The bard fantasized again.

Chapter 26 Betrayal
Casting an illusion is often much simpler than seeing it off. The former means you understand it's fake, the latter means you have to guess whether it's fake. And clearly—you guessed right.

You have obtained 'True Vision Eye Drops':
A potion that can help you see through illusions, lasting for 8 hours.

Remarks:

It's best not to use it when you're under the spell of illusion. Otherwise, you could be wallowing in the false allure instead of confronting a drooling hag.

"【Alertness】 and 【True Sight Eye Drops】... I actually got two rewards this time?"

The moment after reading the log, Tang Qi suddenly felt a bulge in his pocket.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a small glass bottle about the length of a finger.

The liquid inside was crystal clear; if you didn't know it was a medicine, it would look more like a small bottle of water.

"It's best to carry this kind of thing with you at all times."

He put the potion back in his pocket, then turned to the title page and saw that his fame and followers were still 'unknown' and a lonely '1', confirming that this was not a benefit brought about by 'widespread fame'.
"So, the reward I received came from my actions in the story."

Does the value of the reward have anything to do with the story's brilliance and complexity?

For example, the previous "tavern performance" was only a single event.

This time, the "Finding Xingmei" is a combination of "exploring the cave" and "exposing the lie".

As a result, they received two reviews and two rewards.

Tang Qi felt as if he had figured out the reward pattern of the log:
“I’ve tried making up fake stories, other people’s stories, but the writing on them would fade away and I wouldn’t get any reward.”

This means it's encouraging me to actively participate in more and more complex events; as long as I'm alive to claim it, I shouldn't try to survive by clinging to the past..."

Danger can bring opportunity; it is clearly a double-edged sword.

"Kuru".

Tang Qi called out, and in the corner, a kobold was holding a long staff and studying diligently.

I'm afraid it won't put down this precious stick, even when it's sleeping or dreaming.

Because he asked a few more questions about the 'dragon egg' after dinner, which displeased the kobolds, they didn't say another word to him after he returned to his room.

But after all, he was her 'savior,' and even though the kobolds' creed didn't include the concept of 'repaying kindness,' she didn't harbor much ill will towards Tang Qi.

So its ears twitched, and after hesitating for a while, it finally raised its head:
"Rua?"

"When I'm not looking, try to hit me on the back of the head with a club—remember, don't use magic."

"Hit you?"

"It has to be when I'm not paying attention, like when my back is turned..."

As Tang Qi spoke, he turned around and pretended to be writing at his desk.

But it was almost an instant when they turned their backs to each other.

The sense of urgency he felt, a feeling he had experienced firsthand in the cave and was now facing imminent danger, pierced every pore of his body like needles.

He felt a chill run down his spine, and his hair stood on end almost as if in a physiological reaction.

Realizing the danger was coming from behind, Tang Qi almost instinctively lay down on his right side—

"boom!"

Kuru slammed his club hard onto the desk!

"It can actually determine the direction of danger? It's almost like predicting the source of the attack; it's practically like—"

Spider-Sense?

Before he could finish his thought, a sense of crisis struck him, and without hesitation, he turned to the side again.

The blow landed squarely on the floor beside him.

"enough--"

Another blow.

"I've said enough!"

As he dodged the blow once more, Tang Qi grabbed the end of the staff, forcefully snatched it from Kulu's hand, and lashed it hard across Kulu's buttocks.
"Is that intentional?"

Kuru didn't understand. He was clearly following Tang Qi's orders, so why was he being hit with a stick? He looked at Tang Qi with a pitiful expression.

The latter then realized that the kobold before him only had a superficial understanding of the Common Language, and could only follow along with the gestures:

"That's enough—stop. Understand?"

"That's enough, stop."

Kuru then realized what was happening and rubbed his bottom.

Tang Qi wondered if he had gone too far.

He bent down to check if the kobold's buttocks had any bruises—

The room door was pushed open with a bang:

"Mr. Tang Qi, are you alright?"

Hearing the commotion upstairs, Catherine pushed open the door.

But what came into view was Tang Qi's face, as he tried to get closer to the kobold, lifting his robe to reveal his tail's rear end—

With a "bang," the door was slammed shut.

"Sorry for disturbing you."

Some of her beliefs seemed to have been shaken, so much so that a few moments after her apology, one could hear her footsteps rushing away.

"..."

The human and the dog-headed man in the room stared at each other in bewilderment.

The following morning, as the first rays of dawn broke over the mountains, Tang Qi tried to explain to Catherine, who was loading the cargo:
"You misunderstood something last night..."

“I understand, Mr. Tang Qi, you don’t need to feel awkward. I was just taken aback yesterday, but of course that doesn’t mean I don’t respect my friend’s orientation.”

On the contrary, I'm willing to support you—even if it's a bit bizarre.

It is said that bards have all sorts of eccentric tastes.

It turns out this wasn't just a legend.

"I still need to explain to you that I like women."

"Was Kuru originally female?"

"I'm talking about women! Humans—well, humanoid beings—with distinct female physiological characteristics!"

Catherine blinked, trying to understand the complex and long sentence:

"I understand... You're polysexual, right?"

Tang Qi imagined it in his mind.

Humans, elves, kemonomimi (animal-eared girls), succubi...

Finally nodded.

Catherine also pondered for a while.

Obvious female characteristics?
Humans, female goblins, cows, scarecrows dressed as women...

He understood and said, "It's alright, Xingmei Town is an inclusive town."

Does she really understand?

Tang Qi had some doubts.

Catherine, fearing he would be embarrassed, quickly said:

"Don't worry, I also have a friend with a different orientation, and I won't discriminate against you because of that."

"I've given up trying to convince you."

Tang Qi followed Catherine closely as they loaded the last box of Star Plum onto the truck.

The girl wiped the sweat from her forehead and said:
"All three hundred kilograms of star plum blossoms are here. Let's transport them to the manor before anyone gets up."

"How much was spent in total?"

"If you go to buy it, Holtz should sell it to you for the same price as the caravan, around 13 gold coins."

But he thought I wanted to buy more, thus saving me 3 gold coins.

"Thanks to you, otherwise I would have been even more heartbroken."

Now he only had 10 gold coins left, not even enough to buy a decent longsword from the blacksmith.

I wonder how much it would cost to hitch a ride?

Tang Qi instinctively felt that it wouldn't be cheap.

"By the way, if you want to get their attention, as a poet, you might find this useful."

Catherine hurried back to the tavern, and soon after, she took out a ukulele—

It resembles the lute that Tang Qi broke, but it is smaller, more delicate, more portable, and has only four strings.

The brown wood is carved with oak trees, much like the one in the tavern's courtyard.

"This is the piano my mother used often when she was alive. I would always lie on her lap and listen to her sing some folk songs."

It can only play a few keys, but at least it can prevent your singing from sounding too dry.

"I'll lend it to you."

Tang Qi did indeed need a musical instrument, and gladly accepted it.

"Then there's only one last question."

"what?"

"I can't drive."

Tang Qi pointed to the "mooing" old ox, which was Catherine's own hard-working animal.

Seeing this, Catherine had no choice but to step onto the hood of the car and extend her slender yet rough hand to Tang Qi:

"Then I'll have to ask you to accompany the laborers in my family."

Tang Qi took her hand and, with her help, sat down on the hood of the car.

The way this farm girl drove the car was as composed as a knight leading an army.

With a soft shout, the old ox in front of the cart began to slowly lift its gait.

A ray of morning light pierced through the mountains and enveloped the dirt roads in the countryside.

Reflected in the muddy ruts, they guide us toward the unknown future.

"Rua!"

Amidst the melodious strains of the zither and the shouts of the kobolds, they arrived at the lord's manor.

But Tang Qi's smile quickly faded—

He found a large caravan standing in front of the gate, waiting for their arrival.

This means that the plan was exposed before it even began to be implemented.

"Damn it, I've been sold."

(End of this chapter)