SWNOVELXO Chapter 168 - The divine cat Mii-chan didn't notice anything at all.
168 The divine cat Mii-chan didn’t notice anything at all.
Everyone felt tense.
“Don’t you think that would be amusing?”
This person… Was the previous conversation a joke too?
Ruu’s hand is trembling slightly, while Perro is laughing so hard he’s holding his stomach. Did it hit a nerve for him?
“That’s not funny.”
Yuri, in a chilling voice, mutters a brief response. Hearing such words from someone as beautiful as her is a little frightening—like something might have touched a nerve.
“So… who is this?”
“You should understand if I say ‘the Empress of the Benevolent Thieves.’”
No, I have no idea. Is she famous?
“It’s the Dark Guild… that much is clear.”
It seems like only Lucas knew about this. Of course, Yuri and Ruu, who are based in the town of Quinto, wouldn’t know, and neither would I.
“What does the Dark Guild want with us?”
The person slowly pulls out a letter from their chest and places it gently on the table. I pick it up and read it.
It’s written in a delicate, feminine script. The message invites me for tea to have a chat and also extends the invitation to Jin of the Dragon’s Claw.
“Have I met this person somewhere before?”
“No idea… but you’re quite famous in these parts. It wouldn’t be strange if our Empress wanted to meet you.”
In which circles am I famous? I don’t feel good about this at all.
“Can I refuse?”
“I don’t mind. Or so I assume? I don’t really know.”
Either way, I need to ask Jin for advice before I give an answer. He seems knowledgeable about these kinds of things.
“I can’t give an answer right now, so could you come back tomorrow night? Preferably a bit earlier?”
“It’s troublesome, but since this is my job, I suppose it can’t be helped.”
This person seems like they always need to make a comment about everything. Such a hassle. Just leave already!
Perro, Ruu, and Lucas see him out. Meanwhile, I sit, petting Sera, who’s in her cat form, and drink tea with Yuri and Katia, who kindly prepared it for me.
Lucas and Ruu come back. Perro said he was going to sleep, so he returned to his room.
“Those guys were on a whole other level. I was sweating bullets…”
“They mentioned the Dark Guild, didn’t they?”
“Lucas, do you know anything about it?”
“Even if you’ve heard the name ‘Dark Guild,’ did you know there are several of them?”
I shake my head, while Ruu and Yuri nod.
Lucas explains that the term ‘Dark Guild’ refers to any guild that isn’t officially recognized. These include thief guilds, assassin guilds, underground financial guilds, and more. The group that contacted us this time is apparently a guild of benevolent thieves.
Even though they’re called benevolent, they’re still thieves. They don’t steal from the poor and sometimes return part of what they take from the rich to the slums.
But why is the leader of these thieves interested in me?
Ah, I’m getting sleepy. Let’s call it a night.
The next morning, everyone looks understandably tired. Mii-chan is looking at their faces as if to ask, “What’s wrong with everyone?” Clearly, she wasn’t aware of what happened last night. After cuddling Mii-chan a bit, I get on Sumire and head to the Hunter’s Guild.
“Nero!”
“Good morning, Yan. How’s your mother?”
“She’s doing much better, so now she’s looking for work. But it seems like she’s having trouble finding something…”
Yan’s mother was bedridden until recently, so I suppose those who know that are hesitant to hire her. She should be fine after drinking Mii-chan’s mineral water, though.
“When you have a day off, tell your mother and sister I’d like to ask for their help with something. Tell them to keep some time open.”
“Got it! If it’s a request from you, my mom definitely won’t say no!”
I’ve heard that Yan’s little sister has water-related skills. I feel a bit guilty about putting such a young girl to work, but Yan keeps praising how capable she is. If I hire her together with their mother, it could work out well for both of them. I’m thinking of bringing Wilhelm’s Divine Cat Stall to Beruna to start something similar here.
But for now, I need to find Jin… Ah, there he is.
I take Mii-chan over to the still-sleepy Terra. Normally, Pamir would have brought Kai from Yuri’s room next door by now, but since Yuri moved in with us, that’s no longer happening. Mii-chan starts giving Terra a morning lick as a greeting.
“Oh, it’s you, Nero…”
“Are you hungover?”
“I drank with the Absolute Sword last night… Those guys are bottomless pits…”
I hand Jin the letter from last night.
“You want me to read this?”
Jin squints at the letter and starts reading, his expression gradually becoming more serious.
“What do you make of it?”
“You’ve caught the eye of some strange folks… but I guess that’s to be expected. How do they get this kind of information so fast? We need to go to the Guildmaster.”
So, we’re going without an appointment.
“What’s this? So early in the morning? Can’t you show some respect for an old man working hard? Don’t you think I deserve a little appreciation?”
“You’re livelier than I am! Anyway, read this.”
“What’s this? A love letter? It smells nice.”
“It’s a love letter from the Empress of the Benevolent Thieves, no less.”
“What!? You sure are into interesting types.”
“No, that’s not it! It’s addressed to Nero!”
“Well, Nero, you sure seem to attract the attention of older women…”
How long do I have to sit here and listen to this comedy routine?
I want to go home already.
Mii-chan!