Ch.415Late-Arriving NPCs. (3)

[Master. Why don’t you try being a bit more sincere about golems like that human? That wall is quite admirable.]

‘Stop it. Please. Stop trying to lead your master down the path of sinister stone obsession.’

Ragni had drawn up the blueprints, and the explanation about Gore was given by me, Ragni, and Ira together. Of course, I couldn’t talk about the status window.

[What?!! A talking golem?! P-please make vocal cords…! That sounds so enticing!!!]

Ira had spilled everything except the status window—how Gore had soft breasts, refreshing thighs, and a beautiful voice—bringing out all of Tork Bigman’s stone-loving tendencies. Eventually…

[Comrade! To think of such a voluptuous… beautiful golem, perhaps you’d like to join me in Aiti to explore the pinnacle of golem creation?!]

After hearing from Ragni’s mouth that Gore had wanted flesh color, he started talking about making me his assistant or partner in golem creation, and I had to work very hard to politely refuse.

Crazy, he didn’t have this personality in the game. It’s really scary!! Dealing with female perverts is already overwhelming, but male perverts are truly unbearable!!!

“I can’t believe the chairman of the Magical Engineering City is personally accepting our request. And the fee is exploration of the dungeon’s final area within the city. This is nothing but profit for us, right?”

“Hehe! Thanks to that, a strange old man has started following me around calling me his comrade.”

“Jack seems to have a talent for being loved by weird people.”

“…And you two are saying this?”

“Pfft!! I’d heard that Aiti was serious about golem industry and used automation? Something like golem factories, but I didn’t know it was a system created by the current chairman. I sometimes think Jack has good people fortune~”

“Big brother, is that big mister going to make Gore? Will Gore be revived now?”

Yeah, yeah. She’ll probably be revived. Well, I don’t know about having good people fortune, but I’m definitely aware in many ways that I have pervert fortune(?).

Anyway, Bigman said he needed to go back to Aiti to work, so it will take some time. He said he’d improve the performance based on the quality of the core we bring, so now I just need to think about what to do with the Behemoth’s core. He also said Gore’s revival would require fragments of the Mime Golem, so I told Ray to quickly go get them from where he had made a grave with them. Well, there wasn’t really anywhere else to store them, so it’s better that they weren’t lost.

We exit the train where we were talking with Bigman and look at the sunset sky, then turn our gaze forward again. True to the name “Engineering Train,” the sight of Aiti craftsmen continuing to dismantle the Behemoth at night under lights that seem like they belong in a scientific civilization reminds me of construction sites from my past life. Ah, I’ve worked night shifts before, and nights like these are really tough. But those guys other than the chairman have bad attitudes, so they deserve to suffer a bit.

Neiti, Gilma, Kannu, and Raga, who were having dinner while keeping an eye on those guys to make sure they didn’t get greedy, told us to leave things to them since we’d worked hard. We thanked them and started heading back into the city. Ragni said she still had work to do and would return to the academy, while Miho, Chikuyo, Ira, and I headed home. And Ray would come home with Gore’s fragments. As we were discussing our plans to have dinner together before parting ways and moving toward the temporary gate—

*Swoosh*

“…Ugh. I don’t like that lady.”

For the first time in a while, Ira immediately referred to a woman as “lady” with obvious distaste, making me feel how I did when my sister first met Ray, Ragni, or Gore when she was younger. I silently agreed with her. What now? Aren’t we done talking with your chairman?

“I am not a lady! I am Carrier Orwell, the personal secretary of Aiti’s chairman!!”

“Earlier you said you were a maid. Did you get a sudden promotion in the meantime?”

As I respond with just a raised corner of my mouth to the woman who glares at Ira with irritation, her snake-like narrow eyes turn nervously toward me.

“Tsk!! This is why I can’t stand magic users who make a living off things like mana. How dare a mere escort interrupt when someone superior is speaking…!!”

“You’ve been disrespectful multiple times to me, the acting dean who is equivalent to the mayor of [Neutral City Neiti], and now you’re being rude to my ‘husband’ again? I let it slide earlier because the chairman explained and apologized, but any further disrespect will be considered your personal judgment, and I’ll throw all your guards in jail too, so be careful with your mouth. La-dy.”

Raising her voice and flipping her dyed black hair, Ragni stood in front of Ira and me, exuding the charisma of a leader and intimidating them with her presence. The woman had two guards. They were opponents Miho and Chikuyo could defeat barehanded even without my help. The guards at the gate, elves, and some beastkin were also glaring at them. Perhaps they had been causing trouble here even before we arrived.

Showing her hostile feelings without hiding them or backing down, the self-proclaimed secretary and maid sighed ostentatiously and opened her mouth again.

“You have poor taste in men, don’t you? He seems to have almost no mana. Was that girl with mana your target inste—”

“It’s natural that a spinster like you can’t see Jack’s good points. Jack doesn’t have any of that mana you people hate so much. And even if all your guards attacked at once, they couldn’t leave a scratch on Jack. Why, want to test it?”

“S-spinster…?!”

“What…!!!”

The guards’ reaction to Ragni’s provocation, looking like they might charge at any moment, made me wonder if this was really appropriate behavior for Aiti’s delegation.

Of course, whether it is or not isn’t for me to judge. Ragni cut off her opponent’s words with a sardonic smile and turned her eyes to look at me, to which I responded with a shrug. Hmm, Ira, stay next to Miho for a moment.

*Trudge, trudge*

“Who wants to get hit first? If you get hit wrong and something breaks, bill it to that spinster career woman over there.”

“You bastard!! A mere magic user’s escort dares!!”

“To insult Secretary Orwell twice!!”

*Shing, shing!!*

Seeing these crazy guys actually draw their swords and charge, I’m a bit surprised and look back to make eye contact with Ragni. When I give her a “Hey, what do I do?” look, she answers by closing her eyes. Well, if that’s what you want.

I think I turned my head quite slowly, but is this the speed of someone in the early level 300s with decent equipment? I lightly chop the Adam’s apple of the guy in front who still hasn’t managed to bring his sword down on me, then take his sword.

Hmm, a magic sword with fire attribute bonus damage. He said the sword I gave him broke, so maybe I should give this to Ray as a gift? While I’m thinking that far ahead, the second guy, who just now realized his comrade has been sent flying backward, thrusts his sword at me but wavers in confusion. Eh, this one’s just a sturdy sword. Garbage.

*Grab, crack*

After grabbing the sword enhanced with hardening magic and breaking it in half, I stab the blade remaining in my hand into the gap in his armor on his arm, and when he tries to start screaming, I cover his mouth with my hand.

“Guherk…?!!”

“Mmmmph⎯⎯⎯⎯?!!”

“Sigh, it’s becoming a chore to hold back against weaklings. Like I said at the beginning, bill the damages to your career trash over there. Oh, and I’m keeping this sword.”

Taking spoils from thieves is legal even for non-adventurers. After saying that, I look at the secretary who was treated like trash, and she quietly looks at me with a slightly changed atmosphere, then looks back at Ragni and opens her mouth.

“Quite skilled. And it doesn’t seem like he used any physical enhancement.”

“I told you, he has no mana. Would a brother weaker than his little sister even exist in this world?”

“…I think it’s entirely possible if that little sister is on such a different level.”

With a face that had become expressionless rather than glaring angrily like before, the secretary glanced at Ira once and immediately looked away. She used a small phone-like device from her pocket to call other guards who were in the train, and they came running to take the two people I had knocked down and returned to the train. Huh, what’s going on now?

“Hmph, now you’re ready to talk properly?”

“Yes, I apologize for all the rudeness until now. I promise the acting dean of Neiti that I will show my sincerity not just with words but by supporting you with resources from my personal funds. And to the red-haired young lady behind you, I apologize for hurting you with harsh words from noon until now.”

“Yes! I accept your apology!”

“What…?”

“Hmm?”

“Huh?”

As if she had been waiting for all the guards to disappear, the secretary apologized with a completely changed demeanor, even bowing her head. When Ira confidently said she would accept the apology, the secretary raised her head and quietly smiled once more, saying she was sorry again, as if all the expressions she had shown earlier in the day and just now had been lies. Wait, what’s with this person? And Ragni, did you know about this?

“I’m not an idiot. Didn’t you think it was strange that I would try to pull out a gun over such minor provocation earlier today?”

“Ah?”

“Indeed, it seemed odd that someone smart enough to serve as the city leader’s deputy would draw a weapon over such provocation.”

“Yeah. It felt like she gave in too easily? Like big sis said, pulling out a gun seemed a bit excessive.”

Chikuyo and Miho nodded as if they had noticed to some extent, and I looked at Ira with a suspicious feeling. Little sister, you didn’t know about this too, right? If your dislike was just acting, your brother might collapse from shock.

“Huh? No, I didn’t know! But now I don’t really dislike this lady!”

“Hehe. Thank you. Then, let me introduce myself again.”

This time, standing modestly and holding the edge of her skirt with her fingertips, the maid performed a greeting so impeccable it made the etiquette I learned in the Empire look amateur, leaving me speechless.

My goodness! Is this really the same immoral spinster from before?!

“I am Carrier Orwell, personal secretary and maid to Chairman Tork Bigman. I also hold the position of trade manager in Aiti. From your conversation with the chairman earlier, I would like to discuss the arrangement of the ‘important matter’ and explain Aiti’s current situation regarding the Behemoth. As part of my apology for everything so far, would you allow me to treat you all to dinner?”

It seems I’m going to take all the betrayals of the year today.