"A gang of swindlers"

"Mr. Merchant, do you need any help now?" Seeing Gner's reaction, Kronos turned his "gentle" gaze on him.

Although Kronos looked at Gner no differently than he looked at the villagers, Gner was certain he understood what that gaze meant.

Try pulling another stunt, and I'll kill you on the spot!

Gner hurriedly coughed a few times, then asked, "Village chief, could you take me to see the underground pit where you smoke your cured meat? I'd like to have a look."

The village chief had no interest in paying attention to this money-grubbing merchant now. He replied dismissively, "What's there to see? There's nothing special about it."

Gner was speechless. The man didn't even care about a chance to make money. He could only continue, "I want to confirm whether your volcano-smoked cured meat is genuine. If it is, and it tastes good, I intend to buy all the cured meat in the village."

That was his trump card. Gner refused to believe the village chief could remain indifferent to a deal this big.

Sure enough, the village chief's attention was immediately drawn back to him. "You mean all of it?"

"Of course. My caravan is heading to the Southern Continent, then returning to Backlund. I'm even worried the little cured meat you have won't be enough."

At that, the village chief pointed at someone without hesitation. "You, go with this gentleman and show him our underground pits. Take him to the biggest one."

The man was rather reluctant. Since the merchant was buying all the cured meat anyway, there was no point in getting on Gner's good side. He would be better off getting on the esteemed Warlock's good side instead.

But the village chief had given the order, so he had no choice but to lead Gner out of the chief's house.

"Esteemed Warlock, is this merchant a swindler?" The village chief looked earnestly at Kronos.

Kronos smiled faintly, then deliberately displayed the Eye of Time in front of everyone, mainly so they would see the green light flash through his eyes.

Then he said in a mysterious tone, "I saw a brutal battlefield in his fate. He was probably a soldier before becoming a merchant after his discharge. He does indeed come from Backlund, and your fates intersect with his."

The green light in his eyes faded, and he continued, "That is all I can see. Anything beyond that is for you to judge yourselves."

This performance made the villagers present even more fervent. Every one of them wanted Kronos to look into their fate.

Kronos had no other choice. If they made another wish like that weeding request, he would work himself to the point of coughing up blood.

That was why he had deliberately displayed the Eye of Time. Looking at a few people's timelines was still easy enough.

Besides, observing fate was very taxing. That was perfectly reasonable, wasn't it?

Needing to rest after looking at two or three people was reasonable too, wasn't it?

As for the need to cast spells while acting as a Warlock, how was he going to handle that?

Naturally, he would need the cooperation of his good partner, Gner.

The script had been settled long ago. As both director and screenwriter, Kronos had already worked it out aboard the ship.

Before long, Gner returned and immediately declared that he was very impressed and intended to buy all the finished cured meat in the village.

The village chief was delighted as well. He said he would have carts ready for Gner that afternoon and help load all the cured meat onto them.

Then came the lunchtime segment both Kronos and Gner had been looking forward to. It had to be said: cured meat infused with the aura of the Spirit World tasted wonderful.

Unlike Klein, Kronos wouldn't turn down such a delicacy because of its Spirit World aura.

While Kronos focused on wolfing down cured meat, the village chief and Gner drank merrily together.

But both men were seasoned veterans of the drinking table. Before long, they both looked tipsy, yet a glance through Kronos's Eyes of Mystery Prying revealed, through the colors of their Astral Bodies, that both were faking it.

"Gner, my friend, judging by how you carry yourself, were you a soldier once?" the village chief probed casually.

But he wasn't testing Gner. He was testing Kronos. After all, what about Gner looked remotely like a soldier?

Gner wasn't stupid either. This clearly meant Kronos had already made his move, so he naturally followed the script. "Yes, I was in the Army. I've been discharged for five or six years now. If I hadn't left, I might even have had a chance to become an officer in the colonial forces."

After hearing Gner's answer, the village chief glanced at Kronos again. Finding Kronos looking gently at him, he hurried to explain.

But Kronos spoke first. "It's all right. It's natural to be cautious. Only a fool loses all sense of caution."

Touched, the village chief said, "Thank you for your understanding, esteemed Warlock."

This was the perfect moment to set their script in motion. Kronos quickly looked at Gner, only to find him cradling his wine cup without lifting his head.

Just as Kronos was inwardly cursing him, Gner's acting skills erupted. He slammed a hand on the table. "What damned Warlock? I've traveled far and wide for years, and I've never seen any Warlocks. They're all swindlers!"

Those words were actually intended for the people who steadfastly refused to believe Kronos was a Warlock, and to pave the way for the spells that would follow.

"Mr. Gner, you mustn't say that. We saw the esteemed Warlock's spells with our own eyes." By now, the village chief completely trusted and respected Kronos. The moment Gner said something disrespectful about him, even the chief's form of address changed.

"Heh, you've spent your whole lives in this village. What would you know about how wicked people outside can be? There's no end to their tricks. Even university students get fooled, let alone people like you."

After Gner said that, a stir ran through the crowd.

This was Kronos's plan. First, he had flown straight into the village, immediately winning over those who strongly believed in supernatural powers.

As for those who were doubtful, Kronos had chosen to grant their wishes and demonstrate his power, winning them over as well.

Finally, for those who firmly refused to believe, Kronos would find them an ally: Gner, who would voice their thoughts for them.

Then Kronos would cast various spells to convince Gner, which would also shake those who had mentally sided with him.

Although Kronos had never done anything like this before, he had seen plenty of news reports. A little analysis was enough to put together a rough plan.

Fortunately, this "gang of swindlers" wasn't really trying to cheat anyone out of money or possessions. Otherwise, these villagers would truly have been fleeced of every last penny.

With alcohol on his breath, Gner leaned close to Kronos. "You might be able to fool them, but you can't fool me. If you want me to believe you, there's only one way: demonstrate it right in front of me."

Kronos smiled. "Actually, I have no intention of making you believe me."

Hearing that, Gner grew even more arrogant. "See? What did I tell you? He's a swindler. Everything he showed you before was prepared in advance. Now he doesn't dare!"

Before Gner had even finished speaking, the murmurs around them grew louder. Those who had already been doubtful began to waver.

"You know, I'm merely a traveler. I don't actually want anyone to believe anything about me. But calling me a swindler is going a little too far." Kronos was still smiling, but his tone had grown somewhat stern.

"Heh, a swindler, talking about going too far? Swindlers like you ought to be strung up on a flagpole and left in the sun for three days and nights." That line was Gner's own invention. Kronos had reason to suspect it reflected his true feelings.

"I cannot accept these baseless accusations. Let's go outside. Whatever spell you want to see, I'll cast it for you." With that, Kronos stood and walked out of the village chief's house.

The house couldn't hold everyone to begin with, so there were several more tables in the village chief's courtyard. Seeing everyone coming out, the people outside immediately began moving tables to clear a space.

Once Kronos had taken his place, he looked at Gner and said, "I suspect that if I simply cast a spell, you'll still think I prepared it in advance. So why don't you decide? Whatever you ask for, I'll do."

"That works." Gner was rather excited. Wasn't this practically a chance to make Kronos perform like a trained monkey? Opportunities like this were hard to come by.

"Then let's see you make some fire."

Kronos silently scattered powder onto the ground nearby. Without a sound, crimson flames rose and quietly burned the weeds on the ground.

Once he was done, Kronos stared at Gner again, as though saying, Go on, then.

"Can you make lightning?"

A handful of powder ground from some kind of tree was immediately scattered. A crackling sound erupted, and a mass of silvery-white lightning struck the village chief's courtyard wall, leaving a crack.

"What about water?"

"And wind."

As Kronos fulfilled Gner's instructions one after another, every villager around them became utterly convinced, and the rate at which the potion inside Kronos was being digested reached another new high.

Kronos also knew that when these people went home that evening and bragged to their families and neighbors, he would get another round of potion digestion.

Just as Gner was having the time of his life, he caught Kronos's look, which meant it was time to stop.

He actually wanted to keep playing, but it was better not to.

"I was wrong." Gner admitted his mistake with remarkable speed. "I've seen so many swindlers before that I assumed you were one too. This was entirely my fault."

"Great and esteemed Warlock, please forgive my ignorance. I must repent deeply before you."

Gner's overblown acting genuinely disgusted the "great and esteemed Warlock," but Kronos couldn't break character. He could only smile and gently reassure him.

"I understand. There really are many skillful swindlers these days who use supernatural powers as a pretext to deceive people. Everyone should be a little cautious. How could I blame you?"