CH 191

Pheew, that was tough work.

When I suddenly looked down at my wooden sword, I found a crack running through it.

Oof, a little bit more and my sword might have snapped. How dangerous.

“…Hey, you got way too serious there. You almost shattered my wooden sword.”

“…How ’bout you put yourself in my shoes as the one who had his full-power blow blocked by a wooden stick?”

What is he talking about? Sure, it looked like he was slightly upset, but it’s not like he put that much power in his blow, right? His opponent was just a dumb bird-brain, no?

“…Anyway, with this, everything over here has bee…”

――Just as I started to say so, Ryoku peeked into the hall through the blasted window, and waved his hand at Sword and me.

“What’s the matter, Ryoku?”

You’re really adorable, but haven’t you been watching Shadow?

As soon as I thought that, I heard a voice that seemed vaguely familiar.

“…Lady Indraaaa!”

When I looked in the direction, Shadow ran up to me and performed a jumping dogeza.

“Whoa!! It is my first time witnessing a jumping dogeza!” Damsel Scarlet commented.

Yep, it’s a first for me as well.

“Forgive me! Please forgive me for having been so rude to you! I made a mistake! Never again shall I do anything that goes against your wishes, Lady Indra! Please! Please be so kind as to forgive me for my transgression!”

…What’s this development now? Rather, why is he apologizing to me all of a sudden?

“If I remember correctly, you should be against me.”

“No! Absolutely not! I am definitely not against you! I was just a tiny, tiny bit interested in you! That is all!”

Why is he justifying himself so frantically?

Sword was looking flabbergasted, too.

“…Is there ‘nythin’ you’ve been hidin’ from me?”

“No, not in particular? …Oh, I see. Did I already tell you that this guy was the wirepuller behind the guy spying on me? I found out the other day after getting tired of waiting and interrogating the spy myself.”

The instant I finished speaking, my cheeks were pulled.

“You didn’t mention a word ’bout this. Your really…!”

“Sowwy. I tohstallshy vorkkot”

Isn’t the one who spied on me to blame!? I’m the victim here!

Once he let go of me, I was finally able to talk normally again.

“I didn’t say anything about it, but you had noticed it yourself, hadn’t you? And because of that you let him go free, didn’t you?”

In response to my questions, he averted his eyes.

……Hmm?

“Hey, Sword! You noticed, didn’t you? You’re much more sensitive to other people’s presence than I am. You realized that a spy was reporting back on me way before I did, right?”

“…Sorry, I didn’t.”

……

Eeeeeeh!? For real?

…When my shock showed on my face, he started to line up excuses.

“No, I mean, I had braced myself. But, that concerned everythin’ besides you and me. It looks like I underestimated the possibility of you and me bein’ targeted.”

Why!? Being an adventurer is about carrying out your requests while considering all kinds of situations, no!? …Hmm? No, maybe it’s somewhat different?

“Well, that’s fine, but I thought you had realized that a spy was up and about and let him roam freely. And then I got tired of waiting and interrogated him myself. Once I did, I found out that this guy was the mastermind. It was an unexpected revelation, but I gave him a proper warning so that he wouldn’t think of doing any further mischief. …I didn’t tell you all of that earlier, but I think I told you about the spy.”

If I’m not mistaken, I mentioned Swannyboy’s spywork.

＊

『Your roommate being a spy is quite cliche, really』

Sword, who had been relaxing on his sofa, rose up in surprise.

『What? Roommates are your enemies in the other world?』

I shook my head at Sword’s question, 『I wouldn’t go as far as calling them enemies. But, it’s pretty common for you to become best friends after growing close over time or open up to them after they draw close to you, although it’s pretty obvious that you should stay clear of them, just to be betrayed later on』

Sword stared at Damsel Scarlet in shock, 『What the hell? Your former world is scary as fuck. …Scarlet, is that really true?』

Damsel Scarlet answered with a troubled face, 『…Yeah well, I’d like to deny it, but it might be relatively close to the truth, if it’s this world. The other world was peaceful, so such cases were limited to fictional worlds, but…in reality, something similar happened to me in this world as well』

I took over from Damsel Scarlet, and added, 『In other words, this world is much scarier』

『…You gotta be kiddin’』 Sword looked totally dumbstruck.

＊

It’s not like I didn’t tell him. It’s just that Sword didn’t take it seriously.

Shadow prostrated himself in front of me. After leaving him like that for a while, Sword timidly asked Shadow, “……Hey, Shadow, are you aware what your doin’ right now and where you are currently?”

“……If I do not go this far, Lady Indra’s anger will not abate,” Shadow obstinately insisted on this.

Sword looked my way, troubled.

“…Indra, what do you plan to do ’bout this?”

“Hmm? Me? Of course I feel like eradicating the royal palace altogether to give him a proper lesson.”

When I answered like that, Shadow cried out, “Please! I do not mind becoming your slave! But! But, please spare the palace!”

I cocked my head in puzzlement as I wracked my brain, “Hmm…… But, you see…you’re the kind of guy who doesn’t mind even if I harm you, aren’t you? The only way to punish you effectively is by punishing your master. That’s why the destruction of the palace is the easiest solution. The king is fully intent on apologizing for your failure as well, so I want to destroy the palace since it’s boring otherwise.”

“Please! Please show some leniency and change your ways just this one time!”

He told me, but well…

“People like him tend to bite back if you’re too lenient with them. If you don’t punish them severely, they’ll come up with even more elaborate schemes.”

Hearing my words, Damsel Scarlet bent her head to the side while looking at me somewhat doubtfully.