The bard fantasized again.

Chapter 70 Chibi Bird (3k)

"A...head?"

Tang Qi shrank his neck.
"mine?"

No, of course not.

The 'Skull' shook his head, looked everyone over, including Merard who was sleeping in the barrel, and finally fixed his gaze on Catherine.

"I need a head that's perfect enough."

Catherine's fingers trembled slightly.

In a moment of panic, Tang Qi stepped to the side, blocking her face:
"Big head or small head?"

'Skull' anticipated that the deal wouldn't be easy to reach, and disregarded his wariness, instead explaining to himself:

“I’m trying to create a ‘perfect work of art.’ Now I also need a face that’s perfect enough.”

Tang Qi, unable to ascertain the details of the 'skull' before him, preemptively followed his lead and said:

How can you be sure her face is perfect?
What if there's someone even more perfect than her? Wouldn't that ruin your work of art?

"Always changing and new".

"So you came here for her from the start. But I don't recall ever meeting a skeleton."

"If I wanted to, I could see everyone in the forest."

Tang Qi gritted his teeth.

Damn it, is it the fourth-circle spell [Arcane Eye], or some other item?
He was actually quite curious about the story behind this so-called artwork.

But whatever 'Skull's' motives, he would never hand Catherine over:

"Then let me give you an idea? Since you want to pursue perfection so much, why don't you just find those perfect facial features and piece them together to create a 'perfect' face?"

Isn't this much easier than finding a suitable brain?

"I've tried. But when I put them together, I always feel something... eerie."

I think it's because human faces always have flaws. If you want to, you can always find fault with them.

However, they grew on an imperfect face, and these imperfections, ironically, fostered a kind of harmony.

Simply piecing things together will only ruin the initial aesthetic appeal.

So I had to give up on that option and try to find a head that would satisfy me, which took me a long time.

But luckily, Lady Luck smiled upon me, and I finally found one, didn't I?"

"How come Lady Luck seems to favor everyone?"

Tang Qi could hardly help but mutter a few complaints to himself.
Do you all level up your characters by selecting the [Luck] perk?

"Of course, you don't need to be angry about this, Mr. 'Hero'."

I'm not saying your face isn't perfect. Actually, you have a high nose bridge and beautiful eyes, it's just that your lips are a bit thin—and I need a woman."

Catherine could tell that the other person had come specifically for her.

Everything in the world has already had its price predetermined.

Beauty is a gift from God.

It will also inevitably bring about a curse.

She has seen too many people suffer misfortune because of her appearance.

Even if those men were seeking the possibility of indulging in song and dance with her in bed.

Catherine, of course, wouldn't give anyone that chance.

But I never imagined that one day someone would have their 'head' on their mind.

Tang Qi, however, understood the 'Skull's' grand ambition:

“I understand, this ‘work of art’ should be—the perfect human body, right?”
"Besides a head, you should need some other parts. Like a torso or limbs?"

"Few people are as willing to discuss these things with me as you are."

The 'Skull' exclaimed in admiration; his face was nothing more than a skin, his wide grin causing his cheekbones to bulge and his cheeks to hollow out.

"I have been living in seclusion in this forest for five years, searching for the torso, limbs, hands and feet."

Now all that's missing is a perfect head.

"I'm curious, the Dawn Forest doesn't seem like a place where people often come and go, how did you find those parts?"

"They frequently issue various tasks anonymously to those outside the forest, attracting adventurers and mercenaries to enter the forest."

Sometimes I ask them to find these things for me, and sometimes I find they are the right people for the job.

Adventurer?
Tang Qi suddenly looked at Kuru, who was huddled in the corner, trying to be invisible, and seemed ready to run away at any moment.

There's been progress; this time he wasn't so scared that he knelt on the ground begging for mercy.

Remember Kuru's spellbook? It was looted from a group of badly injured adventurers.

He had previously believed that the tragic fate of those adventurers was the work of the orc tribes.

But recalling the orcs' ways, they always kept their prisoners in cages. Now that they've been severely wounded, they shouldn't give them a chance to escape.

At present, it seems that it may actually be related to this 'skull':
"So it seems... no one has ever escaped from you?"

"There are some, after all, sometimes I don't have the energy to complete everything."

"Accomplice?"

"There's no need to test me, Mr. 'Hero.' To avoid conflict, I'm happy to be frank with you—"

I work with corpses, and sometimes I can even bring the dead back to life.

A necromancer...

【Revitalize the Corpse】 is a third-circle spell.

Tang Qi felt increasingly troubled:
"Third-ring spellcasters are rare. Wiping out an adventure team shouldn't be difficult for you. Why bother hiding your identity?"

"First of all, I am a scholar and I am neither keen on nor good at using extreme methods. I prefer to solve problems in a peaceful way."

Secondly, I have some insight. If I can use only the [Transformation] and [Suggestion] spells to quietly take this woman away without having to face a high-level warrior.

Why should I waste my energy and go to such lengths?

He stared intently at the rubble, at the dwarf who was the only one he truly feared, and made no secret of his concerns.
"Finally, by playing the role of a 'beastman' who has been driven out of the village and is fighting against the beast, it is easier for me to hide in the forest and find and take away suitable targets."

After all, in the eyes of adventurers, rational beastmen should live in seclusion in the forest, shouldn't they?

Tang Qi understood that he was using the adventurers' experience in reverse to gain their trust.

Even the gravel couldn't detect anything unusual about him.

"What do you mean by 'peaceful means'?"

"If the initial plan falls apart, a 'deal' is a good option."

"Would anyone really be willing to sell their hands?"

"Why not?" the 'Skull' asked, puzzled.

“Aren’t those magically enhanced prosthetics more powerful than their original bodies? I could even pay them extra.”

The monk before him was so sincere that even Tang Qi was somewhat moved.
"Damn, if it's painless, I actually think it's a pretty good deal."

"Cheap my ass, of course it's more comfortable for your own body! You'll behave if I just give you a smaller head."

The gravel shattered his unrealistic fantasy.

"But don't you really want to get a longer leg?" Tang Qi asked curiously.

The skeleton interrupted first:

“A dwarf’s legs are worthless to me.”

"Go to hell! I'm going to smash the light bulb in your head right now!"

"Let's calm down first. I still don't want to have too much conflict with you."

Perhaps feeling he had explained enough, 'Skull' seemed to have lost the patience to continue the conversation.

He touched his round head, which reflected the firelight.

"I only need the head; the body can be left to you."

I'm willing to pay 5000 gold coins for this.

He maintained his usual smile, as if doing so would make him appear harmless.

Tang Qi shook his head:

"What use is my body to me? Do you think replacing her head will keep her alive?"

"6000."

Tang Qi still shook his head and refused.

"Any more, and it won't be as cost-effective."

The 'skull' seemed like a threat.

"Then why don't I provide a quote?"

Tang Qi suddenly spoke.

"Hey, you foul-mouthed bastard, you wouldn't really want to—"

Before the stone could say anything, Tang Qi waved his hand to interrupt it.

Catherine listened silently to their conversation, and suddenly felt as if she were a chibi bird—

Those were the birds that Master Merard had mentioned to her.

It got its name from its peculiar call, which always sounds like "Qibi, Qibi".

As an extremely precious ornamental bird, their feathers are always of different colors, smooth and beautiful.

If they are allowed to play to their hearts' content, their well-developed sweat glands will release shimmering powder as they spread their wings, which swirls in the air and weaves together to create a dreamlike and unique picture.

Therefore, it was very popular among the nobles in Dragon Gold City.

This means that from the moment they become vibrant, they are confined to exquisite birdcages, and their prices are easily set.

They were deprived of the freedom to fly.

And no one cared about her thoughts...

"of course can."

The necromancer said with satisfaction,
"Hopefully, that's a reasonable price."

Tang Qi subtly winked at the rubble, signaling him to get closer, while simultaneously letting out a cold sneer:
"I'll give you 'Wolf's' precious wolf head, and you can take your gold coins and get lost, how about that?"

The other party chuckled:
"'Wolf' is that hunter's friend, not mine—"

Speaking of which, I must remind you to keep your noise levels down in the forest.

This eerie forest isn't just inhabited by dire wolves.

"Hey, I haven't even said I agreed yet. There's no need to offer any after-sales service so quickly, is there? I don't want to be accused of breaking my promise by a skull."

The 'skull' frowned and asked, puzzled:
"Why should I refuse? I don't need your head."

Tang Qi gripped Catherine's hand tightly behind him, gesturing for her to come closer:
"Because I promised a villain that I would get her out safely."

Catherine was startled by this audacious act and instinctively tried to break free.

But they found Tang Qi clenching his fists tightly, his palms covered in cold sweat from nervousness—

After his encounter with that old goblin sorcerer, he didn't really have much confidence in facing a third-circle spellcaster directly.

I realized that even if the poet had to force himself to remain calm, he would still keep his promise.

After hesitating for a moment, Catherine chose to stop struggling.

She even held his hand tightly, trying to convey some encouragement to him.

She suddenly said:

"You've been chatting here for so long, why haven't you asked for my opinion?"

Everyone present, including the 'skull', looked at her with some surprise.

It seemed like no one thought that she was an ordinary person who should be 'protected'.

Like a morning and evening flower, or a canary, they can say something.

Catherine released Ambition and then extended her hand to Don Qi:

"Give me the knife."

Tang Qi hesitated for a moment, but when he met Catherine's eyes, he noticed her unusually firm determination.

Hesitantly, she snatched the 'snake kiss' away.
"I thought there was some amazing reason..."

He raised the scimitar in his hand and slashed a bloody line across his face.

"stop--"

The skeleton gasped in surprise and tried to stop it, but found it was too late.

Crimson blood flowed from that mark.

The harmony of Catherine's face has been disrupted—

The stinging pain on her face made her tremble so much that she almost dug her nails into Tang Qi's palm.

But she still held her head high, like a [Chibi] trying to break free of its cage and escape its price tag:
"Isn't it just a perfect face?"

It's gone now.

　I didn't make it to the PK in Sanjiang, but I want to try again, so the free period will be extended. Please keep reading, everyone!

　　I'm already saving up chapters and waiting for it to be published so I can update it all at once!
　　Please keep reading, gentlemen!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)