Chapter: 96
As soon as the real Kurze Newman stepped into the store, the puppy of the Newman family backed away.
The person who was just a moment ago fuming with a flushed face seemed to have disappeared, making me chuckle in admiration.
So this is what a person from the underworld is like.
If it weren’t for the Mesugaki skill, he would definitely have given himself away.
However, the Mesugaki skill doesn’t allow me to be sloppy.
I had to always be lofty, arrogant, and conceited.
Kurze Newman approached me, his arms crossed and brow furrowed, and politely bowed his head.
“Lady Allen. To think you noticed this old man’s little prank. Truly, you must be one born with the blood of the Allen family.”
‘It’s nothing special. Thank you for the compliment.’
“Did you think I wouldn’t figure this out? How sloppy of you to only think sloppily, old man?”
As soon as the word “thank you” came out, the distortion became severe.
By now, I hardly think about it.
Having experienced so much, I only think, “Oh, this guy is acting up again.”
Grandpa said it would be better if he provoked me into something happening.
So there’s no problem with that.
Mesugaki skill! Let’s show them some results today!
Don’t you want to see that calm uncle’s face turn red as he trembles?
… No, maybe not that.
Let’s keep it moderate.
It would be troublesome if he decides to use every possible means to try to take me down for real.
“My apologies. This old man tends to have a bit of mischief in him.”
Despite being scolded, Kurze Newman smiled leisurely and walked forward to sit in the place where the Newman family’s puppy had been.
Then, he took out a jewelry box from his pocket and opened the lid.
Inside was undoubtedly the Burrows Family Necklace.
The problem is distinguishing whether it’s real or fake.
Given that Kurze Newman is the kind of person to prepare a fake and engage in psychological warfare, it’s not odd at all.
Alright. Work your magic, Emotion Skill!
You haven’t had a lot of chances to shine, so you need to do something now!
[Unknown Necklace]
[An unknown necklace embedded with various jewels.]
Sorry, I haven’t leveled you up much.
I should have been cultivating you with various evaluations from the start instead of getting caught up in combat proficiency, neglecting you.
From now on, I’ll pay more attention to you too.
But you did well this time.
On the surface, it seems like the Emotion Skill hasn’t done anything, but the skill did its job.
Usually, necklaces that look that precious are referred to with adjectives like ‘valuable’ or ‘rare’ when evaluated by the skill.
But look.
The Emotion Skill didn’t add anything like ‘expensive’ or ‘valuable’.
Instead, it said it was ‘unknown.’
This suggests that the necklace has some story hidden within it.
Even if Kurze Newman replicated me, he wouldn’t have been able to grasp what’s concealed inside.
That’s definitely the real deal.
“Before we start negotiating, let me show you the item. This is what Lady Allen desires.”
‘Yes.’
“You don’t cheat in these respects. I suspected you were a rather shady character.”
As I nodded, Kurze Newman raised an eyebrow slightly.
It was such a minor change that it was hard to notice, but the nervousness of someone usually so relaxed was very evident.
“Thank you for believing in me. If it’s not impertinent, may I see the item I desire?”
In response to Kurze Newman’s question, I took off the cross I was wearing around my neck and handed it to him.
A necklace that proves I cast Agra’s curse.
It looks ordinary on the outside, but inside it contains the Divine and Blessings of Armadi.
Since it’s an item that is given after verification by the Church, there’s no possibility of deceit.
Given its unique shape, ordinary people probably won’t pay much attention to it, but Kurze Newman will be different.
He couldn’t possibly fail to recognize something that someone seeking to cast Agra’s curse would notice.
This thought soon turned into certainty.
“I’ve confirmed it. This is undoubtedly an authentic item issued by the Church.”
[Now the thoughts in his head will revolve around how the Agra's curse was cast. Whether the method still exists. Even if it does, can he cast Agra's curse? Several questions will arise. Now, all you need to do is simply dangle what you can obtain and get the item you desire.]
Grandpa, you’re reliable!
So all I need to do is get the item I wish for?
I have several things in mind.
Kurze Newman, a man with considerable power in the underworld.
If I make a request to him, I should be able to obtain almost anything.
Previously, when Grandpa told me to think about items I could get, I pondered for a long while.
When I became Lucy, this was probably my first deep contemplation, aside from the time I first reincarnated, right?
But the more I think about it, the more ambiguous it becomes.
I have no equipment to change.
Grandpa is an item I must carry until the moment I die.
I recently changed my shield to a new one, so I have no reason to change it again.
The armor was a gift from Possell, and I didn’t particularly want to change it.
Then what else is there?
I could possibly extract some secrets from the Kurze family, but all they would be useless skills for me.
I barely have the skills from the Thief profession.
It would be pointless for me to learn such skills when I should be the one taking the hits upfront.
I’ve thought about various things beyond that, but I couldn’t come up with suitable compensation.
Sure, there are acceptable things to take, but they feel trivial for bullying the Newman family into obtaining them.
While thinking about how to achieve maximum efficiency, I concluded this:
If it’s awkward to request one by one, I can just ask for everything at once.
So, let’s ask for that item which could only be obtained by clearing all quests related to the Newman family in the game.
The Raven’s Emblem. A symbol awarded only to the true benefactor of the Newman family.
An item that allows access to the Newman family’s network at any time.
I’ll get my hands on it.
I don’t think Kurze will easily nod when I demand that.
But what will he do? You, Kurze Newman.
Could you endure counting down your son’s life after exhausting yourself to save him?
Let’s negotiate.
If that doesn’t work, I can just request some decent items.
I smiled as I donned the necklace Kurze handed back to me.
Then, Kurze Newman smiled back.
“Shall we begin the negotiation?”
“Alright. Mr. Chowderhead, let’s talk.”
*
Beyond imagination, remarkable indeed.
That was Kurze Newman’s thought when he first faced Lucy Allen.
Sending a decoy to meet a trading partner for the first time was something Kurze Newman often did.
In the underworld, confirming the perceptiveness of the opposite party was incredibly important.
However, Lucy Allen effortlessly saw through his trick.
Despite never having seen Kurze Newman in her entire life, she instantly discerned that this was not him the moment she saw the decoy.
Up to this point, Kurze could understand.
Lucy Allen, who presumably possessed a well-established information network, must have heard tales of Kurze’s tricks.
However, the next part was different.
Lucy Allen too easily confirmed that the necklace Kurze Newman presented was genuine.
From afar, she confidently declared it as the genuine item.
It was absurd.
It seemed like he completely eliminated the possibility that it was a replica.
Bravado?
No. It wasn’t bravado.
If she were to act boastfully, she’d have faked some kind of verification.
Lucy Allen had the perceptiveness of one far younger than she appeared.
She possessed the intellect to rank first in the admission exam for the Soul Academy.
She had the force to crush Frey Kent head-on.
Her skills in dungeon raids surpassed those of experienced adventurers.
And on top of that, she seemed to have a sharper eye than most of the underworld’s denizens?
Unbelievable.
Is Lucy Allen being favored by some god?
It’s not inaccurate to say so.
Until a year ago, she was considered the disgrace of the Allen family, yet now she stood at such a position, as if she were basking in divine favor.
Kurze Newman pondered that fact and marveled at it while also gaining trust.
That necklace Lucy Allen had just shown was real.
She had indeed cast Agra’s curse before.
She had already made an enemy of an Evil God.
How could this young, arrogant, and conceited girl have gotten the means to cast Agra’s curse?
It must be because she was indeed favored by the gods.
He didn’t know what struggles and torment she had gone through.
It wasn’t his business.
What mattered to him was simply that she likely possessed the method.
“Mr. Chowderhead, it’s evident what you’re after, so I’ll reveal what I desire.”
“Yes.”
What does this arrogant and conceited child wish for?
You might not look like someone favored by the gods, yet you are a child gaining that favor.
Do you desire weapons? Jewels? Magic?
I’m curious. Just how aware of your own worth are you?
“I want the Raven’s Emblem.”
However, what blurted out from her mouth was far beyond Kurze’s expectation.
The Raven’s Emblem.
Ha. How does this child know of it?
That’s something only those who are not part of the Newman family wouldn’t know, right?
Did she possess such a powerful information network?
Or is there a god behind her giving her such knowledge?
I don’t know. I don’t know, but it sparks a sense of belief.
I feel she is truly extraordinary.
That arrogance seems like confidence in what she possesses.
Very well. Very well. I like it.
We talked about negotiations, right?
Yes. Let’s negotiate.
Yet this negotiation would not be to minimize compensation.
In a normal case, it would, but not for you.
Lucy Allen.
A monster born with overwhelming talent from an elevated knight family.
I saw the light of raw gem in you. You shall soon reign over the continent.
You’ll become a shining star from the heavens and influence the world.
Someone as arrogant and gifted as you wouldn’t be satisfied living as the guardian of the kingdom like Benedict Allen.
If we are connected by then, I’ll surely reap great benefits.
Thus, in this negotiation, I shall grant you the Raven’s Emblem.
However, in exchange, I’ll throw you the ties of the Newman family.
“Oho. The Raven’s Emblem, you say?”
Let’s begin the negotiation.
“Indeed. Mr. Chowderhead, you still seem young, but is your hearing already failing? Given your broad forehead, it must be aging quickly. How pitiful.”
…
Thinking I have to keep up that damn tone is a bit dizzying.
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