Chapter 143: Companions - 3
A week had passed.
In the anti, I had explained the next quest to my companions until my throat ran dry.
“Listen carefully. The next quest is…….”
I stopped there and looked at Arlia Kerr Dneroum.
She was wearing an awkward smile.
Seeing the corners of her lips trembling slightly, it was obvious she had forced it.
“Is sothing wrong? You’re smiling rather awkwardly.”
“A-Ah, no. It’s nothing.”
Then Aina Noel cut in.
“She’s probably just sick of hearing it, Your Highness.”
“Wait, Aina. I have never once found Mason’s explanation tireso.”
“Then why that expression?”
“I just suddenly thought of sothing funny…….”
“Karin Oblang, who’s a fool, has heard it enough tis to morize it. There’s no way Your Highness would forget. Of course you’re tired of it.”
Karin, who had been minding her own business and got hit out of nowhere, raised her middle finger at Aina.
I scratched my head.
“My apologies. I was a bit oversensitive.”
“No, I understand. We’ve finally been given a chance to eliminate Edgar Tyler. There’s no need to wait until the Twelfth Quest.”
That was right.
In the upcoming Ninth Quest, we would be placed together with Edgar Tyler.
If we could eliminate him there, there would be no need to wait for the Twelfth Quest, where he had borrowed the First-place reward.
I recalled the contents of the Future Diary I had checked a week ago.
After reviewing the diary’s contents, I spoke.
“I’m sorry for repeating this, but please allow to say it one more ti. Karin’s here too.”
“Stop dragging into it, will you?”
“The next quest is Interdiary Trade. The core of the ga is to quickly determine the taste of the high-ranking Monster designated by Magireta and bring from the human world the item the Monster wants, then sell it.”
Benjamin Noel nodded.
“In the future you saw, Edgar took first place, correct? Which naturally ans you failed to eliminate him.”
“That’s correct. But this ti will be different. Because…….”
“Because we already know the Monster’s preference.”
“Exactly.”
That Monster liked jewels.
Without any trial and error, we could imdiately secure the most precious jewels.
Especially the one Edgar had brought in the Future Diary……
“‘Tears of the Goddess.’ We must obtain that jewel before he does.”
“How on earth did Edgar manage to get his hands on sothing so precious?”
“Do you know what kind of jewel it is, Brother?”
“Of course I do.”
Berseum Ferux stroked his mustache as he spoke.
“Actually, it would be faster to ask Her Highness the Princess.”
“Pardon?”
“‘Tears of the Goddess’ is a treasure passed down through the Imperial Family. According to legend, when the founding Emperor established the Crotica Empire, the Goddess bestowed it as a blessing for the future.”
“If she bestowed it as a blessing, why is it called Tears of the Goddess?”
“You’ll have to ask His Majesty the Emperor directly.”
I let out a small chuckle.
Then Arlia spoke up.
“It’s simply because the jewel is shaped like a teardrop.”
“Have you seen it yourself, Your Highness?”
“Yes. When I was young, His Majesty showed it to personally and even let hold it. Back then, he still cherished quite a bit.”
“…….”
“Ahem. In any case, I’m curious how Edgar managed to smuggle that item out of the Imperial Palace. The security must be extrely tight. Though, considering his abilities, it wouldn’t be entirely impossible.”
I deliberately spoke in a bright tone.
“If he could do it, then so can we.”
“Mason.”
“Let’s secure that jewel first. ‘Tears of the Goddess’ would surely be happier in Your Highness’s hands than in Edgar’s.”
“Ahaha. That’s kind of you to say.”
She nodded with a bright smile.
And just as we refined our plan once more—
Whoosh.
My field of vision shifted.
When I regained my senses, we were standing in the center of a lavish palace.
It was as splendid as the Emperor’s Audience Chamber I had seen during the Hide-and-Seek Quest.
A sparkling chandelier hung from the ceiling, and the bright, transparent windows were adorned with intricate patterns.
There were twenty people present, including us.
And.
“Edgar Tyler.”
As expected, Edgar was there as well.
He glanced around before spotting us and smiling faintly.
“Well now. I had a feeling it was about ti we ended up doing a quest together.”
“…….”
“It’s already the Ninth Quest, isn’t it? The number of participants must have decreased significantly by now, so the probability of running into you would have increased as well. A pleasure.”
“What’s so pleasant about it? Did you forget what happened between us last ti?”
“I rember. You offered Kaid Bel as alms and pushed into a trap. And I made you fight with your wife.”
Aina Noel cut in as if she couldn’t believe it.
“Wasn’t fighting with Louis Danahan entirely your fault? I heard you forced her to eat maggots.”
“Wasn’t it Mason who created the situation where I had no choice but to make my wife eat maggots? If Mason hadn’t dug such a vicious trap, I wouldn’t have had to make her eat them.”
“If you hadn’t tried to take the Invisibility Cloak, Mason wouldn’t have needed to set a trap.”
“Let’s stop. This could go on forever.”
“People who have nothing to say are usually the ones who say that.”
“Hah. More importantly…….”
His eyes glead sharply.
“How did you know I fought with my wife?”
For a mont, my companions flinched.
I shrugged.
“You just said it yourself.”
“Yes. I was probing to see your reactions.”
“…….”
“When I ntioned that I fought with my wife, none of you seed particularly surprised. Originally, we were quite close, so you should have been taken aback or puzzled.”
“No. I always thought you two were heading toward ruin from the start.”
At that, he growled low.
Even his tone completely changed.
“That’s not it, is it? You heard it directly, didn’t you?”
“…….”
“From Kaid Bel, who’s completely on your side now. Or…… directly from Louis.”
“Who knows.”
“So it’s true. It is. Louis went to find you. After killing and killing until she grew tired of it, she ca looking for you.”
His face twisted savagely.
“What did she say? Did she ask you to kill in her stead?”
“Don’t be jealous.”
“Jealousy is not…….”
“If you’re that furious, you should’ve treated Louis better from the beginning. After being treated like that, who would love you? Frankly, it’s impressive she endured as long as she did.”
Edgar Tyler pressed his lips tightly together.
It was the first ti I had seen that kind of expression on him, and I even found it a little fascinating.
That was when—
“Alright, alright. Enough chatter! Focus, everyone.”
It was Magireta.
She floated in the air, leisurely looking down at us.
“You all never get along, do you?”
“Edgar is the one who keeps picking fights.”
“I’ll admit that. Still, focus on the quest for now.”
Snap.
Magireta flicked her fingers.
For this ga, Magireta designates one high-ranking Monster.
Participants will conduct Interdiary Trade once per day, five tis over a total of five days.
Participants will descend to the human world for 10 hours to purchase items that the high-ranking Monster might like. Any item is acceptable as long as it is obtained in the human world.
The high-ranking Monster will price each item based on how closely it matches their personal taste.
There is no limit to the quantity of items purchased in the human world, but the price will not vary based on quantity.
The high-ranking Monster must disclose the price assigned to each item every ti.
After five rounds of Interdiary Trade, total revenue earned and total expenses spent will be settled.
After settlent, those whose remaining gold coins rank within the top 50 percent of the final participants will pass.
After settlent, those whose remaining gold coins do not rank within the top 50 percent of the final participants will be eliminated.
If participants fight or cause disputes during the quest, they will be eliminated.
At the sa ti, the Diary Book opened.
I hurriedly raised my hand.
“Wait a mont, Noona.”
“As expected of a little brother who loves to nitpick. What’s your complaint this ti?”
“It’s not a complaint exactly…… but each participant’s starting gold amount should be different, shouldn’t it?”
I had claid the First-place reward nurous tis.
That was, of course, a good thing—but in this quest, it worked against .
When receiving the First-place reward, I hadn’t been given a sack of gold coins.
Compared to participants who had steadily received gold coins, I was probably quite poor.
“Of course, all participants’ starting gold will be set to 100. Don’t worry.”
“That’s a relief.”
“Since it’s co up, shall we handle the preparations right away?”
Magireta waved her hand lightly.
At once, gold coins slid out from the participants’ bags and pockets.
They piled up neatly behind Magireta.
A mountain of gold coins.
If it weren’t during a quest, it would have been a sight to make one lose their senses.
Magireta then divided them into sacks of 100 each and distributed them back to us.
“The gold I’ve temporarily taken will be returned after this quest ends. Exactly as you originally had it.”
“…….”
“Now, the important matter is who will be buying your items……. Co in.”
Behind us, a massive door slowly opened.
Creeeak. Thud.
Step. Step.
Soone approached slowly…… no, a Monster.
At first glance, he looked like an ordinary human.
A middle-aged man in his forties.
‘That’s the high-ranking Monster?’
If he was high-ranking, then communication with us should be possible.
Sure enough, the man spoke.
“A pleasure. At Lady Magireta’s request, I will serve as the judge of this ga…….”
“Ah, wait. Don’t say your na.”
“Lady Magireta?”
“One of the participants can extract all sorts of information just from a na alone. Since the key to this ga is discovering what you like.”
Damn.
I clicked my tongue lightly.
Magireta smiled mischievously.
“Disappointed, little brother?”
“No. Not particularly.”
“Hehe. Just call him A. Though there probably won’t be much need to call him at all.”
The man moved away from us and plopped down heavily into a massive chair.
‘Well, it doesn’t really matter.’
There was no need to check with Encyclopedia lv.2. I already knew that he liked jewels.
All that remained was to secure ‘Tears of the Goddess’ as quickly as possible.
“Shall we begin? From now, you have 10 hours to visit the human world. Purchase items that A might like.”
“Understood.”
“Good. Then—”
That was when—
“Wait a mont, Noona.”
It wasn’t .
Aside from , the only one who called Magireta ‘Noona’—Edgar Tyler.
He raised his hand high and said sothing completely unexpected.
“I request a reshuffle.”
Reviews
All reviews (0)