94 – You and I, Us – 3

In Charles Perrault’s fairy tale “Puss in Boots,” the cat used his wits against a shapeshifting monster ogre, making him turn into a mouse and eating him.

Although the worlds were different, it seemed that such legends were passed down among the Cait Siths as well, so “Puss in Boots” was the highest combat class a Cait Sith could reach, and at the same time, a class that could exert overwhelming power against ogres.

“―But I still don’t understand, Contractor… He turned the ogre into a mouse and ate him, right? Then how does that let him stab an ogre even harder?”

“I also practically killed Biche with cooking, but that doesn’t mean I feed Cooking of Light to every dark or evil-attribute boss I face. Isn’t it similar to that?”

“―Oh, that makes sense! But if you could feed the Contractor’s cooking to the enemy, wouldn’t it definitely be effective?”

“I don’t like that kind of dark chef-like fighting style.”

Though, if one were to go strictly by the attribute, he should be called a Light Chef.

Smacking his lips, Gi-jun thoroughly searched the hideout with his party.

They quickly found evidence that the humans and goblins belonging to the alliance had frequently frequented this place, and they even found a human who was still alive among those being used as ingredients for chocolate in the “factory.”

Perhaps it was only natural.

He was a member of the alliance, or more precisely, the guild representing the human race of Cor, “Union.”

“We’re done.”

“Of course, nya.”

Having seen the miserable reality of the chocolate factory, Boots adjusted his hat and turned his gaze away, speaking as he bit his lip.

“We cannot stand by and watch such a tragedy, nya… I am sorry to show our guest the ugly side of the alliance, nya.”

“Don’t mention it. It happens everywhere.”

Replying with a bitter smile, Gi-jun examined the finished chocolate products stacked neatly inside the factory.

After thinking for a moment, he turned around and met the eyes of Lora, who had been staring at him.

She was startled and lowered her head deeply, but—after thinking for a moment, Gi-jun spoke to Boots again.

“I’d like you to calm down and listen, but would it be alright if I took these, except for what needs to be submitted as evidence?”

“It’s because of that young lady, nya.”

Surprisingly, Boots spoke as he pointed directly at Lora.

“That’s right.”

Wondering if Boots had indeed noticed, Gi-jun was slightly surprised, but he nodded in relief that the conversation had become easier.

Boots turned to look at Lora, then nodded solemnly.

“Disposing of the chocolate won’t bring the victims back to life, nya. We have both suffered from the vampires, so if it can help the young lady, I will gladly give you that much, nya.”

“Thank you.”

“Ju—Jun-nim! You don’t have to do that because of me. When I think of the people who died here, I—*urgh*.”

Lora stopped speaking mid-sentence and began to retch.

She had probably seen and experienced this chocolate factory, and her thoughts had naturally turned to the process by which the chocolate she had eaten so far was made.

Gi-jun packed the large quantity of chocolate into his inventory, then approached her, patted her on the back, and whispered softly.

“Lora, the vampires like Carmilla who bit you made this chocolate. If you feel guilty toward the victims, instead of rejecting it out of physiological disgust, consume this calmly to build up your strength. —And then, you can just kill that many more vampires with the power you gained.”

Would there be any meaning in building a graveyard out of chocolate to honor the souls of the victims?

No, there was no way.

The people were already dead and would not return.

If the remaining chocolate could be put to good use, and if Lora could survive and grow stronger as a result…

If she could kill even more vampires.

Gi-jun would feed her as much chocolate as it took.

That was the path of the Übermensch he envisioned.

“Jun-nim…”

Lora looked at him with a wavering expression.

Looking at them closely, her eyes were still blue, but the faint red glow swirling within them was incredibly alluring—and incredibly chilling.

In that moment, Gi-jun, who had momentarily perceived her not as a party member he had to protect, but as a hunter targeting him, blinked a couple of times to shake off the stray feeling.

Then, he intentionally spoke in a playful tone.

“Or do you prefer my blood after all?”

“N-No, that’s not it!”

Lora, screaming in fright at Gi-jun who acted as if he would strip off his armor right then and there, replied with her shoulders slumped.

“I will… accept the chocolate…”

“You made the right choice.”

As Gi-jun patted Lora’s shoulder and stepped back, Ji-hye, who had been watching silently, suddenly muttered.

“Casanova…”

“What did you say?”

“Nothing, I just meant that you now exude the dignity of a party leader, Oppa.”

“Is that so? It’s a bit embarrassing.”

Scratching his head in embarrassment, Gi-jun suddenly raised his head.

His sensory perception, which had become even sharper during Lucy’s absence, detected people approaching from a distance.

“We should hurry.”

“We have already taken everything we need to take, nya. In case they run wild, it would be best to inform others of the situation, nya—”

“Of course, I’ve confirmed all the information regarding the site and have already notified the Lord of Turis.”

Then that was fine.

The moment Gi-jun nodded, a large crowd of people entered the collapsed factory with a clamor.

In the center was Honeypup, the goblin representative of the Demander, and the beast-kin and orc representatives were also positioned on either side.

And as for the group wearing fancy uniforms visible behind them… Gi-jun narrowed his eyes.

“I told you that you would regret this, Flame Human. Now, members of the ‘Knights.’ Immediately arrest those—Boots?!”

Honeypup, who had spotted Gi-jun and spat out those words with bloodshot eyes, stopped mid-sentence and stumbled as she saw Puss in Boots stepping out from beside Gi-jun.

Honeypup was not the only one shocked to see him; interestingly, while the beast-kin and orc representatives were surprised, they also wore expressions of relief.

“H-How… How are you here?!”

“It was a very interesting commission, Honeypup, nya.”

Speaking in a cold voice, Boots smirked with a twist of his lips.

“I don’t know what you were trying to do to this brave friend—but before that, you must talk to me first, nya.”

“I don’t… I don’t really know what you are talking about, Boots. Right now, the arrest of that criminal is more important than your failed commission!”

“There will be no arrest, nya.”

“Kuh…!”

Boots declared firmly.

Although he was smaller than a goblin, seeing how everyone in the room, including Honeypup, was overwhelmed by him made it clear that the Cait Siths had indeed become one of the five representative species of the Demander thanks to Boots’s authority and reputation.

Honeypup seemed so overwhelmed by him that she could not even breathe properly—but she soon took another step forward and spoke.

“This human harmed members of the alliance at will, trespassed on our property, and even stole and rode the griffin, which is an asset of the alliance! He is a criminal!”

“Puhahahahaha!”

Unable to hold back his laughter any longer, Boots burst into loud laughter.

The group in uniforms standing behind the guild’s key figures, whom Honeypup had referred to as the “Knights,” flinched at his attitude and grabbed their respective weapons.

However, as if he had never cared about them from the beginning, Boots calmly walked toward Honeypup, narrowed his eyes, and spoke.

“This is not your own backyard, Honeypup, nya. You weren’t originally this foolish—have you forgotten who is standing in front of you right now, nya?”

“I know very well! You are Boots the Cait Sith, a cancer blocking the development of our alliance!”

“And I am also one of the five representing this alliance, nya.”

“…Ah?!”

Honeypup’s face turned pale.

Only then did she realize the meaning behind Boots’s words.

Boots adjusted his bowler hat and continued with a chilly smile.

“Trespassing on the property and stealing the alliance’s assets? Harming members of the alliance at will? No, Honeypup. As the representative, I permitted it, nya.”

“Boots—!”

“I commissioned Jun because it seemed like there were dirty spy bastards inside the alliance, nya. And sure enough, vampires and ogres were running wild, nya. —Then,”

Who was the one who brought this trash into the alliance?

Who was the one who made the alliance rot from the inside?

Honeypup could no longer offer any reply to the words Boots quietly spat out.

The Cait Sith declared, glaring at Honeypup with eyes that flashed even more brightly in the darkness.

“Honeypup, your running wild ends here, nya. If you try to pull any more cheap tricks, I will personally disband the alliance, nya.”

“Y-You… Do you think I will s-submit just because you threaten me…?”

“Now shut up and go tattle to your master, nya. Our conversation ends here, nya.”

Honeypup trembled and turned around weakly.

The Knights could do nothing from beginning to end, simply exiting after that small monster.

However, the beast-kin and orc representatives remained behind, and Boots, as if he had expected as much, stared at them quietly before speaking bluntly.

“For everyone’s sake, I won’t hold you responsible for standing by and watching, nya. However, you will have to make a lot of concessions, nya.”

“…Understood. We will stand with you, Boots.”

“We will too, of course. We will support the territory war as a form of atonement.”

Just like that, two of the five representatives of the alliance easily joined their side.

Since the human representative was already dead, it was practically three against one.

Having neatly cleaned up the situation, Boots turned to Gi-jun and winked.

“A troublesome matter will arise soon, nya. The noble behind Honeypup is not so simple, so you will probably have to stand trial at least once, nya. Of course, I will be right beside you, so there is no need to worry, nya.”

A noble, and a trial.

It meant that a noble powerful enough to claim they would punish Gi-jun even in a situation where the evidence was so clear was backing the goblins.

In that case, what would be the most likely motive?

Gi-jun, having organized his thoughts, snorted and checked with Boots.

“Am I the only one standing trial, or are that goblin and the noble included as well?”

“I love that question, nya! Naturally… it is exactly as you think, nya.”

Gi-jun and Boots looked at each other and smiled.

The murderous intent in their smiles was not directed at each other, but that only made it all the more chilling.

Just then, Gi-jun’s Letaphone vibrated.

Since he was already in a sour mood, he had been thinking that if it were a message from Biche, he would talk to her to cheer himself up, but unfortunately, the sender was Viv, not Biche.

[Partner (Leta): The faction war—! What on earth is going on, Jun-nim! Where are you right now?]

“Ah.”

Only then did Gi-jun realize that he had moved without explaining things to Viv properly this time as well, letting out a short exclamation before falling silent.

It was because he found it troublesome to explain everything to her.

Just as he was thinking that it might be better and more comfortable for Viv if he contacted her after everything was resolved, another message arrived.

[Partner (Leta): I’m also Jun-nim’s companion, you know T_T]

Well, if she started crying, he had no choice.

He had no choice but to tell her everything…

* * *

The faction war held in Cor spread widely, drawing attention not only throughout Gratia but also in other nations of Leta.

Indeed, how could anyone not be shocked when those who claimed to be a species belonging to the Light Faction were revealed to be ogres?

But what drew even more attention was the presence of the Divine Beast Hunter, Jun, who had fought without backing down even a single step against dozens of those ogres and eventually defeated every last one of them.

Furthermore, he had even triggered a volcanic eruption to eliminate hundreds of faction war participants all at once!

Making a name for himself, which had been his original purpose in coming to Cor, was a resounding success, clearly proving to the entirety of Gratia that hunting the Divine Beast had not been a matter of mere luck, but of genuine skill.

Meanwhile, the goblin Honeypup and the humans who had lost their representative joined forces to denounce Gi-jun, claiming that he had stabbed the alliance in the back.

They framed him as a cold-blooded murderer, claiming that he had broken his contract with the alliance because of the ogres who had infiltrated under false pretenses, and had even killed the innocent human representative, Christian.

However, the other representatives of Demander, led by Boots, firmed up their resolve to completely expel the goblin and human factions from the alliance, and launched a counteroffensive by revealing the existence of the hideout hidden within the alliance’s property.

By presenting evidence that the ogres had been on the goblins’ side from the start and that the humans had taken the initiative to trade with vampires, they stated their position that Gi-jun, far from backstabbing the alliance, had merely collaborated with the remaining representatives to normalize it.

“Jun-nim, the trial date has been set.”

“I see. Will there be many nobles attending?”

Thus, the trial was convened.

It was a trial actively pushed for and brought about by one of Gratia’s high nobles, who was, of course, the very noble who had been backing the previous species guild alliance.

“It is the best possible outcome. The King will be present.”

“Whew… I see.”

However, with the scale of the situation growing so large, the attempts to frame Gi-jun as a murderer appeared overly artificial, and because Gi-jun’s exploits in the faction war were so shocking, even the King of Gratia was ultimately moved to stir his heavy backside.

Honeypup probably wanted to put only Gi-jun on the stand, but due to the King’s presence, the goblins and humans belonging to the alliance could not avoid it either.

Depending on the outcome of the trial, the situation could go from bad to worse, and in the worst-case scenario, it might even result in significantly bringing forward the vampires’ large-scale invasion of Gratia.

“Well, since traces of vampires are being found here and there, the King must have felt the heat under his seat as well.”

“Please be careful with your words when other nobles are within earshot.”

“Of course.”

However, in reality, at this point, Gi-jun had already prepared for the invasion of Gratia fairly well.

Because the large-scale movements of the vampires had been exposed in Cor and made known throughout Gratia, the startled lords had actively stepped up to inspect their own territories on a large scale.

Of course, there was no way all the vampires who had hidden their identities so well until now would be caught, but their activities would be greatly restricted, and that alone meant the possibility of them launching a unilaterally advantageous surprise attack was cut by more than half.

This was something that could not have even been dreamed of if the alliance representatives, led by Boots, had not disclosed the facts at the cost of a severe hit, so he could not help but admire that bold decision once again.

“Then now, we just need to do our part well.”

“Jun-nim!”

As Gi-jun nodded calmly, Viv, who had been moving around busily ever since receiving his call, came to find him.

For some reason, Nabinya, the Puss in Flats, was with her.

“We found decisive evidence! It’s perfect!”

“Sigh, I did not receive shoes just to do espionage work, nya…”

“Evidence?”

To Gi-jun, who tilted his head while stroking Nabinya’s head, Viv whispered with a triumphant smile.

“Chocolate. The chocolate.”

“Chocolate…?”

Gi-jun could not understand what on earth that meant, but since Viv looked so proud and adorable, he decided to stroke her head as well for now.

The trial was held three days later.