Chương 160: Chapter 150-Chosen Luring

You know crying isn't anything to be ashamed of. People cry all the time. They cry when they lose their life's savings at poker. They cry when some random street rat [Steals] their gold. They cry when they stub their toe. They especially cry when they get cheated on. These are all things I've seen on the street. Us street folk don't really cry, or at the very least I haven't cried in years. Too hungry, too tired, and too busy. Penelope looks over at me as we sit on the bench.

"So, is that everything?" The fresh spring breeze brushes past my embarrassed face.

"Yeah, that's everything."

"You know you're an idiot, right?"

"I know."

"I mean, who tries to take this one all by themselves? You do know you're not The Chosen One, right?" she asks as the nearby trees sway.

"But I am The Chosen One," I [Lie] with a small smile.

"One of these days I'm going to get you to tell me the truth. I mean, I already know the truth, but I'm going to get you to tell me with your own mouth."

"I'd love to see you try." Penelope and I share a look. One I don't really understand, but I swear I could stay in this moment forever. Yet that isn't possible.

"So, we need to find this survivor, Carina, right?" she asks, breaking away from the moment.

"Yeah. We also have to deal with Prideborn before she ends up killing me," I remind her.

"Don't forget Alexander and the position for Headmaster. We need to stop him before he gains a foothold in the school."

"He's also trying to kill me."

"There's also the Purists in the city. Who knows what they're cooking up."

"Yup. Also trying to kill me." Penelope gives my shoulder a squeeze.

"I think everybody is trying to kill you, Charlatan. Good luck."

"Yeah, laugh it up. What are we going to do?" Penelope looks around at the empty park.

"From what you've told me, my Father already knows that Alexander is a Purist, but without proof, his hands are tied. Especially because of his backing from the Riche Kingdom and the nobles he has managed to sway over to his side. If we were able to prove he was involved in Ashfall or, better yet, with the Prideborn, we would be able to send him to the gallows."

"That's what Ilota thought as well. The thing is we couldn't find anything to link him to either. Our only shot is if he confesses or we get Carina to testify. Which is why Ilota was looking for Carina in the first place," I say as I hand her the file on where Ilota was the day he was stabbed.

"Then we start looking. After classes tomorrow, actually today, technically, we'll get to searching. I will say, we should tell Hopper. He's a better tracker than both of us combined. We're going to need that."

"Yeah. I'll tell him when I get back," I say as I stand up.

"Where are you going?" she asks.

"I have to talk to Kat. You go on ahead," I [Lie].

"Okay, but don't do anything reckless," she says with suspicion.

"Oh… Uhm… Wait."

"What is it?"

"Happy Birthday," I say sheepishly as I hand her a box with a ribbon on it. Penelope gently takes the box and opens it.

"I… Where did you steal this from?" she half-jokes.

"I didn't." The tips of her eyes are dyed with a deep crimson.

"I… Thank you. I really like it. I… need to go," she says as she runs away. Great. I scared her off. I knew I should've just left it in her desk. This is what I get for springing it on her. I'm sure she found it weird that I did it in the middle of this creepy park. What was I thinking?

"How quaint. To give her something so romantic under the moonlight, no less. I almost feel bad for interrupting~," Prideborn says as she lounges on the bench.

"What are you doing here?" I ask with a hint of anger.

"Not surprised. You really are fun~." This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

"Answer the question," I say as I gently grab the hilt of Stabby.

"You broke the rules, and I'm here to enforce those rules~," she says with a hint of anger.

"Rules? I didn't break a single rule."

"Don't play coy with me. I saw you tell your redheaded friend about me~," she says with a growl.

"Really? Maybe you should check again. I only told her that you are involved. I didn't tell her who you're impersonating," I explain with a devilish smile. A playful smile graces her face.

"The rules are the rules. I guess I have to let you slide, but be careful. Skirt the line long enough, and you'll find yourself crossing it. And when you do. I'll be waiting~," she says as she grabs my shoulder with her claw.

"You'll be waiting a long time," I say as I rip myself away from her.

"So prideful. You know what they say, 'Pride cometh before the fall'~." As I walk away, her laugh echoes in the night. Hopper, Penelope, and I sit in a circle at the edge of the Ravclin Mountains. Far away from the Giants and Drake. Really far away. We learned our lesson. Don't be within [Throwing] range of the colossal creatures. Hopper traces out the nearby area on the ground.

"If we want to enter the Ravclin Mountains, we're going to have to take this trail which cuts straight through Drake territory, or we're going to have to cut through this path where the Giants have set up shop."

"No chance there's a third and safer path?" I ask as I take a bite of a cookie. Penelope shakes her head.

"Not unless we want to spend the month digging up what's left of Tyranus Ridge."

"Great. Just my luck. Hopper, how many Giants did you see again?"

"Five. Two adults and three adolescents. The three adolescents are on par or slightly stronger than the Giant we fought back in Winter. The adults, though…" Hopper says with a worried look.

"Great. No good options then," I say with a defeated look.

"Not entirely. We could modify your previous plan. Drakes and Giants are territorial. If we get them to meet, we could take advantage and knock them both out in one swing," Penelope explains as she cuts through the diagram on the ground. It's a sound plan, but also a dangerous one. There's no guarantee that the Drake won't just absolutely destroy the Giants or that the Giants won't run away. Even then, I have some faith that this will work out.

"Okay, let's say that's the plan. We need to draw the Drake out of its territory. Which leads us back to…" I say as I stare at Hopper.

"What are you looking at me for?" he asks as he hides a carrot.

"It's time for you to lure the Drake," Penelope says.

"... Fine," Hopper says in defeat.

"We believe in you, Hopper. Go lure that Drake," I say, giving him a pat on the back. Hopper grumbles as he hops away.

"You know that if he dies, Luna is going to kill us, right?" Penelope asks.

"Yup."

"Just making sure." High up on the side of a mountain is… not where I would like to be. Yet this is exactly where I am. I fucking hate it. One small slip up and I'm dead. No amount of luck is going to save me. Penelope jabs me in the side, causing my entire body to enter a state of fucking shock.

"Can we not?" I ask.

"Afraid of a little drop? I expected more from you, Charlatan."

"I can't talk my way out of a fall."

"I don't know. Have you tried?" she asks with a sweet smile.

"Funny. Where's Hopper? He should've been here by now. Do you think the Drake got him?" I ask as I search the horizon for a Drake.

"I doubt it. Hopper is fast. Fast enough to catch me in the middle of my [Step]," she says casually.

"Really? How did he manage that? Not even Luna was able to catch you mid-[Step]," I say in surprise.

"I'm not entirely sure. If we're going by raw numbers, Hopper has half the amount of [DEX] as Luna. Yet he was able to catch me, while Luna wasn't. What I do know is that when it comes down to it, he's quick. Quick enough to flee from a Drake if the need arises," she explains as the family of Giants lounge below.

"Odd, I wonder if-" A deafening roar shakes the mountains. Okay. That sounded like a Drake. Scanning the horizon, I don't spot a thing. I could've sworn it came from that direction. Danger suddenly appears from behind me. Without a word, I grab Penelope and jump off the edge. The moment our feet leave the ground, a beam of electricity carves a hole through our hiding spot. Good, we dodged. The rush of wind brushes past me as we plummet down towards the Giants. Fucking amazing, we dodged!

Penelope holds me tight and stabs her greatsword into the mountain. The sudden stop pops my back. Oh, that had been bothering me for a while. Danger! From below, a Giant palm reaches up to get us. Without hesitation, Penelope kicks off the mountain, avoiding the Giant and sending us right back into a freefall.

"What's the plan, now?" I ask as the ground comes barreling towards us.

"Hope," she says as a shield appears before us. The shield shatters, lessening the impact of the ground and kicking up a whole lot of dust. With a groan, I sit up and check my horns. Good, they're still there. Asymmetry isn't really my thing. Another ping of danger screams out from the dust. I quickly draw Stabby. The meaty palm of a Giant slams straight into me and Stabby, sending us flying. Penelope suddenly appears behind me and catches us before we can hit the mountain wall.

A painful throbbing feeling ripples through my arms as I look up at the five Giants.

"Penelope, tell me you got a plan."

"I have a plan," she lies.

"You're a terrible liar." As Penelope and I raise our weapons to fight, the same deafening roar from before shakes the mountain range. We, including the Giants, look up to find a horrifying sight. Two sets of yellow wings, two crackling blue eyes, four lizard-like legs, and a long spiked tail. A Lightning Drake. Specifically the Lightning Drake that is chasing Hopper down the mountain and right towards us.