Yes.
A week ago, the pendants whereabouts were found with the help of my ability. But, surprisingly, the person who knew about the whereabouts was the President of the Guild Association.
I thought it was quite strange for a pendant that was stolen from the Halo Estate to make its rounds and end up in the hands of the Guild Association president.
Anyway, I told Dirk, I know that. But what do I have to be so cautious about? Its just a cup of tea.
I dont know much about the president.
But, he rose up the ranks of the association at a frantic pace. Hes the youngest person to ever beco the president of the guild association. And thats what makes him dangerous.
Hmm.
Of course, nothing bad will happen. But be careful nonetheless
There seed to be sothing weird about the president, but I heeded Dirks advice nonetheless.
Okay. I got it. Anyway, You did a really good job. Youre done, take a break for the rest of the day.
This job did not concern the guild so youll get a better reward.
Dirk sighed and said, I dont know about the reward, but for sure Ill take the break, I am grateful for the favour.
Okay, good.
Then Ill be on my way.
Dirk turned around and headed towards the door.
But right before the door, he stopped and said, By the way, is the Vice Guild Master having trouble sleeping these days?
Youre looking a bit dull.
Yeah.
That was the end of the conversation.
***
That night.
I once again visited Jeriel.
No need to knock.
I just nonchalantly opened the door and walked inside.
Jeriel- no, Goddess Parl, as always was sitting on the bed. It had been like that for the entirety of the last week.
It looked fine from a distance but Jeriels skin was starting to get a bit loose.
I said, Im here.
Yes, yes. You are here.
Parl sounded monotonous, but her eyes were sparkling with anticipation.
I bead a confident smile and said, Thats it?
Yeah yeah, youve gone through nurous hardships and as a result youre standing right in front . Thank you for your efforts.
Even though she was a goddess, she was starting to get on my nerves like an actual human being. Parl handed a quest a week ago, and since then weve been eting every night like this.
Every night like this since last week. That was the reason I looked exhausted.
Her calling thods, naly, passwords, were also quite funny. They had all kinds of variations. For reference, today it was, the moon will shine brightly I want to appreciate it together with you. Of course, she said that in broad daylight.
Looking back at it today Jeriel said that she was tired of it.
Jui. Youre really weird these days. Are you sick?
OK. Lets pray to the goddess together. She will heal you.
That very thought made giggle inside.
Parl said with a slightly annoyed face, I know what youre thinking.
Did you pray to the goddess?
Parl picked up one of her pillows and hurled it towards .
I caught it and said, Its a new twist, it is ant to be fun.
No, thats just worse.
Anyway, things will be clear in a few more days
Saying that I took the pendant out. Parls eyes widened the mont I put the pendant on the table.
This is Jeriels pendant right?
I havent seen it myself, so I dont know. However
She got up from her seat and carefully looked at the pendant.
Well. This must be it. Although faint, I can feel a bit of Jeriels warmth.
Parl was saying things that made no sense whatsoever. Jeriel had lost the pendant a few years back.
But without further speculations I simply said, Thats fortunate.
I cant believe it. Where and how did you find this? No one keeps records of these things.
I wont answer you.
Parl smiled softly and said, Okay. Then I wont ask.
Taylor Mason. You did well. When this is all over, I will give you my blessings.
(Note: Here blessings are like a buff. Refer to older chapters.)
It seed like the goddess was sowhat in a good mood.
I ca here thinking about how I will bargain my price for all this.
After that she suddenly got up, took the pillow she hurled at and made her way to her bed. Then she hid the pendant under the pillow.
She said, laying her head on the pillow, Then sleep well.
Are you crazy? Youre really doing this right now? Arent you supposed to be a god? How are you this stupid?
I managed to refine the language before saying
Are you kidding ?
Huh?
Rember the purpose of this quest in the first place.
Purpose? Finding the pendant was the purpose right?
I patiently answered while wanting to hit the wall.
No. Pendant was just an extra. The purpose was to make Jeriel realize that Jui is actually Parl.
Ah.
But when I woke up in the morning and looked under the pillow, there was a pendant, so would you like to finish it?
Parl fluttered and crawled out of the blanket.
She fidgeted for a few monts and then said, I- I didnt forget it.
I just sighed.
I said,You mustve had a great personality and a lot of patience, Peterine.
Parl understood what I wanted and groaned at .
Before she got too angry I said, Anyway, I have an idea. Listen.
I put a lot of thought into this plan when I first received this request and thus I was pretty confident in my plan. As I explained my plan, Parl listened very carefully, which was quite unlike her.
After a while she said, Will it really work out that way?
Were not losing anything if it doesnt work that way.
You speak like its nothing.
Parl seed a little dissatisfied with my plan.
I will do as you suggest. But it must be sothing better than waking up and finding the pendant under the pillow.
Thank you for the cooperation.
Cooperation is what youre doing. I wouldve done anything thatd make Jeriel even slightly happy.
And then she smiled and said, Thank you. Taylor Mason.
Ill be grateful.
And that way the eting ended.
***
The next morning.
Dirk ca in early and it looked like he rested quite well last night.
Good morning.
I just ca in yesterday and now Ill have to head sowhere again.
Huh?
Dirks bright face suddenly beca gloomy to the point that I could see black smoke around him.
(T/N: Not actual black smoke. Its just a symbolism.)
Vice Guild Master. Thats the carriage that I took for that trip last week.
Oh.
Dont worry about that. Its not a business trip this ti. Its just so simple work.
Simple?
I took the pendant out of my pocket and handed it over, and then whispered to him about my plan.
Dirk, as expected, understood all of it quickly.
I See. It will be a perfect gift for Ms. Jeriiel.
Okay then.
But if Im not mistaken, did the Vice-Guild Master speak to goddess Parl?
Is there even a way to do that?
But then how did you co up with this plan?
I just smiled and said, You have a lot of questions today.
Excuse .
He imdiately lowered his head and left the guild.
I heard a little chattering, it seed like Dirk had encountered Kasha and Elena on his way out.
Uh? Mr. Dirk. Where are you going?
Sowhere.
Dirk couldnt tell her about the plan because it was supposed to be a secret. And for sure he wasnt prepared enough to give Kasha a proper excuse.
Kasha, who knows nothing, gave serious advice.
No. Tay will get angry if you do that.
Looking at your expression, it looks like its sothing important. Ill handle Tay, so please go quickly.
Their conversation was quite funny, it even made smile a bit.
After a while, Kasha and Elena entered the guild.
Kasha said to with a very proud face, Tay. We t Mr. Dirk, I think hell be a bit late today.
Okay?
Huh. It seed like he had sothing important to do.
I replied with complete seriousness, No matter how urgent it might be, you cant go sowhere before reporting to .
Dont be angry Tay. Mr. Dirk has suffered a lot these days.
Can you let this slide for once? Please?
Knowing how much I care about ti and attendance, Kasha and Elena sincerely tried to defend Dirk. I wish Dirk could see their faces while they asked to forgive him.
At around 11 oclock.
Jeriel entered, she was a bit late.
I looked at her face and thought, The Goddess is doing well.
Jeriel looked like shed cry if soone even touched her.
Kasha asked her while looking into her eyes, Jeriel did sothing happen?
Jeriel wiped her face and replied, Jui- she hasnt said anything since this morning.
Yeah?
Shed start talking to the mont I woke up, telling to make my bed and to properly wash my face. But today today she hasnt uttered a single word. She didnt say anything about making the bed.
As she said that, tears were forming in her eyes.
For Jeriel, Jui was way more than just a friend, she accompanied Jeriel for decades. So naturally Jeriel was shocked that Jui suddenly stopped talking. Parl never did this, so it took quite a heavy toll on Jeriel.
I tried to act as worried as possible and asked, What is going on?
I dont know. Its just.
Tell us. Well think of a solution together.
Jeriel hesitated for a few monts and then said, Actually, Jui visited in my dream yesterday.
And?
She flew with across the sky.
Like Peter Pan?
But suddenly I saw a golden light.
When I ca to my senses, I was in the middle of the Kelk estate Market.
So, after that?
Just that. The dream ended right there.
If I hadnt been aware of the circumstances then I wouldve just dismissed this as a silly dream. Kasha thought the sa and wore an ambiguous smile.
But her party mber, Jeriel, was serious. She put her hand in her pockets and pulled out her handkerchief. And then she vigorously blew her nose. After that she wiped her eyes with the other side of the handkerchief.
Lets just pretend that I didnt see any of it.
That person from your dream, How did you know it was Jui? Did you see the face?
No. Its hard to explain, but I sohow knew that it was Jui.
Hmm.
I was curious why Jui appeared in my dream, so I asked her about it as soon as I woke up, but she wasnt answering at all
I pretended to worry for a mont and then said, If so, lets head to the marketplace.
Huh?
The last place you saw in your dream was the marketplace so it might have so clues.
Jeriels face brightened up. But her face sank back as she looked at Kasha.
Today I have a party quest with Ms. Kasha.
To that Kasha quickly replied, We have quite so ti before the deadline for that quest. So its okay right Tay?
Sure. Thats why I offered to head there in the first place.
Then Jeriel bowed to us.
Thank you very much.
We didnt do enough for you to bow to us.
So, after reporting to Sain, all of us headed to the marketplace.
As the market got closer, Jeriels face beca more and more anxious. Like a child who had got separated from his mother in an amusent park.
Jui. Jui. Answer .
She always tried not to speak to Jui in front of everyone. But today she was muttering a lot.
Looking at her, Kasha whispered to , Tay. Where did Jui go?
Of course I couldnt answer her question so I just shrugged.
At that ti Jeriel, who was leading us to the market suddenly stopped.
Uh? this is strange, it mustve been this way
Oh, right, this girl.
Jui. Is this the right way? The place you showed in my dreams.
Please. Please answer . Im not going to complain anymore. Please dont leave alone.
Saying that, Jeriel began to cry. She wanted to talk to Jui, but she only got silence for a reply.
I hurriedly opened my mouth.
By the way.
Jeriel looked at with her swollen red eyes.
Isnt Jui just Ms. Jeriels imagination?
Its a bit weird if you say that she isnt there. She is in your imagination right? Then you should be able to call her out whenever you want.
Jeriel did not answer. Noticing the atmosphere and my sharp remark, Kasha pinched my sides.
She knew that just tickling my sides wouldnt cut it, so she pinched it really hard.
But I ignored it and told Jeriel, Or maybe
You dont actually know whether Jui is in your imagination or not..
Jeriels face bore a complicated expression. She was hoping that her face would prevent from asking such questions anymore. She was basically telling to not ask her anymore questions till this situation was resolved.
Thinking that my words were enough, I changed the topic.
Lets think about that later, the marketplace cos first.
Yeah?
There are a lot of unique stores there. If you look at them then you might be able to recall your dreams.
Jeriel just nodded in silence. And we strided towards the marketplace without uttering a single word.
A few minutes after reaching the market place, Jeriel finally started to recall her dream.
Ah, that building. That fountain.
Yes. Here. It was definitely here.
After reaching that place, the sa place from her dreams, her face lit up, she was genuinely happy. And that bright face sank back into depression in a re instant.
It- It was right here. But, what now?
Whatever. I started looking around. It was the right timing, the right timing for it to co out.
Excuse lady. But. do you have a minute?
Oh, here it is.
It was an old rchant, an old man with a lot of goods laid out on the floor near the fountain.
Uh? Yes..? Yes.
Suddenly forced into a conversation with a stranger. For Jeriel it was nerve racking. The rchant gently grabbed her hand and shook it.
Sorry. But dont be alard. I am not a weird person.
You didnt have to say that.
By any chance, have you heard of the na, Jui?
Jeriels was amazed.
Ju- Jui, did you say Jui just now?
Yes.
No how do you know that na? Thats my imaginary friend!
(T/N: Yes editor it literally said IMAGINARY FRIEND, not other aning.)
The rchant then crossed his arms and then started his explanation.
I am a rchant who sells goods while moving from town to town from province to province.
Originally, today I wasnt going to co to Kelk Estate. I was thinking of going elsewhere
Then he paused for a minute. I knew exactly why he had paused. This old man had forgotten his next lines. Fortunately, he recalled his lines before the pause made things look awkward.
I heard a strange voice in my dream last night.
A strange voice? Was it the goddess?
Jeriel, upon hearing the rchants words, shook her head in shock.
No. It cant be. Goddess isnt soone whod speak directly to us.
(T/N: The oracles or the signals received by the nuns and priests after their ceremonies arent actually words, theyre just vague signals like a beam or light or a strong wind.)
The rchant nodded in agreent.
I dont know whose voice it was. Anyway, the voice told , Go to the Kelk Estate today.
The voice said I would see people confusingly looking for sothing in the marketplace. It told to show them the things I was selling.
He explained it in a way that it almost sounded like a lie.
I asked. What if that person thinks that I am taking advantage of them?
Then an answer ca back.
This was the important part. If he cant make it sound convincing then all of it will be for nothing. The rchant knew about it so he made it sound as convincing as possible.
At that ti, the voice told to ask whether theyve heard about the na Jui or not.
At that mont, Jeriels expression was enough to want to get a cara in this world. Despite the runny nose and tears, Jeriels face beca blue.
She mumbled, while wiping her tears with her sleeve.
How did Jui co into soone elses dream? Shes
She was already completely convinced by the rchants words.
Then Kasha who was standing beside whispered, Tay. That person. Isnt he a bit suspicious?
Oh. I am glad youre still functioning alright.
What are you talking about?
I ignored her and intervened into the conversation between the rchant and Jeriel.
I was listening from the side, but Oh, Im with this young lady.
Yes?
So you apparently heard Juis voice right? So you might know sothing about our current situation.
The rchant recognized my words and said, Thats right. I wonder if youre looking for one of my products.
Would you like to co this way?
It looks like selling goods like this is quite natural for this guy. I guess youve learned a few things.
Jeriel simply followed him.
The rchant unwrapped the bag next to him and laid it out on the floor.
Jeriel looked at each item carefully. Soon after her eyes widened
This, this is No way!
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