Chapter 13
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: Sense
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'Sharl de Kaintrea.'
When they hear this name,
no, more precisely, when they hear the surname 'Kaintrea',
every single person in the south lowers their head.
Anyone who understands the power of money or the weight of authority.
But this guy...
[I've never heard of it before.]
......What? Never heard of it?
It was the first time something like this had happened, regardless of status or rank, so I was momentarily dumbfounded.
[Is even this rude? I just don't know because I was never taught.]
The guy brazenly shot back,
but at the same time, his eyes darted around busily.
He's reading the room. Not mine, but Kain's.
This confirmed it. This guy really doesn't know.
Who I am. The extent of the Kaintrea family's power.
"......"
That meant my plan had gone awry.
When I realized that the 'loyal little rat' he'd shown me that day was a lie,
I felt a sharp pang of betrayal.
And the fact that a slum brat like him had deceived me made my blood boil.
That's why I'd come here.
To barge in, strip away that brazen mask, and confirm his vulgarity and rudeness.
Up to that point, it was a perfect scenario.
To put the final punctuation on it, I revealed my name.
Make this little rat, whose true nature was exposed, kneel on his own,
realize who he'd dared to deceive, and savor the look of terror on his face.
That was what I'd expected...
But the guy who manipulated whores and raked in money behind the scenes
didn't know the weight of the Kaintrea name.
The finale was ruined.
'...Damn punk.'
Maybe I should just wrap this up here.
This secret outing was already repeating far too many times.
I'd managed not to get caught so far, somehow,
but now that I'd revealed my identity,
leaving slum rats who knew my name and face was a risk.
I had to shut their mouths.
In the most certain, clean way possible.
I mouthed silently to Kain.
'Kain, both of them...'
At that moment,
[I know you're a noble, more or less. That's why I bowed my head first that day.]
The guy urgently opened his mouth.
[If you're shocked I haven't heard the name, it must be some great family.]
At the same time, his eyes were darting around busily.
......Reading the room.
This time, not Kain's, but mine.
"That's right. It's a ducal family."
As I answered, he opened his mouth as if he'd been waiting,
[For a slum rat like me,]
[it's a huge honor that Your Grace would come to a stinking place like this.]
A mocking tone full of cheek.
Still rude. Still vulgar.
But,
"......Ha."
Strangely, my mood lifted.
It wasn't the answer I'd wanted.
Not the reaction I'd expected.
Why was that?
I couldn't pin it down.
Peel off the first layer, and out came a cocky pimp brat.
Peel off another layer...
This time, a desperate hunger for survival oozed out thickly.
It was like...
a gift box that kept revealing something new no matter how many layers you peeled.
Fun.
A shiver ran through my body.
From my toes to the tips of my hair, it tingled.
Interest surged again,
no, a possessiveness incomparable to before boiled up.
"Yeah. Since you get that, it means things are going just as I thought."
I was certain.
This guy wasn't just some discarded ornament.
He'd be a living toy to stimulate and entertain me every single day.
So I made up my mind.
This cocky, clever little rat,
"I like you. Be mine."
I'd make him mine alone.
"......Hm."
Honestly, I was a bit flustered.
A sudden confession attack.
No matter how decent-looking I was, even for me,
I'm five years old?
...No way, a real lolicon?
Nah, probably not. I want to believe it's not.
Or maybe this.
Hit her with 'I like you♥' 'I love you♡' 'Be mine♥' right off the bat to tie her down,
then when she grows up a bit, consummate the deed.
Never thought I'd end up as the target of that creepy scheme I'd only heard about in my past life.
Truly, you see all kinds of things when you live long enough (5 years).
"No answer?"
"Ah, just mentally preparing."
Ahem. I cleared my throat in a childish voice that didn't suit me,
"For now, rejected."
Regardless of any mental preparation,
I gave the answer I'd already decided on.
"...Rejected? You're rejecting me?"
A look of utter disbelief.
Like her face was screaming, 'You dare?'
"A slum brat, daring to?"
Ah, she even said it outright.
Marriage really is the greatest equalizer. Best with a kind-hearted woman.
One with a big heart and... other big things?
"I don't get it. Why reject?"
"Because it's worth rejecting."
I crossed my arms and snorted.
"What do I gain by being yours?"
"Plenty of benefits. Our family is ducal, and rich."
"I have plenty of money too, though?"
I pulled out every gold coin from my pocket
and flaunted them in front of the girl, Sharl.
"See these gold coins? All mine."
"Doesn't look like even 10 gold."
"I earned this much in less than three weeks? My room's piled high with silver coins, and..."
"That pittance? I could give you that right now."
Thud!
Sharl unfastened the bracelet from her wrist
and tossed it down in front of me.
"Here, sell it anywhere and you'll get 100 gold."
"Cute bluff. 100 what..."
"At a proper appraiser, you'd get 130 gold."
Does she think 100 gold is some dog's name?
Even a slum rat deserves not to be lied to.
What could this tiny bracelet possibly...
Flash!
What the hell. It's sparkling. Looks just like a coiled snake...
Uh... those scales, all that glittering... no way...
"......Diamonds?"
"Oh, right. How'd you know? But you don't know Kaintrea."
Sharl stared at my face in surprise.
My reflection in those huge silver eyes
was,
"Ah... yeah?"
...gaping like an idiot with my jaw on the floor.
"What, why so shocked? You said you had money."
She smirked and poked fun.
A playful, irritating expression full of mischief.
Overlapping with a short-statured, venomous loli who looked ready to spit 'loser♡' 'trash♥' 'die♡' any second.
Infuriating. Cocky bitch.
Thinks she can look down on people just because she's got cash!?
But.
This girl.
The more I looked, the prettier she seemed.
Not fully grown yet, but decent enough. Her future prospects looked promising, didn't they?
Plus, a bracelet packed with diamond cubic zirconia like this,
I mean, even if they are diamonds.
Th...they're supposed to be hard and unbreakable, but still, chucking it on this filthy floor...
"Yeah, looks like you live well."
"Not just well."
"...How well?"
"What? Having second thoughts now?"
I shook my head.
"...But you know."
I tried my best not to think about the 100 gold at my feet,
and looked straight into Sharl's eyes as I spoke.
"Here, I'm the king."
"......King?"
"Yeah. I make the rules, make the money, use people as I please."
I nodded toward the glasses guy,
"That one does whatever I say... First, can you have him put away that knife?"
His face is turning blue; he might keel over any second.
Sharl nodded,
and only then did the burly glasses guy remove the knife from the man's throat.
Clang!
His legs gave out, and he collapsed right there.
"Hoo... Th... thank you, Leon."
"Oh yeah, I heard something like this too? That guy's your new dad."
"...Never had a trash dad like that."
Fuck. So embarrassing for real.
"...Anyway, that one listens to me too."
"Yeah... I figured. So?"
"I can keep living like a king here. No reason to follow you."
Sharl thought for a moment after hearing me,
then pointed at the tavern floor, the stains there,
"This place is dirty. It stinks."
"Can't deny that."
"Right. So you..."
"Don't want to live in a better place?"
She asked the idiotic question.
Of course I did.
A better environment.
It was what I'd vaguely told the whores,
what Rinea always nagged me about.
A better place.
Of course I wanted to go.
I'm not living here because I want to.
I was born into this, living in this.
That's why I struggle—for a better place.
If I could escape, I would.
If I could run, I would.
If you could take me somewhere,
"If you can take me to a good place, sure, I'd follow."
"Even if I did that?"
"If it's really a good place."
Just imagining it made it clear.
Suppose overnight I end up in a clean, wealthy place,
wearing new clothes instead of rags,
mingling with nobles instead of slum rats.
Would I be in a good environment?
Bullshit.
Lucky if I don't get stoned.
All kinds of discrimination, contempt, target for petty anger,
and if they really hate me, maybe even a knife.
So,
"What's the point of going? I'd just be watching my step everywhere. End up living like a collared dog."
Yeah. No matter how filthy rich and powerful the family,
that's a life I hate.
"So you're saying this? You don't lack for power or money.
No matter how much of a slum this is."
"Exactly. Spot on."
At my words, the corner of Sharl's mouth curved faintly.
"...Cocky. A slum brat with ambition."
"Isn't ambition a man's virtue?"
"Hee hee hee..."
"Ah ha ha..."
And so, we shared a refined laugh while looking at each other for a moment.
Yeah. Even though I rejected your confession,
we could be good friends, right? Hope so.
Friendship over love.
Having a rich friend nearby wouldn't hurt at all...
"Well, can't be helped then."
"Right?"
"Yeah. Words alone won't cut it."
Sharl turned around,
"Kain."
summoned her burly lackey over,
"......Should we knock him out?"
......?
"Can't we just bag him?"
"Ah... but he'll struggle, that's annoying..."
"Endure it. He's mine now, so take him carefully."
Ah, right.
This is that kind of world.