Chapter 111
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 111
Chapter Title: Failure Means Rebellion, Success Means Revolution, But Failing After Success... (3)
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Mersenne set off for the capital once more to investigate his father, Principal Parus.
It seemed a bit distasteful to him, investigating his own father.
"I've actually been secretly looking into Father from the shadows all along. There were more than one or two suspicious things about him even before."
Still, as expected of the Light Hero who'd staked his life on slaying evil—he was clearly determined to get to the bottom of it.
And the moment he concluded his father was tied to the demons...
He'd execute Parus Remnant more decisively than anyone else.
He might be a weird guy, but he was rock-solid on that front.
...Pretty damn weird, though.
I'd originally planned to go to the capital with him to request the Emperor's aid.
But honestly, traveling together felt like a bit much...
It felt irreverent, but in the end, I decided to handle it via dedicated communication.
No helping it.
Not just because I didn't fancy a trip to the capital with Mersenne—truth was, I was swamped right now.
Being away so long for the Mera Union trip had let work pile up.
Plus, I needed to devise countermeasures for the Mera Union.
And mediate between Lin and Jenny, who'd somehow gotten into a tense standoff...
No, why were these two suddenly at each other's throats?
Weren't they getting along fine?
Well, it wasn't some brawling, furniture-smashing fight.
More like a cold war of subtle jabs and glares.
But those two were powerhouses to begin with.
With their overwhelming presence, the atmosphere between them had all the adventurers on edge.
"Lin? Can't really see the request board. Mind not blocking my view on purpose?"
"Ah, Jenny. Sorry. Didn't notice you there. It's just... I went to the Mera Union 'just the two of us with Kane'! And after being away so long, I'm a bit tired."
"...Really? Guess no helping it. Me, who's been 'especially close' to Kane oppa since we were kids! I'll let it slide this once."
"Ugh... Is being childhood friends the only thing you've got to brag about?!"
"Wh-what?! Says the one hiding a ton of Kane oppa photos and recording crystals in her room! Secretly stalking him every day sto-haha…..."
"Kyaaak! Wh-what are you talking about?!"
"......"
"......"
...This had been going on nonstop since we got back from the Mera Union.
Not outright fighting, but constantly needling each other.
And the needling always circled back to me.
...Felt like I was the root cause, leaving me a bit wistful.
But something weird slipped in there midway?
My photos and recordings... what was that?
Anyway.
With the branch's two top dogs at it like this, the sheer aura had adventurers shaking in their boots.
E-rank and lower newbies couldn't even come near.
This wouldn't do.
It was disrupting the Hassler branch adventurers.
"Lin, Jenny. Enough fighting. You're scaring the adventurers."
They'd probably pick it right back up the second I looked away.
But I had to say something...
"Ah, Kane oppa!"
"Kane!"
Both snapped to attention at the sight of me.
They always straightened up when I was around.
"Both of you. Cut it out. No need to trouble everyone else."
"S-sorry..."
"S-sorry, oppa..."
Hm... Had I come down too hard just for some staring contest?
Then I glanced at the adventurers trembling, unable to even grab requests properly—and any second thoughts vanished.
This time, I needed to lay down the law.
...Or so I was thinking.
"Oppa, why not just pick one outright?"
"...Scarlett?"
Scarlett suddenly chimed in from the side.
"If oppa makes it clear, they won't fight. Problem solved."
...Yeah.
I wasn't dense enough to miss what she meant by "make it clear."
I knew the affection Lin and Jenny felt for me went beyond gratitude or sibling-like fondness.
I knew.
Ha, but still.
Asking a plain guy like me to choose between women like that?
Tough call, honestly.
And...
"...Not sure yet. You're both too precious to me."
Now wasn't the time for happy dilemmas like that.
Not when these two precious people might actually live out normal lifespans like anyone else.
One wrong move, and they might not just fail at that—they could end up in real danger.
Right now, other priorities took precedence.
Couldn't give them a real answer yet.
"...P-precious..."
"Kane..."
Good—they both seemed to get it.
Backed off without a fuss.
Phew. Crisis averted.
"Tch. Lame."
Scarlett clicked her tongue in disappointment.
Ah, right.
"Scarlett, you're precious to me too. No need to get jealous."
This one sulked if you didn't keep an eye on her.
"Wh-what! I wasn't jealous!"
Scarlett flushed beet red and bolted.
Oh... flustered Scarlett.
Now that's a sight.
"...Womanizing instructor."
"Three of 'em..."
"Jenny, Lin, and Scarlett to boot..."
"Kane's got the cred, but... what's this rage bubbling up inside?"
.....
Hm. Better not stick around, or the adventurers would beat me to death.
Single guys especially.
Ahem!
Seems settled enough—time to get to my own work. Quick-like...
"Lin! Is Lin Pacific here?!"
Bang!
A knight in full plate armor burst through the door, bellowing Lin's name.
...Huh? This feels familiar somehow.
#
"Lin! Is Lin Pacific here?!"
The one who'd flung open the doors to the Hassler branch guild was a knight in battered, dirt-caked armor, scratched all over.
The adventurers scowled at the sight.
Similar crap had gone down before, so reactions were predictably hostile.
That knight commander Niber from Pacific had thrown a massive tantrum last time.
This guy sported the same Pacific crest.
Everyone could guess how this would play out.
'Got chased off last time, so backup this round?'
'They dumped her big-time back then—why hunt her down now?'
'Daring to bother Lin?'
One difference: Lin happened to be right there on the first floor.
"...What do you want?"
Lin eyed him with ice-cold eyes.
Ready to flash-freeze and shatter his limbs if he spouted nonsense like Niber.
But what came out of the knight's mouth blindsided everyone present.
"His Majesty King Orlando Pacific has arrived—receive him with due respect!"
"...Huh?"
"Eh?"
The sudden claim that Pacific's king was here?
Everyone froze in shock.
The knight, irked by their reaction, bellowed again.
"King Orlando Pacific has arrived—receive him with...!!"
"Why's that guy here?"
Lin cut him off with a frosty question.
As the knight opened his mouth to retort...
"Enough. I'll handle this."
A man in his mid-fifties with the same sky-blue hair as Lin stepped inside.
"Y-Your Majesty."
Orlando Pacific.
Pacific's reigning king. And Lin's... disowned father.
The knight dropped to his knees as Orlando entered.
But no one else bothered with protocol—the knight fumed and yelled at the crowd.
"You lot! Insolent dogs—show respect at once!"
"Ha."
"Get real."
The adventurers just stared in disbelief.
King or not, what of it?
He held no direct sway over Karr Empire citizens anyway.
And everyone here knew he was the trash who'd callously cast Lin aside.
Not even a real powerhouse king would get courtesy from them.
"Enough. I just want to speak with my daughter."
Orlando played the magnanimous father, calling his disowned daughter "his."
"My daughter, Lin Pacific. I've one request."
"...I'm not a Pacific anymore. Nor your daughter."
Lin shot back incredulously. Orlando's eyebrow twitched.
But he quickly mustered a kindly smile.
"My dear daughter, I see the past weighs on you. But it was unavoidable. The citizens... especially your brothers..."
He launched into a rambling excuse.
Boiled down: not my fault, so drop it.
Laughable nonsense.
In a monarchy like Pacific Kingdom, the king's word was absolute.
No one could've ignored it to disown the princess.
Meaning: Orlando Pacific had decided it all himself.
"Cut the crap and scram, you old fart."
The air chilled instantly.
Out came Lin's unfiltered swears and blunt talk—reserved for when she was truly pissed.
She bent over backward to hide that side from Kane.
Showing it even with him watching meant her fury had boiled over all reason.
And what an enraged Lin could do?
Plenty here knew all too well.
'One more peep and gramps is toast.'
'Wait, killing a king here...?'
'That'd spark an international mess, right...?'
"L-Lin. Mind your tongue—hear me out. Pacific Kingdom faces total annihilation the likes of which we've never seen!"
Orlando—who'd ignored Lin her whole childhood—blundered on, oblivious.
Lin, visibly annoyed, raised a hand. A massive ice spear materialized.
"Deal with it yourselves. Get lost."
She was mad enough to know better—not killing, just evicting.
But Orlando's next words...
"D-demons! Demons are out to destroy our kingdom!"
"...?"
Lin lowered her hand.
The ice spear vanished with it.
'Demons...? In this mess, maybe tied to the Mera Union.'
The word "demons" sparked the thought.
Might be unrelated, but if there was even a chance...
"Spill the details, old fart."
Calm restored—her polite speech returned.
...Well, the unfiltered swears at Orlando stayed.