Chapter 57: A Simple Deal
When the goblins attacked his village, he noticed how organized they were, strictly following commands from their leaders. That wasn’t normal, even with a shaman among them. Goblins at D-Rank wouldn’t let another beast lead them. It was clear the attack had been orchestrated by someone smarter. Now, upon seeing the Beast Lure, he wanted to know its origin.
After hearing the question, Arthur sighed inwardly before replying with a strange expression.
"The masked man? If I say I don’t know him, that would be a lie. In truth..." He paused briefly, his expression growing complicated. He had to tell the truth.
"Speak." Novarian’s gaze grew sharp. He had sensed some connection between Arthur and the masked man.
"Alright. His name is Arthur Vesper. As for his goal... I honestly don’t know if he has any real aim beyond survival. You could say he’s an eccentric, he does insane and unpredictable things at times. But he’s not evil. Or at least, I don’t think he is." Arthur answered truthfully, describing himself and explaining his apparent goal. He didn’t lie, but at the same time, he left out the critical part ... that he was Arthur.
Novarian stared at him, observing his complex expression. He could tell Arthur wasn’t lying. Still, he pressed on, asking:
"Do you know where this person lives? I have some questions for him."
Inside, he thought, ’I hope he has the answers I need.’
Arthur pulled a small cloth from his pocket and pressed it against the small cut on his neck. Then he answered, "He lives in my castle. But even so, I think it’s impossible for you to meet him unless he chooses to show himself."
"That doesn’t matter to me. He will come out to meet me. And if he doesn’t... then he’ll see my sword before he sees my face," Novarian replied with clear killing intent.
Arthur smiled faintly and sighed internally. ’This bastard really loves to brag.’ Then, calmly, with a more serious expression, he thought, ’I think it’s time to make my offer.’