Drip, drip.

“Ah! You’re back?”

“Yeah, it turns out the guy who made a contract with the demonic race was just as you said. We couldn’t get any intel from their side, of course.”

Returning to the room of the lodging I had booked in advance, I was greeted by Lindy, who was still awake despite the late hour.

Normally, we would communicate through the communication portal, but sometimes, as in today’s case, it was necessary to meet face to face.

Since that day, Lindy had started to assist me.

I initially declined because I couldn’t afford to pay her, but surprisingly, she offered to help basically for free, calling it an “investment.”

Working together, I was shocked to discover that she was far more capable than I had anticipated.

She busily dashed around for a while, and before I knew it, she had gathered various informants scattered here and there, not even belonging to the Information Guild, and had taken on the role of representative. Thanks to that, she was now providing me with information needed for assassinations, such as identifying targets like today.

She had become one of my few trustworthy aides.

Realizing she was awake, I decided there was no need to postpone my report until tomorrow, so I went ahead and recapped the happenings at the Count’s mansion.

“So, we ended up changing plans a bit because of a lady named Rose. When you report to the Emperor later, casually mention it so he can at least arrange some compensation.”

Originally, the plan was to quietly slip in and out without anyone knowing, but unexpectedly, I had been spotted by Rose.

Moreover, I may have left her with memories that could potentially become traumatic.

In any case, the Count’s assets would be confiscated, and even if I used some of those assets with slight personal feelings, it shouldn’t cause significant problems. Plus, it wouldn’t be entirely personal, as her actions deserved to be rewarded for their courage.

Of course, if you looked at it solely from the outcome, it was meaningless action, but who in this world would judge solely by results? Ideally, the wicked would be punished, and the virtuous would be rewarded.

“… Another one has fallen into the clutches of a demonic beast.”

“So, you mean I managed to rescue the one who fell into that clutches?”

Lindy, who had been listening to my lengthy speech, blurted out something off-topic. I reluctantly re-explained briefly to correct her misunderstanding.

“Do you remember all the people you rescued?”

“Hmm… I’ve rescued quite a few since I’ve frequently been dragged into it, but it’s not like I can’t remember them, you know? Despite appearances, I even received a scholarship at Griffin Academy because I’m smart.”

Maybe because the distance between us had narrowed compared to before, Lindy had started to make remarks that seemed to ignore me lately.

I had no choice but to comfort myself by boasting a bit, even if it felt awkward. Since it wasn’t entirely false, as long as I could endure the embarrassment, I could feel proud.

“So, you remember that most of the rescued were women, too, right?”

“Well, that’s true, isn’t it?”

Since corrupt nobles tend to prefer women, it was somewhat strange for me to say it, but coincidentally, I was in the body of a very beautiful woman.

Therefore, my method of assassination often involved disguising myself as a woman, just like today.

However, that also meant I sometimes ended up rescuing women in similar circumstances while infiltrating, and cases where I saved men were exceptionally rare.

It wasn’t that I had a bias against genders to fulfill my selfish desires; it was just an unavoidable situation.

“Do you remember what those women looked like at the end?”

“Um… I guess most of them seemed grateful?”

Well, since I was right in front of them, they may have just been saying nice things out of fear of me harming them, but at least I remembered that no one openly showed malice in front of me.

Even Rose, whom I met today, expressed gratitude, saying she wanted me to visit her later.

“Sigh… I wonder how such a monster came to be… I need to hurry up and kill the Demon King, or it feels like there will be more victims across the continent.”

“Oh, look at you showing enthusiasm for slaying the Demon King. Well, as the Hero’s aide, you should show at least that much spirit.”

Praising her enthusiastic attitude, I patted her on the back. They say a compliment can make even trolls dance. For a capable elf like Lindy, she might even show off a trick instead of just dancing.

Indeed, even though Lindy was running a general store in the underworld, she wasn’t a bad elf. She had a sense of discernment, and as I got to know her, I found she actually performed good deeds surprisingly often.

“Eh, what more can I say? I need to get a good night’s sleep since I’m going to another city tomorrow.”

Without explaining what she was unsatisfied about, Lindy promptly turned off the room’s light.

After all, I had just washed up at the Count’s mansion, and I hadn’t been bloodied or sweaty during the assassination, so I could afford to sleep just fine today.

By the way, Lindy had changed a lot.

Ever since she discovered my true identity and started helping me, she had been refraining from her perverted acts of flirting with strangers, leaving very few of her flaws behind.

It was more due to her being overwhelmingly busy and lacking time to satisfy her urges, but it wasn’t entirely incorrect to say it like that in the end.

However…

Smack!

“What are you doing crawling into my bed? Go sleep in your own!”

The problem was she had this tendency to tease me just when I’d managed to forget about it.

Perhaps it’s just that all the pent-up desires had built up. It wouldn’t be surprising, considering she was cutting into her already scarce time to meet me and had nowhere else to let it out.

With me being a guy, she might have thought, “Oh, wouldn’t he enjoy this too?”

Of course, I liked women, and even if Lindy was a beautiful elf, that was out of the question.

I wasn’t a perverted guy consumed by lust like Lindy. After all, humans are said to be rational creatures, right? However, saying Lindy was a beast… No, I guess she’s just a pervert, so maybe “beast” fits?

“Oh… It’s dark, and I just kicked something I mistook for a mistake. What a day to finally see your face, Lindy.”

“It’s not ‘El’; it’s ‘Elysia,’” I corrected her. The nickname ‘El’ was something my friends from back in the day used to call me.

But now that I can no longer be with my friends, being called “El” is off-limits for me. I have no right to that, having betrayed them.

Even though I’ve gotten close to Lindy, there are still lines we both need to respect.

“And you’re acting like you don’t see anything with those supposedly sharp eyes.”

Her eyes, which used to see through my disguise when I visited the general store, were more than capable enough not to be hindered by mere darkness. In other words, everything she said was just false excuses.

I found her trying to make up lies knowing she would get caught irritating, so I kicked Lindy’s butt, still lounging on the bed, launching her out of it completely.

“Yikes! How can you kick a lady’s backside like that! I’m already engaged, so you’re responsible now!”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it. Just get some sleep already.”

Turning my back to her, I lay down, raising one hand and waving it at her. Without even needing to look back, I knew her lips would be pouting, but I had to do something to avoid her clinging to me all night.

Though, it wouldn’t be too surprising if she was actually enjoying getting kicked and kept quiet about it. After all, with Lindy being a perverted lesbian, that would be more than plausible.

Now that Lindy was quiet, it seemed like all that was left was for me to fall asleep, but there was one last thing. Before lying down under the blanket, I picked up a pillow from beside me and threw it up at the ceiling.

Thud!

“Ugh!”

Normally, the pillow would have hit the empty ceiling, but instead, it echoed a scream.

Thunk! As the pillow fell back onto the bed, a figure landed on the floor amidst the darkness.

“That’s too much, Senpai!”

“Who’s the Senpai here? And since you failed your shot today, you better go to sleep.”

“Whiiine… I didn’t even swing my sword properly…”

The one suspended from the ceiling who got hit by my thrown pillow was Luna.

Just like how I had requested Selian’s assassination in the past, Luna was one of the assassins who had come to kill me, the Hero.

Originally, since she had come aiming for my life, I’d have to handle her without mercy, but I ended up softening over time as her situation mirrored mine.

Since our circumstances were so similar, I even wondered if she was a guy who had received TS magic like me, but that wasn’t the case. After all, it’s unlikely there are other wizards who can use TS magic.

She was also bound to the Assassin Guild through the Master-Servant Mark, just as Selian was.

That being the case, while I wanted to raid Luna’s Assassin Guild just as I did with Selian’s, I was unable to find out where her hideout was due to the binding Master-Servant Mark, so I had no choice but to leave her be for now.

It’s not like I was in any danger from Luna’s sword, anyway.

Instead, we made a deal. She could aim for my life anytime she wanted, but she could only have one chance a day. In truth, it was a wholly one-sided advantage for her. Normally, if an assassin fails one chance, nine times out of ten, that life is as good as gone.

Due to the command from the Master-Servant Mark, whether she liked it or not, aiming for my life was a necessity for her, so it was a welcome offer that she quickly accepted.

“Since you don’t have money anyway, you probably have no place to stay, so why not sleep in my room instead of camping outside?”

“Hey! Are you treating a perfectly fine person like a beggar?”

Luna reacted angrily to my words. But what could I say? It was the truth.

“Then does that mean you don’t need me to sleep in your room?”

“Heheh. Good night, Senpai!”

As soon as I said that, rather than heading outside, Luna burrowed into my bed, under my blanket.

What a funny girl. Knowing I was an ex-assassin, she called me Senpai, and even though she was only a couple of years younger, she acted like a child.

Perhaps having failed to kill me for over a year, being seen as useless in her organization without proper support, she was growing dependent on me.

Just like how I sometimes let her sleep in my room, whenever she lacked money, I’d have her meals covered. Occasionally, while hunting demonic races, I’d even go so far as to cook and feed her myself.

Of course, cooking was never convenient, but seeing her relish every bite, scooping up what little bit I had to spare and scraping the bottom, made it all worth it. Wasn’t that a parent’s… no, maybe a father’s heart?

By feeding and letting her sleep here, it’s no wonder she’s getting clingy with me.

“… Why do you kick me out, yet let her sleep in your bed?”

Lindy, who had kept quiet, suddenly inquired. She must have felt dissatisfied, especially since she got kicked out of my bed and saw me allowing Luna to stay.

But, I’m not a pervert; I wasn’t letting Luna sleep in my bed out of mere selfish desires.

“Let me have a girl like her sleep in your bed? No way.”

Who knows what could happen if I sent Luna to the perverted elf Lindy’s bed? Even if Lindy had been holding back since that day, it was better to not take the risk. It was safer to let her sleep in my bed.

After all, with Luna’s current skills, she couldn’t even threaten me in my sleep.

“Well, how about you just sleep with me and let Luna sleep separately in your bed…”

“Heheh! So, Senpai wants to sleep with me! Right, Senpai?”

“… This kid really is something else.”

“Bleh.”

Luna stuck her tongue out at Lindy’s direction. Since we were all wide awake, no one could ignore the childish gesture aimed at Lindy.

I didn’t recall being that juvenile at Luna’s age, so I thought someone should really give her a lesson in common sense.

Leaving the two of them bickering behind, I drifted off alone to dreamland.