Chapter 78 - #77 Devising plan (1/2)

While we were returning from our hunt...

”Akashi, you are pretty strong, where did you learn how to fight? I mean, you have participated in that test together with us yet you walked out of there without a scratch.” Poney suddenly asked me with a curious expression.

”...Ever since I was small, I liked hunting Danger Beasts and right before I participated in that test I also gained my Teigu so it was pretty easy to survive there. There weren't any too strong Danger Beasts. However, I admit that the weapons given to us were of shitty quality.” I replied with a thoughtful expression while looking at the night sky.

”I see, I see...so you like hunting Danger Beasts.” Poney suddenly started nodding in understanding with a smile and closed eyes.

”Why are you even asking? Weren't you at least a bit aware of what to expect from me since you have seen my and Najasho's spar?” I asked with a small teasing smile.

”Oh? Yes, of course, I knew that you are strong when I saw you pushing back our leader...WAIT! You were aware of us?!” Poney nodded with a smile before she realized the problem.

She is really slow in her head.

”Maybe” I replied and quickened my pace.

”W-Wait!” Poney shouted at me and also quickened her pace to match me.

We returned to the camp and handed over our captives to Uncle Bill who would do the rest of the work.

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That night we also returned to the town where everyone else was waiting for us and when we came back...

”How did it go?” Gozuki asked first with a raised eyebrow.

”Easy! Job is done as requested!” Poney immediately replied with a cheerful smile while proudly puffing out her ċhėst but Gozuki just nodded at her before focusing his gaze at me.

”*sigh* I guess it went OK. We killed 2 of them but we captured the strongest one of them and one of his lackeys so that should be enough. If not, I will take responsibility by simply infiltrating tombs myself.” I released a tired sigh before sitting down on the couch.

”?!” Everyone immediately widened their eyes when they heard my casual words.

”What are you saying, Akashi Nii-sama?!” Kurome instantly exclaimed with a shocked expression.

”Those 2 should be enough, either way, we can't just let you infiltrate tombs on your own. Anyway, who was the one that killed those 2 other Gravekeepers?” Gozuki said with closed eyes before asking me with a neutral tone while glancing at Poney.

When everyone heard his question, they instantly turned their head at Poney.

”It was me, the first one I killed was to reduce their numbers just in case they would be stronger than we expected and the second kill was because he was trying to escape back to the tombs and we already had 2 of them captured so I decided to simply kill him.” I replied with closed eyes while relaxing on the couch.

”?” Poney looked at me with a confused expression but she wasn't alone, practically everyone looked at me in the same way.

”Are you sure that it wasn't Poney?” Green blurted out with dumbfounded expression.

”Hey!!” Poney immediately shouted at him with an angry expression.

I was the one looking over Poney so her mistake is practically mine for not stopping her in time and I also killed 1 of them so what it changes if I killed 1 or 2.

”I see, well, let's just hope they will be able to get the information from those 2. We need to move out tomorrow or it might be too late for others who could still be alive. I will go back to the camp to oversee the process of extracting the information.” Gozuki just dismissed ”my” mistake with a wave of his hand and informed us before leaving the room.

”*Hey...Why did you say that?*” When no one was paying attention Poney sat down next to me and asked me in low voice with a completely confused expression and furrowed brows.

”*Didn't you beg me not to say a word about your failure? Plus I killed one of them so it doesn't matter if I will tell that I killed 1 or 2.*” I replied with closed eyes before opening one of them to take a peek at her confused face.

Not to mention that I can come up with good excuses, unlike someone like you.

I thought while grinning to myself.

”*...I didn't think that you would actually lie...*” She said with a slightly guilty expression as if she has done something bad.

”*Can that actually be considered lying? The result is still the same, 2 of them died, the end. So stop bothering yourself with this fact, if you want to tell everyone how you failed right off the bat, I won't stop you.*” I whispered back when I saw her guilty expression.

”*...No, it's fine like this, thank you very much.*” She froze for a while, probably imagining the sight of telling everyone what exactly happened, then she replied with an extremely grateful smile and closed eyes.

”Hey, what are you two whispering about? Hmm, Poney?” Cornelia noticed us whispering and immediately asked aloud, attracting everyone's attention. She looked at Poney with a suspicious look while holding her chin.

”Aaa! It's nothing! Nothing at all!” Poney instantly started panicking while waving her hands in front of her.

This made only everyone look more suspiciously at her so she buried her head in shame between her knees.

I couldn't help but shake my head since she wasn't even able to notice that they no longer cared about our previous mission. They most likely looked at her suspiciously due to us talking so ”intimately” despite knowing each other only a few days.