Lynn couldn’t shake the strange feeling that something wasn’t quite right. Why did her trust in him increase so easily just from a simple denial? And why was she so quick to relax after asking such a bizarre question?

"How could you just ask something like that?" Lynn couldn't hold back his curiosity.

The Black Moth Fairy raised her mask, revealing her serious eyes. "Because before we migrated, our elders specifically warned us that creatures from this world are very evil. Many of our kin were tricked by certain malevolent races, and were kept as pets."

"So, the elders told us that when dealing with outsiders, we must always stay alert to avoid being deceived."

Lynn was dumbfounded. "Uh..."

"So, are you a liar?" she asked suspiciously, narrowing her eyes.

Lynn, now more confused than ever, replied, "No."

"Good," she sighed, relaxing as she retrieved a water bottle and started drinking, her tension evaporating.

Ding! The Black Moth Fairy’s trust in you +10.

Lynn: "???"

Just like that, her trust in him increased? Wasn't her elder specifically warning her to stay cautious? Yet, after a single question, she was ready to trust him completely. This really didn’t seem right—was this how her entire race operated?

Trying to wrap his mind around this strange interaction, Lynn pressed on, “You mentioned your tribe is migrating? Why are you so far from your intended destination? The Hellfire Plains is to the north, right? But you’re in Soul Alley, which is a few hundred kilometers away!”

Lynn had done some research on the local geography, and he knew something was off.

The Black Moth Fairy closed her eyes and took another sip from her bottle. “Please don't say strange things. This great pioneer has been traveling north and will soon find our new homeland!"

Lynn couldn’t help but ask, "Which direction is north?"

The Black Moth Fairy, without opening her eyes, stretched out her hand and pointed forward. "That way."

“….”

Lynn blinked, confused. "You’re sure? Because you’re pointing south.”

The Black Moth Fairy raised her visor with a snap, narrowing her eyes. “Please don’t doubt the great pioneer’s sense of direction. I’ve walked 2,000 kilometers from my homeland; do you think I could possibly go the wrong way? My instincts are always spot-on."

“Is your whole tribe relying on instincts to navigate?”

“Why not?” she answered nonchalantly.

“….”

Lynn was utterly speechless. “So, how far away is your tribe’s new home?"

The Black Moth Fairy squinted, holding up five fingers. "About 500 kilometers away."

Lynn tapped his fingers on the table thoughtfully. “Then why did you walk 2,000 kilometers and still not reach it?”

The Black Moth Fairy froze, her fingers stuck in mid-air.

"..."

The awkward silence stretched out, as if the gravity of her own words had hit her.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the Black Moth Fairy murmured, "Now that you mention it, that does seem strange…"

Lynn sighed deeply. He had been holding back his frustration, but this was too much. How could she not have realized the glaring discrepancy in her travels?

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

"Here."

Lynn retrieved a compass from under the counter and placed it on the table in front of her.

"This is for you. Consider it a kind gesture from someone who feels sorry for you. I’m selling it to you for the special price of 200 Skull Coins. With this, I’m sure you won’t get lost again."

The Black Moth Fairy looked at the small object with curiosity, her confusion evident. "What is this?"

Lynn closed his eyes and sighed, “A compass. It’s a mysterious tool that can help you correctly identify direction in the Dark World. I normally sell it for 1,000 Skull Coins, but since I feel sorry for you, I’ll give it to you for just 200.”

"Mm!" The Black Moth Fairy took the compass, intrigued, and began to toy with it.

"How do I use it?"

Lynn pointed at the needle. “See the needle? It always points south. So, if you want to go north, just walk in the opposite direction the needle is pointing. It’s simple and effective, right?"

"Mm!" She stared at the compass in awe. "Such a simple but useful tool!"

"Do you want to buy it?"

"Yes."

Ding! Congratulations, you’ve triggered the achievement: "Hundredfold Profit." You have earned 200 basic experience.

Hundredfold Profit: Special Achievement. Sell any item at more than 100 times its original price. You gain a permanent bonus: +2 Intelligence, -1 Morality.

Lynn stared at the system message, a mix of pride and disbelief washing over him. He’d just sold a simple compass for an exorbitant price, and in the process, earned an achievement.

But honestly? He still couldn't quite fathom how the Black Moth Fairy had managed to get this far in life with such a lack of self-awareness. How could anyone walk 2,000 kilometers in the wrong direction and not realize something was wrong?

Still, Lynn couldn’t help but be impressed by the fairy's uncanny ability to trust strangers so easily—and at such an alarming rate!

Lynn couldn’t believe his ears. "You’re the first person to make me feel this much pain!" the Black Moth Fairy said, still groggy from the ordeal, her eyes glassy as she sat up. She shook her head to clear the disorientation and then pointed at him with a mixture of awe and exhaustion. "You’ve left a very deep impression on me!"

Ding! Black Moth Fairy’s favorability towards you +20.

Lynn blinked, stunned, still processing what had just happened. What? He had just tortured her with excruciating pain, and she was thanking him for leaving an impression? Was this some kind of twisted gratitude?

He took a deep breath and looked at the small, but incredibly sharp, rolling pin he had used to keep her from biting her tongue off. This is insane.

The fairy, still half-conscious, picked up the rolling pin and squinted at it. "You’re the first person to dare use such a large thing on my mouth!" she remarked, her voice a bit dazed.

Lynn could barely hold back his facepalm. "You know, you’re not exactly making this easy on me," he muttered, shaking his head. She had a completely messed up sense of what was normal.

"Wait, wait," Lynn said, trying to steer the conversation back to something more grounded. "What was that about the giant? You were talking about some giant that bit off your arm, right? Can you explain that a little more?"

The Black Moth Fairy looked at him, and with a pained wince, started her story again. "Yeah, that giant... he was massive! I just wanted to ask for directions, but before I knew it, he lunged at me! I barely dodged in time, or I would have lost my head instead of just my arm." She paused, then added with the same seriousness that she had before: "That was definitely one of the hardest battles I've faced."

Lynn sighed. He had heard enough to understand the danger, but there was something else bugging him. This whole "adventurer" thing seemed more like a constant stream of luck and ridiculous bravado, rather than actual skill or survival instinct. He couldn’t even fathom how she had made it this far with that combination of carelessness and reckless courage.

"Alright, let’s focus on the injury," Lynn said, forcing himself to push past the absurdity of everything. "We need to wrap this up so it doesn’t get infected."

"Mm!" she responded enthusiastically, though clearly still in a daze from the pain.

Lynn worked swiftly and methodically, giving her directions every step of the way, trying to make sure she didn't pass out. It took time, but eventually, the task was done.

He wiped his brow and sat back, a little too exhausted for his own good. "There we go. That should hold up. Just take it easy for a while, alright?"

The Black Moth Fairy nodded, looking at her newly bandaged arm. Her expression, although still pained, had a certain sense of pride mixed with disbelief. “Thank you for that… painful but necessary experience. I’ll remember it forever.”

Ding! Black Moth Fairy’s favorability towards you +30.

Lynn couldn’t help but feel like he was caught in some kind of bizarre fever dream. He had never felt this much guilt paired with an odd sense of achievement before.

"Alright, you’re good for now," he said, wiping his hands and standing up. "You’re free to go whenever you want, but you should probably head in the direction that’s actually north this time."

"Mm! I’ll get it right this time," she said confidently, though her eyes still looked a little lost. She adjusted her helmet and headed for the door with a more determined pace than she’d had before.

As she left, Lynn rubbed his temples, feeling the weight of the whole experience.

Ding! Achievement unlocked: "Surgical Master"

Your surgical skills have improved dramatically. You’ve gained 300 experience.

The achievements and experience rolled in, but Lynn couldn’t help but feel a little unsettled. He wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry at how easily he could manipulate the situation—and how the Black Moth Fairy, for all her bravado and supposed toughness, was basically a walking disaster.