Absolute Depravity: Reincarnated with a lustful System-Chapter 59 - The Merchant Of Oddities

A few hours after Haruki had killed the wolves, the meat brought back by Helma and Mortar was being cooked into a stew. Gathered around in a circle the entire group sat in silence gazing either into the flame or at nothing through mid-air. For the first time throughout the journey, Haruki's mind was free of all worries.

"About the compensation…" Bringing his attention to Kane, Haruki gave a weak smile. "You'll be properly compensated, every one of you so don't worry about it."

Upon hearing the news pleased gasps left everyone's lips. The journey so far had been a hundredfold more chaotic than they'd expected so knowing that they'd be appropriately compensated for it was a delight to hear.

"Mhmm.." The sounds of ruffling clothes broke the joyous moment.

Following the sound by instinct, everyone's eyes turned to the lady with the wolf head scarf. Laying on top of a blanket farther away from the flame, she flipped around to feel the warmth over her face.

"Wh-where am I?" She mumbled. Squinting her eyes she tried to make out the unfamiliar faces.

Realizing that she was surrounded by an assembly of strange-looking characters, her eyes widened up in astoundment. Shaking her head, she tried to prop herself up quickly, however, with little to nothing in her stomach, she fell right back onto the blanket.

"Ouch!" she squealed out in hurt.

"Heal!" moving closer to her, Pon began healing the spot she just hit on the ground. "Don't move too much, the food is almost done."

Cluelessly staring at Pon for a while, she nodded her head in agreement. Perhaps seeing how he was trying to heal her let her know that they were trying to help. After a while, as the food was done, Haruki had to convince Asuka that the woman needed to be served before him given her condition.

"So, who are you exactly?" Asked Haruki, unsure what to make of her.

The wolf scarf, the red striped clothes with dark brown leather as well as the pointed end to her shoulder gave the lady an unforgettable distinct look. Tied in a ponytail, her brown hair bounced as she greedily devoured the stew before replying to Haruki's question.

"Sorry…ahaha," scratching the back of her head, she beamed the smile of a dunce. "I'm Fey Rue, I'm a traveling merchant, but…"

Nervously brushing her cheek with her index, her eyes dejected down with a hint of embarrassment.

"But what?" Asuka asked. 𝑏𝑒𝑑𝘯𝑜𝘷𝑒𝑙．𝑐𝘰𝘮

"I got lost…" she whispered so quietly that it escaped even Asuka's keen senses.

"What was that? I didn't hear it," added Riley.

"I got lost okay! Laugh if you want!" Looking away in shame, she turned her back towards the crowd.

The adventurers took a glance at each other before actually bursting into hysteria. To them, the very idea of a wandering trader being lost was so hysterical that they just couldn't control it even if they wanted to. Pon being closest to Fay, however, tried his best, but ultimately failed and began apologizing for joining the others.

"Ughh! Stoppp!" As her anger began to grow, the eyes of her wolf scar began to glow. Shocking everyone further, the wolf heads raised themselves over Fay's shoulder and growled.

'Are those spirits?' Haruki wondered, glaring right into those glowing eyes. 'Glowing eyes are too much of a tell.'

"Calm down, where were you headed?" Haruki asked, trying to divert the flow of conversation. "Maybe we can help you get there."

Hearing his offer to help, Fay quickly flipped around with a shocked expression. She couldn't believe that a stranger wanted to help her so much.

"Really?!" She asked, her eyes glowing with innocence.

Being handed another bowl of stew by Asuka, Haruki took it in his hand before turning to look at Fay again. In his mind, he knew that befriending someone who could fiddle with souls was bound to be helpful in the long run, and thus he was more than willing to offer her some help.

"If it's in our path, then sure, we can take you there," he answered, making sure he sounded genuine.

"Thank the LORD!" Springing up to her feet, Fay jumped around in circles. "I knew Atlas won't abandon me!"

Celebrating all by herself, she reached into the stringed pouch resting by her hips. Although it had been empty when Riley had taken a look inside, Fay took out a handful of confetti to spread around as she laughed.

'This girl is absolutely mental, should I really take this risk? I already have clovers acting childish around me anyway.' Severely doubting his judgment a hefty sigh left Haruki's mouth. But the very next moment as the wolf head squealed about happily and licked Fay's face, his mind quickly changed once again. 'That rug-like scarf must be possessed by the spirits of wolves, if I can learn that ability then if one of us dies, I can transfer their soul into one of my clones.'

"If you're done celebrating and giggling, care to tell us your destination?" Upon hearing Haruki's call, Fay stopped her childish dance.

"Ahaha, sorry, it's just a habit…Ahem!" As she corrected her posture, the wolf heads fell back down like rags. "I'm trying to find someone called…um, what was the name again?"

Tapping her fingers on her chin, she managed to annoy everyone without realizing it. However, as the name finally came back to her head, she jumped happily on the spot and shouted.

"Moriyana Malice! Yes, that's the name, I heard she's taken permanent residence in Laria, even though she's a peddler like me," her answer shocked both Haruki and Asuka.

It made them wonder just why someone like her was looking for Moriyana. From her appearance as well as her childish acts it didn't seem like she was a succubus or any other kind of demon.

"We're headed there, but why are you looking for her?" Placing the stew bowl on a stump, Haruki focused only on Fray's answer.

"She has something I want, I can't tell you what it is though sorry ehehe!" The last of her words confirmed Haruki's suspicion that the journey further was going to be worse than torture.

'Even if I had no other choice, there's no way in hell I am turning her into a servant.' Unlike the clovers who carried a hint of charm, Fay's obnoxious behavior had no redeeming quality.

"You can travel with the unlucky clovers," pushing her responsibility to the novice adventurers Haruki picked the bowl back up.

"Ehhhh?"

"What?!"

"Um…"

The clovers obviously, weren't too happy with the decision.