Chapter 123 - Versus S part I

Chapter 123: Versus S part I

Name: Naina Able

Age: 18

Race: Human・Kijin

Level: 8

Occupation: Receptionist

Skills: Onification

Her occupation had only a Receptionist in it.

Is it because that is her only source of income that other activities don’t appear there?

But what really made me curious was her race. She is both human and kijin?

Does it mean that she can become kijin by using the skill?

I check it through【Edit】, though I have no intention of changing it.

Yup…… Contents are just as I expected. Combat ability can be drastically increased by turning into kijin.

A while ago her comrades were saying that she is an oni, so that wasn’t just a joke.

As I learned in school, kijin are very strong in combat, even a child might win against a human adventurer.

Let’s try not to get on her bad side.

I’d prefer to get along with her and comrades.

◇ ◆ ◇

To prepare for the battle with S I decided to increase my LP.

During the daytime, I will search for a restaurant with delicious weird food.

During the night I’ll visit a bit lewd establishments.

Since I had leeway in terms of finances I go with those two. Well, I’m a bit reluctant about the latter, but it’s to accumulate LP, it can’t be helped.

Also, I would like to find out how S spends his daily life. Of course, only to the extent that wouldn’t bring suspicions to me.

As such, I asked 【Great Sage】 about S’s current location. I would prefer not to rely too heavily on this as well. If Emma was with me that’s another matter.

S was working at a small meat stall located between Aristocratic district and Commerce district. Hidden, I observe him. Wearing an apron he interacted with customers in a friendly manner.

Compared to yesterday, he looks like a different person.

The look in his eyes was completely different. Perhaps because it was just before noon, but the shop was flourishing.

「Outta the way!」

Some people tried to cut in the line.

Three guards. That equipment seems to be identical to castle guards’ equipment.

Seemingly not happy with displeased expressions of the people around, they began spouting abusive language.

「AAAGH, the hell is that mug? It’s not the attitude you show the guards that came to make a purchase, isn’t it? Who do you think is protecting this city? Tell me, you worthless trash, go ahead!」

Whoa……

What do you do to become that arrogant? They have certain similarities with unpleasant nobles.

The citizens seemed to be used to this, and though reluctant let them go through.

「Hey, Midcarda. Give us the usual.」

「…Yes.」

S put a large amount of meat into a container and gave it to the guards. I thought that it will cost a hefty sum, but only a few coins were given by guards.

「This can cover only half of the cost.」

「Then give us a discount for half of the price.」

「Such a thing…… The store will go out of business at this rate!」

As S raised reasonable objections, the guards took an unbelievable action. After dragging him out of the store, they gave him a vicious beating.

Even though a lot of people were around, no one tried to help him. Though I came closer, I also remained a spectator.

Though ability-wise S is stronger, he doesn’t resist.

Surely, pretending to be a weakling to conceal his identity as S.

「This is way too cruel.」

「They are always like that.」

An old man that stood nearby replied to my mutter.

「You have a bit of a different air around to you. Are you a traveler?」

「Yes. Are they always like that?」

「They are one thing, but the king and nobles are also awful. Soldiers serving under the king have a strong sense of being the chosen people.」

Getting into details I understood that this city was a lot more tyrannical than I imagined. It seems that with the current king taxes became especially heavy, putting the population through great hardships.

Well, as meager as they are, I still had some achievements, and yet that was the attitude he gave me.

I can only imagine how he treats a common folk.

Now I can understand why he is called the worst king in history all over the town.

「Midcarda is a really pitiful young man. His younger sister got caught up in nobles’ entertainments and died.」

「Nobles’ entertainments?」

「Sorry, this is all I can say. Don’t get involved with this. This is a trick to enjoy your sightseeing trip.」

When assault by the guards was over, the old man also left the scene. A few people tried to treat trashed S.

I also was tempted for a moment by a spirit of benevolence that rose within me, but remembering that he is an enemy, I walked away.

Entering a nearby bar I gather information.

It appears that it’s also possible to get lunch here so the place was quite crowded.

Focusing mainly on adventurer-like middle-aged men I ask people around.

「Do you know any information brokers that have a good grasp on the town’s situation?」

Some people gave me doubtful looks and preferred to ignore me, some replied with a question.

「Well, I do, why?」

「There is something I’d like to know. Can you tell me in exchange for this?」

When I produced currency that would be enough to drink two or three cups of cheap wine, he gladly revealed to me what I wanted. Though the fact that he pointed with his chin to the bar owner surprised me a little.

「That person knows the situation. He previously served in intelligence corps, and after retiring opened a bar.」

「Thank you very much.」

I wanted to head to him right away, but since the bar is quite crowded at the moment, I decided against it. If someone came during the busy time with questions unrelated to work that is bound to piss you off.

I waited for around an hour.

As people that came for lunch began leaving the bar, empty seats became more noticeable. At that moment I started a conversation with the owner.

It was a man of about fifty years old, with hair swept back and classy mustaches.

「There is something I’d like to know. It’s about little sister of Midcarda-san.」

When I told him that I’m willing to pay, the owner readily answered my request.

Midcarda’s sister…… What is that entertainment of nobles that became the cause for the death of S’s little sister?

The owner took me to the back part of the store.

He probably couldn’t speak of it in the bar. He lit a cigar near a trash collection point. This is actually a bit dangerous. I don’t want any fires to happen.

He asked me to pay in advance, to which I oblige.

The sum was enough to spend a night at an inn. A borderline fair price I’d say.

「There is a thing called noble battle. Royalty and nobles make their pets do battles. The winner gets a prize or something like that. If you have wits you already guessed it, but the pets are……」

Humans, as it turns out. To be more specific, commoners without martial training.

Mercenaries and adventurers are out of the question, healthy adult men also can’t be used as pets.

It’s basically only women and elderly.

Apparently, gravely ill adult men can be accepted as an exception.

Using such commoners as pawns they force them to fight each other…… No, to kill each other. Such an ill-natured attraction is held twice a year.

「I’m so shocked that I’m not even mad.」

「Hah, kid, you still so young. I was also like that in the past, but after seeing too much of this world’s filth I don’t care anymore. It’s important to have some degree of resignation.」

I didn’t argue, but it wasn’t because I agreed with his opinion. I refuse to lead such a life. I’d rather die than do nothing if someone important to me were chosen as a pet.

And it’s easy to guess how S’s little sister met an unfortunate demise.

「Midcarda-san didn’t try to save his little sister?」

「There is nothing one can do. People just get abducted suddenly. The ones doing it are guards.」

As the owner then added, the actions of his previous colleagues disgusted him so much that he chose to retire.

Only one person becomes the winner of noble battle. If the winner is lucky they will be exiled. If not, enslavement is also a possibility.

Naturally, only death awaits losers.

It seems that for the most part the corpses get dumped outside of the city.

The very existence of noble battle is a secret. Well, some people still know about it, since they are so careless about it.

This is harsh.

Unable to hide how shaken I was, I ask him.

「Just where is the justice……?」

「It’s not like there is necessarily only one justice. That’s why people fight. I know that you are only trying to satisfy your curiosity, but don’t get too involved with this. Sate your curiosity with this and be done.」

The words of someone who has both age and experience are heavy after all. I also can tell that the owner isn’t a bad person. Perhaps that’s why he couldn’t keep working as a guard.

A gloomy feeling overcame me.

But since I couldn’t keep indulging in it, I paid the bar owner some more and had him tell me about restaurants.

There were two restaurants that served strange dishes, so I first head for the first one.

There, I ask for a fish dish. What arrived was a herring fermented in salt.

「Stink?!」

The smell was so strong that I involuntarily blurted out.

The waiter put the plate on the table and left, almost running.

The surrounding customers also ran away!

「Is this really edible?!」

To my question, the waiter, that now put a significant distance between us, replied my making s circle with his hands.

「It smells like what comes from the lower half of the body!」

The waiter only made a circle with his hands.

It makes me worry if he actually lost the ability to think due to this smell.

Timidly, I bring a small slice to my mouth. Can this be forgiven by the fish god? Surely not.

「It’s rooooootten!」

I spat the slice. Flying at an incredible speed it lands perfectly on the face of the waiter that stood at a respectable distance.

The waiter didn’t even raise a scream and just collapsed without senses.

I’m really sorry.

ーI leave the store on the verge of fainting.

The worst possible development, not only did they take extra money as compensation, but I didn’t even get any LP.

Resisting an urge to cry I head to the second establishment.

The next location turned out to be a cheap eating place. They didn’t sell only strange dishes, but a few of such were hidden among other dishes on their menu.

I ordered lizard on a skewer and fried spider.

Waiting always makes me nervous.

「Thank you for waiting.」

The cooking looked like they actually grilled and fried them as they were. However, at least they didn’t stink. In this case, I can give it a try.

With lizard, the bones were getting in the way. As for the spider, I could crunch it like candy. The legs were especially fragile and easy to eat.

As for the taste, the spider was pretty good, with some sweetness to it.

I guess they dipped it into sugared water before frying.

But the lizard was insanely tasty. Bones certainly got in the way, but the flavor was amazing, and the meat had excellent texture.

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It really suits my taste, I even ordered another serving.

The price not being high is also nice.

「800 LP, huh. I’m glad that I came here.」

Perhaps due to the somewhat shabby appearance of the store, the taste stood out even more. Thank you, herring!

I won’t try you ever again though!