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Beast Tamer Who Got Kicked Out From the Hero’s Party Chapter 251 Part 1

CHAPTER 251: ARIOS’S MOVE PART 1

「I refuse.」

I did some thinking about it, but……

In the end, I finally shook off my doubts and said so in a tone that clearly meant that this discussion was now over.

「Oh my. Does that mean that my offer is rejected?」

Even though her invitation was rejected, Monica’s behavior was the same as it was before.

She would simply try to make some small talk, and she did not show any pretense of being agitated or radiating hostility to my answer.

I don’t understand……

What the hell does this woman even want from me?

「I understand. Oh well, I guess I should show some open mind here and just casually give up, right?」

「For someone who was so tempting just a moment before, you see to be a fairly reasonable person, aren’t you?」

「Well, I originally thought it would be difficult to convince you here, so your refusal was not all that surprising to me, Rein-san. I thought it was just a matter of hopefully making a profit, so I wouldn’t be surprised if you rejected me. I’m not going to hang on to that thought for too long, though. That would be such a waste.

Yes, I guess that she was more reasonable, or more cunning, that she was letting to be known.

「Just for your information, can I ask you something?　Why did you turn down my invitation, Rein-san?　Is it because you’re still finding me to be suspicious?　Or is it because you’re not going to get revenge on Arios-sama?」

「There were many factors to my decision here, but I guess that the fact that you are still too suspicious and that I can’t trust you is the greatest one of them all.」

「Suspicious?」

「You are not just some kind of ordinary knight. You’re much more than that, I’m sure of it…… And therefore, you are a threat both to me and my friends. So it would be the epitome of foolishness to try and accept any proposition from someone like you. You see, I like to think of myself as a cautious kind of a guy, so I’m not going to rush head-first into something that might bring my doom.」

「…… Hmm, is that so? I see.」

Monica grinned and then she smiled happily.

I can’t believe that smile was from the same person who could have had such a warm and sweet smile just a moment ago.

It was a terribly distorted smile, like it was filled to the brim with pure malice and cruelty……

I couldn’t help myself but to feel a shiver running down my back in response.

「So in the end…… I really think that you are going to be our enemy here, Rein-san.」

「Enemy…… And wait, “our”……?」

Did she mean Arios and herself by that?

Or…… Could it be that she also had some other collaborator aside from Arios?　

When that thought occurred to me, I once again braced myself here.

This woman is clearly dangerous.

She is the kind of enemy that absolutely cannot be underestimated.

Even if she isn’t showing me any kind of hostility at the moment, even if she isn’t angry or openly malicious towards me, I could clearly see that now.

Sooner or later, I would have to cross blades with that woman.

…… Or maybe that time would even be right now.

I stared at Monica with Kamui at the ready in my hand.

I braced my legs, ready to move at any moment if need be.

And then……

「Fufu…… Fufufu!!!」

Monica laughed again.

「Now, now, there’s no need to look so frightened, Rein-san. Did you honestly think that I was going to do something to you right here and right now, just because you happened to reject my invitation?」
「Is that so?」

「Yes, it’s the truth. I think that I told you earlier, didn’t I? I actually expected to be turned down by you here. So I am not going to be doing anything about it, because it was something that I anticipated from the start.」

「…… So what now? What are you going to do about this magic tool?」

Yes, the magic tool that I managed to steal from Arios.

I shouldn’t be allowed to leave with this thing in tow.

But it was something that could very well save my life here.

So there was no way that I would be giving up on it just like that.

「Oh, that thing? Fufu, you can do whatever you want with it.」

「…… What did you say?」

「It’s not like I’m going to tell that you were here and where you went after that. As for me, well…… Personally, I am really against letting you go with that magic tool, Rein-san. I honestly think that it would be way more beneficial for us if I were to just crush you right here and right now…… Yes, no matter who or how many times they would ask me, that would be the answer I would give them.」

Monica was able to use the word “crush” in such a malicious context so lightly that it was actually scary.

And what was even scarier here was the fact that she was totally serious about, and that she meant every single word.

「But be that as it may…… Oh well, like I mentioned, I also happened to have a whole lot of things going on for me on my end. Yes, there really are many, many things that I need to make sure of or oversee…… And you can be grateful to all of those things, because it is because of them that I do not wish to take any action right here and right now. But please, make no mistake here, Rein-san. No matter what you do, or whichever way this situation ends up resolving, we are going to achieve our goal either way.」

The way in which Monica put it, it was almost making it sound as if she had more than one goal in her mind.

But here she was saying that it was making her no difference whether or not I would be able to prove my innocence. So even if I did, it would apparently be of no consequence to her plans.

But if that was the case, then what would her plans be? What was her reason for doing all this?

I would actually love to get to the bottom of this somehow, but……

It was dangerous.

It was not safe for me to actually delve any deeper than this into Monica and whatever it was that she was associated with.

My gut was telling me that this woman was extremely dangerous.

It was telling me that associating myself with her would end poorly for me.

If I could, I would like to get out of here as soon as possible.

「Is it true? What you just said, I mean?」

「Yes, it’s absolutely true. But if you still doubt me, shall I walk away from you first?　With you refusing my invitation, my job here is basically done, you see.」