Chapter 157: Talia Gave It to Her for Free

Description

I recognize her.

A hideous, alarming head sprouted from Igna’s shoulder, letting out a low growl.

“Oh, so you’ve got quite the network among demons. I underestimated you.”

She let out a light laugh, taunting him.

She’d thought demons were nothing but mindless things that only knew how to kill, kill, kill, and then eat after the killing was done.

Who knew they could actually recognize people too?

At that, Igna couldn’t help but change her opinion of him.

“Hmph, I’ll take that as a compliment.”

The head shot out a scorching breath through its nostrils, saying with displeasure.

It felt like this woman was mocking it, and it wanted to lash out, but it couldn’t quite pinpoint what was wrong, so it let it go.

It continued, “Talia the Archduchess of the Cold Claw Alliance, one of the strongest mages of our time. I died by her hand.”

“Sounds like someone I shouldn’t mess with. I’d better stay far away from her.”

Igna’s instinct to flee kicked in again, and she shrank her neck timidly.

If you can’t win, run.

Outlasting everyone is the real way to survive.

That was her life motto.

Even if it meant waiting, she’d outlast her enemies until they died.

“Aren’t you supposed to be destroying the world?”

Igna’s instant cowardice irritated the demon worm, and it spoke up with sarcasm.

It had always looked down on attitudes that folded the moment a strong enemy appeared.

“You can’t even dare to fight Talia who’s right in front of you, and you’re talking to me about destroying the world?”

“Are you kidding me? You worthless piece of trash!”

Perhaps provoked by its words, Igna’s expression soured instantly.

She grabbed the head on her shoulder, yanked it off by the roots, locked eyes with its flame-burning sockets, and said in a somewhat gloomy tone.

“Maybe you’re right.

“It’s the perfect chance to catch her off guard and take her out with a sneak attack.”

Igna turned her head, her sinister gaze landing on the small figure in the distance.

“No.”

The demon worm denied her idea and continued.

“That’s exactly what I did last time, and you saw how that turned out for me.”

“She’s extremely alert to hostility from behind when she’s fishing. There’s no way to ambush her from the back.”

“Then what do we do?” Igna raised an eyebrow.

“I have a plan…”

The demon gestured for Igna to lean in close, then whispered a scheme into her ear.

7

About twenty minutes later.

“I see…”

Igna nodded.

“Do this… then this… and finally…”

By the small stream.

“Hi there, hello, little miss, I’m back~”

Igna walked out of the darkness carrying a crudely made fishing rod, a few stubborn dead leaves still clinging to it.

Her craftsmanship wasn’t exactly refined, but it didn’t matter.

As long as it could catch fish.

“You’re here to fish too?”

Talia’s eyes went wide, and she asked with a delighted expression.

She’d gotten used to being alone, but that was only a choice born of having no like-minded companion.

If she could have someone to fish with and share the joy, she’d welcome it with open arms.

After all, who wouldn’t want to show off a big catch to someone else?

“Yeah, but I’m still a beginner. Please go easy on me.”

Like a fresh newcomer, humbly learning from a senior.

“Ha! What I’m best at is teaching newbies.”

Talia patted her chest, speaking with absolute confidence.

“They call me the Fishing Mentor!”

Igna wore a kind smile and said politely.

“Please teach me, Senior Talia!”

“Leave it to me.”

I used to think you were a vulgar, bad woman.

Sorry about that…

Looks like there are good people even among those with bigger chests than mine.

Talia silently apologized in her heart.

The corners of Igna’s mouth curled upward involuntarily, but Talia was completely absorbed in the joy of meeting a fellow enthusiast, oblivious to it all.

This is the strongest mage of today?

What a small fry.

She can’t even see through a disguise this simple.

A world like this is better off destroyed.

Under Talia’s patient instruction, Igna began her first attempt at fishing.

And then…

Splash~

A fish the size of a forearm was yanked out of the water, flapping wildly on the ground with frantic thuds.

Wait.

What? Girl?

You’re actually serious?!

Talia stared, eyes going wide.

She’d been squatting here for ages without a single bite.

This newcomer casually casts once, and she’s already got a fish.

What was an old-timer like her supposed to make of that?

And there’s a beginner’s lucky pack too?!

Splash~

Another identical fish was dragged onto the bank.

Could Igna be a fishing prodigy?

Not at all.

It was all the demon worm Nazgar’s doing.

That demon was crouched under the water right now, working hard to catch fish.

Every time it caught one, it hooked it onto Igna’s line, creating the illusion of a fishing genius.

“They’re just two big fish. I’ll catch some of my own in no time!”

Talia forcibly pulled back her envious gaze and refocused on her own bobber.

Before long, the sizzling sound of fish roasting drifted over from the side.

A tantalizing, smoky aroma crept into her nose, making drool unconsciously trickle from the corner of her mouth.

She muttered to herself, pulling her attention back.

“No, I need to focus on fishing!”

The next second, a fragrant roasted fish was offered right in front of her, wafting an irresistible scent.

Gulp~

Talia’s throat bobbed as she swallowed instinctively.

“I’ll eat what I catch myself! I’m not some stray rat that takes whatever’s tossed at it on the street. If I’m going to eat, it has to be—”

She roared in her mind.

Crunch, crunch~

A dagger scraped across the crispy fish skin, letting out crisp crackles.

The blade pressed deeper, and the charred skin split open, revealing tender white flesh beneath, still steaming.

Oil seeped along the back of the blade, dripping down one drop at a time, vanishing into the dirt, yet it seemed to fall onto Talia’s heart as well, loosening the lock on her heart’s door.

“Ahhh! So good!!”

The rich aroma burst across her tongue, but hidden within it was a faint, chilling trace.

She could no longer hold back and took a bite with her small mouth.

“Is it good, Senior?”

“Delicious!”

Talia jerked her head up and caught the upward curl of Igna’s lips.

Hm?

Her brow furrowed as she sensed something off.

Why is there a strange taste—

There’s poison in the fish!

Her expression gradually twisted, and a long, drawn-out groan escaped her throat.

The tip of her tail snapped straight, and she toppled backward, her whole body frozen in a spread-eagle pose.

Her face was sickly green, her soft belly exposed, like a green frog flipped on its back.

At that moment, a worm with a hideous head burst out of the water and swallowed Talia in one gulp.

“—”

It let out a burp.

Igna asked curiously.

“Can you handle her? Make sure she doesn’t get out.”

“She can’t get out. Just a bit hard to digest, that’s all.”

“Fine then, let’s move on to our next target.”

She retracted the worm and headed back toward Blackwood Village.

After walking for a while, she happened to spot several ogre corpses by the roadside.

An unexpected windfall, really.

Though the bodies were chopped into several pieces, for Igna, they were still perfectly usable.

She waved her hand, and a clump of green death energy covered the ogre remains.

The pieces reassembled under her pull.

Then, she awakened these ogre corpses, turning them into three towering living corpses.

“With these three champions, the little village of Blackwood will be ours for the taking.”

Igna gazed at the tall living corpses before her and clapped her hands with satisfaction.