Chapter 700: The Bait and Switch
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 700: The Bait and Switch
Walking out of that underground space, Ariel still felt a bit lightheaded.
"I can't help but feel... that Ratman isn't as simple as he looks. It felt like he was trying to warn us about something?"
The ancient script, the blatant resentment toward the esteemed Grand Duke of Divine Will, and the mockery of the Demon Race’s current state—none of that seemed like things an ordinary demon merchant should be displaying.
She had gone in just to gather some intel, only to stumble upon a reclusive powerhouse?
Could it really be that coincidental?
Then again, it wasn't like this was the first time she’d encountered such a plot development.
"He certainly doesn't seem simple, but he truly is just an ordinary Ratman," Ariel’s teacher sighed softly. "This is Gutons Fortress, the place with the highest concentration of demons right now. A Ratman with even a modicum of real power wouldn't be able to survive under the nose of the Grand Duke of Divine Will."
"Do you know the Ratman race well, Teacher?" Ariel asked curiously.
"I wouldn't say I know them well, but I’ve had dealings with them."
The teacher looked down at her own ethereal, translucent hands. "I told you, didn't I? Back when I still had a physical body, I traveled to the Abyss several times. Back then, the Ratman race was extremely powerful. In fact, one of the Eight Grand Dukes was a Ratman."
"That powerful?" Ariel’s eyes widened, her mind instinctively conjuring the image of a giant rat sitting upon the highest throne of the Demon Race.
No matter how she pictured it, it looked ridiculous.
"Indeed. The Ratman race was once that prosperous. However, for reasons unknown, internal strife broke out within the Demon Race. The oldest of the Eight Grand Dukes, Divine Will himself, took action. He uprooted the entire Ratman race, leaving them no quarter. The Ratman Grand Duke was personally executed by Divine Will as well."
Another melodic sigh escaped her. The hair inside the glass bottle gradually dimmed and then drifted away, signifying it had served its final purpose.
"I only intended to give it a try, but I didn't expect any Ratmen to actually still exist. They were once the most well-informed race in this land, and it seems they still are."
"So, it was another stroke of perfect timing and luck?"
Ariel couldn't help but puff out her chest. It felt as though the frustration she’d been harboring had finally dissipated.
This was more like it! This was the kind of plot progression Ariel Bugard deserved! Who said she had to hit a wall at every turn? Heaven was still looking out for her!
The only one who ever got in her way was that detestable Muen Campbell!
"Fortunately, this is the heart of the Abyss, demon territory. There's no way I'll run into that guy here."
Ariel pulled out the intel written by the Ratman.
Regardless of what kind of figure she had encountered or what schemes the demons were brewing, the most important thing right now was the task at hand.
"Beautiful girls, I’m coming to save you~!"
The corner of Ariel’s mouth quirked up into her signature unruly smirk.
*
"D-damn it... picking a godforsaken place like this to meet... he’s got to be... out of his mind."
A gust of chilling wind blew past, and Dilaka couldn't help but tighten the tattered burlap cloth around him.
He looked up. All around him was a desolate wasteland of red rocks, jagged and chaotic, forming a labyrinthine stone forest. Even for a hellhole like the Abyss, this place was excessively remote and wretched.
"I hope I can trade for something good."
Dilaka tugged on the chain in his hand, a flicker of heat flashing in his crimson eyes.
At the other end of the chain, a disheveled female adventurer glared at him with fury. She struggled incessantly, but due to the restriction placed upon her, she couldn't even manage a loud cry.
"Don't move!"
Dilaka tightened the chain again, causing the female adventurer’s face to contort from a lack of oxygen.
However, he quickly loosened it slightly to let her breathe. This woman was his capital for a comeback; he couldn't afford to be careless.
Dilaka was also a High-Class Demon.
However, he was at the bottom tier of the High-Class Demons. He already showed signs of minor aberrations, though they weren't yet obvious. Even so, it was enough for him to face constant discrimination within High-Class Demon circles.
Fortunately, the Demon Race was a society of strict hierarchy. Here, the way to raise one's status—aside from one's bloodline—was through strength.
"If I can trade this adventurer for Blood Essence refined by the Grand Duke of Bewitchment herself, it’ll be enough for me to break through the realm I’ve been stuck in for so long!"
Dilaka forcibly suppressed the excitement bubbling within him.
As expected, it had been the right choice to follow the Grand Duke of Bewitchment’s orders to capture these adventurers before heading to the battlefield. Even if the battlefield offered more opportunities to earn merit, he wasn't like those brainless Low Demons. He knew exactly how dangerous that meat grinder truly was.
"Farm up before the fight. Idiots will never understand that."
Dilaka shook his head with satisfaction, quite proud of the tactical insight he’d gained recently.
Cough, cough.
Just then, another chilling wind swept through. Dilaka immediately went on high alert as a figure hidden beneath a voluminous black robe appeared not far away, seemingly out of nowhere.
"Who are you?" Dilaka silently reached for the weapon at his waist.
"Are you Dilaka?"
The figure didn't answer. Instead, they looked Dilaka up and down with blatant audacity. "You want to trade a human female adventurer for Lord Bewitchment’s reward? Where is she?"
"So, you are an esteemed subordinate of the Grand Duke of Bewitchment?"
The figure’s haughty attitude actually put Dilaka at ease. He squeezed out a fawning smile and stepped aside, revealing the female adventurer behind him.
"See for yourself, my lord. She’s right here."
The female adventurer began to struggle even more violently, but at this moment, no one cared about the feelings of a mere piece of merchandise.
"Hmm, not bad."
The figure casually tilted the female adventurer’s chin up, admiring her pretty face. "With this quality, Lord Bewitchment will be pleased."
"Then... the goods?" Dilaka rubbed his hands together nervously.
"What do you want?"
"Blood Essence that can help me break through my realm."
"Blood Essence, eh... Hmm, very well."
The figure’s hesitation made Dilaka’s heart skip a beat, but to his surprise, the other party quickly agreed to his request.
"Wait a moment."
The figure began rummaging through their robes.
Dilaka’s gaze grew increasingly fervent. He hadn't expected everything to go so smoothly. Once he obtained the Blood Essence, his past of being bullied and insulted would cease to exist!
Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west—do not look down on a poor demon!
He would definitely slap the faces of everyone who had ever humiliated him, one by one...
Wait?
Right then, Dilaka’s eyes suddenly narrowed. As if noticing something, his gaze landed on the chest area of the figure’s wide black robe.
"My lord..."
"What is it? Can't you see I'm busy?"
"That... if my information is correct... you should be a man, right?"
"..."
The figure’s movements froze. After a moment of silence, they gave a slight nod. "Yes, I am a man."
"If you're a man, then why..." Dilaka’s expression grew increasingly grim. "Are your pectoral muscles so... extravagant?"
"..."
Another bout of silence.
After a long while, the figure seemed to finally find a plausible excuse and said solemnly, "Perhaps it's because I’ve been... training too hard lately?"
"What kind of training makes them that big? If training worked like that, would there be any flat-chested people left in this world? Do you take me for a fool?!"
Dilaka roared and drew his blade.
However, before he could strike, he heard a faint, ethereal voice.
"Training indeed can't make a chest that big. But have you ever considered... that I left that flaw there on purpose?"
"What?"
Dilaka dithered for a split second.
By the time he snapped out of it, he found the figure had lifted their head. Beneath the hood, a pair of eyes—one black, one white, deep as whirlpools—were staring quietly at him.
A massive surge of soul power radiated from the figure that had only looked tall a moment ago. Before he knew it, Dilaka was completely enveloped by it.
Dilaka tried to struggle, but he found that he couldn't even move, let alone open his mouth to beg for mercy.
He was exactly like the prisoner he had just been holding.
"Sleep for a while."
Ariel flicked her finger. With the enhancement of her teacher’s soul power, Dilaka collapsed to the ground without the slightest resistance.
Then, Ariel stepped over him and approached the female adventurer.
Seeing this new demon take down Dilaka with a mere gesture, the female adventurer trembled even more violently out of fear. However, she still tried her best to maintain an expression of fury, secretly deciding that if this demon did anything untoward, she would immediately bite off her tongue.
Even if she had to die, she wouldn't be humiliated by these demon scum—
Clink.
Before the female adventurer could act on her resolve, she realized the demon in front of her had snapped the chains binding her.
"Go."
The figure’s voice was no longer raspy, but the voice of a young girl, as warm as a spring breeze. "You’re safe now."
"..."
The female adventurer’s eyes widened. Only now did she see clearly that beneath the wide hood, there wasn't the hideous face of a demon.
Instead, it was a pretty, delicate face that was even more refined than her own.
That face was so gentle, and even the unruly smile at the corner of her mouth seemed to beat like a drum against the girl's heart.
"It’s dangerous here. More demons will arrive soon. Hurry and leave."
Ariel helped the female adventurer remove her restrictions, healed her injuries, and even handed her a few magic scrolls for self-defense.
"You..." The female adventurer was momentarily at a loss.
"Go. I have other things to do."
"Then..."
The female adventurer grit her teeth and finally chose to take the items. she stood up nimbly, preparing to flee.
But just before she turned away, she suddenly stared into Ariel’s eyes and asked seriously, "Can... can you tell me your name?"
Her eyes were like a fawn peeking out from the woods—expectant and uneasy.
"My name?"
Ariel brushed back her bangs and smiled faintly. "A name like 'Ariel' isn't even worth mentioning. Just think of me as a handsome, ordinary girl who happened to be passing by."
"I see..."
The female adventurer murmured softly, "Ariel... what a lovely name. I’ll remember it."
"My name is Belinda! I hope you’ll remember it too!"
After shouting her name, the female adventurer quickly disappeared into the distance.
"Belinda, huh? Sigh..."
Watching Belinda’s retreating back, Ariel clutched her chest mournfully. "Leaving a mark on the heart of yet another innocent girl... what a sin, what a sin..."
"How long are you going to stand there dazed?" Ariel’s teacher said dryly. "You’ll probably never see a person from a chance encounter like that again for the rest of your life."
"Teacher, you don't understand. It’s precisely because it’s a chance encounter that the beauty of the moment is preserved. Think about it—if we meet again in two, three, or even ten years, and they see how I’ve changed, won't they be even more surprised and delighted?"
Ariel spoke with absolute conviction.
This was her latest insight into the art of picking up girls.
Just imagine: years later, these girls who once crossed paths with her would see a version of her that was even more outstanding, perhaps even completely different from their memories... how shocked would they be?
Wouldn't breaking through their heart's defenses be a piece of cake then?
"Fine, fine. You always have a logic for these things." Ariel’s teacher sighed as her ethereal form drifted up from Dilaka’s body.
"Is it done?"
"Simple. With my soul power, there's no way I couldn't handle a simple-minded fool like this."
"That’s great."
Ariel picked up the chains and wrapped them around herself. "It looks like I’ll soon be seeing my beloved, poor, helpless beautiful girls."
*
A gust of chilling wind blew past, and Dilaka suddenly jolted awake.
"D-damn it... picking a godforsaken place like this to meet... he’s got to be... out of his mind."
Dilaka tightened the tattered burlap cloth around him.
He looked up. All around him was a desolate wasteland of red rocks, jagged and chaotic, forming a labyrinthine stone forest. Even for a hellhole like the Abyss, this place was excessively remote and wretched.
"I hope I can trade for something good."
Dilaka tugged on the chain in his hand, a flicker of heat flashing in his crimson eyes.
At the other end of the chain, a disheveled female adventurer glared at him with fury. She struggled incessantly, but due to the restriction placed upon her, she couldn't even manage a loud cry...