The Spearmaster and the Black Cat

Chapter 148: First Come, First Served – Part 1

I guess we will go back after saying farewell to Remrona.

After all, she allowed me to meet with the prince as she had promised at first. I face Remrona and speak with a smile on my lips,

“Remrona-san, we are going back to the inn.” (Shuuya)

“I will escort you up to the front door then.” (Remrona)

Remrona responded with a smile of her own.

Being conscientious, she sends us off.

“…Then allow me to join you, I have to meet Saril outside.” (Galkiv)

Even Galkiv, with his broad shoulders and firm muscles, will accompany us.

“Okay.” (Shuuya)

I accept with a slight nod towards Galkiv.

Galkiv and Remrona nod at each other, face the hallway, and start walking.

Is Saril going to come here right after finishing his sky patrol?

He probably believes that I’ve been put into jail. If Saril is wary, he might check on me in the jail and notice that I’m not there…

While estimating Saril’s moves, the two of us left the luxurious room together with the two Great Knights.

As we leave, I could see a tall man walking towards us from the other side of the wide hallway.

Oh, ain’t that Saril?

Great Knight Saril is walking this way.

What great timing.

It looks like he hadn’t been cautious.

He might feel safe after having thrown me in jail.

Thereupon, Galkiv, who noticed Saril getting closer to us, immediately goes into action.

Galkiv swiftly extends his thick arm with its conspicuous musculature towards the Song dynasty spear that leans against the wall close to the big door, grasps it and nimbly rotates it by 180°.

He’s already on the move.

Despite his large build, his movements are fast.

Remrona also runs to the front from behind in order to backup Galkiv’s charge.

While checking their movements, I activate <Hide>.

While maintaining the skill, I move to hide behind a wall pillar on the left side of the hallway.

Viine stuck close behind me, too.

“Nya?”

On my shoulder, Rollo reacts with something like, “You are going to conceal yourself nya?”

—Be quiet for now.

I face Rollo and place my index finger on my lips.

Grasping my intention, Rollo jumps down to the floor, crouches to hide, and flattens her ears a little.

Her cute behavior reflexively makes me want to hug her, but for now, I have to hold back as I need to spy on the Great Knights.

I peek out my head a bit from the wall trench and look ahead.

While I’m at it, I boot up the Kaleidoscope.

Frame displays are added in my right field of vision.

I check the Great Knights.

First, I enlarge the cursor on Galkiv.

As if exposing him to a laser, I scan his body, starting from his feet.

The assumed magic armor and helmet were transparent.

Regardless of whether the life-forms seen by this scope are wearing magic items, the scope seems to proceed with its scan without any interruption.

I see his entire muscular body and his internal organs; it makes me realize he’s quite trained.

――――――――――――――――

Carbon-type Napalm Life Form rc-＃＃＃2

Brain Waves: stable

Body: normal

Gender: male

Overall Physical Strength: 20

Elenium Integration: 357

Weapons: present

――――――――――――――――

That’s shown the instant the scan finished.

Just like I saw, his muscles are amazing.

Next, I will check Remrona.

――――――――――――――――

Carbon-type Napalm Life Form qα-d＃＃＃4

Brain Waves: stable

Body: normal

Gender: female

Overall Physical Strength: 10

Elenium Integration: 421

Weapons: present

――――――――――――――――

I wonder how and under what conditions the number after Carbon-type Napalm Life Form is decided by? Is this civilization-level device analyzing something like genes and displaying them numerically?

Her Elenium value is high, but she isn’t very muscular.

After all, she’s small and stylish.

Last is Saril.

――――――――――――――――

Carbon-type Napalm Life Form ga＃＃＃1

Brain Waves: stable

Body: normal

Gender: male

Overall Physical Strength: 13

Elenium Integration: 341

Weapons: present

――――――――――――――――

I suppose it’s expected with all of them being Great Knights. The Elenium Integration values are high.

As I was checking the numeric values of the Great Knights with the Kaleidoscope, there was a development between them.

Seeing Galkiv approaching while holding his weapon, Saril apparently considered it odd and thus addresses Galkiv while revealing a puzzled expression.

“…Well, well, Galkiv-dono. What’s wrong for you to show such grave expression?” (Saril)

He says while shrugging his slender shoulders.

At this point, it’s a barefaced lie.

“Saril, put your hands on the back and turn around—” (Galkiv)

Galkiv tells Saril with a dignified tone.

After he finished speaking, he points the tip of his Song dynasty spear towards Saril.

His spear stance is seigan. He’s faithful to the basics.

The cloth with the drawing of a cat and the bundle of strings located at the end of the handgrip sways.

“I won’t show you any mercy if you resist.” (Galkiv)

Remrona also adopts a combat posture.

Following Galkiv’s actions, she draws the longsword at her waist after being slightly late.

In her right hand she holds her longsword, in the left her dagger.

Remrona demonstrates a dual wield stance.

“…Hmm, for Galkiv-dono and even Remrona to draw your weapons…how dangerous. Did I do something?” (Saril)

Saril breathes out thinly and dodges the issue with a sour look, but he shifts his center of gravity some by lowering his waist.

And then he places his right hand on the hilt of his longsword.

His eyes don’t smile.

It’s a stance allowing him to draw the weapon at any time.

“It’s an order by His Highness. Come with us obediently. If you draw that weapon, we will consider it a refusal to obey orders and apprehend you by force.” (Galkiv)

“…What!? His Highness has…” (Saril)

Hearing the harsh words of Galkiv, Saril gasps.

For the first time, discomposure becomes apparent on his face.

Maybe he will get even more surprised if I also join the fray at this point?

I hid right away, but there’s something I’d like to ask Saril. I think I will cancel <Hide> and step out to join them.

“Viine, I’m going to try to surprise that guy.” (Shuuya)

“You will stop spectating and go out there?” (Viine)

“Yes. Saril will likely be caught anyway. He’s the one who arrested me. The revenge for that…well, that’s just half in jest. There’s something I want to ask him.” (Shuuya)

“Okay, I understand.” (Viine)

Viine nods.

At the same time, I cancel <Hide>.

I also rescind the Kaleidoscope.

“Let’s go?” (Shuuya)

“Nya.”

“Yes.”

Taking Viine and Rollo along, I left our hiding place.

We run up to where the Great Knights are facing off.

“Ah, y-you are—” (Saril)

Once Saril saw me suddenly appear from down the hallway, he widens his eyes and reveals a shocked expression.

While watching his surprised face, I give a light greeting and stand next to Galkiv.

“—Yoo.” (Shuuya)

“Shuuya-dono…leave this to us.” (Galkiv)

Galkiv says in a somewhat baffled manner, trying to stop me.

“…Shit, so that’s how it is.” (Saril)

Saril said while looking between Remrona’s and my face.

It looks like he guessed that the account book went into the prince’s hands.

“First come, first served.” (Shuuya)

“…Fuck, it seems you won over the second prince, but it looks like you don’t know who you are picking a fight with here. You will regret it…” (Saril)

“What are you talking about?” (Shuuya)

I ask while knitting my brows.

“Humph, I’m at a disadvantage with two Great Knights as opponents, but I won’t give up—!” (Saril)

Saril shows a panicked and flustered expression, but that was just a pretense.

A strong power dwells in his eyes. While shrinking his hunchbacked body quickly, he crosses both mana-clad arms in front of his chest as if forming a cross and then spreads them to the left and right in one breath.

The instant I could sense a depth from the hue of his tawny gloves equipped on both his arms, a huge amount of pellets came into existence.

The pellets scatter vigorously into the surroundings.

The gloves covering his arms are magic items, eh?

Drawing the longsword at his waist was a feint.

—Tsk.

I summon the Magic Halberd into my right hand while falling back.

I use the halberd to repel the approaching pellets.

At my feet, Rollo also swats the shots with her six tentacles. Viine cuts down the pellets approaching her.

It’s just like a machine gun.

The hallway turns into a beehive, full of holes.

On the other hand, Galkiv, given his large build and that he was at the front, gave a huge target, resulting in him being hit by a large number of projectiles.

Unable to fully block them with his spear, he endures the bullet-like pellets while protecting his face with his thick arm.

Probably because he protected his head in a hurry, a large number of shots pierced into both his arms.

Eww, they are bloodstained.

The torso of his white armor was also hit by many pellets, but they didn’t cause any wounds there.

As expected of a magic item. But the profound stream of blood running down his arms taints his silver-sheened, white armor red.

Pellets headed towards Remrona as well, but as short as she is, she simply retreats while skillfully making her body even smaller.

She blocks the pellets by knocking them down with the swords in her hands.

Having unleashed that magic attack of scattering pellets, Saril quickly turns around.

He turned his back on us and started to run away.

That bastard.

“—Rollo!” (Shuuya)

“Nn, nya—”

As if saying that she was waiting for my order, Rollo changed into a black panther while releasing a throaty growl filled with joy.

As she runs after Saril, the lively motions of her splendid limbs remind me of a black panther as it hunts a gazelle in the Savannah.

RollodeenBlack Panther extends her tentacles and fires them off.

The six tentacles coil around Saril’s feet in the blink of an eye.

“—Geh!?” (Saril)

Saril beautifully tumbles over while leaking a pitiful sound.

His head smashes against the solid, marble floor.

That got to be painful.

Furthermore, she comes running back while contracting the tentacles coiled around Saril’s feet.

Saril was brought at my feet while exposing a disgraceful appearance.

Rollo returns to being a black cat, kneads her paws against Saril’s face, and points her head upwards as if she was going to howl like a wolf.

“Nyao~n.”

It’s the triumphant look of having accomplished her task.

She seems satisfied with catching him.

“What an enviable familiar! Wonderful, strange black cat, thanks—” (Galkiv)

Galkiv yells in excitement.

While extending his gratitude towards us and especially Rollo, he climbs onto Saril’s back, who’s laying on the ground, and restrains him by capitalizing on his large mass.

“Gueee.” (Saril)

Saril was restrained with both his arms put around his back.

Is Galkiv going to be alright, despite his injured arms?

Quite the tough guy…

His arms have open wounds with blood overflowing from them.

Without minding that, Galkiv easily moved his bloodstained limbs.

He twines a pitch-black, zip ty, which looks as if it could be found at a 100-yen-shop, around Saril’s wrists.

So such props-like items exist as well?

Once I check the ty with Magic Observation, I can see mana dwelling within.

Well, that makes sense, doesn’t it?

There’s also a darkness spell that produces restraining shackles I learned. It might be a simple item version of that.

But that doesn’t matter at all right now.

Galkiv tries to carry Saril, who seems to have suffered a cerebral concussion.

“Please wait a moment. There’s something I want to ask this guy.” (Shuuya)

Galkiv shifts his gaze towards Rollo and not me, the one who spoke.

Rollo is in the middle of her personal grooming time.

Rollo-san put down her butt on the floor with a thump and is licking her foot while raising it like a ballerina.

“…Mu, too cute…need more.” (Galkiv)

Galkiv says with his eyes sparkling as he watches Rollo. Then he gave me permission and hands Saril over to me.

“Saril, where did you get to know Eribol?” (Shuuya)

“…gh.” (Saril)

Saril reveals a haggard expression and averts my eyes.

“You’re not worried about your fiancée?” (Shuuya)

“…As if I’d give a shit about such a girl. That was done by force…” (Saril)

He mutters while turning his face to the side.

“Well then. A while ago you talked about regret. What am I going to regret?” (Shuuya)

“Dukes, Marquis’, just how many behind the scenes have…”

After that, Saril refused to speak further.

It’s unclear whether he’s mortified or hateful.

This guy might believe that I became the second prince’s retainer.

It appears as if he’s trying to threaten me by pretending to borrow the power of various nobles of other factions, but what’s the point in telling me about that? I don’t have any bonds to them.

Besides, if it’s a duke or marquis, it is likely they will be able to even obtain information from the underworld. There’s absolutely no way for them do something as stupid as go after my weak points or picking a fight with me, who’s reputed to have crushed 【Owl’s Fangs】 by himself.

Though they might approach me to form a contact.

If they made a move on me or my friends for argument’s sake…

Now then, let’s stop the delusions at this point.

It looks like he has no intention to talk any further, So I guess I will hand him over.

And so, I pass Saril to Galkiv.

“…You done?” (Galkiv)

“Yeah. Cya later.” (Shuuya)

“Yeah.” (Galkiv)

Galkiv nods and roughly grasps Saril’s collar.

He looks to be leading him to the room where the prince is.

“Shuuya-dono. This is as far as I go too. See you.” (Remrona)

Remrona bows her head while speaking and then returns to walking behind Galkiv.

Her eyes are coldly staring at Saril who’s hanging his head.

I guess a hell of an interrogation awaits Saril from here on out.

I pity him a bit for the events that will follow.

“Well then, shall we go?” (Shuuya)

“Yes.” (Viine)

“Nnn, nya.”

Rollo nimbly jumps up and returns to my shoulder.

Together with Viine, we left the prince’s extravagant mansion.

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