With his trap, Arlon made sure the man lowered his guard.
This was the opportunity he was looking for. Now, he could act like a defeated superior to extract information.
"Can you tell me the name of the leader here?"
The man answered without hesitation. "He's called Os. No one knows what he looks like because he always wears a mask, but he's a Magus."
Arlon listened carefully.
If the three figures from the banquet were indeed the founders of the anti-saviors, then Os, as the head of this branch, was likely one of the most influential members beneath them.
That put him squarely on Arlon's list of suspects.
He had to make sure the anti-saviors weren't working with the Keldars or pursuing an agenda even more dangerous than what they publicly claimed.
"Is he here now?" Arlon asked.
"Yeah. I'll take you to him directly."
The timing couldn't have been better.
As they walked, they arrived at a plain wooden door—small, ordinary, unassuming. But when the man pushed it open and Arlon stepped inside, his eyes widened slightly.
The space beyond the door was massive.
They stood at the top of a descending staircase, looking down at a vast underground hall bustling with activity.
Dozens of people moved about in an organized manner, working at desks, sorting through papers, or carrying crates from one place to another.
The entire atmosphere felt eerily similar to a government office in Kelta—structured, efficient, and methodical.
Arlon had expected secrecy. He had expected tight security. But he hadn't expected this level of organization.
So this is how deep their operations run.
The scale of it was proof that the anti-saviors weren't just a loose band of rebels. They had structure, resources, and discipline.
Whatever they were planning, it wasn't something hastily thrown together—it was long-term.
The man led them down the stairs, occasionally glancing at June. Arlon noticed but didn't react. He wasn't sure why the man was fixating on her.
Maybe it was because she hadn't spoken a single word since they arrived. Or maybe there was another reason.
Once they reached the ground floor, they walked past rows of desks and stacks of paperwork.
A few people glanced at them in passing, but for the most part, no one seemed to care about their presence. Everyone was too absorbed in their tasks.
Arlon took note of something else.
Earlier, the man had insisted that bringing weapons inside would make people hostile toward them.
But now, looking at the scene in front of him, Arlon wondered—how exactly would anyone know if they had weapons or not?
Wands, for example, could easily be concealed in a pocket. There was no visible security check, no guards stopping anyone for a search.
If someone wanted to smuggle a weapon inside, it wouldn't be difficult.
Had the man lied? Possibly. But Arlon had played it safe by handing over two random weapons earlier, so even if there was deception involved, it wouldn't matter.
After walking through the hall, they arrived at another door—this one much sturdier, giving off the impression of an office rather than a storage room. Explore new worlds at My Virtual Library Empire
The man knocked, and within seconds, a voice from inside responded.
"Come in."
They stepped inside.
Behind a large wooden desk sat a tall man, dressed in dark robes, his face obscured by a mask that covered everything except his sharp, watchful eyes and his hair.
When Arlon saw him, he felt like they met before.
He probably knew this man.
"What is it?" Os asked, his voice calm, measured.
This feeling changed when he talked. Arlon instantly understood who he was.
Arlon could see if magic was used, so Os wasn't changing his voice, and Arlon was sure.
The man beside Arlon gave a quick summary of what had happened.
Os leaned back slightly, his gaze shifting to Arlon. "Hoo… so you are an anti-savior as well?" His tone carried a mix of amusement and curiosity. "If you don't mind, can I see your badge?"
Arlon handed it over without hesitation.
It wasn't easy to create a fake badge, but it wasn't impossible either. He needed to make sure Os believed him—at least for now.
Os inspected the badge, turning it between his fingers before nodding. "Hmm… it's real." Then, his lips curled slightly behind the mask. "Welcome to the headquarters."
Arlon didn't react outwardly.
He had no intention of revealing that he knew Os' real identity. That knowledge was far too valuable.
This was something he needed to report to Zephyrion.
Arlon stepped forward, maintaining the composed demeanor expected of someone in his supposed position.
Os placed the badge back on the desk, his masked face unreadable, though his eyes studied Arlon with quiet curiosity.
"You must be new to this side of things," Os said smoothly, his fingers idly tapping against the desk. "I don't recall hearing about you before."
Arlon gave a small, knowing smile. "I suppose that means I've done my job well." He kept his voice level, his posture relaxed, as if he had nothing to prove. "I wouldn't be much use if people knew about me before I even arrived, would I?"
Os chuckled. "Fair point. I assume you were assigned here under special orders?"
Arlon nodded. "Something like that. I am not actually assigned here. I was just passing by due to my mission. You can think that I am on a field mission of the sorts.
I wanted to see how things were running here while I was passing by. We all have the same goal, but every branch operates differently.
It's important to know what we're working with." He gestured subtly toward the room outside. "From what I've seen, you run things quite efficiently."
Os leaned back slightly as if pleased by the observation. "We do what we can. Our work requires precision—unlike the reckless methods some of our more… eager members might prefer."
That caught Arlon's attention.
"Reckless?" he repeated, his expression unreadable.
Os waved a hand dismissively. "Nothing major, just a few who don't understand the importance of subtlety. It's easy to attract the wrong kind of attention if you're not careful. I assume you've dealt with similar issues elsewhere?"
Arlon nodded slowly. "Of course. The movement is growing. Not everyone understands that there are ways to fight without drawing unnecessary eyes to us."
"Haha! You are right. But don't worry, as the headquarters, we are the ones following the rules more than anyone else."
Following the rules my ass! Arlon thought. The second Arlon understood who Os was, he already knew some of the things Os did.
But he wanted to check if there were other things he did so that he could report them to Zephyrion.
Unfortunately, Os didn't give any hints about other illegal things.
"I see. Then, there is nothing to worry about. I shouldn't take your time anymore."
"Ah, are you leaving? I should at least buy you dinner."
"I would like to, but I need to continue with my mission."
"I see. Then, the next time."
"Definitely," Arlon said with a smile. He knew there wouldn't be a next time for him, though.