The Deceitful One

​​For the rest of the journey, Bryan didn't make any more conversations with the driver as he was lost in his own thoughts. The driver too noticed this, hence, he tactfully didn't speak further.

After all, from the way that Morpheus was dressed, he looked like a pretty important person. So, he didn't want to offend him by any chance.

About ten minutes later, the steam car soon arrived in front of a two-storied restaurant.

"Good sir, we have arrived at our destination. This restaurant here is one of the more popular ones in Nadir. The fare will be 6 pounds." The driver parked the car in front of a crowded building.

He turned back to look at Bryan but was instantly shocked! Because Bryan at some point had already disappeared. And he didn't even hear the sound of the car door opening!

The driver thought that Bryan had left without paying but when he looked at the back seat, his eyes widened even more.

Because on the seat where Bryan was sitting, now lay a hundred-pound note!

The middle-aged driver now felt extremely conflicted. He thought that Bryan must have given him the hundred-pound note by mistake since he was blind.

He wanted to return the money to Bryan but a part of him also wanted to keep the money and drive off. After all, times were very tough for poor people like him.

Although he was luckier than most poor people, in that he was able to learn how to drive pretty quickly and also had enough money to buy this steam car with the help of a loan from the bank.

For him, things weren't that great at home also. He had an entire family to feed. Moreover, he also had to pay interest to the bank every month.

If he failed the interest payment by even a single day, the bank would take away his car--which he had put up as collateral.

Hence, the driver thought about what to do for a long time. All of a sudden, a voice echoed inside his head, "Take the money. Drive away."

The driver's eyes glazed over as he replied, "Yes..."

He robotically raised his hand and took the note kept on the seat. He then turned around and slowly drove the car away.

It wasn't until a few moments later that he came to. He suddenly realized that he was already driving the car in the middle of the street!

Alarmed, he stepped on the brake and began to look around with wide eyes, "H-How did I get here!?"

Then he thought of the money that the blind man had kept on the seat. He subconsciously put his hand inside his pant pockets, only to find the hundred-pound note inside!

He was greatly taken aback, "When did-"

HONK!!!

However, he soon snapped back to his senses and looked at his rear-view mirror. By stopping the car in the middle of the street, he had caused slight traffic.

"Crap!" He threw this bizarre experience to the back of his mind and hurriedly drove away, afraid that the police would charge him with a fine.

After acquiring a new physique, Bryan not only gained two innate abilities, but he had also become quite adept at hypnotizing and even putting others to sleep.

After all, both these things could be considered to be related to dreams. And not only that, but his affinity with Illusion-related spells had also increased significantly!

In front of the restaurant, Bryan saw the driver soon disappear into the distance, and couldn't help but sigh, "So, such people exist as well, huh?"

If it was him, he would have taken the money in a heartbeat and sped off. Heck, he would even rob a blind man in broad daylight, should he ever come across one.

But this driver actually felt conflicted when looking at the money. Even though he knew he had a family to feed, his morals stopped him from taking advantage of a blind man.

"Why must people like him suffer?" Bryan raised his head and looked at the sky, "If there is no fairness in this world, why do humans continue to have hope?"

He stood standing there for a very long time. All of a sudden, he was slightly taken aback, "Eh?"

Bryan touched the blindfold and mumbled, "Since when did I start speaking that way?"

He wasn't taken aback by the observation he had just made about this world. But how he referred to 'humans' as if he wasn't a part of them at all!

"Is that fruit slowly turning me into something not human..." Bryan mumbled.

Benny looked at Bryan's confused expression and asked mentally, 'Do you regret it?'

"Hmm?" Bryan turned his head toward Benny, "Regret what?"

'Eating the Sacred Fruit.' Benny replied solemnly.

Bryan turned silent for a few moments and then replied with determination, "Never!"

'Will you regret it if you become a complete dream creature?' Benny asked further.

This time Bryan didn't know how to reply. He was confused. He had never thought about such a thing before. However, life was full of unexpected twists and turns.

He looked back at Benny and smiled faintly, "I don't know if I'll come to regret this in the future. But if I was given another chance, I'd do the same thing all over again."

Benny nuzzled his head against Bryan's, 'No matter what you choose and what you become, I will forever be your brother.'

Bryan's heart warmed. He gently stroked Benny's head, "I know..."

The duo then headed inside the restaurant. The receptionist of the restaurant who was seated behind the entrance, saw Bryan enter.

Her eyes lit up when he saw Bryan's expensive clothes. And when she saw Bryan's blindfold, her eyes turned into pound signs.

The receptionist thought inwardly, 'Looks like another good spender has arrived!'

With a bright smile spreading across her lips, she greeted Bryan enthusiastically, "Welcome to Urth Continental Restaurant, Sir!"

Bryan simply nodded in return.

The receptionist didn't mind at all, "Are you looking to dine in or take out?"

"Dine in," Bryan replied succinctly.

"Very well, Sir!" The receptionist beamed, " We have private dining rooms on the second-"

Bryan cut her off, "I'd like to dine in the common area."

The receptionist's smile threatened to break, "No problem at all sir!"

She then walked closer to Bryan and raised her arm slightly for Bryan to grab, "Please grab my hand, sir. I will guide you to your table."

"No need." Bryan then pointed at Benny who was sitting on his shoulder, "What do you think this little fellow is there for?"

The receptionist looked at Benny who was looking at her with a smug expression. She couldn't help but think to herself incredulously, 'Is the cat acting...smug?'

"N-No problem." The receptionist's eyebrows twitched, "Please follow me."

Bryan then followed after the receptionist and in but a few moments he was seated next to a floor-to-ceiling window.

"One of our servers will be here with you shortly. Enjoy!" The receptionist smiled and then left.

Bryan looked out through the floor-to-ceiling window with his spiritual sense. He couldn't help but feel a little puzzled as he thought inwardly, 'Ever since I stepped foot inside this city, the sense of familiarity has been nagging me... But I'm sure I've never visited Nadir before.'

He then mentally asked Benny, 'When we were in the Dreamworld, did we happen to pass by this place by any chance?'

Benny thought for a moment and then shook his head, 'Not that I remember.'

'How strange...' Bryan thought.

Soon, a middle-aged female server came to Bryan's table and greeted, "Good afternoon, sir! What would-"

Bryan cut her off, "Bring me two of all the best-selling dishes here."

"S-Sir, are you sure you'll be able to finish all of that by yourself?" The waitress asked with some hesitation.

"There's two of us here." Bryan looked in her direction and smirked mischievously, "Or are you blind just like me?"

The waitress looked at Benny who was sitting on Bryan's lap with his front paws crossed. She then looked back at Bryan's blindfold.

Her eyebrows twitched as she replied, "O-Oh, I see. I'll be here with your food within ten minutes."

With that said, she turned around and headed back into the kitchen.

Bryan continued to talk with Benny as the duo planned their next moves. Bryan also had to find a good place to stay in Nadir.

Money was not a problem for him. He still had about 140,000 pounds in cash inside his pocket watch. And not just that, he also had heaps of gold, silver, and other gems. Hence, he could afford to live in a good house.

And he knew exactly which neighborhood to buy his new house in. Since Detective Watson's wife and daughter were living in Nadir, Bryan decided to buy a house somewhere close to theirs.

That way he'd be able to keep an eye out for their safety. Although he didn't know where Abigail and little Amy lived, that wouldn't pose a problem for him either. He could just divine their house location.

Other than his housing issue, he also had to look for those Blood Path scums who were responsible for his teacher's death, as well as Henry and Emma's death.

Bryan knew that he was too weak to fight most of them since they were a Rank 2 Transcendent and a Rank 4--Alfredo and Sean.

But that didn't mean he couldn't hunt the Rank 1. And there was only one Rank 1 amongst the people that were responsible. Ron!

A malevolent aura began to subconsciously emanate from Bryan, 'Ron... I will make you wish that you were never fucking born!'