I Reincarnated to Another World as a Woman-Chapter 165: The Question of Five

"Liam, I’ve read both your report and your letter," Linus says sharply, as usual, while looking at his son as if he can see through everything.

"I just want to make sure," Linus continues. "It says here that you’re resigning from Monfort Sentinels?"

Linus blinks. He is a little surprised, and he is very rarely surprised.

His firstborn, the Monfort heir, is resigning from his own company. Linus can already guess why, but he wants to hear it from Liam himself.

"Hey, Dad. Do you mind if I sit first?" Liam says, completely at ease.

"And yes, I am," he adds, nodding firmly.

"Explain why," Linus says.

"Well, it’s simple. I’ve found something I want to pursue, and I don’t want my focus split. Me being in Monfort Sentinels never really meant managing anything. That was always Yuki. I didn’t manage. I just went into dungeons with other Sentinels."

"I didn’t even have a specific team. I was very individual," Liam continues.

Linus keeps his expression neutral. This is unexpected. Liam actually realized it.

Linus doesn’t interrupt. He only raises one eyebrow, signaling for Liam to continue.

"And I’ve found a team that is solid. I want to be there for them full time. More importantly, this team is independent. I don’t want the Monfort name influencing it in any way."

"This new team of yours, is it dungeon clearing as well?" Linus asks. This time, there is curiosity in his tone.

Liam nods enthusiastically. "Yes. We are. And we’re not planning to clear low-level dungeons, but level six and above. We’re even considering starting at level seven." He smiles proudly.

Linus sighs. "Those are dangerous dungeons. How many people are in this new team of yours?"

Liam looks straight at his father and answers without blinking. "Five."

Now Linus is genuinely surprised.

Usually, even with Sentinels from Monfort, which are considered among the strongest in Altheon, a level six dungeon would require at least three teams of fifteen Sentinels each. That is forty-five people in total. And now, his son is saying he plans to clear level six and above with only five people.

Are they insane, stupid, or actually extremely strong?

Liam watches as his father’s expression changes. Inwardly, he feels a small thrill. It is rare for him to ruffle his father’s feathers, a feat that is notoriously difficult. Linus Monfort is a calm and composed man.

His feathers do not ruffle. Period.

Linus watches his son’s expression closely, and what he sees surprises him even more.

He doesn’t sense cockiness, arrogance, recklessness, rebellion, or anything that would suggest Liam has lost his mind or is acting out of spite.

Everything points to one conclusion. Liam knows exactly what he’s doing.

Part of Linus feels proud. Liam has finally found his direction, and he’s pursuing it with confidence. That, at least, is reassuring.

But another part of him, the part that is simply a father, feels uneasy. Worried that Liam may be in over his head.

Linus remains silent. He needs time to think about how to proceed. This is unfamiliar territory. Linus is not someone who delays decisions. He is known for being quick, efficient, and precise.

A lethal combination for a man who serves as both CEO and Chairman of the Board of a multinational corporation like Monfort Industries.

Linus takes a deep breath and finally says, "Tell me more about this team of yours."

Liam exhales in relief. By asking that question, Linus is not opposing his resignation. If anything, he is leaning toward accepting it.

"Dad, first of all, I know you’re surprised by the number," Liam says. "And I want to be clear. This number might not increase for a long time. It might not increase at all. We may never accept new members."

"And we’re not delusional or stupid. I know that’s probably what you’re thinking. Honestly, I’d think the same if I didn’t know what these five people are capable of."

He straightens slightly.

"Dad, I’m your son. There’s no way I’m stupid. And I’m not reckless either. I’ve been a Sentinel for more than three years. I know recklessness comes with a very high mortality rate."

"My team is called Rhaenas," Liam continues. "The members are Arthur, Julian, me, Maeve, and Thea."

He pauses when he sees the shock on Linus’s face.

This time, Linus doesn’t bother to suppress his reaction.

"Of the Montrose?" Linus says sharply. "Three Montrose children, one Monfort heir, and one librarian?"

He looks at Liam, incredulous.

"Liam, do you realize that your last sentence negates everything you just said about not being reckless or stupid?"

Liam doesn’t back down. He meets his father’s gaze and replies quietly, "You know I’ve met Aldriana. All of us have. She trained us. That’s how we managed to clear Mt. Helene."

He leans forward in his seat. "That dungeon was mutated. Its difficulty was equivalent to a level nine regular dungeon."

"Dad, you said you’ve read the report," Liam continues. "Then you should know that this mutated dungeon held more unknowns than any other dungeon discovered so far. A speaking Dungeon King. Signs of experimentation."

"Dad, one of the reasons we formed Rhaenas is because we don’t want more victims. If people keep treating mutated dungeons like regular ones, the number of casualties will skyrocket."

"Not just Sentinels," he adds. "Civilians too. The missing people around Mt. Helene? Julian and Maeve were the only survivors. And that was only because Arthur, Aldriana, and I went in to rescue them."

Liam pauses to catch his breath and studies his father’s expression.

"Aldriana helped you clear Mt. Helene?" Linus asks.

"Yes," Liam answers. "When Arthur and I realized Julian was truly missing, I asked for her help. She agreed and went into the dungeon with us. Without her, we would not have survived."

Linus falls silent once more.

Liam’s heart is pounding. Arthur has given him a task, to secure his father’s support for Rhaenas. Not financially, but morally, and more importantly, through influence and connections.

Linus’s network operates on an entirely different level. More powerful than any single organization, and stronger than many combined. If Linus supports Rhaenas, their credibility will be cemented. No one would dare question them.

"And she is as strong as you claimed?" Linus asks.

Liam nods.

"Then why isn’t she part of your team?" Linus continues. "Wouldn’t it be better to have Aldriana instead of Thea Montrose?"

"And even if she trained you," Linus presses on, "what makes the five of you stronger than others? Wouldn’t it be more effective if she trained many Sentinels instead? That way, casualty numbers would drop even further."

He pauses, his gaze steady.

"I suppose my real question is this. What makes the five of you special?" Linus asks.

"What gives you such confidence that you can clear level nine dungeons and above?"