The Villain Bought the Heroine - The Villain Bought the Heroine chapter 91
Chapter 91
Unless specific phrases were spoken, the Terrarium was not much different from a regular information exchange.
So, even when greeted by a woman like myself for the first time, she did not confirm my identity and was not someone related to the Goddess Church but just a regular employee.
However, with a specific sentence.
“The 22nd guest knocked on the door.” You could summon a trader related to the Goddess Church.
By calling the name of the High Priest of my faction in response to the following inquiry about the task at hand, a proper conversation could begin.
But, I called out the name of an acolyte, not the High Priest.
Knowing even one acolyte’s name was rare among the Goddess Church, and among humans, it was nonexistent.
That’s why the man wearing the top hat now seemed slightly taken aback.
Externally, there was no sign of it. A human capable of remarkably subtle acting, no… an Altif.
If one did not notice the subtle change in tone, others would not even begin to suspect.
“What is your relationship with Belered?”
I scoffed at his question. It was to inject a sense of insult into the current situation.
“Are you trying to get information for free from the exchange? Smearing the name of the Terrarium.”
“We apologize for the inconvenience, but we must be cautious in our responses. Please understand.”
He smoothly let my words pass, maintaining a consistent attitude. It meant that the story could not progress until I revealed it properly.
“If I say I am one of her accomplices, can I buy and sell information?”
“Please keep it to one sentence.”
“What’s the reason?”
I stared into his eyes persistently.
Laughter still lingered in his tone.
“Are you using the power of the eyes on your forehead to discern the truth?”
“…”
He remained silent for a moment.
Grinning, he spoke.
“It seems like we may need to usher the guest in for a special course.”
The man’s gaze changed.
While just a moment ago he was the exemplary staff member passively dealing with a stern guest’s complaints, now he was clearly showing his original sly personality.
“The 22nd guest. Bargan from Shugenharz Troa. I won’t ask how you know that sentence, but your second response truly surprised me.”
“I didn’t know a mere name held such value.”
“You’re telling lies… You’re a mysterious figure.”
“I’ve heard such words before.”
It might seem amazing to me, who has read novels to the point of boredom and knows the hidden backgrounds and events of this world.
A sentence calling for officials of the Goddess Church.
Words to continue the deal.
Naturally, it was information I knew from reading novels.
If there were any issues in coming here, it wasn’t these things, but rather locating the terrarium, which wasn’t too difficult to find by feeding money to the beggars nearby.
During this process, Hailion may have noticed something, but it didn’t matter.
In any case, he would eventually follow what I wanted.
“Then, Vargan. I will only ask this one thing.”
Instead of inquiring about his relationship with the Archdeacon Belred, he posed a different question.
“Should I consider you a business partner? Or should I consider you an enemy?”
“A business partner.”
It seemed like he was using the power of his eyes hidden under his hat.
If the density or thickness of the obstacles between his eyes and the target was below a certain level, he could still see even if they were covered like that.
After a moment of silence.
“It’s the truth. Interesting. Yes, truly interesting.”
His voice tone rose slightly as he abruptly stood up from his seat. He politely bowed his head and pressed his opposite shoulder with one hand, a gesture made by a man in the nobility when showing respect to someone they meet for the first time.
“I will introduce myself anew. I am ‘Altreman,’ who holds the position of bishop in the Goddess Church.”
“Also one of the bishops who intervened when the Jagans raided the nest.”
“Shamefully, I had to flee in order to survive. As the sole survivor of the Goddess Church at that time, I had to bear the weight of their lives.”
“So Altifgu, the three-headed beast, is quite alive.”
Although Caliclea, who had acted in plays, was less alien compared to other Altifs, Altreman was particularly more so.
Perhaps he was concealing something, or should I say, skillful.
If we had conversed without knowing about this, we wouldn’t have noticed.
“I will graciously accept your praise.”
Altreman raised his head and looked into my eyes.
His pupils, like the Jagans or Amichers, were not split in a specific direction but were like those of an ordinary person.
“In fact, I have been paying attention to you, Vargan, for the past few months.”
“Is it okay to just reveal that information?”
“You may consider it my small gesture of goodwill for our future dealings.”
In essence, it’s like saying you have to give to receive.
He saw me as a suitable negotiating partner and started unpacking his bag first to build that bridge.
“Between the moment when the Academia-affiliated Morphist Oselle Langpith Borg began to show abnormal reactions and the incident where Bishop Caliclea was killed, there was a common denominator, and that was you, Vargan.”
He urged me not to lie about not knowing this from the side of the Goddess Church.
Altreman was right.
“Yes, as you say. I am the one who cursed Borg to restrict his actions and the one who killed Caliclea.”
“I did so to make our existence known. The reason was to create a bridge for contact with us.”
“If we were to make a comparison, Borg would be like a crow, and Calicoulrea would be akin to a magpie. They met by chance as they passed through the bridge they had both constructed.”
“Moreover, seeing how strong the scent of jasmine is, it feels as though it’s the last time you drank it during the final exam.”
“It just happened to turn out that way.”
They were already aware of the fact that I had taken away Jagan’s life and had somewhat challenged the authority of the Scribe. Yet, they act so nonchalantly.
Borg, Calicoulrea, Jagan.
Connected to them, I am a direct descendant of the prestigious Shugenhardt family, a family among families. Also, I am a prodigy who was highly admired.
Surely, they would have been very curious about me in the Temple of the Goddess. It must have been intriguing yet cautious for them.
I approached them calmly to avoid shocking them too much and gradually expanded my presence to reach this point.
In the end, this place now can be likened to a red fruit opened from an apple tree that grew receiving ample sunlight and water.
“Let’s get back to the point, Vargan. Vargan, you called us partners when you saw us. It was confirmed that it was not a lie.”
Naturally, it would spark curiosity.
Me, a prospective knight.
What kind of connection I want to establish with the enemy, Altif.
“Please tell me the reason for your visit today. Since it seems the connection with Vargan will last for quite a while, I want to start by securing that crucial first button.”
Altremen, being Altif, let out a smile akin to a human. It appeared professional, as if trained, and natural.
“I do not believe our connection will end after just one encounter. Therefore, let’s postpone discussing the numerous topics we can share and focus on the transaction here for now.”
“What is it? If it’s something our terrarium possesses, we can trade any rare items and information.”
I slowly parted my lips.
In this episode, this information was more important and necessary than anything else.
“One of the twelve deities, the offspring of Phrykkanrisk, is currently under the command of the warrior, Crain, affiliated with Durtamund.”
***
After obtaining the desired information, I headed straight to my lodging from the terrarium.
If it’s a metropolis, there is bound to be a marketplace in the terrarium. Having established a connection once, it could prove useful in the future.
Just because it’s associated with the Temple of the Goddess doesn’t mean it should be avoided.
Other protagonists might be busy criticizing and cursing once they find out about this fact, but what does it matter. After all, I am not the hero but the villain. As long as I achieve my goals in the end.
As I was about to enter my lodging.
I saw someone standing in front of the door.
Leaning against the door, they silently gaze at me. They were waiting.
It’s somewhat glorious.
“You are quite late, Vargan student.”
“I am always busy… But who are you waiting for here at this late hour, Haellion? You must be exhausted from the day’s work, yet here you are, not resting.”
“You still speak so casually.”
“Oh, could it be that you were waiting for me?”
It seemed like that was the case, but I tried to show a somewhat naive reaction.
Have I not been as quiet and discreet as possible while being with them recently? Sometimes, you need to let some fresh air in like this.
“…”
Haellion’s gaze slowly scans me.
It seemed like they were trying to see if there were any changes, but the feeling was completely different from inspecting for any injuries like Alicia did.
A gaze that feels like its purpose is something other than my well-being.
“Where have you been?”
“I went for a walk to enjoy the night breeze for a moment. The city is quite beautiful. Hmm… You seem quite curious. Should I explain the route to you?”
“It must have been a place you were hesitant to talk about.”
“I didn’t go to any place that would tarnish a hero’s dignity, so there’s no need to worry.”
“True. Barugan students are ones who know how to take care of themselves and plan for the future better than anyone else. You don’t need to worry.”
Being so highly evaluated by the hero, I felt truly grateful.
I smiled brightly in gratitude. As I was about to pass by him with light steps.
“Barugan student.”
Today, Haellion seemed unusually persistent.
Does he want to have a deep conversation?
“Haellion, do you still have something to say?”
I turned my body to face him, meeting his eyes.
I was instantly overwhelmed by a chilling sensation. It felt as sharp as a blade, sharper than the tip of an arrow, piercing me suddenly!
It’s not a curse. It’s not magic.
It’s something like an aura that Haellion, the man, possesses.
His expression is calm, like a lake reflecting the moon, yet inside, it holds something very menacing.
Is this the aura of someone who will rise to 2nd place in the hero rankings in the future? Looking at his defeated aura, I shivered and smiled at the same time.
Yes. This should be enough to surpass even a Grand Bishop-level Altif.
“I won’t disturb you.”
He slowly spoke up. With each word he uttered, the heavy pressure that had been weighing down gradually lifted.
“Go ahead and do what you want to do, Barugan student. If you need help, I can assist.”
He doesn’t stop me from acting. He simply wanted to convey his intentions.
“But. If it doesn’t lead to the outcome I desire…”
Haellion values the outcome.
If he deems that the losses outweigh the gains, he will boldly cut it off.
There is no room for sympathy. He cuts it off decisively.
No matter what it is.
“I meant to stop you.”
He smiled.
It was a face trying to ease the tension.
Perhaps it’s the most reassuring smile Haellion can offer, yet it still feels incredibly awkward.
“No one will believe you even if you say to trust that expression.”
“It’s not easy to practice expressions diligently. Would you like to learn from a Barugan student this time?”
“If I have time later, maybe then…”
Ah. Found it.
Mid-conversation.
From Noble mtl dot com
I received a signal from one out of the 329.
Although she died immediately, her current location was identified. Knowing that her location had been exposed, she would either try to hide again or flee outside the city.
I turned my body away from heading to the lodging. I say to Haellion,
“Haellion, the words you said about offering help just now. It seems like I may need to act on it right away.”
“I should call the other team members too.”
“No need.”
Isn’t it too noisy for us to go to the lively streets of Duerte-Mund alone, with this appealing tranquility?
“We’ll go alone.”