Outaishihi ni Nante Naritakunai!! Chapter 372

"… Are you aware that you are picking a fight right now? By providing Sahaja with information about us."
"It's my job, so I can't help it, can I? I want to save as much as possible before I'm old. I must work hard for that sake. My current employer pays well, so I must obtain appropriate results. I have various things going on."

Then, he turned his gaze to the ring on Freed's left hand and exclaimed, "Oh!"

"This ring looks like it would earn money~! Woow~. Ain't that amethyst fairy pricy? Aah, I wanna sell it… Stop, that was a joke! I was only joking now!"

Freed's mood turned obviously angry. Realizing that, the man corrected his frivolous remarks in a fluster.

"You shouldn't joke like that with me. Never do it again."
"Got it, I got it. Scary. The rumors that you are infatuated with your wife were true…"

Mmhm, the man nodded, seemingly not distressed at all.

"By the way, I wonder if you could release me?"
"I'm amazed you could be so naïve as to think you'd be released this late. I'm well aware that it won't be good to let you run loose."
"Eh? That's troubling… I still have work left. If I don't finish, I won't be paid."
"That's regrettable."
"Eeh…"

The man was cracking jokes with Freed, but suddenly he smiled complacently.

"Can't be helped then. Let's make a deal. If you want Lady Tiris who just left to go home unhurt, release me."
"… What are you saying?"

Both Freed and Cain frowned. I looked at the man interrogatively.

"It's as I said. I actually have escorts from a Sahaja assassin guild… Or rather, they observe me. They have an eye on the lady who went outside. If you release me, they won't lay a hand on her. But if you arrest me… You understand, right?"

He spoke in a light tone, but for some reason a chill ran down my spine.

"… Tiris."

Hearing that assassins had an eye on Tiris, I shuddered.
Right now, Tiris is with her escorts and my brother. However, can her escorts rival Sahaja assassins? And in the first place, Brother isn't a military officer.
My gaze unconsciously clung to Freed. Freed stared at the man, but before long he turned his gaze to Cain.

"… Cain, let him go."
"… Is that okay?"

As Cain asked back in surprise, Freed said.

"Do you think Lidi, your master, is a woman who could abandon her friend and brother? Moreover, what he said is probably not a lie. You understand that too, right?"
"Ah! That's right…"
"Moreover, I have an unpleasant premonition. It's better to listen to what he said."

While listening to Freed, Cain's expression turned astonished.

"… You really are incredible. I didn't notice until now."
"I'm not confident, but it's probably so."
"… Got it."

I didn't understand what they were talking about, but apparently, they came to an agreement.
Cain grimaced regretfully and released the man.
The man stood up and stretched exaggeratedly.

"Nn! It's good to be free! The best! Ah, Mrs. Crown Princess who found out my identity."
"Eh… Me?"

When I instinctively pointed at myself as he directed his gaze here, the man nodded.

"Right, right. Until you saw through it, my disguise had never been exposed. While it was vexing, I was a little happy."
"Happy…"

I understand why he'd be frustrated, but not why he'd be happy. I made a complicated face, but the man didn't mind.

"I didn't notice that habit, and nobody pointed it out until now. I learned that I still have some way to go. I reflected that it's no use only changing the appearance. I'm happy about that."
"Eh, yeah…"

What is it? While I was wondering what he was telling me, the man said.

"You saw through my disguise, so I suggest we make a little bet."
"A bet…?"

What does it mean? When I looked at Freed in confusion, he silently nodded. Understanding he was saying to go along with it, I carefully asked.

"Tell me the details."
"Good. This time, I'm three people in Wilhelm. One was participating in masquerade balls. Another was Lady Tiris's footman. And yet another is impersonating somebody of this country. Guess who. If you can guess who it is, I'll end this. I'll obediently return to my territory and promise not to intrude into Wilhelm anymore. If you can't guess… Well, you can think information will be stolen from somewhere!"
"…"

It's an outrageous bet.
However, I understand I have to accept it.
If I don't accept it, it'll be the same as losing the bet. Since he'll stop if I find him, I had no choice but to nod.

"… Is that fine? Won't the client get angry if you do something so selfish?"
"If you find me, that's the end anyway. Besides, I don't intend to be easily discovered this time. I have pride. I'll be disguised perfectly."
"… Is there a time limit?"
"There is. Two weeks from now. Find me by then. Well, I think it's impossible. This bet is a freebie for seeing through me. I'm giving you a chance to win. I'm kind, right?"

I didn't want to agree much, but what he said was right.
Because, he taught us there was only one more person he was impersonating. We had no idea how many people it was. Just being told that increased our chance to win.

"… Very well."

I looked at Freed. Confirming his decision, I nodded my head.
I didn't think he was lying like Wire. Because, while he was speaking in a light tone, there was fire blazing in his eyes.
He must be greatly vexed that I found out his identity. His eyes said that he offered the bet to recover his honor.
A person with such eyes wouldn't lie.

"Then, we have a bet. ―― I am an information broker, Abel the Kaleidoscope. Let's see if you can find me, or if this was just a fluke."

With these words, the man - Abel formed a familiar sign. It was the sign Cain often uses. The sign he uses for teleportation. At the same time, his eye shone red.

"Ah! That guy! As I thought!!"

When Cain raised his voice, Abel had already disappeared from the spot.
Cain stamped his feet in vexation.

"This sign! Ain't it Hiyumas' transfer art's!"
"Eh… Then Cain, is he your comrade after all?"

That would explain the sign. But, Cain clearly denied.

"Hiyumas have red eyes. Secret arts dwell in these eyes. He shouldn't be able to use Hiyumas' secret arts without red eyes. And, I just checked, but even though he used a secret art, no magic formation appeared. That's why he - Abel shouldn't be a Hiyuma."
"Then… How?"
"I don't know. Really, why can he use Hiyumas' secret arts? What does it mean…?"

Cain held his head.
Freed came to my side.

"Freed."
"Lidi, I'm sorry for leaving negotiations with him to you."

I shook my head in response to his words. I found out his identity, so his target was only me. To begin with, he wouldn't talk about betting with anybody else. Freed knew that and didn't cut into our conversation.

"It's alright… That was fine, right?"

Just to make sure I checked with Freed, and he hugged me and said.

"Yup. I think there was no choice but to go along with his bet. What's left is to investigate who's the third person he's impersonating."
"Lidi."
"Ah, Older Brother."

Brother entered the Japanese café from the front. Realizing there was no captured Abel here, his complexion changed.

"Oi, the information broke you caught before isn't here!"
"That's――"

I turned my eyes to Freed. He nodded to me and explained everything in my stead.

Chapter end