Volume 3 Chapter 58: Isn’t This a Waste of Money and Time!【Assassination Organization Arc】

“(Insanely strong guy! I absolutely want him as my pawn!)”
That was all Balor was thinking.
Would he really spend effort, money, and time to be with a complete stranger just to show his genuine gratitude?
No, that was out of the question.
He had long since abandoned that kind of self-effacing mindset.
Or rather, he’d never had it to begin with.
And yet, the only reason he called Number 2 over was this:

“(Nanashi is a deadbeat, Ashvin is too mouthy, and Izun doesn’t even look like she could fight… Honestly, all these useless ones keep gathering under me. What is going on in this world?)”
It was that very skill that had saved him.
Balor didn’t have any pawns specialized in combat.
Izun, for example, possessed formidable power—but Balor wasn’t aware of that yet.
When raw combat prowess is displayed right before your eyes, it’s only natural to covet such a person as a meat shield under the guise of an escort.
This man was determined to win over Number 2 at all costs.

“Haah… why do I have to put up with someone like you, nya…”
“I said it’s a favor, didn’t I?”
“If it’s a favor, then do something that makes me happy. So far, you haven’t done a damn thing.”
However, Number 2 wasn’t interested at all.
How could it be fun to walk around town with someone she fully intended to kill someday?
Besides, she hated group activities.
She preferred to live and die on her own terms—just like a cat.

“I’m leaving now. And even if we meet again, don’t get too familiar, nya. Well…”
She stepped forward gracefully and then glanced back.
Her golden eyes, locked on Balor, shone coldly.

“Next time, I don’t think I’ll have that kind of leeway.”
The next time they met would be when she killed him.
There was no way they’d have a peaceful conversation like this again.
Yet, Number 2 wouldn’t hesitate.
Even if Balor turned out to be surprisingly easy to talk to.
Even if talking to him soothed her heart.
As someone who lives in the underworld—as an assassin—she would kill Balor.
With that cold resolve, she was about to leave…

“I was planning to buy you whatever you wanted, but…”
“What are you doing? Come on, let’s get moving. First, buy that and that, nya.”
She took hold of Balor’s arm and began to walk.
Her plan was to catch him off guard and then assassinate him.
That, too, was an important tactic.
It certainly wasn’t that she was tempted by the food stalls.
No, absolutely not.

“…This guy is so greedy.”
Balor inadvertently muttered his honest thoughts.

◆

Number 2 was frolicking.
She was brimming with excitement.
She tugged Balor’s arm this way and that, buying anything that caught her eye.
Even though she lived in the shadows and seemed resigned to her fate, deep down, she might have yearned for the surface world more than anyone else.
Her radiant smile could brighten the mood of everyone around her.
Balor was the only one irritated, watching his money vanish at an alarming rate.
Ever since Ashvin had put him on a near-allowance system, his irritation had been constantly simmering.
He absolutely hated spending that small amount of money—even if it was an investment to recruit Number 2.
He was shockingly stingy.

“Hmm… this doesn’t taste very good, nya. I’m giving it to you, nya. Now cry your heart out in gratitude!”
“Hahaha (I’m going to kill you)”
She bought whatever food caught her eye—naturally, with Balor’s money—and shoved it into her mouth without restraint.
If she liked something, her golden eyes sparkled all the more as she devoured it enthusiastically.
If she didn’t like it, she pawned it off on Balor.
He accepted with a cheerful smile, so Number 2 continued her outrageous behavior.
If he had scolded her, she would have left on the spot.

“Hey, what is this, nya!?”
“Don’t know.”
She asked Balor about something she’d never seen before.
But he had no interest in the goods on display, so he couldn’t offer an explanation.
She gazed curiously at the glittering jewels and the decorative items made from them.
Since wearing flashy accessories wasn’t her style as an assassin, she didn’t really plan to use them.
An assassin flaunting extravagant ornaments was just plain foolish.

“I hereby grant you the right to give me this as a present. Rejoice!”
“Hahaha (I guess this guy is no good after all, huh?)”
That said, she did feel a slight urge to own a small trinket that caught her eye.
After all, Number 2 was a girl, too.
If she hadn’t been living in the underworld, maybe she’d be strolling around town with friends, checking out the stalls.
Then, buying an accessory she liked wouldn’t be a big deal.
If she asked Balor, he’d buy it for her without showing any displeasure.
Number 2 held the trinket to her chest, smiling tenderly.
She was completely unaware that Balor was inwardly lamenting the money he’d spent trying to recruit her.

After that, Number 2 dragged Balor around town… until the sun began to set.

“Ah, that was fun! It really was a nice break, nya.”
“I see, that’s good.”
Yet behind that bright smile lay a demon’s scowl.
They found themselves on a small hill overlooking the town.
The setting sun illuminated the buildings, and the townspeople were heading home.
It was a scene of quiet, orderly daily life.
For Number 2, who had lived in the underworld, it was a brilliantly bright world beyond imagination.
She longed for it, but she never thought of abandoning her current life.
Number 2 possessed that kind of resolve.

“So, what do you intend to say to me? I had fun, so I’ll listen, alright?”
She turned to Balor.
It was not the same absent-minded smile she had worn while wandering the streets.
Instead, her expression was calm.
It was clearly different from the look she had when first gathering intel to assassinate Balor.

“Don’t you already know what kind of person I am? And why I came here…”
“Ah… (No, I don’t know. Who are you?)”
Balor nodded at Number 2’s words.
It was common knowledge that she was an assassin, and that she had come to kill him as well.
Though there was no definitive proof, the certainty was there.
Normally, spending a day with an assassin sent to kill you would be unthinkable.
But if it was this man—this bottomless fool who helps people without a second thought—perhaps…
And sure enough, that’s exactly what happened.
Number 2 let out a wry smile.

“Taking that into account, go ahead. I’ll listen to any pathetic, shameful words you have—just this once.”
Those were incredibly generous words to Balor.
If he had said, “Please don’t kill me,” she likely would have walked away without ending his life.
Gratitude? Love? Admiration?
None of that.
She merely thought that for a moment, maybe it would be fine.
It was just a whim.
But that whim was crucial for someone like Number 2—precisely because she lived so freely, like a cat.

“Then, let me say this.”
Balor—the man who hadn’t understood a single thing Number 2 had been implying—didn’t fully grasp the situation, but he was in a good mood, so he brushed it aside and stated his own intention.
Or rather, he forced his objective on her.
Having invested so much of his time and money, the possibility that she might refuse didn’t even occur to him.

“Why don’t you come with me?”
“……Huh?”
From Balor’s perspective, it was a perfectly normal suggestion.
He had wasted an entire day for this.
Meanwhile, Ashvin was half-crazy searching for Balor, not that it crossed Balor’s mind.
Nanashi was out bar-hopping with Balor’s pocket money in his absence.
But Number 2 was the one left dumbstruck, her eyes wide.

“…You’re saying that because you know who I am, right?”
“Yeah (I don’t really know, though).”
Normally, an assassin is allowed to make a single demand—like letting you off the hook.
Yet Balor was trying to recruit her instead. This was wholly unexpected.

“Hmph… you’re really interesting, huh.”
Number 2 turned away. Her expression didn’t change, as expected of an assassin.
However, her cat ears and tail were twitching (piko-piko) and swishing (furi-furi). Also, as expected of an assassin.

“Not you, Balor.”
“I can’t just call the feudal lord by his name, nya.”
“(Calling me ‘you’ is even worse, isn’t it?)”
Balor wouldn’t tolerate being addressed so casually.
He silently fumed but pretended not to notice.
He gave himself plenty of leeway, yet was strict with others.

“If you were to beg for your life, I might consider it, nya. But can you really do without that? This might be the first and last concession of your life, nya. If you let this chance slip by today, even if you beg for your life next time, I won’t let it go, nya!”
“(Eh? Begging for my life? Why would I need to do that?)”
He still didn’t understand a thing.
Number 2 couldn’t help wondering if he’d lost his mind.

“Even if this costs me my life, I’m convinced that missing the chance to recruit you today would be a tremendous loss. So, I’m not changing my mind.”
“…Whatever.”
She had no idea what he was going on about, but she decided to say something cool anyway.
Hearing his ludicrous words, born of ridiculous ideas, she turned away again.
Her tail flicked about even more vigorously.

“Well, to put it simply, I’m not coming with you. I’m a free-spirited stray cat—I’ll never be owned by anyone.”
Number 2 looked Balor straight in the eye and refused.
Freedom.
To be employed or owned by someone meant relinquishing that freedom.
Number 2 would never do such a thing unless she genuinely wanted it.
Moreover, she was already owned.
She’d been born with a collar.
Besides, what would happen if she joined him?
Not only would she be risking her life by betraying her assassin organization, but he would also be persistently targeted…

“(Why am I worrying about this guy?)”
Number 2 sighed.
Today had really thrown her off balance.
Living only for herself—that was how it was supposed to be.
Worrying about another person’s future, something not even set in stone…
She couldn’t help smiling wryly at how unlike her usual self this was.

“So, that being said… what a shame. You just wasted your one and only chance to ask for something. You’d better reflect on this. Regret it, nya.”
She jumped, landing on a tall tree.
Balor’s eyes widened at a feat no normal human could pull off.
From below, he could see her pristine white legs, but he didn’t pay them any mind.

“Well then, bye.”
With a fleeting glance down at Balor, she disappeared in the blink of an eye.
Balor stood there, stunned for a moment, until he snapped back to reality and shouted:

“…This is nothing but a waste of money and time!”