Free Web NovelChapter 15: Recruiting Two Members
In the first year of the Age of Sorcery and Mystery, there had been only one Runic Gate that had appeared from this world. It is called Haunted Chambers of the Bloodied Knight. That also marked the birth of this age.
For the first thirteen years of the Age of Sorcery and Mystery, only one Runic Gate happened each year.
The moment the fourteenth mark came, everything changed. In the year 1217, two Runic Gates appeared that shattered every theory relating to these ruins.
Gradually, two became three until these boons from the otherworld began filling up their very own world.
Official Ruiners and authoritative people began clearing these Runic Gates, afraid that their "influence" would make the world more hazardous.
They were like a plague spreading around, a sickness that needed to be "destroyed".
Unlike the early years when every family territory was included since only one Runic Gate appeared, the seven families owed each organization to hold off these gates on their own territory.
Now, two pressing questions arise. First, how do people know if a Runic Gate is spawning? Second, why is it important for it to be cleared as fast as possible?
Well, the first question was clearly apparent.
Rumble—!
It was the earthquake.
No matter how loud the tremor is or how meek it is, there will be, and always be, an earthquake if a Runic Gate is spawning as if a foreboding warning to the inhabitants of this world.
The second instance is if there are signs of "manifestations" of these gates.
These types of displays actually appeared in so many ways and in so many unpredictable manners. At first, it might look like a scene came from the real world, but the path towards inside a Runic Gate was already hidden amongst it.
As for the second question, why "clearing" the Runic Gates was important is that it affects the world.
The "influence" these ruins carried to the world either becomes helpful to humanity or a dread that needs to be avoided or kept in touch with so that the bad effects they brought wouldn’t be spread.
Mostly, it is bad, which is why men whose job is related to such things were immediately deployed to find out the situation regarding the spawning Runic Gate.
As for how it was going to be cleared, there were just a lot of procedures and requirements that needed to be done.
Most of it are Runic Gate related.
’I wonder what it is this time...’
Cillian’s train of thought was adrift for a moment as he refreshed the piece of news he gathered while researching these ruins.
He had to abruptly stop them soon since the fat bastard couldn’t stop speaking.
"You know, I’ve been studying Runic Gates for some time, but the appearances are happening at a fast rate this year! It wasn’t even the third of the month, yet this was the twenty-first that had appeared. Of course, on the note that it was actually an Runic Gate spawning, which I think it is."
Phillip sighed as he couldn’t help but lament fearfully. frёewebηovel.cѳm
’If it were a normal earthquake, it would’ve already ended an hour ago... but he is somewhat right. Why the hell is it still quaking when an hour has already passed? Why were the instructors not saying anything?’
At first, Cillian was tempted to attempt to gather information. He can just disguise himself as another student or a familiar teacher by using his Faceless and achieve the curiosity and uneasiness growing inside him.
But he had to restrain himself.
He knew how dangerous it was now, whether it was the academy or the people themselves.
The earthquake was not stopping, bringing even the bravest people to be nervous.
With how it was showing, the buildings in the academy always have the chance of falling apart, making the academy another dangerous zone if one peered into the secrets that might have been known later.
Phillip asked as he sighed helplessly, his chubby cheeks continuously moving along the tremors.
"When do you think this is going to end?"
Cillian, who already had had enough of hearing his complaints, thought about something productive as he couldn’t help but discuss it with the two friends that he only had in this academy, at least on the surface.
"Let’s set aside the Runic Gate for now..."
Cillian glanced at both Phillip and Vin as he asked.
"Are you two interested in earning money?"
Phillip’s eyes glistened in wonder upon hearing it, but his face turned skeptical.
On the other hand, Vin frowned, finding it suspicious as to why Cillian was interested in earning money and how they were going to do it.
Before the misunderstanding stirred, Cillian immediately interjected.
"Why are you looking at me like that. This is mostly legal! LEGAL. Now, I’m sure the two of you have been pressured by some factions the moment our brotherhood fell apart. I just don’t understand why the two of you are still staying here. So, coming to this conclusion, I would want to make use of you instead."
’Actually, if the club didn’t need three members, I might’ve soloed it like a boss,’
Cillian added inwardly with a short smile.
That’s right, now that the two candidates that he had been thinking of as his club members were in front already, why not make use of them?
Not only did they know each other, but they even belonged to the same group, before the fallout or even after the brotherhood broke apart.
Once hearing it, Phillip grew embarrassed, then expressing shyly.
"Honestly, I wasn’t being scouted by other factions, but you’re right that I was indeed being pressured by them. They wanted to steal the gateways within the walls and made it for themselves."
Cillian and Phillip both divert their attention to Vin at the same time.
This student clerk who roams around the library is a mysterious person, even for Cillian, but he should be experiencing the same situation as Phillip right now.
If there’s anything that the three of them are similar, it’s that they are running out of money.
"The same as Phillip about the possession of these gateways of the walls."
Vin finally let their suspicions come true.
He then added.
"I’m being scouted, though, but I’m not interested in joining any group. Nevertheless, if I can earn Merit while doing this job of yours, I might as well do it. On the other hand, in exchange for the rights of authority on my side of the possession, like the entryways within the walls, I plan to extort some money from them."
’Smart...’
Cillian fully agreed to what Vin had suggested, clearly thinking the same thing.
If he pulled this off by making Phillip and Vin join his club, it would solve two of his current problems.
One of the problems is currently being solved, which is getting these two under his wing.
As for the other, it is related to the club’s expenses.
"Actually, this is my proposition."
Cillian calmly explained with a slight smile.
"You sell out your door to the highest bidder. Uh, if it requires you to change rooms, there are two available spaces for you in my room. Fergus is gone, while Fred left two days ago. Of course, you can ask for better rooms at the academy if you don’t like mine."
He paused, letting out a short cough.
"Then, after selling the rights of those doors, I would like to borrow a small amount of Merit from you guys. The club I have right now is done and good, ready for operation. I just need two additional members and a monthly fee of... ten Merit."
Seeing that there’s a catch to joining the Cillian club, Phillip and Vin have mixed feelings.
The most prominent problem of all is the lack of money, but being able to pull off a deal of making a club is the hardest part of all.
The two understand there are many requirements for making one, but Cillian, who just got in trouble two days ago, quickly managed to do it.
Cillian lightly clapped his hands to disturb the thoughts stirring out in their heads, afraid that they might be thinking much deeper than they had imagined.
Who knows if they are already feeling bad about listening to it?
"Now, now. I can gather up those points and turn them into Merit. I’ll pay my debt to you slowly by doing two things. First, the clients who are going to come to us. Second, the incoming school activities. It’s going to be so much fun, I’m telling you."
"Hold up,"
Seeing the smile on his lips growing bigger, Vin had to stop his delusions, thinking that he might be swayed by them right away.
He immediately inquired.
"You didn’t even tell us what kind of club it is. Clients? What club do you think needs clients in here, especially in the first years? There might be something like that in the second years or third years, but... that’s pretty non-existent."
He paused.
"What’s this idea of yours?"
"Good thing you asked. I was waiting for it, honestly."
Not wanting to raise the question itself, Cillian wore a smile as he grabbed something out of his pocket.
A monocle. The monocle that he used while peering into the Runic Language of Faceless.
He slowly wore it on the right side of his eye as he pinched it.
"The name of our future club is called Investigative Crew."
