CH 50

[Sit down and Wait]

“Sakurai-san~. Here, here~.” (Iris)

Finding Iris waving her hand, calling out with a small voice from the second-floor seats, I head to the seats with opera glasses in hand.

In the opera house that is illuminated by a slightly dim light bulb color, probably to create a calm atmosphere, a lot of people gathered.

They are chatting with each other, though not so loud as to make a fuss, and are looking forward to the start of the opera.

“This place is so luxurious and gorgeous, or rather, this is the image that comes to mind when talking about opera venue, huh. I sure never thought I would come to such a place in my life.” (Sakurai)

While muttering so, I climb the stairs and join the two.

After handing over the opera glasses, I sit down with Higaki and Iris on both of my sides in a manner as though to hold me down.

Higaki’s hand quietly and firmly grab my wrist, making me unable to make a slight movement without exerting a not so light strength.

Don’t tell me you are going to keep grabbing my wrist like this until the end of the performance? You’re kidding, right?

“I will listen to your explanation later. But for now, I will make sure to keep an eye on you so that you don’t do anything uncalled-for.” (Higaki)

“No worries. Amanai already told me that half-threateningly, and I promised him that I wouldn’t make a move as long as nothing happens.” (Sakurai)

“Amanai… you mean that person from before? He doesn’t seem to be a person that would threaten someone else, though.” (Higaki)

“If I make an unnecessary trouble, he’ll turn me to an enemy, so be quiet, he said.” (Sakurai)

“For him to say such a thing, how do you anger the other party this time?” (Higaki)

“Stop that misleading remark that sounds as though I make someone angry every time!” (Sakurai)

Including the matter with you, I have absolutely never intentionally anger someone else!

Besides, regarding the matter with Amanai this time, it’s just my thought is a little bit not in line with the world, and in the end, our talk went well amicably…… can threat be counted as amicable? Well, there were no hostility, so I can probably take it as our talk ended amicably!

Thanks to my refined interpersonal skills, I spoke frankly without hiding anything; this is the result of being able to communicate well!

It is no exaggeration to say that my nature as a human has surpassed Higaki – I can proudly say that now!

Such desperate protest of mine was swept aside with, “Well, that’s only true in your mind,” even the gaze I directed toward Iris in search for an ally was also swept aside with a bitter smile, “W-well…”

Seeing that, I give up and sit back deeply in my seat, and sensing that, Higaki lower the strength she put in her hand.

That said, it doesn’t mean I can move; it’s just the feeling change from ‘crushing’ to ‘pinning down’. Really, what does this girl think a person is.

(Well, fine. There’s nothing I can do until Luisina starts moving anyway, let’s just check the position of the targets.)

Thinking so, I pick up my own opera glasses and look around the venue.

The Diva Luisina Mateos has three subordinates.

They are all demon-kins, and each of them has killed numerous people.

Excluding ‘Valov’ who hasn’t appeared as he is Luisina’s assistant, I can confirm the whereabouts of two targets.

As my subsequent movements will change depending on whether those two are in the same spot as the original game, I need to know where and what they are doing.

“Erm… the Shitty Lizard is at the doorway, huh. A big man in a suit, standing alone, isolated, so funny.” (Sakurai)

At the doorway, there’s a man with a perfectly inverted triangle muscular body wearing a suit and standing at ease, looking like a guard.

The guy who has a buzz cut, eyes as thin as a thread, and pasting a smile on his face is one of Luisina’s subordinates.

His name is Van Dead Roast, aka ‘Shitty Lizard’.

He is a tank-type attacker who can use full hp recovery skill even though he is a boss.

In a nutshell, Van Dead is like a ‘heel’ in professional wrestling; he’s boastful of his strength, looking down on his opponents, and even would take the surrounding audience hostage when cornered, a perfect picture of a small-time villain.

In the original game, he was responsible for disposing of the guards who haven’t been turned into a dependent in the opera venue and not letting the outside know that there was a turmoil until it was too late.

Though he has a fairly high HP, his attack power is only so-so, yet, he has an ultimate move that cannot be underestimated, and unlike Babi Niflheim from the ‘Netherworld’, he is a pure powerful strength-type boss character.

In addition, being compatible with lizard species monster, ‘Revival Lizard’ as a demon-kin, he has a unique skill to recover all his HP by ‘molting’.

Moreover, this guy, as I said earlier, depending on the progress of the event, will take the audience that has been turned into dependents hostages, even going as far as using skills that hinder the actions of allies, so in terms of troublesomeness, he’s the number one.

Therefore, if you don’t know the method to capture him, you’ll be forced into a very difficult battle.

Also, probably to match his personality, he prefers to attack character with high HP, takes actions with the objective of ‘harassing’ all members of the party, and would mock others every time he attacks, on top of that, when he has accumulated a certain amount of damage, he would fully recover his HP by ‘molting’; coupled with his unscrupulousness, the nickname ‘Shitty Lizard’ is very apt for him.

“Well, his weak point is clear, so as long as you realize it, he’ll only be a small fry. Now then, the next is…” (Sakurai)

Ah, I can see Amanai on the first floor. The one fidgeting next to him is Akano Reika, huh.

While Akano talks happily, Amanai seems to be only responding to her talk.

I’m sure he’s not interested in the opera, still, is being able to properly respond to your partner’s talk the secret of success in life?

And slightly behind them, I can see the figure of Ethel Tyner, with a change of hairstyle, wearing elegant glasses.

Her disguise is useless, as she still has wimples on her head.

By the way, where did she get the money to buy the ticket for that seat? Was it from me? Was it my money?

Wait, wait, you’ve never finance her in this world, calm down, me.

But still, can you guarantee that it is not my money? Even I was reincarnated after all; can you guarantee that the money I gave her was not reincarnated?

No, that’s impossible, me. How could money reincarnate? No matter how you look at it, your thought is too bugged. Let’s calm down for a sec, be cooool…… be cooool, me…

“No, the gold coins I brought from the Netherworld is still on her, as I thought, she must be using my money!?” (Sakurai)

“Hyaa!? What is it suddenly!?” (Iris)

“You’re noisy, zip it, Sakurai.” (Higaki)

“Ah, well. Sorry.” (Sakurai)

Dammit, I couldn’t calm down whenever I see her.

Although only her outward appearance, she’s my type miser elf; if there’s chance, I’ll throw you into a bathtub full of roll of banknotes, so prepare yourself……!

Changing my mood, I, once again, look around the venue with the opera glasses.

I can spot the second subordinate in the staff seats set up slightly behind the stage, where the musical ensemble gathers.

A man of delicate features with a red hair cut somewhat short, yet not to extent of close-cropped.

Perhaps he’s tuning the trumpet in his hand, as his fingers keeps moving without hesitation.

He’s a traitor of the Thieves Guild, the Comrade Killer, Yang Lan.

He’s a demon-kin compatible with immortal species monster ‘Scream Knight’.

He is a man who seeks a ‘rare’ power rather than a strong one, like a collector, and he has a history of killing and robbing his companions who have rare items in the Thieves Guild.

As a result of repeatedly doing that in many organizations, he could no longer stay in the underside of the society; to hide himself and to gain the rare power, that is demonization, he joined and worked for the ‘Black Sword’.

In the original game, he was one of the first perpetrators to appear in front of the protagonist and his friends who were trying to contain the turmoil; he attacked them for their equipment and items.

This also served as a hint to find out that the culprit of the turmoil was Luisina Mateos.

In battle, he uses ranged attacks by emitting sound waves from his mouth, slashing with a sword vibrating at high frequencies, and buffing and debuffing with his numerous unique items; he’s a quiet repulsive opponent to fight.

He also has physical attack resistance, which is a common characteristic of immortal species monsters, and can be said to be a tough opponent for characters who cannot use attribute attacks or magic.

(Well, immortal species demon-kin can be unilaterally beaten by holy skills used by Ethel, so if I were to leave someone to Ethel and Amanai, then it must be this guy. Ethel is also somewhat behind after all.)

By the way, the last one of Luisina’s three subordinates is a man named Valov, her assistant.

He has no family name because he was born from criminal slave parents who committed a crime; the person himself also became a criminal who does anything to get money and women.

When compared to the other two, he has enough decency to at least keep up outward appearance, however, the reason why he became Luisina’s subordinate was to sexually assault her and make her his, it seems that turning into a demon-kin was also one of his means to realize that goal of his.

Valov was always together with Luisina as her assistant, so it can be inferred that currently he must be still at the side of Luisina, who is probably at the backstage.

The Predation skill he got from the power of the crustacean species monster, ‘Absorb Beetle’, he was compatible with to become a demon-kin is a type of copy ability that allows him to use the skill that the opponent he attacked had just used.

Also, as a characteristic of the crustacean species, his defensive power is high, and although, unlike Van Dead, his HP is low, it takes time to defeat him with frontal attacks.

In the original game, he was always next to Luisina, so the two of them had to be dealt with at the same time.

So, basically, he is a troublesome guy who prefers to ‘prey’ on your allies who use recovery or buff skills, and strengthens Luisina with the copied skills.

Also, right when Luisina on the verge of death after the battle, in the event scene, he stabbed her back and ‘preyed’ on her as though he had been waiting for it, then he temporarily became a demon-kin with the powers of two kinds of monsters.

However, Valov’s vessel couldn’t hold such mighty power; the fate that awaits him is to eventually explode and disperse.

By the way, when it is discovered that there is a ‘Self-Destruct’ skill that puts all allies at risk in exchange for dealing huge damage to the opponents among the magic skills that can be learned in the game, comedic videos of blowing both enemies and allies up by letting Valov ‘prey’ this skill went viral.

Even after that, letting him copy various kinds of joke skills by making use of ‘Predation’ skill continued to be popular; even among demon-kins he truly is the most versatile one.

“Now that’s done, next is to leisurely wait until the event starts, huh.” (Sakurai)

“Sakurai-san, what have you been looking around since a while ago?” (Iris)

“Hm? I was looking for bad guys. Since they are here, they’d definitely cause a trouble, so I might need your help at that time.” (Sakurai)

“Why don’t you take them down first?” (Iris)

“Because not only I promised Amanai, I have no evidence either, so there’s nothing I can do other than to catch them red-handed.” (Sakurai)

Actually, I was thinking of grilling the shitty lizard alone first, but because I continued to be entangled with Higaki and Amanai, I ended up having no more time for that.

Since that is the case, the two has responsibility to get my money… so, let’s have them help to resolve this case for sure.

On the other hand, since I’ll end up involving Iris, let’s give her one of my self-knitted stuffed animals next time.

As a result of leveling, I can now make up to 1/3 scale stuffed black bears, you know? I’m amazing, am I not?

I decide to tell Higaki and Iris to be careful of Van Dead and Yang, and also Luisina and her assistant while waiting for the opera to start.

Iris begins to blatantly watch out for Van Dead with her opera glasses, as for Higaki, even while sighing, she releases my hand that she has been holding and put her hand on a spot one fist away from her elbow rest.

From the way she is gripping, it must be the ‘transparent’-bestowed sword. She also starts to be vigilant in her own way.

“Now then, it’s about time for the curtain to raise, huh.” (Sakurai)

In the room where the light of the lighting is dimmed down, I mutter while staring at the stage illuminated by spotlights with eyes filled with anticipation.