118 Distrust and Sincerity
Someone opened the door and entered the room right after I said that.
"You have my thanks for your positive reply. Or should I say, long time no see?"
I saw this person before. At the Daily Special Diner.
"It's nice to see you again. I am Gain. Best regards."
I ignored him. I couldn't erase his conniving first impression from my mind after all.
"Hmm, have I done something to offend you perhaps?"
Gain's words didn't sit well with me. I look like a sulking child here.
"Hello, nice to meet you."
I smiled and greeted back acting like my attitude earlier never happened. A business smile I honed in my past life.
That made Gain act wary instead.
Seeing me who never uttered my name even after coming this far, both the maid Hanna and Gain turned their bare suspicious gazes at me.
Reikana was the only one who didn't mind. No, that might just be on the surface. Guess this is what you call tact.
Reikana spoke to me with her eyes looking straight at me.
"We have divulged to you how we had people monitoring you. That is something I cannot apologize for. Allow me to say this as to not invite misunderstandings. I am prepared to use any and all means in order to protect this country. One of which is requesting your cooperation. However, I have no intention of abusing my authority to that end. I would have honored my promise had you declined."
At the end of the day, I'm the one to blame for not having the courage to refuse her. No matter how much I keep saying I don't want to get into a mess, now that I've agreed to it, I'm gonna see this through to the end.
Gain threw a question here.
"As we we now have secured your help, I'd like to ask one thing, just how exactly did you destroy the 'Syndicate'? I hurriedly made my way here the moment I received that information, sparing no time to investigate further. It would be great if I could hear the detail straight from the person in question himself."
"...Telling you that won't make for a good reference, and you probably wouldn't believe it anyway, so no."
I mean, that story would have made them more suspicious of me, plummeting their trust or sounding like a tall one.
(I wouldn't have believed it myself if someone told me that. You'll never get it unless you were there in person, watching as it happens.)
Is there even anyone in this world capable of utterly slaughtering 50 thugs in the blink of an eye?
Thinking again, I must be a 'monster'. And that's final. Terms like extraordinary or abnormal are simply not enough. It's not like I don't get it.
Even so, Reikana asked.
"I shall not deny it no matter how tall the tale may be. Please, would you be so kind as to impart us."
The gazes Gain and Hanna are sending at me since earlier are akin to hostility. And they're not even trying to hide it. They can't let my rude behavior slide even if the princess herself tells them it's fine. Guess it's only natural for those who serve the royalty.
But they must be questioning just what exactly do I have to warrant such a respect from her. It would bring nothing to the table if it were mere stuff like positions, prestige or authority.
But one person alone is staring at me with the most sincere gaze showing her nobility and earnestness.
(Haa, laugh all you want then, I don't care. I mean they for sure won't believe it anyway.)
I sighed once. Thus I started to unwillingly narrate my story.
From the moment Eltros messed with Aryl's business to my departure from the commercial city.
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