NOVEL NEXT Chapter 249 Sheryl’s Lecture
Chapter 249 Sheryl’s Lecture
"Ice Polestar · Sheryl, all the members of the raid team who have arrived at Delis Town are now present," declared Pamela, the branch chief, after approaching Sheryl.
This "bold" act prompted Babur and others to reassess their opinion of her.
It appeared that the branch chief was even more formidable than they had initially perceived - a sentiment shared by Babur and others.
"Good," a seemingly slumbering Ice Polestar · Sheryl murmured, slowly opening her eyes after hearing Pamela's voice.
Her demeanor bore no resemblance to one who had just awoken from sleep.
As she opened her eyes, her piercing gaze swept over everyone present, sending a chill down their spines.
It felt as though their hearts were instantly frozen.
"Come to me, all of you," commanded Ice Polestar · Sheryl.
She rose from her seat, reining in the pervasive chill surrounding her, and walked onto the stage in the guild hall. The crowd gathered in the open space below the stage.
Babur, proving to be quite the opportunist, deliberately jostled the young man with whom he had a grudge, hurrying to secure a position directly in front of the stage.
The young man, seemingly not daring to retaliate against Babur, silently moved to a corner.
— (Heh, heh... serves him right! That's for opposing me this morning!)
— (As long as I stand here, I can make a good impression on the guild instructor!)
Babur was brimming with self-satisfaction. At that moment, he noticed Garvit, the cavalry unit captain, approaching. He enthusiastically waved Garvit over to stand next to him.
"Captain Garvit, this is the center spot. I've saved it for you!"
Garvit didn't particularly care about such things, but out of courtesy, he accepted Babur's offer.
After taking his position, Garvit glanced around, wanting to get a sense of who among the earliest arrivals in Delis Town were.
Then, upon catching sight of a certain young man's face, Garvit froze.
— (Ban... Lord Banning?!)
Surprise overtaking him, Garvit immediately turned to approach his "only superior," even as the guild instructor was about to start her lecture.
At that moment, "Lord Banning" also noticed Garvit's presence. He quickly raised a finger to his lips, signaling Garvit with a gesture.
— (Lord Banning is telling me to keep quiet...?)
Garvit, being rather astute, promptly understood that this was a directive to not draw attention.
Consequently, Garvit quietly positioned himself behind Lord Banning, like his bodyguard, standing erect with his hands behind his back. Even though Garvit remained silent, this scene left the others present dumbfounded.
Garvit, the commander of the First Cavalry Unit of Emerald City, had thus abandoned his prime position and willingly gone to stand behind a nameless soldier.
Babur was even more bewildered. He wanted to go over and ask Garvit what was going on, but at that moment, the guild instructor began her lecture.
"Listen well, you wretches, I will say this only once," Ice Polestar · Sheryl's words were like a biting wind, making everyone feel as if they were being frozen solid.
What surprised everyone was that Pamela, the branch chief, was able to stand next to Ice Polestar · Sheryl and record her lecture on parchment.
"Firstly, be glad, you wretches. You have the privilege of hearing my personal instruction. The others who arrived later can only read the notice board."
Ice Polestar · Sheryl's aloof expression and venomous tone made everyone feel as if they were standing in a frigid landscape, enduring a whipping.
But what was most bizarre was that everyone was unwilling to leave. The icy beauty of Ice Polestar · Sheryl was such that no one could tear their eyes away from her.
"Then, I shall make it clear to you now," declared Ice Polestar · Sheryl, "my purpose here is to assemble a raid team capable of conquering the 'Aqua Nest Labyrinth,' not to ensure each of you can return alive from the labyrinth."
"Do not assume that a common labyrinth allows you to retreat at any time, thus sparing you from mortal danger."
"You are gravely mistaken, you wretches. The true death rate in a common labyrinth is seventy percent! Most of you won't be able to return alive!"
"Once you enter the labyrinth raid team, I do not care whether you were nobles or commoners, or whether your parents were kings or beggars beforehand. In my eyes, you are merely tools for conquering the labyrinth, and there are only those that are useful and those that are not."
"Lastly, there is one more thing you should know: I will not enter the labyrinth with you."
"Those who are still willing to participate in the labyrinth raid team after hearing this, stay. Those who are unwilling, you may leave."
If the earlier 'greeting' was akin to being whipped in the cold wind, then this subsequent stark warning could be said to be like being stabbed in the cold wind.
pon hearing this, the representative from Gudetown immediately turned around and ran off, proving to be quite a decisive individual.
Babur, however, was somewhat hesitant.
His reason for joining the labyrinth raid team was to ride on the coattails of others and gain experience, hoping to smoothly raise his level to the full second tier in the labyrinth, and then return to Madison Town to challenge the 'White Trials.'
As for the matter of him passing the 'Orange Trials,' that was all a fabrication.
Now, hearing that a common labyrinth was so dangerous, Babur was having second thoughts... But he also held a glimmer of hope, thinking that the labyrinth instructor might be deliberately using harsh words to weed out the cowardly weaklings.
After some hesitation, Babur decided to stick around a bit longer to see how things would develop.
As for the remaining three individuals, they didn't appear to be conflicted at all.
Garvit's thoughts were very straightforward. If Lord Banning asked him to participate, he would participate; if he was asked not to, he would withdraw. Regardless of life or death, he would stand or fall with Lord Banning.
Heloise firmly believed that Felix and the power of the Nefarious Tiger King God would protect her. Moreover, acquiring new power through the labyrinth was an objective she would not easily give up.
Just thinking about her tigermen companions still being deceived by the Earthly Ghost filled Heloise with courage.
Lastly, our friend Tyle, was primarily focused on the basic information of Ice Polestar · Sheryl. As for the danger of challenging the labyrinth, what did that amount to for him?
Don't even mention the 'Aqua Nest Labyrinth,' he had a 'Death Trial' to face tomorrow afternoon, but wasn't he still calmly listening to the lecture here?
(Ice Polestar · Sheryl... She clearly possesses unparalleled power but does not enter the labyrinth. Why is that?)
Looking at the basic information of the labyrinth instructor, Tyler was still pondering.
━━━━━━━━━
Sheryl, female, 28 years old, Chief Court Magician of Wester Kingdom ·? Ice Polestar
Production Occupation: Gatherer - Lv3
Manufacturing Occupation: Pastry Chef - Lv7
Combat Occupation: Elemental Sage - LV127
Skills: 4 / 4
━━━━━━━━━
Tyler's intuition told him that the kingdom suddenly re-emphasizing the labyrinth raid after two years must have some plan hidden behind it.
Tyler would not foolishly become a 'pilot user,' a 'tool.'
Before entering the labyrinth, he must first find a way to "pry open" the mouth of this Ice Polestar · Sheryl.