Chapter 76: Special Request (2)
‘Lover?’
Lover.
A person in a romantic relationship with another.
Or it refers to someone one deeply yearns for and loves.
Harang knew the meaning of the word.
Even though Harang had been trapped in the desolate village for 15 years, there was no way he wouldn't know this, having been in the outside world for over 9 months.
But.
‘I only know the meaning of the word, but it doesn't quite resonate with me.’
It felt similar to when he heard the word ‘Orphanage’ from Hagio.
He knew the meaning of the word itself, but since he rarely heard or used it, it felt like his mind went blank for a moment.
It was the same this time.
Before he even got to the question of ‘Why is she asking me to play the role of a lover?’, his thoughts got stuck at ‘What does one have to do to act as a lover?’
Thus, Harang could only stare at her silently, and Sheratiya urged him on.
“Why are you silent?”
“…….”
“I asked why you're silent.”
“Ah! I'm sorry. My mind went blank for a moment…… But I apologize, could I hear the information I requested first?”
“What? Information?”
“Information about the Black Hydra.”
“Ah! Sorry. Right, that was first. Come to think of it, I didn't say that. It's not like I found out something amazing, but anyway, I do have something to tell you. Yes, shall we start with that?”
“Thank you.”
Harang inwardly sighed in relief.
The Black Hydra was one thing, but what was important was that he had naturally bought time to understand the concept of ‘lover.’
He also felt a certain pride.
Was he someone capable of such social maneuvering?
Had he unknowingly accumulated a lot of social experience?
Such thoughts rose and disappeared in his mind.
Meanwhile, Sheratiya, having moistened her throat with tea, looked straight at Harang.
A moment later, information about the Black Hydra began to flow from her lips.
“As you know, the Black Hydra belongs to Black Poison. Ah, to be more precise…… it seems more accurate to say that ‘tools’ called Black Poison exist under the Black Hydra.”
“Tools?”
“Yes, tools. The kind that wouldn't be strange if they were used and discarded at any time…… So the main body isn't Black Poison, but the Black Hydra.”
“I see.”
Tools, huh.
Harang's expression darkened slightly.
It was because he felt a sense of kinship with Black Poison.
The village must have had a use for the Godok they constantly made compete and taught.
Thinking that, a feeling of sympathy briefly arose, but it soon disappeared.
Because killing someone for money or the like was not something he was keen on.
Having thought this far, Harang looked at Sheratiya again.
He didn't know why, but she had stopped explaining and was looking at him with a subtle expression.
He asked.
“What's wrong?”
“……Hmm, suddenly.”
“Suddenly?”
“You look like you're not in a good mood? Did I say something wrong?”
“Ah, no.”
Harang was slightly surprised.
He was someone who didn't usually reveal his inner thoughts through his face.
Yet, for her to pick up on it so quickly made him a little flustered.
He couldn't tell if the other person's observation skills were excellent, or if he himself had changed.
Of course, it wasn't particularly important.
But it bothered him For no reason, so he put on an expressionless face again and looked at Sheratiya.
“Hmm…….”
“What is it?”
“No, it's nothing. Anyway, to continue the story……”
The explanation that followed was, as Sheratiya herself said, nothing particularly remarkable.
That the Black Hydra was the main body, and the Black Poison members under it were merely chess pieces tasked with securing funds or doing menial chores.
That the exact scale of the Black Hydra was unknown.
That the number under the Hydra Tattoo was presumed to be their rank.
And finally, that all of them worshipped an ancient assassin called the ‘Great One.’
However, even with just that brief information, Harang felt considerable interest.
He asked.
“An ancient assassin?”
“Yes. I heard he was a famous assassin during the Great War with the Orcs…… He must have been an incredible person. His disciple, no, follower? Anyway, to think that people who revere him still exist.”
“Hmm.”
Harang nodded.
An ancient being and his followers.
The ‘village’s’ swordsmanship that they use.
As his thoughts reached this point, a hypothesis arose that perhaps the village was also related to that ‘Great Assassin.’
Of course, it was just a simple guess, but compared to before when he had no clues at all, the situation felt much more advanced.
“…….”
“…….”
A brief silence fell.
During that time, Harang spent time thinking, erasing, and organizing various thoughts.
Fortunately, Sheratiya didn't interrupt his contemplation, and Harang, realizing this belatedly, bowed his head and said.
“Thank you. For waiting.”
“You looked like your head was complicated. Is it sorted out now?”
“A little. Not entirely…… To be honest, the information is a bit lacking.”
“Lacking?”
“Yes. So, if I may ask…… could I request an investigation into the existence of that ‘ancient assassin’ as well?”
Harang wore a serious expression.
Unfortunately, he still lacked knowledge about the world.
Even if he wanted to try finding information himself, he was no different from a social novice who didn't even know how.
For him, there was no one as competent and trustworthy as Sheratiya.
‘I have to find out.’
Emotion once again flickered across Harang's previously expressionless face.
Blazing eyes.
It was a reaction that would let anyone know how importantly he regarded this matter.
Sheratiya was the same.
That's why a question arose.
Why was the young man before her interested in something that an ordinary person would shy away from out of fear?
‘I do want to dig into it For no reason…….’
For now, she decided to let it be.
Now was not the time for that.
There was something far more important.
Having thought this far, she smiled brightly at Harang.
And said.
“The payment?”
“Yes?”
“What about the payment?”
“Ah! The request fee…… right. It's right to mention that first. Hmm. Come to think of it, I haven't paid separately for investigating the Black Hydra either. How much should I pay for this……”
“I don't need money.”
“Yes?”
Harang asked with a foolish expression.
“I said I don't need money.”
Sheratiya replied, still smiling.
“You don't need money?”
Harang asked again with an even more foolish expression.
“Yes, I have a lot of money. I't not so destitute as to rip off your pocket change.”
Sheratiya replied once more with a slightly deeper smile.
“…….”
“…….”
Silence fell again.
However, it wasn't the same atmosphere as before.
This was like…….
‘A feeling of being completely at a disadvantage!’
Harang cautiously observed Sheratiya's expression.
He regretted it a little.
Not properly settling the price for the Black Hydra investigation, and showing too much interest in the ancient assassin.
All of those things were contributing to shifting the initiative of the conversation to Sheratiya.
‘What does she want?’
Harang, feigning expressionlessness again, looked at Sheratiya.
However, it was impossible to prevent his anxious gaze from leaking out.
If it were a confrontation with swords, it would be different, but in a situation like this where words were intertwined, Sheratiya was far superior.
That was an immutable fact.
Fortunately, Sheratiya, finding this side of Harang cute, went easy on him.
Chuckling, she moistened her throat with tea again.
Then, she cleanly requested the one thing she wanted.
“What I want isn't much. As I said before…… just act as my lover in front of my parents. That's all. Then I'll do the investigation on the Black Hydra and the ancient assassin for free.”
“……Hmm.”
Harang let out a groan.
Quite some time had passed since he first heard the story, but he still hadn't properly understood the concepts of ‘romance’ and ‘lover.’
Therefore, Sheratiya's request was quite burdensome.
He would rather fight a Master; this kind of thing was far more perplexing.
‘No, in the first place, why me?’
It was inevitable that such a question would follow.
However, the situation wasn't good for voicing every thought in his head and questioning her.
If it were his old, unobservant self, perhaps, but Harang could now read the atmosphere and situation to some extent.
He fully understood that saying such things would only be to his detriment.
Eventually.
“I will do it……”
The only thing that could come out of his mouth was ‘acceptance.’
Sheratiya, with a satisfied expression, clapped her hands and said.
“Good, I knew you'd grant my request. Thank you, Harang.”
“Don't mention it……”
“Hmm, but why do you seem so down? Do you dislike it that much? Acting as my lover?”
“Ah, it's not like that.”
Sheratiya frowned, and Harang, startled, waved his hands.
And added a few more words.
That he had never been in a relationship before.
That before that, he had never seriously thought about things like love or romance.
Therefore, he was worried whether he could properly act as a lover, especially in front of people he was meeting for the first time.
Sheratiya, having heard this far, made a blank expression for a moment, making Harang's heart uneasy, but she soon came to her senses and reassured him.
“It's okay.”
“It's okay?”
“Yes. I wasn't expecting much from you either.”
“Why is that?”
“Why, do you really want to hear?”
“It's not to that extent.”
“Then let's move on. Anyway, it's okay. All you have to do is fill a seat during the meal. I'll handle all the difficult answers, so you just have to say yes, yes. Ah! There are two things you need to keep in mind.”
“Two things?”
Harang asked again, and Sheratiya, having emptied the remaining tea, continued.
“First, from the moment you leave this place, you are my lover. If anyone asks about our relationship, unconditionally say we are lovers. It'll be troublesome if you tell some people you're just pretending to be lovers and others that you are lovers, and then your words get twisted or you get found out…… Got it?”
“Understood.”
“And second, this is the most important……”
As Sheratiya's voice lowered, Harang put on a serious expression.
If he hadn't accepted, it would be one thing, but since he had decided to perform the role, it was right to do his best.
Then, keeping the client's request in mind was the correct attitude.
He opened his ears wide and waited for her next words.
“……If anyone asks why you're dating Lady Sheratiya Viyan, answer that it's because she's so very pretty and beautiful.”
“…….”
“Why are you silent?”
“No reason. I will say that.”
Harang nodded his head.
He nodded vigorously, several times.
“Good. Then I'm going. I'll tell you the date again.”
Sheratiya, with a satisfied smile, left the room.
No guide was needed.
It was the Eddy Mercenary Corps's Hideout, which she had already frequented three times.
She left the building without anyone's help, got into a carriage, and returned to her Mansion.
Eddy, watching her retreating figure, carefully threw a question at Harang.
“Um, Boss.”
“Yes, please speak.”
“Um, if it's not rude…… What is your relationship with Lady Viyan, um, I mean……”
“We are lovers.”
“……!”
“……!”
“……!”
Eddy and all the Mercenaries looked at the Big Boss with horrified expressions.
Harang didn't care whether they did or not.
Rather, he surprised them once more by uttering even more shocking content.
“And I'll be meeting Ms. Sheratiya's parents soon, so what should I be mindful of?”
‘Her parents…….’
‘Meeting them……?’
‘Already? Is the relationship already that deep?’
An atmosphere as terrifying as if a storm had arrived.
In the midst of it, Daereon, his mouth agape in shock, muttered lowly.
“Fucking bastard……”