NOVEL WEB Chapter 207
“At first I thought it was some kind of code, but after listening to her about four times, I realized she was speaking quite plainly without any metaphor.”
Altera was literally saying she was about to lay an egg.
I didn’t see a problem with that. Sure, people can lay eggs… right? I mean, half of them are dragons, so it’s not that outrageous.
The real issue was the changes happening to her body when she laid the egg.
She told me that for about 12 hours before and after laying an egg, her strength noticeably diminished.
“I’m better now, but back then, it was hard to handle even a normal human. So yeah, it was quite a struggle. That’s part of why I ended up trusting him, so I guess it’s not all bad…”
Must be from her past. But honestly, I wasn’t that interested, so I asked Altera what the problem was.
Even if she got weaker, who would dare mess with a Returner…?
“There’s a problem. Those sleazy corporate folks try to crawl all over the place.”
…Ah, I see. They do exist, don’t they?
“When I first crossed over here… there was this awkward period when we didn’t know each other well. I showed a gap just once, and they clung to me like leeches. At one point, my company almost got halved.”
Altera frowned as if recalling a memory she didn’t want to think about.
Still, she said it wasn’t a big deal, just that occasionally, a rat would sneak in whenever she laid eggs.
“At first, they sent in gear to make themselves look a bit more official, but at some point, they stopped sharing any information about their affiliation.”
“Since you’re telling me this, it seems complaining didn’t help?”
“Right. At first, they were all nice and begging, but then they started blaming the lone wolf act and claimed assassins from this unheard-of organization were sent to me. Total nonsense.”
“Then why haven’t you just wiped them out?”
She could easily do whatever she wanted without worrying about anyone stopping her. So why hold back?
“Why? Because of my daughter and family.”
“Family…?”
“My partner and I could care less what happens to those guys, but it’s a different story for our daughters and granddaughters.”
Altera said that the second reason was that they weren’t particularly dangerous, so she left them alone.
“He protects me, and all they manage to pull off is planting listening devices. Those are easy to find and remove.”
“My Lady, I apologize, but what is it I should do?”
As I listened intently, I realized there really wasn’t much for me to do, so I asked Altera.
“You’re a cat, aren’t you? You should catch the rats.”
So she wanted me to deal with the intruders.
Me?- I didn’t make any silly protests. Being called a cat made me a bit uncomfortable, but I just wagged my tail instead and asked a few questions.
“Is it okay to kill them?”
“I don’t care. If Heros Company complains, just ask them why, and if there’s no reaction, then a corporate dog has just bitten the dust.”
“How strong are these rats?”
“I’m not sure. It’s been a long time since I dealt with them… But you should be able to handle them just fine. They know we’re letting them slide.”
“Is it alright if things get a bit messy in the house?”
“That’s fine too. Just clean up properly afterward.”
“What about my willingness?”
I was holding back a grin, turning to leave, but I had one last question.
“Is it really okay for me to know this?”
Altera laughed heartily as she replied.
“Even if I don’t tell you, you’ll find out anyway. You’re a guest who’ll be around for a while, for better or worse. So trust me. What, are you worried I’ll betray you or something?”
“I do have a history, you know.”
“Pfft, he’d find it hilarious. Even with one pile of meat, he could take you out in no time. If you somehow manage to survive, he’d simply come over to finish the job.”
Ah, so that’s why she’s telling me. Whether I know or not doesn’t matter, but it’s definitely better to know a little.
Ah, how great would it be if I were that strong? That would be fantastic.
I just thought this internally as I prepared to welcome anyone who might drop by, carrying my dishes.
I was salivating, but it wasn’t because the food looked so good.
– – – –
As she predicted, it didn’t take long for her to visibly weaken. It would only last about 24 hours, but it was still quite a novelty.
“Well then, I’m counting on you today. Myungho, let’s…”
She was trying to show off some cheesy affection even with me around, so I rushed out of the bedroom.
How oblivious could that couple be to what others think? At that level of strength, it might seem amusing to outsiders, but… aren’t they even embarrassed?
“…Ugh.”
I descended to the living room, shivering. It had been a while since I fought, so I was worried if I could handle it properly. They were sent directly from Heros Company, after all, even if their level was a bit lower.
It might be tough to completely handle this alone.
If someone asked why I was alone, it’s because the family had their own tasks to handle.
Even if one of the two pillars of the household was a bit shaky, Heros Company didn’t seem intent on acting out, and even if they did, they would have to deal with another Returner.
They wouldn’t attack a Returner who’s the reason Heros Company could even rise to power and continues to benefit from it.
In a negative light, one might say they’ve gotten accustomed and developed a sense of invulnerability.
It was the first time I was fully aware of it today; those who have been witnessing this for a long time… perhaps it doesn’t faze them at all.
They might just think, “Ah, it’s that time again.”
It doesn’t mean anything, considering I can’t fathom their thoughts, but still, waiting for a boring time by killing time was certainly helpful.
Normally, I should be resting now, but because of the circumstances, I was stuck waiting for intruders without proper rest.
“…There’s no way they wouldn’t come after I set this all up, right? That would really annoy me.”
Instead of talking to myself, I checked if I’d caught anything in the slime I had hidden around the mansion.
I was hopeful, but nothing had been caught at all. I even considered the disappointing thought that nothing might be coming at all.
Then I might genuinely be let down. I was looking forward to capturing something after a long time.
It was during that thought that I detected something in the slime I had laid outside the mansion.
A distortion in the air. It looked hazy, like a clear glass panel passing by, but if I focused, I could see the abnormal scattering of light.
Like something transparent had just passed through.
An optical mirage? A cloaking ability? I don’t really care either way, but if it’s a cloaking ability, it could be a hassle.
The numbers… just one. It seemed to be moving quietly, trying to infiltrate through somewhere other than the front door. Since the windows were locked, I had no choice but to-
-crash!
…I was going to say they had to come through the front door. Hmm. Maybe they weren’t really trying to be stealthy?
In that brief moment when the window broke, I briefly saw the cloaking drop. Dressed in a black suit and carrying something unidentifiable—I figured that must be the Artifact.
Must be an ability they acquired while fighting Evil Society.
I sent a signal to the slimes I had spread around and quickly ran up to the second floor where I suspected they were.
Maybe I was rushing or perhaps it was stronger than I expected, but the slime just sat there dumbly on the floor without hitting its target.
“…Alright. So you want to play hide and seek, huh? Since you’ve already hidden, let’s find you.”
Closing my eyes, I monitored the entire mansion using the slimes I’d spread around. The strange distortion didn’t show its face anywhere.
Then it must be waiting quietly near here.
A skill that completely blends into the background if it stays still? Well, I didn’t care either way.
Loosening a button for easier movement, I took off my gloves and synthesized capsaicin within my body to exhale through my arms.
It didn’t seem like the kind of stain that’d come off easily from my clothes.
As I sprayed it around, watching for any changes, I eventually couldn’t take it anymore, and the little guy hiding in the corner finally revealed itself, coughing non-stop.
It was so out of breath it looked like it was about to burst into tears—it went down much easier than I thought.
I expected it to resist a bit more, but was it someone relying solely on their Artifact?
If they’d be careless enough to put that in a small fry’s hands, that meant they must have a surplus… which might be a bit of a headache.
But that wasn’t an issue right now.
It was time for me to fully enjoy my spoils.
“Found you.”
Putting my gloves back on, I struck hard at the knee of the one who somehow managed to remain standing.
With a crack, the knee bent at a 90-degree angle, unable to support the man’s weight, and he fell to the ground with a hideous scream.
“Should I skin you, flay you, melt you from the start, or burn you? So many options, but there’s only one body to play with.”
As I stomped down on the fallen man’s chest, I finally revealed my teeth without worrying about anyone else.
Now, how should I cook this one? What a delightful dilemma.