Chapter 14
Chapter 14
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Not That Kind of Person (2)
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Greg Visk.
He was what you might call an anomaly, an orc who was practically a mutant.
What were orcs, fundamentally?
A filthy, barbaric, and utterly ignorant race of metahumans.
On top of that, they were ridiculously strong with absurdly short tempers.
It was to the point that statistics showed orcs were responsible for about thirty percent of all crimes committed by metahumans.
But Greg had been different from the average orc since birth.
He hated foul smells, preferred books to clubs, and favored quiet cafés over noisy banquet halls.
So it was perhaps only natural that he left orc society without a second thought the moment he came of age.
“You… you want to apply for a position at our company?”
“Yes.”
“Still, an orc…”
But the fact that he was born an orc proved to be an absurd obstacle.
Perhaps it was because he was the son of a great orc warrior.
Greg was a mountain of a man, standing well over two meters tall with a weight in the triple digits.
Thanks to his beautiful mother, his face wasn't particularly hideous.
But his distinct green skin and protruding tusks remained.
No matter how capable or calm he was, those with an aversion to orcs refused to hire him.
“Surviving in the city is no easy task. How many days has it been since I've made any progress…”
“Hey, you, green pig! Hand over everything you've got!”
“Oh, so this is what they call a robbery. What happens if I don't hand everything over?”
“Then I'll turn your guts into mush with this knife and feed 'em to the stray dogs—Gyaaaah!”
“Hmm, I doubt a dull knife like this could even pierce my skin. Perfect timing. Take me to your crew.”
Thus, to avoid starving to death in Nighthaven, Greg had no choice but to enter the underworld.
And perhaps thanks to the overwhelming physical prowess unique to a great orc warrior and his naturally calm disposition…
...he instantly rose as a dark horse in the underworld.
“Boss! What's our next move? Should we go take down another organization?”
“…I'm tired of it. I'm washing my hands of this. From now on, you're on your own.”
“What?! Boss, Boss!”
But life in the underworld didn't suit Greg's temperament at all.
A place where the strong beat down the weak and lived as they pleased.
How was that any different from the orc tribe he'd left behind?
The life he wanted was one free from fighting and schemes, where he could enjoy his hobbies in peace.
Therefore, once he felt he had saved enough money, he washed his hands of it all and left without a second thought.
Using most of the money he had saved, he set up a shop in the Gray Zone, the border between the underworld and the outside world.
The shop's name was Greg's General Store.
Naturally, customers were few, and he didn't make nearly as much money as he had as an enforcer for an organization.
But the time he spent here was something he truly cherished.
It was a place where he was unlikely to get caught up in any trouble, making it exceptionally quiet and peaceful…
...and the occasional customer from the outside world was stimulus enough.
“…”
“Don't hold back. Eat as much as you want. There's plenty.”
“…!”
Greg quietly watched the white sheet, its back turned to him as it ravenously devoured the barbecue.
The Ghost.
This character had recently become a popular figure stirring up the underworld in various ways.
In the underworld, where trouble never ceased, its mere presence served to deter troublemakers.
It had even dragged a troublesome vampire, who would have been a nuisance if left alone, into the light.
Rumor had it that it had even leisurely broken through an encirclement and escaped from a double-number Fixer.
Its unique appearance, combined with its extraordinary deeds, naturally caused rumors to spread like wildfire.
Lately, there were even vicious rumors that it had beaten an innocent bystander to within an inch of their life.
Or that it had been dealing in dangerous drugs and illegal enhancement substances.
And so, the Black Beast Society had put a 700,000 credit bounty on its head for live capture.
The Ghost was now what you might call a hot potato in the underworld, a veritable ticking time bomb.
‘From what I've seen, they're not the type to do such things.’
Of course, having had contact with the Ghost before, Greg didn't particularly believe the recent nasty rumors spreading through the underworld.
Attacking an innocent person, dealing drugs…
If they were that kind of person, stories would have circulated long ago.
The timing of the rumors about the double-number Fixer losing the Ghost and the Ghost's alleged misdeeds spreading…
...the fact that both pieces of news broke around the same time also bothered him.
It was as if someone was intentionally orchestrating this atmosphere.
The experienced Greg could intuitively grasp the core of the situation.
‘The Black Beast Society… specifically, the work of that black-hearted lizard, who's even more cunning than the cowardly rabbit. They intend to check the Ghost's influence.’
Of course, they had more than enough motive.
The Black Beast Society was a new organization, having been in the Western Labyrinth for less than five years.
After the death of Wang Wei, known as the King of Rabbits, his daughter had hastily taken over as leader.
Rival factions were constantly watching for an opening to seize the Black Beast Society's unstable position.
Then the Ghost suddenly appeared and shook the very foundation of the Black Beast Society's prestige.
From their perspective, they were startled into a position where they had to do something, anything.
‘A distasteful method.’
But while the method was quite rational, Greg found it extremely unpleasant.
Fabricating a stranger's actions to make them an enemy just to solidify one's own position.
It was something he had experienced to the point of exhaustion during his time in the underworld.
Thus, Greg furrowed his brow for a moment, lost in old memories of the underworld.
Only then did he belatedly notice the Ghost approaching him.
“…”
“Hm? What is it.”
“…!”
The Ghost fumbled for something in its robes.
Then, suddenly, a thin, delicate arm—one Greg was familiar with—popped out from under the white sheet.
It moved as if offering something, so Greg extended his hand, as thick as a pot lid.
*Plop.*
A thin piece of paper fell onto Greg's palm.
“Is this… a bread discount coupon?”
“…”
“Is this a gift? I wasn't expecting anything in return, but… I'll gladly accept.”
“…!”
A bread discount coupon.
Greg let out a small chuckle at the Ghost's utterly trivial gesture.
The small coupon, which looked like it would blow away with a single gust of wind, was perfectly crisp without a single crease, showing how carefully it had been handled.
The lingering warmth, as if it had been held close just moments before, was thoroughly delightful.
And so, after studying the bread coupon for a moment, Greg looked at the Ghost with a serious expression and spoke.
“Ghost. The bounty on your head is 700,000 credits, wasn't it? That must be quite a headache.”
“…!”
“Calm down. I have no intention of catching you and turning you in.”
The Ghost, apparently not expecting the bounty to be mentioned, jumped in place.
Greg had to quickly add that he meant no harm in order to calm her down.
“Judging by your state, you haven't been eating properly, have you?”
“…”
“If you help me with my work here, I'll help you hide until this situation blows over. Bounty hunters rarely cross over to this side. It will surely be of help.”
“…?”
“Why am I doing this? Hmm, I simply don't care for those Black Beast Society folks.”
The Ghost nodded in affirmation to Greg's question.
Then tilted its head as if asking what he meant.
Finally, she seemed to be carefully considering his proposal.
‘More transparent than they look.’
Greg felt a sense of wonder at how clearly the Ghost's emotions were displayed, even though not a bit of its body, let alone its face, was visible.
In the underworld, where it was hard to survive without a knife hidden up one's sleeve, it was truly rare to see someone so transparent.
“…!”
Had she finally made up her mind?
The Ghost began jumping up and down, indicating her acceptance of Greg's offer.
It seemed she had decided that, with the entire Labyrinth swarming with bounty hunters, there was no better offer.
With their intentions mutually understood, the deal was struck.
Greg, now suddenly an employer, immediately gave his first task to the visibly excited Ghost.
“Alright then… it would be best to take off that sheet now. Wearing that is basically advertising that you're the Ghost.”
“…!!”
As if struck by a great shock at Greg's words, the Ghost stood motionless for several seconds, frozen like a stone.
Then, perhaps realizing that his words certainly had a point…
...the Ghost hesitated for a moment before slowly letting the sheet it was wrapped in slide to the floor.
And when the Ghost finally removed the white sheet and revealed its body…
...Greg's eyebrows shot up in complete surprise.
‘…The Ghost was a little girl.’
Silky white hair that flowed down to her waist.
Soft skin and dainty arms and legs.
The sliver of a shoulder peeking out was so thin it bordered on bony.
At least her face was covered by an ugly goblin mask.
But overall, her proportions were such that she couldn't possibly be unattractive.
Faced with the sight of the Ghost, who looked for all the world like a young girl, Greg stroked his chin in thought for a moment before speaking.
“This… could be quite profitable.”
“…!”
“No, that's not what I meant. It's just that customers often run away simply because an orc runs my shop. I was just saying I won't have to worry about that for a while.”
The inarticulate Greg spoke hurriedly, as if making an excuse to the Ghost, who was now covering herself with both hands.
He had been startled by the scene, which could have easily made him look like a child trafficker.
Fortunately, the Ghost didn't seem to have misunderstood him too badly, merely nodding as if to say she understood.
“Those clothes you're wearing… are they pajamas? It would be better to wear something else while you work, at least.”
“…”
“Ah, you don't have any other clothes? Wait here a moment.”
Greg got up from the sofa and walked steadily toward the Ghost.
After sizing up the height of the slightly flinching girl…
...he immediately disappeared into the back of the store.
And after a short while…
...when Greg reappeared, he was holding a pile of clothes.
“An eccentric old scientist came by once. He wanted to dress the beautiful girl android he was building in this… but I guess he didn't like it in the end, because he came to sell off the parts. This is what was left over.”
“…?”
“…Which is to say, don't get the wrong idea. I don't have a hobby of collecting these kinds of clothes.”
The Ghost tilted her head and took the clothes from the awkward-looking Greg.
Her reaction seemed to convey something along the lines of, *This is a general store that sells everything, so I wouldn't think anything strange no matter what kind of clothes you have.*
But when the Ghost unfolded the clothes and saw what they were…
...she couldn't help but freeze in place, as if she had turned into a statue.
What the Ghost had been given was, from any angle, unmistakably…
...a casual maid outfit, the kind one might see in a maid café.
*What is this? You want me to wear this now?*
The Ghost's silent gaze toward Greg was filled with utter confusion.