My Glasses

Chapter 177 – Glasses boy successfully avoids the emergency measures

From the very start, Zett had been in a fighting stance. He could attack me at any time.

And especially after I mentioned his eating thing, Zett started emanating some serious murderous intent.

Well, isn’t that how it works? Wouldn’t you naturally get angry if someone brought up the topic of your Gift? That’s why I’m motivated too. I’m telling you to not do anything you don’t want to be done to you.

Though in this case, the timing of when I put my glasses on is important.

As I was going to appear in front of many people today, I decided to also take my glasses off on top of dressing as a woman.

My goal was to distance myself from ‘Eil’ as much as possible.

After all, I’m not only going to be seen by many hunters, but also by all the public who is looking forward to seeing the results of the hunting festival… And well, as I’m planning on winning this, I’ll surely attract a lot of attention today.

I don’t know how she felt about it, but I remember feeling quite uncomfortable when I first saw Cherry without her glasses in the assassins’ village. She just didn’t feel like herself.

So, using that as my reference, I thought that I would maybe be able to deceive Zett by taking my glasses off, as he had only met me once and might have not remembered my appearance that well.

However, our fight seems to have left a deep impression on him, so that plan failed.

Still… What I need to do now is simple.

I just need to change the fight’s location, then put on my glasses while we move.

There’s no need to fight here and now, it would just be too risky for the both of us.

After all, there are many hunters looking at us right now, and they’ll probably join the fray once our battle starts, as they might want to kill Zett.

I mean, they were already in a tense mood before Zett arrived, but after he taunted them all, they’re surely looking for a good opportunity to attack him.

Therefore, the risk of fighting here is too high.

Zett snorted, “I understand what your Gift is.”

Even so, he surely doesn’t want to fight in a crowded place, as both of our Gifts would end up being exposed.

Anyways, I need to put on my glasses already…

Truly, it’s way too strange for me to be thinking like that… If it wasn’t for this situation, I would never be thinking of this kind of desperate measure.

Times like this one make me feel like I may come up with a different way to use my Glasses though…

******

“Let’s change-“ I was about to suggest moving to a different location.

“You! You’re Zett!” A very familiar voice exclaimed with a severe tone.

“Hah?” Zett said with an annoying tone.

From his point of view, at a time when he was fully focusing on me as his enemy; a time when a battle could start at any moment, a third enemy appeared in such an obvious way that he ended up distracting Zett.

Since well, the first enemies were the hunters who Zett taunted, and the second enemy was me.

“Who the hell are you? Don’t go bringing up my name so lightly.” Zett replied.

It was a confrontation between thugs.

Because the one who called out to Zett with a spear in his hands was none other than Chace.

“I’m not talking to you because I want to! But the problem is that you’re half-naked, you pervert!” Chace exclaimed.

… Chace seemed to be quite angry somehow… Does he have some sort of grudge against Zett?

Even if Chace himself is often half-naked during training…

“Hah? What’s that? Do you want to die first? Is that it?” Zett asked him.

Zett suddenly changed his priorities from me to Chace. Perhaps because Chace’s level of hostility was higher than mine.

I honestly feel bothered when people show hostility and murderous intent towards me, so I guess I have a limit of how much I can show… That said, Zett is still very wary of me even if he is focusing his attention on Chace right now.

Still… Isn’t this a great opportunity?

If it’s me and Chace against Zett, then maybe we have a chance?

Chace is quite strong by default, but he is especially strong in his first encounter against someone.

Because before you can realize what is happening, the battle will already be over. That’s how Chace’s gift works.

And well, there is no ‘next time’ if this Gift is used in a real battle.

I just need to draw Zett’s attention, and then once there is an opening in his defenses, Chace can finish him off.

This is how things usually worked with us. It was a very effective strategy that we used often while hunting Demon Beasts back in the assassins’ village.

I probably cannot beat Zett by myself. That’s just a simple fact.

I was really in quite the predicament until just now, but… Chace’s appearance changes things. We now have a chance to win.

I just need to move as soon as either Chace or Zett moves, and then-

Huh?

Chace stared at me and… His hostility suddenly disappeared, like a thug retreating to their back alley.

Wait, hold on, what happened? Why did your motivation disappear when you looked at me? Did you realize that I am me, perchance?

… No way. His gaze says the exact opposite. He is thoroughly fooled by my disguise.

Not to mention that he is the kind of person that wouldn’t recognize me even if I simply took my glasses off, never mind the woman’s clothes.

“Do you enjoy bullying younger women…?

“You’re such a worthless guy.” Chace suddenly said some truly outrageous words.

“Ah… Huh?” Zett seemed to have been thrown off by that statement.

… Mmmmm… Why do these words sound familiar…?

Have I said something like this in the past? *

“Me!? Bullying!?” Zett exclaimed.

Apparently, it was quite the shocking statement for Zett. Something that was incredibly surprising for him. So surprising that all his hostility and murderous intent disappeared… He just seemed to be upset now.

“Enough. If I deal with a scumbag like you, I’ll end up being viewed as the same as you.” Chace stated.

… Does Chace dislike people who are similar to him perchance?

“What’s up with that attitude!? This woman is really strong, you know!? Hey! Where are you going!?” Zett exclaimed.

But Chace was already gone.

He came to us, butted in to our fight out of nowhere, then left without listening to what anyone had to say.

… Well, thanks.

******

Now that Zett’s hostility and bloodlust faded, I might be able to have a somewhat reasonable talk with him.

Which means that the time to attack is now!

“So you enjoy bullying younger girls? You’re quite the troublesome one, aren’t you?” I told him.

“Stop it! You’re quite strong yourself!” He exclaimed.

Me being weak or strong do not change the appearances of this situation though. No matter how one looks at it, he currently looks like a big guy bullying a small girl.

… Though I’m actually a man, so this assessment is wrong in many ways.

Zett sighed, “That’s enough. I just don’t feel like it anymore…”

And finally, I was able to get the flow of the conversation towards this kind of mood.

“Then, why don’t we play in a different way?” I suggested.

“Oh? A different way, you say?” Zett seemed to be interested.

“We both know our ‘sore spots’, and it would be very troublesome if we were exposed, so… If we push each other around too much, we will end up simply increasing our worries.” I told him.

People who are in a predicament can become quite desperate… There was no time to think of a logical solution, I was just struggling to escape from this messy situation.

I cannot accept having my Gift exposed, so even if it means putting myself in a very precarious situation, I just have to do everything I can to avoid that.

But well, I’m sure that Zett doesn’t want his Gift revealed either, so…

“Why don’t we decide on the victor based on a competition instead of by a showdown? We’re both going to participate in the hunting festival anyways, so we might as well take advantage of that.” I suggested.

Will Zett accept that…?

“… Fine, let’s go with that. I’m just way too exhausted to argue.” Zett grumbled.

He had an extremely tired expression on him as he accepted my proposal.

Yes! I survived! I survived without a single scratch, even!

… Was it really that shocking to him? To be asked if he enjoys bullying younger girls?

… Chace might have been just as shocked when I asked him that too.

—————–

* Translator’s Note: See chapter 53. The context is basically Eil talking with Chace about Florentine, and in the middle of the conversation Eil says something similar to this.