Chapter 119 - To the Mage Tower (2)

Brooks Besilza could hardly believe his ears.

The lich and the Saintess had killed each other?!

He had already been forming a plan in his head: first, join forces with the Holy City to track down the lich by any means necessary, then personally avenge his beard.

Yet just as he had finished outlining that plan and was about to work out the details, he received word that the lich had already been destroyed. And at Saint's Hill near the Holy City, far from the Mage Tower, no less.

"N-no. No...!"

His thirst for vengeance, poised to burst into flame, had lost its target and was now in danger of wandering aimlessly.

'What am I supposed to do with this anger, this hatred?!'

The mage delivering the report saw Brooks apparently refusing to accept reality and assumed he was feeling guilty.

'He's heartbroken because his failure to capture the lich during their first encounter led to the Saintess's death.'

The reporting mage still had a full head of hair and could not begin to fathom Brooks Besilza's feelings.

'Yes, at least this news should cheer him up.'

With nothing but good intentions, the mage continued.

"Tower Master, I have further news to convey."

The next piece of news the mage reported concerned Gracie.

Gracie, who had gone to the Holy City with Saintess Amelia and Paladin Paulen, had accompanied the expedition against the lich and played a significant role. Now she was on her way to the Mage Tower, accompanied not only by the Saintess and the Paladin, who were seeing off their fellow combatant, but also by a hero who had taken part in destroying the lich: Nellin, the Starlight Archer.

As he delivered that report, the mage reflected that a mage from the Mage Tower had contributed to defeating the lich. And though she was a magical-device mage, this was none other than Gracie, whom the Tower Master was rumored to take an interest in and look after.

Brooks Besilza had only offered her outward encouragement because he wanted to watch Ventus's descendant struggle as a magical-device mage. To the other mages, however, it looked as though he was fond of Gracie.

'What?! Gracie! Ventus's descendant! She's returning after helping defeat the lich?! Aaaaaaargh!'

Gracie had contributed to the expedition against the lich. He did not know how much, but it was enough for heroes to see her off. That meant she would receive considerable recognition, which would count as an achievement. In other words, even if her thesis failed to pass, the Frail family would not have to worry about funding for a while.

'No! Anything but that!'

The lich had robbed him of his beard, his joy in life, and now he had lost his chance at revenge as well. On top of that, Ventus's descendant, whose downfall he had wished for, had distinguished herself? Was he even going to lose his one remaining pleasure—watching the Frail family struggle and beg for funding?

Brooks Besilza thought that absolutely must not happen.

'I must stop this, no matter what!'

+++

CLOP-CLOP, CLOP-CLOP.

Having finished their business in Chilture, the group traveled toward the Mage Tower in a carriage. It was a luxurious vehicle large enough to seat several people, prepared for the party when they left the Holy City.

Ordinarily, a coachman would have accompanied them, but everyone had objected, since his presence would prevent them from openly discussing their secret. Nellin and Paulen were taking turns driving, and it was currently Paulen's turn.

With Claire and Squishy newly added to their company, their carriage now carried eight people and one slime in all.

"All right, let's start working out a plan."

"A plan?"

"Yeah. We need a plan for how we're going to fuck that bastard up."

That bastard was Brooks Besilza, who had tried to murder Ventus Frail thirty years ago and disguise it as an accident.

Until they reached Chilture, Nellin had been too worried that they might miss Squishy again to think things through properly. Now, however, they had safely reunited with Squishy. It was time to get serious about planning their revenge.

"Master, who are we fucking up?"

Claire tilted her head as she asked Nellin. Nellin had told her to use the title "Master" from now on, since she was receiving her instruction.

"Yeah, we're going to fuck him up. He's a ve~ry bad bastard who tried to kill my friend and buried the truth."

"I see. I want to help fuck him up too."

Claire was brimming with enthusiasm to help the master who was making her stronger.

"I appreciate the thought, but there's no need for you to get involved too. Gracie."

"Y-yes, Lady Nellin!"

"You know both the Mage Tower and that bastard well. Got any good ideas?"

Having seen Gracie offer her opinion at the Great Church, Nellin hoped she might come up with another good idea this time.

Meanwhile, Squishy was listening to the conversation while resting quietly on Amelia's lap. And Squishy was not the only one interested in their plan.

▷Who are we fucking up?

▶Lmao, even Squishy's saying "fuck up" now.

[Squishy Queen]▶My kin! You must not speak that way!

▶Now, repeat after me~ Who are we burying?

▷Who are we burying?

[Squishy Queen]▶Stop teaching my kin such barbaric expressions! Have you no sense at all?!

▶But it's funny, right?

▶Lmaoooo.

▶But seriously, who are they going to fuck up?

With the stream showing nothing but the inside of the carriage, the bored viewers were listening to the humans' conversation, something they normally had little interest in.

[Noblesse Fire]▶You can't even figure that out? Obviously they're going to fuck up the hooman who locked Squishy up in that Mage Tower or whatever.

[Madam Cat's Cradle]▶Why are they going to kill that human?

[Noblesse Fire]▶You think that Smartass fuck got involved for no reason? That hooman was trying to get rid of Squishy, so he went to rescue Squishy. And aren't the hoomans going to get rid of that bastard because they know he tried to finish Squishy off?

The fire dragon had only gotten the beginning and the end right; everything in between was completely off the mark. But Smartass, one of the parties involved, made no particular attempt to correct him.

[Free Spirit]▶Yep, they're going to fuck up that beardless hooman called Brooks Besilza.

[Noblesse Fire]▶See! I was right!

▶Something doesn't add up here.

[Squishy Queen]▶If that hooman tried to harm my kin, then of course he must be eliminated! What a commendable deed!

Then the Orc King chimed in.

[Tailwind King]▶I've thought of some new content. How about I send my underlings after those hoomans again, wherever they're headed? Wouldn't an all-out brawl be fun?

[Free Spirit]▶The Mage Tower's crawling with spellcasting hoomans. They'll wipe them out without Squishy even lifting a finger. Highly recommended if you want to watch your underlings get blown up en masse.

[Tailwind King]▶Oh, come on.

▶Wouldn't other hoomans cut them down before they even got there this time?

▶Lmao, he's just saying whatever comes to mind~

[Tailwind King]▶Shut up, you bastards!

"First, we need to isolate the Tower Master... Brooks Besilza from the other mages."

"By isolate him, do you mean reveal the truth as soon as we arrive?"

"No, Mr. Godric. That would put us at a disadvantage. Even if we reveal the truth, Brooks Besilza is still the master of the Mage Tower. Some people will believe him, and he might even escape while the mages are wavering over whom to trust."

"Heh, I've figured it out. You mean we lure him out by saying we have something confidential to discuss, then gang up on him!"

"M-more or less."

"Wait, you're actually right? You're not Hawein, are you?!"

"Don't envy my brilliant mind, Sgol. It's unbecoming."

"Ugh, this bastard."

SMACK!

"Ow!"

"Don't push it, Hawein."

"Yes, Big Sis Nellin."

"Ahem! Anyway, at first we need to make him think we don't know anything."

"Um, d-do we really need to worry about that? I don't think he'll assume we know the truth..."

"You're right too, Mr. Def. But I thought it would be best to mention it beforehand."

"Well, if we blunder along without thinking and give ourselves away early, it'll be a pain. So what's the plan, exactly?"

"I'll start by saying I'd feel terribly guilty sending everyone home after you came all this way to see me off. Both Lady Nellin and the Saintess are famous at the Mage Tower, so everyone will agree if I suggest holding a banquet. And once the festivities are in full swing... we'll tell Brooks Besilza that we actually have something to discuss about the lich."

"What would we say we want to discuss? Bring up Ventus?"

"No, that's something to save for the very end. If we're going to bring something up... Hmm, I'm still thinking about that myself. Does anyone have a good idea?"

"I have a good idea."

Paulen joined the conversation from the driver's seat.

"Brooks Besilza lost his beard when Lord Ventus's magic struck him that day. He fainted from shock the moment he lost it, so he must have treasured it dearly. If we trick him into believing there's a way to grow it back, it will definitely work."

"D-do you think so? Brooks Besilza did take great care of his beard, but I'm not sure that would work..."

"No, it most certainly will. Because... it was the last hair he had left."

"Oh, then it'll work."

"It will indeed."

"It couldn't possibly fail."

Godric, Hawein, and Sgol agreed with Paulen.

"I-it will?"

Only Def, who always kept his head shaved, tilted his head.

"That's your usual look, so you don't need to understand."

"Really?"

'Brooks Besilza?'

Squishy, who had been listening, pondered Brooks Besilza. The name had not immediately brought anyone to mind, but as Squishy kept thinking, it remembered who he was.

The person Gracie had called the Tower Master. The person who had moved Squishy into a magic circle and created an unbreakable barrier. And, according to Smartass, the human who had tormented Gracie and tried to harm Squishy.

'Bad human!'

▷Brooks Besilza! Bad!

▶What's this?

▶Why's Squishy suddenly angry?

▷Bullied! Gracie! Tried to kill! Me! Bad!

[Squishy Queen]▶Yes! A truly vile hooman who can never be forgiven!

▷I'll teach him a lesson!

[Noblesse Fire]▶Lmao, taking your own revenge is the way to go.

▶But can Squishy beat that hooman?

▶Couldn't Squishy do it now?

Since Squishy had been unable to break Brooks Besilza's barrier back then, the viewers were divided.

[Madam Cat's Cradle]▶But the other humans will help Squishy this time. Won't that make it easy?

▶We all know that. We're wondering who'd win in a one-on-one.

▶Lol, wouldn't it still be tough for Squishy alone? He seemed pretty strong even for a hooman.

[Squishy Queen]▶You wretch! How dare you underestimate my kin!

[Free Spirit]▶Don't underestimate Brooks Besilza. At least for now, I think he'd be too much for Squishy alone.

Smartass assessed the situation dispassionately. Brooks Besilza might be a despicable human who had stabbed him in the back out of petty spite, but he still possessed enough skill to become master of the Mage Tower. In fact, Brooks Besilza was far stronger than an Orc Champion.

'But I want to teach him a lesson...'

Hearing that from Smartass, who had sparred with Squishy so many times, left Squishy dejected.

But Squishy soon perked up again.

'I'll get stronger!'

The desire to punish the bad opponent who had tormented a friend and tried to destroy Squishy kindled its drive to grow stronger.

[Noblesse Fire]▶Hey. So, Smartass, were you that hooman called Ventus?

▶??

▶????

[Free Spirit]▶What are you talking about?

[Noblesse Fire]▶I mean, that's what it sounds like from what the hoomans are saying. The lich who fucked up that Brooks hooman's beard is a guy called Ventus. And you were the only one there who could've fucked up his beard back then.