Brand New Life Online: Rise Of The Goddess Of Harvest

Chapter 1785: You Cannot Hide Everything

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“Oh, I’m so sorry. I had no idea you were already having lunch…” Elayne muttered. “Or dinner?”

“We’re having a meal this week,” Blank replied. “We usually don’t eat every day.”

“I see,” Elayne nodded.

“I apologize, lords. I was too exhausted and ended up falling asleep,” Mark sighed.

“That’s quite all right,” Silvester shrugged. “We were discussing business. If you don’t mind, I would be glad if you joined us. Especially since you seem to be the ones behind all the crop production. You’re the most important here.”

“O-Oh, really?” Elayne asked in surprise. “Well, thank you for your kind words. I’ll sit down, then, if you don’t mind.”

“Me too,” Mark added, taking a seat.

“Hello, big sis!” Lisette greeted her cheerfully. “I’ve been eating lots of Nether Beast meat. It’s delicious!”

“Yes, it certainly is,” Blank agreed. “Why don’t you have a meal while we discuss some important matters?”

“Oh, okay. Thank you,” Elayne said, settling in.

Soon after, a two-meter-tall statue resembling a maid glided silently toward her, placing several plates of purple, blue, and green meat before her.

It was beautifully prepared with various ingredients and looked delicious, especially for Undead. Elayne couldn’t help drooling and began eating eagerly.

“Hmm… Hmm!” Midway through her meal, she realized the two White Ghost nobles were staring at her. Embarrassment flooded her cheeks. “I-I’m sorry… I was… hungry…”

“Haha, it’s fine,” Blank laughed. “I just find you quite amusing. Isn’t she, Father?”

“Well, I cannot say for certain, but I have never met Undead quite like her,” Silvester replied. “It’s almost as if she were alive.”

“Oh, you’re praising me too much,” Elayne giggled nervously, swallowing her bite. “The food is delicious. Thank you so much, great lords.”

“I’m glad you like it,” Blank said with a calm smile. He usually kept an expressionless face, but whenever he spoke with Elayne, a faint smile appeared.

“We were discussing the current situation in White Tooth,” Yaga explained to Elayne. “I’ve also secured some vendors waiting for us in their shops. They should help us obtain what we need—food, materials, weapons, and more.”

“I see!” Elayne nodded. “Thank you so much for your kindness.”

“Ah, it’s nothing,” Blank replied. “Before you went to rest, you mentioned Class Changing. Usually, Undead don’t change classes. They’re assigned one upon creation or arrival here and then evolve… But I’ve noticed something you all share. You don’t have Nether Cores, do you?” His sharp eyes seemed to pierce their souls.

“T-That’s…!” Elayne grew slightly nervous but calmed herself, waiting for Yaga to respond as their supposed “Master.”

“That’s right, but please don’t concern yourselves with that, young lord,” Yaga said smoothly. “They are simply useless Undead unable to form a Nether Core.”

“Is that so?” Blank mused. “I would argue the opposite. They possess unseen strength I’ve never witnessed in Undead before. Isn’t that right, Father?”

“Yes,” Silvester agreed. “I believe they’ve rejected forging a Nether Core for some reason. I’d also say they seem unable to consume other souls. A truly strange and unusual breed of Undead.”

“…” Elayne felt their powerful pressuring auras weigh on her core, but she remained calm and composed. “That’s because…”

“Don’t speak for me. I am your master,” Yaga said, patting Elayne’s shoulders. “What she meant is that their situation isn’t something you need to worry about or make your business, great lords. We’re already providing you with plenty.”

“Hm, that’s true,” Silvester conceded. “We were merely curious, right, son?”

“Yes, Father. Nothing more,” Blank nodded.

Though they were allies on good terms, Elayne realized she couldn’t fully lower her guard around these two White Ghost men, especially given their immense strength.

Yet there was something about Blank she had noticed for a while.

He looked at Elayne with a sincere expression.

“Elayne, would you like to explain it to us now? Instead of letting that old lady continue pretending to be your master?” he asked.

“…?!”

Elayne stayed silent, but her eyes widened briefly, revealing the truth to Blank and his father instantly.

“What might you mean by that?” Yaga asked.

“Oh, please, Lady Yaga. We know you’re still an important figure in their group as a respected elder, but it’s quite obvious you’re not their leader. It’s Elayne,” Silvester said. “I’d say she leads this group—even you.”

“She’s an Undead. She could never—”

“Did you know? The White Ghost Race was technically considered ’Undead’ before the White Mist Ghost Mother rose in the Netherworld and elevated our race—which once cowered in caves during ancient times—into the noble race we are today,” Blank explained. “Technically, we still share many traits with Undead that other Noble Races lack.”

“…Is that so?” Elayne asked curiously. “I see. So you discerned the truth through such a connection?”

“Yes. The moment we realized you were the talented one creating these farms, producing everything, and more… it became quite obvious Yaga had little to do with it,” Silvester said. “No Undead Master out there has so many talented Undead that they overshadow them. Those who tame and enslave Undead are usually incredibly charismatic and powerful beings themselves. Their Undead are mere workers, never treated as equals like you’ve done, Lady Yaga.”

“Ugh…” Yaga groaned. “So our plan was doomed from the start… All right, state what you want from us… Do you intend to exploit this? Will you tell the town?”

“…Hm?”

“What?”

Blank and Silvester exchanged glances, father and son utterly bewildered by Yaga’s accusations.

“Why would we ever do such a thing?” Silvester asked.

“We have no ill intentions whatsoever,” Blank shook his head. “We’re merchants, after all. We do business. We simply wanted some level of trust and decided to clarify this from the beginning, right, Father?”

“That’s right, my talented son,” Silvester agreed. “However, that White Ghost child—we’ve only just noticed—bears the crest of the Nether Ghost Castle Family, the third largest governing family in the Labyrinth Region, under which White Tooth Village falls.”

“That also didn’t escape our detection,” Blank added. “I wonder… does this child have any relation to the missing young son whose big sister has been mourning all this time?”

“Eeek?!” Lisette yelped, terrible at hiding the truth. “M-My sister is looking for me?! But she’s a creep…! I don’t wanna go back!”

“…Hmm.” Mark glanced at Blank with sharp, blazing eyes, a flicker of killing intent escaping. “Elayne… they’re uncovering everything about us. Is this really safe? Doing business with people like them?”

“…I’m not sure myself anymore,” Elayne sighed.

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