Chapter 65: Become Entertainment for Me |
Looking at the newly added content on the Notice Board not far away, Samuel leaned against a pillar, his fingertips idly tapping the edge of the cheap paper cup in his hand.
"Hey boss," he raised his face, smiling at the vendor a few steps away, "another cup of coffee, please."
The boss looked up at him, then lowered his head again to fiddle with the coffee machine.
"Sure, one moment."
The coffee stall owner nodded, grabbed another equally cheap paper cup, then started pouring water and some mystery coffee powder of unknown composition into it, beginning to brew that Thunder Bitter Brew.
Even though just looking at this stuff felt like it could make up half the periodic table, it didn't matter.
After all, it was coffee worth only one sien.
You get what you pay for.
So Samuel didn't expect to taste a complete periodic table in it either.
Soon, the coffee was ready.
Samuel didn't take it directly.
He casually glanced to the side, and the ever-present "The Lunatic's World Travel Guide" immediately understood, spreading open beside him at just the right height.
The boss placed the steaming hot coffee cup on the opened hardcover, as naturally as setting it on a tray.
Yet the coffee stall owner, who was clearly conversing smoothly with Samuel, remained completely blind to this scene, utterly unaware of anything unusual.
He could see Samuel, could talk to Samuel, could even place the coffee directly on the floating Travel Guide.
Samuel didn't have to wait long. Soon, he spotted Falson entering the square from another path not far away.
Falson hurried over to the square.
He had first returned to the inn to drop off his changed dirty clothes. Then, as previously agreed, he came to the municipal square.
A few townspeople were gathered around the Notice Board, pointing and discussing. After reaching the square, Falson circled around them, walking around the board, but couldn't find Samuel.
Just as he thought Samuel hadn't arrived yet, Samuel raised his hand and waved.
"Over here."
The voice wasn't loud, yet it appeared directly beside Falson's ear.
The moment Samuel raised his hand, Falson suddenly felt all color drain from his surroundings. His attention was instantly drawn to Samuel, and he immediately spotted him leaning against a pillar drinking coffee amidst the crowd.
The square, the people, the buildings... everything instantly dimmed, blurred, receded, dissolving into a hazy, chaotic background.
Only Samuel, who seemed to exist on an entirely different layer, was suddenly thrust into sharp focus.
"Here." Falson responded almost instinctively.
He shook his head, and the illusion before his eyes receded like a tide, color and sound flooding back into his senses. He quickly threaded through the crowd and came to stand before Samuel.
"The new clothes fit you nicely." Samuel smiled, looking him up and down.
"Oh, I was just about to mention that." Falson nodded.
"What happened? Run into anything interesting?" Samuel asked with a grin. "I knew it, your special constitution is perfect for exploring and triggering side quests."
"Uh..." Falson instinctively glanced at the vendor beside him, his lips moving as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.
He remembered Samuel saying the invisibility wasn't active today.
"Relax," Samuel waved his free hand dismissively at him. "He can't pick up on this stuff."
Samuel took another small sip.
"Huh? Oh." Breathing a sigh of relief, Falson relaxed, assuming Samuel had reactivated Psychological Invisibility.
"Yeah, I did run into something." He nodded, his shoulders slumping slightly.
"Oh, spill it." Samuel took the second coffee cup off the Travel Guide and handed it to Falson.
The warmth of the paper cup seeped through its walls, the cheap coffee's smell of burnt notes and low-grade additives becoming more distinct.
But it was late November, after all. Holding something warm in your hands was at least a bit more comfortable.
Falson took the coffee, glanced at the slightly grimy roadside stall, then at the half-drunk coffee in Samuel's hand, and ultimately chose to take a small sip.
The taste was a bit weird.
"There's no need to make that face," Samuel caught his reaction and shrugged. "Drink it if you like it, put it down if you don't, or just pour it out. It's not like I'm going to force you."
The imbalance in their power meant Falson always unconsciously held back when dealing with Samuel.
But unfortunately, Samuel himself didn't enjoy that kind of thing.
Power games, role-playing—those things were far too boring for him.
Compared to respectful deference, he preferred people who could play along with him.
The hot coffee entered his stomach, and Falson, who hadn't eaten dinner last night or breakfast or lunch today, finally felt his body relax a little.
Coffee wasn't filling, but at least it was somewhat useful.
After a sip of the cheap coffee to moisten his throat, Falson organized his thoughts and briefly described what had just happened to Samuel, trying to recount the experience at the hat shop as objectively as possible:
Including what he had heard, what he had seen, and Grill's invitation to cooperate.
"I see." Samuel nodded.
"Mr. Samuel doesn't seem surprised at all?" Falson asked.
"Well... how should I put it?" Samuel thought for a moment. "Not surprised, I guess."
"So, what's your take on it?" Falson handed the decision of whether to cooperate over to Samuel.
"We definitely cooperate!" Samuel answered quickly, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"If there's a side quest, you do it. If you guys don't cooperate, wouldn't this quest line be cut off? Where would I find my entertainment then?"
"Entertainment?" Falson hadn't expected Samuel to be so blunt about it.
Samuel faced Falson, tilting his head, and raised his right hand, forming a fist.
"For me, become entertainment."
Suddenly, for some reason.
Falson felt his entire body relax.
"Even though I really can't understand how you can say something like that so matter-of-factly."
"But sometimes, I actually do feel that chatting with someone as straightforward as you, Mr. Samuel... is quite relaxing."
"Exactly, that's the spirit." Samuel patted Falson on the shoulder. "Do what you want to do. Don't care about what the so-called mundane world thinks."
"You're a Law Seeker now. You have power. Do whatever you want."
"You don't need to care about others. Just make sure you're okay with it yourself."
Samuel took the opportunity to instill his philosophy.
....
P.S.:
Eating out today, really didn't have time to write, so I'll just post one chapter for now.
Yeah, a new year, let me send everyone a New Year's blessing.
(Arms spread wide)
You are already cry-laughing.
...