Chapter 85: Ruel the piper (2)

    ***

    “I’m back! I’m back!”

    Noah shouted sorrowfully next to Ruel.

    While waiting for him to wake up, he thought he would die waiting patiently.

    “Quiet. My head is ringing.”

    After inhaling Breath, Ruel took the medicine Cassion handed him.

    He was so hungry because slept through the meal times.

    Before Ruel could reach out, Cassion handed over the meat pie.

    Crunch.

    “...so what?”

    Ruel asked, with his heavy lids half open.

    “Are you sending me away to have a picnic in that underworld when there’s nothing to eat?”

    “What is there to fall for?”

    Crunch.

    “I’m not in the right mind to talk long, so keep it short.”

    He was unsure if it was lack of sleep or if Cassion snuck him sleeping pills, but drowsiness came over him again.

    Taktak.

    Leo patted his tail dissatisfied as he looked at Noah.

    —This is the body that waited for Ruel to open his eyes! He’s supposed to talk to this body right now, but that human took it away!

    As Ruel stroked Leo’s head, Leo rubbed his face against his hand several times as if he missed that touch.

    —This body prefers Ruel to be awake.

    “Ruel-nim is not in a state to listen to your whining, so simply tell me the information you obtained.”

    Enraged by Cassion’s words, Noah intended to roll up his sleeves and showed his scars proudly.

    “It’s not whining! Don’t talk about my first adventure that way. See this! This was a small tussle in the underworld...”

    “Cough!”

    Cassion hurriedly covered Ruel’s mouth with a handkerchief.

    Luckily it was black blood.

    “...!”

    Noah’s eyes widened.

    Ruel vomited blood again.

    “Just keep it short.”

    At Cassion’s fierce eyes, Noah gently lowered his hand and took out the data with a dissatisfied face.

    “Someone in the underworld was using my poison, so I asked with a crossbow to his head, and ... I went somewhere, anyway, they introduced me to the place, and I repeated the crossbow trick, and he mentioned another store. I have no idea how many times I had to hold the crossbow to their heads, but anyway, I got out of the underworld.”

    When there was no response, Noah’s expression crumpled.

    He was even more annoyed because he couldn’t even tell how much he had been running in circles and suffered because of it.

    “After that, I hesitated because I didn’t know if the crossbow trick would be effective, as it wasn’t the underworld...so I just killed them all and did it to the remaining survivor. Then he began begging for mercy. What did he say, Lu... Mino?”

    “Lumina.”

    Ruel spoke briefly.

    “You’re right. He gave me the name and said that the Lumina family was their main customer. I’m ignorant, so I don’t know what that means.”

    Cassion politely took the data Noah handed over to Ruel.

    Ruel shuffled through the data handed over by Cassion and raised the corners of his mouth.

    He got them.

    Among the merchants run by the Lumina family, the merchant named Kelpe was directly related to the Red Ash.

    Perhaps the merchant of Lumina, who handed over the attack plan to Count Iria, was also Kelpe.

    “How about the clean up afterwards?”

    “Well, you wouldn’t know I did it. Do you think a hunter should be the one hunted? I disposed of all the people who were escaping, and cleaned all traces.”

    The shadows would have done it if Noah hadn’t cleaned up the traces properly.

    “Cassion.”

    Thud.

    A money bag fell before Noah.

    “Thank you for your hard work.”

    “Th-thank you!”

    It’s best to let them think that they’d get paid if they did a good job.

    “You will follow me to the royal treasury tomorrow.”

    Noah’s eyes opened wide as if to pop out.

    “I’m taking you because you asked for something good.”

    “Of course! I’ll work harder! I’ll be prepared to bury my bones!”

    The dissatisfaction that was deeply engraved on his face was cleanly washed away.

    A royal treasure trove!

    He was excited just by hearing the words.

    ***

    “It’s a nice day.”

    Ruel got out of the carriage, supported by Cassion, wearing a white cloak made by Aris.

    After three days of sleeping, the sun felt warm.

    —Go see the treasure, treasure! This body has been excited since yesterday!

    Leo raised the corners of his mouth, staring at the necklace around his neck.

    The royal butler, who had been waiting for them in advance, bowed and introduced himself.

    When Ruel released the barrier, it made an intense shimmering sound.

    He pointed with his finger as if he would vomit blood at any moment if he caught it.

    “T-That’s all right! I’m already getting too much!”

    “Didn’t you want it?”

    “It bothers me... but I did. Well, how to say, only this one had a very beautiful color.”

    Aris looked at the earring with a calm smile, as if he had never been flustered.

    Originally, there was only one piece, seemingly without a matching pair.

    Ruel didn’t know what it’s function was, but it would definitely help Aris.

    “Take it.”

    Ruel grinned and walked toward Cassion.

    “Thank...you.”

    A mixture of gratitude and apology was heard quietly.

    —Aris is always cautious. He did it even when playing with this body.

    “What do you want to have? Decide.”

    —Are you giving this body too? Really?

    “Yes.”

    Leo rubbed his face at Ruel in a warm voice.

    —Hehehe. This body is so happy! Perhaps the happiest spirit in the world!

    Everyone seemed happy with the gift, regardless of whether it was a person or a spirit.

    “Did you pick one?”

    Ruel approached Cassion and asked.

    “Not yet. I was in great trouble because there were many good swords. I didn’t know the ‘Black Star’ I was trying to locate was here.”

    “Then you can choose that.”

    “But the ‘Root of Sapling’ next to it is also one of the swords I wanted to have.”

    The conversation seemed to be prolonged.

    Ruel coughed and held on to his bitter stomach.

    Although the part that burst was stitched again, he was nervous.

    After taking a reeling step, his vision suddenly spun.

    At the same time, the sound of a staff rolling on the ground was heard.

    “Are you okay?”

    He felt Cassion’s hand supporting his back.

    “Oh, I just felt dizzy for a moment.”

    Since she, who’s name was unknown, took the mark from him, his physical condition became much better, but little by little, the black things filled up again.

    Recently, the frequency of dizziness seemed to go back to the normal amount.

    Cassion seated Ruel in a chair placed in the warehouse.

    “You can rest for a while. I’m still choosing. You too, Leo.”

    —This body wants to choose with Ruel.

    Cassion looked at Ruel with an uncomfortable face and walked back to the sword display.

    —What does Ruel want to have?

    “I can’t use anymore.”

    Since the body was like glass, it was only a burden to have anything more.

    It was better to split and focus the power to protect himself than to have several that he couldn’t use.

    —This body will pick for you. Just trust this body!

    “Pick your own.”

    Slap.

    He heard a ferocious sound from somewhere.

    When he turned his head he was relieved to see Aris, who hit Noah, had relieved the congestion in his brain. Noah appeared to be happy to be woken up by the slap.

    “R-Ruel-nim!”

    Noah ran right away and knelt in front of Ruel.

    “I just confirmed that it’s not a dream. Can I really, really pick one?”

    “The condition is that it will not be sold.”

    “No matter how big my courage is, I don’t sell royal treasures!”

    “Like you sold the poison?”

    “It’s not worth a royal treasure, is it?”

    “Choose, tell me after you have chosen.”

    “Yes!”

    With a loud scream of excitement, Noah ran toward the displayed treasures.

    Ruel inhaled Breath and propped his cane back up.

    —This body decided it as soon as this body saw it!

    When Ruel’s gaze met Leo’s, he moved his tail and smiled.

    —It is calling for this body. There’s someone who wants to be friends with this body.

    ‘A spirit stone, something like that?’

    He walked to where Leo was pointing.

    There was an ore that repeatedly lit up and extinguished its light.

    It was the size of two fingers combined.

    ‘...?’

    Ruel rubbed his eyes for a moment.

    There was something about the size of a thumb hanging from the ore.