In Elder Tale, a quest is a type of mission.
There are many types,
ranging from simply finding missing persons to grand adventures,
each with its own unique reward.
Experience, gold, items...
Magical knowledge or crafting recipes.
The whistle to summon griffons
was one of the completion rewards for a huge quest.
Our warehouse is looking pretty bare...
We should buy up whatever we can.
Ever since the Apocalypse,
there are fewer guilds that will leave towns to fight for ingredients.
Fighting in your own body is pretty scary...
That's why lots of people are switching to crafting,
so ingredients are becoming harder to find.
In the race to buy them, the large guilds have an advantage...
The Roderic Merchant Guild and the Marine Agency have absorbed many smaller guilds.
We may be the third biggest crafting guild, but it doesn't mean we can take it easy.
We must take full advantage of this chance.
Chance?
Villain in Glasses
Villain in Glasses.
L-Let me go...
I don't have time to waste here.
You look so relaxed, Henrietta.
My heart is pounding...
I'm not relaxed...
That's why I'm trying to calm my mind.
Assassins are not tools to help you relax.
I'm going into battle.
Dragon's Nest
I must stay strong!
Hey, sorry for keeping you.
You look pretty scary, Marie...
Karashin Race/ Human Summoner, Lv. 90 Shopping Street 8
No...
It really has been a while, Karashin.
I'm told you two have known one another for a long time.
When we were just starting out, we went hunting together.
But once we founded our own guilds, we both became so busy...
We both started guilds. But isn't yours huge, with seven hundred members?
Far bigger than mine.
Well, there are still larger guilds,
like the Marine Agency or the Roderic Merchant Guild.
Well? What brings you here today? You had something to ask?
That's a businessman's face...
I'd like your help with ingredient stocks.
Ingredients for our guild to use.
We're trying to outsource our resource collection.
Specifically, we need young deer meat, lettuce, tomatoes...
Flour, potatoes, haruharu fish, and grouse meat.
Just as I thought, she's here for ingredients for Crescent Moon.
Once you eat their food, you can't go back to the old stuff.
If I could get all that business for myself...
Ingredients?
How much and at what price?
I see...
At that price, it's not a bad deal.
But...
It's a very good deal for them.
But that doesn't mean he can simply agree to whatever is proposed.
Indeed.
They'll try to improve the terms.
Anyway, these are for
Crescent Moon, correct?
That's right.
I'm told your business is going well.
Thank you.
Our chefs are pleased everyone enjoys the food so much!
So are you using a new recipe?
Our chefs are simply that good.
This is right, isn't it, Shiro?
I don't think
I can keep this up...
Listen.
No matter what happens, just keep smiling.
Smiling?
Yes, that's the most important thing.
As long as you keep smiling, your partner will handle the rest.
She's going to need some help soon.
I can give this serious consideration...
But have you thought of a partnership with Shopping Street 8,
in order to grow your business—
Excuse me, Karashin...
But it's time.
Time?
Yes, our other guests have arrived.
I'm sorry...
Since I knew you already, I slipped you in a bit early.
But Henrietta says we should really handle this fairly.
So... What does all this mean?
The Marine Agency,
as well as the Roderic Merchant Guild, will be coming, too.
But on to other matters...
Wha—
What do you mean by "other matters"?
Well, investment...
Specifically, selling Crescent Moon.
Hey, why don't we ask Karashin to stay?
Until we have a stable source of ingredients,
we can't move to the next step.
H-Hold on a second...
What is the Crescent Moon Alliance thinking?
What do you mean by "investment"?
Well—
How much is Shopping Street 8 willing to pay
for that information?
We'll agree to the matter we were discussing just now.
We'll get what you want, in any bulk you want, for this price.
Thirty thousand.
Thirty—
Fine... Agreed!
On behalf of Shopping Street 8, I accept the contract...
That's great!
Now we can let him stay for the next part, right?
Of course... I don't mind at all.
What's your tailoring level?
Level 32.
Then you can make level-30 leather armor...
Today, make leather aprons to raise your skill.
Yes, sir.
Since then, Shiroe has been in touch several times.
He has many friends now.
He and I are in the same world.
We're in the same world, but...
This is how disgusting the world looks to me.
What is this?!
Minori!
It's you, isn't it?
What is this?
That day...
The day reality and Elder Tale switched places...
All I could do was cry and pray that someone would save me.
Tohya was already starting to accept it...
Walking through this world.
Running.
As though he enjoyed the new experience more than he feared it.
Minori, Minori... Look at this!
We still get our EXP pots!
Every day, we still receive the EXP pots we got as a beginner bonus.
When Tohya learned that, it was natural that he'd want to see
how it would work.
Tohya had started to spur me
into feeling up to moving forward a little bit...
But...
They ran toward four o'clock!
Stop them!
Minori!
Tohya!
I told you that I wouldn't kill you if you dropped all your inventory items.
Everything's so realistic...
Is this really virtual?
Well, a game's a game...
Don't blame me.
Y-You jerk!
I'm alive?
Minori!
Tohya!
"In this world, if something matters, keep it in the bank."
I only remembered Shiroe's words
after I'd already lost everything.
By that time,
all that remained was the desire to rely on another.
What's with you guys?
You newbies?
No friends?
That sucks for you.
I would have gone with anyone who offered aid,
no matter who they were.
The world around Shiroe is the one he's earned for himself.
All I could do was to weep at my own powerlessness.
The same way I always have.
That's why I lost everything...
That's why
we don't have the right to be saved
by Shiroe.
Dragon's Nest
Oh, what have we here?
Two beauties and the young master of Shopping Street 8.
Hello!
I'm Marielle, of the Crescent Moon Alliance!
This is my head clerk...
Hey!
No one's had a head clerk for years.
I'm Henrietta. Pleased to meet you.
I'm in charge of our treasury.
Now, then...
Michitaka Race/ Human Monk, Lv. 90 Marine Agency
Michitaka, leader of the Marine Agency.
Roderic Race/ People of the Law Summoner, Lv. 90 Roderic Merchant Guild
Roderic, master of the Roderic Merchant Guild.
I need to ensure negotiations with these two are successful.
This is my battle.
If I retreat here, I won't be able to face the others.
Before I get down to business,
let me explain why I invited Shopping Street 8 here first.
We've asked Shopping Street 8 to provide ingredients for us.
Hey, wait... Does that mean you're working with Shopping Street 8?
No, then there would be no need to call us.
You must want something else.
I see...
Michitaka is a respected leader, but subtlety isn't his strength.
Roderic appears similar to Shiroe,
but he lacks Shiroe's guts.
Yes, that's right. It's something else.
We'd like to extend the same offer to both of you.
The only thing we can sell for the money we require
is our new method of food preparation.
Yes, but that's...
Yes.
Once they know how, using it is the simplest thing in the world.
So, no matter what, we can't let them in on it until after the negotiations.
Yes, but we can't go to them
without telling them anything...
That's one place where we have an advantage.
An advantage?
Our advantage is that they want profits.
Yes...
Crescent Moon is tempting bait.
As long as they desire to profit,
we maintain the negotiating initiative.
We have the right to decide what information we reveal,
as well as what we keep hidden.
However, we cannot lie.
But to dangle the bait, while trying to avoid telling them anything...
If this is to work in the future, we can't afford to lie now.
I'd better get Akatsuki for a whole week, or this won't be worth it at all!
The Crescent Moon Alliance is embarking on a major operation.
A major operation?
You could think of it as a challenge.
However, we lack the power to do it completely on our own.
Then you want our help?
I understand... A quest, is it?
Good, they misunderstood me.
I'm not lying, Shiroe!
So, what kind of support would you need, Marie?
Before I tell you what we need,
let me explain how we've organized ourselves.
Well, I'd like to hear your strategy, at least.
Indeed.
The man in charge of our major operation is Shiroe.
The Villain in Glasses is doing this?
I knew it.
Griffons?
That explains how you traveled to and from Susukino so quickly.
Aren't those summon flutes a reward for a nigh-impossible raid?
I can understand the Tea Party's strategist having one.
Oh, so he's behind this.
He's more famous than I expected.
Just their knowing that Shiroe is leading this operation lends weight to my words.
The name "Villain in Glasses" isn't just for show.
Are you sick, my lord?
Can you get sick in this world?
Let's move on to the support we're requesting from each of you.
To be blunt, we need money.
I thought so.
How much?
At present, we need
five million gold.
Fi—
Five million?
I've never heard of any quest that costs that much money.
Wait...
Then The Novasphere Pioneers?
With the expansion pack in place,
it would make sense if there were new legendary-class quests.
Which means the reward for that quest...
No matter what it is, it's likely to lead to lots of money.
They want to believe that's true.
And when someone wants to believe something is true, they usually will.
Try this! It's a new recipe.
It's made from Roc eggs.
It's sweet and delicious!
Pudding?
It's great!
This is really Roc eggs?
Rocs are level 85 and above...
To cook these eggs,
you'd need a recipe we don't know of, one that's above level 90.
Naturally, we wouldn't give you nothing in return for the money.
Once the operation is complete,
we'll give all three of you full details about the plan.
Also...
We're prepared to ask a scribe to transcribe
copies of all the cookbooks we're currently using,
as well as the methods we've learned over the course of our challenge.
Does that mean...
The recipes Crescent Moon is using?
Then there is a special recipe...
Looks like we're through the rough part.
Now to throw them a life jacket.
Through asset liquidation and Crescent Moon's sales,
we've collected 500,000 gold.
But asking any single guild to provide the remaining 4.5 million
would greatly alter the balance of power.
So why don't we have each guild contribute 1.5 million?
That represents around a hundred people's assets...
The Roderic Merchant Guild agrees to your proposal.
Same here!
Shopping Street 8 does, too!
Got it!
The Marine Agency will provide the funds.
If you prefer, we could be your sole sponsor.
That's no fair!
I won't allow you to take all the profit for yourself!
Let's be civil, everyone... For me, okay?
Hear from him again?
From Shiroe.
Shh!
Listen...
I didn't tell you,
but I saw him once earlier.
But I couldn't ask him for help.
Why not?
I don't know.
He's so cool, so kind...
He knows everything.
He's just so amazing.
So...
Yeah.
We have no right to ask someone like him to save us.
Do you think I could be like him?
Right now, I couldn't ask him to save me...
But if I could be like him...
I'm done for.
It feels like my HP and MP are at zero...
I suddenly feel so exhausted.
This smell...
Akatsuki!
You aren't smelling me. That's the dessert.
When you're tired, sweets are the best!
Meow.
Thanks...
You all had a tough time, too.
Thank you!
Shiro asked us to.
He said you'd be tired when you got back.
He did?
Where is he, anyway?
I should tell him how it went.
He's already working on the next job.
He was certain you'd be able to pull it off.
It feels like he planned for everything.
There's no beating the Villain in Glasses.
We're splitting up for tonight's sparring match.
Okay!
What has the Crescent Moon Alliance invited us to?
They said they wanted to talk about the city of Akihabara,
but the details were vague.
She once tried and failed to make an alliance
of smaller guilds, but...
I don't know if they're true,
but the stories about the guy working with her bother me.
You mean Log Horizon?
Yes...
It's Shiroe, from the Tea Party.
We humbly request your presence at a meeting to determine Akihabara's future. Crescent Moon Alliance Guild Master Marielle Log Horizon Guild Master Shiroe
Then does this mean the next raid is canceled, my lord?
Yes...
Unfortunately, the dates overlap.
Is this conference that important?
I'm less interested in the conference itself
than in the one holding it.
I'm doing it tomorrow.
I promised I'd come and save you, right?
Shiroe
So that's okay, right?
Tohya said he wanted to be like Shiroe.
He wants to open new paths, like Shiroe.
That is what he wants!
And I do, too.
It's time, Shiro.
Yes.
Now it's my turn...
to fight.
At the guild building, twelve masters gather.
The battle begins, as Shiroe fights weaponless.
And the new players trapped by Hamelin,
Minori and Tohya, are about to begin their fight, as well.
To open the door to hope...
Round Table Conference
Next time: Round Table Conference.
This is our reality.