Chapter 48: Uninvited Guest (8)

I couldn’t believe he’d be this blatant…….

It was a situation I had somewhat foreseen since Dennis meekly revealed his identity, but Dennis openly held out the Ascension Stone Fragment to me.

If I showed a clumsy reaction here, I would be handing Dennis the weapon of certainty.

“I think I’ve seen it somewhere.”

“Where did you see it?”

“I’m not certain, but I think the horns of the mutants looked similar to that.”

“Do you happen to have one now?”

Words clearly meant to sound me out.

Of course, there was no way I had an Ascension Stone Fragment in my hand right now, but I had no intention of meekly moving according to his intentions either.

“Not right now.”

“Hmm… those are strange words. Does that mean you have it somewhere else?”

“Well. I don’t know exactly either. I think I processed it all at once when I was handling the demonic beast materials.”

Dennis looked at me.

What filled those eyes was clear suspicion.

But all lies in the world are hidden within the truth.

“Given its appearance, and since it’s such a rare item, one would think you’d remember how you handled it if you saw it.”

“I wanted to, but I felt an ominousness from it. I didn’t want to hold onto it for long.”

“Ominousness?”

“Yes. If I had to say… it was a sticky and unpleasant feeling, just like during the contract.”

At that, Dennis’s expression became strange.

There was no way Dennis didn’t know what contract I was referring to when I said ‘during the contract’.

Demons possessed the Demonic attribute.

And the Ascension Stone Fragment was also an item that held Demonic energy.

A lie hidden within the truth eventually becomes accepted as truth.

Just like now.

“…You saw correctly. This is an ominous item, so much so that humans must not carelessly embrace it.”

“It seems so, seeing as I feel that ominousness even from it right now.”

“Ah, this wasn’t an item to show you for long. My apologies. For someone like me to make this mistake.”

Dennis said that and stored the Ascension Stone Fragment away in his breast pocket.

“I don’t know if you’re aware, but we call this a fragment.”

“A fragment?”

When I feigned ignorance, Dennis smiled lightly and said.

“Yes. We don’t know what it’s a fragment of, but for now, that’s what we call it.”

Dennis continued to speak.

“As you must know from seeing the fragment’s ominousness, this is an item humans should not embrace. Simply possessing it is fine… but if one tries to embrace it, they will pay a fitting price.”

It was a story I already knew.

Because the Demonic energy held by the Ascension Stone Fragment was just like a deadly poison to humans, unless they were in a very special situation like me.

But why was Dennis telling me that story right now?

“What is the reason you’re telling me that right now?”

“Ah, there’s no particular reason. Just, I wanted you to be aware.”

Dennis added.

“Mage of Thunder, Vell Blackwood, please keep one thing in mind.”

“What is that?”

“There is a power that humans must never possess. No matter how alluring it may be. The power dwelling in the fragment is the same.”

“I’ll keep it in mind.”

“Simply keeping it in mind is not enough. You must act accordingly.”

“I don’t know what you’ve been talking about this whole time.”

Along with that, for some reason, Dennis’s atmosphere changed strangely.

I prepared to use Weapon Summon at any time, in case of the worst-case scenario.

If a high-ranking official like Dennis dropped dead here, it would cause no small disturbance, but I also had to consider leaving Winter Castle as a worst-case scenario.

Just as I was running simulations of countless situations in my head, Dennis broke the silence.

“Ah… my. I’ve held onto the Mage of Thunder for too long. I hope you won’t be angry.”

I didn’t know what sudden change of heart occurred, but Dennis’s atmosphere completely changed.

In that case, I had no choice but to play along.

“Only if you give me the promised price.”

“You are certainly mage-like in that aspect. Of course. I’ll give you the promised 10 Gold, in Imperial Gold Coins.”

Dennis took a small pouch out of a drawer, as if it had been prepared, and held it out.

“Here are the 10 Imperial Gold Coins I promised. Please check them.”

“Is there really a need for that?”

“It’s better to be sure.”

I didn’t bother refusing and opened the pouch myself to check its contents.

10 Imperial Gold Coins. It was correct.

“It’s correct.”

“Is there anything more important to a merchant than trust?”

Such smooth words…….

I had no intention of staying here any longer anyway, so I got up from my seat.

“Then I’ll be on my way.”

“Ah, just a moment. I still have something to give you.”

Dennis took another pouch out of the drawer and held it out to me.

“This is a gift for our desirable relationship moving forward. Please check it.”

I opened the pouch and checked the contents, and inside was a gold coin embossed with the Pegasus crest.

As far as I knew, there shouldn’t be a gold coin with this kind of crest among those currently in circulation…….

“What is this?”

“It’s a currency we use within our merchant guild. You’ll be able to purchase one gold coin’s worth of goods anywhere on the Lagna Continent where there’s a branch of the Pegasus Merchant Guild. I’m giving it to you in the hopes that you’ll visit the Pegasus Merchant Guild again sometime.”

Dennis smiled and added.

“It’s a type of gift certificate, shall we say?”

“Gift certificate?”

“Haha, it’s nothing.”

Dennis tried to bait me somehow with a shameless face until the very end, but there was no way I would fall for such a clumsy trick.

“It was an informative time. I hope to see you again if the opportunity arises.”

“Anytime, as long as you provide a suitable price.”

“Haha. Yes. Understood. I will prepare a very hefty sum.”

With that as the last exchange, I left the tent where Dennis was staying.

That was the end of the meeting with Dennis.

However, it was also a meeting that left many unresolved suspicions.

‘He definitely suspects me.’

Well, from a user’s perspective, it was only natural to suspect those who suddenly showed prominence of being users.

‘That’s not the only basis.’

I saw my reflection in a mirror on the way back.

Armaments with nothing special, aside from the Fang of Blazing Fire attached to my waist.

But strictly speaking, the equipment I was wearing right now was mostly the equipment Aichuwong had been wearing.

In other words, the equipment I was currently wearing also gave off a strong ‘user scent’, just like Dennis.

The reason I came in this attire, even knowing I would be suspected, was because changing my equipment just to meet Dennis would be even more suspicious.

It was a case of choosing the lesser evil to avoid the worst.

‘It’s probably correct to assume my identity has already been exposed.’

If Dennis’s, no, Anonymous999’s, purpose for visiting this place was the Orb of Water, then he had no choice but to suspect me, who was said to wield ice magic.

Although I hadn’t handed Dennis the weapon of certainty, his circumstantial evidence must be overflowing.

‘I guess it can’t be helped.’

If possible, I didn’t want to get involved with the uninvited guest, but if the opponent found me first, I had no intention of staying still either.

I don’t know what the opponent’s purpose is.

However, I at least know that the opponent is interested in me.

‘In that case… should I try to bait him?’

I moved my feet to prepare for that.

***

After leaving the Pegasus Merchant Guild’s camp, I went straight to find Edric.

“You’re back? Did your meeting with that Dennis person go well?”

“Yes, well. He asked this and that.”

“Really? What did he ask? If it was enough to specifically call for you, it must have been pretty important information.”

“It was just talking about the mutants. It seems the Pegasus Merchant Guild is also quite interested in them.”

“About the mutants… Well, that makes sense. Good work. Go on in and rest now.”

If I had come just to say this, there would have been no reason to seek out Edric in the first place.

“Before that, may I go outside Winter Castle for a moment?”

“Hm? Why is that?”

“While talking with that Dennis person, I think I discovered a certain peculiarity about the mutants. I want to go check it out myself.”

“Hmm, if that’s the case, I’ll go with you. Won’t it be dangerous for you to go alone?”

“No, it’s alright. I’ll go alone.”

Edric’s gaze locked onto me.

It was a gaze that seemed to pierce through everything, but I did not avoid it.

“Will you be alright?”

“Yes. It’s fine.”

“Well… I suppose a mage of your caliber would be. Understood. I’ll issue you a leave permit right away.”

Edric didn’t seem to believe my words at face value, but he didn’t seem to be suspicious either.

It felt as if he was letting himself be fooled, even while knowing.

I already knew Edric was this kind of commander, so there was no need to be surprised.

Whatever Edric was thinking, for now, he was a very good commander for me.

***

As I left Edric’s office and was about to leave the barracks, Alicia, who I didn’t know where she’d come from, appeared in front of me.

Alicia, who looked somewhat haggard, stared at me with cat-like eyes and pursed her lips.

“Where are you going?”

“I have some business outside for a moment.”

“I’ll go with you.”

Considering who I was about to face, that was absolutely out of the question.

“You can’t.”

“Why?”

“It’s personal business.”

“Is it that I can’t go with you?”

“Yeah.”

“What if I say I’ll follow you anyway?”

With Alicia pushing this far, I slowly had no choice but to voice the question I had been harboring for a long time.

“Just why are you going this far?”

I knew that Alicia’s attitude towards me had changed distinctly after the battle with the Mage of Blazing Fire.

But I don’t know the reason for it.

I just… have a rough guess.

That’s why I had to know now.

Why on earth Alicia was acting like this towards me.

Alicia’s lips parted as if to say something, then she finally managed to force it out.

“…Because I’ve decided.”

“Decided what?”

“That… I can’t say.”

What on earth is she playing at…….

“Anyway, not right now.”

“But…”

“You can’t.”

Alicia was about to say something but then closed her lips.

I don’t know what Alicia wanted to say, or what words she wanted to speak.

But at least, now was not the time to hear that story.

“It’s not that I won’t listen to your story. There will be a suitable opportunity next time.”

“…Yes.”

Alicia gave a small nod.

It seemed she had also folded her stubbornness about following me.

“Right. Then I’ll see you later.”

“Take care of yourself.”

Well… I had spoken harshly, but the worry of a beauty like Alicia didn’t feel bad.

If anything, it was good.

With that conversation over, I left the barracks and headed for the South Gate with the leave permit Edric had issued.

Why the South Gate, specifically?

Because to go to the South Gate, it was necessary to pass the temporary camp set up by the Pegasus Merchant Guild.

In other words, the countless eyes of the Pegasus Merchant Guild would be watching me leave Winter Castle.

‘Let’s see just how you’ll react.’

Whether I would become an invited guest or an uninvited one would be decided then.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep