Don’t Be Holy! - Chapter 104

She expected Chrome to get angry and call her nonsense, but instead, he seemed to ponder her words and nodded.

“You’re right. Then how about the classic method of faking your death and reappearing dramatically later?”

“Yeah. Let’s do that.”

It was impossible to refuse when a tiny rabbit was earnestly stroking its chin, deep in thought, and making suggestions.

Besides, it was the method Eir wanted—one where she wouldn’t betray him until the very end.

“Then trust me and jump when you see a dark cliff below. Remember, it has to be a dark cliff. If you fall into a sunny spot, you’ll die instantly.”

“What happens if I fall into a dark place? Do I turn into an owl or something?”

Eir pointed to the owl letter envelope she had received from her grandmother’s friend. Chrome clicked his tongue.

“What are you talking about? You’ll be consumed by the darkness. It’s better if there’s no body left—it’ll drive them crazy.”

He added with a serious expression.

He must have enjoyed reading romance novels. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be so immersed in the idea of “dramatic effects.”

“Anyway, got it? A dark cliff. And don’t jump right away—hesitate a little. That’ll give me time to prepare.”

Eir nodded with a smile, unable to take the sight of the hardworking rabbit seriously. Chrome was about to scold her for her lack of seriousness when he suddenly sensed something and froze.

Chrome’s small body stood still, his ears perking up. Then he dashed into the shadows and melted away.

‘So that’s what being consumed by darkness looks like.’

Eir couldn’t help but marvel.

“What are you doing? Why are you talking to yourself?”

At that moment, Rubel returned with several pieces of cut bamboo.

He glanced around, checking if something had been near Eir. His hearing was sharp.

Eir hadn’t even heard him cutting the bamboo because she was too busy talking to Chrome.

“Oh, nothing. I was just talking to a cute animal I saw.”

Rubel tilted his head, wondering if that was another witch ability.

“Speaking of which, it reminds me of something.”

He added as if it had just occurred to him.

“Back at the cliff in Solvik. You sent an owl, right? What was that about?”

Caught off guard, Eir coughed violently. She pretended the smoke was bothering her and moved away, answering calmly.

“It was, of course, a request for help.”

“To whom?”

His voice and demeanor grew calm, but Eir realized he wasn’t asking out of curiosity—he was asking as the judge who hunts witches.

Eir swallowed nervously and answered.

“At Grandma’s funeral, a witch who was her friend showed up. She said it was Grandma’s last wish—that if I asked for help, she’d help me once. So I asked for help.”

“And? Did you get a response?”

“Not yet.”

“Still?”

His eyes sharpened as he scrutinized her from head to toe. It wasn’t a lie, though.

She really hadn’t received a response from Grandma’s friend.

Instead, she had sent her own subordinate to help. But she hadn’t sent a “reply,” had she?

Seeing that Eir didn’t seem to be lying, Rubel softened his sharp aura.

He couldn’t keep this up for long because of her skittishness.

“You should be careful.”

He warned as he sat down. Eir, meanwhile, was nervously asking, “Of what?”

Rubel sighed and added.

“Witches. Deception and seduction are their basics. The witch who appeared at Hecate’s grave could have been a fake.”

“But she seemed to genuinely miss Grandma.”

“Even those emotions can be fabricated and displayed. That’s what witches are.”

He didn’t seem to realize the irony of warning her, a witch, about witches. Eir watched as Rubel split the bamboo and filled it with water, then suddenly asked.

“Do you think of me that way too?”

Rubel, busy working, looked up at her as if to ask what she meant.

Eir asked again. She didn’t know why it mattered, but she really wanted to hear his answer.

“I mean, I’m a witch too. Do you think I’m deceiving you like that?”