Me, a priest? How could that be!

Chapter 185 Darkness Under the Lamp

The two returned to the hotel.

Charlotte first searched around the inn but didn't see any adventurers. Then she whispered to Chris, who was hiding in a corner, "Okay, no one's here! Chris, go now, I'll stay here and keep watch."

"Yes, I'm sorry."

Chris quickly slipped into the room.

Alright, what should we do next? There are guys all over the street eyeing Chris; we can't make a move rashly. A walking 5000 million—no one can resist that.

It was at this moment that "Hehehehehe————"

A wicked laugh came from the side.

"W-what's that voice!?"

"You're back again, Charlotte! Just as I expected!"

"Uh, Megumin!?"

"When I heard that Charlotte and Chris had run away together, I knew you would definitely come back to the hotel! It's the case that things are darkest under the lamp."

"This isn't your problem alone! Well then, you'd better let me catch you obediently, and I swear I won't do anything violent!"

"Are you serious?"

Charlotte's expression turned strange.

Huihui shuddered, involuntarily taking a few steps back, and whispered fearfully, "Charlotte, what are you going to do to me? It's not something bad, is it? We're comrades—"

"Is it too late to realize we're companions now? Besides, we're not companions, are we?" Charlotte approached her with a wicked grin, until she cornered Huihui.

He slowly extended his hand.

Huihui closed her eyes in fear and hunched her shoulders—then, a hand gently rested on her head.

"Idiot, how could I possibly do anything to Huihui? Besides, you don't really want the money, otherwise you wouldn't have reminded me."

"Hmph, looks like I didn't fool you."

Huihui pouted.

Charlotte couldn't resist pinching her cheek, making the girl's eyes turn red with anger—or perhaps with embarrassment?

"Alright, stop fooling around. Megumin, you're back. What about Kazuma and Aqua?"

"Aqua is yelling that she wants to catch Chris to get 5000 million, and Kazuma and Darkness are trying to stop her. So she asked me to tell you—but you just ran away when I got back. Considering that chasing you would be too much trouble, I waited for you at the inn. I think you'll most likely come back."

As expected of the Red Demon Clan with their exceptionally high intelligence, they understood his thoughts perfectly.

However, Megumin wasn't the only one with the same idea; some highly intelligent adventurers also noticed it.

Then someone asked, "Hey, they just ran away from the hotel, right? Do they really think they'll come back here?"

"There's a high probability that the hotel is safe now that we caught up with them. If I were that person, I would definitely come back."

hateful!

There are still too many smart people!

Hearing the adventurers' footsteps as they prepared to charge again, Charlotte knocked nervously on the door and hurriedly asked, "Chris, are you done yet?"

"Wait! I'll get angry if you open the door now!?"

"Then hurry up and do it!"

Chris seemed to have reached a crucial moment, and Charlotte understood that the more she urged him, the more nervous he would become, until he was completely unable to relax. But—

"Hey, is anyone there?!"

"Never mind that, just go in."

"But the door is locked—we can't just break it down, can we?"

"What are you talking about? 5000 million! 5000 million! With that kind of money, what are you afraid of regarding losses and compensation?"

You bastard!

That money is my money, it's my money!

Oh no, those guys are blinded by the bounty. It's only a matter of time before they're discovered. What should we do? What should we do?

We need to distract the adventurers!

"Chris, I'm going out for a bit. Use this time to escape!"

"What? What happened?"

"Those guys outside have broken into the hotel. It's only a matter of time before they find you, so I need to buy some time!"

"Buy some time—how do you plan to do this alone?"

"There'll always be a way, and it was my fault for getting Chris involved, so don't worry about it."

Charlotte————

Actually, shaking off these adventurers was too easy for Charlotte; all she had to do was put on her cloak and fly. The problem was how to attract their attention and prevent them from searching the inn.

Huihui leaned against the window and looked down.

"A lot of people have gathered, about 10 people."

"There are so many? There are quite a few smart people here—"

"Charlotte, are you planning to face this alone? No matter how you look at it, you're outnumbered and outmatched."

"Well... there's always a way, right?"

"Really?"

"Ugh————"

The key is to avoid using force.

Just as Captain Arbert said, whether someone is a criminal depends on whether they have caused damage to the town; otherwise, when he was being chased earlier, those adventurers wouldn't have been using basic magic.

Charlotte is too.

He can easily take down these guys, but what will he do afterward?

He glanced at Huihui beside him.

Okay, I'll leave it to Huihui!

"----Um?"

"Huihui, I have a task for you: figure out a way to stop them!"

"I refuse!" Huihui refused without hesitation, complaining defiantly, "Why should I go through all this trouble in Charlotte's place? Just coming to inform you is already more than enough!"

"Don't you think Chris is pitiful?" Charlotte appealed to her emotions and reason.

"That's true—I sympathize with Chris's situation, but it's you, Charlotte, who got her into this mess. Don't you have the guts to solve your own problems instead of letting others clean up your mess?"

"Wow, you really dare to say that."

Charlotte pouted and pointed at Megumin, saying, "Using Explosion Magic exhausts you. Who's that archmage who I always have to push back in a cart?"

"Damn it, how despicable! That's something else entirely! It was just a well-intentioned task, a necessary and indispensable ritual to unleash my supreme magic in the most suitable environment! Besides, bringing me back was your job, wasn't it?"

"In that case, next time I won't bother with you and will just send you back. Even if you're being licked by frogs and are about to be eaten, I absolutely won't help you."

"---Well, there's nothing I can do. Chris and I know each other, and I sympathize with her situation, so I'll help you out a little."

Huihui immediately changed her tune.

This guy is pretty good at judging the situation.

"That's what she said." Charlotte was overjoyed. "That's wonderful, Chris."

"Hey Charlotte, what you just said was threatening your companion, wasn't it? If people find out, you'll be accused of being disqualified as a priest."

"But I can't leave Chris either, it was my fault to begin with. Besides, you don't need to worry, Aqua and the others aren't really companions, at most—we're roommates."

"Do you feel you also bear some responsibility?"

"That's for sure."

Charlotte found this question, which had already been raised, strange.

At that moment, Chris came out of the room.

"I can't believe you're talking in front of the toilet. You're so rude."

"Is this the time to talk about this? Whose fault is it anyway?"

Charlotte did not accept her blame.

The footsteps in the hotel grew closer, and Huihui quickly said, "Charlotte, those guys have broken in! Let's get out of here!"

"I understand." Charlotte took Chris's hand and said, "We can talk about the complaints later. Anyway—get some oil on the road!"

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