Chapter 80 - The Fishing Hook and the Countermeasure

One Sun is a tabloid with enormous influence among the masses. The secret to its popularity? It prints every scandal imaginable that might catch people's attention. The king of some country is a lizard demon wearing human skin. A famous singer is actually a eunuch. A certain hero is the homosexual lover of a heretic cult leader dreaming of overthrowing the state. Of course, like all such absurd claims, most of it is nonsense thrown out without a second thought. As long as it grabs attention, facts be damned. But they never take responsibility for the lies they spew. You can't exactly scoop up words once they've been poured out.

"So it's just a rumor mill churning out garbage? Can't we just ignore it?"

"Sure, rumors like that fade with time after publication. But in our case, there's a serious problem."

Esen wore an expression like I was worrying over nothing, but Monica shook her head gravely.

"One issue is that the article describes a 'large-scale elite frontline party of a hundred women only'—and that's us. The other is that the speculation hits a bit too close to the truth."

The article's intro was sensational from the start.

It painted every single one of us as potential adulterers without exception. A malicious piece. We've never touched anyone with a boyfriend. Never hired anyone for sex. For the rest of the party waiting in camp, this would be a bolt from the blue.

"But the stigma's already stuck. Some party members might laugh it off as just rumors... but if someone digs deep and outs you, it'll become 'fact'."

The elf Nenya ground her teeth.

"One idiot already tried. That fool Baseldenan."

Nenya had warned me a few days ago. Our extermination party had daughters of powerful families mixed in. If I didn't want trouble, don't expand my romantic exploits among women.

And that ominous warning hit right in front of me without warning.

Reni's brother and Esen's family suddenly showed up, leading with elves from Great Elan.

Yet why was my heart so calm and steady? Had I grown braver? Or was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠this an overwhelming ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠crisis driving me mad?

"I'd bet on the latter."

"Quiet, Esen. Now that we're calm, let's think this through some more."

Another major crisis crashing down. But it wasn't life-or-death yet, so staying composed made sense. Especially since the damage wasn't just mine.

That was clear from Baseldenan's attitude toward Nenya. Elves, hard to age by looks, were a race that fussed excessively over elders. From his words—"I received your grandmother's mother with my own hands"—Nenya had been an adult when Baseldenan's grandmother was born.

In short, elf Baseldenan couldn't disrespect Nenya without reason.

"Right, Nenya?"

"...You're asking if getting tangled in this scandal would damage my reputation in elf society?"

"Something more than just losing face, it seems."

Nenya sighed and nodded.

"Yeah, way more. To put it harshly... imagine a human fucking a dog. Even if she's the queen, that image doesn't stay clean."

"Good lord."

"Many elves see bonding with humans that way. An elf who takes human seed can no longer live in Elan's forests. Treated as a mad beast-fucker, exiled to the outside world."

"To some elves, Nenya looks like an extreme pet enthusiast. My homeland, Small Elan, was built on the tears of mixed-blood descendants cast out for those views."

Reni added while wiping her sword with a leather strap. Her intensity felt ominous.

"Is that regular maintenance?"

"No. Since Robendo insulted me, I'm planning a duel soon."

"...Ah."

"He always blocked my path under the guise of protection. 'It's tough for a girl.' 'Don't get hurt—you're family.' I never told you, but I joined the extermination party because I couldn't earn respect in Small Elan's knight order because of guys like him."

Reni raised her well-honed blade. Her cool face reflected on the flat side.

"I was going to forgive him since I made good friends because of it. But now he's insulting those friends too. Time to face knight-to-knight and kill him."

...Did she mean humiliate his pride, or literally? Her aura said the latter.

"Please hold off for now."

Reni raised an eyebrow at my calm words.

"Why? If it's some moral 'don't kill' nonsense, I'll get mad. They're already trying to socially execute us."

"Tigresses' intentions are hard to read. But for those from Great and Small Elan, I can guess more confidently. They're just the tip of the fishing hook."

"The tip of the hook?"

"Nenya, how important is Baseldenan in elf society?"

"Important? Closer to irrelevant. That fairy supremacist struts around outside like he matters, but honestly, he's just a spoiled great-grandson from a landscaping family. Gets plenty of allowance, but if he vanished tomorrow without a trace, no one in his family—or anyone—would care."

"Got it. Reni, what's Robendo's birth order?"

"...Ninth son, eighteenth child overall. Yeah, that fits. Tip of the hook."

Reni's eyes calmed. She sheathed her sword with understanding.

Esen looked around in confusion.

"What're you all talking about? Explain for me too."

Tobetan was born from a pirate alliance. Why shove clueless idiots unfamiliar with that rough ethos deep into pirate mouths?

A fishing hook is sharp. It gauges if fish abound underwater by the bites on its tip. But lose it? No one cares. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Fishermen always carry spares.

"No proper nation sends sheltered fools as envoys. Sorry to say it in front of Morgan, but sending diplomats to Tobetan at all is weird."

"Huh, why? Seems nice to us?"

"Good for us, not them, Esen. Most nations with experience getting ransomed from merchant ships don't even recognize Tobetan as a country."

"...You guys were a bandit gang? This a pirate den?"

Morgan chuckled dryly at Esen's shock.

"...What'd you think the skull and swords on pirate flags mean? Adventure and romance?"

"Not?"

"Well, my dad and Tobetan's queen think we need to move past plunder economy. Our ships and crews never got dragged into raids, so don't worry. Go on, Tan."

"Back to the point. Idiots like Baseldenan strut without knowing their fate. Like Adamanthon, egged on by Mitra cult to challenge Tomco."

"Ahem. Like Adamanthon."

"But those pulling the strings behind have different motives. Like the Mitra cult shipping Adamanthon off on a killer ship—using others' hands and lives cheaply to achieve goals."

"Ahem. Like Mitra cult. But who?"

"Reni's siblings who don't want her returning from frontline with merits. Elves who hate Nenya mingling with humans. Plus any faction benefiting from tarnishing 'powerful families' daughters as porter-fucked whores."

"Include our rival parties too. Achievements guarantee royal patronage. If we disband in scandal, they get fewer competitors, more jobs, and can snag our top fighters cheap."

Nenya pointed out, finger raised. I nodded.

"If Tomco guns them down in panic to silence them, it looks like an admission. Makes 'em dig harder, claiming 'innocent visitors murdered after asking questions'."

"That's why Dad didn't shoot. Thinks it protects us."

Morgan nodded in realization. Her casual view of shooting arrogant elves or nobles for insolence was a bit chilling.

...Thinking about it, I'd faced Tomco slicing Adamanthon's legs like sausages, dragon lords, even the goddess of lust. Surviving that mess made most things less scary. Getting scared now would mean I learned nothing.

"I agree completely, Tan. Not dismissing you... your worldly instincts are sharper than I thought. Didn't expect such insight here."

"Roll under Adamanthon like Reni did. Even a commoner porter develops political sense. Right?"

I smiled back at Reni's sly grin. She nodded, poison fully gone from her face.

"I phrased it politely. Anyway, won't swing my sword for those scum. Calmed down."

"Hah. So lots of folks want us all branded sluts."

Bilena scoffed, face pale though.

Nidroga, unfazed, grinned mischievously.

"Thinkin' if it goes south, hide under your mom's wings?"

"Yup. Obviously. Bad?"

"Not at all. She'd probably love it."

Nenya smacked her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠forehead, groaning at our nonchalance. Muttering about lunatics.

Nidroga hit the nail, but it didn't itch. What's wrong with the weak seeking survival? A rabbit dodging leopard paws with quick turns is pride, not shame.

But I'm a porter.

"Still, running is Plan B."

"Not best?"

"I'm an A-rank porter. Can't dump this on the party and bail. I've endured false accusations and bullying myself. Don't wanna abandon party members to the same and flee to safety."

I smacked my lips lightly, adding,

"Lover or not."

"...Not your fault exactly, but yeah. Nice to see responsibility. How to fix it?"

"Islune still outside?"

"Tomco's barely holding her."

"Then I'll say it. Third wish left."

Monica nodded. Nenya recoiled in horror.

"Hey."

"I know to be cautious trading with mismatched powers. Been doing it. You know my first empty wish: hoped Ishtar wouldn't harm us somehow."

"Still no."

"I get the risk. So before wishing, let's brainstorm. How to word it so everyone's safe."

"At worst, something extreme like with me. She didn't seem that bad?"

Nidroga twirled her hair, blushing faintly. Giggles spread in Tomco's yielded tent conference room.

Unlike Reni, Nenya couldn't join, just clutching her face and sighing deeply. At the end of those sighs, she dropped a tantalizing line.

"Tena prepared for this."

"...Tena?"

"Said guys picking fights might show eventually, since not everyone who knows you is gone."

——————

Damn it all.

No. I suggested using the 'emergency countermeasure' this aggressively. Don't waver.

I squeezed my eyes shut briefly.

The returned camp buzzed with cheers, jeers, shouts, mockery. Most unmasked party comrades whispered quietly. Some fighters, my unknown allies, yelled at guests to scram.

Conversely, nobles with 'inquiring if porters touched our precious daughters' faces kept hands on sword hilts.

Thinking I might eat steel if things went south was scary.

And Esen's sister 'Garam Taiga' with her tigress comrades watched me, intentions unreadable. Truth be told, they scared me more than nobles—from Tobetan, they'd tailed stealthily.

Gawkers rode trains from afar just to hurl insults, bored. Most were like that.

And in one corner of the crowd... infamous One Sun writers, 'photographic memory' aptitude holders appeared.

Ability to perfectly recall sights, hands drawing them automatically. Copying eyes see called 'photos'. Better use god-given gifts for honest work.

Though guys like Adamanthon thug with hero aptitude exist.

Whoever came, same deal. I shook off stray thoughts with a sigh.

Stepped onto the platform in the wide field center.

"Three minutes."

Spat out words I truly hated.

"Strip for three minutes, and you'll believe me?"