Episode 10
“Smashed a pompous noble’s ego flat?”
“Yeah. Those types who flaunt their status are usually the most pathetic. Reeks of inferiority complex, doesn’t it?”
Back at the guild that evening, Rosalyn lounged arrogantly with her feet propped on the desk in the guild leader’s office.
While reporting guild matters, Zion frowned at her boasting.
“What’s that about?”
“What? Our dear Cassius.”
“What?”
“Dear” and “Cassius” together?
The utterly mismatched words made Zion look at her like she’d eaten something bad.
Unfazed, Rosalyn casually petted the black furball on her lap.
“Here’s how it went down…”
* * *
After resting all day in the infirmary with her ankle as an excuse, Rosalyn left in the afternoon to return to the guild.
“I should at least thank Sir Jimmy. He’s probably worried.”
Her ankle felt fine now.
Given his kind nature, he was likely fretting over her.
Finding Jimmy was easy.
Just ask passing knights.
“He’ll be in the clearing behind the dining hall now.”
“Where’s the dining hall?”
“Look for the building with smoke coming from the chimney.”
Perhaps because of Cassius standing up for her earlier, the knights were more cooperative than in the morning.
After that scene in the lobby, word must’ve spread.
Arriving at the clearing behind the dining hall:
“Sir Jimmy! I’m heading out but thought you might be worried—”
“Uh, this is, well…”
Despite his large frame, Jimmy couldn’t hide as a jet-black puppy stood in front of him.
“…A puppy?”
“Shoo, go away, shoo!”
Jimmy tried to push it away in a panic, but the puppy whimpered and held its ground.
This looks exactly like someone caught secretly keeping a puppy.
Watching the tiny furball cling to Jimmy, Rosalyn approached.
“Does it bite?”
“No, no. It’s gentle, doesn’t bite.”
“What’s its name?”
As Rosalyn crouched and greeted the puppy warmly, Jimmy stopped pushing it away.
“It doesn’t have one yet… Are you okay?”
“With what?”
The puppy, fond of people, wagged its tail and came closer as Rosalyn petted it.
“It’s a black dog.”
Only then did Rosalyn realize why Jimmy was trying to shoo it away.
Black dogs are cursed or something?
Every world had its superstitions.
Black dogs were often seen as symbols of curses or bad luck.
“It’s fine. I don’t believe in that.”
While locals might cling to superstitions, Rosalyn didn’t.
Believing in that stuff as a modern person? Nah.
“What about you, Sir Jimmy?”
“Well… It’s just a tiny pup. How strong could a curse be? I’m stronger, so I’m fine.”
Jimmy wasn’t caring for it because he dismissed superstitions.
He was just soft-hearted.
“Cool. No curse would touch you, Sir Jimmy.”
Jimmy scratched the back of his head, embarrassed.
“No, no. I say that, but I can’t take it home. My wife and kids would be scared…”
“So you’re raising it here?”
“Well…”
According to Jimmy, a patrolling knight found it beside its dead mother.
Its siblings had all died, but this one was still breathing.
“If the commander finds out, I’m in big trouble. Only a few of us know.”
Being a black dog, no one wanted to take it, so they were temporarily hiding it in the grass behind the dining hall.
“The kitchen staff feel sorry for it and sneak it food.”
Thanks to that, the puppy was quite chubby.
“We’ve managed to keep it hidden so far, but going forward…”
“Hmm.”
Staring at the puppy nuzzling her hand, Rosalyn suddenly scooped it up.
“Puppy, wanna come with me?”
“What?”
Holding the puppy securely, Rosalyn grinned.
“If no one’s taking it, can I?”
“Well… There’s no reason you can’t…”
Flustered, Jimmy watched as Rosalyn stood up.
“I’ve got a name for it too.”
“What is it?”
Looking down at the jet-black puppy in her arms, only one name came to mind.
“Cassius.”
“What?”
* * *
From there, Rosalyn went straight to Cassius, pulling the “I found it on the way, can I keep it?” card.
Finding a puppy at the headquarters was absurd, but she was shameless.
What’re you gonna do? I found it.
Besides, she wasn’t asking to keep it at the headquarters; she was taking it home.
After securing Cassius’s reluctant approval, she brought the puppy to the guild.
“Picking up a black dog of all things…”
“What, Zion? You believe in those silly superstitions too?”
Rosalyn raised her chin, and Zion gave a defeated look.
The reason she’d boldly brought a black puppy to the guild?
Zion suffered because of superstitions.
Zion’s father used to beat him over superstitions.
Born under a red moon, a cursed child? What nonsense.
Zion was branded cursed just because a red moon—a lunar eclipse—rose on his birth.
His father blamed gambling losses on Zion and beat him…
Superstitions were the source of Zion’s childhood pain.
Finally, Zion raised his hands in surrender.
“Fine, keep it. What’s the worst that could happen? The others will just freak out.”
Not just a little—a lot.
Rosalyn pretended not to notice, petting the puppy shamelessly.
“Our Cassius, how can you be so cute?”
“…Did you have to name it that?”
Zion recoiled.
A cute puppy named after the fearsome knight commander?
“It’s perfect. Big Cassius is black, little Cassius is black.”
Cassius’s hair and uniform were indeed black.
Zion, suppressing his reaction, returned to business.
“I’ll dig deeper into the Dylan family’s weaknesses. We’ve got a few, but I’ll find out even the number of candlesticks in their bedroom.”
“Good. I’m counting on you, Zion. Can’t let this slide.”
She’d used Cassius to score a hit on the scene, but letting it go wasn’t her style.
He’s mad that a mere commoner holds noble weaknesses? Let’s give him a taste of hell.
She was ready to put the textbook delinquent through a full-course torment.
It’d be satisfying to shake him down.
Humming at the thought, petting little Cassius, she paused.
“Oh, how’s that going?”
“What?”
“The ‘Cassius Report.’”
At the mention of Cassius, Zion glanced at the black furball on her lap.
The puppy, too young to recognize its name, seemed to look at her.
Just a coincidence…
Composing himself, Zion answered, “Nothing.”
“What?”
He repeated seriously, “Nothing new came up.”
Rosalyn frowned.
Sure, it’d only been half a day since she pressed the executives, but still nothing?
“Not even something small?”
“If there was, it’d be on your desk already.”
Her gaze drifted to the desk, kept clear for the ‘Cassius Report.’
Three days, and still nothing.
“Is he even human?”
“Maybe a war demon or ghost?”
“Not funny, Zion.”
She grimaced at his lame joke.
But her mind was tangled.
So I’m supposed to actually complete 1,000 hours?
No way. The things she could do, the money she could make in that time…
Lowering her legs from the desk, she sat upright.
Her red eyes gleamed.
“Contact Tiger. Set a meeting.”
“Is that necessary?”
Despite Zion’s reluctance, Rosalyn was firm.
“Looks like it’s the fastest way.”
“…I’ll send word now.”
Tiger.
A code name Rosalyn gave to a secret informant.
He’s annoying, but he might know something.
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