Seeing that the conversation had finally moved to the main topic, Florent adjusted his posture from complete relaxation to something slightly more upright, shifting forward on the plush sofa.
No longer joking around,Quevedo stood up with an expression that seemed to say, 'Finally, my time to shine!'... With exaggerated dance-like steps, he moved from his seat to the space behind it, adopting a theatrical tone as if performing in an opera:
"Gentlemen, allow me to guide you into the extraordinary world I have explored!"
"...I've attended five or six Beyonder gatherings, large and small, though most were just gatherings of enthusiasts. However, I did manage to enter a real Beyonder gathering. And guess what? It's right here in the Starfield District!"
"...On Hawthorne Street, there's a tavern with a massive underground market for Beyonders. And upstairs in a large room, they hold the gatherings..."
"...The host of this gathering is a Sequence 7 mid-level Beyonder... ah, Karl, I forgot to explain earlier. Sequences 9 to 8 are low-level, 7 to 5 are mid-level, and 4 to 1 are high-level. Mid-level Beyonders are far more powerful than low-level ones. So, this gathering is relatively reliable..."
"...Any questions? When would you like to join me?" Quevedo finished his explanation in the refined accent of an Intis noble.
Karl who sat in a relaxed posture with his hands clasped listened to Quevedo's presentation before asking unhurriedly, "So, when does this gathering take place? Surely it's not held every day?"
Quevedo clicked his tongue, annoyed at his own forgetfulness, "Well, there's no fixed schedule. You only find out whether a gathering is happening on any given day when you go there."
Karl narrowed his slender eyes, skepticism evident, "So what you're describing is essentially an unregulated, fly-by-night gathering? It doesn't sound remotely reliable."
Quevedo flushed slightly, realizing how dubious his description made it seem.
Still, he tried to salvage his credibility, "It's not that bad! The underground market is quite active, and gatherings are held almost daily. The tavern upstairs hosts three or four different groups, so there's usually something happening. Ahaha... uh."
Erich cut straight to the point, "So, out of all the gatherings you've attended, this is the only one you'd recommend? Are the other hosts not up to standard?"
Quevedo grew even more flustered, "Well, yeah... The other hosts are mostly Sequence 8. None of them openly state their Sequence, but I could tell. Anyway, this is the only gathering we can realistically attend right now. Also, the others aren't completely worthless... we can still check them out if needed..." His voice grew increasingly uncertain by the end.
Florent suppressed a twitch of his lips. For a moment, he considered telling them about the gathering at the 'Flame Axe Tavern', but then reconsidered.
'Now isn't the time...' He wasn't in a safe position yet...
...The 'Demoness Sect' was watching, and the gathering's host, the 'Iron and Blood Cross Order', didn't seem simple either...
Revealing a higher-level gathering now might expose his possible connection to the Abraham family.
After some thought, he decided to keep it to himself for now.
'Let's wait until we're at least Sequence 8 or 7 before venturing into that more advanced circle...'
Redirecting his focus, he asked Quevedo, "So, what's the name of this mysterious tavern?"
Relieved to escape the interrogation from his two stone-faced friends, Quevedo quickly answered, "Ah! It's called 'Old Man Sage's Tavernʼ... It's very noticeable on Hawthorne Street. So, uh, any other questions?" By the end, he had puffed out his chest again, trying to reclaim his earlier confidence.
Watching Quevedo's rapidly shifting expressions, Florent couldn't help but marvel...
'This guy bounces back from setbacks like it's nothing. It must be nice to be so naturally optimistic...'
Honestly, none of the three friends Florent had made today could be considered 'normal'...
Karl Green was naturally aloof, Erich had grown coldly rational from excessive study, and Quevedo? Well, he might as well have been the protagonist of some over-the-top shounen manga...
...As for Florent himself, he felt painfully ordinary in comparison.
"Alright, listen up everyone!" Quevedo suddenly announced loudly, "There's a gathering tomorrow! Who's in?"
Florent rubbed his forehead, making sure no veins were popping out. Quevedo's sudden outbursts were genuinely startling, definitely not the behavior of a typical shounen hero...
Those guys were just dumb... Quevedo on the other hand, was 'calculatingly' annoying.
Florent hesitated...
Tomorrow, there were two gatherings... One at the 'Flame Axe Tarven', and one at Hawthorne Street. Choosing between them was a headache...
'Ugh...' He tugged lightly at his hair, 'Let's go to Hawthorne Street first. The Flame Axe can wait...'
While Florent deliberated, Karl and Erich had already made their decisions... Both agreed to go...
Florent quickly added, "I'm in, of course."
Quevedo who now brimming with renewed confidence (not in a smug way, but with infectious enthusiasm) declared:
"Perfect! Then it's settled. We'll meet here at the café tomorrow at three in the afternoon, and I'll lead the way. Heh, I can't wait for our little adventure!"