“I plan to continue observing this city,” Li Xiuman said, also finding a chair and sitting down.
“Would you like some tea?”
Tedela stood up, eagerly brewed a cup of tea for Li Xiuman, and then looked at him.
“...”
“Ah, sorry, I forgot.”
Seeing no movement from Li Xiuman for a long while, Tedela finally remembered that beneath the cloak in front of her was actually a skeleton.
Since Li Xiuman had been wearing the cloak all this time and acted no different from a normal human, she had subconsciously forgotten his identity as a skeleton.
The air fell silent, and the atmosphere grew slightly awkward.
“Would you like to change your clothes?”
Breaking the silence, Tedela realized she needed to do something, so she spoke up.
“Yes, thank you.”
Li Xiuman stood up.
“Master, here are the clothes you requested.”
Soon, a few pieces of clothing were brought in by a cat-eared maid.
A cat-eared beastkin maid.
Li Xiuman cast a glance at Tedela, his eyes carrying the look of acknowledging a kindred spirit.
Afterward, the maid left.
Tedela, sitting at her desk, watched Li Xiuman with absolutely no intention of looking away.
Although he had been running around naked earlier...
...having to suddenly strip in front of the opposite sex was still a bit awkward.
“Is there a changing room or a partition?”
“Oh, yes.”
The new clothes were much thicker, and a heavy cloak covered his face, leaving only a dark shadow visible in the mirror.
In the dark, one might still see ghostfires burning where his eyes should be within that dark shadow.
This completely eliminated any remaining risk of Li Xiuman accidentally exposing himself.
Stepping out of the changing room, he found Tedela waiting outside.
“Yes, it suits you well.”
“Thank you. I need to go out for a bit.”
“Then here is some money for you. Stay safe.”
“One gold coin can be exchanged for ten silver coins, and a silver coin is worth a hundred copper coins.”
Tedela advised him.
...
Leaving the building, Li Xiuman did not go anywhere else and walked straight toward the Landmark Tower.
Even while hiding in the city, Li Xiuman could not truly put his mind at ease.
Only his own strength could bring him true peace of mind.
After all, one could hide for a moment, but not forever.
If Pound ever attacked this city, how could he hide then?
The dungeon was a trial ground where he could quickly gain power.
Besides, “conquering a dungeon”—what a romantic phrase.
Li Xiuman walked up to the base of the Landmark Tower. Up close, the structure was even more awe-inspiring.
It shot straight up into the clouds, looking like a vine hanging down from the sky.
At the base of the Landmark Tower, there were countless caves of various sizes.
Scattered groups of well-equipped adventurers were walking into these openings.
Most of them entered in parties.
Judging by their attire, one could see Swordsmen, Heavy Warriors, Mages, and Priests.
He didn't plan on entering today; he had only come to take a look—
Suddenly, the two flames of soulfire inside Li Xiuman's hood contracted sharply.
Following his line of sight, two figures could be seen walking toward him.
One was a handsome, blonde-haired, blue-eyed man wearing missionary robes.
He was smiling and talking to his companion—a figure clad in thick, heavy armor of deep purple. His companion walked alongside him with a lukewarm, indifferent attitude.
They were the missionary and the purple-armored Heavy Warrior who had fought Pound.
The greatsword strapped to the purple-armored Heavy Warrior's back was the very weapon that had cut off one of Pound's horns.
Li Xiuman stiffly averted his gaze, pretending not to notice them as he walked past.
The purple-armored Heavy Warrior's face was completely covered by a helmet, hiding any expression.
The missionary also kept talking to his companion, seemingly not paying attention either.
Li Xiuman silently let out a sigh of relief, trying his best to keep his movements natural.
But just as he brushed past the missionary, the man's voice sounded in his ear.
“Stop.”
The missionary turned around, looking at Li Xiuman with a smile.
“Have you seen me somewhere before?”
If Li Xiuman had a heart, the speed at which it would be beating right now, if hooked up to a generator, could probably solve the global energy crisis.
He slowly turned around and pretended to size up the missionary.
“No.”
“Oh, is that so? Your voice sounds a bit raspy. Are you sick?”
The missionary narrowed his eyes, maintaining his smile as he asked.
“No, it's natural.”
Li Xiuman felt his entire skeletal structure creaking.
The pressure was too overwhelming.
“Oh... then...”
He reached his hand out toward Li Xiuman.
Watching that hand draw closer, Li Xiuman's legs almost wanted to bolt out of sheer instinct.
But he forcefully suppressed the urge to run.
“Keith, we've already wasted a lot of time.”
It wasn't the voice of a burly man as Li Xiuman had imagined, but rather a quite pleasant and heroic female voice.
Just by hearing her voice, Li Xiuman could already feel the overwhelming pressure washing over him.
“Fine,” the missionary named Keith said, pulling his hand back.
Then...
“Do you believe in the Goddess of Light?”
“...No.”
What kind of joke was this? Him, a skeleton, believing in the Goddess of Light?
The Goddess would probably vaporize him with a casual purification spell.
And this didn't look like a good time to proselytize anyway, did it?
“That's a shame, then.”
The missionary turned around.
Only then did the soulfire inside Li Xiuman flare back up from its near-extinguished state.
At this moment, he was extremely glad he wasn't human; otherwise, his physical reactions would have completely given him away.
He cast a grateful glance at the purple-armored Heavy Warrior.
It seemed purple was indeed his lucky color.
The first time this person appeared, she had severed a piece of Pound's horn for him.
This time, she had indirectly saved his life again.
He calmed his nerves and walked away from the Landmark Tower.
Meanwhile, on the other side.
“Ilu, that kid clearly recognized us. Why did you help him?”
“Say something.”
“There has to be a reason, right?”
“Don't tell me you've taken a liking to that kid?”
Keith was kicked and sent flying.
“Because I felt like it,” Ilu said, not even looking at Keith as she continued walking.
Before long, a completely unharmed Keith caught up again.
“No way, no way, you really like him?”
“So you like that type? Sneaking around with his face covered... or is it...”
“The sense of mystery? The anticipation?”
“If you ask me, that guy is scrawny. He might be wearing thick clothes, but he doesn't have much meat on his bones.”
“He wouldn't survive your rough play.”
He was kicked and sent flying again.
“One of these days, I'm going to sew your mouth shut.”
The moment Keith walked back, he was kicked yet again.
Rate on N.U.
