Deadline Is Raining in the Status Window - Chapter 141

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Merchants don’t nitpick every detail with each other. Unless someone’s being completely taken advantage of, it’s better to give a little ground and keep the relationship going for mutual benefit. I’m not a merchant myself, but if I tell the Spice Merchant about what happened today, he’ll find a way to profit from it.
Then later, I’ll hear gratitude from the Spice Merchant and maybe receive some favor in return. Since I’ve also gotten acquainted with the Jeweler Woman this time, I’m building my network through the Spice Merchant as a middleman. When I need to deal with jewelry in the future and visit the Jeweler Woman again, by then I’ll be someone she knows, and I can receive discounts as a regular customer.
Save the meticulous negotiations for corporate deals with lawyers. With small business owners, it’s better to become friendly in a casual way—it pays off later.
“Still, shouldn’t fair dealings be better?”
“Gerth, you were born to serve the Serpent King.”
“Thank you.”
Those of high station are best when fair and honest. Gerth found his place immediately upon arrival. My compliment made him a little bashful.
After knowing someone for a long time, I’ve come to notice even his smallest changes. That gesture and expression just now were truly wonderful in how they fulfilled my desires. My heart feels enriched.
“Wow! Look over there! The Forsaken Frozen Heart!”
“Where! Where is the Forsaken Frozen Heart!”
I never expected to experience something like a secret celebrity date. The moment that cursed Forsaken Frozen Heart name was mentioned, crowds swarmed in, and questions and requests came pouring in—was the person next to me a boyfriend, could I sign something.
I calmly used Free Freeze to drive ice pillars into the ground. Even if I showed my temper, thinking of the Forsaken Frozen Heart character kept me from breaking character. This level of response was acceptable. Sera Crowell would certainly say the same.
“This is private time. If you want autographs, I’ll give them, but line up in order.”
When I spoke coldly, people quickly formed a line, and those who wanted to leave did so. Since time was precious, I’d sign autographs right in front of the Record Shop. Once Gerth finished shopping and came out, I could join him immediately.
“Gerth. Go shopping.”
“Understood.”
While signing, people asked me various things. First, they asked what my relationship was with the Heart of Emptiness, so I said he was just a work colleague, which made people squeal with delight everywhere. Then they asked about the red-hearted one with flames or hearts in their eyes—what was my relationship with them. I answered that we fight over each other’s hair constantly, but we’re friends regardless, and some people shrieked with joy while others clicked their tongues in disapproval.
Isn’t it good to be close? What kind of relationship were they hoping for?
“Evan. Shopping is done.”
“Yeah. I’m almost finished too.”
I’ve only released a single album and already people are clinging to me like this. If I release a full-length album, I won’t be able to go outside at all. I should tell the Club members to prepare hats, masks, and sunglasses.
“You’re the last one. Thank you for loving Dekarucha.”
“Thank you so much! I’ve already pre-ordered a hundred copies of the full album!”
I’m sorry. I’m really sorry the photo cards are random. I felt so bad for the person buying a hundred copies that I shook their hand, hugged them, and even lectured them about not making impulsive purchases. Seeing them say they’d buy a thousand copies for the second album, it seemed like they didn’t really listen to what I said.
“Evan. You’re far too popular.”
“Well, it was a nationwide release.”
“But it’s good that I can get many of your photos.”
Yeah, it looks like he bought a lot. He didn’t need to buy every single type. Is he planning to carry all that to get rings fitted?
Gerth, who had bought glow sticks, posters in various sizes, photo books, and even collaboration drinks, was holding paper bags in both hands. The fact that he only bought one record album suggested he didn’t know about photo cards. If I tell him, he’ll probably overspend. If I don’t tell him, he might resent me later. A dilemma.
“Gerth. Are you going to carry all that around?”
“I am strong.”
“It’s cumbersome. Let’s leave it at the shop.”
“There was such a method.”
I asked the Record Shop owner’s permission and headed to the shop where Reina Letem was a regular customer. The moment I mentioned Reina Letem’s name, we were ushered into a VIP room where we only had to browse catalogs and examine the rings presented to us one by one.
We chose a formal platinum ring with a small diamond set in it, had it sized on the spot, and slipped the rings on side by side before leaving the shop. Gerth kept fidgeting with his left hand as if the ring felt strange on him.
“Evan. Does wearing this change anything?”
“A ring means you’re taken. Maybe people will stop approaching you?”
“There hasn’t been anyone like that in the past five hundred years.”
That made sense. Among humans and demons alike, there probably wasn’t a soul bold enough to approach the Serpent King with a confession of love.
“But that’s not what puzzles me.”
What is? I asked, and Gerth seized both my hands, lifting them to examine the rings adorning my fingers.
“Why do you have three of them?”
“One is a friendship ring I matched with Kanna. Another assists me when I cast spells. The one marking you—the one I bought with you, Gerth—that’s the only one.”
“I see.”
Gerth straightened his shoulders, his face radiating unmistakable pride. How adorable.
“Gerth. You were just adorable.”
“Thank you. You’re adorable too, Evan.”
“No. You’re more adorable, Gerth.”
“Thank you. But you’re more adorable, Evan.”
This would go on forever if we let it. We abandoned our adorableness competition and decided to head to the Record Shop to retrieve our belongings. Carrying a bag each, Gerth and I carefully located the establishment name written on the hotel key Reina had tossed us, and arrived at the front desk.
The room number on the key gave no indication of the floor, suggesting it was a private suite rented exclusively by House of Letem. When I requested directions using Reina Letem’s name, a bellboy appeared and carried our luggage for us.
“Evan. You’re remarkable.”
“Why the sudden compliment?”
“When I first arrived, I could only look at the ceiling.”
Unable to comprehend what he meant, I pressed Gerth for details and learned of his experiences at the Hotel during his invitation to the Integrated Market. Gerth had endured quite a trial getting to Ilam.
Now that I thought about it, he’d been quite grimy back then. Could the dirt clinging to him be related to stress?
Observing Gerth from head to toe, he appeared considerably cleaner than when we’d first met at the Brandenburg Townhouse. Despite having no opportunity to bathe in the interim, his appearance had naturally improved—it seemed psychological state truly did matter.
“Everything is prepared. Please enjoy your time.”
The bellboy opened the door, transferred our luggage, and departed with a loaded parting remark. Finding nothing amiss in the modest living room, I opened the bedroom door to discover darkness within, several candles burning with an odd fragrance, and rose petals scattered across the bed.
Reina’s doing, I intuited immediately.
“The cleaning seems incomplete.”
Gerth declared this with satisfaction. Since the man was clearly intent on tidying up, I graciously allowed him to do so while I freshened up. Though I suspected this “incomplete cleaning” was actually something he’d meticulously arranged, I chose to offer no commentary.
I despised the sight of those roses anyway.

I hadn’t noticed it before, but no matter how much I brushed my clothes, sawdust kept falling out. I must have gotten absolutely covered in stone dust and wood shavings when I tore through Zibenstein House earlier. So that’s why Gerth told me to wash first. I felt a fresh wave of gratitude toward him.
Grateful as I was, I scrubbed my body and hair thoroughly, dried myself vigorously, changed into a robe, and hung my school uniform outside with a laundry tag. When I returned to the bedroom, Gerth—who had cleaned the room until it sparkled like his own home and opened the windows wide for ventilation—stood holding a dish towel and a broom in both hands. Where on earth had he gotten all these cleaning supplies?
“Evan…!”
Gerth dropped the broom and towel. I wondered what he was so startled about, but his gleaming eyes were fixed directly on me.
“Your hair color has become much lighter!”
Oh no—I must have scrubbed my hair too hard while washing. I tried to hide my damp hair with my hands, but it was already too late. Gerth grabbed both my arms and lifted me up, examining my silver hair with traces of blue dye still clinging to it.
“This happened once before. If something is wrong with you, tell me.”
“Generally speaking, there’s no disease that changes hair color.”
“You never know. If you’re not feeling well, tell me.”
What should I do? It seemed Gerth wouldn’t be satisfied with a vague excuse, and since I didn’t want to lie to him, I carefully explained the truth about why I dyed my hair.
“Gerth. The truth is, I have silver hair. The blue tint comes from dyeing it.”
“Why do you dye it? Your silver hair is beautiful, Evan.”
“My mother’s hair is blue.”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“As her daughter, shouldn’t I share some resemblance with her?”
When I first started living in Ilam, having hair the same color as my mother’s gave people a reason to believe I was her daughter, making it easier for me to blend in.
“You don’t need to make such an effort. Evan already looks like her child.”
“Why does that sound like an insult?”
“It’s not an insult.”
But why did it sound like one? I was about to feel a bit offended when I remembered I still needed to explain, so I continued speaking to Gerth.
“Hubert is a fox. He’s a different species from you.”
“That’s true.”
“But through eye color and hair color, they show their father-son relationship, don’t they?”
“I see.”
So it was a consideration to make it easier for people to recognize us. Only then did Gerth understand, and he expressed concern about whether dyeing my hair so frequently was exhausting.
“There’s a color-depositing shampoo. It’s very convenient.”
While vigorous washing like before would fade the color quickly, since I wash my hair every day anyway, as long as I don’t run out of shampoo, I can maintain the blue hair indefinitely. After I explained all this, Gerth’s expression relaxed with relief, and he picked up the dish towel and broom again.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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