Act 2, ‘Frozen River’, was a scenario with clear objectives and defined adversaries.
From the beginning of the scenario, it was given as a commission from the Third Princess, and the commission objective was to collect evidence that the Northern Grand Duke was a member of the Bloodstone Cult.
However, there was one unique aspect to this scenario.
That was, even though it was the main scenario, there were no immediate consequences for failing.
Failing to collect evidence linking the Northern Duke and the Bloodstone Cult didn’t immediately result in death.
If faced with the overwhelming power and charisma of the Northern Duke, it was natural for players to consider avoiding confrontation rather than directly opposing him.
Thus, by carefully considering the events that unfolded in Act 2 and prioritizing survival, players could ‘securely’ fail without antagonizing the Northern Duke.
The result was bittersweet.
Having completed a main scenario without any major incidents, players could delude themselves into thinking they had played smartly.
And the price to be paid for that delusion was harsh.
Players who succumbed to fear and failed to confront the imminent threats were not clever but rather foolish, having failed to properly understand the scenario.
Act 2 expanded the world.
Not only did it expand upon the backdrop of the Academy, but it also significantly expanded the factors players needed to consider.
By failing to collect evidence, players would lose many things.
The plans of the Third Princess Asteria, who would become a future political ally and strong supporter, would crumble, and she would be executed.
As a result, the influence of the First Princess and the Northern Duke would increase, and the alliance of the Second Prince lead by Raymond, aimed at Engelholm, would twist the economy with its network and resources, pressuring them.
The Bloodstone Cult, having lost the support of the Northern Duke, would swallow up the Thirteen Evils one by one, expand its influence, and even corrupt one of the candidates for Saint, reaching into the clergy.
This would escalate the conflict between the Holy Kingdom of Constantine and the Empire, leading to war.
By then, the players would realize.
‘There can be no paradise where one flees.’
Therefore, Act 2 was a kind of test for the players.
‘Do you have the ability to read the situation enough to navigate through this story, and the mindset to do so?’
◆
Herman Pierce.
He, who was hosting this banquet, smiled kindly at Ian Blackangers.
‘To gain an advantage in the succession, this banquet must be successful.’
It was never a small matter when his father entrusted him with the banquet he used to host, Herman thought.
The second was in the borderlands, and the third could already be considered on his side. The fourth… could he even call her the fourth?
‘That b*tch is nothing more than a leech and is completely broken.’
The fourth, who once shone brightly with talent at a glance, had completely collapsed at the Academy.
In the end, this banquet meant that Herman Pierce himself could firmly establish himself as the closest successor to the Northern Duke.
In such a situation, the man of the Third Princess appeared.
‘The man of the Third Princess.’
A title that would become the center of attention wherever he appeared.
Already, Herman had laid out a plan to utilize that title.
However, there was some doubt.
It was Herman Pierce’s nature.
Perhaps, just as Herman himself was sinister, the other party was also adorned with all sorts of pretenses.
Of course, adeptly concealing such emotions, Herman smiled.
“My father has been busy with state affairs lately, so I am hosting this banquet. Thank you for coming all this way.”
Meanwhile,
Ian lightly nodded in response to Herman’s kindness.
“Thank you.”
Of course, Ian was wary of Herman.
Though Herman’s face was smiling, his demeanor was anything but weak.
‘… He’s quite formidable.’
Even through the handshake, there was a tremendous force.
Even if he wasn’t a mid-boss, as the eldest son of the Pierce family, he was a formidable expert. Moreover, unlike Sharon, who was merely ‘promising’, he was nearing completion in his early thirties.
But.
‘This guy is playing around too.’
The handshake was just the beginning.
A tremendous force emanated as Ian withdrew his hand, followed by an eerie sensation creeping through his palm.
Instinctively retracting his hand, Ian purified the energy into a benign aura.
Seemingly oblivious to Ian’s purification, Herman smiled kindly and guided the group.
“Allow me to lead you to your accommodations first. This way.”
Herman was cunning and deceitful.
The ‘malice’ hidden behind his smile was anything but superficial.
Walking behind him, Ian couldn’t help but realize afresh.
‘It feels like stepping into the lion’s den.’
This scenario was truly unsettling in many ways.
Herman Pierce, the mid-boss.
Unlike the final boss, the Northern Duke, Richard Pierce, who had several strategies to evade him, there were no exceptions for the mid-boss, Herman Pierce.
Moreover, his prowess was far from lacking.
An expert who had reached the late 4-Star stages.
Considering that it became significantly harder to advance in levels beyond mid-4-Star, he would already be a formidable figure, known throughout the North.
‘But even in the lion’s den, you can survive if you keep your wits about you.’
But this was a den with three or four lions and a monster roaming around.
Fortunately, they weren’t friendly with each other.
It was a precarious balancing act.
Furthermore, maintaining the interest of the surrounding nobles was essential.
That way, they wouldn’t dare to capture him recklessly.
“Well then, I’ll see you after changing.”
With that, Herman left.
Ian and the group exchanged glances and headed to their rooms to prepare.
The rooms were spacious and luxurious, more than expected.
However, there was a slight unease about staying in the room Herman had guided them to.
“Maybe I should purify it just in case.”
Flash
There was no sign of purification in the wide-area Dishwashing Spell.
Dressed in the banquet attire provided by the Third Princess, Ian stepped out of the room.
“It will take time for the women.”
There was no point in sticking together; it would only raise suspicions.
Ian slowly made his way towards the banquet hall.
The corridor was quite rough but elegant.
Since the main mansion and guest house of the Pierce family were separate, it seemed necessary to explore the main mansion.
As he arrived near the banquet hall.
Through the window, the vibrant lights and music of the banquet could be heard.
Just as he was about to open the door and enter,
Swift.
Someone pulled Ian from behind.
Before he could react.
— Creak
The sound of the door closing echoed.
It seemed to be a warehouse between the corridors. The flashy lights of the banquet couldn’t reach here.
Dark.
His sense of smell reacted before his vision.
A musty smell, as if it had been accumulating for a long time.
And a faint, sweet scent mixed with ink and blueberries.
It was the scent of someone familiar.
Ian spoke up.
“Surprised me there, Karen. What’s going on?”
The warehouse was dark and quiet, but precisely because of that, every sound of breathing and heartbeat seemed louder than any other noise.
Of course, it was Ian’s own.
“You seem tense.”
Although it was dark and hard to see, Ian felt like Karen had raised one corner of her mouth slightly, as if smirking.
“Suddenly grabbing and pulling someone like that makes anyone nervous.”
“Hmm.”
A faint sound as if suppressing laughter.
Ian’s eyes soon adapted to the darkness.
A few rays of light were shining through the cracks in the trees, illuminating the interior.
Karen, dressed in a black dress that complemented her short black hair, smirked slightly.
Ian felt that Karen didn’t particularly fancy him.
Since the moment he demanded authority over Karen from the princess, Karen had shown a slight displeasure.
At the same time, Ian knows that Karen is a professional.
She wouldn’t resort to such antics just for a laugh.
Ian asked her.
“So why prepare such a surprise?”
“You’re not getting angry.”
“We’re on the same team for now.”
Karen glanced at this side with a serious look.
Then she spoke.
“Our plan had a flaw. I was worried whether Ian could dance or not.”
… Come to think of it, all Ian knew about noble parties was from movies. There was no way Ian could dance for socializing purposes.
“How did you know?”
“Woman’s intuition.”
Was she also a woman? Ian barely swallowed the question.
There was no one to help here, and Karen was a top assassin belonging to the elite assassination group, the Black Cat.
‘I have to be careful.’
He definitely wasn’t joking. Seriously.
Anyway.
Karen grabbed Ian’s hand without answering the question.
Outwardly long and beautiful, but rough hands.
As an instructor, she had no finesse.
“Extend your left foot forward and move your right foot to the side.”
The faint music from the banquet hall could be heard even here.
In response to that, Karen moved Ian’s body.
“And now, reverse the movement you just made.”
“Like this?”
“Good. Keep doing it, one, two. One, two.”
Karen was skilled.
The warehouse was narrow, but there was no chance of bumping into objects.
Was she also once a noble lady in the past?
Or did she learn it for missions like a spy?
“Dancing is ultimately like one-on-one combat. If the opponent is strong, step back, and if not, approach as if you’re going to devour them. In the end, it’s a fight over who will dominate the relationship between the two.”
As they moved their bodies, they began to match each other’s rhythm. Why?
Ian, who had been pondering for a moment, realized.
‘Come to think of it, that Pongpong guy, he was once the son of a prestigious household.’
Surely, he had learned to dance at some point.
So, his body was remembering.
At one point.
Ian noticed an opening in Karen’s defense.
‘In the end, it’s a fight over how to pull the opponent towards you.’
Ian pulled her towards him.
“Ah….”
Karen gasped softly as she was embraced by Ian.
Their eyes met.
Ian saw his own reflection in Karen’s widened eyes, surprised.
“How does it feel now?”
