Chapter 97
Chapter 97
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Touching Pride (6)
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"No, it's not like that? I really hate Dexter, you know?"
Jack's grumbling expression looked remarkably like Dexter's. Dexter would tremble just like that whenever he got the same question.
"Yeah, yeah, I get it."
Elice giggled and took a step back.
"Anyway, thanks to you, Goldstar's living the high life."
She never got close to Goldstar. She kept a strict distance while continuing the conversation.
"I'm still scared of the thing, you know."
"Aw, what's there to be scared of? It doesn't bite. This guy's super gentle."
Just then, Goldstar opened its mouth wide to swallow an egg. In an instant, its mouth expanded four or five times larger, top and bottom.
Snap.
Goldstar swallowed the egg, bigger than its own head, in one gulp. Then it began gulping it down into its stomach with a wobble.
Of course, the sight looked utterly ferocious.
". . . Uh, they say don't mess with a dog while it's eating, right? Something like that . . . ."
"Pfft."
Elice chuckled softly, recalling the day she first saw Goldstar.
"How did I even get close back then . . . ."
Without Abel's pressure, she never would have.
Even when bringing this Goldstar here, she hadn't laid a finger on it. She'd had Dexter fetch it, then dumped the caretaking on Jack.
"How many stones did you pick up yesterday?"
"Two yesterday."
Not only that, Jack was faithfully carrying out Abel's orders. Namely, following Goldstar around and collecting the stones it put in its mouth.
"So how many in total so far?"
"Hmm . . . . About twelve, I think."
Jack added with a dejected face.
"Isn't that too few? I don't think the Master will be satisfied."
He knew the true owner of this Vendetta Guild was someone else. The man with the scary aura who had sent him here.
"What if he gets mad when I report?"
To Jack, the Master was already etched as an object of terror. The sight of him beating Tom and Jerry still haunted his dreams sometimes.
Elice replied readily.
"It'll be fine."
She didn't fully grasp the meaning behind Abel's orders. But she had the ability to roughly infer from his words.
'If something happens to its body, he'll make the culprit suffer the same.'
The fact that he cherished Goldstar meant those stones it fetched were that precious.
'The rarer something is, the fewer there are, naturally.'
Something of immense value, found very rarely. And something only Goldstar could find.
'. . . No way, is it that?'
Elice was already close to the answer. But she didn't voice her reckless guess.
She'd find out when Abel returned anyway.
"Don't worry too much, Jack."
Instead of explaining her long train of thought, Elice focused on reassuring the young boy.
"And even if the Master does get angry, it won't be at you."
At first, Jack had bared his teeth at Elice and acted bratty. But he quickly opened up to her kindness.
Even if he pretended otherwise, he was still at an age that craved warmth.
"Really? But I'm still anxious. Is it really okay?"
Jack fretted here as if he might be kicked out any moment. He worked hard even at tasks no one assigned, as if proving his worth.
The sight reminded Elice of her own harsh childhood.
That's why her heart softened whenever she saw Jack. Dexter grumbled about favoritism when he noticed.
"It's really fine. Don't think like that."
"Ah, no, that won't do."
Even with Elice's words, Jack didn't look reassured.
"When Dexter gets back, I'll tell him we should go out together right away. To look for more . . . ."
"I said it's fine. The Master didn't assign a quota anyway."
Elice pressed down on Jack's shoulder as he tried to stand.
"The Master will come late afternoon tomorrow. So go out once more in the morning."
"But . . . ."
"If you go out now, when will you get back? Stay up late and you won't grow tall?"
"Eek, no way!"
Jack jumped up in place. Goldstar flinched and raised its body at the sudden movement.
"Ah, sorry. Sorry. Finish your meal."
Jack stroked Goldstar once, then shouted.
"I gotta grow tall!"
With a determined face, he grabbed the tray beside him. A glass bottle of white milk sat on it.
Of course, in this Vendetta Guild, Jack was still the only one drinking milk.
Elice held back a laugh as she watched Jack open the milk bottle lid. That's when it happened.
Bang!
The door flew open roughly, and
"–!"
"-the hell! Suddenly . . . ."
Noisy sounds came from outside the room. It was William in the hall talking to someone.
"Huh?"
Jack set down the milk bottle. A white mustache had formed under his nose.
"What's going on?"
"William's talking to someone . . . ."
Elice frowned. She strained to listen to the sounds outside.
". . . They're arguing."
She quickly grasped the situation and drew the weapon from her thigh.
'A client? Or another guild?'
Elice pondered her recent jobs. She concluded there was nothing problematic.
'Then who?'
Actually, there had been someone who caused a big ruckus here recently. That memory had become unforgettable for life.
'Wait, it's too early for him to arrive?'
Above all, Abel had no need to barge in roughly. William would politely escort him to the inner room.
'Then who the . . . .'
Elice's expression gradually hardened.
"-sir!"
William's shouts continued. It was time to decide.
"S-sis, you gonna fight too?"
Fear flashed across Jack's face.
"What can Sis do . . . ."
"I can protect myself."
Elice answered curtly and gestured.
"Come here."
She pushed the bookshelf aside, revealing a hidden space behind. It was just big enough for a small adult or a child.
'Of all times, Dexter's not here . . . .'
Elice bit her lip and shoved Jack into the secret space.
"You can peek through the gaps between the books from inside. To get out, grab that and push."
"But . . . ."
"When it quiets down later, come out and somehow get to the Master."
Elice unclasped her necklace and placed it in Jack's hand.
"Don't lose it, no matter what. Got it?"
"S-Sis . . . ."
Jack's eyes welled up. He clutched the necklace tight but couldn't reply.
"Don't come out no matter what happens to me."
Elice averted her gaze from Jack's teary eyes. She closed the bookshelf and stepped back.
She turned to check the situation outside the room.
'. . . Coming.'
The unknown intruder was approaching this room. His footsteps grew louder.
". . . Huh?"
Elice's eyes widened. She recognized the familiar voice.
Bang!
The door burst open without a knock. Elice, tense and staring outside, went blank-faced.
"You . . . ?"
Standing at the door was Abel Kindriel. Behind him, William followed with a flustered look.
"Lady Elice, that's . . . ."
"Elice."
Before William could explain, Abel strode into the room.
Slide.
Unable to contain his curiosity and fear, Jack nudged the book aside slightly. He peeked through the thin gap at the outside scene.
'. . . Wow.'
A gasp escaped him.
The man who entered was an astonishingly handsome young man. Not just his delicate features, but his blue hair and lilac eyes were strikingly unique.
Jack had never seen anyone so handsome in his life.
'Who is that guy?'
Jack immediately sensed he was a noble. He exuded the same aura as the nobles he'd glimpsed from afar.
'But his expression . . . .'
The young man's face was irritably twisted. He looked like he was suppressing something about to explode.
". . . Master."
Elice cautiously spoke up.
"What's with the sudden visit?"
Jack was utterly shocked.
'M-Master? That guy's the Master?'
Eyes wide, he stole glances at the young man—the Master.
'Whoa . . . .'
He never imagined the face under the robe looked like that.
Truth be told, Jack had pictured the Master with a fierce, villainous face scarred by knife marks.
'. . . Ugh!'
Jack belatedly grimaced.
The chilling scent from the Master. It wafted intensely, incomparable to before.
'No, something's different.'
The smell throbbed violently.
It felt like some massive unidentified beast was writhing inside him. If he loosened the reins even a little, it would mount him and tear him apart.
'Ugh, it's too strong.'
Jack held his breath instead of pinching his nose.
He'd suffered for it before. He didn't want to be interrogated again about some smell.
"Master?"
Elice wasn't as sensitive to smells as Jack, so she was just confused.
She couldn't fathom why Abel had burst in like this, or why his face was so pale.
". . . ."
Abel didn't answer. He just stared at the floor, catching his breath for a moment.
His usual leisurely smile was gone, replaced by a darkly sunken, twisted expression.
The silence he created enveloped the entire space. The three others felt an inexplicable chill, excluding Abel.
". . . Elice."
Finally, Abel raised his head and stared at Elice.
"–!"
Elice involuntarily shrank back.
His unfathomable gaze pierced her, and his sharp voice felt like it was slicing her.
'. . . What did I do wrong?'
Elice's heart sank. Baseless fear surged over her.
'Was there a mistake in the data I gave him before? Did it embarrass him at the meeting?'
Her imagination spiraled negatively. That was the only thing that came to mind.
'Is that why he barged in with such an angry face?'
Her blood ran cold. Her fingertips turned icy in an instant.
Her chaotic mind cleared.
"I'm sorry, Master."
Elice hid her trembling fingertips.
"I haven't grasped the situation yet. If you tell me, I'll do my utmost to resolve it."
". . . Recently,"
Abel's voice was parched like drought-stricken land.
'He's barely holding back.'
Elice nodded, feeling her breath tighten.
"Yes, speak."
"Recently, around the capital."
Abel took a deep breath, then continued.
"Recently, have there been no attacks on travelers around the capital?"
The abrupt words tickled Elice's ears.
'Capital? Travelers? Attacks?'
Elice's mind grew confused again.
'Why is this coming up here?'
Questions surged, but reason took control first.
Instead of asking why, Elice rummaged through her memories. She hurried to find an answer to Abel's question.
"Yes. Quite frequently, in fact."
". . . ."
"There were incidents of travelers or merchant groups heading to the capital being ambushed and kidnapped."
Abel listened silently with an expressionless face.
"Presumed to be bandits. Their numbers are growing."
"Where is that."
"Pardon?"
"Where is that place."
Elice couldn't answer readily.
"Th-that place."
She barely moved her lips. Strangely, chills kept coming, and her tongue wouldn't work properly.
"So, um . . . ."
". . . ."
"Ke, Ke . . . ."
She knew the name clearly, yet her vision spun and her mind went blank.
"Ke, what?"
Abel's face drew closer to hers.