Chapter 07:
The man glanced at me from the corner of his eye.
“I still don’t trust you.”
“Then should we have regular tea times or something?”
“I refuse.”
As expected, another rejection.
I spread my hands and complained.
“That’s harsh. We’ve already shared one secret each. Then how are we supposed to build trust?”
“Well.”
He answered lazily.
So that’s how you want to play it?
I decided to push a little.
“If you really don’t trust me that much…”
I smiled slightly.
“I’m willing to offer a small advance payment.”
“And what exactly are you planning to do?”
“I’ll check whether the target in the underground prison is safe.”
For a brief moment, his eyes widened.
I added casually,
“I can also make sure they’re not harmed.”
His lips curved into a strange smile.
Then, in a smooth voice, he coaxed,
“In that case… why not rescue them first?”
This guy…
I snorted.
“Who hands over all their capital before even making a deal? What if you just run off? What am I supposed to do then?”
“Hm.”
He narrowed his eyes.
“You’re not as naïve or foolish as you look.”
“So you really were planning to take it and run.”
“Isn’t that obvious?”
Wow.
I was actually impressed.
“Do you even have a conscience?”
“I’m not in a position to afford one.”
“And what you’re doing right now isn’t being ‘comfortable’?”
“Have you considered that I might be acting that way?”
I glanced at him, then said lightly,
“You don’t seem like that great of an actor, but sure, I’ll play along.”
“Hah!”
He let out something like a laugh.
After staring at me for a moment, he said,
“I’ll accept your proposal. But I won’t tell you who the target is.”
So it’s a person, not an object.
I smiled faintly.
“Fine. But when I come back and tell you how that ‘target’ is doing… you’ll doubt me, won’t you?”
“You catch on quickly.”
“Then how are you going to verify it?”
His gaze shifted briefly.
I followed it stubbornly, waiting.
After a moment, he looked back at me.
“We’ll meet again soon. But if anything goes wrong in the meantime…”
His cold eyes pierced me.
“I’ll kill you.”
There it is again.
I frowned.
“Alright.”
“I’ll make it the most painful death possible.”
“I said I got it. Why are you being so scary about it?”
I muttered.
He scoffed.
“You’re not even scared.”
“I am. I’ve died once—it’s even scarier now.”
“…You died?”
His eyes suddenly sharpened.
I answered bluntly.
“Didn’t I say? In my original world, I got hit by something like a carriage and died. Then I woke up here.”
“…Hm.”
“What?”
I glared at him.
Why is he making that suspicious sound again?
Then I suddenly clapped my hands.
“Oh right, I almost forgot—I have an apology to collect from you.”
He pointed at himself in disbelief.
“From me?”
“Thanks to you leaving me on the street while I was injured, I made it home just fine. Or was it because I looked like a beggar?”
“I said it would be better for begging to go to the convent.”
“That’s basically the same thing!”
I glared at him.
“If I had looked like a noble, you would’ve escorted me back to the banquet hall, right?”
“If you had looked like a noble—”
His casual tone suddenly turned chilling.
“I would’ve killed you.”
“…What?”
His cold gaze locked onto me.
“The day after the banquet, the attendants would have found a body beneath the balcony.”
He traced a falling arc in the air with his finger.
“The scenario? A drunk noble lady leaning over the railing, losing her balance, and falling.”
“…What did you just say?”
Seeing my pale face, he tilted his head slightly.
“You were lucky. You didn’t look like a noble.”
“Ah.”
He smiled faintly.
“And you’re lucky even now. You just happen to be a ‘possessed’ Saintess. It’s fortunate you can say things like this in front of me and still live.”
The way he stretched the word fortunate made it sound anything but.
A chill ran down my spine.
“…Are you telling me to imagine how you’d kill me right now?”
“Yes.”
“Approved.”
As expected of the partner I chose.
I nodded, almost thrilled.
To deal with Rexton and the High Priest, I needed someone at least this dangerous.
As I nodded in satisfaction, his brows furrowed.
“…You’re crazier than I thought.”
“Well, how do you think it would feel to wake up and realize you’ve possessed the Saintess?”
“I don’t even want to imagine it. But…”
He glanced at me.
“Your personality doesn’t seem easy either.”
“I could say the same about you.”
“You really don’t lose an argument.”
“Neither do you.”
Crackle—
Our gazes clashed.
“Hmph!”
We both turned our heads at the same time.
Anyway—
“I’ll contact you soon.”
“When?”
“I’ll decide that.”
Fine.
I shrugged and turned to leave.
“Wait.”
I glanced back.
He was already wearing his glasses again, holding out his hand.
“What?”
“The badge.”
“…Right.”
***
That was how I finished my first meeting with my new partner.
On my way back—
Even though the path was secluded, I took a longer route just in case someone saw me.
“Seren!”
A voice called out from the garden.
“Seren!”
It kept calling.
“Stop right there, Seren!”
It sounded… angry.
And closer.
Not my problem.
I shrugged and kept walking.
Then—
Heavy footsteps approached—
And suddenly, my wrist was yanked back.
“Where is your mind that you can’t even hear my voice, Seren?!”
“…?!”
I looked up.
…Rexton?
My eyes shook.
Wait—“Seren” is short for “Serenity”?
Maybe it was in the original, but how would I remember something like that?
While I was thinking—
Rexton frowned deeply.
“You remember what happened yesterday, don’t you?”
“Ah.”
I should run.
I looked around for an escape—
But he closed his eyes, calming himself.
“…I thought about it. You must’ve been shocked. You’re naïve, after all. So—”
He tilted his head.
“I’ll give you a chance to apologize.”
“…?”
What nonsense is this?
I stared at him.
He just looked at me expectantly.
Fine.
I spoke honestly.
“I’m not sorry at all.”
His brows twitched.
“…I must’ve misheard.”
I smiled brightly.
“No, you heard perfectly. And you’re the one who should apologize.”
“Oh, and—”
I added,
“Don’t come near me again.”
“What—?!”
“Let’s break up. Actually, there’s nothing to break—we were never anything to begin with. Goodbye.”
Please, let’s never meet again.
I tried to pull my wrist free—
“Who do you think you are?”
His arm wrapped around my waist.
He pulled me close, teeth clenched.
“You can’t escape me.”
“—Ah!”
He slammed me against a tree.
Branches scratched my arm, drawing blood.
His leg pushed between mine.
He grabbed my chin—
Just as his lips moved closer—
SMACK!
Rexton collapsed, clutching himself between the legs.
