Strange Grief Wants to Retire ~ The Weakest Hunter Dreams of a Hero ~

Chapter267，Part2: 2 - Prediction

Chapter 267 Prediction

Part 2

“Neee~ why not~? Let’s kill them? We’ve to crush them properly or it’ll be dangerous? Why can’t weeee~!?” (Liz)

One night after the attack, I am in my private room at the Clan House. I was sitting on the bed with my head in my hands, and Liz raised a sweet voice while clinging to me.

I sighed for what must have been the umpteenth time as I was left at her mercy.

They say that when you gain power, you gain allies as well as enemies. This is especially true for Treasure Hunters, a fact that came as a shock to me, as I became a Hunter simply because I wanted to go on adventures.

If you take revenge on a bandit who has attacked you, you would get more grudges. If you sell Relics or monster’s parts to a firm, you may be scorned by other firms, and many of your rival Hunters are also ambitious, so they will aim to kick you down if they have a chance. And, of course, it is not out of spite but it was not uncommon for my childhood friends to directly offend their clients and incur their resentment.

Recently, she has become a bit quieter, but apparently, something has changed after the Supreme Martial Arts Festival that happened recently.

My private room which was windowless and below the hidden door of the Clan Master’s office also serves as a safe zone created for times like these. When the Clan was first established, I was attacked so often that it was natural to think about the staff and my safety.

Contrary to expectations, the Clan House had never been attacked until now…… What went wrong? Was it wrong for me to go to the lounge despite announcing that I was going to stay in my room?

When I closed my eyes, all I could see in my mind was the approaching arrow and the bomb that was strapped on it. Fortunately, as usual, I was unharmed thanks to the Barrier Ring’s power, Eva was unharmed as well, and Gark, who I had passed the bomb, was alive, but I did not know what to do. The only thing I do know is that I would be safe if I shut myself up in my private room.

The identity of the attackers was no longer important. It wouldn’t be strange for something to attack me in the first place, and I had no idea what it was. It was possible that the bandits we had missed came in retaliation, or that Franz-san had run out of patience and hired a hitman to kill me.

It would be nice if this case was the kind of incident that time would solve――.

“Let’s slaughter every single one of them and all their families to make an example out of them, no~? I’ll properly catch every single last one of them. Nee~? It’s fine, right?” (Liz)

And the biggest problem was my childhood friends.

Liz leaned over to me while *pafpaf* tapping the bed with her foot without reserve.

I whispered in her ears when she unreservedly got close to me by putting her arms around me from the front.

“You can’t” (Cry)

“Whyyy? Neee, at this rate, we will be underestimated, y’know? I’ll definitely make them regret aiming at Cry-chan.? I’ll make a bloodbath of them and hang them at the gate of the Imperial Capital.” (Liz)

There was a boiling emotion in her voice that could not be hidden.

I thought I knew the Treasure Hunter’s rules. But she goes a little overboard. It would be enough to repel the attacker, but this is not the kind of thing that would satisfy her. When she finds the culprits, she will make an example and slaughter every single one of them and all their families. Which one is the criminal?

Liz says as she *surisuri* rubs her skin against me.

“Y’know, Liz-chan isn’t mad at Cry-chan being attacked, okay? There’s no way Cry-chan will be killed by an explosion――But it’s just, if you get hit, you have to fight back…… That’s what hunters do. Right?” (Liz)

“Uuuun…………” (Cry)

She is completely mad. Sytry came to me last night and said something like, 『They attacked someone I care about, so I am going to attack someone they care about』, so if I didn’t stop her, she would have totally become a criminal.

It is not about the matter of not getting caught or anything like that. It is about how I would explain to Liz and Sytry’s parents back in our hometown if that happened.

She may be under considerable stress, her skinship is more intense than usual. Her hands and feet are unreservedly entwined with my body. Her body temperature was transmitted to me and I started to sweat.

Unexpectedly, I was bitten on my neck, and I raised my voice. Stop acting like an animal!

I shake Liz off, grabbed her hands and feet, and hold her down on the bed.? Liz opened her eyes and relaxed.

It has been a while since I became a Hunter, but my repertoire of excuses to use at times like this hasn’t increased at all.

“It’s okay. I am busy right now, so it’s okay. Everything is going according to plan!” (Cry)

In the first place, because of that incident, the occasion for Martis-san, who was supposed to come to appraise the Relic that Eliza had left behind, had all but disappeared.

I was going to take a good rest while fiddling with my Relics without thinking about anything――But no matter how badly they hurt me, I don’t think I would want to kill every single one of the attackers and all their families. I have been through a lot of bad things, you know! I have a high tolerance for bad things.

“Eeeeeh? Really? Are you really going to retaliate properly?” (Liz)

I tell Liz once and for all, who is unusually semi-convinced of what I said.

“This is not the time to think about such nonsense. Don’t worry, they won’t attack us for a while since everyone is talking about it. Even the guards are on the move.” (Cry)

“Eeeeeeeh……” (Liz)

I get it. I get it. You are stressed out.

I reach out and caress the neck of the pouting Liz. Liz’s skin is as smooth and slightly hot as when she was a child, and it seems to suckle against the palm of my hand.

I am always troubled by how close she is but she loves skinship and often hugs me, but most of all, Liz loves to be touched. She was a little envious of the way I used to brush Lucia’s hair in the past, so brushing her hair is also very effective.

I know a lot of ways to get her into a good mood. It is not just to show that I have known her for a long time.

As I smiled, feeling enlightened, Liz blinked at me and said in a somewhat softer voice than before.

“Huh? …… Could it be that Cry-chan is stressed out? Are you in the mood? Shall I undress?” (Liz)

“…… I should call Lucia and Sytry when Liz is escorting me.” (Cry)

“That’s right, no matter how much it’s for the sake of the plan, it’s really stressful to endure retaliating, riiight.? Yep, OK. You can dump your stress on me.” (Liz)

With flushed cheeks, Liz says that. What kind of misunderstanding does she have? What the hell does she think I am?

I don’t know if she was joking or serious, but I was now stunned before I was embarrassed. I silently twist her soft cheeks. Liz smiles like a blossoming flower.

………… She isn’t defending at all. I removed my hands and sighed deeply.

“It is kind of dissatisfying to have Liz worry about my stress.” (Cry)

“Eeeh, you’re always sticking around with me, so it’s fine to let me stick around with you sometimes……” (Liz)

It seems that for the next while, Liz and the others will be escorting me on a daily basis.

I am very grateful and looking forward to it, but will I really be able to withstand my childhood friend who has grown up to be this powerful? It is just the first day and I am already filled with anxiety.

But apparently, retaliating has completely gone out of her mind. It is very helpful that she is simple.

“Well, it is not like I am stressed or anything, but I had a rough time during the Supreme Martial Arts Festival, so I need to gather my strength back. I am sure Liz is tired, too, so I hope you would stay quiet for a while.” (Cry)

“In the end, I didn’t even participate in the match, so I’m not tired………… Ah, that’s right! My “Master (Shisho)” wanted to see Cry-chan……” (Liz)

“…… I would love to see your “Master (Shisho)” too, but I am busy. I am shutting myself up and resting, but that doesn’t mean I am free.” (Cry)

Every time I meet Liz and the others’ “Master (Shisho)”, I am either hearing them brag or complain about Liz and the others…… I am not their guardian, you know!

I am too afraid to check how much these girls exaggerate what they say about me.

Then, at that moment, there was a sound on the other side of the door.? Liz’s smile was gone, she got off the bed with a somewhat bored expression, approached the door, and opened it without hesitation.

It was Tino who was outside the door. She was sitting on her butt and looking up at Onee-sama with a pale expression.

“I wondered why you were outside the whole time……… But Cry-chan, what are you going to do about this?” (Liz)

This room no longer has the appearance of a hidden room, but it is too late now. Tino’s eyes widen and she looks at me as if frightened.

“Gathering strength. I-Inviting the attack………… Slaughter…… Every single one of them and all their…… Families?” (Tino)

Even if you were eavesdropping, you only heard the most dangerous parts, and I never said anything about inviting an attack. Could it be because of Liz’s silent pressure?

………… It is because when she is in a good mood but is interrupted, she will suddenly switch to being in a bad mood all at once.

Liz grabbed Tino by the neck and lightly released her toward me. Tino fell to the foot of the bed without even stopping her fall and let out a short scream.

“I wonder if I didn’t educate her enough? Well, she heard your strategy. This happened as soon as I said that there is no training today.” (Liz)

Well, well, calm down. I was surprised that she came out of nowhere, but Tino is a good girl. I am sure she was worried about me after the attack.

No matter how you look at it, Liz is too stormy right now. I smiled and spoke slowly so that even a frightened Tino could understand them.

“There is no strategy………… We are not going to slaughter everyone and we are not going to make a bloodbath. Right now, I am just building up my power for a while to prepare for the future……” (Cry)

“Master~ is………… Building up…… His power!?” (Tino)

Tino ruminates in a hushed voice and her expression is drawn back even more so.

………… What the hell am I from Tino’s perspective?

TL notes:

Thanks for reading!

Haha Tino’s misunderstanding is getting bigger and bigger!

Tchao à plus!