Chương 151: Thief

Joe winced as Corel wrapped his torso with the material Rose had given him years ago, the same cloth once used to bind his mana-devouring arm. He was honestly glad that chapter of his life was behind him. His gaze drifted to the egg embedded in his arm, and he frowned, wondering what he was supposed to do about the damned thing. After a moment, he shrugged. He winced again as Corel tightened the wrap, tore the end free, and patted the wound far too roughly.

"Ouch! Woman! I'm tender!" Joe complained. Corel's eyebrow rose ominously, but he held her gaze with a smile.

"Seriously. Who is teaching you this stuff?" he asked again. She only laughed and silenced him with a playful kiss. God dammit. It was probably Esha, or maybe Alice, he thought. He would find out eventually. Someone was clearly corrupting his beautiful Voldura. Joe pulled himself to his feet and rolled his shoulders. It still hurt like hell, but it was manageable. He glanced at Rose and Corel, who were now completely free of blood and no longer limping. Both had taken Rose's potent healing pills.

Neither had offered him one.

"I'd really appreciate a healing pill, Princess," Joe asked with a bow. Rose waggled a finger at him.

"No, my pet. You do not deserve one. You have teased me relentlessly all day." She giggled.

"I was wondering," Joe said, changing tack.

"Trevaldo. Was he anyone important in the Multiverse? I really hope I didn't kill a prince, or a baron, or something else." He sighed, trying not to dwell on it. Rose tapped a finger against her lips as she considered his question.

"He wasn't a prince," she said slowly.

"Or a baron. But… Well. I wouldn't worry about it. It's probably nothing." She waved a hand dismissively. Joe stared at her, his mouth dropping open.

"That was not even an answer," he protested. Rose ignored him.

"Now, shall we join the remaining pair?" Rose said.

"We still have a final challenge to take care of." She led them toward Maestro and Symphony.

"Dammit," Joe grumbled as Corel slipped her arm through his and guided him forward. As they approached, Joe took in the look in both Maestro's and Symphony's eyes. The darkness there was familiar. None of them had emerged untouched by what they had witnessed. It was no surprise that they fell into a shared, heavy silence once they regrouped. Maestro turned to Joe and met his gaze for the first time.

"You surprised me," he said.

"I do not think I have ever seen an E-grade kill a D-grade before, even with assistance. It seems I vastly underestimated you." He inclined his head, then extended a hand.

"Didn't you tell Symphony to kill me?" Joe replied.

"Sorry, but I'll decline." He did not bother hiding his scowl. Maestro appeared unconcerned and merely shrugged.

"It was only a test. I had the princess's best interests in mind. A weak bond is a liability." Joe rolled his eyes. He might have clean clothes now, but he was sore, exhausted, and in no mood to entertain that kind of thinking.

"Let us keep conversation to a minimum," Rose said, clapping her hands once.

"We still have a Basilisk to slay." And so they did. Compared to the mirror battles, pill-enhanced D-grades, and brushes with death, the basilisk fight was almost mundane. The five of them brought it down with little trouble, ending the final challenge without ceremony.

"It has been enlightening, travelling with you," Maestro said afterwards, adjusting his lapel.

"But this is where we part ways. Symphony and I will claim a few of the hatchlings. Do with the rest what you will. Farewell, Princess. And bond." He nodded once and turned away, Symphony falling beside him. She glanced back only once, offering Joe a final gesture that he interpreted as a promise of murder should their paths ever cross again. Joe sighed and mentally added another name to his ever-growing list of people to avoid if he made it into the wider Multiverse. Once they were gone, he looted the basilisk.

Bundled meat, scales, a pair of gloves, and several eyeballs dropped neatly into his lap instead of his storage. He frowned at that, then shrugged and began putting everything away anyway.

"What was that?" Rose asked, staring at the gloves in Joe's hands.

"Oh. Right. That was my looting skill." Joe tossed her the gloves. They only had an agility bonus, nothing impressive. He had been planning to give them to Esha anyway, if only to stop her from trying to steal credits from him for a week.

"You have a looting skill? Tut tut, Pet. We really must discuss your habit of keeping secrets." Joe chuckled.

"Sure," he said lightly.

"Anything for a princess." He finished with an exaggerated bow. Naturally, he had no intention of revealing all his skills. A man needed some secrets. Preferably, one that did not need to be beaten out of him. After a bit of light banter, the trio made their way to the basilisk's nest. Inside, three baby basilisks huddled together in the bedding. Rose approached slowly, crouching as she cooed at them, her expression softening in a way Joe had never seen before. She turned wide, hopeful eyes toward Joe and Corel.

"They are adorable. May I keep them?" she asked, sincerity plain in her voice. Joe did not even hesitate.

"They are all yours." He winked at Corel.

"You don't mind, do you?"

"For my sworn sister, anything," Corel replied with a smile.

"Consider it a payment for keeping our little secret." Joe noticed Rose flinch, though she kept her focus on the hatchlings as she produced something that looked suspiciously like a cat carrier and gently coaxed the baby basilisks inside. Joe shot Corel a questioning look. She only rolled her eyes.

"Ladies' secret." Joe shrugged. He knew they likely had more than a few secrets he was not privy to. They had spent months together without him, after all. He wandered the edges of the nest, scanning for anything else worth taking. Then an idea struck him. He turned and jogged back into the forest.

'Where are you going?' Corel pulsed as she noticed him leaving.

'I'll be right back. Just looking for a plant I noticed earlier.' There had been an oddly scented plant he had spotted while fleeing for his life earlier, and at the time he had decided survival took priority. He pulled up his mini map, but they were far from where he had first seen it. So he began searching nearby instead, hoping there were more growing in the area. Joe ran through the forest for nearly thirty minutes before he found another small glen.

This one, however, was thick with the oddly scented plant he had been searching for. It was a low, creeping vine with green leaves and a red stem, and it smelled unmistakably like pineapple. That scent alone was enough to stop him in his tracks. He could not remember the last time he had eaten pineapple, and the nostalgia hit him harder than expected. Naturally, his mind jumped to alchemy and the possibilities of producing something with a pineapple taste.

He pulled out the final empty glass container he had taken during the Askari quest and began carefully stuffing as many of the plants inside as would fit. As he worked, a more efficient thought struck him. If he could find a seed, he would not need to haul all this plant matter around. Touching a seed would register it in his seed menu, giving him an unlimited supply. With renewed enthusiasm, he crouched and started digging. A muted chime echoed at the back of his mind when his fingers brushed against a seed.

Joe grinned. This really was a much better way to discover new plants. He brushed the dirt from his hands and stood, ready to return to his bonds. That was when a small spider bounced into the glen. Joe froze at the sudden movement. Hairy legs flailed. Too many eyes focused directly at him. Thankfully, the spider wasn't the size of a house, which made it less threatening. It stood there, watching him with unnerving attention.

"Hi," Joe said, lifting a hand in a cautious wave. The spider raised one leg and waved back. Joe blinked.

"Wait. Can you understand me?" The spider nodded. Joe burst into laughter.

"Excellent. Do I have a lot to get off my chest. You won't believe the adventures I've been through today with my two favourite people." And so he talked. Joe launched into a long, entirely one sided conversation, recounting near death experiences, impossible battles, and complicated bonds, all to a remarkably patient and intelligent spider. The spider did not interrupt. It simply listened. Eventually, Joe glanced up at the darkening sky and frowned. He was not sure how long he had been talking. At least an hour.

Possibly three. He climbed to his feet and gave the spider a friendly wave.

"So long, little spider. Thanks for listening. My bonds are pulsing non-stop, so I should go." He turned to leave.

"Excuse me, thief. You should return my lovely flowers before you leave. And clean up this mess!" Joe spun around.

"Wait! You can talk? But you didn't say a single word this entire time!"

"Because you never once stopped to pause," the spider snapped.

"You just kept talking about the Mortifi girl and the Voldura nonstop!" Joe stared.

"Wait a damn minute! How did you know Rose was Mortifi? I never once mentioned that!"

"Her smell," The spider replied flatly, as if it were obvious.

"I can smell her all over you! Especially on your cheek. You scoundrel! Romantic escapades in the middle of a fated world! Are you truly that brazen?" Joe shook his head, utterly confused.

"I'm sorry, little spider, but you are clearly mistaken. There is no romance between Rose and me. Corel, yes. But Rose, not once." He turned to the damage he had caused and began to tidy the glen. He filled in the holes he had dug and carefully replanted the flowers he had taken, now that he no longer needed them. When he finished, he bowed deeply. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

"I'm sorry for stealing your flowers. I hope you can forgive me."

"Humpf. You may be a liar. But at least you know how to fix a garden. You may go now." Joe frowned. He hated being called a liar.

"I assure you. I have not lied to you. I don't know why you would think I did." The spider glared at him. It was difficult to tell, but Joe was fairly certain it was glaring. Then, in a blur of motion that made his heart jump, the spider appeared on his shoulder and jabbed one leg against his cheek.

"Explain this kiss. I can smell the Mortifi's lips on your face!" Before Joe could even open his mouth, the spider vanished back into the glen. Joe touched his cheek slowly. A kiss? That made no sense. He would remember something like that. His brow furrowed.

"But I did take a nap," he muttered.

"And I did have a very nice dream…" He began pacing, careful not to disturb the freshly repaired garden.

"Wait a minute. In that dream, there was a soft kiss." He stopped and shook his head.

"No. That cannot be right. It had to be Corel. She bites me while I sleep all the time. A kiss would not be out of character."

"Are you calling me a liar?" the spider hissed.

"I smell what I smell. Now leave before I make you leave!" Joe did not argue. He hurried away, his mind spinning as he replayed the spider's words over and over. Joe arrived back at the basilisk nest to find an exasperated Rose and Corel waiting for him.

"Where have you been? We've been waiting for you," Corel said as she took his arm. She studied his face closely, her eyes narrowing as she saw the wheels still turning behind his gaze.

"Did something happen?" Joe shook his head.

"Just some stupid spider talking nonsense." He waved a hand, as if physically brushing the thought away.

"Nothing worth worrying about." Corel did not look entirely convinced, but she let it go.

"So, is this about to end? Do you think we'll be leaving soon?" She turned to Rose for her opinion. Rose paused, then shrugged.

"I'm not sure. I would think so, but fate is hard to read at the best of times." Joe nodded. That sounded about right. With nothing else to do, the three of them set off on a short walk through the surrounding forest, waiting to see if fate would finally decide to release them. As they walked, Rose glanced sideways at him.

"How did you avoid the Molodium's hand?" It took Joe a few seconds to realize she was talking to him.

"Honestly. I don't know. It felt like it missed me on purpose. Maybe it changed its mind at the last moment?" He shrugged.

"That thing was terrifying." Rose frowned.

"It was very strange. I was certain you were about to die."

"I'm very lucky," Joe said, waggling his eyebrows.

"Maybe it was fate. I still have a lot of things I need to do before I let something like that kill me." Rose gave Joe a long look, and he smiled at her.

"Maybe it's because you're an anomaly?" Corel said thoughtfully. Rose stopped walking.

"Did you call him an anomaly? One of the fateless?" Joe blinked.

"Fateless? Is that what I'm called in Eludia?" He looked between them.

"Your mother called me an anomaly once. She said that I stand outside of fate." Rose's expression shifted as she absorbed that.

"I did not know that," she said quietly.

"My mother never mentioned it. I wonder why."

"I have no idea why she would hide that from you," Joe said. Rose started walking again, slower now, her thoughts clearly elsewhere.

"But that explains a great deal," she said at last.

"It also raises more questions than answers. You may be the first fateless to ever form a bond of fate." Joe wasn't sure whether that was a good thing or a bad one. Not the bond itself. His bonds were part of him, just as surely as he was part of them. But being one of the first anomalies to carry a bond might draw attention he really did not want. He had no desire to add more strange, powerful beings to the growing list of things that might decide to hunt him simply because he was different.

"You won't tell anyone, will you?" he asked quietly.

"The whole anomaly thing is a tightly held secret. Only Corel, your mother and Tevenny know about it."

"Tevenny?" Rose asked.

"A friend. Only a friend," Joe said quickly.

"She was the one I saved during the Tides of Movement event. The one whose fate line broke." Rose did not respond right away. Instead, she turned to Corel, clearly seeking confirmation. Corel nodded once, and only then did Rose look back at Joe.

"I won't tell anyone, pet. Your secret is safe with me."

"Thank you," Joe said, dipping his head. Rose reached out and gently patted his cheek. After a moment, Joe grinned.

"Did you think about my offer?" Rose very deliberately did not look at him as she answered.

"I am still thinking. How about we discuss it when you are out of the integration?" Joe nodded, satisfied for now, just in time for Corel to swat him on the arm.

"No more teasing my sister," Corel warned, baring her fangs.

"Or else." Joe threw up his hands in clear surrender. As they walked for another hour beneath a forest that grew steadily darker, unease began to settle in.

"Okay, this is weird, right?" Joe said, scanning the dancing shadows between the trees.

"There is nothing here? Even that stupid spider is gone!"

"Again with this spider?" Rose replied, sounding more bored than concerned as she glanced around.

"Are you sure you weren't imagining things, my pet? We haven't seen a single insect or bird the entire time." Had he imagined it? No. He was sure of that. And then a thought clicked into place, clean and undeniable. Fate. Fate. This place was fate made manifest. Surely nothing here happened by accident. Which could mean only one thing. The spider had not lied. He knew Corel was involved somehow; of course, she was. She was a devil in a blue dress. But that did not change the truth of it. Rose had agreed.

She had chosen it, however briefly. The why did not matter. Only that it had happened.

'Blood for blood, kiss for a kiss,' Uriel whispered. That was all the confirmation he needed. Joe stepped closer. Rose turned as she sensed his approach. He smiled.

"Rose," he said lightly.

"You have a leaf on your shoulder." He lifted his hand and brushed her shoulder with deliberate care. She froze, breath catching, as if the world itself had paused. Their eyes met and held. His fingers lingered near her shoulder, barely touching, the contact charged with something neither of them named.

"You know, don't you," Rose mumbled, her voice soft and unsteady. Joe nodded. Colour bloomed across her cheeks, but she did not look away.

"What punishment do you intend?" she asked quietly.

"I took…" He did not let her finish. Joe leaned in and kissed her. It was not hurried. It was not gentle either. It was warm and certain, his hand slid down her shoulder to the small of her back. For a heartbeat, she was utterly still, and then she kissed him back. Not timid. Not resisting. Her fingers curled into his toga as the world narrowed to the simple, undeniable truth of them standing together, locked in a moment of pure passion. Time stretched. Ten seconds felt like an eternity and a blink all at once.

A soft, delighted giggle broke the spell. Joe pulled back, breath uneven, just in time to see Corel grinning at them with unmistakable satisfaction.

"A kiss for a kiss," he said, stepping back from Rose. He did not get another word out. Corel surged forward and kissed him, fiercely and without restraint. Her hands framed his face as she claimed his mouth, her intensity stealing the air from his lungs. He forgot the forest, forgot fate, forgot everything except her and the way she pulled him close as if daring the world to object. Somewhere beyond them, Rose's aura flared, heavy and thunderous.

Joe dimly realized that Corel was shielding him, even now, even like this. He might have laughed if Corel had not still been kissing him. Fate chose that moment to release them. The forest dissolved, the world folded in on itself, and the three of them vanished together, carried away in the lingering heat of stolen kisses and unspoken truths. Joe rubbed his head as he found himself once more on that lone, broken mountaintop. The same place where the longest day of his life had begun.

He let himself fall onto his back and stared up at the sky. Fuck. Regret crept in fast and mercilessly. Had he just destroyed everything? His friendship with Rose? Whatever fragile understanding they had been building? How could she possibly forgive him for that? He lay there, wallowing in self-pity, until two pulses struck his mind in quick succession.

'Thief! Scoundrel!'

'I'm back. Where are you?' He winced. She was definitely angry. Deciding it was safer to answer Corel first, he sent a pulse back.

'I'm still on the other continent. I'm going to head back soon. I'm exhausted.'

'Come back now! I want to mate!' Joe had never summoned his skyboat so fast in his life. Within a second, he was airborne and blasting toward home. As he sailed above the ocean, Joe sent a tentative pulse to Rose.

'Are you angry?' The reply was immediate, and sharp.

'What part of thief and scoundrel made you think I wasn't angry?' He swallowed.

'Can you forgive me?' There was a pause. Long enough for dread to settle in.

'You should have given me a chance to prepare. I wasn't ready!' Joe sat bolt upright as the skyboat tore across the clouds. Wait. What?

'Oh," he sent back slowly.

"I'm sorry. Next time I'll ask. And give you time to… prepare.'

'Good! Next time!' The pulses ended. Joe stared up at the sky, his mind completely blank. What the hell just happened? Joe arrived back in Landradad hours later, buoyed by adrenaline and held together by exhaustion. Whatever rest he thought he might get was swiftly denied. Corel tolerated no excuses, and the night they shared left him utterly spent in body and soul. After another passion-filled six hours, he was finally allowed to sleep. And sleep he did.

Joe crashed hard, sinking into unconsciousness so deep that two full days passed without a single dream. Nothing stirred him. Nothing could. When he finally woke, it was to smiles, hugs, and the familiar warmth of home. Even Esha looked genuinely relieved to see him alive and intact. Joe almost forgot that the last time they had seen him, he'd been dragged bloodied and half-dead through the forest by PJ. So much had happened in such a short span of time that his mind struggled to catch up.

Battles, loss, fate, death, kisses stolen and returned. But one thing stood out above everything else. He had broken through the bottleneck. Joe drew a slow breath, summoned his now-unlocked status screen, and stared at his new level.

Status Name: Joseph Theodore Caldwell Age: 37 (38 in Multiversal years) Race: High Human (Grade E+ - Rank 0) Alignment: High Human (Thropia) Heritage: Path of Light (Golden Heritage) Class: Absolute Farmer(Unique Class 0) Level 180, Absolute Space Farmer(PseudoUnique Class 0) Level 180 Professions: Nature's Halo(Legendary Class 0) Level 182 Bloodline: Light of the Eternal Spark(Purity 10/10) (Grade E+, Hidden Grade - Unawakened) Titles (100% Max) (2% Bloodline): World (43) Progenitor; Integration Forerunner Skills General Skills; Mana Focus(Passive)[100%].

Aura Shout[100%]. Multiversal Translator. Basic Cooking[100%]. Party. Natural Identify[100%]. Farmers-Sight[10%]. Mana-Manipulation[100%]. Mana Blast[100%]. Aura Control[100%]. Fates Broken Road(Unique)[1%]. Class Skills; Diabolical Quarterstaffmanship[100%]. Basic Farming[100%]. Seed Flick[100%], Seeds Will Grow[100%]. Mana Stream[100%]. Rapid Strike[100%]. Mana Wave[100%]. Mana Seed Sowing[100%]. Mana Ploughing. Space Jump[100%]. Mana Crop Management[100%]. Farmer's Constitution(Passive)[100%].

Farmer's House[90%]. Farming Perdition[66%]. Beast Communication[100%]. Scarecrow[50%]. Farmer's Demolition[50%] Profession Skills; Nature's Barding[100%]. Nature's Guidance[100%]. Nature's Paradise[100%]. Nature's Keeper(Passive)[100%]. Nature's Touch(Passive)[100%]. Nature's Step[100%]. Nature's Alchemy[100%]. Nature's Flourish[100%]. Nature's Grace Basic Form[100%]. Nature's Harmony[100%]. Nature's Botany[100%]. Nature's Embrace(Legendary)[40%]. Mana Quelling[67%]. Nature's Rage[85%].

Weapon Skills; Mark of the Farmer, Farmer's Pride. Bloodline Skills; Eternal Moment. Light of Uriel. Light Affinity. Space Affinity. Light's Guidance. Stats Strength: 5565 (1200) Agility: 6274 (1050) Vitality: 6145 (2000) Endurance: 6763 (700) Wisdom: 8522 (200) Intelligence: 10177 (1200) Luck: 208 Hidden Stat: Dao Knowledge - 3394 Hidden Stat: Aura Power - 300 Free Points: 360 System Credits: 7, 050, 100, 950 He was now level 180, in both classes, and level 184 in his profession.

Significantly, he also had one more percentage bonus for killing someone with a bloodline. Trevaldo… He shook his head, turning his attention to his drastic level of growth. Did he accumulate experience while stuck at the bottleneck? He had to find out if this was normal or an anomaly. But first, he distributed his free stats. Putting all 360 into Vitality.