Chapter 180
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 180
Chapter Title: The First of Two Chances -3-
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What's the big deal if the dessert shop lobby is crawling with thugs who've lived by the blade?
Until they cause trouble, they're just legitimate customers with every right to be there.
As long as they don't harm me or Chloe, who cares if they dance with swords outside or paint pictures with cream puffs?
'None of my business!'
Rough types slinking through back alleys with a single dagger might crave something sweet too.
Even hairy brutes who bathe in blood might have a habit of purifying their minds with macarons, mont blanc, or tea with a slice of cake.
Maybe because of their murderous auras, the people already there fled in a herd, but the newcomers filled the spots right away.
It was noisy and bustling, but they didn't seem to be causing any real problems, so I pulled my gaze from the wall and met Chloe's eyes again.
"No. It's nothing... Shall we continue the story?"
"Yes!"
Taking in Chloe's sparkling eyes, I twirled my fork and sank into thought.
"Hold on... Where were we? Hmm..."
Those guys outside had interrupted my train of thought, freezing my words.
As I let out a groan, Chloe, who should have been waiting for an answer, ended up providing one instead.
"Oh, you're quick on the uptake too, Brother, but you were about to say I'm plenty good enough..."
"Ah! Right! Chloe's got a good memory."
Forcing my stiff brain to turn without any moisture, I needed fuel in the form of sugar.
I picked up a slice of cake, popped it in my mouth, and organized my thoughts once more.
"Just look at the academy... It's full of cadets who are supposed to be the empire's future, but glance around and most siblings treat each other like strangers, or even try to push each other aside."
"...Yes."
Sure enough, cases like Chloe and her sister where the bond was strong were rare—Seria was about the only other one.
The rest were indifferent at best, or worse than strangers at worst. That was the norm.
"The reason Eclair and Chloe are so exceptionally close isn't because of differences in ability, or someone being unambitious, or any simple thing like that."
Even though the gap in their current abilities and fame was absurdly wide.
It's rare for such a situation to exist without causing any friction and just working harmlessly.
"If either of them were a spoiled brat or rotten to the core, they wouldn't have the relationship they do now."
"What you're getting at, Brother, is..."
"That Chloe has every right to love herself as she is, backed by all those sharp, no-nonsense people around her."
"...!"
"We got interrupted earlier, but of course, I think the current Chloe has every reason to be proud too."
A statement that, if interpreted, let her feel the goodwill I was indirectly offering.
Chloe's lips twitched, then she bowed her head deeply, her face flushing an obvious red.
"Hoo..."
If this were a game or comic, steam might've been puffing from the top of her head.
Dr-r-rk!
The door burst open without so much as a knock.
Startled by the rude intrusion, Chloe whipped her head toward the door.
But I had someone in mind who prowled rooms with lazy steps, ignoring boundaries, so I kept trying not to pay attention—yet my eyes kept drifting there.
Thanks to Romerius's elixir, my senses felt like they pierced right through walls.
"He-ey, our noble blue-bloods! We decided to hold our banquet here today, so we came to say hello... Oho?!"
The man with the yellowish eyes rolled them around, then fixed on Chloe and flashed a sleazy grin.
"We're talking. Close the door and get out? If you do it quietly, you might live."
My voice made his shoulders twitch. He rolled his eyes over my appearance and let out a hollow laugh.
Bang!
Instead of closing it quietly, he slammed it like a contrary brat.
Clink! He slapped the sword at his waist and strode toward me.
Thud... Thud...
Showing off that I was unarmed while he was armed.
His head was clearly emptier than most in the capital.
From his gait to his outfit, everything screamed backwater bandit who'd hole up in some village.
"Hah! You don't get the situation, huh, buddy?"
"Me who doesn't get it? Hmm..."
Scrape...
Amusing humor after a long time.
I pushed back my chair, stood, and greeted the approaching man.
...
...
Crash!
I tossed a corpse—neck twisted like an owl's, breath gone—into the midst of the murmuring crowd, and all eyes snapped to me.
"What the hell's this guy's problem!"
"Nopf! Nopf! Snap out of it!"
A few in the group grabbed the already departed soul's shoulders and shook him.
Obvious he was dead, yet calling his name—it was ridiculous.
"Why cling to a corpse? What, you into touching dead guys or something?"
"You son of a bitch!"
A bald guy jumped up, eyes bloodshot at my words, gripping an iron club and snarling.
Ignoring the excited fool, I scanned around. The staff and employees had retreated to a corner room.
'Guards went with them too.'
Being a high-end place, they had security for order and decorum.
But overwhelmed, they'd all hunkered down together.
Behind the door next to the counter—staff room style—I could sense they'd piled stuff to barricade it.
With this mess, guards would probably show up soon after a report.
Did they lack info, or did they have some backing?
Hard to understand these moths mimicking fireflies and courting death.
"...This is weird."
As I scratched my chin and locked eyes one by one with the bandits occupying the wide lobby, they wore dumbfounded looks.
Some reacted sensitively to the corpse, others acted like it was nothing—meaning various things.
"Heh heh... Unbelievable."
"That guy's nuts, right? Those muscles look like they could block a sword."
"Bourgeois scum like this only learn when they get hit..."
The murmuring bunch screamed back-alley underbelly or slums origin.
They had that special glint in their eyes: no hesitation in killing for pleasure.
Which made this situation bizarre.
"I might not remember, but among trash stinking this bad, no one knows my face?"
This wasn't narcissism—it was reality.
The underworld and adventurers had deeper ties than with knights.
So while most commoners, nobles, or knights might not know my face.
Back alleys knew it well the deeper you went—they'd bow and steer clear on their own.
'Weird bunch.'
Their skills were middling—not top-tier, but not punching-bag level either.
Yet boldly moving in a group in the capital's heart, and no big names among them.
'Suicide wishers'—nothing else came to mind.
A hulking brute taller than me approached, reeking enough to sting my nose.
Grinning smugly, relying on numbers, glancing slyly at Chloe—quite the amusing picture.
"Hey. Posing up in front of a girl will get you in deep sh—"
Thwack.
My hand went to a chair on the next table over.
Swinging from low to high in a diagonal arc.
Crack!
"Grk...!"
The self-invited fool's face met the chair; smashed nose, shattered teeth exploded out, blood erupting from his mouth like a volcanic fountain.
His potbellied bulk wobbled and toppled backward.
Thud!
Splintered chair bits scattered across the shop as the pig's skull hit the floor.
"I'm thinking. Don't interrupt, you pig bastard."
Maybe they'd eaten well enough by the blade to keep their backs warm and bellies full.
No panic at the sight—just drawing weapons one after another.
'Connected to those guys I saw from afar before entering?'
Shing! Shing! Blades leaving sheaths rang in my ears.
Honestly, no tension—a butter knife from the table would've sufficed.
Fists are best for punishment, but I hated touching filth.
Humans need tools, after all.
I'd helped Eclair with one back in Limno—good memory.
"Stick right behind me. Or head to the room if you want."
"Brother! I-I can help too!"
As Chloe reached for the black brooch on her chest, I moved to pull her back—then paused in a flash of reflection.
"..."
If Rike were here instead?
She'd use that mob as practical training dummies and thrift props.
Eclair? No need for anyone to step up—they'd be shredded beyond recognition.
Which led to this thought.
'Am I seeing Chloe as too soft and weak?'
She'd never killed, but she had real talent.
She wasn't paralyzed by fear, unable to cope.
Dozens of sinister eyes obviously targeting her made her shrink like seeing something gross, but no cowering terror.
"Chloe."
"...Yes?"
This wasn't a question to toss with a smile.
I looked straight into her blue eyes as seriously as possible.
"Can you really help?"
In a world where life flickers like a candle in the wind, killing isn't pleasant.
Even for noble goals, it's not something to recommend to others.
But.
To survive this world, moments demanding resolve come often.
If you wield a weapon to live in the empire.
You need to get used to taking life fast, shedding hesitation to boost survival odds.
"Yes...! Believe in me!"
A concise, forceful answer.
Like her trembling nature, the ends of her downcast brows lifted as Chloe nodded.