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After the sun had fallen and dinner had been served, there was practically no more work to be done today. I can, at most, be on the lookout for students who may slip out in the middle of the night, but that was of no concern to me.
And so I had left the dormitory and headed out into the city.
I didn’t simply leave for the downtown district, of course. To start with, Windell was a relatively safe city, therefore, the downtown district was not as thriving as Seal, and the number of stores was not as large as expected.
For this reason, I was able to readily locate the bar I was searching for.
When I drew closer, it was noticeable that the person I was waiting for had already arrived.
So I took a short run toward her, and it seemed that she had spotted me, too. Her brow creased up blatantly. That reaction was perhaps a bit uncalled for.
“Excuse me, did you wait long?”
“Yes, I waited for about half an hour.”
Anyway, it was my fault for being late, for which I sincerely apologized, but the response came back in a distinctly grumpy tone.
“I am sorry, I just didn’t have a chance to get out of there as quickly as I thought I would.”
“I don’t see a direct connection between that and the reason you kept me waiting, though.”
Her forehead was mildly perspiring when I observed her. Sure enough, even if it was nighttime, she would have been sweating after waiting outside for 30 minutes in the middle of summer. I was entirely to blame for this.
“Please accept my sincere apologies; the next time, I’ll treat you to something. Ms. Felt
“If you are truly sorry, I would appreciate it if you would let me and Sasha have no further contact with you.”
Felt folded her arms and turned away.
“You are as cold as ever.”
“If anything, it would be lunacy if I wasn’t cold after what you made me witness.”
“I apologize for playing ripping cheese with Ms. Sasha’s body, but that was nothing more than an impulse.”
More like, I would find it all the more remarkable if she did not have a cold disposition toward me when I presented her with such an act, nonetheless, I supposed that was the extent of Felt’s determination.
“Well, let’s put that aside. So, what is your business after calling me all the way to Windell? I was hoping you could at least clarify the details before calling me.”
“Oh, about that, it would be a big help if you would follow me for now.”
“Like I said, can’t you tell me what’s going on before you―”
Without any further explanation, I entered the bar on my own. Being caught entering this place would be dreadful for a wide range of reasons, so I made sure to conceal my appearance with “Mist Veil”. In the background, I can hear a sigh and the sound of footsteps. Regardless of what she said with her mouth, she cannot ultimately defy me.
Once inside, I was instantaneously overcome by the noise and the pungent smell of booze and cigarettes. As expected, this was one of the city’s top five bars for criminals. The Garrisoned Corps of this city probably was aware of the actual operation of this bar, but it was likely too hazardous a place to venture into recklessly.
Our unfamiliar faces were confronted by the stern stares of the patrons. Felt would stand out from the crowd because of her appearance, but me in particular, with my body covered in mist, would give off an ominous vibe. Even the owner at the counter gave us the once-over while sporting a scowled expression.
“What are you ordering?”
“I am here to have a meeting with ‘Warmaker’. Where can I locate him?”
“…Who the hell are you?”
The owner’s eyes took on a different look. These eyes were well-acquainted with me. It was the eye of a person who had no qualms about killing people. He was evidently not an honest man.
“You don’t have to be concerned about me. I have a request. Can you let me through?”
“…Who the hell do you think you are? Do you think I would let you and your friend with doubtful origin meet with him―You guys can dream of meeting ‘that person’! You’ll have to deal with them instead!”
[Oh!!]
In response to the owner’s yell, a group of men with bloodlust emanating from them all rose to their feet in unison. If only my students would be this quick to obey my instructions, I would have nothing to say. Being a teacher, I admired the shopkeeper’s command.
While this thought was in my mind, I was attacked by men seated nearby with liquor bottles in their hands. It couldn’t be that they didn’t even intend to use their weapons properly, could it?
“―Ms. Felt.”
“Yes, yes.”
Responding, Felt deployed the suitcase she was carrying, which in a flash transformed into her specialty―a Serpentine Spear.
The men were swept aside with a single strike from the spear’s extended length, which also knocked over the table and sent them slamming against the wall. Apparently, Felt was going easy on them in her own way; had she been serious, the wall would have shattered into a million pieces. Should I have been the one to do it, I would have killed a person to set an example.
The bar was abuzz. Felt turned around to the stunned owner and said a few words.
“Tell that man that ‘Viper’ has come to see him. Go and inform him so.”
“!…I understand.”
The owner silently vanished into the back of the store. Felt, glaring at her surroundings (a snake glaring at a frog, indeed[i]), returned her Serpentine Spear to the shape of a suitcase and faced me.
“This is why you called me here, isn’t it?”
“Thank you for your immediate comprehension.”
After all, intelligence was one of her outstanding qualities.
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The owner of the store eventually led us to a room in the basement of it.
I assumed that “Warmaker”—who I wanted to meet—would be in there because it appeared that this space was set aside for the VIPs who would be dropping by the store.
Having watched the owner return to the ground as if he had finished his work, I opened the hefty door.
The moment I entered, the sound of explosions we heard sent us both into a frown. The room was smaller and less well-lit than I had imagined, and I soon realized that the sound of the explosion was some kind of music.
The atmosphere of this room evoked a certain nostalgia. Digging through my recollection, I recalled that the club I went to when I was in Japan shared this sort of atmosphere.
After opening the door and remaining frozen in place, the sound of the explosions ceased. I strained my eyes and noticed that there was a pair of men and women in the room. Were they in the midst of an intimate act, judging from the way they were entwined together as if they were one living being? If so, that would be the worst.
“What’s the matter? Come inside for now.”
One of them, a man with a rough tone, urged me to go inside.
Slightly apprehensive, I went inside and was filled with relief to find that both the man and the woman were fully clothed. The man was, in fact, overdressed. He was attired as though he were traversing a desert. Even his face was fully covered by a hood, and his expression was not discernible. Well, that was the same for me, though.
“Hey, Felt. Haven’t seen you in a month or so. How are you killing it at Seal?”
“…You are the same as always, huh?”
“It’s in my nature.”
Warmaker lightly sat up after moving the woman out of the way.
“So, who’s that guy next to you?”
“Nice to meet you. I am―”
Right there, something flew into my open mouth. Along with it, an impact knocked me backward.
I soon realized that what was jabbed into my mouth was a fruit knife.
“I am talking to Felt right now. No one said you could speak.”
“Gato, then ‘he’ is already dead. Didn’t I tell you not to be so prone to anger?”
“Shut up, all that’s necessary is Felt.”
It would seem that Warmaker was even more quick-tempered than I had thought.
Overhead, I heard Felt release a sigh.
“Sigh… well, I guess everyone would figure that to be the case.”
“Huh?”
“That guy, he’s not dead.”
Tsk, she was always so prompt in revealing the truth.
As I slowly got up, I could feel through my skin that the two people on the other side were astounded.
“This is… astonishing. I have witnessed countless people crawling up from the brink of death, but never did I expect to see one who would undoubtedly rise from the dead.”
“…Hahaha! You, aren’t you an entertaining one!?”
The woman concealed her mouth with a fan and squinted her eyes, and Warmaker―Gato howled savagely and pulled a dagger out of the void. From the glimpse of a magic circle on the palm of his right hand, it appeared that the knife he abruptly flung earlier was also a sleight of hand there.
Regardless, I withdrew the knife from my mouth and threw it away, and then I asked him in passing.
“Well… is there a way to discuss anyway?”
“Hah, isn’t that impossible!”
Accompanied by these words, Gato was on the offensive.
——————
T/N:
[i] It’s an idiom that means paralyzed on the spot