Chapter 63
Chapter 63
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 63
Chapter Title: The Barbarian Warrior During Volunteer Work (3)
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"Where the hell have you been wandering off to?"
"...What?"
It was early in the morning, and the one blocking his path as he tried to head out was someone completely unexpected.
Mirni.
The catgirl was staring at him with half-lidded eyes.
"Since when have you cared enough about me to ask something like that?"
"Don't be ridiculous. I'm not asking because I care. I'm asking because I'm worried you might cause trouble for me."
"Me? Cause trouble for you? That's a strange thing to say."
I’ve never caused you any trouble.
Valian stated firmly, leaving Mirni utterly dumbfounded.
"You don't even remember how I had to get hair extensions because of you?"
"...Did that even happen?"
"......Trash."
Mirni shot him a glare of pure condemnation, as if how could he possibly forget that.
Back when she was actively partying up with Valian, the two of them had great synergy.
A tank and a scout were just a match made in heaven, after all.
But some people got the wrong idea about it.
— Mi, Mirni-ssi, are you... maybe dating Valian?
— Me? Are you insane?!
— Ah, I knew it...
Someone had started a rumor that Valian and Mirni were an item. Mirni vehemently denied it and shut the gossip down.
But then...
— You thieving cat bitch! How dare you go after him!
— Who the hell are you?!
— Die! Just die already...!
— Aaaah!!
Noble ladies—not just one, but seven or more—had tracked her down, picked fights with her, and yanked out chunks of her hair. The pain and humiliation were unforgettable...!
Mirni couldn't exactly fight back against nobles, so she'd scrambled to escape, ultimately sacrificing her hair as the price.
"Ah, now I remember. That was the day you threw a dagger at me..."
"Good, at least you remember!"
"...I still feel a bit wronged. I nearly died over a bit of hair..."
Mirni's poison and pheromones were a terrible matchup for Valian, and he'd truly brushed death that day.
"Hmph! Such a drama queen. As if a little poison could kill you."
"......Can't argue with that."
Valian readily admitted it and continued.
"Don't worry. I won't make the same mistake as before."
"...So where are you headed, then?"
"No comment. We're not close enough to share personal details, you and I."
"Fair enough..."
"You agreed way too quick... Feels kinda off."
Valian gave a wry smile, turned around, and headed out.
Mirni watched his back and muttered softly.
"Follow him."
"Don't order me around."
"How about a request, then?"
"......Better not. It's disgusting."
"......Dog bitch."
"An insult aimed at me?!"
"Not 'guy', it's 'bitch'. And I was just stating facts, so how's that an insult...?"
Judging by his recent behavior, Mirni was convinced he was more dog-like than an actual dog.
The Hero Party—or rather, the former Hero Party—members were all criminals, no doubt about it.
Mirni had raided the royal treasury, Alicia had incited a war, and the others had committed equally grave offenses.
All but one.
Valian Rex's crimes were... unclear.
The kingdom had issued a wanted poster for him, but they never specified what he'd done.
Even his comrades, who'd fled together for two years, didn't know because Valian had never told them. His sins remained a mystery.
In the meantime, the party members had speculated wildly, narrowing it down to three possibilities.
He'd either messed with a royal woman, destroyed royal treasure, or plotted rebellion.
Any of those would make him a criminal. They already suspected one was true.
"But there was something weird over those two years."
"That horny bastard never touched a single woman. Suspicious as hell."
"Unbelievable."
A man who supposedly went limp without a woman for even a day.
That was why they called him a savage and a horny stallion.
"He didn't even show a hint of interest in us."
"Maybe that barbarian finally went impotent..."
"Um... Don't you think he knew he'd die a dog's death if he touched any of you?"
Not just die—die miserably. That's why he kept his hands off.
Sylvia's take was reasonable, but the two women's pride wouldn't let them admit it.
"Hmph! He'd have to risk his life just to hold my hand!"
"Damn it, we agree on something for once."
"......"
...That's exactly why he doesn't touch you.
They continued their "serious debate."
One might ask why they were so intense over him not chasing women, but it could come back to bite them, so of course they were serious.
Now that they weren't on the run anymore, wouldn't that guy finally dig up his old habits?
And if so...
"Shit could hit the fan."
"Back in the old days, maybe, but if he pulls that in Korea? Disaster."
"Yeah, true..."
Mirni and Alicia were in positions where they had to care about public image, like it or not.
Model and artist.
Top stocks riding high right now.
If Valian caused a scandal at a time like this—say, messing with another taken woman like old times—!
"It'd be a total crash-and-burn. Straight to rock bottom."
The spotlight might even shift more to the two women living with him than the perp himself.
Mirni knew from her SNS how vicious and evil haters could be.
Some were straight-up devil worshipper levels of crazy!
That's why she respected the power of media and public opinion in this world and tried to stay cautious.
"If that bastard causes trouble, I'll kill him for real...!"
Mirni meant every word.
"...Alicia, didn't you used to not give a damn about stuff like that?"
Mirni aside, was Alicia the type to worry about media or prying eyes?
To that question, she replied:
"That barbarian might interfere with Lu-Luke... right?"
"......"
...Sylvia finally understood what it meant for her appetite to vanish.
'Is this really the same Alicia?'
It felt like she was watching a stranger.
Sylvia, her temples throbbing with sudden pain, took a break. The two women continued their earnest discussion.
"So, did you tail him like I asked?"
"Ugh... Humiliating as it was, his senses are too sharp. Tracking him was impossible."
"Figures..."
Mirni dominated raw senses, but when it came to animalistic instincts like the sixth sense, Valian outdid even beastfolk.
He saw through elf stealth like nothing, so assassins after him always got spotted. Over a hundred had died by his hand.
Stalking or assassinating him was practically impossible.
"Why not just ask him straight-up? He might answer."
"As if that guy would."
"Is being book-smart different from street-smarts? How do you come up with something so dumb?"
"......Be honest, you two. You've gotten close, haven't you? Admit it!"
"What are you lot doing here?"
"Eek!?"
"Lu-Luke!"
"Wh-Why is Lu-Luke here...?"
"Why this, why that—this is my house. You think there's anywhere I can't go? You dense bitch."
"......"
"More importantly, what the hell are you really up to?"
"Hehe, w-well..."
"N-Nothing at all."
"......"
"......We totally did something."
The elf confessed faster than anyone.
After hearing them out, Yuseong...
"...What a nothingburger."
"......"
He looked at them like idle punks with nothing better to do.
"Aren't you all busy?"
"...We are, but nipping potential crises in the bud is smart..."
"You can actually stop it?"
"......"
"See?"
Meddling in man-woman business was never wise.
Whether the guy got horny and dated someone, stole another man's girl, or caused fallout—just beat his ass then and there.
"If shit hits the fan, bury it. Or dump him in the ocean."
"Ahh..."
"Solid plan."
"...Where do you see that as solid?!"
As Yuseong laid out a solution that'd make everyone (except Sylvia) happy(?), Aram suddenly jumped into the debate.
"...And what the hell are you on about?"
"Why?"
"......"
A perfect AI response: handling things proactively without orders.
"Wait, he didn't notice you tailing him? How?"
"Even I couldn't..."
"Ahh..."
The three women finally remembered this world had handy things called CCTV.
"So, what the hell's that guy been up to?"
"Huh?"
Aram said seeing was believing and played a video on the TV.
And there...
"...No wonder he hasn't touched a woman..."
"......"
"When the fuck did that bastard change his tastes?"
"......"
Sylvia couldn't muster a single retort.
She just blushed furiously, opening and closing her mouth silently...!
...In the video, Valian was rubbing a man's back.