As she started to slowly unmask her face, I was able to get a glimpse of her pale white skin(of her face) which I think was pale due to the poison as she still haven't recovered from the after effects of nearly getting poisoned to death.

Only after she had completely removed the mask, was I able to see her whole face which was like something that came to life from a painting:

her pale white skin,

her glossy red lips,

her snub nose that added more to her cuteness,

her blue eyes that were darker than mine,

her black hair that were darker than ink were arranged in a bun hidden beneath the mask, maybe to protect her from being identified as a girl.

Now that I see her, she had a tint of red on her face and her height was around my neck.

'Everything about her was just too_______".

Seeing that I wasn't taking off my eyes her, she asked -

"Do I look strange".

Not knowing how but the sentence-

"You look cute", escaped from my mouth.

No, No. No. Shit, what the fuck am I even saying.

[The truth]

'You, just be silent for a second'. I told the system, in my mind.

[ ;) ]

Ignoring the system, I tried to gauge her reaction to see if she heard me or not.

As I saw her flinched immediately after I made eye contact with her and lower her head to avoid it. Just from this I could confirm that she definitely heard what I said about her.

Seeing her still standing in a daze, not moving an inch maybe because of the embarrassing moment just now.

I asked her-

"Is everything alright".

To my question she replied with a nod.

Knowing fully well that the conversation wasn't going anywhere if things continue to stay like this, I asked her a question 'to break the stalemate' which I think she found too sudden, as she wasn't even able to react to my question.

Seeing that she wasn't responding I asked her again -

"How did you get poisoned"?

A question that anyone with a common sense will think of.

"I can't answer you anything related to this question", she replied.

After listening to her reply I asked her the reason for not telling me anything about it.

"Knowing too much may put your life in danger", finding that her reason make sense I didn't try to pry further even though I knew that it was all a lie she was saying to avoid answering this question, so, I didn't ask her any questions regarding her getting poisoned.

"So, what were you doing here"?. She asked, maybe attempting to change the topic.

"Waiting for a thief", I replied to her with the truth.

She looks surprised as she was not expecting this kind of answer from me, after a few seconds of silence she asked me why was I waiting l for a thief and here if all place.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

To which I replied to her -

"Just to settle some debt".

After hearing my answer she asked what was the debt that I want to settle with the thief.

To her question I answered it in the same way she answered me -

"Knowing too much may put your life in danger".

[Did you know]

'What'.

[That sometimes you are too petty]

'How am I petty'.

[If you are not petty then why did you spoke to her like that]

'I don't want to hear this from a barbarian, who wanted to use brute force on a defenseless girl(poisoned) and It's all going according to my plan'.

[Do you sometimes forget that I can read your thoughts like an open book]

'Can you be silent just for a moment and let me talk to her'.

After seeing that she was still flustered from my previous reply. I said to her that I was just joking about this, you don't need to be serious.

Only after hearing me say this, did she breathed a sigh of relief.

"As for your question, it was because the thief took something from someone I know".

[You know]

'Now what'.

[That you are lying quite often these past few days]

'Does it even matter, if I don't get caught'.

[How are you so sure that you won't get caught]

'Can't you just read my mind'.

[I am trying to give you some privacy, as I don't like to peak in someone's mind]

'Say's who'.

[I am telling the truth]

'yeah, yeah I got it'.

[I am telling the truth]

'Why did you have to say it twice, I heard you already on the first try'.

[But you didn't believe it]

'Ok. I believe you now, happy'.

'Let me tell you the reason - it's because the owner of the ring is already dead(maybe because of the rebound effect that you talk about earlier).

[Is this the thing that you were searching around for the past few days]

'Exactly and since he's already dead they can't find out anything about my connection with the previous owner of the ring even if they want to.

Seeing that the system was convinced I shifted my attention towards Eva who was saying something most of which I missed due to my conversation with the system.

So, I urged her to repeat what she said earlier to me. At my urging she repeated her words again -

"As to how was I going to find the thief and if I knew anything about the thief like his name, address, phone number, etc.".

Maybe because wanted to help me and pay back her debt at the same time.

"I know about his hideout".

"So, where is his hideout".

"At the backside, there is a secret pathway that leads to his hideout right behind the wall you are standing in front of".