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Chapter 81

Jack Russell turned with an annoyed expression and answered, “Is there any reason I shouldn’t be here? Hmm, I’ve seen you somewhere before. I see you took over the executive position in place of that scum, Carmen. Your name was... Yes, Benjamin, right?”

“Y-Yes, that’s correct. I visited you once before.”

“Since my people owed you a favor last time, I’ll overlook your rudeness. To answer your question, I’m here as a guest member of Aquamarine.”

Benjamin was baffled by Russell’s casual response. Was the Magic Tower officially supporting Aquamarine now?

If that’s the case, indirect threats or pressure from the Council of Atlantis mean nothing. If Jack Russell is personally involved, the Council would need two or three of its most influential members to take action.

Aquamarine would be untouchable just by having Jack Russell, a powerful individual representing the Atlantis Magic Tower, aboard. Even the most subservient expedition teams under the Council of Atlantis wouldn’t dare provoke him. Offending Jack Russell would be tantamount to declaring war on the entire Atlantis Magic Tower, and by extension, the entire mage community it represented.

Unlike the ambiguous stance of the Council of Atlantis, the Magic Tower had basically moved its queen in this chess game.

This will also shake Bermuda greatly, forcing them to reconsider their stance. They can’t afford to clash with the Magic Tower over just a few members of the Council of Atlantis.

Carmen hadn’t lost her job overnight for no reason. Even powerful figures like Councilman Pablo and Haywood couldn’t represent the entire Council of Atlantis, but Jack Russell could represent the entire Magic Tower.

...Should I side with Aquamarine?

The thought naturally crossed Benjamin’s mind. If Bermuda found out about this situation, they would likely lean more toward the Magic Tower than the Council of Atlantis. This would make his role with Aquamarine even more crucial.

One wrong step could cost Benjamin his executive position, but if Frances gave even a slight confirmation of their connection, it could help secure his shaky position.

He also genuinely wanted to witness the resurgence of the new Aquamarine Expedition Team up close.

“Lorelei! Come over here for a moment!”

“Yes...? What is it...?”

The faint ember of Benjamin’s hope flared up again when Frances introduced him to someone else. As someone who had long admired Aquamarine, he could barely contain his excitement.

“This is Lorelei, the disciple and successor of Wave Catcher Hyne! She’s only Class 6 for now, but she’s aiming to become the second Wave Catcher!”

During Aquamarine’s golden age, there were a few insanely popular individuals: Dentuso of the Storm; Njord, the Spirit Knight; Hyne, the Wave Catcher; and Ahab, the Maestro.

Discussions about Aquamarine often devolved into debates over who was the strongest, frequently leading to fistfights that were never mentioned again.

“I-Is it true? She’s the successor of the great Hyne?”

Although quite timid, Lorelei couldn’t shy away from this and nodded vigorously in response.

Benjamin, lost for words, felt his chest tighten with emotion. He had known that Galano, the brother of Dentuso of the Storm, had joined Aquamarine, but learning that Hyne’s successor had joined as well rekindled a hope he thought had been long extinguished.

Perhaps he would actually witness the revival of Aquamarine!

“Hehe.” Frances chuckled, thinking to herself, It’s just as I expected.

Benjamin, suddenly thrust into the role of Bermuda’s executive, didn’t possess immense talent or strength, but that didn’t make him incapable or foolish either. Reaching Rank A without losing any limbs and performing his duties well enough to secure his position in Bermuda indicated his competence.

If Frances had approached him with pity, pointing out his precarious situation while pretending to extend a hand of kindness, she wouldn’t have won him over, but rather caused him to be even more reticent.

When breaking down reason and emotion, target the emotions first. Humans tend to hear only what they want to hear and believe only what they want to believe.

Frances had kicked things off by reminiscing about old times in detail, and thus she had built a sense of camaraderie with Benjamin, making him lose sight of Bermuda and its political dynamics.

If it wasn’t for the memory of that day, this would have been more challenging.

Ultimately, the two of them returned to their old selves, facing each other not as an executive in charge of assessing ranks and the captain of an expedition team, but as an adventurer who admired Aquamarine and the daughter of the man idolized by the adventurer.

Thus, Benjamin unknowingly felt reassured, no longer probing Frances’ words and actions for any ulterior motives or schemes.

Frances’ carefully planned strategies, including the encounter with Jack Russell and calling Lorelei over before Benjamin regained his composure, had all played out flawlessly.

I successfully made him believe in the connection between the Magic Tower and Aquamarine, and shaking him up with Lorelei right after worked in our favor perfectly

The rest was smooth sailing. Just Jack Russell’s presence alone forced Benjamin to acknowledge Aquamarine’s Rank A status. And even without the Magic Tower’s Chief Elder, having a high-rank spiritualist, along with a Class 5 and Class 6 Mage, was enough to surpass the lower tier of Rank A.

“As of today, Aquamarine is reinstated as a Rank A expedition team. I, Benjamin, guarantee it.”

“Wow! How long will the official process take?”

“One day should be enough. I will handle all the procedures so that from tomorrow onwards, you can explore the Fifth Sea District with no issues.”

Frances smiled and nodded. “Are you now the one in charge of Aiolos Hall, Executive Benjamin?”

Benjamin responded with a slightly perplexed expression, “Uh... not entirely. Though I have a long tenure with Bermuda, this is my first high-ranking position. Still, I have some authority. Do you have any specific requests?”

“There’s just one thing I would like to ask for. Since Aquamarine has just regained its Rank A status, we have no current information on the Fifth Sea District or the Rifts. We need to be cautious so as to not step on the toes of other expedition teams, don’t we?”

“Ah, I see. Very meticulous of you.”

“Exactly,” Frances spoke casually, as if it was no big deal. “If you could provide information on the Rifts that aren’t currently scheduled for exploration, it would be incredibly helpful. Knowing the schedules and routes of other expedition teams in advance would be even better,” she went on.

“Th-That’s beyond my authority to confirm...” Benjamin stammered.

“You know it too, don’t you?” Frances carefully looked up at him with a fearful expression, her eyes twitching slightly. “Aquamarine... My father didn’t die in Charybdis. He died at the hands of those who ambushed them afterward.”

“...!”

“Thanks to the Chief Elder, I feel somewhat safe, but those who once destroyed Aquamarine at its peak are still out there. I just want to avoid them until we’ve gathered enough strength to face them. Can’t you help us do that?”

Frances’s request for inside information about Bermuda turned into the plea of a girl who couldn’t trust other expedition teams due to her trauma.

If I ignore her request, I’ll be standing by and watching the fall of the expedition team I once admired for the second time.

It didn’t take long for Benjamin to make up his mind. For a moment, he reverted to his former self, the adventurer he used to be eight years ago, filled with fresh enthusiasm and determination.

If he could contribute to Aquamarine’s revival, there was no reason to remain loyal to the organization that had used him.

“...Tell me what Aquamarine\'s communication line is.”

And just like that, a new ally had emerged.

***

Benjamin, now both a Bermuda executive and an ally of Aquamarine, proved to be quite capable. Within a few hours of his return to Bermuda, he managed to transmit the latest information regarding the activities of other expedition teams in the Aiolos Sea District and the Rifts to the ship through a crystal orb.

Frances, writing down the details, laughed heartily. “Hahaha! I knew I could count on you, Benjamin!”

“...He should have seen your true self before leaving...” Marianne sighed beside Frances, pressing her fingers to her temples to calm herself.

It was undoubtedly good news for Aquamarine, but seeing how Frances could manipulate a Bermuda executive so easily, just with her words, sent shivers down Marianne’s spine. She knew that if she had been in Benjamin’s position, she wouldn’t have been able to coldly reject Frances’ heartfelt plea either.

“Well, he admired Aquamarine and my father, didn’t he? If so, helping me out gives him a sense of purpose.”

“The problem is that you’re exploiting that knowledge.”

“It’s fine, as long as he doesn’t know about him. If things go well, we’ll make him an honorary member of Aquamarine.”

Having decided on the treatment she would give Benjamin, Frances reviewed the information she had transcribed onto the parchment. Though it was seven pages long, it took her less than a minute to go over and analyze it.

Frances selected three pages and said, “There are three Rifts worth exploring for Aquamarine. The others are too large or have too many variables in their paths. Since we don’t know who is friend or foe, we need to be cautious.”

From her memories of that day, she only clearly remembered the flagship of Moby Dick and the faces of a few adventurers. Considering the power dynamics among the factions and members of the Council of Atlantis, there were some places she was suspicious of, but she judged that it was too early to target them.

They’re not opponents we can tackle without solid evidence. If we make a wrong move and cause them to team up despite being previously scattered, even hiding behind the Chief Elder won’t guarantee our survival.

Although they struck right after the Charybdis operation, they were foes that even the prime Aquamarine couldn’t handle. Besides defeating them one by one, winning was impossible.

Thus, Frances had to be patient. She had learned to be patient, and the anger that had been building up inside her had settled down somewhat thanks to Leonard.

“Ah.” She finally remembered to ask about it. “Marianne, how are the new members doing? I wonder if Lorelei and Uncle Galano are adjusting well.”

“There are no issues,” Marianne reported from what she had observed. “The Magic Tower’s Chief Elder and Esther have been treating Lorelei well. Whether it’s because of her connection to Hyne or their camaraderie as mages, they’ve bonded quickly.”

“Really? That’s a relief. What about Uncle Galano?” Frances asked.

“He’s learning from Leonard. Like his brother, Dentuso, he uses a spear style that creates vortexes. He’s easy to get along with, and he doesn’t have an entitled attitude.”

“Well, Uncle Dentuso was similar. Despite being of noble origin, he disliked the caste system.”

Frances, reminiscing about the old days, picked up a sheet of paper from her desk before continuing, “Is anyone in poor condition?”

“No, everyone’s in top shape.”

“Then we can start right away, tomorrow.”

The paper she held contained information about one of the Rifts in the Fifth Sea District, the Sea Orc Den.

Size: Rank C

Difficulty: Rank B

Danger Level: Rank B+

Expected Reward: Rank D-

It was small, difficult, and dangerous, with little profit to be made—a naturally unpopular Rift. However, it was a decent environment to test Aquamarine’s current state.

“The Fifth Sea District is where the real adventure begins.”

Zephyros, the Fourth Sea District, was teeming with mercenaries disguised as adventurers. However, from Aiolos, the Fifth Sea District, and onwards, everyone would risk their lives.

Frances’s eyes sparkled as they were about to return to the sea of adventure.