Chapter 7: A Clever Way to Take Down a Cheat-Powered Woman

“Bust, 88; waist, 58; hips, 87… Just where in the world did they get this information?”

“…I’m not privy to the methods, but they probably could have left that part out.”

Having finished their meal, the two were in the main hall, sifting through the information on Aileen.

The instructions to gather “anything and everything” had been a bit too broad, resulting in a collection of useless trivia like her three sizes, what she had for dinner last night, and even how many times she used the restroom.

Actually, the three sizes and her bathroom schedule were straight-up sexual harassment.

And as for the latter, how in the hell did they even find that out?

To be blunt, this has to be a crime—rich people are terrifying.

“Just as her name suggests, she’s from Ireland. She came to Japan at the age of ten for her parents’ work… huh.”

Should I take her parents hostage? The thought crossed Shion’s mind, but he reconsidered, deciding it was going too far.

His conscience wouldn’t bother him, but doing something like that would become a liability issue.

That would just make things difficult for him, and he definitely didn’t want that.

“She went to Shirahoshi Junior High… Oh, isn’t that where you went to school, Shion-san?”

“Hm, now that you mention it, yeah. Whoa, her address is pretty close, too.”

It was a strange coincidence that a monster like her not only lived nearby but had also gone to the same junior high.

But there was one thing Shion couldn’t figure out.

To put it mildly, Aileen was a beautiful girl.

With her very short hair the color of the sky meeting the sea and eyes like rubies, she possessed a beauty completely distinct from that of a Japanese person. How could he have not known her name?

Even in junior high, Shion had lived his life trying to be agreeable and well-liked by everyone.

So, naturally, he had a lot of friends and often heard his share of gossip.

And yet, he’d never heard a thing about a girl named Aileen.

“Strange—ah.”

As he was racking his brain, a single photograph slipped out of the file.

The moment he saw it, the question that had been bothering him instantly melted away.

“…I see. No wonder I never noticed her.”

“What is it?”

“Well, I finally understand why I, who went to the same junior high, had no idea who the gorgeous Aileen was.”

“Here.” He tossed the photo over. Shiori’s eyes widened, and she brought a hand to her mouth, revealing her surprise in a refined manner.

“My… she gives off quite a different impression, doesn’t she?”

“Right?”

In the photo was a girl with nerdy, bottle-bottom glasses and braided hair.

Even with well-proportioned facial features, there was no way she would have stood out looking like this.

He didn’t know her intentions for dressing that way, but with this appearance, she wouldn’t have caused a stir, no matter how much of a foreigner she was.

Actually, maybe she would stand out, being such a cliché.

“By the way, Shiori.”

“Yes?”

“There’s something that’s been bothering me.”

“What would that be?”

“—How do you know what junior high I went to?”

It was Shiori who had pointed out that Aileen had attended the same school, Shirahoshi Junior High, as Shion.

But Shion couldn’t recall ever once mentioning his alma mater.

Not even during his self-introduction.

He might have delivered that cringey, historical speech, but he hadn’t shared any personal information.

So how did Shiori know where he went to school?

“…”

“…”

Silence filled the air.

“W-Well, that’s…”

Shiori’s face, turned away as if to escape his gaze, was flushed the same cherry-blossom pink as her kimono.

Shion had absolutely no idea what she could possibly be embarrassed about.

“Well, that’s? (This girl isn’t a stalker, is she…? I don’t care how handsome I am, give me a break.)”

One had to wonder where his confidence in his looks came from.

Shiori was furtively sending glances his way that could be mistaken for flirtatious, but they were completely lost on Shion.

It wasn’t that he was too dense to perceive her feelings, but rather that he had no intention of reciprocating.

(Hm, is this a library checkout record…?)

His eyes fell upon a document that caught his attention.

(She’s checked out the same book over a hundred times… The title is, The Ulster Cycle? If it’s Ulster, then…)

Just as he was on the verge of a realization, a voice called out.

“Young Miss, I’ve brought your guests.”

The old gentleman who had driven the car here entered the room, leading Rudolph and the others.

“Hey there, Shion-kun. In the middle of studying?”

“Tenma… huh, wait a second. What happened to your arm?”

Tenma was wearing black capri pants and a red long-sleeved shirt, but something was off.

Normally, the sleeve should have been empty and swaying, but it wasn’t swaying—because there was an arm in it.

“Oh, this? I went to get a prosthetic arm fitted this morning. It feels pretty good, you know?”

clench, release, clench, release

He opened and closed his hand, his movements completely fluid.

It had a metallic appearance, but its movements were extremely smooth.

While not quite on par with a real limb, it at least didn’t seem inconvenient.

“More importantly, Shion, why did you summon us here?”

“Well, I was bored after watchin’ the other matches, so I don’t mind, but I’d still like to know why.”

Rudolph’s and Mai’s questions were perfectly reasonable.

“Yeah, I’m about to explain, so everyone just grab a seat wherever.”

As he spoke, the three of them naturally sat down, forming a circle around Shion.

Feeling a bit uncomfortable with the arrangement, he cleared his throat.

“First off, the day after tomorrow, we’ll be fighting Aileen Hearn’s party, right?”

There seemed to be no objections to that, as all four of them nodded in agreement.

“And the three of you who saw her fight firsthand—Shiori, Rudolph, and Masuya—I’m sure you’re aware of the vast difference in our skill levels.”

Rudolph nodded with a grim expression, likely due to his pride as a fellow spear user.

It was a relief that he wasn’t so narrow-minded as to deny her skill.

“I didn’t get to see her fight, but I know she’s on a whole other level.”

“I figured. But that doesn’t mean anyone here intends to lose before the fight even begins.”

Shion wouldn’t forgive anyone like that, because if they lost, he’d be the one to suffer.

His number one hope was to forfeit, but this group wouldn’t let him, and besides, after the grand speech Tenma had given, running away now would undoubtedly lower his reputation.

Which meant that for Shion, there was no other option but to win.

“Of course. After you all forcibly woke me yesterday, there is no way I could still be half-asleep.”

“That’s right. I know I’m a slow starter, but we’re finally all revved up now.”

Having seen Aileen’s power for themselves, any lingering complacency had vanished.

That’s why he could see their complete trust in him, their willingness to follow his instructions in order to win.

It was a gross misunderstanding, but at this point, it was convenient.

(They say, “Fools dance and fools watch, if both are fools, you may as well dance,” but I’d much rather be the one watching… I’ll make you all dance for me.)

Heh heh heh.

Cackling internally, Shion looked over everyone.

Their faces were tense, the faces of warriors.

“Even if I’m going to unleash an all-or-nothing strategy, eliminating uncertain factors is essential.”

He said, glancing at the problem child.

“It’s fine. If I did something like that, I’d just get beaten before I had any time to satisfy my… proclivities.”

Seeing Tenma shrug, as if to say he had no intention of fooling around, Shion felt a sense of relief for the time being.

“Excellent. Getting back on topic, no matter what plan we come up with, we have to raise our chances of success as much as possible. You all get that, right?”

The three, excluding Shiori who had heard this beforehand, nodded in unison.

“That’s why—today, we’re going to crush everyone on her team except Aileen.”

A grimace, astonishment, a joyful smile—he could see three distinct reactions.

Well, that was to be expected. He had just declared that the battle scheduled for the day after tomorrow would begin today.

“Surprise attacks, ambushes, anything goes. We crush them while minimizing our own exhaustion.”

Three of them could crush one person, and they could repeat that four times.

They could attack them while they were bathing or sleeping; the means didn’t matter, as long as they were crushed.

The first to object to Shion’s declaration was Rudolph.

“Wait. Is that not, perhaps, straying from the proper path?”

“Oh yeah, you’re right. It’s way outside the path of righteousness. (Don’t give me that holier-than-thou crap! If you guys were strong enough, we wouldn’t need a plan like this!)”

The fact that he didn’t say, “If I were strong enough,” showed just how deeply his reliance on others was ingrained in him.

“But—we’re fighters, and this is that kind of fight. (This is why I hate rich kids!)”

Is there any type of person you actually like?

“This is a world where it’s not easy to stick to your principles. If you want to sing praises of your honor, then show me your strength. If you can’t, you have two choices. Crawl on the ground and drink mud to move forward, or gracefully admit defeat and step down from the path of battle yourself. Either is fine. The choice is yours. The right belongs to you all who fight on the front lines. If you don’t like it, we’ll all think of another way.”

His words were harsh, dismissive.

A competitive match between parties. He didn’t know what its purpose was.

But one thing was certain: they had to take it seriously.

Whether to hold back because it was just a class was, in the end, up to them.

“Ugh, ghh…!”

Presented with a choice, Rudolph gnashed his teeth in frustration, hard enough to shatter them.

He was a warrior and a man, which was precisely why Shion’s words pierced him so deeply.

Pride, youth, naivete, reason—a chaotic mix of emotions warred within him.

“If you’re going to make a face like that, then just get stronger. Am I wrong? (Guess I should throw in a little follow-up.)”

“…Yeah! I know that!!”

The tear that fell from his sky-blue eye was proof that, while he felt frustrated and pathetic, he was a warrior, and he would accept Shion’s proposal.

“…Watchin’ this is almost embarrassin’. You two are such boys.”

“Such spirit is a necessity for any man.”

Watching the exchange, Mai and Shiori smiled, looking a bit shy themselves.

“Right? This is way better than putting on some shallow, cool act. Even if it’s pathetic, this is much better.”

Tenma probably didn’t mean it that way, but his words were a subtle diss at Shion.

(Tch… What’s with that gentle, motherly gaze?! Don’t you dare look down on me!)

Just how mired in an inferiority complex was this man?

“Ahem! Well, it seems we’ve come to an agreement. As for the whereabouts of the four of them…”

“Yes, I’ve already had them investigated. We should have everyone’s location by tonight.”

“And there you have it. As for ambush methods and such, figure it out amongst yourselves.”

“That’s fine and all, but are there any other instructions?”

It wasn’t a mocking question, as in, Is that all you could come up with? but a genuine inquiry as to whether there was anything else they should be doing.

(Are you making fun of me?!) Of course, it was not perceived that way by Shion. “Let’s see…”

“After you beat them to a pulp, kidnap them and bring them back to this house. Mind if we use it as a holding cell?”

“Not at all. It would be pointless if someone who specializes in healing magic got to them.”

“Sorry about that. Alright then, I’m going to continue sorting through these documents, so the other four of you can have a meeting about the ambush.”

“What’s there to meet about? Can’t we just do one-on-one assassinations?”

“…Hold on, hold on. The numbers might match up perfectly, but Masuya is a rear-guard like me.”

A healer is the cornerstone. Critically important. Mostly to Shion.

Sending Mai on a solo raid was out of the question.

There was no point in calling her for support only to use her as cannon fodder.

“Well, that’s what I think, but… I don’t know, I’ve got a feeling.”

“I take a bath twice a day, you punk! I’ll beat you to death!”

“Whoa, whoa, that’s not what I meant.”

Mistaking his words for a comment on her smell, Mai grabbed Tenma by the collar, but his smug grin never wavered.

“Like a hidden ace, you know? I’ve got a hunch she can pull it off—just a hunch.”

“…………”

At Tenma’s remark, Mai fell silent.

Sometimes, silence speaks more eloquently than words.

Could her silence be considered an answer in itself?

(Don’t just go quiet. He’s already figured it out, so stop trying to be all mysterious!)

Realizing from her reaction that there was something more, Shion cursed inwardly.

It was a valid curse, but he should probably consider that individuals have their own circumstances.

“—Well, you’re right about that. I’ve got somethin’ like a one-hit kill, too.”

(A one-hit kill?! Then just use that to kill Aileen!)

“But, don’t get the wrong idea… honestly, my own physical abilities an’ all that ain’t so great.”

She was better than the average person, but among adventurers, she was at the bottom of the barrel.

“And my trump card has to ‘touch’ ’em. So, well, that’s kinda the issue… see?”

(Ugh, useless!)

It was true it wouldn’t work on Aileen, but Shion reconsidered, thinking it could be used to take care of the small fry.

Even if it didn’t work on Aileen, it would work on the others, so it wasn’t completely useless.

“Then why don’t you just disguise yourself or whatever and do it like a quick and clean slasher attack? Right?”

“Yes, I can arrange for a disguise.”

“Really? In that case, I’ll leave it to ya.”

Just then, Mai’s gaze turned toward Shion.

“…The reason I kept it hidden is ’cause right now we’re all students and allies, but eventually we’ll be rivals, sharpening our skills against each other. That’s why I kept it as my ultimate secret. But I’m done with that. Someone who can’t even go all out on what’s right in front of ’em has no hope of makin’ it big. I’m entrusting everything I have to you, Shion-kun.”

Though her smile was gentle, her face seemed to hold a strong resolve.

The girl named Mai Masuya had broken out of a shell.

Which is why Rudolph, Shiori, and even Tenma were all smiling gently.

They were strong precisely because they were people who could rejoice in the growth of others.

(It’s good that I got to see her trump card, but she’s casually calling me by my first name. How familiar.)

And then there was Shion. This self-centered misanthrope would surely never grow.

No matter how many times he failed, he would never reflect, and he would be endlessly jealous of others’ growth, so there was no hope for him.

“So, from now on, just call me Mai, ‘kay? It feels kinda alienating that I’m the only one you call by my last name. Oh, and same to the rest of you.”

“Mm, understood. You may call me Rudolph as well.”

“Likewise, please call me Shiori.”

“You can call me whatever you like, too.”

(Ugh… what’s with this fluffy atmosphere? Is this some kind of青春 moment?)

“You really suck at reading the room.”

(I didn’t say it out loud, so it’s fine!)

Still, being told you can’t read the room by a snake probably isn’t a good sign.

“The vibe here is pretty nice. Anyway, let’s get back on topic. We, the ambush team, should resume our meeting.”

(Then go do it somewhere else. I’m trying to think through a bunch of stuff right now!)

While reading the materials at hand, Shion began to shape his strategy.

If it worked, he could grasp victory.

It should at least be a lot better than five of them attacking without a plan.

“Better safe than sorry. It’s not really my style, but just this once, I’ll humor our leader. Are you all listening? Taking them out four-on-one isn’t a bad idea, but there’s a saying: ‘A cornered rat will bite a cat.’ If we put too much pressure on them by ganging up, we’ll be in trouble if the ‘rat’ bites back. Like, say—using the last of its strength to warn its allies.”

If they went underground after that, it would be a huge pain.

There was no guarantee they could crush them by the day after tomorrow.

“So let’s go one-on-one. We’ll attack at the same time. That way, no one gets away.”

He was proceeding with the assumption of victory because he believed in the others.

It was an unspoken trust, but it was conveyed to everyone.

That’s why each of their faces was filled with pride and motivation.

“In addition, who takes on whom—no, more accurately, who takes on the person at which location.”

“Right. If Mai-chan is going to use that trump card of hers, a place with as many people as possible would be best.”

The phrase “like a slasher” wasn’t a metaphor.

She would literally blend into a crowd like a slasher and end the fight in an instant.

“But that’s all after we pinpoint their locations.”

“Yes, you can leave that to me. The information will be coming in shortly.”

“Will the information be updated in real time?”

“Of course, those are my instructions.”

“I see. As expected of our leader. You’ve already laid the groundwork for us.”

(Who said I was the leader?! But then again, the title ‘leader’ doesn’t sound half bad…)

He didn’t dislike being praised; in fact, he loved it.

“Well then, I should probably aim for someone in… the middle of town or somethin’?”

“However, are you not concerned about being arrested as an actual slasher?”

Rudolph’s concern was understandable.

If she were arrested, he could be held jointly responsible.

So, Shion decided to reveal the information to everyone.

“In that case, just give them the school’s and the teacher’s names. As long as you don’t harm any civilians, it should probably be fine.”

“Oh? And why is that?”

“I’ve already confirmed it with Yakushiji-sensei beforehand.”

As long as that phone call was real, he could assume there would be some support from the school.

He had also gotten confirmation that he was not in a position to bear the responsibility alone.

“What do you mean by ‘confirmed’?”

“—That we should consider the battle to have already begun.”

“Is that… what this means?”

“Yeah. And while we’re at it, it seems the teacher anticipated this ambush.”

At Shion’s words, the faces of the members, excluding Shiori, changed.

The battle has already begun. That was the literal truth.

Furthermore, the teacher had anticipated the ambush and had not said anything to stop it, which meant they were turning a blind eye.

As long as they didn’t cross the line, it should be fine to interpret it as being okay.

“Hmm… so the teachers are that fired up about this event.”

“All this for a battle between humans, which isn’t even the primary duty of an adventurer.”

“There’s somethin’ else goin’ on here. No matter how ya look at it.”

“I would agree. It would be strange if there weren’t.”

(This sounds like another pain in the neck…)

It was strange to be this invested in a battle between humans.

To begin with, an adventurer’s job was to delve into holes, explore dungeons, and fight monsters.

And yet, the school was going so far as to take responsibility for something like this. There had to be something going on behind the scenes.

(No, let’s stop with the negative thoughts.) That may be true, but for now, let’s focus on what’s in front of us.

Or rather, he was just escaping reality.

“Mm, you are right, Shion. For now, we should focus solely on winning.”

“We can think about it later.”

“Besides, if it’s something that important, the school will probably explain it to us.”

“Frankly, as long as I’m having fun, that’s all that matters to me.”

As the conversation wrapped up, Shion’s eyes fell back on the documents.

(Hm… with this, I might just be able to… pull it off?)

What he was reading now was Aileen’s library usage record.

It included not only public records but also her usage records from elementary and junior high school library facilities.

“Oh, Shion-kun. You’ve got a good look on your face. Did you come up with a plan?”

“Hm, well… I wonder. I won’t know until I try.”

“Don’t be stingy, just tell us.”

“No. If my theory is correct, then I’ll tell you the whole plan.”

“You are a cautious one. But well, even without knowing the details, I believe in you, Shion.”

That’s because it would be embarrassing to show it off with a smug look on my face only to have it fail.

His secrecy was due to his own vanity, but his comrades seemed to take this positively as well.

Therefore,

“Yeah—I’m going to drag Aileen Hearn into the shallows.”

He had gone and said something big.

The others, except for the person who had just made the boast, had questioning looks on their faces, thinking, The shallows?

(Hmph! This is why I hate uneducated people!) By the way, Shiori.

He was spouting such nonsense, but in terms of simple academic performance, Shion was third among this group.

“Yes?”

“I want to confirm something. Who made the lunch we were treated to today?”

“Our household’s private chef, but… if you liked it, how about having it again sometime?”

“That would be nice… but it might be related to my plan, so I wanted to check.”

The shallows? The chef?

His companions looked even more confused, but Shion had no intention of explaining.

He’d already given this many hints, but he still didn’t want to explain and then fail.

(Ah, I should have checked on this later…)

It seemed he was getting carried away just because he had thought of a potential way to win.

To steel himself, he slapped both his cheeks and asked Shiori a question.

“Shiori, can you get the car?”

“Of course, but… where to?”

“—I’m going to see Aileen Hearn.”

Leaving everyone else stunned—except for one person who was smirking—Shion left the room.

Outside the room, the old gentleman, Kurahashi, was waiting. He gave a bow and started walking.

“Do you know where Aileen is?”

“Of course, sir. However…”

“However?”

“No, I see now. I understand perfectly why the Young Miss is so enthusiastic.”

Shion wondered at Kurahashi’s somewhat pleased expression as he got into the car.

After a short drive, they arrived in a familiar neighborhood.

(So she really did live nearby… I’m shocked someone like that lives in the neighborhood.)

“That is the house over there, but what shall we do? Shall I accompany you?”

“No, it’s fine. It’d be a pain if we got a parking ticket, so please wait in the car.”

“As you wish.”

While small compared to Shiori’s house, Aileen’s house was quite large for a normal single-family home.

(Why am I surrounded by so many rich people? Die, bourgeoisie!)

Perhaps his feelings of envy and jealousy had manifested, as he seemed to have pressed the intercom button with a little too much force.

His finger hurt a bit because of it. Shion, you’re such an idiot.

“…Who is it?”

A voice came through after about a minute, but through the intercom, he couldn’t see her face, nor could he tell if she was in a good or bad mood.

Furthermore, her voice was flat, leaving him with no clues.

“Ah, my apologies. Allow me to introduce myself. I’m sure you don’t know me, but I’m Shion Harukaze.”

If she says she doesn’t know me, I’ll snap internally, and if she says she does, I’ll snap and think, “So you’ve had your eye on me!”

The thugs loitering around downtown are a hundred times more decent than this.

“! I’ll be right out, wait there.”

A ripple appeared in her flat voice. Was that a good thing or a bad thing?

“…Sorry to keep you waiting.”

Shorts and a long hoodie. A simple outfit, but a beautiful person looks good in anything.

Feeling jealous of this fact, Shion first gave Aileen a bow.

“Thank you for coming all the way out here.”

“It’s fine. Your business?”

Her words were clipped. Was it because she wasn’t good at Japanese?

(Fuhahahaha! You’ve lived here for seven years and you still can’t learn Japanese?!)

That might not actually be the case, but that didn’t matter to Shion.

He loved to belittle others, even if it was just baseless fault-finding.

“What’s gotten into you all of a sudden?”

(Shut up! I’m psyching myself up so I don’t get intimidated!)

“I’ve never heard of anyone psyching themselves up by insulting their opponent.”

While having this exchange, he straightened his posture and looked directly into Aileen’s eyes.

“—I came to invite you to a meal.”

At Shion’s words, Aileen’s expressionless face changed.

Was she confused, surprised, or perhaps both?

“Are you familiar with the saying, ‘When in Rome, do as the Romans do’?”

“I know it.”

“In this country, those who are older are respected as superiors. Even if they’re in the same school year.”

According to the documents, Aileen had graduated from elementary school a year late for some reason that was still under investigation.

Because of that, she was in a different grade, but she should have been a second-year high school student.

“In addition, your mother’s side of the family is descended from nobility. In that respect as well, you are my superior.”

“…………”

“Of course, you are free to refuse. You’ve probably already figured out my pathetic intentions.”

But, he took a breath and quickened the pace of his words.

“Is it enough to just keep yearning for heroes? Don’t you have the spirit to surpass them? It is for that purpose that I have prepared to drag you into the shallows. To win, and to ensure that even in defeat, a worthy victor is born.”

Aileen closed her eyes, listening to Shion’s words.

As if not to miss a single word, a single breath.

“My target is not the land. It will not be a one-on-one duel like in the shallows. We will all come at you, and as you can tell from my earlier proposal, I will show the wickedness of a villainess in a three-way standoff.”

His theatrical phrasing, of course, had a purpose.

Strong people, for some reason, tend to enjoy these kinds of exchanges.

Furthermore, they tend to be weak against provocations that challenge them to prove themselves, rather than insults meant to belittle them.

That’s why he was betting that Aileen was the same.

“If, even so, your spirit is not broken—then take this hand. (Take it, take it, take it, take it!!)”

Beneath his fearless smile, he was so… pathetic.