Black Cat Chapter 92: Vengeance Target

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　After my meeting with the Guild Master, Ms. Jessica took me through the rank-up process.

 

　I will receive five large gold coins as a reward and my rank up, and I am going to take my party out for a drink tonight.

 

 

　After buying a set of bedding for my brother, I returned to the base and found him in the attic, Shure, giggling with him on her knees.

 

 

“Meow! What’s wrong, big brother!?” (Nyango)

 

“It’s okay, he’s just tired from training…” (Shure)

 

 

　According to Shure, who answered on behalf of my brother, after returning from the guild, he requested training, but his body, which had continued to live a rough life in the slums was screaming.

 

 

“*Sigh*… it’s good to work hard, but you have to get your body in shape first.” (Nyango)

 

“I’m sorry…How embarrassing…” (Fawkes)

 

“I understand your impatience… but everything doesn’t get better even if hurried, so let’s take it one step at a time.” (Nyango)

 

“I understand…” (Fawkes)

 

 

　Even so, the figure of Shure using her lap as his pillow while being patted made me see them as a mother and a child.

 

　I’m sure I’ll be able to live a carefree life as long as Shure is content with my older brother.

 

 

“Muu, Nyango is thinking of something rude…” (Shure)

 

“Meow! That’s not true…” (Nyango)

 

“Nyango’s whiskers twitch when he lies, so it’s easy to tell…” (Shure)

 

“Meow! Whiskers…” (Nyango)

 

“Fufu… It’s a lie.” (Shure)

 

 

　Guuu… I was being toyed by Shure again.

 

　I’m aiming to be a cool and handsome adventurer… but I’m not.

 

 

　The five Chariot members plus my brother went out for lunch to the pasta place from before.

 

　The owner asked if it would be six of us today, but my brother, who was a little tired, seemed to be fine with half a serving.

 

 

　While eating, Serge asked me about the summons from the Guild Master.

 

 

“What did old man Cordobas want? He called you up because Nyango seemed interesting, but that wasn’t all, was it?” (Serge)

 

“Yes, I’ve been promoted to C-rank and received a reward for yesterday’s incident.” (Nayngo)

 

“Oh, that’s fast, already at C-rank, well, Nyango deserves to be promoted.” (Serge)

 

 

　Laius and Gad are nodding their heads in agreement, and Shure, as usual, is looking proud.

 

 

“I’ve never met the Guild Master before, but he used to be an adventurer, right?” (Gad)

 

“Yes, he used to be a rank-A adventurer. I heard that he was a big troublemaker in the Royal Capital and Old Royal Capital.

 

“That bothersome old man… you can’t learn anything from him Nyango.” (Shure)

 

 

　Listening to Shure and the others, the Guild Master seems to have the same air as Mr. Zeol.

 

　It seems that he has reached the age where it is a little tough to continue working as an adventurer, so he decided to retire from the field and become a Guild Master of Viscount Lagart, which is far from the Royal Capital, with the intention of taking it easy.

 

 

　He had planned to take it easy, but because he took the position of guild master, he’s complaining that he’s busy.

 

 

“But Laius. If he likes Nyango, Chariot will get more subjugation requests from him.” (Serge)

 

“He’ll want to see what Nyango can do, but he’d better be prepared.” (Laius)

 

“Subjugation, orcs? Or ogres?” (Nyango)

 

 

　Laius’ answer was neither.

 

 

“The subjugation of bandits.” (Laius)

 

“When you say bandits… are you talking about people?” (Nyango)

 

“Yes, they are people, but they are bandits. If you think the bandits are people, they will use that to kill you.” (Serge)

 

“That’s right, Nyango, bandits killed other people without thinking they were people. Even if they were caught alive and handed over to the authorities, they would only be executed.” (Nyango)

 

 

　Serge was right. Unlike in Japan, the laws here are much harsher.

 

　If bandits interfere with traffic on the road, they are not only not charged with a crime, but you are even rewarded with a bounty even if they are taken back.

 

 

　If caught alive, they can be useful in finding out the location of their hideout, but after being handed over to the authorities, the only punishment is death, according to Serge.

 

 

“Huh? Could it be that the sixty people I caught yesterday were…” (Nyango)

 

“They’re in the city, but they’ve got a vicious modus operandi of taking hostages and demanding money, so they’re probably going to be hanged.” (Laius)

 

 

　When I heard Laius’ words, what popped into my mind was that horsekin adventurer.

 

　When I checked with my brother, it was still that man who had violently attacked me and was charged a large sum of money.

 

 

　After I told him about the episode when I met Laius and how I had turned it against him in the back alley, I bowed my head to my brother.

 

 

“I’m sorry, big brother. I think he held a grudge against the catkins because of me.” (Nyango)

 

“Never mind, it’s not an uncommon story over here, and I’m sure they’ll hang him… that’s nice.” (Fawkes)

 

“Being shamed and being angry, putting more shame on top of it, oppressing the weak, conversely being oppressed, going astray, being executed… There is no room for sympathy anywhere.” (Gad)

 

 

　No wonder Gad was so disgusted.

 

　According to Laius, some adventurers fall into the underworld because they have lost their means through drink, women, gambling, and the like.

 

　Many of the underworld dwellers who boast of their prowess, such as bouncers and fighters, are adventurers who have fallen on hard times.

 

 

“So that wolfkin bouncer with the big scar on his cheek is also a…” (Nyango)

 

“Nyango, what did you say just now!” (Shure)

 

 

　When I told them about the strong wolfkin I saw in the slums, Shure approached me quickly.

 

 

“Meow, Meowhat…?” (Nyango)

 

“Did you say a wolfkin with a big scar on his cheek?” (Shure)

 

“Y-yeah…” (Nyango)

 

“Which side? Right? Left?” (Shure)

 

“Umm… left cheek.” (Nyango)

 

“Lead me to him, and I’ll kill him!” (Shure)

 

“Meow… hey, wait a minute! Even if you go there at this time, it doesn’t mean he’ll come out.” (Nyango)

 

“Hey, hey, Silent. What’s the matter with you? I’m sure there’s something going on, but at this rate, your prey will run away from you!” (Shure)

 

 

　Just as Serge said, Shure, who usually acts without making a single sound, rises from her chair with a rattle and raises her voice, attracting the attention of the entire restaurant.

 

 

“Anyway, I don’t think we can talk here, so let’s finish our meal and head back to our base.” (Laius)

 

“Okay… I’m sorry, Nyango.” (Shure)

 

 

　After coming to her senses, Shure accepted Laius’ suggestion and sat down, but she seemed to be unfocused as she brought the pasta to her mouth.

 

　The table, which had been full of talk about my rank up and the reward, was like a wake in an instant.

 

 

　Back at the base, I listened to Shure’s story while sipping the Calfe that Laius had brewed.

 

　Shure seemed to have calmed down a lot while after we came back.

 

 

“First of all, we should start by asking if the man Silent is looking for and the bouncer in the slums are the same person.” (Serge)

 

 

　Serge’s suggestion seemed to meet no objection from Shure.

 

 

“Tell me what the wound looks like on the man, Nyango…” (Shure)

 

“It looks like a blade slash from just below the corner of the left eye to the chin.” (Nyango)

 

“How old do you think he is…?” (Shure)

 

“About ten or fifteen years older than Shure, I think….” (Nyango)

 

“Zozon… no doubt about it.” (Shure)

 

 

　She was not as distraught as she had been at the pasta shop, but she was overflowing with an anger that could not be concealed.

 

 

“What is that guy to Silent?” (Serge)

 

“I will never forgive the enemy who slaughtered my cousin’s family.” (Shure)

 

 

　The incident happened 13 years ago.

 

　The Escalante territory, where Shure was born and raised, is a land of martial artists that has produced successive knight commanders, and it seems that there are many martial arts dojos within the territory.

 

 

　Shure had a cousin, Lilia, who was five years older than her.

 

　Lilia, who was as close as a real sister, married the young master of the martial arts dojo, had a child, and was building a happy family.

 

 

　It is said that Zozon appeared when Lilia’s child was two years old.

 

　Zozon came to the dojo run by Lilia’s husband and asked for a match.

 

 

　In Escalante, where martial arts are popular, it is not unusual for martial artists to apply for matches at dojos of other schools, and Zozon was one of these martial artists.

 

　After a heated match, Lilia’s husband won, and Zozon accepted his defeat gracefully.

 

 

　This match was said to have been the beginning of Zon’s visit to the dojo run by Lilia’s husband.

 

　Zozon’s skill was solid, as he had fought a heated battle with the owner of the dojo, and he began to practice with the apprentices of the dojo and to hold hand-to-hand matches with them.

 

 

“I’ve had a match with him before, but I was so different from him that he treated me like a child…” (Shure)

　

 

　Zozon was polite and good at teaching and was admired by Lilia’s husband and his students.

 

 

“But Lilia was the only one who didn’t get well with Zozon. …She told me once why she said the look in his eyes sometimes was not normal.” (Shure)

 

 

　And then the tragedy happened. That night, Lilia’s husband had to go to a meeting at the martial arts dojo, and he was supposed to stay until Zozon, who happened to be there for a training session, came home.

 

　There were a number of other martial artists who had applied for other fights in addition to Zozon, some of whom left in an irreverent manner, refusing to admit defeat, and others who seemed to hold a grudge against him.

 

 

　It is said that there were incidents in which other martial arts dojos were attacked in the dark, and there was a rule that a skilled apprentice from among those who had finished training at the dojo would stay on as guards.

 

　It is said that Lilia’s husband, the owner of the dojo, and the first disciple went to a meeting, while Zozon and the second disciple remained at the dojo as guardians.

 

 

　However, when the dojo master and the first disciple returned from the meeting, Lilia, her child, and the second disciple had been brutally slaughtered.

 

　The dojo was covered in blood, and Zozon with a bloody sword was waiting for them, slashing at the dojo master and the first disciple.

 

 

　Both the dojo master and the first disciple were slain, partly because they had been drinking and drunk at the meeting.

 

　The wound on Zozon’s left cheek is said to have been caused by the dojo master.

 

 

　Everyone in the dojo was slain at the hands of Zzoon, but one of the disciples who lived near the dojo was on their way home from an outing when they sensed something unusual and witnessed the situation.

 

　This apprentice, who had only been a student for a short time, felt that they were no match for Zozon and hid in the shadows to watch what was happening.

 

 

　After Zozon escaped from the dojo, this disciple informed the authorities, who immediately made an arrangement, but the whereabouts of the man were unknown.

 

 

“If that man was Zozon, we couldn’t let him go. Even if we have to stab each other in the back, I will kill him myself.” (Shure)

 

 

　She was like a Japanese sword drawn and ready, her killing intent sharpened to a fine point.

 

　

 

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