Chapter 211

211th Episode

Villain of the Newspaper

211st Episode – Villain of the Newspaper #3

“Hassan, I don’t know what to do.”

On the way back from meeting the alchemist.

Luna’s voice was still uncertain. It was likely due to her being at a loss about what to do, as she’d mentioned.

Perhaps this was an overwhelming situation for Luna, who had just become an adult. It’s like a tall mountain she must climb.

Overcoming it will undoubtedly lead her to greater growth.

And if she fails and falls, it will hurt her a great deal.

How painful it must be for her if her pure white knees were to get scraped. Contemplating this, Luna then spoke in a voice tinged with a sigh.

“I thought I could just live my life working hard on my own. Never imagined I’d have to worry about things like this.”

“Yeah, having a lot of money isn’t always good, I see that now.”

Rather than offering various solutions, I decided to simply empathize with Luna’s current pain.

Thinking about it, the fact that this situation escalated so much also rests on my shoulders for not telling Luna everything earlier. The worst thing I could do now would be to b*tt in too much with various solutions.

Yet, perhaps I have this innate male instinct to solve problems, because I felt an overwhelming urge to offer advice like “If you do this and this, then this might work.”

Take the case of the alchemist Bynas, for example.

Luna hadn’t noticed, but I was pretty certain—nine out of ten—that Bynas was the Potion Master who had been badmouthing her.

“Luna, so what are you going to do? Are you thinking of going under that Bynas woman and living as her apprentice?”

“No, if I go under her, I’d have to live at her place for 5 years. I think it’s quite a high price now that she’s already established.”

“Well then, you’ll have to disclose the recipe. Are you okay with that? People might copy you or something.”

“Hmm… I don’t know. I need to think about it tonight.”

That was the extent of what I could say. It felt like overstepping to tell Luna directly that the journalist who attacked her was none other than Bynas herself, while she was still in doubt.

We ended up eating a light dinner at an inn nearby, then returned to the cabin. Luna fell asleep quickly, likely exhausted from running errands all day. Given how deeply she slept, even though the moon had just started rising, it was evident Luna was under a lot of stress.

“Keng Keng, watch the house well.”

“!”

Leaving the sleeping Luna behind, I stepped out of the cabin once again.

My path led back the way Luna and I had just come, heading for the study of Bynas located in the southern gate street. I was about to settle this with that woman.

Of course, whether the negotiation tool would be words or a cudgel wasn’t yet determined. Thus, I made sure not to forget to wear my gloves, chest armor, greaves, and other armors. There’s nothing better than a cudgel for a conversation in this world after all. Indeed, most problems can be resolved by wielding one.

Plod… Plod…

Walking alone on the path we’d taken together before felt a little strange, but my heart was already brimming with rage, leaving no room for hesitation in my steps. Trying to ruin Luna’s life because of some trivial grudge? Nearly causing resentment between Luna and me? There’s no way I could forgive such a thing.

Thus, on the night illuminated by two moons, I revisited Bynas’s lab. I was worried that she might not be there, but considering how the living aura still lingered heavily in the laboratory we had seen earlier, I assumed that Bynas also used this place as her residence and study. Therefore, I was half confident that I could meet her.

Indeed, the lab was lit up, and a steady stream of white smoke was curling upward from the chimney.

The inside was bustling with the sounds of various movements.

Knock, knock.

After a deep breath to settle my emotions, I knocked on the door. After waiting for a while, a woman’s voice came from inside.

“Who’s there? Business is closed for today, you see…”

“It’s me. The Samaritan who was here earlier.”

“Samaritan-? Ah, I see.”

Creak.

The door eventually opened, revealing Bynas, her face dripping with sweat. Her blue-black short hair was also clumped together with sweat, indicating that she had just been boiling some materials over a hot forge.

“Did you leave something? What brings you here?”

Swoosh.

Bynas, pulling her shirt collar tighter. She probably felt uneasy having such a large and seemingly threatening man visit her alone. Normally, I’d emphasize how harmless I am to people and even deliberately appear foolish to ease such tension, but since there’s no good reason for me here today, I decided it was better to keep this tension up. Keeping her aware that this man in front of her might turn violent and attack at any moment.

“What’s the matter?”

Since I didn’t respond right away, Bynas, probably sensing some urgency, asked again. I then responded in a voice neither too high nor too low, with calm indifference.

“I’ve come to talk about the rumor that Luna is going to be your apprentice.”

“Ah, so you’re representing Luna? She agreed, then?”

She seemed to relax the tension slightly, seemingly expecting my arrival under some pretext of Luna’s interest, as if preparing to invite me into the house.

“Would it be alright if we discussed this inside?”

“Yes, please come in. I’ve just been boiling some potions, so it might be a bit humid and hot.”

“That’s fine.”

The door opened completely, and Bynas turned her back to me, walking into the study.

Though Soodomora’s security has improved a bit with the disappearance of the Thieves’ Guild, allowing a man of unknown identity into a woman’s home like this seemed questionable.

Of course, this is the house of an alchemist.

A dungeon filled with explosives and potentially traps everywhere—perhaps she’s confident enough that she can protect herself here.

Following her in and sitting on the sofa, I looked around at the various lamps heating liquids—hot pink and fluorescent colors.

I don’t know what they were, but they certainly looked like something that could severely harm if spilled on the body.

“So, is Luna willing to do it? Anyway, it’s good for her too. It’s better to slowly build her reputation under someone with influence rather than starting up from scratch in open ground.”

“Is that so?”

“I also started like that. Everyone does. And it’s the way things should be. Of course, I don’t accept just anyone as my apprentice. Luna feels like a little sister. If it weren’t for me, she might have had to give up her business.”

Even without being asked, Bynas kept on chatting excitedly as if she were caught up in her own story. Although the fog on her glasses prevented me from seeing her eyes, I guessed they must be wide open.

I asked.

“So, are you the one badmouthing Luna? Trying to corner her so you can throw her a lifeline, pretend like you’re helping?”

“…Excuse me? What are you implying?”

“You. The Potion Master.”

“Are you all of sudden making baseless accusations? I’m at a complete loss as to what you’re talking about. Have you been drinking?”

Her mouth at the bottom of the foggy glasses trembled slightly.

I could sense her nervousness, but it was difficult to tell if it was genuine confusion over something unknown or nervousness because her identity had been revealed.

If only I had some kind of grace that could distinguish lies. It would be nice if there were a magical artifact or something that could tell.

While thinking this, I expressed something I’d prepared in advance.

“You’re the alchemist and Potion Master who wrote that defamatory article about Luna.”

“Ah, I see now. So you intend to falsely accuse me with no evidence?”

“You’re the one falsely accusing people. And I’m just presenting evidence and reasoning.”

I tapped my leather top with my fingers.

“The smelly potion you threw at me earlier—is that similar to Luna’s strength potion? Many of the materials around here look quite similar too.”

“Ah?”

“Luna’s potion has a distinctive smell—a strange burnt sort of odor. Are you trying to replicate it? That’s why you badmouthed her?”

“Well, I did take a little reference from Luna’s Strength Potion, but what does that have to do with me badmouthing her?”

“Maybe you wanted to eliminate the original creator and claim the invention for yourself. Or, you were just angry that Luna, who hasn’t apprenticed under anyone, has gained fame with her product.”

“Fascinating, isn’t it, Hassan of Samaria. I thought you were just an adventurer who killed monsters, but you have the interesting deduction skills of a rumor trader in the dark alleys.”

“Am I wrong?”

“What would you do if I admit I did? Would you beat me with that thick cudgel of yours? I’ve heard the song of Samarian Cudgel. Are you planning to offer that experience to me as well?”

“That would depend on what you do next. Issue a public correction and apologize to Luna. That way, there would be no further embarrassment for either side.”

“Hmph, that’s impossible. That’s just the nature of this industry. Guild outsiders who try to grow are often not tolerated. Alchemists are mostly timid researchers locked in closets, very sensitive to any threat to their livelihoods.”

“Do you admit you did it?”

“It was bound to come out sooner or later anyway. And my relationship with the Red Potion Association would expose me quickly enough. In fact, Luna probably knows it too. She’s a smart girl. Perhaps she has half resigned to it.”

“…”

If Luna knew… That’s something I hadn’t anticipated.

Did Luna choose not to act on this, considering her relationship with this woman? If that’s the case, maybe I’m overstepping my bounds.

Regardless, Luna’s business is ultimately hers.

While engrossed in some contemplation, Bynas said through her foggy glasses,

“If you could just let this slide, everyone could be happy. Luna can officially join the Alchemists’ Guild without disclosing her recipe, which would make her happy. And I wouldn’t have to keep developing new products under pressure anymore, making me happy. And you-”

Suddenly, Bynas got up.

She slowly approached and straddled my knees.

“Seems like you don’t have a good outcome in mind. Let’s do a deal tonight, then.”

Swoosh… Swooosh.

In an instant, the gray robe draped over Bynas’ shoulder slid down to my lap. Underneath was a body as flat as a young child.

“What are you doing?”

“Men, they all like this. Especially adventurers, don’t they work hard and risk their lives fighting monsters just for this?”

“Not really.”

“You say that, but your body tells the truth, right?”

Swoosh… Swooosh.

Bynas’s hand moved down my stomach, past my pelvis, and reached my thighs. Yet, behind her foggy glasses, her eyes—full of nervousness—were plainly visible.

“How about it? Isn’t your body telling the truth?”

“There’s no way, it’s impossible. Are you some kind of frigid woman?”

“What the hell?”

“If you were really a woman like that, Bynas, and willing to have relations, I wouldn’t be flustered like this, right? You must be frigid or impotent?”

The flirtatious demeanor from moments ago vanished instantly. Now, Bynas was hurling all sorts of cutting insults at me.

Of course, it was all unfair slander. I wasn’t impotent. If anything, I had trouble with the opposite issue of being perpetually aroused.

“Why won’t it work?”

Pretending not to know, Bynas asked, but the truth was simple: her body held absolutely no s*xual attraction for me.

Even the nymph Paranoi, though plain initially, had a hint of youthful charm and curve to her. But Bynas was just an extremely thin woman, looking so malnourished it made me feel sorry for her.

This might have its own appeal for some people, but not for me.

Also, I had sworn not to lie or keep secrets from Luna anymore, so indulging in adultery like this is completely beneath me.

“Move, you hussy.”

I pushed Bynas, who was sitting on me, off. She squealed and tumbled, rolling across the floor.

“You just hit me!? Boldly charging into the laboratory of an alchemist, do you really think you’re safe? This is my lair, my dungeon! If I wanted, I could make a bronze adventurer like you disappear forever!”

“Yeah, threatening huh? But I wonder who’s alone here?”

With a flick, while still sitting on the sofa, I moved my hand.

Various bones rose from the jars scattered around, presumably materials Bynas kept prepared to replicate Luna’s strength potion.

“What, what is this? What is this thing?! What!?”

At the sight of this, Bynas, not knowing what to do, was flustered, and I said calmly.

“This isn’t your dungeon. It’s my shrine.”

[Afterword]

Kasen! strauss141! Forest Person! Gongyangssi! Vurgil! Qaisha! Kaioga! Shimaring! KuandIceCream! PotatoServer! Thank you so much for your support coupons…!!

And I deeply appreciate those who sent manuscript fee coupons as well…!! The recent 4-part series felt necessary, but I’m glad everyone seemed to enjoy it..!!

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