67 [2-1] Flower offerings, etc. (2/2)

But the girl's goal was not to bargain.

”I'm just buying something for 130 scoots from a nearby flower shop and reselling it for 200 scoots, can't you get a discount?

These were the words of accusation uttered in public.

A mischievous smile peeked out from his hood, like a crescent moon in a frozen sky.

”What?

What?

Oh, really?

The people who bought the Snow Rose all turned their heads at the same time.

No, of course not!　I paid a fair price for .......

I'm not sure what to make of that.

I've heard that's the price you pay for fresh flowers in King's Landing. But here, even fresh snow roses are cheap. It's where they come from.

Nah. ......

Most of the people here are refugees from King's Landing.

They don't know much about the local area.

It was a price tag that took advantage of that.

If there are buyers and sellers, that's fine. ...... Maybe that's how the economy works.

But the way you take advantage of the buyer's ignorance and sell it to them. I hate that.

The peddler turns pale.

The customers were slowly approaching.

The situation was uncertain and uncertain. People's minds are like leather bags that are about to burst with too much water. Men with bloodshot eyes roll up their arms.

”Oh, no!　I just remembered that the old man is dying of an urgent emergency and Kami's head is about to give birth to a stomachache!　That's all for today, everyone!

Hey, hey!

Don't run away, I want my money back!

The peddler grabbed the rest of the Snow Rose and the money and ran away at once.

I'm sorry.

It's a good thing I'm not the only one who has a problem with this.

The peddler fled into the alleyway, scattering the pursuers.

He's called Duane.

He sells everything from dubious talismans to brand-name knockoffs.

He's a man who makes his living in a business somewhere between a scam and a scam.

Duane looks at the basket of snow roses under his arm and clicks his tongue.

The new business Duane had come up with was definitely going well until a moment ago.

Until that incomprehensible child showed up: ......

”Hey, big brother.

Whoa!

He was sure that all of his pursuers had been dispersed, but suddenly a voice called out from behind him, and Duane jumped up.

You'll be able to find a lot more than just a few.

”Here, here, here, Gaja!　How dare you!

Why don't you sell me some flowers?　I'll make it 130 scoots for you.

Who's going to do it?

You've got to learn the rules of the game. ......

I don't know how a child's legs could catch up with me when I was running pretty fast, but here we are, a hundred years later.

Conveniently, there are no eyes around. Even if it's just a girl, I'd feel better if I didn't punch her a few times.

Duane tries to grab the girl by the chest.

But the cloak slips off and the girl slips out.

For a moment, the girl looked like any other simple redheaded girl.

But then her figure wavered like a mirage.

Duane had seen something like this before, when he had worked with the sorceress to commit fraud. A magical illusion.

The girl's figure, cloak and illusion removed.

Silver eyes and silver hair, shining like fresh snow. She was slender and innocent-looking, but her eyes held a cold fury that bordered on madness.

The skirt of a common, easy-to-move dress has a rose on it that looks like it was painted with ...... human blood.

”Can't you take this?

I'm not sure what to say.　Aaaaahhh!

Duane could do nothing but scream.

The tragic princess who was decapitated in a frenzy.

A terrible avenger who brought down the royal capital of a country.

A named monster, ”The Rose Princess of Hell”. Rene ”Rosy” Luvia Ciel-Teira stood as she had been told.

”Somebody help me!

Duane turned around and tried to run away.

But with a movement like the wind, Rene spun around.

”Ow!

Duane screamed as his leg burned, and he fell.

His right leg had been severed at the ankle, and bright red blood was pouring out.

”Ow, ow!　Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!

”Somebody”?　Don't you think you should ask for my forgiveness first?

You can't hear me, by the way. It's magically soundproofed.

If you say so, the sound of the wind and the bustle of the city won't reach you at all.

There is no way to escape or call for help.

Not to mention the ...... fight. You can't. The only thing Duane could do was to punch the b*tc* who tried to inform the guards about his business.

If the white rose is a sign of atonement, wouldn't it make sense to offer it first?

Wait!　No, please wait!

Duane held up his hands in a sign of surrender and then fell flat.

Then he rolled his tongue with the greatest force ever.

I'm doing this so that as many people as possible can mourn you!

It's true that I've done some foolish things, but I have no choice but to do this for a living!　In the first place, those who fled the capital are the criminals who drove you to your death!　There's nothing wrong with taking a little money from them!

”...... Did you support Hilbert when he usurped the throne?

”I behaved as if I did, yes!　I was afraid of what people would think of me!　I was afraid of what people would think of me!　But I never trusted a man like that, not even for a peep. ......

It was a lie.

Even Duane, who had nothing to do with the mining industry, would be angry if he heard that the Federation was buying up Gracelm. When he heard that the stupid king (Elbert) had been killed and replaced by a decent man (Hilbert), he thought it was a pleasant event.

Besides, Duane had been doing too much 'work' in the Inion and had been feeling a bit on the short side lately. He thought that if he and Noa Curio could get along, it would be a good time to change banks, since the east would be more lively.

But he never said anything about it.

Duane was a man who could lie with impunity.

--Come on, my tongue!　I'm a man who lives by his mouth. I don't care what kind of monster he is, I can fool a kid. ......!

”Hmm. ......

I'm a man who lives by his words. It's a commercial smile to appease and convince people to trust you.

For a moment, Duane wondered if he had succeeded.

But then René's words send him into a pit of despair.

I think I'm getting used to it. I think I'm getting used to it. I'm starting to understand the lies that come with it.

All that training with Alastor and Doubt has been worth it.

What's ......?

I was just a little pissed off, so I thought I'd scare you off. ......

I've changed my mind. I'm going to make you suffer and then kill you.

I'll be back.

On the evening of the same day, a slaughtered corpse was found with over a hundred stab wounds all over its body and the skin peeled off its face.

The victim's basket was overturned and snow roses were scattered around. They looked as if they had been offered to the dead.

A man was dying in agony against the wall of the alley. Behind him, the man's blood had drawn a wicked rose.