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Translator: CinderTL
"A high-tier class?"
As Roland gazed at the job requirements displayed in his vision, a flicker of excitement stirred within him.
It wasn't so much about the inherent power of the Rogue class itself, but rather the fact that since mastering the Knight's Breathing Technique, he hadn't encountered any new classes beyond Hidden Professions and basic classes for quite some time.
"But... 'Deceptive Arts'?"
Roland's brow furrowed as he stared at the unexplained term "Deceptive Arts" among the job requirements.
The phrase was so broad that it left him utterly perplexed.
Yet, after a moment's reflection, a hypothesis began to form.
Based on his previous job advancement experiences, while some classes didn't explicitly require prior mastery of others—for instance, becoming an Apprentice Knight didn't necessitate first being a knight's squire—there generally existed an intrinsic connection between basic, high-tier, and advanced classes, as evidenced by the required skills.
In other words...
"Perhaps the Rogue class's prerequisite is the Thief class? If so, 'Deceptive Arts' likely encompasses stealth and... pickpocketing?"
Having temporarily set aside his speculation about Deceptive Arts, another conjecture surfaced in Roland's mind.
Excluding basic classes unrelated to combat professions, such as chefs and fishermen, as well as advanced classes like enchanters, none of these professions had historically been clearly associated with specific transcendent paths on this continent.
But the Rogue was different.
Based on his existing experience, knowledge, and the class requirements, Roland easily deduced its potential advancement paths...
"An assassin?"
Recalling Jashu, the formidable assassin he had encountered in the River Domain Nations, Roland's lips curved into a slight smile.
"Who would have thought that a simple side quest would unexpectedly lead to a pathway to another extraordinary profession? This is truly..."
He shook his head, dismissing idle musings.
The lingering frustration from his earlier failure to fully analyze the mysterious liquid's origin had now completely dissipated.
With a soft sigh, Roland stowed the empty crystal vial back into his pouch.
"Although I'm not sure if that... subtle sensation I experienced earlier can be considered valid information for analyzing the liquid's source, still..."
Feeling the shadow around him as if they had been imbued with life, Roland's steps quickened with renewed purpose.
"Even if I ultimately don't receive compensation equivalent to a second-circle spell, simply triggering the high-tier class 'Rogue' is already a tremendous gain. The only question is..."
Recalling the viscous liquid in the crystal bottle, Roland unconsciously stroked his smooth chin.
"Where exactly did that mysterious liquid come from? If I could continuously consume it using the 'Universal Harmony' trait, would my perception of shadow—this unique energy—evolve even further?"
Lost in thought, Roland had already quietly left the abandoned building.
Gazing up at the still pitch-black night sky, he strode toward the Adventurer's Guild once more.
The late-night hall was deserted and silent, with only a few kerosene lamps casting flickering, dim yellow halos on the walls.
Pulling his hood low and adopting a modified voice, he addressed the clerk behind the counter.
"Regarding Princess Gloria's commission, I've obtained some information about the liquid's origin."
The clerk looked up, glanced at the hooded figure, and nodded without further inquiry.
"Please wait a moment."
She turned and disappeared into the corridor behind the counter.
After a moment, the clerk returned and gestured for Roland to follow him.
The muffled footsteps echoed loudly in the silent hallway.
Roland noticed several armored guards standing rigidly in the shadow on either side. Their hands rested on their sword hilts, their wary gazes tracking his every move.
The clerk stopped before a heavy wooden door, knocked softly, and then pushed it open.
Inside was a windowless, sealed room lit only by a solitary kerosene lamp. The dim light cast long, restless shadow from the furniture that danced uneasily across the walls.
Gloria sat at a wooden table, while a stern-faced female official in a plain dark dress stood quietly behind her at a slight distance.
The Imperial Princess still wore her simple dress, but her long golden hair seemed dull in the dim light, and a persistent worry clouded her brow.
Seeing the veiled figure enter, she nodded slightly.
"Thank you for responding to my request," Gloria said, her voice gentle but tinged with barely concealed urgency. "I am Gloria. May I ask how I should address you?"
Beside her, the female official cast a swift, assessing glance at Roland, clearly evaluating any potential threat.
Roland merely nodded slightly, without removing the veil that concealed his face.
"Just an ordinary adventurer, Your Highness. My title is irrelevant."
After this quiet reply, he succinctly described the chaotic and defiled mana composition he had sensed after analyzing the liquid, emphasizing the bizarre coexistence of its icy stillness and restless corrosiveness. Finally, he mentioned the most crucial detail: the faint sense of attraction.
Gloria listened intently, her deep blue eyes fixed on Roland, growing increasingly profound and grave as his description unfolded.
When Roland mentioned "malice" and the "sense of attraction," her hands, clasped before her, unconsciously tightened their grip.
The female official behind her also frowned slightly, but remained silent.
For a moment, the only sound in the room was the crackling of the lamp's burning wick.
The Imperial Princess lowered her head slightly, her gaze falling on the flickering shadow as if struggling to piece together her own knowledge with Roland's description.
After a long pause, she took a soft breath, her voice barely a sigh.
"The abyss..."
Though Gloria's voice was barely a whisper, Roland's keen ears still caught the word she uttered.
He knew only the barest details about the Abyss from ancient texts: a dark dimension beyond the world's rifts, teeming with chaos and destruction, the birthplace of demons and unspeakable horrors.
Beyond that, his knowledge was scant.
The remaining information seemed more like cautionary tales recorded in ancient texts than a tangible threat.
As his thoughts swirled, Roland refrained from pressing the matter further.
Gloria swiftly regained her composure, as if her earlier whisper had never occurred.
She lifted her gaze, her face once again adorned with a polite, gentle smile, though it now seemed somewhat forced.
"Thank you for providing this valuable information, Adventurer," she said, decisively changing the subject. Her voice had regained its earlier composure, but the slight urgency in her quickened pace betrayed her eagerness to end the conversation.
"This is the reward you've earned."
At her words, the silent female official beside her stepped forward and gently placed two items on the table.
An ancient scroll bearing a magical sigil and an official permit sealed with the royal fire lacquer stamp lay on the table.
"As agreed upon in the commission, this is the scroll for the second-circle spell Zone of Truth and the permit to study it," Gloria explained.
Roland's gaze swept across the table, but he made no move to take the items.
"Your Highness," he said calmly. "Please forgive my boldness, but this spell... holds little practical value for me. I heard you previously offered to exchange it for other items of equivalent value?"
Gloria seemed unsurprised and nodded slightly. "Of course. What would you prefer?"
Without hesitation, Roland softly spoke the name he had long considered.
"Holy Strike."
The moment the words left his lips, the air in the room seemed to freeze.
The female official's pupils contracted slightly.
The guard, who had stood motionless as a statue, subtly shifted his hand closer to the weapon at his waist.
Even the formulaic warmth on Gloria's face instantly stiffened, her azure eyes now filled with deep scrutiny.
A heavy silence descended upon the dimly lit secret chamber.
(End of the Chapter)
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