Volume 3 Chapter 9
Translator: SaltyTank
Editor: Chrof
All sorts of things happened inside the inn, but whenever someone got hit or fought with one another, the boss would always come out from behind the bar counter and show his terrifyingly muscular body. It was a kind "reminder" for the offenders. This time, though, he only stood behind the counter and laughed loudly like he had never been so amused in his entire life.
“Hahahaha, yup! Not bad! Left hook! Right hook!”
"Ouch! That punch really hurts, lighter! Ow! I give up, I give up."
After getting beaten up one-sidedly, Witsen trembled as he got onto his feet. Karile who was in front of him simply pouted and turned around.
“Alright, alright, there’s no need to be so angry.” The boss finally intervened and continued, “I heard that there’s a decent barbecue restaurant nearby. Wanna go and cool off a bit?”
Karile’s eyes shone brightly when she heard the word "barbecue".
“Where, where!” She excitedly grabbed the boss and asked, but then suddenly remembered something as she let go and reached for her pocket. She took out and opened a small pouch.
It was the coin pouch she carried on her all the time, but it was currently empty. There was nothing inside, not even a single silver coin. She turned her pouch over and gasped.
“This is…”
The pouch’s bottom had a gaping hole. It seemed that a rock had cut it open when they had been running for their lives in the collapsing cave.
“Witsen,” Karile said with a bright smile while helping Witsen up. “Are you alright? You’re not hurt, right.”
Wow! Just how quickly can she change her expression!
“Ah, uh, no… That… ” Witsen patted the dust off him.
“Then…”
“Fine, fine, I get it,” Witsen grunted and reached for his pocket. “Let me see, eh? Where’s my wallet?”
When Witsen was looking for his wallet, the surroundings suddenly turned eerily silent. As if an immobilisation spell had been cast on them, everyone ceased their movement. The things that were supposed to fall down due to gravity also stayed in the air and froze still. As though time itself had been frozen.
A man whistled as he opened the doors and entered the inn. He walked over to Witsen with a smile on his face, his hands inside his pockets. It was obvious he was here for Witsen.
“Look, is this what you’re looking for?”
The man wore a pitch-black coat and looked like a landlord. He had a craggy face, and his black hair reached shoulder-height. It was a delicate and pretty face. Complemented with his crystal blue eyes and aquiline nose, it was a symbolic appearance unique to this man alone.
He was the synonym for "handsomeness", but his look also harboured a hint of mysteriousness, seemingly warning others to stay away from him.
“How did you get my wallet?” Witsen asked the man despite feeling the danger behind his smile.
“I picked it up near the entrance. You’re too careless, Witsen.” The man extended his hand and returned Witsen’s wallet.
This symbol.
Just when the man returned his wallet, Witsen could catch a glimpse of the symbol on his arm. It was a recognisable symbol; the man who broke into Karile’s room through the window bore the same mark. However, there was one thing that seemed odd. The two men looked completely different.
“You… Are you the accomplice of the guy from before?” Witsen immediately stepped back and took out his obsidian sword.
“Don’t be hasty, you saw it, right.” The man intentionally rolled his sleeve up to reveal the symbol. “It’s not easy to obtain this symbol, and it’s impossible for there to be a second bearer.”
He then waved his palm across his face. In an instant, the handsome man had transformed into the shabby uncle from before.
“Illusions…”
“That’s right, illusions.” The man then switched to another young appearance and said, “This is my true appearance.”
“You…” Witsen said when he noticed a crack in space behind the man.
Is Karile breaking the barrier? Looks like I have to drag this out a bit more.
“Please continue,” the young man said.
“What’s your objective?”
“Objective, huh… It’s you of course.”
“Me? Why are you interested in an ordinary person?”
“Ordinary person? Please don’t depreciate yourself like that.” The man continued. “The greatest deity’s spouse, bearer of the Alpha symbol, the Cycle Breaker, the King of the Stars. With your glorious titles and achievements, if someone as great as you called himself an ordinary person, then I can’t even call myself a person.”
“I’m afraid you have the wrong person.”
“I tracked down the symbol on your arm. I can’t be mistaken.”
The conversation was completely under the unknown man’s control. He knew a lot about Witsen, yet Witsen did not even know who he was facing.
No, I have to retake control over the tempo of the conversation.
“Then what’s your identity?”
“My identity, huh… “
Just when the man was about to reveal the answer, the time freezing barrier was destroyed. The surroundings regained its usual vibrancy. Karile was standing behind the unknown man with her bow in hand.
“Such speed,” the man murmured as he turned to face Karile. “It seems that your divinity is unstoppable.”
After seeing the man’s face, Karile immediately turned serious and nocked an arrow onto her bow.
“Loki, don’t you fear that I’ll kill you?!”
“Kill me? You don’t even have ten per cent of your previous divinity, how can you kill me?” Loki shrugged. “Perhaps, with beer?”
“Pointless chatter.”
Karile released the tensed bowstring, and the arrow propelled towards Loki with great force.
However, he did not prepare any defences. He simply stood there and waved his hand. The arrow changed direction mid air and flew past his ear.
“Sigh,” Loki took a few steps back and spread his arms. "You shouldn’t have angered your mother. Alright, it’s time to visit my place!"
A hole appeared beneath Witsen and Karile’s feet the moment he finished his sentence. Just like that, the two fell into the hole.
“Okay, my work here’s done, time to head back. Everyone, please enjoy yourselves.”
Loki bowed towards the crowd and left through the door, disappearing into the streets.