Number 113, Hugo Coppélia.
Out. You have a visitor.
You again, Noel Stollen?
Have you lost even more weight, Hugo?
You're starving to death.
None of your concern.
Oh, but it is.
I can't have you dying on me.
Because you're going to free me and recruit me into your party?
Exactly.
Hugo Coppélia the Puppeteer...
This man, who now awaits execution for the murders that shrouded Etrai in fear,
was once considered a Seeker prodigy.
Normally, combat and crafting classes totally diverge,
but Puppeteer is a unique case that combines the two.
It can control various puppets, adaptable to any battle situation imaginable.
With his calm, rational personality and keen intellect on top of that,
Hugo claimed many a victory as an independent Seeker.
However, because of that,
he was something of a lone wolf. Never joined any parties.
Then he suddenly retired as a Seeker at the peak of his game.
He took up puppet making and found plenty of success in his new line of work too.
But that's when the incident occurred that changed his life forever.
As I keep saying, you're wasting your time.
I'm going to be executed.
There are plenty of ways to avoid that.
You don't seem convinced. In that case...
I apologize for the wait, Sir Noel!
Thank you. You may leave now.
Sir! Please call for me if you need anything else!
This is some good tea.
You paid off the guard?
Oh, I just have some dirt on him. That's all.
Blackmail, then?
Feel free to think what you like.
I'll just say that every guard in this prison is at my beck and call.
I'm serious.
Preparations to free you are nearly complete.
What? Are you not happy?
Let's say I do get out. That would make me happy indeed.
But I won't join you.
Why is that?
I've always despised Seekers.
They're violent and overconfident in their abilities. Fools, all of them.
So you think I'm the same?
No. You're special in a bad way.
You seem more like a snake than a person.
You're cold and merciless,
and you play with your prey before swallowing it whole.
I've heard that before.
I don't mind it as a compliment.
Thanks to that, I had no trouble coming up with a clan name.
I didn't mean it as a compliment, though.
I'll be back.
I'm as persistent as a snake, you see.
Hugo Coppélia...
You will join me, and that's a fact.
Me, a Seeker again?
As of today, we go to a new bar.
The Rockbird Beak? Does it have good food?
W-Wait a sec! Ain't this the bar where the best B-rankers gather?
N-Noel!
Never seen you before, girlie.
I'm no girlie. I'm a man.
Ha, no way. Not without so much as a single scratch on your face, you're not.
So that messed-up mug makes you a man?
You must've wanted to be one real bad, huh...
girlie?
Huh?! The hell you'd just say to me?!
You'd take us all by your lonesome, Edgar?
No wonder you're the vanguard for War Eagle.
What, you think you got me beat 'cause you know me and had prep time?
Bruno if it's a boy.
Kachua if it's a girl.
I hear you're gonna be a dad soon. Congrats.
How do you know that...?
Trade secret.
Anyway, if you wanna fight me,
you'll be putting everything on the line.
I hope you're prepared for that.
Thanks for the warm welcome, Edgar!
I'm Noel Stollen, a Talker and the leader of Blue Beyond.
A pleasure to meet you all.
Mm, yummy!
They have booze from my homeland, too!
Don't get too excited.
We didn't come here just to wine and dine.
Our real aim is...
How lucky. Jackpot on the very first try.
What a surprise.
I thought you were a rookie, Alma.
Do you know her?
Lycia's the one who knows her.
I've only met her once.
But be careful.
This elf doesn't think too kindly of you.
That's perfect.
Huh?
Let's have a fight, then.
This may be your worst quality, but I don't hate it.
Hello, Ophelia.
And who might those two be?
My party.
I'm Noel Stollen of Blue Beyond.
Say what?
My, that's a scary look. Do you have something to say to me?
That's rich from the guy who sold his friends into slavery.
Oh, that? I got a handsome fortune from the mafia for them.
They say friends are priceless, after all.
How could you?!
Don't get violent now, Miss Elf.
Like it or not, Noel 'ere's my boss.
I'd think twice before layin' a hand on him.
You're a very loyal dog.
Too loyal for a leader who'd happily put you on the market.
Say whatever ya want about me. But...
Best choose yer words carefully.
Don't make me draw my sword.
What's the matter, Ophelia?
Your friend here suddenly tried to grab me.
Is that true?
I'm sorry.
I see.
I apologize for my companion's behavior.
I'm sorry.
It's no big deal.
But discipline her so it doesn't happen again.
Even dogs can be taught not to attack people.
Your friend's dumber than a mutt.
Dumber than a mutt?
I'd ask you to take that back.
What, you snapping back?
We are sorry for what happened, but it's no reason to insult her like that.
So, basically, you're trying to say we're both in the wrong?
You're quite the schemer.
Leon, trying to have a mature conversation is pointless.
This is the notorious Noel Stollen!
So it's you...
Apparently, all the rumors are true.
I just couldn't stand it...
Oh, so you love your gossip like teenage girls?
Do you all play house as a side gig too?
Or maybe you go for dolls.
You're insufferable.
If you don't value your companions, you're not qualified to be a Seeker.
Actually, I got my qualifications a while ago.
Or are you saying I need your permission now?
Do the prim and proper Winged Knights hold sway with the Seeker guild?
Go ahead and live your life insulting others like that.
It'll come back to bite you one day.
Oh, now you're some kind of god?
How high and mighty. You think you're all that's right in the world?
That's going to come back to bite you.
Leon!
No denying you're the bad guy now.
Don't ya think ya went a li'l too far?
Ya didn't have to provoke the guy like that after he apologized.
It's fine. This is all part of my plan.
Lean in for a second.
That's wicked!
How wicked!
Take these words to heart.
In the Seeker world, it's eat or be eaten.
But it's not the weak who get devoured...
It's always the arrogant ones.
Turning your back on an enemy is the height of folly.
You're practically begging them to kill you.
Those guys are going to be a stepping stone for us.
Hey, Gramps, who would you recommend?
Marion.
Learn to be respectful already, won't you?
We are at work, and I am your superior.
Oh, shut it.
So, what do you say?
Who do you think is right for the job of commanding our forces against the Valiant?
Let me ask you, Marion. Who do you think is fit?
It's gotta be Leo Edin.
And I'm not just saying that because I'm in charge of Pandemonium either.
Leo's stuck-up and lazy, but he's crazy powerful.
I really think he might be the strongest of all time.
I see.
What? Are you in Supreme Dragon's corner?
I mean, I get it. Zeke Feinstein is tough and all...
My recommendation would be Noel Stollen.
Huh?
Get out!
Wait, didn't you reject his clan application? What's all this now?
How about a wager, then?
Huh?
Leo or Noel? Who will be the supreme commander?
Should you win, I'll relinquish my position as head of the Jenkins household to you.
But should you lose...
You wanna send me to charm school?
Yes, that will do just fine.
If you want to be a top inspector, you'll need both intellect and etiquette.
Well? If you're so afraid of losing...
D-Don't be stupid!
You're on. I'll take you up on that bet.
Don't let me down now...
Noel Stollen.
The Haves and the Have-Nots
We're keeping this party going!
Our future is bright!
You said it!
Sheesh.
What a handful.
You goody two-shoes!
This only happened because you ratted us out!
But it's wrong to take things from the market. That's stealing.
Shut up!
A little bit never hurt anybody!
You're really pissing us off!
But you shouldn't do things that are clearly wrong.
Wha?
You think you're god or something?
Hey!
What are you guys doing?!
Yikes, it's Keim.
Run away!
What? Getting picked on again, Leon?
You gotta fight back, man.
I can't.
Didn't you get appraised the other day?
You have a combat class.
You could easily blow those idiots away.
Fighting violence with violence isn't the way.
It's not the right thing to do.
Come on now. It's not about right or wrong...
Sheesh, you're always like this.
Say, Leon, we should become Seekers.
Huh?
No point squandering our lives in the countryside.
I wanna see a much bigger world.
I'm sure we can become the strongest Seekers alive.
I can't do it. I'm not strong like you.
No, you're definitely strong, Leon.
You're a Swordsman, and I'm a Lancer.
We're not like the others.
We've got what it takes.
But...
We'll become Seekers!
We'll grow up to be super cool and always do the right thing!
The right thing?
Yeah. We'll get rid of the beasts and protect everybody.
Is there anything more "right" than that?
Every since we were kids,
I've never been able to leave him alone.
Maybe because he has something I don't.
Nah, I didn't put that much thought into it back then.
I just wanted to be somebody.
Now, Leon!
Activate Seraphim Blade!
No! At this range, I'll hit you too!
I'll dodge the moment you fire it off!
There's no other way to win!
I can do this! Believe in me, Leon!
Seraphim Blade!
W-We won...
We won!
We downed an ajatar, a forest drake with an abyssal depth rating of 7.
Look how far we've come.
Keim! Are you okay?! Are you unharmed?!
You should see the look on your face.
We won, you know?
This will increase Twilight Glint's cred.
Yeah.
Twilight Glint... That was the party name the four of us decided on.
But the name never stuck.
At some point, Leon's moniker of Celestial Wings
morphed into us becoming the Winged Knights.
It was Leon who had "what it takes."
And he'll probably be the one to be somebody, too.
So, why did you get so worked up?
I wonder. I don't even know myself.
You think it was envy?
Envy?
Yeah. A kid who only just became a Seeker suddenly shows up at the Rockbird Beak.
Plus, he was acting like a bigshot.
How many years did it take us to get into that pub?
We'd be crazy not to envy those guys.
It explains why Ophelia couldn't control herself, too.
I see. So it was envy.
Wow, I can't believe I didn't even realize my own feelings.
Yeah, he really is something.
I don't agree with his methods, but his efforts are deserving of respect.
Listen, Leon.
I get that shooting straight has its charms,
but I don't think we should just kick back and let them overtake us.
The Seeker guild sent this the other day.
They want parties with proven track records to hurry up and form clans.
Ophelia and Vaclav received similar letters as well.
Oh yeah? I got one too, actually.
I called you all to the pub today because I wanted to discuss it.
But you saw what happened...
Oh, they both already said they'd go along with what you decide.
Same goes for me, of course.
Huh? You already discussed all that without me, your leader?
Makes things easier, right?
I know I'm leader in name only, but still...
Don't start sulking!
You being our leader is important to us.
Here's to our future.
To our clan.
You're rejecting our application?
But why?
Our documents should all be in order.
We meet all the clan requirements.
Indeed, I don't see a single problem there.
If these were normal times, the guild would welcome you with open arms.
Then why?
A Valiant is going to manifest? In a year's time, no less?
Accordingly, we're only looking for immediate assets right now.
And that's what we are!
We've successfully taken out an ajatar before.
As drakeslayers, we have the reputation—
So why exactly did you not apply back then?
Your overcautious nature is the biggest problem.
You lack the hunger and drive to perpetually aim higher.
No way...
Then what was this letter all about?!
I don't believe we sent out any such letters. Perhaps it was a prank.
A prank? Who would do that... and why?
Either way, this interview is over.
Thank you for taking the time to visit us today.
Wait! Please give us one more chance!
I beg you!
Fine. I'll give you a chance.
Really?!
Indeed. In return, you'll take a test for me.
A test?
You'll vanquish a beast designated by the guild.
If you succeed, I'll approve your clan application.
And what beast will that be?
Dantalion of the Cursed Eyes, with an abyssal depth rating of 8.
It will be even stronger than the ajatar you defeated.
Don't waver, Leon.
As long as we stay Seekers, we'd have to fight it someday.
It just happens to be here and now.
Yeah, you're right.
Understood. We accept your test.
Excellent.
However, you'll be competing against another party in this test.
I similarly rejected their clan application a few days ago.
They also begged me for a chance.
We've decided that whichever of your parties completes the test will be made a clan.
Please, show yourselves in.
Oh, fancy running into you here.
What a twist of fate, Winged Knights.
Noel Stollen?
The Price of Being Right