Transmigrated As The Final Villain of a Death Game-Chapter 122: The Harper Citadel Arc [ 4 ]

"I don’t know what you’re talking about."

Clementine and I rose together.

Right as we turned to leave, Kai reappeared in front of me.

"Oh come now! There’s no need to act so distant. I’m really good when it comes to searching for people. I also couldn’t help but notice how you two have been watching me ever since I got here."

"You’re very loud."

I furrowed my brows.

"We don’t need your help."

He seemed a little dissatisfied.

But neither Clementine nor I cared as we walked away.

Turning corner after corner, I thought we lost him.

Yet that was when his voice rang out from above.

"I know you’re looking for demons. I’m here on a mission for them too."

I glanced up and spotted him resting on a hammock.

"Honestly, you guys really aren’t very subtle. You, Mikael, in particular. You scanned my body all over as if you were looking for a demonic core."

"You saw those couple of priests that went into the cathedral? They brought along some alchemy equipment, and I’m down to bet they’re planning to use it inside their little basement on that demon they captured."

Hearing that, my frown deepened further.

"Basement?"

Kai leaned over the hammock and met my gaze.

"You didn’t see it? How amusing..."

Without saying another word, he vanished out of sight, reappearing on the ground in front of me.

"I’m going to have some breakfast since I’m starving. I’ll catch up with you two later. See ya~"

He vanished once again.

I felt his presence back at the ramen place.

This whole encounter made me even more confused.

They have a basement?

I made sure to do a thorough check on even the priest energies.

None of them led to any kind of basement.

Was Kai just messing with me?

"Mikael?" Clementine called out.

Turning toward her, I was met with a slight frown.

"I just checked. They really do have a basement. It’s inside Fivien’s room."

I raised a brow.

"Inside his room?"

"I have my weapons scanning the whole city. I sent one of them to check out his room as well. There’s a passage leading underground behind his bookshelf. I know there’s a staircase, but I’d need to get inside his room if I want to phase inside."

Tilting my head, I asked:

"Can’t you phase in from outside the cathedral?"

She shook her head.

"If I can’t see the area from outside, that means it’s guarded against detection Gifts and ethereal forms like my own. I could probably approach it, but I might get trapped inside."

This changes things.

At first, I had planned on checking out everyone suspicious... but what if the answer was right in front of me all this time?

"I can’t see the priests from before. I can’t see Fivien either. My guess is that they entered that underground area. Should we...?"

"Yes."

We should go there and check it out.

If we could catch them in the act, it would be perfect.

But it seemed like Clementine thought otherwise.

"I think we shouldn’t."

"Why not?"

"It’s too reckless. So what if we catch them in the act? Killing four Arch Priests in their own cathedral... It’s not wise."

She rubbed her chin slightly.

"I know you hate demons, and all people who associate with them. That’s the reason you killed that instructor back then. But if we want to live and reach the end, we shouldn’t make hasty decisions."

"Let’s wait until they leave that underground area. Instead, why don’t we try to get people on our side? What do you think about telling the Vermillion family about this?"

...She’s right.

If we go in like this, we would be risking more than we’re gaining.

I ruffled my own hair in irritation.

"Fine. The Vermillions are still eating, so we can try it. Though I don’t think it’ll work."

Clementine let out a chuckle.

"Well, that’s what everyone who tries to do everything by themselves thinks. Isn’t that right?"

I raised a brow.

"Since when did you get so knowledgeable?"

"Who knows~?"

She tip-toed away from me, her hands behind her back.

She waved one of her hands at me, as if signaling for me to take it.

I rolled my eyes and grabbed her hand.

The two of us soon began making our way across the citadel, passing by several priests who offered some bread to us.

They probably thought I was a hobo since I had a little bit of blood on my shirt.

Either way, Clementine accepted the bread in my stead and finished eating it by the time we arrived at the inn where the Vermillion family was eating.

It wasn’t the fanciest of inns.

But then again, this family was probably used to eating in the trenches.

So with that in mind, I pushed the door open and glanced around.

The inn was pretty much empty except for the innkeeper and the three Vermillions sitting at a round table, eating and drinking food without a care in the world.

"You should have seen his face! Hahaha!"

"Brother... Shut up already. You’re too loud."

"Come on, who gives a shit? Do you think these priests would come here and tell us off?"

They continued to chat without even noticing our presence.

Finding the right time to slip away from my grasp, Clementine happily skipped on over to the innkeeper and ordered us some food and alcohol.

Then, she ran back to me with a smile, grabbed my hand, and led me to a seat that was right beside the Vermillion family.

She was acting really bold.

Did reading all that manga and observing how I interact with people make her an extrovert?

"Mikael, can we get some accessories for our home later? I saw these nice turtle shells. Maybe we could hang them outside our windows?"

She began to giggle, and I smiled.

Even if it was an act, she was still cute.

"Why don’t we get a pet turtle instead?"

Her eyes lit up.

"Really?"

"Uh... Maybe? Do you want a pet turtle?"

Right as she was about to reply, the black-haired woman chimed in:

"Don’t get a turtle. Those things are as useless as snails. You can’t even pet them properly because their shell is hard."

She was the only woman at their table.

Since she’s the sister of one of them... She might be one of the direct successors to the Vermillion family line.

Next to her was her brother, and the other person... Maybe a cousin?

But clearly, Clementine wasn’t as interested in the specifics like me.

"Well, if not a turtle, then what should we get?"

"A winter fox or maybe a polar bear. Both of them are excellent pets."

Clementine raised a brow.

"Have you had any of those pets?"

The woman smiled.

"I still do. My polar bear even has its own children now."

That was kind of cute.

But then again, when the woman finished speaking, she realized very quickly what this was.

"You sat down beside us even when the whole inn is open. Since you don’t look like some envious commoners... What do you want from us?"