Chapter 46

I swapped out my usual maid outfit for the cozy nightwear that wrapped me up like a burrito. It was a blessing that my chest was on the smaller side; if I’d had a bust like the Princess or Lilian, it would have been pretty embarrassing. Compared to my modest front, those two had some serious curves.

Especially the Princess—her assets were so prominent that even noble ladies attacking her would call it ‘vulgar.’ Men’s eyes were inevitably drawn to her. If she wore nightwear, she’d be the center of attention for sure. Not that this would ever happen to me.

Should I be happy or sad about this? I guess I didn’t pay much mind to my chest size since I had a decent sense of self-esteem as a man, but some people did think you should have a certain amount to be considered virtuous.

But really, why should I care when it’s not like anyone’s jabbing anything into me?

By the time I changed clothes and stepped outside, it was practically evening. The sun was dipping below the horizon, and although it wasn’t quite night yet, I could see it was slowly hiding away. I could have taken my time, but I wanted to deal with things quickly, so I started searching for Charles Garington while keeping my presence low.

It was finally time to get my revenge for that slap. With that thought, I began checking my gear. The Tarakan Free City had heavy security. While crime wasn’t non-existent, criminals were quickly apprehended and handed over to the courts by the local militia.

To be fair, “militia” was just a fancy term; the militia in Tarakan Free City had the organization of a mafia. The only difference was that they operated with the city’s consent. They sold drugs to nobles, facilitated prostitution, and encouraged gambling.

That was how things ran in Tarakan Free City—bleeding the rich and elite dry to fund city security and fill the militia’s pockets. This allowed both the legal and illegal sides to thrive. In the open, there were casinos and amusement parks, with the biggest one being the Atarakan Theme Park, while in the dark, you’d find gambling dens, underground fighting arenas, and brothels running rampant.

While such activities would be criminal in the Empire and frowned upon socially, the militia claimed it was unfair they were being judged since they were only doing what customers wanted. Of course, they had a point, but it was just their excuse to line their own pockets.

Though the Empire wielded great influence, unlike Elbius Free City, Tarakan Free City was hardly interfered with. Most people who came to Tarakan Free City were from the Empire, but that didn’t mean they were under its thumb.

Anyone entering the Tarakan Free City, regardless of nationality, were customers. Most of the visitors were nobles accustomed to luxury and indulgence. With their moral decay and selfishness, they embraced pleasure without resistance, and the money they paid fattened the militia and the city itself.

Before setting off, I heard from the Princess that Charles Garington seemed to be headed to an underground gambling den operated by the militia. While most students would opt for the theme park or a casino, the more radical members, including Charles, had likely gone for the underground gambling dens and fighting arenas.

The underground gambling dens had even tighter militia surveillance. If I was caught looking suspicious there, I’d be out of luck. I wasn’t lacking in strength, but then again, unless you were some legendary hero, you couldn’t fight the odds of numbers.

‘Found him.’

As I wandered around buildings that seemed like underground gambling dens, I spotted a familiar face. Charles was flanked by a few militia members and some radicals from his circle. I guess as a “VIP,” he needed more security.

His cheerful expression, likely from winning some money, was irritating. I was determined to turn that grin into tears. I stealthily followed behind Charles. The plan was to strike before they left the alley—we had to act quickly even though it was getting darker, the streets were still crowded.

The alleys were just as busy, but if I strayed into a quieter spot, it’d be a different story. Following Charles, I noticed them veer down a secluded alley. As I trailed behind, the militia tightened their defenses.

“Hey, are you being overly cautious?” I overheard one of them.

“…Accidents happen frequently in these alleys.”

“Who would dare touch Charles Garington, son of Gerrick Garington? Not to mention he’s now backed by the House of Portus.”

What a simpleton. Completely unaware that he was being led into a trap, his clueless laughter made me a little impatient as I chose that moment to drop down right in front of them. Landing smoothly, I checked the twin swords hanging at my waist and glanced at Charles.

“Wait a minute, Sir. There’s a suspicious person ahead.”

The militia blocked Charles’s path as soon as I appeared. While their focus was on protecting him, they were professional enough to know how to trap a criminal.

“Where did you come from?”

Without answering, I drew my twin swords. The menacing glints reflected in the eyes of the militia members as tension filled the air. Each of them pulled out their weapons and slowly advanced on me. One step, two steps, three steps…

Now! The front man stepped into my range, and I swung the back of my blade at him. Whack! The sound echoed as he crumpled to the ground, and very soon, the militia members charged at me.

There’s a saying that one should have their back against a wall when outnumbered, but I darted through their ranks to counterattack. With every flick of my swords, a militia member went down. As the ease faded from Charles and his gang’s expressions, it quickly became clear when there were only three militia members left.

“W-what’s happening?! We can’t handle a single attacker!”

“My apologies!”

A woman, who I thought was just one of Charles’s radical friends, stepped forward. She had a sharp aura that seemed too fierce to belong to a mere militia member.

“Step aside. I’ll handle this.”

“…Yes.”

The militia man handed her a great sword, and she hoisted it over her shoulder, quietly observing me. After sizing me up, she let out a small laugh.

“A woman? So you’re not a knight.”

“…!”

If it’s hard to tell who I am, it’s easy to see that’s a lie. Just because my chest is lean doesn’t mean I lack curves. The fact that she figured out I wasn’t a knight left me baffled. But since I needed to teach Charles a lesson more than I needed answers, I lifted my sword in a stance.

As she slowly approached, she halted mid-step. Then, she swung her great sword. Up until now, the militia had rushed in like moths to a flame, so I was slightly caught off guard when the sword came cutting through the air.

Though I managed to dodge, the great sword was already in position to strike. To turn the situation in my favor, I either needed to close the distance or deflect it. The former was risky, and the latter was a gamble I couldn’t take without knowing my opponent’s capabilities.

Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t dream of rolling the dice, but decisive action is needed in battle. So, I dodged again. It was relatively easy since the weapon was heavy, but I was feeling more and more pressure from the wind created by its swings.

“Hah-!”

During the back-and-forth, the woman advanced a half-step, clearly fatigued. Seizing the moment, I struck at the edge of her great sword.

Clang-!

My twin swords collided with her great sword, pushing her weight back just enough. I didn’t miss the chance to kick her in the gut. Ugh-! A gasp escaped her as she swung her sword again. Despite being winded, she managed to maintain her grip on the weapon; she must have trained well.

But I had the upper hand now. I easily dodged the great sword and struck the back of her neck with the blunt side of my sword.

“Ugh-!”

With that, she sank into unconsciousness. I glanced at Charles, whose face had turned ghostly pale by then.

“Wow, wow! Protect me! Someone, protect me!”

The remaining militia members slowly moved to shield Charles, but I completely took them down before striding towards Charles himself. The other members had all fled, realizing I was targeting him.

“Touch me, and you won’t have a happy ending! I am the son of the national hero, Sir Garington, and I’m backed by the House of Portus!”

“…”

Without a word, I approached him, grabbing both of his arms and snapping them in one smooth motion.

“Argh! Nooo-!”

Well, I originally intended to break both his arms and legs, but I’ll let the legs slide. Frankly, breaking his limbs over a slap would be a bit excessive.

“Y-you! What do you think you’re doing?! I will become the head of the House of Portus one day!”

“What nonsense are you spouting?”

I couldn’t just let that absurd qoute slide; my interest piqued, I finally spoke up. He went wild, flailing his broken arms.

“Ugh, I see, you’re interested in me, the daughter of the House of Portus!”

Madman. Has he lost his mind from the pain? While I contemplated, I seized hold of his legs.

“W-wait! Wh-what are you planning to do?!”

Honestly, if he kept his mouth shut, I wouldn’t have gone this far. But since he insulted my master, he’d have to pay the price. I quickly snapped both his legs in half. That would probably heal in a few months if he received proper care. As his bones broke, tears streamed down Charles’s face as he wailed.

“Ahhh! You… this bitch! I swear, I will throw you into a whorehouse!”

With Charles’s desperate screams fading behind me, I exited the alleyway.