chapter 121 lysara doubts

Arrival at Malthor – The Deceptive NPC

Lysara and Kaelith stepped into Malthor, a small, dimly lit village hidden in the mountains.

Unlike bustling cities, Malthor was eerily quiet.

This wasn't a place for the weak—it was a den of tricksters, thieves, and manipulators.

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Meeting Malthor – The Master of Deception

As they entered, an old man with a wrinkled face and sharp, knowing eyes approached.

He smiled warmly, but Kaelith knew better—this man was Malthor, a notorious con artist NPC.

Malthor had fooled countless players in the past, draining them of gold and leading them into impossible quests.

He looked at Kaelith, then at Lysara, his smile widening.

> "Ah, my dear friend! You have done well."

Lysara frowned, confused.

> "Who is this old man?"

Malthor ignored her, addressing Kaelith directly.

> "You brought me a promising candidate. A strong woman with a sharp mind… yes, yes, she will do nicely."

Lysara narrowed her eyes.

> "Excuse me? I don't belong to anyone."

Malthor chuckled, shaking his head.

> "Of course not, my dear! You are your own person. But let me offer you an opportunity—one that could change your fate."

Lysara hesitated.

Kaelith smirked. He had seen this same trick in his past life.

Malthor would lure players with grand promises, only to trap them in impossible situations.

> "Go on, then. What do you want her to do?" Kaelith asked, feigning ignorance.

Malthor's grin widened.

> "A simple task! If she completes it, she will gain incredible power."

Lysara crossed her arms, suspicious.

> "And if I refuse?"

Malthor sighed dramatically, shaking his head.

> "Ah, but why refuse a golden opportunity? No risk, all reward! And look!"

He snapped his fingers.

A pouch appeared in Kaelith's hand.

Lysara's eyes widened as Kaelith opened it—50 gold coins spilled out.

> "A gift. A sign of goodwill." Malthor said smoothly.

Lysara hesitated.

Kaelith smirked inwardly.

He knew Malthor never gave anything for free. This was bait.

And he had just the plan to turn it against him.

> "Fine," Lysara said, gripping the gold. "I'll play along—for now."

Malthor clapped his hands, delighted.

> "Wonderful! Now, let's begin."

Kaelith hid his smirk.

This time, Malthor wouldn't be fooling him.

It would be Kaelith doing the manipulating.

Malthor's Shock and Approval

Malthor sat on an old wooden chair, swirling a cup of dark ale in his hand, his sharp eyes analyzing Kaelith.

> "Did you empty their wallets?"

Kaelith smirked, tossing a pouch of coins onto the table. The heavy clinking of gold echoed in the silent room.

> "Of course. Just like you told me."

Malthor raised an eyebrow, then peeked inside the pouch. His eyes widened.

> "Hah! You actually did it?"

Kaelith crossed his arms, grinning proudly.

> "What, you thought I'd fail?"

Malthor let out a hearty laugh, but there was something calculating behind it.

He leaned back, stroking his beard.

> "Impressive. You're more useful than I thought."

Then, his gaze shifted to Lysara.

She stood stiffly, her face locked in an expression of disgust and confusion.

Malthor's smile froze for a split second, then he let out a small chuckle.

> "Ohhh, I get it now…"

His smirk widened as realization hit him.

He turned back to Kaelith with amusement in his eyes.

> "This girl… she's your pawn, isn't she?"

Lysara's face darkened, her fingers twitching as if itching to punch someone.

Kaelith, still playing his role, gave a lazy shrug.

> "Call it whatever you want."

Malthor burst into laughter again, tapping the table.

> "Hah! You remind me of myself when I was younger!"

Then, in a sudden shift, his tone became business-like.

> "Fine. Take her. Do all the work. I have bigger things to plan."

With a flick of his wrist, he gestured toward the door.

Kaelith nodded and grabbed Lysara's wrist, pulling her along.

She yanked her arm back, glaring at him.

> "Touch me again, and I'll break your fingers."

Kaelith grinned, unfazed.

> "Relax. We've got work to do."

As they stepped outside, Lysara's mind was racing.

She had been manipulated once—she wasn't about to let it happen again.

But Kaelith…

He was dangerous.

And for some reason…

She found herself wanting to see what he would do next.

Kaelith's Cold Warning & Lysara's Doubts

Kaelith tightened his grip on Lysara's wrist, pulling her closer. His voice dropped to a chilling whisper.

> "Don't even think about cheating Magic Flame."

Lysara felt a cold shiver down her spine.

Kaelith's smirk widened as he leaned in, his breath barely brushing against her ear.

> "He will make your life more miserable than this."

His tone was calm—too calm, like someone who had seen people break before and enjoyed it.

Then, as if flipping a switch, Kaelith let out a low, eerie laugh.

It wasn't loud.

It wasn't forced.

It was pure, bone-chilling amusement.

> "Hey, old man," Kaelith called out, his voice laced with confidence. "Proceed accordingly to our plan. We can rule this town from the shadows."

His eyes gleamed with something unnatural, something calculated.

Malthor, standing nearby, simply chuckled, as if this was the most normal conversation in the world.

> "Hah! You're more ambitious than I thought, kid."

Lysara, still standing there, stared at them both in pure disbelief.

She rubbed her temples, trying to make sense of what she was hearing.

Finally, she sighed heavily and turned to Malthor.

> "Old man, did he escape from a mental hospital?"

Malthor smirked but didn't answer.

Kaelith grinned even wider, his laughter turning even creepier.

> "I think so," he whispered, just loud enough for her to hear.

Lysara rolled her eyes.

> "Great. I'm stuck with a lunatic."

Kaelith just laughed again, his cold, unsettling amusement filling the air.

The game had only just begun.