“Alright, time to collect the rent.”
Sophie looked around, scanning the shadows along the main road.
She had given Amos and Bart explicit, absolute orders to stay put and wait for her to come out.
Yet, among the bustling crowds on the street, there was no sign of those two in their standard-issue studded leather armor.
Where were they? Had they run off? Her Great Memory Restoration Technique didn't mention anything about a time limit.
Just as Sophie was about to search further, her gaze froze.
Although she couldn't see them, her Galgame radar went off.
Guided by instinct, her eyes focused on the very center of the wide crossroads.
A girl wearing loose nun's robes, her blonde hair draped casually over her shoulders and a sun emblem hanging from her chest, stood there quietly.
With that exquisite yet expressionless face, who could it be but Kaila?
The surrounding pedestrians, including Sophie just a moment ago, seemed not to see her at all, all of them deliberately keeping their distance and creating a strange vacuum zone.
Some kind of stealth skill? But my Galgame radar is still superior.
“Heroine!”
Sophie’s eyes lit up.
Sukuna was here.
She thought she wouldn't see her for several weeks. She hadn't expected to meet again after only a few hours.
Sophie immediately activated her [Stealth] skill, and the 50% movement speed boost provided by the system took effect.
“Heroine, you haven't gone far yet!”
Her short legs churned at a high frequency as she sprinted toward Kaila.
Kaila seemed somewhat surprised that Sophie could find her.
Sophie unhesitatingly leaned in close to Kaila.
“You're wearing a mask, and you've become faster,” Kaila said.
“Yup, impressive, right?”
“Impressive.” Kaila nodded. “I just... went to the patrol headquarters.”
“Really? To hand in a quest?” Sophie tilted her head.
“I caught two people.” Kaila looked down into those clear eyes. “Amos... and Bart. They were wearing... Silvervein City Patrol... standard-issue armor.”
Sophie’s smile froze for a fraction of a second.
Oh boy. My ATMs.
“They were on the street... wantonly robbing... civilians and merchants of their money, even beating resisting vendors... until they bled.” Kaila’s tone was devoid of emotion, simply stating facts. “I knocked them unconscious... with my flail. Before they passed out... they shouted... that they were working for... a masked... daughter of a northern lord... traveling incognito.”
Sophie: ?
What did I do now? Did I accidentally spike their Blackening values?
“Sophie, did you order this?”
No probing, no euphemisms. Kaila questioned her directly.
The Heroine’s eyes shimmered slightly; no hypocrisy or lies could hide from that gaze.
Sophie cursed Amos and Bart eight hundred times in her heart.
I finally managed to build up some favor with the Heroine. What are you two trying to do?
Fortunately, with the Heroine, honesty was the best policy. Sophie took a deep breath and met Kaila’s gaze, saying frankly, “Of course it wasn't me! I swear, before I went into the alchemy shop, I only ordered them to stay put and not move a single step. Their robbery was entirely their own doing; I knew nothing about it!”
“I see, you aren't lying.” Kaila nodded slightly, her tone unchanging. “It’s as I thought. This indeed wasn't... your doing.”
“I can't believe you doubted me,” Sophie said aggrievedly. “And here I thought we were so close.”
Faced with this accusation, Kaila showed no embarrassment. She turned around with great seriousness and looked into Sophie’s eyes.
“It is precisely because I trust Sophie that I had to ask clearly.” Kaila’s gaze was incredibly open. “I don't want a misunderstanding... to create a rift between us. They made wild claims, so I needed to hear... your own answer. Now that I have heard it, that is enough.”
“Sophie, you... are a good monster.”
Sophie, having received the “Good Monster” card: ...
Does she have to be so serious? It made her feel a bit embarrassed; after all, she couldn't exactly claim to have done many good deeds.
“Ahem... well then, I shall mercifully forgive your interrogation this time.”
Sophie let go of Kaila’s arm, reached into her player inventory, and pulled out a large bag.
“To prove my sincerity and thank you for your trust just now—ta-da!”
She shoved the large leather bag directly against Kaila’s chest.
“What is this?” Kaila instinctively caught it.
Inside the bag was a pile of soap.
“Remember our discussion at the hot spring? Weren't you upset that I used up your high-grade white soap? This is a byproduct I made while doing alchemy—soap scented with snow lotus.”
“Soap personally crafted by a Ritual Master... you'd better treasure it.”
Kaila tightened the drawstring of the bag.
“Thank you.”
She nodded, then put the large bag of soap into her storage bag.
She didn't decline, nor did she open the bag to check. No favorability was gained either. Sophie tilted her head.
Rate on N.U.
