Chapter 27
Chapter 27
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: Overturning the Board
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I wandered aimlessly through the streets for a while.
Putting aside whether it was a big deal or not, I set it aside for the moment and walked around, feeling a bit of healing.
The threat of death loomed solemnly.
Even in this city, a place with stable public order and no real threats, a sharp blade was held to my neck.
Yet I had always climbed the Tower without a care.
Even when malice so intense it made my hands and feet go numb was directed at me, I sneered and trampled it.
Was it the effect of the Endurance skill? Or was I just like that originally? Or... since this was already my second life granted to me, did I have no great attachment to it?
I looked up at the sky.
In this world, as time passed, the faint moon began to reveal itself from the bright daylight.
Stars hidden by the sunlight twinkled one by one, asserting their presence.
Those stars, the constellations, silently watched me in silence.
It was anxiety, fear.
The terror that I might collapse.
The fear that the climber who had endlessly advanced toward the stars might break.
And yet, it was also anticipation.
Just like before.
That I would stand up even in the face of despair and shatter this floor.
Fight against the base, blatant malice.
Overcome it in some astonishing way.
And then shine brilliantly.
"Phew."
I chuckled softly and stopped my brief wandering.
I had never collapsed.
I wouldn't collapse now either.
"Don't worry. The Tower doesn't give impossible trials."
The stars in the sky marveled quietly at my words.
Paying their respects to my astonishing resolve.
Night would fall soon.
Even if sleeping outdoors wouldn't make me sick anymore, I didn't want to sleep on the street.
I needed to find a decent place to crash.
Had I wandered too aimlessly?
I'd ended up in some shady back alley.
And someone was blatantly following me from behind.
"Hey, little miss?"
A couple of burly thugs appeared.
They completely blocked the alley, denying any chance of escape, and strode toward me.
The biggest one, who seemed like the leader, flashed me a blatant grin.
The lust in that smile was all too clear.
I yawned as I looked at him.
Small fry.
Not even worth giving them a chance to speak.
"Looks like you got kicked out somewhere. If you come quietly..."
Boom-!!!
Blood exploded.
The man who had been talking felt something splatter on his face and wiped it with his hand.
And that hand was covered in blood.
His trembling eyes turned sideways, where his comrade's head above the neck... was gone.
I'd just flicked my finger lightly.
It contained a bit of mana.
A D-rank being had basically shed one layer of their human shell.
Unless it was comparable to that rank, nothing could respond.
Even a lizardman who could slaughter dozens effortlessly—I could kill with a finger flick.
The closest that could respond would be me back in my top-tier F-rank days, armed with all sorts of item buffs, potential buffs, and proficiency boosts.
Everything else was just bugs.
I had no time to waste on bugs.
"H-Huh, s-spare m-me, spare..."
Boom-!
I flicked my finger once more, and the head of the man next to him who was trying to flee exploded.
The alley filled with the stench of blood.
But I felt nothing special.
Probably because the Tower had hardened me too much.
After slaughtering thousands of monsters, feeling sentimental about killing people would be weirder.
I yawned and kept walking.
My young body still made me sleepy a lot.
This should cover my travel expenses.
No way street thugs have zero coin, right?
"Hic, p-please, please spare me, spare me, spare..."
"How dare you, how dare an ignorant fool like me..."
The big thug who had tried to drag me off just moments ago wailed and begged like a newborn baby.
I pondered briefly, then wrinkled my nose at the mix of blood and urine stench, and lightly stomped down.
With precise magic control, I briefly set the whole area ablaze.
The fiercely burning flames cleanly erased the gruesome scene from moments ago.
Including the man who had been kowtowing and begging me.
Without leaving any trace.
The bodies, bones, and even clothes burned cleanly, but accessories and iron items stayed intact.
Of course, coins like silver, bronze, and gold too.
I pocketed a few silvers and bronzes they'd left behind and moved on.
After grabbing that bit of money, I headed toward signs of people again.
Those thugs weren't the only ones following me.
Another one was trailing behind.
They were holding their breath, hiding their presence as best they could, but could they escape my sight?
The entire back alley was already mapped out by my mana flow.
I walked slowly, curious who it was.
As I casually stepped toward their position, I couldn't help but be slightly surprised by the unexpected identity.
"Sir Henry?"
"H-Huff, huff, it was you."
-Thud
Henry, who had been hiding while holding his breath, collapsed on the spot the moment he saw me, tension draining away.
Why was the guy from the 3rd floor here?
"...So I saw the gang members following a young girl and quietly trailed to help."
"And that girl was me?"
"Yes, that's right."
So that's why he was following—such a pure reason.
Did he have ironclad knightly honor or something?
Anyway, I hadn't expected to run into someone from the 3rd floor like this.
Of course, Climber Gallery said good deeds come back around eventually, but this soon?
Not just that, but I had a question.
I recalled Bell Rabins, the clumsy lady who had doted on me so much.
"Then your lady came to this city too?"
"No, that's not it."
"Huh?"
"I'm not serving House Rabins right now."
I thought he'd caused some huge incident.
Gotten kicked out.
But no.
"I couldn't just sit still after seeing that display."
"Pardon?"
"After watching you slaughter that warlock, forgotten blood and vigor boiled up in me, and I left my house temporarily to grow stronger."
"Hmm..."
Was it that big a deal?
Henry's eyes sparkled intensely.
He'd practically made me his idol, huh?
"So you set out on a journey?"
"With the resolve to follow even the heels of your path, I decided to venture into wider lands. This city, Aural, is a great place full of opportunities."
"Hmm..."
He definitely felt stronger than before.
Previously upper F-rank; now he could be called peak F-rank.
As I examined him, he hurriedly bowed his head and said,
"S-Since this is fate, may I guide you around Aural? I'd like to repay your kindness this time!"
"Kindness?"
I tilted my head and replied.
"Guiding me around the city sounds good. But I need something else."
"Perhaps... dealing with warlocks? I'd help anytime!"
"No, not that."
Still hung up on that misunderstanding?
Fine in the isolated forest, but he shouldn't say that so casually here.
Could cause issues like fake priest impersonation.
"Money."
"Money, you say?"
"I need a huge sum."
His unexpected answer left him flustered, and after a moment's thought, he rummaged in his pouch.
"For my benefactor, I can offer this much."
I was slightly surprised by the money from his pouch.
Ten gold coins, no less.
A knight's big savings, right?
"That's quite a lot."
"It's my life's savings."
"Hmm, that's a bit burdensome."
"It's not a waste to repay my lifesaver."
I closely inspected the gold pouch he gave me, then tossed it back.
He looked puzzled, clutching the returned pouch, staring at me.
"But this is still far short."
"Just how much do you need..."
"A much bigger sum, like..."
I turned to gaze at the vast city.
Yeah, maybe robbing this whole place would barely cover it.
"The kind of money you'd get from burning this whole city down, maybe."
"..."
He fell silent, unable to grasp the meaning of my words.
"More than that, I just arrived in the city today, so guide me to a decent inn. I'm sleepy."
"If that's what you wish."
He bowed politely in knightly fashion.
I chuckled at the sight and followed him.
I woke up in the morning to find Constellation Gallery already in chaos.
Endless deliberations and worries over methods poured in.
A wide variety of ideas flooded in, but most were impractical.
Because the required sum was too enormous.
10,000 gold couldn't be gathered by ordinary means.
So, after much thought, I reached a conclusion.
"No time to pick and choose."
I flicked my finger to summon a clone.
To boost my clone's still-insufficient power—strong but not enough—I tossed it my precious eternal sword, the one I hugged tight while sleeping.
No worry about losing it.
Dismiss the clone, and gear returns intact.
Then I altered the clone's form.
Previously a hulking monster; now a completely different, slim young man.
"Infiltrate and quietly clean 'em out."
I'd already scouted targets yesterday.
Circled the city, checked all rich-looking merchant groups.
Even scoped noble residences.
Thought this since getting the clone.
Perfect for crime.
Didn't expect to use it this soon.
One caravan not enough?
Then multiple.
Change clone's appearance each time.
Money short?
Rob nobles too.
Still short?
Scrape every coin in the city.
You started this?
I'll show you what happens when you piss me off.
Time to properly wreck the place.