The Wild Lioness on Her Instincts (3)
“It’s a pleasure to meet you again, beautiful Xiao Lin.”
At my overly friendly greeting, a faintly baffled expression flickered across her face.
“Oh? Is that so? Well… this is the first time I’ve seen you, so how do you know my name?”
“Naturally, because your exquisite beauty that day never left my mind. I’ve been searching for you ever since.”
“Liar.”
“I’m not lying, Xiao Lin.”
“Haa….”
“You didn’t come here because you were planning to help, did you?”
“I’m not exactly in a good mood, having been turned down once already…. To be precise, I came to watch the man who rejected me die.”
What a cheeky bitch.
I had more or less expected her to react like this.
Still, probably…
She’s definitely going to help.
If she hadn’t intended to, there was no reason for her to show herself like that. The fact that she kept playing hard to get meant she was almost certainly trying to negotiate with me in silence.
A woman who might even belong to the Republic had answered my call and appeared in a strategic stronghold of the Holy Empire.
If that was a penalty, it was a penalty of sorts.
Of course, only I, Kim Hyunsung, and Cha Heera, who had lost all reason, had seen her, but it seemed she believed there was something to be gained.
It would be self-importance to think she’d come only because she wanted to impress me, but considering her reaction when we met at the Underground Auction House, the possibility wasn’t entirely zero.
What I couldn’t deny was that she wanted to negotiate with me.
Though I have no idea what kind of negotiation she has in mind….
What surprised me a little was the regressor’s reaction.
He kept staring at her in silence, the fury in his expression barely restrained, but when he looked at me, his face was far from friendly.
He wasn’t sending hostility exactly, but there was a look in his eyes that seemed to demand an explanation.
Fortunately, since she’d just called me a man in a mask, I was able to come up with a reasonably convincing excuse on the spot.
“We met at the masquerade.”
“Ah… I see.”
“She’s someone I ran into once when the party members went out hunting with Heera.”
Cho Hyejin would provide the alibi.
“With Hyejin?”
“Yes. I received a somewhat awkward proposal from her before… and I remember refusing it. I didn’t think she’d still be staying in the city, but I’m glad she was. Do you know her?”
“No…. She’s a stranger to me.”
While I was having that brief exchange to reassure Kim Hyunsung, another voice came from above.
“You summon me like this and then ignore me? Is it all right if I just leave?”
“W-why would that be the case! We haven’t seen each other in so long, so why are you saying such hurtful things? Xiao Lin. I truly am sorry about last time. The partner I had with me then was a bit sensitive about my safety….”
I felt a little sorry for turning Cho Hyejin into a paranoid wreck, but for now, winning Xiao Lin over was the top priority.
Even while I was speaking, Cha Heera kept closing in on us.
“If I remember correctly, the one who seemed uncomfortable was you, wasn’t it?”
“Hahaha. Why would I ever reject such a beautiful woman? Wasn’t the one at fault the subordinate who came with me, and the mask that hid Xiao Lin’s lovely face? I knew you’d be beautiful, but you’re even more breathtaking than I imagined. I feel like I could get lost in your eyes without even meaning to.”
“What a load of flattery.”
“Why would I have any reason to lie?”
“Because you’re desperate right now.”
“Desperation is, by nature, the best backdrop for mutual affection. That’s usually how the protagonists in movies end up, isn’t it? In any case, rather than just watching, why don’t you help me a little? Things aren’t exactly ideal here….”
“Helping you isn’t the issue, but asking me to stop the Holy Empire’s crazy mercenary queen is a rather expensive request…. I can’t even be sure whether I’ll be able to stop her or not, and if you want something, you need to offer something in return, don’t you?”
“I’m not asking you to fight with everything you’ve got. If you could stay with us for about thirty minutes, I’d be truly grateful…. If there’s anything you want, I’ll do my best to meet your terms. Of course, that includes helping you escape Castle Rock safely.”
“Hmm…. Thirty minutes isn’t exactly easy.”
“How about gold coins?”
“Let me think….”
“If you want something material….”
“I’m not exactly short on money either.”
“Then I’ll treat you to a proper meal. Not only that, I’ll give you anything else I can possibly arrange from my side.”
“Hmm….”
“Please. Beautiful, noble Xiao Lin.”
“Then… you seem to be in a hurry, so shall we consider the contract concluded for now?”
“With the condition that you subdue her without killing her.”
“Don’t worry about that. Even if I wanted to kill her, she’s not the kind of person who’d die that easily. That crazy gorilla… maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to make her owe me one while I have the chance. From my point of view, that works out nicely.”
I had no idea how she knew it, but she seemed to be acquainted with Cha Heera.
If she truly held some position somewhere, then she might well have crossed paths with Cha Heera, the player who represented the Holy Empire, at least once.
Even better, maybe.
It didn’t matter either way, but for me, the only thing that mattered was that she would stop Cha Heera.
They didn’t seem to have much of a friendly relationship, but…
Not bad.
As Xiao Lin silently extended her hand, a man who had appeared from nowhere quietly handed her the weapon from the box.
Without a word, she took it and let her weapon uncoil into a long, slender line.
A whip?
Cha Heera didn’t seem to be paying her much attention.
It was only then that a huge surge of mana drove straight into the woman charging at me.
After a piercing scream split the air, Cha Heera’s body was slammed hard to the left.
Kwaaaang!
The tremendous crash left me staring blankly at her before I could stop myself.
Was she that strong?
I hadn’t properly checked her stats before. Naturally, I felt the need to look again.
[Name - Xiao Lin]
[Title - Sadist]
[Age - 22]
[Disposition - Curious Seeker]
[Hidden Quirk - Romantic Who Likes Strangling]
[Class - Whip Technician - Heroic Grade]
[Class Effect - Basic Swordsmanship Knowledge Acquired]
[Class Effect - Intermediate Whip Knowledge Acquired]
[Class Effect - Advanced Martial Arts Knowledge Acquired]
[Class Effect - Advanced Whip Knowledge Acquired]
[Class Effect - Advanced Mana Operation Knowledge Acquired]
[Stats]
[Strength - 87 / Growth Limit: Heroic or Higher]
[Agility - 89 / Growth Limit: Legendary or Higher]
[Stamina - 71 / Growth Limit: Rare or Higher]
[Intelligence - 81 / Growth Limit: Heroic or Higher]
[Endurance - 64 / Growth Limit: Rare or Higher]
[Luck - 81 / Growth Limit: Heroic or Lower]
[Mana - 89 / Growth Limit: Heroic or Higher]
[Trait - Lively Whipping - Heroic Grade]
[Recovers stamina in proportion to the damage dealt with a whip.]
[Overall Evaluation - It’s a pity that her stamina and endurance stats are low, but she possesses well-rounded fundamentals. In particular, she can continuously recover her lacking stamina through her trait, which makes her worthy of high marks. Her disposition is favorable, but her hidden quirk is less so. She is the kind of player who can awaken dangerous curiosity. One thing is certain: she is not someone you want to keep close.]
She was certainly the sort of person you could classify as a strong fighter, but not enough to stand on Cha Heera’s level.
The gap in strength alone was already too wide.
Judging by her overall stats, she didn’t look particularly overwhelming.
What was a little concerning was the whip she was holding.
Legendary Grade
This weapon was discovered in an ancient high temple. It is impossible to know who used it, or how, but the prevailing opinion is that it was forged to punish a goddess. Though it spent countless ages buried away, it still retains most of its power. The item’s owner permanently loses 10 stat points at random. The mana contained within the whip itself increases.
As I thought.
I’d figured she had something in reserve, but I never imagined it would be a legendary item.
That side, too, seemed to have most of its functions sealed away, but it was still worlds apart from my Yuliena, who hadn’t even awakened her consciousness yet.
If she had a legendary item, it made sense that she’d try to hold Cha Heera back on her own.
With ten stat points gone….
That item would probably perform at a level equivalent to the stats it had cost her.
In fact, the subordinates she’d brought with her didn’t seem to be joining the fight. They were probably a group meant to protect her in case anything dangerous happened, but since they still weren’t close enough to matter, she could take on Cha Heera.
The sharp crack of rupturing air kept echoing from between the collapsed buildings, and it was a spectacle.
“Grrrraaaaargh!”
Once the threat to her body became immediate, even Cha Heera was no longer looking at me.
She shot out from the building and lunged at the whip-wielding madwoman in an instant.
Kim Hyunsung seemed to have decided he no longer needed to carry me around in circles either, because I could see him running straight toward the wall.
But I had no intention of moving with them just yet.
“It would probably be best if you headed for the wall first. I have somewhere else I need to stop by.”
“Pardon?”
“I have insurance in mind. Ah! And just in case, I’d like you to send the members of the Red Mercenaries this way. Things seem fine for now, but if this keeps happening, one of those two will need to be restrained.”
“Yes. I understand what you mean. Then I’ll head for the wall now.”
“Yes, Hyunsung.”
“And….”
“Yes?”
“I’d appreciate a more detailed explanation of what happened today.”
“Of course.”
His expression was still less than pleasant.
Of course he’d be suspicious.
It wasn’t enough that I knew a woman with influence in the Republic; I’d even gone to her personally and asked for help.
I didn’t know her exact address, and I didn’t even know what kind of woman Xiao Lin was, but in the end, I had called her name and she had answered me.
To be honest, I had completely forgotten the brief connection we’d made at the auction house.
The western district was supposed to be breached by the skin of its teeth, anyway. After that, monsters would be allowed to pour in and the whole thing would be crushed in one sweep.
Now that the giant guild master had taken command, the western front’s forces might even have been reinforced. I didn’t know how it would play out, but for now there was no need to worry about this area collapsing.
“Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr….”
Of course, if that insane monster screaming outside went on a rampage, things could change….
“Then I’ll see you in a bit.”
“Yes, Hyunsung.”
The lovable regressor seemed worried too, because I caught sight of him leaping into action at once.
Outside, the siege and the raid would already be in full swing. There shouldn’t be any major problems, but there was one more place I needed to stop by just in case.
Though getting outside is a little scary, I’ll admit….
Since Xiao Lin might decide to pull some filthy trick on Cha Heera, I’d have to stay hidden here and keep an eye on her until the Red Mercenaries arrived, anyway.
As difficult as it was to imagine that crazy woman being killed or injured, still….
You never know what might happen.
For now, watching was the right call.
“Crazy bitch!!”
“Grrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!”
Outside, a deranged clash between monsters was unfolding.
When I thought back to the siege I’d assumed would be nothing more than standing safely in the rear and pointing a finger, the fact that I was suffering this much for it made me feel oddly wronged.