My Disciples Think I’m Strong – Chapter 142

“……Who sent it? Could it be that there’s a mole within our organization?”

“No.”

“Then who did you instruct to spy on our movements?”

“No.”

“Then how did you find out about it!!”

My curt response seemed to aggravate them, as they let out a frustrated shout. A short-tempered friend, indeed.

“I don’t engage in such sloppy tactics. If I were unhappy, I would’ve just wiped everything out. And you should lower your voice.”

I placed my finger on my lips and spoke.

“I’m somewhat well-known among the nobility. I’m sure there are those shadowing me, especially in a slum like this, it would be much easier to keep an eye on me.”

“Well-known among the nobility…?”

A brief silence followed the mention of nobility, after which a cracking sound echoed from the darkness.

“Who are you? If you don’t tell me, I’ll kill you!”

“……Revealing personal information in a slum isn’t exactly a wise choice for you, is it?”

“Ha! So you’re refusing to answer!!”

“Hey, wait—!”

With a loud bang, a bear’s paw emerged from the darkness. As expected, I couldn’t react in time. However—

Clang!

Iris’s sword intercepted the giant bear’s claw.

“Stop! I don’t wish to fight against my fellow beastmen!”

“No, we must eliminate them! They know too much!”

“Though my mentor may come off as rough, they’re not someone who would propose harming other races! Please trust us!”

Iris shouted desperately. But it seemed the bear beastman had no intention of listening, as they enlarged their paw further, attempting to squash Iris.

But they chose the wrong opponent.

Iris, who can block even Peremus’s attacks, would never falter against a single beastman in this slum.

Clang!

The bear beastman’s claw clashed against Iris’s sword. However, this time, Iris didn’t just block but pushed back against the paw.

“Listen! If you don’t, I might have to chop off one of your arms!”

Iris pointed the tip of her sword at the bear beastman, then aimed it into the shadows.

“You over there, I suggest you heed my warning as well. It seems you’re planning to send your feathers this way. If a fight starts, I won’t hold back.”

Fortunately, Iris seemed to have a good view of the figure in the darkness. I felt a delightful sense of relief seeing her firmly draw the line.

“……Why are you, a beastman, siding with humans? You clearly know what they’ve done to us!”

It was a reaction filled with disbelief at defending humans who slaughtered their own kin and took away their homes.

“Because that’s not my mentor.”

Iris lowered her sword and spoke.

“What?”

“My mentor accepted me as I am, even when I was just a useless slave. If it weren’t for my mentor, I would’ve been dead by now.”

“So… you follow them just because they saved your life?”

“I’ve never followed someone just because they saved my life, not even once.”

Iris calmly retorted against the bear beastman. Her voice was resolute.

“I trust my mentor because the path they walk is always the right one.”

“!”

This time, I was the one taken aback.

Is that so? The reason Iris follows without question was for that reason?

Had she veered even slightly off course, I might have strained my relationship with the hero she was.

“My mentor’s words may be rough and indifferent, but they’re kinder than anyone else. They possess the might to topple an empire and yet strive alongside Duke Tori Aus to point out and rectify the empire’s wrongdoings. There’s no way someone like that would come all the way here to propose harming other races—!”

“Enough.”

I interrupted Iris, whose speaking was dragging on longer than necessary. While it was nice of her to provide words that could win the other’s trust, it also revealed too much about us. It was far easier to lead the pace in this situation while suppressing our own information while prying off the enemy’s.

Well, I already remembered most of the enemy’s information. This is why I had to take proper notes.

“But Mentor! It’s frustrating! They can’t see how hard you’re trying!”

“I’m not doing this to gain recognition from everyone.”

I’m doing it to survive.

“Still…!”

“Still, I’m grateful that you recognize my efforts, Iris.”

I forced my stiff facial muscles to move and raised the corners of my mouth. I hoped it at least looked somewhat like a smile. It was of little consequence, but still.

Iris, who had been glancing up at me with a dissatisfied expression, widened her eyes. She blinked at me in astonishment.

“Mentor… You can smile?!”

“Why? Am I not allowed to smile?”

I tousled her hair playfully. She responded with, “Auw! That’s not what I meant…!” while grabbing my hand, but without any strength behind it.

“……Did you just say Duke Tori Aus?”

The bear beastman asked. Do they know about Tori Aus?

“Yes, I did.”

“That person revised the slave system for the other races within the empire, right?”

“……Correct.”

I replied begrudgingly. The bear beastman seemed to ponder for a moment before moving back into the shadows. There was a murmur from within, then they emerged again.

“I’ll ask you one thing. If you answer this, I’ll let you meet that person.”

“What is it?”

“What’s your name?”

“Praus.”

I answered right away. It was a question I had no problem responding to.

“I see. You’re the one who defeated the Black Dragon….”

Huh? That rumor has spread this far?

Is it due to the public documents circulated by the empire?

No, considering they know about Tori Aus, they might have an informant within the Aus territory.

Now, it was the time to bolster the strength of the Resistance with those I could trust.

“……Follow me. I’ll guide you.”

They nodded toward the darkness they had their back to. Iris beamed with joy at the sight.

“Thank you, Mentor!”

“Yeah.”

Before following them, I looked at the spirit hovering beside me.

“Pasma, how many are monitoring us right now?”

[About eight or so.]

“Got it.”

That’s a particularly large number.

I rummaged through my bag and retrieved a stealth scroll.

“What’s that?”

“As I said, I’m being watched by the nobility. I shouldn’t draw their attention to your leader because of me.”

“……You’re more thorough than I expected.”

What does “more” mean? That compliment had an undertone of dissatisfaction.

“Iris, lend me your hand.”

“Uh, what?”

She extended her hand in confusion. Without hesitation, I grasped her hand.

“Hu-! M-mentor?!”

While she seemed flustered at holding hands after we had already embraced, I wondered… was it because I was the one doing it?

Seeing her foolishly surprised expression, I bit one end of the scroll and held the other with my hand.

Rip!

The moment I tore the scroll, both Iris, who had been holding my hand, and I disappeared.

“The appearance…!”

“Don’t fret. Only our appearances are gone. Just follow my lead, and guide us well.”

“Okay… I understand.”

*

The inside of the ramshackle house, where just a tiny flicker of light managed to sneak in through the window.

It seemed they didn’t trust me enough to reveal their hideout, so they decided to send her directly to me instead.

“But Mentor, do you know who you’re going to meet?”

After a while of staring at her hand, Iris asked. I scanned the rickety surroundings and responded.

“……A lion.”

“A lion?”

Creeeak!

The door opened, and Iris instinctively reached for her sword.

A woman with light brown hair tied in a ponytail entered the shabby house. She had lion ears atop her head and a tail with a brown tip at her hips.

“……It’s you? The one who said they wanted to see me?”

Her sharp gaze radiated an intensity that stirred my instincts. There was a strong sense of pressure about her voice, making it sound androgynous.

“Yeah, it’s nice to meet you, Leoness.”

Leoness.

The leader of the still humble Resistance. I had arrived six years earlier than anticipated, which might be why the situation unfolded like this.

“You know my name?”

“……Aren’t you quite famous?”

“Famous? I don’t actively engage with the public. I mostly leave that to others.”

“Is that so?”

“Then how did you come to know about me, Mr. Praus?”

She approached me confidently. As I remained silent, Iris quickly stepped in.

“I cannot allow you to harm my mentor.”

“……Harm them? A monster like that?”

Leoness chuckled before casually placing a hand on Iris’s shoulder.

“Though you’re holding back your mana, I can see it. That one is a true monster. The fact they defeated a high-ranking demon isn’t mere rumor.”

“So you’re well informed about me.”

“If you’re someone with the intel of the leader of the Resistance, then you already know. You’ve planted several other races in the Aus territory.”

“……Speculation isn’t the same as certainty.”

“Oh! You’re sharp.”

She answered with satisfaction and took a seat at the chair in front of the table, the wooden seat creaking beneath her.

“From the beginning, I had no intention of revealing that I’m the leader of a group constructing a Resistance to humans, yet I see you used that as bait to lure me out.”

Ha, so she picked up on that.

I anticipated it, but this woman isn’t to be underestimated.

“Still, calling me a ‘woman’ is a bit off.”

“……I apologize for that. I thought it would be better to take a bolder approach.”

“Fine. I’ll accept your apology.”

She nonchalantly declared while crossing her legs.

“So, I want to hear the truth behind your invitation to me, Praus.”

Her voice was low.

The charisma that commanded seriousness instantly altered the atmosphere in the room.

I leaned in and placed a hefty pouch on the table. The jingling sound made her lion ears perk up.

“What is this…?”

“Ten thousand gold.”

“What?!”

She gasped, her mouth agape at the fortune I had just placed on the table.

“I’ll get straight to the point. Do you intend to hand over the Resistance to me?”