What Kind of Stray Cat Is That?
What kind of stray cat is that?
Gale kicked the chair beside him and spat a vicious curse.
"That cocky bastard running his mouth like that? I'm gonna kill that son of a bitch for sure!"
Even a thug like Gale had someone precious to him. Luna, who had raised him in place of their parents since childhood — the familial love he held for her was exceptionally special. Evan's remarks that had mocked her still burned vivid in his mind, and he regretted not killing him then.
"If it weren't for those bastards!"
If Gadel and the other mercenaries hadn't been there, Evan would have died hundreds of times on the spot. Gale cooled his rage by realizing that wish in his imagination, at least.
"Fuck... Next time I'll tear that mouth of his wide open."
"When Gale puts it like that, it almost makes me look forward to it. The day we meet Evan again?"
Amir's voice rang out as calm as a still lake. Gale was slightly impressed by that leisurely tone.
"Hah. Amir, you're still as composed as ever."
"Haha. We have no reason to get angry, do we? After all, Evan is the one who's about to be discarded."
Amir showed a pure, childlike smile that laid bare pure malice. Then he went back the way he'd come and flung the entrance door wide open.
"Well then — shall we prepare to receive our guests?"
"What? What guests?"
Gale tilted his head at Amir's sudden remark. Just as he was about to press further, the sound of small footsteps came from beyond. It wasn't one person. The irregularly mixed footfalls belonged to several people.
"They've arrived after all. Earlier than I expected, too."
"...."
The guests' identities were Evan's party members. After being abandoned by Evan, they had come straight this way. Of course, this wasn't a protest against Evan's change. This had been the plan from the start, and Evan's existence had contributed nothing to it. The cold conversation with him had merely served as a catalyst that advanced the schedule.
"Anyway, welcome. Shall we get along well from now on?"
Amir readily extended his hand, requesting a handshake. Even at that request, they didn't extend theirs — they just stood there blankly. It was guilt. The bond they'd formed with Evan over many years was by no means light.
"Ahaha. Looks like you still haven't completely let go of your lingering attachments. Or are you putting on a show of feeling sorry just because you were supposedly colleagues?"
Amir snickered as he looked down on them. From among the women who had been listening blankly, Judy suddenly burst forward.
"Don't talk like that when you don't know anything."
"Don't know anything? It's obvious you came here after being hated by Evan. I can tell just from looking at your face, Judy."
"...."
Judy went speechless. Although they had abandoned Evan and left like this, they had still harbored their own hopes. Even if they left, they had wanted to part on warm terms — to finish as people who could greet each other warmly if they happened to cross paths. But their relationship with Evan had plummeted to the worst.
If they had apologized to Evan earlier, would the story have been different? Judy thought of that belatedly and resigned herself.
...It's already too late.
Their apology would never be accepted. So Judy harbored a different hope. Just like always — that Evan would come find them, apologize, and restore their original relationship. Some might call it selfish, but Judy sincerely believed and hoped for it. Because if it was Evan, he would definitely do that. Because they had still been precious comrades.
After that whole mess, I left the village immediately. So there would be no chance of running into the heroines and Amir's gang. Of course we'd meet someday — but it was still too early.
So why did I leave the village like this? To avoid the heroines? Afraid of retaliation from Amir's side?
No. A far grander and more urgent reason.
I was broke.
I'd been frequenting the brothel like it was my own house and throwing money around at the mercenaries in the taverns, so going penniless was the natural course of events. Faced with a wallet that didn't hold a single coin, I felt the seriousness of the situation and started scheming for a way to make money.
Most adventurers earned income through various methods — monster subjugation, dungeon raids, collecting commissions, and so on. But I had a much easier and more convenient method. An incredible way to get free money without lifting a finger.
Well, I'm his son. He'll at least give me a few silver coins.
Evan was the son of a prestigious count's family. For some reason he'd had a falling-out with his father and chosen the path of an adventurer, but that bloodline doesn't just disappear. A family overflowing with power and money — I planned to use this solid background as my backing.
The one thing I'm a bit worried about is not knowing the circumstances between father and son... but well, it'll work out somehow.
I could roughly guess. In the original work, hadn't Evan gone as far as cutting ties with his father? This wasn't a conflict born from some trivial problem, so thinking my plan would proceed easily was a miscalculation.
Anyway — asking Father to lend me money. That was the reason I'd come to the family mansion now.
This place is bigger than a royal palace.
I craned my neck all the way back as if looking up at the sky and gazed up at the mansion. Rather than beautiful, the word magnificent suited its size better. Frankly, if a war broke out, you could use this mansion as a fortress and wage a siege battle.
Thinking about it again, Evan really was an idiot. Leaving a family like this to tag along after those worthless bitches — the frustration was endless. Or was it? Maybe it was a choice he'd had no choice but to make. That was how it went in the novel's story, too. If he was on terms of cutting ties with the family head, his father, that said it all. If for that reason he'd been cast out of the family and chosen the adventurer's path with those women, it was a reasonable enough phenomenon.
Even so, the fact that Evan was an idiot wouldn't change.
"By the way, how do you even get into this house?"
I was currently standing in front of the main building of the Yllain family mansion. If I took just one step forward I could enter — but the closed iron gate left me stuck. This was awkward. Breaking the iron gate to go in would cost money I didn't have to pay for damages, and climbing over the wall would get me mistaken for a petty thief.
Should I just sit tight and wait until someone related showed up?
Hmm?
Just then, a person was spotted beyond the gate. A white-haired old man in a black tuxedo. Judging by his distinctive attire and the way he was tending the courtyard, he was clearly a family servant. As if sensing my gaze, the old man's head turned my way.
Our eyes met in midair for a moment. Since I had nothing to feel guilty about, I didn't look away — I matched his gaze right back.
"Who goes there?"
The old man said so, frowning. It wasn't an expression of displeasure. He seemed to be narrowing his eyes simply to improve his eyesight a little. After observing my face like that and tilting his head for a long while—
"E-Evan, young master!?"
Before I could even identify myself, he called my name. Recognizing me without any proof — he seemed to be an old man with quite good observational skills. I'd thought he was half-blind, but that was unexpected.
"Young master! Is it really Young Master Evan?!"
He opened the closed gate and ran straight to me. Then, gripping my shoulders firmly, he rattled off a stream of words.
"It really is the young master...!"
That voice contained a tangle of emotions — shock, sadness, joy, pity, confusion. All different feelings, yet consistent in the sense of welcoming me. Occasionally he threw out resentful words, but since those too had sprouted from fondness, I let them slide.
"We've been so worried! Where on earth have you been and what have you been doing...!"
"Just busy with this and that. I've been doing fine, so no need to worry too much."
Though the old man's excessively welcoming attitude was burdensome, I handled it smoothly. What followed proceeded without a hitch. While exchanging updates on each other's recent situations, the old man guided me into the mansion, and I was able to naturally settle into my family home.
"You've become such a fine man while I wasn't looking. I almost didn't recognize you for a moment."
"Has it been that long?"
"Yes. A full five years. After that day, there wasn't a single night I slept soundly for worrying about the young master — but now I think I'll have good dreams."
An old butler who welcomed me even after five years. Moreover, was there a reason to welcome Evan — practically abandoned by the family — like this?
So he was on good terms with Evan.
Originally, kind-natured Evan bestowed goodwill on everyone. Thanks to that, he'd quickly become friends with the mercenaries too. Like them, this old butler must also have been someone who received kindness from Evan. Additionally, Evan's treatment in the family didn't seem that bad either. Just looking at the old butler bringing me into the mansion gave the answer. Right? No matter how much a butler liked Evan, would he be crazy enough to let an outsider in? So I was still a member of the family — and this was my right.
A silver lining, at least.
Since they'd said he cut ties with his father, I thought they'd throw dirty water at me instead of money — but it seemed a needless worry. Of course, I shouldn't let my guard down. There were a few things I'd realized while dealing with noble bastards in my past life, and among them good memories were few.
They were all either incompetent idiots or corrupt pig bastards.
Not all of them — but since the majority of nobles were that type, I had no choice but to generalize. And there was no reason Evan's family would deviate from my expectations either. A father who hated Evan, who formed friendly relations with all people. Didn't that alone give you a rough sense of things?
"The master has also been very worried."
As if he'd acquired mind-reading, the old butler threw out words that hit the bullseye. I bought time with a brief silence while choosing what to say. Then I lightly tossed out the one line I'd settled on.
"That's unexpected. I didn't think Father would be like that."
"...It's because the master isn't honest. Especially when dealing with the young master — the way he becomes particularly harsh is also because he cherishes you the most."
"No need to comfort me so much. I'm not back to get along well anyway. I'll achieve my purpose and leave again."
"Yes? By purpose, you mean....?"
I didn't answer that question. There was no need — and revealing the selfish motive of coming to get money would look too materialistic.
"Hmm. Still, I hope the young master will stay comfortably. That is my personal wish."
"I'd like to as well. If only I didn't have to worry about the people around me."
"Haha. Please put your concerns to rest. As I've said repeatedly, the master...."
He suddenly stopped speaking and his face hardened. Then, showing a tense expression, he switched into an extremely respectful tone.
"Y-You've risen, young miss...."
Young miss?
I shifted my gaze to follow where the old butler was looking. There, a young girl who appeared to be in her early teens was peeking at me with fierce eyes.
Come to think of it, it wasn't only the family head who hated Evan. Evan's half-sister, Mary Yllain — she too had been described as finding Evan disagreeable.
What a filthy first impression. What kind of stray cat is that?
That was my first impression of my little sister. How should I put it — seemed like it'd be hard to get along.