Vile Evil Hides Under The Veil

"So you came here a week ago, huh? I thought your Utopia exploration was over a few weeks back. Something must have taken your time. What was it?"

Eren asked while devouring another pancake covered in maple syrup. He had been talking with Nina ever since he had gotten fresh and came back downstairs. He was done narrating his side of the story. His version of what really happened anyway.

Nina could tell Eren wasn't completely fine. Sometimes his fluctuating mana signature would leak, showing his agitation. So she had asked him about it.

Eren came clean in saying that he had been suffering from a few nightmares. Of course, he couldn't tell her everything. Therefore, he blamed his condition on post-battle mental stress and trauma, which Nina believed.

She told him it was very normal for every ranker. She knew it was part of their growth process. She also felt satisfied that Eren had shared his fears and his vulnerability with her.

"Yeah. Well, I had to sign a non-disclosure contract with the party I explored Utopia with for the duration of a few years. So I won't be able to tell you much about the trip right now. But it was beneficial for me.

Your tips helped me and by extension, my whole party a lot. Isn't it funny though, that the party that benefitted from your tips is now refusing to share information with anyone, you included. Hehe. But since you had asked me to be discreet, I didn't object.

Currently, the party leader is busy selling that information to some of his contacts. Just like you had suggested, which I suggested to him in turn. The good thing about the deal was that I got extra resources than what was previously agreed upon after we got out.

I got my hands on a bunch of healing spells that worked for me. I will also have to resume my studies on healing arrays because of the resources I got from the trip there.

Let's just say I'll be a bit busy from now on. I took my time coming here because I had to meet with a contact person from the Escalon guild. I'm thinking of joining them for a while. At least until the end of your academic years.

So when they approached me under the suggestion of my party leader, I had to check them out. Then I did some information gathering regarding the same.

I need resources, Erni, now that I've stepped into Master rank. Resources of my rank. I won't be able to get them until I leave this city.

Escalon guild is planning to offer me a good deal in terms of ...."

Eren's eyes narrowed down when he heard the name Escalon guild from Reen's mouth. He paused eating, wiped his mouth off of the syrup stains using the napkin placed beside him. And spoke in a patient voice:

"Yeah… aunt Nina, I don't think you should join the Escalon guild. I'll recommend another guild if you are looking for a healer-centric guild. Esca fucking Lon guild sucks hairy rat's balls…"

Nina flared her nose when she heard Eren's foul words:

"Language, little rat. Plus, you are eating. Have some table manners."

Eren's irritation turned into laughter when he heard Nina object to his use of foul words. He decided to tease her a bit:

"Hmm? I remember you calling my penis as dick and your lady part as pussy when we were doing it. Where was language then?"

Nina's cheeks immediately had a red tint painted over them. She hmphed before responding:

"That was during our us-time. I obviously won't stop you or myself from having our "liberties" when we are doing it. But this is different. You need to maintain a proper, gentlemanly bearing when you are with me.

I'll only give you a free pass when it's our… *cough* as I said, us-time."

Nina found the courage she needed to keep her face straight while she was speaking it. Eren sighed. This was not the first time he had seen the contradiction incarnate make her point using her sense of logic. This logic had many practical flaws. But he didn't elaborate any further on this topic.

He used a more serious tone to address Nina this time:

"My point, aunt Nina, is that the Escalon guild is no good. How about you go to Healers' Nirvana? With your latest rank promotion, it won't be difficult for you to get it."

Aunt Nina observed Eren's aversion to her joining the Escalon guild. She wanted to ask him why that was the case. But Eren cleared it for her even without her asking:

"Remember the backer I told you about? He has some dirt on that guild. And it isn't pretty. That guild is liable to face some problems soon even though it looks like it is growing at a rapid pace.

Healing Nirvana is still a worthwhile place to be even if the Escalon guild doesn't face problems soon. Plus, it focuses on healing arrays, the area of study you have decided to continue studying. There's also one more plus point to joining Healing Nirvana. Hehe!"

Nina was awed at how much information Eren had collected on various guilds that were currently active all across the kingdom. She had only heard about Healers' Nirvana because she was a healer so there were a couple of instances she'd hear the guild's name from her co-healer rankers. Otherwise, Healers' Nirvana was a very low-key guild.

What's more? The guild was placed very far from where the city of Osan was. It stayed operational in the Nightshade Dukedom, the northernmost region of the kingdom. While the city of Osan was located at the bottom of the Ironside duchy. So there would be barely any news regarding Healer's Nirvana Nina could hear while staying in the city of Osan.

She wasn't even aware the guild focused on making healing arrays. This alone had piqued her interest. But she wanted to hear another reason from Eren, which seemed more interesting for both of them.

"What is it, little rat? Tell me."

Nina asked after having the last bite of her pancake. Eren smirked before responding:

"You know I've taken an on-field assignment right? But I haven't told you where it is. Can you guess? Hehe!"

Nina was pleasantly taken aback by Eren's words. She replied quickly, with excitement and puzzlement laced in her voice:

"Nightshade duchy? But LA doesn't send its students there for on-field assignments, right? Why were you given such an odd assignment?"

AN: In chapter 60, it was mentioned that Edinburgh had four grand dukedoms, which were divided according to the kingdom's four heroes, who served as the first king's retainers.

Nightshade Dukedom is named after Nira Nightshade. It was mentioned to be located in the northern part of the kingdom.