Chapter 46
Chapter 46
After cleaning up the alchemy workshop,
I checked whether Professor Georg, who was lying on the sofa like a corpse, was still breathing before heading outside.
As expected, Yuna followed right behind me.
She stared at me with a suspicious smile, like she was plotting something.
What’s wrong with this girl?
Is she just bored?
“So what are you going to do now?”
“I’m going back to the dorm to sleep.”
“Did you forget something?”
“What would I have…?”
“What I gave you.”
“What did you give me—… ah.”
I took out the tofu I had casually stuffed into my bag.
Come to think of it, she gave it to me when I was discharged earlier today. It’s not like I was released from prison or anything.
Was there actually some meaning behind this?
I thought about it for a moment.
“…Ah!”
And then I pulled out a memory buried deep in my mind.
Tofu. Release. Prison.
The one who was locked up. Stan Robinhood.
I looked at Yuna in shock. She smiled brightly.
“Is he still locked up?”
“Yeah!”
So that bastard who attacked me was still abandoned in that underground prison.
How long had it been?
About a week?
Wouldn’t he already be dead?
“…Let’s go check.”
“Okay!”
When we arrived at the underground prison, the first thing we saw was Stan Robinhood lying there in the exact same position as when I left him.
“Guess he’s dead. Yuna, go check.”
“Huh? Me?”
“Then should I do it?”
“…Isn’t that usually how it goes?”
“No. I hate touching corpses. You do it.”
“Ugh.”
Yuna grumbled but still went to check the body.
For all her complaints, she’s reliable.
I should buy her some ice cream on the way back.
“Hey, is he dea—”
The moment Yuna reached out toward Stan,
his body twisted instantly as he grabbed her arm.
So he wasn’t restrained?
Yuna lost her balance as she was pulled—
Thud!
“Ghk!”
Using that momentum, she drove a straight punch right into his face.
A perfectly smooth response.
Stan probably thought he was launching a surprise attack, but he picked the wrong target.
A surprise attack on the one known as the King of Assassins, the Safe Clown?
“…He’s dead, I think. Johan, he’s dead.”
“You killed him.”
“It was self-defense.”
“I’ll that.”
Still, you even use the term self-defense?
I thought assassins wouldn’t care about killing people, but she’s strict about justification.
Well, she’s closer to a dark hero.
Given how broken the empire’s law enforcement is, someone like her is basically a vigilante.
“…Ugh.”
“Wait, he’s alive. Johan, he’s alive. Tough guy.”
“Let’s tie him up again and make it easier to talk.”
“You mean tie his arms behind a pillar and splash cold water on him?”
“No need to explain.”
Do you torture people too?
Still, it’s nice not having to explain everything.
Splash!
Yuna restrained him again and threw cold water on his face.
She looked used to it.
“Ugh…”
“Man, Stan. You’ve had a rough time.”
I couldn’t ask Yuna to handle the negotiation too, so I stepped forward.
She put on her mask and moved back, as planned.
That creepy clown mask.
I should ask her someday why it’s a clown. How is that a symbol of peace?
Anyway, things looked a bit strange, but we were negotiating.
“Alright, Stan. You’ve got a good little sister, don’t you?”
“…Are you trying to threaten me?”
“Of course not. I have a sister too, so I understand.”
We have common ground.
Right?
“Johan sounds like a total villain.”
“Be quiet.”
You don’t get it.
“Anyone would panic if their secret got exposed. I would too. But from my perspective, it’s a bit unfair.”
Actually, it’s completely unfair.
What did I even do?
But explaining that to this blind idiot wouldn’t work.
So first, I had to reassure him.
“I have no intention of using your sister’s secret against you. But you won’t believe that, right?”
“…”
“This is my master. She’s known as the Safe Clown.”
“Ahem!”
I became her disciple in exchange for revealing her identity.
Not a real disciple, just in name.
I have no intention of becoming an assassin.
Yuna knows that, but she still nodded happily just because I called her “master.”
So easy.
“As you know, my master isn’t exactly… respectable.”
“What’s not respectable about me?”
“As you can see, she’s also mentally unstable. That means this could be my weakness, right?”
Stan stayed silent.
Every family has shadows, but this was on another level.
If her identity was exposed, countless enemies would come after us.
A small noble house like ours would be crushed instantly.
Of course, he could try to use this against us—
but he’s not the type to go that far as long as his family is safe.
So if we reveal each other’s secrets and agree not to interfere, he won’t attack me.
“Master, let’s release him.”
“Ahem! Very well!”
Yuna responded theatrically and untied him.
Stan looked at us suspiciously, but didn’t attack.
He understood.
If I wanted him dead, I could have done it already.
“Here, Stan. You must be hungry. Eat this.”
“….”
He ate the tofu I handed him with a disgusted expression.
“Ah, now it’s really over.”
Everything was finally done.
Ariel’s illness was cured.
Stan’s issue was resolved.
No more trouble.
I lay down on my bed, feeling lighter than ever.
I wasn’t leaving this bed anytime soon.
I’d even skip classes.
Once you skip once, skipping again is easy.
As long as I don’t get held back, it should be fine.
“Yawn…”
Just as I was becoming one with the bed—
Knock knock.
Someone knocked on the door.
I ignored it and pulled the blanket over my head.
“Johan? You’re inside, right? Can you open the door?”
So it wasn’t a mistake.
Still, that didn’t mean I had to open it.
I’m sleeping. Leave me alone.
“I can sense someone inside…”
“Maybe he can’t move?”
“Let’s break the door.”
“Good idea.”
Bang!
Before I could react, the door was smashed open.
I wanted to quit school.
A group of people rushed in.
They looked familiar.
Classmates.
“…I should apologize to Ariel later.”
Did she feel like this when I broke into her room?
This is awful.
“Oh, you’re fine.”
“Hey, Johan.”
“…You’re fixing the door before you leave, right?”
“Of course!”
That’s a relief.
I gave up and got out of bed.
I hate this.
“What is it?”
“You didn’t come to class today.”
“I’ve been busy and injured. I told the school to mark it as medical leave.”
It was supposed to be a week-long injury.
They kicked me out after three days, but I still needed rest.
“We know. But we had to tell you this.”
“Sigh… What is it? Important enough to break my door?”
“Midterms start tomorrow.”
“…Damn.”
This is important.
Maybe not door-breaking important, but still important.
If I skip the exam, I fail.
Even a zero is better than not showing up.
So I really can’t rest?
And it’s already midterm season?
Time really flew.
“Yeah… thanks for telling me.”
“No problem. Glad you look healthy.”
“Thanks.”
They’re too nice.
Makes it hard to even get annoyed.
“Don’t worry. I’ll be there tomorrow.”
I tried to send them off—
“No, Johan. There’s more.”
“What now? Exam scope?”
“You don’t know it?”
“…I don’t.”
“We’ll tell you. But first—”
They looked serious.
“The practical exam is a mock war.”
“I see.”
“And you’re in our group!”
“…I see.”
Sorry.
I won’t be much help.
“What’s the format?”
“Teams of five. Build a base and destroy the enemy’s.”
Simple, but not easy.
Time management, strategy, roles.
“Anyway, we chose a leader.”
“And that’s me?”
“Yes.”
“What did I do wrong?”
“Nothing. It’s logical.”
“Can you scout?”
“No.”
“Break through?”
“No.”
“Sniping?”
“No…”
“Defense?”
“…”
“See?”
“I understand perfectly.”
I can’t do anything.
So I lead.
Makes sense.
“Let’s do our best tomorrow!”
“Yeah…”
They encouraged me.
Even with someone like me on their team.
“I’ll try…”
I couldn’t bring myself to slack off.
I’m so tired…
Top of Form
Bottom of Form