[Translator - Kiteretsu]

    [Proofreader - Kyros]

    Chapter 21

    "......What did you just say?"

    Kaylen had encountered countless connections in his previous life.

    Not just humans, but many other races as well.

    He had experienced all kinds of situations with them.

    But this was the first time someone, smiling so innocently, had asked him to burn them alive.

    "Ah, I must not have explained enough."

    Princess Violet reached for her half-mask, Glacia.

    Sizzle.

    As white steam rose from the part of her face in contact with the mask, Jane shouted.

    "Princess, you haven’t even completed the contract yet......!"

    "It’s fine. It’s not like Lord Kaylen would go around talking about it, right? The rumors are already out anyway."

    Clink.

    When Glacia fell away from her face, Princess Violet’s full face was revealed.

    ‘Hoo.’

    Ice.

    The left side of her face, previously hidden by the mask, was entirely frozen.

    Only the eye appeared human.

    The surrounding skin was completely encased in thick, frozen ice.

    "Disgusting, isn’t it?"

    Princess Violet spoke as she opened and closed her mouth.

    Her normal right side and her frozen left side moved simultaneously.

    For something frozen, the left side moved naturally.

    But that very movement seemed unnaturally eerie, evoking revulsion from those who saw it.

    "Is this the power of Glacia?"

    "Yes. It seems I’m just too compatible with Glacia. Though it’s turned me into this solid block of ice......"

    Tap, tap.

    Princess Violet tapped her frozen cheek with her fingers.

    "It doesn’t interfere with movement."

    "You resemble a spirit."

    "Exactly. Glacia’s power is transforming me into something akin to an ice spirit."

    She pointed to her mouth with a finger.

    That area, untouched by the mask, was still pure white flesh.

    "My lips haven’t frozen yet, but I have a feeling...... Soon, the ice will spread there too. Then, I’ll become a perfect Ice Witch."

    "To prevent that, you’re asking me to burn you?"

    "Exactly. Just until I reach the fifth circle, I’d like to ask for your help."

    "Until the fifth circle......."

    "Yes. By that time, I’ll be able to fully control this glacial power."

    Shhh.

    Princess Violet placed Glacia back on her face, and Kaylen asked her another question.

    "If you take off the mask, won’t the process slow down?"

    "I can’t take it off. If I stay apart from it for even a moment, the mask flies back to my face on its own. Besides, to reach the fifth circle, I must train while wearing it."

    "I see."

    "Can you grant my request?"

    Kaylen looked at Princess Violet''s face.

    A beautiful face that resembled Bormian, the knight he once cherished.

    However, that beauty was marred by the frozen half, turning it grotesque.

    In a situation where the ice might spread at any moment...

    ‘Even so, she’s full of confidence.’

    Her eyes sparkled like stars, and her demeanor exuded self-assurance.

    That confidence reminded him so much of his ancestor, Bormian.

    A commoner who, despite his origins, always brimmed with confidence, commanding the attention of nobles and royalty alike.

    Recalling the knight who led the charge in the Continental Unification War brought a smile to Kaylen''s lips.

    To the descendant of such a loyal knight, he wished to offer even a small favor.

    "Alright."

    "Ah, is it possible?"

    "Yes. But in exchange, may I ask one more favor aside from the compensation?"

    "Of course, tell me."

    "May I see the dungeon core you showed earlier, even if it’s just a fragment?"

    "Are you talking about Gold Star?" Princess Violet’s expression grew troubled.

    "Actually, even though the mages tried to secure fragments for research... the Gold Star disappears once it’s taken out of the dungeon. So fragments don’t exist."

    A Gold Star that leaves no trace behind.

    If he could see it with his own eyes, he might confirm its connection to Infinity.

    Sensing Kaylen’s disappointment, Princess Violet offered a suggestion.

    "Once you become a Meister, you’ll be able to see the Gold Star during dungeon practice. I’ve heard they plan to add it to the curriculum."

    "Is that so...?"

    Becoming a Meister would mean waiting until the third year next March.

    "Yes, something like that. But never mind that—where is the Dungeon Guild?"

    "We''re almost there."

    The Dungeon Guild was an organization created through international cooperation to counter the ever-growing threat of dungeons.

    It wasn''t just humans who participated; various other races joined forces to aid in dungeon subjugation.

    Kaylen''s purpose in visiting was clear: to enter a dungeon.

    Specifically, to seek out the Gold Star that resembled Infinity.

    Instead of sitting through lackluster classes, he planned to explore a dungeon directly.

    "But... can we really manage with just the two of us?"

    "Are you worried?"

    "I trust in your power, my lord. But I’m not sure they’ll grant us Civil Squad certification. We don’t meet the minimum team size requirements."

    Civil Squad

    This term referred to civilian teams authorized to hunt dungeons.

    When dungeons started appearing in overwhelming numbers, national forces alone could no longer handle the situation, leading to the creation of Civil Squad.

    Mercenary groups, often well-funded, hired Meisters and formed Civil Squad teams to subjugate lower-ranked D, E, and F-grade dungeons.

    The maintenance of Mana Suits and Meisters was expensive, but the rewards from dungeon subjugation and the lucrative trade of dungeon cores made the endeavor worthwhile for those with sufficient resources.

    "In the past, they gave out Civil Squad permits too easily. Scammers flooded the system, so the requirements were tightened."

    "We have a royal recommendation letter. That should take care of it."

    "A... royal recommendation letter? Seriously?"

    Alkass was startled.

    The Dungeon Guild staff, however, reacted even more dramatically.

    "You’re applying to form a Civil Squad team? With just two members? And no Meister? Is this a joke?"

    The staff member frowned as they reviewed the application.

    Already overwhelmed with work, they found the request absurd.

    "Guards! Throw these people out!"

    The shouting stopped when Kaylen handed them a folded piece of paper.

    The staff member initially glared at it dismissively, but their face quickly changed upon realizing its significance.

    "A... royal recommendation letter?!"

    Their attitude shifted immediately.

    "My sincerest apologies! I didn’t realize who you were. This way, please."

    The staff led them to a VIP room, where a robed magician awaited them.

    Upon seeing the royal recommendation letter, the magician, too, was visibly taken aback.

    After scanning it carefully, the magician began flipping through documents to proceed with their application.

    “Bring some tea.”

    “Understood.”

    The mage carefully adjusted his posture and began handling Kaylen''s party with a more courteous attitude.

    “To be honest, with a royal recommendation letter, it was once possible to instantly establish a D-grade Civil Squad. But... the laws have recently changed.”

    “Changed, you say?”

    “Yes. Due to incidents like the unruly prince of Obern Kingdom recklessly issuing royal recommendation letters, new regulations now require Civil Squad teams to meet specific eligibility criteria, even with a royal endorsement.

    Looking at your submitted documents, your team consists of only two members, and you lack both a Meister and Mana Suits...”

    Hearing this, Kaylen interjected.

    “Eligibility criteria, you say. Does that mean creating the team is outright impossible? My goal is simply to gain access to dungeons.”

    “Dungeon entry itself is possible even with an F-grade Civil Squad. A royal recommendation letter would allow you to establish an F-grade team, but... F-grade teams can’t accept most commissions and aren’t eligible for advance payments.”

    When a dungeon appears, nearby towns or cities issue subjugation requests with corresponding rewards.

    Most of these commissions include an advance payment to invite a Civil Squad team, as operating one requires significant funds.

    This is due to the expenses involved in deploying soldiers to clear out dungeon monsters and using Meisters equipped with Mana Suits to break down the sturdy dungeon cores.

    While the advance payments might seem high, they were often justified by the costs of operation.

    However, smaller towns with limited resources often couldn’t afford such payments.

    In these cases, they would propose post-mission compensation, which was usually meager. Consequently, such requests were often ignored by civilian Civil Squad teams unless the situation became critically dangerous, prompting national intervention.

    “So, in the end, an F-grade team is limited to meager-paying, low-priority dungeons.”

    “Precisely. This is why we recommend forming a team with a Meister and Mana Suits. An F-grade Civil Squad is practically meaningless.”

    “But even so, as long as an F-grade team grants dungeon access, that’s sufficient for my needs.”

    “Well... that’s true.”

    “Then I’ll proceed with the application.”

    As long as he could enter dungeons, that was all he needed for now.

    He could establish the team now and upgrade its grade later when ready.

    “Are you certain about this?”

    The mage alternated his gaze between Kaylen and Alkas, clearly skeptical.

    Even with a royal recommendation, forming a Civil Squad with just two members seemed highly unorthodox.

    Despite this, Kaylen remained resolute.

    “Yes. Please proceed.”

    “...Understood. It will take about two weeks for the documents to be processed and approved. Is that acceptable?”

    “That’s fine.”

    By then, the Superior Mage Selection Tournament would have concluded, leaving him free to move forward.

    As Kaylen nodded, the mage sighed in partial resignation and asked:

    “Very well... What will you name your Civil Squad?”

    Hearing the question, Kaylen smiled.

    There was a name he had long wanted to use.

    “Meier. Let’s call it Meier.”

    [Translator - Kiteretsu]

    [Proofreader - Kyros]