Ugly Guy, Hardcore Fighter-Chapter 89: Heartless Gratitude (Patreon)

-Thank you DCRangeRange, Dean Dexter and CannedbreadFollow me on Patreon via Linktree https://linktr.ee/Mnotia-

“What do you think about deliberately letting yourself be turned into an object?”

Seiji-san said that.

The branch office’s meeting room went silent for a while.

“Seiji-san. Did your head turn into a desk too?”

“I’m still human.”

“Then explain what you mean.”

Seiji-san stood up and drew a vertical line down the center of the whiteboard.

On the left side, he wrote 〈How King Abel Sees It〉. On the right side, 〈Actual State〉.

『The Selenoa branch still exists.』— Exactly.

『The four called to the meeting are all formally affiliated with Visbridge.』— Exactly.

『As long as the branch exists, if the four defy him, he can turn them into objects.』— For now, exactly.

After writing that much, Seiji-san added one final line.

『The Visbridge members haven’t noticed the activation condition.』— That alone was different.

“I see.”

Reia-san smiled wickedly.

“So we close the branch first, nullify his light, then say, 『Kukuku, that crap doesn’t work on me,』 and slug him. Good plan. Too bad I can’t join.”

“No, that’s not it. We won’t close the branch.”

“Huh? Then why’d you look into the condition?”

“That’s right. I don’t understand what you mean either.”

Even Seika-san tilted her head.

“Closing the branch is something we can decide on our own.”

I said while looking at the whiteboard.

“But if we play that card now, we’ll end up telling Abel that we noticed the activation condition.”

“Exactly.”

Seiji-san nodded.

“The Strongest Newspaper is currently in the royal palace, too. If the fact that we closed the branch becomes an article, King Abel may notice immediately.”

Seika-san still didn’t seem to get it; she blinked in confusion.

“If you were Abel, Seika-san, what would you do?”

“If I were Abel-san…”

Seika-san thought hard.

“Ah. The moment I found out the branch was closed, I’d cancel the meeting itself.”

“Right.”

The card to close the branch could be played anytime. That was exactly why we wouldn’t play it now.

We hid that we’d seen through the trap and walked into it. That way, we could make the most of the information we’d gained.

Reia-san nodded once, looking impressed, but soon furrowed her brow.

“But what does deliberately becoming an object mean, then?”

Seiji-san spread a map of the city on the desk and pointed to the road leading deeper into the royal palace.

“We don’t know the exact location of 〈House of Gratitude〉. But the carriage carrying Dario-san disappeared beyond this point.”

“If we close the branch, we might prevent any new object transformations. But there’s no guarantee Kato-kun and Ria-san will return. To investigate the release condition, we need to enter 〈House of Gratitude〉.”

“After we go in, how do we investigate?”

Seika-san’s voice was trembling.

“If we’re turned into objects, we won’t be able to move or speak.”

“If we transform into something else before we’re actually turned into objects, we might be able to fake having been hit by King Abel’s power.”

I see—so that was an option.

Seiji-san turned to Seika-san.

“Seika-san. Don’t you know a Magic called Transform?”

“Um…”

Seika-san looked about to cry.

The idea itself isn’t bad. But—

“No, I think that’s too harsh.”

I cut in from the side.

“First, do you even remember the spell? Even if you do, can you activate it without mistakes at that exact moment? What will you turn into? After transforming, can you keep pretending to be an ornament? Do all of you have the guts to go through with it? On top of that, after entering 〈House of Gratitude〉, can you return to normal without being found out? Only if every part succeeds does it even become a gamble. Entrusting that first move to Seika-san alone is too heavy a burden.”

“…Please forget it. It’s a bad habit of mine.”

Seiji-san bowed his head slightly.

“N-no. I-it’s fine. But I… if I fail…”

“Seiji-san, as a possibility, I don’t think it’s bad. I’m sorry for phrasing it like I was dumping everything on Seika-san, too.”

Then I reached into my pocket.

“Actually, you see. I’ve got something amazing!”

I grabbed three leaves and thrust them onto the desk.

“Ta-da! A former detective’s secret tool. Its name—Transformation Leaf!”

They were brown rather than green. The edges were eaten by insects, and one had mud on it.

“…Aren’t those fallen leaves?”

Seika-san asked hesitantly.

“No. They’re a suspicious and filthy secret treasure I got by beating the Tanuki King in a battle of wits.”

“The second half of that explanation seriously damages my trust.”

Seiji-san picked up one leaf.

“What kind of tool is this?”

“Each leaf can transform one person. The only one who can activate a leaf is me, since I made a contract with the Tanuki King. If I hold the leaf and visualize the target and their transformed form, that person transforms.”

“I see. One leaf can transform one person. And the only one who can press the activation switch is Shigeru-san.”

I nodded.

“It’s a convenient tool. But there are only three?”

“Yes. The Tanuki King was tough.”

“Is there a time limit on each leaf?”

“Yes. One day from when you start using it. During that time, you can switch between transformation and release several times, but each use withers it, and in the end it crumbles to dust.”

“How do you release it?”

“When I snort, all three return to normal at once.”

“That’s such a crude release method?”

“Yes. The Tanuki King was pretty crude.”

Seiji-san put the leaf back on the desk.

Of course, it was a lie.

The leaves were ones I’d picked up in the backyard earlier.

The real thing was my Transform.

There was no need to snort. Or rather, I couldn’t.

Maintaining spells for three people at once, releasing them several times, and returning them to the same forms. It wasn’t impossible. But I couldn’t keep it up forever.

Once it served its purpose, I’d crush the leaves and push through with, “I used them up.”

I couldn’t have them counting on some weird convenient tool in the future.

“However, testing all three at once is dangerous. One person will go first.”

Seiji-san stared at the three leaves on the desk.

“I think that’s good, too.”

“What do you mean?”

Seika-san tilted her head.

“If you transform beforehand, can you really evade Abel’s ability? We still don’t know. If his power surpasses my spell, you’ll just be turned into an object and that’s the end.”

“No, I don’t think this can prevent it in the first place.”

Reia-san crossed her arms.

“You said once you’re under Abel’s control, you can’t escape, right? You think changing your form beforehand can fool something like that?”

“I’m worried about that, too.”

Seika-san agreed anxiously.

It was a natural question. There was no guarantee my Transform could cancel out Abel’s power itself.

“Seika-san. If a child who didn’t listen to you was reflecting on their own, would you scold them?”

“No. If they’re properly reflecting, I’d listen to them first.”

“What I’m thinking is the same. If King Abel’s power is 『turns those who defy him into objects,』 then if you become an object before the light hits you, the power might swing and miss.”

“Can that kind of logic really prevent it?”

“I don’t know. That’s why the first person will test it.”

Seiji-san pointed at himself without hesitation.

“I’ll be the first to go.”

“If it fails, what then?”

“Close the branch at that point. At the very least, it might prevent the rest of you from being turned into objects.”

“You might not be able to come back, Seiji-san.”

“I understand.”

He answered so easily. That was why this guy was a problem.

“There are two objectives.”

Seiji-san pointed to the road on the map leading deeper into the royal palace.

“One is to pretend to have been turned into an object, enter 〈House of Gratitude〉, and search for Kato-kun and Ria-san. The other is to confirm how King Abel releases the object transformation.”

“『Forgive,』 huh.”

“Yes. In those Special Notes, it’s the word paired with 『defy.』 It may be related to the release condition.”

If Abel believed our transformations were caused by his power, we could get ourselves carried all the way to 〈House of Gratitude〉.

If he let his guard down there and showed his hand, we might even learn how to return Kato-kun and Ria.

It was pretty dangerous. But it would gain us far more than just closing the branch and running.

“I’m against it.”

Reia-san struck the desk.

“You’re gonna send Seiji-san alone into a plan that might not even work? Seika, you’re gonna stop him too, right?”

“I…”

Seika-san clasped her hands at her chest.

“If there’s a possibility, I think we should do it.”

“Huh?”

“At first, I also thought we should close the branch and then talk. But if we do that, Abel-san might become wary and never talk with us again. I think he’d hide both his ability and 〈House of Gratitude〉.”

“…That side, huh. You’re still worrying about Abel, too?”

“I’m sorry. But it’s also true that I want to save Kato-san and Ria-san.”

“Don’t apologize.”

Reia-san smiled awkwardly.

“That’s just so like you, Seika.”

She didn’t rush out on emotion. But she didn’t run from the person in front of her, either.

Ever since she was told “I hate you” at school, Seika-san had been changing little by little.

The framework of the plan was decided. But one problem remained.

“How do we tell from outside whether it worked?”

At Reia-san’s question, everyone fell silent.

Even if a transformed form appeared, we couldn’t tell whether my spell had made it in time or whether they’d been hit by Abel’s power.

First, we needed to decide what forms to transform into.

Seiji-san drew a line down the center of the paper and lined up the two names and their transformed forms.

〈Kato-kun → Desk〉

〈Ria → Music Box〉

“The question is why Kato-kun became a desk and Ria-san became a music box. What rule chose these forms?”

“Come to think of it, do you remember?”

I recalled what Abel had said at that meeting.

“When Kato-kun became a desk, he said, 『A desk, huh. I see—that’s just like you.』 When Ria became one, he said, 『A music box, huh. Not bad. It suits your power.』”

Seiji-san added Abel’s words beside each one.

〈Kato-kun → Desk → Just like you〉

〈Ria → Music Box → Suits your power〉

“That’s not the way someone speaks when they chose the form from the start.”

“Exactly. Even he doesn’t know exactly what will come out. But once he sees the form, he understands why it turned out that way.”

Seiji-san compared the two correspondences lined up on the paper.

“The person’s own ability and nature. And how King Abel perceives that person. Either one, or both, may influence the choice of form.”

“Then if we think about how he sees us, we can narrow down our transformed forms to some extent.”

“We don’t need to hit the exact answer. We just need forms that don’t seem unnatural to King Abel.”

Everyone started listing candidates.

Seiji-san would be a commemorative statue of a hero who leads the people.

Abel had repeatedly wanted to use Seiji-san’s fairness and strength for the country. No one objected.

Next was Seika-san.

“He said he’d heard I worked devotedly at the relief home.”

“When you talked about the system at school, he even called you 『a truly pure person.』 So maybe a saint statue healing people or praying?”

“Thinking of myself that way is a little embarrassing…”

“It’s not about how you see yourself, Seika-san. It’s about how you look to Abel.”

On the paper was drawn a saint statue with both hands clasped before her chest, offering a prayer.

“And finally, Shigeru-san.”

Suddenly everyone went quiet.

Hey, don’t look down. Someone give a candidate.

Damn it. Did I have to say it myself?

“A piggy bank… maybe.”

No one denied it.

“There’s gotta be something else that’s more me, right? Something?”

No reply.

“Rizu. What do you think?”

“…Please allow me to remain silent.”

Was that a roundabout way of saying “a piggy bank is correct”? Hey, was it?

At any rate, the three candidates were decided.

Seiji-san: a commemorative statue of a hero offering gratitude.

Seika-san: a saint statue offering prayer.

Me: a piggy bank.

“Can you transform us exactly like this?”

“I—no, the leaf decides the rough form. But apparently the finer details are influenced by the transformed person’s own image. Let’s all keep the same finished picture in our heads.”

“There’s one more problem.”

Seiji-san pointed at the drawing of the hero statue.

“Even if a statue appears, from the outside we can’t tell whether it’s from the Transformation Leaf or whether you were truly turned into an object by King Abel’s power.”

“So if they look the same, we can’t tell whether the plan succeeded.”

“Yes. That’s why we need a marker that appears only when transformed by the Transformation Leaf.”

Seiji-san wrote a small 〈Gratitude〉 on the hero statue’s pedestal.

“How about all three of us display this character at the lower right when viewed from the front?”

“A normal 〈Gratitude〉 won’t do.”

A statue changed by Abel’s power might have the same character carved into it. Then we couldn’t tell them apart.

“Let’s use a character only we can recognize, but that looks like 〈Gratitude〉 to Abel.”

I borrowed a pencil and removed the heart from 〈感〉.

咸謝.

“…How do you read that?”

“No idea. But from a distance, it looks like 〈Gratitude〉, right?”

“But Abel-san’s power might make the same character appear, too.”(TL Note: Leaving the japanese words as is. 感 contains 心 (“heart”), so 感謝 means gratitude with heart, while 咸謝 is a nonstandard version made by removing 心 from 感, meaning “heartless/false gratitude”. From a distance, they both look the same.)

I shook my head at Seika-san’s question.

“Absolutely not. Do you remember the newspaper?”

“Yes.”

“That was almost certainly overwritten by Abel’s power. The newspaper barely managed to squeeze out its own voice, but it was erased right away.”

That 〈Help me〉 didn’t last long either. The next moment, it was rewritten into another article as if nothing had happened.

“What comes out through Abel’s power is the correct 〈Gratitude〉 that’s convenient for him. I think it’s built so that words denying him can’t appear in the first place.”

I pointed at the two characters 〈咸謝〉.

“Gratitude with a heart, and 咸謝 with the heart removed. We’ll put this small at the lower right when viewed from the front. We know where to look, so we’ll recognize it instantly. From a distance, it should look like ordinary 〈Gratitude〉 to him.”

Seiji-san stared intently at the characters.

“My eyes are open. And your gratitude has no heart.”

“When you pack that much meaning into it, it suddenly sounds all chuuni and cool.”

“Let’s adopt it.”

Even Seika-san joined in.

Seiji-san wrote 〈咸謝〉 at the lower right of the hero statue’s pedestal.

I pointed at the three leaves.

“At first, only Seiji-san. If 咸謝 appears, my spell made it in time. If not, there’s a chance he was hit by Abel’s power. We abort the plan on the spot.”

“Understood. I’ll take the vanguard.”

“Rizu, stay outside.”

When I said that, Rizu blinked once.

“But I’m included among this meeting’s participants.”

“You just have the qualifications to participate. That’s a condition Abel decided on his own, and there’s no clause forcing everyone to attend. We don’t have to play along so dutifully. Besides, if you go inside too, no one will be able to report whatever happens outside.”

Rizu looked at the leaves. My story about there being only three probably didn’t get through to her alone.

“Understood. I’ll monitor from outside the meeting.”

I gave a small thumbs-up. Rizu said nothing and nodded once.

＊

At the second meeting, Abel had prepared four chairs.

Looking at the one empty chair, the parrot on his shoulder cried out.

“Rizu, unknown. Rizu, absent.”

“She fell ill.”

Seiji-san answered.

“I see. That’s a shame.”

Abel didn’t look sorry at all.

When he looked at me, his brow moved for just an instant, but by the time he turned back to Seiji-san and Seika-san, his face had returned to that of a king full of benevolence.

“I’m glad we can resume our discussion like this. I knew that if you thought calmly, you’d understand.”

There were ten guards in the white meeting room. There were footsteps outside the door as well.

Seiji-san sat, and Seika-san took the seat next to him. I sat down in the chair closest to the exit.

“Please return Kato-kun and Ria-san.”

Seiji-san said.

“That’s why I called you here.”

Abel spread both hands.

“Those two still don’t understand their mistakes. But if you become my retainers and show them the correct way to use power, I believe they can learn, too.”

Abel held out his right hand to Seiji-san as if asking for a handshake.

“I will release the records, correct the flaws in the system, and return those two to normal. Then you’ll cooperate with me, won’t you?”

Seiji-san didn’t answer immediately. He looked not at the offered hand, but into Abel’s eyes.

“If that is truly carried out, I will cooperate.”

He nodded once, clearly.

The parrot spread its wings wide.

“Abel, happy! Abel, happy!”

“It got through!”

A cheer spilled from Abel’s mouth.

“What got through?”

“It means my feelings finally reached you.”

Abel smiled and covered it up.

But only the fingers stroking the parrot on his shoulder moved again and again, as if excited.

“Then first, release the records and return Kato-kun and Ria-san. Until I confirm that, I cannot agree to become your retainer.”

Abel’s smile froze.

Seiji-san never raised his voice until the end. Even so, to Abel it sounded not like a question, but a rejection.

“Are you doubting me again?”

The air was dyed white. Here it came.

Under the desk, I gripped the first leaf.

“Doubting and defying are not the same.”

“They’re the same. And I’m disappointed in you.”

Light raced out.

An instant before that, I cast Transform on Seiji-san.

The white light vanished.

Before the chair stood a single statue.

A hero planting a sword into the ground and kneeling on one knee.

On the pedestal, the two large characters 〈Gratitude〉.

At the lower right, there were small characters. 咸謝.

Seika-san’s fingertips trembled. I also gave a small nod under the desk.

“Kuku… Gratitude, huh.”

Abel approached the statue.

“Seiji… Once you became an object, you finally understood my value.”

Abel put his hand on the statue’s forehead and narrowed his eyes in satisfaction.

“Please return Seiji-san.”

Seika-san stood up.

“Seika. You can’t leave people who are suffering alone, can you?”

“Yes.”

“In 〈House of Gratitude〉, there are many people suffering because they cannot admit their own mistakes. To save them, you’ll lend me your power, won’t you?”

“If there are people in trouble, I will help them.”

“Abel, happy! Abel, happy!”

“Fufufu. It got through again, didn’t it?”

Abel narrowed his eyes and stroked the parrot’s throat.

“However, helping someone and obeying you are different. I will say that what I believe is wrong is wrong.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“When you are wrong, I will clearly warn you that you are wrong. And the current you—”

Abel’s hand stopped.

“You too, huh. I’m disappointed!”

I gripped the second leaf.

Light wrapped around Seika-san.

Next appeared a saint statue with both hands clasped before her chest.

With a gentle face, she gazed at a spot diagonally upward where no one was.

At the lower right when viewed from the front was a small 〈咸謝〉.

Damn. I’d meant to make her face forward.

“How divine.”

But Abel didn’t suspect anything.

Apparently, we’d managed to fool him.

“As expected, you are the second saint who will replace Mireille.”

Mireille? I didn’t have the luxury to think about that right now.

Only I was left. His gaze turned toward me.

The parrot tilted its head.

“Shigeru, five.”

“Why?”

Abel voiced the same question again.

“Why are you still 5?”

“What’s so surprising? The parrot’s number was just entertainment, right?”

I knew there was no way that was true.

That was why you were fixated on this number.

The question was how this number connected to your power. How much could I make you spit out?

“You’re the only one. It neither decreases nor increases.”

Your language had gotten pretty dirty for a while now.

“This is your favorability rating, right? Then it’s accurate.”

“What the hell are you?! Are you mocking me?!”

“It’s been 5 from the start. And now I’m thinking, 『I see.』”

Spit out more. How did this number connect to your power?

“If you’ve got something to say, I think you’ll feel better if you spit it out.”

“You… pigggg!”

White light swelled. This was as far as it went.

I gripped the third leaf. Before the light reached me, I cast the spell on myself.

My field of view dropped all at once, and a pig’s snout jutted out in front of me.

What fell to the floor was a round piggy bank.

I’d meant to put the coin slot on its back, but for some reason it was on its forehead.

“…In the end, a pig is just a pig. Hm? Isn’t it uglier than before?”

Shut up.

I wanted him to praise me for not kicking him.

“To 〈House of Gratitude〉.”

Abel ordered.

The guards loaded the three objects onto carts. The wheels began to move.

We hadn’t won. We’d only just managed to get inside the enemy’s belly.

-Thank you DCRangeRange, Dean Dexter and CannedbreadFollow me on Patreon via Linktree https://linktr.ee/Mnotia-