Chapter 41: Achieved Result
The clock above the club’s door moved with ticking sounds. Mouthful Eye remained sitting in the middle of the table, currently activating its abilities.
It has already been a few minutes since Cillian kept moving around while Aster remained on his seat.
Aster could only remain seated in his place as if that was the only right choice to do since he barged his way inside when it looked like Cillian was working.
To not disturb Cillian from renovating the club, Aster continued to remain silent as he looked around.
The room was still a mess.
Paints were scattered around, and their smears were even apparent through the floor.
Cillian tried to hide it with a curtain, but whatever he was doing, Aster was able to easily identify that he used that paint to design the part of the wall to the side.
All in all, Aster’s impression of Cillian’s club was dirty, weird, and unusual.
Aster even spotted on what seemed to be a puke from the floor that had already dried up, which he immediately avoided looking at.
Almost half an hour later, Cillian suddenly halted from cleaning and sat down at his table.
Cillian stared at Aster, not trying to hide it, while he also looked back at him.
[Black Flag]
Cillian kept glancing at the black flag appearing at Aster’s head, which continued to be that way after their fateful encounter at the disciplinary action class.
"You’re done?"
Cillian shrugged before thinking inwardly.
’What in the world is happening here? Is he approaching me? He’s appearing calm while keeping his madness in check. Heh, you can’t fool me. I have my very own system to see if you’re someone dangerous or not...’
Cillian took a gulp.
’And that dangerous person with a black flag on his head is right inside my room.’
Cillian’s eyes sharpened as he was ready to move in case Aster decided to attack him right away.
It might not be a Death Flag, but a black flag was still worth paying attention to.
The Possibility Flags didn’t show absolute outcomes. They only showed possibilities. As long as it wasn’t a Death Flag, there was still room to deal with whatever Aster wanted to do next.
As dangerous as his flag looked, it was still within the realm of things he could handle.
At least, that was what Cillian believed.
"Ah."
To stop the situation from getting awkward, Aster decided to lead the conversation.
He grabbed a mini pouch from his pockets before grabbing an adventurer’s bag inside, the one Cillian used at the match earlier. Then he grabbed another item, which is his bow.
He placed both items right beside the table.
Cillian checked if it was really his items, which he immediately confirmed.
’Now, what is this guy up to?’
Cillian thought inwardly and nodded once.
’A nod? That doesn’t look like someone saying thanks.’
Aster thought inwardly, deciding that he should initiate the talk and tell Cillian the purpose of his visit.
"I came here with the intention of cooperation and information."
Cillian started to become lost for words.
He wanted to avoid interacting with the main character as much as possible. Now, that same character was asking for cooperation even with the bad blood between their groups?
’Did he finally go crazy?’
Cillian mused inwardly as a chuckle escaped from his lips that almost sounded like ridicule.
Let’s say what he was saying was true, and he actually meant it, Cillian still has no intention of cooperating with the main character whatsoever.
As for reasons, he didn’t need those.
Cillian just doesn’t want to associate with him, that’s all.
It is very immature and isn’t backed up with logical reasons, but Cillian didn’t care.
Cillian just wanted to be away, far, and out of Aster’s sight.
[Black Flag]
Though the black flag is looking as dangerous as ever.
’But let’s hear what he has to say. Maybe my impression will change if he says something good?’
Cillian didn’t give any signs to Aster that he agreed or opposed that idea.
That mocking laugh, that’s all there is.
But seeing that Cillian didn’t disagree, which seemed to be the case, Aster continued after pondering for a moment.
"Our little cooperation will last until the end of our school tournament. When the deal pulls through, you also have to agree that you’ll share any information you have regarding this celebration. In exchange, the rewards our class will receive in our school tournament are all handed over to you."
Cesar blinked in disbelief.
’Wait, that’s generous!’
That was indeed generous.
If Aster was talking about rewards in their school tournament, then Cillian is confident that their class will be able to grab the spot to fight at the Coliseum alongside the other winners from the other Six Sorcery Academies.
And when they secure the spot, all of it will rightfully come to Cillian’s lap. Of course, in the premise that they won it all, Cillian was confident of doing so.
But with Aster’s proposition, the chances of it happening were already beyond and above the ceiling.
’How crafty.’
But because it was too good to be true, Cillian was downright suspicious.
"This deal. Are you the one deciding, or was Willow the one pulling the strings behind?" Cillian asked in a roundabout manner.
"It’s just me. As for why I decided to do this, and painfully so, it is because you are very integral to our class to reach and fight in the Coliseum. I’m sure my group will understand this. We’re not aiming for the rewards we’ll get in here. Instead, at that place. And... we have different reasons why we want to go there."
Aster paused as he shot a glance at Cillian.
"You wouldn’t want to know it,"
Cillian let out a sigh as he shook his head.
’If you are putting it like that, then I would very much like to know it now.’
Cillian knew the deal was very tempting. If he didn’t have bad blood with Aster or any of his group, he would’ve straight away agreed to it without delay.
However, will he be able to satisfy his boredom with that?
He felt even more glad that he had already built a wrong image with Aster and the rest of the main case, which would make his actions not be questioned if he were to do something bad.
Hence, collaboration was a no-go.
Cillian then smirked.
"Deal’s off. There’s no way I will negotiate with you."
"Tsk..."
Clicking his tongue in dismay, Aster’s mood started to change. This whole friendly guy persona instantly disappeared as if Aster wanted to show this to him.
’Huh?’
However, the flag above his head was indicating something else.
[Black Flag] -> [Red Flag]
The black flag was changed to red, indicating that it had lowered by one level.
’What?’
Aster then stood up, his annoyance visibly apparent.
"Well, as expected, you aren’t going to accept it. That’s natural, we’re two sides of the coin after all."
Aster turned around, slowly walked towards the door and left, leaving Cillian confused throughout the whole talk.
"Huh?"
Cillian was confused for a few more seconds until someone, a third party who listened to their conversation, who was merely stationed at the table, voiced out.
"He was testing you."
Mouthful Eye stated.
"Testing?"
Cillian mused, still not understanding the whole thing that went on in their conversation.
Mouthful Eye sighed, then explained.
"That bastard is very cunning. It’s probably because of his [Two] Piece Swindler that made this happen without you noticing. That makes me come to the point that he tried to see what actions you’ll do that align with his objective for coming to this room. As for what kind of test it is, I don’t know."
The artifact paused.
"If we’re basing his actions and reactions to the ploy he achieved to do, then I can tell he’s convinced that you’re not an ’enemy’."
Cillian couldn’t help but become slightly nervous that, if he took Mouthful Eye’s words, he was swindled into answering what Aster wanted him to answer.
If he agreed to his deal, would that mean he failed?
Definitely.
And by the looks of it, he passed?
This is probably what made the Aster’s flags be lowered.
Also, by chance that Aster became hostile to him, Cillian knew he would know about it.
His and Aster’s flag possibilities would’ve definitely changed for the worse.
Cillian scoffed.
"That guy tricked me. Is that what you’re saying?"
Cillian found it unbelievable at first before chuckling.
"Yeah, thanks for willingly coming here. Now I know what kind of power you possessed since I have a very valuable helper,"
Mouthful Eye knew what Cillian wanted from the start, and that is to look at Aster’s Pieces.
The only ones Cillian knew were Aster’s [Zero] and [Third] Pieces, which are the All-Knowing and Omniscient Sword of Chaos pieces.
But now that Mouthful Eye used Peering Eyes and was given time by Cillian, who wasted half an hour acting cleaning the club room when this was his goal in the first place, Aster’s powers lay bare on his front.
’Now I know all your Ruiner Power!’
Mouthful Piece began to spill every Aster’s Piece one by one.
At the end of their conversation, Aster didn’t know that Cillian had also achieved his desired result.
