Chapter 89

◈ Chapter 89: First Order Esmeralda (1)

The brief excitement of finally meeting the First Order was quickly tempered.

Ludger couldn't help but inwardly sigh when he confirmed that the other party had only appeared as flames, not revealing their true form.

'So, this is how we meet without showing our true selves.'

In fact, he hadn't entirely ruled out such a scenario.

A high-ranking officer like the First Order would likely take precautions to meet discreetly, concealing their identity.

Grado would have done the same.

Given the way the signal to meet was sent, he had vaguely anticipated this kind of encounter.

But that wasn't the most important thing.

"You're late."

He started with a light remark.

No matter what, the owner of the flames in front of him was the First Order.

Even if he didn't know their true identity, he couldn't show any disappointment.

Any moment of relaxation could lead to suspicion about his true identity.

'There's no room for regret.'

Ludger immediately cleared his mind of such thoughts.

Even without a direct meeting, there were plenty of ways to uncover the other party's identity.

A single word spoken unintentionally could be a valuable clue.

[Well, I didn't expect you to be here so early.]

The response came in a slightly sweet voice.

The flames flickered, and the voice resonated powerfully, but it was easy to tell it belonged to a woman.

Ludger didn't think her tone was an act to deceive him.

She must recognize him as Ludger Chelice, the First Order.

'But there's no guarantee that the same act would work on other First Orders.'

Would this "John Doe" character have acted the same way with other First Orders?

Without confirming, adding unnecessary comments could expose his true identity.

He needed to be cautious with his words.

[Hmm?]

Perhaps his question was unexpected.

A puzzled voice emerged from the flames.

"Why is that?"

[Well, you're not as angry as I thought you'd be. In the past, you used to try to tear me apart.]

"It's just a matter of time and place. What good would it do to lose my temper here? It would only get me caught."

[Oh, that's true. You are a teacher at Seolren now.]

"I'm very busy. I don't know why you called me, but if you have nothing more to say, I'll leave."

With that, Ludger turned to go.

Of course, it wasn't wise to leave without fully identifying the other party.

But the situation changed when he considered the details.

The First Order, represented by the flames, had requested this meeting.

The other party had something to gain, and the most regretful about this meeting would be the other party.

"Wait."

As he expected, the flames tried to stop him.

Ludger halted but didn't turn around.

He would listen, but not fully commit.

The other party understood this.

[Alright, I'm sorry for being late. I set up this meeting, but I played a prank and upset you.]

"Get to the point."

[Oh, you're still as stiff and cold as ever. Anyway, I called you because I need help.]

Only then did Ludger turn to face the flames.

"Help? From you?"

[...It's not something I usually do, but this is Seolren. Even I can't act recklessly here.]

Acting recklessly.

The fact that she admitted to this suggested she had a history of bold actions.

From the way she handled the flames, it seemed this First Order was known for her daring deeds.

"You seem quite anxious."

[Recently, one of my Second Orders disappeared.]

"Because of the All-Purpose Stone."

[Yes, exactly that. After hearing about it, I was so frustrated. They tried to handle things on their own and completely messed up!]

The flames intensified, as if her anger was rising.

Ludger maintained a calm expression, knowing she had no intention of harming him.

The flames eventually returned to their original size.

"But they're all dead now."

[Who would have thought the headmistress would kill them all? And it was...]

"A trap."

[...What? You knew?]

How could he not? If he had made a mistake, he would have been swept away by the headmistress's magic.

Of course, he couldn't admit this openly, so he gave a vague response.

"I couldn't have known."

[Indeed, that's John Doe for you. By the way, that was your role, right? Disguise and perfect acting. Infiltrating the enemy's ranks in secret, winning their favor, and extracting information. Your skills haven't diminished.]

"Enough with the unnecessary talk."

Ludger cut her off sharply, and the flames, which had been expanding playfully, wilted slightly.

Perhaps she was a chatterbox.

[Anyway, I lost a Second Order I found quite useful, which has disrupted my plans. I could have executed them without a hitch.]

"You get what you deserve for using such incompetent subordinates."

Ludger chided her.

The flames remained silent, unable to refute his point.

[...Well, we're different. You just handle things quietly on your own, but I can't.]

"..."

[What? Your silence is telling. That's why you're unpopular among us First Orders. You don't get along with anyone.]

"I never felt the need to."

[Ha, funny. You've always been so loyal to Zero Order, acting like you're the only one who can do anything. Getting special treatment from Zero Order, too.]

"Enough. What kind of help do you need?"

[Will you help me?]

"Let's hear it first."

The other party seemed reluctant, as the flames flickered.

However, Ludger was confident he held the upper hand in this conversation.

The Second Order who died during the All-Purpose Stone incident was likely her subordinate.

Her name was Demires, if he recalled correctly.

She must have been a capable subordinate, despite her reckless actions.

With her death, the plans she had set in motion would have been completely derailed.

Calling another Second Order or a Third Order was out of the question due to the factional divisions within the Black Dawn Society.

'Each First Order has their own faction. If she used a subordinate from another faction, it would give other First Orders leverage against her.'

'So, she asked for my help.'

Ludger Chelice.

The man known as First Order "John Doe" in the Black Dawn Society operates alone, unlike the other First Orders.

Thus, he didn't belong to any faction.

Being factionless meant being neutral.

Neutrality meant he could potentially align with anyone.

[As you know, my specialty is arson. But in Seolren, no matter how much I try, the mages will extinguish the fire instantly. It's an environment where I can't use my full strength.]

"Understood."

In Seolren, both teachers and students can cast magic.

Even the young ones are elite mages.

If a fire broke out, there would be plenty of people to put it out.

Especially in Seolren, where magic is used for everything, there would be strict preparations for fire safety.

Given this, arson was practically impossible.

Yet, she wasn't giving up.

'This woman must be confident in her ability to start a fire, even with these precautions.'

She wouldn't be a high-ranking officer in the Black Dawn Society otherwise.

[My role is focused on destruction. But the defenses here are solid. That doesn't mean I can't do anything. With the right preparations, I can burn more spectacularly than anyone.]

"Are you asking me to make those preparations?"

[If you do, I'd be grateful. Of course, I'm not just asking for your help. If you assist me, I'll return the favor. This is a deal and a promise.]

"Whose deal with whom?"

[Of course. A deal between John Doe and 'Esmeralda'.]

Esmeralda.

Ludger had learned the name of the person controlling the flames.

He wasn't sure if it was a codename like John Doe or her real name.

'John Doe was completely anonymous, but Esmeralda might not be. Victor Dreadpool was the same way.'

John Doe was an exception; he didn't think the others would be the same.

[...Do you really need to confirm this?]

"It's better to be clear."

Ludger spoke calmly, trying not to show his satisfaction.

[Alright, I'll be honest as you asked. Now it's your turn to answer. What do you think? Will you accept my offer?]

"I refuse."

[What?]

"There's nothing I can do in my current situation."

[Hold on. Are you really going to do this? After hearing everything?]

The flames burned more intensely, as if fueled by anger.

But Ludger stared at them expressionlessly, showing no fear.

"Are you asking because you don't understand my position? I'm a teacher at Seolren. Even nominally, I can't move freely."

[With your skills, it should be possible. You can easily hide your identity. Is this just an excuse because you find it troublesome?]

"Under normal circumstances, maybe. But not now."

[Why?]

"The headmistress still suspects me."

Mentioning the headmistress made Esmeralda close her mouth, unable to argue further.

The headmistress was a formidable obstacle.

[So, you really can't help? Even if it means owing me a favor?]

"Yes."

[Guess I have no choice. I'll have to pick someone else.]

Drawing a clear line, Esmeralda stepped back, seemingly hurt by the rejection.

[But remember this. If this mission succeeds, it will greatly benefit our Black Dawn Society. You're passing up a valuable opportunity.]

"Everyone has their own role. Refusing to help you doesn't mean I'm not loyal to the organization."

[...You really know how to be a pain. Fine. I'll handle it myself.]

Her willingness to back off was a relief to Ludger.

Esmeralda, however, seemed annoyed by the sharp rejection and continued to grumble.

[Yeah, it's probably for the best. I must have been crazy. Even if it was a shame, I shouldn't have bowed to you and asked for help!]

"So, what do you plan to do now?"

[Hmph. Are you suddenly curious?]

Despite her brusque tone, she didn't hide anything.

[What else? I'll do what I do best.]

"I see. Good luck with that."

There was nothing more to gain from further questioning.

He had already learned enough.

Just as Ludger was about to leave,

[By the way, I heard an interesting piece of news recently.]

"What is it?"

Ludger felt a sense of unease at her sudden change of topic.

Why bring up interesting news at this moment?

[About you. You took on a subordinate, right?]

Subordinate.

The mention of this made Ludger think of Sedina Roschen.

[It's strange. The great John Doe, who always said he preferred working alone, took on a subordinate? And a low-ranking Third Order at that?]

Isn't that suspicious?

Esmeralda's voice was asking this.