Broken continued with his answer to the proposal. “Gold and wealth don’t mean much to me. Those can be split without any problems. What I really want, though, is for my proposal to be taken seriously when it comes to positions or the items we get. Can you consider that?”
Maylock smiled slightly at his question. “I don’t know what you were thinking when you made this proposal, but I believe we need to consider your request first.”
“Khi khi khi… that’s what I thought too,” Goldrich added with a chuckle. “He’s quite interesting, isn’t he?”
Elincia nodded thoughtfully. “I understand this isn’t a proposal that can be easily negotiated, but allow us to discuss it with the others before responding to your offer,” she explained. After a period of careful consideration, discussions between the two parties halted. Elincia and her guildmates left the room while Broken and Freya stayed behind. Both of them were now deep in thought about their next moves.
“So, what do you think, Broken?” she asked with an intrigued smile.
“I have an advantage because the quest doesn’t set a deadline for when I must complete it. Clearly, I need to gather my strength first to truly pursue this quest,” he replied.
Freya nodded. “And what about the decision to help Princess Alora ascend to the throne?”
Broken paused for a moment.
“Elincia said the factions opposing Princess Alora seem quite powerful. They might even be getting support from unknown parties. It would be much harder to fight them if they manage to take control of the Dissidia Kingdom.”
“So…” Freya continued, “do you mean you want to help Princess Alora become the new ruler and then take the throne from her once you’ve gathered enough power?”
Broken fell silent, then shook his head. “I’m not sure about that. Is that the only way to take possession of the Sword of Dissidia?”
Freya grinned and responded, “Maybe if you marry Princess Alora after she becomes queen, you would also gain the authority to wield the sword? I’m not sure about that.”
Broken sighed. “Both solutions seem equally absurd to me right now, whether it’s overthrowing the throne or marrying the ruler.” He paused for a moment.
“Decision?”
“For now, I will join forces with The Ass Guild and Princess Alora to secure her throne.”
Freya nodded and smiled. “I think that’s a wise decision because Princess Alora is not someone to be taken lightly. She has loyal knights and possibly support from the Forest Elves. So, this isn’t a war that needs to be won alone; there are many forces united under the same banner.”
Broken nodded slowly, realizing the magnitude of the situation. “Doesn’t this also mean that the opponents we’ll face will be formidable as well?”
Freya nodded slowly. “I’m certain you’ll soon receive more detailed information from The Ass Guild about this.”
After a few minutes, both parties gathered again in the same room, each prepared to give their respective responses.
Once they had reunited, Elincia began, “This is a complex decision. We, the Guild, would like to retain ultimate control over the final rewards, but we also want to respect your request. You will be given the opportunity to select the reward you prefer first, provided you are willing to collaborate with us and assist in winning the war. Afterward, we will divide the spoils according to our efforts. Does that sound agreeable to you?”
Broken paused briefly. He yearned for this chance because if Princess Alora triumphed in the war and The Ass Guild lent their support, she would certainly reward them with a distinguished role in the kingdom, be it as a Viscount or any other title. This would enable him to execute his missions, granting him greater access to the royal family.
He then stood up and slowly extended his hand as a gesture of respect. Elincia also rose from her chair, gently taking his hand.
“I think I agree with this arrangement.”
“Thank you.”
The room erupted in applause as Goldrich stood and clapped his hands. “I never expected the infamous and innocent playboy to be so skilled at negotiations,” he chuckled.
Maylock sighed before responding, “That’s why I said we should be careful about how we behave around him.” He cleared his throat. “Even still, I can’t put my finger on what he plans to gain from this deal. Perhaps it’s better if I don’t know.”
Freya smiled and said, “You certainly are straightforward in your thoughts, aren’t you, Mr. Maylock?”
“This is just my way of showing that we are not trying to hide anything from this partnership,” he responded.
Freya chuckled softly, “So, have you thought about what you believe is the true mission of Broken?”
“I’m not sure,” Maylock sighed. “I get the feeling Broken has a big ambition, maybe even taking over the kingdom. But let’s just forget about it. Sometimes, I overthink things.” Goldrich flashed an amused smile. “Khi khi khi… I enjoy being friends with someone who has grand ambitions. That’s why we’ll get along so well, right, Broken?”
Broken glanced between the two of them before responding. “I hope so… but honestly, I feel overwhelmed around you two. You’re both so smart. It’s intimidating, and it makes me think harder than I usually do.”
Goldrich waved off his reply with a hearty laugh, “Khi khi khi! Don’t worry. We can always get Maylock out of sight if this relentless thinker bothers you too much.”
Elincia smiled as she watched the growing bond between them. “Therefore, our next stop is the capital of the Dissidia Kingdom. We can depart whenever you are ready, Broken.”
The journey to the capital of the Dissidia Kingdom was set to take place in a week. This was because some participants, particularly members of The Ass Guild, were still engaged in various missions or grinding for levels in nearby dungeons. Similarly, Broken began to make sure he was fully prepared, especially by crafting more arrows.
He still had to rely on his Warrior’s Call set of armor, as he didn’t have time to craft a new set. However, this gear was still sufficient, considering the multitude of upgrades he had acquired in recent weeks. This was especially true after Queen Gaia joined his ranks and also his new Legendary-grade item.
Over the course of the week, he dedicated himself to rigorously training his new skills, ensuring he could use them optimally when needed in battle. Within four days, he had already become adept at using the ten massive vines he had gained from Gaia’s skill, bolstering his confidence in combat.
Additionally, the twelve plant-type creatures he could summon had started to fight in a more coordinated manner. Broken only needed to give commands from a distance, and they would adapt to their respective roles. Although initially, he had to memorize the characteristics and skills of each of the twelve summons, this effort paid off as it allowed him to command them with precision and efficiency.
[Name: Broken]
[Level: 86]
[Class: Super Novice | Royal Blacksmith]
[Health: 2,680 | Mana: 3,108]
[Strength: 525 | Agility: 304 | Intelligence: 274 | Constitution: 218 | Stamina: 220]
[Charisma: 90 | Luck: 35 | Dexterity: 50 | Survival: 30]
[Available Stat Points: 0]
[Weight: 1,973/3,150]
He took a moment to check his overall stats. He had leveled up quite a bit and felt more prepared than ever. Wearing his Warrior’s Call armor, discreetly hidden under a black robe to conceal his lower-level gear, he was ready to head to the Capital of the Dissidia Kingdom.