Chapter 630: Understanding [3]

Turns out, Zoey did report the situation back to the Guild. She reported on the recent attack and the situation with Rowan. However, the Guild’s answer was somewhat unexpected. While they took the report seriously, they didn’t share it with the BUA or any news.

Simply put, they decided to keep the matter on a ’hush’.

I more or less understood why.

’They probably don’t want to bring too much attention to this matter since it involves me. Especially since several people have died or disappeared.’

Since I was now a known name, I’d get blamed for such deaths.

Arriving at my office, I leaned back against my chair while looking around.

Tap! Tap!

As my finger tapped against the table, I sat in silence, musing over the situation. Now that my head was clear, there was only one thought in my mind.

’Who is this fan of mine?’

For them to target me...

"I don’t like this."

They knew a lot about me, but I didn’t know much about them.

"Yeah, I don’t like this."

Things were spiraling out of my control.

Turning my head, a figure appeared in the corner of the room, its arms crossed as its stitched-up lips pulled into an amused smile.

I tilted my head.

"Finding something amusing?"

"Hmm, yes. Quite a bit."

The Conductor raised both hands, forming L-shapes with its fingers to frame me, then dipped its head to fix me with a steady stare.

"...You’re getting there. You’re getting there."

Already used to the Conductor’s ramblings, I didn’t pay much attention to them. However, there was something that I was curious about.

"What do you think about the current situation?"

"Which one?"

I raised my brow. This guy...

"You know exactly what I’m talking about."

Bursting into a light chuckle, the Conductor lowered its hands as it shook its head, "So you’re talking about that matter. In that case, there’s no need for me to say anything."

"Hm?"

"...You already know the answer." The Conductor paused, its voice suddenly lowering, "I know that you’re already aware of what you need to do."

The room fell strangely silent right after that.

My gaze continued to linger in the Conductor’s direction as the silence stretched thin. But eventually, such silence was shattered by another figure.

"Is this how the conversation between the two of you always goes?"

When I turned my head, I saw Kyle alternating his gaze between the two of us from the opposite direction.

As his brows furrowed, he looked at me.

"I understood nothing."

"Me too."

Deciphering the Conductor’s intentions had always been annoying. It spoke in maddening riddles that had given me more than one headache.

"I don’t think so."

Kyle gave me a strange look while he stared at me.

"I have a feeling that you’re quite aware of what that thing said to you."

"That thing? I’m not a thing. That actually hurts my feelings."

Kyle looked at the Conductor for a brief moment before looking back at me.

"...You certainly understood."

"Not you too."

I rubbed my face, feeling a headache rising. Now that the two of us had decided to work together for the same goal, Kyle no longer displayed the hatred and resentment that he once showed me. However, the way he treated me was also different.

He was quite a lot more distant.

But that was fine.

I no longer cared about such matters. I had my own objectives too.

’But what are the two on about?’

I scratched the back of my head and tried to muse over their words. At least, I tried. But not even a second later, a sudden knocking echoed.

To Tok⎯

I turned to face the door.

Who was it?

’I don’t think I have any sort of appointment today. No, wait... It could be regarding the incident.’

I sighed at the thought. The Guild had already questioned me several times the moment I returned, but clearly, they were going to subject me to even more questions. Above that, I was also waiting for the quest completion notification.

’Actually, did I even complete the quest?’

The goal was for me to find a story for my Gate, but instead I found myself facing a man-made Gate. I wasn’t even sure if I had completed the quest, which was rather troublesome.

Still⎯

"The door is open, you can come in."

Clank!

Suddenly, the door opened. At the same time, Kyle and the Conductor faded completely as a figure stepped in. The moment she did, my expression stiffened slightly as I inwardly groaned.

’Damn it.’

"I thought you said that you didn’t want to see me again."

"And I don’t."

Zoey replied hoarsely, her eyes scanning the room before settling back on me. I didn’t kick her out or say anything, curious about what she wanted from me this time. Was she here to chew me out again?

She sat opposite me, her legs crossing. After which, she didn’t say anything else.

Zoey just... sat there in complete silence, her eyes lingering on me. The more she sat like this, the more uncomfortable I felt. Unable to stand such discomfort, I was the first one to speak.

"Since you don’t want to see me, why are you here? What is it that you want from me?"

"...I’m here to threaten you."

"Huh?"

Of all the things I expected to hear from her, this wasn’t it.

It threw me off a little as Zoey remained calm while leaning back against the chair. For some reason, she looked around the room once more. It was almost as if she was checking for something.

’What’s wrong with her?’

"It wasn’t clear to me before, but I’m now even more certain of it. You’re... very likely the Jester or at least connected to him. I already had my guesses before, but now I’m almost certain of it. The way you behaved back then."

Zoey paused, her jaw visibly clenching.

But as I looked at her, I didn’t quite know how to reply. Especially when I noticed that something was off with the way she was looking at me.

Confused, I parted my lips, but at that exact moment, Zoey abruptly stood up, grabbing my shirt and pulling me closer as her voice dropped.

"Don’t think for a second that I’ll ever forgive you for what you’ve done. You’re the Guild’s star right now, so it won’t be easy to take you down or convince them you’re some kind of anomaly without evidence, but don’t worry... I’m patient. I’ll wait for the right moment to expose you. And when that time comes..."

Zoey paused, a smile tugging at her lips as she finally let go of my shirt. At the same time, she smoothed out my clothes.

"...when it does, I’ll make sure to savor every moment."

Turning around, she proceeded to leave the room as her quiet mumble reached me once more.

"I’ll make sure to savor every moment of your downfall."

Clank!

The door closed right after, silence filling the room as my eyes lingered where she had left. In the end, I lowered my head, staring at one of my pockets before reaching in to feel the note that resided in it.

"Really now..."

I muttered, pulling my hand out and keeping the note there.

"...She’s quite the handful."

’Looks like something interesting is happening.’