337 Conversation with Erica

[BONUS]

Ren nodded. "I'm glad to hear that. And rest assured, I don't mix personal matters with business. If our client wants something done, then World Conqueror will make it happen."

Erica chuckled. Her usual intimidating face softened a little. "Then, follow me to meet my brother, and don't mind the stares. Most of our members still haven't forgiven you for what you did."

Ren only shrugged, neither denying nor confirming what she said. The [Monarch Sovereignty] already belonged to him, and he would never give that up.

As Ren followed Erica, his eyes roamed all over the place's interior. The area was well-maintained, and the players were all dressed in white and blue armor. It was hard to distinguish who was who, but he guessed that it was also part of a strategy. If there were ever an attack inside, it would be hard to identify and eliminate the core members.

Ren looked around as he walked towards the castle. "You've got quite a fortress here," he uttered.

"It's not that impressive," humbly replied Erica, but she was smiling proudly.

The two then entered the courtyard, where a large crowd had gathered. Some were training, while some were chatting. When they passed by, all eyes went to Ren.

Despite the cold weather, he could feel their burning stares.

"My brother has been waiting for you," Erica said, attempting to fling Ren's attention from the piercing glares.

"He feared that you would deny our request after what happened with Jibblinplip."

Ren huffed a laugh. "I deny a lot of things, but five million is not one of them."

Erica chuckled. "As long as you can help us clear the Elemental Caves and get those second-tier spells, then we don't mind paying more."

Her smile then dropped, and her beautiful face turned fiercer. Her blue orbs glinted in determination. "In this upcoming guild war, we must win to gain back that number one spot."

"Then, you have my word that I'll help you get those spells," said Ren.

Erica paused just before the imposing metal door of the main castle hall. "Are you going to offer your services in this guild war again, like what you've done with Roaring Tigers and Fighting Lambs? If so, we will offer you double what other guilds are willing to pay you."

". . ." White Unicorn was desperate to reclaim the number one spot. That was for sure. Ren thought. It had been a month since Black Lion dethroned them, and recently, it was Guns and Knives who took the spot because of the World Boss, Jibblinplip.

So now, they were pushed to number three, while Golden Phoenix positioned themselves at number two.

"I don't think that World Conquerors would play any part in the coming Guild Wars," Ren said.

Erica's brow rose. "Oh? How so?"

Ren gave a half-shrug. "Just a guess, but it might just literally be a war between guilds."

Erica stared Ren in the eyes before she flashed a toothy grin. "Well, that's reassuring. At least, we don't have to expend as much in this upcoming guild war just to employ you, considering if your guess is right."

She then pushed the massive double metal doors open like it was just a piece of board.

"We're here. Welcome to White Unicorn's Castle," she said, leading Ren inside the palace grounds. "I hope you don't mind, but no weapons are allowed in here. But of course, there isn't actually a security system installed here that would prevent you from using your weapon. Ours are only rules in the form of words."

Ren nodded in amusement. "No problem. I have no intention of causing trouble anyway."

"So do we."

Ren's eyes wandered into the main building and settled on the receptionist that sat behind a desk. She looked up from her work when they entered and stood up. "Good Morning. Welcome to White Unicorn!"

Erica returned the gesture, while Ren only nodded. He was still busy admiring the elegant white marble and the silver, gold, and blue accents of the floor and walls. The French windows were large enough to let in the light, and the chandeliers and massive fireplace in the receiving area added warmth to the place.

As Erica led Ren to a series of hallways and corners, all players they passed paid respect and greetings to Erica but paid Ren with glares.

"I'm sorry for their behavior. They'll get used to you soon enough. Most of the members here aren't bad and are easy to get along with." Erica apologized with a skewed smile on her face as she led Ren up another hallway.

"It's fine." Their glares wouldn't kill me. Ren mused. But he feared that their attitude would pose a problem in the future.

Erica finally stopped before a door with a sign that spelled 'Private.'

"We're here," she exclaimed and opened the door without knocking before she casually went inside.

The room had a long table with chairs on both ends. There was also an open space near the wall, where there were two couches and some tables with books. A few more couches were positioned in front of the fireplace.

Ren saw at least five players present in the room, and the most prominent of them was the young man sitting at the center. He was handsome, but his face held an air of authority, which seemed to be missing from the other men Ren had seen so far. His hair was white and cropped short, and his eyes were a piercing ocean blue. They looked straight at Ren with a hint of curiosity and glee.

"Hello there. I'm glad that you accepted my invitation," said Eric, the leader of White Unicorn.

"Please take a seat." Erica offered Ren a seat on the table as she closed the door behind them.

Ren sat down with his back facing one corner of the wall, ignoring all the eyes that were dissecting him.

Eric cleared his throat before speaking again. "So, I'm sure all of you are familiar with Ren of World Conqueror. Let me introduce you all to him, nonetheless."

"Ren, this is Roger, Ivan, Miguel, and Serine. They are the guild's core members and will be joining us in our meeting today."