Ch.10Rolling the Snowball NPCs. (1)

Let me just make one real excuse.

I am absolutely not some justice-loving hero who can’t stand injustice.

While I might harbor some small dreams and hopes about heroic landings, I’m not the type to extend my hand unless it’s truly a matter of injustice that affects me.

But here’s the shitty thing. If it had been a male character being dragged away, I would’ve just let it be. What do I care what happens to some guy with a dick?

But it’s a female character, right? And this is the Eight world?! Dark fantasy!!

This is a world where it’s perfectly normal to hear stories about a perfectly fine man becoming a goblin breeding ground by the next morning!!

In other words, I learned the conclusion of a TMI battle I never wanted to know about, and I’m not enough of a deranged piece of trash to just stand by and watch that conclusion become reality.

Seriously, you would have done the same if you were in my position. I’m not doing this because I’m some kind of unicorn.

“Huh? What… What?!”

“Y-yes!! That’s him!!”

The man I threw out the tavern door looks surprised as he alternately stares at the woman, me, and the thugs.

Right after the men and woman left, I saw a man sneaking out from the direction of the bathroom and heading straight for the entrance.

He was clearly planning to join them in bed after the woman lost consciousness.

Sigh. Part of me hopes this is just my brain’s delusion from seeing too many pupils, but seriously, if I see him wandering around tomorrow morning, sniffling and clutching his crotch, and our eyes meet…

I don’t think I could handle that.

“That’s right, mister. Was what the lady said incorrect?”

“Uh, what?! What are you talking about!! I, I don’t know that woman!!”

“I see. Then I guess you don’t know the guy who stole her wallet either?”

“O-of course not! How would I know someone like that?!! My pouch is right here, perfectly fine…!!”

“Oh? That’s strange. Your pouch shouldn’t be there.”

“W-what?!”

The man hurriedly pulled out a pouch from his waist and showed it. However, seeing this, I curled up the corner of my mouth and immediately threw an identical pouch in front of them.

*Roll roll roll*

“No. I swiped one of the pouches from your waist when I threw you out just now. But it’s full of stones instead of coins?! My goodness! How did this happen?!!”

“Huh? What?!! W-what are you saying! My pouch has proper coins in it!! Check right there…!! Oh.”

“Pfft.”

It’s exactly like in the game.

The player barges into a quest, throws the opponent, tosses them a pouch full of stones, and the confused decoy ends up contradicting his own denial.

A stupid mistake—claiming not to know the man, then asking the supposed wallet thief to confirm his innocence by checking that there’s money in the pouch.

Of course, the stones I just threw are all goblin magic stones, but those idiots have no reason to recognize them.

Just like a game world, they’re making the same stupid mistakes.

“You said you didn’t know each other, but the person you’re asking to prove your innocence is the wallet thief? Wow, you’re terrible at lying.”

“Huh?! Ah! N-no, it’s not a lie…!!”

*SMACK!!*

In the game, you’d continue responding to their excuses, letting them flounder more before starting combat.

But there’s no need to go that far. I picked up a fallen magic stone and threw it at his mouth, then looked at the other men and spoke.

“Hmm. Gentlemen. It’s a problem when your decoy is stupid, isn’t it? Use someone smarter next time. You need brains to lie properly, you know.”

The thugs looked stunned for a moment after hearing what I said.

Suddenly their decoy got hit with a stone and collapsed, and the evidence of their conspiracy was exposed. Their minds seemed to freeze in this most unfavorable situation, and they just stood there motionless.

And then.

“Well. I’ve said all I needed to say, so I’ll be going now.”

“Uh, huh?”

“What?”

“W-wait!! You bastard!! Don’t…!!”

*Shing*

I turned around and walked into the alley.

I heard the sound of a sword being drawn behind me, so she must have drawn her blade.

The so-called Trouble Generator. Known as “TG” in the community, a 1.5-tier female DPS swordswoman character.

If she gets dragged to bed even after all that help, then that’s truly her destiny.

I returned to the inn, imagining a female swordsman who draws her sword but still gets defeated and dragged away.

*

“Let’s go.”

“Mmm… brother… the sun hasn’t risen yet…”

“It’s okay. Brother Ira will carry you, so keep sleeping.”

Not knowing how last night’s incident might snowball, I need to get out of here no matter what.

Actually, I thought about running away as soon as I got back to the inn, but seeing Ira sleeping on the bed, taking small tired breaths, I just couldn’t bring myself to flee immediately.

But now, before the morning sun rises, I should still be able to make up for lost time…

“Ah!! My savior from yesterday! Good morning! Hello!!”

For the love of this crazy world. Seriously, give me a break!!

“Mmm… brother?”

“Ah, Ira. Sorry, was that too loud?”

“Oh!! I-I’m sorry! I didn’t know someone was sleeping…!”

If you’re sorry, please lower your voice.

As soon as we came out of the inn, the blonde female swordsman in leather armor from inside the walls was waiting at the entrance and greeted me energetically, making me naturally furrow my brow.

My sister, who was in my arms, also frowned in irritation at the sharp voice ringing in her ears. I gently covered her ear with one hand and made a shushing gesture with my mouth to the woman.

And seeing that, she also made a shushing gesture. Sigh, my fate.

“My sister is sleeping, so could you please go back quietly? If you have something to say, later…”

“Ah. I, yesterday. I wanted to thank you for helping me, and also introduce myself…”

“I see. I accept your thanks. As for introductions, I’m a bit busy right now, so later…”

“Um, where are you going right now…?”

“I have some business that requires me to move early. If you want to see me later, please come back to the inn.”

“Ah! Yes! Then, I’ll see you later!!”

Leaving behind the female swordsman who was smiling brightly and waving both hands at me, I headed straight for the town entrance.

Quickly, I need to escape as quickly as possible. If I keep getting entangled with her, surely…

“Shit! It’s that bastard. Get him!!”

“Wow… seriously.”

Yesterday’s thugs were waiting at the entrance with bandages wrapped around their faces and limbs, as if they’d been beaten with the flat of a sword.

This is really not good. I’m screwed…

“You scoundrels!! Harassing innocent people again?!!”

Right. I knew this would happen.

The blonde female swordsman in leather armor, who I thought I’d left behind, must have followed me as she shouted and jumped out from behind me. Seeing the woman, the men ran away as if they’d seen a ghost.

Sigh. I should have just told the status window to throw everything at them. Why does this keep happening…

“Those guys! Even after I beat them up yesterday, they still haven’t learned?! I’m sorry, my benefactor! Because you helped me, even your sister got involved…”

“Y-you don’t need to think that way. I, I really have to go now… So, goodbye.”

“Ah! W-wait a moment!!”

“Um… I have my sister here, so please watch your volume.”

When I tell the TG who keeps speaking loudly for some reason to shut her mouth, she goes “shh” with round eyes just like before.

Seriously. It’s only because she’s a party-eligible NPC with a pretty face that I’m tolerating this. If this were a male character, I would have punched him already.

“Ah. I apologize again. I tend to have a rather loud voice.”

“Yes. I can tell it’s beyond ‘rather loud.'”

“Ahem. So, since things have come to this, may I escort you for a while? I can’t just leave my benefactor being targeted by those people because of me…”

“No. It’s embarrassing to say, but I’m stronger than you. So I don’t need an escort.”

Please just go away. I strongly rejected her with that feeling in mind.

And then.

[-Occupation: Fallen Swordsman- Level: 33 Name: Ray Sol. Age: 16.]

[She feels favorable toward you.]

The status window is acting up. Please stop, don’t say such nonsense!! Why would she feel favorable just because I helped her?!!

“Ah. I-I see! Indeed. I did think your stone throwing was sharp yesterday. So you’re even stronger than me?!”

“…Ah, yes. That’s right. So, now I really need to go…”

“B-but! I’m quite strong too! So please let me repay your kindness!!”

The second reason she’s called TG is starting to activate.

She keeps talking about what she wants to do if you don’t complete the (!) quest she gives.

She doesn’t listen to what others say, gets crazy about playing justice hero, and even worse, if you don’t go along with her, she lowers the favorability of other NPCs too—a completely insane personality.

Of course, what she says isn’t wrong.

And she always says these things for others, because she can’t stand seeing someone suffer injustice.

But my goals and your goals are different, and even if you explain this repeatedly and raise her favorability, due to the game’s settings, she just goes “I don’t care!! I can’t stand injustice!!!” and has a fit. That’s why people created the nickname TG for her.

So Trouble Generator, please, enough!!!

“Haa. Look. I’m sorry, Miss Swordsman, but I really need to leave town urgently. You must have your own path to follow, so please don’t waste any more time on me. And since you’ve already thanked me for yesterday, let’s consider that sufficient and part ways here.”

“Ah, eh? What? Oh. Are you leaving town?”

“Yes. I have unavoidable circumstances and must leave immediately. So if fate brings us together elsewhere someday, let’s meet again then.”

“Ah… I see. I understand. If that’s the case, it can’t be helped.”

After my lengthy explanation, she finally understood, and we were able to part ways.

Seriously. If I had stuck with that woman, the journey to Aigram would have been hell.

From now on, even if I see other NPCs doing stupid things, I’ll ignore them completely. With that strong determination, I quickly left the town.

With a promise that next time, I would definitely take a carriage in the next town.

*

Watching the rapidly disappearing back of the man, and the hooded golem(?) running alongside him, she returned to her inn with a somewhat dejected look.

Last night when she was in trouble, no one helped her, but then that boy appeared like a hero.

She wanted to repay his kindness, as he seemed about her age, but more than that, his actions yesterday were truly admirable.

‘…The way he didn’t fight with the other men there, but trusted me and left with such dignity was really cool.’

She felt her heart flutter a bit at his behavior, which seemed to say, “I know your skills, so I’ve done my part—now handle the rest yourself.”

She knows well that her skills are far superior to most peers her age. After all, considering where she comes from.

But that man’s skills seemed slightly stronger than her own. She had never met someone her age with skills similar to hers.

“…Ah. I didn’t even get his name.”

He acted as if he had to leave immediately. She couldn’t even properly introduce herself or learn his name.

It was truly regrettable.

So she returned to the inn with various regrets in her heart and… huh?

“Mister, what’s that?”

“Hmm? Oh. The guards put that up this morning. Must be a new wanted poster.”

Seeing a new wanted poster on the inn’s bulletin board that hadn’t been there before, she immediately checked its contents.

And then.

“…What is this?”

(!) [Skill: Can’t Stand Injustice. Activating.]

After reading the contents, she immediately ran to her room.

The snowball had just begun to roll.