Call or Die
by Afuhfuihgs
Although solving the problems of the quantum jump was the top priority, I didn’t go to find Ellie right away. I thought it was in order to inform the strategists in advance that I had lost several abilities and become drastically weaker.
Clearly, if I had revealed this fact late, Raellan and Bella’s personalities would have led them to do something to me.
I left the academy and headed straight for Modiste. But when I arrived, it seemed the other colleagues were busy, and Estelle was the only one in the capital.
At Estelle’s instruction to reveal the purpose of my visit, I used the Snow Globe to convey my memory of meeting the Saintess. Estelle, who had been closing her eyes for a moment and furrowing her brow as she examined the memory, suddenly opened her eyes wide, slammed the table with both hands, jumped up from her seat, and shouted.
,”You’ve become a lump of inferiority complex again, just like before! You were at least a useful pig these days!”
“…Still, I haven’t completely returned to the old days. I still have the intangible breath, and I have knowledge of space magic and magic engineering. If I use the setting book as the Saintess said, I’ll quickly become better than before.”
When I strongly retorted to Estelle’s abuse without realizing it, Estelle raised the corner of her mouth and twitched her eyebrows.
“But it’s true that you’ve become incredibly weak. Even Ember could easily beat you, you loser~♡”
At those words, my gaze inadvertently went to Ember, who was standing behind Estelle. Ember, who met my eyes, waved her hand with a faint smile. Unfortunately, I can’t refute it. Ember, who is outwardly a competent secretary, was also a member of the world’s strongest assassin group.
“…That’s true, but I had no choice if I wanted to live. I only had two months left to live because the destruction was so close. I would have given up my hair if they asked.”
When I grumbled, Estelle laughed annoyingly.
“That’s because you’re trying to get stronger quickly with shortcuts without putting in the effort! Well~ I guess you couldn’t have become as strong as others even if you tried, since you don’t have the talent! This is a pig with terrible cost-effectiveness, isn’t it?”
The fact-bombing is too painful. Estelle, who had been glancing at me with playful eyes as if measuring the price of a product, leaned back in her chair again.
“Well, at least I’m relieved that you saved your life for now. You’re a surprisingly long-lived pig, aren’t you?”
Still, Estelle didn’t seem to be in a bad mood, so I subtly read her expression and cautiously brought up the main point.
“Anyway, now that the situation has become like this, Modiste should support me with some elixirs related to magic power, right? I definitely need elixirs to use even a little space magic with ease.”
Silence filled the room as soon as I finished speaking. For some reason, the temperature in the room seemed to be dropping rapidly, but it must be my imagination… but Estelle’s expression was too scary to dismiss it as such.
“Pig, did you perhaps entrust any elixirs to me?”
Estelle, who asked with a pretty smile, was clearly not smiling in her eyes.
“…I have no doubt that the Ross in the other world would have done so.”
I tried to lighten the mood with an appropriate joke, but I couldn’t help but lower my gaze slightly at Estelle’s sharp eyes, which seemed like she was about to wield a dagger at any moment.
“What is it~? When I think about it, it seems like I’m always the one spending money? Huh~? We’re a community of fate, so why am I the only one losing out? Are you a pig that only eats up investment costs? You’ve gotten so plump, should we catch a pig today and have a party?”
At Estelle’s voice, which had no playfulness in it, I scratched my head and lightly denied it.
“Hey, you’re going to recover all the investment costs soon by selling the portal to Bella. Just think of it as using some of it in advance and support me….”
At Estelle’s appearance, who was frowning and about to take out a dagger from her chest at any moment, I trailed off and changed my mind. To be honest, I didn’t want to say this because it seemed a bit pathetic, but now that it’s come to this, I have no choice.
“…No, then are you not going to save the world?”
“W-what…?”
Estelle’s big eyes turned round, as if she hadn’t expected I would come out so brazenly. Feeling a sense of crisis that I might actually get stabbed if I stopped talking here, I continued to speak in a sly manner.
“No, think about it. I need at least an elixir right now to protect my body. If Konfsi on attacks again before I persuade Roel, I’m 100% dead. I’m so weak that I’d have to risk my life even if I brought any first-year combat student!”
“Y-you… you filthy pig! Are you proud of being weak?! And you’re using that to your advantage right away because you’ve found a weakness? You, you’re a completely unclean pig! Your mind is rotten!!!”
“I am a filthy and unclean pig, so please give me the elixir quickly. Oink oink.”
“Y-you pig! I’m never giving it to you unless you give me something in return!”
After a long argument, I was finally able to obtain one elixir related to magic power. It would be good for her image if she just gave it coolly since she was going to give it anyway. I guess a *mesugaki* can’t even manage her image.
“I’m going to add this to your debt, so don’t ever forget it and remember it clearly! I’m going to record all the investments in the ledger without fail!”
Estelle spoke in a firm voice as if she wouldn’t lose out until the end, but frankly, I didn’t care. After all, once an elixir goes into your stomach, it’s over.
The Ross of Hope, who has reached the realm of the sage, gave up his world and went all-in on me, so I’m the key card to saving all the other worlds. Everyone will die together if they don’t invest in someone like me.
I put the elixir that Ember took out of Modiste’s warehouse and handed to me into my space warehouse. I should go back to the club room safely and eat it. If I show a gap in this dangerous place, something will definitely be stolen from me without me knowing.
I turned my head and asked Estelle, who was muttering curses to herself in a low voice, as if she didn’t like the way I was putting the elixir into the space warehouse while twitching the corners of my mouth.
“By the way, what are the others doing that they’re so busy?”
“What else could it be? Everyone’s busy trying to help you. Eunice is probably traveling around the continent looking for decent talent to recruit. It seems like Raellan and Bella have something else planned separately. Well, we’re not close enough to share all our plans with each other. To be exact, we don’t know what each other is doing. They say it’s because they can’t easily sell information to Modiste.”
I nodded roughly at Estelle, who snorted and sent me a look that seemed to want sympathy as if saying it was annoying.
It’s a matter of saving the world, but it seems that communication is not going well because we are still awkward with each other. Considering Bella and Raellan’s crazy personalities, it couldn’t be helped. I have no choice but to quickly adapt to the role of leader and lead my incompetent subordinates well.
“First of all, it would be better to gather everyone at Modiste as quickly as possible and share the situation. Oh, and I’m also planning to make some changes to the Lily’s activities.”
Estelle, who had been complaining about how annoying Bella was, tilted her head when she heard my words. It was a reaction as if she was saying what nonsense I was talking about.
“What changes? The thing about the Lily is already over, isn’t it?”
Perhaps Estelle and the other colleagues think that I’m suddenly being capricious. Well, it’s true that I’m being capricious.
But the hope that the Saintess gave me completely changed my existing thoughts. I can’t become Roel. I don’t suit a virtuous person who wields a sword for everyone even while sacrificing the person I love.
I yearn for and admire Roel, but I don’t want to be like him. I just want to be a little bit similar. Being similar means that there are definitely differences.
I also feel uncomfortable killing someone who has done nothing wrong, and it doesn’t seem like it would have a good effect on the Lily’s ultimate goal that I’m thinking of. Too much fear will become poison in reverse.
The Lily that I’m thinking of is not trying to become a public enemy, but a position to confront the Order and the demons. Like the Ross in the other world did, I was planning for people who ultimately have antipathy toward the Order and the demons to gather under the name of the Lily.
Just as I realized that a pyramid can never be built alone while working on drainage in the military, the reason why I recruited colleagues to save the world was also to fill my lacking parts with many people.
“I thought there was no need to shed unnecessary blood. The Lily is not a simple slaughterer. I’m planning to clearly define the Lily’s concept this time. Only those on the kill list will be targeted for murder. Rather than killing people who haven’t committed a crime yet, I’m thinking of punishing them or solving the problem in another way.”
When I finished explaining, Estelle, who had been looking into my eyes silently for a moment, lowered her voice slightly and said.
“…That’s a good idea. Actually, killing people indiscriminately doesn’t suit you. You’re a surprisingly soft-hearted pig. Just the fact that you no longer think of this world as simply a world in a novel, I think the Saintess gave you a really big gift.”
It felt a bit unfair that she was suddenly being so serious. Maybe this is one of the charms of a *mesugaki*. Leaving memorable words when you’re off guard.
“…Still, you’re still my *nuna*, aren’t you.”
“Shut up!”
As expected, a playful atmosphere suits us better than a serious one. I said with a smile.
“Please tell the others about the changes in the Lily. Especially Bella first. That person is the most dangerous.”
“That’s right, she’s a crazy bitch.”
I couldn’t help but sigh at Estelle’s appearance, who immediately agreed with a happy face as if she thought I was trying to badmouth Bella. Is it because we haven’t decided on a team name? It wouldn’t be bad to decide on a team name together at the next meeting.
“No, I’m saying that because it seems like she would really do that.”
When Bella came to the Grace family, she had given permission to kill in the name of the Lily if it was an obstacle, even if the name was not on the kill list.
There was a 99% chance that Bella, who has the wisdom of a snake, would have immediately planned several murders that would benefit her in the name of the Lily.
“Okay. Just trust Modiste. I’ll contact everyone by the end of today.”
For some reason, Estelle’s appearance, who was nodding so readily, seemed to have something up her sleeve. As if my ominous premonition was correct, Estelle twisted her body in an uncharacteristic way and said in a sweet voice.
“But how are you planning to get stronger in the future? If you’re thinking of looking for opportunities or relics with the setting book, I can diligently help you with a reasonable price from the side―”
“Then I’ll be going. Please contact me when everyone gathers.”
When I said goodbye to Ember and opened the door and went out, I heard the sound of something hitting the door and falling to the floor, along with Estelle’s shout.
“Hey! I’m saying I’ll take the time to help you, you pig! You can’t even cling to me and say thank you!!! I’m saying I’ll do it reasonably!”
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