Chapter 133
Chapter 133
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Making Use of the Cards in My Hand Everywhere (3)
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"Follow quietly, and nothing bad will happen to you."
The man beside me subtly revealed the weapon at his waist.
"Make a fuss, and it won't end well for you."
His tone carried an implicit threat.
What if I end up in some dire situation if I follow? Wouldn't it be better to just dig in my heels here and refuse?
—That would be the typical thought of an ordinary person.
But.
"Sure, let's go."
I readily followed them. They hadn't expected me to comply so easily, and their reactions lagged by half a beat.
"…Good choice."
"…Just follow quietly."
Normally, people would be trembling, begging, "Why are you doing this? Please don't."
Princess Violet lightly tugged at my sleeve.
"Do I have to come too?"
I nodded silently at her whisper.
"It'll be fine. Come along. It's better if we stick together."
This brief exchange delayed us a moment, and one of the men snapped.
"What are you two muttering about? Hurry up!"
"Shut up."
"You're the ones telling us to be quiet, so why are you making a racket?"
Their irritated retort left the men's faces etched with bewilderment.
"These crazies must be in it together."
"Quit yapping and lead the way."
I gestured arrogantly and stepped forward.
"……"
The men exchanged displeased glances. It looked like they'd silently agreed to rough us up without mercy once we arrived.
*Well, they're free to delude themselves.*
I flashed a sly smile and followed them with Princess Violet.
The men led us away from the brightly lit central square into alleys that grew rapidly darker.
A rundown, shadowy place in stark contrast to where we'd just been. Men with menacing glares crouched, puffing on cigarettes.
"What is it?"
One of them, a man with a long scar across his eye, stood up.
"These kids ruined today's business."
"What happened?"
"They suddenly claimed the gems were fake and demanded a refund. The old hag nearly died handling it."
After exchanging words with the men, he reached into his trouser pocket.
"Guts sticking out your belly, huh? They look like kids, no matter how you slice it."
His piercing gaze swept over our cheeks and chins, exposed beneath our hats.
"But they've got plenty of coin if they're bold enough for this."
He approached with a thuggish swagger.
"100 gold."
He extended his filthy, calloused palm toward me.
"That's for letting you go nicely."
A snort escaped my lips.
"They're worse scammers than that lady from before."
I turned to Princess Violet, who let out a similar scoff behind me.
"Isn't that right? Even if she sold all that, it wouldn't fetch 10 gold."
"I've never seen such a rip-off in my life."
Princess Violet replied in a tone of utter disbelief.
"You must be mistaken about something."
The man responded smoothly, without losing his composure.
"That includes the price on your heads."
As if to underscore his words,
*Shing—*
The sound of weapons being drawn echoed from various spots in the alley. It was the two who'd escorted us, plus others who'd been hiding deeper in.
"Hoo."
I whistled loudly for effect.
"Did you hear that? Our two heads are worth 100 gold."
"Ridiculously low."
Our leisurely conversation finally made a vein bulge on the man's forehead.
"You little punks who can't tell heaven from earth…"
He signaled to those behind him.
"Teach 'em a lesson. Half-kill the guy, and let's check out the girl."
His red tongue slowly licked his lips.
"She looks pretty cute. Could be fun to play with…"
*Crack!*
My hand sliced through the air.
The man, struck by my practiced slap, spun like a top and crashed into the wall.
*Thud!*
With a loud noise, his body crumpled.
He didn't get up again, face smashed into the wall. Not even a twitch.
One solid hit had knocked out a burly thug.
"Be grateful to me. I just saved your tongue from getting cut off."
I retracted my hand and grinned wickedly. Of course, no reply came from him.
"-!"
"What the—?"
The sudden turn of events made the men hesitate.
"Eight in total?"
After confirming their number with my Absolute Territory, I beckoned them.
"Come at me all at once. Dealing with you one by one is a hassle."
"You mad bastard…!"
The grunting men charged en masse.
"Hit him together!"
"Kill him!"
I positioned myself diagonally, shielding Princess Violet behind me.
"Stay put behind me."
"Don't worry about me. Show these fools what happens when they mess with you."
"As if I'd let that happen."
The narrow alley was perfect for protecting non-combatants. It also neutralized their numbers advantage. The tight width meant only one or two could approach at a time.
"You punk!"
Their movements were simplistic, and countering them was yawn-inducingly dull.
"Yawn."
I actually yawned as I took them down.
*Boom!*
I smashed their faces with straight punches,
*Crack!*
"Ugh!"
Elbowed their solar plexuses.
"Eek!"
Dodging incoming weapons with a graze,
*Thwack!*
I spun and kicked their guts.
One hit per man, thoroughly flooring them. It took less than a few minutes for seven.
"……"
The men hit the ground with stifled screams and went silent.
Some couldn't move with broken bones; others drooled from the agony of vibrating organs.
"Tsk."
I dusted off my hands, eyeing the last one.
"What's it gonna be? Pathetic flight, or stupid charge?"
Either way, the outcome was set. But I magnanimously offered choices.
"U, ugh…!"
No need for his answer. His face was pale with terror.
"Uwaaak!"
He dropped his weapon and bolted.
"Always like that."
I chuckled and kicked off the ground.
*Whoosh!*
With a slicing wind, my figure vanished.
Leaping over the fallen thugs, wall-running across narrow outer walls, I soared upward.
"Eek!"
Sensing the shadow overhead, he instinctively looked up.
*Smack!*
A merciless kick slammed into his shoulder.
"Aaack!"
He wailed, clutching his torn shoulder as he dropped to his knees.
"Second thought: running was the dumb choice."
I muttered lowly, gripping his nape.
"W-Wait…."
He shook his head in refusal, but
*Bang!*
I smashed his face into the wall.
"One hit becomes two, huh?"
I grinned and let go.
Cracks spiderwebbed from where his face had hit.
*Slide—*
His body slipped down, leaving a long trail of blood.
"Hm."
I glanced at him briefly and stood. Turning back, my eyes met Princess Violet's.
"……."
She hugged her arms, face pale with revulsion. Her forearms trembled faintly.
"Are you cold?"
She rubbed her arms up and down.
"Feels weirdly chilly. Ever since you started moving."
"……."
The memory of my killing intent in the casino must have seared itself deeply into her mind.
"Feels like I've sensed this before."
"Must be your imagination."
I brazenly replied, retracting the faint killing intent I'd leaked. Her expression eased.
"Besides, Abel, didn't your father bestow a sword upon you? But the way you fight is just so…"
Princess Violet hesitated, lips parting and closing.
"What about my style?"
I curved my lips into a smooth smile, and she replied awkwardly.
"…Too thuggish. Even more than those who brought us here."
My fighting style apparently seemed far from a knight's.
"A compliment?"
Giggling, I stepped toward her.
"-!"
As the distance closed, her shoulders flinched. I gave a gentle smile.
"A bit hurt. I handled the task well, after all."
"…Hmph."
Realizing her reaction was exposed, she furrowed her brow. Hiding her cracked pride, her voice turned curt.
"Let's go. I don't want to stay here longer."
"Wait a sec."
I stopped her turning body and looked back.
"If you're done watching, come out."
Unlike when I'd waited for Liam before, this time I precisely sensed the pair of eyes observing me.
Pausing briefly,
*Thud.*
Heavy footsteps approached with a young man's voice.
"How'd you know?"
Handsome enough to make women swoon—but repulsive and deeply familiar to me.
*No way?*
Frowning, I peered toward the alley's end.
Soon, a young man emerged.
Flaming red hair and eyes. Simply dressed than usual, yet his dazzling looks shone through.
"…Cain Ardante."
The original story's protagonist, with that annoyingly gleaming, smooth face.
*Why the hell is this guy here?*
I openly showed suspicion.
"You were watching from the start, weren't you?"
"How did you— Wait."
Cain, scratching his head sheepishly, paused.
"'You'? We're the same age, but we never agreed to drop honorifics."
"If you're miffed, drop 'em too."
"……"
Cain scowled briefly, then smoothed it over.
"I saw the commotion in the central square. Thought you might need help, so I followed."
"Then why just spectate so eagerly?"
My sharp jab made him shrug.
"Was gonna step in at first, but changed my mind when you downed the first guy."
He loosely crossed his arms, adding,
"Looked like they needed help more than you."
"……."
"Not that I planned to help them, of course."
I swallowed a bursting laugh and stared him down.
*Weird. Why run into this guy?*
I'd deliberately avoided the original route where Cain was with the princess today. Yet here we were.
*No way.*
To test my suspicion, I probed.
"So, Cain, what brings you to the central square?"
"Obviously, to enjoy the festival. Same as you, Abel."
He stubbornly stuck to "you." A faint hostility flickered in his ruby eyes and vanished.
Unlike his usual kind smiles and courtesy toward others.
*Because I poked him then?*
Rejecting the club invitation must've bruised his pride badly.
*Well, not just that.*
Since our first meeting at the conference hall, I'd screwed him over in every way imaginable.
Even a saint couldn't extend goodwill to me now.
"Didn't expect to run into you here."
But Cain adeptly masked his feelings and even addressed me casually.
*Still got some leeway, huh.*
Or didn't want to show agitation.
Either way, didn't matter. I had just the card to rile him up waiting behind me.
He hadn't noticed yet, thanks to me blocking the view.
"Same here."
My twisted mood twisted my words.
"Thought you'd be at the banquet. Didn't invitations flood in?"
"Tons did. The servants had a hard time sorting them."
Truly infuriating response.