I Became the Burden of a Conscienceless Party

189 – Side Story 2. The Story After, Tina & Tana (1)

The story afterward, Tina & Tana (1)

Before you think about anything else, first of all.

Jim concluded.

‘Is this the end of this escape?’

The goal was to escape from the eyes of the warrior party, so the moment they were discovered, the plan was basically over.

In the first place, Jim didn’t think he would be able to escape from the warrior party. How could a normal person shake off the warrior party?

So the escape is over.

‘Now all that’s left is what will happen to me… … Still, compared to other people, Tina is on the nice side… … .’

Tina’s position in the warrior party is rather unusual.

There are also commoners like Esmeralda, and those from the back alleys at that.

If everyone had the talent to grow, Tina’s sense was complete in itself.

And above all else.

“Phew, thank goodness. Who the hell kidnapped you this time?”

The only member of the warrior party who reveals everything openly is the conscience of the warrior party.

In a party of warriors where everyone was desperate to deceive each other, he was the only one who acted honestly.

Yeah, compared to other people, her tantrums are just cute.

At least they didn’t drag people to torture chambers or laboratories.

“I had a strange feeling. Still, I’m glad I found it before it was too late. You didn’t do anything strange, did you?”

“Oh, yes… … .”

That’s why it’s confusing.

I wonder if Tina is truly worried about me, or if she is just trying to say that she came to get me.

Normally it would have been the former. But now things are different.

A dragon’s tail that sways and a dragon’s wings that flap.

Even the horns sparkle like jewels.

Jim already knows that the form is a manifestation of desire.

“First of all… … first.”

Jim and Tina were standing with a single iron bar between them, but the physical wall was not a problem for Tina.

A lock-picking technique that is much faster and more accurate than Jim.

It wasn’t for nothing that Jim thought she was a thief rather than a scholar.

“Huh? What are you doing? Aren’t you coming out?”

“… … I have to go out.”

Jim decided to follow along quietly for now.

Tina isn’t acting particularly strange right now.

On the contrary, you could say that the situation is good. Right now, it looks like Jim has been kidnapped to anyone.

Not an escape, but a kidnapping.

If it’s like this, other people won’t be angry, but rather worried.

So, all Jim has to do is pretend to be a good victim and return to the Demon King’s Castle on his own two feet.

If you just do that… … .

‘At least I won’t get in trouble for this.’

Jim was secretly grateful to Garnet for locking him up and running away.

Because of her s*xual abnormality, Jim will be able to survive.

Of course, if Tina and the other members of the warrior party start a fuss about finding the culprit, it will be a big problem.

“Are you okay? Can you walk?”

“Yes, no problem.”

Even after getting out of prison, Tina didn’t show any strange behavior. Rather, she seemed genuinely worried about Jim, and instead of restraining him, she was careful as if he were a fragile glass artifact.

Thanks to that, Jim was able to follow Tina with a much more relaxed feeling.

A situation where there is no surveillance or restraint.

However, I won’t run away. Even if I did, I would be caught right away, and for now, I’ll have to act like I’ve been kidnapped.

So Jim followed Tina without a care in the world. Of course, he didn’t completely let his guard down.

‘There’s nothing I can do, but let’s not let our guard down.’

No matter what Tina does, Jim has no means of resisting. He is a normal person with no powers, not even magic.

That means Tina can do anything she puts her mind to.

So, when she treats you well like this, you should do well.

“By the way, you didn’t answer me earlier, but do you remember who kidnapped you?”

“… … .”

The atmosphere has become cold.

But it’s still okay. It’s still a situation that can be recovered.

“I do not know.”

“I see, this is a big deal. Oh my, then we should at least set up security to make sure something like this doesn’t happen again.”

“okay.”

Fortunately, you didn’t suspect anything? Tina answered with a bright smile.

However, it was soon inevitable that something was strange.

“… … Hey, Tina?”

“huh?”

“Aren’t you going?”

“Hmm.”

Tina hasn’t moved from her spot since she asked Jim her question.

He just sat there with his back turned and a big smile on his face.

As if time had stopped.

After Jim’s answer, Tina stood there, seemingly unable to move.

“But, Jim. You lied, didn’t you? You shouldn’t have done that, even for your own sake.”

“……yes?”

However, Jim’s thoughts were short-sighted.

Tina basically doesn’t have any doubts.

“I think so. Then that’s what it is. You lied to me, right?”

Tina usually had that absurd sense, so even when she joked, she tended to see through the truth.

So what if you have doubts?

Yes, that means it’s true for her.

“Why did you lie?”

“I’m sorry. I ended up sympathizing with the person who kidnapped me.”

“okay?”

“yes.”

“So now can you tell me who the culprit is?”

“Garnet locked me up. She had handcuffs on me, but she took them off.”

Jim lied without a drop of saliva on his lips.

No, it’s not a lie.

It’s just a cleverly twisted truth.

Jim didn’t say it was Garnet who kidnapped him. He said it was Garnet who held him captive.

I feel sorry for Garnet, but shouldn’t she live first?

‘If you hadn’t abandoned me in the first place, this wouldn’t have happened.’

Jim’s unique ability that he acquired for survival.

Flexible thinking. Blaming others without any guilt.

“I see? That’s good. Things are going to get a lot easier.”

Tina smiled brightly and turned her head again to start leading the way.

If Jim lies, will he stop and if he tells the truth, will he move forward?

If this kind of thing keeps happening until we reach the Demon King’s Castle… … .

‘It’s an interrogation.’

Jim dies.

We were lucky to be able to fool them just now, but since it was a hastily put together plan, there was bound to be trouble.

If you fabricate and twist words, you will eventually end up lying, and when that happens, everything you have worked so hard to build will come crashing down in an instant.

match!

Jim slapped his cheek to collect himself. From now on, he couldn’t let his guard down for even a moment.

“what are you doing?”

“I just wanted to come to my senses.”

“Are you sleepy? Come to think of it, you were caught? … … After all, isn’t it true that things aren’t okay?”

“… … I’m fine physically. I was just in a state of near-drowsiness.”

“okay?”

Jim answered carefully so as not to tell even the smallest lie.

It was the most focused moment since I started my journey with the warrior party.

Fortunately, Tina’s interrogation didn’t last long and was mostly just small talk on the street.

Of course, there were times when a question that cut to the heart of the matter would suddenly pop up, but for Jim who was focused, such a pitfall was not a problem.

‘Okay, if we continue like this… … .’

At least Tina didn’t seem to have any immediate plans to do anything with her luggage.

Although her protruding tail, horns, and wings were worrisome, she was not much different from the usual Tina, other than the sharp questions that occasionally aimed for her vital points in an eerie way.

So, if I can just get to the Demon King’s Castle like this, that’s fine.

I guess I’ll have to think about what happens after that, but at least there’s someone there who can help me with the luggage.

‘If it were Sir Ronobe… … No, I should have asked for help when Sir Ronobe came back in the first place. Am I an idiot?’

First of all, if there is a Ronobe, it will be possible to block any attempts to physically carry the luggage right away.

Isn’t he the strongest warrior in the current Demon King’s army, excluding the Demon King and Belphegor?

‘Yes, so if I just go back to the Demon King’s Castle… … .’

I move forward, pouring my whole mind into answering each of Tina’s questions.

Yeah, because I was pouring all my energy into it… … .

thud!

“uh?”

I couldn’t react when the floor suddenly collapsed.

“Tch!”

A sinkhole suddenly appeared.

Could this really be a coincidence?

No, Tina may look like a thief, but she’s basically a scholar.

Archaeologist and geologist.

If that’s the case with her… … .

“As expected.”

I could have found it. A naturally created prison that no one could find or disturb.

“It was as expected, there would be quite a lot of space.”

Tina swam through the space created by the sinkhole and caught the falling load.

All I have to do is go to the Demon King’s Castle?

The premise was wrong. Although she was heading to the Demon King’s Castle, Tina’s destination wasn’t the Demon King’s Castle.

It just seemed like that was the direction, but Tina never once said anything about going back to the Demon King’s Castle.

Jim could understand.

Tina can tell lies. However, she doesn’t distinguish between truth and lies. She judges everything based solely on her intuition.

‘Everything I said in return… … .’

I must have been taken in by her intuition. I knew that she wasn’t lying, but that she was hiding the truth with clever words.

But the reason I didn’t show it or point it out was…

‘Was it the same for Tina too!’

Tina was also hiding the truth with clever words.

Jim looked at Tina again.

“See? Jim. Over here. This is our… … where no one can disturb us.”

I saw her gliding silently, holding herself together.

Dragon’s horns, wings, and tail.

Jim remembered the dragon’s greedy nature, which he had not yet considered.

Greedy dragons collect treasures and decorate their nests, choosing places where no one can see them.

“It’s a new home.”

The existence of Dragon Lair.