Chapter 61: Crino Prairie 5
In the center of the living room, a giant with bronze skin, who looked to be about three meters tall, was lying on his side on a massive sofa.
’He’s so tall. No wonder the doorbell was installed that high up.’
On the wall behind the sofa hung a majestic painting of a lion with its jaws clamped around the neck of its prey.
’Great. Now she knew what kind of Beastkin this was.’
’A Beastkin probably wouldn’t hang a painting in their living room of their own kind being hunted by a lion.’
The Leonin then noticed Moira Lynch’s arrival and muttered under his breath, "Another one? Just find something to do. Right, I almost forgot you probably can’t understand me."
The Leonin then pointed to the other players, who were busy working, and then gestured toward a changing room, indicating that she should go change.
Seeing this, Moira Lynch thought the Leonin was actually quite good-natured. He didn’t seem impatient at all, despite being bothered by so many players he couldn’t communicate with.
"I can understand you."
At her words, the Leonin, whose eyes had been half-closed, slowly opened them wide and sized her up with interest.
Meanwhile, the other players, who had been furtively watching the situation, noticed that someone could actually communicate with the Beastkin. They couldn’t help but slow their hands and watch silently.
Once he confirmed that Moira Lynch could not only understand him but could also read, the Leonin shot up from the sofa. He pointed to a player polishing a vase and asked, "Can you understand their language, then?"
Moira Lynch replied without missing a beat, "Of course I can."
"That’s great! Here."
As he spoke, the Leonin handed a blue Light Screen to Moira Lynch. "From now on, you’re in charge of assigning work to these people."
Moira Lynch took the Light Screen and promised to complete the tasks.
"Good. I’ll leave the rest to you. I have to step out, but I’ll be back before dark."
The implication was clear: he expected them to finish all the tasks on the Light Screen before nightfall.
As soon as the Leonin left, the other players swarmed over, surrounding Moira Lynch. Their eyes were fixed greedily on the blue Light Screen in her hands.
After all, they had all seen how the Leonin had treated her.
A few players looked ready to snatch it from her. Moira was about to issue a warning when two figures stepped in front of her.
"Trust me, friend. Even if you snatch that Light Screen, you won’t be able to read a single word on it."
The players whose intentions had been exposed flushed, retorting in frustration, "If we can’t read it, what makes you think she can?"
Kai York rolled his eyes. "If she couldn’t read it, the Leonin wouldn’t have handed it over to her."
A warm feeling spread through Moira Lynch’s chest as she looked at Shane Rhodes and Kai York standing protectively in front of her. ’I’ll have to give them a discount next time they want to buy something from me,’ she decided.
Moira Lynch scanned the crowd, then cleared her throat. "That’s enough," she said. "If you want to finish this mission, you’ll do as I say."
"And why should we listen to you?" a female player challenged.
Moira Lynch brandished the blue Light Screen in her hand. "Listen or don’t, it’s up to you. But the Leonin put me in charge of assigning tasks. We need to have this place cleaned by nightfall, because that’s when he’ll be back to inspect our work."
The players exchanged uncertain glances but ultimately decided to listen to Moira Lynch. After all, the Leonin’s attitude toward her had been plain to see.
Moira then began to assign the tasks: tidying and organizing, cleaning the kitchen, washing the walls, windows, and screens, laundering clothes and shoes, scrubbing the bathroom, clearing the drains to prevent clogs, changing the bedsheets, mopping the floors, and wiping down the furniture.
Each task required several people working together to complete.
After all the tasks were assigned, Moira Lynch chose tidying and organizing for herself. Shane Rhodes and Kai York chose the same task.
While they worked, the two sidled up to Moira Lynch and spoke in a low voice. "My name’s Money Maker," Shane said, then pointed to Kai York. "And he’s Daydream."
Without looking up, Moira Lynch replied, "I’m ’The Heavens Owe Me a Trillion’."
The two were speechless. "..."
Kai York slapped his thigh, his face a mask of regret. ’How did I not think of such a great name?’
Shane Rhodes shot Kai York a glare, telling him to stop clowning around, then turned to Moira Lynch. "You can understand their speech and read their writing. Is that your Talent?"
Moira Lynch glanced up at him. "Of course not. I learned it myself."
Hearing this, both Shane Rhodes and Kai York’s eyes went wide. "You learned it yourself? How? Where?"
"I did well during the first game. The ranch owner gave me a reward, and then the system gave me a device to help me learn the interstellar language."
’She knew some people had Talents that could see right through lies. Better to tell the truth from the start than be exposed later. Of course, *how* she told that truth was her own business.’
Sure enough, both Shane Rhodes’ and Kai York’s eyes lit up when they heard Moira’s explanation.
They hadn’t encountered anyone from space in the previous game rounds. But this time, on their first contact with Starfarers, the language barrier was the very first hurdle they had to overcome.
The two glanced around and cautiously decided not to press the topic. After all, they lived in the same housing complex. It wouldn’t be too late to ask her about it after the game ended.
Right now, their priority was to get on this girl’s good side.
Shane Rhodes had heard from Kai York before that this girl was unusually guarded. But after learning she was an orphan, he understood why.
Moira Lynch paid the two of them no mind. Besides organizing things, she had also saved a crucial task for herself: taking out the trash.
Cleaning, after all, was bound to generate a lot of trash.
In the short time she’d been organizing, she had already set aside many unwanted and discarded items.
What’s more, Moira Lynch had accidentally discovered the Leonin’s identity in a magazine on a table—he was the leader of the Beastkin Conglomerate.
’He’s totally a boss-level character. There must be tons of good stuff in this house.’
The Light Screen indicated that they only needed to place the trash in a designated spot. However, with guidance from Patience, Moira Lynch used the device to contact the Leonin who had left.
’No matter what, I should ask before taking his things. If I touch something I’m not supposed to, I’ll be in big trouble.’
’After all, she was an official interstellar citizen now. If the Leonin took her to court for theft, she could go to jail.’
After learning this from Patience, Moira Lynch had mixed feelings. It was a bit of a shame, but not a devastating one.
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