Jakob didn't know what he was thinking.
He didn't truly tear off all pretenses.
Instead, he shalessly began to explain.
"You've misunderstood, Miss Mare..."
"I never intended to deceive you. Even now, I still deeply admire your works."
Mare gradually cald down. "Just now, you clearly said these were ssy scribbles or sothing."
Jakob still wore a fake smile.
"I apologize for my imprecise wording. It is precisely this unpredictable disorder that fascinates deeply."
"Ah, I can understand the beauty in it that the world fails to appreciate."
[This is artistic understanding]
[So lusines just paint randomly?]
[There's a kind of chaotic beauty?]
Jakob's flowery words once again made Mare waver.
Mu Yang also understood what was going on.
Mare's paintings likely held no value to Jakob.
What he wanted was the pignts in that small bottle.
But to Mare, it felt like she had finally t a kindred spirit.
lusines rarely interacted with the outside world.
The villagers didn't understand painting and had no common ground with Mare.
At this mont, this silver-tongued Jakob appeared.
He easily gained Mare's trust.
Unfortunately, at the critical final mont, Jakob ntioned Mora...
Yet the people of rusea Village lived by barter.
Mora here could only exist in its essential form—stones.
Mare didn't like these stones, which led to Jakob's subsequent scheming.
Did these pignts have so special aning?
Mu Yang recalled that when he had previously co into contact with high-purity ore, it seed like soone whispered in his ear...
Mu Yang comforted Mare a bit, signaling her to be more careful.
Then he asked Jakob, "What do you want these pignts for?"
"An interesting question. You're very good at asking them, this foreign gentleman." Jakob crossed his arms.
"Or rather, what do you think these pignts could be used for?"
Mu Yang rested his sword on Jakob's neck. "Don't answer a question with a question."
[Don't answer questions with questions!]
[What a Yoshikage Kira line]
[The Calm Life BGM is starting to play]
Jakob seed to believe Mu Yang wouldn't make a move.
"Why exactly? Consider it a howork question for after class. Let's set that aside for now. Allow to boldly guess—did the two of you just go collect the ores used to make these pignts?"
His tone toward Mu Yang was extrely respectful.
"Then, sir, may I ask—could you perhaps... let have these materials?"
He continued, saying that he and Mu Yang had no grudges or enmities, so there was no need to beco enemies.
In return, no matter how much Mora, as long as it was within reason, he was willing to offer it.
Mu Yang withdrew his sword. "No need to ask . I'm just helping Mare collect them. These ore materials don't belong to ."
"Are you truly seeking an answer, or are you testing my response?" Jakob started using counter-questions to chat again.
Mu Yang felt he had sheathed his sword too early and gave him a sharp look.
Jakob raised his hands in surrender. "We both know full well that Mare [won't] stop ... but you're different."
The innocent Mare couldn't hear the subtext in Jakob's words.
She didn't realize that "won't" here ant "can't."
She was still defending herself, saying she never agreed to give the ores.
"Shh, no need to say more, Miss Mare."
He made a shushing gesture toward Mare, then turned his gaze back to Mu Yang.
"So, sir, may I expect you to make the correct choice?"
Mu Yang raised his sword. "I thought I had already made myself very clear."
Jakob nodded. "I see. So this is the unified answer from both of you? Understood."
With that, he stepped back a few paces, stood to the side, and said as he walked,
"However, I still want to thank you for helping collect these materials."
"Then, though it's a bit regrettable, let's end it here."
Mu Yang's tone was icy. "Breaking and entering—at least settle the compensation first before talking about parting ways."
"You've misunderstood. I said 'end it here,' not 'farewell.'"
With that, he turned to the big sister leader of the Gilded Brigade.
He requested to change the commission details.
The two lackeys looked at each other. "Boss, with just the three of us, we can't beat that guy."
Jakob offered seven tis the commission.
Moreover, he pretended to casually remind the three.
As rcenaries, they should know how to fight.
Among those two people, wasn't there one with no combat ability at all?
Faced with seven tis the pay, the big sister leader was tempted.
"Sorry... little girl."
[Bring thirty more, I'm a bit short on breakthrough materials]
[Hahaha, thinking three people can bypass Mu Yang to take a hostage—Jakob's a bit naive]
[This place is too narrow; Mu Yang can't even fight properly]
Just as Mu Yang was about to make a move, a sudden change occurred at the scene.
Seymour, who had nearly lost all mobility, actually stood up at this mont.
Seymour's chanical voice rang out.
"Please do not mind my form, Miss. My primary directive is to—(noisy chanical static) protect you."
"Seymour?!" Mare couldn't believe what she was seeing.
"Yes, I am here, Miss. You are as gentle, adorable, and radiant as ever today."
He tried moving the parts on his body. "Please step back."
"Light rain is coming; everything is futile." After saying this, the chanical dog used firepower to force the Gilded Brigade back.
Mu Yang asked the distant Jakob, "What is Seymour's origin?"
Just now, when Seymour acted, he heard Jakob say "I didn't expect to see a product from that era."
"Your hearing is impressive. It's just outdated scrap iron, probably dormant for many years."
He didn't call the chanical dog Seymour, but referred to it as "Alain's [this is my own little invention]."
[Who is Alain again?]
[This na feels a bit aningful]
Seeing he was unwilling to say more, Mu Yang asked what he planned to do now.
Did he want to continue fighting?
Jakob naturally chose to avoid battle.
He elentalized and disappeared with the Gilded Brigade...
"I underestimated him; he actually had such a thod. I'll go after him."
Mare grabbed the hem of Mu Yang's clothes. "Please... wait a mont! Seymour seems a bit off..."
Mu Yang looked back at Seymour; he had already collapsed from exhaustion.
The chanical voice ca intermittently. "I... am very sorry... Ma..."
"Seymour?!" Mare was on the verge of tears.
Mu Yang quickly comforted her; perhaps it was just that the energy was depleted.
According to Mare, Seymour was picked up from a pile of junk.
With that level of combat firepower just now, it had likely drained all his energy.
User Comments
0 comments from readers