Chapter 26
Kadin, the Mercenary who had occupied the Organization, sat facing Preston.
“Figurehead, when on Earth is your boss coming?”
Preston looked troubled.
“Even if you rush it, people who are going to Be Late will Be Late. We don’t even know when she’s coming in the first place.”
“A proper Figurehead, I see.”
“No, it’s my Organization.”
Preston felt incredibly wronged.
“Figureheads all say that. No need to feel so wronged. It’s the truth.”
“No…”
Preston felt even more wronged.
A presence was felt outside the room.
Kadin’s eyes changed.
Is she here.
He grabbed his sword and left the room.
A Blood-stained space was revealed. The corpses had been cleared away, but the traces of the bodies remained un-erased, leaving a Red Stain.
A pink-toned Girl with a Stern Face looked at the traces of the corpses. Then, as if retracing the Remnants of the battle, she looked around before turning her head toward Kadin.
Cold eyes glared at him.
“You are a rude person.”
It was a Cold Voice.
Is this the Girl who committed a Massacre of thirty people. An aura fitting of that notorious reputation. I came to the right place.
Kadin’s smile deepened. He placed a hand on his chest and bowed his head lightly.
“I am called Kadin. I am working as a Mercenary to Build experience, though my skills Lack. I am curious about the Young Lady’s name.”
“I have no name to give to a Ruffian.”
“That’s a shame.”
Kadin gripped his one-handed sword.
Pastel could not Hold back her anger.
What was with this Peaceful attitude after killing people.
The people you killed were those who were kind to me. They were people who went through the trouble of helping a visiting Girl instead of Kidnapping her.
Heat swirled and excitement wrapped around her body. Her breathing became ragged.
『Do not be swept away by your emotions. A narrow field of vision creates unnecessary openings. Heavy Breathing even disrupts the flow of battle.』
I know.
The heat was coldly suppressed.
She faced her Opponent directly.
『It’s not at the level of a Rapier, but it’s a thin and long longsword. Is it Smallsword Fencing. He’s holding the sword with some fingers hooked over the Crossguard. It’s a grip meant for a Thrust. Watch out for a Surprise Thrust.』
Kadin extended his one-handed sword far forward in a Guard. With a sword longer than the Magic sword and his arm extended straight, it stretched out sharply like a spear.
『Unlike you, who values Approach and uses Close-quarters Swordplay, he is displaying a Defensive Strategy that values the gap in distance. He is waiting for you to come in first.』
She caught her breath.
『Even if he isn’t Semi-Knight Level, his Swordsmanship will be light and fast. Be careful.』
Pastel took a Stance and aimed her sword.
Kadin twitched the tip of his sword as if telling her to come in. It was an attitude of confidently defending with Defensive Swordplay.
Pastel’s lips twisted.
“Doesn’t just waiting for your Opponent to come make you look like a Coward?”
A total Coward.
Kadin chuckled.
“The Young Lady is not very good at Provocation. Have you lived a docile life? I don’t know if you can use a sword well like that. It’s a Pity for the dead if their boss’s Skill is only this much.”
The tip of his sword pointed at the traces of the corpses.
Pastel’s brow furrowed.
“I have enough Skill to get rid of a Ruffian!”
She kicked off the Ground. Strong leg power struck the Ground. A noise rang out. The distance closed explosively.
She swung the Magic sword.
Kadin stepped back.
As he did, he moved his longsword lightly. The longsword, drawing an elegant path, touched the Magic sword’s Sword Path. A shock arose. The path twisted, and the Sword Strike missed.
A clean Parry.
An opening was revealed on the Girl whose Attack had failed.
At this moment, the offensive was reversed. Following the logic of defensive Swordsmanship, a Counterattack would follow, and the Girl would fall.
However, Kadin, who had actually created this result, could not Attack. The Sword Strike was Heavy. At the moment of impact, the longsword could not handle it and shook. The shock traveled straight through and struck his body.
What kind of muscle strength…!
What he had deflected was Clearly a longsword, but the aftermath felt like he had forcefully deflected a greatsword. Let alone a Counterattack, he had to fix his Posture.
It was not a power that could be produced by the Frail Body of a Girl. It was a might with a World of Difference from her Appearance.
A subsequent Sword Strike flew in.
Kadin moved, erasing his bewilderment. He widened the distance with Refined Footwork and placed his longsword in the Sword Path. He Carefully aimed for the tip of the descending blade.
According to the Lever Principle, the power of a Sword Strike greatly decreases toward the tip of the sword. A strong Sword Strike could be Easily Countered by deflecting the tip of the blade. Smallsword Fencing, which values distance, was strong in such Refined Counters and Counterattacks.
Kadin attempted a Parry with expert Skill. The longsword clashed with the tip of the blade. A shock arose.
A shock sweeping through his body.
Kadin gasped. His Posture faltered. Let alone a Counterattack, he had to recover from the shock.
He had to admit it. His Opponent wasn’t swinging a longsword. She was swinging Heavy equipment like a greatsword.
The Girl, realizing her Superiority in Strength, made her eyes shine. The blade flashed. A Chain Sword Strike unique to two-handed swords stormed in. The Sword Path covered his vision.
It wasn’t something he could deflect.
If so, he just had to let it flow past.
He had experienced this level of disadvantage countless times.
Kadin stepped back, taking a Diagonal Step. He placed his sword in the Sword Path.
As if pushing it away without clashing.
A distinctly smaller shock arose. Sparks flew. The Sword Path twisted slightly and grazed Kadin by a small margin.
Kadin’s longsword moved quickly. Small shocks arose in Succession. Noise rang out and sparks flew.
The storming Sword Strikes underwent Adjustment one by one.
3rd, 7th, 14th, 23rd.
Every Sword Path twisted and cleaved the air.
The surprised Girl’s Eyes Widened.
To be surprised by this, she Lacks experience.
Kadin dug into her Emotional Opening. He changed his Defensive Stance in a surprise move. The blade flashed. A fast Thrust aimed at the Girl.
The Girl hastily twisted her body. The blade shallowly grazed her shoulder. Drops of blood splattered. The Girl’s Blank Gaze watched the flying drops of blood.
I won.
A broken offensive and the ensuing Counterattack.
The Girl Lacks the experience to calmly overcome this Turn of the Tide. The Fear of Death will dominate her mind.
At the point where consciousness collapses and the unconscious rises, the only thing a Swordsman will experience is defeat.
Kadin Thrust his sword again.
In that moment, her Pink Eyes grew hazy. She looked at the thrusting blade, then met Kadin’s eyes.
A fierce murderous intent stormed out. His blood ran cold and his skin prickled.
A distinct Change.
Kadin could not Hide his surprise.
Don’t tell me she hasn’t harbored murderous intent until now…
The Girl formed a crooked smile. The Magic sword slipped from her hand. The blade Thrust forward, and the Girl’s arms were raised.
As if aiming for the blade, her arms crossed with all her might. A shock arose. The thin blade twisted, and the Sound of Breaking rang out. Silver Shards scattered in the air.
Kadin stared blankly at the flying shards.
What, what is this…
The Girl’s hand reached out. His nape was grabbed and his leg was kicked. His body floated into the air.
In an instant, Kadin was slammed into the Ground. A shock arose. Blood spurted from his mouth.
Pastel lunged at her fallen Opponent. She mounted him and swung her fists. The sound of striking rang out in Succession.
The sound of his blocking arms twisting could be heard. His face was left open, and Punching smashed into it. Along with a Scream, blood splattered.
From somewhere, a Calm Voice was heard.
『You can stop now.』
Pastel paused. She finished throwing the fist she was already swinging, striking his face, and shook her head.
A sensation like waking from sleep came over her.
『You won.』
“Huh? What?”
With a dazed mind, she looked down at her Opponent. Kadin looked up with a face full of busted lips. His arms were twisted from blocking the Punching, and blood flowed from his mouth.
With a mind intoxicated by hormones, she recalled her impression.
Huh.
He’s alive.
Pastel Staggered to her feet and picked up the Magic sword from the floor. She held it in a Reverse Grip and lifted it.
『You don’t have To Force yourself To Kill him.』
“Huh? Why?”
Pastel tilted her head with hazy eyes. As she did, she plunged the blade down.
“Gah!”
Kadin hastily rolled away, and it stabbed into the Ground.
Huh.
I missed.
『He had no murderous intent. This guy’s goal seems to be a duel, not a life-or-death Struggle. Even if you had lost, he would have spared you. Of course, failing at Strength Control and cutting a kid’s shoulder did Cross the line.』
The Demon paused. He seemed to be examining Pastel’s cut hem and slightly sliced shoulder.
『Hmm, I see. Just kill him. He’s a bastard who deserves to die.』
Aha.
Pastel pulled the sword from the Ground. She stepped on Kadin and raised the sword. Eyes mixed with terror looked up at her.
Byeee.
She tried to plunge it down properly.
Straight ahead, Preston could be seen. Preston, who had come Running with a gun, stared blankly.
They made eye contact for a moment. Preston slowly averted his Gaze.
“P-please, Continue what you were doing.”
It was a trembling voice.
Pastel gasped.
Wow, it’s the boss.
The real boss.
She cheered.
“Boss! Boss! I’m here! I brought the Smuggled Goods! There’s no commission fee, right?”
Oh yeah, 0% commission.
Pastel is going to be a Rich Person from now on.
A Rich Person.
#
A while later, after receiving Treatment for the shallow cut on her shoulder, Pastel was dumbfounded.
“You just wanted a duel?”
Kadin, with a swollen face and bandages wrapped around both arms, began his excuse.
Because his lips were all busted, his pronunciation was slurred and hard To Understand, but she could tell what he was saying.
A Hostile Minor Organization had unreasonably pulled together money and connections to hire Kadin. It was a matter he would normally refuse, but Kadin accepted after Hearing the story of the Girl who committed a Massacre of thirty people.
Since it was an unreasonable hiring, whether to go through with it or not was entirely As One Pleases for Kadin.
So he just peacefully visited Preston's Organization As One Pleases, and then waited for Pastel As One Pleases.
“I was curious about your Skill. I didn’t intend To Kill a young talent. I just used Provocation because I wanted to see your full power.”
No.
Pastel was dumbfounded once again.
“A Peaceful visit? People died, so what’s Peaceful about it?”
Kadin Flinched and stopped talking.
Silence flowed.
Preston, who had been listening quietly, looked troubled.
“Isn’t that Peaceful enough…?”
“Huh?”
“Even though he engaged in a Use of Force and killed some Organization members, he didn’t commit unnecessary killing. Of course, it was very Dangerous because there was a high chance his attitude would Suddenly Change after fighting you, but for the time being, it was Peaceful.”
What kind of nonsense is this?
I can’t relate at all.
“Wasn’t that Use of Force unnecessary? People died! If you want a duel, you can just ask politely! Don’t you know what politely means?! Politely and peacefully!”
At her obvious words, gazes looking at a naive Girl returned to her.
No.
『Young Craft, Think about it. Where is this place?』
A 0% commission client?
『It’s a Criminal Organization. A dirty Criminal Organization. How do you peacefully visit a Criminal Organization.』
But the people here are super nice.
『A Use of Force is almost essential when visiting a Criminal Organization. Otherwise, they’ll shoot you with a smile. You have to make them experience the Risk in advance so they wouldn’t dare do that, making it safe.』
Huh?
The Cold Reality?
Preston calmly spoke to Kadin.
“Since you lost anyway, why don’t you come over to our side? We’ll take care of smoothing over your contract while you’re recuperating.”
Kadin also calmly conversed back.
“I don’t need money. However, I would like To Watch your boss’s future.”
“No, I’m telling you it’s my Organization.”
“Figureheads always say that.”
“No.”
Seeing them exchange banter like a comedy duo, Pastel was completely dumbfounded.
Am I the only weird one?
She jumped up from the sofa. Gazes gathered on her.
“Forget it! I’m going to pay my respects to the deceased! People I even exchanged Greetings with last time died, so I can’t just sit still!”
Saying that, Pastel flailed her arms.
“You Cold-blooded Persons! Owners of cold blood! So cold! So cold! Ah, so cold!”
Preston calmly corrected her.
“Ah, it was a Newcomer who died, so they’re all kids the Young Lady doesn’t know. Considering the position of the Bereaved Family, it would be better for the Young Lady not to visit.”
Pastel was left speechless. She started To Waver/Hesitate over whether to go pay her respects or not, before she couldn’t Hold back her emotions and shouted.
“Anyway!”
She ran out of the room.
It’s a completely weird World.
I’m the only Alice who fell down the rabbit hole.
And this is Wonderland.
『Are you going to pay your respects?』
Pastel pondered for a moment.
“No. Like the boss said, it seems like it would be a nuisance to the Bereaved Family, so it’s right not to go. I’ll just pray for their souls personally.”
『You thought well.』
The Demon smiled faintly.
『Do not Consider them too Strange. They have merely adapted to a Rough World. They have lived lives too exhausting to agonize greatly over every single death.』
She nodded roughly.
『If relating to them is difficult, try Empathy. You also do Smuggling to survive, don’t you? While saying Strange things like Smuggling is good and Righteous. It is similar to that.』
“Huh?”
Pastel’s Eyes Widened.
“Lord Demon! Lord Demon! Smuggling is a good deed! It’s sending necessary goods to desperate people!”
Lord Demon, really.
“What do you mean Strange! What’s wrong with sending necessary goods to desperate people! You’re wrong about this, Lord Demon! When the Professor comes, I’ll talk to him about it again! Just Wait and see who’s right!”
She stuck out her tongue.
Bleh.
The Demon was left speechless.
『No…』