The Blood-Robed Evil Spirit stared in shock at the white jade-like object in his hand and stammered:
"Th... this is impossible!"
Lynn stood up with a faint smile. ╮(╯▽╰)╭ "Well..."
"As luck would have it, I'm that Headhunter's favorite private dentist. She came here specifically to have her teeth checked last night, and now she's an honorary member of this shop. She's been very supportive of my business! Hehehe-"
An explosion thundered through the Blood-Robed Evil Spirit's mind.
Her thoughts instantly went blank.
As for the others he had mentioned earlier, she might have been deeply wary of them, but if she really decided to fight, she would not actually fear any of them.
After all, how many of those who survived in the Dark World were spineless cowards?
But...
If she was facing a Root-Level Monster, she really did have to think twice.
Because if you truly provoked a monster of that level, it could find you in all sorts of ways. Even hiding in the upper world would be useless!
A monarch-class lord in the Dark World had once offended a Root-Level Monster, and in just one day, every living creature in his territory had been slaughtered.
As for the lord himself, he had ended up with nowhere to go, with no one daring to shelter him.
In the end, that Root-Level Monster had hunted him down and killed him!
She never could have imagined it.
This seemingly frail human boy actually... actually had a connection like that!
Lynn looked at her somewhat pale face and smiled, holding the adorable baby in his arms.
"Ma'am, you can't judge people by appearances. I may be weak, but good personal connections are another kind of strength."
"Besides, there's really no need for you to get angry with me."
Lynn stood up and wistfully patted the tip of her tentacle. (*￣︶￣) "After all..."
"We're neighbors. Shouldn't neighbors care for each other, lend each other a hand, and huddle together for warmth?"
"Especially when you're such a beautiful, mature older sister~"
[Eloquence +1] [Eloquence +1]
The Blood-Robed Evil Spirit's eyes flickered as she ground her teeth with a loud clacking.
She could tell at a glance that this fellow was clearly using both threats and persuasion-the wicked old trick of following a beating with a sweet treat.
But it was true.
She really no longer dared to attack.
Regardless of whether his claims were lies, that piece of tartar carrying a root-level aura alone forced her to think twice.
Because if it was true...
Then she really would be bringing disaster down on herself.
But...
(〝▼皿▼)!
I really want to kill this human brat!!
"Aaaaaah-"
She let out a frantic scream, her wildly flailing tentacles lashing the surrounding walls with crack after crack as she vented her fury and frustration.
Then she sat down on the floor, panting and grinding her teeth so loudly that every scrape was unmistakable.
Having all this anger with nowhere to direct it left her unbearably frustrated.
"Ma'am, calm down first."
Lynn calmly held the adorable baby and said:
"Although some of what I told you during the day was false, I wasn't entirely trying to fool you. All that talk about truth, kindness, and beauty may have been a bit ridiculous, but I really did see qualities in you that other Evil Spirits lack."
The Blood-Robed Evil Spirit ground her teeth. (〃´皿`)q "Don't even think about fooling me again! You little bastard!!"
She swore she would not believe a single word that came out of this fellow's mouth.
If it weren't for the fact that she couldn't figure this brat out...
She would have killed him right then!
Lynn took a deep breath and smiled calmly.
"I'm not lying, ma'am, because there's one thing you have to admit..."
"You love beautiful things, don't you?"
The Blood-Robed Evil Spirit froze.
Lynn stood up, holding the adorable baby, and smiled as he looked around.
"Your room is beautiful. Unlike those cold, nauseating rooms downstairs, you've clearly put a great deal of care into decorating your bedroom. The walls, the bed, the table and chairs-all of them are a refreshing sight. That isn't something other Evil Spirits would do."
Then he turned.
His gentle gaze fell on the white flower standing in a crude bottle on the windowsill.
"I've seen this kind of flower before. It's a night lily, one of the few nonpoisonous flowers in the Dark World. It isn't rare, but do you think it's normal for an Evil Spirit to have a flower like this in her room?"
"And you seem to have tended it very well."
On the windowsill...
The translucent white flower shimmered faintly.
It was fresh and lovely.
Lynn: (￣▽￣)／[Charm progress +50%]
The Blood-Robed Evil Spirit stared blankly at the flower, then suddenly shuddered and pointed at Lynn in flustered fury.
"Enough of your slick talk! Th... that's only..."
"Let's put that aside for now."
The corners of Lynn's lips lifted slightly as he held the adorable baby and said:
"Then there's something I'd really like to ask. If you truly find your child's current appearance repulsive, please tell me..."
"What's the story behind this lovely skirt and vest she's wearing?"
At those words...
The Blood-Robed Evil Spirit immediately averted her eyes and said in a panic:
"Th... that was just something I..."
In the mirror, the adorable baby's little pink skirt looked especially cute, forming a stark contrast with the filthy, nauseating world outside.
And it was plain to see that there was not a speck of dirt on it.
There were even fresh thread ends.
Clearly, it had only recently been knitted.
Lynn said, (￣▽￣)／ "All right! All right! Stop denying it. I've seen right through you. You think your baby is adorable too, don't you? When you're alone, I bet you can't resist kissing her, holding her, and nuzzling her!"
The Blood-Robed Evil Spirit's face instantly flushed scarlet, and she snapped in flustered fury:
"I don't! Stop making things up! Don't just make random guesses!"
Lynn said, (*ﾟ∀ﾟ)=3 "What's so hard to admit? That's a perfectly normal way for a mother to show affection to her daughter! And you made her such beautiful clothes. Clearly, you're very pleased with how your daughter looks now!"
"Yada~" The adorable baby wiggled her arms and legs. (๑＞︶＜)و
The Blood-Robed Evil Spirit's face turned red, and she was too flustered to say a word.
But she had to admit it.
This fellow was right.
Compared with her previous twisted, misshapen children, she really did prefer this relatively normal, adorable baby.
But having him say it to her face still left her feeling deeply embarrassed.
With a kindly expression, Lynn said gently:
"Ma'am, I've always believed that someone who loves beautiful things must have a beautiful heart as well. That alone shows that you're fundamentally different from other Evil Spirits."
"And I believe that even in the human world, you would be a very lovable young woman."
As she listened to Lynn's increasingly gentle voice...
She kept desperately telling herself that she must not believe a single word this human boy said.
Yet, for some reason...
She still felt her heart pounding.
She clenched her teeth and looked toward the wall beside her, her gaze wavering.
But Lynn's words kept echoing uncontrollably through her mind.
Because those words...
Had truly touched the softest part of her heart.
As a consciousness that had died in the human world and awakened again in this Dark World...
She had always tried hard to adapt to this Dark World.
Yet she still could not forget the memories of her life.
She had always wondered, too.
What if I hadn't died?
If I were still that girl in the human world, would I already have children and grandchildren all around me? Would I already have watched my daughter grow up, get married, and have children of her own?
But every time she saw her twisted face in the mirror...
That terrifying appearance kept telling her:
You're already dead!
You're nothing but a twisted Evil Spirit now!
A malevolent ghost!
[Ding! Quest triggered: Resolve the Blood-Robed Evil Spirit's resentment. Current progress: 11%. First-stage quest rewards: 500 Skeleton Coins, 500 base experience, special reward ×1]
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