Episode 54 — The Black Cat’s Debugging: Infiltration Phase

(Good grief, that idiot master of mine...)

I stood at the entrance of the Old Town as it sank into the twilight, currently in my adventurer persona, "Meina."

The image of him sitting on his throne a few hours ago, glaring at his monitor with a furrowed brow and complaining that the "progress has hung" and "the noise won't go away," flashed through my mind.

(When he’s in a bad mood, the air in the living room gets prickly, and my precious Throne of Sloth turns into an uncomfortable place. If I want to protect my peaceful sleeping environment... I have no choice but to clear these clogged pipes myself.)

"Meina, your face is terrifying. ...Are you mad about something?"

Kyle, carrying his massive shield, peered at my face with concern.

"...Not really. I just don't like it when filth starts to accumulate. Let's go."

(Covert investigation, stealth... these are words he uses a lot. ...Indeed, the current Old Town isn't just a trash heap. It reeks of foreign contaminants.)

We moved soundlessly, weaving through the shadows of crumbling brick walls.

I caught a glimpse of the equipment worn by the sentries stationed in the back alleys and clicked my tongue inwardly.

(...Tch. Just as he saw with his 'Eye of God.' Those cheap thugs are wearing magic armor that looks like it belongs to the Royal Guard. There’s clearly a 'corrupt patch' being applied from the outside...)

Just as we were cautiously approaching Volg’s stronghold, our target...

—CLANG! CLANK! CLANG!

A flashy, metallic sound rang through the alleyway, shattering the silence.

"Vile scum!! I shall sweep away the thieves who trample upon Master Zect’s mercy!!"

His full plate armor reflecting the deep red of the setting sun, Bartos charged headlong into the main plaza with his sword drawn.

"Huh!?"

Kyle let out a bewildered cry.

"Master Bartos!? Why is he charging in looking that conspicuous!?"

"We said it was a covert investigation! Is that Knight Captain's brain made of nothing but muscle!?"

Lin, the mage, cried out in despair.

(...No. His brain is simply overflowing with fanatical loyalty toward that man. ...Honestly, he just keeps making extra work for me.)

As expected, Volg’s subordinates, clad in high-performance gear, surrounded Bartos from all directions. These weren't just common punks; their movements were those of trained professionals.

"You cannot escape my Lord’s 'Eye of God'! Your illicit armaments have been laid bare!!"

Bartos roared as he swung his sword, but he was being pushed back inch by inch, blocked by the light shields emitted by the enemy’s magical decorations.

"Kyle, Lin! Support him! We have to protect that idiot!"

I kicked off from the shadows and lunged forward like a flash of jet-black lightning.

(You're in my way. Move.)

I used a summoned pitch-black blade to strike down an assassin who was about to stab Bartos from behind with a poisoned dagger.

Kyle used his giant shield to blast away a mage charging toward Bartos, and Lin deployed a wide-range blinding spell.

"O-Ohhh! Lady Tar—I mean, Meina!? You have my thanks! Is this also Master Zect’s guidance!?"

"Shut your mouth and swing your sword! Capture those men in the black cloaks. ...Don't let them escape."

In the middle of the chaotic fray, I singled out three high-ranking members wearing particularly high-quality equipment.

Moving faster than they could chant a spell, I teleported from shadow to shadow, accurately striking through their limbs.

"Wh-What is this woman...!? The shadows... the shadows are moving... Gwahhh!!"

A few minutes later, in the plaza.

The armed group was incapacitated, and the three high-ranking members were pinned down by Bartos.

"Speak! Which organization do you belong to!? Who is the mastermind who provided such armaments to a commoner like Volg!?"

Bartos grabbed one of the leaders by the collar and shook him violently. But the captured men simply kept their mouths shut tight, a cold sneer on their faces.

"...Hmph. Common knights. Do you really think we’ll talk, no matter how much you strike us?"

"You bastard...! Then we shall spend plenty of time helping you remember in the Knights' dungeon!"

Bartos grew enraged and moved to strike the man with the hilt of his sword, but Kyle hurriedly stopped him.

"Wait, wait, Master Bartos! These guys aren't just thugs. They’re trained 'pros.' If you aren't careful, they’ll bite off their own tongues."

"...Kyle is right. Let's pull back for now. If we’re going to pull information out of them, it should be in a more secure location."

Lin suggested while keeping a wary eye on their surroundings. I watched the exchange from the shadows a short distance away with cold eyes.

Once I confirmed that Bartos and the others had begun their retreat, dragging the prisoners along, I melted into the darkness of the night.

(...Some trash that couldn't be cleaned up remained. ...Good grief, I guess I won't be getting any tasty treats tonight either.)

While preparing to return to my form as a black cat, I took off running toward the lights of the new city.

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