Chapter 128
Chapter 128
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 128
Chapter Title: Restless Itch
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I was bored out of my mind.
How long had it been since even just breathing made me feel like rage was building up inside?
It felt like an eternity. Maybe even since right after I hatched from that egg long ago.
I didn't want to think deeply about anything, didn't have the leisure for it, but all my worries and anxieties, anger and fury—none of it could be soothed except by the dull thud of my fist hitting something.
"Bored."
My long, outstretched arm swung. Punching the air with precise form produced a sharp *bang!*, and the curtains in the closed-window room fluttered.
If I could, I'd bolt out right now, but what was this thing called a promise?
Just throw on a mask, roam the streets, and slam a fist into the guts of every thug doing bad deeds—wouldn't that be great?
It'd wipe out crime and blow away Rachel's stress in one go.
'Not a bad idea, actually?'
Plus, while I was at it, ambush the person Adelian assigned at night, or break in somewhere for info, beat everyone up, and take what I need.
That sounds pretty good too, right?
Rachel stroked her chin and spoke seriously.
"You're softer than I thought."
At Rachel's mutter, Luna, who was moving a hot oven pan with thick gloves, opened her mouth.
"Rachel, talking bad about the young master again?"
"Ah, but it's true, isn't it?"
Rachel looked at Luna, who was scolding her but not denying it outright. Why couldn't she win against that cute, plump-faced rabbitkin?
It was like she'd committed some grave sin.
"Still. That doesn't make it bad."
Like soothing a child, Luna handed her a freshly made cornbread. Rachel smirked.
She took a big bite of the steaming bread straight from the oven pan, chewing as the corn kernels burst and creamy filling still runny like water flowed out, then spoke.
"That's true, but just because it's not bad doesn't make it good."
As Rachel spoke, Leaf, who was splitting his bread in half to cool it, chimed in.
―The administrator does have a soft side, to be sure.
"Even Leaf."
Luna pursed her lips slightly and sighed. She knew exactly what Rachel and Leaf meant.
The petty stunts like showing up at their lodging repeatedly to terrorize them, or disguising themselves as their own appearances and lurking around.
If Adelian's party had been made up of ordinary people or even moderately strong ones, at least one might have lost their mind.
It was only because even Adelian, the physically weakest, didn't care about those attacks that everyone stayed put.
Rachel propped her chin and pouted.
'If Adelian had been scared, things would've been different.'
Even if Adelian ordered them not to do anything, everyone would've gone out. Especially Luna—no question. Rachel would bet money on it.
And that was the real issue.
If Adelian wanted to, he could've easily tracked down and killed whoever pulled those stunts.
From what Adelian had said, and judging by appearances, the culprit from the church was probably around Adelian's age.
That meant a human who'd lived barely thirty years.
Unless they were an outlier like Cain, how strong could they really be?
Rachel pondered while stuffing half of a third cornbread into her mouth.
Of course, the church Adelian kept worrying about seemed to have considerable influence.
Makes sense—they were operating openly across the continent without getting caught.
So he was probably being cautious, taking careful steps to avoid escalating things unnecessarily.
"Why not just wipe them out?"
Not being able to do it and sucking it up was one thing, but holding back when he *could* was a whole different level of frustration!
Rachel continued in an irritated tone.
"Honestly, even if I caused a scene, Adelian could smooth it over, right?"
"What if a master-level assassin shows up?"
Luna looked down with slightly cold eyes, and Rachel added defensively.
"Ah, come on, we've got that amazing Cain."
He's only at the entry of master level, but reaching master at his age is monstrous, right? She was munching on an apple now, but Luna's cold gaze lingered as her lips curved slowly into a smile.
"What if two come?"
"Uh......"
"You gonna handle it?"
―I couldn't output master-level power without overloading my mana heart, unless my flight unit is nearby.
Rachel glanced at Luna—smiling innocently with red eyes, yet somehow chilling—and Leaf, expressionless but radiating pressure—before lowering her gaze slyly.
"T-That's..."
"The young master knows that too."
Sure, it'd feel good to land one punch, but messing around carelessly would just make things worse.
"Yeah, you're right."
Rachel subtly changed the subject, glancing at Luna who let it slide, and muttered the unsaid words inwardly.
'But how many masters could they have?'
* * *
I think I mentioned this once before.
In the original story, power inflation went completely insane toward the end.
Legendary dragon slayers—by the late game, there were as many as there were dragons, give or take.
'And Cain fought the living god of the Evil God Church, called the Demon King, literally erasing chunks of the continent from the map in the finale.'
So, average units wouldn't seem overwhelmingly strong unless they were from the main party or named characters.
And sure enough.
[Ariel Yarica—Saintess of the Two-Faced God Basaha]
Representative Traits: [Miracle (S)] [Pain Resistance (S)] [Pain Transfer (S)]
Hidden Traits: [Two-Faced (S)] [Word of Command (D)]
I nearly froze for a second but forced a smug grin, whispering to Ariel—who wore a robe bigger than herself, looking buried in it.
"Good eye? Or some trait? Doesn't matter. What's your next move?"
Play it cool for now.
There must be a reason they stuck this scary thing on me.
I grinned, side-eyeing Ariel, whose oversized robe—stolen from someone, it seemed—hid her hands even when she rolled up her sleeves.
Luna had a petite, dainty image, but Ariel looked straight-up like a kid, so no one would be intimidated at first glance.
But not me. I knew too well.
Stay calm. Two-Faced isn't her representative trait yet, so it's fine. Not the worst case.
'No, getting tangled with her at all *is* the worst case.'
Pretending the game's not going my way for bluffing, I grimaced.
Maintaining a truly nonchalant face was torture.
In the Innocent Saga, including the original, there were three famous lunatics.
Luna from the main party, neutral Ariel, and Kaiza from the Evil God Church.
Or, Bloodthirst's Luna, Pain's Ariel, Madness' Kaiza.
Even if she hadn't awakened as a lunatic yet, running into one of them—Ariel—sent chills down my spine.
I noted the goosebumps on my arm peeking from the rolled-up sleeve, then flipped my card hand while pulling the sleeve down.
Don't let pointless imagination create unease. Better to gather info and reason.
'Gambling den—this was a trap from Basaha's temple.'
God of two faces and coins. Fits a casino as much as Haroer, god of luck and misfortune.
'But wait... does Basaha's church even have a high priest?'
Realizing that, chills ran down my spine again.
'As far as I know, they only used sirens from a sub-priest level at the temple.'
Basaha's public image wasn't great, so their forces weren't huge.
They had few priests to begin with, no official high priests, and even saintess Ariel wasn't public yet—practically nonexistent.
Meaning the high priest who set this trap was officially a high priest of another god on the surface.
Can't get too lost in thought now. I quickly sorted it mentally, then tilted my chair and nodded at Ariel, gesturing for her to call the next dice roll.
"If you nail this one too, I'll pay big."
"Really? I need the money......"
Why do *you* need money? As Basaha's saintess, what worries do you have?
At least I knew what kind of attention Ariel wanted from me.
Outstanding traits, decent looks, a frail personality, and needing money.
Practically begging to be manipulated into villainy.
'They want me to lust after Ariel and do something dirty.'
But sending out their saintess just for that seemed too simplistic.
'Means I have to play along, adding more variables.'
Can't stupidly charge like a moth to flame, thinking only the Evil God Church is the big bad.
As with life, enmities are fluid.
Broadly, the cult trying to end the world and restart is evil, but narrowly, anyone trying to bend me to their will is an enemy too.
'But I can ally if needed.'
I grinned and whispered to Ariel alone.
"What's next? Odd? Even?"
"Probably even. Half down, I think."
"Yeah?"
I placed coins lightly on 4 and 6.
Even, half down—meaning under 6. Since double 1 (2) came earlier, exclude it. Original bet doubled or something? Wait, half down even: 6 or below evens, exclude 2.
"6."
I handed her part of my other chips and whispered.
"Pretty skilled, huh? What's the trick? Why not play yourself? You must have seed money now."
"N-No trick... I'm half-blood, so I can't join games here—only pure humans can bet......"
Liar. You're human.
But I smirked disdainfully, as if I'd expected it, and turned away.
'Guessing numbers... is it an unconscious miracle? Or Word of Command?'
Maybe both.
Whatever, overusing it to exhaustion or awakening Word of Command would be bad.
"Think we've won enough for today. Hey... wanna talk?"
An offer you won't refuse, I whispered, linking arms with her like old pals.
Publicly, I'm a wastrel. So I get why they stuck Ariel on me.
Gotta show them what they want.
"You'd have fun hanging with me. Admit it—you started talking 'cause you want someone to use that ability for. Right?"
"B-But big casinos ban me—I can't even cover my face like this......"
"What? You already fleeced someone else besides me? Bold, wandering outside."
"Haha... so only here, once a week......"
Ah, so keep meeting you here, get hooked on easy wins?
What's the trap? Trust you too much, lose big I can't afford?
Or trust you and gamble something else besides this kiddie stuff?
Or kidnap you for your powers, then hit me with saintess abduction charges.
Whatever you're after,
I can handle it.
"Alright, see you next time then."
"Sure... as long as the money's good......"
I laughed at that voice tinged with subtle relief.
Think you've fooled me easily?
I extended my hand like for a shake.
As my hand reached out, whatever she thought, Ariel shrugged in her oversized robe before slowly offering hers.
That white, small hand looked soft and squishy, but her grip was surprisingly strong, and her palm tougher than it seemed.
'Come to think of it—Ariel wielded a massive two-headed axe?'
It was a night of crossing thoughts.