Read Novel Full Chapter 190: Rock and a Hard Place
Chapter 190: Rock and a Hard Place
’That’s...’
Heavily undesired.
’You want me to protect that bitch?!’
Vale huffed.
"If I decline?"
"Then you will not get the location of my dungeon until I’m back, nor the map."
’So...’
Vale didn’t really lose anything except potential gain.
Would he really jeopardize his life in the future for a map?
"I’ll do it."
Vale blinked slowly and puffed a hefty sigh.
Vale knew how precious knowledge was, and this knowledge was something he absolutely needed.
Knowledge that could save his life in the future, potentially leading to more good than whatever harm Greed could bring.
’There’s also the chance she calls me out to kill me...’
But Vale felt Greed wouldn’t want to be rid of someone she had under her thumb.
Greed stood and extended her open palm.
"Then it’s a deal! Pleasure doing business with you, Vale."
Vale stood, reciprocated the gesture, took Greed’s slender hand in his and grabbed the map with his other.
"I think it’s only fair that business partners know each other’s names."
Greed took her hand away from Vale’s and sat back down in her throne.
"Yes, I think that’s alright. I’m Sylvia Fulton."
Vale smiled.
"Nice to meet you, Sylvia. I’m Valentin Laurent."
Greed chuckled, then asked as Vale sat down:
"Vale, are you from a different world?"
Vale’s eyes creased as he sat on the throne.
"Yes, I come from—"
[Level 9 will begin in 10 minutes, good luck!]
"You..."
Greed began laughing uncontrollably.
"Baha! You fell for it!"
Sylvia had asked a yes or no question as Vale sat in the chair. One he had a high likelihood of saying yes to.
Greed wiped a tear from her eye as she kicked back and forth on her throne.
"Ah, I can’t believe that worked. This is funny. Too funny! Bahaha!"
Vale’s face went entirely pale.
’Fuck. Fuck!’
His head began to pound, and the world began to spin.
They’d barely defeated Level 8 with intense preparation; now they’d have to face Level 9 with no preparation at all and half the number of warriors.
They had Sivian now, but...
’It’s not enough.’
Sure, they could win.
But not without loss.
’Ah, I see...’
Greed clapped slightly, still laughing.
"But congratulations! Level 9 already? Truly impressive! Hahaha!"
’She knows that too, huh?’
Vale took a deep breath and attempted to calm his racing heart.
"You greedy bastard..."
Greed’s eyes narrowed as her mouth split into a wicked grin.
"So, you’ve realized what comes next? Good. Tell me, then, what will you offer me in return for my help? I know! How about the rest of Mias? That would be fair, no?"
Vale grimaced:
"You know I can’t do that."
Greed wiped away a few more of her humorous tears.
"Aw shucks. Have fun dying then!"
Vale bit his lip and clenched his fist.
"I already told you, I don’t deal in people."
"Quite hypocritical after doing just that... But, people? Vale, your Champions, Workers, Warriors, and whatnot are not people but property of the dungeon. And you, my new friend, are the owner of the dungeon."
’What kind of friend plays a heinous prank like this?’
As much as Vale wanted to refute her, he didn’t have time to debate about his Champion’s right to free will.
Vale rattled off his offer:
"I promise to assist you in any way at least three times at your request as long as it is reasonable."
Greed chuckled.
"Reasonable? Let’s try not to have such vague terminology, Valentin. Who gets to define reasonable? I gave you the freedom in the other deal, but I don’t see any reason I should take such a volatile gamble of whim here, should I?"
Vale gritted his teeth.
Mias finally broke his long silence.
"Vale, it’s alright. You can send me."
Vale looked over at the Reaper of Knowledge.
"No."
That would make Vale’s previous deal horrendous and abhorrent!
It appealed to him because he’d be able to learn about Greed through Mias just as Greed would learn about him.
But if he lost all of Mias, that would simply be a major loss!
’This asshole!’
’She probably planned something like this from the start.’
Well, she couldn’t have known she’d be able to trick Vale into attempting a Level — or if it would be a Level he wasn’t ready for — but it was likely she wished to force some type of bad situation on Vale.
Sure, she could have simply demanded whatever she wanted from him for free...
’But she wants to make a show.’
She wanted to make Vale beg not for mercy, but for help.
Vale immediately began to question where Greed’s Champions were if she told the truth.
By his guess, if there were two, the one scouting was actually rallying a mob of beasts which could be sent to attack his dungeon at any moment.
’Damn it!’
Vale began to tap his foot faster as Salome burst into the room.
"Vale! What happened?! Why did the black sphere appear?!"
Greed looked over at the succubus and laughed.
"Or you could give her to me. Your choice."
Vale gripped his head.
’So that is what she’s after!’
That’s why she decided to go to Vale’s dungeon after hearing he’d summoned a Demon class.
Greed wanted it for herself.
Yet another reason she needed to make Vale give up a Champion willingly.
After all, if Vale died, the Champions did too.
And if Greed kidnapped them, they’d never obediently listen. She’d always have to worry about betrayal. But if following Greed was their part of a deal made by their true Master, they’d follow without a fuss.
Greed must have been thoroughly surprised when she happened upon two.
Not only that, she must have become so overcome with avarice upon learning of the two that she’d let her ability slip out and accidentally put Salome in that rabid state.
She’d shown stellar control so far; it made no sense otherwise.
She captured Mias first, so there was no way she didn’t know to suppress her power in advance.
’Think, think!’
Vale’s arms dropped to his side, and he slowly lifted his head.
"Three times. As long as it doesn’t involve handing over my Champions freedom or my own, you may command me however you wish three times."
Greed’s head drifted forward, and she slowly said:
"Mmm. Yeah, not enough."