On The Other Side: I Quit Being Human

Upon entering the County, we are greeted by the bustling road of Trichonee City. There are two cities in Averia County; Trichonee is the busiest but the least developed.

Despite the claim that it is not a well-developed city because all of its profit goes to the other city which is where the Count lives with his family, Trichonee still looks better than Brontes Dukedom and Scentillion City which are bigger than it.

"Eh…Adventurers? What are they doing here?"

"Don't look at them—you might offend them."

Immediately, as we walk on the street, parting people standing in our way, we attract the people's attention. None of them dares to look at us longer than a few seconds, however, because they are afraid that they are afraid of provoking me.

The citizens of this city hate Adventurers to their core for reasons I don't know. I am not that surprised, though, since Adventurers are a bunch full of lunatics and crackheads.

"Their Countess—she was violated by a fairly well-known Adventurer. If you are wondering why they hate Adventurers, that is why," Winerva mutters, attracting my attention.

'Hoh, it is not a Count but a Countess?' Although I don't condone such a vile activity, I don't sympathize with the Countess who was allegedly violated by an Adventurer. 'There might be a deeper history for it, after all.'

I have seen cases like this on Earth turn out to be a mere misunderstanding between the people who were close to each other. Many men were accused of rape only to be proven innocent after they wasted their lives in prison.

Now, I am not being the devil's advocate despite being a Demon here. The matter smells fishy considering what kind of place this world is.

Considering how well-known of an Adventurer this person was, there was no way for him to be that stupid; no idiot survives in this world since many will chew them right off the bat. The dichotomy between an Adventurer and a Noble is clear: the latter is protected by the Kingdom.

Being well-known doesn't equal being invincible. I believe the Adventurer understood it, which is why I believe he won't carelessly do any of the sorts.

"Where did he come from—the Adventurer?" I ask.

"He was born here. He was liked by the people until that news of him came out," Winerva replied.

"Did he get the chance to explain himself?"

"I reckon…no. He was already killed by the time the news came out."

"Hoh…." As I expected, there was a deeper reason as to why it happened. 'Liked by the people? Ah, maybe he was too proactive that the Countess was afraid he might cause a rebellion.'

In this world, there are two ways to get a Noble title: first, contribute something big to the Kingdom; second, commit a rebellion, turn the people against the ruler of the territory and overthrow the ruler.

While there is some history of the latter happening, many people choose to contribute something to the Kingdom instead; it is the least risky and most promising. Despite so, the Nobles are very afraid of the latter happening to them.

They often take "pre-emptive measures" such as killing one of the most prominent figures in the territory they rule. The Countess must be afraid that her citizens will turn their back against her, which is why I believe this is the reason why the Adventurer died.

"Did he often help the poor?" I ask as the slum area of the city enters my vision.

"Yeah…I heard he helped the homeless a lot since he was one," Winerva responds.

"Ah, that explains it."

The gaze the girls are giving me tells me that they are confused but I ignore it and say nothing. I let the girls talk among themselves as we walk to the place where Lunea will meet with the two idiots; when it is already in the vicinity we stop in our tracks.

Considering the fact that the other parties are Heroes, I don't want to act reckless by spreading my Mana Sense. Because of that, I can't tell if the two have arrived.

Now, I have trained my Instinct to a commendable extent but it can only detect things that may harm me. I feel no such thing in the surrounding; so, if the two really are in the vicinity, the fight will be as boring as watching a soap opera.

"That is the place," I say as I point to the building 30 feet ahead of us.

"Fischero Flower Shop…" Lunea mutters. "Ah, it is indeed the place they promised to meet me."

"It is not my first time visiting Trichonee but I don't even know that place exists," Winerva remarks.

"Although I have explored the entire Antares Kingdom, it has been so long since the last time I got out of the castle, so I can't say much. I am sure, though, it wasn't there ten years ago," Millonia comments.

All of them turn to me in wonder, questioning me with their eyes about how I could know. "I had Teanosvera look for it. He was the former guardian of Amizanima; doing such a thing was a piece of cake, of course."

"Eh! Amizanima's guardian? That legendary Forest Spirit!?" Lunea exclaims, eyes glittering with excitement.

"Just go," I say, gesturing for her to the flower shop. "You know how it will go. Lower their guards and bring them to a quiet place."

"A-Ah…yes."

Somehow, Lunea looks sad. She looks like a puppy who is about to be abandoned by her owner. I expected her to be nervous about what she is going to do but not this. I am the worst at looking into people's feelings, so I am floored about what is going on.

"Well, don't be afraid." I put my hand on Lunea's head, taking my simile of her looking like a puppy too literally. "We are on your side even though you can't see us. Your dignity and chastity will not be tainted—I guarantee you that."

"…thank you," she mutters with a stupid grin on her face. 'There is something wrong with this girl but I can't put my finger on it.'

Saying her farewell, Lunea heads to the flower shop. I immediately ask Teanosvera to do his thing; we enter Lunea's shadow in the next moment.

The reason why I didn't immediately tell Teanosvera to take us into Lunea's shadow before she left was to avoid making her feel like being spectated. She is a shy person, so I believe knowing that her friends are there to watch her act will only make her feel nervous.

That is an undesirable situation, so I created the illusion that we will only come when the situation is about to get dangerous for her, which means the targets have fallen for her hook, line and sinker.

Clink-clank!

The door of the flower shop is opened and Lunea comes in. The clerk immediately greets her with a warm welcome and a bright smile.

Without pulling down her hood, she looks around the shop cautiously, which makes her look suspicious. The clerk glances at her from time to time, probably wondering what kind of trouble the Adventurer will bring upon her shop.

I can tell her to act less suspicious but I opted not to. I can't let her know that we are already with her after all of the efforts I have done to make it discreet…which are actually not that much.

Clink-clank!

The bell placed above the door chimes again, indicating that someone has entered the shop. Lunea turns around and faces the two men that have just come in.

One of the men has a Slavonic look. He has a fit physique and a fairly tall stature; with his sharp gaze and his flattop cut, he looks like the young master of a mafia family.

The other man is a lean Caucasian male that has the quality of your average playboy. His eternal smile will irk anyone who hates good-looking men.

Respectively, they are Scott Walker and Raymond Hill, the last cronies of Mark that beat me up a lot on Earth. Both of them are looking at Lunea with surprise in their eyes but none of them says anything, understanding the fact that Lunea has to remain hidden.

"Ah, Sir Raymond and Sir Scott! What can I help you with today?" the clerk enthusiastically says.

Scott takes a pouch of money from his Spatial Storage and then throws it to the clerk. "You see nothing today." Just like how he looks, he handles the matter like a mafia.

The clerk widens her eyes and then bows politely. She leaves the three of them alone, getting out of her shop like a beggar who is kicked out of a store.

Lunea pulls down her hood and greets the two of them after the clerk stops glancing at her as she leaves. "It has been some time, Sir Scott, Sir Raymond."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Pri—"

"Let us cut to the chase and go somewhere else, shall we?"

Lunea suddenly jumped in front of Scott, shocking him slightly. A mischievous grin is plastered on her face, causing the two men looking at her to gulp nervously.

Raymond puts his hand on Scott's shoulder and then nods his head as he stares at Scott with determination in his eyes. "Listen to the Princess' wish."

"…very well…. Princess, shall we?"

Lunea says nothing. She merely smiles and gesture for the two to lead the way. Lust is a powerful thing indeed. Who knows that a mere jiggle of a woman's flesh can do so much? I expected them to question her but none of them did that.

Beauty does indeed cause the Hero's fall.