Chapter 52
Chapter 52
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: Stealth Mission
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The two of them talked while looking at me.
I flinched at their conversation, which hit the nail on the head without warning. Paymon smiled affably and introduced the man.
"This is Basad. He looks a little rough, but he's not a bad guy."
"...I am Basad."
"O-Oh, I thee!"
I had no idea why he had to show up at this exact moment!
I pressed my back against whatever was behind me and started shuffling sideways. A classic crab walk.
Two pairs of eyes followed my every move.
Their expressions clearly showed they couldn't comprehend why I was walking like that.
"Are you uncomfortable? Why are you walking like that?"
"Jusht becauthe!"
I gave an awkward laugh and looked at Basad.
Paymon had introduced us, so I couldn't just skip the greeting. That would be rude to someone I'd just met.
Okay. Just a quick wave up and down.
I looked at Basad with grim determination. Then I quickly waved and brought my hand down.
But their faces filled with surprise, as if they had spotted the white object between my back and the bag.
Basad, who was staring intently at the spot the bag was supposed to be hiding, muttered quietly.
"...A tail?"
"...I thought I was seeing things. So you saw it too, Basad."
Paymon replied blankly before covering his face. I could clearly hear the sound of him snickering.
"Don't laugh."
"...*Pfft*. *Hrk*... Yes, Miss."
"You can't tell anyone. Got it?"
"Of course. It's your order, after all. I won't tell a soul."
"Weally?"
"Yes."
"...Basad, too?"
Could I really trust these two? Still, they were my escorts. They wouldn't go around blabbing, right?
I deliberately widened my eyes to look fierce as I gazed up at him, but Basad remained silent, not answering right away.
"Why aren't you anthering?"
"...I will not speak of it."
"Gud. Okay."
Now I had to figure out how to get into the mansion without being discovered.
The garden didn't have many people, but the moment I stepped into the mansion, many eyes would be on me.
I walked quickly to a mat set up under a parasol.
My legs were sore anyway, so I figured I'd sit over there and think.
"Are you not going inside right away?"
"Nope."
"Right. There are many eyes in the mansion, so you have to be careful."
Paymon seemed to be subtly enjoying the situation.
I took off my sneakers and sat on my bag.
As I was deep in thought, trying to come up with a way to get inside without anyone noticing, Paymon raised his hand and spoke.
"How about being carried? I think Basad could hide you well."
"Hmm? Won't that be too eyecatching?"
Basad looked as big as Dante. Being carried by him would probably just draw more attention.
Even now, people passing through the garden were glancing at Basad.
"Or how about going in through a window?"
Basad suggested, pointing to one of the mansion's windows. It was a rather tempting idea.
But Paymon immediately shook his head.
"That won't work, Basad."
"Why not?"
"Do you really think you can fit through a window with that body of yours?"
...
Silence fell.
"Then Paymon can do it."
If Basad couldn't, Paymon could. As if he had been waiting for this, Paymon spoke up.
"I'll help you get in through the window, so can I just touch your tail a few times?"
"...No thankth. I don't need it."
No one gets to touch my tail!
I whipped my head away. In the end, the window plan was scrapped.
"Going through the window seemed like the best option. Well, have a snack and think it over some more. I'm fine with just the tail."
"No thankth. I'm not eating."
Paymon, still not having given up on the tail, tried to tempt me with snacks.
Who does he think would fall for that? I turned my head away, refusing to look.
"She's properly sulking."
Paymon muttered, nudging Basad.
Basad, who had been watching the situation silently, let out a sigh. It seemed this wasn't the first time something like this had happened, as his attitude was one of half-resignation.
Just from Paymon's actions, it was clear Basad was the one who cleaned up the messes.
...Basad, you must have had a hard time being stuck in the middle all this time.
I thought about Karma, Mesis, and Paymon, whom I'd met so far.
I didn't have to look closely to see that they all had very different personalities.
Imagining Basad silently enduring these situations among such colleagues made me feel a pang of sympathy.
"Have you ever seen something like this?"
Basad took something out of his pocket. It was a necklace made of natural wood.
The round wooden surface was polished flat and smooth.
It was covered in colorful carvings that looked like some kind of pattern.
"It's just a superstition, but they say if you make a wish on this, it will come true."
"Are you giving thith to me?"
"Yes. I haven't made a wish on it yet, so I will give it to you, Miss Aileen."
I took it from him. The sturdy, double-braided cord was tied in a short knot.
I should wish on this to succeed in my Su-in transformation soon.
I was about to put it around my neck but hesitated.
...But if he has this, doesn't that mean Basad has a wish too?
I'd happily accepted it, but now it was bothering me.
As I stood there contemplating, fiddling with the necklace, Basad looked at me quizzically.
"Basad. If you give thith to me, how will you make your wish?"
"...Pardon?"
"Didn't you make thith becauthe you wanted to make a wish?"
"Ah."
Basad shook his head, saying that wasn't the case.
"I made this to give to you, Miss."
"Weally?"
"Yes."
That was a relief.
I lightly put on the necklace. Seeing the wooden charm dangle, I felt like my wish would come true soon.
*Swoosh.*
My mood instantly brightened, and my tail perked up.
Paymon, noticing the subtle movement, saw the tail and his eyes sparkled.
"Does the tail move according to your mood?"
"Yep."
"Then would you like a snack?"
"...I'm only eating it becauthe you athked me to, Paymon."
When Paymon offered the snack again, I pretended to give in and devoured the jelly in one go.
...I need to recover my energy quickly so my pheromones will come back.
In truth, even if my pheromones returned, there was nothing I could do right away.
Kasana had strictly forbidden me from trying to transform when she wasn't around.
I just had to wait for our next lesson.
"I should go to my room now. If I stay here too long, Wosaria will wowwy."
"That's true. We've been here for over an hour already. Have you thought of a way to get in without being caught?"
"Yep. But I need you two to help."
"How?"
"Hide Aileen."
If I hid between the two of them, it seemed like it might work somehow.
If it had been any other body part that had changed, I wouldn't have had to worry this much.
The thought of everyone seeing my tail, which moved on its own according to my mood, made my ears burn.
I slung the bag low on my back, just like before.
"If I do thith, they won't thee it, wight?"
"...I think this is even more conspicuous."
"I think so too."
There was no other way. This was the best I could do. I wasn't sure if things would go as planned, though.
*Tiptoe, tiptoe.*
I carefully made my way toward the mansion.
The two of them went along with the plan, but they looked perplexed.
Paymon asked me several times if I was really going to use this method, and each time, I nodded matter-of-factly.
The two tall Black Mambas trailed closely behind me, who was much smaller.
They seemed even more nervous than I was, warily scanning our surroundings in a very suspicious manner.
Naturally, everyone's attention was drawn to Paymon and Basad.
It worked! Success!
I smiled in satisfaction.
I knew their eyes would be drawn to these two.
"...So this was your aim."
"That's wight."
"You're surprisingly clever, Miss."
"Then listen to me more often!"
"This is rather amusing."
Paymon seemed to be enjoying the current situation.
I managed to pass through the mansion's central lobby without showing my tail to anyone.
I let out a huge sigh of relief. Now, all that was left was the hallway and the stairs.
The problem was, there were more people in the hallways than in the central lobby.
"It'th okay. I can do it."
Before turning the corner, I pressed myself against the wall to survey the hallway.
Above me, Paymon and Basad also hid their bodies and peeked their heads out.
It made for a slightly comical picture.
"There aren't many people in the hallway. I don't sense much of a presence either."
"If we're going to pass, now seems like the best time, Miss."
"Weally?"
"Yes. But this is really thrilling. It feels like the most difficult mission I've ever had."
Paymon muttered cheerfully. Basad nodded in agreement.
"The targets we must deceive are from our own clan, so the difficulty is slightly higher."
...They don't have to take it so seriously. Is this really a task that requires sensing presences?
Still, having them act like this was reassuring.
"Let'th go."
"Yes."