Chapter 80

Chapter 80: Chapter 80

Maya’s expression changed. She studied him carefully, searching his face for some indication of what he meant, but Lysander had already turned his attention back toward Ingrid. His expression had settled into its usual calmness, leaving her with no way to tell whether he was merely being sarcastic or whether he knew something about Berthanon that the rest of the Guild did not. She considered asking him another question, but the look in his eyes made her hesitate.

In the end, she decided against it. "Well, whatever your opinion of him, you should focus on recovering for now," she said. "You’ve only just woken up, and your injuries are still healing, even if they’re closing faster than I expected. You should eat something, too, although you probably shouldn’t have a heavy meal yet. Is there anything you’d like me to bring you?"

Lysander shook his head. "I’m not hungry."

Maya looked as if she wanted to argue but sighed and turned away, "If you need anything, just come and look for me."

Lysander nodded his head in acknowledgement and Nurse Maya left the room. He turned his attention back to Ingrid, his ears slightly perked up, listening for any movements.

Meanwhile, Berthanon was in the council room with Jowe, Freya, Hunter G and the other higher ups in the Hunter’s Guild. Freya and Jowe stood behind Hunter G’s chair, their faces blank. Jowe’s neck had a red handprint, reminding him of how close he came to dying.

While Berthanon was still red faced with anger. He still couldn’t believe that someone he wanted had escaped his hands, just like that!

"Master Berthanon, what are we going to do about this? We spent so much money on that machine and yet it was destroyed! We can’t swallow this injustice without fighting back!" A middle aged man near Berthanon said, slamming his hands on the table.

He was named Smith, one of the newest members of the Hunters Guild and Berthanon’s faithful follower.

Berthanon slammed his palm against the table, making several people flinch. "Enough about the machine! We can repair it later. We have more important things to worry about, and wasting time complaining about the damage won’t bring it back."

Smith immediately shut his mouth, though his expression remained sour. Berthanon leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping against the table as he considered their next move. The machine was expensive, but that wasn’t what bothered him most. Ingrid had seen too much, and now that they had forced a memory search on her, getting her cooperation would be far more difficult.

"We still need to find out where she got those Star Glow Herbs, and we need the information she has about those new zombies," Berthanon continued. "Those herbs are rare, and whatever she knows about those zombies could be useful to the Guild. Now we’ve managed to get on her bad side, I doubt she’ll willingly tell us anything."

A heavyset man sitting across from him nodded. His name was Roderick, another senior official who had spent months working his way into the Guild’s inner circle. Unlike Smith, who rarely questioned Berthanon’s decisions, Roderick preferred to look for practical solutions, especially when there was something valuable to gain.

"Then why don’t we use the foxes?" Roderick suggested. "We still have the other fox Beastmen in our possession, don’t we? We can use them to make her cooperate. If she refuses to tell us what we want, we can get rid of them one by one until she changes her mind."

He shrugged as if he was discussing nothing more serious than disposing of unwanted supplies.

"Let’s be honest, what use are they to society anyway? A mute fox, a useless Silver-tailed fox, and a bunch of baby Red-tailed foxes. They’re practically worthless. At least this way, we might get something useful out of them before they become a burden."

Freya’s fingers curled into fists behind Hunter G’s chair. Her scarred lips remained stretched into their usual smile, but there was nothing playful about the look in her eyes. She had heard plenty of cruel things during her years as a hunter, yet Roderick’s casual suggestion still made her want to smash his face against the table.

Jowe noticed her expression and gave her a warning glance. Freya ignored him, keeping her eyes fixed on Roderick.

Hunter G, however, spoke before she could open her mouth. "That won’t work."

The council room fell quiet, and Berthanon turned toward him.

Hunter G sat with his back straight, his expression unreadable. "The snake Beastman hasn’t left Ingrid’s side since he brought her back. You saw what happened when Jowe tried to stop him. If we touch those foxes and she finds out, he’ll know exactly who to blame. We could end up losing more than a few people, and if he decides to attack the Guild directly, we’ll have a much bigger problem on our hands."

Jowe’s jaw tightened at the reminder, but he kept his mouth shut. His neck still hurt, and the memory of Lysander’s hand closing around it was enough to stop him from making another careless remark.

Berthanon rested his elbows on the table and stared at Hunter G. "Then what do you suggest we do?"

"Wait until she wakes up," Hunter G answered without hesitation. "I’ll speak to her myself and find out what she knows. Give me some time, and I’ll make sure she tells me what we need to know."

Berthanon watched him for a moment before a slow smile spread across his face. He rose from his chair and walked around the table, stopping beside Hunter G.

"That’s what I like to hear," he said, placing a hand on Hunter G’s shoulder. "Since you’ve already promised to handle this, make sure you keep your word. I don’t like people who make promises they can’t fulfill."

His fingers tightened slightly, pressing into Hunter G’s shoulder. "Besides, you know what happens when someone disappoints me."

Hunter G’s expression didn’t change. He met Berthanon’s gaze without flinching, keeping his face straight even as the older man continued to press down on his shoulder.

"I understand," he replied.

Berthanon held him there for another moment before finally releasing him. He patted Hunter G’s shoulder as if they had just finished a friendly conversation, then returned to his seat.

"Good. I expect results."

Hunter G stood up without another word. Freya immediately followed him, and neither of them bothered to acknowledge the other officials as they left the council room. The door closed behind them, shutting out the voices that quickly resumed their discussion.

They walked down the corridor in silence.

Freya glanced at Hunter G several times, but he kept moving without looking at her. His face remained calm, and his steps were steady as they passed the guards stationed along the hallway. She knew better than to question him where anyone could overhear them, so she held her tongue until they reached his quarters.

Hunter G unlocked the door and stepped inside. Freya followed him, then turned to close it behind her. The moment the latch clicked into place, Hunter G’s knees gave way.

He collapsed onto the floor, one hand braced against the ground as a violent cough tore through him. Blood splattered across the floor, staining the front of his uniform, and his face turned deathly pale.

Freya’s eyes widened. "Zeke!"