CH 34

Resolution to Reveal One’s True Identity

The day after rescuing Sieg and his friends in the Labyrinth, “The Swirling Depths of the Royal Tomb”.

“I’m sorry, please excuse me first for today!”

Gran and I watched Mize, who had left a step ahead of everyone.

She was running low on seasonings, so she had to go around the castle town and buy some…

“Come to think of it, Mize also eats the lunchboxes she made during lunch break…it gives a nice, homely feel.”

I ignore Gran’s muttering and think.

Should I go with her? As an escort, I suppose I should, but…for some reason, I have an unpleasant premonition about this.

Just before she left the classroom, Mize looked at me for a moment.

Her eyes were trying to assess me.

— Has she realized?

I’m reminded of what happened the other day.

In the Labyrinth, “The Swirling Depths of the Royal Tomb”, to rescue Sieg and his friends, I fought unreservedly in front of Mize. As a result, it seems that she has harboured the suspicion, “Are you my escort?”.

If she is trying to find out my true identity, I should be careful not to show off too much. However– with that being said, as an escort, it isn’t a good idea to let her act alone.

“I also remembered that I have something urgent to do. I’ll go back first.”

“Eh? Ah, oi, Tweight?”

I give a simple notice to Elysia and leave the classroom.

If there was no particular suspicion, I could approach Mize as I did before, disguising it as a coincidence, but this time it would probably be better if I didn’t. I take out my miniaturized black cloak, clad myself in it, and begin to tail Mize with bated breath.

So far, just like Mize explained to us, she was on her way to the castle town.

While chasing after her back, I pull out a [Communication Paper] from my pocket. Since this is an emergency, I’ll request Oz’s assistance.

However–

“Oz…?”

No matter how long I waited, I didn’t hear Oz’s voice from the [Communication Paper].

— What does this mean?

I couldn’t contact Oz.

We’re in the middle of a mission. I’ve told Oz to respond to my transmissions as much as possible.

Did something unexpected happen?

Or is it really just a coincidence that my transmissions couldn’t reach Oz at this time?

…I don’t have the leeway to worry about it now.

It may be cold-hearted, but my priority right now is Mize.

While I was following the petite girl walking in front of me– all of a sudden, the girl started to run.

— Does she know she’s being followed?

I hurriedly chased after Mize, who had started running without warning.

But along the way, I arrived at another possibility.

No, this is–

This isn’t a move to shake off the tail.

This is an action to ascertain whether or not there is someone tailing her. It’s a move made while being uncertain of the tail.

Mize turned right at a corner while running.

She should probably be waiting for me around that corner.

I won’t play into that hand.

I stop chasing after Mize, turn one corner before the one she turned, and go ahead of her.

Since she is a royal, I wonder if she had received special education. Mize seems to be rather quick-witted.

After proceeding down the alleyway, I would stand by Mize, who was lying in wait–.

“P-please let go of me!”

I heard Mize’s voice of desperation.

“Who are you people–”

“– Shut up.”

Immediately after the man’s small voice was heard, Mize’s voice ceased.

It seems that she was threatened with some kind of knife.

I made various plans in my head.

Is there any way to save her without revealing my true identity?

Is there any way to call Oz here with the stoppage of communications?

This is the kind of situation where I should calmly make a decision. But my head was seething with rage.

Even while I’m standing here, those men might be hurting Mize.

Immediately after that idea comes to mind, I snapped out of my thoughts and headed towards Mize.

“We need to get out of here quickly, before the escort realizes.”

“…I won’t let you guys escape.”

I brazenly show myself in front of the 2 assailants and Mize.

Although the black cloak hides my face, Mize should be able to quickly guess my true identity based on my voice. I divert my gaze from the wide-eyed and astonished Mize and focus on the 2 enemies.

“Damn it! It’s you, even in the end!”

“We don’t have time! We’ll have to defeat him one way or another–”

The man who was covering Mize’s mouth drew a poison-coated dagger and approached me.

I avoid the dagger that approaches my face, and after grabbing the man’s wrist, I throw him to the ground.

The man who groaned after his back had sustained a heavy blow had his brain shot out by <Bullet>.

— How comforting.

I was not comforted by the defeat of the enemy.

Now that I had the resolution to let Mize find out my identity as her escort, this sensation– I felt comforted.

One day, the Organization was disbanded. And since that day, I decided to pursue a normal person’s everyday life. My utmost priority has always been to achieve this lifestyle ahead of me. “You need to be a secret escort”, that’s an order. “You are not allowed to interrogate”, that’s an order. I’m sick and tired of just following such orders from the Bureau.

I wanted to immerse myself.

To protect what I want to protect. That’s all the reason I need to fight.

“Tweight, -san… is that you?”

After killing the second one without much difficulty.

Mize asked in a quivering voice.

In response, I lift up the black cloak that covered my head and answered.

“– That’s right.”

Author’s Note:

This is the turning point for the Second Arc, “The Price of Freedom”.