With a grateful heart, Red still accepted the good thing Letia gave him.
Although he didn’t get along well with this person, a good thing is a good thing—no need to lump everything together.
A good book can change a person, let alone a good recording crystal?
After Red accepted it, Letia’s face remained as indifferent as ever.
Though, for some reason, the corners of her mouth seemed barely able to hold back.
But it was exactly this recording crystal that opened the conversation between the two.
He had to admit, this Letia really had something going for her.
“How have you been lately?”
“I honestly never thought you’d ask that,” Letia sat across from Red and began to speak slowly, “Unlike you all, with your steady stream of income, the situation with Dawn’s Edge isn’t so great right now.”
“…Aren’t you afraid Liz will lose her temper if you’re this frank?”
“She’s not here right now, is she? What’s there to be afraid of? Besides, I’m just stating the facts.”
Indeed, ever since Dawn’s Edge’s conquest of the dungeon stalled, there’d been almost no income.
During this time, some merchants waving the all-female banner had come knocking, but the rewards they offered… were simply unmentionable.
As for the Great Chamber of Commerce?
Sorry, after the incident at the banquet, all those Great Chamber of Commerce folks have been racking their brains trying to get their hands on that core magic array Red holds—how could they possibly look to Dawn’s Edge for endorsement?
And as the precious daughter of a great noble family, how could Liz possibly think about whether they had enough money to spend?
Before, it was fine.
With Red handling the accounts, money was never an issue.
But now things are different.
Plus, these noble ladies of Dawn’s Edge have always spent money with a free hand.
By the time Letia noticed, the money was nearly gone.
She was honestly a little dazed.
After all, with a casualty rate of zero for Dawn’s Edge, there was no need to consider consolation payments.
By all rights, there should’ve been plenty of money left.
The others didn’t have much need for a place of their own, either, so even now, Letia still couldn’t figure out where all that money had gone.
“So? Hearing me say this, don’t you feel pretty vindicated inside?”
Looking at Letia’s teasing smile, Red shook his head.
“Not at all.”
Hearing this, Letia suddenly felt a little sad for Liz from the bottom of her heart.
Compared to hatred, compared to resentment, the most hurtful and coldest treatment is… indifference.
In this situation, no matter what you do, it’s all meaningless.
Just like Liz now, wanting to prove she’s no less than Red—even if she really found a powerful helper, even if she conquered the twenty-fourth floor, even the twenty-fifth—it wouldn’t mean anything.
Because… he doesn’t care.
It’s laughable, really.
“Even if there’s no money left, can’t Liz or Jessica just ask their families for money?”
Red asked as casually as if chatting with an old friend.
“Their families are pretty well off, it’s not like they’d starve or anything.”
“Heh~ You know what Liz is like, don’t you?”
Letia spread her hands and spoke slowly, “With her stubborn personality, do you really think she’d ask her family for money?”
“True…”
Red thought it over carefully—Letia’s guess did make sense.
Given Liz’s nature, the chances of her asking her family for money were about the same as the chances of her begging him to come back.
“And also, since I haven’t been going into the dungeon, my own money’s running out too,” Letia sighed, “Sometimes I even think about selling the Original White Stockings I’ve worn…”
“…You can just say it, but why are you looking at me?”
Red was baffled by Letia’s strange look.
“Want to buy them? Five hundred Luen coins, non-negotiable. I can take them off right here, guaranteed authentic. Ah… add a thousand, and I’ll throw in my underwear too. After all, I have a Bandage on hand…”
“I don’t want that!!”
Before his sanity snapped completely, Red sprang forward like an arrow and, as fast as lightning, clamped his hand tightly over Letia’s mouth—before she could spit out any more shocking words.
“Mmmph mmmph!!”
With her mouth sealed, Letia could only let out some vague and futile protest.
But it was too late—even that one sentence had already drawn countless cold stares toward Red.
Among them, more than a few were from the White Church.
If this got back to Litt, he’d never clear his name for the rest of his life.
“It’s nothing, nothing! Just kids fooling around, joking.”
After the crowd finally dispersed, Red let out a long sigh of relief.
He slowly took his hand off Letia’s mouth.
Maybe he’d pressed a bit too hard, as there was now some clear, glistening liquid left on his hand…
“That’ll cost you too, you know.”
“I didn’t even say anything yet!”
Red held his forehead, unable to stop himself from sighing.
“What made you so obsessed with money anyway?”
Facing Red’s question, Letia scratched her head and, putting on an extremely bashful expression, said,
“It’s a bit embarrassing to admit… I’m trying to find the little succubus.”
“You’re certainly not embarrassed enough.”
Of course, Red had heard about Letia’s Diamond Membership Card for the succubus shop.
Tos had said that thing required a huge amount of spending to get.
This girl… is hopeless.
“If you’re still not satisfied, Red, then for another three thousand, I’ll even step on you with my white stockings… Ehehe.”
Three thousand is all it takes?
Red was shocked.
That price seemed unexpectedly…
Uh, wait, what am I thinking?
His face instantly turned stern.
He gazed at the girl before him, righteously, as if he were a meditating master monk.
“No, I’m not that kind of person, and…”
He spoke with extra emphasis, trying to awaken her conscience.
“Girls should take care of themselves, don’t get into these kinds of transactions.”
“Mmm~”
In response to Red’s admonition, Letia just flashed a sly smile.
“But up to now, Red, you’re the only man I’ve ever done business with, you know.”
“……”
The air froze.
The hand holding the bills trembled slightly.
Seeing Red’s stiff expression, Letia suddenly burst out laughing.
Laughing wildly, laughing happily.
“Hahaha!! I meant stepping on your back for you!”
“No way, no way?”
Letia deliberately drew out her words, using an infuriating tone.
“Red, just what were you imagining? Could it be… stepping on…”
Red’s face went completely black, like it was about to drip water.
Then, looking at Letia, who was doubled over with laughter, veins bulged on his forehead.
But this time, he was unusually calm.
No yelling, no rushing over to cover her mouth.
He simply, silently handed over the bills in his hand.
“Step on me.”
“…Eh?”
Letia suddenly couldn’t laugh anymore.
Gotta love this ml lmaooooo