Chapter 152

Chapter 152

"You're way too cheeky."

Scarlet, who was in the kitchen, slowly approached me.

When he emerged from the kitchen, his body was 1.2 times larger than before.

Lowering his waist, narrowing his shoulders, stretching his neck.

Techniques for disguising as an ordinary merchant, and the basic skills for rats to avoid standing out.

He shed that shell and revealed his true form.

"Go ahead and keep being cheeky. I'm curious to see how far that cheekiness will go..."

Brushing back his red hair, Scarlet opened his mouth.

At the same time, he took a stance looking down at me from above.

An overbearing attitude to gain the upper hand.

But I'm not someone who gets scared by this.

The [Mental Defense] skill is protecting my mind, but also.

'Compared to Caron's intimidation, it's nothing.'

Frankly, it's not even at Luna's level.

Scarlet's actions are mere threats, but Luna actually bites people.

Maybe she'll say the restaurant was a mess today so she couldn't eat much meat, and try to take a bite out of my body instead.

As I was trembling at the future to come.

Perhaps thinking he had the upper hand, Scarlet spoke.

"It must have been easy to deduce that I'm a rat. But... how did you find out my name?"

Basically, it's taboo for rats to reveal their names to each other.

They use aliases or nicknames like 'Shaggy Rat', and when going on missions, they sometimes simply refer to each other by numbers.

A rat's real name is information only known to manager-level personnel like Caron.

So it's natural for Scarlet to be curious.

'He'll think Caron wouldn't make such a rookie mistake.'

And that's true.

Caron didn't tell me Scarlet's name. No, he didn't even tell me about his existence.

In other words, it was my mistake to mention Scarlet's name and unintentionally hit the nail on the head.

But there's no need to be flustered.

"Keke, this much is basic for me. Looks like Teacher Caron didn't tell you."

"He did tell me to be careful. Then does that mean you obtained this information independently... That you have ties with manager-level personnel besides Mr. Caron. A dirty relationship to the point of selling rat secrets."

Not a bad inference.

If Scarlet passes this information to Caron, the manager-level figures will suffer, but... well, that's none of my business.

'In the first place, the probability of that is low.'

Manager-level rats are by no means easy opponents.

Caron level... no, in some ways, even more outstanding existences.

No matter how skilled I am, it's almost impossible to find out a rat's real name from them.

And since they've spent time with Caron, their trust relationship will be solid.

Such an existence selling information on rats to a mere academy student?

It's impossible.

'That a low-level rat like Scarlet stupidly revealed his own name and forgot about it.'

Thinking this way is much more natural and probable.

In other words, if Scarlet provides this information to Caron...

'He'll get scolded instead. He'll say, can't you even think for yourself?'

It's best for Caron to distance himself from Scarlet. Because the more he does, the closer he'll inevitably get to me.

'Caron will also get closer to me. He'll think he's filtered out an unhelpful guy.' for new novels

I made a mistake unintentionally, but it's actually a good situation.

I smiled slyly.

"Keke, that's a secret. It's good manners to keep an informant's secret, right?"

"Indeed... you're cheeky enough. I apologize. For underestimating you."

"No need to thank me. It's your mistake, Scarlet."

"...Cheeky bastard. You don't back down at all. You better be nervous. From now on, I'm going to dissect you."

Scarlet growled.

A short conversation. But even from this, I could learn a few pieces of information.

'Caron... didn't release much information about me?'

If he had provided information about me, Scarlet's attitude towards me would be one of three.

Realizing my value and treating me with utmost respect, pretending to be naive while secretly trying to dig up information, or if not that...

'He would have suppressed me with force.'

But none of those reactions are showing.

He's only showing strong hostility obvious to anyone.

There's only one thing this means.

'He sees me as a rival.'

A rival who is a rat, a rookie rat at that.

Caron must have provoked him subtly, and Scarlet, thinking he can't lose to a rookie rat, must have taken the bait.

The reason Caron hid information about me and set up a fight?

'To see Scarlet's skills. By using me.'

If Scarlet finds out new information about me in the process, it's truly killing two birds with one stone, catching a loach while digging a ditch.

A typical move by Caron, a well-made trap.

'Well, there are still a few things I don't understand, but...'

"Don't worry. I'll at least spare your life."

"No, that's not what I mean."

"...?"

Using the [Eye Opening] skill, I said.

"I mean it'll be troublesome for you. Fighting is murder to me."

Scarlet froze stiffly for a moment.

Soon his mouth twisted, and he shouted loudly.

"Your cheekiness is reaching the sky! I'll definitely fix that insolence of yours!"

Hmm, I thought maybe he'd back off if I acted like I had something up my sleeve.

Looks like it backfired.

'I have no choice but to make him kneel with force?'

But currently, Scarlet doesn't even have an artifact to protect his body.

I can't use [One Flash] or [Sky Splitter]. Same with other advanced skills.

'You're saying I have to fight with only my own skills...'

Although I'm gaining experience close to real combat by training with Lucia, my swordsmanship is still at a third-rate level.

Scarlet's level may be low, but the problem is that his weapon seems to be a dagger.

'I've never fought against a short weapon like a dagger.'

For now, one thing is clear.

The moment I give him distance, holes will be made all over my body.

Hmm, realizing information that's not helpful at all. It's really annoying.

"Keke, aren't we intellectuals? It's better to resolve things through conversation rather than fighting..."

"Die!"

Dammit! Give me time to draw my sword!

In a hurry, I picked up a chair next to me.

Scarlet's dagger approached with enough force to pierce through the chair.

Thwack-!

Someone grabbed that dagger.

With their bare hands at that.

"Ah~ That's not how you kill."

A relaxed, impossibly easygoing voice even though they're grabbing a sharp blade with their hand.

That's right. The person who grabbed the dagger was none other than.

One of the Ten Swords of the Empire, Lucia.

"I'll teach you. Murder is..."

Shink!

"Done like this, you rookie."

Instantly burrowing into Scarlet's chest, Lucia thrust out her fist.

Boom!!

A sound that was hard to believe came from a fist meeting a stomach.

Scarlet's body bent grotesquely, and his knees, body, and head met the ground in order.

Not even a scream was heard. He met his death without even a chance to scream.

That's right.

'She killed him! Lucia killed my subordinate... no, the guy who was going to become my subordinate!'

Perhaps noticing my shock.

Lucia scratched her cheek and said.

"Was it... not a dangerous situation?"

"I mean, it wasn't a situation where I would die. Same goes for the other side."

In other words, she killed an innocent person.

Lucia became greatly flustered.

"I-It's okay! People don't die that easily. Well, his lifespan might have been shortened a bit. By... about 70 years?"

That's a number where it wouldn't be strange if he died right now!!

How is it any different from a murderer saying in court, 'Ah, I didn't kill him. I did stab him with a knife, but his lifespan was just shortened a bit. By about 100 years?'

Even though my eyes are slits, she seems to know I'm looking at her with the eyes of looking at a criminal.

Lucia grabbed Scarlet's hair and lifted him up.

"I'm not a murderer! Look, look, he's alive!"

Hmm, the tongue sticking out of his mouth was saying.

'I'm already a corpse.'

"Huh, huh? Strange. I didn't even hit him that hard. Hey, try getting up. I said get up."

Smack! Smack!

Perhaps Lucia's wish reached the heavens.

Scarlet regained consciousness.

"Ugh, urgh..."

"See! He's not dead!"

"Yes, it seems his lifespan was shortened by about 70 years. He'll probably die by tomorrow."

"I was just kidding? In the first place, if he dies from this much, there's something wrong with him. Well, some terminal illness that makes you die suddenly. Maybe he had something like that."

There was only one thing I wanted to say to Lucia making such excuses.

Please make those excuses in court, you prospective murderer.

--TL Notes--

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