Chapter 924 – Why I Can’t Forgive

000

The door to the tofu-shaped building opened once again.

The one who visited was Careclaw, a fairy in the form of a tall scarecrow.

As she saw Chopper walking out to greet her, she had a smile on her face.

“Hello, Chopper. I was surprised when you suddenly called me. It’s rare for you to invite anyone to this lab, including me.”

＂Careclaw… Come inside first. Because it’s a topic I’m a little reluctant to talk about outside.”

In response to Care Claw’s pretentious greeting, Chopper led her inside, without revealing the change in her emotions through her expression.

As we passed through the passage and entered the only room inside, Care Claw frowned.

“There are more things than when I came before. Why don’t you at least clean it properly?”

“It’s no problem because I remember where what is. I don’t even need to sleep.”

＂It means at least maintaining the dignity that a noble should have. Ugh. “

As she spoke, Care Claw seemed to be worried that her junk might get caught in her legs as she walked.

“I didn’t call you to talk about the interior of my house.”

＂… Was this the interior?＂

Careclaw seemed surprised by her words.

However, Chopper ignored her answer and continued talking.

“Necklace. Why did you release everything during the performance? Wasn’t your original plan… To release a strong demon while Dandelion was there and take away his power?”

“Ah, that. A plan is something that changes fluidly. If there is a more effective method, we have no choice but to take it.”

＂…＂

Careclaw answered Chopper’s question with a disinterested expression, as if it was no big deal.

“Think about it. If you directly harass Dande, who has stamina, he will recover quickly. Physical damage and fatigue are not that much of a crisis to him.”

“So, it was a blow to his status and standing.”

“Okay. Dande is a member of the Fairy Council and a fairy who has to protect other fairies. Especially when it comes to accidents involving demonic beasts. He wasn’t there when he should have been. The innocent fairies had a scary experience and blamed it on Dande. Well, I was the one who caused it to happen like that.”

She answered by shrugging her shoulders.

Like Chopper, she, who was plotting her rebellion against Dorthea, saw Dandelion’s presence as a hindrance to her own plans.

“… But because of that, many of the other fairies… Dande’s men were also injured. If there weren’t humans there, others would have been hurt too. Because Dorothea doesn’t move well on things like that. After observing the situation, I would have resolved it when interest waned.”

When Chopper quietly asked her if she had thought about the safety of the other fairies, Care Claw answered her without changing her expression.

“Even that is necessary ‘directing’.” You have to do that much because even the fairies will lose trust in Dande.”

In her mind, she seemed to have no worries about harming others for her own purposes.

“But, it was a little pitiful~ Among the people who came from outside, there was a man. Because he was struck by that human with one punch. And that too in front of Dorothea.”

“… Did something like that happen?”

“What. I was trying to protect Dorothea, but would Dorothea care about that? Dorothea’s trust in Dande must have fallen to the ground. In that case, the only thing left to do is to remove him from Congress.”

Care Claw smiled happily, and seemed to be purely happy that things were going according to plan.

“And after that, it’s Dorothea. What did you ask me to make?”

“A device that can hijack the operation of an execution platform in the middle… Development is almost complete.”

It took nearly 150 years to create the device.

What Careclaw told Chopper, who was locked in the lab because of Dorothea’s tyranny and guilt over the fact that he had created the execution platform.

Since it was a machine he created, he had a slight question whether it would be possible to seize control of it.

However, the scaffold was not originally created with Chopper’s knowledge, but was created based on the witch’s knowledge stolen by Dorothea.

The operating principle could only be understood through blueprints, and as Chopper, who did not know much about witches’ magic, it was not possible for him to create an object that could directly interfere with the execution platform.

So take your time, take your time.

It took decades to understand the principles of Dorothea by analyzing each one of the magics contained in the scaffold.

And based on those, it took another few decades to create a blueprint that could interfere with the execution platform.

Lastly, it took Dorothea decades to complete the device without being discovered.

Although he told Careclaw that it was not yet, Chopper had already completed the device.

Of course, the reason she didn’t tell him the truth was because, to Chopper, Care Claw was also someone who should not be king.

“Okay…? Then, be sure to let me know when it’s completed. It’s a pity, I thought that now that those people are around, it would be an opportunity to bring down Dorothea.”

“Why do you want to become king so much? … In the old days, he wasn’t so obsessed with power.”

Chopper asks her.

This has been the question her chopper has had for her ever since he joined hands with her for her rebellion.

200 years ago – A time when the three of them, Dande, Careclaw, and Chopper, did not even have names yet and lived together.

At that time, she had no such desires and was content with just living as three people supporting each other.

Just as Dorothea changed, did she also change when she gained her powers?

In response to her chopper’s question, Care Claw looked at her and smiled.

＂Chopper is. Before we gained the power of the king… You treated me like a fool in those foolish days, right?”

＂…!?＂

At Care Claw’s words, her eyes widened, and she made a shocked expression.

And soon, he must have immediately shook his head.

“No… I’ve never done that.”

“… Hehe. That’s right. Sorry, I know. Chopper back then had no feelings, so she wouldn’t have been able to treat someone like a fool. But. It wasn’t the other guys, right? Even that sweet, somewhere in his heart, I felt like he was treating me like a fool.”

＂…＂

That was… Not something Chopper could easily answer.

Of course, it is not that uncommon for fairies to ostracize someone.

No, that was something that happened in any group of living creatures, beyond the fairy species.

Even though I intellectually understand that it is wrong.

“Think about it, Chopper… The guys who treated us like strange beings are now bowing down in front of us. Those guys who were a bit stupid and had no feelings… I felt sorry for them or laughed at them…”

In particular, if the target was someone who had aspects that were somehow different from themselves, it was easy to become a target.

Care Claw had not forgotten the fact that he had received such attention in the past and continued to keep it in his mind-

For her, it was the reason she tried to rise to a higher position, and it served as her driving force.

“Being a nobleman is this much… Aren’t you curious about what it will be like to become a king?”

Chopper couldn’t say to her, ‘Just for that reason?’

For Careclaw, the motivation came from a clear past wound.

But… Even if that were the case, I couldn’t let her become king.

In the end, she who becomes king out of hatred will become a tyrant like Dorothea – no, she will be even more than that.

“… I still can’t read his expression. What. Because you think Dorothea needs to be a king. Does that mean it doesn’t matter?”

“… Whoever it is, her maniacal rule must stop. I’m cooperating with you for just that reason.”

At Chopper’s words, Careclaw turned around with a sour expression on his face.

“What. There isn’t much left of that day. Because the opportunity will definitely come. However, until then, do not be suspicious of Dorothea and remain faithful to your duties as a member of her council. For example… She participated in the repatriation ceremony of humans. I may not feel like it, but for the sake of the plan.”

＂… Ah.＂

Chopper nodded her head towards Care Claw.

I’m sorry, but she already had a ‘different plan’.

001

Every time the large fist swings, a large vibration shakes the entire room, leaving a mark in the shape of her fist where it hit.

Dandelion, whose entire body was covered with magical power like fighting spirit, was different from when he was attacked by Cleon by surprise, and was agile and seemed to be making full use of the monstrous power radiating from his large body to push Cleon.

While Cleon was standing with his back to the wall and facing him, Dandelion’s attacks were continuing one-sided from earlier.

“What happened to that momentum from a while ago!”

Boom!

The sound of a heavy fist cutting through the air echoes right next to Cleon’s ears.

If he caught it anywhere in his body, he would have to be prepared for considerable pain and cracked bones, even with his magic power.

Indeed, I was able to understand that the reason I had subdued so many magical beasts until now was not bluff.

Cleon was avoiding his attacks and reading Dandelion’s attack patterns.

Guard with your left arm and attack with your right arm.

A style of fighting that seems to compare the arms to a shield and a spear.

At first glance, attacks made in the form of both attack and defense appear to be slower than those using both arms since only one fist is used –

Instead, each blow was heavy and was clearly aimed at a vital point.

Instead of dodging the punches and kicks that Cleon threw as a check, he blocked them with his left arm.

It must be based on the experience accumulated while dealing with demonic beasts for over a hundred years.

With a large body like him and a strong body, it would be better to guard and catch it rather than worrying about dodging and creating an opening.

He too had no choice but to admit that he was a strong person.

And, Cleon’s companions are watching the duel scene between the two.

In a scene a little distance away, they had set up a barrier around themselves to prevent them from getting caught up in the fight, and were not touching it like Cleon had said.

Everyone was so focused on watching Cleon fighting that they didn’t say a word.

However, none of them seemed to doubt that Cleon would win.

Even though on the outside it seemed like Cleon was unilaterally on the defensive, Cleon has overcome such situations time and time again.

That kind of trust must exist between them.

“By the way, they are such heartless guys… I never thought they would actually do anything, telling you not to touch them…! You might get shattered by my fist and die without even having a chance to do anything!”

Dandelion seems to have gained momentum due to Cleon’s defensive stance, and he throws out his fist while spitting out mocking words at him and his companions.

Cleon flinched, and his eyebrows trembled, but Cleon dodged the attack once again.

With this, how many punches were there?

I think it easily reached 3 digits.

＂Tch…＂

When Cleon dodged his fist once again, Dandelion quickly recovered his arm and stood face to face with Cleon.

“There’s only one reason I told you not to touch them.”

＂…?＂

And when Cleon’s mouth opens, Dandelion looks at him with a curious expression.

“Well, if a guy like you were to attack us as a group and win easily, wouldn’t you think ‘we lost because of the difference in numbers’ and not admit it?”

＂…!＂

When he comes back with a formidable provocation, Dandelion will immediately crush his face and throw his fist.

However, this time it is different from before.

Did Cleon’s provocation work? In order to put more force into his fists, he became more focused on attack rather than guard.

What Cleon was aiming for was now.

Cleon was suppressing Dandelion and trying to defeat him with just one attack.

The reason is that he was assuming a battle with Dorothea later, so he may have been trying to preserve his physical strength and magic power –

This is because he thought it was necessary to impress upon Dandelion the overwhelming difference in his skills.

With a weakened guard and someone who doesn’t think about evasion, it naturally becomes a ‘gap’.

Cleon did not miss the opportunity and dodged Dandelion’s punch with a gap of only a piece of paper.

‘Pajik’

Once again, black lightning gathered in Cleon’s fist.

As he stepped to his feet, he twisted his body slightly to the side, swinging his fist from top to bottom.

A fist digging in to avoid the left arm used for guarding.

And Cleon’s fist rose up and hit Dandelion’s chin from the bottom.

It’s different from the slightly cute sound effects like ‘pop’ or ‘thud’ that were heard earlier.

As a cheerful sound of ‘boo’ is heard, Dandelion’s body rises into the sky and then falls back down due to gravity.

The fight between the two ended more trivially than expected.

＂Ugh, ugh…＂

I must commend her for not losing her senses despite being hit hard on the chin, but the blow must have shaken her brain.

For a while, I won’t be able to control myself properly.

＂Sleipnil was more annoying.＂

Cleon spoke to the fallen Dandelion, shaking off his hands where black sparks were flying out.

For Cleon, who had fought Dandelion’s superior counterpart named Dharma, his fists were too light.