At the time of the incident, Tyler was trailing a wounded wild boar in the forest.
Suddenly, a familiar silver-white sword appeared out of nowhere, blocking his path.
"..."
Instinctively, Tyler wanted to escape, but his rationality immediately took control of his body, preventing him from doing so, and he began to convincingly portray an expression of panic and fear.
(Since this silver-white sword has already appeared, fleeing would be futile.)
Within seconds, a second and third silver-white sword appeared consecutively around Tyler, trapping him in place... although Tyler had no intention of running.
(SHe surrounds me without killing... it seems she still wants to confirm something with me... I'll adapt as the situation unfolds.)
Tyler decided to lie down in place, treating the three silver-white swords as if paying homage to the silver-haired girl from earlier, repeatedly pleading, "Please spare me, my lord... Spare this humble soul... If you require anything, I shall go through fire and water to fulfill your wishes..."
Before long, the silver-haired girl arrived.
"Hunter, you lied to me just now, didn't you?"
"L-Lied? My lord, you've misunderstood! I-I haven't deceived you in any way!"
The young hunter merely lifted his head slightly to "look" and continued trembling, desperately defending himself.
Upon witnessing this reaction, Viviana felt a slight pang of guilt, but she proceeded with the "special technique" she had planned in advance, something she had learned from books.
Normally, with Albert always by her side, Viviana never had a chance to put her learning into practice. Now, however, she had an opportunity for real-life application.
"So, young hunter, why would someone as young as you venture so far into this remote forest, far away from the village? Tell me, which village are you from?" Viviana believed she had asked a particularly tricky question.
"I-I am from Ira Village, my lord. You, you are unaware, but hunters... they-"
"Hmph, I knew it! You're from Ira Village! You've been deceiving me!" Viviana interrupted the young hunter's response, as it was just as she had expected!
"Ira Village is far from here! How do you expect to return and sleep at night without a horse to ride?!" Viviana's satisfaction reached its peak!
She believed she had caught the young hunter in a loophole!
In her mind, Viviana couldn't help but praise herself for her cleverness. She had managed to uncover such a hidden logical flaw!
However, Viviana was unaware that her naive thoughts were completely transparent to the young hunter.
Tyler's current impression is...
(Hah? Return to sleep?... How fortunate to encounter such a fool who can even compete with the silly loli!)
(Silly Nissen: Tyler, you idiot-o! If you dare, say that again!!)
(Tyler: Don't be angry, Silly Nissen. When it comes to the extent of foolishness, you undoubtedly win.)
(Silly Nissen: Oh, okay... Huh? Ah? Tyler, you, you, you're the biggest-o fool! The biggest-o, biggest-o fool!!)
Although it is impolite to the silver-haired girl, Tyler is secretly delighted by her innocence.
Through observing her words, actions, and inner thoughts, Tyler has determined that despite her formidable combat strength, the silver-haired girl's mental age is only around thirteen or fourteen, a typical flower from a wealthy family who has yet to experience the harsh realities of society.
However, she is also a flower that can easily kill Tyler.
Next, it requires Tyler's courage and finesse to perform.
"L-Lady, you don't know about us hunters...!"
"No need to say more. Prepare to meet your demise. I despise people who deceive me the most."
The silver-haired girl suddenly waved her finger, and a slender silver sword floating around her immediately flew straight towards Tyler's forehead!
The silver sword was incredibly fast, and Tyler's reaction speed was not enough to dodge it. However, he had no intention of evading it at all. He could be seen holding his head in place, continuously shouting, "It's a misunderstanding, Lord! I truly didn't lie, Lord!"
Then, just a centimeter away from Tyler's head, the silver sword abruptly stopped and transformed into silver dots before disappearing.
The whole process took only two or three seconds.
-Viviana: (Hm? Even when faced with death, he still won't change his words. Could it be this hunter truly didn't lie?)
Viviana's plan just now was to use the threat of death to make the hunter speak the truth. However, what she didn't know was that not only did the hunter see through her thoughts, but he also learned about her background, combat occupation level, and more.
On the other hand, Tyler was also drenched in cold sweat. He had just taken a gamble, betting that this level 51 combat occupation girl could control the flying sword as she desired. If she couldn't control it properly, his head would have been pierced by now.
Fortunately, Tyler won the bet again.
"... I really didn't lie... Lady…(sob)."
Tyler quickly fell to the ground, crying and holding his head. Surprisingly, this made Viviana feel a bit guilty.
"What... What were you about to say? Tell me," Viviana said, reluctantly finding an excuse for herself.
"My Lord… you don't know... us hunters sometimes have to camp in the wilderness to track our prey... Those of us in this profession often spend three or four days away from home…(sob)..."
The young hunter's words were accompanied by tears, and Viviana felt that they made sense. However, she couldn't bring herself to admit her lack of knowledge, leaving her stuttering and unsure of what to say.
Tyler wept silently as he covertly gauged Viviana's inner turmoil. He knew that if he extended an olive branch, he could resolve this matter. However, having finally gained the upper hand, he could not let this opportunity slip away without seizing advantage.
But what advantage could he possibly gain?
"My lord... I have been wrongly accused. Would you be willing to believe me now?"
"Um... Yes, I... believe you."
Viviana murmured, her voice growing softer with each word.
And that was exactly what Tyler desired to hear.
In their conversation, once one party admitted their mistake in any form, she, being the weaker one, would be more inclined to accept requests she wouldn't normally consider.
Following that, Tyler employed a psychological technique. He first proposed a request that the other party would likely refuse, and then followed it up with a relatively easier but somewhat unreasonable demand. Under these circumstances, the other party would most probably comply.
"My lord, since you have wrongly accused me and nearly killed me, could you offer me one of your earring pendants as compensation?"
"E-earring pendant?"
Viviana touched the petal-shaped earring pendant made of black jade that adorned her ear, shaking her head vehemently.
"No... It's not possible...!"
The black jade earring pendant was a gift Viviana received from her parents when she turned sixteen, and she would never give it to anyone, no matter what.
"Then... would you, perhaps, remove your veil and allow me to see your countenance? I, being inexperienced, wish to witness the visage of someone as formidable as yourself."
Later, when Tyler recalled the moment he had developed the idea to conquer Viviana, it was mostly at this instant.
"Well, fine... You may take a glimpse."
Viviana removed her veil, revealing her face underneath.
Tyler couldn't help but admit that, for a brief moment, time seemed to stand still.
The girl's eyes, akin to rubies, held an enchanting allure, while her exquisitely sculpted features appeared flawlessly natural. Her alabaster skin radiated a supple and delicate luster.
If an angel were to descend upon the mortal realm, it could only resemble the countenance of Viviana.