Running Away From The Hero! (Remake) Chapter 11

RATH 11

TL: Eevee

TN: Ensj = Cia, me = Sia. Also, comments are delicious.

2. What is this. Scary. (4)

Lately I’ve been sincerely considering retirement.

Evil organizations were always the type of things where you could come as you pleased, but not necessarily the same if you tried to leave, but thanks to my various hard-crafted escape routes and false ident.i.ties I think I could manage if I ran.

The reason why I was thinking like so lately.

It’s because of No.1000 who, with her eyes closed, refining her mana right in front of me .

Seriously, what the heck did I say for you to get enlightenment?

Maybe if I’d taught her the specifics of swordsmans.h.i.+p, but if only I rated No.1000’s survival abilities highly I taught her single-strike kill a.s.sa.s.sination techniques.

They don’t even have a name. I’m just teaching her a few of the techniques we use in the organization described with a bit of extra sauce.

But, she’s getting enlightenment from that.

I’m just telling her how to stab and cut an enemy’s critical points, what the h.e.l.l is there to gain enlightenment from that!

All there is to learn is the human body’s weak points!

Plus the point she gained enlightenment at was “the most important thing of the single-strike kill is to kill your enemy in a single attack.”

Seriously, the name itself is a single-strike kill, no? but here she goes “ah…” like some wuxia protagonist gaining enlightenment and I’m afraid that if I really do teach her all my hidden cards then she’ll transcend humanity entirely.

Alright. Leave No.1000 at that.

For a kid barely in her teens, let alone fear on seeing the archdevil Surtr, she just cut him down and moved on because he was in between her and her food.

The danger is that if I make her starve without reason then she might make a giant hole in my stomach, but she can be tamed well enough if you feed her so there’s that.

But, what’s No.17?

Since I can’t use magic myself, all I know about magic is theory.

No, even what I call theory is just what I read about in the fantasy novels in my past life and pretending I developed them myself, but now this kid’s getting enlightenment from that as well.

And she brings out what was only in novels and uses them in real life!

Was fiction not actually fiction!

Did all the fantasy authors in my past life go to some fantasy world and write an autobiography or something?!

And No.1 too, fell behind briefly before he caught back up at an amazing speed.

He’s especially taking up my swordsmans.h.i.+p at an incredible rate.

No.1000 gained enlightenment, why wasn’t I teaching him anything or so he complained and when I bullshat something from some martial arts novels I read and then he went on to attain enlightenment as well.

No, seriously, not even the previous cohort was this good, but these kids are growing so fast I have no idea what they’re going to be when they do grow up.

-Kuuooooooooo!

The great fire giant roared.

“”Ice Buster.””

-Kuooooooak!

The great fire giant roared in pain.

“Earth’s Judgement”

Meanwhile, the completed magic caused the ground to shake and stone pillars shot up.

I’ve been in the great war that swept through the entire world, but to be honest, just this, whenever I look at this scene I get the s.h.i.+vers.

To think this scene is being played out by some kids that aren’t even fifteen yet.

And just why the h.e.l.l can’t the organization conquer the world when these kids are born!

Just how strong are you, the world!

“Run rampant, Surtr!”

The designer-name sandbag Surtr charged in with his body clad in flames but No.1000 easily weaved through his swipes and overtook him just like that.

“d.a.m.n it!”

But between dodging No.1000’s hidden dagger, having been unable to dodge it immediately No.1 faced off with Surtr, and because of that it seems like No.1 is last again. Just as I thought that.

“Sky Slas.h.!.+”

-Kuaaaaaaagkh!

An overwhelming mana erupted from his sword.

Single strike. No matter that restrictions on restrictions were piled on Surtr, his defences should still have been beyond your normal imagination, but he was desummoned in a single strike.

But that wasn’t the most important thing.

“I just read that in a manga…”

To save my own cards I just bullshat something I’d read in a manga for him, but he actually used it.

And I only taught him this yesterday!

Even the previous cohort kids took a year to use it and this kid uses it immediately! That skill is a cute weak girl’s signature skill!(1)

Kurrgh! Now what am I meant to do?

Although I have the option of letting them graduate early, I need to train them for at least a year. Otherwise it’s marked down as a result of the kids’ skills and not the instructor’s teaching.

In that case, let alone my comfy job, I can say byebye to my bonuses as well.

The dwarf uncles were nagging me when I was going to pay up my overdue fees as well, if my bonuses go flying then I become a debtor.

“The kids look lively.”

As I seriously wondered whether I did have to show them my trump cards, I heard a familiar voice, yet one I didn’t want to be familiar with from behind my back.

“Sia, weren’t you like that at their age?”

“Fufufu. It was quite fun then. I don’t know how the others are doing right now.”

Bull to the s.h.i.+t. Although they were like cats and dogs normally, when it mattered they were oddly well coordinated.

They probably kept in touch with each other for ‘just in case’ scenarios.

And should they get together, they could probably bury me six feet under.

Heck even I’d go ahead and secretly bury an instructor like me.

It’s only because I’m an instructor. Why else would I be petty enough to make them fight over food.

“Anyways, why are you here.”

“Ah, really. A beauty’s come in person to see you, how col… Ah, wait a minute please. Put that away.”

The moment she started blathering on unnecessarily, I pulled out a club and she took a horrified step back.

“Not master but instructor.”

“No diffe… Yes yes. Instructor. So please put that away first!”

There’s only one reason why she’s so horrified seeing the wooden bat.

She was. .h.i.t a lot by this.

For the record, schoolchildren need to grow up with beatings. Then they listen.

And if you’re talking about punishment, of course the wooden bat is the best!

After my first temporary instructor a.s.signment, I took precisely two disciples the first time I became a permanent instructor, but I felt something missing then.

That was punishment!

Punishment is truly difficult to manage.

If you don’t punish disobedient children then they don’t listen, if it’s too harsh and they get injured, then that’s a problem in training.

Because of this, even while I was working in the imperial palace I diligently worked on the Bat Project, and in conjunction with the connections I made in the palace and my preexisting non-human connections I was able to inscribe all sorts of magic and arts into a branch of the World Tree.

The result was this wooden bat! It looks nothing like a baseball bat but it’s called a bat!

If you were to speak of this bat, with 24 spells as a base, split between 10 curses and 14 blessings, and another 12 ancient charms and incantations on top, resulting in no injuries no matter how much you were hit by this, and also causing ma.s.sive pain even with a weak strike, I managed to craft a punishment tool that can be called the textbook of punishment tools.

This effectiveness came to present themselves from the second batch of disciples, and after that my disciples became very, very obedient little children!

As I fidgeted with the bat while reminiscing on happy memories, Sia took another step backwards.

“I thought you no longer felt pain from this anymore?”

“Nope. Not at all. It still hurts. Getting used to it, and not feeling pain from it are two different things entirely, instructor.”

Wow, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen her face this rigid.

“Either way. I’ll ask this again. Why are you here?”

“Aww, of course it’s because… Yes, I’ll talk, I’ll talk, please put it away! It’s the trainee screening, same as ever. I’m here to test and watch for their potential dangers.”

“You didn’t need to come in person.”

“Our instructor really does need to reevaluate himself. Do you seriously not know just how highly the higher-ups rate the trainees you teach?”

“If they rated them that highly I’d like them to raise my wages that highly as well.”

“…Considering how much you take from the organization to begin with.”

She shakes her head but insufficient is insufficient.

Even if I empty out the pockets I made during my jobs, I still don’t have enough for a satisfying retired life.

Since I keep researching things for the future, I’m always leaking an unimaginable sum of money.

“Are you going to start right away?”

“Yes. Well, I’m busy too.”

Sia shrugged her shoulders and said to me with a bright smile.

“And so, let me borrow my juniors for a bit.”

#5. Their story: the story of the spies in the evil organization. (1)

“Then No.17.”

“Yes.”

Slightly different from the normal routine, where I could lose my life at any time.

And the beautiful woman in charge of that daily routine is none other than one of the core departments of the organization, the Intelligence Agency’s vice-director.

“I shall begin the questioning.”

Just what will happen if it’s discovered that I’m the daughter of the Nermia family?

I could become a tool for the organization using brainwas.h.i.+ng magic, a hostage or even outright executed as an example.

And so. Using everything I have, I need to pa.s.s this test.

The moment I made my resolve, the gentle smile immediately turned to a frigid gaze, and a truly unexpected question drove in.

“Is your preference an older man, or younger.”

“Eh?”

My mind blanked out for a moment but I immediately snapped to attention. Just what on earth would an evil organization need to ask this question for?

Wait, this question is designed to make the opponent let their guard down!

They’d probably get the information out of me while I hesitate and waffle. In that case I should answer normally.

“I prefer older men.”

Chill.

I felt bloodthirst all of a sudden. Was it something I said?

But, younger than fourteen is a literal child. Although my age is one where it wouldn’t be odd for me to be treated as a child, but even younger than that, that’s an age where you have to wonder if they even understand the concept of dating.

“Really now. Minus marks.”

“Wait! On what grounds?!”

She’s writing something down with a serious expression. Is this also to bait us?!

“Very well. I shall ask you additional questions on the previous. How much older do you feel is acceptable to you?”

But even as she moved onto the next question her eyes were still dead serious.

“If it’s older… Around five years or so?”

That should be alright. If it’s too much then it’s weird. She nodded as if my answer this time was satisfactory, and undid my minus marks.

It’s surely just my imagination that I thought I heard “thank goodness I don’t have to kill you,” in a small voice right? Right?

“Now then, tell me why.”

“Mmm… To be honest, younger than me at my age is too young, and too old is a bit awkward, or a poor match…”

Even as I wonder why I’m being asked these questions I keep answering.

I have no idea what’s in her mind.

As expected of the Empire’s worst evil organization, is it still too difficult to handle with my skills!

“Is that so. Very good. Excellent.”

As I diligently explained my preferences for slightly older men, the woman in front of me nodded with a very satisfied expression.

To be honest, I seriously wondered whether I’d been overthinking this way too much and she actually was just questioning me on my preferences.

“And, it’s a bit meh if you’re talking about middle-aged men.”

“And what’s wrong with middle-aged men?”

Why the heck am I feeling bloodthirst from this?! What the heck did I do wrong this time?!

It’s scary! Too scary!

“Eh? Th, that, the age difference…”

What was it? Where did I go wrong?

This is normal, isn’t it?

Liking middle aged men at the age of fourteen is something only for abnormal kids with a father complex or something, right?

“The pa.s.sion of twenties’ is bravado. That is, men’s bravado to risk their lives for even a slightly cuter girl. They are creatures that believe that women will flock to them if they show off looking a little bit better. Compared to that, middle age is different. They have seen the world and experienced many things and trained themselves. Of course, there are trash that have never moved on and are still l.u.s.ting after women, but will aged. Yes, that’s a good expression. Aged. You don’t called a cheap wine aged simply because you leave it alone for a long time. Fine wine, and its process of being made better. That is aging.”

This woman, she’s monologuing and answering herself.

As if she liked the aging metaphor, her nodding head and satisfied expression made me unable to believe that this woman was the supposed genius who took the seat of the vice-director of the Intelligence Agency, one of the cornerstones of the organization, at such a young age.

“A handsome middle-aged man’s wrinkles are like a the rings of a tree that leaves marks on the body with age, and a handsome middle-aged man’s white hairs, are a sign of years of overcoming difficulties and struggles.”

At her words which were veering more to simple praising of middle-aged men, I can’t tell whether this is simply her personal preference or an actual ruse to let my guard down.

My instinct is screaming it’s the former, while my head is saying it’s the latter.

“Now that you put it like that, I think middle-aged men have their own charms.”

An affirmative response that I tossed out without thinking from my complicated head. But it was a poor choice.

“Do you want to die?”

“Eh?”

“Is this a declaration of war? Just what are you implying by saying that you are feeling the charm of middle age right to my face?”

“Eh? That’s not… I was just saying that middle aged men have their own charms after listening to vice-director…”

“Yes, that goes without saying. But, you should not approach feeling those charms.”

What does she want from me?!

And even to not approach even if I feel the charms of middle aged men, all my training is done internally so the only one around me is… Eh…? Surely?

“By any chance, do you like the instructor?”

At that moment, I said the hypothesis that struck my head hard.

“Yes. I do?”

She answered immediately?!

This woman, she’s serious! Then does that mean that it wasn’t just my imagination that she said she’d kill me?! Then!

“On the G.o.ds and my soul, even if I ever aim for middle-aged men, the person of my affections will never be the instructor.”

“Then sign here.”

As I finished speaking the words that instinctively came out of my mouth to preserve my life, she pushed something over as if she was waiting for it.

It’s a piece of paper, but it’s s.h.i.+ning. Plus in the same colour of the stone plate that the instructor used to scam the archdevil… That’s can’t be a-

“A Gea.s.s Roll?”

“Didn’t you say you could swear by the G.o.ds?”

Her smiling face as she pushed the contract in front of me, seemed like death awaited me if I didn’t.

Seriously, although I respect him as a magician, but as a romance target, the instructor is an out.

“Where do I sign?”

The moment I signed with a smile marked the end of my questioning.

Mm. This organization. Even if the Empire doesn’t take a crack at it it’ll probably fall soon enough.