Episode 330. Centaur Tracking Operation (2)

“Why are you so late! You bastard!”

“Sorry, sorry. Something came up.”

As soon as I entered the lodging, Liliana started picking on me.

Seeing her bite my arm, it seemed like she wasn’t angry, just bored.

“Oh my, the baby daddy’s here?”

“Yes. Rebecca-ssi. Good morning.”

“Hurry and get ready! We have to go catch the horse! Let’s ride horses! Horses!”

Now that I saw it, Liliana and Rebecca had already finished getting ready.

Looks like I was the only one who hadn’t.

“Sorry, sorry. I’ll get ready quickly too. Ah, speaking of which, Rebecca-ssi, what will you be doing?”

“I’ll be supporting from the rear. Since I met the Guild Master last time, I doubt he’ll mind?”

“Hmm… I guess so.”

If he didn’t like it, he would have said so.

After saying he was curious about my contact info and whatnot, he didn’t ask again, so maybe that was his indirect way of giving permission.

He might seem like a simple playboy, but he’s an adult.

“By the way, are you okay, baby daddy? You look tired. Didn’t you come back until late last night?”

“Yes. I had something urgent to take care of.”

“You know you have to track them personally today, right?”

“Of course. Don’t worry.”

“Yeah. I trust you. Baby daddy’s got the genius genes.”

I hadn’t forgotten about mastering the magic circle.

I had mastered it enough to use it perfectly right now, so there was no way I couldn’t do it just because I was a little tired.

That’s what it takes to be a genius mage.

I went into the bathroom, quickly washed my face, and got dressed.

Liliana urging me on beside me was tiring during the process, but I decided to endure it.

“Let’s go! Let’s go! Hurry!”

“I’m getting ready. Wait a moment. But Liliana, are you coming too?”

“Of course! I have to see that guy right now!”

“Hmm. Indeed, since we might not be able to capture him alive, it’s probably better if you come along.”

Capturing the Centaur alive and then having Liliana talk to him in a quiet place would be ideal, but that was purely a wish.

If all else fails, I’ll have no choice but to beat him half to death and force him to talk.

He might die in the process, so it’s probably right to bring Liliana along.

Puh-woong-

Liliana transformed into a necklace, emitting smoke.

“- Let’s go!”

“Yeah, yeah. Since you can’t answer, stay quiet if possible. I need to concentrate today.”

I hung the necklace-transformed Liliana around my neck and stepped out of the lodging.

By then, Rebecca-ssi had disappeared, and Scarlet came out to meet me.

“Did you wait long?”

“No. I was also checking if I had forgotten anything.”

“Okay. Let’s go.”

“… Are you really okay? You look very tired.”

Scarlet asked with a worried voice.

Strangely, you seem especially worried today.

It’s probably because you know how dangerous the Centaur really is.

“I’m fine. Keep saying that, and it’ll just make me more tired, hey.”

“I apologize. That wasn’t my intention.”

“No, no, don’t apologize. I appreciate the concern.”

I truly appreciate you worrying about me, but worrying too much can prevent things from working out.

You have to do everything with confidence.

I followed Scarlet’s guidance towards the Iris Guild’s main building.

Come to think of it, there was something I’d been curious about since yesterday.

“Speaking of which, isn’t the Guild Master stronger when he moves at night? Why is he moving out in the morning?”

“Objectively speaking, the Guild Master isn’t weak during the day.”

“That’s not very convincing. It’s better to be stronger if possible, isn’t it?”

“That’s correct. Actually, this was just for show. To be honest, the Guild Master’s abilities are so well-known that the Iris Guild’s enemies don’t operate at night. The extent of it is so severe that even criminal organizations in France don’t operate at night.”

“… Cool. It appeals to a man’s sensibilities.”

It’s somehow amazing that the nights of an entire country are safe because of just one person.

As expected, he’s an incredibly amazing person.

In front of the main building, the members of the pursuit team, starting with Isaac whom I’d seen last time, were waiting.

I could also see Irene’s profile as she gathered and checked the personnel; her expression seemed fine.

‘Irene looks okay.’

Even though she went through it until she passed out last night, and it was her first time, her condition seemed good.

I had probably expected she’d be like this.

Although I semi-forcibly took her virginity, she also saw Alice’s naked body and we enjoyed it together, so she might think it wasn’t so bad.

She’s that kind of crazy woman.

“Lee Hoyeon.”

At that moment, I heard a voice calling me.

“Ah, Guild Master. Good morning.”

“Right. You… your eyes don’t look good. Are you the type who’s weak in the morning?”

“I was checking the Centaur tracking magic circle until late last night. My condition isn’t great, but the magic is perfect.”

“You’re really diligent. Since you’re the center of today’s operation, if anything needs to be done, don’t hesitate to tell me.”

“Yes. I understand.”

What should I say.

Today, Isaac felt strangely respectful towards me.

Until now, he treated me like a cadet, but he wasn’t treating me like one now.

Was he valuing me highly because of the Centaur tracking magic circle?

“And also. Lee Hoyeon-gun.”

“Yes. Guild Master.”

Isaac lowered his voice so those around wouldn’t hear.

Wondering what important thing he was about to say, I also focused on Isaac’s words.

“Ahem. By any chance, is that red beauty coming today too?”

“… Perhaps she’ll provide support from behind. Since I’m busy today, you shouldn’t go see her.”

“Ah, right. Hmm. I was just curious. We can’t have complications during the operation, after all. Understood.”

“- This man’s eyes are suspicious. They’re just like yours…!”

“…”.

I agreed with Liliana.

I definitely shouldn’t let this person meet Rebecca.

I lowered my evaluation of him as a cool person by one level.

Rebecca didn’t seem interested at all, so why is he acting like this?

… Perhaps he’s not valuing me highly because of Rebecca, is he?

“Guild Master.”

“Ah, Team 1 Leader. Is the personnel check finished?”

“Alice hasn’t arrived yet. But really… are you taking Alice too?”

“Of course. Alice decided to be excused from the Academy exams too.”

Isaac conversed with Irene, who had approached.

Alice hasn’t arrived yet.

Did I perhaps go too hard on her last night?

“- No, when are we departing! This is why having too many people is no good!”

“Hmm.”

I stroked Liliana while listening to their conversation.

“That’s why I said from the beginning it didn’t make sense. Why on earth are you trying to take Alice?”

“… My daughter. That’s already a settled matter. Ahem! Since it can’t be too late, I’ll go get Alice. Team 1 Leader, you wait here and get the operation explanation from Lee Hoyeon-gun.”

“Guild Master. No, Father! You can’t just barge into Alice’s room!”

Irene frowned watching Isaac’s retreating back, but he had already disappeared.

Irene sighed, then turned her head.

“….”.

“….”.

Irene, who made eye contact with me, stared intently.

An awkward silence.

In this situation where neither of us knew what to say, I carefully opened my mouth.

“… Hello?”

“Ha, seems like you feel guilty?”

Irene replied in a mocking tone.

However, the fact that she answered meant she wasn’t that upset.

Having already reached the expert level in the psychology of crazy people, I figured out how to continue the conversation with Irene just from this short exchange.

“Both you and I are adults, aren’t we? Even if we escalate this, we’ll only lose out mutually, so there’s no need to make a big deal out of it, right?”

“… Fine. It would be a big loss for the Iris Guild, wouldn’t it? Are you trying to blackmail me?”

“No way. If we just forget it as a hot memory from one night…”

“What about Alice? Surely you’re not planning to let it slide for Alice too?”

Right. It was as I expected.

Ultimately, the words Irene brought up were about Alice.

From Irene’s perspective, yesterday might not have been bad, but at the same time, she probably wouldn’t like me.

So, she’s trying to pick a fight using Alice instead of herself.

“Alice and I reached an agreement.”

“That’s ridiculous. Do you think I didn’t hear Alice saying she didn’t want it? Forcing her for several hours when she was struggling so much…”

“Hey. Irene-ssi, you ended up liking it too after saying no at first.”

“Shut up.”

“And you enjoyed it when Alice collapsed too, didn’t you, Irene-ssi?”

I said, smirking.

“… I don’t understand.”

“Lies. You can’t fool me because I know everything. You remember everything from yesterday, don’t you?”

“… If you tell Alice, I’ll kill you.”

“Of course. I’m on Irene-ssi’s side.”

Irene placed her hand on her brow as if she had a headache.

There was no way her head wouldn’t hurt now that the fact she liked her sister was revealed.

Judging by her words, she seemed to have hoped for a sliver of possibility that I didn’t know, but how could that be?

“Anyway, Alice will be fine. If you don’t believe me, just take a look at Alice’s reaction later.”

“… Fine. If Alice dislikes it by any chance, you’d better be prepared.”

Irene headed towards the guild members, leaving only those words behind.

Well, honestly, I was satisfied just for not getting stabbed.

“- Is that the older sister who likes her sister that you mentioned?”

“Yeah. What do you think from your perspective?”

“- Judging just from that recent conversation, she seems like a strange person.”

“… Don’t say that.”

Well, it wasn’t wrong, but.

“Everyone, prepare!”

While I was briefly talking with Liliana, Isaac’s voice was heard.

Behind him, I could also see Alice briskly walking over.

Alice was wearing armor that was definitely lighter than last time; perhaps one of the loyal retainers had suggested it.

Right. Honestly, the armor that clanked every time she moved was a bit excessive.

Upon Isaac’s arrival, all the pursuit team members stood at attention, looking towards him.

I tried to take the opportunity to approach Alice and speak to her, but Isaac’s words continued.

“You’ve all received the briefing, right? Today, we will track the Centaur under the lead of Mage Lee Hoyeon. I will give orders in emergencies, but during the pursuit, the command authority belongs to Lee Hoyeon, so don’t you dare talk back.”

I was truly grateful that he trusted me like that.

Isaac looked at me and gestured for me to come forward, so I went beside him and unfolded the magic circle I had prepared in front of the pursuit team.

A magic orb containing the compressed magic power of the Centaur.

And a magic circle tracking the trace of that magic power.

It’s a common setup, but when the medium becomes hellish magic, it turns into something completely different.

Probably, even if they saw the magic circle, there would be almost no mages who could handle it.

Of course, that’s irrelevant to me.

After a moment, the magic circle activated, and the pursuit team members’ gazes all turned towards me.

The Centaur’s magic orb, which disappeared like a melting snowball, turned into smoke, slowly floated into the air, and quickly began flying somewhere.

“Wh-what is that black smoke?”

“It’s probably part of the tracking magic. I’ve never seen anything like that before either.”

Since I could feel how far the smoke had gone, I started marking its distance on the map.

The location was the outskirts of Paris.

It was neither far nor close.

“It’s here. It’s not moving.”

“What’s the possibility the opponent noticed the tracking?”

“Very unlikely. Even if they did notice, we can catch up because we follow the target to the end while maintaining a certain distance.”

“Let’s depart immediately.”

Upon Isaac’s command, the pursuit team members beside me, who were looking at the map, boarded their respective aircraft.