Ch.134The NPC Who Cannot Rest (3)

“Well, I guess the unfair treatment has decreased a bit lately? I’ve been pushing through with brute force so much that even unfair situations don’t seem unfair anymore, right?

But this still crosses the line!! National-level unfairness is going too far!!!”

The favorability ratings inside me change dramatically.

The demon mayor of the Seven Deadly Sins, Avaritia—her favorability rating shifts from negative to positive, while the elves of Siltra, whom I’ve never seen before, have ratings that plummet beyond negative, reaching all the way down to the mantle!!

“…Are you serious?”

“About half serious.”

When I suggest invading Ganpf, Avaritia makes an expression as if she’s seen something unbelievable.

Why? I’ve never been one to just take a hit without fighting back.

“Weren’t you acquainted with that elf at the casino?”

“Acquainted… I guess?”

Huh? Wait, the elf at the casino? Green Doll? How do you know about him…

“Why wouldn’t I know? That elf is someone who’s noticed that I’m a demon.”

“…Huh?”

I unconsciously let out a stupid sound, and she responds to my expression with a bitter smile before sitting back down in her chair.

Seems like she’s cooled down a bit.

But, Green Doll knows you’re a demon? And how do you know Green Doll?

What’s going on? There wasn’t any connection like this in the game!!

“It’s not really a connection. Just that a few centuries ago when I first came to the city, a few elves, including him, picked a fight with me.”

“What? You and Green Doll fought?!”

“Yes, he came at me with a sword, claiming a demon was hiding among humans, killing the original mayor and taking over. I entertained him for about a day? He was quite strong back then, but compared to you now, he was at a cute level, and I never thought I’d lose.”

Perhaps because she started talking about the past rather than business, Avaritia, whose emotional state was shifting like a menopausal woman, began her story.

She fought with Green Doll for a full day and had originally planned to kill him on the spot. However, Green Doll was stronger than she expected.

To kill him, she would have needed to use her divine power, but doing so might have cost her the title of [Neutral Trading City] that she had just earned. So instead of using her power, she decided to present evidence to the increasingly tired elf that she had been the city’s mayor from the beginning and would be for life.

After confirming that the evidence she presented wasn’t fabricated, Green Doll had no choice but to acknowledge her as the city’s mayor…

“He said he’d stay to keep an eye on me, but as soon as I built a large gambling hall and bar, he holed up in there. What did he say? That it was the most stimulating and fun place he’d ever seen in his life?”

“…Crazy gambling-addicted elf.”

“That’s what I think too.”

After saying that much, Avaritia took a sip of the tea in front of her and frowned. It must have gone cold and tasteless.

Wait, hold on? So you knew Green Doll was involved in this incident? Why did you specifically ask me to gather information…

“Huh? Are you really that stupid? When elves commit crimes, you want me to get information from elves and hand over elven correspondence? What if that sword-wielder had targeted you while you were down?”

“Oh! Could it be you were worried about—”

“What if you suddenly opened your eyes and started fighting with that gambling addict in the city? Even if I used my divine power, I’m not confident I could drive both of you out. I wouldn’t let the city be half-destroyed even if it cost me my life.”

“Right, of course.”

Cutting off my words and curling her lips downward in disgust, Avaritia downed her cold tea in one go and slumped down at her desk.

Her voluptuous chest moves with the motion, but the thunderstruck madwoman before me doesn’t look particularly attractive right now.

“So, I’m this irritated and stopped you. If you’re half serious, that means you’re thinking of other methods for the other half, right? What are you going to do? Even I don’t have a way to keep blocking this situation.”

Avaritia explained it like this:

The other side created this situation because they want war, and even if we claim Green Doll killed them and find evidence, they’ll refuse to believe it no matter what.

The rumor that I accepted her confidentiality request means my existence can’t be hidden anymore.

Even the Guild has somewhat identified who I am.

This means Siltra could reach out to the Guild and possibly find information about me at any time.

But how did I get exposed in the first place?

“Are you stupid? Did you forget what you did at the hospital?”

“Hey, I admit I’m stupid and foolish. Stop it already. I didn’t forget. But I properly told the nurse about the confidentiality request…”

“Yes, and the doctors who heard that nurse reported the ‘incident’ that occurred during the confidentiality request to the Guild. If you had just killed them all and contacted me, that would be one thing, but making them all eunuchs and turning critical patients into lifelong invalids—of course you’d be discovered, you idiot.”

The mayor looked at me as if she truly found it absurd.

…Damn. Was this karma!! I thought I could do whatever I wanted since I was best friends with someone in power!!

Reality never goes the way you want, does it?

“So, are you serious about attacking Siltra even if it means fighting that elf? If you’re willing to take the lead, I can arrange troops behind you…”

“…Wait a minute.”

“Yes?”

In the midst of what was becoming a conversation about me going on a solo mission, I feel like I’m missing something and try to think.

What is it? There was something, but I can’t quite remember after sleeping so deeply for two days. What was it… Ah!!

“Hey! That person in power! Who was the powerful figure working with the kidnappers from the guard and adventurers?!”

“Slurp. Hm? Oh, that? I couldn’t find out.”

While I was briefly thinking, Avaritia had brewed herself coffee and was drinking it.

…I really was just thinking for a moment, but enough time passed for her to make fresh coffee?

But wait, how can you so confidently say you couldn’t find out? Can’t you just catch the culprit and send them over?

It wasn’t my fault in the first place, but that bastard’s. We could pin everything on them with 120% legality.

“I don’t know. Even when I had that competent secretary, we couldn’t find out. With work piling up like this, how am I supposed to find that out? I have neither the time nor the manpower.”

After saying that much, the mayor shook her head as if she found it ridiculous that I didn’t know the enemy’s mastermind, and started scribbling on documents.

She seems to think there’s no point in expecting anything more from me, which is correct. I can’t think of anything else either.

So, do I really have to launch a special attack on Siltra? Ah, I hate my stupid brain. I really want to see Ragni.

“…Right. That Ragni Bluemoon Ottoman.”

“Hm? Hey. Don’t add Ottoman. She’s just Ragni Bluemoon now…”

“That’s not what I meant!! Can’t we get help from her?!”

When I muttered Ragni’s name to myself, the mayor’s eyes lit up as if she’d just woken up, hoping for assistance from her intelligence, and I immediately shook my head.

The truth is, I’ve wanted Ragni’s help since the first day of this incident, but it would be crazy to ask her to come here for something this trivial.

Even if I sent a letter, it would take over three months just for the round trip…

“Isn’t she in Natie?”

“So what?”

“Huh?!! You idiot!! Then use the casino to contact her!!”

“Huh?”

What? The casino has that kind of additional function?

Looking at me in disbelief, Avaritia finally began explaining the casino’s additional features.

*

“Yes, I’ve confirmed the inter-city communication cost and magic stone requirement. Please wait a moment.”

Huh? This really works?

There were no telephones in the game, and even communication crystals had a range of only a few kilometers at most.

Around Episode 6, in [Magic Engineering City Aiti]—currently the only place in this world that makes magic guns—there are things similar to mobile phones, but even those can’t be used outside that city.

But why does the casino function like a telephone exchange? Is it actually a communication base with a gambling hall attached?

Wait, didn’t Ragni say this was like a bank?

One communication costs 700,000 Can, equivalent to 7 million won in my previous life. And that’s just for 10 minutes.

Plus, we have to provide our own magic stones for the communication.

However, the very fact that such long-distance communication is possible in this world is amazing, and I have no reason to skimp on money or magic stones right now.

Miho and I waited in the casino hall for the connection, and after about two hours, someone came to call us.

…Oh, wow.

“You can communicate through this crystal. You’ll be connected for 10 minutes.”

“…Wow, it’s enormous.”

“It looks bigger than my body.”

After the bunny girl who guided us to the incredibly large crystal left with a smile, leaving just Miho and me in the room, we stood in front of the crystal.

[Big brother!!!]

“Ira!!!”

[Hehe! It’s big brother! Ragni, look! It’s my brother!! My brother is in the crystal!]

[Yes, yes. It’s your silly brother. How did that silly brother get to Aigram in less than two months? How much must he love his little sister to travel faster than a carriage?]

[Because big brother misses me so much!]

“That’s right! Exactly!”

Cute and lovable Ira sits on Ragni’s arm, smiling brightly at me, while beside her, Ragni raises the corner of her mouth with a “how about that?” expression.

Wow. As expected! Ragni! You know exactly what I want!!

When I started asking Ira if she was healthy, if she’d made friends, and if those stupid women were saying or doing anything strange to her, Ira smiled brightly and began answering everything.

Miho watched us with a smile for a while before trying to stop me.

“A-ahem. Um, Jack? I know you’re happy to see Ira, but this is only 10 minutes…”

Ah, right. There’s a time limit.

“Ragni, can you see this?”

[Hm? Oh, I can see it… What’s this about?]

“Read this and tell me what you think. Meanwhile, I’ll talk with Ira.”

[Haha! Treating me completely like a tool?]

“That’s what makes you so thrilling,” I said, and Ragni began reading the documents I’d received from Avaritia.

[Big brother! I’ve made so many friends!!]

“Really? How many did you make?”

[Um, let’s see…]

Did she make enough that she needs to count on her fingers? Ira started counting one by one with her hands, and I watched her fondly.

As expected. Our cute little sister is loved wherever she goes…

[I’m not sure if they all count as friends, but I’ve confirmed 133 people.]

…What? Ragni answered while reading the documents, and Ira smiled brightly saying, “Yes! They’re all friends!”

Not 13 but 130?! I was going to say even 10 would be impressive, but how did she make 100 friends in just two months?

Is our Ira a complete social butterfly?! Wait, how many of them are boys…!!

But my question was buried under Ira’s smile, and she started talking about the two girls she was closest with.

I really lost track of time talking with Ira.

And then.

“You have 2 minutes left.”

“Oh, is there any way to extend the time…”

“I’m sorry. The maximum usage time is limited to 10 minutes per person per day…”

The bunny girl explained that due to concerns about strain on the artifact connected to the crystal, the time allowed per person was absolutely limited to 10 minutes.

…Damn. Even for Ragni, asking her to figure out the mastermind behind this case in just 10 minutes is…

[What 10 minutes? If you subtract the time you spent chattering with Ira at the beginning, it’s only 6 minutes.]

“Stop reading my thoughts.”

[How can I help it when it shows on your face? Besides, I figured out the answer earlier… Sigh, what kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into this time?]

“What?”

“Huh?!”

Both Miho and I looked at her in surprise, and she gave a brief explanation.

[Well, there’s no time for a detailed explanation, so I’ll just say it. There’s no way someone with power equal to the mayor exists in Aigram right now, right? So these kidnappers must have judged their target as someone who could use the mayor’s power. And the only person with such authority or who could appear that way—didn’t that person flee with some flimsy excuse as soon as the case was closed? That’s what I would have done. Oh, since time is short, I’ll be direct: it’s the mayor’s secretary. Looking at this, it’s obvious. They tried to remove parts that implicated them, resulting in inconsistencies everywhere. Especially the report about the village near Aigram where you were involved…]

Ragni continued pointing out specific inconsistencies, mentioning which lines and contents didn’t match up.

[Big brother! Don’t get hurt and come back soon!!]

[It’s fine to use me as a tool, but send regular letters too. And let me know what’s actually going on. I may enjoy being used like this, but that doesn’t mean I don’t worry.]

“Alright, tell both of you to take care, and I’ll be back soon. And Ragni, thank you so much! I’ve never thought of you as just a tool.”

[Hehe. I know. Don’t get hurt and come back quickly.]

[Big brother, I lo—!!!]

That was it.

The crystal lost its light and erased the image of Ira and Ragni. In the slightly darkened room, I committed to memory the image of the red-haired girl shouting her love and the blue-haired woman expressing her concern.

Since I’m truly stupid, I made sure to lock those memories away tightly.

“Can I use this every day?”

“Oh, no. Besides the cost, repeatedly using it to contact the same city puts a strain on the system. For the same city, you can only use it once every two weeks according to the manual…”

“I understand. Thank you. Miho, let’s go.”

“Ah, yes!!”

Ragni and Ira, whom I saw after a long time, looked happy.

And though I didn’t see Gor and Rei this time, they must be doing well too. Somehow Ira has made over 100 friends, so she must be enjoying her academy life.

‘I should finish this quickly and go back too. For that…’

Siltra, which has started causing trouble on a national, racial level. Since I was going to go there anyway, I’ll clean things up while I’m at it.

After confirming that even the fatigue and irritation from the endless unfair treatment were healed by seeing my sister’s face and the woman who smiled for my sake, I immediately began to move.