Chapter 82: Chapter 74: Encounter Progress: 50%
’So, the God of Contract, Yog Fred, is watching...’
’It seems he’s another deity who hasn’t fallen into slumber, just like the Lord of Dawn.’
"The deal is done," Clelia said, putting away the contract. "You’d better keep this Era Relic safe. If you lose it, you’ll be punished, you know~"
Wei’en tucked the book into his Space Ring and said irritably, "As long as you don’t go causing trouble on purpose, a third person shouldn’t find out about this."
Still, after signing the contract of equals, he breathed a sigh of relief. At least for the ti being, he wouldn’t have to worry about Clelia trying to assassinate him again.
"Of course I won’t. Hm?"
Clelia turned her head to look behind her. "It seems you haven’t been entirely honest, have you~ Investigator Wei’en."
Wei’en also noticed Lisi and the others rushing over. "This just goes to show how powerful you are."
"I was hoping to spend a little more ti with you. Oh well, until next ti, then."
Clelia rose gracefully, and in the instant she took a step, she appeared behind him. Pressing close against his back, she leaned in and whispered in his ear, "Next ti, I’ll let you stare all you want~"
Wei’en felt a tickle in his ear, and the hairs on his arms stood on end. "St-stare at what?"
"Hehehe~"
Clelia didn’t answer. Her figure slowly faded away, leaving only the sound of her bell-like laughter.
"Sir Quilo, there’s a restaurant with excellent food over here. I hope you like it..."
"Damn it, those Vasquez People from the Laos District should just be left to rot there instead of wandering all over the place..."
"Big news! The On Birds from the City-State Secret Investigation Departnt..."
As the surrounding noises flooded his ears once more, Wei’en let out a long breath. ’Looks like I’m finally out of that Illusion Realm.’
It was a good thing Clelia wasn’t here to assassinate him this ti. Otherwise, by the ti Lisi and the others arrived, all they’d be able to do was collect his corpse.
Just as he was thinking this, Lisi and Marco rushed over. "Wei’en, are you okay? Did Clelia show up again? Where is she?"
"She’s gone. She left after seeing you guys coming."
"She didn’t attack you?" Marco asked, looking around to make sure everything was normal.
"No, she probably didn’t have the chance. She didn’t expect
to have this,"
Wei’en pulled the ’alarm’ from his pocket and shook it. "I have to thank the captain for giving
this. She probably would’ve made her move otherwise."
"Damn that Clelia. She was so heavily injured yesterday, yet she still dared to show up today."
Lisi’s expression didn’t improve at his thanks. "Did she say anything?"
Wei’en told a half-truth. "She was acting a bit unhinged. Said sothing about wanting compensation from , blaming
for her getting hurt. She also said she was very interested in my body... not sure what she ant by that..."
It sounded familiar to Marco. He seed to recall Clelia saying the exact sa thing to him last ti.
"You’d better be careful, then. When Clelia says sothing like that, it ans she wants to turn you into her puppet."
"Huh?"
Lisi grew even more furious. "That bastard Yegor, did he even take this seriously? He promised he would..."
Just then, a BUZZING sound interrupted her.
"Hm? A summons at this hour?"
Lisi turned to look toward the Secret Investigation Departnt headquarters in the distance, her brow tightly furrowed.
Wei’en asked, puzzled, "What’s wrong?"
He noticed the sounds were coming from her earring—an amber piece shaped like a precision gear. It was... ugly.
"A summons from the senior council," Lisi said, pressing the earring. "Marco, take Wei’en back first. I have to go."
"Okay."
"...Please, go ahead. My matter can wait until you return."
"Wei’en,"
Lisi looked at him and said gravely, "Regarding the matter with Clelia, I will petition the higher-ups again. Don’t worry, I absolutely will not allow her to run wild in Caster."
"Mm."
Wei’en nodded, a warmth spreading through his chest.
In any case, they truly were concerned for his safety. They just arrived a little late...
When Wei’en returned to the office, he was surprised to find Tina already there. She was sitting quietly at his desk, fiddling with a clown doll.
Before he could speak, a red notification ssage appeared in his mind.
[You have made indirect contact with Taboo Item 1-83, Demon Clown. Your trajectory of fate has changed to a certain degree. Current encounter progress: 50/100. Evaluation: Fate always brings misfortune. So do taboos.]
[Special Reward: Survival Points
20, Source
2, Resilience Level
3, Spirit Level
3.]
’Indirect contact?’
Wei’en’s gaze fell on the clown doll in Tina’s hands.
’Is that the Demon Clown?’
’No,’
’it can’t be.’
’If it were, the progress shouldn’t be just fifty percent. It should be a full-blown encounter!’
With that in mind, Wei’en forced a smile. "Tina, when did you get back?"
"Tina. Last night."
The white-haired girl turned her head to look at him, hopped down from the high-backed chair, and ca bouncing over, dragging the clown doll that was almost as big as she was.
Then, to Wei’en’s surprise, she took his hand.
"Tina, what are you..."
Her lively, bouncing steps, combined with that deathly still, vacant expression, just felt... weird.
’And she didn’t walk like this before, did she?’
Marco returned to his seat and comnted casually, "She was like this when I saw her this morning. Lisi said it’s a side effect of... that. It should clear up in a few days."
"I see,"
At the ntion of the previous incident, a trace of gentleness flashed in Wei’en’s eyes. He patted Tina’s head. "This is fine too, but it’d be even better if you could smile."
"Tina. Smile."
Hearing his words, Tina really did pull the corners of her mouth wide, revealing a grotesque smile.
Wei’en only needed one look for cold sweat to start trickling down his back.
’Who the hell smiles by stretching their mouth to their ears...’
"Tina, stop. Let’s... not smile from now on."
The white-haired girl’s smile vanished. "Tina. Understands."
"That’s another one of the side effects," Marco said, his expression matching Wei’en’s as he watched the scene. "I’ve already suggested to Lisi that we keep her off missions for the ti being."
"Good suggestion."
Wei’en wiped the sweat from his brow and led Tina back to her seat.
’Looks like I’ll have to keep my distance from the people of the Dawn Church from now on. If sothing like this happens again, there’s no telling what will beco of Tina.’
’If a disaster-level aberration were to occur... it would be hard for him to escape with his life.’
...
...
Lisi didn’t return until after lunch, and when she did, she pushed the door open with a thoroughly annoyed expression.
"Yo, Officer Lisi, what took you so long to get back?" Marco was the first to scurry over.
"Get lost." Lisi smacked him aside.
"Oh? Sounds like the eting didn’t go well today?"
Wei’en stopped working on the chanical Puppet blueprints he was drawing and looked up at Lisi. He, too, was curious about what new moves the higher-ups at the Secret Investigation Departnt were making.
Lisi ignored him, plopping down in the high-backed chair and crossing her arms as she mulled sothing over.
After a long while, she spoke faintly, "Tell , do you think it’s possible our Director has been replaced?"
The Director, replaced??
Marco and Wei’en exchanged a look, both at a complete loss. Why would she ask sothing like that out of the blue?
P.S. Thank you to the great Spirit Jade for the tip.
I’ll continue with three updates tomorrow. This ti, I’ll post them all around noon.
Thank you all for your support.
P.P.S. Thank you to the great Quel Morgan for providing the cao character, Quilo. The surna "Morgan" felt a little out of place, so I’ll be changing it.
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