Chapter 324: Promise to keep the Secret. (2/2)

He easily denied Ozul's question and changed the topic quickly.

”These tricks won't work on me. My question still stands...”

Ozul replied calmly but noticed only a slight flinch of hands from the opposite party. It was evident that this man would continue to pretend for a long time.

*sigh...*

Yet another sigh, ”Okay. I will make it easier for you... and for me.”

With these continuous sighs, even Zier had dropped his guard against Ozul as he appeared to be a helpless fellow who, at the end of the day, could only sigh his problems off and go to sleep.

However, the next words from that same man caused his hair to stand up in unison.

”I can tell if you are lying; no doubts in that regard. So this is the last time I will ask calmly. If I sense lies or any half-truths? I will kill you. If you pretend to not know anything again? I will kill you... That simple. Do you understand?”

As Ozul spoke so calmly, if someone didn't focus on what he was saying, they would almost mistake him for having a casual conversation with his colleague.

However, Zier fully understood every word.

Even when the tone that was used to say those words wasn't threatening, he knew full well that this man was capable of killing him any second; if that decapitation from earlier was anything to go by.

Still, he didn't reply instantly. He wanted to carefully weigh his options first.

'Does he know everything?! Maybe he doesn't... No, he is surely up to something as he is so sure. Oh shit! I am here all fine when even his companions who were as strong as monsters were affected by the poison! That must be why he is suspicious! But... grandfather said to never reveal...'

Zier struggled with his inner monologue for what seemed to be quite a long time. But in reality, only a few seconds had passed since Ozul had spoken.

Meanwhile, Ozul showed some patience as he understood that it would take at least a few moments for anyone to come to terms with their powerlessness.

After all, he was currently in control. He could guess how hopeless this purple-haired boy must be feeling right now, even without sensing those fluctuating waves of emotions.

'...Wait!! How is 'he' without any harm!? This type of poison... even though I am not familiar with it, it's potent enough to affect, albeit slightly, even someone at grandfather's level! Is he... a Rank-9 Mage?!'

Even though Zier wasn't sure about his conclusion, the mere possibility of such a case scared him. After all, he had lived with a Rank-9 Mage all his life; he understood the extent of their destructive capabilities.

'I... won't be able to leave here alive if I mess this up.'

Finally, Zier realized that he had no choice but to cooperate obediently. If what he had said was true, then he couldn't take any chances of lying either.

”I am really not familiar with this poison...” as he said so, Ozul squinted his eyes at him, ”D-don't kill me! I really haven't encountered this poison before, but I can still help!”

Ozul's facial expressions relaxed again as Zier heaved a sigh of relief. His grandfather had taught him to never test the patience of any Rank-9 Mage.

Now that he thought about it again, Ozul not caring of all the commotion around him could be because he really is a Rank-9 Mage who didn't have to worry about all those 'small fries'.

*Cough!*

A few coughs diverted their attention to Blaze, who, upon closer inspection, still seemed to be unconscious.

”... There is not much time. Hurry up and explain,” Ozul kept an eye on both Raven and Blaze and realized their condition was worsening quickly.

”I... There is a plant that can neutralize many poisons used on Mages, but I doubt we can find it in time,” Zier muttered to himself in urgency before he made his way to the three corpses lying on the ground and collected their Spatial Rings.

Since their owners had died now, Zier could easily access them. He knew much about poisons, but right now, he didn't have the necessary materials to neutralize an unknown poison. As for the herb he knew about, it was quite rare that even he had only seen it once or twice in his lifetime.

Therefore, he hoped that these three people had the antidote in their Spatial Rings.

As he checked the rings one by one, Zier quickly realized that although there were many herbs and he recognized some of them, most of these medicines and plants were completely foreign to him.

On his small island, he had only access to a limited type of herbs.

Maybe the ingredients for the antidote were really all there, but as it came to be, he didn't know how to make the medicine to cure this specific poison. As for the medicines he knew, there weren't enough herbs in these Spatial Rings.

'Ugh...'

Zier really didn't want to use his last resort.

”Are you done already?”

A voice came from behind. Ozul was now getting impatient.

”Uh, yes... uhm, can you...”

”Can I what?” Ozul urged.

”... promise to keep what I'm about to reveal a secret?”

In response, Ozul stared at him as if he was staring at an idiot.