Chapter 63
Chapter 63
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: Ties from a Past Life
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The girl from the Extermination Squad, Sen, came down from the rooftop with the same cat-like movements she'd shown back at the dorms, then stood expressionlessly in front of me.
We exchanged looks that said, What are you doing here?
I spoke first.
"What are you doing here?"
"I got info that the Pit Dogs were in Bethel, so I came."
"Hmm?"
Something felt a bit off, but I nodded like I got it, and she turned the question on me.
"And what are you doing here?"
"I stopped by on my way back from Yggdrasil. I was planning to head out right away today, but that didn't work out."
"Didn't work out?"
Her head tilted blankly in that expressionless way—it was like looking at a broken doll—but I let it slide without comment.
"I think I've got a lead on the Pit Dogs."
"...That guard you grabbed by the collar just now—was that about them too?"
"Yeah. The hotel he recommended? Looks like it belongs to Pit Dog people."
"I'm coming too."
Yeah, I figured she'd jump in the second I mentioned a clue about the Pit Dogs.
Back at the hotel with Sen, the vibe was weird.
Hayun and Rin gave Sen the usual greetings—What's going on? What a coincidence!—but it felt perfunctory.
"What's up with these guys?"
The hotel robbers were just staring blankly into space.
I waved a hand in front of their eyes—they were alive, sure, but they just kept gazing at the ceiling, no reaction.
"They answer fine, though."
Rin sidled up with a smile and asked the old lady.
"What's your identity?"
"Jobanmes. 61 years old. Corpse supplier for the Pit Dogs. Implanted with Death Spider power."
"See?"
"..."
This felt a lot like the Army of Death from my past life, but they weren't dead. Rin must've done some magical trick on them.
"Must be easier now."
If you could wield the Army of Death's power like it was your own, it could even be a good thing. Rin had been out of control back then, after all.
Being able to wield it meant you could control it.
Easier to extract info this way—no big issues.
"Should we pull everything we can out of them?"
I grabbed a chair and sat in front of them. Rin brewed some tea and handed me a mug. Sen and Hayun lined up beside me.
"Who's the top dog in the Pit Dogs?"
"Don't know."
The answer came in unison.
Yeah, I didn't expect corpse haulers like these to know much.
"What's the Pit Dogs' goal?"
Sen jumped in from the side, but they claimed ignorance again.
We kept asking—hideout? Numbers? In other cities?—but they only said they didn't know.
"Do they know anything?"
Hayun stared at the four of them, looking fed up. They seemed like people who'd lived solely for the money, no deeper purpose.
I sipped my tea, feeling the warm glow slide down my throat, then asked one more.
"Who's your direct boss?"
"Michael Portren."
"Finally, an answer."
I grinned, and Sen scowled from beside me, adding,
"Michael Portren's the current head of the Portren family. Still young, but his parents handed him land and buildings in Bethel—he rents them out and runs a massive lodging business."
"So that's how he can afford places like this hotel?"
The puzzle pieces were clicking together.
Sen must've dug deep after I mentioned investigating Zabalanco's info—she'd been thorough.
"Looks like the Portren family’s tied to the Pit Dogs."
"Are other hotels you guys run doing this too?"
I was ready to go smash them if yes, but luckily, this was their only robbery spot.
"Can you explain this?"
"My head hurts. What's this Pit Dogs organization anyway?"
Right—Rin and Hayun didn't know about the Pit Dogs. We'd been talking around Sen and me too much. I gave them a quick rundown.
They'd both fallen under the cockatrice illusion Hare and I used, so they picked it up easily.
That led to stares at Sen—like, How do you know all this?—but
"..."
Sen ignored them. I cleared my throat, signaling I wouldn't spill her secrets either, so they dropped it.
"Um, is anyone there?"
A woman's voice from outside, while we were still interrogating.
We'd hung a Closed Today sign on the door, so I thought Pit Dogs—but no.
This voice... I knew it.
"Haini?"
"D-Daniel MacLaine?"
Haini Rosaless—royal inspector. We'd started off on bad terms, and things weren't exactly friendly now.
I gave her a Why are you here? look, but she mirrored it.
"Why are you here?"
"No, that's what I want to know! Why are you here?"
We stared each other down like a pissing contest until Haini backed off first.
"Haa... Thanks to your testimony, I got a stay on that false murder charge for pressuring Penil Leiros."
"A stay?"
"Needed evidence. Proof that the Pit Dogs organization actually exists."
"Aha."
Yeah, the Leiros family wouldn't let her off on just my word.
I'd mixed truth and lies anyway, not spilling everything.
"Then I got word the Pit Dogs were in Bethel, so I came to investigate. Now, why are you here? Looking for the Pit Dogs too?"
Haini Rosaless's eyes sparkled. I snorted.
"Nah. Just tourists."
"...Then why are you at the counter?"
"The grandma who runs this place isn't feeling well, so I'm nursing her."
Not a lie.
Haini eyed me suspiciously, but I stared back boldly, and she grumbled, backing down.
"W-Well, if you learn anything about the Pit Dogs, please tell me! O-Our first meeting sucked, but we took down Zabalanco together, right?"
"Get going. Gotta sprinkle salt at the door."
"Eek."
I remembered her as cold and sharp-edged at first, but the false accusation must've rattled her. She seemed deflated, her edge softened.
Personal growth pains, maybe.
"Something really is going down. Better check it out."
I nodded faintly at Rin's mutter and turned away.
Odd.
The Pit Dogs kept their identity secret, but info's leaking out like this?
Sen noticed after losing contact with the Extermination Squad. Now Haini Rosaless had intel and came to Bethel.
Something feels off.
After some thought, I took Rin behind the counter and pointed at the space-staring crew.
"Can you make them move?"
"If I snap them out of it a bit, yeah."
"..."
She snapped her fingers. They gasped like they'd surfaced from water, heads thrashing wildly.
They freaked at Rin—not me—and I got it: this was fear-based conditioning.
"You've got work to do."
Actually made using them easier.
*
Out on Bethel's streets, we decided to poke around the area first.
Not really poking—just hungry, so lunch time.
"More food options than I thought."
"It's right on the border, so lots of tourists and crossers pass through. Not much sightseeing, but perfect for shaking off travel fatigue."
The two girls nodded at Sen's blunt explanation.
"What to eat? Skipped breakfast—want something hearty."
"Um, if it's okay... no meat? Saw something rotten in the basement this morning."
Hayun raised her hand sheepishly. She'd peeked at the hotel basement horror while we were out. I said sure.
"Rin—you good?"
"Huh? Yeah, I don't care."
Rin smiled like it was nothing. That actually creeped me out more, but I kept it to myself.
"So, what then?"
Too many choices was a problem.
Each shop had some unique menu item to stand out in the cutthroat competition, making it harder.
We wandered longer than expected.
In the bustling street, a girl caught my eye—like a hammer to the head.
8 or 9 years old?
Her grayish-blue hair was unique. Clutching a doll, she bounced around happily.
The little whirlwind dashed through the streets, and passersby greeted her warmly with big smiles—they knew her well.
She spread cheer everywhere like a paintbrush dipped in bright colors on white canvas.
"Wow, such pretty big sisters!"
She skidded to a stop in front of us like she'd found a candy shop, staring at the girls and shouting.
Rin and Hayun smiled, patted her head, asked her name.
She introduced herself as Michelle.
Michelle, huh.
I'd spent many sleepless nights feeling guilty for not even knowing her name. Her absence had left a bigger hole than I'd realized.
Pant, pant! P-People? How are you here?
First met her in the forest.
She looked about my current age back then, clothes torn, injured, when we crossed paths.
Th-Thank you.
I took her home, treated her, changed her clothes, fed her.
Picked her up like a stray cat. She warmed to me fast with that kid charm, briefly.
Thought it was just gratitude then, but now I saw her true bright nature.
Mister, why do you live here?
She'd barge into my private space without hesitation, but it didn't bother me. Felt more like she wanted to get closer.
Ah, mister...
So when she turned up cold and dead, I didn't lose control like I expected. Ended up slaughtering the whole Extermination Squad that followed.
"Wow, sister's hair is white? So unique! Pretty like snow in winter!"
Michelle bounced excitedly. Sen looked flustered, unsure how to react.
In my past life, Michelle died by Sen's hand. Sen died by mine.
A strange twist of fate, all gathered here.