Chapter 74 is here!

For the Patrons, Chapter 75, chapter 76, Chapter 77 (Easy mode), chapter 78 and chapter 79 (normal mode) are all available on the Patreon page. Getting close to 80.

Anyway, here’s chapter 74, I hope you’ll enjoy it!

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Chapter 74

【”What the hell! This is clearly Serge’s doing!“】

Sitting inside the meeting room, in the middle of piles and piles of documents, Marika couldn’t help herself from yelling when she found out what was actually going on.
There was a multitude of departments involved with construction work and military matters that had had their taxes reduced for vague reasons.
It was shocking, but then again, it was a rather standard way of evading taxes.

【”Thank god Clodette was so straightforward… If she had carelessly made a racket about this, she would have been killed.“】
【”I know, right? Maybe you should have learned a thing or two from her.“】
【”Wha-!?”】

The room was supposed to be locked, but before Marika knew it, Serge was standing there along with two men dressed all in black.
When in the world had they opened the door? Had they have even actually entered from the door? She couldn’t tell.
Either way, it was painfully clear that the two men dressed in black were up to no good.
By the time Marika stood up in a panic, the men had both already pulled out daggers.

(―― Am I going to die here?)

Marika never thought a tax collection office would resort to such brutal measures.

【”Screaming is useless by the way, no one will hear you. I sent everyone home early today. Officially, you left the office even earlier.“】

This office was Serge’s domain.
He could go anywhere here and block all escapes if he so wanted.
Marika had been careless. Too easygoing and engrossed in her investigations to notice the danger she had been in.

【”Iiih!“】

Despite appearances, Marika was still an ordinary young woman.
She was confident in herself when it came to negotiations, but she had zero confidence in being able to fight against a professional hitman.
With no trace of her usual strong-will in sight, she lost all strength in her legs and fell on her backside.

【”Hahaha…. It’s a shame, really. I wish I could have a taste of you but there is no time for that.“】

Serge sneered without trying to hide the nasty look on his face.

【”You trash! You lowlife!“】
【”Well, you can say what you want. But if you ask me, it’s a poor choice of last words.”】
【”Iiih!”】

As she shrank back in terror, the men approached her.

(Clodette, I’m sorry! But as long as you’re safe…!)

Marika accepted her fate, and tightly shut her eyes.

【”Marika! Are you okay?”】

A high-pitched, child-like voice that did not fit the situation in the slightest resounded through the room.

When he realized that someone that was not supposed to be here – Clodette- had somehow entered the room, Serge panicked.

【”H-how did you get in?”】

Serge had made sure that there was no one left in the office.
He had also given the guards a strict order to not let anyone inside.
There was absolutely no way that happy-go-lucky woman would be able to come through them.

【”We came in by the front, of course. But I do feel sorry for making things difficult for the guards.“】

Right after Clodette came in, she was followed by a giant man, who made Serge and the two men accompanying him quite nervous.
The giant had an atmosphere to him that subtly but clearly told everyone around that he was no amateur.

【”F-fool, do you realize what you just did? Trespassing- No, you illegally entered a government office that contains highly classified information. You’ll be take spy charges for this, that’s punishable by the death penalty!“】
【”Then I wonder what kind of crimes that defenseless woman over there committed for you to try to kill her.”】

Kurats smiled arrogantly, without a single care for Serge’s threats.
How could the threat of a small fry like Serge work on a man who had faced a part of Asgard’s army by himself?

【”This guy… Looks like we got ourselves a good meal today.”】

One of the two men dressed in black spontaneously muttered so, showing his true colors.
The other man, who had been silent for a while, answered his colleague with a wide smile.

【”Yeah, and here I thought we’d bore ourselves to death just having to kill one girl… But this guy looks like he’ll be a lot of fun!“】

Kurats interjected with a question.

【”Are you guys mercenaries? You weren’t brought up to be hitmen, were you?“】
【”Oh, look at the foolish small noble acting all mighty and angry. Look, now’s as good a time as any to hide, so why don’t you go stuff yourself in some basement right quick?“】
【”I see you’re pretty confident in yourself…”】

Kurats did not feel like the man’s confidence was misplaced at all.
He could tell that he was strong enough to be a match for Rosberg in a fight, if Rosberg did not use his fire-sword.

【”Confident? That’s because I can afford to be. What? You think you’re stronger than me?!“】

Having likely thought that Kurats was making light of him, the man roared with anger.

【”I know I’m stronger than you.“】
【”Don’t regret those words!!!“】

While raising his dagger in a slashing motion to make it seem like he was about to attack with it, the man went for a low-kick instead, stepping froward and then lowering his waist at an insane speed.
He was astonishingly fast.
Any average knight would likely have a broken leg by this point.

【”Humph!“】

The low-kick carried with it the man’s whole body-weight, yet Kurats blocked it by simply taking a step forward and striking the ground with his foot on landing.

【”What?!”】

The man was shocked.
His technique had proved its invincibility on many battlefields, yet it had been easily rendered powerless.
And there was more.
Kurats had also caught the dagger that the man had aimed at his chest with his bare hand, and it now refused to move in the slightest. Like it was caught by a vise.

【”What are you playing around for?! Hurry and kill him!“】

Witnessing the unfavorable turn of events, Serge shouted in confusion.
A defeat of the two men in black would also mean Serge’s demise.
While the first man was caught in a stalemate with Kurats, the other man moved towards Marika.

【”Did you forget I was here? Don’t look down on me!”】
【”Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!”】

―― Flash.
Just when the second man thought he saw a sort of thread reflecting the room’s light, his body was split right in half.

【”You… What did you do?”】
【”I just strengthened a thread from an Arachne demon beast with magic power. With enough speed, you can cut through steel with this.”】

Of course, that would only apply to someone with a godly speed like Kurats.
The man hadn’t seen the thread at all.
This thread was already too thin to see when it wasn’t in motion, but it could also cut through a human body faster than his eyes could see… There was nothing to do against such a ridiculous weapon.

【”So… wanna keep going?”】
【”Nah, I give up. Geez, I thought I could do anything, but the world is a big place I guess.“】

Serge was exasperated. He couldn’t believe what the man in black had just said.

【”Stop joking around! I paid you, didn’t I?! Don’t you have to take him down no matter what?!”】
【”I’m not going to see a lost duel through to its end. I’m not a soldier.“】

Once he understood that he had no more allies here, Serge forced the fakest of smiles and called out to Kurats.

【”I don’t know who you are, but tell me, how much will it take to get you on my side? Believe me, the words of a government officer can go a long way, this is a good deal for you. But if you decide to catch me instead, you can be certain that you will become a criminal!“】
【”I would not be so sure.”】
【”Who the hell is butting in this time– Wait, princess Lunaria?!!!”】

Serge was dumbfounded by the sudden entrance of this person who stood almost at the very top of the country.
No word or excuse from his mouth could have enough power to reach the royal family.

【”I never imagined your highness would come here… I deeply apologize for my unbecoming, shameful display.“】

Moreover, right after the princess entered, yet another person came in. He was the man at the top of the tax collection department, count Amboise.

【”Chief, I…!”】
【”Save it. You are not going to talk yourself out of this.“】
【”P-please, wait! I-I didn’t do anything… It’s that man! He’s the one who trespassed!“】
【”That’s the count of Bashtar. I welcomed him under the request of princess Lunaria. False accusations won’t do you any good.“】
【”A… count? This man?”】

Serge had just run out of solutions. As he realized that he was simply not going to escape, his whole faced turned pale in despair.
After this, he was going to be arrested, and the many nobles who had taken part in this large case of fraud were going to be disposed of.

【”Are you alright?”】
【”Ah! Yes, thank you! Ah! No, don’t! Don’t come any closer!“】

When Kurats called out to her, Marika let out a brief sigh of relief before she very quickly retracted herself like she had just remembered something, but―

【”Ah, Marika, did you wet yourself?”】
【”Clodette you idiot!!!!!“】

―― Some people just don’t know how to read the mood.