Chapter 59: Cooperation?

A Madman’s Guide to Traveling the World

The Nani Fashion Issue By:Kinoshita Nakui 4.8/5 Ratings 2.3 K Reads 3.6 M Words Tags Synopsis: Chapter 59: Cooperation?

Grill, carrying a strong smell of cigarette smoke, strode straight into the shop and stopped near the maid Irina, finding a shelf cluttered with odds and ends.

This made several men lingering near Irina instinctively wrinkle their noses.

But after noticing Grill's build, they unanimously chose to keep their mouths shut.

Falson kept his right hand in his coat pocket while extending his left hand to fiddle with a walking stick resting on the shelf.

His gaze swept over rows of neatly hanging ties and carefully folded silk handkerchiefs before he casually grabbed a walking stick trimmed with gold from the shelf. He weighed it in his hand, then twirled it between his fingers like a pen.

A few people noticed that the fabric of Grill's right pocket was bulging from something inside that seemed very hard and heavy, pressing out a shape that looked disturbingly familiar.

Suddenly, Grill raised his head and glanced around the room, his gaze sweeping over the few people lingering nearby.

The atmosphere inside the shop instantly froze.

Several customers who had been sneaking glances at the maid suddenly felt as if a bucket of ice water had been dumped on them. Whether they recognized the outline in Grill's pocket or not, they all shuddered, lowered their heads, and hurried out of the store.

Even the attendant in the red vest at the door felt an inexplicable chill run down his spine. His professional smile froze solid on his face. After the customers left, he quickly followed them out and closed the hat shop's door behind him.

For some reason, in that split second, they had all felt an indescribable "malice."

It was like watching a bunch of gangsters trashing a shop and then suddenly seeing them turn their gaze on you.

Their lust was overwhelmed by the human instinct to avoid danger, and they fled one by one.

The attendant in the red vest didn't even have time to think about the maid in the short skirt still locked inside the shop.

He felt his sanity nearly crumbling, desperate to leave and not spend another second in that place.

But soon, his steps stopped again.

He took a few steps toward the police station, but then remembered the badge Grill was wearing. He hesitated and halted.

After a moment of deliberation, his gaze flickered between the police station, the town's enforcement team, and the hat shop. He took a deep breath.

Then he turned around and hurried back.

After doing all of that, Grill finally looked at the maid not far away.

He stared directly at her.

No pretense, no words, just a straight, unwavering gaze.

There was no trace of panic on the maid Irina's delicate face. She responded with a gentle smile, calmly reaching into an inconspicuous little pocket on the side of her maid dress to pull out a pocket watch with a silver chain and a white case. She flipped it open and checked the time.

Her fair, nimble fingers lightly pressed the mechanism. With a soft "click," the lid popped open.

She silently looked at the watch for a few seconds.

Then she snapped it shut, holding it in her hand without putting it away, letting the long silver chain dangle through her fingers and sway gently.

She looked back at Grill, still wearing that gentle smile, just watching him.

Grill's eyes were momentarily drawn to the silver chain, but he quickly snapped out of it and looked back at Irina.

After waiting a few seconds, Grill finally spoke.

"You're an outsider too, aren't you?"

Grill looked at Irina.

It was a question, but delivered in a declarative tone.

"I asked around outside earlier. You seem to have arrived three days ago."

"Yes, sir." Irina gave an elegant, slight nod. "I am an outsider who arrived in this city three days ago."

"You know that's not what I mean." Grill cut her off.

"I came here in good faith. Otherwise, I could have reported you first and then come back."

He took a small step forward, his shoes creaking softly against the wooden floor.

"Are you referring to the outsiders emphasized on the notice board at the town square? The ones emphasized are the outsiders who arrived in this city yesterday." The maid Irina replied in a soft, measured voice. "I entered the city three days ago. No matter how you look at it, I do not qualify as an 'infiltrator' as per the notice. I am merely an ordinary outsider seeking employment, abiding by all the rules and regulations of Liant Town."

But Grill just casually placed the walking stick back on the shelf and waved his hand. "You don't need to hide anything in front of me."

"Even though I don't have any evidence, I trust my instincts."

"You are the so-called dangerous person emphasized on that paper. You are, and so am I."

"I'm certain you are an outsider, but you arrived here three days ago..."

"I don't know if you actually got in here early or if you altered the memories of the people here."

"Anyway, regardless of how, the fact that you managed to get into this hat shop and obtain a relatively legal identity means you must know something about what's happening. You didn't end up here by accident like me, only to find out there's no way back."

Irina elegantly folded her hands over her lower abdomen:

"These are just your speculations."

"You seem... a little too reliant on your instincts."

But Grill simply replied, "I'm a 'Savage.'"

Silence.

A brief silence fell over the hat shop.

Irina looked Grill up and down, apparently accepting this explanation. She nodded.

"Then you should know that reporting us to the enforcement team poses no threat."

"Otherwise, the laws here wouldn't be empowering the local residents."

"Of course." Grill nodded.

"Alright," Grill raised a hand to point at the badge hanging on his chest, specifically at the police emblem on it. "As long as you tell me what you know, I can guarantee your safety."

But Irina just shook her head, still seeming unconvinced.

Grill thought for a moment, then suddenly seemed to understand something.

"That's right. You're a wild Law Seeker." He glanced at Irina's face.

"Listen, don't be nervous. Relax. I'm not here to catch you."

He rolled his neck.

"I used to be a wild Law Seeker too. I know what you're worried about."

"As a Law Seeker assisting in cases, I can grant you an informant status with our Reins Branch Three."

"Not just now, but even in the future, you won't have to worry about being hunted down by the authorities."

"You will be a legal, registered Law Seeker. As long as you don't show off your abilities too blatantly in front of ordinary people and as long as you don't break the law, you can do whatever you want. You won't need to keep hiding like you do now."

"We can cooperate."

Author's Note