[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-knight-from-apprentice-to-the-almighty":3,"chapter-knight-from-apprentice-to-the-almighty-knight-from-apprentice-to-the-almighty-chapter-167":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Knight: from Apprentice to the Almighty",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1847881,2453,"Chapter 167 - 155: Lilith von Braun","knight-from-apprentice-to-the-almighty-chapter-167",167,"\u003Cp>\"A big shot?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Roland raised an eyebrow. He took the pouch of money, weighed it in his hand, and then casually passed it to Teresa behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I wonder what this... big shot wants with me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Including his time in the Black Water Territory, Roland had already dealt with the Adventurer’s Guild on many occasions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, the more contact he had, the more curious he became about the inner workings of this organization.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the surface, the Adventurer’s Guild was mainly responsible for posting quests and paying rewards to Mercenaries or Adventurers based on the mission’s content.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Roland had noticed that aside from trivial quests like escorts and retrieval jobs commissioned by Merchants and commoners, for which a finder’s fee was paid, most of the quests to subjugate Demons were posted and funded by the Adventurer’s Guild itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was something he simply couldn’t figure out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Roland refused to believe the Adventurer’s Guild was some kind of charitable organization dedicated to \"maintaining world peace.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, after some deep thought, he arrived at two possibilities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, that the powers behind the Adventurer’s Guild were able to gain some special benefit from the subjugation of Demons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But, strangely, the proof of subjugation usually only required a specific part of the Demon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A goblin’s ears, a Lizardman’s Scale, the tip of a Snake-man’s tail, or even the Bear Goblin head he had just turned in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Roland had carefully examined these trophies, but he had never been able to discover any hidden value in them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Based on this analysis, the Adventurer’s Guild’s primary source of income was most likely the second possibility.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That it was sponsored by high-ranking officials from the various nations and organizations it collaborated with.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having reached this conclusion, Roland couldn’t help but feel a profound curiosity about this \"big shot\" pulling the strings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing Roland’s question, Laurie simply shook his head with an apologetic smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m sorry, Mr. Roland. I’m just an ordinary receptionist, so I truly don’t know the specific reason for their invitation. However...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, the clean-cut young man tapped his fingers on the counter twice, then pointed up to the second floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"She is waiting upstairs right now. If you wish, you may go and ask her for the details directly. Of course...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Laurie offered a gentle smile at just the right moment to avoid any misunderstanding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s entirely up to you and your schedule. She has indicated that she will be staying for a few days, so you may come visit her at any time.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I understand.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Roland nodded, his expression calm. He wasn’t worried by Laurie’s somewhat evasive words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His recent work accepting quests to eliminate Demons, including his feat of slaying the Bear Goblins, had objectively enhanced the Adventurer’s Guild’s reputation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, he hadn’t made any enemies since arriving in the River Domain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, the invitation was likely a reward or an attempt at recruitment. There shouldn’t be any malicious intent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite this, Roland didn’t let his guard down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a world filled with Extraordinary Power, he was accustomed to approaching the unknown with the utmost caution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, after a moment of thought, he spoke with a faint smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Laurie, I’m free to see this esteemed person now. However...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gestured to the side, indicating those behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Elf Maiden was brazenly leaning forward to eavesdrop, while the silent, silver-haired woman beside her had also pricked up her ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’d like to bring my two teammates along. After all, the credit for wiping out the Bear Goblins belongs to all of us.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Well...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A flash of hesitation crossed Laurie’s face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in the next instant, his expression relaxed, as if he had just received some kind of message.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Of course you may, Mr. Roland.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Very well...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Roland, who had keenly observed the change in the receptionist’s expression, narrowed his eyes slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then please, lead the way.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Certainly. Please, follow me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Laurie nodded, spoke a few quiet words to another receptionist, then stepped out from behind the counter and gestured for them to follow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This way, please.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He made an elegant gesture, leading the trio toward the stairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In stark contrast to the bustling main hall, the second floor of the Adventurer’s Guild seemed to be enveloped in an invisible Barrier. A profound Serenity reigned, and the only sound was the muffled Echo of their leather boots on the wooden floorboards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Laurie’s knocking sounded especially abrupt in the silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even before the door opened, the receptionist had already adopted an extremely deferential posture, his voice unconsciously dropping to a hush.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Miss von Braun... Mr. Roland is here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice was tight and strained, betraying the depth of his awe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment of silence, a languid reply, like a voice from a dream, drifted from within the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Come in.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking as though he’d been granted amnesty, Laurie let out a long sigh of relief. He gently pushed the door open, bowed to Roland and the others, and then quietly withdrew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching him depart, Roland exchanged a glance with Teresa and Avril before being the first to step into the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In sharp contrast to the bright, open hall of the first floor, the room was dim and hazy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heavy curtains were drawn tightly shut, the only illumination coming from a few flickering candles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the flickering firelight, the room’s outline was barely visible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The decor was simple to the point of being spartan, with no extraneous decorations. It looked like any other ordinary inn room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A graceful figure was curled up in a lounge chair by the fireplace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only after the trio had fully entered the room did the person stretch their arms, give a long yawn, and slowly sit up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the dancing candlelight, her Violet hair seemed to glow with a strange halo. Her slender, yet shapely, figure appeared to be shrouded in a veil of mystery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When she turned to face them, she revealed an unforgettable visage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her skin was the color of honey, and she possessed a mature charm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her almond-shaped eyes were tilted slightly upward, their every glance full of natural allure, yet their depths were as still as a deep pool, holding a world-weariness that belied her beautiful face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She stood there, a figure of alluring serenity, of vibrant detachment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These contradictory qualities merged wondrously within her, making it impossible to look away, yet daunting to approach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment Roland saw her, a flicker of almost imperceptible surprise crossed his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t because of her stunning looks, but her extraordinary height.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thanks to the boosts from his multiple Profession Attributes, though he hadn’t measured it precisely, he estimated his own height at around one-point-nine meters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the woman before him only had to lift her gaze slightly to meet his.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This meant she had to be at least one-point-eight meters tall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such a height, rare even among women, did not detract from her allure in the slightest. Instead, it blended perfectly with her delicate face and graceful figure to create a unique, ethereal beauty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what was even more noteworthy was...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Roland’s right hand drifted unconsciously to the hilt of the sword at his waist, his eyes narrowing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thanks to the Fire Element Affinity granted by his [Heart of the Furnace], he keenly detected the almost imperceptible fluctuations of Magic Power emanating from her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Roland...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Roland was steeling himself, the woman’s languid voice broke the silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She offered a graceful curtsy, her long Violet hair swaying with the movement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And you as well, Miss Teresa, and...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her gaze shifted, lingering for a moment on the Elf Maiden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Miss Avril. Thank you all for accepting my invitation.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The candlelight cast a flickering Shadow across her delicate collarbones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Lilith von Braun...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a meaningful pause, her lips curved into a barely perceptible smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I am the current governor of the Adventurer’s Guild for the River Domain, responsible for all its affairs in this region.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1339,"2026-06-09T07:01:39.615Z",1,"novelbin.me","eb87b9bda777dd17f1723861d462eea91e2e28314e6d445dbd522b9b3650ac77","knight-from-apprentice-to-the-almighty-chapter-168","knight-from-apprentice-to-the-almighty-chapter-166",216,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fknight-from-apprentice-to-the-almighty-cover.jpg"]