NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 66 (2)
.
27 Chapters per Month,10 chapters ahead for 10$ via Buymeacoffee.
Betrayal washed over Xavier’s face once more.
“Ah, good. Then I have no more need to talk to you.”
“……….”
“In fact, even if someone found out, they wouldn’t believe a common kidnapper could kill all the elites of the Scales.”
“I, I have a lot of money kept in a steel vault! It’s my personal money, unrelated to the Scales! If you spare me, I’ll give you all of it! I have over a thousand gold coins in storage!”
“
That is a tempting offer.”
Ian’s gaze turned to Xavier’s bound hands.
He forcibly pulled off the thick ring on his middle finger.
“Is this the key to that?”
“…!”
Xavier’s eyes widened, as if wondering how a bumpkin like Ian would know that.
Ian smiled.
“I may find this money useful when I eventually go to the Empire.”
“B, But I have to go there myself to-“
“You’ll willingly hand it over regardless. I’ll just take a commission of three-tenths. Am I wrong?”
“……”
Xavier froze. Ian dangled the ring and looked back at Charlotte.
“You take care of the interest.”
“…!”
“He has a son, so finish it off where he can’t be seen.”
Her eyes widened for a moment.
Then she subtly curled her lips and looked down at Xavier.
Xavier swallowed hard.
“Cha, Charlotte. Wait, listen to me-”
Charlotte gripped Xavier’s babbling face and dragged him away.
‘A rather simple fellow.’
Thinking that, Ian turned his body nonchalantly.
Now all the trackers pursuing them were dealt with.
No one would be chasing them anymore.
‘I even collected a sort of… bonus.’
Ian put the ring into his inner dimension.
Over a thousand gold coins. Even after taking a commission, it was an enormous sum.
‘I’ll be sitting on a money cushion when I get to the Empire.’
As he returned to the campfire, Ian frowned at the gazes of Miguel and Luci.
“What.”
“What’s to become of that human, did you not intend to kill him after all?”
“I did. And I won.”
He had expended an enormous amount of ability points in the process, though.
Ian licked his lips briefly.
He had no regrets about his decision, but…
He had taken a few more steps down the path of villainy once again.
Now he would likely be stronger than most knights. His second highest ability after spirit may soon become strength rather than intelligence.
Not to mention his agility was no joke either, only lower than strength.
“If obeying orders by fighting is what it takes, you’d be leading an army by now, I reckon…”
“It’s from getting her tail cut off.”
“Her… tail?”
Luci asked back.
Ian nodded.
“Yes. Shuras are bound to obey whoever cuts off their tail. An inerasable fear is etched into their soul.”
“…So she’ll keep traveling with us?”
Luci frowned.
Ian glanced at the disgusted-looking Miguel.
“You’d rather I just killed her?”
“Huh…?”
“The only reason I kept her alive is because I thought she’d bring greater torment. While conveniently removing any loose ends. It’s all over now, so I’m asking.”
Faced with Ian’s matter-of-fact gaze, it was Miguel who became flustered instead.
He realized Ian was asking in earnest.
Since Miguel had lost his arm to the Scales’ trackers.
If he told Ian too, Ian would readily kill that shura without a moment’s hesitation.
Eventually, Miguel let out a wry chuckle.
“My revenge was fully served by Luci here. And besides that shura, they’re all dead anyway, right? If she obeys your commands, well. The only concern is…”
He shrugged.
“If she fears you, can’t she just run away? All she has to do is never face you again for the rest of her life.”
“That will never happen.”
The one who answered was Charlotte.
Emerging from behind the carriage, she approached the campfire.
The blood that had just splattered clung to her fur and dripped down.
“For a shura, running away after losing her tail is the greatest disgrace. One who does so can no longer be called a shura. Death would be preferable.”
As she spoke and stood by the campfire, she looked at Ian.
“So a shura who has lost her tail must either regain it or serve the one who cut it off. …There are not many humans who know this secret now.”
She seemed curious how Ian knew.
Ian nodded calmly.
“I didn’t know that part either. Thanks for letting me know.”
“What did you say…?”
Shock crossed Charlotte’s face.
“You mean you didn’t know and still cut off my tail?”
“I only knew it was the worst punishment for a shura. Thanks to you, the value of your tail has increased.”
“That can’t be…”
“In that sense, don’t even dream of trying anything funny with these two. The moment you do, your tail will disappear from this world forever.”
Ian met Charlotte’s dazed eyes.
“Of course, you won’t be able to run from me either.”
“Damn it…”
Charlotte growled lowly.
After alternating his gaze between the two, Miguel eventually let out an awkward chuckle.
“Well isn’t this amusing, now we’re even traveling with a proto-demon.”
“Don’t call me that! I serve Lou Sola…!”
Charlotte snarled.
Proto-demon was the most common prejudice against shuras.
It was because the god they originally served was exiled to the outer planets by the gods of humans.
The reason given was that it was a cruel and savage god.
It was also a common term for the fallen race that fought against humans.
Unlike other races that served the same gods as humans, rumors were that shuras still worshipped their imprisoned god in the outer planets.
As far as Ian knew, these rumors weren’t entirely baseless either.
“Where are you baring your fangs? Want them all pulled out?”
“……”
The brief tension ended immediately with Ian’s words.
Turning away, Charlotte sat down behind Ian.
Exchanging a look with Luci, Miguel casually shrugged.
Having seen all sorts of bizarre things by now, he seemed to have already adapted.
“Then… shall we get ready to depart again?”
Eventually, Miguel added,
“As long as you’re feeling alright.”
Ian gestured at him.
“You’re the only one that matters.”
“Which is why I’m saying let’s go.”
“You want to leave already?”
“My arm’s cut off, not my legs. My body’s a little sore, but not enough to stop me from moving.”
Grunting, Miguel stood up and immediately added,
“It should be enough. I can drive the carriage with one hand, so let’s go. We can’t spend another night here, can we?”
“Let’s rest one more day. There’s no one chasing us anymore, right? If your wounds get worse on the way, that’ll be a bigger problem.”
Luci objected.
Ian nodded.
“That makes sense. We can’t afford to have you killed over on the road.”
“See, I said I’m fine…”
“So you just navigate from the back.”
“Huh? Then who’ll drive the carriage?”
Instead of answering, Ian looked back at Charlotte.
Charlotte’s eyes widened.
Her tail trembled violently.
“You want me to be the driver?”
“You got it right. Miguel will navigate, so you drive the carriage as he says.”
“……”
Charlotte’s gaze turned to Miguel.
Miguel showed his yellow teeth in a smile.
“Let’s do our best. Your name is Charlotte, isn’t it?”
“This is… damn it…”
Her ears twitching, Charlotte eventually got up and headed for the carriage.
It was an understandable reaction, having fallen from being a direct guard of an Imperial Master to a carriage driver.
But none of the group seemed to care.
“The carriage color’s killing me. Even the damn carriage is better quality in the Empire. Isn’t that a travesty?”
In the cargo hold of the black carriage.
Lying comfortably on a mat covered by a robe and cloak on the blood-stained floor, the reclined Miguel chuckled.
Ian was leaning against the chair Xavier had been sitting in.
“Certainly more comfortable.”
Checking Luci leaning on his shoulder, Miguel exchanged glances with Ian and smiled.
“Looks like we’re ready to go. Tell her to turn the horses’ heads back to the main road since we’ll be rejoining it, Charlotte.”
“……”
Instead of replying, Charlotte growled lowly and cracked the reins.
The carriage cut across the ashen forest.
From then on, there were no more major conflicts.
After passing through the abandoned lands, the group safely entered the northern outskirts.
Translator; ippo
Please rate this series here.
Schedule: Pending @ UTC+ 12:00 am. MON, TUE, THUR, SAT
All Chapters
https://ko-fi.com/ippostranslations