Chapter 116
Only after the noisy surroundings calmed down could I hear about what happened to the fox.
Irene explains the whole story of the incident with her arms folded.
Her hair that had burned with a deep red color had already returned to orange.
Perhaps it was because experience had accumulated over time.
Despite it being a situation surprising enough, the girl maintained her gaze without a trace of wavering.
It was an atmosphere where it felt like your throat would be torn out if you touched her wrongly.
This is a bit cool.
I, who had been waiting until the explanation ended, casually added a word when the fox finished speaking.
It was a mutter mixed with half praise and half teasing.
"That's unexpected."
"Why? Did you think I'd get kidnapped again?"
"Honestly, I hoped so. If it's the role of getting kidnapped, isn't that Miss Irene's specialty?"
"...Are you seeing me as too much of a troublesome character?"
"It means I cherish you that much."
"Hmm."
The girl made a strange expression.
I expected a prickly reaction at this point, but the fox was rather wearing a leisurely smile.
Her slightly parted lips said.
"Sorry, but I won't let it happen anymore."
"Hmm?"
"I heard such a story somewhere. They said heroines who become burdens to the protagonist aren't popular."
"That's correct, but... where did you hear such a story?"
"I read it in a book."
"If it's a book, it must be genre fiction. That side is certainly more fun."
"At first I was flustered by the too explicit descriptions... but later I got used to it and it seemed readable."
"...What kind of novel did you read exactly?"
"Secret."
The fox-eared girl pressed her index finger to her lips and whispered meaningfully.
It was truly a smile that seemed to enchant people.
'Is it a failure this time too.'
I quietly clicked my tongue.
Certainly until a few months ago there was a taste in teasing her, but recently there wasn't even a sign of her being scratched by pranks, so it was disappointing.
Rather, cases of her counterattacking were increasing.
Black eyes shining with a bewitching light.
Was she secretly making plans to eat her master?
She was truly an ungrateful fox.
"You've grown a lot."
"It's because I learned a lot from watching someone."
"That's not a good story either way."
I shook off the trivial chat that had been continuing.
Then I turned my head to the side.
Yellow hair shimmered at the end of my gaze.
It was the culprit who had attacked the fox a few hours ago.
"Hic, hiiiic..."
Kneeling on the hard floor with her hands raised above her head.
Was she reaching her limit in her arms and legs?
The girl's hands were gradually lowering following gravity, but when her eyes met mine, she startled and corrected her posture.
She was so surprised that even her sobs went down her throat.
The frail creature held her breath as if prostrating before a predator.
"Hick, eeeek..."
The girl's shoulders trembled like an aspen tree.
Tears falling like dew drops.
Judging by the situation, she was clearly in the position of the perpetrator, but her appearance made even strange sympathy arise.
The fox standing beside glanced sideways and asked.
"Why is she trembling like that?"
"She's pitiable somehow."
"Judging by her reaction, she seems to fear you, do you know each other?"
"Haha... you could say there's a bit of a story."
I glossed over it with a needless laugh.
It was because there were no words to turn.
Coincidentally, it was a familiar face.
I looked down intently at the small girl.
"...It's been a while."
I greeted not entirely pleasantly.
The identity of the girl kneeling before my eyes was none other than 'Injustice'.
She was one of the five negations serving the monarch.
We had met during the [Usurpation War] that shook the empire's underworld 3 years ago.
And that was in opposing positions.
'As expected, old faces are uncomfortable.'
It was a time when my personality was quite terrible.
Even the big shots who had a firm grip on the underworld at the time couldn't meet my eyes 30% of the time, and the remaining 70% who dared to meet my eyes had already found their graves.
Days that were fierce with terrible bloodshed.
It was a memory with too many wounds to package as reminiscence.
My brow furrowed involuntarily as I recalled it after a long time.
"Hic...!"
As if noticing that distortion, the girl's complexion turned pale white.
I wondered if she would faint again at this rate.
Wanting to avoid troublesome situations, I erased my killing intent and wore a smile on my lips like when dealing with young children.
I asked kindly.
"Shall we hear the story first?"
"......"
"You should explain the current situation well so it's understandable. As you know, I lack patience in places like this."
"Y-yes, yes...! I-I was wrong... No! I'll answer diligently!"
"Good."
I smiled slightly.
If it was before, I would have dealt with her without even talking, but now the war was over and my heart had room.
Moreover, because of her young appearance, I was reluctant to lay hands on her.
I just let out a quiet sigh.
Injustice rubbing her hands together obsequiously even amid that.
Irene laughed hollowly as if finding it absurd.
"Still, when we clashed she felt quite strong... Did I even bring out the flames against such a child?"
"Though she looks like this, she's known as a big shot in the underworld."
"Big shot...?"
"The rejuvenated appearance must be due to her unique constitution. Sometimes there are people who complain of various side effects because the interaction between mana and body isn't stable. In her case, it would be a symptom where the body's age temporarily regresses as accumulated mana is consumed."
"I did think she kept getting younger during the fight."
The fox nodded in understanding.
She seemed to stare indifferently at Injustice, then soon poked her side with her scabbard.
It was the appearance of a predator showing interest in something unfamiliar.
"By the way... how did you infiltrate the academy? It didn't feel like the security was lax."
"Because she has the ability to break through."
"Ability?"
"She's one of the few space magicians on the continent."
Space magician.
She was the possessor of an ability that barely reached a thousand people across the entire continent.
The fox asked as if remembering my answer.
"We have that on our side too, right?"
"That's right. We have Miss Lena."
Lena and Injustice.
Their abilities were similar in that they were space-based magic.
But there was a clear difference between them.
In Lena's case, it was the concept of [Portal] that tears two designated coordinates and creates a passage connecting that gap, while Injustice was closer to the concept of [Blink] that leaps to a place imagined in the mind.
Considering just basic utility, this side's ability was overwhelmingly superior.
While [Portal] could easily transfer hundreds of people, [Blink] could only move about a dozen people at most.
Of course, blink had its own strengths like fast casting speed, but...
So what.
Still, our person is the best.
"Huhu... to put it simply, our side is much more capable. The distance we can move is overwhelmingly longer too."
"You sound like a braggart."
"Well, I'm the one using her after all."
There's nothing wrong with having pride, right?
I lightly shrugged my shoulders.
Shaking off the chat that had gone off on a tangent, I now began interrogating Injustice in earnest.
Perhaps because the girl was terrified, she spilled everything smoothly.
"This is all I know, r-really...!"
Injustice reporting with her forehead pressed to the ground.
I, who had been quietly listening to the story, couldn't help but laugh hollowly.
"Ha... to sum it up, it's this."
She received orders from her master to bring me.
But she didn't have confidence to persuade me to come, and even less confidence to subdue me by force, so she tried to lure me by kidnapping someone around me.
However, such a plan failed due to the fox's strength that was stronger than expected.
Afterwards, she was caught helplessly.
"And now here we are."
"Th-that's right...!"
"I don't understand."
I frowned.
"What's your master's reason for looking for me?"
"I-I don't know that well either... He didn't add any particular instructions other than saying he had something to tell you directly..."
"Something to tell directly."
There wasn't particularly anything that came to mind.
That's because I hadn't interfered with that side since the war.
Except for the incident with Myeong during the recent field trip.
'Or.'
Had he finally gone senile?
If not that, the situation of provoking an opponent holding his lifeline like this couldn't be explained.
Was he acting recklessly because he was at death's door?
It seemed I would have to meet directly to know the detailed inside story.
"...I guess I'll have to go there."
Though it was sudden.
Still, if it was related to the monarch, it was better to handle it quickly.
It shouldn't reach the vice-commander's ears at headquarters.
'It would just complicate things needlessly.'
It seemed I should deal with it quickly.
I turned to the fox behind me with a faint sigh.
"Miss Irene?"
"Yeah."
"It seems I'll have to be away for a while."
"...Can't I come along?"
The fox grabbed my sleeve.
Perhaps because there had already been a similar incident before, this time she seemed to feel left out.
Only the golden-haired boy was fully reflected in her black eyes.
"I've gotten much stronger too... am I still not enough for you to rely on?"
"Oh my."
The girl's eyes were shaking.
Anxiety about not being helpful.
At the same time, disappointment at not being able to prove her usefulness to the other person.
I couldn't easily open my mouth.
'This is troublesome.'
It wasn't that I was evaluating Irene lowly.
It was just that this destination was a place with memories, or should I say... it felt like my old personality would come out in various ways, so I didn't want to show a rough appearance to precious people needlessly.
If you're human, you live carrying at least one indelible shame.
I stroked the fox's head.
"Just this once, please."
"......"
"Instead, let's do this. When I return, I'll tell you one story about me. About the past I always avoided talking about."
"Didn't you not want to talk about it...?"
"We're not really in a relationship to hide things anymore. You can think of it as a sign of trust."
"You're being petty."
A breath flowing by.
Soon the silent girl held out her finger as if making a promise.
"...It's a promise."
"It won't take as long as last time."
"Make sure to keep that word."
"Huhu, of course."
I gently took a step.
As I approached Injustice stuck in the corner, suddenly a faint voice brushed past my ear.
It was words of worry.
"Don't get hurt."
"I'll try my best."
I answered with a brief smile.
Afterwards.
I spoke to the girl kneeling at my feet.
It was a cooler voice that had sunk further.
"Guide me."
"Y-yes...?"
"Didn't you say your master called? I'll go along moderately this time."
"Ah... yes! I'll guide you right away!"
As if afraid I might change my words.
She hurriedly stood up and deployed mana around.
She carefully held out her hand towards me.
When I took that hand trembling with tension, yellow mana then enveloped the two people.
The girl's lips moved amid the rushing light streams.
"Blink."
-Crack!
My vision blinked with a light bursting sound.
And the next moment.
"W-we've arrived...!"
When I opened my eyes again.
I was standing in a city covered in terrible darkness.
I muttered at the memories needlessly arising.
"It's been a while here too."
Kingdom.
The largest underground city existing in the empire.
A space that had claimed to be the center of the underworld from before, and a den of evil where numerous criminal organizations were spread.
We were standing on the monarch's land.