As soon as Kurtz Newman entered the store, the Newman family's lackey stepped back in fear.
The person who had been shouting and turning red with anger just moments ago seemed to have completely disappeared, leaving behind only a calm and composed figure. I couldn't help but be impressed.
So this is what it means to be part of the underworld.
If it weren't for my Mesugaki skills, I’m sure my surprise would have shown.
But the Mesugaki skill didn't allow me any room for weakness.
I always had to be haughty, arrogant, and full of pride.
Kurtz Newman approached me, his legs crossed, and with a polite bow, he said, "Lady Allen. To see through this old man's little joke, you truly are worthy of the Allen bloodline."
‘It was nothing special. Thank you for the compliment.’ "Did you really think I wouldn’t see through that? You must be quite the fool to have such foolish thoughts."
As soon as the word "thank you" entered the conversation, it got twisted beyond recognition.
At this point, I hardly even noticed anymore.
I’ve been through this so many times that now it just seems like another one of his antics.
Besides, the old man said that it’d be good if something came out of his provocations, so there's nothing to worry about.
Mesugaki skill! Let's give it our all today!
Don't you want to see that seemingly calm man over there turn red with anger and start trembling?
...Actually, no, maybe that's a bit too much.
Let’s not overdo it.
It would be troublesome if he really decided to use all kinds of means to mess with me.
“My apologies. It seems this old man has a bit of a playful streak.”
Despite my insult, Kurtz Newman chuckled leisurely and walked over to the spot where the Newman family’s lackey had been standing, sitting down comfortably.
Then he took out a jewelry box from his coat and opened it.
Inside was undoubtedly the Burrow family’s necklace.
The problem was that I couldn’t tell whether it was the real deal or a fake.
Considering Kurtz Newman, it wouldn’t be surprising if he had prepared a counterfeit and was trying to play mind games.
Alright, let’s see what my appraisal skill has to say!
You haven’t had much of a chance to shine, so now’s your moment!
[Unknown Necklace] [A necklace with various gemstones embedded, of unknown origin.]
Sorry, I haven't trained you enough.
I should have been honing this skill by appraising everything I could, but I was too focused on combat training and neglected you.
I'll pay more attention to you from now on.
But you did well this time.
At first glance, it seemed like the appraisal skill didn’t do anything, but it had actually done its job.
Usually, when there's a valuable necklace, the appraisal skill would attach some kind of description like “expensive-looking necklace.”
But look at this.
The appraisal skill didn’t add any such description.
Instead, it just said it’s of unknown origin.
This is proof that there's something hidden about this necklace.
Even if Kurtz Newman had tried to replicate it, he wouldn't have been able to figure out what was hidden inside.
That means it’s definitely the real thing.
"Before we start negotiating, let me show you the item. This is what you desire, Lady Allen."
‘Indeed it is.’ “I see you don’t resort to tricks in these matters. I had my doubts given your shady reputation.”
As I nodded, Kurtz Newman raised an eyebrow slightly.
It was a subtle change, barely noticeable, but the anxiety in someone who usually appeared so composed was all too easy to spot.
“Thank you for your trust. If it’s not too much trouble, may I see the item I desire?”
At Kurtz Newman’s request, I removed the cross I was wearing around my neck and handed it to him.
This necklace was proof that Agra’s curse had been lifted.
On the surface, it looked like an ordinary cross, but it contained the divinity and blessings of Armathi.
It’s an item issued by the church after verification, so there's no way it could be fake.
Its unique appearance might not catch the attention of ordinary people, but Kurtz Newman would recognize it immediately.
Someone who had been desperately searching for a way to break Agra’s curse couldn’t possibly fail to recognize this.
My thoughts were soon confirmed.
“I’ve confirmed it. This is indeed a genuine item issued by the church.”
<Now, his mind will be filled with questions. How did you manage to lift Agra’s curse? Do you still possess that method? Even if you do, can you still lift the curse again? Such thoughts will plague him. Now all you need to do is tease him, give him just enough hope while getting exactly what you want in return.>
Grandpa’s advice was reassuring!
Now I just need to get what I came for.
I have a few ideas.
Kurtz Newman is a powerful figure in the underworld.
If I make demands, I can probably get almost anything from him.
Grandpa had once told me to think carefully about what to ask for, and I’ve been pondering it ever since.
It’s probably the most serious thinking I’ve done since I first reincarnated as Lucy.
But the more I thought about it, the harder it was to come up with something.
I don’t need to replace my equipment.
Grandpa’s gear is something I’ll carry with me until the day I die.
I recently upgraded my shield, so there’s no reason to change it.
And the armor was a gift from Porcell, so I’m not keen on replacing it either.
So what else?
I could demand some secret techniques from the Newman family, but they’re all useless skills for me.
They only have rogue skills, after all.
As someone who has to stand in the front lines and take hits, learning those skills would be pointless.
I considered various other options, but nothing seemed quite right.
Even though there are some decent rewards I could demand, they all felt too minor considering the effort of squeezing the Newman family.
So, after much thought, I came to this conclusion.
If it’s hard to choose one thing, why not just ask for everything?
In the game, you could only get that item by clearing all the quests related to the Newman family.
The Raven's Crest. A token given only to the true benefactors of the Newman family.
An item that allows you to utilize the Newman family’s network whenever you want.
That’s what I want to get my hands on.
I don’t expect Kurtz to agree right away.
But so what, Kurtz Newman?
There’s no way you can bear watching your son’s life slowly tick away without doing anything to save him.
Let’s negotiate.
And if it doesn’t work out, I can always ask for something else.
With a smile, I put the necklace Kurtz Newman handed back to me around my neck.
Kurtz Newman also smiled back.
‘Shall we begin the negotiation?’ “Very well. Let’s start our discussion, Mister Trashy Family Head.”
That was Kurtz Newman’s first thought upon meeting Lucy Allen.
When dealing with a new business partner, Kurtz often sent a decoy first.
It was crucial in the underworld to gauge how perceptive the other party was.
But Lucy Allen saw through his little trick too easily.
Despite never having met Kurtz Newman before, she immediately recognized that the decoy wasn’t him.
So far, Kurtz could accept this.
Lucy Allen seemed to have some kind of intelligence network, so it was possible she’d heard about Kurtz’s tricks.
But what happened next was different.
Lucy Allen was absolutely certain that the necklace Kurtz Newman presented was genuine.
She spoke as if it were obvious, even though she’d only seen it from a distance.
It was an unbelievable feat.
Updat𝒆d fr𝑜m freewebnøvel.com.
It was as if she had completely ruled out the possibility of it being a replica.
Was it a bluff?
No, it wasn’t a bluff.
If it had been, she would have at least pretended to check.
Despite being far from adulthood, Lucy Allen possessed an extraordinary level of insight.
She had the intelligence to top the entrance exams at Soul Academy.
She had the strength to crush Freyr Kent in a direct confrontation.
Her skills in dungeon clearing were enough to surpass even seasoned adventurers.
And she had better insight than most people in the underworld.
It didn’t make any sense.
Is Lucy Allen favored by some kind of deity?
Well, maybe that’s not entirely wrong.
It’s impossible for someone who was once considered a disgrace to the Allen family to rise to such heights without some divine favor.
As Kurtz Newman mulled this over, he found himself both impressed and convinced.
The necklace Lucy Allen had shown was real.
She had indeed managed to lift Agra’s curse.
She had already made an enemy of the Dark God.
How could such a young, arrogant, and haughty girl have found a way to lift Agra’s curse?
Because she was surely favored by the gods.
Kurtz didn’t know what struggles or doubts she had faced.
And frankly, he didn’t care.
What mattered to him was that she likely had the method in her possession.
“Mister Trashy Family Head, it’s obvious what you want, so I’ll tell you what I want.” “Yes.”
What do you desire, you arrogant and haughty girl?
You don’t seem like someone who would be favored by the gods, yet you clearly are.
Do you want weapons? Jewels? Magic?
I’m curious to see how well you know your own worth.
“I want the Raven’s Crest.”
But what came out of her mouth was something far beyond Kurtz’s expectations.
The Raven’s Crest.
How... how do you even know about that?
It’s a secret that only members of the Newman family should know.
Is your intelligence network really that good?
Or is there a deity whispering in your ear?
I don’t know. But strangely enough, I find myself believing in you even more.
Your arrogance feels like it’s backed by something real.
I like it. I like it a lot.
You said you wanted to negotiate, didn’t you?
Fine. Let’s negotiate.
But this won’t be a negotiation to reduce your reward.
Ordinarily, it would be, but you’re different.
Lucy Allen.
A monster born with overwhelming talent in the exalted knightly Allen family.
I see the light of a precious gem in you. One day, you’ll dominate this continent.
You’ll rise as a star that shines from the heavens, influencing the world around you.
A genius as arrogant and unrestrained as you won’t be satisfied living as your family’s guardian, just like Benedict Allen.
If I’m tied to you when that day comes, I’ll surely gain great benefits.
So in this negotiation, I’ll give you the Raven’s Crest.
But in return, I’ll bind you to the Newman family.
“Ho, the Raven’s Crest?”
Let’s negotiate.
“Yes, Mister Trashy Family Head. You’re still young, but are your ears already failing you? Seeing how your forehead’s receding, I suppose you’re aging quickly. How pitiful.”
...
It’s a bit dizzying to think that I have to keep listening to this insufferable tone.