Chapter 99
Chapter 99
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: The Inexplicable Man (4)
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Title: No shit, why is the Gaudum boss fight so goddamn boring?
Guard captain level 55? Lol, fuck that tank.
You messing with me?
Come here first and let me smash your head in.
Fighting the guard captain and they all swarm in for a gangbang... It's ridiculous.
How many of them are there ffs?
"Here, a gift for Master!"
As for the matter of waking up in the morning to find a girl sitting on top of him, who then vomited something up and offered it as a present.
Rishir neatly summarized his current predicament like that before savoring a faint sense of skepticism.
'My life is smoothly entering legendary territory.'
Both at his situation where such events occurred as if they were nothing,
and at himself for accepting such situations as if they were nothing.
What Berbandes had spat out with an "Ah~" was in the form of a yellow ore.
Just like a spirit core vomited up by some half-spirit.
Thanks to that, Rishir was barely able to keep up with this bewildering situation.
'Is she doing something like Ferrin's hairball?'
'No. Wait. Wasn't that possible only because Ferrin was a half-spirit with a physical body?'
'I heard spirit cores are like hearts for normal spirits...'
Rishir looked at Berbandes with a serious expression.
She wouldn't fade away with a distant smile and a line like "Master, goodbye," would she?
"Master!"
Fortunately, the sand girl was brimming with energy.
More than just energetic.
The sand girl's brow furrowed, her eyebrows drawing an adorable diagonal line.
Berbandes. Pissed off.
She thrust the spirit core (presumed) toward Rishir.
"Here!!!"
Before he knew it, Rishir realized he had committed "Number one action not to take when receiving a gift."
Giving an ambiguous reaction. A disaster brought on because the gift came from her mouth rather than a pocket.
That was also an act that ranked high in "Actions not to take when giving a gift," but Rishir decided not to point it out.
"Uh, uh, yeah! Berbandes...su! Thanks!"
Rishir hurriedly took the spirit core (presumed) she offered.
"!!!"
Even then, with no sign of her tilted eyebrows leveling out, Rishir reacted even more intensely.
"I'm so happy!!! I'll put it to good use!!!"
"What do you mean 'good use'!?"
"Huh? Oh... It means I'm totally, totally thrilled!!!"
"That much!?"
"Uwaaaah!!!"
"Then I'll give you a good-use gift too!!!"
"Good use!!!"
"From now on, Master and I are good-use buddies!"
"Good-use good-use!!!"
The frenzied gift-giving ceremony ended only after some time had passed.
"Master! I'm gonna go now!"
"Ah, no! What am I supposed to do if you just leave like this!"
"No! Sleepy! Gonna sleep!"
"Ah, so that's what you mean by 'go'—... It's fine, right? No problems with giving this gift?"
"Yeah! Good use!"
"Huh? Ah! Yeah! Good-use good-use!"
Berbandes's form scattered.
Rishir hurriedly entered his inner world to check on her.
Zzz... Zzz...
Berbandes had made a bed and bedding out of sand just like Rishir's (scaled down to her size) and buried herself in it.
Only then did Rishir sigh in relief.
It suddenly struck him as ridiculous.
To think a former demon was now a little girl, evoking these emotions.
'Looks really are everything, huh. Anyway—'
Rishir looked once more at the spirit stone (presumed) Berbandes had given him.
'What the hell is this? What principle was it made by—'
"Hey."
"...!"
A voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
Rishir's body jolted up as he turned toward the source of the voice behind him.
Clana stood there with arms crossed, watching him.
"What are you spacing out for? Pick up your sword."
"Ah, not right now."
"Fine? Then get out."
"Isn't this my inner world?"
"...If you're not here for training, then why did you come?"
"To check if Berbandes is okay."
"..."
The faint expectation on Clana's face turned to irritation.
And that irritation soon turned to bewilderment.
"You're treating 'that thing' like a child."
"?"
Rishir looked at Clana.
His expression seemed to say, "If it's not a child, then what is it?"
"Never mind... I shouldn't say it. Anyway, what's that?"
"This? Berbandes's spirit core."
"...Spirit core?"
Clana glanced at Berbandes lying over there and made a face like she had a lot to say.
Should she be surprised that 'that thing' gave a spirit core?
Or that this guy took receiving a spirit core from a spirit as a given?
"Ugh..."
The murderer who sowed chaos and confusion in people with his inexplicable actions and thought processes was inadvertently putting himself in others' shoes.
"Ah, by the way, Clana. Do you know what this is?"
"I'm not familiar with that stuff. I've swung a sword my whole life."
"Fair enough. Your specialties were killing people and crime, right?"
"...Can't you just roundabout say 'sword'?"
"Even if it's a sword, the specialty's different, isn't it?"
"Ugh..."
Having confirmed Berbandes was fine,
Rishir left his inner world, leaving the brooding Clana behind.
"After this is over, I should ask Sir Meltas."
He pocketed the spirit stone (uncertain) and got out of bed.
'By the way, what was that commotion yesterday? Eh, probably nothing major.'
Rustle. Rustle.
Sand from various parts of his body fell off with each step Rishir took.
He paid it no mind.
The city nobles staying in the annex didn't return to their rooms for a leisurely sleep.
How could they sleep easy when that madman Gaudum had unleashed the guards?
And alone, no less.
To prepare for any sudden events, they gathered in the annex hall with their escorts and servants, pulling an all-nighter.
Ran didn't miss the opportunity.
Gaudum's friends were gathered without Gaudum present.
Harboring distrust, anxiety, and dissatisfaction toward Gaudum.
Was there a better chance to sway them?
Ran stayed up with them, conversing one-on-one.
Not just "friends," but even "best friends."
The "best friends" were the ones who had joined Gaudum's dirty ventures without hesitation, taking his filthy money.
Normally, Ran wouldn't go near them, but—
'With the secret ledger Rishir gave me, the city nobles' support... and their testimonies on top, I can definitely oust Gaudum from the council.'
The other councilors were irresponsible, only caring about their own rice bowls.
Thus, if this plan succeeded, they wouldn't dare indulge Gaudum any longer.
They'd cut off the tail before the fire spread to them.
'Perfect...'
Ran defined the flow that way.
However, one nagging issue remained amid it all.
Gaudum's scheme had worked perfectly.
They were appalled at Gaudum releasing the guards against guests (even with councilor Ran present).
"I-If I show any sign of turning away, who knows what retaliation he'll bring...!"
Gaudum had successfully imprinted that impression on the city nobles.
Likely exactly as he intended.
"Ran. Sorry, but can we talk among ourselves for a bit?"
Even Morn's group, who had nearly sided with Ran, started holding back.
Ran pondered.
How to break through this situation.
'...This is as far as I can go.'
That was her conclusion.
Ran had planned to sway the nobles.
To screw over Gaudum.
To persuade the other councilors.
But she lacked one decisive move to sway their hearts.
Without it, she could only watch Gaudum have his way.
Watch Bondales fester.
That was the case, until that mysterious man appeared.
He could have been Gaudum's one true best friend, enjoying wealth and glory if he wished.
But instead of dirty riches, he chose his convictions.
Unlike her, who had nothing but ideals, he had the power to uphold honor and justice.
'Rishir...'
Could he prove it again in this bleak situation?
Move their hearts?
"Everyone! The guards are starting to move!"
"...!"
"Right at dawn—"
"My god, they're not really going to exercise investigative authority over us, are they!?"
"Even with the guards' full authority, this is—"
Ran's reason told her.
It's realistically impossible.
The annex was under perfect guard control.
What could he do holed up in his room?
"Speaking of which, Rishir! What about that man!? Didn't he say yesterday! That nothing would happen! That he'd take responsibility if anything went wrong!"
"My god, you took that at face value!?"
"Is there any reason not to!?"
"Snap out of it! Why would he take responsibility for us!?"
"Depending on a young mage like that to begin with— Have you no pride!?"
"Above all, what can he do in this situation! Lead troops from the Gray Tower!?"
The other city nobles thought similarly.
Rationally, it was nearly impossible for a mere honorary mage to turn the situation around.
But—
'Rishir...'
Ran knew from repeated experience.
How foolish it was to approach understanding him rationally.
So Ran believed.
That he would appear soon with a solution.
"Everyone, calm down! Let's wait with faith!"
"..."
"..."
Naturally, her plea based on such abnormal(?) faith didn't reach the city nobles.
Negative emotions began mixing into their expressions as they looked at Ran.
'If only she hadn't dragged us in...'
The "best friends" openly showed hostility.
"Lord Morn, the guards...!"
"Damn it, what now!"
Then, Morn's escort rushed in with urgent news.
Despair washed over the room—
"They're withdrawing!"
"?"
Morn and the city nobles, dumbfounded, checked out the window.
The guards were indeed pulling back.
The earlier bustle had been for withdrawal.
"What in the world..."
They looked at Ran with entranced faces.
Only she could explain this situat—
"?"
"?"
Contrary to expectations, Ran's reaction was no different.
She too was glued to the window, staring outside in a daze.
"Didn't you say to wait with faith...?"
A middle-aged city noble asked her incredulously.
"..."
No. I didn't expect this much either.
Ran had stationed a servant near his room to respond immediately if he asked for cooperation.
According to reports, his door hadn't opened once since they left.
'Then how...?'
Gaudum saw nothing before his eyes now!
That was what surrounding the annex with guards meant.
What method could persuade such a Gaudum?
Ran couldn't think of any.
Let alone with the added condition of "from inside the room."
"..."
They were confused.
"Looks like everyone's here."
Suddenly, Rishir's voice rang out.
Gasp!
Some jumped as if seeing a ghost.
"Huh, no way—did you all stay here all night? Because of that 'commotion' you mentioned yesterday?"
Rishir scanned their faces and asked.
"What exactly happened—"
Suddenly, yesterday's memory resurfaced.
–Yes, it might look flashy on the surface, but it's nothing serious.
Rishir's figure, declaring the commotion so definitively.
Morn spoke on behalf of the city nobles, bewildered.
"Nothing... happened..."
"Pardon?"
"Just as you said, it was all show... nothing more."
At last, Rishir let out a chuckle.
"I figured as much."
Utterly meaningful demeanor.
They couldn't even guess what he was thinking.
'Why's the mood like this? Why's everyone silent? Were they in the middle of something important?'
Don't worry. I'm pretty perceptive.
Rishir smiled brightly.
"If it's nothing, I'll take my leave—going to get some air."
"...!"
They perfectly grasped the implication of his actions and swarmed Ran the moment Rishir vanished.
"No way... Something's wrong for sure..."
Gaudum muttered while cleaning sand scattered around the room himself.
Without ordering a servant.
He was uneasy about letting anyone into the room.
–Lord Gaudum, what happened!?
Soon, Guard Captain Dogal's voice came from outside the door.
Gaudum's first action had been summoning all the mansion's guards.
With the door locked, Gaudum said,
"When I woke up, there were signs someone intruded my room last night! It has to be those annex bastards!"
–Impossible!
Dogal explained how airtight the night's security had been.
A sufficiently grounded and persuasive explanation.
"..."
Even Gaudum, feeling his life threatened, couldn't nitpick it.
"Right..."
No.
In truth, Gaudum hadn't failed to nitpick.
He had chosen not to.
He wanted someone to convince him now.
That it was all his paranoid delusion.
That no enemy who could kill him anytime existed—that it was just imagination.
He didn't know who the "bastard" was.
But all the "bastard" could do was petty pranks because he lacked the guts to face him directly.
"Good..."
Only after convincing himself could Gaudum leave the room.
He immediately led Dogal and dozens of guards to the annex.
To confront and prove that the fear threatening him now was mere illusion.
'I wonder if you bastard can show yourself confidently before all these troops?'
The bastard was still holed up in the annex.
Cowardly and pathetically, hiding among others.
Gaudum repeatedly pictured the bastard's pathetic, wretched figure in his mind.
"...!"
Thus, Gaudum's steps, growing bolder with time, suddenly halted.
Rishir.
He had run into him casually strolling the annex garden.
He was alone.
In stark contrast to Gaudum with his numerous troops behind.
Thump!
Still, Gaudum unwittingly stepped back.
–Your actions are just as I expected.
At that moment, seeing him guarding the place alone, that voice echoed.
"?"
Then, Rishir's gaze turned to the guards, tinged with bewilderment.
'What the hell. Guards? Why are they here?'
As if noticing their presence for the first time.
Absurd.
After yesterday's commotion, how could he only now notice them?
In other words, the action was to mock the guards.
–What do they matter? They couldn't even stop me from intruding.
"No, no...!"
Gaudum shouted.
To deny every possibility threatening him.
"...!"
Then Gaudum's eyes fixed on Rishir's chest.
Gaudum cried out hysterically.
"Wh-Wh-What's that...! What does it mean!!!?"
Pointing at the sand on Rishir's chest.
"Hm? Ah."
Rishir looked down at himself and snickered.
'Must've gotten there when Berbandes sat on me.'
He said nonchalantly,
"I showed an embarrassing sight. It's nothing, so don't mind it."
The sand fell off with a casual brush.
"Hah, hah...!"
Realizing the implication, Gaudum's legs gave out, and he collapsed on the spot.
"G-Get out! Get out of my mansion right now!!!"
He immediately issued an eviction order to the annex guests.
To hurriedly prepare to leave the city.
▷ Fate 10: Buyer - Deactivated
🎁 Privilege: Granted accordingly
+ Privilege Granted