* * *
The moment you see his skills up close, the first words out of your mouth are likely a fearful, reverent “monster”, or “reaper of the battlefield,” uttered with trembling lips.
The undisputed, aloof and arrogant King of Adventurers…
Bati is so cool… and amazing…
This is bad.
Ah, this is seriously frustrating.
So all those nobles who kept getting rejected had their pride hurt and are now trying to tame Bati, right?
They don’t want to look petty by getting angry just because he didn’t visit them, so they’re hiding behind the excuse of Gaspar and acting all petty and underhanded!
Using a false accusation—how disgustingly pathetic of them, those bastards!
“But I can’t do anything about nobles…”
I don’t have the kind of power it would take to go up against multiple nobles united by ill intent.
Sure, there are some kind, regular noble clients who call on me often.
Since I specialize in erasing my presence and infiltrating, I’m often more useful for breaking into enemies’ homes than hunting monsters.
But even they wouldn’t want to get into a noble feud.
Besides one, I’ve only met the others once or twice—I can’t ask them for a personal favor.
Normally, this is something that would only be resolved if Bati personally went to the head of this pathetic noble alliance and issued a formal apology.
“That can’t happen!”
If it comes down to apologizing to a noble, Bati would rather just let himself get captured and stay silent until they wave the white flag and beg him to take care of the rampaging monsters.
Even if there’s an unfair trial, or if he ends up in prison…
He’s really such a stubborn and consistent man!
But as long as I’m here, I won’t just sit back and watch Bati get humiliated over a false accusation!
“Bati didn’t even do anything wrong…”
There’s only one real crime here.
“Why didn’t you pander to us?”
How is this even a real accusation?
They know it’s ridiculous too—that’s why they’re huddling behind Gaspar like cowards and insisting “you started it!”
Does a hero destined to save the world really need to play along with this kind of childish whining?
Seriously, leave us alone already.
What if Bati gets so disgusted with humans that he decides not to save the world anymore?
I can only sigh.
This… this is definitely not something I can deal with alone.
I need to talk it over with my friends, at least.
“Bati, wanna come over to my place for a bit?”
“Sure.”
“We need to think about what to do with the others.”
“…Yeah.”
What was that pause?
Just now, he agreed right away, but this time his response dragged a bit.
Did he hope it’d just be the two of us?
Come to think of it, it’s the first time I’ve officially invited Bati to my home, so maybe he thought it’d be just us.
Cute.
Though in reality, I live with Aimone, so even if I never invite anyone over, there’s no way we’d be alone.
“I’m coming too!”
“I want to help somehow!”
“Let me join!”
As we tried to leave the Adventurers’ Guild, a bunch of hands reached out to grab me.
I knew them all, but we weren’t exactly close, so I brushed them off.
I can’t just trust anyone in a situation like this.
“If I need help later, I’ll come find you, so just wait.”
“Cold-hearted bastard. You just want to hog Zerbin to yourself.”
“Sly little thief.”
Yeah, yeah.
Curse me all you want.
Doesn’t change the fact that I’m the one who’s dating Bati.
Hmm…
The moment I thought that, I suddenly wondered if I was even allowed to think that way.
But for now, let’s pretend I didn’t.
After finally shaking everyone off, we headed home.
I wonder if Aimone is home.
Vasco should be back in Swindlin by now too, right?
It’d be great if we could get Naike involved too.
He likes Bati and would genuinely worry about him.
Bati and I are way too conspicuous right now, so I’ll have to ask Aimone to invite the others for me.
‘Rustle.’
‘Huh?’
I felt a familiar presence.
When I turned my head, Bati also sharply looked in the direction the sound came from.
Step, step.
Footsteps approached.
As they drew closer, I instinctively scowled.
A wave of disgust surged up.
“Gaspar.”
Showing his face so shamelessly in this situation—how obnoxious.
If it were any other adventurer, they might lose it and beat him half to death.
It’s a good thing Bati and I have some self-control.
But I really do think he’s here just to provoke us.
If I lose my temper and punch that bastard, he’ll use it against us and spread more rumors.
He’s handsome enough to get away with playing the pitiful victim.
Can’t that bastard use his face for something better?
Whatever tricks he pulled on the nobles, the wound I left on his face was already gone.
Now he looked like some impossibly kind, trustworthy person.
I pity anyone fooled by that bright, gentle-looking face!
“Oh my, you even greeted me first. Don’t tell me you missed me?”
He smirked slyly.
He’s confident we won’t kill him, so he acts smug.
My blood boiled.
I clenched my fists, unable to hit that cunning face.
I forced a smile.
“Well, maybe I wasn’t missing you, but I did come running as soon as I arrived in Swindlin, didn’t I?”
“Nonsense. As if I came here just to see you.”
He shrugged.
Right, of course not.
The one Gaspar laid out a trap for and came running to meet wasn’t me—
“Bati.”
Batiste.
His former student.
Someone he still foolishly thinks he can manipulate at will.
“It’s such a shame we had to meet under these circumstances.”
I could see right through his vile intentions.
“I thought that kid was a good friend, but he turned out to be quite the nasty fellow. It hurts me, as your teacher, to see someone as kind as you hanging around such a disgraceful adventurer.”
I glanced at Bati’s face.
I wanted to see how he was reacting to Gaspar treating him like a child again.
I knew it was unlikely, but I was afraid—afraid he might still waver.
After all, Bati had let Gaspar go before…
But the look in his eyes was ice-cold.
He glared at Gaspar with the kind of fury that could freeze over.
For a moment, my heart sank. Because—
‘He hasn’t completely given up on Gaspar yet.’
There was a clear emotion in his gaze.
It wasn’t resignation or indifference born from repeated disappointments.
It wasn’t the look you give someone you’ve already severed ties with.
It was the look you give when you’re betrayed by someone you still hoped for.
Did Bati still believe, like he’d written in the letter, that Gaspar was someone whose “true nature was good”?
Or maybe… he just didn’t want to betray the expectations of the first person who ever acknowledged him.
Either way, I couldn’t stand by and watch Bati get strung along by some scumbag teacher again.
‘…It’s fine.’
It wasn’t like I hadn’t expected something like this.
I already knew how much Gaspar meant to Bati.
Honestly, I should thank that bastard for showing his true colors like this.
He’s giving Bati the perfect chance to finally cut all remaining ties.
* * *
