After all, this guy's way of thinking is indeed very similar to mine, so my wavelength immediately matched Chao Lu's.
From the very beginning... from the moment I spoke up for Ligurit and offered to take them into the special treasury, Chao Lu had probably already planned out all subsequent actions and started assisting me.
Initially, Ellie simply thought that Chao Lu was helping and cooperating like this to prevent equipment from flowing out and to save face for me, her fake master.
However, the reality was not that simple.
From the start, Chao Lu's goal was only one: to find Kerslin Tim's whereabouts.
It was only because I, her fake master, was here that Chao Lu didn't personally interrogate the Old Hag.
And when I spoke up for the Old Hag, Chao Lu must have directly misunderstood me, thinking that the reason I brought this Old Hag to Sky City was to inquire about Kerslin Tim's whereabouts.
So, when I suggested taking them to the special treasury, Chao Lu had already imagined her fake master's subsequent actions.
To be honest, if Ellie and Chao Lu had swapped positions, Ellie would probably have made the same assumptions.
If possible, Ellie really hoped that the understanding Chao Lu was standing behind her, not this incredibly stupid Bell.
Hmm! Back to the topic, Chao Lu, who had imagined a series of subsequent events, began her acting.
She only made her demands after giving them the equipment.
As the saying goes, 'those who take gifts are soft-handed,' and her demand was for information, not the Adventurer's Guild weapon itself, which was reasonable.
Now it was up to me, her fake master, to perform.
Of course... the premise of this wild guess of mine is that Chao Lu truly considers me to be Bai Xia.
As mentioned before... regarding Chao Lu, Snow Elf, and the real Bai Xia, Ellie still remains half-skeptical about everything they have done so far.
"Chao Lu, it's been so long... Ligurit isn't even a party to this.
Interrogating her like this won't help, will it?" Ellie was overtly supporting Ligurit, speaking on her behalf, of course! Overtly.
"Lady Ellie, although a long time has passed, for me, who currently has no information, any useful piece of information is extremely important for recovering Kerslin Tim," Chao Lu replied.
What she said was indeed correct.
After all, Adventurer's Guild weapons are not to be taken lightly, but why was it so easily tricked away back then?
Or was the outflow of Adventurer's Guild weapons within Bai Xia's expectations, part of her plan?
However, I don't have the luxury to think about that much now.
Even if it's Bai Xia's trap, I can only jump into it given the unknown information.
"That's true... Ligurit, do you know anything?
Even the smallest piece of information would be fine, right?
After all, weren't you also a member of the Thirteen Heroes back then?" Ellie cast a helpless look at Ligurit, wanting to tell her that she couldn't stop Chao Lu, and that revealing some irrelevant information would be okay.
"I don't know much.
Although we were teammates, our relationship wasn't very good, so I'm not very familiar with the guy who tricked your weapon away.
The only information I know now is that he has already died, and I really don't know the whereabouts of the weapon." Ligurit also understood Ellie's intention.
Using the step Ellie provided, she revealed the fact that the Captain of the Thirteen Heroes had died, a so-called 'dead men tell no tales' situation.
"Dead?" Chao Lu frowned slightly, then closed her eyes, looking as if she was thinking about something.
"He's been dead for a long time, and no one knows where he died.
I only heard this news much later." Ligurit continued,'She really managed to pass the buck cleanly,' Ellie thought.
"Then, please tell me... where did you last hear that scoundrel had kicked the bucket?" Chao Lu opened her eyes and asked.
"Slane Theocracy..." Ligurit directly and calmly shifted the blame entirely onto the Slane Theocracy.
This Old Hag is truly venomous!
Ellie, who knew the true whereabouts of the Adventurer's Guild weapon, couldn't help but admire her.
"Eh?? Eh eh? I've never heard of that!" Bell, who had been silent, said this with a bewildered expression.
This idiot... jumping out at a time like this!
"Hmm? It looks like? You, this philanderer, are from the Slane Theocracy, aren't you?
Then, regarding the information about the guy who tricked Kerslin Tim from here, what do you know?" Chao Lu's target immediately shifted to Bell.
"I... I used to be from the Slane Theocracy, but... but I am now Lady Ellie's attendant.
Uh uh... I was just a nobody in the Slane Theocracy, with no chance to access high-level information, but... but... at least I have never heard that the Captain of the Thirteen Heroes died in the Slane Theocracy." Bell explained in a flustered manner.
This Bell... I really don't know if she's genuinely stupid or just pretending.
Normally, with her timid personality, she shouldn't have interrupted at a time like this.
However, Bell immediately ruined Ligurit's attempt to pin the blame on the Slane Theocracy and get away with it.
It has to be said that Bell indeed did a good job.
This once again shifted the blame back to Ligurit; otherwise, involving the Slane Theocracy would make things complicated.
Although well done, it wasn't perfect.
"..." Chao Lu silently turned her gaze back to Ligurit.
"What I said is true.
Although I don't know the specifics, I learned this news through my friend.
It's very possible that the Slane Theocracy blocked the information." Ligurit indeed immediately caught Bell's flaw.
Bell was a low-level member, and as a nobody, she naturally couldn't access high-level matters.
This way, Ligurit could use such ambiguous statements to get by, but then again!
Ligurit's words also allowed Ellie to catch a flaw, or rather! Ellie was waiting for this.
"Heard it from your friend?
From the Platinum Dragon Lord?
Ah..." Ellie blurted it out directly, and then at the end, she feigned an 'Ah! I messed up! I let it slip' expression.
I was waiting for this from you.
"Platinum Dragon Lord?
Is that the formidable friend you just mentioned?
If that's the case..." Chao Lu didn't finish her sentence but closed her eyes again, once more appearing to be thinking about something.
However, Ellie already knew the outcome from Chao Lu's slightly upturned lips.
"If you don't mind, could you introduce that Platinum Dragon Lord to me?" Chao Lu, opening her eyes, politely bowed slightly to Ligurit and asked.
Although it was a question, the aura emanating from Chao Lu completely forbade Ligurit from refusing.
With things said to this extent, Ligurit could no longer refuse.
If she continued to evade, it would clearly confirm that her previous act of shifting blame was intentional.
Knowing that Chao Lu desperately wanted to trace the Adventurer's Guild weapon, and still taking her equipment without reporting what she knew, Ligurit would probably truly not be able to leave this door today.
"I... I can, but... that guy barely leaves his house, so I can only take you to where he stays.
As for whether you can see him, I cannot guarantee it." Ligurit could only sacrifice the Platinum Dragon Lord; otherwise, she couldn't even protect herself.
"It's fine.
No matter how much of a NEET (shut-in) he is, I have a way to drag him out." Chao Lu replied expressionlessly.
Ahem! Plan B, successfully implemented.
Seeing this, Ellie couldn't help but laugh out loud in her heart.
------------------------
I've posted 70+ chapters in advance on Patreon.
Webnovel updates will still be daily, as usual.
It might not seem tempting right now but who knows what the future holds?
[email protected]/SolyuraMT
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"