Chapter 364
Chapter 364
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 364
Chapter Title: Debt Collection
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A regrettable incident.
It was definitely a regrettable incident. A regrettable incident, and if you looked at it strictly, it was something that happened because of Serkar. But I wasn't stupid enough to claim that here.
She must have heard I was coming and wanted to bring up that issue again.
So in a situation like this, I had to apologize unconditionally.
"A regrettable incident... It was truly a shameful matter. I've been unable to sleep from guilt, Guild Master. I'm so moved that you've given me this chance to atone today. I'll apologize formally. Please forgive me like this."
I bowed my head as politely as possible while apologizing.
"What the hell are you rambling on about by yourself?"
"No, what."
Doubt clouded Liztina's face as she heard my words.
What?
Was she not planning to bring up that issue?
I sat quietly, waiting for her to speak, and she finally opened her mouth.
"I've been thinking about having a talk sometime, but there was never a chance. Since you're here now..."
"I'm sorry. I really, truly messed up. Please let it slide just this once. I've been so guilty lately that I've been suffering from insomnia."
"Ah, fuck. I didn't call you here to apologize, so shut up. And I can see you're forcing it, you bastard."
Oh no.
Sure enough, a sincere apology doesn't work in this world.
But it seemed like she had something else to say besides that.
"Then what did you call me for? Did I do something wrong? Is it because I messed around with Lizet?"
I definitely beat up Lizet, but it was mutual combat. Was she mad because that position of senior offender became vacant?
I got hit more, though.
"Huh? Lizet? What are you talking about?"
Not that.
"Ah. It's nothing. Anyway, what is it? Whatever you ask, this Kim Katt promises to answer with all sincerity. That's the utmost atonement I can offer. Please, Guild Master, ask me anything."
"You're being too polite."
"Don't."
"I'm starting to get annoyed... Just shut up and answer what I ask."
"..."
In that case, I'd keep my mouth shut and wait for her to speak.
"Not answering?"
"Ah, no, you said to only answer what you ask..."
"Ah, fuck."
No, fuck, what do you want from me?
Anyway, I clamped my mouth shut and stared intently at her blue eyes, and suddenly she averted her gaze and cleared her throat awkwardly.
"Ahem, ahem. Then let's get to the point."
"..."
"Come a bit closer."
Closer?
—Drag.
I pulled my chair closer to her.
It seemed like she was about to share some secret.
We were on the fourth floor with the door locked, so was it something that required that much security? As I leaned in to listen, I suddenly noticed Liztina's face was flushed red.
"Guild Master?"
Her flushed face slowly scanned left and right before she spoke in a quiet, secretive tone.
"...You saw it, right?"
"Pardon?"
"Did you see?"
I couldn't understand for a moment.
See what?
"What did I see?"
"If you play dumb, I might really fuck you up. You saw it back then, right?"
"What the hell did I see? Even if you fuck me up, I need to know what you're asking to answer or not."
"That..."
As she spoke, her voice grew tiny, like it was crawling into a mouse hole. Fuck, this was frustrating.
"Last time..."
"Last time?"
"With that bitch Karin..."
"Yes. With Karin."
"When we fought..."
"When you fought, yes. Good. You've explained up to here well. What happened then?"
She seemed to struggle with telling it, so I decided to help like a counselor.
I've even applied to be a peer counselor in the army once, lured by the promise of leave.
I didn't get in, though.
"So, back then..."
"Take a slow deep breath. It must be hard to talk about. Take your time. It's okay. There's only me and you here, Guild Master. No one else can hear."
"..."
Now it was biting.
The moment the Guild Master's mouth opens...!
"No, fuck. Didn't I tell you to shut up several times?"
She suddenly lifted her head and spoke in a fierce tone.
"I just thought you were having trouble speaking, so I was trying to help—"
"Aargh! My head's already about to explode, and you're keep annoying me!"
—Boom!
Liztina slammed her palm on the desk hard and shot to her feet, yelling loudly. I was so startled that I clutched my head and let out an inhuman shriek.
"I'm asking if you saw it then, fuck! When Karin and I were fighting like crazy! Did you see my clothes get ripped off?!"
—What?!
Instantly, the events from back then flashed through my vision like a panorama.
The dreamlike sight I could never forget...
The two beautiful guild masters, half-naked, exposing their embarrassing parts to the world while smashing the building to pieces in their fight.
"Ah."
Of course, I clearly remembered admiring the rather cute lower part of the woman in front of me without any filter.
—It was smooth.
I was superimposing her messy state from back then onto the Liztina standing before me now.
"...Uh. Well."
So my face heated up, and I hung my head.
I was used to it with my wives, whom I'd shared love with many times, but the martial artist guild master Liztina was a complete stranger.
Having seen her like that, mutual embarrassment was inevitable.
Honestly, Liztina's beauty was quite stunning, as expected from women who trained their mana.
Her sky-blue hair looked incredibly soft, and her skin and figure were attractive from her physical occupation. Firm thighs, long legs. Plus large breasts... emphasized by that cheongsam-like outfit.
Of course, not as beautiful as Cloudy, Winia, Karin, or Lisha... but still pretty enough.
Ah!
I get what she's asking!
She's upset about showing her embarrassing side to a man like me back then! From a woman's perspective, it'd definitely bother her!
"H-head up! Why are you hanging your head?! So you did see it all! My, my... half-naked body!"
—Bang! Bang! Bang!
She was so embarrassed that she kept slamming the desk with her palm, shoving her face at me and yelling. Her face was beet red too.
—Bang! Bang! Bang!
And the desk was breaking in real time.
She was smashing the wooden board just with her palm strength.
If I took even one hit from that hand, I'd spend my life wheezing. N-no, I can't let that happen!
Nooo!!!
Sensing death, I calculated the best option.
"Wh-what are you talking about? What did I see? I only came midway... It was a fight beyond human comprehension, so I don't know what happened."
It had been a while, and it happened in the chaos, so if I played my cards right, I could make it like it never happened.
In other words, erase history.
Above all, for things like this, it's common sense to tell a white lie to minimize a woman's shame.
Beautiful memories are best kept in the head.
The moment you drag them into reality, they become mere worn-out things. They lose their value as memories and become trivial.
Liztina's... privates... yeah, specifically bald, smooth, and pretty shaped, just like Cloudy's.
That's why I can't forget.
But saying I didn't see is the right answer.
"What happened back then? Ah, no way...? You lost to Karin and you're embarrassed. Haha, it's fine. It was a draw."
"What draw? I won! No, don't change the subject! You definitely saw my... half-naked body! Half-naked!"
I tried steering it toward the fight result, but failed.
"Half-naked? I have no idea what you mean! Don't say embarrassing things! Half-naked, half-naked...! Why are you tormenting me?! I was busy looking after Karin then, so I don't know the situation well!"
"Don't spout bullshit like you're embarrassed! I know you were hiding behind the debris watching me! I even begged you to leave then...!"
Back then, to stop Liztina from covering herself while minding me, I kept watching to hand the win to Karin.
Who knew it'd backfire like this... How do I get past this?
"I did see the fight... but half-naked! I don't know about half-naked! I haven't seen any half-naked!"
"Aargh! Don't say it!"
"I don't know! I'm leaving!"
I seized the moment she was confused and shot to my feet. If I acted like nothing happened and left, it'd be natural.
—Grab.
"Where do you think you're running?"
She grabbed my arm.
—Squeeze.
And the grip tightened.
I tried to act nonchalant—
"—Aaaahhh!!! Let go! It hurts!"
"You gonna keep lying? Do you think I'm some thug? I'm just asking if you saw my half-naked body back then!"
"Aaaahhh!!!"
"Stop screaming!"
My arm felt like it would burst. With that grip strength, 100% muscle damage was coming.
Finally, she released my arm, and I could breathe.
"Krrgh...! It hurts too much!"
"So. You saw it, right?"
She spoke forcefully, ignoring my pain. I was going insane with injustice.
I went out of my way to spare her feelings, even throwing in a white lie, and this was how she treated me.
Anyway, no more excuses seemed possible.
"Yes. I saw. I saw, okay? Sorry for seeing."
"Yes! You saw...! Then why keep lying? It just drains my energy!"
"Th-that's...!"
I couldn't fathom her lack of empathy.
Of course, compared to a cultured modern man like me, this world's people had rough sensibilities. But failing to notice consideration like pretending not to know? As expected from a born thug.
I told the truth.
"Just... You seemed really embarrassed, Guild Master... so I was trying to be considerate by pretending not to know."
"C-considerate?"
Her already flushed face widened its eyes at my words. No surprise. Gentleman Kim Katt knew what consideration was.
"Yes. Consideration. You're this embarrassed, so I should pretend not to know. Isn't it better to bury such regrettable incidents?"
—Sigh.
A sigh escaped naturally.
I tried phrasing it nicely in case she'd hit me, but the truth came out.
"Wh-who said I'm embarrassed..."
Liztina, sitting back down, turned her head away and muttered softly. As expected, she was embarrassed.
"Then why aren't you embarrassed? If it was me in that situation, I'd be."
"Th-that's... not exactly..."
"If you're not embarrassed, why'd you call me?!"
"It's... Aargh! I don't know, fuck!"
She suddenly cursed, pointed at me with her beet-red face, and bellowed.
"Th-that thing from back then! You didn't tell anyone or spread it, right?!"
"Guild Master. I just said it was consideration. I haven't told a soul, nor spoken of it since. Even if you kidnapped me, I have to protect your honor as Guild Master."
Who would I tell that these two fought like crazy, the mood suddenly turned erotic, and they demolished the building with that power?
Honestly, I had some good intentions.
Thanks to that incident, I made Karin my woman. The start, development, and twists were wild, but it circled back to love's fruition.
I even poured my desires into Karin this morning.
"I was just staying silent so you wouldn't feel uncomfortable, Guild Master. Not deceiving or lying. Holding grudges doesn't help anyone. Right? You're not planning to harm me either."
"Well... true. Consideration, huh... You know how to be considerate..."
I subtly hinted not to hit me, and her response suggested no beating planned.
Truly fortunate.
No more trouble from the martial artist guild.
"So, Guild Master. Let's call that incident nonexistent. If you have complaints, I'll relay to Karin. I'll be going now."
I stood from the chair again.