Chapter 220

Here is the English translation:

Waiting at Harnier’s door, I swallowed my saliva.

Why am I so tense about this?

It should be simple enough to explain that I need to step out for a bit.

“…”

-Gulp.

I stood before Harnier’s room and gulped down my saliva.

Why do I feel so tense?

Just explaining that I need to step out for a bit should be enough, yet inexplicably, tension filled me up.

“Ugh. If only Carsein’s constitution was normal, none of this would have happened.”

After collapsing alone due to Defeshan Syndrome,

I ended up getting lectured by my fiancée, Harnier, and had to make an informal promise.

– “Just do it. Quickly engrave it into the Oath Gem.”

– “Ah, no… There’s no need to add such terms into the Oath Gem. This is just… Ugh!”

– “I’ve seen you collapse several times. Why don’t you approve it already!”

Even now, thinking about it, it feels like I’m trapped in some game with unseen constraints.

Harnier asked me to add a clause to the Oath Gem.

If I move alone in the future without her permission, she has the right to make me pay a price using the Oath Gem.

…Thanks to this, even if it’s something related to the territory, I still need her permission.

Directly from my fiancée herself.

Sigh. Complaining won’t change anything. I might as well try persuading her properly.

Shaking off my complicated thoughts, I raised my hand to knock on Harnier’s door.

“What are you doing there, Carsein?”

…What?

Harnier came out from the room right next to mine.

“No, it’s not right next to mine.”

That’s my room over there.

Why is this happening…

“Oh, right.”

I finally snapped back to reality.

After that day, Harnier said she wouldn’t use that room because she’d be keeping a close eye on my condition.

Harnier narrowed her eyes and asked me.

“So, you came here with such an important request that you forgot not to use this room?”

Wow.

…Your intuition is really sharp.

My plan A is gone.

I grunted in response.

“No, it’s not that important. It’s just at the level where I need to clear up any misunderstandings beforehand.”

“You say one thing and do another, Carsein.”

“A deep contemplation could lead to this. After all, I’m human too.”

With Plan A ruined, I need to switch to Plan B and persuade her.

To avoid immediate rejection, I must add other arguments. If she suspects I might get hurt, it’s as serious as an accident!

Moreover, if Harnier follows me while I’m sneaking in, it’ll cause quite a commotion.

It’s not that important. Just something I need to clarify beforehand. So, it’s not that dangerous.

This was the kind of situation I could maneuver around.

“I need to visit the House of Bargrand for a while. It’s not a big deal, just a quick visit. My family has something to discuss.”

Hmm. This is a clean excuse for a trip.

There’s a schedule at the House of Bargrand.

Since it’s a family matter, Harnier shouldn’t come along.

Thus, I need time to go alone!

What a smooth setup.

It took me a whole hour to think this through, and it feels perfect.

Except for the fact that there’s no such schedule!

“…So, you came to ask for my permission to go alone?”

“Yes.”

She probably won’t grant it right away.

If she suspects anything, I need a convincing argument.

If that’s the case, I should bring Camila who’s prepared in advance.

And maybe even seek help from Tasha, who I sent a letter to just in case—

“I understand.”

“I thought so…”

…What?

Didn’t you just say you understood?

“Phew. I thought you’d refuse.”

Oh. I didn’t mishear.

You granted it just now.

“The clause added to the Oath Gem isn’t to control your schedule. I added it because I worry seeing you recklessly putting yourself in danger.”

“…”

“So, you’re staying at the House of Bargrand for a day?”

“Yes… That’s right.”

“By chance, I also have something to do tomorrow. That’s why I was looking for you.”

Ah. I see.

Now I know why you came out of my room.

That works out perfectly.

“Let’s meet in Shatren after a day.”

“Sure. But, I have something to do before going?”

“What?”

*Swipe*

Harnier grabbed my hand.

Why did she suddenly grab my hand?

But soon, warm mana flowed from her hand to mine.

My heavy body felt lighter.

“So, be careful when you go.”

“Yes, I will.”

Luckily, Harnier’s schedule overlapped, and I got her permission smoothly.

However, I feel like I missed something.

Probably just my imagination.

***

The lie about visiting the House of Bargrand worked, and Talpon returned after tracking down their hideout using the scent of the trap I set.

As night fell, a dark mist enveloped the surroundings.

It was midnight.

This was the perfect time for covert activities.

I didn’t need much.

Just a single knife to protect myself.

That was enough.

***

As the time grew late,

A soldier with a spear yawned widely.

“Yawn.”

“Hey!”

His companion jabbed him in the ribs to stop him from yawning.

“Ah, well. We can take a nap.”

“You idiot. Don’t you know they’ll cut your head off if you get caught?”

The soldier jabbing his friend pointed towards the building entrance.

“Today is crucial. Not a single ant should enter.”

They were indeed guarding something important today.

In a place filled with masked guests, any mistake could cost them their lives.

“Ugh. I doubt anything will happen. The people here are all predetermined, right?”

“…Well, yes.”

“You can relax a bit. Nothing bad has ever happened, right?”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course. Relax a bit and take a nap. Everyone else is doing the same.”

The soldier with the messy hair chuckled and went back to sleep.

He seemed to believe nothing would happen.

His companion followed suit and fell asleep.

*Ssshhh*

Someone slipped out from the bushes.

Carsein, who had prepared thoroughly, came.

“They’re here.”

Talpon couldn’t miss the strong scent.

Following the trail of the trapped men led straight to their hideout.

“It’s the Waglew Faction, as expected.”

Identifying the culprit was nearly impossible.

Shatren was visited by all sorts of nobles, and while the blockade restricted access, anyone passing through could have been a suspect.

But there were enough clues to narrow it down.

Carsein blocked access with the closure order, and by knowing the trading location was fixed, he used that information.

Most importantly, the men who triggered the trap revealed their identities.

From the information gathered, the main suspects were the Waglew Faction.

“Ha. You’re here too?”

“Of course, sir.”

“Good. Let’s go in together.”

Nobles greeted each other.

A large building surrounded by patrolling soldiers. With such lax security, infiltrating wasn’t hard.

But.

“Not even the maids or attendants are accompanying them.”

A westerner like Talpon couldn’t sneak into a noble-only area.

First, Carsein decided to gather information.

He needed to know the escape routes and how the security was organized.

A typical noble mansion.

A sprawling distribution of guards.

Inside, there must be a banquet for nobles.

That’s what Carsein assumed.

However, gathering information proved difficult.

Right away, he hit a roadblock.

“Damn. This is a mess.”

While the side paths were unknown, the main entrance was only one.

Talpon couldn’t find a way in.

Moreover, everyone entering had masks on.

No way to tell who entered or exited, their origins, or purpose.

The only clue was their status shown by their attire. All entrants were nobles.

Nothing interesting here.

To get inside, he needed a plan.

How could he? Carsein’s mind started spinning.

Nobles could enter with the House of Bargrand’s credentials, but those who poisoned Shatren’s soil were there. Entering wasn’t an option.

“Show your entry permit.”

Great. An entry permit.

Now his mind was even more tangled.

At that moment,

He thought about forging one, and saw something familiar.

“There it is.”

A noble handed something to the guard who asked for the permit.

That’s…

“Confirmed. Please enter.”

*Click click*

Yes, this is it.

No mistake, this is it.

■Items in Possession■

◆Sky Blue Button

[A sky blue button with two horses drawn on it.]

After thoroughly humiliating the woman who sent Harnier a malicious gift, Carsein obtained this button. It turned out to be an entry permit.

“Right. I remember… This conversation was overheard in the conference hall.”

– “They’re a bit late this time.”

– “Really? It’s already past the scheduled time.”

– “No letters, no news. What are they up to? They’ll just pile up fertilizer for the black market!”

– “Okay, okay. Maybe they’ll show up today. Don’t forget to bring the sky blue horse button.”

– “Of course.”

Overhearing the conversation in the conference hall, it was about the black market.

This place wasn’t just for nobles to socialize; it was a marketplace for buying and selling.

Talpon led him here, so this place must contain the fertilizer.

Enough evidence.

“Even though you checked the permits, you didn’t keep them or check the names and seals in detail, right?”

So, these are secret permits?

Realizing it wasn’t that hard to get in, Carsein smirked.

“All I need is the right outfit.”

Carsein looked at the path where nobles walked.

Getting clothes and a mask wouldn’t be a problem.

All he needed was to knock out someone and tie them up.

***

“Show your entry permit.”

“Here.”

“Confirmed. Please enter.”

The guard let me in indifferently, repeating the scene from before.

“Something seems off about this person.”

While glancing back,

I realized it was too late.

*Ding*

▶The danger level of this field is at a prohibited level.◀

▶You have entered a highly dangerous area!◀

▶Due to sufficient stats, the danger level decreases.◀

[Field Danger Level: Dangerous]

“Right, I shouldn’t be thinking about this.”

I need to quickly gather evidence and leave.

Among these people, someone must have hired to spread fertilizer to turn Shatren’s soil into monster territory. I needed to obtain enough evidence to identify the culprit.

Moving through the corridors,

I cautiously opened doors here and there.

Unidentifiable mushrooms, suspicious-looking herbs, mysterious potions. This place was clearly abnormal.

And scattered throughout, I saw nobles drooling with strange medicines in their hands.

While exploring the building,

*Whoosh*

“…!”

The artifact given by Talpon reacted in front of a door.

“This must be it. The place where they hid the fertilizer.”

Just one.

If I take just one, this chapter will be cleared.

*Creak*

*Ding*

▶Warning! Player has triggered a trap!◀

*Whirring sound*

─An intruder has arrived!

─Capture them!

“Damn!”

I let my guard down. I should have expected traps in such a place!

“Footsteps… Thirty, no, forty?”

Facing so many here would be tough. Considering the magic users mixed in, it’s best to avoid them.

*Ding*

▶Episode X. Perfect Clear bonus activated!◀

▶Move to the marked location on the mini-map!◀

Right. This exists.

Taking a breath, I moved to the location marked on the mini-map.

This must be it. Confirmed by the purple dot.

Just as I was about to open the door,

The door opened first, pulling me inside.

“…!”

“Shh!”

What?

Harnier, why are you here…?