Episode 39.9

"Are you sure about this, Lecan-dono."

"What's this about."

"To give the townlord's banquet a slip."

"No one's give anyone a slip. I never said I would attend."

"Well, yes, you did tell them if you feel like it."

"Besides, it could be that they're gonna get back to me once the date's been decided. I don't even know when that banquet's gonna be held. There is no slip here."

"That might sound reasonable to you, but it was supposedly a banquet to celebrate the dungeon conquest. It would lose its meaning without the guest of honor, you Lecan-dono, present."

"Shut it. Go there yourself if you're so eager to."

Which is impossible since they left Tsubolt yesterday.

"Okay, okay. I won't speak of it anymore. Still, it's a bit shame that we cannot have <Rafin's Rock Terrace Inn> vegetable for meals anymore."

"Yeah."

"Nark-san and Nell-san loathed to part with us, they were both teary."

"Yeah. <Fire Arrow>."

The <Fire Arrow> Lecan nonchalantly shot flew toward a tree growing on the side of the road and turned around to hit its back.

"Gyaa"

The chubby spy, Gwislan jumped out.

"H-how come that <Fire Arrow> curved?"

Lecan stared at Chubby's chest.

He had severely weakened that <Fire Arrow>'s output, even so Chubby's clothes didn't have a hole and he seemed completely unharmed. Those clothes may look worn-out, but they're exceedingly good equipment.

"What do you need."

"So you're not going to give an excuse for shooting that <Fire Arrow>. You won't, will you. Fine fine. Well, y'see. I've gotta say my thanks to Chief at least, see. I'd also like to ask you something."

Chubby said that he was hired and paid by Torog. However, after Torog's death, he testified against the knight commander, Torog's father's corruptions. He even informed the existence of hidden safe to the townlord's aide beforehand.

Haydent had asked Lecan if he saw Chubby during their conversation after the dungeon conquest. Saying that Chubby had disappeared after that day even though he still had lots of things to ask him. That day would be the day Lecan killed Orug, and the knights conducted a search on Benchara house.

"So who are you working for anyway."

"I'm not working for anyone now. Finally."

<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka.com >

"Finally?"

"Chief, are you aware of <Talisman of Gargoy>?"

Lecan looked at Arios.

"If you make a contract with someone by putting your blood on that talisman, you will be put under a curse. You will die if that talisman is burned."

"Hou."

"That Torog guy said he wanted to have a written contract for my employment. I had to seal it with my blood, he insisted. That contract was made of <Talisman of Gargoy>."

"You didn't notice?"

"Of course I did. I laughed inwardly. I mean, I've always got equipment to repel a mere curse of that level on me. My luck ran out when I decided to feign getting tricked and give him hell later."

"What happened?"

"That nothing is absolute, no matter how excellent a curse resistant tool is. Once in a thousand, no many thousands, it could let a curse slip past by. I knew about that rule myself. But who could ever imagine it would befall me. Dear me. That was a really humbling experience."

"And then?"

"I became Torog's loyal dog. I did all the work given to me no matter how dirty in glee. No matter how bad they treated me, I would never do something against my master's will, all while laughing."

Chubby spoke with smiles on his face.

"Men are so curios, aren't they. When you keep telling them, 'you're such a great man, I really respect you, I'll do everything you say', they will start believing that it's true."

"How so?"

"I'm great. This guy reveres me for real. He'll devote his entire life for me. He began to believe that, see. When in reality, how in the hell anyone would revere that shitty bastard. I suppose it's only right that shitty bastard also has shit for judgment. No one'd ever forget getting trampled down upon. Right?"

"And?"

"It took me four and a half years. No well, I found out where he was hiding the talisman right away. Yet I couldn't figure out how to open the safe. That shitty bastard never got anywhere near the safe whenever I was around, and even when I wasn't, he would put up a soundproof barrier before opening it."

So soundproof barrier exists, thought Lecan.

"But that time finally came on the fourth month of this year. That shitty bastard went and opened the safe without realizing I was hiding in the room."

"I see."

"I immediately replaced the talisman. With a fake one. And just when I was coming up with ways to get my revenge, I was told that Chief had obtained a <Comet Cutter> and Sir Zoltan had gone to <Rafin's Rock Terrace Inn> to see you."

"I see. So everything went according to your plan then."