Playing the Perfect Fox-Eyed Villain Chapter 15

Episode 15. Linne Rondbell (1)

There are many words to describe the character Linne Rondbell.

If I had to pick just one, it would be this.

A beauty worthy of being called a country girl.

Linnaeus's appearance was outstanding.

The sight flowing from her entire body really attracted the man's heart.

Due to her personality of following the protagonist 'Haydn Reich', who is the player's representative, she has always ranked high in popularity votes targeting players.

The actual appearance was also quite impressive.

If I weren't Yulian, I would have tried to become friends with you right away.

But that can't be done.

Because I am a disciple who has a similar discipleship to my master.

Of course, there is no way she could have a friendly relationship with her teacher, Haydn Reich.

Anyway, the reason she appeared was easy to predict.

The scabbard I am holding in my hand is Haydn Reich's.

The chief secretary's guest must be 'Haydn Reich'.

“Enough greetings. Please return Master’s sword.”

As expected.

Linne frowned and made a gesture to have the sword returned.

“It seems like the Master has visited the imperial palace?”

“What does that have to do with you?”

“I was just asking, Linné. Lord Haydn was also my teacher.”

I gave the scabbard back to Linne.

I had no intention of having it, I just checked it out of curiosity.

After that, I sat down and waited to be called.

'It's hot.'

The gaze coming from the opposite end is very harsh.

He crosses his arms and looks away as if he doesn't care, but I can feel his eyes occasionally glancing in my direction.

I'll try to pretend it doesn't happen, but it'll really bother me.

'It can't be helped given her personality and the setting.'

Linnaeus was more proud than anyone else of the fact that he was Haydn Reich's disciple.

It is no exaggeration to say that Haydn Reich is her whole life.

But isn't Yulian, who received Haydn's thoughts and teachings, completely denying them?

'The good news is that it's not like Irene didn't know the situation.'

The emotion Linnaeus saw through <The Color of Negation> was the color red, meaning ‘anger.’

It was my first time encountering emotions other than fear, but I wasn't embarrassed.

In some ways, her open feelings about knowing the circumstances are reassuring. After all, I know very well the limits of her attitude and actions that start from those feelings.

'I won't move unless I cross the line first.'

The most difficult person for me right now is the one who might surprise me at any moment.

In that respect, Linnaeus is not something to be wary of.

Although he clearly shows hostility towards me, he is literally just a barking dog on a leash.

Of course, the leash is Haydn Reich.

As long as Linne is by his side, even if I don't like her, I can't touch her.

'Because Haydn Reich wouldn't want that.'

Although he is later portrayed as an outstanding figure who will surpass Yurian, he is still a rookie.

“Lynne Rondvel, Lord Haydn Reich calls you.”

The one-sided hostility in silence was ended by the secretary's office staff.

Linne stood up, hugging her scabbard.

It was obvious that he was in a hurry, as if he didn't want to be in this place even for a second.

“I will go first, Sir Yurian. Let’s make sure we don’t meet again.”

Linne said goodbye with the same venomous tone as before.

“Please don’t be so cold to me. We share the same teacher, Miss Linne.”

Linne looked at me coldly at my answer.

It looks like Yulian's acting is going well.

She left the waiting room without answering.

***

The reason the Chief of Staff to the Imperial Family called me personally was as I expected.

In addition to reporting on the mission, I also wanted to see it with my own eyes.

Perhaps because of that, the mission report was just a formality, and it ended with only small talk about things like how I was feeling and what my injuries were like.

After finishing his business, he left the palace and headed to the Imperial Capital.

'I think it would be better to finish it now.'

It was a good time to complete the still unstable <Moonlight Sword>.

Since the weapons had not been able to support me until now, I needed to get them now.

Using a jewel on the sword to carve a mana hole was the most effective method at the moment.

Of course, not just any jewel will do.

As I have previously confirmed, I needed a moonstone that would suit me best.

As far as I know, moonstone is handled by a gold dealer. You can probably get it if you ask them.

'It's bustling.'

The Adratan Empire was one of the most populous on the continent, and the islands were teeming with people. Finding your destination among them was no easy task.

'Thank goodness we have a map.'

I take out the map I received from the servant, check it, and start walking.

Yurian, who was very self-promoting, was as interested in jewelry as he was in crafts. It seemed that there was a jewelry store that he had been frequenting, and he was able to get a map of its location from the servant.

“Lord Yurian, it’s been a while! How are you?”

As I entered the jewelry store, a middle-aged man wearing monocle greeted me with a smile.

Judging by the reaction, it seems like you have a regular customer.

“I would like to buy a moonstone.”

“Are you talking about the moonstone?”

"yes."

The owner of the jewelry store looked embarrassed.

“That’s… We don’t handle moonstones.”

“Is that so?”

What a pity.

But I was convinced.

In this world, moonstones were difficult to obtain, but there was little demand for them.

“That’s too bad.”

As I let out a slightly sigh, the shop owner smiled brightly, sweat dripping down his face.

A 'purple haze' shimmered above his head.

“Well, even so, if it’s Sir Yurian’s request, I will try to save him somehow.”

“Is it possible?”

“Yes…… It will be difficult, but I will try my best.”

In these cases, notoriety can be helpful.

Anyway, it's a good thing.

To be honest, if I try to save it by myself, it's going to be a long and difficult road.

After finishing my work, I returned to my office.

“What is all this?”

There were many documents piled up on the desk.

In addition to the business paperwork that needed to be taken care of, there were also personal documents brought from the mansion, such as management fee bills and registration fees for some weird art association.

‘What kind of art association is this… … .

I threw the useless papers into the trash can.

At that moment, Lazrot came in with a knock.

“Sir Yurian! Oh, Commander Odwin is calling!”

Odwin?

I don't know why, but I said I understood and headed to the manager's office.

“Yurien, this is a mission.”

Again? How long has it been since you came back?

When I asked her what was going on, she said that information had come in that a demon had appeared in the 'System Slums'. An order was given to investigate.

I felt something strange there.

“Why should we care about the lowly poor?”

He asked in a deliberately venomous tone. Since when did the royal family start caring about that?

The information about the demon's appearance is problematic, but it doesn't appear right away and cause problems. If you actually investigate it, it could end up as a suspicion.

Especially since that place is a slum.

It's a place that the royal family doesn't care about at all.

Even if it moves, it will only move after the actual demon appears.

“I asked because I thought it was strange. The royal family doesn’t care about the slums.”

I think I already asked Odwin if he thought the same thing as I did.

Slums are a remnant of the empire's annexation of other countries by force.

The Eastern Slums are a place where people who do not believe in the mainstream culture or religion of the empire and are even of different races are rejected from setting foot in the imperial capital and gather together to form.

“Because there are so many people who would object if the royal family reached out to the slums. It doesn’t seem like they had any intention of doing so in the first place.”

“But why?”

“It seems that Lord Haydn Reich has requested that we send someone from the imperial court to confirm the truth about the rumors of demons appearing.”

Ugh.

When the main character's name was mentioned, I sighed inwardly.

It's not a good idea to get involved with him at this point.

As Yurian, she is not perfect, so suddenly getting involved with the main character of the work does more harm than good. Furthermore, their relationship is not very good in terms of setting.

'But I can't just refuse.'

Once a formal request has been received, it is not a good idea to refuse it.

In the first place, if it was Yurian, he probably wouldn't have cared much about the main character being involved.

“It would be too conspicuous to send the Knights, so we decided to send one from the ‘Closed Eyes’. I don’t think Lord Haydn will come in person.”

“Is it by any chance that it is not you, Master, but someone else who is coming?”

“Maybe so. Based on the information I received from the secretary’s office, it seems that way.”

Odwin's words made me feel a little better.

But someone else is coming?

Our protagonist was not a person who moved in an organized manner, with someone under him.

That means… … .

'Are you planning to let Linne gain experience?'

It would probably be certain.

After breaking up with Yurian, he appointed Linne as his disciple and devoted all his energy to her training.

Suddenly, I remembered what she said when we broke up.

– 'I'll go first, Sir Yurian. Let's make sure we don't meet again.'

When you say that, isn't this the way we're meeting again?

***

“I thought you said clearly that we should never meet again.”

Linne Rondbell speaking in a loud voice.

The facial expression will be distorted without even needing to be seen.

“How can life go the way we want it to?”

“I don’t want to hear it. You’re not needed on this patrol mission. You don’t have to come with me. No, don’t come with me.”

“This is something the Master himself asked me to do. Are you saying I should disobey it?”

“That, that is……”

Her previously blunt attitude softened.

When the main character stumbles, he cannot say a word.

These truly could not but be magic words.

Leaving Linne behind, who had become quiet, I checked the contents of the order again.

The location is a slum, and the demonic presence is suspected, so investigate. It's the same as what I heard before.

“But why are there just the two of us? If it’s a demon subjugation mission, shouldn’t we bring soldiers along?”

“To be exact, it’s an investigation, not a subjugation. Perhaps they don’t want to cause any unnecessary trouble.”

“…….”

Suddenly he became speechless and turned his head away.

If it's the Linnaeus I know, it wouldn't be strange if something more was said.

“I never imagined you could speak normally.”

“…….”

No, was the image that bad?

How can you be so arbitrary that you react like that to such an obvious opinion?

I let out a small sigh and started walking, and Linne followed me with a disgruntled look on her face.

'Anyway, I hope this mission ends with the investigation.'

This is before we have any real powers yet.

It's the same situation as the last escort mission, but I have to be more careful than before because Linne, the protagonist's disciple and enemy, is by my side.

Honestly, I hope that we don't end up in a situation where we have to go as far as 'punishment'.

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeee!

While I was checking the location written on the order sheet, Linne passed me and started to pass me. After seeing the sign written in front, she tried to go to the right.

“Miss Linne.”

"why?"

“That’s not it. The slums are a mess of unauthorized, illegal constructions and the streets are all twisted and tangled. If you trust the signs, you’ll get lost.”

He stopped and looked at me intently.

The look of suspicion is clear.

I smiled to give her confidence, but it didn't take long for me to realize that was a mistake.

“Then why is this sign there? At least it’s more accurate than what Sir Yurian says, who isn’t from here.”

Linne's hostility grew even stronger in front of the villain's smile.

“I know you want to surpass your master’s reputation. That’s why you participated in this mission. You want to spread the rumor that you trampled on the current sword master’s disciple.”

“…….”

“You have to know how to distinguish between public and private life. What happens if you add selfishness to your work?”

With those words, Linne began to walk away.

Who put selfish interests into work?

I had a lot to say, but I decided to let it slide.

Even if I tell you, you won't believe me.

Anyway, the road is on the left.

This eastern slum area is the Wailing Wall that any player of <Let's Kill the Demon King Now> will experience at least once.

I've seen a lot of users give up here because of the twisted paths that are like a maze.

Of course, as someone who has been there many times, I know this place like the back of my hand.

'It was really cute from Haydn Reich's point of view.'

It was really cute to see her perking up her ears and writing down stories whenever someone spoke.

Of course, from my perspective right now, if I just say something, it's like I'm going to start tackling him.

I shook my head once as I watched Linne walk away.

And then I started walking slowly behind him.