in that case.”
Diorama’s words weren’t a provocation.
Even if Black Dragon had information different from others, its limits would be clear.
He wasn’t a foolish enough businessman to cling to pipe dreams.
“Hmm.”
Hanbit thought briefly.
The reason for not putting all the information out was fairly complicated.
The rate at which he grew and the gap that formed when other vanguards got ahead.
Having himself as the standard of information value was one thing — there were also many ‘first’ titles to secure.
Setting aside the distinction between Raven and Bastia, when players became investigation team members, they would influence the entire continent.
“To put it simply — the information you want is all in my head. Information detailed enough for a deal.”
“……I see.”
In that instant, Diorama’s demeanor changed.
Even with his eyes hidden, something like the will for a decisive moment could be felt in the voice and posture.
That was how sincere he was about RP and the growth of his affiliated players.
“What do you think?”
“I’m a bit torn. Depending on the information hyung provides, you can’t know how much Vestige’s vanguards will grow.”
Yeonwoo, giving a nod, looked at the invitation on one side of the table.
Then, shifting his gaze to Diorama, he said:
“To be honest — I’m not sure how much value the Astra invitation holds for a player like Black Dragon. Information about RP will be shared there too, but most of it is probably already in this person’s head.”
“……That’s difficult to deny.”
Vestige’s representative gave a frank, compliant nod.
Even as a vanguard-exclusive community, the primary purpose was the exchange of information.
There was no way Hanbit wouldn’t know the information within RP.
“What do you think, Luna?”
“Me?”
Hanbit looked at Luna and asked out of nowhere.
She, having received the question, picked up a candy from the table and said:
“Personally, I’d cast one vote for ‘needed.’ The reason Astra has use is that verified vanguards are signed up there.”
“You’re saying it helps in building connections?”
“Connections, certainly — and as Black Dragon’s standing rises, the range of utilization will broaden. Like gathering this Snow Drake raid — you can use people as a resource, yes?”
She focused not on RP information but on the utilization value of vanguard players.
If verified human resources could be put to use, it would certainly be convenient.
Building good connections in that process was also good from a long-term perspective.
“But in exchange for the information the CEO wants, it’s undervalued. For Black Dragon who has RP information in abundance, it would be a half-measure reward.”
Luna stated bluntly that the current deal wasn’t fair.
The CEO of Vestige with whom her friend Raphina had frequent interactions.
Even in front of both of them, not a trace of taking sides.
“It certainly was conditions favorable to our side. I thought it was a trade item that would be surprisingly good — apologies for not looking into it more carefully beforehand.”
Diorama came with an apology, saying the thinking had been too shallow.
“Not at all. My situation is a little unusual.”
One invitation received as an early sponsor.
Using that as the price of a deal was, in fact, a more difficult decision than it seemed.
There would be someone out there willing to pay an enormous sum of money for that kind of opportunity.
Somehow the face of Ranger surfaced in his mind — he had no idea why.
“In that case, how should the deal be arranged? If there’s something Black Dragon-nim wants, we’d like to prepare that…….”
Raphina too was someone who wanted Black Dragon’s information equally.
She was earnestly hoping for the difficulties of the company and colleagues she was attached to to be resolved.
“Hmm.”
Hanbit, holding the key to the decision, deliberated briefly.
Thinking simply about it — asking for more money would do.
What with the Tower of Vortex materials and various other things, there would be plenty to spend on.
But using this opportunity in so simple a way felt a little wasteful.
“……?”
Just then, something caught Hanbit’s eye as he glanced at the map.
Past memories surfacing naturally.
Hanbit, looking at Diorama, asked:
“Vestige’s affiliated vanguards — they’re looking for clues here right now, aren’t they?”
“That’s right. Even today they logged in together from the morning. They’re active at this base camp.”
Diorama gave a nod and pinpointed the exact location.
Having confirmed it, Hanbit gave a quiet smile and stated his condition.
“Then — might I borrow those two for 24 hours?”
