Chapter 52
Chapter 52
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Netori or Die, Your Choice
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Netori or die, pick one and get to it lol
The carriage rattled along.
...or rather, it didn't shake at all.
The carriage glided forward more smoothly than a passenger car from my original world.
It must have some kind of magical element since this was a fantasy world, but no matter how many times I rode it, it still felt amazing.
Pretending to look out the window, I scanned my surroundings.
In front of me: Clarit.
Next to me: empty.
Next to Clarit: empty.
Just the two of us.
Being alone in a cramped space with a woman who had Clarit's crazy face and killer body should have me on edge, but her personality was so off-the-wall that I didn't feel any rational tension at all.
Instead, other worries came flooding in.
What insane thing was she going to pull next?
Things had felt off ever since Kaisir showed up.
Still, I had to wrap up what I started, so I tried to end it quickly, but I never expected Clarit and Gold to arrive...
No matter how heated I was, Gold was the guy I'd wanted to call "big bro" just a few hours earlier.
Serton Count and Gold had no connection, so there was no reason for him to be mad at the count.
I'd gone all out with the humility because I figured if Gold really got pissed, it'd hit hard, but maybe that had calmed him down a bit.
Since he said he was staying to take care of business, he might be so pissed he doesn't even want to see my face.
If that was really the case, it'd bum me out a little.
Still, I'd been trying to deliver some justice, so I could only hope magnanimous Gold would understand.
That's when Clarit suddenly struck up a conversation.
"I've heard the full story from my direct subordinate."
"...I see."
Shit, here it comes.
Don't chew me out.
I did my best, okay?
I would've bowed my head gladly if that count had said something like, "Yeah, my kid messed up, but beating him like that? I'll discipline him properly, so you apologize too."
But both the dad and the kid were total assholes—what was I supposed to do?
"What were you thinking?"
"......"
"A count. A full-fledged noble who could have his own territory. He didn't actually hold a domain, just had influence over Milf Village, but he was still a man of considerable wealth and power you couldn't ignore."
Hearing the lecture actually pissed me off.
A sarcastic tone slipped out before I knew it.
"And he was a shameless bastard who grabbed citizens off the street to make them his servants."
"We'll have to investigate to confirm that, but surely he compensated them appropriately..."
"Compensated them appropriately? Are you seriously saying that?"
"Sigh."
Don't sigh like that.
I knew I'd acted on my own, so I couldn't push back too hard.
No, actually, I had no idea why, but I just couldn't bring myself to get aggressive with Clarit.
Why?
Because she's a beauty?
I'm a true equal-opportunity beater—I smack pretty girls just fine...
"Of course, I'll take responsibility for this mess."
I offered a solution first.
Clarit smiled brightly.
"Oh? You'll take responsibility? How?"
"...I said I'd accept any punishment willingly, but nothing that kills me or leaves me crippled."
"I see."
"The king said he'd reward me. I was planning to ask him to overlook wiping out the Serton Count's house in exchange."
"Setting aside the idea itself, is something like that even possible...? Sigh."
She started to chew me out but grabbed her head and sighed as something dawned on her.
Serton Count's reaction earlier had been similar, so my idea must have some real merit.
"Anything else I can let slide, but the count and his son are sure to hold a grudge."
"I'll deal with that."
I said that and turned back to the window.
Yeah. I'd handle it.
If they came back stronger like some novel or manga cliché, I wouldn't let it slide this time.
I'd kill them regretting ever gaining power.
But that probably wouldn't happen.
In the end, the count had slapped his bratty kid's face.
That had to have imprinted fear, guilt, distrust—something—on the kid.
The count, who pretended to care for his child, had lost his composure in an unprecedented, incomprehensible situation and yelled at his son... He'd have to tighten up the family discipline first.
Could they make a comeback?
I hoped they could.
That way, if they came back...
Suddenly, a scene from some memory flashed in my mind.
Thick stench of blood. Bodies on the ground. And...
Silence fell.
Then, as if casually probing just in case, Clarit spoke up.
"Why did you bow to Gold and me?"
"Huh?"
"To uphold our dignity? I could see it with Gold, but why bother greeting me...?"
Oho.
She's sharp after all.
She'd noticed I really had yielded to her.
I had to answer carefully here.
Saying I felt bad for Gold and you didn't really matter... would be simple truth, but it'd unleash a storm of scolding.
I'm not that stupid.
A man who'd mastered every visual novel, attuned to a beauty's heart—a hundred dan of insight. Deal with it.
"If I may be so bold, I wanted to cause you both as little trouble as possible."
"Why? Didn't you hate me?"
You know it...
As I recalled the humiliations she'd put me through and mentally cursed her out, words slipped out unfiltered.
"Because you're pretty?"
"......"
Oh goddammit.
What did I just say?
I'd meant it as shorthand for "You act like that because of your looks?" but there was no way Clarit would take it that way.
"That's too much of a joke."
I was about to say "Sorry..." when—
Pling!
What the hell was that shitty sound effect?
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Clarit's Favorability +10. Current Favorability: 50 (Slightly Friendly Acquaintance)] ...Oh, oho!
The "pretty" compliment worked?
Was complimenting her looks the key to winning her over?
I didn't particularly want to be buddies with Clarit or sleep with her, but there was no upside to beefing with an excellent woman from one of the Ten Great Families.
"You always act without thinking things through."
"Yes. Sorry."
"Look at this time. Do you even realize how many people you've inconvenienced?"
Huh?
Favorability went up, but the scolding got harsher too?
What the hell. She wasn't scolding because she hated me—her personality was just always this crazy.
But what could I do?
I started this mess, so I'd take it like a man.
And so, I endured her nagging complaints throughout the carriage ride.
In one ear and out the other, naturally.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Dre had left.
They tended to the wounded, cleaned up the scene, dispersed the crowd...
And only Gold and his direct knights remained.
Repelt eyed his lord, who stood frozen in place.
Gold was magnanimous.
He brushed off most insults or abuse with a laugh.
But beheading a subordinate of the Hart Clan in front of all those people, and saying if Gold was friends with Serton Count, he didn't need that friendship...
'Dre... crossed the line pretty hard, didn't he~?'
Repelt liked Dre.
It'd be a lie to say he felt nothing about Yulis being left in such a pitiful state, but that incident was entirely Yulis's fault.
Besides, Dre himself was a decent, good guy.
And incredibly capable.
Repelt wanted his lord and Dre to get along.
Both emotionally and practically.
"L-Lord."
Kaisir approached Gold cautiously.
He was still standing there blankly.
He too wanted Gold and Dre to get along.
But unlike Repelt, it stemmed from fear.
'Unpredictable, yet insanely strong. One of the top-tier Outsiders, maybe even beyond.'
Kaisir glared at Serton Count, the culprit behind this mess, who was getting his forehead treated. The count ground his teeth.
'Jeez, this guy's still not getting it.'
But that was Kaisir's misconception.
The count's anger stemmed not from Dre, but his son.
'You idiot!'
Even as blood kin, he'd overlooked the brat's antics as cute, but to bring this catastrophe...
The count's mind had erased his own rude words; only his son's ugliness and terror of Dre remained.
Yeah, terror.
Born an only child with no succession rivals, he'd lived easy—Dre was a monster to him, worse even.
Revenge? It didn't cross his mind.
For now, he just wanted to heal body and soul.
And a shadow loomed over him.
Gold stood before him.
"Gold, sir. I'm truly sorry for being too injured to stand."
Now's my chance!
Serton Count smirked inwardly.
Dre terrified him just thinking about it, but Gold was different.
The Ten Great Families were nobles on another level from the likes of Serton Count.
They resided in Entiaer Kingdom, but rumors said each house wielded near-national influence.
Besides, Dre had been incredibly servile to both Gold and Clarit.
'Even that brute fears the Ten Great Families.'
He'd sworn not to act rashly but bolted without fulfilling it—proof.
'In the end, even he's cowed by power and greater strength.'
As he steeled himself against the fear, Gold spoke.
"Repelt, Kaisir."
The two snapped to attention at their lord's call.
"Big bro left without a word to me."
"Uh..."
They didn't catch it at first.
Big bro? Dre?
They'd gotten that close, bro-ing it up?
"He only spoke to Clarit."
The two aides recalled earlier.
He'd apologized to both in nuance, but hadn't directly addressed Gold—only Clarit.
They guessed Gold's feelings.
Gold and Dre had been close enough to call each other bro.
And just hours later, Dre ignored Gold.
'The lord's pride is hurt!'
Gold was generous and bold, rarely angry, usually covering mistakes with stern words at most.
Normally, that invited climbers, but Gold's excellence and charisma kept challengers at bay—he was already half family head.
Now he was angry.
'People who don't get mad usually are scary when they do...'
But Gold was on another level.
This could blow up big time.
The two hoped it wouldn't come to fighting Dre.
Of course, they didn't think the Hart Clan's forces would lose to one man.
The knights were just one pillar; the true might was ancient artifacts passed down.
Prostia had said he'd win if at full strength, blaming matchup for the draw, so the clan's full power likely wouldn't lose.
Still, they didn't want to fight Dre, for emotional or practical reasons.
Kaisir felt the same.
The knights who'd locked eyes moved to dissuade him. And—
"Big bro said if I was friends with this guy, he didn't need my friendship."
"That can't have been sincere..."
"He's disappointed in me."
"Huh?"
Heads turned.
His face mixed anger and bewilderment.
Something was off.
He was mad, but less wounded pride—more anxious fidgeting.
"...Father threw in that subordinate for fun; I should've cleaned him up sooner."
"G-Gold, sir?"
At this point, even Serton Count sensed things going south and swallowed hard.
"Serton of the Right."
"......"
Gold's title was viscount—below count. But who cared?
He was Ten Great Family; his status towered over mere viscounts or counts.
"Because of you, big bro Dre is disappointed in me."
"......!"
Serton Count recoiled at the honorific.
Big bro Dre?
When had Gold started revering Dre as big bro?
No time to think.
Gold's icy voice stabbed like frost.
"I'll investigate your misdeeds. If you've crossed the line, or try anything funny during it... figure out the rest yourself."
"Gold, sir...!"
He wanted to beg for time, but couldn't.
Gold wasn't his usual kind, benevolent self.
Just eyes deeming trash removable.
A serious Gold was terrifying.
He foresaw his house losing even basic noble status, let alone past glory.
"Ah, aaaah..."
"D-Dad... sob."
As Serton Count and his son despaired, one man gleamed with excitement.
Mile, left to take statements.
He thrilled at words suggesting Gold and Dre were bros.
'Only he could!'
Not relying on Ten Great Family backup, but his own power against a mighty count house.
Mile resolved to beg Dre to take him as squire.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Following Clarit's order to stay in the hotel at least a day, I lounged in my room.
Plenty of books kept boredom at bay.
Truth be told, holing up suited me far better than wandering.
The rare leisurely time felt great.
Only my body crumbling over time nagged a bit.
I'm perfectly fine...
...Why does the system feel like it's bullshitting me no matter how I think about it?
Like it's saying, "Get laid already, you punk!"
A day flew by reading and pondering.
I'd expected visitors, but none came. Not even Gold.
Guess I really got on his bad side.
Sigh. I dressed and headed out.
Staying in felt good, but I had things to check outside.
Bentler better have escorted them properly.
I'd left the father-daughter duo with the guild, and Bentler suddenly volunteered.
Pay? The drinks from last time cover it.
Say what you will—he's a good guy.
The knights tensed as I tried to leave.
They cautiously asked my destination; I said the stables district.
They offered to accompany, but I firmly refused—they apologized so profusely it made me sorry. Sorry...
Guess I overdid it yesterday. They treated me like a bomb.
I bowed my head and stepped into the street.
I arrived at the stables district feeling down.
But the looks around me brimmed with goodwill. What?
Thought it was my imagination, but the stares were too obvious.
Respect and fondness filled their gazes.
Mostly guys—annoying.
Was it because I trashed the Serton Count's house?
Those losers. How bad was their rep...?
At the familiar stable, a young girl was changing sheets.
"...Um."
I called softly, mouse-like, but she turned anyway.
The wide-eyed girl—I worried she'd fear me—lit up and rushed over, bowing deeply.
"Greetings, benefactor!"
"Ah, sure."
Not kid talk...
Precocious one.
"I see."
That was all I could manage.
I almost patted her head but stopped.
Remembered hearing girls think guys messing up their hair makes 'em go, "What the fuck, asshole?"
Just then, the door next to the stable opened. A burly, bald, bearded giant emerged.
He seemed to know I was there, bowing calmly.
"Hello."
"You've come."
Why so formal?
"Please speak casually. It's uncomfortable."
"I heard. You're heading to Prynar Academy soon."
"......"
Is Prynar Academy that big a deal? Then the owner continued.
"That makes you nobility of high standing already."
"......"
"I was truly rude then."
"Then? What do you mean?"
"The day you first arrived in the city, I hurled abuse without knowing you."
Ah.
This guy finally remembered me.
No wonder—"That punk who rampaged the other day is going to Prynar Academy and overturned two frames? That Outsider!"
"If you hold a grudge over my arrogant attitude then..."
"No. Not at all! I'm here to express gratitude."
The bed, water, warm blanket you gave—they gave me so much strength.
I wanted to convey that, but my asocial tongue wasn't smooth.
Then, thud! The owner knelt.
Why, man?
Panicking, he now forehead-planted. Harder than yesterday's count.
"What are you doing!"
"Dad! Stop it!"
As I tried to stop him, the owner spoke.
"If, if... you're here to repay that kindness... Yesterday already overpays, but could I ask one presumptuous favor?"
"Huh? What..."
"...Take my daughter as your servant, your squire."
Eh?
Squire...?
Thinking it over, it clicked with Prynar Academy talk.
Hated myself for manga-ish line flashback...
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"Wh-What's going on..."
Asita, visiting Dre's hotel under pretext of teaching Outsider basics, tongue-clicked at the knights' tale.
What? Solo half-wiped a count's house?
'Why does he always drag storms everywhere...'
Anyway, Dre was out.
Asita trudged back to her inn dejectedly.
Bonus: getting an earful of Dre-bashing from oddly hyped Clarit.