The three snickered, and they even knocked their knuckles with each other like they hit the jackpot.
"Nothing much. Since you're rich, then give us ten thousand gil each to seal our lips."
"Ten thousand?" my eyes widened with fake surprise.
"I don't have that kind of money," I denied. With all the lies I had made, I was beginning to get the hang of this.
The three looked at each other, whispering with one another like they were in an important meeting.
"Alright," player one said after their short conversation. "We'll lower the price to five thousand," he bargained.
That was fifteen thousand gil in total. Achievable, but I was not to let them take advantage of me.
<They kind of already did, Host>
"I don't have that kind of money," I said, shaking my head. "Whoever your source is, he told you wrong. I'm just a newbie, and I only found a pouch of gil. I only have ten thousand gil left here with me," I said with a sigh.
<Host's acting had improved. Congratulations! Keep it up and continue to lie!>
Shut it. If you have some time to comment, then help me get out of this situation.
<Just kill them. End of story>
Could you suggest something that involved no killing?
<Buy the Evil Pocket Dimension and gift them to Dementia>
". . ."
Our conversation was disrupted when the three-spoke again.
"Alright. Give us that ten thousand if you don't want a world of pain."
". . ." I didn't want to prolong this situation any longer, so I gave them what they asked, and the three left while laughing.
"Hahahaha. What a pushover!"
"Man! This is big money. This is the first time that we got this amount without killing beasts for days."
"Newbies are the best!"
<Host, should really just kill them>
It was just money. I said to it in my mind as I watched the back of the three. I'll earn it again, but a life loss would never return.
I looked at my surroundings. There were a few players in the area, but they avoided any eye contact. They were walking and minding their own business like they didn't see anything. Like I was invisible in their eyes.
pαпdα Йᴏνê|,сòМ I could understand that they didn't want to get involved. Those three were already seniors, and they would graduate from this school tomorrow.
They were old players, and no one wanted to fight them. In fact, I saw in their eyes that there was a certain kind of admiration and jealousy towards the three. I felt like they even wanted to attack me for easy money.
I was disappointed the more I observed the players around me. They demonstrated that bullies were rewarded and beloved by society as long as they possessed a certain set of characteristics, while nice people who didn't were ostracized and got taken advantage off.
<Does Host wants to be the Evil Overlord now?>
I didn't say that.
I hurried back to the dorms and snapped the door shut.
"Are you okay?" Thomas asked me the moment I entered the room.
"A-ah . . ." I couldn't look him in the eyes, for I only thought about that 'reliable source' those three spoke off.
It was not that I suspected Thomas, but I couldn't talk or meet his gaze right now.
<That's called being suspicious of someone>
". . . I-I'm fine," I said.
Thomas took a step closer to me, peering upward at me with worry in his eyes. "You don't seem very well. Are you feeling sick?"
"Huh? No, it's nothing like that. I'm just hungry, is all," I said and let down the food I bought on the stalls on the table.
Thomas gave me an exasperated look and then sighed. "Did something happen in the coliseum?"
I vehemently denied it with a strong shake of my head.
"No. I left the arena after an hour." I picked a kebab and munched on it while I steadied my eyes on the food.
". . . Is that so?" Thomas went to his bed and covered his face with a book.
Did he notice that I didn't want to talk with him? Come to think of it. I didn't ask him to join me.
Though right now . . . I didn't want him to join me.
I took a deep breath. With just their words, my relationship with Thomas was ruined.
I knew that I shouldn't be suspicious without a shred of valid evidence, but I couldn't help myself.
The players that I had encountered in the past all betrayed me, and I was traumatized by my past encounters that the slightest show of backstabbing made me suspicious.
And that was why I thought that Thomas might have something against me.
That he would betray me at any given time.
But then again, what if he really didn't? What if it was really those three?
Thomas turned around and smiled at me. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," I said and shot straight. He must have noticed that I was staring at him.
"Are you okay?" he asked again.
"Yeah, just tired."
"Then you should rest early." He beamed and continued reading his book.
Why did I feel like crying?
I really didn't want to suspect him.
Thomas was different than the rest. I kept telling myself.
But the suspicion was like poison that spread and clouded my brain and judgment.
"Okay then." I nodded and quickly finished my food and stored the rest in my inventory, and went to bed.
"Good night, Cross. See you tomorrow," Thomas said, and he was even nice to blow out some of the candles on the table and only left one for him to read his book.
"See you," I replied and closed my eyes.
I felt icky that I didn't have the chance to wash my face or even clean my mouth, but I didn't have any energy to do all that.
I just wanted to rest my mind and forget everything that happened today.
I stared at the ceiling and tried to calm myself.
I think an hour passed, and I was still staring blankly at the ceiling as I heard the flipping of pages from Thomas's side of the bed.
I hate to admit . . . but because of those three, I couldn't sleep, for I feared that Thomas would do something to me.
I hate it . . . but the seed of suspicion was already planted inside me, and I couldn't get it off no matter what I did.
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