T.N: Even Half-Life 3 could be confirmed this week. There’s no Counter Strike 3. (If you get the joke)

In case you don’t know

Ani-sama = esteemed big brother.

Cheer for the shift change. I have free time today.

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Mile Chapter 65: Counter-Strike 2

[ED: Cyan]

 

“Pauline will probably say『This is my personal problem』
But since this problem will affect Pauline, it’s also our problem.
Even if they didn’t hire these guys to raid us” (Rena)

“…as long as red blood flows through our veins,
our friendship is eternal…” (Maevis)

“…We are four comrades tied together by our very souls.
Our 『Red Oath』, right?” (Mile)

 

Maevis and Mile continued Rena’s words.
Thus, while Pauline wasn’t there, the three girls consult about how to deal with the problem from Pauline’s family
This is a decision as a 『Red Oath』to deal with Pauline’s problem.

And they began the interrogation against those thugs.
Three of the torches were also returned to the state that they could talk with Mile’s healing.
The more interrogators there were, the higher the probability someone would talk.

 

“…First of all, are you active hunters,
or were you already expelled and became former hunters?” (Rena)

 

Stand next to Rena, Mile was playing with a fireball and a red water ball on the palm of both hands.
It’s the magic that Mile developed for Pauline, so of course, she could use “Ultra Hot”
As they were trembling while looking at both Mile’s hands, the men thought.

They have no weapon and armor left.
They are tied up by a rattle.
And after a few hours, the guild escort carriage will arrive.

Until then, it’s unlikely that they can untie their restraint.
And, even if they can untie the rattle, the three girls, who stayed behind, are strong enough to kill them in a matter of seconds.
They can’t even win against the girls in a normal fight, much less in their situation right now.

The men thought that resistance is futile.
So, there was no choice but to try to mitigate their punishment.

In this way, they will become criminal slaves for the rest of their life at the worst.

However, if it goes well, there is a possibility that they will be allocated to easier work than the mines.
Or they can be done with a “punishment for age” which will be released in a few years.
If they are fortunate enough, there is a possibility that only their hunter’s right will be taken away.

If they can somehow shift all crimes to the client.
Like they insist that they were deceived, didn’t know the circumstances and simply received a request.

If they think about it carefully, it’s an argument that isn’t very persuasive, but the men have no other way out other than betting on it.
Betting on the slight hope, they try to raise the favorable impression even a little …

It was too reckless of an attempt.
And the men’s statements began.

 

“We, we still have a hunter qualification properly!
Everyone is C-ranked…” (Man A)

 

And as a result of interrogation carried out before the escort carriage came.

The men are active C-ranked hunters.
Even now, when they have reached the latter half of the 30 years old, they have almost no credit accumulation.
They plan to retire due to their declining physical strength.
And they found out that they can handle some illegal requests that can’t pass through the guild to get the money.

As the name suggests, the content of the request is illegal.
They will not get any help from the guild even if something goes wrong.
Various illegal requests, such as murder, kidnapping, etc.

Among them, this time, the father requested to take his daughter back, which is quite a decent person for an illegal request…
However, the way he said it was unfriendly:
「hurt the daughter’s friends to the point they can’t remain as hunters anymore」

As the men say, as long as they can achieve the goal of bringing the daughter back and hurting her friends, the client will not care about the details.

It is doubtful whether it is true or not…
And the men are desperately claiming.

 

“It’s true!
That’s why we talked a lot!
We thought if you know that the client is that girl’s father, you would not appeal to guilds or guards to arrest him.
We thought that you would never want to get involved with that girl again.
We also thought this quest is bad and didn’t plan to take it.
But if we don’t receive this work, some dangerous criminals might take it and it will become serious” (5 men)

 

Indeed, their reason is justifiable.
However, at that time, the girls feel disgusted.
If that was a play, these guys would be able to eat as actors.

And what the girls confirmed again is, this is a request from Pauline’s father, Beckett. (ベケット: Beketto)

An owner of a medium-sized merchant company, which is 4 days distance from the Kingdom capital.
He had ordered a lot of illegal acts behind the scenes.
He earned a lot without being caught despite doing all those awful things.

 

“Please, put some good words for us to the guild and the guards!
We were planning to do it with just a few hits!
In fact, we haven’t even touched one finger on you and the daughter.
What we receive is just a request from a father who wants his daughter to come back.
You are the same hunter fellow, so you must understand somehow, right?
When you get older, you will not have any strength left to kill monsters and the future becomes uneasy.
We have to accept even the work that does not go through the guild to get money to eat.
We are telling the truth, so please help us …” (5 Men)

“Aren’t you mistaking something?
It wasn’t 『you didn’t lay one finger on us』
It’s『you couldn’t touch us』” (Rena)

“Besides, your simultaneous attacks on me.
They were obviously lethal attacks, weren’t they?” (Maevis)

“Because we don’t know the truth, we can’t defend you.
We will tell the guild what happened as it is.
If you want, please defend yourself with the guild and guards.
It’s not up to us to decide your punishment” (Mile)

“Well, that kind of …” (5 men)

 

The men have a face of despair with the reply of Rena, Maevis, and Mile.

 

“If what you told is true, you can just prove it.
Your sins will be lighter.
Isn’t that good?
It seems you will only get a mild punishment” (Mile)

 

Mile is smiling at them.
Of course, she feels disgusted.
Unlike the usual Mile, she was seriously angry.

 

“Yeah. I will also testify exactly about your simultaneous attacks on me.
So, please be relieved.” (Maevis)

 

Maevis was also very angry…

 

“Well then, shall we drink some tea until Pauline brings the guild’s carriage?” (Rena)

 

Mile and Maevis nodded to Rena’s word.

 

 

****************************************************
About noon
****************************************************

 

 

Pauline came back with a horse carriage and a group of cavalries
Considering the traveling time, the time required for the explanation, and the time taken to arrange the carriage and personnel etc.
They came earlier than the girls have thought.

 

“Maevis, you are safe!” (Yuan)

 

It was Yuan who first jumped out of the carriage that arrived.

 

“Third Ani-sama” (Maevis)

 

Yuan has a big smile, jumps to embrace Maevis.

Mile’s group saw it and thought. (Original is Mile-tachi so I don’t really know if Pauline is included)

 

“Ah, I should know it …” (Mile + Rena and possible Pauline too)

“You, how dare you try to harm Maevis!” (Yuan) (kisama-tachi = the vulgar way to call you)

 

The men who were questioned so by youth aristocratic, in a panic.

 

“No, no, we only tried to threaten her a little …” (5 men)

“What!?
Did you try to threaten my Maevis?
Consider yourself dead by this sin” (Yuan)

“Eeeeeee!!” (5 men)

 

 

********************************************
A while later
********************************************

 

 

The girls greeted a few hunters and the guild officials, who came down from the carriage with Pauline after that.

And the hunters put the bound men on the carriage.

 

“By the way, why didn’t Third Ani-sama stay at the inn in the morning?” (Maevis)

“I went to request to deliver a letter to Chichiue first thing in the morning.
When I returned to the inn, I didn’t see Maevis anywhere so I rushed to the guild…
When I arrived at the guild, you already left.
I had no choice but waited for you to return at the guild.
And when I’m waiting, there’s commotion.
I saw your party member talking with the guild staff.
And I heard “Maevis was attacked”.
Even I couldn’t listen to the details but it wasn’t important.
There’s only one thing that I need to do no matter the situation is.
That is going together with the guild to help you” (Yuan)

“Well, that was…” (Maevis)

 

Apparently, Maevis is frosting with slight depression.
Actually, she was ashamed for doubting her family for a moment.
She had such an attitude due to her guilt for her brother.

But Yuan don’t know such a thing.
He is just “I’m glad to see my Kawaii Imouto~♥ safe” as he tries to embrace Maevis again.

 

“Maevis~♥, Gue~!” (Yuan)

 

Three girls were frustrated at Yuan, who tried to embrace Maevis again.
They stopped him by grabbing his clothes.
And Yuan, whose neck was squeezed, cried.

While walking together with the slow-moving carriage, the four girls of 『Red Oath』 consulted about their plan.

 

“We will go to Pauline’s parent’s house” (Rena)

“Huh…?” (Pauline)

“What’s so surprising?” (Rena)

“But, because this is my personal problem…” (Pauline)

“… After all, We are four comrades tied together by our very souls.” (Mile + Maevis)

 

Because Pauline’s response was just as Rena predicted, Mile and Maevis already knew what to say.

 

“That…” (Pauline)

 

Pauline is embarrassed as her voice becomes unclear.

 

“First of all, it was your father, who hired them …” (Rena)

“Well. That merchant isn’t my father” (Pauline)

“Huh?” (Rena + Mile + Maevis)

“I said in my first self-introduction
『I’m the daughter of a mistress of the mid-sized commercial merchant chairman, Beckett』
It means that my mother is his mistress.
He isn’t necessarily my father, is it?” (Pauline)

“What… what was that?” (Rena + Mile + Maevis)

 

A shocking fact was discovered.

And then Pauline tells everyone about the story of her home.
Pauline’s parents ran a store.
Both her parents are nice people.
Beside Pauline, they have a 2 years old younger son.

At first, the shop was just a small business.
With luck and hard work, her father made the shop to medium-sized.
His shop was famous for reasonable prices and the good treatment for their employees.

For his wife and children, the father carries out a solid business as a merchant and didn’t do any obsessive business.
But from the personality or credibility of the solid business, the management state is smooth.

Until that day …

One night the bandits broke into their shop.

They tied Pauline’s family and night shift employees then robbed all of the contents of the safe.
They killed only Pauline’s father and left.
And Pauline’s mother, who was lamented in sorrow, struck with a piece of paper from Beckett. The『Shop transfer』
It was a transfer statement under the name of her husband, that will hand over all of the shops to Beckett when he dies.

It’s impossible.
Everyone thought so.
However, the officials deemed it effective because that paper has the seal that was stolen from the night before.

The old employees, who disagreed, were all fired.
And Beckett hired new people to fill the hole.

After that Beckett said to the mother of Pauline.
「If you don’t want both you and your children to live on the street, you must become my mistress」
And Pauline’s mother had no other choice but to accept it.

Pauline’s mother told her.

 

“My role as a wife of that person is over.
Now I’m only a mother.
It’s my responsibility to nurture that person’s children admirably.
Until the two of you grow up, then…” (Pauline’s mother)

 

Her mother said that with a terrible smile.

 

“I will fulfill my last role as his wife” (Pauline’s mother)

 

And Pauline devoted herself to training and study.

Her purpose wasn’t to help of Beckett’s business or to sell herself as a tribute to a nobleman somewhere when Pauline becomes an adult.
First thing, she planned to run away with her mother and her little brother.
She also planned to save money and power for the counterattack.
Or worst case, when she is sold to the powerful noble.
She will seduce her master, get the power to take back her father’s shop, that was named Beckett Company right now.

To do that, she had to raise her own merchandise value.

Fortunately, she has a talent as a magician.
Knowledge about business is also necessary.
And also a black heart.

In this way, a weak and lovely girl, who was happily living with her family’s love, was only her mask.
And inside, a wolf was born.

 

“A wolf covered with sheep’s skin” (Pauline)

 

That was when Pauline was 12 years old.

 

 

******************************************

 

 

“…” (Rena + Mile + Maevis)

 

Three girls can’t say anything.

Yuan who heard the story muttered…

 

“The malice of a person gives birth to a …” (Yuan)

“…It’s time for a Counter-strike, isn’t it?” (Rena)

 

With Rena’s words, Mile and Maevis silently nodded.

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