RATH 24

TL: Eevee

3. And so the story begins. (8)

“Hahaha, it’s burning well.”

-Owner, owner! I know that you’re evil enough that if I called you a son of a b.i.t.c.h then I’d probably be offending all other four-legged dogs out there, but isn’t this a bit too far?

“The organization was the one that betrayed me first.”

-No, I know that. But why do the neighbouring buildings explode when owner pushes a few b.u.t.tons in ya room? Did you make these because the organization betrayed ya too? Did owner have the ability to turn a building into a bomb in an hour or something?

Hey hey, how noisy you are! For moments like this you have. Boop

Boom!

-… Wow, if I’m right, isn’t that the place where all the organization’s big shots’re at? Weren’t owner’s past disciples in that building as well?

“You know one but not the other.”

-What’s this serious tone all of a sudden. So whazza thing that I don’t know then?

“There’s no way that my disciples wouldn’t bail from the organization when it’s about to fall!”

-Hang, big achievement!

“Because I raised my disciples to be strong!”

-What’s that got to do with this?

“Defecting always makes you stronger!”

Just why does that one with the reaaally great personality, the Hidden Leaf Village’s Ixxchi so strong! Because he was a defector ninja!

Defection always makes people stronger. To begin with, defection means to leave an organization, and always if someone defects then the organization in question sends out agents to capture the defector.

Meaning that to defect also means to be pursued, and to survive you need to get stronger!

No, when you defect in the first place, you need to be strong enough to shake off the ones holding you down and run away to be able to defect to begin with!

Either way, latter or former, one who defects is also one who is strong and since I raised my disciples to be strong, they will naturally have defected.

Any rascal that’s loyal to the organization has not the qualifications to be called my disciple!

-Ownerowner. Enough with the bulls.h.i.t. We need to run too.

“Yes, we just need to open the last safe anyway.”

-The safe I was in? It was so cramped in there so it was awful.

As I continued to ignore the metal bat’s mutterings that it didn’t smell that great either, the air circulation was poor, if there was air circulation in a safe then that’s the problem.

The fact that you can get airflow means that there’s a hole present, no? A safe just needs to protect items well.

“Lily. Lily. Hm. That’s also a lily, this is a lily.”

-And my preference is also for lily!(1)

“Shut up.”

-Hwiiiing, respect my preferences!

I don’t know where it learned that bulls.h.i.t, but I ignored the noisy metal bat and kept looking for an insignia with a lily, but problem was I found eight lilies alone.

“There’s a b.l.o.o.d.y lot of them.”

-It’s because owner stole a b.l.o.o.d.y large amount of seals! Wha.s.sis? It looks like there’s at least 50 of them? Are there that many n.o.bles in the empire?

“There’s a b.l.o.o.d.y lot of them, too.”

Although there’s a fixed number of dukes and marquis, the number of counts are a fair bit.

Of course there aren’t that many counts that are recognised as true high n.o.bility, but the number of counts have increased along with the empire’s land.

And there’s a disgustingly large number of viscounts and barons. Especially in the cases of barons in particular, most of them don’t hold any land and are just some slightly promoted merchants, and the majority of the knights hold a baron t.i.tle.

Although there are some nations that give tax immunity to their n.o.bility, that Karuan Empire’s n.o.bles pay more tax the higher rank they are, so they often half-force on a baron t.i.tle to rip off anyone who might be the tiniest bit rich.

If you don’t take it? Then you get taken away for treason for ignoring the emperor’s orders. And all your wealth is confiscated as well. So you have no choice but to take it.

As expected of that princess’s father. That bloodline has something sleeping it that just can’t be ignored.

Perhaps it’s because it’s a dragon’s bloodline. They’ve all got an innate talent for ripping people off.

But because of that my income is good. The higher ranked n.o.bles use rare metals or engravings of magic spells in their seals, but those who can’t get those, the majority of the viscounts and lower just flaunt extravagance to show off how rich they are.

I have no idea why on earth you would use expensive jewels on a stamp, but thanks to that my funds are plentiful so I guess I have to be thankful for that. Well, pick up the lilies, put the rest in another pocket.

Since most of my work here is done, I’ve arrived at my escape route number 11, and what I need to do here is obviously!

“Now then, I need to blow that up too.”

-My owner’s a terrorist! A terrorist that even blows up his own house!

That’s right, my name is Naruan! A former agent of the organization, the one who commands explosives! Signature move, exp…. Boop.(2)

Boom!

“Farewell, my home, my workplace.”

-Jobless. My owner is jobless! Unemployment in middle age, how are we going to eat now sobsob…

“For a chunk of metal what do you care about eating?”

The explosion I could hear from above my head was satisfactory.

Normally burning all the important and private information is the normal thing to do but I’m busy so I can’t take the time to do that.

As they say, explosion is art!(3)

Now all I have to do is use Rein as bait and escape!

#7 Their story: A certain former host’s story.

It’s the end.

“Hm? Rein? Where’s Master?”

The one coming from far away over there with a smile, is the craziest b.i.t.c.h I’ve ever met in my short life, that Sia, right? And she’s smiling that brightly?

The only times I’ve seen her smile like that were when she had completely lost it with anger, when she’d lost it with a beating by the metal bat, or when she’d lost it after staring at the instructor for too long.

Well at the end of the day they were all times that she’d lost it, but look at the evidence.

Her direct subordinates were all two, three steps away from her.

“Why are you…”

“Oh my, there’s no way that I wouldn’t be present where Master is?”

At her smile that became brighter than before, I, my juniors, and the Intelligence Agency officers all unconsciously took a step backwards.

No wait, while the organization is in the middle of its downfall, how the h.e.l.l did you predict the instructor would come this way?

“The instructor isn’t here?”

“He’ll probably come soon, right?”

“May, maybe.”

“Oh my, my lovable dear cla.s.smate, why are you shaking like that… huh?”

As Sia came up to me my feet were naturally moving backwards.

Th, the crazy b.i.t.c.h is coming closer! And her eyes are on the bat!

“Wow, it’s been a while, that.”

“Ye, yeah, right?”

“Yeah, it hurt because we were hit by it a lot, but it didn’t hurt. It was like Master. Although he looked angry from the front, from behind he was kind where no one could see.”

“Re, really?”

To be I just thought that he’d implemented the hardest level out of all the instructors, no out of every agent and personnel in the organization, but no doubt that’s not what it was like in this girl’s eyes.

Those were the eyes of a lunatic in love that I saw often at the club!

I even knew some hosts that were kidnapped by n.o.ble girls who made those very eyes! They’re dangerous like nothing else! What else from my peer and the instructor’s disciple!

“Hmm~ did Master give you that? He did? He did right?”

“No, because the instructor was away on an a.s.signment, I was a.s.signed to teach these kids temporarily. So I only borrowed it from him. Yep. Only borrowed!”

It’s pressuring. Talking with my peer is so d.a.m.n pressuring! Although my cohorts are all weird one way or another, no one is as pressuring as this girl!

“Ah, those empire spies?”

“”Hiik!””

Although the moment her gaze turned their way the kids instinctively took a step back, sorry.

I’m weak so I can’t get in her way. To be honest I’m happier that her attention’s turned your way.

“Hmm~ the Nermia family and the Raina family. Hm~”

“Si, Sia? But since the empire’s troops are charging, there’s nothing to be gained from touching these kids, right? Maybe use them as hostages or something, please? The instructor requested me as well…”

But since I had to save the kids so I stepped forward, but Sia revealed a shocking truth to me. The level of the revelations were roughly, the grade of a legendary empire-wide bestseller that a duke’s daughter once recommended to me!

It was about as shocking as realising that the child of the enemy household turned your lover was actually your sibling separated at birth!

“Hm? No, I don’t care? Well, I wasn’t one at first, but now I’m definitely playing for the imperial family.”

“Wha?”

“Ah, you probably didn’t know? But, among the instructor’s disciples there’s an oddly high proportion of spies. Since there’s six of us from us and the previous cohort. It’s over the majority, isn’t it?”

“Then you’re saying the instructor is also an imperial spy?!”

“Nono, although he does have ties with the empire, those were all made after he got sent out on a mission for the organization. Well, thanks to that there were people who I thought I could trust to Master, but Master himself is not a spy.”

Instructor, just what kind of kids did you raise?

Even if I have no love for the organization, considering my and the previous cohort that’s 11 people!

6 out of 11? Wait then if you include this cohort as well then 8 out of 14 are spies!

“So, it really doesn’t matter.”

What Sia was muttering under her breath as she answered herself I unfortunately heard loud and clear. “As long as they don’t touch Master…” was what she said!

This girl, empire or whatever, in reality she’s just aiming for the instructor! Is this alright, Empire?!

“So, you said you’ll meet up with Master outside, right? Then wait here.”

But whether she knew of my concerns or not, Sia smiled as brightly as she did before, no, even brighter, and hummed as if she was extremely excited.

“Because I. Will escort him myself~”

Instructor, I pray that we will meet each other in one piece again.

***

-Ownerowner. Something feels weird.

“True. Something does feel really off.”

-It feels like a ghost’s gonna pop out. Scawy!

“I think even ghosts would fear you.”

Although I don’t know if it would work on ghosts but if it does then mere ghosts! But it might be ineffective so don’t!

“Here was right after all?”

…Sorry. Please bring out the ghosts instead.

“Eh? Master. What’s wrong. What’s with that expression as if you’ve seen a ghost when all you’ve done is see your lovable disciple in front of you?”

No, if I’d just seen a ghost I’d be making a lot easier expression than this.

“What are you doing here.”

But I a veteran poker face master quickly restored my expression and asked coldly. Just what could it be? Is she finally here to stick a sword in my stomach?

Or is she planning to sell me off to the princess and hope for success on both sides? Or!

“Of course is a lovers’ escape with Master.!”

Are you f.u.c.king serious?!

-Heyhey. This girl’s obsessiveness is OP as h.e.l.l. Dangewus!”

-I know that as well!

Wow, I knew from long ago that this was being oddly clingy towards me, but I didn’t expect this much!

But, are the kids behind you following that crazy b.i.t.c.h? Are you all part of some familia that believes in the G.o.ddess of beauty or something?!(4)

“The organization is not ruined yet. Is that not dangerous?”

“Eh? Ah, Master wouldn’t know. The organization is currently completely broken apart. By the hands of Master’s disciples.”

-Whazzis now?

-I have no idea either?!

“Ah, Master didn’t know. Actually over half of Master’s disciples were actually people sent by the empire! There were some that the emperor sent to watch you, some that the princess sent to watch you, some that were just sent to keep an eye on the organization, and there were some that just coincidentally went under your umbrella, but in the end, most of Master’s disciples are actually spies from the empire! Because of that, Zeral and Maren weren’t originally spies but the princess secretly got in contact with them and they betrayed the organization? Plus your other disciples all ran away the moment the empire came in! Meaning, right now there are none of Master’s disciples left in the organization right now!”

Hoho, these lunatics. All the higher ups of the organization either ran or were the empire’s spies, and since there’re spies from not only my disciples, the organization is already all but over.

-And owner made the remaining bigwigs go boom! So it’s really screwed nao!

-It was fated to fall anyway.

-I think it’s all owner’s fault?

-No, this isn’t my fault! The organization, the organization was the problem! Just handing over all the spies to me, what were they thinking?

“Ah, that reminds me the reason why the empire attacked the organization was because the princess wanted to take you in so she was erasing it?”

-Naiiiiled daooooowwwn! Because of owner the prestigious and historic evil organization Howling was wuined!

Hoho. Crazy. My former boss decided to ruin my current company because she wanted her subordinate back. No, even before that the only reason I went to my past workplace was because this place sent me there! This place was always my a.s.sociate workplace!

-Owner. There’s way too many nutcases around owner. The imperial princess and your disciples too. If owner gets a girlfriend later then she’s totes gonna die stabbed by these kids?

Ah, I will admit that. Including the one who said that, the metal bat, I have no idea why I have so many crazy b.a.s.t.a.r.ds around me.

What these kids think is love is completely different from what normal people think is love.

No. the princess and Sia! No matter how I do the math I can only see the nice boat ending!(5) Those sorts of things are suitable for Rein, they are not suitable for me!

“Well because of that the organization thought that Master was a spy so they all went nuts. Since the Crown Prince leading the empire’s troops is also due to the princess’ request and they went even crazier looking for Master.

So, Master has no choice left but a lovers’ escape with me~ if you come now then oh my, a beauty like me as a service! A chance like this doesn’t come every day, Master!”

-Wow this is a pretty unni, but she called herself a beauty! Even though she is a beauty! But it’s still embawwa.s.sing!

“Good terms, but I never thought of you as anything but a disciple.”

“It’s alright. Because as much as Master doesn’t love me, I love Master even more. If you’re with me, you’ll come to love me in the end!”

Even if the other doesn’t love you, you can fill up that gap with your own love, what kind of logic is that!

-What logic. It’s the logic of these kids who’ll stab another woman if she so much as looks at you. Master can kiss your dreams of marriage goodbye! As if there’s anyone else who would accept owner who’s marked by a crazy b.i.t.c.h like… there is. Wut, that’s weird! It’s normal that there shouldn’t, but there is! And they’re all girls like her! And there isn’t just one of them either!

Even as the invincible metal bat was horrified Sia kept drawing ever nearer to me.

“Now, it’s finally time for just the two of us alone. Now we leave together far far away with me! Then the princess or whatever won’t come looking for us! I’ve already finished talking with the emperor too! So all you have to do now is leave together with me!”

Even if you say it so confidently, I’m not going!