29 A Game of Conspiracy

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE – A GAME OF CONSPIRACY

Levin said and Ericka had a deep thought about Scarlette's identity. She also heard about Scarlette's origin being unknown to everyone.

Even her Master didn't know where she came from.

'Is it possible‒? No, it can't be! I couldn't sense THAT familiar feeling coming from her.'

Ericka thought as she sighed and set aside those thoughts that swirling inside her mind.

She shook off her head as she diverts the topic back to the beginning as she began to speak.

"Aside from being an SSS-rank and the fact that Scarlette is the one who handled most of the Ground Zero Missions, why do you think that she is the one who could solve the problem?"

Ericka asked her Master out of curiosity and Levin let out a chuckled sound as he answered.

-{I think you have forgotten what her nickname is, Ericka}-

Before Ericka could speak another word, the light from the necklace disappeared and the emerald-haired woman knew that his Master had cut off the communication between them.

She sighs as she leans on the sofa. She swifts off her hands to cancel the barrier that she cast earlier.

She then ponders about the events that happen today.

'Why is the Master is so hard to read?'

When Levin turned off the communication necklace that connects to his assistant, he looked over at the black-clothed man inside the room.

Arms crossed around himself as he is leaning on the wall and didn't make eye contact with Levin.

"Follow Scarlette Overland and her companions but do it carefully since that woman's sharp observation skills are top-notch and she can feel even the slightest form of presence"

Levin said as he paused for a minute and the black-clothed man only listened to his Master's orders as Levin continued.

"Don't do anything and just observe them from afar. If anything goes wrong, quickly assist them"

Levin gave an order and the black-clothed man complied with the orders from his Master as he quickly disappeared using his shadow skills.

When the black-clothed man left, silence filled the air around the room.

When Levin is the only one inside his office, he sighed as he mumbled in the air.

"Scarlette Overland. What would you do now?"

….. 

After the trio left the Adventurer's Guild, Scarlette stopped her tracks and look back in the direction of the guild as her thoughts are starting to resurface once again.

'A Ground Zero Mission? More like a scheme if you asked me. I don't know what is your purpose but I'll play along with your silly games, Guildmaster Levin.'

Scarlette thought as she gritted her teeth under her veil while clenching her fist to restrain the incoming anger that builds inside her.

Scarlette knew about the Guildmaster of Adventurer's Guild. Of course, every adventurer knew about the Guildmaster.

But what she means to say is, Scarlette knew him personally.

'Is there something in Fordel Village that you need to lure me out from there? This Ground Zero mission seems to be more dangerous than the ones that I have taken before.'

Scarlette thought as she took a deep breath to compose herself.

"Where should we go next?"

The crimson-haired woman snapped her thoughts back when she heard what Jeffrey asked her.

"City Lord's office"

Scarlette said back in her usual speech that made Ryan groan in annoyance once more.

'Here we go again! Scarlette, could you please spare me with that kind of speech?!'

Ryan thought as he could beg mentally and he slumps his shoulder because of that.

Jeffrey could tell that Ryan is frustrated as he couldn't understand what Scarlette is saying and he felt pity for the chestnut-haired man.

Jeffrey sighed as he interprets what Scarlette is conveying; "We need to visit the City Lord's office for yesterday's incident. We have caused quite a ruckus in a public"

The auburn-haired man stated and Ryan knew that Jeffrey is interpreting what Scarlette is saying again.

"I thought that Scarlette already gave her report? Why do we need to go to the City Lord's office?"

The chestnut-haired man asked them and Scarlette just stared at him blankly as she speaks.

"To apologize"

She said and Ryan immediately looked at her when he heard that word.

"What? Apologize for?"

Ryan frowns when he asked and Jeffrey filled in the answers once again.

"We need to apologize personally as we made a disturbance in the public, especially you Ryan"

Jeffrey said and Ryan seems to understand where this conversation would go into.

He protests; "B-but…it's not my fault! That bastard is the one who started it!"

He complained as he made a frown on his face and Scarlette looked at him with cold eyes as she held her temples to ease the incoming headache.

"Whether you started it or not, think about what you have done yesterday, Ryan"

Scarlette said coldly at the chestnut-haired man and Ryan wants to refute but when he saw the crimson-lilac cold eyes looking at him, he bit his lips to shut himself.

But he clenches his fist to restrain his anger when he remembered what happened yesterday.

'Why do I need to apologize when I'm not the one who started it!'

Ryan thought as he tried his best to calm himself down and not to let his emotions overcome him.

Scarlette knew what she said might hurt the man's pride but she didn't try to comfort him as she wants Ryan to learn his mistakes.

She sighed as she speaks once again.

"I'm not good with words Ryan and you know that. There are times that I have been misunderstood by everyone because of my lack of communication skills with other people"

Scarlette said and Ryan looked at the crimson-haired woman when she starts explaining herself.

Ryan couldn't believe what he is hearing right now.

'D-did she just…what?'

Ryan thought as he looked at the crimson-haired woman dumbfoundedly.

Jeffrey, on the other hand, stays silent on the sideline as he looked back and forth to Scarlette and Ryan as they keep on talking.

'Scarlette might be cold and quiet as she portrays but she is not a heartless one. I have known her for three years and even so, I don't know what kind of life she lives before she became an adventurer.'

Jeffrey thought as he looked back at the situation in front and wait for them before he could interject.

Scarlette looked directly at the man's green mint eyes as she speaks.

"I don't blame you for what happened yesterday and I can share the blame if you want since I'm with you. Just apologize and get this done because no matter what you said, you still have caused a disturbance"

Scarlette explained to Ryan about the aftermath of the fight yesterday and when Ryan heard what the crimson-haired woman said, he immediately looked at her with wide eyes.

'Share the blame? It means…she would apologize as well even though she is the one who stops the fight? Why would she do that?'

Ryan thought as he didn't expect this to happen.

He and Scarlette only just met two days ago but the woman didn't mind helping him throughout this incident.

Ryan couldn't speak for a moment as he looked at Scarlette on how calm and composed she is when she said those words to him.

While Ryan is still lost in his thoughts, Jeffrey nows interjects the conversation as he speaks.

"I think we should go now and finish this at once. We need to go to Fordel Village as soon as possible since this is a Ground Zero mission and we don't know what might happen to us along the way"