Chapter 177: Gloating
“Oh, dear,” said Velvet with a mischievous smirk. “How embarrassing.”
Balthazar’s face scrunched up at the witch as the last bits of iron rusted off his chitin.
“But don’t worry, it’s perfectly normal,” she continued. “I have that kind of effect on men all the time.”
“Men like that commander outside your door, or Onion Jake?” the crab said with a frown.
He didn’t exactly have a plan before, but at least he had the confidence of a body covered in iron. Now that he had lost that, suddenly the merchant felt a lot more exposed and in need of a new plan. Keeping the adventurer talking was the beginning of one.
“Those two fools?” Velvet replied with laughter. “Please, they were practically begging to be manipulated.”
The crab and the witch started walking slowly in a circle around each other as if in a standoff. Balthazar carefully measured each step and kept his distance from her, while Velvet casually sauntered with unburdened grace.
“What for?” asked the crab. “Why go through all this trouble? What was your big plan?”
The woman in the black dress stopped on the spot where Balthazar had stood a moment before.