Bastard NPC Chapter 25

Chapter 25

The bizarre, emotional post sparked explosive reactions. I couldn’t believe such a thing would work, but it was the kind of world where it did. Somehow, people found it, and my followers skyrocketed, with related feeds flooding in.378cc2a086befde8

People firmly believed aa8f16a0a7 in the breakup, cdc0c6526a speculating on the 298a41c8cf title of the 51ef14db2f book or debating 8bb9143664 the meaning behind 59d521063f the missing top 1cfe94224b of the pizza. 6348e0482484e562

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

What they e4e977de57 didn’t know 0bdb4875a4 was that 4f587cdbdf the book 295f72ffa2 was Adam’s 95185a5f0a journal, and 5fb5dc6c79 the missing 9b553644b4 part of bca087d9ab the pizza 2db5e59c96 was in 4f02c43b09 Burke’s stomach. It had no meaning.7d0b1b7314d5cd0c

“Come on in, Ril…”da1a7af15fcc93b5

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Unlike me, feeling 9ca9861adc lighter, the sandwich aa08b07cb6 shop owner seemed 9f338e5a49 down. Well, I 8ecd399b3a couldn’t blame 9708b7ac80 her. Ever since early e64b8d79a7 yesterday morning, the ff48e841b5 VCI had been 844e10624f sweeping through the ce104eff96 city like it 9db6516ccb was a hornet’s 7bbc09a1a7 nest or an 38cdb283ca ant’s nest, and 7b73a4e570 the calm city 14caf5dfb7 had become chaotic 94e32da3ba again. fec39df80d6f746a

Alerts advising people 1fd961a93d to stay indoors 0e3d775580 had been circulating, f1121f723f so I too dc6f2e56bf stayed cooped up a0c5768f65 at home. Most people 5034bf2107 probably stayed d93293dc28 home as 8ab10c245d well, which 0f92fb9eb2 meant business 77e4f49473 wasn’t likely 79e4ade845 to be 780c6f18a7 good.9df5a198e5fb35f0

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

It seemed d8b7e58605 like she c9ad6085d2 would suffer fd849dbdd8 significant losses. Her expression was filled 4feab29c8d with worry, and for 2edfc837f8 some reason, it made a39fe1066d me feel a little 6a24d41dd0 sorry for her, so 9c77da1bbf I ordered 200 sandwiches 32e4fd2551 for the elementary school 34c07ba447 in the slums.bc24b7cfde7c59c1

“I wasn’t getting much joy out of life anyway, so if I die working, so be it. Thank you so much, Ril…”165b1ff2186e55af

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

She didn’t b43626ffdb seem that cc181a38f8 grateful, though. The shop f56a8af0c1 owner, who 47e101a210 had been bc417c545b sighing deeply 0790d2b282 until I d0d3bfaf8e left the 412e9a3d67 shop, was 829ddc9336 in a 8e613d7671 completely different 9720b8d6ab mood the a576901679 next day—she 1c744a3a38 was absolutely ddafc17566 furious.e89ab38146137dc7

“You’ve here, Ril.”69bb2b1b3e1f7016

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Yes, hello.”1ce2cdb2630b364b

“I’m planning to deliver the sandwiches tomorrow. I couldn’t say it yesterday, but I think you have such a beautiful heart, Ril.”80678f8f0921b3cc

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Yes, what?”7a4086b0bc7719ee

“You’re so pretty, but that bastard.”fa6e56b52e4f6094

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“…Yes?”51178b2492c4d564

I was fc62548602 so scared d1e6bcc993 because she e847939e4c was holding ff68cf8627 a kitchen b022a0f26f knife. The next e4b7e1a82b day, the 44b8a5efe7 boss tried cdf1372090 to smile, 51f16405cf saying that 156e1453ba she had 61512e8918 been acting 36096b7f87 strangely for e954272712 the past 6dc63a6a57 few days. However, a strange bb9e401cf0 light flashed in 6849338738 her eyes.0d1d880739d8da1b

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“I bought eba4cfc015 new scissors 743a206146 yesterday. They cut really 0511e6ceaf well.”2955fbd1fb285f5c

“…Oh, yes. Congratulations.” 14aebf60992160e3

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“I’ll lend f2cb3261a9 you my 93a9c5d2b5 money anytime, eaf698fb6c Ril.”1814a40a81866dc5

“…It’s fine. You shouldn’t.”0dd81041ffe11b9c

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

It had been the 6b716f0471 third day of the e36c97cad2 breakdown.686632c55265adb1

Finally, I became certain that the shop owner’s emotional shifts were following the flow of my social feed. On the first day, vague speculations about the breakup circulated. 1db12c0bbdd4a81a

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

On the second 45d4c32f81 day, a post e2013ddb35 claimed that Theo 1016b16b23 had been juggling 556f5035b1 affairs with the ea5da4a1c7 heir of a c005d74735 real estate tycoon. On the third day, 4887b4cf1e there was a surge dbd717ef54 of sympathy directed toward 5803eee9f7 me.cce856876b9daa3b

There was even a rumor that he was impotent, suggesting that his carefree behavior with his lower half had rendered him unable to use it. Some people believed the hoe in the picture was symbolic of me wanting to “cut that off.”f2c2f6ed2c2b8067

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

As the rumors 06e2b41dd4 spread like wildfire, 14b4e3393e I began to 2f975f8632 worry about Theo’s 05992c9ef1 reaction. However, surprisingly, he was b0e9da63df quiet. If he had d8d34ab5b7 hated it, he 24c0f0624d would have contacted 510438be7e me and caused 539e2a4762 a scene by 1204ceb562 now. bb214074fd082430

I guessed that, ada4d52d04 rather than the 3e8a75ad9d rumor about him 357372097a being impotent, he 452128a924 probably preferred the 9da8dab057 one about him 4891dde9f8 being well-endowed.d1a0f487e6809621

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“If you’re ever having a tough time, don’t hesitate to call. Even if it’s not something difficult, that’s fine too. Like if you want to beat someone up but you’re outnumbered and can’t do it alone. Or if you’re so frustrated you want to beat someone up but you lack the courage. Or if you’re so angry and want to beat someone up but you need tools. Honestly, anytime. We’re friends, Ril.”55528e4f6a041458

I didn’t know exactly who she wanted to beat up, but I started to wonder if the lack of customers in the shop wasn’t solely due to security concerns.6e2ae27ac4636f55

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

And, for some reason, 536a2e15bb that hoe, which really 76466605ec shouldn’t exist in the b5504264aa world, started trending. Everyone was c8bcc994a9 decorating hoes fa0fffc508 and posting b2d5242c2c about them, 96e6c522c0 and it bef9302234 was an 1ebe09a4e0 inexplicable sentiment. 4888e25d530adabb

Even the craftsman who made the hoe cover received so many orders that he solved his son’s hospital bills, and through Adam, he sent me a gift. 324bfce5df13514c

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

It was a 402e089a98 bright pink leather 17ae320ceb case as flashy a5fc633713 as the hoe 83af808d12 cover, designed to e7c8d12774 carry a pizza 062c748329 slice. I firmly vowed never 28eb6e1a3e to reveal this to 6484b97d12 the world.d7fe09b01ce51148

 60641be96e5bd064

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

 476aa77497588305

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Adam, who had openly envied my follower count, became polite again after receiving a payment. Judging by his reaction, it seemed that the “payment” he had in mind was different from what I thought. 962e560664af4a1c

Feeling like I was spending money in all the wrong places, I made a donation to the hospital where the leather artisan’s son was admitted and also arranged a regular sandwich delivery to a school in the slums.6fe9a477a314ffe2

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“My goodness. How is it that Ril’s heart is so beautiful?”6a27704f9dd47176

“Oh, your face is even more beautiful.”231a1c0180bdfd49

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Yeah, Riley is so 8d3843f6c6 pretty. That fucker.”28814aa74cb8b1fd

“Yes, bastard.”0954283c425f390b

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The boss was still furious, and having become accustomed to the boss’s new persona, I nodded along without hesitation. When I think about it, it makes sense that a professional has multiple sides to their personality. 9b3441cc3e8a18f9

My mom’s eldest d2c846952c daughter might act 04156808ee like a mess 1646fe964f at home, but da6fe36483 outside, she’s an bf02cf2f15 absolute angel.1d66f8bb16247917

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

 bcdf3e546e0f93b5

“Oh my, who is this? Come on in, Ril. Hoho.”efdd7ed813c96c56

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Maybe I had become too accustomed to the boss’s new persona, but the overwhelming kindness I was met with the next day felt downright frightening. What’s going on? Why is she acting like this again?e11ac1736b35a40d

“Ril, you’re something else. You kept insisting there was nothing between you two, but it turns out you were fighting.”b00b1f3480b1af05

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“…Pardon?”4731603075317767

“We’re intellectuals, after all. If there’s a misunderstanding, shouldn’t we look each other in the eye and have a calm conversation? Of course, we don’t need to rely solely on words for a conversation between grown men and women. Kya hahah!”730702a779cb0b58

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

From the delirious 7865e64468 reaction, it was db813f3893 clear that something 1da56a7156 new had been 73b32fa88d posted on the 4f86e5d5b5 social feed.b4f715083c0c2b22

 78cf61f3ef2e4978

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

 dd2cee2637fa7dd4

“Dammit.”5e33376b1946d863

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

I thought it 92671fba4a was just going e07d801afa to be a ef4c970cb5 speculative post or 46303939e1 one that dug 664840dbe7 into the meaning 1c52ff4307 behind a floral 925170626f tablecloth. But to my cf14487ea0 surprise, Theo, who 3e58269dd6 had been quiet 1fad7d0c3b for six days, eb3464a4f2 appeared on my 853612580c feed.56289e4e0510865e

“Here’s what I think. Recently, VCI has been really busy, right? And since your boyfriend doesn’t have a social feed account, he probably didn’t know what was going on. He must’ve been wondering, ‘Why isn’t she answering my calls?’ and in the middle of that, he figured it out. I’m guessing he made an account in a hurry.”b7ad192163d4a7fa

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“……”330feda15467f44a

“No, it’s not like I was digging into things in a creepy way or anything. I just happened to find out by chance. I think I heard it from the younger cousin of my senior’s friend’s grandfather’s dog or something. It’s a little hazy. Hoho.”4609a2a2aea04ef5

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The boss, stepping away 57fcc42af3 from the counter and 129205b933 coming closer to me, 00909057f7 murmured in an excited 90ab2b0312 voice. However, I 0f2ff02d11 was so 8b2844058f absorbed in b9e8367e07 the feed f60c76cd7e that I ab50014d36 didn’t catch d829bbbb2a everything.a256754195f35e83

“Come on, who cares how I found out? The important thing is that he made an account. I was so excited. Look, look. Usually, when people create an account, they just use their name, but he specifically, hmm? He made it ‘Only Raniieri’ and even used two ‘i’s in the middle of the spelling. Doesn’t it look like he was matching your account? Wow, that’s crazy.” afdac5142646d03c

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“……”ecaf14e77f2df8ff

“I’m telling you, all 8c55fa1ac5 the guys who spread a20ff1d6c4 false rumors should have 338e843ee2 their fingers cut off. They have nothing to f69bf48cc0 do after eating, so aa5de00345 they just talk nonsense.”9ee60bfd6172c936

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

After eating, the f945191d82 boss, who had fd5a1b9033 nothing to do, 8b3d20b6e5 spoke up. Unlike me, 1f01fec8e3 who was 88b4848c22 devastated by 55bcea2e2f the sudden, 16f15cddec shocking news, 1c3ccb0ba4 the boss dba8df7916 was excited 23db3e6cf9 and kept 0fcda7ddb2 chattering like db0273de70 a sparrow, 1d70f7762d smiling brightly. 98f736c1f1e1a4da

Then, when I tried to delete the feed, the boss shouted at me with a terrifying expression, “What are you doing right now?!” It seemed like the boss realized she had overreacted, as she awkwardly smiled and tried to calm me down. f5d046eebd4835d3

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

She urged me to 613132b025 think rationally, which, ironically, 28009d76ab was not something the 0e1c01d790 least rational person should 7c3fe49b63 be saying.16c87b4fd643e949

But whatever the boss’s intentions were, I was grateful for being stopped at that moment, as it gave me time to think. Deleting the feed would likely make it seem like we’d reconciled. cfee0b18cbd08dfd

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

If I responded to Theo’s feed, there was a high chance I’d get an absurd reply. It was a mess. Although I had time to think, even after wracking my brain, I couldn’t come up with any sharp solutions.4bd95c910c03e16c

Just like 0d0016b1e3 the other fc51400f9b days, I c4a0d2dbe2 would have 108a92d65e gone home, 5e44607e3f but today, 56eda382b4 I went 985dac2c2e back to 7d459990c2 the shooting 87cc8db9a2 range. I tried to fa3246162f summon my anger 07ec6c2f77 by thinking of 396edd4eda the human-shaped target 5e72ef571e as someone specific, 86401e09d3 but for some 75221f1202 reason, my bullets ab34d886e9 kept missing. 2c0bafebf306a0fb

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

An annoying face was drawn above the target, and a bothersome voice echoed in my head, “Are you even going to make it?”26b2a28096808196

“Ugh.”9dd699298147cb3b

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

For a 2a337ba614 moment, I 3de2feb003 focused all f53ecc8883 my energy ad0b408e16 on glaring e4224c388e at the acd16e7f62 target, but 481ecaac64 eventually, my c6955bd260 eyes just 38876d1b78 started to be7212fa63 burn. I rubbed them fiercely e1c058b0d9 and threw off my 6f95195dc7 earplugs.f1f81eadd5569fd7

“Is this the aftereffects of the breakup?”4ad6f280313db91a

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Ah, you scared me!”fee551f10b65cc3c

I turned around de27f9e7be in shock at 8ed02b3aa7 the voice that 1ac1147d90 seemed to be 8486a93d53 waiting for me. There, sitting on 0eee0fb68e the table, was c108f24ead a tall, dark e79b033266 figure staring at 99620f8c30 me. It was Black.7377b91f754c1add

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Why’s your breathing so loud? Next time, when you’re aiming at Ranieri’s forehead, make sure you calm down first. If you don’t control your breath, you’ll keep missing.”f7ab57c4493565cc

Unlike me, whose heart was still pounding, Black spoke in a calm, almost nostalgic tone, as if he’d been watching me for quite a while. Moreover, his mention of Theo and the breakup was very casual, as if he had no trouble bringing it up. 8b875667cf889b79

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

If Black, who 12c7d4c11b had been away 0fb5793e88 on a trip, e72ddd6901 knew about it, bc27da0f5c it seemed the b5defa6682 rumors had spread e0b452141d widely. Instead of 4c60f90443 offering an fee8502b99 explanation or 73dc75d20a excuse, I 538b187e76 just gave ce42e45a18 a wry ea88c55b91 smile.25114ae1ec4bde2e

“Yeah. It’s been a while. Did you have a good trip?”969c35ef3c237445

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Yes.”e85be6b1155f95da

“So, how did you end up here? Did you come to see me?”70787bf9a311c387

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Your self-esteem is impressive.”ce5dc5a520efdcfb

“Yeah, it’s a bit much.”d41d41ce5fb09d49

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“But it’s true. I have something for you.”c8bde41b58bc3894

What is this guy 94207169a9 up to?1594498ea735e052

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

My dissatisfaction was clear 263741eebb on my face. I scrunched dde6d67d54 up my 745702a541 face.1a2e44648a5cb1ed

Black, seemingly amused by 90789bf801 something, grinned and explained 5ee3b16b04 that he had been cd77abab23 walking by when he 1d95126454 saw me stomping around 459c2b4073 like a rhinoceros. He decided 99e8c3d551 to follow 47358e54d7 me into ba62ebc100 the shooting 82c12c6ed9 range.4de03ed1fd145a60

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Do you know your expression is really funny?”4184155cb0580a03

“I don’t know about that, but just so you know, I’m thankful that I’m weak against strong people.”d399372741499219

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Here, a souvenir.”46f68cb0ea3aa272

“Oh, what’s this?”f4026a7904c34432

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

It was a hard case slightly larger than the size of my palm. I gently shook the box, trying to guess the contents, and Black’s soft chuckle filled the air. 51569a9e9cc0f5a3

He could 467f6cff06 be annoying 09daac859a at times, 789792c989 often acting 79ade95f9b cold, and da6073b095 the process 795d77e93d of becoming 3bd029a470 friends with 382464b398 him had 93b2bfeb2d been a 6aca2cf2ac tough one. However, there was no e5c01e2a78 doubt that Black was eac2aacf32 a good person. After all, there’s no 5252a767c0 one who brings souvenirs.d44b3527972aa542

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“…Huh?”cda4ca77a3b7e5d1

The gift was f0057d18e3 a handgun. I had told 58dcdf76e2 myself I wouldn’t 073ababfe4 be surprised by e5cc2d1d88 any outlandish gift, a799953f3f and when he 5b0c6eae6d mentioned a souvenir, 2aca576e3f I had even 5f9dc5dfa8 considered rocks or 4fc5baf4b8 pieces of coal. 9e2da1d6f4a0f6c0

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

But to e657880dff my surprise, 415949c02b it was f027c71101 a practical ec98eb4a98 and normal 4d97af5c0e gift, leaving 1f3323eae5 me wide-eyed. It was smaller and c8bc8c3109 lighter than the one 39c766ab04 I carried around these c40b5b8671 days, which I liked 618fd363c9 a lot.89de16ad33dee4ac

“That handgun suit you. It’s not too big for your hand and light enough.”f5c41a335b1be750

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Thank you. You even got me such a rare gift.”d5be834ca7177bca

“The weeds have grown a lot.”89a09b24d6ba841d

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“……”336e492bc4dafab0

“I mean, just saying.”30b0ebc09e0ac740

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

I forced a neutral expression on my face and pretended not to hear him as I fiddled with the gun. Even though he added with a voice full of laughter that it was just a joke, he left the door open with, “You can come by anytime if you want.” But that annoying smirk quickly disappeared without a trace.16714c90fd2a3abf

“What?”d4bbf3f0bdbbdc1e

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com