Bar, Again
Again, Asch entered the building that’s in the shaded back alley.
“Hey, Rick. I’m, back”
Parin.
The bartender, who, once again, expressed his disappointment by slipping and breaking the glass.
“Wh, why……are you here again?”
“……I felt like drinking over”
“……”
Rick’s expression was telling a story.
‘It seriously……ain’t funny’
Asch, he sits at the counter and stuffs his cheeks with the cocktail cherry that’s he’s served.
It is already, the 38th.
“Asch-san……”
Mira also returns and sits beside him.
“Fuu, cheers to their future”
“Tha, that strong front……is extraordinarily painful and hard to watch”
“……that’s right, there’s something I want you to buy for me”
Asch forcefully changes the topic and hands her a single piece of Rale note.
“Got it! What, should I buy?”
The beautiful young girl, who was given a task, smiles happily.
“Yeah……a table cloth to place over the dining table. It’s fine to go with your fashion sense. The leftover is your tip. You can buy whatever you like”
“Eh! Can I!?”
“Aah”
“I am off!”
Happily, she ran off.
“……my, my. I wonder what’s so fun about an errand……now then”
The Dark Magician, he stared at Rick with stern eyes,
and then, he said.
“There are things I want you to prepare for me”
“……what?”
Tremblingly, Rick wipes the glass.
“Humans that are fine even if they die. Now thenn…..I want fifty thousands”
“Fif……”
The bartender, lost his words.
Rick’s main job is as an informant. His job is to do as Asch wishes and provide him with what he wants. He, until now, had prepared anything. Anything, the Dark Magician wants.
However…..
“There’s no way I can do that!”
Amongst the things he had prepared until now, humans are naturally included as well. However……the magnitude this time around is different.
“……Hazen＝Heim-sensei”
When Asch mutters softly, Rick’s expression instantly stiffens.
“That greatest Magician in the history of the continent huh”
“A monster who mastered both Holy Element Magic as well as Dark Element Magic. Honestly, I couldn’t even put a dent in him. Especially……that Warrior Angel was powerful”
“……Warrior Angel Liplareuran”
It’s said the Hazen is the only person who had, and will ever be able to summon it. He had buried several tens of thousands of Magicians along with that Warrior Angel.
“Good grief……there’s nothing more annoying than this. If I were to reencounter Sensei, I can’t even hope to escape. I have to work out a countermeasure somehow”
“B, but……”
“I won’t listen to excuses. Do it”
Asch opens his eyes widely and stares at the trembling Rick.
“……I started a family”
“Hou, that’s a cause for celebration”
“I don’t……want to do it anymore! I, want to live uprightly, already”
“……that’s why, you sold me out?”
A low voice, like it sinks into the ground, reverberates.
“……”
『I’m pregnant』, the phrase Rick’s girlfriend said nine years ago. It wasn’t the marriage he wished for……he didn’t even imagine himself being able to have a family……until he saw his child that’s born.
“Kuku……you don’t have to be that afraid; I’m buying you. Your skills as an informant are without a doubt after all, and above all else, you provide me with good alcohol……but, I won’t recommend betraying me, a second time”
The Dark Magician opens his jet-black eyes widely and stares at his terrified expression.
“Hii……”
“Listen up, alright? What you’ll do won’t change. Open the store tomorrow like always and continue to provide me with good alcohol. Listen to everything I say and continue to fulfil my wishes. Don’t think of closing the store. I won’t allow you to escape, disobey, or even die. After all, you have a family you love, right?”
A twisted smile.
An ominous pair of eyes.
Everything of that man, looks like it’s depicting destruction.
“……”
“Of course, I’ll pay the price.
That’s why,
you too,
continue paying the price to me”
“……u゛u゛u゛u゛u゛u゛u”
Rick goes on his knees on the spot, clutches his head, and curls up into a ball.
At that moment,
“Asch-saーn, I bought it!”
Mira returned cheerfully.
“……well then, see you again”
The Dark Magician, he finished the cocktail and casually left the store.
