episode_0072

“… What did you call me for?”

Bella asked the man in a cold voice.

Not only was the voice like that, but Bella’s eyes towards the man were no different, cold and subdued.

However, the man did not pay attention to Bella’s stern attitude.

“Just.”

“… What?”

At the answer that came back, Bella’s expression distorted.

“Wow, that look is scary.”

Looking at the man’s expression, he looked surprised, but it was not an exaggerated gesture or facial expression, or the look of a truly surprised person.

“Just kidding, kidding.”

The man waved his hands and chuckled.

“… … .”

Bella’s eyes became sharper.

“If you joke about this twice, you’ll catch someone. I thought we could easily exchange jokes like that.”

“Get to the point.”

“Huh, it’s cold, it’s cold.”

Sighing slightly, the man shook his head.

Then, he opened his mouth again.

“I heard you don’t take any requests these days?”

“… I just happened to hear that news. A busy person.”

“I’m busy because I’m busy. But isn’t it possible to listen to news like that? It’s your news, not anyone else’s.”

Saying that, the man smiled slyly.

The tone of voice was gentle, as if it were addressed to a young nephew.

“Let’s stop talking nonsense. It seems like one of his subordinates rushed over and delivered the news.”

Bella’s tone of voice was extremely sharp.

“Wow, I’m so sad that you don’t understand my feelings.”

He spoke as if he was sad, but the young smile on the man’s face never seemed to disappear.

Looking at that scene, Bella had to swallow the growing irritation.

“Well, since you’re showing off so loudly that you don’t want to be here, let’s change the conversation again.”

The man finally lifted his back from the chair.

“How is the progress?”

At those words, Bella’s mood sank heavily.

That single word made her feel lighter after spending time with Wade plummet into the basement in an instant, and pulled her out of her dream and made her face reality.

“… It’s not something you need to worry about.”

“Hmm. But if you ask me… I was a little worried. I wonder if you forgot your promise.”

He grinned, and a young smile grew on the man’s face.

“The deadline is almost over. You know?”

“… … .”

“Looking at your expression, it looks like you haven’t forgotten. Well, it doesn’t matter what happens to me.”

After finishing speaking, the man sank back into the chair.

“The story is over. Go out.”

“… … .”

Bella stared at the man without notice and then turned around.

In my heart, I wanted to plunge a knife into the man’s neck right now.

However, that wasn’t possible.

In the end, Bella had no choice but to quietly leave the room, letting go of her anger.

***

Bella’s steps after leaving the building were not in the direction of the house.

The place where her steps were headed was a nearby building.

Entering the first floor, which was crowded like other buildings in the entertainment district, she sat down at a table in a corner.

An inconspicuous place where no one pays attention.

As she sat there quietly, it wasn’t long before a person appeared and sat in front of her.

He was a man with an ordinary appearance, dressed in a type of clothing that can easily be seen here.

“Would you like to receive it?”

“Just give me the list that came in.”

“You know it’s not just one or two.”

In order of “compensation. Just five for now.”

“Sure.”

Nodding slightly, the man took out several pieces of paper from his arms.

Bella took the paper from the man and skimmed through the entire contents.

Then he opened his mouth.

“I’ll take all of this.”

“… What?”

“I get everything.”

The man’s eyes, which had been expressionless the whole time, widened slightly.

“… Hmm. Are you trying to fill the gap? Well, there’s nothing bad about this one. Then, among the requests designated for you, I will not accept urgent requests for the time being─”

“No. Take it. I’ll be back in 3 days.”

“… What?”

This time, the man’s expression became absurd.

“… I don’t know what you’re thinking, but no matter how much you do, it’s impossible to handle five cases in three days─”

“Noisy. Just watch quietly.”

Bella let out a short sigh and stood up.

And then I left the building straight away.

It is clear that processing five requests within three days is not an easy task, even for her.

Probably no one in the industry could do it except her.

However, there is no room.

The deadline was fast approaching, and there was no time to slowly work things out if we wanted to raise the target amount before the promised date arrived.

Therefore, her steps became faster.

I already told you that it might be late.

Her figure disappeared into the darkness of the city.

***

After finishing all the housework today.

I was sitting on a chair and quietly spending time while making a meal.

However, the food was getting cold, the sun was setting, and Belle had no intention of returning.

‘… ‘I guess I’ll be late today too.’

Recently, Belle has been going out more frequently.

Moreover, most of the time they returned late, and there were even days when they did not return at all.

Those days had been going on for quite some time, so I was now used to her being late.

What are you doing outside?

What are you doing that makes you so late?

It wasn’t that difficult to predict.

Perhaps it was because of her day job.

The reason I don’t come home for several days is probably because I have to go out of town.

‘… Is it okay?’

I was honestly worried about her like that.

I didn’t really worry about getting hurt.

She is someone whose skills even I could not properly discern.

I don’t think his skills themselves are better than mine, but at least his ability to hide his skills and hide his presence is unrivaled.

In addition, the ability to disguise is off the mark.

A disguise so elaborate that one might think it would be better to call it transformation rather than disguise, one can transform into a completely different person in the blink of an eye.

If her stealth and disguise ability are combined, if she decides to hide herself, there won’t be many people she can find even if she searches the entire continent.

So I wasn’t too worried that she would get caught or get hurt.

Of course, it wasn’t like I didn’t do it at all.

In any case, my worries had a different direction.

as soon as… … .

Crash─

At that time, the sound of the door opening was heard and someone came inside.

There is no need to check faces, there is only one person other than me who comes in and out of this place.

I went straight out to the front door.

Sure enough, a familiar face was walking inside.

“Welcome.”

“… I went there.”

With a face showing deep fatigue, she answered.

“I prepared a meal─”

“I’m sorry. I have to go out again soon.”

She said that calmly without even looking at me.

“… I see.”

After glancing at me, she left the house immediately after taking a shower, as she said before.

“… I’m sorry.”

Before closing the door and leaving, she left a brief apology.

“… … .”

I was left standing awkwardly in the entrance hall.

‘… ‘What am I sorry for?’

It’s me who should be sorry, not her.

Since I reunited with her, I have only received one-sided help.

Still, she apologized to me.

“… … .”

I haven’t come home for a few days, but I have to rush out as soon as I get in.

How busy is work?

Maybe it’s because of me.

Maybe it’s because he was away for a long time because of me.

Many thoughts ran through my head.

I wasn’t just worried because she looked busy or tired.

Of course, I was overly worried about that, but I was worried about something more fundamental.

She looked very nervous now.

It didn’t seem like he was simply a person with a busy schedule.

He looked more anxious and anxious than that.

Like a person being chased by a monster.

***

“Processed.”

Bella spoke with a tired face towards the face she had been seeing so often lately that she was getting sick of it.

“… That’s fast.”

The man nodded with a tired expression.

“What’s the next request?”

“… Are you going to continue processing requests in that state? No matter what, it’s better to take a little rest─”

“Noisy. Just give me the next request.”

“… They never listen to me.”

Stirring the whale, the man took out several pieces of paper from his arms and handed them to Bella.

“It’s not that I don’t know your skills, but it won’t last long like that.”

“Don’t worry.”

Although it was a voice full of concern, Bella coldly cut it off and stood up.

So I left the building and was heading to the next mission location.

“Ugh… .”

Suddenly her body swayed.

Bella barely managed to hold on to the wall and avoid falling.

“… … .”

The headache I had been feeling for some time now has gotten worse.

Probably because I didn’t sleep properly.

My body was screaming and shouting.

Rest now.

However, that wasn’t possible.

Because the deadline is fast approaching.

Gritting her teeth and correcting her posture, Bella accelerated her steps again.