Chapter 64: Preparation (2)

Chapter 64: Preparation (2)

“No, Ellie! Don’t you trust me?!”

“Jonah, you have a complicated past.”

“That’s not fair! Just because I often play tricks on you, do you think I do that to everyone?!”

“You just admitted to playing tricks, didn’t you?! Are you confessing to being a repeat offender?!”

Ellie screamed, and I felt wronged. In the midst of this, Karen quietly raised her hand.

“May I say something?”

“...What is it?”

Ellie frowned, clearly wary of Karen. But for me, it was a welcome interruption.

“Inquisitor Karen! Please tell the truth! I didn’t do anything wrong, right? I just asked for a donation of your entire fortune, right?”

“Ah! Jonah, Jonah! Do you think that makes sense?!”

“It’s true.”

“...?”

Ellie wore a dumbfounded expression. Karen continued speaking to her.

“I said it was my entire fortune, but it’s not that much money. Since Sir Jonah said he would use it for a good cause, I trusted him and gave it to him.”

“But still, it’s your entire fortune.”

“More than anything, thanks to Sir Jonah, Ian, who took the curse in my place and collapsed, was able to live. If I think of it as the price of his life, I don’t regret it.”

“Oh.”

Ellie nodded as if she had just remembered something. She probably heard the story of what happened at the temple while she briefly went to the warehouse with Lydia. After struggling for a while, Ellie finally sighed deeply and slumped her shoulders.

“If that’s the case.”

“Hehe. See? When have I ever done something to worry you, Ellie? Please, place more trust in me.”

“No, you’re still doing things that worry me right now.”

“...Didn’t we just agree to go to the first floor together?”

“Right. Lydia said that even if I told you not to come, you would follow anyway. ...I’m just wondering, can you tell me why you want to confront One Who Devours the Twilight directly?”

“Why, you ask.”

I tapped my chin thoughtfully for a moment. Where should I start, and where should I end? Should I tell her that this world is made up of my settings? That there are too many seeds of tragedy sown, so I need to become at least a bit stronger to stop them when necessary? Or... that I have a sense of crisis, fearing there might be a setting error for reasons unknown to me?

Of course, it was impossible to tell her all of this. Even if I did, I’d probably be treated as a lunatic. So, I had to be a bit more vague, but I made sure to pinpoint the true nature clearly.

“I need to tie up loose ends.”

“.......”

“It’s something only I can do.”

“Is that so.”

“Yes. Asking for your help doesn’t mean asking you to fight in my stead. It means asking you to help me tie up my matters.”

“I understand.”

“Please, I ask you again, Eli. Help me. Even without one arm, you’re strong, aren’t you? Please use that strength for me.”

“...Alright.”

Eli nodded and added another word while scratching the back of his head.

“But there’s a condition.”

“What? What kind of condition?”

“No matter what, don’t stray from the side of others. Be it me, Lydia, or even this inquisitor. Never jump into danger, and make sure you come back safe without a single injury. ...Can you promise that?”

“Well, that’s true, but...”

Ellie trailed off, stroking my head firmly as if pressing it down.

“Right. You’re correct. You should focus on ensuring your safety for tomorrow as much as possible.”

“Yes. That was my intention from the beginning when I said I would go ahead. There’s a lot to prepare.”

“Is that so.”

I grabbed her hand, which was still on my head, and gently lowered it. Then, I lightly pressed my lips to the back of her hand.

Smooch~

“Thank you, Ellie. You’re fighting for me even though you’ve retired.”

“If you know that, then treat me well from now on.”

Ellie chuckled, but the power of the hand kiss must have been greater than expected. Her face turned bright red, her lips quivered, and she wagged her tail vigorously.

Laughing at her reaction, I turned to Lydia and Karen.

“I’ll be upstairs if you need anything.”

I told them before heading to my room with Karen’s hefty purse in hand.

Prepare? Yes, I should. But, whether I should or not...it was time to prepare for the gacha!!!

As soon as I closed the door, I spilled today’s earnings all over the desk. Not only had I wiped out a Hobgoblin tribe, but I also included the reward for moving a drugged man to the temple, and there was even all of Karen’s savings. Unfortunately, it was a pile of silver coins with not a single gold coin, but with this much, it must be a considerable amount of money. I didn’t bother counting. After all, it was all going to be spent—no, invested in the gacha.

The goddess statue was gone because I had given it to Karen, but I prayed with a desperate heart.

“If you’re a human being... you know, right?”

Ding!

[Normal Draw]

Use cash or an equivalent amount of magic stones to randomly obtain items and skills between 1~5 stars.

[1 Draw] [10+1 Draws]

“Watch over me!!”

I screamed and frantically pressed the draw button.

The jingling sound of coins filled the air as my pile of silver quickly disappeared. In its place, a flood of various trinkets emerged, accompanied by a message window in front of me.

[3 stars: Masterpiece - The Most Beautiful, Cute, and Lovely Goddess Statue in the World]

[3 stars: Masterpiece - The Most Beautiful, Cute, and Lovely Goddess Statue in the World]

[3 stars: Masterpiece - The Most Beautiful, Cute, and Lovely Goddess Statue in the World]

[3 stars: Masterpiece - The Most Beautiful, Cute, and Lovely Goddess Statue in the World]

[3 stars: Masterpiece - The Most Beautiful, Cute, and Lovely Goddess Statue in the World]

[3 stars: Masterpiece - The Most Beautiful, Cute, and Lovely Goddess Statue in the World]

[3 stars: Masterpiece - The Most Beautiful, Cute, and Lovely Goddess Statue in the World]

[3 stars: Masterpiece - The Most Beautiful, Cute, and Lovely Goddess Statue in the World]

[3 stars: Masterpiece - The Most Beautiful, Cute, and Lovely Goddess Statue in the World]

[3 stars: Masterpiece - The Most Beautiful, Cute, and Lovely Goddess Statue in the World]

[3 stars: Masterpiece - The Most Beautiful, Cute, and Lovely Goddess Statue in the World]

“???”

No, this...this wasn’t what I meant by asking you to watch over me...