As Chen Huijie spoke, Swire watched everyone's expressions. From Hoshiguma to W, to Roy, then Chen Huijie... Swire's gaze quietly swept across every face, taking in each and every expression.
Yet she sensed a trace of something unnatural.
The most obvious source was Roy. At that moment, he seemed somewhat distracted.
Although Roy had appeared highly engaged just now, picking up the conversation and providing useful information, that air of distraction had never faded.
Swire's gaze passed over Roy once more, over those half-lidded eyes. Within them, she saw neither his usual steadiness and calm nor the aura that seemed like a volcano ready to erupt at any moment...
Yet Roy was not the only one who seemed distracted. Even Chen Huijie, standing beside him, had been absentmindedly participating in this game after the previous topic ended.
Swire's intuition told her that Roy, the one who had started this game, did not actually care about it at all. Perhaps he had gleaned something from the information so far, and even Chen Huijie beside him had fallen into the same state.
What is this feeling... trying to tell me...?
Forcibly suppressing the unease in her heart, Swire continued.
"Supplementary topic: the purpose of one Sarkaz faction."
"The Sarkaz are uncontrollable. As long as one offers a high enough price, those Sarkaz will naturally side with whoever bids higher."
As she spoke, Swire continued observing the others' expressions. Yet to her disappointment, nothing changed. The two of them still looked distracted.
"However, after entering the town, I came into contact with some Sarkaz mercenaries. Though I offered a sufficiently high price, they did not accept my employment, and I sensed hostility from them."
"Therefore, those Sarkaz cannot be mercenaries. They are more like an army... That is my conclusion."
Swire stopped there.