Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: 7. Killing Felix (3)
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Following Ian's instructions, Kati stepped out of the room.
She had changed into slim, lightweight leather clothing for easy movement.
The corridor at night was thick with darkness.
Her figure gradually blended into the shadows, becoming hazy.
Stealth technique that only someone familiar with her like Ian or a superhuman with exceptional senses could detect.
It was one of the abilities she possessed as a demonkin.
Kati untied her eyepatch and tied it around her neck like a ribbon.
In the darkness, her vertical pupils dilated into rounds.
Her naked eyes could perceive things that even other demonkin or exceptional superhumans couldn't see.
Staring at the dark floor, various traces stood out clearly.
Footprints, drag marks, tiny scratches, saliva stains, even a single thin strand of hair.
Among them, what Kati needed were the footprints.
From thousands of footprints, she singled out the one presumed to be Felix's.
Kati followed the trail down the stairs.
In the silent building where everyone was asleep, her movements were ghostly, without sound or presence.
Tracking the footprints, she arrived at the place where the exam hall registration had been done before.
There, she definitively identified Felix's traces.
Now, even if mixed with others, she could recognize it.
Following the identified footprints, she arrived in front of a door.
[Room D-401]
She had learned much from Ian as well.
She thought, judged, and acted according to Ian's teachings.
'At least five people passed through based on the footprints. One of them is Felix. It's not a frequently visited place. High chance it's the lodging for the hero party he managed. No one inside. Seems like a room he uses alone.'
Kati traced the footprints further down.
This time, Room 206.
'Multiple footprints, but Felix's stands out particularly clearly.'
She quietly pressed her ear to the door.
She sensed the presence of someone sleeping.
Kati pulled out two lockpicks and effortlessly unlocked it.
Just like when she walked, not a sound was made.
She cautiously opened the door and entered, and a spacious room filled her view.
Felix lay on the bed inside.
'This is...'
The man who had tried to kill Ian during Vivian's exam.
Ian wouldn't have died to trash like this, but the mere intent made her displeased.
Kati shook off stray thoughts and stayed true to Ian's orders.
She rummaged through the room for anything useful.
Even walking casually and opening drawers produced no noise—an eerie sight.
The result of innate infiltration talent, demonkin skills, and honed dexterity.
The only locked drawer was the one in the bedside table.
Unlocking it with a lockpick, she found a 'Silence Seal' scroll and a contract.
[Arke Village Superhuman Cultivation Plan Contract]
'Contractor: Harmon. Probably the village chief of Arke Village. Contract subject: Humphrey. Likely a child's name. The other party: Superbia Managers' Guild Aspirant Management Department Head Felix...'
Though a demonkin, Kati had grown familiar with human society through time with Ian.
She could roughly gauge Felix's position.
'Somewhere in this building, there's an office or desk that only Felix uses.'
Nothing else useful besides the document.
Leaving the room, Kati resumed tracking the traces.
She glided through the darkness to her destination.
[Aspirants Management Office]
Kati unlocked the door and entered.
Not even cautious in her movements, yet no sound was made.
She walked like a ghost through the darkness, rummaging through Felix's desk at the head seat.
From the bottom locked drawer, several documents emerged.
[Internal Disciplinary Action for Attempted Assault and Intimidation of Aspirants] [Punishment Notice for Disobeying Temporary Exam Results] [Complaint Report on Intimidation of Other Party's Aspirants] [Special Violence Attempt on Female Aspirant Case] Seeing Felix's horrific record, Kati felt no particular emotion.
She took them simply because they seemed useful to Ian.
[Disciplinary Notice on Illegal Training to Turn Civilians into Superhumans] She gathered even the document at the very bottom.
Nothing else seemed necessary.
'Owner.'
[Yeah.]
'I've searched his private bedroom and office, secured the documents. Nothing more to find, heading back.'
[Yeah. Come quick.]
'......'
Come quick.
Kati repeated the voice in her mind and returned just as told.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ It was just a casual remark, but Kati really came quick.
She entered my room with a calm face mere seconds after I called.
Kati silently approached the desk and neatly stacked the documents.
"Good work. Thanks."
Whenever there's something to handle covertly, I always leave it to Kati.
If I had done it, it would've taken forever.
Checking the documents from the top, Kati, transformed into a cat, jumped onto the desk.
Leaning on my left hand, I scratched her chin while flipping pages with my right.
After completing tasks, she always rubs against me like this, asking for pets.
-Purrr...
Just skimming the titles from the top...
How the hell is Felix still in this guild?
His record is way too flashy.
Does Penny even know what's going on in her own guild...?
He's gotten disciplinary actions multiple times internally and still has his head?
Probably the higher-ups are sweeping it under the rug with slap-on-the-wrist punishments.
What a mess.
After checking everything else, I placed the two most important documents side by side.
[Arke Village Superhuman Cultivation Plan Contract] [Disciplinary Notice on Illegal Training to Turn Civilians into Superhumans] With the titles of these two documents, the events in Arke Village, and what Marie had said.
All the pieces clicked perfectly into place.
The content of the contract with Arke Village was simple.
It was a deal to cheaply contract and raise a child who wasn't yet a superhuman but showed high potential.
Felix gets a superhuman on the cheap, and Arke Village makes money selling off a kid with no real prospects anyway.
Looking at the clauses, there was a penalty fee Felix had to pay if the child didn't become a superhuman.
Trash though Felix was, having played power games in the Managers' Guild, Arke Village probably didn't take the money lying down.
Eventually, it got reported up the chain, and the guild higher-ups made it disappear for both sides.
Something like that...
So that's why the village chief specifically asked if it was the Managers' Guild.
They didn't want to get tangled up with them.
"Hmm..."
Arke Village was probably handled by the military police.
The problem was Felix and this child 'Humphrey'.
Did he survive? Or die?
He must have been one of the kids Vivian was taking care of...
Asking Vivian would make things easier.
But if he's dead.
If Vivian tries to find dead Humphrey.
I'd help her find him, but could she handle what comes after...?
Best if he's alive.
Not just for Vivian.
I rolled up the documents and tucked them into a corner of my subspace pocket.
For today, investigation done.
Tomorrow, call Amos and figure out how to leverage this to tighten the noose on Felix.
"Sleeping here?"
-Grrr...
Kati rubbed her head affectionately, purring happily.
Once like this, she won't listen no matter what.
Her eyes were already closing, dozing off.
I lay on the bed and placed her on my stomach.
We've slept together plenty, cat form or original.
...But thinking of her true form, it's a bit much.
She doesn't climb on in her true form.
Slowly stroking her back, Kati purred and fell asleep quickly.
Eyes closed, I organized tomorrow's tasks and next destination.
Call Amos and talk, call military police too.
Then, find the next member, the priest, at MacDullin Abbey... I think...
*
"Meow-."
Something slightly damp and rough licked my face.
Every morning waking with cat-form Kati is like this.
...Honestly, still a bit startling.
Thinking of her true form..., no, I need to get used to it.
"Awake..."
Petting Kati's head on my chest, I opened my eyes.
A white cat with perked ears looked down at me with golden eyes.
"Sleep well?"
"Meow-."
I couldn't understand her cat noises before.
At some point, I just knew.
That one meant 'yes,' her affirmative sound.
"One task later today."
"Meow."
I'll send Kati to find Amos.
Setting Kati down, I rose from my stiff body.
No room to get stronger anymore in this wretched frame, but to maintain it, I can't slack on exercise.
The time was pre-dawn, just before sunrise.
Before Vivian wakes, I start the day with daily workouts.
*
During breakfast, Vivian spoke up.
"You want to go to Taylor's shop?"
"Yes. I want to at least say thanks and tell her I passed."
She probably knows already, but Vivian telling her in person would please her type.
"Sure, go ahead. Training can wait till you get back."
"Heehee, thanks."
No need to thank me.
"Kati, go with her."
"Yes."
"Huh? I can go alone..."
"You never know. What if something happens?"
"Mm, true."
"Could get lost too."
"...I'm not a kid."
If needed, I might have to use the enslavement ring, so Kati's escort is necessary.
Just greetings and back, so finding Amos after is fine.
*
After eating, Kati and Vivian headed to Taylor's clothing store.
Mercy and I went straight back to the lodging.
I planned to show her Felix's documents too.
With each document she read, Mercy's expression grew icy.
"Hah..."
Setting down the last one, Mercy sighed.
"Seeing soft Vivian so much lately makes this human malice feel all the more stark."
Mercy murmured, gazing sadly at the documents.
"A life that deserves to be torn apart."
Words unfit for an elf, symbol of compassion.
But Mercy, jaded by humans early on, was different.
Her love was reserved solely for her own people.
If that twisted mechanism protected her, it wasn't bad.
Felix really was that kind of scum anyway.
"Right? If everyone was as good as me, how peaceful the world would be."
"...No rebuttal makes me angrier."
"What's that?"
"Because it's true."
Mercy smiled wryly and leaned her shoulder against mine.
"Ian. You'll still try to save the world, right?"
No grand mission to save the world.
I'm just trying to kill the Demon King to survive.
Raising proxy heroes since I can't do it myself.
But that ultimate end does align with saving the world.
"Have to."
"...Yes. If that's you, I'm on your side. Remember that."
"I've known for a while."
Mercy gave a light smile.
"True. By the way, really nothing for me to do? Feels like I'm just a useless ricebug wasting food lately—uncomfortable."
"No need to go that far.... Just rest for now. Don't complain when it gets busy later. And feeding one more like you for free is no issue."
"Still! My heart won't rest easy!"
Mercy whined.
"I'm thinking about it..."
Mercy had tons of abilities, all useful.
Just not applicable right now...
...Really nothing?
[Owner.]
Kati's telepathy arrived amid my pondering.
'Yeah, what?'
[Found the child named Humphrey.]
...Huh? Suddenly?
[Vivian wants to take him. What should I do?]
'W-Wait a sec.'
No idea what happened.
But Kati has no reason to lie about this.
If possible, maybe Humphrey survived, spotted Vivian wandering Superbia?
Her name's spreading lately, plausible.
Good, he didn't die...
'Yeah, bring him...
Wait.
Humphrey sold to Felix.
Felix who once treated Vivian harshly.
Reunion with Vivian.
Monthly mag and Amos for public exposure...
Pieces in my head formed a picture.
'Bring him right now.'