This House Has A Delicious Restaurant - Chapter 1 - Criminal Zerdan (1) - Part 3

“Moa Ablon. What a beautiful name.”

Zerdan stood up and kissed the back of my hand, which was tied to the chair as if I were a lady. The situation where the lady was tied to the chair was ironic.

Whispering that he’ll see me again tomorrow, Zerdan slowly exited the room. I responded with a smile.

With an innocent-looking face, I smiled prettily like a doll, and Zerdan left the room slowly.

Can I escape from this room, from that man?

The answer is Yes.

As soon as Zerdan left, I erased the smiling face and looked at the door he had left through expressionlessly.

Though he behaved as if he liked me with a friendly smile, he was a murderer. He had killed me several times before, and I knew he wasn’t someone who would easily give his heart like this.

That must have been an act too. In reality, he didn’t even bother to untie my hands.

Now that I’ve met Zerdan and survived for the first time, what should I do next?

Bella, as he said. If I could tell Obella about this situation, he, who seeks justice, wouldn’t leave an innocent victim like me alone. But how?

I wish I had some ability like telepathy.

I racked my brain to find a way. Meanwhile, my excited body continued to dampen my underwear.

I needed to escape quickly. Otherwise, I felt like I might be ensnared by him first.

* * *

Zerdan.

He plays the role of the sub-male lead in this conquest game and is the only character among the conquest characters who is openly a bad guy.

Yes, literally a bad guy.

He kills parents and innocent people alike to achieve his goals. And although I don’t remember his abilities well, they weren’t very good. It was an ability that suited him, though.

The criminal organization Zerdan belongs to starts small with him at its center.

Their purposes are diverse. They conduct human experiments, seek revenge, and enjoy seeing suffering faces.

Zerdan’s purpose is to show off his strength to his brother. It was a very simple reason. To call it a reason for murder.

His twisted nature was born from being compared unfavorably to his naturally talented brother since childhood. So he strives to gain abilities.

He said that the way to gain abilities after the fact occurs with a slim chance in the face of death. But since I’m inside the game, if I die, it’s just log out. So I had a random item.

“But it still gave some service.”

The game developer provided items that prioritize survival over conquest.

The gem embedded in the ring I wear gives a random ability to the person who breaks it.

But since it’s truly random, it could be a great ability like a lead role, or it could be better not to have a certain ability.

So I’ve never used it before, but now it’s time to start using it little by little.

I continued to fiddle with my tied hands on the wooden chair armrest. Due to the friction, my palm became slightly warm as I persisted, knowing that my life was at stake.

“Oh, have I gained weight? Why won’t this come off easily?”

It would be nice if there were some soap or something bubbly. The ring size fits perfectly, making it difficult to remove. It seemed to move a little, then returned to its original position. I’ll have to step on it with my foot to break it.

I frowned. I looked down, but of course, I couldn’t reach down to my arm.

Click.

As I struggled to remove the ring, I looked towards the door at the sudden sound. It was the sound of someone entering a password.

Zerdan hadn’t been gone for long. Could it be him again?

I squinted my eyes and looked at the door. It slowly opened, revealing the face of a middle-aged man who looked rather seasoned.

“Oh, you’re awake.”

Confirming that I was tied up, he swung the door wide open. I caught a glimpse of the outside scenery; it was just an ordinary corridor.

Soon, he turned back and dragged something along. I widened my eyes, realizing it was a person.

A woman with slumped shoulders and bowed head.

It was the body I had seen across from me before I came in.

She had been kidnapped after I entered.

It didn’t seem like she had been killed yet; she was breathing. She seemed to have been kidnapped after being simply knocked out like me.

The middle-aged man brought the woman over, and with a sudden breath, he opened the door wide. Now I realized that he was uncomfortable with his legs.

He brought the woman closer with his uncomfortable legs and sat her down in the chair opposite me. Like me, he fixed her arms and legs.

I remained as still as possible, afraid that he might see my legs were not secured and tie them with rope.

“It would be easier to just kill you. But I can’t help it because of the Captain’s ability.”

“Does this ability only apply when you’re alive?”

I was holding my breath when suddenly, I realized what he meant by “Captain,” he was talking about Zerdan.

He turned around with a grim expression. I was nervous for a moment, but I tried to look nonchalant and looked at him calmly.

“Hey, lady. Are you curious about that in this situation?”

“I don’t think I’ll have any regrets if I solve my curiosity before I’m murdered.”

“You’re quite fearless.”

The middle-aged man laughed in disbelief at my nonchalant response. He confirmed that the woman he brought couldn’t regain her senses, then slowly approached me again.

Despite his bowed legs, he was as tall and large as Zerdan.

“Don’t worry. I’ve decided to keep you alive until the lady’s identity is revealed. Are you a spy, asking about the Captain’s ability?”

“Well, if I were a spy, I might have some abilities. Unfortunately, I’m just an ordinary person.”

“Hmm, I don’t sense any creepy aura like the Captain… but I’ve been told not to get too close just in case. There’s a rumor that the hunter group has a psychic.”

The hunter group.

So that’s the group Obella belongs to, the one that catches criminals.

If there is a psychic, it makes sense to be cautious. Depending on how it’s used, it can be quite a threatening ability.

Judging by the response, this person isn’t just a low-level m*mber of this crime organization. They know about Zerdan’s abilities and the potential abilities of the opposing team.

Could the man in front of me also have an ability?

“Why do you ask? Are you a psychic?”

I avoided his gaze, afraid he might hypnotize me. It would be nice if I had such an ability, but unfortunately, I don’t.

“No, it’s not that. May I ask a favor? It’s a bit hot here, and my ring is making me sweat. As you can see, I’m tied up. Could you take off my ring?”

“I have no reason to do that. If your fingers are uncomfortable, I could cut them off. You won’t die from that.”

He took a small dagger out of his pocket.

Typical of someone from a crime organization. As he approached slowly, I was about to open my mouth to stop him.

His eyes looked strange. His brown eyes became slightly dull. The fierce look disappeared, and he dropped the dagger to the floor.

A blank stare. What’s happening? Did he suddenly go mad?

“…Do you just want the ring off?”

“What?”

He suddenly approached me slowly and awkwardly grabbed my hand.

I was scared he might break my fingers with his big hands, but he just took off the ring and placed it in my palm. Then he slowly returned to his original spot and picked up the dagger.

“…I should leave.”

He looked like a robot. With dull eyes, he stared at the door and limped away.

I was dumbfounded as he opened the door and left. Then I heard a voice from the opposite side.

“You got the ring you wanted, but you look strange.”