Druruk
“Ah! You’re back?”
“Yeah, just like you said, that guy had a pact with a demon. As expected, we couldn’t get any useful information from the demon side.”
When I returned to the inn room I’d arranged earlier, Lindy, who was still awake despite the late hour, greeted me.
We typically communicate via telecommunication devices, but sometimes, like today, I visit in person when necessary.
After that incident, Lindy began assisting me.
Since I didn’t have the means to pay her, I declined her offer at first, but surprisingly, she said it was an investment and effectively ended up doing pro bono work.
As we worked together, I was surprised by how much more capable she was than I’d initially thought.
In a short time, she traveled extensively, managed to gather independent information brokers who weren’t part of any information guild, and became their leader. Now, thanks to her efforts, I can identify assassination targets like today and receive relevant information to carry out the missions.
She’s now one of the few trusted aides I have.
Since I confirmed she was still awake, there was no need to postpone my report until tomorrow, so I briefly related the events from my visit to the Viscount’s mansion.
“So, because Rose got involved, I had to change the plan slightly. When I report to the Emperor later, you can mention her for some compensation as a gesture of gratitude.”
Originally, the plan was to quietly take care of the target without anyone noticing, but Rose ended up discovering my identity, which was unexpected.
Moreover, it’s possible I left a potentially traumatic memory with her.
Still, the Viscount’s assets will be confiscated anyway, and using a small part of them with some personal sentiment attached shouldn’t cause any significant problems. Besides, from an objective standpoint, her actions were courageous and deserving of a reward.
Of course, from a purely outcome-based perspective, her intervention was meaningless, but who in this world judges everything purely by results? After all, in an ideal world, evil people are punished, and good people are rewarded.
“…Another one has fallen prey to the demon’s influence.”
“So, what you’re saying is, I saved someone who fell victim to it, right?”
Lindy made an odd comment, seemingly ignoring the main point of my speech. There was nothing I could do but clarify her misunderstanding by explaining once again, albeit briefly.
“Do you, by any chance, remember all the people you’ve saved?”
“Hmm… While I’ve ended up saving quite a few people who were dragged into situations because of me, it’s not like I’ve forgotten every single one of them, you know? Despite appearances, I was a scholarship recipient at Griffin Academy, proving how intelligent I am.”
Since we’ve grown closer, Lindy has recently started making comments that seem to belittle me.
It’s annoying, but let me brag a little here to restore my dignity, even if it’s embarrassing. After all, what I’m saying isn’t untrue, so as long as I can endure the embarrassment, I have nothing to be ashamed of.
“Do you also remember that most of those people you saved were women?”
“Guess so?”
It seems that most of the corrupt nobles I deal with are particularly fond of women. Moreover, it’s a bit awkward to admit, but I happen to have an exceptionally beautiful woman’s body.
Because of this, my method of assassination usually involves using my feminine appearance to infiltrate the target’s premises, as I did today.
However, this often leads to women in similar predicaments getting unnecessarily involved, and as a result, there have been very few cases where I’ve saved men.
It’s not that I’m intentionally discriminating based on gender for personal reasons; it’s simply the unfortunate circumstances I’m forced to work in.
“Do you remember their final expressions?”
“Hmm… Most of them expressed gratitude, if I recall correctly?”
Maybe they just said nice things out of fear that I might harm them in some way. Nevertheless, I can’t remember anyone openly showing enmity to me in person.
For instance, Rose, whom I met today, expressed gratitude and invited me to visit her sometime.
“Huh… How did a monster like you come into existence…? If we don’t kill the Demon King soon, you’ll end up producing victims all across the continent.”
“Wow, you’re surprisingly enthusiastic about defeating the Demon King. Well, that’s what someone who assists a Hero should be, right?”
I praised her enthusiastic attitude and patted her on the back. After all, doesn’t praise make even trolls dance? Lindy, a competent Elf, wouldn’t just dance but could probably perform some tricks as well.
Speaking of which, Lindy may run a general store in the underworld, but she’s far from a foolish Elf. She knows how to judge situations well, and after getting to know her better, I learned that she’s actually quite generous and often performs good deeds.
“Hmph, what am I even talking about? We need to prepare for our next city tomorrow, so let’s get some sleep.”
Lindy extinguished the room’s lights without further explanation, even though she seemed discontented with something.
I’ve already washed up once at the Viscount’s estate, and since there was no blood or sweat involved in the assassination anyway, I figured sleeping as is for just one night wouldn’t be an issue.
Still, Lindy has really changed quite a bit.
Ever since she found out my true identity and started helping me, even her pervy tendencies, like hitting on unknown women, have disappeared for the most part—not out of personal restraint but due to her increasingly busy schedule. Nonetheless, the results speak for themselves.
Still,
Thud!
“What are you doing sneaking into my bed like that? Go to your own bed and sleep properly!”
The problem is that, without fail, every time I forget, she covertly tries to pull pranks on me.
Probably because she’s pent up all her desires while making time to meet me.
Being around someone like me who is technically male on the inside but appears female might have sparked her hope that I might indulge her, and thus she’s pushing the boundaries.
Of course, while I do appreciate women and admit Lindy is a beautiful Elf, the idea of it is completely absurd.
Unlike Lindy, I am not a pervert consumed by lust. Humans, after all, are rational beings. That said, I didn’t mean to call Lindy an animal… unless her perversion makes her one?
“Hiiing… It’s so dark with the lights off. Mistakes like this shouldn’t get kicked, especially when the person hasn’t seen you in a while. Even El would find this too much!”
“My name is Alicia, not El.”
I corrected her. El was a nickname given to me by old friends in the past.
But I no longer have the luxury of calling or being called by that name because I no longer have the right to associate with my friends after betraying them. There are still boundaries we should maintain, no matter how close we get.
“And you, who supposedly sees everything so clearly, are pretending not to, aren’t you?”
Her keen eyes could see through even the darkness as if it were nothing. Her claim, therefore, was entirely false.
Finding her excuses infuriating despite knowing full well she’d get caught, I delivered a strong kick to Lindy’s hindquarters again and ejected her off the bed.
“Yikes! You’ll pay for treating a lady’s behind so rudely! I’m already engaged, you know! You’ll have to take responsibility now!”
“Ah, ah. Got it, now kindly go to sleep.”
I turned on my side, ignoring her, and waved my hand dismissively in her direction. Even without looking back, I knew her lips would be sticking out. If I didn’t do something like this, she’d cling to me all night.
Or, judging by her silence, maybe she liked being kicked and is already enjoying it. A perverted lesbian like Lindy would act like that.
“Good night, Senior.”
“There’s no senior here. It’s Alicia.”
The person dangling from the ceiling who got hit by the pillow I threw upward was none other than Luna.
Just like I was assigned to assassinate Selian in the past, Luna was one of the assassins sent to assassinate me, the Hero.
Although she was meant to kill me, since her circumstances seemed eerily similar to mine, I kept pushing the matter aside, and over time, I grew attached to her.
Given how similar our situations are, I even tried fishing to see if she was a male who underwent the TS magic like me, but she wasn’t. After all, how many mages capable of TS magic even exist?
She’s currently bound by a master-slave mark to the assassin’s guild, just as I once was.
I wanted to raid her assassin’s guild, the same way I dealt with Selian’s, but due to the master-slave mark, she was unable to reveal the location of their hideout, forcing me to let it be for now.
Anyway, I pose no danger to her, and vice versa.
Instead, we made an agreement: she could try to kill me anytime, but I’d only give her one chance a day. In truth, this agreement heavily favors her since most assassins would be dead nine times out of ten after a single failed attempt.
Due to the master-slave mark’s commands, she has no choice but to aim for my life, so this was an offer she eagerly accepted.
“Anyway, since you don’t have money for a place to stay and probably no other options, you can sleep in here to avoid being homeless.”
“What?! Are you calling me a beggar?”
Luna got upset at my words, but it’s the truth.
“Then do you want me to not offer you a place to sleep?”
“Ah! Goodnight, Senior!”
As soon as I said that, instead of leaving, Luna swiftly snuggled into my bed under the covers.
What a curious girl. Knowing that I was once an assassin, she addresses me as “Senior” and acts childishly even though there’s only a two-year gap between us.
It’s likely that, after failing to assassinate me for over a year and receiving poor support from her organization due to being perceived as incompetent, she has grown dependent on me.
I’ve let her stay in my room sometimes and offered her meals when she had none. Occasionally, while I was scouting for demons and sleeping rough, she even cooked for me.
Although cooking is troublesome, when I consider how deliciously she devours every last bit of the meal—even the portions intended for Lindy, who pretends to have no appetite while I’m cooking—it’s worth the effort. This must be what it’s like to be… not a mother, but a father.
So naturally, it’s only appropriate that I feed her and let her sleep here.
“…Why do you chase me out and let her sleep in your bed?”
Lindy finally asked me, after staying silent for a while. She probably feels dissatisfied because she was kicked out of my bed but is seeing Luna remain undisturbed.
Of course, I’m no pervert, so I’m not placing Luna in my bed due to personal desires.
“Would you rather I have this young girl sleep in your bed? Go away.”
If I sent Luna to Lindy’s bed, knowing Lindy’s tendencies, who knows what could happen? Even though Lindy has shown restraint since that incident, I see no need to take unnecessary risks. It’s safer just to let Luna sleep in my bed.
Besides, Luna’s skills aren’t yet anywhere near threatening me, even in my sleep.
“How about if I sleep with you and let Luna have her own bed…”
“Hmph! So Senior wants to sleep with me, huh? Right, Senior?”
“…Anyway, this kid needs to grow up.”
“Be-e-”
Lindy sticks her tongue out at Luna from her bed. All three of us have good enough night vision to see this clearly.
I don’t recall being as childish as Luna was when I was her age. Maybe someday, I should teach her a bit about proper etiquette.
With those two still squabbling, I drifted off to sleep alone.
