The Player is a Part-Timer

Chapter 15: A Challenging Day Off

"Better?"

"Yes..." Kokabiel sighed relaxed, crushing the now empty box and discarding it.

"If I may inquire, my Lord, what exactly happened?" Still vary, the researcher and former exorcist approached his leader — earning a slightly worried look from all the staff around.

"Tch! That... mage — or whoever she is. She is more troublesome than I first thought."

"Did she perchance managed to... Ugh?!"

"Consider your next words, fallen exorcist! I've had a shitty day!" Kokabiel grabbed Galilei's neck, almost crushing it in the process.

"Guahhh!? Please... my lord! Hav..."

"Tch!"

Kokabiel regained his composure and let the man fall to the ground just before he would have died.

Many who don't know Kokabiel's great strength may say he went rough on the man. But anyone who knew his sheer infamy knows well, he was rather merciful and considerate towards the fragile human.

"How dare you even assume I'd lose against a simple human? Know your place!" With disgust, he recovered a rag and wiped his hand, discarding it like some piece of trash for some plebeian to pick up later.

The last time when such a thing happened, the human he fought cheated! He was sure of it! Otherwise, there is no way an exorcist would have managed to corner him that bad. Nonetheless, the sour taste of that "tactical retreat" still haunted him.

"You are lucky, we still need you. You insignificant trash..."

"Haah... what a mess." The girl on his side shook her head, walked near the half-dead researcher and extended her hand. Some kind of light surrounded Valper, fixing the serious injury immediately. "You know, we still need him."

"Tch!" Kokabiel clicked his tongue, pocketing his hands and started to walk away without saying another word.

"So? What's the plan?" Leaving the confused guards behind, and the unconscious but still alive researcher, she caught up with her "mentor". Walking on his side at a steady pace.

"..."

"You know we need to do something. Else, that girl..." Or whatever she was. "...might reveal us."

"I know..." Despite what "she" said she will not reveal their visit unless they break their end of the bargain, Kokabiel was not a fool to think it will remain that way for long.

She will either reveal them or start to blackmail them — as he would do in her stead. But above all, it might be that she just bluffed and played them as fools.

"I don't even know if it was a good, or bad option anymore."

"Shouldn't we just kill her? You know... sending an assassin or whatever?"

"Not an option. That "witch" said it herself, she has safeguards in place in case something happens to her."

Besides, he had an instinctive feeling that if they try to solve this by brute force, something horrible will happen.

"But why do I have this innate feeling of dread? How come I am unsure about my strength? How come I hesitated to strike her down?" Ever since they left that café, he pondered on this. Ever since they left, he questioned himself: How come he didn't act like usual but danced back again and again just before he gathered the will to end her?

"Has she done something to me? No! A simple human couldn't..." The problem is... she might be more than she appears — alas, it was only a theory. Kokabiel can't help but have a bad feeling about all of this.