Chapter 317: Intermission 3

"I found Devil, master."

"Oh? Oh?! Tell me!" Black Fang's voice rose a pitch due to her sheer excitement.

Vex involuntarily flinched. She'd been working under the woman for over 2 centuries now but she'd never seen her be even remotely happy, but Black Fang did a complete 180 after she got to know about Devil's existence. Vex didn't really understand why her master was so infatuated with the masked man like a young teen who just experienced getting her first crush, however, in the end, Vex could only shrug her shoulders and accept reality for what it was.

She then detailed her findings.

"Quinlan… Hm… Quinlan." Black Fang pondered the name, rolling it around her tongue. "Ok, I like it!" She decreed after a short bit. Vex didn't get the old woman's reaction, but it seemed the masked man got her master's approval as far as his presumed real name went.

"Should I remain here and await his return to confirm things for good, master?"

"No, he will be away for a while. Also, you will be going with him."

Black Fang's unexpected revelation caused the woman to flutter her eyelids multiple times. "Me? Why?"

"Huh? Oh, that. Didn't I tell you yet? I guess I didn't. Anyways, to be brief, you will be his examiner as he goes into Phantom League territory and burns their warehouses down or something." Searᴄh the Nôvel(F)ire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

It took all self-restraint that Vex had in her lithe body to not curse at her master out loud, though she did do it in her mind.

"Master…"

"Yes, Vex?"

"You promised me that I would be able to take a vacation once I finished this information-gathering mission. I didn't have an ounce of free time this entire year!"

Indeed, Black Fang worked her like a mule, but the benefits were worth it, plus the ancient woman did save her life, so Vex felt indebted to her. "Oh, that? I already forgot about it, and so should you."

'Goddess-damned ancient saggy-titted serpent-loving fucking bitch!'

Black Fang wasn't saggy at all in reality, which only further infuriated Vex. Her Master had 200 years on her yet she looked like Vex's sister! Maybe even a younger sister at that!

"Is there a problem?" Black Fang's curious tone sounded through their communication artifact.

Vex quickly shook her head in order to force herself to return to reality. Despite her master's eccentric antics, she was still an amazing being who deserved her utmost respect.

"Yes, master. I understand."

"Good. You can kill your overgrown kittens once you finish up with this mission."

Vex's family was eaten alive by a Beastkin Confederation invasion into their lands, which was orchestrated by the tribe of lion-kin. Whenever the pupil would get the chance, she would single-handedly traverse through the Vraven Kingdom's border and annihilate any lion-kin settlements she came across. It was something akin to a stress-relieving activity of hers.

"What should I do as the examiner? I've never been trained for that role." Experience tales at m v|l e'-NovelFire.net

Vex could hear Black Fang shrugging her shoulders dismissively just from the tone of her voice. "Meh. I have no clue. I already know that he is good enough to be a Phenom, I just want you to gather as much information on him as you can. If he makes a mistake don't help him. If he is about to die due to his mistake, still don't help him. However, if the Phantom League has someone way above his means at the ready, then you should step in.

As for the rest of the Phenom candidates, I don't care. Pass them if you think they are good, fail them if not. However, remember that you are not evaluating teams but individuals. Only the Phenom's performance matters, their Heralds are just there to assist. The Phenom can fire them at any point in time and hire replacements, so that rank matters little as far as we, the upper management, are concerned. If a Phenom has amazing subordinates but they themselves are subpar at best, it likely means daddy or mommy bought expensive helpers for their defective cubs. In that case, fail them. I hate nepotism with a burning passion. However, they might also be charismatic leaders who people want to see succeed, thus they are willing to become their subordinates even if they are better combatants individually, so pay attention to that. We certainly need leader types in our ranks."

Vex nodded, "understood, master. I will do as instructed."

…

At Quinlan's stronghold location that's hidden deep in the forest.

Ronan grinned at Iselda. "Morning, partner." They shared the same tent which was more luxurious and spacious than that of the labor slaves and guards, even though only two of them occupied it.

"You're getting awfully familiar with me. Let's keep a professional air between us, please." The blonde-haired, widowed woman replied coldly. She didn't have a very favorable impression of her fellow architect.

"Oh? My most sincere apologies." Iselda could tell that he wasn't at all serious with his words. "Anyhow, how are you holding up? This place isn't for ladies of your stature. Should I talk to the master about it?"

The woman in question scoffed, "so you can do things beyond fervently licking his feet and thanking him for the opportunity to do so? Color me surprised. I've not heard you say anything besides high praise as far as he is concerned."

"For a lady like you, I would dare speak up. However, you're right. If you ask me, we've gotten the best we could considering our situation. We are both without rights, our master could order us to straight-up castrate ourselves with a rusty butter knife and we would have to do it, yet all Quinlan did was shove the most ambitious project of our lives under our noses while giving us the greatest creative freedom imaginable. He didn't even have any premade plans, all he said is 'make it badass, effective, and impressive'. I don't know about you, but I never had such a fun project under my hands without some administrative cunt breathing down my neck."

Iselda lightly sighed. She understood that Ronan was exactly right. Even if she was past her prime as a woman, she was still not ugly at all. Her fate could've been much worse than sleeping in a shabby tent in the middle of a random forest. "You're right. Please don't bother him about my housing situation."

Since they were his slaves, Ronan could speak to him any time he wanted through [Master's Link], so Iselda was worried that he would say some nonsense for her.