Steward read the documents in his hand and tried to find that information, as he knew Joferth very well.
He wouldn't lie just because, and bribing him was practically impossible, given his character.
So he must have had some basis for saying that.
But despite reading everything, he found nothing.
Joferth had waited until the end to speak.
"Do you remember the incident with the Misfits a month ago, sir?"
"I remember it." Steward stared at him and put the documents aside, as they did not contain the information he was looking for. That meant that only Joferth had it, so seeing him was essential to finding out.
"That incident went unnoticed because there is surely a guild behind it, but thanks to me personally taking care of it, I could see him that day. At that time, he was a normal person, I am completely sure."
"You're a normal person, after all. It's possible for the Awakened to hide that from you."
"Yes, but my companion wasn't someone they could hide things from. You know very well who he was. Although that person didn't explicitly tell me that he was a normal person and only told me that he looked like any other Misfit."
At that response, Steward fell silent.
Joferth's companion that day was the other Guild Master, acting as his bodyguard. He is a man whom even Steward sometimes fears, due to the peculiarity of his abilities.
If everything Steward knows is correct, it should not be possible for an "Awakened" to hide the facts from a Master like him. He is the most perceptive man in the city, after all.
'But I find it more likely that someone could hide things from him than that someone could gain such power in just one week...'
During his life, he had met many great geniuses, even several saints, and had a close relationship with one of them. Despite this, he had never heard of anyone who could achieve such power in just one week after awakening.
It completely defied his logic, but he couldn't deny the possibility when his most loyal subordinate was telling him so.
If there was one thing he was sure of, it was that nothing was impossible in this world.
He leaned back in his chair, deep in thought.
These documents contained several things that linked Elliot to a possible Awakening. It began with the disappearance of his boss, who, according to their information, had been hired to kill him.
The most surprising thing was that he was clearing that rather complicated Rank E dungeon at a good pace.
All of this was relevant information that left him pensive.
'Even though he's already 18, if he's as good as he seems, investing in him would be the best thing we could do,' he thought, considering various factors.
After several minutes of contemplation, he looked back at Joferth.
"He's the kind of genius we need for the Regional and National Leagues in the future. So, if he's what you suspect, I'll invest everything I have in him. So, I'll trust you to bring him in." He was brief but direct.
That made Joferth happy. "Yes, sir. I'll make sure to meet your expectations, and I believe he'll exceed ours."
"Haha, I rarely see you so excited about an Awakened One, so you can go. We'll have a few problems to deal with from now on with the Clarks, so if you get into trouble with them when trying to bring him in, make sure to call me immediately."
As Joferth was about to turn away, he stopped after hearing him. "Are the rumors true? Did the Clarks and Broken Leaf form an alliance?" he asked, a little taken aback.
Steward nodded heavily.
"It's even worse. The Elemental Academy is also involved. Be careful not to mention that you were at the incident with the misfits a month ago, by the way. It seems to be related."
"The Misfits? That day I discovered contraband... So there are a lot of dark things going on that I'm not aware of." Joferth wiped the smile off his face and nodded to his leader.
"I'll do as you say, sir. I'll take my leave then." After that, he left the room, leaving Steward deep in thought.
"Lately, the city has become very chaotic, and according to my contacts, it's not a problem that has only occurred here. The entire border area and even other parts of the kingdom are experiencing problems. Corpse theft, forced disappearances, increasingly frequent murders..."
"Sigh... Everything is getting more complicated with every step. I fear that the days of peace will soon be over if this continues, and I still don't understand the reasons behind it."
"I wonder if my Angelic Wave will survive a possible nationwide disaster... Maybe we'll have to go back to our roots."
After thinking this, he shook his head helplessly and returned to work.
There was a lot of work to be done, and worrying about the future wouldn't solve the present problems.
...
"Oh, so the Broken Leaf Entrance Exams are held outdoors..." Elliot looked at where he had arrived and breathed in the fresh air.
There were numerous people here, in tents on the city's outskirts. You could smell the beasts nearby, so they were in a dangerous place, close to one or more dungeons.
But Elliot didn't care. He belonged to the group that had just arrived, but soon he would also be in those tents, as he had to wait for the test to begin.
Everyone here was an Awakened, some more powerful than others, but the energy felt hot with so many Awakened together, and everyone was waiting to take the test.
Some were fighting for training, while others were discussing their curiosity or abilities.
Most were gathered in groups, but there were still several scattered about who seemed to be looking for groups.
'I had to pay $2,000 to take the test... If they all had to pay the same, that would be over $300,000. I guess being a powerful guild has its benefits.'
As he walked around the place, he suddenly noticed a woman standing apart from a large group of people.
'Oh, it's that girl, Jenna,' he thought. He didn't expect to see her here, as she looked pretty powerful, like one of the leading members of a guild.
Still, what surprised him most was that although she had numerous people around her, no one dared say a word to her. Everyone seemed afraid, and some clearly felt inferior, so no one approached her, making her look lonely, although she seemed to care less than Elliot.
'It's not polite not to say hello, but suddenly approaching her isn't polite either. So, I'll stand where she can see me, and if the opportunity arises, I'll say hello. I rejected her without saying much before, and I feel a little guilty about that. I should have been nicer. I'll never make any friends this way.' He sighed and started to move, but suddenly, a familiar face appeared before him.