The Player is a Part-Timer

Chapter 13: Pearls Before Swines

"Day after day... Mittelt realizes how little she is." And with it, her pit of despair grows bigger and bigger. At this point, she wanted to hide away and weep.

"Fufufufu..." Hearing the subtle laugh, even Gillian turned to Vali. "How interesting. Now I see why those guards keep watching you."

"Gu-Guards?!" What guards is this boy sputtering about — Mittelt wondered. Aside from the three of them, this whole place was utterly empty.

"Mittelt has a bad feeling about this."

"Yeah... their constant gaze is quite annoying. But I'd rather not cause a ruckus if it isn't necessary. This is a place of learning, after all." Grabbing a book, she threw it behind herself lazily, hitting the nearby towering bookshelf and making the book ricochet a few times — barely missing the watchful guardians.

In the end, the book went back to the exact place where it was removed — as some invisible force guided it.

"If I beat them up, Baraqiel-san might be grouchy. He is a hard worker. I would rather not cause trouble for him."

"Wonder why he didn't come personally. Ah! Yes, he is on to find Az-kun. The poor man always needs to pester his boss. Well, at least he dropped a message. What a reliable workforce..."

She might have placed bugs on them, but she rather not barge in his office, lab, or wherever he was while others were around. Gillian respected the private sphere more than the man — Azazel — after all.

"Hmm, possibly. He was always a person who took his duty seriously." Vali hummed as he walked closer, inspecting one of the books on Gillian's desk.

"You are researching quite an esoteric topic." Yeah, he can't even read the cover. Opening the book brought no result either. It must have been written in some dead language he can't read.

"What can I say? I like to know what I am dealing with before dissecting them further." The friendly smile of the girl first implied nothing, yet, Vali can't help but feel some twisted intention behind it.

If he had to compare it to something, just now, she gave away the same feeling when Azazel finds something interesting and is prepared to "poke" it until he is satisfied.

[Vali... be aware, she might be more than she looks.]

"What do you feel?" Vali asked the dragon residing in his sacred gear.

[I can't read her... which is both odd and concerning. I have a bad feeling about her.]

"Bad feeling? Is she strong? How strong exactly?" Some excitement started to well up in Vali as he conversed with Albion — Hoping to find a good challenger who could accelerate his advancement and growth.

[I told you, I can't read anything from her. Like she isn't here at all. Yet, she is here! It is strange! Her presence is like a simple human. But at the same time...]

"But at the same time?" Vali held his breath. It was not every day the always boastful and prideful White Dragon Emperor was so unsure in something.

[I don't know... She gives away the feeling of an apex predator watching me, waiting for me to lower my guard just to swallow me. It is like...]

"It is like what?"

[Not important. I can't recall that memory now. Vali, be careful around this "kid." She gives me chills! Not many can make me feel like this. Don't be reckless. She might be more than she appears.]

"I see..."

[Of course, I might be wrong, and my old age is catching up with me...] added in the end the Dragon Emperor.