I received the letters, returned to my room, and sorted through them. I counted them, and there were twenty-five in total.
Naturally, Verita entered my room and made a fuss. "Twenty-five at once! As expected of you, Brother Luan! This is probably the first time in the Hero Society's history that someone has received so many offers at once! It is amazing!"
Personally, I was more amazed that she had counted them correctly from such a distance.
I held out the stack and asked, "Do you know a lot about the Hero Society's clans?"
"Well, I know what everyone else knows," she replied.
"Then remove the ones with bad reputations or that are picky," I instructed.
"Of course!" Verita said brightly. She looked delighted to have an assignment. She accepted the stack with a broad smile and started to check them thoroughly.
She scrutinized each one with bloodshot eyes, like an appraiser putting her life on the line to judge a priceless treasure. Her intensity made me feel slightly pressured, but I stayed silent and waited.
Before long, she finished and held out a smaller bundle toward me. "Here you go!"
"How many are there now?"
"Ten," she answered.
"Got it," I said.
It was still more than I wanted. Five would have been ideal, but this was clearly the limit of how much she could narrow it down.
I accepted the bundle from Verita. Each letter had a different seal. I opened one, skimmed it, and tossed it into the trash.
"Eh?" Verita blurted in confusion.
"What is it?"
"You read faster than I expected," she answered.
"I didn't read them."
"You didn't?"
I pointed toward the trash can. "The content was too cliche. How to say it? It feels like it was just written straight from a manual. Look at this."
I read aloud from the letter in my hand. "Most of all, all the clan members who saw your sword skills praised them..."
"I see."
I scoffed. "What's that bullshit about sword skills?"
I had only drawn my sword for a moment during the fight with Heero. Even then, I hadn't used it particularly well. After the Seven Sins Sword collided with Heero's greatsword, I knew that continuing to engage with the sword would end with my defeat against his Strong Sword, so I immediately sheathed it.
"Certainly, there is no sincerity." Verita lowered her voice, and the smile disappeared from her face.
Wait, don't tell me that she's about to be like that again?
I cut in before Verita could rush out, "No. Well, this kind of thing happens. From the clan's perspective, how many recruitment offers have they sent over the years? Sometimes, they nod off while writing or grow lazy, and mistakes slip through."
"Still, I can't forgive them for daring to be so rude to you."
It was hard to tolerate. The moment I heard her say that, something that shouldn't appear in this situation reared its head: curiosity.
I gave in and asked, "What if you can't accept it? Will you break into the clan by yourself and fight to the death?"
I wasn't being sarcastic. I was genuinely curious. I wanted to see how this madwoman would respond if she designated a clan as her enemy.
Verita smiled softly. "How can that be? I wouldn't stand a chance in a direct fight against an A-class clan. That is why I would do the opposite. I would join the clan and slowly destroy it from within. It may take a long time, but it is the surest method. I promise you this: they wouldn't even realize why their clan was falling apart."
I shouldn't have asked. I quickly said, "Don't do that. Please."
"Fine."
I left the slightly dejected Verita behind and continued reading the letters.
I paused when I spotted a familiar clan name and muttered, "That's the Sky-Destroying Sword Group."
The Sky-Destroying Sword was really impressive. Even after the Iron-Blooded Lord had bluntly rejected him on my behalf, he shamelessly sent another offer. That took a special lack of shame.
There were also clans called Frostel, Full Moon, Brotherhood, and even Desert Scorpion, the one Lorcan had mentioned.
I skimmed through the promised benefits and immediately threw away the letters that didn't appeal to me. Only one letter was hard to dismiss so easily.
Verita said with slightly soft eyes, "It is the legendary Black Rose letter. This is the first time I've actually seen it."
I wanted to refute that it was legendary, but I held back. After all, most of the Iron-Blooded Lord's deeds came prefaced with terms like legendary, mythical, or unprecedented.
"Are you going to join Black Rose?" Verita asked, her voice tinged with regret.
"What is with that expression?"
"Well, if you join Black Rose, I probably won't be able to," she replied.
"Ah, really?" That was nice to hear.
I looked down at the purple stationery. It was undeniably tempting to be able to shake off this leech-like woman.
"Put it aside for now." No matter how I considered it, being bound to the Iron-Blooded Lord was far too risky, even within the Hero Society.
From my perspective, both the Iron-Blooded Lord and Verita were dangerous existences. To put it bluntly, I was warier of the Iron-Blooded Lord. I had no idea what he was up to, unlike Verita, whom I could control to some extent. This was especially the case now that Verita was clinging to me even more.
"Brother Luan..."
I ignored Verita's impressed look and continued thinking. For similar reasons, joining a high-ranking clan was out of the question. The stronger the clan, the more powerful its members would be. Deceiving their senses would be nearly impossible.
"It is all bad." I finally dumped every letter into the trash.
Verita nodded. "Indeed, there is only one organization on the entire continent that suits you, Brother Luan."
Yes, and that place definitely wouldn't be the Colorless faction.
As that thought crossed my mind, another knock sounded.
I opened the door, thinking, There are quite a few visitors today.
The face waiting outside was far from pleasant. A completely unexpected figure stood there. "Sister Nero? What's going on?"
"I have business with you." Nero studied me with a complicated expression and asked cautiously, "By the way, did I interrupt?"
She said this while glancing at Verita inside the room.
I quickly dispelled the unpleasant misunderstanding. "Not at all."
"I'm glad. Follow me," she said.
"I have to know what this is about before I follow you," I demanded.
"The Headquarters Chief is calling you."
"Headquarters Chief..." I muttered in a daze. Then the words fully registered. "The Headquarters Chief?!"
***
In the Hero Society, the system of positions, ranks, and titles was more complex than it first appeared.
Fortunately, the ranking system was straightforward enough that even outsiders could grasp it at a glance. From S-class down to D-class, the hierarchy clearly showed who stood at the top and who fell at the bottom. However, heroes who belonged to a clan occupied a different position from those ranked solely within the Hero Society.
These roles extended beyond simple titles such as clan leader or vice clan leader. In most cases, a clan leader also served as a branch chief, an arrangement that was almost unavoidable. Every clan was responsible for a specific territory, and oversight of that territory formed a core part of the clan leader's duties.
As a result, the title of branch chief carried its own hierarchy. Branch chiefs held ranks based on the size of the territory under their control and the level of danger within it. Above this layered structure stood a single figure at the very pinnacle of authority: the Headquarters Chief of the Hero Society.
Naturally, the fame, honor, and power of this position were immense. For example, he had the power to wipe out a few cities with a single piece of paper.
Every ten years, the Headquarters Chief even held a three-way meeting with the emperor and Pope. The fact that he was recognized as an equal to the supreme authority of the empire and the Pope showed the symbolic weight carried by this position.
While Nero explained matters I partly knew and partly learned for the first time, I struggled to hide my trembling.
Did someone so formidable really summon me? After meeting the Lotus Jade Emperor, I would now face the Headquarters Chief of the Hero Society. It was really one mountain after another. At this rate, I half expected to end up meeting the Pope.
In some ways, the Headquarters Chief was a more secretive figure than the Lotus Jade Emperor. I had heard rumors about him being active in a certain place, but beyond that, I knew nothing. His personality, habits, weapons, and even his appearance remained a mystery. Unlike the Lotus Jade Emperor, he did not reside in anything resembling the imperial palace. He seemed to roam freely quite a bit.
I recalled the few things I knew. The Headquarters Chief of the Hero Society was named Taon Gludd, known by the nickname Golden Blood, and had held his position for a full century. From that fact alone, it was clear he wasn't human.
"We're here."
I raised my head at Nero's voice. Before me stood a large door that could only lead to the Headquarters Chief's office. Someone familiar waited in front of it.
"Heero?" I blurted.
Heero raised an eyebrow. "Heero?"
"Brother Heero," I corrected.
The exchange made me smile as I looked him over. Aside from a slight pallor, he looked better than I had expected. He had not suffered any serious injuries. He had merely collapsed from exhaustion after burning through all his energy. Compared to him, the aftermath on my side, despite being the victor, felt worse.
Heero noticed the burns on my arm. "What happened to your arm?"
"The side effects of the technique I used yesterday," I answered. "It was quite risky."
Heero smirked, then said something unexpected, "Then I suppose you could say that I left that wound."
I shrugged. "Well, think whatever you like, as long as it makes you feel better."
In any case, it seemed that he also had business with the Headquarters Chief.
I stood there wondering who would be called first when a voice came from inside. "Come in."
Did that mean both of us?
Heero and I exchanged a glance, then entered the office together.
Two men occupied the large room. One was a blond man slouched lazily in a desk chair. The other, silver-haired, stood stiffly beside him. In many ways, their appearances and auras seemed mismatched.
Which one is the Headquarters Chief? One would assume it was the one at the desk, but something felt off. The young man sprawled across the desktop, drooling in his sleep, hardly fit the image of the Headquarters Chief.
The blond man groaned as he half lifted his head. A strong smell of alcohol hit us at once.
The silver-haired man frowned. "Headquarters Chief, please get up now."
" Ugh... Is it already mealtime?" the blond man muttered. "Jerome, I'm sorry, but could you bring it here? Hot stew with boiled radish..."
"It isn't time to eat. Didn't you call the two Badniker siblings today?" replied the silver-haired man called Jerome.
"Badnikers?" A hoarse question came from Taon as he finally raised his head fully.
What should I say about his cheeks that still had desk marks on them? There was no trace of authority. His half-lidded eyes only reinforced that impression.
"Yes... Ah... I'm going to die..." Taon complained weakly.
"Please wipe your drool and show some dignity." Jerome's frustration was obvious, though Taon's expression and attitude barely changed.
Still, he wiped away the drool marks with his sleeve. His eyes remained unfocused as he asked, "Why did I call these friends again?"
"You said you have something to discuss regarding rank adjustments," Jerome replied flatly.
"Ah, right." Taon nodded, and his gaze finally shifted toward us. He cleared his throat, straightened his clothes slightly, and looked at me. "So, Luan Badniker?"
I nodded. "Yes."
"You caused quite a stir in yesterday's promotion test," Taon remarked. "New heroes are always welcome. I commend your accomplishment."
"Thank you."
"So yesterday, our hero friends debated all night in the conference room before reaching a conclusion," Taon continued. "However, before carrying it out, I want to hear your opinions. That's why I called you here."
I nodded. "Please go on."
"First, Heero Badniker will be demoted to B-class," Taon announced.
I looked at him in surprise, then reflexively glanced at Heero standing next to me. He looked quite shocked.
"You mean... a demotion?" Heero asked.
Taon nodded. "Yes. You know, A-class was originally exempt from the demotion system. That exemption is now under reconsideration. Without the risk of falling in rank, A-class heroes have grown complacent and lost their drive to improve. In simple terms, stagnant water has begun to rot."
"That—" Heero began.
Taon cut him off at once. "Yes, I know. That may not be true in every case. What matters is that enough heroes believe it for the issue to reach my ears. Of course, you are still young. To put it bluntly, you aren't stagnant water but a new wave. Still, yesterday's defeat became the decisive trigger for this discussion, so it does concern you. What do you think?"
I looked at Heero. Perhaps because he was still young, his face had flushed, and his breathing was uneven. To be honest, it would not have been strange if he had shouted. As the first victim of the demotion system, he had every reason to feel humiliated. For someone as prideful as Heero, accepting that reality was no easy thing.
Nevertheless, Heero managed to maintain his composure. "I will obey."
I glanced at him in surprise. For some reason, Hector's face flashed through my mind.
"Okay." Taon nodded. "Your Hero Badge will be collected shortly, and a B-class badge will be issued. This should be completed by the end of today at the latest, so stay at headquarters for now."
Heero replied, "Understood."
"Good. Then can you go outside with Jerome," Taon instructed. "Please leave us for a moment."
Heero said again, "Understood."
What type of development is this? Still dazed, I watched Heero and Jerome leave. Moments later, I was alone with the Headquarters Chief.
With Jerome gone, Taon pulled out a hip flask and took a sip, then let out a long breath. He seemed to treat alcohol as a hangover remedy. Drinking on an empty stomach was bound to upset his stomach further.
I asked, "Should I go too?"
"No. Sit down."
He made an indistinct sound that could have been a burp or a hiccup, then stood and rattled the tea set.
"Do you like tea?" he asked.
"Not really."
"Really? Then what do you like?" he pressed.
"Apple juice," I answered.
"Noted. I'll prepare it next time." Taon sat across from me and placed a cup of steaming black tea in front of me.
I couldn't refuse since it was an invitation from a superior and reluctantly took a sip.
Suddenly, he asked, "How much do you know about Sister Razbet?"
I almost spat the tea straight into Taon's face.