Chapter 35: Oh No, Ive Turned BlondWhat Do I Do Now?
Chapter 35: Oh No, I’ve Turned Blond—What Do I Do Now?
“Hm?”
Honestly, Lin Wei wanted to complain—why did this woman think giving him money would make him angry?
But as soon as his gaze fell on the table, where a radiant crimson gemstone and a ring etched with intricate, energy-rich patterns gleamed, his expression shifted instantly. Drawing on his unique insight as a Demon Lord, he recognized them at a glance.
“That’s… an enhancement gem and a magical artifact?”
“Mhm,” Iresha replied, propping her chin on her hands with a hint of pride. “The gem is specially crafted and imbued with protective energy. Embed it in a weapon, and once activated, it can withstand attacks from around level 60 for at least a moment.”
“It also boosts agility, speed, and defense, and grants a level 3 farsight skill.”
“As for the ring, it’s a reward from the Adventurers’ Guild—supposedly, it offers partial immunity to poisons.”
She waved her hand dismissively. “But the gems and gear I use are way better than these. There’s no point in me keeping them, so I might as well give them to you.”
The blood-red gem sparkled with a mesmerizing luster in the sunlight, impossible to look away from. Lin Wei picked it up and examined it closely. Even without ever studying the market, he could tell at a glance that these were worth a fortune.
“These must be pretty valuable in the human world, right?”
His phrasing was a little odd, but Iresha didn’t seem to mind. She just quoted a ballpark figure.
“About… five hundred thousand gold coins, give or take?”
“Five hundred thousand!?”
Lin Wei’s hand jerked as he shot her a look of pure shock. That price clearly rattled him.
After living as an ordinary human for so long, Lin Wei knew all too well how hard it was to make money.
And yet, in just a few casual exchanges, this woman had handed him something so extravagant?
“Isn’t this a bit too much?” he asked, unable to hide his unease.
Especially considering his own plans—to use this young mage to stir up a spectacular love triangle in the Hero’s harem. Now that he thought about it, his conscience began to prick at him. Wasn’t this just taking advantage of her kindness?
“You did save my life, you know,” Iresha sniffed, utterly unfazed. “Is my life not worth at least this much?”
She leaned back, her tone light. “Besides, the goblin disaster was really your doing. I’m just returning what you deserve.”
“And let’s not forget, I’m also walking away with all the credit for resolving the incident. For a Hero’s party, that reputation is worth far more than gold. So, all things considered, I’m actually coming out ahead.”
Her prideful demeanor made it clear—she didn’t care about the money at all. If anything, her generosity seemed to shine even brighter.
We’re rich now, Veya!
Lin Wei’s hands trembled as excitement bubbled up inside him. Was this it? Had he just become wealthy overnight?
He’d spent an entire year scrimping and saving, barely managing to scrape together a few tens of thousands of gold coins. And now, in the blink of an eye, he possessed a small fortune.
If he got lucky and lived frugally, he might even be able to buy a small territory outright.
May Iresha live a long and prosperous life!
“In that case, since you think I earned this, how about a little extra gold as a thank-you for saving your life?” Lin Wei joked, unable to keep the glee from his voice.
But the moment the words left his mouth, Iresha shot him a fierce glare.
“Are you trying to extort me now?!”
“Look, I might not be hurting for money, but I absolutely won’t tolerate being extorted. Otherwise, I’ll get really mad, you hear me?”
“Hahaha, I’m just messing with you! Thanks again for your generosity,” Lin Wei replied, grinning as he put the items away. Honestly, he was only teasing her because he was in such a good mood—seeing her get flustered was unexpectedly fun.
After all, who would’ve thought he’d suddenly have five hundred thousand gold coins to his name? And it was all legitimate, clean income—nothing shady at all.
“If you’re ever short on money, just say so. But try to squeeze extra out of me again and you’ll be sorry. Anyway, now we just have to wait for The Holy Church’s response…”
Fortunately, Iresha didn’t seem to take any of it too seriously.
“Iresha?”
Just then, a familiar voice sounded behind them.
Both of them turned toward the door in unison, only to see several familiar faces, all staring back in utter shock.
At some point, the entire Hero’s party had arrived in Lotai, and now they were all gathered at the entrance. At the head of the group stood the Hero himself, a longsword strapped to his back.
He stared at Iresha, laughing and chatting with another man inside the Adventurers’ Guild, as if he’d just witnessed something utterly inconceivable.
His eyes went wide, and his whole body froze. As the seconds ticked by, his expression began to twist with emotion.
“What are you doing to Iresha?!”
It seemed he’d already heard about what happened last night in the labyrinth—how Iresha had run into a goblin disaster and dealt with it nearly single-handedly.
No wonder she’d been so quiet when she got back. As her companion—and childhood friend—he felt compelled to seek her out after learning the truth.
No matter what, he had to find her, bring her back, and apologize for his coldness the night before. But he never expected to walk in on a scene like this.
“That thing you just took from Iresha—wasn’t that the archer’s enhancement gem? That’s something we need for our next mission!”
That same uneasy feeling from last time—born of misunderstanding—came creeping back, reminding him of the apology he’d been forced to make before.
But now, faced with this scene, Oshu’s emotions surged out of control—his body moved before he could stop himself, anger blazing in his eyes. He was ready to teach Lin Wei a lesson right then and there.
“Just as I suspected back in town—you’re definitely up to something. Out with it! What are you threatening Iresha with?”
“Enough, Oshu!”
But it wasn’t Lin Wei who answered him.
After a brief moment of surprise, Iresha stepped forward, her eyebrows knitted in displeasure. She blocked Oshu’s path, meeting his accusatory glare head-on.
Since when did this guy get so unreasonable? Jumping to conclusions without even asking what happened? Did he just have something against Lin Wei?
“I gave those things to Lin Wei myself—he didn’t threaten me at all. You were already way out of line the last time you accused him without proof.”
“If you’re going to start a fight, shouldn’t you at least figure out what’s really going on first?”
“You… You gave them to him willingly? Why, Iresha? Especially that enhancement gem—we need it for our team, don’t we?”
Oshu hadn’t expected to be scolded by Iresha. His bravado evaporated in an instant, and even his voice faltered.
“Hah? It’s my gem, so I’ll give it to whomever I want! If the team needs one, we’ll just find another later. What does it matter if I give it to him—what’s it got to do with you anyway?”
The enhancement gem’s attributes perfectly suited a certain member of the party—it was obvious who Oshu was really speaking for.
Already annoyed, Iresha’s expression darkened further at his words.
Oshu was getting more and more ridiculous. Was he really doing this for Eileen’s sake? Just thinking about it made her blood boil.
Meanwhile, Lin Wei stood in the background, watching the drama unfold with unabashed amusement. Not only did he make no move to stop the explosive dispute tearing through the Hero’s party, but inside, he was cheering them on.
Yes! This is perfect!
He’d just finished stirring the pot, and now they were at each other’s throats—what a golden opportunity. It would be a crime not to enjoy the show to the fullest.
Oshu had stepped up to demand the gem for the sake of the elven archer—so what would happen if Eileen herself got involved? Would she jump in to back Oshu and turn this into an all-out love triangle?
Lin Wei couldn’t help but look forward to the spectacle. But what happened next caught him completely off guard.
Oshu, who had been fuming just a moment ago, suddenly turned and fixed Lin Wei with a sharp glare. His tone grew even harsher.
“Are you arguing with me?”
He jabbed a finger at Lin Wei, his anger practically overflowing. “You’re picking a fight with me over him?!”
“So what if I am!” Iresha shot back, her voice fierce. “Aren’t you the one trying to snatch my gem for Eileen’s sake?”
Wait—what? Lin Wei stared in disbelief, a chill running down his spine. He definitely hadn’t seen this coming.
The Hero looked ready to explode, Iresha was standing her ground without backing down, and the rest of the party glared at him with open hostility.
Lin Wei’s heart skipped a beat. Faced with such utter chaos, his smile froze on his lips.
Crap… How did I end up in the middle of this mess? Did I just become the “blond rival” in a love drama?! What am I supposed to do now!?