Free Web NovelChapter 21: Counterfeit
Moon was conflicted on the inside, but his face was the same, staring with wide eyes.
Would saying they were clothes of Gru, or trial rewards, give him away?
Which was worse?
’What if she asks for the trial rewards?’ With that in mind, he made his decision.
"Trial rewards," he answered firmly. His mind was in favour of this answer.
Surprise was written on her eyes for a moment... Unable to tell why exactly, he didn’t break eye contact.
That look on her barely visible eyes didn’t escape Moon’s vision. He wasn’t sure of the reason but he felt like the game was not entirely hopeless.
"What about this blade?" she pointed at Liquid Mountain, which was now lowered, but the edge was still aimed at her.
"Trial reward." Without flinching, he relaxed his hands, making sure the mountain emblem was being reflected in her eyes with minute adjustments.
She was puzzled by something, but she didn’t stop her pace.
"Did you receive anything else?"
"None." An unwavering voice came. A rock-solid confidence for a lie.
Her hands moved before his eyes could react. From his scuff, she fished the chain of the pendant.
"What about this?" Holding it while strangling his neck.
Still holding Liquid Mountain with his right hand, he pulled the pendant with the left, allowing himself to breathe.
"I- al... ways had it." He, with difficulty, once again answered firmly.
It didn’t matter anymore if everything was found out to be counterfeit. He could not be found out to be a slave.
Not not, and not ever...
Never!
Slaves are not allowed to own anything, thus having a pendant as a slave didn’t add up.
His body was screaming to attack her, the pulsing vein on her neck, to rip it, with hands, with blade, with teeth.
With whatever means there were, but he held it.
He had to hold it in, for simply, the moment he thought of attacking, and made the decision to attack... freēwebnovel.com
Ding
44.5% → 66%
He realized that maybe there were times when he could also force himself to death.
Yet, a question lingered unanswered...
He wasn’t sure why it wasn’t 100%.
He basically was committing suicide, wasn’t he?
There was no way he could fight this demon-like banshee, but 66% was the most Fate Alert gave every time he almost lost his mind and attempted to attack her.
The good thing was that every time he let go of the thought, of the madness driving him, it went back to 44.5%, which was both assuring and unsettling at the very same time.
He forced himself to stay put, to wait till the storm passed, to not resist what she was doing.
The storm would pass, and never bother with pebbles... at worst, it would dislocate him but never harm him.
Or so he believed.
"Were you in the bathroom?"
"Yes."
"For how long?"
"Ask Assistant Uon; I have no means to track time."
She squinted, loosening her grip on the pendant... A flash of scorn ran through her eyes, as if looking at an idiot.
He couldn’t understand where this scorn was coming from, but he didn’t flinch nor did he show any weakness.
"Um, Teacher Rowa, he was in the bathroom for almost two hours," Uon said, without explaining further.
"When did you come out of the bathroom?" Something didn’t add up. Her eyes shivered, seemingly conflicted.
After thinking for a moment, "I think 6 minutes ago," Uon answered.
Rowa walked back a few steps, started looking left and right.
She studied Moon’s state, his tired face, his long hair, his sleepless bloodshot eyes, then her eyes returned to the bathroom again.
"Guide me to the cabinet where he was," she looked at Uon and ordered.
"Yes, please follow me." Unable to dismiss her orders or act friendly, he again took a formal stance to avoid unnecessary temper.
Uon walked. Moon stood in place, unmoving, nor did Rowa.
His eyes were fixed on the woman, and the woman never left him out of her range of sight.
She looked him back in the eye. "After him."
Moon assessed the situation for a moment, but he didn’t feel like taking his eyes off her, not for a second, not even for the road.
He also rejected the thought of sheathing Liquid Mountain, nor did he trust anyone here but this blade of his. frёewebnoѵēl.com
Turning his back on an enemy was not something he was willing to do.
And thus, he started moving, following Uon.
But he walked backwards, his blade hiding behind his right leg, glaring back at Rowa.
She raised an eyebrow, but didn’t comment nor did she say anything.
After a short walk, they were finally in the bathroom, in front of the cabinet where he took a shower.
’She still didn’t find what she was looking for!’ Moon concluded in his mind.
She sniffed the entire place, corner to corner, but there wasn’t the scent she chased after.
Her hands rushed at Moon’s shirt, exposing his abdomen... She looked at the scars, a well-toned, yet starved body.
Again, another flash of disappointment passed through her eyes, and Moon managed to see it clearly.
"Are you done?" Moon was the one asking this time, and for some reason—
Ding!
44.5% → 55%
"What if I’m not?" Eyes sharpened, brightened more than ever, looking at him like prey.
Ding!
55% → 59%
She started walking toward him, and he, under the screaming instinct to run, to survive somehow—
Found himself unable to move. There was nowhere he could go. He couldn’t outrun her, and if he must face her, then he would.
Her hands, before he could see them, were already holding his throat.
"What about you tell me the truth this time? I’ll ask again, but I won’t be as nice."
Ding
59% → 30%
"Huh?"
