"Knock, knock, knock... Hello? Anyone hoooo?! MAMA!!!"
Outside, old Sampo, clutching a "priceless" counterfeit antique, knocked once more on the door to Wende's room. The next thing he knew, the door flew open and a large hand yanked him straight inside.
"Long ti no see, Brother Sampo."
Wende, a benevolent smile on his face, tossed Sampo to the floor and greeted him with the easy familiarity of an old friend. A flicker of lightning danced in his hand.
"Er... Gulp. H-hello there..."
Seeing that familiar face, the "beautiful mories" from their last encounter instantly flooded back into Sampo's mind. He swallowed nervously, raising his hands in front of him in a gesture of surrender.
Sampo, oh Sampo! Why do you always have to be so greedy for petty gains! Look where it got you! Caught by this pack of devils again. It's over, it's over, I'm going to beco the butt of the joke again!
Sampo was drowning in regret. He had only heard that so corporate employees who had t the Great Guardian were staying at the hotel. Thinking a bunch of rich suckers had arrived, he had excitedly brought out the "antique" he had spent a "fortune" on for a "transaction." And now? Not only had he failed to make a quick buck, but he was probably going to have to pay with his own skin!
"Heroes! I really haven't done anything this ti! I was just out trying to earn a little extra, I swear I haven't done anything heinous or immoral!"
Sampo pleaded for rcy from his spot on the floor. Did he forget to check his almanac before leaving the house, or was rcury in retrograde today? How did he run into this living King of Hell again?!
"Oh? I never said you did anything wrong. But your unannounced departure last ti did leave us thinking about you for quite a while," Wende said coolly. He waved his fingers casually, and a lightning needle materialized in the air, dancing in ti with his movents.
"By the way, that compensation you ntioned... now should be a good ti to make good on it, right?"
Retracting the lightning needle, Wende squatted down in front of Sampo, a smile on his face.
"Er... compensation! Of course! Old Sampo is a man of his word. What I say, I do! Compensation is a small matter. Old Sampo would never short-change you heroes!" Sampo gritted his teeth, forcing a smile.
It's over! The entire fortune old Sampo has spent years building on Jarilo-VI! It's probably all going down the drain right here!
"Oh, I knew you were a man of your word, Sampo. How about this: we'd like to take a tour of the Underworld. I hear you have a shortcut. Why don't you be our guide? How about it? We can talk about the compensation later."
"Go to the Underworld? You should have said so earlier! Old Sampo knows his way around both the Overworld and the Underworld like the back of his hand! I'm an expert on that place! What might you heroes want to do there? Sightseeing? Or perhaps sample the cuisine?"
Hearing the words "Underworld," Sampo's spirits instantly lifted. I can't hide from you in the Overworld, but once we get to the Underworld, you think you can still find ?
"In that case, we'll have to trouble you to lead the way."
Wende nodded in satisfaction. He patted Sampo's shoulder, straightened his ssy collar, and spoke in a heartfelt tone.
"N-now?"
Seeing Wende's dead-serious expression, a chill ran down Sampo's spine.
"Of course. Lead the way," Wende said with absolute certainty.
"Sigh... Well then, please follow . Old Sampo's Underworld tour group is about to depart..." Sampo said listlessly, hanging his head as he shuffled towards the door.
Watching the "delighted" Sampo, Wende nodded, pleased, then turned to the rest of the group, who were completely dumbfounded.
"Let's go. What are you all standing around for?"
"Ah... oh. We're... leaving now?" March 7th glanced nervously at Sampo by the door and asked Wende cautiously.
"Of course," Wende nodded affirmatively.
"Do we really need to leave so quickly? The Great Guardian may be corrupted by the Stellaron, but she should still have a sliver of rationality left, right?" Dan Heng was a little confused, not understanding Wende's urgency.
"The container I gave her was filled with Hiko's coffee," Wende stated, his face devoid of expression.
"..." x3
Seeing the Trailblazing team fall into an imdiate, profound silence, Bronya was completely lost. "Hiko's coffee"... was that sothing special?
"I think we need to leave here imdiately," the usually cheerful March 7th said with a dead-serious face.
"Correct. We cannot delay any longer," Dan Heng agreed, crossing his arms and nodding emphatically.
"Let's move!" Stelle practically flew out the door.
"Uh, this..."
Bronya was utterly bewildered. What kind of magic did this "Hiko's coffee" possess? To be able to throw the Trailblazing team into such a panic?
"Wait, why do I have to go to the Underworld with you?"
It was only then that Bronya rembered that she didn't seem to have any reason to accompany the team to the Underworld.
Hearing Bronya's question, Wende turned his head, his expression placid.
"Are you choosing survival, or are you choosing hope?"
With that, Wende turned back and followed Sampo's footsteps out of the Goethe Hotel.
"..."
Staring at the back of the departing riddler, Bronya was torn. She wanted to stay here and find a way to persuade Cocolia, but... would she even listen to her anymore?
The mory of her mother's rciless public rebuke sent a wave of suffocation over her.
Was she... truly her "mother" anymore?
Gritting her teeth, Bronya finally made her decision. She would follow Wende's steps. Not just for the Silvermane Guards, but for all of Belobog. She chose to trust Wende.
Because... she had no one else left to trust.
However, the mont she stepped out the door, she was once again plunged into a state of confusion.
Who am I? Where am I? Who is this hedgehog in front of ?
Seeing Sampo with his entire back covered in Wende's lightning needles, Bronya thought she was hallucinating. She rubbed her eyes, only to find that Sampo still wore the sa look of utter despair.
"Let's go, Mr. Sampo," Wende said, clapping his hands together and speaking gently to Sampo.
This ti, he was fully prepared. There was no way Sampo could pull a disappearing act on the way down now.
"Hewo, shuwey we don'd need to do dis?"
There were so many lightning needles that Sampo's throat felt numb, making his speech slurred.
"It's fine. It won't affect your walking. I know what I'm doing."
Wende was very confident in his acupuncture skills. As long as Sampo didn't try anything stupid, these needles would not only cause no negative side effects, but they would even help him feel refreshed for several days!
Mm, I really am a good person, even helping him treat the hidden ailnts accumulated from years of being a fun-seeker. Wende praised himself internally.
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