Chapter 2
Chapter 2
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: Counterattack, And...
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“How the hell did that bastard know?”
He had survived by the skin of his teeth, snatched the merits, and promotion was all but guaranteed. But then a guy who knew the truth from back then showed up. The puny weakling who seemed to have a thing for Ray.
Somehow, he’d figured it out—who knew when—and spilled the whole truth to her. And after the daytime incident, it looked like he’d even reported it to the superiors.
Without a doubt, investigators would come poking around starting tomorrow about what happened back then.
“Steng. You’re sure you delivered the letter properly?”
“We definitely left it right in front of his room. He must’ve seen it. Kulton said he saw the guy come out after getting it.”
Steng and Kulton, who tagged along hoping to cozy up to the promising Tyke. They were just as tense.
“Hoo... I hope this works.”
Tyke had taken a bit of a gamble. He’d barely managed to convince Ray to serve as bait to lure Daron in.
“Shh, he’s coming.”
Spotting Daron approaching from afar, Tyke and his crew quickly hid. Daron headed toward the small rest area where Ray was waiting.
.........
The place Ray said she’d be waiting was a simple rest stop with little foot traffic. During daytime hours, soldiers might stop by for a break, but at this hour, it’d be empty.
Which also made it the perfect spot for something shady to go down.
Lights were shining inside, so Ray must be waiting. I stepped in without a hint of suspicion.
“...You’re here?”
It was different from the kitchen uniform I’d seen her in earlier—regular commoner clothes.
“You wanted to talk?”
“Yeah. About Tyke.”
She still called him “Sir Tyke,” giving him that respectful tone right up to the end. She still wanted to believe in him, probably. Tyke must’ve worked hard to convince her first, to get her to lure me here.
Told her to trust him, that he’d prove it...
“Tea?”
Ray poured from the prepared set. The mood felt right for a slow conversation.
“Hey, Ray.”
“Yeah?”
“Honestly, offering tea out of nowhere in a situation like this feels kinda suspicious, don’t you think?”
This was where history changed. The old me—who’d gulped it down without a second thought—was gone.
“What? You’ve got a problem even when I’m being nice?”
“Nah, just saying. Especially since I’ve actually gotten death threats from Tyke.”
“Hey! Don’t slander Sir Tyke!”
“Then let’s switch cups.”
“Fine. Happy now?”
Truth was, Tyke had prepared the tea set. He’d probably told her to offer a cup to break the ice. And Ray, still clueless about his real intentions, was getting mad on his behalf.
Ray swapped the cups, looking annoyed.
She downed hers in one long gulp.
Her slender throat bobbed as she swallowed. She was into Tyke—no, if not for what came after, she would’ve been one hell of an attractive woman.
“Better?”
“You drink it like it’s booze.”
“You keep acting suspicious, so I had to!”
“I’ll drink mine nice and slow.”
I sipped my tea.
This cup was safe.
...Unlike the one Ray had just drunk.
“It’ll take a bit for the effects to kick in.”
“...Effects?”
“Anyway. Mind if I go first?”
Ray was probably geared up to defend Tyke if I badmouthed him, and Tyke watching from outside was hoping I’d fall for the trap.
No need to play along and wait.
“How about I tell you what Tyke’s really thinking?”
“Tyke?”
“Yeah. How he’s actually a total scumbag.”
“I came here to hear evidence, and it’s just your opinion?”
“Just listen.”
From here on, I took control.
“Tyke probably planned to use you to lure me here.”
She flinched.
I’d nailed it. Ray reacted just a little.
“And he probably said something like, ‘I’ll tell you what kind of guy he is, how he’s actually a total scumbag.’”
It’d seem uncanny.
I didn’t know their exact conversation, but the situation matched perfectly.
“Deep down, he’s thinking: ‘If this goes wrong, my life’s ruined. Gotta kill him.’”
“No. Sir Tyke wouldn’t—”
“He wants me dead, but he can’t just murder me outright. So he cooks up a scheme. One that paints me as the total villain who deserves to die.”
I ignored Ray and kept going.
“What’s the scheme? Simple: dose me with an aphrodisiac and set it up so I assault you.”
“A-Aphro...disiac? Assault me?”
“Yep. That’s why the cup you just swapped—and drank from—had the drug smeared on it.”
Ray stared at the cup she’d just sipped from, eyes wide with disbelief. I could hear her breathing quicken a little.
“Pr...Proof?”
Looking for evidence again.
Well, if proof counted... I remembered falling for the trick myself. Drugged, I’d gone after Ray, only for Tyke to burst in and stop me.
And during the scuffle, a lantern tipped over, starting a fire.
The fallout from that incident? I got burns I’d never recover from. Ray hated me for trying to rape her. And Tyke’s murder charge from the beast subjugation got wiped clean.
I lost big time, all around.
“W-Wait... Something’s... weird.”
The aphrodisiac was finally hitting. They’d picked a strong one; her lust would build fast.
“Haa... Haa... W-Wait...”
Ray’s eyes turned sultry as she looked at me.
She was probably dying to jump me now. But pride kept her gritting her teeth, fighting it. Seeing her like that was pretty damn hot.
Who’d have thought that Ray would ever look at me this way.
Knowing her future, I was genuinely shocked.
“Wh-What... do I... do...”
She wouldn’t last long. A kiss right now, and she’d melt into it.
But first, business.
“Ha... Nngh♡”
Her body hypersensitive from the drug, she shuddered just from me grabbing her arm.
“This’ll sting a bit, so stay quiet.”
Right on cue. Now it was my turn to use Ray as bait.
I raised my hand and smacked her firm ass hard.
Smack!
“Kyaa—?! ♥”
Her sensitized body let out a lewd scream. Right then, Tyke and his goons burst in from outside.
“What the hell are you doing to Ray!”
“You rapist bastard—!”
They didn’t even assess the situation—just charged in, branding me the rapist. They thought I’d been drugged and was assaulting her.
Even looking back, it pissed me off.
“Urk—.”
These losers.
“Grah—!”
Beat me.
“Guuh—!”
And ruined my life?
“You’re getting extra.”
I grabbed the steel trash can from under the table and swung at the reckless charging idiots. Smashed Steng’s head, then Kulton’s, and finally brought it down on Tyke’s skull.
Not satisfied, I smashed Tyke’s head again with the can.
It clanged satisfyingly as he crumpled.
The dented can meant it hurt like hell.
Then commotion outside, and bright light flooded the rest area. I saluted casually.
Because the one storming in was none other than Ariana Katrin, one of the Knight Commanders. From the Katrin Marquisate, she’d inherited her father’s swordsmanship and become the youngest Knight Commander at twenty-three—a female knight.
Her upgraded armor didn’t hide her beauty or figure. With her straightforward personality and voluptuous curves, this golden-haired beauty turned heads among the regular soldiers whenever she passed. Plenty probably fantasized about her alone.
“Just like you said. Filthy scum.”
Before coming here, I’d tipped off the higher-ups about their scheme. That’s why she’d raided the scene. Tyke and his crew, watching this little space, had been under Empire military surveillance the whole time.
“And the preliminary autopsy on the Twenty-Man Leader’s body suggests he was stabbed with one of our swords. More investigation needed, but there’s ample reason to haul this trash away. Bind them!”
“Yes, ma’am!”
The soldiers dragged the three groggy ones off the floor and bound them. As they came to, they protested their innocence and thrashed, but more hands just grabbed them tighter.
“Take care out ther—.”
The guys who’d tried to drag me to ruin were done. The deeper the investigation, the more their hidden crimes would surface. Military law meant execution at worst.
Tyke was hauled off with the soldiers, fading into the distance.
Soon, the rest area fell quiet again.
I turned to Ray, trembling beside me. Her illusions about Tyke shattered, she hung her head.
Embarrassed about defending him this whole time?
No.
“Can’t hold back, huh?”
“D-Don’t touch m—Haaah?!”
Fully under the drug’s grip, her body was drenched in sweat.
Just brushing her shoulder got a wild reaction.
“Want me to make you feel good?”
I leaned close and whispered in her ear. She jolted.