Chapter Nineteen
Dedeline raised an eyebrow at Karl: "Do you think I'd believe what you're saying?"
“Believe it or not, madam, I don’t think you should stay here. You should leave, first leave my house, then leave this city.” Karl looked at Deedri earnestly. “It’s for your safety, there’s no other reason.”
“Your repeated emphasis makes me feel like a lot has happened here.” Dedeline shrugged helplessly. “But it seems you’re very tight-lipped. I’m terrible at asking people about these kinds of things. I couldn’t even get this assassin to talk.”
"Madam, you struck its throat hard, and it can't speak now."
"Huh?! Really?" Dedeline was taken aback, turning to look at the unconscious man on the ground. She sighed helplessly, "Well, it seems I misunderstood him."
"Then you can leave now."
"Are you kicking me out? Honestly, at least let me sit down and have some tea before I leave." Dedelie shook her head helplessly, but there was nothing she could do. It was getting late, and she really should go back to rest.
She was staying at a hotel not far away, and now she should go back and spend the night there.
She walked in the snow outside, somewhat regretting not asking the priest for a warm coat.
The entire sky was ablaze. She looked up and saw ice and fire merging in the heavens. It was so magnificent, like the end of the world, with God standing on the clouds judging all humanity.
Though dangerous, it was breathtakingly beautiful. Scenes so fantastical and beyond imagination and the bounds of rules could only appear under such specific circumstances. Only then could people truly feel the wonder of being alive.
It's truly amazing how these moments always make me let go of suicidal thoughts. Even though living is indeed difficult right now, I believe that if I persevere, I'll encounter many wonderful things. I'm so certain of this, though I can't be sure why. I just believe that if I'm alive, everything will get better.
It's so cold. Deedri hugged herself again. She really should go back now.
She returned to the hotel, and as she turned around, she suddenly saw a somewhat slovenly-looking middle-aged man standing next to her. He looked rather disheveled, and his hair was unkempt.
"Neighbor?" Dedely burped and greeted him, "Hello."
That was Denos; Ark had asked him to come out and place the spell in the corridor.
While you're at it, check out the traps at the entrance.
Once you step outside the door, you'll see traps everywhere.
I was setting a trap myself, and I almost fell into quite a few before that.
From those carrying poison to those who were merely grateful, it seemed like everything except for the ones that would cause a huge explosion. Denos felt a headache coming on, a small basket clenched in his mouth, a crystal pen in one hand and a small scroll in the other, muttering softly.
Denos was stunned; he never expected that someone could walk in alive through the door.
There were at least four deadly traps as he walked in through the door, and he didn't know where they came from.
He looks like he's been drinking; he doesn't seem like the kind of guy who could just use his senses to avoid it.
“Well, I suggest you take some obstacle-removing pills.” Denos hesitated before expressing his opinion: “If you have a way, you should check if you are injured, especially in places like your ankles.”
Dedeline raised an eyebrow and looked down at the boots she was wearing.
Indeed, a few needles were inexplicably sticking out. She hadn't noticed them as she walked along.
She pulled the needle out from above and sniffed it.
“Those who use poison are the worst.” Dedeline frowned and threw it away.
Denos stared blankly, while Deedri stretched and tossed a small cloth bag from her waist.
"This is a token of gratitude. Inside is a simple serum, made from worms. But it can clean most of the impurities in the blood vessels." Dedeline opened the door to go inside.
Denos recognized the substance; he even had a box of it in the cabinet. The contents of the glass jars inside were of excellent quality, sourced directly from a city severely ravaged by the insect plague. Its effects were far superior to the obstacle-removing pills, though the functions were the same, the price difference was significant.
"Thanks."
Suddenly, Deedri stopped moving completely. She raised an eyebrow, stepped out of the doorway, and looked at Denos.
“Pull your hair back and cover your right cheek.” Deedri demonstrated by covering her right cheek with her hand: “Then hunch your back and look half-dead.”
Denos was taken aback: "Why?"
"Do it quickly when I tell you to."
"Okay...is that so?" Relying on the idea of not arguing with a drunk person, Denos did as she said, which looked like a cowardly gesture.
A long, long time later, she heard a sigh.
"That guy really does look like him. He should still be alive, right?" Dedeline asked softly, looking at Denos. "You know magic?"
"Um."
"Where did you learn it?"
"My family taught me."
“Oh, then you probably don’t know him.” Deedri waved her hand. “I’m sorry to make such a strange request all of a sudden. Have a good time here.”
As she said this, she pushed open the door and entered the room.
Denos was a little confused. He slowly lowered his hand, then suddenly remembered something.
"Um, who are you talking about? I might actually know them." Denos grabbed the door she was about to close and asked her very seriously.
"Huh? Are you sure?" Dedely was startled. This guy suddenly popped up, and her subconscious reaction had already caused her to draw her knife halfway.
"Are you talking about... Walton?" Denos asked hesitantly. "Is that right?"
Dedeline paused for a moment, then, recognizing the familiar door, she suddenly remembered something, slapped her hand, and made a gesture of sudden realization.
"My God, that guy has a child?" She pulled Denos in, grabbed his hair, and shook his head.
Denos was completely bewildered, then felt a chill on his neck. He tried to touch it, but Deedri swatted his hand away.
What she was looking at was on the back of her neck, where a black ghost mark looked like a birthmark appearing halfway up her back shoulder.
This is a long story, but I'll just give a brief overview.
Denos's full name is Denos Cabrisno. The reason for omitting this tongue-twisting surname is to prevent the knowledge of his heritage and the complete understanding of his abilities.
As for Walton, that was his father. A guy who wasted his entire life on sorcery.
When Denos lowered his hand, he remembered him, because his own father had suffered facial damage in an accident when he was young. Although he was saved, half of his face was disfigured.
But the reason I didn't react at first was that, in my memory, my father had always been a man of great stature. For some reason, he didn't look old at all; his white hair was always neatly styled. He always dressed himself up meticulously, like a nobleman attending a ball.
He's not the hunchbacked, listless guy she described.
"He was chasing after a very beautiful woman, so he became very conscious of his appearance afterward. Otherwise, he would still be following me now, instead of settling down somewhere and living out his old age peacefully." Ark suddenly appeared at the door and greeted Deedri: "Long time no see. Is that knife still working well?"
“You’ve seen a lot of blood.” Dedeline looked up at the familiar face, her expression devoid of joy or sorrow, revealing no opinion or emotion. “Still in business? You should settle down by now. Is there any place in this world that is unfamiliar to you?”
“My home is in the carriage; strictly speaking, I never travel. Being on the road means I am at home.”
“You can easily find a place to settle down. There are plenty of places that can accommodate you; you shouldn’t keep going.” Dedeline helped Denos up, straightened his clothes, and then slowly walked to the shelf next to him.
My other luggage was hanging there, consisting of simple daily necessities. I didn't need to carry it with me.
She took out stones one by one from a hidden compartment and tossed them to Ark: "Here, take these. Someone asked me to bring them to you."
Ark took the stone and examined it. It had a very simple cross carved on it, but it was no longer very clear. It was covered in scars, as if it had been injured by various things.
Is he dead?
“No, the old man is still alive. He just lost a leg during a mission... and four fingers. And the nerves in his head, but he's still alive.” Deedri looked at Ark: “He said this thing works very well, at least as a talisman it has saved his life many times.”
"Does he really believe the nonsense I said?"
"I'm sick of hearing it treated as a dogma. 'Okay, you've already received God's blessing. So stop squatting and get up to let it be proud.' Is that what you said to him?" Dedeline looked at Ark: "Do you know that your words almost killed him?"
“He has experienced things that are more dangerous than this.”
“I know, but he survived that time unscathed, while this time he almost died.” Deedri frowned. “You’re such an old codger, you must be over three hundred years old, right?”
"Asking about a man's age is also impolite, I remember telling you that a long time ago."
“I don’t waste my breath on cunning people.” Dedeline was annoyed by his expression. “When did you get here?”
Denos watched the two of them start chatting and could only shrug helplessly. At the same time, he waved to Lady, who was standing at the door looking bewildered, to indicate that nothing had happened.
He genuinely didn't recognize the guy, but it sounded like she knew her father.
“A few days ago, because there was a salt shortage here, I went through some trouble to buy salt and then came here to sell it at a high price.”
"Ha, the same bastard style as before." Deedri weighed the knife in her hand a few times: "Can I cut you now? I couldn't beat you back then, now I want to test if you're still as tough as before."
“I can’t possibly compete with a legendary dragon slayer.” Ark looked at Deedri: “Is there a mission?”
"The people who hire me now are all big shots, but they're not all powerful monsters who need my help every day."
“It’s right here. Are you taking on a commission now?” Acton paused. “If I am, could you please go and find something outside the city in the next few days?”
"Huh? Are you sure? It's raining fire outside and it's freezing cold." Dedely was a little confused, but after seeing Ark let Lady and Denos come in, she closed the door.
The magic sealed off the space, preventing their voices from spreading.
Dedeline realized that the guy wasn't joking, and she felt a little uneasy too.
"Where is it roughly located?"
"About six kilometers west of the city, about four kilometers north of the city, and on the eastern city wall." Yak took out a map: "It's roughly in these directions. I need to confirm my guess."
“Evidence,” Deedri said softly. “Setting off in this environment is a death sentence, and I don’t want to make a wasted trip.”
Ark took a magic core from his hand and threw it on the table. After he chanted a few words softly, the entire stone turned a strange red.
He removed the protective shield above, leaving the exposed part contaminated by the chaotic elements.
It should have turned a dirty color, not this kind of red.
“My other neighbor is a Red Oni,” Yak said softly. “Do you know why they live in this inn?”
“The location of their rooms.” Deedri sobered up quickly; she had never let alcohol interfere with her work. Once she started working, even the most intoxicated person would regain their composure and think clearly: “This is a very risky act. Why would they do this?”
“I don’t know, but I need to prove my guess. I can’t sleep well until this is resolved.” Acton paused and said, “But I’m being monitored now. Since Red Oni has already met with me, he will naturally be wary of me in some unexpected situations. I can’t confirm it myself.”
"Hiring me will come at a considerable cost."
How much do you want?
“Have a drink with me afterwards, it’s on you,” Dedely said, laughing at herself. “Besides, you have to tell me what happened in this city first.”
"There's a demon here."
Are you sure?
"I'm not sure, but this house is full of people who came because of this guy."
"Then it's pretty much true. What are you planning to do?"
“I don’t have any plans, I just want to get out of here alive.” Ark shrugged. “But with this thing around, I’m worried I won’t be able to get out of here alive.”
"You're actually worried about this? Are you kidding me?" Dedely suddenly laughed, laughing so happily. She looked at Ark and said, "You're not still trying to lie to me and say you're a useless person, are you? When I left, you said you were actually very weak. Heh, no one would believe you."
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