Chapter 143: Disgrace(1)
Chapter 143: Disgrace(1)
Titania sent Arwen away, earnestly pleading with her not to speak with the heroes.
Kerry found the scene a little concerning. A mother and daughter should get along.
Then again, this family was a total mess.
Arein was in love with his own sister, Arwen, while Titania was interested in Kerry and saw Arwen as a rival.
‘Arein is supposed to make his move tonight, too. This family never gets a quiet day.’
From what he’d overheard of Arein’s plan, the elf intended to frame Kerry for a crime today.
Tonight was the night Arein would self-destruct.
*
Time passed, and evening arrived.
As expected, Arein approached Kerry.
“Hey. Human male. I have something to say to you.”
Arein forced a smile, as if he’d had a change of heart. It didn’t suit him at all. I wanted to beat the hell out of him.
Once we were in a secluded spot, Arein struck a pose and stopped.
“What is it you have to say?”
I already knew everything, but I’d hear him out.
“I’ve discovered a trace of the pervert. If you truly aren’t him, then help me investigate it.”
“...”
This bastard. Was he stupid, or did he think I was an idiot?
To think he’d try to bait me with such a pathetic line. Just listening to it made my chest tighten with frustration.
It would be better to take the bait here, but if I fell for it too easily, even an idiot like Arein might sense something was off.
“No. Why should I? I’m not the pervert anyway, and frankly, Prince Arein, you make me uncomfortable. I don’t want to work with you.”
“...”
Arein’s lips twisted into a smirk. It was a condescending smile that seemed to ask, ‘You’re still not going to come?’
“Humans like gold, don’t they? I’ll give you gold coins. I really need your help. I can’t go into detail, but… that pervert is definitely human. And you seem to know humans well.”
Arein looked down on humans as simpletons. In this world, people would risk their lives against monsters for a few coins. To Arein, who was born a prince, humans were nothing more than fools who would wager their lives for money.
That arrogance would become the noose around his neck.
“...Gold coins, you say. I do like gold coins. How much are you offering?”
“I’ll give you 10 gold.”
“Isn’t that a bit cheap for a prince?”
“20 gold.”
“The title of ‘Elf Prince’ weeps.”
“...30 gold.”
“So the prince’s love for his fellow elves is only worth 30 gold. I understand.”
“Just how much do you want?”
Kerry held up ten fingers.
“Surely not 10 gold. 100 gold? Hey, human male. You’re getting too greedy! I may not know much about human currency, but I’m not so ignorant that I don’t understand the value of such a large sum.”
100 gold was a lot. It was the exact amount he’d spent to acquire the Aether.
Honestly, if he was going to fleece a prince, he might as well go all out.
“If you don’t like it, then forget it. It makes no difference to me. To be honest, what if I follow you and you suddenly turn on me? You do hate me, after all.”
“I-I would do no such thing! I may have disliked you… but not to that extent.”
Not to that extent? He was planning something far worse.
“Hmph, fine. I have been… rather rude to you. I’ll give you the 100 gold as an apology. But only after the job is done.”
“That won’t work. I’ll be taking all 100 gold upfront.”
“...”
“Otherwise, I’m not doing it. As I said before, from my perspective, it’s hard to trust you, Prince Arein.”
Take it or leave it.
Kerry maintained an indifferent attitude, as if he truly had no regrets.
“Hmph. Fine. The 100 gold… I’ll give you the 100 gold upfront. But you must help me.”
Arein was reluctant to part with 100 gold, but he could afford the expense. He was a prince, after all. More importantly…
‘I’ll just take the 100 gold back after I frame this insufferable human as the pervert.’
Kerry immediately received a box full of gold coins from Arein.
“Wow. In this absurd other world, making money is this easy if you just screw over a prince…”
What a sweet deal. Kerry waited eagerly for the appointed time.
*
Lina and the others had gone to bed early.
For the first time in a while, Lina had that dream.
The dream with the faceless man and the mage in black robes.
It always returned just when she was about to forget. Like a curse, the dream forced her to recall the memory of the black mage and the faceless man.
It wasn’t entirely strange.
The black mage from her dream was her sworn enemy. But there was something odd.
The black mage was her nemesis. And yet, always by that important woman’s side was a man whose face she couldn’t see.
Every memory of the faceless man was hazy.
‘…Who in the world are you?’
Every time Lina saw him in her dreams, her heart ached. And with each dream, the pain grew worse.
In the dream, Lina reached out for him, but her hand couldn’t touch him. He only grew more distant.
Without realizing it, she began to cry, shouting for him not to leave.
“Don’t go!”
Lina looked around and found herself on her bed. She had woken up. She was drenched in a cold sweat.
“...It was a dream.”
But even though it was just a dream, her agitation wouldn’t subside. Just thinking of that faceless man made her chest feel tight.
Lina glanced to her side. At some point, Victoria had snuggled up next to her.
Victoria’s hand was on Lina’s breast, kneading it as if in her sleep.
“...”
Lina carefully moved her hand away. Groping her in her sleep… Victoria wasn’t like this in her past life.
It didn’t really matter. Lina stroked Victoria’s hair.
Their relationship was quite different from her past life, and Victoria’s personality had changed a lot, but this didn’t feel so bad.
She was just grateful that she could be close with her companions again, even like this.
In truth, Kerry was responsible for recruiting most of her companions.
For that, Lina was always thankful to him.
She was gazing fondly at her sleeping party members when she heard it.
Knock, knock, knock.
A knock came from the door. Who could it be? No one should be visiting this late at night.
A voice spoke urgently, without introducing itself.
“Hero! Please prepare for battle immediately! We’ve received a signal that the pervert has been found.”
“!”
Finally, a chance to face the pervert. Lina immediately changed into light combat attire while waking the others.
“Everyone, wake up! They said they’ve found the pervert!”
At Lina’s shout, Victoria and Natasha woke up, stretching lazily.
*
As promised, Kerry moved with Arein. In the dead of night, no less.
Normally, he wouldn’t have gone with Arein even for 100 gold.
‘But now I know his entire plan… and I have the Dimensional Veil. I’m safe.’
Arein was a mage with enough skill and talent to be considered for the hero’s party. Lina had often shown her discomfort at his blatant advances, but she had still considered recruiting him. That was how skilled he was.
But Kerry had faith in the White Witch’s magic. There was no way Arein could see through it.
“This is the place. Inside… there’s a trace I need you to confirm. It looks like the pervert’s, but I can’t be sure.”
“...”
A cave came into view. He wanted him to enter that suspicious-looking cave. If you were me, would you just walk in?
Kerry couldn’t help but sigh.
Was it because he knew the elf was up to something, or was it because his excuse was just that stupid?
It wasn’t easy to pretend to be fooled naturally. After feigning hesitation a few times, Kerry entered the cave.
The carelessness of the setup alone showed just how little Arein thought of Kerry—no, of humans in general.
‘Well, now that I’m here, I can just subdue him with magic if things go south.’
Kerry kept a hand in his pocket, never letting go of the orb, ready to use the Dimensional Veil at any moment.
“Don’t be scared, just hurry up and go in. I won’t do anything.”
“...”
Kerry nodded. In truth, he knew everything.
He knew that a little deeper inside, there was a naked female elf.
There she was. He could see her now.
“...There’s a female elf here.”
The moment Kerry muttered this to himself, Arein began to chuckle, no longer feeling the need to hide. He looked like a typical third-rate villain.
“Just like a stupid, base human! To come all this way and still not notice a thing! Puhuhuhu!”
“...”
“Listen closely, human male. I’ll be kind enough to explain the situation for your simple mind.”
“...”
“You’ve been tricked by me. There was never any trace of a pervert, and that elf over there is a woman who would die for me. Are you starting to grasp the situation?”
“...”
“You still look like you don’t get it. How foolish. Right now, your companions and the other elves are rushing here after receiving my signal. That means you’ll be caught red-handed. Why? Because that poor, captured female elf will testify that you are the pervert.”
Arein threw a mask in front of Kerry.
It was identical to the one Kerry used when he was active as the pervert. He’d actually done a good job on this. It seemed he wouldn’t need the one he’d prepared.
“Hahaha! Now do you see? Soon, your companions will learn of your disgusting true nature. Masked trash Kerry! That will be the last name you’re ever called.”
God, he talks a lot. So when are my cute party members getting here?
“Once you’re gone… huhuhu. I will join the hero’s party. And then, in ways you could never imagine… I will play lewdly with the heroes. Kukukuk.”
A lustful glint shone in Arein’s eyes. This bastard. After being rejected by Lina a few times, he’s completely fallen to the dark side. Pathetic.
Kerry was so bored listening to Arein’s speech that he yawned.
“...”
Arein felt a strange sense of unease at Kerry’s composure.
“Human male. Did you not understand what I said? Or are you just pretending to be calm?”
“...”
“I’ve also placed a barrier outside the cave. A barrier that someone like you could never break. Don’t even dream of escaping.”
“Do you have a motor in your mouth? Why do you talk so much? I was just listening because I had nothing better to do while waiting, but you just keep blabbering on.”
“...”
A creeping anxiety washed over Arein at Kerry’s attitude, but it was too late.
Voices could be heard from a distance.
“The cave where the signal came from is this way! Hero!”
A rush of footsteps followed. Reassured by the sound, Arein’s lips twisted into a smirk.
“It’s over, masked trash Kerry.”
In that instant, Kerry, who had been standing right before him, literally vanished. In a flash.
He was right there just a second ago.
“Wh-what is this…”
“Hero! This way.”
“Yes! I’m coming.”
Arein was left standing with the naked, bound female elf. It was a situation ripe for misunderstanding, but Arein didn’t panic.
He was the prince of Scandinavia. There was no way he’d be suspected over something like this.
Since there was nowhere to run anyway, Arein confidently faced the approaching hero and elves.
“You’ve arrived, Hero.”
“Prince Arein? Were you the one who fired the signal flare?”
“That’s right. I fired it after discovering the pervert, but…”
“Where is he?”
“...He, he escaped. Unfortunately.”
“...That is a shame. For now, we should help this woman.”
Lina approached the female elf.
The elf was in a wretched state. Her clothes were torn to shreds, revealing most of her skin, and her hair was a mess, as if she had struggled violently.
Lina bit her lip at the sight. Rage boiled within her.
“I’m here now. It’s all right. You’re safe.”
“Mmph! Mmph!”
Lina covered the female elf’s body with her own cloak. Then, she removed the gag from her mouth.
It was then that Arein heard something unbelievable.
“Prince Arein was the pervert! He stripped me and touched me! Waaaaah!”
Arein cried out in shock. What in the world was happening? That line was meant for Kerry.
Why was it being directed at him?
“What is this crazy talk! I am the prince of Scandinavia. Why would I do such a mad thing?!”
Arein protested, but the atmosphere had already begun to turn strange.
The female elf’s next words were the final blow.
“The pervert’s mask is in Prince Arein’s pocket. I saw him put it in there!”
“!”
It was the mask he had thrown at Kerry.
When Kerry vanished and the heroes approached, Arein had hastily pocketed the mask again.
“Prince Arein. Would you mind if I searched you?”
Lina glared at Arein with ice-cold eyes. He couldn’t hide it. The mask wasn’t small enough to conceal.
Arein pulled the mask out and threw it on the ground.
“I only picked this up to avoid any misunderstanding! It’s not mine!”
“...”
To anyone watching, it was a pathetic excuse.
“If I were the pervert, why would I have fired the signal flare? That makes no sense!” Arein shouted in a frenzy. He must have felt truly wronged. The elaborate plan he had prepared was now aimed squarely at him.
Just then, Kerry appeared from outside the cave.
Arein’s face went pale at the sight of him. It was like seeing a ghost; how had that man gotten outside?
“That’s because you weren’t the one who fired the signal flare, Prince Arein… I was. Isn’t that right? You masked piece of trash, Arein?”
Arein realized he had walked right into the checkmate he had so carefully prepared for another.