Episode 7
…Did she not want to go back?
If I forcibly dragged her along, it could attract the attention of ‘shark’, which would be dangerous.
It would be better to persuade her through conversation if possible…
What should I do? What words should I say to change Chelsea’s mind?
If she had even a little bit of lingering attachment to the Marquis’ estate left, I could use it.
Just as I was scratching my head in thought.
Suddenly, the system message I saw during the day popped into my head.
Chelsea and the former Marchioness were as close as a real mother and daughter.
What significance would her mother-in-law’s greenhouse hold for Chelsea?
From the moment she first met Chelsea until her death, the late marchioness supported Chelsea unwaveringly.
The presence of her warm mother-in-law must have been a reason for Chelsea to not give up on the marquess’s family, even during her difficult marriage.
Moreover, she even left Chelsea her greenhouse as an inheritance.
Along with a handwritten gardening notebook.
Perhaps there was something in there that Chelsea just couldn’t turn a blind eye to.
Maybe that was the key?
I looked at the smuggling ship, which was ready to board, and quietly opened my mouth.
“I’m sure there is something.”
“Huh?”
“Something you can’t leave behind.”
“What are you talking about…”
“Things that will wither when you leave.”
“…”
“Are you really going to leave everything behind?”
“What on earth…?”
Chelsea stopped in her tracks and looked at me in surprise.
As expected, she had some regrets about the greenhouse.
Chelsea’s eyes were trembling.
“Go back home before it’s too late.”
“I, I…”
Seeing her uncertainty, she was still not sure about this decision.
I had to be a bit firmer to push her in the right direction.
“They say the ship that has sailed will return, but time doesn’t, does it?”
“…”
“I hope you won’t do something you’ll regret.”
That’s your husband’s specialty.
“…”
Chelsea lowered her gaze with a pensive face.
But she didn’t ponder for long.
Her bowed head soon lifted with determination in her bright eyes.
She looked at me as if she’d made up her mind.
“Thank you.”
Then she turned around and ran off.
“What? Where are you going?! …Oh, forget it. Just come back!”
The smuggler, who was about to get angry as he watched Chelsea walk away, glanced towards the ‘shark’ and decided to leave her be.
As expected, he chose to let her go instead of drawing attention with a commotion.
He’d probably already pocketed the advance payment.
Unexpected mission accomplished!
You persuaded Chelsea and prevented her from setting sail!
However, you haven’t quite caught her yet.
Where could Chelsea have gone?
-2000 cash has been credited.
-You obtained an item drawing ticket.
The rewards weren’t bad, probably because the difficulty was high.
2000 cash was pretty good.
By the way, an item drawing ticket, huh?
That’s something you always saw in mobile games, right?
‘Should I try it once and see what comes out?’
It would be nice if money or jewels came out, but with my luck, that was unlikely.
Well, even a moderately useful item would be fine.
Anything that could be used to solve a case like today’s.
Blending in naturally with the smugglers, I pressed the item drawing button.
Drumming……
With an unnecessarily loud sound effect, the drawing machine began to spin.
And a moment later, a bronze-colored box popped out of it.
Huh? Bronze-colored? It looked shabby just by looking at it!
Item Drawing Result!
You have obtained a C-grade item, <Fog Generator That Makes One Unable To See Anything, Except You (Single-use)>.
Wow, they were giving me an infiltration item as a reward for an infiltration event. But the situation was already over, what the hell kind of afterthought was this?
Although I was irritated, I decided to put up with it since the thing itself wasn’t bad.
The reason the grade was so low is probably because it was single-use.
Even if it was just once, I might be able to use it conveniently when needed.
“Alright, let’s go home.”
As I sighed and hid in a corner to remove my disguise,
Rattle.
I heard the sound of something hard colliding and shaking.
I turned my head in spite of myself to look in that direction.
It was the sound coming from the box being moved by a ‘Shark.’
Were they moving live fish?
However, my observation skills, which had been enhanced, sensed that there was something different inside.
Rattle.
Clunk.
This was definitely not the sound of fish flopping around.
It was as if a ‘large creature with cognitive abilities’ was cautiously struggling about inside…
No, I shouldn’t pay attention to it.
I hurriedly turned my head away. My heart started beating fast.
‘It said it was a villain with an S-grade danger level, but I didn’t think it’d be a group committing such an insane crime.’
I, who had only used a few ability boosters, couldn’t handle such an opponent.
Even if what was inside was really something that wasn’t a fish, I had to pretend I didn’t know..
However, contrary to my resolve, I couldn’t keep my eyes off of that suspicious box.
Because that box was… too small.
It wasn’t big enough for a full-grown man to fit inside.
So, what was inside…
‘I’m going crazy.’
I squeezed my eyes shut.
‘I hope you won’t do something you’ll regret.’
The advice I had given to Chelsea came back to me.
I also remembered my appearance from my previous life, small and frail, unhelped by anyone.
The days when I resented those who passed by and pretended not to see me…
“Ha…”
You purchased a time-limited ability enhancement (strength, agility).
In the end, I couldn’t just pass by.
I thought that since I had just the right items to use, I should only meddle today.
Since I didn’t want to leave a weight on my chest.
Unable to take my eyes off the moving box, I opened the lid of the new item I had obtained.
Then, I immediately threw it towards the ‘Shark’ herd.
* * *
“What, what’s going on? Why is there suddenly fog…?”
“I can’t see a thing!”
An untimely commotion arose in the usually peaceful Lauford Harbor.
The fog that had suddenly appeared completely obscured everyone’s vision.
It wasn’t just the fishermen who fell into panic at the sudden situation.
Even those within the notorious underground organization, ‘Shark,’ noticed the unusual occurrence and began to move with agitation.
“What the hell is going on? Should we call the boss…?”
The two men who had been moving the ‘important box’ stopped in their tracks and began to watch the chaos around them.
“What the hell! Who pushed me? You knocked over the box!”
Meanwhile, there was a frenzy of tumbling and confusion around them.
Of course, what others were carrying was just ordinary seafood, nothing completely important…
But the sudden appearance of fog, and everyone being in a state of confusion, felt as if someone had deliberately caused trouble.
Just as one of the men was about to speak to his colleague to check on the situation,
“Let me just check it once…”
“Aaah!”
Even before he could finish his sentence, the box they were carrying together swayed violently.
The man beside him had lost his grip.
“You, how could you let go….”
As the man tried to somehow prevent the loss of balance and the impending fall, he stepped forward.
Splash.
Instead of the hard floor, something squishy touched the sole of his shoe.
“?!”
Flustered, he hurriedly stepped back, but the other side wasn’t much different.
If his vision had been clear, he might have been able to deal with it immediately, but it was impossible in a situation where he couldn’t see what was in front of him, let alone his feet.
In the end, the man also slipped and let go of the item.
Thud!
As the box fell, the lid, which had been clumsily closed, opened.
Feeling that something was seriously wrong, the man shouted urgently.
“Someone’s after the goods! Catch him!”
“Indeed.”
Although it wasn’t clear who he was speaking to, the immediate response made the man’s face turn deathly pale.
The identity of the voice that softly wrapped around his ears.
It was none other than Kasha, the boss of ‘Shark.’
“Hmm.”
In the midst of the chaotic situation of people clashing with each other and fighting, Kasha seemed as peaceful as if he had been set apart.
Rather, he strode forward with a rather joyful gait, no different from when there was no fog.
And without hesitation, he reached out his hand.
“…Argh!”
The one whose arm was grabbed let out a suppressed groan.
“You shouldn’t steal other people’s things.”
Kasha said with a voice filled with laughter.
In a gentle and friendly tone, as if scolding a child.
The grabbed arm twitched and resisted, but it was not enough to overcome him.
“Who are you? I’d like to see your face.”
Smiling, Kasha pulled the arm, but…
“!”
Suddenly, the pain coming from that hand made him reflexively let go of the arm he had been holding.
He immediately reached out with the opposite hand, but the ‘thief’ had already fled.
The thief had bitten Kasha’s hand and ran away.
“Fast.”
Kasha raised the corners of his mouth, smoothing the teeth marks on the back of his hand.
