Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: What Is This? Scary. (9)
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# 17
#13 Their Circumstances: A Certain Host's Circumstances
A conversation with the instructor after such a long time.
But as always, he turned my insides upside down. Still, the instructor doesn't know. The terrifying life of the host world, in my own way!
That's why he can't understand. The meaning of how the empire's top host, connected to the organization, stepping back temporarily over mere catfights between women.
The organization judged those catfights to be that much of a threat, and it was indeed correct.
Because the ones engaging in those catfights were the young ladies of the empire's only three ducal houses.
Such beings fighting over me. And not just verbal sparring or posturing, but actual physical brawls!
Their skills were such that even I couldn't easily block them if I got caught up in it!
The reward for hellish training being women whose catfights even the instructor couldn't easily stop!
And the fact that the guy who casually subdued them with just two bottles was a club regular getting rejected every day filled me with self-loathing.
But there, I heard countless stories and trained myself.
The women there had so many circumstances.
Putting on fake smiles in high society while closing off their hearts, entering political engagements as diplomatic tools at home, discriminated against despite their outstanding skills simply for being women—most came to the club led by comrades who had suffered similar wounds, each carrying scars in their hearts.
And they said that at this club, they received healing for their hearts and couldn't be happier.
Honestly, it pricked my conscience a lot. I wanted to join a combat unit like Rud or Ragnum, but according to the instructor, I ended up as a lowly information bureau member doing host work, not knowing when I'd get cut like a lizard's tail! And hitting these women in the back of the head, no less!
Me, who was called the conscience of Instructor Naruan's third batch of disciples!
So I treated them with all my sincerity and didn't engage in any behavior to extract information.
That was my conscience's last line of defense. But the result was a great success instead.
Perhaps my earnest heart got through, but my popularity ranking rose steadily, and in just two years, I claimed the ace spot, meeting countless women and improving my own skills.
Sometimes consulting with a martial house lady on her wall and breaking through it together, other times drinking wine with a magic tower entrant and discussing new magical studies.
And very occasionally, getting called out on expensive outcalls to spar in swordsmanship.
Thanks to that, my skills improved.
It was called basic training, but my basics were only from the lower training camp! After that, the difficulty jumped from easy to hell—no, Evil God mode—crawling desperately up to avoid falling off the cliff of hell.
So surprisingly, I lacked proper basic training.
And the most important thing is, well. That. Practical training. One where my chastity and life were on the line.
Our club is an entertainment establishment, but not an adult one. It's a fairly wholesome place visited even by young ladies just debuting in society.
Moreover, the clients are all noble ladies or insanely wealthy!
One wrong move, and survival mode begins with death knocking.
The families hunt down lowly hosts who touch their ladies, and the organization treats them as potential traitors who might betray for love, putting them at the top of the hit list, as my colleague Sia told me.
It was a subtle laugh, but since that instructor fanatic swore on the instructor's name that it was true, it must be.
But because I was too good, some ladies tried to force themselves on me with sheer power, so I had to deflect them without hurting their feelings, honing every bit of improvisation like never before.
Such a me can't be looked down on by juniors who've trained for just a year!
I quickly cleared the checkpoints. Having done it multiple times before, it was easy.
Even the trickiest ninth checkpoint is simple if you know the pit leading to the next one. Open the door, generate ice magic in a straight line, jump from afar and slide into the pit.
No matter how much it dulls the senses, it doesn't eliminate them completely, so it's easy to pass.
Thud!
"Uh..."
Before my stylish landing, three flustered figures appeared. Instructor, are you watching? Now's the time to show my skills. The growth I've achieved!
"Don't be surprised. I'm here to test you all as your senior..."
I wanted to say as a senior, but the words didn't finish. Because.
"Kill him, Surtr."
The intense heat from behind before I could even finish.
"This time, I'll end it!"
"Die."
The other two lunging into my arms. Wait, they know who I am and still try to kill me?
And I realized. These guys were my juniors. And the instructor's disciples...
'Please, Instructor. Sia aside, add some personality training to the curriculum!'
Screaming inwardly, I drew my sword.
***
"Personality education is urgently needed!"
The first words from the guy who blocked the kids' preemptive strike, fought hard, and claimed victory upon return.
What nonsense. Why?
"Because why look for personality in an Evil Organization?"
"Ah..."
A nice personality in an Evil Organization? That's like the Demon King establishing a democratic republic.
"B-But... attacking a senior on sight! Isn't that too much?"
"They probably thought you were a doppelganger and struck first. And if your batch has personality issues, it doesn't lag behind theirs."
"Th-That's just Sia and about four others!"
"Four out of seven. That's over half already."
True, right after adapting to the bat, they immediately counterattacked me.
Good thing I prepared the steel bat just in case. Steel hurts more than wood, after all.
After beating them thoroughly, they quieted down, and there were no antics until graduation.
"Th-Then how about posting explanations at the checkpoints? The kids think idle seniors came to beat them."
"Life is real combat. Kindly labeling checkpoints? You think this is some fairy-tale hero training dungeon?"
Life is real combat. No matter how much you look up recipes online, it's different doing it yourself.
"Knowing arrows are coming versus not makes a big difference. Losing your senses, fighting previous seniors as doppelgangers. And the final checkpoint explanation. Knowing versus not makes a huge difference."
"Honestly, the last checkpoint is unnecessary. You could die."
"Didn't you participate too?"
"I didn't! What's with that hell gate stripping away weaknesses too! I nearly died back then. Magic attacks from the ceiling, arrows from the left, javelins from the right, a massive boulder rolling from the front, floor splitting, with only 2-second intervals!"
"For reference, your batch engraved magic circles summoning two demons behind them."
"Demons?! No, we didn't make those before graduation?!"
"Rud and Sia happily hired organization mages with their first paychecks to add them."
"Those guys really were demons..."
Lane slammed his head on the table in despair. Yeah, honestly, I agree. My traps were just ceiling ones? But over time, it turned into old bullet hell games.
I dodged this, so juniors can too? And juniors who dodged think, 'I did this, so you must too!' escalating to great spirit levels or some XXXL skill dodges.
If those guys have any conscience, it's giving 2 seconds to react. And he misses the key point.
"If they dodge, the difficulty ramps up more."
"Maybe world peace comes if they all just die..."
Haha, they won't die. The black anvil clan I collaborate with are non-lethal weapon experts!
The know-how from the bat series we made together is in these traps! It hurts and torments, but doesn't kill. Even if a clean end would be happier, no killing!
Maid-in-Black-Anvil-Clan combined with anti-meaningless-killing elves is world-class! Even if you bring Torusa machine corp from that monster manga where human PK is stronger than monsters, we won't lose!
"They won't die."
"Not killing doesn't end it all..."
He looks exhausted, but no choice. My incentives are on the line! And resentment shifts to seniors!
My disciples don't have seniority privileges. Preemptive gut punches maybe!
To my disciples, seniors aren't respectable predecessors who learned before them, but the ultimate villains who screwed them over!
"Anyway, I'm just going back."
Hey, where's this batch's resentment pile coming from!
"The organization issued a personal mission. You'll handle teaching these guys for a while."
"Those crazy bastards?"
I handed over the official order. Even as instructors, active organization members sometimes proxy teach for special short-term missions.
I started as temp instructor, performed well, got hired full-time.
Using premium talent like me, what mission?
Despite appearances, I'm a pro with 97% success rate. Specialist in great magic, magic engineer labyrinths.
That god guy balanced me by denying mana and buffs, but gave a body that penetrates mana-sensing traps without curse mana entering! Just give mana easily!
"You're fast, but the organization trusts your skills."
Hm. Sia who brought the order said no one wanted my disciples, dumping them on me, but let's make him think positive.
"Honestly, aren't they dumping them on me, their senior, because they can't handle them?"
Sharp guy.
"No."
"Still, I'm scared."
"You beat them pretty good earlier."
Honestly won by a ridiculous margin. 'Even rotten fish is fish, even maggots roll'—ancient wisdom came to mind; he won easily yet fears much.
"No, honestly, doppelganger with drained strength, basically ambushing from their view, and they attacked without hesitation aiming to kill. Even when I tried explaining, they just gave 'Oh, so what?' faces. Why are they all worst-case like Sia-level personality trash?"
Hm... Knew they were trash from the mess over food,
But the most normal disciple rates them this way, so restrain next batches. Give breakfast from now on.
"You really hate it that much."
"Yes. They'll stab me in the back anytime, anywhere."
Fair, but he looks like the type to get stabbed by a yandere noble lady someday.
"Then..."
Pull out the pre-prepped item for faster-than-expected clear. He flinches back, panicked—I know him best. Beat him a lot for a year, unforgettable.
"Even if they entrust this to you, no confidence?"
"Th-That alone..."
Like a demonic cultist receiving orders from the Heavenly Demon in old wuxia?
Or a fanatic dreaming of Evil God revival!
Uncharacteristic for my most normal disciple, eyes mad with greed screaming his heart.
"Haven't experienced it yet, except No. 1."
"My evaluation was wrong. Fearing mere rookies."
Even evaluation flipped. To enthusiastic—no, education-fervent Lane, start handover today. With this zeal, he'll learn fast.
But I didn't notice then. This mission would be my last in the organization.
#14 Their Circumstances: A Certain Organization's Circumstances
Noisy clamor like a neighborhood market spreads with high pitches and curses.
Ah, pointless. Miss Master. Curse my fate stuck with these idiots.
"Can't be helped. Full war with the empire now is too much."
Our secrecy-obsessed boss quiets the chairman. Secrecy maxed—even at top brass meetings, no face shown.
No wonder rumors spread in the capital he's the emperor.
"Abandon Instructor Naruan."
Boss's words draw small sighs from all. Honestly, top brass view of Master exceeds his own—special.
Starting with securing city-level base via Utopia Plan, as part of interspecies harmony, raided enemy org slave markets, freed subraces, cut enemy funds, gained goodwill. No wonder subraces say [Howling over Empire!].
Plus, graduated me and a few... elite trainees. Many defected, but skills top-tier.
Among 90%+ success high-class, he's ace with 95%+. Last great war imperial infiltration legendary—even as low trainee, heard examples without direct name.
"Think the princess will keep her promise?"
"She's the witch infamous across the continent!"
But reason to abandon such Master: one.
All bases and personnel grasped by princess. Even info bureau-missed specials.
Using as hostages for exchange. Shut up about their info, hand over Master—what bullshit.
Ha, famous crazy bitch tries buying Master with that scrap info? Master's not cheap!
Sell org 100 times, still short; info-only buy? Princess clueless on markets or ruthless ignoring seller's side.
But equally market-illiterate org tries selling Master at that price.
"Even sent Geass Roll."
"That's trustworthy."
"Could be fake?"
"Magic, mage, magic engineer experts confirmed real. Simple contract, no tricks."
Sigh softly amid noisy uncles again. Haah, miss Master... Master Master Master Master~
"Anyway, Master'll have it rough."
Silent prayer for hardworking Master. But he'll handle that trial.
Then, for after—I should move too?