Chapter 190
Silence passed.
Shadow’s expression is quite serious.
It’s not that I’m making such a face because I’m not particularly offended by my attitude.
I just can’t afford to care about my attitude.
I’m focusing all my attention on repeating what I said.
I didn’t bother brushing the shadows and waited slowly.
If this was a ‘transaction’ conducted on an equal footing, I wouldn’t have waited.
Because it is the basis of negotiations to push the opponent before he regains his composure.
But right now Shadow and I are not even in an equal relationship.
Gap is me, Eul is Shadow.
Shadow is the overwhelming underdog in this deal.
Shadow can never refuse my offer.
‘Desperation in trading is just another name for defeat.’
I can’t refuse even if it’s a somewhat unfavorable condition because I’m desperate.
That’s how things are right now.
Shadow can’t openly refuse my offer to ask for information first.
‘I just need to wait slowly.’
Just wait quietly while Shadow finishes all his thoughts.
Until you chew on my words, fantasize about me, and amplify your anticipation.
You just have to wait and wait.
It won’t take very long.
Like I said, Shadow is desperate.
Because the hope I’ve been dreaming of is right in front of my eyes.
‘At most one minute.’
Shadow will finish organizing all his thoughts within a minute and start talking again.
Surely the first comment would be like this.
‘It’s completely rolled up from the pasture.’
“… … You tied the knot completely wrong from the first knot.”
bingo.
“First of all, withdraw from what you said earlier. You too, the Dark Mage King, are the same. It is a monster that stands where I dare not judge.”
Shadow smiled with a slightly calm expression.
“Congratulations. monster. You are on the same level as the Dark Mage King, or something more.”
Shadow clapped exactly three times in an exaggerated motion.
“… … it’s a monster It’s a compliment that feels oddly bad. you’re a monster There are many other good expressions.”
“hmm. Was the noun monster an expression that could sound like criticism? Right. I will remember it.”
Shadow stares straight into my eyes. No, since there’s no way I can see the time, I should say that I’m pretending to stare.
“Understand. It’s because of this personality. I didn’t have a chance to catch someone’s notice or try to please them.”
It was a strangely complicated look.
“Well, honestly, it doesn’t matter either way. What’s important is… … .”
“The important thing is whether I will provide information first.”
“yes.”
I nodded.
“I will say it again. The mandatory condition I present is that you provide information first.”
“hmm. You have no trust in me at all.”
“You seem to be saying things for granted. I don’t know if you’re in a desperate state because of that curse, but how can I believe in you who have been freed from all spells?”
“It’s a theory.”
Shadow chuckled.
“Since it is a theory, I will return it to you as it is.”
Shadow’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“I don’t know if it’s you now who needs information about the Black Mage Tower, but after hearing the necessary information, how can I trust you, who has no business with me?”
“well. I wonder if they are hundreds of times more trustworthy than a wicked person like you.”
“Your trust and goodwill are only done with goodness in mind. Breaking a promise with the wicked is treated as trust, on the contrary. isn’t it? dissembler?”
Shadow answered without retreating an inch.
Speech is quite skillful.
If it had been an ordinary transaction, it might have been quite difficult.
“Both sides have no intention of conceding… … .”
But this is not an ordinary transaction, a negotiation between equals.
“Then this negotiation is broken.”
“… … .”
As others say, this deal has already been decided.
No matter how flashy the opponent is, there is no point in trying to embarrass me.
The answer is fixed.
“… … You have a very quick temper.”
“It’s just that I hate wasting time needlessly.”
“It’s a waste of time.”
Shadow laughed lightly.
“Right. I thought that if I put pressure on him with words, he might be shaken a little, but was that hope in vain?”
He shakes his head slightly and focuses his gaze on me again.
“good night. If that is the case, I will rule out all rubbish and speak straight to the point.”
Shadow’s momentum grew heavy.
“As you suggested, I will provide the information first from my side. Since it’s this side that’s desperate, I’ll have to make a concession first.”
“Hmm. Can I say so openly that you are more desperate? You will be much worse off.”
Saying something like that is like saying that you will already lose in negotiations.
“Does anything change when you say something you know to someone who already knows everything?”
Shadow snorted.
“The merits of this deal have already been decided. Both sides know that. So, is there any reason to hide it? does not exist. no. Rather, it can be said that it is advantageous not to hide it. If you declare that you are an underdog, you will be able to use your own method.”
How the underdog trades.
With those words, he could predict what the next Shadow would say.
“This time, I will propose from the weak side. I’ll give you some info first, but… … .”
“Can’t you give me all the information right now?”
I cut off Shadow’s words and continued.
“That is correct.”
Shadow clapped twice again.
“Because I have to have my own safety device. I will only provide half of the information.”
“And I will give you the remaining information after I extinguish your shadow. This is it.”
“okay.”
I will concede first, but only half. It meant this.
“And another one. Aside from what you know about my shadow, show your confidence or possibility that you can erase my shadow. That is the premise of this deal.”
It was a very reasonable proposal.
“As I said in advance, there is no negotiation further than this. This is more than the maximum amount. If you decline this offer, the negotiations will break down. Because I’m not stupid either. I have no intention of becoming a hogu who spreads everything without any safety devices.”
Shadow’s expression and gesture conveyed his determination.
It is claiming through the telegraph that there is no more concession than this.
“So what is the answer?”
If you were a normal person, you would have gotten something extra here.
If you see your opponent losing, you can hit the conditions more than enough.
If you think like this.
But it’s a handshake.
“great.”
The best move in this situation right now is not negotiating or trying, but simple affirmation.
“It perfectly matches the terms of the deal I had in mind. You do.”
Shadow had already presented the maximum conditions he could offer.
Wanting more than this is just greed.
“… … I mean, it’s clever too. He’s a good partner to trade with.”
Shadow, who took a moment to look at my expression, smiled and said that.
“Then can we say that the deal has been concluded?”
“okay.”
“great. I will not ask for a handshake. No matter how hard it is, I think it will be difficult to fight back in a situation with his hands.”
“You are thorough to the end. I like it even more.”
Shadow laughed as if he was having fun.
“Then, I will first carry out the conditions. Miho.”
I called Miho, who was constantly wary of Shadow in my arms.
“Very little. Just eat the shadows encroaching on your right hand.”
Miho nodded slightly.
“Put out your right hand.”
“… … okay.”
Shadow, who muttered, ‘Eat them away?’, slowly held out his right hand.
Shadow held out his hand, and Miho bit into it.
Aaaaaaaa-!
At that moment, light burst out.
Brilliant light filled the inside of the weak shadow barrier created by the shadow.
It immediately focused on Miho’s mouth.
No, should I say that it is focused on Shadow’s hand?
“… … !”
At that moment, Shadow’s eyes widened.
As if he felt something, his lips quivered.
Saaaa… … .
The light slowly faded away.
And soon after almost all the light is gone.
“Big!”
Shadow exclaimed.
A frowning expression, a flinching body, and so on.
is feeling the pain.
‘I wouldn’t feel any pain in removing the shadow.’
Why are you in pain?
The cause of Shadow’s pain was quickly found.
“ah.”
Hard!
Miho was chewing on Shadow’s right hand.
“Miho!”
As if Shadow didn’t like it very much, he didn’t let go of the hand he was biting despite my dissuade.
“Isn’t our Miho nice? Let it go.”
Had my earnestness been conveyed?
Even though Miho put on an expression that he really hated it, he opened his mouth as if it couldn’t be helped.
The teeth marks were clearly visible on Shadow’s right hand.
There was some blood, but it doesn’t look like a serious wound.
It seems that Miho has adjusted his strength.
Hey, if Miho had bitten off with all his might, he would have been able to slaughter it like biting into a cake.
“… … .”
Shadow looked at his right hand and his eyes trembled.
Tears welling up in both eyes. Was it that painful?
“I-I’m sorry. My little boy… … .”
I carefully handed over an apology while looking at the shadow.
“… … .”
But Shadow still didn’t respond.
With tears hanging from her eyes, she was only staring blankly at her hands with trembling lips.
“it hurts… … .”
Your voice is trembling.
“it hurts… … it hurts… … .”
He grabbed his right hand and lowered his head.
bowed head. Tears flowed from the eyes covered by the bangs.
‘ah.’
Only then did I know why Shadow reacted like that.
When you think about it, it was natural.
‘I’m glad I got my sense of touch back.’
Shadow was deprived of all senses by Umbra’s shadow.
Shadow is deprived of all five senses.
Such Shadow became aware of the tactile sense through the pain.
Even though it was painful, I felt it.
that’s happy
I understand.
Right now, when I lost my five senses while training with Elena.
Because I’ve been through quite a bit of hell.
If only the sense of touch had returned in that hopeless situation, I would have reacted as violently as Shadow.
“iced coffee… … . no… … . don’t disappear… … .”
Soon, the shadow began to encroach on his right hand again, and the pain seemed to start to disappear.
Shadow muttered in an earnest voice not to leave.
It was a pretty sad voice.
“… … .”
Soon the pain seemed to disappear completely.
Shadow’s actions also stopped.
I quietly watched Shadow for a while.
As much as it shakes quite a bit, it will take a decent amount of time until you get your mind together.
“… … I looked like I couldn’t see. forget it.”
About 3 minutes passed like that.
Shadow, who had calmed down to some extent, said so in a slightly trembling voice.
It was a trembling caused by shame.
“I heard that you can indirectly experience the five senses through shadows. That she felt pain, is that something to be moved that much?”
“… … You know so much about my shadow. Do you even know that?”
“yes. Maybe if I knew better than you, I wouldn’t know.”
It is not only sight and hearing that are experienced indirectly through shadows. Even the sense of touch can be felt indirectly through the amount of shock absorbed by the shadow.
“Certainly, it is possible to feel the five senses indirectly. but… … .”
Shadow looked at his right hand with murderous eyes.
“That is all. A fake is just a fake.”
Shadow clenched his fists.
“It would have been better if I hadn’t been able to feel it even indirectly… … .”
A grip of anger.
As if everything in the world was resentful, both eyes were burning with anger.
“after. Let’s not talk about this here. You won’t be able to understand if I explain further anyway.”
As if he didn’t want to think about it any more, he cut off the topic altogether.
And then it brings up the subject again.
“I knew you could really remove my shadow. The condition has been met.”
Shadow turned his gaze to me.
“Then, it’s your turn to fulfill the conditions I suggested.”
The condition suggested by Shadow.
Provides information about the Black Mage Tower.
I listened to Shadow’s words.
What kind of information will come out?
“Originally, I was going to talk about this later, but… … . My thoughts have changed. If you’re this certain, it’s better to block anything that could endanger your safety.”
“… … Danger to yourself?”
“okay.”
Shadow narrowed his eyes and said.
“Shin Ha-ryul. You are currently designated as a special S-class dangerous person inside the Black Mage Tower.”
My eyes sharpened.
“… … Could you elaborate?”
