After Adam's words, the atmosphere grew as tense as drawn bowstrings.
"Huh—?! Carter, what are you saying?!" Natsuki stared in shock, unable to comprehend his sudden declaration.
Felt's hand flew to her waist, drawing her short dagger.
Keeping her guard up against the two strangers, she turned to Rom, "Hey, what's going on here?"
"So you really did co to cause trouble?" Rom ignored her question, instead addressing the bewildered Natsuki, "What's happening, young man? Weren't you two together? Why do you look just as surprised?"
"I have no idea what's going on either!" Natsuki's panic was rising.
Through ten previous loops where events had played out similarly, he'd navigated these interactions with practiced ease.
But Adam's sudden aggressive move had thrown everything into chaos. Still, Natsuki knew he wouldn't act without reason — he must have devised a strategy he himself hadn't considered.
Indeed, having experienced five loops himself, even without mories to guide him, Adam would surely seek a way to break through this deadlock.
And his solution was brilliantly simple: remove the key players from the scene!
The equation was perfect: No Felt ant no trading partner, which ant no badge present, which ant no trade would happen, which ant Natsuki wouldn't die — avoiding Return by Death entirely!
"Think it through, Subaru-kun. If we told Felt and Old Man Rom 'you're both about to be killed,' they'd never believe us." Adam explained, "But Felt has the badge for the trade. If the badge isn't here, the trade can't happen. After all, you can't have a transaction without both item and trader, right?"
Natsuki felt his mind opening to the possibility.
He'd repeated this scene ten tis, and even with Adam's help in five attempts, they'd failed to save Felt and Rom. Perhaps knocking them out and carrying them away was the answer!
As the saying goes: if you can't solve the problem, remove its source!
"Hey, I can't understand a word you two are saying!" Felt's upturned eyes flashed as she bared her small fangs, "What's this about Old Man Rom and getting killed? Why would you want to knock us out and take us away? Who are you people?!"
Rom hefted a massive wooden club from beneath the counter, leveling it at the two n, "That's right! Even if we can't stop you, young man, don't think you'll take us easily!"
Just as the standoff reached its peak, a figure appeared in the doorway.
"Um, what's happening here?"
A sweet feminine voice cut through the tension, drawing all eyes toward its source.
When Natsuki heard this voice, he imdiately perked up, shouting, "She's here, she's here!"
His face flushed as he gazed at the newcor with the admiration of a youth in love. To him, that person standing at the door wasn't just like an angel — she truly was one.
Everyone turned toward the doorway, where long silver-white hair glead brilliantly in the setting sun.
Her deep purple eyes held both the innocence of soone unworldly and an intellectual beauty. Her gentle features blended allure with youthfulness, radiating a noble and mysterious charm. Standing about 160 centiters tall, she wore simple white clothes without decoration. Yet this understated style only enhanced her striking presence, while her cloak, though concealing, added an air of dignity.
She was the half-elf Emilia — the girl Natsuki had sworn to save, even if it ant looping 10 tis.
Felt's face fell at the sight of her, rembering the special badge she'd just stolen.
"We're in trouble, Old Man Rom, she's found us." She said worriedly.
"Great, so you were here!" Emilia said sternly, spotting the little thief, "I won't let you escape this ti!"
Felt clicked her tongue in annoyance, "You're such a pest! How persistent can you be?!"
"I apologize, but that's the one thing I cannot give up! If you quietly return it to , I might be willing to forgive you!" Emilia ford ice crystals in the air, aiming them at everyone present, "I have only one demand — return the badge to . It's an extrely important item!"
She had clearly assud everyone present was working with the thief.
But hearing her words, Felt and Rom looked completely bewildered.
"What's going on? Aren't you all working together?"
In their eyes, the three outsiders seed to be working at cross purposes, leaving them thoroughly confused.
"No, we are working together. Our goal is to buy back the badge from you and return it to her." Natsuki stepped forward, "So, Felt, just return the badge to her. Of course, you won't lose out — this teor worth ℌℭ20 (ℌℭ = ℌoly ℭoin) will serve as an exchange. How about it?"
He pressured her to make a choice, acting as if he had her cornered.
"This is so annoying, looks like I've really lost this ti." Felt made a disgruntled face as she reached into her clothes for the badge.
Though she would receive rchandise of equal value, she still felt frustrated at failing to complete her commission.
When Emilia saw the badge, her face lit up with joy, her guard dropping for just a mont.
At that instant, a black shadow flashed from the darkness, rushing toward the unguarded girl!
A sharp blade glead coldly, drawing a perfect arc as it struck toward Emilia.
It was Elsa! She had seized this brief mont to attack!
Natsuki's face changed dramatically as he shouted, "Puck, defend!"
◈ Thunder Breathing, First Form ⫸ Thunderclap and Flash ◈
Just as he shouted, Adam simultaneously unleashed his Thunder Breathing technique.
Clang!
Ting!
Two tallic sounds rang out in quick succession as light flashed through the darkened room.
Elsa's short blade clashed against the crystal barrier while Adam's sword deflected her dagger.
So fast!
His expression darkened. Her speed vastly outmatched his own pre-Marked state!
Adam had been carefully positioning himself near Emilia since she entered, anticipating a sneak attack. Yet Elsa's incredible speed still caught him off guard.
"Good job, Puck, Carter!" Natsuki bead, and Puck remained unruffled.
But Adam's face betrayed his concern.
He'd resorted to Thunder Breathing in the heat of the mont, when he really needed Water Breathing — his strongest and most natural technique. The problem was, switching between Breathing styles required a full five minutes to adjust.
Though his body was powerful, these techniques, while amplifying his strength, also placed increasing strain on his body. This made the adjustnt period essential.
Now it made sense why in previous loops, even with Emilia and Puck's help, they couldn't overco Elsa. He'd never been able to fight at full strength!
The fault didn't lie in Adam's carelessness — Natsuki simply hadn't understood his limitations, and Adam hadn't explained them.
Damn! He'd been outmaneuvered... or rather, he was just irritated with himself.
"My, my, everyone's here~" A seductive voice ca from the mature, alluring woman before them.
✧✧✧
T/N: If you want more chapters like this, check out my Patreon! Take a look at my other translations too, you might like them!
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That's it and happy reading! /mrblackwing
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