The Case of the Washed-Up F-Rank Adventurer Who Maxed Out His Agility by Relying on His Worthless ‘Flee’ Skill and Accidentally Became the Strongest in the World. He Can’t, However, Escape from the Yandere Beauties. - Chapter 47
Chapter 47: Interlude: The Women Chasing Mikami 2
The three members of the Moon Maidens were all drop-dead gorgeous beauties who turned heads wherever they went, each stunning in her own distinct way.
And they were the greatest and most powerful female adventurers in the kingdom—no, among the finest on the entire continent.
No wonder men everywhere were utterly captivated by them.
But the adventurers in the streets, and even the common citizens who only gossiped about them from afar, probably had no idea.
They didn’t know about the deep, dark abyss lurking within those goddess-like maidens…
Just how twisted does one’s heart have to be for women with such beauty and power to become so utterly obsessed with a single man?
The shopkeeper found himself naturally curious about this “Sensei” who had apparently driven the Moon Maidens to such madness.
The man’s skills were undoubtedly formidable.
And most likely, when it came to women, he was quite the smooth operator as well.
Otherwise, it would be impossible to manipulate all three of those S-rank beauties at once.
“…Just what kind of outrageous ladies’ man is he, anyway? This ‘Sensei’ who’s managed to captivate all three of those strong and beautiful S-rank girls at once, despite being a married man…”
Of course, he felt some jealousy as a man.
But the shopkeeper had witnessed the Moon Maidens’ unhinged, madness-tinged conversations up close countless times.
So honestly, he felt more sympathy than envy.
The women kept telling themselves, at every opportunity, that they’d given up on their “Sensei.”
But their faces when they said such things looked nothing like the faces of people who’d actually given up on anything.
If anything, they seemed to burn even more intensely with the flames of obsession.
They would surely take action in the not-too-distant future.
After all, they were S-rank adventurers.
They were exceptional women who’d made the impossible possible, slain the most powerful monsters, and boldly challenged unexplored dungeons and demon realms.
That “Sensei” of theirs—a married man who’d laid hands on and seduced his young female disciples—certainly deserved what was coming to him, at least in part.
Yet at the same time, the shopkeeper couldn’t help but feel sorry for him.
Because he was going to be seriously pursued by those beautiful S-rank adventurers harboring such madness…
And he suddenly wondered about something.
The real reason why the Moon Maidens had suddenly disbanded despite achieving such tremendous success…
Perhaps it had something to do with that “Sensei” they spoke of every day with gleaming—or bloodshot—eyes, that figure who seemed to loom so large in their lives.
“…Well, it’d be wiser not to dig any deeper than this.”
The shopkeeper shook his head and raised both hands in resignation.
The Moon Maidens had given their hearts to a single man.
But the shopkeeper knew something else.
In this royal capital, there’d been countless foolish men who became entranced by the Moon Maidens’ overwhelming charm and recklessly tried to cross the line.
And none of those guys—whether commoners or nobles—had gotten away unscathed…
The shopkeeper knew his place well.
Don’t pry too deeply. Always keep some distance when dealing with customers.
That’s precisely why the Moon Maidens trusted him and showed glimpses of the madness hidden within their hearts only to this proprietor of a backstreet tavern.
Or perhaps… they simply had atrociously bad drinking habits.
The shopkeeper chuckled wryly and was about to return to chopping vegetables.
That’s when it happened.
Before he knew it, a customer stood silently before the counter.
“…Pardon me… but that conversation you had earlier with those young adventurers—could you tell me more about it?”
Startled by the sudden voice, the shopkeeper looked up.
Standing there was a slender figure whose face was hidden deep within a hood, gender unclear. From the tone of voice, probably a woman.
“The conversation? Oh, you mean about the Moon Maidens?”
The shopkeeper eyed the figure with an appraising, slightly suspicious look.
Most of the face was hidden in the hood’s shadow and barely visible, but even so, he could tell from the shape of the lips and the jawline that this was someone of considerable beauty.
That said, there was no flashy makeup.
The outfit was light leather armor of an ordinary sort.
But… to the shopkeeper’s eyes, honed from years of observing various adventurers, he could see that the leather armor she wore was far more exceptional than it appeared.
And her casual movements, the way she suppressed her presence, her bearing—all of it carried an aura characteristic of elite warriors, setting her apart from run-of-the-mill adventurers.
“No… not about them. About the ‘Sensei’ they studied under.”
From within the hood came a quiet but commanding voice that brooked no refusal.
“…Huh. Well, sorry, but like I said before, I don’t know much about that ‘Sensei.'”
The shopkeeper feigned ignorance.
This woman was no ordinary person.
Carelessly handing over information might be dangerous.
The hooded woman silently glanced at the shopkeeper after his words, then pulled something from inside her cloak.
“…I see… Then how about this?”
She casually placed three gold coins on the counter.
The shopkeeper was greatly surprised by the amount internally, though his face showed nothing.
After all, three gold coins equaled—perhaps even exceeded—a full day’s earnings for this backstreet tavern.
In other words, the woman before him wanted information on that “Sensei” badly enough to pay such a price. Even more suspicious.
Still, for a humble tavern owner like the shopkeeper, the temptation of the money laid before him proved irresistible.
“…All right. I’ll tell you what I can. But promise me one thing. Never tell anyone you heard this from me… especially not those Moon Maidens…”
The shopkeeper hesitated for a moment, remembering the madness-filled eyes of the Moon Maidens.
After all, it was them he was dealing with.
If they found out he’d done something that might work against their beloved “Sensei,” there was no telling what they’d do.
“I understand. I have no interest in the Moon Maidens. I’m only interested in one person… a man named Mikami Shuzou.”
The hooded woman interrupted the shopkeeper, speaking quietly but clearly.
