“…What?”
“Exactly what I said. We’re more bad adults than good ones. You’re not going to deny it, are you?”
Caron was a rat. Fundamentally, he collected information while hiding his identity, but sometimes, during espionage activities, he had to resort to violence to extract information.
Kidnapping, torture, betrayal, and even murder were not off the table.
A good adult? Even in jest, it was hard to claim such a thing.
“…Of course not.”
Caron responded awkwardly, and Dwener chuckled. Caron couldn’t understand the reason for his laughter.
“Caron, when did you become a bad adult?”
“Well…”
Although Caron was now feared by everyone, he too had a time when he suffered at the hands of bad adults.Pillaging, scapegoating, betrayal, murder, and so on.
These were things that young Caron couldn’t even imagine. Adults committed such evil acts as if it were a daily routine.
Caron was just one of their many victims, and he had vowed to never live like them.
But now…
‘…I’ve become just like them.’
Yes, contrary to his childhood vow, Caron had become a bad adult.
Not only did he turn a blind eye to justice and think about how to avoid harming the Emperor, but he also demanded sacrifices from children.
He had become one of the worst adults.
Dwener was wiping a glass, waiting for Caron’s response.
It meant his question wasn’t without reason.
Caron found himself lost in thought due to Dwener’s demeanor.
‘When did I become a bad adult?’
He couldn’t remember. He could recall the ugly deeds he had committed, but he didn’t know when it started.
He just lived his life, and before he knew it, he was a bad adult.
“I see. You don’t remember either. Neither do I. When did I become a bad adult? Was it when I committed my first murder? When I pretended not to see an injustice? Or perhaps…”
Thud!
“Was it the day I abandoned my pride?”
Trickle…
Dwener poured a drink into his glass.
Caron’s eyes observed the bottle. It wasn’t intentional.
It was a habit formed from acquiring information wherever and whenever possible.
This habit, ingrained from living as a rat for decades, hadn’t changed even now as an administrator.
His eyes moved naturally, as if breathing.
“Hmm hmm hmm~.”
The drink Dwener poured was one Caron knew well.
It wasn’t luxurious but rather effective for getting drunk and forgetting painful memories, suitable for falling asleep.
So, its name was also fitting—Lullaby.
Dwener, seemingly pleased, held the glass up to the light.
“Do you regret it? Becoming like them?”
“…Who wouldn’t?”
Everyone looks back on their life with regrets.
That’s life. Thinking, ‘Wouldn’t it have been better to do this at that time?’ and repeating the same mistakes.
A life filled with regrets. That’s what life is.
We just sustain it with the power of alcohol, love, family, or something else.
A life you’ve lived believing it to be right, even though it feels like it might collapse at any moment.
Even someone like Caron, who lived a harsher life than anyone else, was no different.
There were many moments of regret, many moments he wished he could go back to.
“…”
Reflecting like this was evidence that Caron was still a person, not just a tool.
A tool does not suffer from regret or guilt.
He had lived through decades of hardship but had fortunately not lost his humanity.
‘…Strictly speaking, that’s how I’ve been living until just a few years ago.’
Yes, Caron had lived for many years without his humanity, as a tool for the Emperor.
But after ‘that incident,’ Caron had broken free of his shackles.
It was all thanks to ‘her.’ Without her, he might still be living as the Emperor’s tool, having lost his humanity.
Did Dwener sense Caron’s thoughts? He chuckled softly.
“That’s good to hear.”
“What?”
“The qualification to join my plan. Humanity is essential for that.”
Humanity?
Caron had no idea what Dwener was talking about.
Despite being logical, Caron couldn’t foresee Dwener’s intentions or what he was trying to convey.
Dwener handed Caron a glass filled halfway with the strong drink called Lullaby.
‘Is he trying to get me drunk and escape?’
It was a poor ploy, so blatant that it wouldn’t fool anyone.
Caron sighed and took the glass, remembering that Dwener was an incompetent man.
The ice in the glass clinked with a clear sound.
“A plan?”
“Yes.”
“If it’s a plan to escape, I’d advise against it. It would only hasten your death.”
Duke Aziz wouldn’t leave Dwener, who had acted in defiance, alone.
Running was an option, but bowing his head and begging for forgiveness was a better one.
Although Dwener’s impulsive actions couldn’t be praised, it was true that his punches had quelled the uproar.
While he couldn’t avoid stepping down as principal, Duke Aziz wouldn’t kill Dwener.
He was too incompetent to be worth killing. That was the kind of man Dwener was.
“You’re mistaken. That’s not my plan.”
“Then what is it?”
It was surely a ridiculous plan. Caron’s prediction was accurate.
The problem was that Dwener’s plan exceeded Caron’s expectations.
“I’m proposing a position. The bad adult above the bad adults. I want to offer you that position.”
“…The bad adult above the bad adults?”
“Does the wording sound strange? Then how about ‘the true bad adult’? Yes, that might be better.”
“That’s not the issue… It’s a bigger problem that you’re proposing this without explaining what the position entails.”
“Oh, my apologies. My thoughts are moving too fast, and my words can’t keep up.”
Dwener cleared his throat and continued.
“This world has many bad people. But there are also definitely good people.”
“…Yes.”
Even in a chaotic world, good people existed.
And many people who committed minor wrongdoings but didn’t cause social uproar or significant harm existed as well.
Compared to the deeds of bad adults, their sins were insignificant.
“As you know, we can’t return to that place.”
Dwener and Caron had crossed the line long ago.
No matter how much they repented, became heroes, or even converted to the faith of the gods.
Their stained hands couldn’t be washed clean. They could never return to being good adults.
So.
“Let’s become even worse adults. Adults who hunt down bad adults, worse than anyone else.”
Although his explanation was somewhat strange, Dwener’s idea was simple.
Form a group that punishes bad adults from the shadows. That was Dwener’s new goal.
“Let’s correct this strange world where bad adults live well.”
“Are you saying we should just kill the bad guys? That’s not difficult, but…”
That would make them no different from serial killers. And that wasn’t the only problem.
Punish crimes with death.
It was problematic enough that Dwener would be the one deciding the severity of the crimes, but the bigger issue was his plan to form a private assassination squad.
It wouldn’t be surprising if the royal guards came to behead Dwener.
And if it turned out there were no crimes after the killings?
It would be the worst-case scenario. Public opinion would turn against them, and everything they had done would be tainted.
But then Dwener said something unexpected.
“That’s not it. We’ll publicly expose their crimes and ensure they pay the appropriate price according to the Empire’s laws.”
“…Is that possible?”
“It will be difficult, but we must make it possible. Where in the world is anything easy?”
“…”
Caron quickly calculated. The result was immediate.
‘Impossible.’
The intention was good, but Dwener’s plan had too many issues.
From categorizing bad adults to gathering information, executing dirty work, and handling failures.
It wasn’t a task for an ordinary person. Only someone extremely capable could do it.
No matter how skilled Caron was, he couldn’t accomplish this.
At that moment, Dwener’s eyes turned sharp.
“Sorry, but what I need now isn’t Caron. I need the man known as the Empire’s rat. His skills.”
“…!”
Yes. An impossible task.
But he could do it. The Empire’s rat, Caron.
In the darkness, Dwener’s eyes gleamed.
Talking about the Empire’s rat right in front of him. That wasn’t something a sane person would do.
But then again.
‘A person planning such a thing couldn’t be sane.’
A worse adult punishing bad adults…
As Caron unconsciously began formulating a plan, he became curious.
“…Let me ask you one thing. Are you doing this to survive, or to fight against injustice?”
Dwener laughed and answered Caron’s question.
“Let’s say it’s the former. After all, I’m a bad adult.”
Caron couldn’t help but shudder at Dwener’s answer.
Dwener. Was he always like this? Such a remarkable person?
“So, what will you do? Will you join me?”
“…What choice do I have? I’ll follow your orders, Principal.”
“Hahaha! Trying to avoid responsibility? Truly fitting for a bad adult! You’re exactly the person I’ve been looking for!”
Even with Dwener’s hearty laughter, Caron couldn’t smile.
Punishing bad adults while adhering to the law?
That was more difficult than anything. Especially with the two pigs protected by the Emperor and Duke Aziz.
“However, while I’ll gather the information, you’ll have to handle its use.”
“Don’t worry. I’m already working on a method.”
Dwener and Caron raised their glasses.
“Let’s show them.”
What a true bad adult is.
Clink.
The clear sound echoed in the basement.
“Sniff…”
I woke up to the sound of someone sniffling.
Whether it was night or early morning, I couldn’t tell exactly, but I knew it was late.
The moon outside the window illuminated the room.
“…”
Seeing Luna lying on the bed, wrapped in bandages, reminded me why I was here.
This was the dormitory. The temporary accommodation provided by Annwood Academy for the students.
Luna and Rezé shared a room, and I was assigned the room next door.
Having males and females on the same floor was usually against the rules, but we had received an exception.
Partly because Luna was severely injured, but mostly because Caron had pulled some strings.
Or perhaps…
‘Maybe it’s an unspoken pressure to ensure Luna recovers.’
The thought gave me chills.
I was carefully wiping the sweat from Luna’s forehead with a towel when I heard scratching sounds near the bed.
“This… This is the legendary carrot that can heal Miss Luna…”
Rustle!
It was Rezé. I couldn’t see her, as she seemed to be inside a box.
Even in her dreams, she was trying to save Luna. The legendary carrot bit was a bit ridiculous, though.
Squeak.
I placed a chair beside Luna’s bed and sat down.
To review what had happened today. Specifically, about the ‘taboo’ I had adhered to until now.
‘…You shouldn’t get emotionally attached to characters.’
Projecting too many emotions onto a character would ruin the gameplay.
This was true for any game, but especially for this one.
‘Trying to save one might cost the whole party.’
So, instructing Luna to protect Dwener was not a mistake.
In fact, it was the right call. But.
‘This is reality. Adhering to the game’s taboos… isn’t easy.’
When Luna, always cheerful and causing trouble, collapsed, everything around became silent.
‘It’s no fun.’
Maybe I had been able to keep going all this time because of Luna.
She never gave me time to feel bored or despair.
She always made me happy.
So, if Luna weren’t here. Maybe I…
I might not be able to continue this game anymore.
That thought crossed my mind.
Squeak.
“…!”
At that moment, someone reeking of alcohol appeared at the window as my [Hyper Sense] activated.
It was the Empire’s rat, Caron.
–TL Notes–
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