Chapter 159: Feeling the Gaze
In a bar, a woman was in a bad mood.
[Why do I have to go through this!? You’ve got to be kidding me!]
The woman’s name is Tedes Rittenpike.
Until recently, she was a teacher at the Adventurer Academy, but her illegal actions with her students had been discovered and dismissed as a disciplinary measure.
Since the day she was fired, Rittenpike has been drinking day and night.
[Seriously, what’s with the students these days? Their attitude towards their superiors is appalling! They are but mere students of the prestigious Academy. And yet, even though I have contributed so much to the study of Ancient Treasures, for them to fire me would be a loss to the world!]
Rittenpike’s complaints continue as she drinks heavily.
[In the first place, it’s that Yahagi guy who’s to blame! I don’t know what that Sweets Baron whatever means, but a guy banging that gloomy skank freaking dare interrupts my plans! I’ll definitely get my revenge on him......]
Muttering a curse, Rittenpike gulped down the beer left at the bottom of her mug.
[Hey, quickly bring me more beer! Geez, how long are you gonna make people wait...... What? The f*ck are you looking at!? This your first time seeing a woman get drunk!?]
Customers and waiters are fed up with the way she picks a fight with everyone.
The owner of the bar, who had decided that they’d be in trouble if she were allowed to drink any more, mildly suggested.
[Ma’am, I think we’d better leave it at that......]
[Shut your trap, baldy! Who do you think I am? I’m the world-famous Professor Rittenpike! Quickly bring me my beer!]
Incidentally, Rittenpike has no qualifications to call herself Professor.
She isn’t even a member of the Academy anymore.
The owner could only shrug his shoulders, wondering what to do.
[Get the lady over here a drink. Get on with it!]
A man said as he threw a silver coin on the counter.
The man’s face still seemed to hold innocence to it, but one could sense his bad personality within it.
[Ara, we have a clever one here. Wait, you are......]
[My name is Marl, eldest son of Viscount Parmanen. I was drinking over there, when I heard something that caught my attention.]
[W- What is it?]
Rittenpike was nervous because she was dealing with a noble.
She thought he might be one of Yahagi’s comrades.
[You said you were going to take revenge on that man.]
[T- That is......]
[Don’t worry. I’m also one of the people who has a grudge against that dagashi shop.]
[Is that right...... However......?]
Rittenpike warily looks up with her drunken gaze
[He’s acting all arrogant just because he’s on good terms with Prime Minister Essel-sama. I got caught up in that too.]
[Oh my, that’s just like me.]
Both Marl and Rittenpike had been the ones to blame for their actions, but their memories of those events had been conveniently falsified in their minds.
Description: Grain-type fried rice cracker. A long-selling product popular for its sweet and spicy taste. Eating it slightly increases defense.
Price: 30 rims
[Yahagi-san, I’d like to order a yakisoba.]
[Wait a moment.]
The sky is filled with clouds and the last remnants of summer.
The wind that shakes the curtain and blows in is beginning to give off the feel of autumn.
Today too, the dagashi shop is peaceful.
However, recently, I’ve been feeling eyes on me from somewhere......
I don’t have any proof, but I feel like someone is watching me.
Even now, over there!
I turned around with a start, but there was no one there.
[What’s the matter, Yuusuke-chi?]
Seemingly chuckling at my sudden actions, Carmine asked.
[I felt like I was being watched. It seems like it was just my imagination though.]
[Wasn’t it just Michelle-san?]
[Why Michelle?]
[Because she’s already happy just by watching Yuusuke-chi. Also, couldn’t she be checking if you’re cheating?]
That certainly is plausible, but I don’t think that’s the case.
I could somewhat tell if it was Michelle’s gaze.
Margarethe on Carmine’s lap looked up at me.
She hasn’t foreseen the future since that time.
It seems to be because she ran out of mana in her body.
[Hey, don’t you know something, Margarethe?]
[.....................]
Because it’s a plushie, Margarethe shouldn’t have any expressions, but is it perhaps just my imagination that it looks like she was trying to say something?
[It must have been Yuusuke-chi’s fans who were secretly watching you. Or perhaps, is there something else you were worried about?]
[No, I wouldn’t say that was the case. Unnn, I guess it was as Carmine says. They must be my fans. Or perhaps, they’re customers hoping for the re-release of Chocolate Eggs now that it’s getting cooler.]
I had been taking it easy at that time.
<Afterword>
Lariat: Hulk Hogan’s finisher when he was in Japan, Axe Bomber, is a crooked arm lariat.
Number One: When Hulk Hogan started appearing in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), Japanese wrestling fans nicknamed him “Ichiban” or “Number One”. Kame Senbei: Rice crackers shaped like a turtle. Doesn’t actually contain any turtles.