Chapter 98
Chapter 98
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 98
Chapter Title: A Vine-Rolled Pumpkin
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I shook my head. The discomfort I'd been feeling while exchanging small talk with Asid this whole time was exactly because of 'this'.
“No. It's too distant, and it feels weird.”
I snatched the handkerchief from his hand and wiped the blood from his arm. Then I stuffed it into the inner pocket of my coat.
“Now it doesn't smell fishy on me anymore.”
The moment I said that, Asid's body trembled faintly.
I looked at him in bewilderment. My eyes, accustomed to the darkness, caught the faint blush around his eyes. I gently patted his shoulder and gave him a brief hug.
“Th-that was your first time hurting someone...”
“...Yes.”
“It must have been tough, right?”
“Either way... I thought if I didn't take those guys down, you would die, Sien.”
After my pat on the back—which seemed utterly devoid of any ulterior motive—I quietly gazed at Asid again.
We walked together, hands clasped.
A warm heat enveloped our hands, as if comforting each other.
'I probably can't go back to how things were before today. Still...'
Even though he was a tracker who did dirty work, I hadn't expected him to witness me getting subdued right in front of him.
But if we continued to clash with the temple—and if it meant harboring enemies against Mirmod—we'd have to get used to all of this.
'Maybe I'll even have to do worse things soon.'
Just thinking about it made my heart race. I gripped Asid's hand so tightly it felt like it might burst, suppressing my pounding heart.
“Asid.”
“...Yes.”
“Th-that thing where you tormented that guy... it was tough, wasn't it?”
“...I'm fine.”
I paused for a moment and looked up at Asid. His eyes were shaking like a belly pierced by a harpoon.
“If it's tough, you can lean on me.”
No more words passed between us.
Asid squeezed my hand.
Amid all this, the sound of his wildly beating heart made me quietly bite my lip.
Strangely enough, that heartbeat seemed to overlap with mine.
The sound of the wind whispered softly.
***
The next day, lunchtime arrived.
Returning to my seat without any gains, I suddenly heard bewildering news.
“Who... what did you say?”
“The Wraith of the Blackened One, she said to pass that on?”
The Wraith of the Blackened One!
My eyes widened as if rolling back in my head.
“W-what? Why, no, how did she find me?”
The Wraith of the Blackened One... that was 'her'!
How did 'she' find her way here? A vine-rolled pumpkin tumbling right in?
'What the—how did this person show up at such perfect timing...?'
It was highly suspicious, but first things first—time to be thrilled!
I was gulping down saliva, unable to continue, when Deadri unnie said flatly.
“Sien, should I send her away? She seemed really shady. Maybe I shouldn't have reported it...”
I raised my voice in protest.
“What are you talking about? Absolutely not!”
As Deadri unnie flinched at my loud tone, I flung the door wide open and shouted.
“Come in, Wraith!”
“...Sien, you're unusually chipper today...”
The ethereal figure in a black robe walked in without a word.
Seeing her, I bounced on my tiptoes in excitement.
She was the perfect card to turn this situation decisively in our favor.
***
The 'Wraith of the Blackened One,' Dark Guild Master Liliet, stepped inside. The only thing on her mind was Sien Mirmod, the head of Sien Merchant Company.
Liliet's curiosity about Sien had begun at Saint Marco Square. There, she overheard people chattering about Sien Mirmod.
“Sien Merchant Company pulling off something this amazing!”
“Somehow, things feel a bit nicer these days.”
“Hey now, how long do you think that feeling will last?”
The people seemed oblivious, but to Liliet, it felt like Sien had orchestrated the whole thing. Her eyes narrowed for a moment.
“...Sien Mirmod. Fifteen this year, was it?”
What an intriguing child.
Liliet harbored more than ordinary curiosity about Sien—curiosity unfit for a young lady fresh out of the academy.
It was something more primal and fundamental...
'Why is the Mirmod family pulling stunts like this? It makes me seriously wonder.'
Why engage in such 'virtuous' acts?
Liliet slipped through the crowd yammering away and subtly dropped a hint of slander.
“Doesn't it sound ridiculous that Mirmod is doing good deeds?”
At those words, the people—who had been bragging about their own deeds—jerked and turned to stare at Liliet.
“Ugh, w-what's that?”
“A weird voice out of nowhere...”
As the flustered crowd tried to make out the robed Liliet's face, she pulled her hood deeper and sauntered away.
She had no intention of just holding back her curiosity any longer.
She was curious about Sien Mirmod.
So now it was time to make her move.
***
In truth, I had meticulously set up various stages to pique the Dark Guild Master Liliet's interest in us.
But even so, I hadn't expected her to visit quite this quickly.
“I want to become a devotee of Sien Merchant Company too!”
“...Devotee?”
I blinked at her fervent gaze.
'Liliet... how does she stick to her character so perfectly?'
Word was her curiosity was on a massive scale, but I hadn't thought she'd barge into the merchant company just to satisfy it outright.
'And she's great at acting too.'
She was playing the part of 'super-inspired devotee number one' to perfection. Her acting was so natural, like she'd been at it for years. I shook my head at her, drawing a firm line.
“Sorry, but we're not a religion. And you need to give your name.”
She replied in a troubled tone.
“Um, I'm Liliet.”
“Liliet.”
“Yees, Liliet. It's practically a religious phenomenon, so why block someone who wants to join?”
“...Hmm.”
I stared at her and tilted my head.
“Liliet, if you want to be a devotee, listen closely to what I say.”
Now was the time to pry information out of her. I narrowed my eyes and met hers. She had rare purple eyes for an imperial citizen, sparkling like jewels as she looked at me.
I scanned her innocent expression and lifted the corner of my mouth.
Liliet didn't dislike me.
She didn't fully trust me yet, but she was curious. So right now, while her curiosity held, it was time to make proper use of Liliet.
“You know there's a temple... We have a state religion. What do you think happens if I start one?”
I mimed slicing my throat with my hand.
“Oh, so it's because of the temple?”
Receiving her curious gaze, I smiled softly.
“The temple blocked my good deeds. The scholarship system—you heard about it? I wanted to sponsor young kids with divine power but no backing... and the temple snatched them up?”
The moment I finished, a grin bloomed on Liliet's face.
It was the expression she made when handing over info she knew.
“Ahh... The temple's antics are obviously human sacrifices, right?”
As expected, Liliet had guessed that far. I nodded emphatically and propped my chin on my hand.
“If it's real human sacrifice, where do they take them?”
“Probably the basement of the Central Temple.”
The basement of the Central Temple where the Pope resided.
I frowned and looked at her.
“No ordinary person can enter there. Not even priests. Only the Pope and those with his permission.”
“Meaning it's impossible.”
“...Liliet, you don't know either?”
Liliet grinned.
“I'm just an ordinary devotee.”
The info guild master playing dumb made me shake my head inwardly.
Then Liliet's purple eyes sparkled as she asked.
“Ahh... Sien wants to do good deeds while opposing the temple's evil, right? Right?”
“Well...”
Half right, half wrong.
To me, good deeds were just another tool. Like how the temple used 'volunteer work' to draw in faith.
“We need to find the treasure hidden in the temple's basement... Oh wait, can't do that without the Pope's permission either?”
“...Treasure hidden in the temple's basement?”
“Yeah. Probably with those sacrificed kids. That treasure grows by feeding on divine power.”
“What is that treasure?”
She shrugged nonchalantly.
“No idea. Just that there's a 'treasure' there.”
“But divine power is weakening.”
“Ahh, that treasure doesn't care if divine power weakens. The reason the Saintess and Pope went on the 'Path of Light' was probably to strengthen the treasure in the temple basement even more. When they return, it'll be even more powerful.”
Joy glinted in Liliet's eyes.
She seemed to think I'd despair. Being someone who thrived on amusement, she might find it even more fun if I did.
But...
“...So, in other words.”
“Yes.”
“If we destroy that treasure, the temple falls?”
I grinned at Liliet, who looked momentarily dumbfounded.
“Got it.”
I wasn't planning to act right away.
I was just curious about the treasure supposedly hidden in the temple basement. Sure, they say no method can get you in...
'Who knows, maybe it's not impossible.'
I crossed my arms over my chest and schooled my expression.
Liliet quickly regained her composure and countered.
“Aren't you scared?”
“Why should I be?”
“Wow, really...”
Liliet burst into a wide grin, clapping her hands a few times.
Tears even welled in her eyes. I reached out and wiped her eye corner, saying.
“The greatest weapon can also become a fatal weakness in reverse. You know that well since you hold the info, right, Liliet?”
***
A month flew by, and Sien's 'capitalism' swept through the empire.
There were side effects, of course. But since it was fundamentally about doing 'good deeds,' people enjoyed participating.
Amid this whole chaos, the Pope and Saintess quietly returned.
No one knew of their arrival.