Chapter 153

"Cough! Cough!"

Scarlet was revived, but there was nothing he could do right away.

That's because he hadn't regained his senses.

Judging by his groaning with unfocused eyes, it seemed like it would take some time for him to recover.

"But why did you come back?"

"I came back because I had something to check."

"Check?"

"About that guy throwing a knife at you. At the time, I let it slide due to the circumstances, but no matter how I think about it, it's strange."

Now that you mention it, that did happen.

My memory is hazy since so many things happened, but I clearly remember Lucia catching the flying knife.

"And what do you know? He was trying to stab you. So I entered right away."

The curtain on the window fluttered in the wind.

It seemed Lucia had entered through that window.

'I didn't even feel her presence, let alone notice she entered.'

Looking outside through the window, I could see Rezé lying with her head on Luna's lap.

Luna's gaze was directed this way, but she didn't show any particular reaction.

Meaning she hadn't noticed at all that Lucia had returned to the tavern.

'Her movements are like a ghost.'

I became a little curious if I could also move like that when my level increases.

"But why was this guy after you? Do you know anything?"Nêww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com

"...I feel like I might know, but also might not."

"What's with that ambiguous answer. Well, whatever. I can just ask him directly."

Having regained his senses at some point, Scarlet was watching for an opportunity.

Lucia grabbed Scarlet by the collar and lifted him up with one hand.

"Hey, why did you throw a knife at Zero?"

"Th-That's... I-It was a mistake."

"This is surprising. To think you'd dare lie in front of me."

Lucia's hand that was gripping his collar moved like lightning to Scarlet's neck.

As his neck naturally got choked from gravity, Scarlet's face reddened and bulged with veins.

Scarlet struggled and resisted, but Lucia didn't budge an inch.

"Do I look like an idiot who can't even distinguish between a mistake and intention?"

"Guh, guh-uck...!"

"What's the reason you targeted Zero? You better speak quickly if you don't want to die."

"Kuh!!"

Scarlet's eyes turned red as blood vessels burst.

It's not a good situation.

He may be low-level, but Scarlet is also a proper rat.

He won't submit to this kind of threat and reveal that he's a rat.

Even if Scarlet dies like this, there's almost no loss for me, but I can't just let him die.

Not only because he'll be a big help to me, but also.

'In the first place, it's my fault Scarlet got involved.'

If the game had progressed normally, Scarlet would be spending his days leisurely.

But my flapping wings created a huge typhoon called Lucia, and he's about to get sucked in and die.

There's no other way. I have to intervene.

"Miss Lucia."

"What. Can't you see I'm busy?"

"He's a rat."

"What?"

"One of Teacher Caron's rats. And a low-level one at that. Wouldn't it be troublesome in many ways if you kill him?"

"...Tsk!"

After thinking for a moment, Lucia practically threw Scarlet down.

Scarlet shed tears and exhaled rough breaths.

Lucia's gaze that was looking at him turned towards me.

"How do you know that? The rat list should be confidential."

"It's not certain yet, but it's probably true. Teacher Caron sent me here."

"What? What's that supposed to mean? What does him sending you here have to do with rats?"

"I made a deal with Teacher Caron. Somehow this person seems to have gotten involved."

"...You made a deal with that bastard?"

That guy, that bastard.

Terms of address filled with negative emotions.

'Did something happen between her and Caron?'

It's information that wasn't in the game. There's hardly any episode of Lucia and Caron getting entangled.

If I were alone, I'd have a leisurely conversation, but Luna and Rezé are waiting outside.

I don't have any more time for banter with Scarlet.

So I'll get straight to the point.

"First of all... I'm not a rat."

"What? Then what are you?"

"Didn't you hear earlier? I'm in a business relationship with Teacher Caron."

"...So that was true?"

"Keke, if Miss Lucia also acknowledged it and moved on right away, can't you tell?"

Scarlet's eyes changed. From eyes filled with suspicion to eyes mixed with awe and admiration.

It's a natural reaction since he knows exactly what it means to do business with Caron.

Perhaps.

'He might be comparing himself to me.'

His position as a low-level rat, and my position doing business with Caron at the pinnacle of rats.

On top of that, I'm younger than him, so he's probably feeling a strong sense of defeat right now.

"And I need your help."

"...Saying you need my help. That's too obvious of a lie. Why don't you just honestly say you want information?"

"Keke, I can see it clearly. You standing shoulder to shoulder with Teacher Caron... no, rising even higher than him."

Caron, who oversees the Empire's rats.

But even Caron often utilized Scarlet, who would be called the Omni Merchant.

Not only for information but also because he had many unique items.

So it's not a lie to say Scarlet will rise higher than Caron.

"...You say you see it. I don't really trust you with those slit eyes."

"Keke, is that so?"

"Seems like you're trying to make me talk no matter what... You should give up. As you saw earlier, I absolutely won't talk."

Scarlet, who didn't yield even to Lucia's power, even in a life-threatening situation.

Is it because he's a loyal rat? No.

The real reason Scarlet didn't yield until the end is...

'Because there's information he can only obtain by being under Caron.'

And the one who can provide that information.

Is me as well.

"This is troublesome. To think that you would treat so coldly the person who'll become a life savior."

"Hah, a life savior? If you had saved me before it got to this point, I might have called you that."

"Ah, of course I'm not talking about you."

"...?"

A question appeared on Scarlet's face.

It's a good expression. Using the [Eye Opening] skill, I said.

"I'm talking about your little sister."

"How do you know about that...!"

The fact that Scarlet has a little sister is a secret even Caron doesn't know.

It's natural for him to be startled that I know.

Scarlet grabbed me by the collar.

"I don't know what your goal is, but you better stop right now! If you do anything to my sister, I won't let it slide!"

The fact that I know about his sister's existence is practically the same as holding a hostage.

Kneeling would be the right judgment rather than grabbing my collar.

But Scarlet didn't do that.

He got extremely agitated. To the point of losing reason.

But it's still too early to be surprised.

"You're searching for the Eternal Snow Flower, aren't you?"

"...!"

Scarlet's eyes widened.

That's the very reason he became a rat.

And it's the impetus for him to be called the 'Omni Merchant' in the future and indiscriminately collect all the mysterious items and information in the world.

'Petrification disease'.

A rare disease among rare diseases that only five people in history have contracted, where the body gradually hardens starting from the toes, and finally even the head hardens like a statue.

It's also a disease with no cure.

No, to be precise, it's not an incurable disease.

About two centuries ago, there's a record of the granddaughter of an emperor receiving treatment.

And the ingredient for that treatment is none other than.

The 'Eternal Snow Flower' I just mentioned.

--TL Notes--

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