Chapter 13: Suspicion

Chapter 13: Chapter 13: Suspicion

Out of pure instinct, Victor placed his foot over the message Linlin had written. The small creature backed away as if trying to play it off. At the same time, Ayax was moving the firewood around the campfire while the twins prepared to sleep.

’That thing... knows how to communicate.’

Until that moment, Victor had thought Linlin was some kind of pet, part of Ayax’s System, but the disturbing thought that something else was going on filled his mind.

Hiding his surprise and suspicion, he erased the message by scraping his shoe against the ground.

’It said someone is lying.’

He watched the twins. They didn’t seem as suspicious as Ayax, whom Victor had felt he couldn’t trust ever since they first met.

Putting aside his constant paranoia and distrust, it was as if his own instincts were guiding him toward suspicion.

’Could it be possible?’

On the other hand, he couldn’t trust Linlin either. What if the creature was lying to free itself from Ayax’s control? Maybe this was nothing more than a ploy by an apparently dumb creature that had finally started showing its intelligence.

Either way, there was no way for him to know. Just like at the beginning, all he could do was observe, think, and suspect. Drawing his own conclusions would be dangerous, but it wasn’t like he could avoid it.

A little nervous, he sighed, pretending he was about to get ready for bed. Ayax noticed the gesture and smiled kindly at him.

"It’s been a rough day, don’t you think? After all, we’ve encountered new creatures that could be harmful to us."

"Yeah, I guess," Victor replied, almost in a whisper.

Linlin sat beside Ayax and stared at him.

"Hmm? Do you want more oranges? Come on, I don’t have many left. If you keep this up, they’ll be gone pretty quickly."

Ayax took an orange from his jacket pocket and gave it to the little monster. The twins smiled as if they were watching a child play with his father. Each in his own spot, protected by their blankets, they were ready to sleep.

Victor couldn’t help but stare at them in silence. Perhaps his cold gaze at that moment caught Dorian’s attention, because he said:

"What’s wrong, kid? Aren’t you tired?"

Darius laughed.

"You’d better get some rest, or that scrawny body of yours won’t be able to handle tomorrow’s journey. Ayax has already thought about where we’re going next, so keep that in mind."

"Sure, you’re right," Victor said. He faked a smile as he climbed into his sleeping bag, but he couldn’t stop analyzing everyone.

’Damn it... How the hell did that dwarf get me this worked up?’

There was no way he was going to sleep tonight.

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The journey continued for another three days. Hiding his gacha System from the adventurers every time he performed a Summon under the excuse that he needed to use the bathroom, Victor hadn’t gotten anything particularly useful during those days.

He had new shoes, which were a pair of boots that were part of the "Action Hero" Set, but aside from that, he had only obtained a wooden spoon and a silver bell.

Victor didn’t think something like that would be useful in the situation he was in. Aside from that, he remained cautious around the handsome guy and his friends.

Sometimes Linlin gave him distant looks, even with a hint of fear. While the twins remained friendly and talkative, and Ayax was a natural, responsible leader, that spark of doubt had Victor on the verge of doing something stupid.

That same evening, the group was surrounded by a band of monkeys with bodies covered in blue flames. Ayax took care of the fight at the front with his sword while the twins provided support from the rear.

Victor, involved in the fight, pulled out his knife and defended himself against one of the monkeys that attacked him. However, the burns he received on his arms in exchange for cutting that damn primate’s throat were the price he had to pay.

’The vest protects my chest really well, but my arms... Damn it,’ Victor thought once the battle was over.

The twins, especially Darius and his many weapons, were a spectacle of slashes and blows. The dwarf knew when he needed to switch weapons. His brother, on the other hand, used his wand to create barriers and, finally, heal Victor’s wounds.

"That should do it, kid. You’re pretty good even though you’re so weak," Dorian said before going to tend to the others’ wounds.

’No matter how much time passes, I can’t figure it out. I’m missing something.’

Victor frowned as he looked at the burn scar on his arm. Then he looked back at Dorian, who was using his magic to heal his brother and Ayax.

’It can’t be... This isn’t a coincidence anymore.’

His scar had a shape. It was a word.

[Run.]

Victor couldn’t take it anymore. He had to get away from these people as soon as possible! But when he stood up to announce that he was leaving the group, the stone in his pocket grew slightly warm.

With the group distracted by tending to their wounds, Victor pulled out the item.

[A Stone.]

[Rarity: SSR]

[Description: A special stone that will reveal its secrets at the right moment.]

’Something is going to happen, and I don’t want to be here when it does.’

He clenched the stone tightly, ready to leave without even giving an explanation, but at that exact moment, his nose twitched at the disgusting stench of the beast they had been running from all this time.

He looked back toward the trees of the forest, and then a powerful roar echoed through the area, followed by a feeling of imminent danger.

Victor turned toward the adventurers, who looked at one another seriously.

"It found us," Ayax said.

"But how?" Darius asked.

Dorian remained silent, staring at little Linlin, who in turn was looking Victor directly in the eyes.

"What’s going on?" Victor said. "Someone tell me what’s going on!"

Ayax sighed, and the expression on his face changed.