Of course, outright stupid as his decision was, Daru had been smart in his approach, at least.
He knew what he was doing could very well get him killed, and just after he survived a harrowing ordeal of being trapped inside a root hollow with two horrors just two dozen ters in front of him.
However, he must advance the progress of his mission.
What could be a better way to gather information than to be in Harlowe’s position?
He had not been killed by the demonic jester when it was all too easy to do so, so why would the horror act now that he’s fully on guard?
Furthermore, there wasn’t only one but many tis wherein Harlowe could’ve attacked him, yet he didn’t.
Daru was fairly confident that the demonic jester wouldn’t attack him as long as he didn’t attack first.
Nonetheless, his climb was extrely slow, and Daru had even tested the horror a few tis, feigning to climb quickly only to jump off the next mont, as though he was baiting Harlowe to attack.
Yet Harlowe still didn’t.
Heck, the demonic jester didn’t even spare him a glance, seemingly too smitten by his beloved.
Daru still carefully made his way up nonetheless.
Around ten minutes later, he found himself in a dangerous position just a ter and a half away from the high branch Harlowe was sitting in.
With their physical attributes, he was lethally within range.
The experience had been among the most tense in Daru’s life.
Yet, he survived it, fairly easily at that, as the horror still refused to take action.
Harlowe only continued gazing into the distance.
Naturally, Daru wasn’t crazy enough to share the sa high branch with a demonic abomination that could snuff his life out with one strike, so he occupied one of the sa height on the other side of the dead tree.
There shouldn’t be too much difference, except perhaps the range in which they could see things.
Perching, Daru kept on watching Harlowe for a while, making sure that he wouldn’t attack before exhaling deeply and following the abomination’s gaze.
The first thing Daru noticed was that from up here, Saphoros was barely visible.
The nightmarish ghoul had already crawled back to the other ridge, where Rocante had just passed.
He was also already sniffing on sothing.
Daru shook his head, realizing why Saphoros had been in a hurry.
Unlike the lone, small flower on this ridge, there were a whole bunch of them growing on the other — all larger than the pitiful one a dozen ters from where he was.
It was clear that the blossoms there were sweeter, and maybe that was also why the nightmarish ghoul was cursed to cross swords with Rocante every day.
Daru chose to climb to the Stone Altar through this ridge, as it was gentler than the other one.
He would’ve also probably encountered the blossom addict had he chosen the other path.
In any case, Daru was satisfied with how things turned out.
The ascent to the Stone Altar had been very rough for him.
He was delighted that he was rewarded for it with good progress, even though he had ended up in nerve-wracking situations because of it.
Now, he knew where to find four of the horrors — all five if there was truly a king inside the stone castle, and all that was left was to find the pages so he could obtain more hints about their identities and the order in which The Five should be eliminated.
Daru peeled his gaze away from the ghoulish addict and montarily shifted his attention back to the demonic jester.
It seed that Harlowe was truly at peace with him perched so close.
Reaping the rewards of his bold decision, Daru followed the jester’s gaze once more, attempting to look for the horror’s beloved.
He...couldn’t see any other notable horrors around...
Rocante was on the way to the Underworld River. Saphoros was sniffing like tomorrow wasn’t coming.
Aside from those two, nothing or no one else worthy of note.
Still, Daru persisted, continuing his search using the direction Harlowe was facing as a guide.
His day was just starting, after all, even though he had already been through a situation worth an entire day of one’s sanity.
He still had a lot of ti today.
If the demonic horror perched just a few ters away from him continued to tolerate his existence, that is.
Thankfully, Harlowe truly seed harmless, and Daru was able to focus more on his task as more ti passed, growing more comfortable.
Appreciating the scenic view in an unforgiving, monochro world on the high branch of a dead tree right beside a demonic jester buddy?
’What a situation...’ he chuckled inwardly.
Five minutes passed, then ten, then twenty...
It didn’t seem like Harlowe would care anyti soon.
Daru had also been blatantly tracing the demonic jester’s gaze, even going so far as to move closer.
"Aihh...where are you even looking?"
His patience was starting to run thin, and in all his frustration, Daru unknowingly moved closer, and closer...and closer still.
If Ascalon saw his current position — balancing in the middle of two branches and peering right above the horror’s head — the SS-ranker would’ve died of fright and anger.
As much as Goddess Fortuna didn’t want to, she was required to favor the bold.
Soon enough, Daru spotted sothing in the distance: a ruined, archaic structure with a single gray spire reaching for the heavens.
It had a massive hole in the connecting area of the ceiling and the wall facing the dead tree he and his demonic jester buddy were on.
Daru’s perception and eyesight weren’t enough to see what was inside the destroyed part of the ruins.
However, he recognized the building and that specific damaged part.
It was La Filosa’s ruins.
His eyes might not be enough, but what about The Eye?
Daru smiled in satisfaction.
’Your crush is quite unattractive...but to each their own, I guess...’
He had found Harlowe’s beloved.
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