Chapter 187
Chapter 187
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 187
Chapter Title: Pechi - 2
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"Ah, we have to walk from here!"
It took a full day of riding in the carriage before we finally arrived near the ruins Pechi had mentioned. Pechi hopped out of the carriage with excitement bubbling over, and I staggered after her.
*...She really never shuts up.*
I wasn't sure if she was draining my energy on purpose or if this was just her personality, but Pechi had chattered nonstop the entire way here.
When I asked why she talked so much, she said it was an occupational hazard from wandering alone all the time to avoid boredom. Even accounting for that, she was annoyingly talkative.
Once the carriage departed and left just the two of us, Pechi motioned for me to follow and took the lead.
*I hope Lize is keeping up okay.*
I felt bad for making her trail us without a break for a whole day, but she'd insisted it was child's play for her, so she was probably fine.
Nix would teleport in from way behind anyway.
"This is the place!"
Pechi walked deep into the mountains for nearly two hours before stopping. I checked where her finger pointed.
The trees were already dense, and rocks and weeds cleverly concealed the area, making it hard to spot the ruins' entrance even if you knew it was there.
It was especially true for me, even though I'd visited this spot endlessly in the game. They must have put a ton of effort into hiding a place that might be full of treasure.
"Ah! Hold on! Let me disarm the traps first!"
After clearing the rocks, her slender arm blocked me as she headed to the entrance first. As she bent down, Pechi glanced back with an awkward expression, as if making excuses.
"What if someone else comes while I'm gone and loots it first? That's why."
The traps at the entrance were ones Pechi had set to block potential intruders.
In the game, there was no one to disarm them for you, so players had to break through themselves. Plenty had gotten caught at the entrance, raged, and come back to kill Pechi.
She hummed a tune while dismantling her handmade traps, then flashed a bright smile and beckoned me once she finished.
"All clear! Let's go in!"
As I stepped forward, I dropped a small scroll while her back was turned. It was enchanted to send Nix my current coordinates if I stayed away from my body too long.
Now Nix could find his way here. Lize was probably watching from somewhere nearby.
We entered the ruins. The space was similar to the game but much larger, exuding an artificial feel befitting ruins rather than a dungeon.
I glanced around, then shot Pechi a side-eye and muttered.
"For a two-million-gold ruin, isn't it a bit too empty?"
"Pfft, I already looted this part ages ago! I'm the discoverer—what good would leaving it be? This is just a tiny section anyway; there's way more space deeper in!"
Lies. In the game, when players fell into the trap, she'd admit it had always been this barren.
Well, if there really had been treasure, she'd have cleaned it out like she said.
We headed deeper. Unable to contain her excitement at scamming me, Pechi even hummed a tune. Of course she did—she thought she'd hooked a total sucker.
After descending who-knows-how-far, Pechi pointed to an inner chamber's entrance.
"We're here! See that door? That's it!"
Beyond the entrance—about my height and wide enough for two people—stood rows of treasure chests.
They were all gold-plated and adorned with dazzling jewels.
"Everything from there is uncharted by me! See those chests? They look loaded with fancy stuff, right?"
"Yeah? They seem pretty ordinary to me. There must be a reason you left them untouched."
"There is, but... it's hard to explain. Better if you see for yourself. Let's check it out!"
Dodging details while luring me in—classic.
Pechi led the way inside. I followed. She stood firm near the entrance and pointed to a chest a bit away.
"I'll explain why now. Come closer and look."
I smirked inwardly at how she headed toward the entrance while drawing me deeper. It was a smooth, practiced move.
I played along, stepping right up to the chest. Pechi started rambling some useless info. Pretending to focus, I watched her.
Her mouth ran nonstop, but her feet inched toward the door. So subtle, you'd miss it without close attention.
She planned to bolt once I was distracted, then seal the entrance. I waited quietly for her to show her true colors.
"...So that's why it's a trap. See this mark? Compare it to the one next to it."
The chance came quick. As she blatantly tried to divert my gaze, I thought, *Here it comes,* and turned my head where her finger pointed.
Right on cue. The moment I looked away, I heard footsteps rapidly receding.
I glanced at the entrance. Pink twin-tails vanished outside, followed by a heavy *clang* as iron bars slammed down, sealing the door.
"Hahaha!"
Pechi laughed triumphantly in front of the bars. I held back a laugh of my own and walked over.
"What the hell?"
"What else? You got duped! You're done for!"
Her true nature out, she dropped the polite speech. No need to play nice with fresh prey.
"A trap made for morons like you—hope you like it. Money-crazed idiots charging in blindly. That's you, right? Not that I get it, being above petty greed!"
*Just like in the game.*
Hearing "petty greed" cracked me up, and I let out a chuckle. Pechi's face twisted nastier.
"Ha, laughing? Don't you know your situation?"
"My situation? What's wrong with it?"
She twitched irritably at my calm despite being trapped, then scoffed.
"You think you can escape? Give it a try. No one's ever made it out of there. You're no different!"
"That's actually reassuring. No one's done it means someone's about to. You don't read novels, huh?"
And I'd be setting that precedent.
She took it as bluffing and laughed till she clutched her stomach, wiping tears with a finger.
"Think no one's said that before? Wrong. The guy who did starved to death in there. Later begged me to let him out—I never did. You'll be the same."
"Doubt it."
"Think what you want. You're doomed soon anyway—last wishes are free. Oh, don't worry too much! If you're dead when I come back, I'll strip and sell your gear!"
As Pechi waved goodbye and left, I stood alone in the room with the ornate treasure chests.
There were exactly thirteen chests. Six along each side wall from the entrance, and one massive, flashiest one on the opposite wall.
They were so extravagantly decorated they screamed "full of treasure"—and probably had been.
If not for the mimics.
*That jerk! What kind of reaction is that?*
Pechi cursed the trapped man inwardly as she exited the ruins. Instead of crying or begging, he mocked her?
It ruined the fun, so she flubbed her prepared lines and bailed. Just made her blood boil more. She'd meant to tell him to pick carefully since one was a mimic.
The woman before had wailed and begged for release once she realized the scam. Fun times making her do tricks.
*Well, she got eaten by the mimic eventually.*
*'How many more do I need to send in?'*
It was true even she hadn't fully explored the ruins.
Among the chests was a mimic, but she didn't know which held real treasure. No way was she risking opening the wrong one.
So she lured people in, locked them up, and made them find it.
If the current guy succeeded, she'd wait till he starved and take the loot. Fail, and she'd grab another like always.
He was the sixth.
Usually she talked them into it, but who knew someone would buy that map outright? A million gold for scrap paper of unknown value—insane.
*'He'll have some sense, right? Not that dumb.'*
Chests that ate people had bloodstains she'd deliberately left faint. To avoid repeats.
*'Eh, he paid well, so one mistake's forgivable.'*
Pechi grinned at the million gold in her bag. Enough to live lavishly for months. Time for some luxury.
She hummed heading out.
"Two went in, but only one's coming out? That's suspicious."
She froze. A voice at the entrance. Someone blocked it. Familiar silhouette, woman's voice she'd heard.
"You're..."
She knew who.
Blue hair, blue eyes. White sleeveless top and dolphin pants—prim uniform. Even covered, her massive bust and flawless curves shone through.
The black-haired guy's companion.
Pechi scanned around. No sign of the shorter one. Left behind or hiding.
"How'd you get here?"
Polite first to gauge. See what she knew.
If clueless and just tracking her man, sweet-talk her away. Otherwise...
"Kill her."
*To catch you.*
"..."
Blue-hair grinned.
"I know everything, you con artist. You scammed my man and locked him in there."
"..."
No point pretending. Pechi scowled.
He must've tipped her off before coming. That's why he was smug in the trap—knew she'd rescue him?
*'Perfect.'*
Pechi smirked.
If he trusted her that much, kill her, lop off the head, toss it in. He'd shatter seeing his savior fail, despair like the rest.
And she had to deal with her to leave anyway. Two birds, one stone.
Pechi set her bag down, neatly folded her coat, drew her favored sword from it. Forgot the original owner—killed too long ago.
"What, gonna fight? Surrender and spare me the hassle?"
The woman scoffed. Unfazed by the drawn weapon—either green newbie or battle-hardened freak.
*But that body? No way she's a freak.*
How could those absurd tits move properly? Agility demands a lean frame.
"Witnesses die. You wouldn't leave quietly anyway."
"Good, saves time."
She beckoned. *Come at me.* Clearly underestimated Pechi as a mere merchant. No weapon drawn confirmed it.
*Jackpot.*
Pechi welcomed it. She knew exactly how to kill—tons of practice. This woman would be no different.
She kicked off at top speed. Too fast for reaction—the woman hadn't even touched her weapon as Pechi thrust.
*'Bye, idiot!'*
Aimed for the throat.
The blade pierced perfectly.
"...Huh?"
"Just checking, but this isn't the end, right?"
If she hadn't caught the blade barehanded, it would've been.
Unforeseen. Pechi froze. The woman clucked her tongue.
"This your best? Pathetic."
Pechi yanked the sword. Barehanded grip meant it'd cut her pulling free.
"Urgh... Ngh...!"
No dice.
Pulled, pushed, twisted, slid—immobile. Zero give.
Meant a vast power gap. Couldn't even budge it, let alone draw.
*'Damn!'*
Thought she was just a pretty noble escort and fucktoy? Actually a powerhouse? Bad luck flashed.
As Pechi flailed desperately, the woman sighed pityingly.
"Still clueless? One tip."
"No need—"
"Only one thing in this world can pierce me."
She flicked her arm. Pechi's body launched airborne backward. She flipped midair, bent knees, landed.
Looked up fast. Coming already?
"!"
No. Woman stood still, gripping Pechi's sword two-handed.
Left on tip, right on hilt—she squeezed.
*Cre-ee-eak!*
*'That psycho...!'*
Pechi's face paled in horror. Sword bent like taffy, ends met. Halved perfectly.
*'Bent a steel sword... with strength?'*
She tossed the half-sword casually. *Clang.* Metal wailed through ruins. Pechi stumbled back instinctively.
The blue-haired woman, who'd folded a steel longsword like cake—still unarmed—beckoned.
"You said you'd kill me. What's the holdup?"