Stray

“Ollie!” Debby was the first to stand up and patted Oliver’s arm a few times.

Godwin politely bowed with mixed feelings inside— Now they no longer resembled each other as much as they did two years ago.

Oliver Ramon’s time seemed to have stagnated. The leader of Tumbleweed’s eyes was calm and mature, but the contours of his facial features were still soft and unique to young people, which was the same as when they first met.

Oliver’s hair itself was soft, but now it had grown a little bit, making him look more innocent. The loose linen short shirt covered most of his muscle lines. Compared to the soldiers, Mr. Ramon looked more like a young employee of a fruit shop at first glance. Godwin had to admit, compared to a short, sharp hair and close-fitting casual clothing of his own, Oliver looked much more harmless.

All kinds of terrible rumors of Tumbleweed filled various intelligence agencies. With the leader of that terrible team out of his armor, no one even noticed his arrival.

“A gift.” Oliver showed a big smile and raised the cloth bag in his hand to the two of them.

Seeing the shape of the cloth bag, Godwin didn’t hold back showing an expression as if he had stomach pains.

“The tip of the tail of the swift poisonous lizard,” the leader of the Horizon murmured in a voice close to suffocation. “Don’t tell me…”

“Yes, I got it in the last mission.” Oliver pulled out the stool and sat down, scratching his head embarrassingly. “It was the one last month. The task of eradicating 50,000 swift poisonous lizards that was eroding the Morpho Forest.”

“Oh, Tumbleweed slaughtered 50,000 swift poisonous lizards overnight. I guess the truth is not like that, but you did hand in several carts of poisonous lizard tails—”

“Uh, how to put it, in fact, we shouldn’t have so many tails.”

Oliver scratched his nose embarrassedly.

“They were just looking for water and had no choice. Originally, we made an appointment with them, and Jesse and I joined forces to set up a space passage and send them directly to a barren swamp on another continent. This task should last until the ‘50,000 swift poisonous lizards mysteriously evaporate’. If Nemo was there, he alone would be enough.”

Hearing the name that made his nerves twitch, Godwin grinded his teeth. “So what’s the matter with those tails?”

“The poisonous lizards wanted to express their gratitude, but I haven’t had time to refuse. Jesse… let out his aura and howled. More than half of the poisonous lizards instinctively broke off their tails on the spot. Those were all handed over to the guild.” Oliver gestured. “This one was voluntarily broken by the leader of the poisonous lizard before it left, and it’s more precious. I remember it seems useful to yours and Debby’s leather armor, so I kept it.”

“So you spent the whole night picking up tails. This is great— It’s estimated that few people will buy this information when it comes out.” Debby swallowed the fried potato chips with a smile. “Ollie, this thing is worth a lot of money. Are you sure you don’t want to keep it for yourself?”

“The fee is already quite high for this task. We don’t need very good protective equipment, and I don’t lack this tail.”

“Thanks, Ollie.” Debby accepted the cloth bag generously. “Thank you on behalf of my captain as well. I’m guessing he intend to say it aloud.”

“…I’ll pay for this meal.” Godwin coughed dryly.

“Actually, I’ll just—”

“Close the shop temporarily! Hurry up!” A clerk who was as thin as a deflated bean pod rushed into the door.

With a sign that it was closed for business, the clerk quickly closed the store. The brightness of several magic lights was turned down, the store became darker, and the guests suddenly made a commotion.

“Everyone, sorry.”

After listening to the clerk’s whisper for a while, the tavern owner bowed.

“I’ll give you a discount on your bills in a while. The clerk of my shop found members of Tumbleweed at the carnival not far away, and this is the only tavern nearby. We don’t want to cause trouble and are trying to avoid the limelight for the time being. Please understand—”

Everyone calmed down instantly, and after a few seconds, they continued to talk as if nothing had happened. Several guests who had planned to leave also sat back in their seats, waving their hands and asking to order more.

“It must be Jesse… He definitely dragged Mr. Cross into it as well.” Oliver wiped his face with both hands, and there was a little more despair in his voice.

“Add a stew for this gentleman.” Godwin greeted numbly. “Another large glass of light fruit wine.”

“Where’s Ann?” Debby began to chew on the meat on the lamb chops in small bites.

“At the end of the last mission, she was caught by Marshal Gallagher on the spot and went back to handle business. Jesse and Mr. Cross were supposed to wait for me at a nearby inn, but if there’s a carnival… Haa, Jesse has never missed the chance to attend a carnival and his face is too recognizable.”

“…” After recalling the identity of Jesse Dylan for a few seconds, even after two years, Godwin wasn’t surprised to find that he still had a tendency that made his stomach pain worser.

“I heard it’s the apostate of Tumbleweed and Jesse the Viper.” The person sitting at the next table lowered his voice. “To be honest, when I think of Adrian Cross… what a pity. His strength seems to have recovered? Alas, if he’s willing to confess to Zenni and suffer for a few year, the Pope would definitely be willing to accept him.”

“Yes, that viper’s face is indeed flawless, but he’s also a tall man. If Cross just wants to covet beauty, if he returns to a high position of the holy church, there will definitely be beauties who would want to climb into his bed. I don’t really know what he’s thinking.”

“Maybe people like the dangerous smell of lawlessness. To put it bluntly, Zenni wouldn’t bless those who like men— Well, he already rebelled against the church so playing around with a beautiful criminal isn’t a big deal.”

Oliver coughed a few times in extreme embarrassment.

The person at the table next to him immediately stopped talking and found that the coughing was a young man in his early twenties, and several sturdy guests stared back unceremoniously. Fortunately, their attention quickly turned to the upcoming expedition, and they stopped talking about that suffocating topic with interest.

Godwin chewed the small round biscuit without saying a word and let out a long sigh.

“Did Cross really confess?” a few seconds later, Godwin asked dryly.

“Probably once… Mr. Cross emptied a milk bucket that Jesse was going to use to make snacks. It smelled sour, and he thought it was rancid. I have to say that Mr. Cross’ apology afterwards was quite sincere.”

Godwin looked solemnly at the ceiling of the tavern, trying to maintain inner peace.

“…But speaking of it, there is wind that Tumbleweed is involve in this expedition. Is it really okay? A few months ago, I heard people say that they have been in contact with something inside the Abyss.” The people at the next table began to chat drunkenly again.

“Oh, I know about it— Their parrot, right? Someone saw it bring a package into the Abyss. At that time, everyone in Tumbleweed was outside and God knows what they were in contact with. Having such a dangerous team join the expedition, tsk.”

“This expedition also has Horizon. I hope Godwin Lopez can keep an eye on Tumbleweed. Heck, if you really want to maintain the surface, he should take the opportunity to kill them.” One of the men made a rude gesture around his neck.

“Maybe. Doesn’t Godwin Lopez and Oliver Lopez have a bad relationship?”

“That’s what I said…”

“Brother.” Oliver sipped the fruit wine carefully. “Maybe I should pay the bill.”

“Like I can do anything to you. Just eat.” Godwin irritably pushed the dessert in front of him away.

“What happened to that package?” Debby pricked up her ears.

“Something for Nemo.” Oliver replied very naturally.

“……Wait?! You never went to see him, I thought—”

“Thought what?” Oliver stopped chewing, his voice a little nervous.

“I thought that my poor eldest brother and poor you being separated and was putting on a sad drama of love and longing.” Debby covered her chest. “Only the demons can pass through the barrier and convey some verbal messages…and so on.”

“Ah. I promised him that I will put a ring on his finger when I go to pick him up personally the next time we meet,” Oliver replied awkwardly. “The two of us are now separated from each other and working separately. Last week I sent him the latest books and snacks, as well as magic photos…”

“…You did the right thing, Ollie. It’s good to hold back and not see each other. At least he still has you in his thoughts. As far as he is concerned, if you go down like this from time to time, Nemo would probably be too lazy to go back to the surface.”

Debby thought for a few seconds, nodded earnestly, and her tone became heavier. “You should just leave him there, I’m serious.”

“Can we talk about the expedition now?” Godwin interjected weakly.

“Of course, of course.” Oliver nodded quickly.

“First of all, it’s what we agreed to two years ago. Now I can tell you the whole truth— We are about to start cooperation soon, and you have the right to know the truth.”

The voice of the leader of Tumbleweed became serious.

The atmosphere suddenly became solemn, and Godwin and Debby glanced at each other.

“Let’s talk about the expedition first.” Godwin’s voice calmed down.

Oliver raised his eyebrows slightly.

“Well, regarding the so-called truth, I have the same attitude as Debby.”

Godwin Lopez threw a salty biscuit into his mouth, and the suffocating sense of deterrence had dissipated considerably.

“Just because the answer is there doesn’t mean we have to understand it. Since I know that things won’t change even if I know, it just adds to my troubles. It’s pretty good just to live like this. Although it’s not a ‘progressive enough’ idea, now I think it is.”

The leader of Horizon raised the corner of his mouth. “Your ring alone has given me a headache for half a year. When, I really caught up with Flint Lopez’s state of mind, we can talk about this again.”

It took him two years to determine that there are indeed people in this world who couldn’t be surpassed, and nothing could be done about it. And now, he finally no longer needed to be too demanding on himself— This was a difficult change, but Godwin quite liked this result.

“…Until then, I am willing to help you complete your plan, Oliver Ramon.”

At least compared to many years ago, right now he could call this statement calm and peaceful.

Deep in the Abyss.

Nemo posted another magic photo on the wall of the illusory library. Although the content of that photo was confusing— The three members of tumbleweed stood in the middle of a pile of squirming poisonous lizard tails, throwing or beating each other with their broken tails while Adrian Cross stood on the edge of the picture, pinching his brows fiercely.

After confirming that the location was appropriate, Nemo clapped his hands in satisfaction, took two steps back, and threw a butterscotch candy into his mouth.

The entire wall was almost plastered with letters and photos, and the phonetic crystal sent down on the wooden table was spitting out soft songs. In the illusory sunshine, Nemo stretched out his waist.

“Wait, Light.”

The gray parrot, who stopped on the bookshelf of the illusionary realm opened its mouth and spoke solemnly.

“I suddenly have a feeling, are you using me as a carrier pigeon? You are, aren’t you? How dare you— I’m sorry, how dare Ramon—”

“Nothing of the sort,” Nemo hurriedly denied. “This is an exchange of information that breaks through the surface and the Abyss. You are the greatest messenger of all time, Lord Bagelmaurus.”

“That’s more like it.” The gray parrot raised its head and swallowed a small piece of almond cook.

“You can eat this. I scraped it off my… Uh, I don’t know what it is. I tried it. The effect is similar to bone jade.” Nemo held the cookie tin in his arms and filled a small plate of black scale fragments for the gray parrot. “Save me some, but you can eat to your heart’s content.”

“I will send a new one down! Although the scales are not bad…”

“After all, it takes up a lot of space. Weren’t you seen last time?”

“Bah, that’s the fault of those humans!”

“But—”

“You even raised a Pandorater while I was away. You see, have I complained about that? Huh?” The grey parrot flapped its wings vigorously.

“She has her own flock, but occasionally—”

“I don’t care! She just eats and drinks, while I’m sending you letters!”

Nemo returned the cookie tin in silence, and the gray parrot put away its sharp cry and chewed the cookies one by one.

“I’m going out first.” Nemo moved his gaze away from the cookie tin that was about to bottom out and huffed bitterly.

“Are we going to continue today, too?”

“Well, after all, Ollie isn’t lazy, and I can’t give myself too long of a vacation.”

“Go on go on, I’ll go back over to the surface when I’m done with the cookies here.” The gray parrot groomed its feathers.

Nemo hastily tied up his scattered black hair and picked up the staff that had been repaired leaning against the door.

At the bottom of the Abyss, the phantom of Roadside Town was surrounded by the beautiful creation of the Demon King and maintained an unchanging clear sky. And on the outside was a sleeping creature—

There was no trace of the cold desert and the pile of corpses. The dark strange stones overlap each other, towering like mountain peaks, forming an endless nightmare city. The style was rough, and the structure was light. It wasn’t naturally formed at first glance, like a nest of something.

Unlike the previous “generations” of Demon Kings, the “nineteenth generation” was about to have a legendary demon city.

Nemo closed his eyes, smacked the unfinished candy in his mouth, and calculated the design of this huge undead city in his heart for a moment. Then he smiled and slightly raised the staff in his hand.

An earthquake-like tremor began, and in the rumbling noise, the mundane day began again.

This may be the first time in his long memory that he was looking forward to the expedition, the Demon King thought to himself.

“Come on, Ollie.”

Countless black boulders floated into the air, arranged quickly, and then smashed down heavily.

“Let’s have a good fight.”

The author has something to say:

Ollie: I work hard to run a business to make money and hack myself (?), to be a competent businessman.

Nemo: Eating takeout, receiving express delivery, frantically moving bricks.

……The two are seriously building the future for each other (×

——————

Jesse: Ah, when the yogurt is ready, I’ll make some yogurt snacks… (wags tail)

Adri: Is this milk spoiled? Let’s change it to a fresh bucket. (pours it out)

Jesse: …………………………………………

Adri: …I’m sorry.

Jesse: Lie down and say it again, and I’ll forgive you.