Now That Would Be Criminal

Early the next morning, Dill discovered another person beside him.

It was Robin.

He looked toward the bed on the other side, where Hina was sleeping soundly with Perona in her arms.

Three people together had been too cramped.

Dill stretched a little, without any particular thoughts about it.

Although his body was twelve years old, his soul was the consciousness of a bona fide adult.

For an adult to have designs on a ten-year-old girl would be downright criminal.

He lifted the covers, went into the bathroom to pick up his toiletries, and tiptoed out of the room.

Then, with a clatter, he barged into the room next door, where Gunpowder and the other two were staying.

Toothbrush in hand, he began his morning routine, paying no attention whatsoever to the three men in the room.

Because of the island's atmosphere, travelers on the streets would let out terrified screams every so often;

As a result, the inn had excellent soundproofing, so there was no need to worry about disturbing the room next door.

After he finished washing up, the three men were still snoring, showing no sign of having been disturbed.

He casually took Vlad's mask and Gunpowder's wallet, then headed downstairs.

First, he would buy some breakfast, then ask Perona about Mr. 1.

"Boss, three hundred steamed buns."

"Coming right up!"

The owner was a pig-headed man wearing an apron. The shop's specialty was horror meat buns, which were really just pork buns.

After a short wait, the pig-headed owner soon packed three hundred buns into a sack.

Dill carried the sack back to the inn.

He was still wearing a mask, which made eating outside inconvenient.

When he returned to the room, Robin and Hina were teaching Perona how to wash up.

The child had no idea how to use things like toothbrushes.

"Perfect timing. I brought breakfast."

Dill set down the sack and started eating immediately, with no intention of waiting.

By the time the three girls finished washing up, he had demolished all but twenty of the three hundred buns.

He unwound the strips of cloth around his left hand. The wound beneath had already healed a little.

The buns were small and could not compare to the energy a proper meal provided.

Dill planned to find a restaurant to wreak havoc on that evening.

Things were different now. He-no, Gunpowder-was a rich man.

All the treasure the old king had accumulated over three hundred years on Dill Island had gone into Bege's internal space.

Although the old king had been shortsighted, keeping to one place and earning little each year, three hundred years of accumulation still amounted to an enormous sum.

Dill did not know exactly how much it was worth, but he knew Gunpowder and Boren each carried ten million Beli in spending money.

Using it to have a feast would be no problem at all.

Wiping the drool from the corner of his mouth, Dill got down to business:

"Perona, do you know a man with a shaved head and thick lips?"

Last night, Perona had been too busy hugging his leg and crying to see what Mr. 1 looked like.

To give her a clearer picture, Dill pulled Hina to her feet:

"About as tall as Hina, and really fierce-looking."

With her mouth stuffed full of bun, Perona mumbled thoughtfully:

"I don't know him, but I've seen him."

"At noon the day before yesterday."

"Oh?"

Dill casually snatched the half-eaten bun from Hina's hand and stuffed it into his mouth, asking curiously:

"What exactly happened?"

"Well, at noon the day before yesterday..."

At noon the day before yesterday, Mr. 1 had come to the cemetery for some unknown reason, seemingly searching for something.

Perona had been roaming the cemetery in a Negative Hollow's body at the time and happened to spot Mr. 1.

Delighted by the rare sight of a normal person, Perona decided to give him a blessing.

Then she sent the Negative Hollow through Mr. 1's body.

"Does that even count as a blessing? Hina is confused."

Perona lifted her little head and explained proudly:

"The monsters on the island all say touching a ghost brings good luck."

"Big Sister Hina, let me give you a blessing too."

As she spoke, she moved to create a ghost and send it through Hina's body, frightening Hina into hastily hiding behind Dill.

"Perona, you're not allowed to use your ability to bless people whenever you like anymore!"

Dill spoke sternly. He had no desire to lie on the ground saying he wanted to be a flea in his next life or anything of the sort.

"Huh? Why?"

"Hmm..."

Faced with Perona's question, Dill could not think of a suitable answer right away.

Tell her her ghosts don't bring good luck?

That seems a little too hurtful.

In the end, he could only give an answer adults often used:

"You'll understand when you're older."

"Oh... all right."

Perona nodded without really understanding, picked up a bun, and nibbled at it as she continued her story:

"I thought that guy was human, but it turned out he was a monster too!

"After I blessed him, his arms suddenly turned into blades, and he chased my ghost around slashing at it, cutting up loads of gravestones along the way;

"He even cut apart the bananas I was going to get that night!"

She took an angry bite of her bun, as though avenging the departed bananas.

Dill rubbed his chin, realizing that Mr. 1's route had been remarkably similar to theirs.

Both parties had boarded the same passenger ship. Dill had disembarked on Mist Island, while Mr. 1 had headed straight for Thriller Bark.

After arriving, he had gone to the cemetery without delay and encountered the Negative Hollow.

Dill's group had been held up on Mist Island and only started searching the cemetery the following morning.

They had been searching for the old king's confidant.

So Mr. 1 had probably entered the cemetery to search for something as well.

After reaching Thriller Bark, he had heard rumors about ghosts in the cemetery and gone to investigate.

Instead, he had encountered a Negative Hollow and undoubtedly made a fool of himself.

Then, humiliated and enraged, he had chased the ghost around slashing at it, becoming even more convinced that something was strange about the cemetery. He had returned last night, happening upon Dill as he was fooling Perona.

Perona had tried to attack with a Negative Hollow, allowing him to confirm that she was the person behind the ghosts.

When Dill had threatened Perona with the stuffed bear, forcing her to dispel her ghosts, Mr. 1 had immediately rushed out from behind a gravestone to subdue her, only to be stopped by Dill.

But he had failed to kill Dill in a single strike, so he had turned and left the battlefield without lingering at all.

After all, Perona's ability could subdue him instantly. Once she recovered her wits, he would not even be able to escape.

Compared to Perona, who's been stealing offerings for two years, the missing Vlad is more likely to be his target.

Dill narrowed his eyes, speculating inwardly.

But whoever Mr. 1's target was, Dill decided to relocate that day.

He told the three girls:

"We'll check out at noon today and move to an inn near the harbor."

Bang, bang, bang!!

"Boss!!"

Boren's shout suddenly came from outside the door, sounding extremely urgent.

"Something's wrong with that kid! Come take a look, quick!!"

Hearing this, Dill immediately opened the door and followed Boren into the room next door.

There on the floor lay Vlad, his face contorted in pain, the stitches on his forehead glowing faintly.

Meanwhile, Gunpowder was struggling to restrain his out-of-control right arm.

An arm covered in red hair, like a beast's claw.

Those stitches really can trigger a transformation?!