Chapter 22
Chapter 22
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Please Take Care of Me This Time Too - 3
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# 22 - 3569008
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Jenia pondered for a long time before finally speaking up.
"If I try to lock up this witch, you'll stop me, right?"
Neril cut in.
"You think you can even capture her?"
"I was asking Maide. But to answer anyway, I think it's possible."
"Hmm."
Neril just let out her signature hum, surprisingly not getting angry.
I spoke up.
"Neril is already my companion. And as you travel with her, you'll see she's not as vicious as the rumors say."
"But—"
"There are hidden details behind those atrocities attributed to Neril that you don't know about. You'll learn them in time if we stick together."
It wasn't the right moment to expose Dame's corruption yet.
Not just because of Neril's "that thing," but because without evidence, calling Dame a bad guy would only push away Jenia, who idolized her father endlessly.
After a moment, Jenia spoke.
"Witch... Sigh. No, Neril. Just one question."
"Ask away."
"Did you kill Ophelia?"
Neril glanced at me before answering.
I debated the best response, then nodded to show I fully trusted her judgment.
Neril thought for a second before replying.
"I didn't kill her."
"......! So she's alive?"
"No. I just said I didn't kill her."
"What do you mean? Come on."
She turned to me.
"Is that true?"
"She just said it herself. Why ask me? I haven't been with Neril that long."
"I want your judgment. The judgment of you, who calls yourself a hero."
What was this about?
I put on a serious face and spoke deliberately, word by word.
"Yes. I believe it's true."
I clearly saw Jenia's expression soften in that instant.
At least relief that I wasn't traveling with her friend's killer.
In other words, she trusted my thoughts and judgment.
Jenia muttered.
"I didn't see the scene myself, after all. I only got the report that the Witch of Atrocities' residue was there."
"......"
"It might've been a mistake. Or maybe someone deliberately interfered."
Her last words hit close to the truth, surprising me quite a bit.
Of course, she hadn't realized yet that the "someone" was her own father.
"To confirm that, I'll need to observe this witch's character up close. So I'll stick with you all, for surveillance purposes."
"Thank you."
"Surveillance? Really surveillance."
"Yes. Feel free to call it that if it helps hide your embarrassment."
"Ugh. You're so annoying!"
And with that, Jenia joined my party.
Now I had successfully recruited two heroes.
One more, and I'd have three party members, just like Kaild.
My heart raced with excitement.
That's when Neril said to me.
"Maide. Now that we're together, let's clear one thing up."
"Yeah?"
"You use casual speech with me, but honorifics with her?"
"......"
"You're older than Jenia, aren't you?"
Jenia's eyebrow twitched.
"What's wrong with using honorifics when we respect each other's character?"
"Respect her character? You called Maide calculating before."
"I meant he's accomplished in both letters and arms."
"That's what I said."
"I agree."
"After just one word. You little brat."
"Hmph. Sorry. Granny."
"Granny......"
Calling her "auntie" already made Neril freak out, but "granny" was devastating.
The effect was tremendous!
I clapped lightly and said.
"Let me sum it up. Even as a mercenary, I used casual speech with companions I trusted."
"......"
"So, Jenia, mind if I drop the honorifics from now on?"
Trail let out a hollow chuckle at my words.
[For real?]
'No. I always worked alone anyway.'
[You're lying through your teeth now. Idria's gonna cry.]
As I was about to retort,
Jenia said with a slightly surprised look.
"You see me as a trusted companion already? We've only known each other a few days."
"We fought the Martial King together, didn't we? I feel safe having you watch my back."
"Oh, okay. Then... speak casually."
"Will do. Let's get along, Jenia."
Jenia nodded vigorously.
Then Neril's voice chimed in.
"Hmm. Maybe sticking to honorifics is better? If you respect each other's character, that's proper."
What do you even want?
I said to Jenia.
"Anyway, shouldn't you report to your father?"
"He's the Captain."
"Same difference."
"......Anyway, yeah, I should. Wonder why you're asking."
"Slip my name into the report. Along with a note that I'm hailed as a hero in Rior."
Jenia tilted her head.
"That was the plan anyway. But why bother?"
I grinned.
"Laying some groundwork."
Dame agonized over Jenia's report for a while.
'What the hell? Why would she travel with the Witch of Atrocities?'
There was the Ophelia Mace issue, but more importantly, his daughter's basic compatibility with that witch was terrible.
Without some mediator—
'Oh, right. She mentioned a mediator.'
Jenia called that mediator "hero" Maide Mohan.
Not exactly her calling him a hero, but that the people of Rior Territory hailed him as one.
Dame laughed in disbelief.
"A mere mercenary, a hero."
Jenia's unexpected retort was icy.
"Could a mere mercenary have beaten the Martial King?"
"......"
"Maide toyed with the Martial King. He's strong. Maybe, no, definitely..."
Jenia swallowed the words "stronger than Father."
Luckily, Dame didn't guess her trailing thought.
Instead, he focused elsewhere.
'Neril's keeping her promise, at least. She'd be in trouble if she didn't.'
He could let it slide a bit longer, then.
He'd never succeeded in overriding Jenia once she got stubborn anyway.
And truthfully, he didn't have time to dwell.
A guest waited outside.
Someone whose "reputation" even made the Knights of Light Captain hesitate to keep waiting.
He called his adjutant.
"Send him in."
"Yes, sir."
Soon, the door opened, and a man entered.
He had his red hair tied back tightly, a burly build with a kind face.
The man sat across from Dame and spoke.
"Pleasure to meet you. I'm Kaild Wake."
"You've come a long way. Heard you did great work in Takiar Territory."
"I'm flattered. To think the renowned Captain Dame would request a meeting over something so minor."
"No. The mysterious epidemic in Takiar had the capital worried too. Anyone who solves it in a month deserves a meeting."
Dame eyed Kaild, the so-called hero of the south.
His daughter's report naturally came to mind.
'Maide, huh. Hailed as a hero in Rior? Compared to Kaild...'
The hero of the north, perhaps.
Right then,
Kaild spoke up with an odd expression.
"Are you thinking of this Maide person?"
"......!"
Dame jolted to his feet in shock.
"What? How do you know that name!"
"My apologies first. I overheard it while waiting outside."
"What? Impossible."
The room was thoroughly soundproofed.
Not just physically, but with magic.
As the Captain's room linked directly to imperial intelligence, it was laced with top-tier soundproofing spells by the empire's finest mages.
Overhear conversations from outside here?
Unlike the stunned Dame, Kaild just scratched his head.
Looking like an innocent young man.
"I shouldn't have said anything."
"If you know that, tell me straight—how'd you hear it?"
"Just like I said. Magic doesn't work well on me. Haha."
"......"
"Anyway, a guy named Maide in the northern continent? Sounds like he's up to great things, like me."
Dame sat back down.
He replied cautiously.
"He beat the Martial King, so yeah, impressive. Exposed the Martial King's dirty deeds too. But not quite on your level."
"Hmm. So your daughter was assigned to surveil Maide."
"You know my daughter too?"
"Haha. With a father as famous as you, Captain, who doesn't know Jenia?"
Kaild swallowed the rest.
'She was supposed to be my fourth companion originally.'
That's why he'd used Dame's invitation as an excuse to come to the capital.
And this Maide snatched her?
What kind of guy is he?
Kaild tapped the armrest with his index finger.
Everything had gone smoothly so far.
He'd already gathered three hero-grade party members, and he himself was steadily becoming a hero.
But now, for the first time,
'I seem to have hit an obstacle.'
Kaild's eyes darkened.
Dame kept talking, and Kaild responded appropriately.
But Dame was already out of his mind.
Much later, Kaild made a decision.
'I'll have Offense meet him once. This Maide guy.'
On the way to our next destination, I asked Trail to check the current status.
[Prestige points needed for next level: 7,760/20,000]
[Your name echoes in Drucker Territory. (All points collected!)]
[Your name echoes in Quelk Territory. (All points collected!)]
[Your name echoes in Rior Territory. (All points collected!)]
I'd been waiting for this.
'Map!'
[Yeah, yeah.]
Trail answered a bit sullenly as he displayed the continent map.
I'd been dying to see this.
[Why hold back? You could've asked anytime.]
'Wanted to collect all of Rior's points first. Hmm.'
I crossed my arms, grinning in satisfaction.
My sphere of influence in the northern continent had expanded massively.
Rior Territory was large, but that alone didn't explain it.
'My rumors are spreading to other territories now.'
[Yeah. Good momentum. But compared to Kaild, still... Huh?]
Trail sounded deflated.
Kaild's black fog hadn't expanded much since last time.
It had grown some, sure, but that seemed from natural rumor spread, not new exploits.
[This guy's slacking?]
'If he slacks, we win. Show me the numbers.'
[One sec.]
[Maide Mohan cumulative prestige: 7,760]
[Kaild Wake cumulative prestige: 20,980]
Last I checked, Kaild was at 20,450.
He must be sitting idle.
The gap between us had narrowed significantly.
[Feels like you planned this.]
'I did make a move. Not guaranteed, though.'
[Spill.]
'Jenia said it, right? She was supposed to meet Kaild with Dame in the capital. Meaning he's there now.'
And I'd asked Jenia to mention my fame to Dame.
[So, Dame told Kaild about you?]
'Yeah. Didn't expect it to go this smoothly.'
[Why broadcast it! You just put him on guard.]
'So simple-minded.'
[Take that back. I'm complex.]
Huh.
Is that accurate?
Anyway, I shrugged and explained.
'Kaild's cautious despite appearances. Fooling the whole continent shows that.'
[And?]
'Plus, he never imagined someone treading the same path. He'll prioritize investigating me over new ventures.'
[Whoa. You led him to that conclusion? Via Jenia's report?]
I nodded.
'Yeah. Catching up fast matters, but stalling him matters more.'
[Either way, he knows you exist now. Risk worth it?]
'Had to risk it. He's not flying here for a showdown. He'll send scouts first, probably.'
And if he does, one name comes to mind.
Hope it's Offense.
That guy's reasonable.
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