No one spoke.
Noticing the strange atmosphere he had caused, the old man was the first to break the silence. He let out a dry cough, adjusting his monocle with his thin, wrinkled fingers.
"What… a coincidence to find you here…" He cleared his throat, his voice cracking halfway through. Internally, Alden was stunned and confused by the familiar figure in the room.
Since it had only been a few days, the encounter was still fresh in his mind, and he was dressed exactly the same, making him easy to recognize.
Mark simply stared back at him, giving a light nod, but said nothing.
"You two know each other?" Isolda narrowed her eyes, raising a brow as she asked.
Alden released another cough. This one was louder, sounding completely artificial. "Y-yes, Lady Isolda. I… met this… ahm, friend—" He froze, looking directly at Mark, clearly trying to drag his name from the back of his memory.
"Vaelin."
Elara intervened. She spoke with a languid smile, resting her chin on her hand. "His name is Vaelin, Mr. Alden."
"Yes! Yes, that's right." The treasurer quickly agreed, as if someone had just thrown him a rope while he was drowning.
"I met… friend Vaelin at Ivory Haven while I was having a meal one night a few days ago. Pure coincidence. Nothing significant!"
Isolda stared at Alden's wrinkled face, then shifted her attention to Mark, waiting for him to confirm or elaborate, but Mark kept his expression blank.
"Oh."
Just that. She made a short, almost dry sound, but it seemed to connect all the pieces in her mind. Whatever she was thinking.
"I suppose that simplifies introductions. Alden, as some of you already know, is the mission's contractor."
Alden gave a smile that was more nervous than anything else. He hurried over to the opposite end of the table parallel to Isolda's. Pulling the chair with exaggerated care, he sat down.
"O-once again, forgive the delay." Alden said, bowing his head in a formal apology. "The Coalition is in absolute chaos right now. I'm… dealing with more crises than I can count."
Isolda simply nodded. She then tapped the table lightly, firm enough to draw everyone's attention. "That's enough chatter. Now that everyone is here, we can begin." She pointed her chin toward Alden.
"Explain the mission to them."
Alden straightened up immediately. He nodded, smoothing his beard as if convincing himself he was ready, and cleared his throat.
"Right… right. First of all, it's important that you understand what the Merchant Coalition is." Alden adjusted his monocle again, his gaze sweeping everyone at the table, ignoring Lyra's group in the corner.
He needed to start somewhere, so he chose the basics.
"To make sure everyone is on the same page, let me first explain the Merchant Coalition's role." Alden took a deep breath and placed his hands on the table.
"The Coalition is a neutral institution headquartered in Luminaris. We do not belong to the Guild, nor to the city's government, nor to any external force. Our job is to ensure the flow of goods and supplies across the desert and between nearby regions. That includes internal routes and routes going east, where the conflict between the Solis Empire and the Principalities continues."
He paused briefly, as if arranging the next points.
"To maintain this flow, we operate logistics hubs and outposts tied to our caravans. These are escort points, storage locations, and transit centers for goods — many of them valuable."
Lyra lowered her gaze slightly at the mention of "east," but said nothing.
"The problem began when the conflict got too close to one of our trade bases in Oakhaven."
Alden stopped, looking at Mark as he said that. "Oakhaven fell to the Solis Empire a few weeks ago. The base that served as a warehouse, refueling point, and dormitory for long routes coming from the east is now isolated with the city taken."
Korgar — the massive man in dark armor — furrowed his brow, clearly more interested now. "The evacuation didn't happen in time?" He asked, his chair creaking under his weight as he leaned slightly back.
He seemed relaxed.
"Not completely." Alden answered with a sigh. "We managed to remove part of the staff and part of the cargo before the region was fully overtaken, but not everything. With the conflict advancing, the path there became extremely dangerous. Routes collapsed. Attacks by starving groups, deserters, uncontrolled refugees, and opportunistic bandits increased… not to mention the monsters drawn closer to the roads by all the chaos."
Alden wiped his forehead, exhausted just from listing it.
"Caravans were lost. Some escorts failed. Others retreated midway. The desert turned into an even more unpredictable zone. And with that, a significant portion of the Coalition's goods remain stuck in Oakhaven, along with some workers who couldn't evacuate."
Silence.
No one commented, waiting for the old man to continue his explanation.
Some already had some knowledge of this information, but not Mark. Everything was fresh to him.
He was genuinely entertained, paying full attention to Alden, absorbing every word to the point of ignoring Elara's stares.
"That's the reason for the mission." Alden concluded. "You will go to Oakhaven, enter the center, ensure the area is safe enough for evacuation, retrieve everything that can be retrieved, and bring back the valuable cargo and any surviving workers."
Korgar let out a low grunt at that. "All of that justifies gold rank." He said, cracking his neck arrogantly. "But there's one thing that doesn't make sense." His gaze swept the room, landing directly on the Silver Wolf group.
"Why the hell are four Silver Ranks coming with us?"
Across the room, Kael's posture stiffened, staring at the floor without lifting his head.
A Silver Rank had no say in rebuking a Gold Rank. Their positions made that obvious. Arguing would only worsen things before the mission even began.
So he endured the comment in silence, his fist clenched, while Lyra frowned.
"Because they know the terrain. They aren't here as main force."
Alden had been expecting that question. He replied simply and directly, keeping his tone calm. "The Silver Wolf group is familiar with the eastern region. When the parallel mission was posted, they met the requirements. Their knowledge will reduce the chances of you getting lost or ending up in dangerous areas."
Korgar didn't seem fully satisfied but didn't refute the logic.
Alden didn't press further, staying focused. Deep down, he already expected this kind of friction. Working with Gold Rank adventurers almost always brought difficulties.
Strength often came packaged with strong, demanding, or temperamental personalities. And knowing Korgar's reputation, a clash sooner or later was inevitable.
"In total, eight adventurers will make up the escort. Four Gold Ranks as main force…" Alden gestured toward them. "…and four Silver Ranks as secondary support."
He paused again, looked at his papers, and added almost casually, "I will also be going with you."
This made a few eyes lift.
"The base in Oakhaven contains financial documents and internal records that must be recovered intact." Alden explained. "I am directly responsible for them, so it makes sense for me to be present to identify, catalog, and transport the material. Don't worry, I won't hinder combat operations."
He tried to add a small confident smile, but it didn't work very well.
"We will follow a specific route, previously approved by the Guild and aligned with our scouts. It reduces the chance of interception. Still, attacks are possible — monsters, raiders, deserters, desperate groups, or simply people looking for advantage."
He tapped his fingers on the table, restless.
"Priority number one is recovering the essential goods. Priority number two is rescuing whoever is alive. Priority number three—"
Isolda took a deep breath and raised her hand, cutting off Alden.
"Let me explain the rest clearly." She said, her voice firm, pulling all attention toward herself. "Before you depart, you need to understand exactly what you're walking into."
Alden immediately backed off, almost shrinking in his chair.
It was obvious he preferred her taking the lead.
Isolda rested her forearm on the table.
"The Merchant Coalition is neutral. That means it cannot take sides in conflicts between factions, kingdoms, or empires. If it does, it loses the one reason it exists: to serve as a buffer between regions constantly at war."
She pointed at Alden.
"That's why he's so careful. Not because he wants to, but because he must."
She then turned her gaze to the entire group.
"The Guild, on the other hand, is not neutral. The Guild is apolitical. That's different. The institution does not officially involve itself in wars, but its members can accept civil, commercial, and private contracts. That's why it has survived for centuries without being destroyed by any nation."
Her finger slid across the table, as if marking points methodically.
"The Coalition cannot send troops. It cannot send guards. It cannot form its own escorts through conflict zones. It is not a military force, never was. So what remains?"
She tilted her head slightly.
"Hiring adventurers."
No one spoke, so she continued.
"And politically, that is acceptable. The Guild is a private organization. You do not represent Luminaris, nor the Principalities, nor the Solis Empire. You represent only your own ranks, registered through the Guild. You carry no national flag. You are not soldiers."
She raised her index finger.
"That's why the Coalition can hire you to retrieve private property. It's defensible. It's legal. But still risky."
Isolda leaned back, hands clasped.
"Can the Solis Empire confiscate the Coalition's goods in Oakhaven?" Elara asked suddenly.
"They can, but they don't." Alden cut in.
"Why?" Silas asked this time. It was the first time he spoke since Alden began explaining the mission, and he still looked as relaxed as ever, that lazy smile hanging on his face.
"Because that would mean picking a fight with all trade routes that pass through Luminaris and the neutral regions. And no matter how large the Empire is, it isn't stupid enough to want a supply crisis." Isolda responded with a small sigh, speaking for Alden.
"But that doesn't mean they'll help. If you enter, the Empire will not protect you. Will not make it easier. It will act as if it has nothing to do with it. And if you're caught fighting imperial soldiers, the story changes."
Her tone became even more severe.
"If it looks like the Coalition is funding an attack on the Empire — even accidentally — neutrality collapses. And Luminaris collapses with it. A neutral city survives only as long as it stays above disputes."
She scanned the group again, ensuring they understood.
Her gaze lingered especially on Mark, who had been silent the whole time.
"So let me make this absolutely clear: the mission is civil. You are going to retrieve cargo, documents, people. You are not going to fight imperial troops. If you encounter soldiers, avoid confrontation. Retreat, hide, circle around. The Guild will not cover anyone who triggers an international incident."
The silence grew heavier.
"If you enter open combat with Solis Empire troops, this mission stops being a rescue and becomes a declaration of hostility. And that is something none of you can afford."
She concluded with a short nod.
"Move discreetly. Quickly. And unseen. Understood?"
Korgar, Elara, and Silas nodded, and the Silver Wolf group in the corner also agreed.
Mark, who had been paying close attention, noticed something.
According to Isolda, the Guild operated on individual responsibility. If an adventurer caused trouble, the blame fell on them, not the Guild.
If an adventurer went berserk and attacked the empire, the Guild would ban them, revoke their card, and cut ties.
If it were widespread, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the adventurer would be banned from the entire continent once Luminaris declared them persona non grata.
That would be the end of any adventurer.
This separation mechanism protected the Guild from all responsibility.
But...
Why Does This Sound So Dangerous?
And that made Mark question… The mission seemed too important to be entrusted to adventurers they couldn't control.
But the Guild didn't seem worried. If they failed, the Guild lost a mission. If they caused an incident, the Guild severed ties. If they died, the Guild recruited others.
The mission did not expose the Guild directly, it exposed the Coalition. The Coalition bore the real diplomatic risk, which explained Alden's anxiety.
Isolda chose him because he was another recently joined Gold Rank. He had a short record with no major violations and above-average results.
That seemed enough.
The Guild didn't need to trust who he was.
Only that if Mark caused trouble, the responsibility would be solely his.
And besides, Isolda wasn't naive. She wouldn't send him alone into such a delicate mission. In her mind, the other Gold Rank adventurers could neutralize an internal threat if needed.
"Mr. Vaelin!" Mark heard Isolda calling him, and realized everyone was looking at him.
"What?" He asked, snapping out of his thoughts. Elara was beside him, and her small giggle reached his ears.
"Do you understand? Discreet. Fast. And invisible."
"Understood."