Chapter 229: The Blind Leading the Blind

Dugel’s breath caught in his throat. His eyes, still wide from the sheer terror of nearly being gored, fixed on the figure standing atop the smoldering boar. The fire-lit silhouette of the girl, flames still curling around her fingers, seemed to burn itself into his memory.

’Beautiful...’ The thought surfaced unbidden, cutting through the lingering fog of fear. ’She’s... beautiful.’

Heiji’s jaw hung open, his voice a low, stunned mutter. "We’re... we’re alive?"

Olnad didn’t answer. His eyes were fixed on the scene before him, but his focus had shifted from the girl to the figures emerging from the shadows behind her.

The first was a man.

He walked with an easy confidence, his crimson eyes scanning the smoldering boar with mild interest. His purple hair framed a face that was handsome in an almost unsettling way—sharp features, a faint smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. His horns swept back from his temples, catching the pale light, and his build was lean but powerful, the kind of strength that moved like coiled silk.

Beside him glided a woman.

Pale as moonlight, her silver-threaded gown pooling around her feet, her crimson eyes bright and curious. She moved with a fluid, almost predatory grace, her gaze sweeping over the three men with the detached interest of a cat examining mice. Her hand rested lightly on the man’s arm, a casual intimacy that spoke of deep familiarity.

Behind them both, a third figure lingered in the shadows.

Smaller, cloaked, her face hidden beneath a deep hood. But her movements were sharp, wary, and her pale eyes, when they caught the light, gleamed with a cold intelligence.

Olnad’s internal voice was a quiet murmur.

’He’s like a noble... surrounded by beautiful women. But his horns... they’re not human.’

Adam stopped a few paces from the smoldering boar, his crimson gaze sweeping over the beast’s corpse. A small frown creased his brow.

[Ironhide Tuskmaw (Lv. 38) Defeated!]

[+180 EXP | +150 EP]

’Not bad,’ he thought, dismissing the notification with a flick of his wrist. His attention shifted to the three men, still frozen in various states of shock.

Ignis hopped down from the boar’s back, landing lightly on the rocky ground. Her flames had dimmed, but her golden eyes still sparkled with exhilaration.

"Did you see that, Adam? One shot! Boom!" She grinned, bouncing on her heels. "That thing didn’t even know what hit it!"

Adam’s voice was flat, unimpressed. "I saw. You also nearly set the forest on fire."

Ignis waved a dismissive hand. "Details."

Lilith’s lips curved into a serene smile. She drifted closer to Adam, her shoulder brushing his.

"It seems Ignis is becoming quite rebellious. How bold."

Ignis’s flames flickered. She crossed her arms, lifting her chin defiantly.

"I’m not rebellious! I just don’t want Adam stealing my kills!"

Adam’s eye twitched. "I’m not stealing your kills. I’m making sure you don’t blow yourself up."

"Same thing!"

Isolde, still lingering at the edge of the clearing, let out a soft, weary sigh. Her voice was barely audible.

"Idiots."

Heiji, finally finding his voice, took a hesitant step forward. His eyes swept over the group and his throat bobbed.

"Uh... hey... seems like we were saved..."

Dugel’s voice cracked, still rough with lingering terror. "I know, you idiot. But what the hell is that guy?" His gaze fixed on Adam, then flicked to Lilith, then back to Adam. "He’s got two—no, three beautiful women with him. Damn it."

Olnad’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully. His voice was low, measured.

"A noble perhaps. Or something else." He glanced at Adam’s horns, at the way the light caught them. "Either way, we owe them our lives."

He stepped forward, bowing deeply. His voice was smooth, deferential.

"Thank you. You saved us from certain death. Our lives are yours to command."

Ignis blinked, her head tilting. "Ehh? That’s... dramatic."

Lilith’s smile sharpened. "How interesting."

Adam’s expression didn’t change. His crimson eyes studied Olnad’s bowed form, then shifted to Heiji and Dugel, who were still staring with a mixture of awe and unease.

"Who are you?" Adam’s voice was flat, direct. "And what are you doing in this place?"

Olnad straightened slowly, his hands clasped in front of him. His voice was careful, measured.

"We’re... travelers. Merchants, of a sort. We were searching for a rare flower—the Plecotva bloom. It grows only in rocky terrain." He gestured vaguely at the surrounding landscape. "We’ve been searching all day."

Adam’s internal voice was skeptical.

’Merchants? They don’t look like merchants. Their clothes are too rough, and their hands... they’ve held weapons before.’

Lilith’s voice drifted through the mental link, soft and calm.

’They’re hiding something, Adam. I can see it in their eyes.’

Adam’s gaze didn’t waver.

"Why do you need this flower?"

Olnad’s expression flickered just for an instant before smoothing back into careful deference.

"Medicine. For a sick friend."

Ignis tilted her head, her golden eyes narrowing. "Medicine? That’s boring."

Isolde, still cloaked and hooded, stepped forward. Her voice was low, sharp.

"Plecotva bloom. It doesn’t just grow in rocky terrain. It grows near ley lines. The soil has to be saturated with mana." Her pale eyes fixed on Olnad. "What exactly are you planning to use it for?"

Olnad’s jaw tightened almost imperceptibly.

"You’re... knowledgeable."

Isolde’s voice was flat. "I’ve been around."

Adam’s mental voice brushed against the group.

’That sounds like something important.’

Lilith’s voice was thoughtful. ’Perhaps we should keep an eye on them.’

Adam’s lips curved into a faint smile.

’Agreed.’

He turned back to Olnad, his expression smoothing into something almost friendly.

"A sick friend, huh?" He nodded slowly. "Well, good luck with that."

Heiji let out a relieved breath. Dugel’s shoulders sagged.

Olnad bowed again. "Thank you for your understanding."

Ignis bounced on her heels, her attention already shifting. "So, are there any towns nearby? We’re heading to Kaelthar."

Heiji’s eyes widened. "Kaelthar? That place is dangerous. Especially for—" He stopped, his gaze flicking to Adam’s horns, then away.

"For what?" Adam’s voice was mild.

Heiji’s throat bobbed. "For... outsiders. Lots of bad people there."

Olnad shot him a warning look, then turned back to Adam, his smile smooth.

"What my companion means is that Kaelthar is... lawless. One must be careful." He paused. "Perhaps we could accompany you? As thanks for saving our lives. We know the city well."

Adam’s internal voice was dry.

’Of course you do.’

Isolde’s voice cut through, sharp and suspicious. "No. We don’t need guides."

Lilith’s smile widened. "I think it’s a wonderful idea. They can carry our bags."

Ignis nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! And they can tell us where the good food is!"

Adam’s gaze lingered on the three men, on the nervous twitch of Heiji’s fingers, the way Dugel’s eyes kept darting to Lilith, the careful blankness of Olnad’s expression.

’They’re hiding something. But they might be useful.’

He shrugged.

"Fine. You can come with us. But try anything stupid, and..." His smile didn’t reach his eyes. "Well. You saw what happened to the boar."

Olnad’s smile faltered just for an instant before he bowed again.

"Of course. We are deeply grateful for your kindness."

Ignis clapped her hands together. "Great! Now let’s go! I’m hungry again!"

Lilith’s laughter drifted through the air, soft and musical.

"You’re always hungry, Ignis."

Olnad’s smile remained fixed on his face, warm and deferential, but his eyes had already begun to drift.

’They seem used to this,’ he thought, his internal voice cool and calculating.

He fell into step beside Dugel, letting the others walk ahead. His voice dropped to a murmur, barely audible over the crunch of boots on rocky ground.

"The red-haired one... she’s the threat. The others..."

Dugel’s lips curled into a thin, predatory smile. His eyes swept over Lilith’s swaying hips, over the curve of Isolde’s cloaked figure, over the easy way Ignis bounced ahead without a care.

"The others look like they’ve never held a real weapon in their lives." He licked his lips, his voice dropping lower. "That pale one moves like she’s never been in a real fight. The cloaked one... hiding her face like she’s ashamed. Probably some runaway noble."

Heiji’s brow furrowed. His voice was tight, uncertain.

"I don’t know, Dugel. That fire... that wasn’t normal. What if the others are just as dangerous?"

Dugel waved a dismissive hand, his eyes still fixed on Lilith’s silhouette.

"Did you see them lift a finger when that boar charged? No. They stood there like statues. Only the red-haired girl moved." He leaned closer, his voice a conspiratorial rasp. "We lead them to the boss’s compound. Tell them it’s a shortcut, or a place to rest. Once they’re inside..." He made a sharp gesture across his throat.

Heiji’s face paled. His hands trembled at his sides.

"But the boss... he’s not someone you can just... bring strangers to without permission. What if—"

"Then we say they attacked us first." Dugel’s voice was flat, final. He glanced at Olnad. "Right?"

Olnad’s expression didn’t change. His voice was measured, thoughtful.

"The flower... we still need the flower. If we don’t deliver it—"

"Forget the flower." Dugel’s eyes gleamed. "Look at them, Olnad." He gestured toward the group ahead—at Lilith’s silver-threaded gown, at Ignis’s wild red hair, at the way Isolde moved with a predator’s grace even beneath the cloak. "Those women are worth more than a hundred Plecotva blooms. High-quality merchandise. The kind that fetches prices nobles would drain their coffers for."

Heiji swallowed hard. His voice cracked.

"And the horned one?"

Dugel’s smile widened. "The boss always needs labor. That one looks like he could move boulders." He shrugged. "Or maybe he’ll be sold to the arena. Either way, he’s not our problem once we deliver them."

Olnad’s gaze lingered on Isolde’s cloaked form. The way she held herself, straight-backed, head high, movements precise. His internal voice was quiet, almost admiring.

’Even hidden, she radiates class. She’ll bring a premium price.’

He nodded slowly.

"Fine. We do it your way, Dugel." His eyes narrowed. "But if this goes wrong—"

"It won’t." Dugel’s voice was confident, almost smug. "They trust us now. We saved them the trouble of finding the city, didn’t we? They’ll follow us right to the gates."

Heiji’s shoulders sagged. His voice was barely a whisper.

"I still don’t like it..."

Dugel clapped him on the back, a little too hard.

"Relax, Heiji. This is how we always survive." His eyes drifted to Adam’s broad shoulders, to the easy way he moved, and a flicker of unease passed through his thoughts quickly suppressed. ’He’s just a man, a weak man with lots of chicks.’

Ahead, Adam’s ears twitched. His pace didn’t change, but his crimson eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly.

’They’re plotting something,’ he thought, his internal voice calm.

Lilith’s mental voice brushed against his mind, soft and amused.

’Should I kill them?’

Adam’s lips curved into a faint smile.

’Not yet. Let them walk a little further. I want to see what they do.’

Ignis bounced ahead, oblivious, her flames flickering with cheerful excitement.

"Hey, Adam! How much farther?! I’m hungry!"

"Soon," Adam called back, his voice light. "Our new friends are going to show us the way."

Lilith’s fingers tightened on his arm, her smile serene.

"How fortunate for us."

Isolde, walking at the rear, pulled her hood lower. Her pale eyes, invisible beneath the shadow, tracked the three men with cold, predatory focus.

’Fools,’ she thought, her internal voice flat. ’They have no idea what they’re walking into.’

Adam’s gaze shifted to the three men walking beside them, their faces still carrying traces of lingering fear and, in Dugel’s case, poorly concealed greed.

"By the way," he said, his voice casual but carrying an edge that made Olnad’s shoulders stiffen just slightly, "are you sure it’s fine for you to be guiding us? Weren’t you in the middle of searching for that medicine? The Plecotva bloom for your sick friend?"

Olnad’s expression flickered before smoothing back into a warm, grateful smile.

"Ah... well, you saved our lives. The least we can do is ensure you reach Kaelthar safely." He clasped his hands together, bowing his head slightly. "The flower can wait. Our friend’s condition is... stable for now."

Heiji nodded vigorously, though his eyes darted nervously toward Dugel. "R-Right! Stable! Definitely stable."

Dugel’s smile was smooth, oil-slick. "We wouldn’t dream of abandoning our saviors. It’s only right."

Adam’s internal voice was dry, disbelieving.

’Stable, my ass. They’re lying through their teeth.’

Lilith’s mental voice brushed against his mind, soft and amused.

’Shall I test their honesty? A little psychic prodding, perhaps?’

’Not yet. Let them keep talking. The more they lie, the more we learn.’

Adam’s lips curved into a faint smile.

"That’s very generous of you. I hope your friend isn’t in too much pain."

Olnad’s smile didn’t waver. "Your concern touches us deeply."

Isolde, walking at the rear, let out a soft, barely audible snort beneath her hood.

Ignis, oblivious, bounced ahead, already bored with the conversation.

"Come on! Let’s go faster! I want to eat!"

Lilith’s serene laughter drifted through the air.

"Patience, Ignis. The food will still be there when we arrive."

The group continued forward, the three men’s shadows stretching long behind them, their whispered plans already beginning to fray at the edges.