Platinum: Why Is the Damn Armorless Union So Selfish?! / Młynar: I Fear Neither Suffering nor Darkness, But Isn't Kazimierz Pretty Bright Now?

An Xiu felt that the time was about right, so he called over a waiter and prepared to order.

A white-haired Kuranta girl dressed as a staff member pushed open the private room door and walked in.

"Hello, I'm Centaurea, a restaurant server. Is there anything I can do for you?"

An Xiu blinked as he looked at the white-haired Kuranta girl before him.

If he hadn't mistaken her, this waitress should be Platinum, right? Her name was Centaurea, and all the distinguishing features matched.

It was just that she wasn't wearing the outfit from the original work, nor did she carry weapons such as a bow. She only wore a restaurant server's uniform.

The problem was, wasn't Platinum supposed to be an assassin from the Armorless Alliance? How had she fallen so low as to become a restaurant waitress? Had Kazimierz's assassin organizations really become this pathetic?

"Miss Centaurea... may I ask what kind of work you do?"

An Xiu pondered for a moment before speaking.

Platinum froze at his words. She first looked at her uniform, then at An Xiu.

No, hadn't she made it obvious enough when she entered just now?

Though she grumbled inwardly, Platinum still answered honestly.

"As you can see, sir, I'm a server."

"Ordinary servers don't have your skills. You didn't used to do this, did you?"

Platinum's heart skipped a beat.

Because Kazimierz had lost the war against Ursus, every member of the Armorless Alliance had become extraordinarily well-behaved during this critical period as Kazimierz was gradually being taken over by Ursus.

Whether they were Black Iron Seats or Lapis Lazuli Seats, regardless of whether they had assignments on hand before, they had all stopped and obediently gone into hiding in the city.

What was more, the Commercial Union, the Armorless Alliance's biggest sponsor, had already been wiped out by Ursus's army. Even if they did not lie low, the Armorless Alliance would not receive any jobs for the time being.

The Black Iron Seats and Lapis Lazuli Seats were doing fine. With their past savings, they would not have any problems even without an income for a while. But Miss Platinum was not so fortunate.

Frequently exploited by her superiors and without much savings to begin with, Miss Platinum had lost her source of income. To avoid becoming the first assassin to starve to death at home because she could not afford food, she could only force herself to find work.

The good news was that the job search went smoothly. Though it was only a server job, at least she no longer had to worry about food.

The bad news was that on her first day of work, a customer had spotted that something was off. If her assassin identity were exposed in public, her working career would probably end as soon as it began.

Fortunately, An Xiu did not intend to make things too difficult for Platinum. After mentioning it once, he simply looked over the menu.

Platinum sighed in relief. During these special times, she truly did not want to cause trouble.

Besides, as she looked at An Xiu, Platinum felt that this man seemed familiar. She felt like she had seen him somewhere before.

Before Platinum could think any further, a patch of shadow suddenly spread through the room.

Talulah in casual clothes, FrostNova, the Doctor in his ever-present hooded outfit, and Kal'tsit in a maid uniform emerged from the shadows.

"We really came from Ursus to Kazimierz in an instant. An Xiu, your ability is truly incredible."

Looking around at the restaurant's private room, whose decor was clearly different from Ursus's style, Talulah could not help sighing in amazement.

"My body feels a little uncomfortable, though."

The Doctor added from the side. Unlike Talulah, whose current strength was enough to rival a top expert such as a Royal Court Grand Duke, and FrostNova, who was comparable to two Inner Guards, the Doctor's physical condition was not outstanding. Though he was no longer as weak as when he had just left the Stone Coffin, a trip through the Shadow Kingdom still did not feel pleasant.

FrostNova and Kal'tsit said nothing. FrostNova simply had nothing to say, while Kal'tsit was pondering the Shadow Kingdom she had briefly entered under the guidance of the Shadow Troopers.

She always felt that the thing was somewhat similar to Demons, yet also different in certain ways.

"All right, now that everyone is here, let's get the dishes served."

After selecting the dishes they wanted, An Xiu handed the menu to Platinum, whose expression had gradually shifted from shock to numbness, then from numbness to terror, until her entire body began to tremble.

"What are you standing around for? Go get someone to serve the food."

"Yes!!!"

One sentence nearly made Miss Platinum snap to attention on the spot.

W-why was Talulah, the Emperor of Ursus, here?!!

Mechanically taking the menu, Miss Platinum was drenched in sweat. Her mind had even begun to go blank.

PS: I had stomach pain and spent the whole day at the hospital on an IV drip. After coming home, I slept again. I'll update one chapter first; the second chapter probably won't make it today. I'll owe it for now and post three chapters to make up for it before noon tomorrow.

Platinum: Why Is the Damn Armorless Alliance So Selfish!

The moment Talulah appeared, Platinum remembered the identities of the people before her.

Talulah, Emperor of Ursus; the Doctor, Imperial Prime Minister of Ursus. In addition, An Xiu and FrostNova had both appeared at Talulah's side during the coronation ceremony as Ursus nobles and high-ranking officials.

She had only casually found a restaurant job. What had she done to deserve serving this group of terrifying people?!

Not to mention that her identity seemed to have already aroused suspicion earlier. What if they mistook her for an assassin here to assassinate the Emperor...

At that thought, the terror on Platinum's face faded and was gradually replaced by serenity.

Platinum here was really done for this time.

No, no, no. Pull yourself together. At most, her identity had only aroused a little suspicion. She had not truly been exposed yet.

As long as she was more careful from now on, these big shots might soon forget all about her.

Thus, Platinum busied herself nonstop. At An Xiu and Talulah's request, she did not reveal their identities to anyone else in the restaurant. She handled every task herself, from serving dishes to pouring water, spinning like a top as she waited on them for nearly two hours before finally making it through the end of the meal.

Once everyone had finished eating, An Xiu picked up a napkin and wiped his mouth. Then he turned to look at Platinum, who was drenched in sweat from exhaustion.

"You're an assassin from the Armorless Alliance, aren't you?"

Thud!

Platinum dropped to her knees.

"My lords, I'm innocent! The Armorless Alliance hasn't paid us in a long time. I really only came out to work a job. I never expected to run into all of you, and I truly never had any intention of assassinating anyone!"

Platinum swore that she had never let out such a tearful, heartfelt cry in her entire life, nor had she ever displayed such genuine emotion.

That damn, worthless Armorless Alliance! It was bad enough that they exploited her every day, but they had to screw her over even when she merely came out to get an ordinary job!

Why were they so selfish? Pah!

If she died here over something like this today, she would not forgive those inhuman superiors from the Armorless Alliance even as a ghost!

"Don't be nervous. If you had truly intended to make a move against us, you would have died the moment you entered this private room."

After all, no one present was weak. It was not that they looked down on Platinum, but aside from the Doctor, who had little combat ability, and Kal'tsit, who was purely a mon3tr launcher, whether it was An Xiu, Jibril, Talulah, or FrostNova, any one of them could crush this poor little Kuranta with one hand.

So although Platinum had been nervous for quite a while, no one had actually taken her seriously.

It was hard to say whether that result should make Platinum happy or sad.

"Eat these two."

An Xiu took out an Improved Monster Cell and a Limit Break Potion from his pocket and tossed them to Platinum, who was kneeling on the ground.

"Since we happened to encounter an assassin from the Armorless Alliance, you might as well do something for us. Consume this Improved Monster Cell and Limit Break Potion, then go and bring the entire Armorless Alliance to an end for us."

"Me?"

After hearing An Xiu's words, Platinum raised her head and pointed at herself.

"That's right. New Kazimierz has no need for an assassin organization like that. It's just that we're on vacation right now and can't be bothered to handle it ourselves. You don't need to worry about strength, either. What I gave you is good stuff that can greatly enhance your power."

"After you finish dealing with the Armorless Alliance, you can report to the Imperial Assassination Squad, Miss Centaurea."

"Um, I don't remember Ursus having a department called the Imperial Assassination Squad?"

Talulah raised her hand at the right moment and voiced her question.

"I just made it up. Although Ursus has the Inner Guard, which can double as an assassination force, the Inner Guard usually has more important duties. So it would be best to establish an assassination department specifically to do dirty work for us."

"There are plenty of tumors like nobles and the Commercial Union in other countries too. If we don't have a department specifically for dealing with them, what if those people run away whenever they see us in the future?"

"That makes sense. Once we begin our work in Kazimierz, I'll immediately transfer personnel and establish the new department."

Talulah made the sound of a workhorse.

After hearing the conversation between An Xiu and the others, Platinum looked at the Monster Cell before her, which pulsed like the heart of some creature, and the golden Limit Break Potion. She swallowed hard.

"Um, what happens if I don't eat these two things?"

"You'll die."

An Xiu answered with a kind smile.

Upon hearing that, Miss Centaurea calmly nodded. Then, expressionlessly, she stuffed the Monster Cell into her mouth and immediately drank the potion in one gulp.

In an instant, Platinum's aura began to surge. In the blink of an eye, she had already surpassed the level of the Silver Lance Pegasus, and was still rising.

After a while, Platinum clenched her hand and felt the explosive strength within her body in disbelief.

Right now, she felt like she could easily take down a hundred of her former selves.

"Roughly equivalent to two Inner Guards. That should be enough."

After sensing Platinum's aura, An Xiu spoke.

Although Platinum was the Platinum Seat of the Armorless Alliance, her strength was far inferior to Talulah's and FrostNova's.

FrostNova, who had only taken a Monster Cell, could easily possess strength comparable to two Inner Guards. Platinum, on the other hand, had only barely reached that level after taking both a Monster Cell and a Limit Break Potion.

Still, if she was only dealing with the Armorless Alliance, strength equivalent to two Inner Guards was enough.

After all, three Silver Lance Pegasus were enough to force the Armorless Alliance into a hard battle, while seven Silver Lance Pegasus could easily crush the entire Armorless Alliance head-on. Though they were both top military units of their respective nations, there was still a certain gap in power between the Silver Lance Pegasus and the Inner Guard.

"To raise someone's strength to this level so easily..."

Seeing the effects of the Improved Monster Cell and Limit Break Potion for the first time, Kal'tsit was somewhat stunned.

"Do things like this have side effects?"

"There aren't any real side effects. Rather, aside from increasing strength, they provide plenty of benefits in other areas as well, such as restoring the body, enhancing potential, and extending one's lifespan."

"If there is one side effect, it's probably that anyone who takes an Improved Monster Cell and Limit Break Potion cannot disobey any command from Mobius or me."

An Xiu shook his head as he spoke.

"So, from the moment you took those two things, everything about you has been under my control. Work hard, Miss Centaurea."

"Yes..."

The die had been cast, and Platinum did not feel much regret.

Wasn't it just gaining a master? Being able to keep her life was already a huge gain. The boost in strength was completely an unexpected bonus.

Thinking back on all her past experiences, then considering the task the people before her had given her, Platinum showed nothing on her face, but an indescribable feeling had already risen in her heart.

Clearly, someone was about to have a very bad time.

PS: There will be two more updates before midnight.

Nearl: Fear Not Darkness and Hardship, but Isn't Kazimierz Quite Bright Right Now?

Kazimierz, inside an upscale café in the city center.

Unlike Platinum, who had to worry about having no food and go out to work for money, Roy, as the Lapis Lazuli Seat of the Armorless Alliance, had not had an income for some time due to Ursus launching a war against Kazimierz. Yet thanks to his usual exploitation... no, it should be called being skilled at making money, Roy's life was still quite refined.

At that moment, he sat leisurely in a seat against the wall, drinking coffee and reading an entertainment newspaper. On the café television beside him, news was playing about Talulah, Emperor of Ursus, soon arriving in Kazimierz.

"She just launched a war against this country, yet after the war ends, she comes here to show concern for the people. I don't know whether I should call Her Majesty kind or cruel."

"Wouldn't you agree, Mr. Nearl?"

Roy spoke to the blond middle-aged man seated at another chair beside him, who was likewise drinking coffee and reading the newspaper.

"Do not pass judgment on an Emperor, Roy."

Nearl, who had come out to relax during his rare lunch break, answered expressionlessly.

"This isn't merely my judgment. It is the consensus among the upper ranks and factions of most nations on this land. The contradictory conduct of Her Majesty Talulah, who only recently ascended the throne as Emperor of Ursus, has given many people headaches. Who knows how much hair they've lost trying to figure out what she's thinking."

"Besides, isn't the Nearl Family supposed to be knights who defend their homes and country? It would have been one thing not to see any sign of you on the battlefield before, but why are you suddenly showing such respect for Her Majesty now?"

Roy put down his newspaper and asked Nearl in a teasing tone.