Wizard: I Add Points and Hunt Monsters

Chapter 244: Chapter 125: I’ll Never Cooperate With You Again

Tsk, what on earth was going through her mind back then?

"You didn’t use the Substitute Gemstone?" Clelia paused, stunned. She touched her body, then felt around again, a blush creeping across her cheeks without her realizing. "My... my clothes?"

"Oh, that. They got ruined while I was healing you."

Wei’en gave a dry laugh. Knowing it was inappropriate to keep staring so brazenly, he turned slightly to the side.

’Hmm, this angle is perfect. The view from the corner of my eye... it’s just... unbelievable. They’re even bigger than before.’

"Are you sure you didn’t peek?"

"Of, of course."

’I was looking right at them. How can you call that peeking?’

Wei’en coughed. "You should get dressed. I still want to know why Black Jack and his people came to Caster City State..."

Clelia waved her hand, and a black dress materialized on her body. A faint blush still lingered on her cheeks. "About what I said earlier, regarding the substitute necklace—you’re not to tell anyone else."

"What substitute necklace? Wasn’t it just an ordinary Black Gemstone Necklace?" Wei’en turned around, his expression a mask of confusion. "Are you sure you’re not hallucinating from your injuries?"

"Hmph. You’re the one who’s hallucinating. Still, I thought I was dead for sure. I never expected you to be the one to save me."

"Let’s just say... I got lucky," Wei’en said, his eyes darting. He held out his hand with a shameless grin. "I happened to have a super Magic Potion on hand. Time to pay up."

"Hm?"

"Four perfect-grade Healing Potions and one super Magic Potion that can neutralize Origin Power. That’ll be 100 gold pounds in total."

"You..." Clelia’s face flushed with anger. She threw a pouch of gold pounds at him. "We’re even."

"Of course, of course."

Wei’en opened the pouch and counted the coins. Exactly one hundred gold pounds.

’I have to say,’ he thought, ’Clelia really is a generous and beautiful woman.’

"So, how did you get injured by Black Jack?"

"I think what you really want to know is why their ship, the *Black Pearl*, is in Caster City State, isn’t it?" Clelia huffed. "I can tell you. For one hundred gold pounds."

Wei’en glanced at her outstretched, delicate hand, then down at the pouch of gold that was still cool in his palm. "You know, on second thought, I don’t think I need to—"

"Hm?" Clelia glared at him, her expression making it clear that if he dared refuse, she would personally hammer him into the ground.

"Here."

Wei’en handed the pouch back to her, his heart bleeding.

’I take back what I said about her being generous,’ he thought. ’Clelia is definitely a she-devil who preys on people’s weaknesses.’

Clelia didn’t take it. "Keep it, you pauper."

"Really?"

"You already put it away..." Clelia rolled her eyes. ’If this were any other time, I would have already started swinging my hammer.’

Wei’en clapped his now-empty hands together with a grin. "I knew you wouldn’t really take the money. So, what’s the *Black Pearl*’s objective? Are they looking for a forbidden artifact?"

"Huh?" Clelia was stunned. "How did you know?"

"It really is a forbidden artifact? It’s not a ship or something, is it?"

"A ship? No, what they want is an eye."

"An eye?"

This time it was Wei’en’s turn to be stunned. ’An eye... Rover’s left eye?’

’Isn’t that the forbidden artifact I saw before in Krimms Cathedral?’

’Their target is the Cathedral?!’

"To be precise, it’s the people of the Vazquez Race who want to get that eye. Apparently, it’s connected to their race’s treasure."

"Vazquez? You mean their goal is different from the *Black Pearl*’s?"

"Their goals should be the same. However, it seems Black Jack has another mission on this trip to Caster."

"What mission?"

"To find a certain person. I couldn’t hear everything clearly; they were being very cryptic," Clelia said, pursing her lips.

"Is that so?"

Clelia shot him a resentful look, silently cursing herself. ’I worked so hard to get that intelligence, and I just blurted it out so easily...’

’Thousand Faces, oh, Thousand Faces, it seems you’ve gotten complacent.’

"You seem to know something."

Wei’en took a deep breath. "I do know a few things."

"Oh?"

"If it’s that forbidden artifact, its location is in Krimms Cathedral!"

"The Cathedral? The Dawn Church?" Clelia asked in surprise. "How do you know that?"

"Never mind how. The point is, I know it’s located inside the Cathedral."

"I see. If what you say is true, it’ll be nearly impossible for the crew of the *Black Pearl* to obtain that artifact."

Wei’en nodded. "The Dawn Church is very powerful."

’You could tell just from the immaculate uniforms of their Holy Professionals. Their overall strength far exceeds that of the Secret Investigation Department.’

"It’s more than that," Clelia said, shaking her head. "You’ve never fought them. They’re not just powerful; they will sacrifice themselves to achieve their goals."

"Sacrifice?"

"Yes. It’s madness. It’s terrifying. And the most terrifying part is that it’s not just one of them—they’re all like that."

Wei’en nodded pensively. ’Like zealots?’

’That would indeed be very difficult to deal with.’

"This matter has nothing to do with us. We should be thinking about how to steer clear of it."

Clelia glanced at him. "It’d be best if that’s the case."

"What’s with that look? Am I the kind of person who rushes toward danger?"

"Pretty much..."

Wei’en: "..."

’Your judgment is way off. I’m clearly a coward who just wants to lie low...’

"Alright, you should go now."

Wei’en nodded. He was about to leave when he noticed she looked a little tired. He hesitated, then said, "You... should get some rest."

"Oh?" Clelia’s eyes crinkled with a smile. "Haven’t you had your fill of looking yet? Do you want to..."

"I’ve had enough, more than enough..."

Wei’en quickly used a Blink Spell to return to his workshop. He wiped the nervous sweat from his brow. ’How could she just say that so directly? So embarrassing.’

Clelia lay back on the bed with a comfortable sigh, her eyes fixed on the ceiling. It was as if she could picture Wei’en’s flustered retreat.

’He’s actually kind of cute...’

After a long moment, she closed her eyes. Her consciousness had already appeared elsewhere.

’Black Jack, tonight I’m coming to collect some interest!’

...

...

「Meanwhile, in a village north of the Caster City State.」

Amidst the drizzling rain, a low, despairing voice quietly rose, echoing in the ears of everyone in the village.

"The Dawn will fade, the Red Moon will last forever."

"A dirge for the finale, all things must decay."

"May the light of the Lord of the Red Moon shine upon the world for all eternity, and may all the world’s vanities become an endless nightmare..."

Guided by this voice of despair, figure after figure, tattered and skeletal, stumbled out from the dark, unlit wooden huts.

"The Lord of the Red Moon will descend at last, bringing salvation... or destruction..."

Everyone stared blankly at the night sky. Under the baptism of the rain and the glow of the red moon, each person’s appearance underwent a drastic transformation.

"Thank you, Lady Red Moon!"

Padilla wiped the sweat from his brow. Raiding towns and villages for days on end was starting to wear on him.

"Hector, these people’s Origin is too weak. Even with the Red Moon’s power, they’re still feeble. Are you sure they can deal with Clelia?"

"I know, that’s why I prepared this."

Hector produced a statue. It was a ferocious-looking eye surrounded by carvings of countless withered, twisted arms.

"A totem?"

"I prepared it specially before we came."

"Then there shouldn’t be a problem," Padilla nodded. "As long as Clelia doesn’t show up to ruin things..."

"Yes, I—"

Just then, a low voice sounded beside them. "And you think you’ll succeed just because she doesn’t show up?"

"Who’s there?"

Padilla and Hector exchanged a look, then glanced at their "lovely" followers. A sense of foreboding washed over them once more.

"Long time no see, Hector."

"It’s you? Bolsen!"

Hector recognized the newcomer. Amid his shock, he couldn’t help but feel a small sense of relief. ’At least someone from the Abyssal Sect wouldn’t try to steal their followers...’

A long moment later, two bloodcurdling screams rang out in quick succession.

"Hector, I’m never working with you again!!"

"Bolsen, you bastard! Give me back my damn followers!!"