Vol 2 Chapter 32 – Nice Capture

Waiting for Alice-san to calm down, the three of us began our strategy meeting.

“A complete map of this city, population, major industries. The mayor’s reputation, background, and presence of corruption. The condition of the roads, a layout of the harbor. Ship departure and arrival times. And a whole lot more. You sure managed to look up quite a bit.”

“I worked hard. I really did my best. This is only natural!”

“Thank you so much. You really are a hard worker, Alice-san.”

When I patted her head, her body stiffened for a moment and she escaped from my hand.

I was feeling a little shocked, but since she was looking at me with such pitiful, inviting eyes, I didn’t give up and tried petting her once more. She narrowed her eyes and accepted it.

She’s so cute too, this girl.

But I ended up deceiving a girl like this, huh.

Such an honest girl, and I’m the one who dragged her down into a place like this.

It can’t be helped.

Unlike Abyss-san and the others, I don’t have any power.

Yeah, it really can’t be helped.

I always knew it, but I can never become a hero like my dad.

I’m sorry, Dad.

I am a scumbag.

“Hey, hey, spacing out again. This is the job you’ve gotta do, ain’t it?”

“Yes, yes. My apologies.”

Puria-san sure is strict.

But you know, my mom used to get mad at me just like this in the past.

Maybe I should have Puria-san become my mom too.

“Umm, uhh, if we’re going to use a ship, here. This harbor.”

Alice-san pointed at the map for me, so I took a look.

“Let’s see. Ah, I see. So illegal slave ships set sail from places like this, too. You did well to find something like this.”

“What’s this, you’re a former colleague in that business too, ain’t ya? Did ya not know?”

“My group was perpetually poor, so we could only ever use horse-drawn carriages. I’ve hardly ever used something as expensive as a ship.”

“It’s tough everywhere when you ain’t got the funds, huh.”

“Makin’ a profit?”

“Just so-so. I told ya to quit talkin’ like that.”

Smack. She slapped me.

Even though she played along.

“Umm.”

Alice-san, who had been acting strangely fidgety since our exchange just now, called out to me with a desperate expression.

This emotional instability is probably a side effect of the contract too, so I think it’ll settle down eventually.

“What’s wrong?”

“If we use this ship, umm, there’s only one chance. Exactly half a month from now.”

“Oh my, that’s wonderful. Isn’t that the perfect timing to return to Agusta?”

“Ehe, ehehe.”

I stroked her affectionately under the chin and rubbed behind her ears, and the way her ears twitched was just so adorable again.

I really caught a good girl.

Nice capture.

“Then, we’re set to execute the plan on the day that ship departs?”

“That’s right. The departure is late at night, so let’s make it sunset of that same day.”

“Yeah. I think that’s fine. Me too.”

“Then it’s decided. Alright, shall we get some sleep? Farmer-san isn’t here anymore, either. You two can use whichever rooms you like.”

“I’m fine with your room.”

“I’ll. Umm.”

“Ah, you don’t have to push yourself, Alice-san. It must have been rough for you up until now, so please take your time and rest alone today.”

“Okay.”

And so, Puria-san and I headed to that room overflowing with the stench of blood and flesh, while Alice-san went to the room Farmer-san had been using. We each went our separate ways.

As thanks for soothing Alice-san for me, I’ll pet Puria-san to my heart’s content today.

Vol 2 Chapter 33 – The Trembling Little Fox

Alice Crux stopped in her tracks right in front of the room she had been given.

She looked right, looked left, and then right once more.

Confirming that no one was there, she closed the door slowly, making sure not to make a sound.

She could no longer see Nine’s figure.

As usual, she took out the notepad from her breast pocket and faced the desk.

As usual, she took out her pen and began writing down her records.

Observation target, Nine, is a dangerous individual.

Puria appears to already be brainwashed.

Though the details are unknown to Alice Crux herself, there is a high probability that some form of brainwashing has been applied to her as well.

From now on, please do not trust anything I say.

Aroma-sama, please, kill me.

Please kill me.

Kill me, anyone is fine, someone, hurry, before it’s too late, please kill me.

Having written that much, just like always, her own hand forcefully tore the page from the notepad and burned it with magic.

The next page, where the indentations from her pen pressure remained, was also thoroughly eradicated.

I can’t report back.

My body has already become one that can never betray that human.

In that case, I’ll at least continue this resistance.

Because if I let my guard down, I’ll surely end up writing things entirely convenient for that monster.

Like this, if I try to write something detrimental to that human, my body automatically resists.

If that happens, I won’t be able to convey anything to Aroma-sama.

If it’s Aroma-sama, she should surely realize it from that.

Realize that I am betraying you.

All I can do is be negligent.

To repeatedly act with negligence, betray her expectations, and have her abandon me.

That is the only method left to me, my sole way of resisting that monster.

And if possible, I want Aroma-sama to notice.

That the fact I am not reporting—that I cannot report—is exactly what represents the danger of that monster.

But, it’s going to be so painful to be abandoned by Aroma-sama.

I’ve asked her to look after my little brother Bolt, so I just hope she’ll at least take care of him until he can stand on his own two feet.

Ah, at this rate, I’m going to be all alone.

I don’t want that.

But, will it be okay?

Because that monster surely won’t abandon me.

He said he would love me, after all.

He will love me, won’t he?

You won’t abandon me until the very end, right?

I’m not alone, I’m not alone. I absolutely, absolutely don’t want to be alone.

Aroma-sama.

Monster.

Aroma-sama.

Human, Nine.

Nine-sama.

Nine-sama. Help me.

No, Aroma-sama, help me, help me.

Nine-sama broke me.

Help me, Aroma-sama. Nine-sama.

Ah. I will submit to you, Nine-sama.

No! I can’t do that!

I can’t take this anymore, I hate this!

And so, another long night began for Alice.

Having danced right back into the palm of Nine’s hand, her chances of victory had dropped even lower, and she sank deeper into an unwinnable battle to protect her own self.