Chapter 227 The Potion Thief
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Translator: JayM
Chapter: 227
Chapter Title: The Potion Thief
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Southern District Park.
Under the tranquil moonlight.
Mathias swallowed dryly.
As one of the five elders of the Mage Tower, he prided himself on having seen many people.
Those with a strong aura, those with great skill, those proficient in combat, and even those with all three combined.
Just like the half-barbarian standing right in front of him.
But looking into the man's strangely calm eyes.
Mathias's instincts were screaming.
That there was something fundamentally different in this man from the crowds of people he had met so far.
'Is he mad?'
'Is he not mad?'
He didn't know.
He really didn't.
Jeong Yoo-shin tapped his scabbard.
The faces of the mages were all a sight to behold.
Expressions like they had just been dunked in ice water in the middle of winter.
The face of Malakai, who was standing next to the old mage, was especially amusing.
To think that he was dripping with cold sweat while making such a horrified face.
The mages, as if they had received a mental shock from his one phrase, couldn't open their mouths.
Jeong Yoo-shin walked away from Bendrick.
A leisurely and elegant predator's gait.
The mages watched the approaching Jeong Yoo-shin and slowly backed away.
A few of the faint-hearted ones' legs trembled as they took out wands from their pockets.
"Master Skar!!! Do not approach!!!"
Mathias shouted.
Jeong Yoo-shin stopped and observed the mages' eyes.
Just like the other mages.
Mathias's eyes were also filled with confusion.
Jeong Yoo-shin thought he knew what the old mage was thinking.
Wasn't one question repeating in his head?
Jeong Yoo-shin smiled and opened his mouth.
"Am I mad? Am I not mad?"
As Jeong Yoo-shin's words echoed in the park, a chill ran down Mathias's spine.
No way.
Did he have an imprint that could read minds?
He found himself staring into Jeong Yoo-shin's eyes.
It felt like looking into the abyss of the labyrinth.
It was difficult for him to fully process the current situation.
He needed time to calm his mind and think about whether this man was mad or not.
Mathias internally decided to retreat.
"W-We’ll be leaving now."
Bendrick felt a wave of relief.
The Mage Tower was a group that possessed a large number of skilled mages.
Because the members of the Mage Tower were closely connected, they wielded great influence not only in the Lionel Kingdom but also in the Eastern Alliance territory.
Moreover, there was nothing to be gained from causing a conflict with them right before a major meeting.
Nevertheless, there was one reason why he remained.
It was because his sons were indebted to this man.
However…
"Go where?"
As the half-barbarian's words echoed again, Bendrick swallowed a groan.
He shouldn't be worried about Skar's safety.
It was the people of the Mage Tower that he should be worried about.
Mathias's eyes widened as he ground his teeth.
"Master Skar, you, with the grace of His Majesty behind your back…"
"What a load of bullshit, you bastards."
Jeong Yoo-shin spat out a curse and looked around at the mages.
"It's not enough that you treated a perfectly sane person like a kin of an Outer God, but you also sneakily followed me around?"
This ends here.
"Decide right here. Either you stop the spying. Or you offer your necks here."
"T-This guy, really!? Master Skar! Do we look like a joke to you?!"
Mathias's voice was filled with agitation.
His initial composure had disappeared like dust scattered by the wind, and he was now being swayed by his emotions.
Jeong Yoo-shin grinned and drew his single-edged sword.
"Let's test it."
Drip, drip, drip.
A sticky liquid dripped down from the scabbard.
'Heuk♥'
A strange moan echoed in Jeong Yoo-shin’s head, but he ignored it.
Mathias hastily stepped back and put a hand in his pocket.
"W-What is that?!"
Why in the world would a sword dripping with water come out in this situation?
He couldn't understand it at all.
Was it poison?
Or was he trying to use some other technique?
Because the barbarian in front of him used so many strange abilities, he couldn't even imagine what the man would do.
As he tried to rack his brain to its limit while looking at the abyss-like man in front of him, his stomach churned.
"I don't know either."
At Jeong Yoo-shin's words, the mages took another step back.
He was playing mind games until the very end.
The remaining mages also drew their wands with tense expressions.
A hair-trigger situation.
At that moment…
"That's enough."
Ingrid stepped out from the darkness.
"Haaam. Yeah, Ingrid's right. What's all this in the middle of the night?"
Astaroth, with a tired face, also appeared from somewhere and was sitting on a bench.
Several high-ranking people had gathered in the park in the middle of the night.
"We could hold the summit meeting right here."
Astaroth muttered.
Ingrid stepped forward.
"Skar, please stop."
Jeong Yoo-shin swung the blade to flick off the sticky liquid, then slowly nodded.
"I understand. As long as the people of the Mage Tower no longer invade my privacy."
Ingrid looked at Mathias.
Mathias bit his lip several times, then finally bowed his head.
"I... understand. Let's go."
Unlike how they had suddenly appeared, the mages just walked away and left the park.
"I was wondering why you came back to the inn later than me. So you were doing this here?"
As Ingrid lamented, Bendrick shrugged.
"I was late because I was walking around and drinking with Skar."
Astaroth and Ingrid's strange gazes fell on Bendrick.
Ingrid turned her body.
"Let's go back to the inn for now. Astaroth, good work."
"I'm going to drink too."
"Shouldn't you go back to the inner castle and rest?"
"What's the big deal? My shift’s over for today."
Ingrid turned her head and looked at Jeong Yoo-shin.
It was a gaze that seemed to leave the choice to the inn owner.
Jeong Yoo-shin nodded.
"Yes. Please come with us."
Astaroth smiled and stood up from the bench.
"Right. Let's go!"
"Go where?"
A clear and cool voice echoed out.
An elf woman appeared in the park.
Green hair.
Mysterious eyes that glittered in the moonlight.
And long ears.
Looking at her face, she had the appearance of a noble elf, but…
Through the thin cloth wrapped around her body, her watermelon-sized breasts bounced sensuously.
Ingrid’s eyes narrowed.
"Ellasein? When did you arrive?"
"I arrived a few days ago. I had some time before the summit meeting, so I was staying in the Silver Forest for a vacation."
The Silver Forest.
The closest forest to Labyrinth City.
It was the place where he had trained with Master Ashur last time.
"Why did you suddenly come here?"
Ellasein clapped her hands twice with a rather annoyed expression.
Clap, clap!
An elf appeared from the darkness while holding a small iron cage.
Inside the iron cage, a familiar creature was trapped inside.
The white mouse, Lin.
Lin was sitting slumped in the iron cage, but when she saw Jeong Yoo-shin, she grabbed the bars of the cage.
"Jik!"
"This mouse. Isn't it your familiar?"
At Ellasein's question, Ingrid looked at Lin trapped in the iron cage and then nodded.
"It is. Is there a problem?"
Ellasein's fine eyebrows furrowed.
"This thing came into my bedroom and stole and drank an unfinished potion."
"..."
People were at a loss for words and stared blankly at Lin trapped in the iron cage.
This was confusing.
"Let's go to the inn for now. It doesn't seem like this is something to talk about outside."
At Ingrid's words, Ellasein's eyes lit up.
"Right. There's no need to go all the way to the inner castle. Let's talk, just the two of us."
As the people gathered together and walked in a group, Ellasein tilted her head.
"Ingrid, why are all these people following us?"
Bendrick shrugged and answered instead.
"Why do you ask? We’re staying at the same inn as Ingrid."
"This voice... Is it Bendrick? The king of Lionel and the representative of the Beast-person Alliance are staying at the same inn? Is the inn plated with gold or something?"
"Not that, but it's comfortable. It's not particularly lacking compared to the inner castle. It would be a decent place for the queen of the elves to stay."
"Where in the world is it?"
At Ellasein's question, Bendrick smiled with his hands behind his back.
"You'll know when you get there."
Contrary to Ellasein's expectations.
The place the group arrived at was an inn in a corner of the Southern District.
An inn that looked newly built.
Anyone with a discerning eye could tell that it was a sturdily built building made with a lot of good materials.
Jeong Yoo-shin and the group stood in front of the inn door.
The beast-people and humans who were waiting at the door bowed their heads deeply. Their movements were stiff, as if they were very nervous.
"Welcome back."
Ingrid nodded.
"Yes. We have guests, so don’t lower your guard."
"Yes!"
Jeong Yoo-shin crossed his arms and looked around the inn.
It seemed that there were more people guarding the inn than in the morning.
When did so many people gather here?
As Jeong Yoo-shin looked around with a dumbfounded look, Bendrick gave an embarrassed smile.
"I thought it would be insufficient if only Ingrid's subordinates were on guard. So I selected a few from the royal guard. I also included a servant to prepare meals."
"Ah... Alright."
When they opened the inn door and went inside, quite a large number of people were dutifully standing guard.
The elf queen looked around and said one phrase.
"Not bad."
Of course, 1000 gold coins had been poured into this inn after all.
It was a change that would have made Dalmong faint in surprise if he had come.
"Innkeeper, give me some alcohol."
Bendrick said as he sat down at the large round table in the center.
"Didn't you have a lot to drink?"
"I sobered up while walking. This time, with a meal."
"I understand."
The servants busily went into the kitchen, and Jeong Yoo-shin stood at the counter cupboard.
At the round table.
Lilith's representative, Astaroth.
The king of Lionel, Bendrick.
The elf queen, Ellasein.
And the representative of the Beast-person Alliance, Ingrid, sat down.
Jeong Yoo-shin took out cups according to the number of people and wiped them with a dry cloth.
'Hmph. I told you they'd gather here. Now only the dwarf king is left.'
Beatrice replied in a sticky sweet voice.
Jeong Yoo-shin didn't answer and brought the alcohol and cups to the round table.
Trickle, trickle.
The alcohol was poured into the cups.
And people drank one cup each.
"First, let Lin go."
At Ingrid's request, Ellasein snapped her fingers.
Lin, released from the iron cage, hugged Ingrid once, then quickly separated from her and jumped into Jeong Yoo-shin's arms.
"No. What the…"
Jeong Yoo-shin was flustered but carefully caught Lin in his palm.
She was quite heavy, probably from eating so much in the Silver Forest.
It seemed like she had gained some belly fat too.
Lin crawled up Jeong Yoo-shin's arm and tried to get into his front shirt pocket.
But because she had gained weight, her plump butt was left sticking out, wiggling.
"Jik jik!"
Lin, who had stuck her head in the front shirt pocket, squeaked.
It was extremely embarrassing as everyone's attention was focused on Jeong Yoo-shin.
He first pushed Lin's butt with his finger and stuffed her into the shirt pocket.
A moment later.
Lin, who had perfectly settled in the front shirt pocket, peeked out her face and then fell fast asleep with a comfortable expression.
The elf queen took a sip of alcohol and then let out a deep sigh.
"Hoo. So what are we going to do? That thing swallowed the unfinished potion whole."
"Name it. I’ll compensate you."
"I can get the other ingredients somehow, but one ingredient is a problem."
"What is it?"
"The bodily fluid of a half-incubus."
"..."
After Ellasein's words, a silence fell on the round table.
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T/N - What a coincidence. And specifically a half-incubus too. How surprising… 🙄🤣
Seriously though, the MC really is collecting these high rank people like figurines. Next thing you know, not only the dwarf king, but even Lilith herself might pay the inn a visit.
Lastly, I do love the MC’s way of intimidation. It’s a half-mad character done right.