Vespa nimbly took the torch and stretched her somewhat stiff body, feeling a bit more inclined to believe Leon’s words.
Leon watched her back, his trust in her "returning the favor" also growing slightly.
Combined with her previous "warning" after being tipped while pretending to be a beggar, even though this little thing had her own hidden agenda, her logic was at least self-consistent.
However... she dared to try and play me, Leon? Thinking she can just slip away without paying a price?
Wouldn't that make me look quite pathetic?
"Tsk... I don't want to leave my life in someone else's hands, and I don't need a fool to spare me..."
Vespa grumbled half a sentence under her breath before shutting up.
Mostly because she hadn't managed to escape.
If she had succeeded, she would likely be loudly mocking Leon right now as a fool worse than a dung beetle—to catch her and not kill her immediately, even letting her nearly succeed in escaping several times.
But...
She rolled her amber eyes, her curiosity finally overcoming her fear.
"Are you really so sure I’m a good person? What if I’m trying to lead you into a trap? How do you dare trust me?"
"Because I can read minds."
Leon walked through the darkness, the torchlight reflecting off his face which wore a faint, ambiguous smile. His voice sounded eerie.
"Mind reading? You can actually read minds?!"
Lucrezia’s face paled in shock. She covered her chest with both hands, her small face instantly turning beet red.
'Then... then just now when I was clinging to him... the things I was thinking in my heart... weren't they...'
'Aaah! It’s over, it’s all over! I can’t show my face anymore!'
"Ha? You actually believe that?"
Vespa looked at Lucrezia’s expression and couldn't help but mock her.
"Hahaha! Truly an irredeemable fool. You’d believe such a lie meant for children? No wonder he has you wrapped around his finger..."
By the way, she muttered the second half of that sentence very quietly.
'I knew it! This guy is a lolicon! And now I have to add furry-con to the list! He’s definitely set his sights on this meow!'
'It’s over! My purity... what kind of "torture" will I suffer in his hands!'
'This meow won't yield easily! A-Ling... you must come and save me!'
Thinking of A-Ling, Vespa sighed in her heart.
Although her partner was much stronger than her, she was facing the top defensive forces of the entire Kent Town. Who knew if she had successfully finished off that guy named Leon Hawthorne?
Come to think of it, that guy was the Baron’s eldest son, wasn't he?
"You...! Who are you calling a fool! You stinking cat!"
Incensed by the laughter, Lucrezia was about to rush forward and fight this stinking cat to the death.
"You don't believe me?"
Leon reached out to stop the flailing princess, his gaze playful as he looked at Vespa ahead.
"Oh? Then why don't you tell me what this meow is thinking right now?"
Vespa rolled her eyes, her face full of "keep making things up, I’m listening" disdain.
The corners of Leon’s mouth curled slightly, his eyes deep.
"You're thinking..."
Leon’s voice echoed in the dim tunnel.
"That although you successfully used us to draw away most of the city’s defense forces—even baiting that old mage over—unfortunately, you fell into my hands and can’t get away. Am I right?"
"My little assassin friend from the... Thieves' Guild?"
Thump.
Vespa’s footsteps came to a sudden halt, the torchlight in her hand wobbling violently.
"You...!"
Leon’s guess was phrased very broadly. This was a classic cold reading technique, making it easy for the other person to fill in the blanks and confirm it themselves, thus making him seem profound and mysterious.
As for the Thieves' Guild, such a thing was standard equipment for an isekai world. Combined with Vespa’s skilled lockpicking, stealth techniques, and her clearly purposeful actions, it wasn't hard to guess the general idea.
However, Leon kept a part of his theory to himself.
Generally speaking, a decapitation strike of this level would never be carried out by a "decoy" who only had mediocre skills.
Since Vespa acted as the bait, it proved the one responsible for the assassination... was someone else, and a master at that.
In other words, this girl definitely had reinforcements.
Leon was never a fan of fighting alone.
Back when he was a guild leader in the Divine Realm Era, his favorite thing to do was to call upon friends and then use superior numbers or stats to crush the opposition.
Things like "the underdog winning," "clutching a reversal," or "betting small to win big" were for gamblers.
Leon didn't like gambling; he liked a guaranteed win.
On this journey to the Floating City, relying solely on himself and Lucrezia would likely be fraught with difficulties.
Though Lucrezia possessed plenty of theoretical knowledge, she was ultimately a greenhorn with no social experience.
And while he was cautious, he was completely ignorant of the unspoken rules of this world.
Having a local "snake" to lead the way would save a lot of trouble.
Besides...
If he really couldn't return to Blue Star and had to stay in this world forever, how could he manage without his own inner circle?
'A great man born between heaven and earth, how can he live long under another's command!'
What Solan Empire? What Holy Light Church...?
And what the hell was with an Emperor? A Pope? They dare mess with me?
Sooner or later, I’ll rip their masks off and slap their faces hard!
I’ll let them know that my sword is not unsharp!
This cat demi-human girl—who, despite her sharp tongue and slipperiness, seemed relatively "kind-hearted"—was a good choice.
If someone could be friends with her, the partner responsible for the assassination probably wouldn't be too bad either.
Wouldn't it be wonderful to bring their whole group on board?
Thus, Leon did not reveal that he knew Vespa had a partner.
To capture this Pokémon, he would probably need to spend some effort.
Even the Prime Minister captured Meng Huo seven times; I’ve only caught her three times.
I’ll wait for her little partner to come like the Hulu Brothers saving their grandpa, and then I’ll pack them all up and take them away!
Leon imagined the future, unable to stop himself from letting out a crooked smirk.
"What!? You actually... Ah, no!"
Vespa turned around abruptly, her pupils trembling. That moment of shock was impossible to fake!
But she quickly reacted, forcing herself to calm down and taking a breath.
'I almost let this sly fox bluff me! This isn't mind reading; this is clearly deduction!'
However, to be able to deduce the situation so accurately with just that little bit of information—even guessing her profession and partner...
'This guy is definitely someone significant. And a very dangerous one at that.'
Looking at it this way...
Vespa used the torchlight to steal a glance at the "little fool" beside Leon. She wasn't ordinary either!
Such a delicate face, such an aristocratic temperament...
Though she really didn't want to admit it, she was indeed a bit... just a tiny bit prettier than the great Vespa.
But!
Vespa wagged her tail proudly.
'I have a tail, and she doesn't. That’s one win!'
'Uh... it seems there’s nothing else...'
'No! I’ve already won once, so that counts as two wins!'
'Best two out of three, the great Vespa is still superior!'
'Win, win, win!'
Moreover, the items these two casually pulled out to pawn were clearly the handiwork of top-tier nobility...
'They couldn't actually be a princess on the run or something, right?'
Vespa’s small brain worked rapidly, the abacus beads in her head clacking loudly.
'Should I take advantage of their misfortune and offer help when it’s needed most?'
'Maybe if I cling to their thighs, I’ll take off in one go!'
'Then I won't have to be a miserable outsourced contractor without official status anymore!'
Thinking about her "second-class citizen" treatment at headquarters—having to borrow a staff badge just to use the toilet, being scolded for eating a snack, with the rule that "outsiders and dogs aren't allowed to eat"!
Doing the most exhausting work, getting the least pay, and being sent to such a godforsaken place for a business trip while the office people took all the credit...
Vespa was filled with resentment.
However, before that, she had to test the depths of these two. She didn't want to get on a pirate ship she couldn't get off of!
Rate on N.U.
