I Became the Keeper of a Suspicious Forest - Chapter 50

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 50

 

“Oh? There was a guest here?”

 

Chad, who had been smiling brightly at Ponia, looked at Gideon with a puzzled expression.

 

The two guards who had been watching the door hurriedly entered.

 

“What, what’s this. You!”

 

When the guards belatedly tried to subdue him, Chad obediently let himself be caught. He fell forward and planted his face in the ground.

 

However, confusion was clearly visible on the guards’ faces.

 

These were guards personally assigned by the Emperor to protect the Crown Prince. They were skilled enough to hold their own anywhere, but they couldn’t handle one man who suddenly appeared and barged in recklessly.

 

But then, to suddenly collapse so helplessly like this?

 

“Ouch, that hurts. Guards, please be gentle.”

 

“This bastard! Do you take us for fools?”

 

“Ah! How could I!”

 

Ponia ran to him in surprise.

 

“Are you okay?!”

 

“I’m fine. Are you hurt anywhere?”

 

“I’m obviously fine. When did you get here?”

 

“I just got back. But I was surprised because there were so many people. I don’t see Nia either. I thought you moved while I was away.”

 

Even while being held captive, Chad conversed normally with his usual expression. Without showing any sign of fear, he rather reassured her.

 

And then, he spoke to the guards.

 

“Come on, guards, don’t do this in my own home!”

 

“This is your house?”

 

Suddenly.

 

Ponia jumped up and looked at Gideon. Gideon was quietly observing the situation.

 

“Those are this repairman’s tools. He came to repair the cabin.”

 

Thanks to Chad, she could make an excuse. Her mind, which had frozen along with seeing Gideon, finally seemed to start working again.

 

“Hmm, was there a repairman?”

 

Gideon touched his chin and looked at Chad for a long time with an unreadable expression. Chad also looked at him and smiled.

 

“He seems like a very high-ranking person?”

 

“This bastard, shut up!”

 

“Haha.”

 

Throwing out rude words that he would never dare say if he knew Gideon’s true identity.

 

However, Gideon raised his hand.

 

“That’s enough. Release that young man.”

 

“But, my lord. This man is suspicious. We should bind him and interrogate him.”

 

“It’s fine. Rather, I’m the one who entered this young man’s house without permission, so I should apologize.”

 

“My lord!”

 

“Didn’t I say it was fine.”

 

Despite the gentle tone, there was heavy pressure telling them not to cross the line any further. The guards stood up and stepped back.

 

Chad immediately stood up and positioned himself in front of Ponia. He blocked her from Gideon’s gaze. Gideon, who had been watching this scene with interest, spoke gently to Ponia.

 

“Still, a formal check is necessary for protocol. Would you step outside for a moment? It’s not proper for a woman to see a man’s body carelessly.”

 

“But…”

 

“Oh my! Of course!”

 

Chad, cutting off Ponia’s words, pushed her outside before the guards could.

 

“Nia should wait outside. No matter what, I’m also embarrassed to show my body to Nia.”

 

Ponia urgently spoke up.

 

“Chad doesn’t know that person well, but that person is a high-ranking noble.”

 

“I understand.”

 

He didn’t seem to understand at all. Chad, who didn’t relax his stern expression, was about to close the door when he brought his face close to her ear.

 

“And…”

 

“I won’t talk about Sio, so don’t worry. That would violate the contract terms. Right?”

 

Ponia, who had opened her mouth for a moment, soon frowned. Then she grabbed his ear and pulled him toward her.

 

“Ah! Nia, that hurts!”

 

“What are you saying. That person is really scary, so I was telling you not to act up and just stay quiet.”

 

“…”

 

“There are things in this world that can’t be solved with strength. Remember my words.”

 

At her gaze that seemed to be looking at a troublemaking sibling, Chad just blinked and then burst into laughter.

 

“…You’re laughing?”

 

“Ah, sorry, it’s just that nothing you say is what I expect.”

 

Ponia glanced toward the inside of the warehouse. She seemed to be thinking about whether there was a way to get him out.

 

“Nia really thinks of me as just a repairman who only knows how to use strength.”

 

“Aren’t you?”

 

“Actually, you’re right.”

 

Chad finally stopped laughing.

 

“Actually, I wasn’t feeling too good because it seemed like only I was being treated distantly until I came back.”

 

Then, he took off his glasses and handed them to her.

 

“But now I feel pretty good since it seems like I’m the priority.”

 

“Why are you suddenly taking off your glasses?”

 

“I thought I’d try using my charm now.”

 

“That kind of thing won’t work on that person though…?”

 

What an unbiased forest keeper.

 

“Never mind.”

 

Moving away from the forest keeper who couldn’t understand his words at all, he closed the door.

 

“See you later.”

 

* * *

 

Thud.

 

The forest keeper and the guards had all left their seats, leaving only Gideon and Chad in the warehouse.

 

Gideon’s smile and Chad’s light-hearted appearance both disappeared.

 

“First, shall we start with confirmation?”

 

“As you command.”

 

Chad rolled up his clothes to reveal his side. A long wound with a freshly formed scab was visible.

 

“So it wasn’t a lie.”

 

“Why would I lie to you, my lord?”

 

“Kneel.”

 

His tone wasn’t much different from before. Chad knelt on the ground as commanded.

 

This nature had been clearly revealed since he was hired, so he wasn’t surprised.

 

“I think I hired you as an assassin, not a repairman.”

 

“That’s correct. I lied to enter the forest.”

 

“Why bother?”

 

“It’s my principle not to touch anyone unrelated to the mission.”

 

Chad fell backward. Gideon had kicked him in the abdomen.

 

“How arrogant for an assassin.”

 

“I apologize.”

 

“Seeing you act so arrogantly, you must have shown results, right? So you found Sionel?”

 

Sionel stood up again and looked at Gideon.

 

He hadn’t given it much thought when lying about still searching. He had met an interesting person and wanted to enjoy this mission a little longer.

 

His eyes weren’t wrong.

 

Though he had met countless people and worn countless faces and personalities like masks, the forest keeper was someone he couldn’t imitate.

 

Someone who was suspicious yet consistently trusted people, made cold judgments yet was ultimately swayed by emotions, tried to make profit but always ended up at a loss.

 

Nia, no, Ponia Harbel was a contradictory existence.

 

He couldn’t imitate such a person. He still didn’t know everything about Ponia.

 

‘To the point where I’d want to keep her by my side and observe her if possible.’

 

But now that Gideon had come this far, his allocated time was over.

 

“Yes.”

 

“…”

 

“I found Sionel Devonham.”

 

The game was over now.

 

* * *

 

After finishing his conversation with Gideon, Chad came out of the warehouse. Ponia, who had been waiting for him, followed along. She held out his glasses.

 

“Here.”

 

“You waited to give me these?”

 

“Wasn’t that why you gave them to me?”

 

“You saw right through my scheme.”

 

Taking the glasses, he didn’t put them on. Ponia looked him over from head to toe. There didn’t seem to be anything particularly wrong.

 

“Nothing happened?”

 

“Of course not.”

 

‘That’s a relief then.’

 

No matter how she thought about it, it was strange that Gideon would let things slide so easily, but it seemed to have been unnecessary worry.

 

Feeling relieved, she looked at the glasses.

 

“Why aren’t you wearing your glasses?”

 

“I’ve decided on a course of action.”

 

Except for the strange things he says.

 

The guards had lit a campfire in front of the tent where the Crown Prince and Gideon would stay. Chad, who had been heading toward the blazing flames, suddenly stopped.

 

“Actually, I did some thinking before coming back. But I’d already made my decision.”

 

“About what?”

 

“I’ve decided to take your side.”

 

‘I found Sionel Devonham.’

 

‘….’

 

‘And I killed him.’

 

Perhaps he had expected this from the moment he postponed his mission.

 

That this Unnamed Man might cause him to fail his mission.

 

Putting aside complicated matters, Chad asked cheerfully.

 

“So with that in mind, what’s your ideal type?”

 

“…Suddenly?”

 

“I feel like I should know if I want to win Nia’s heart.”

 

“Why?”

 

Shadows fell across both their faces from the flames, then light appeared again.

 

It seemed a bit underhanded to say such things while Sionel was away.

 

“Because I like her.”

 

He had never known the direct approach to begin with.

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