I Transmigrated as my Bias's Messenger Bird - Chapter 36
“I… I truly didn’t murder the guard. Please believe me…”
“I know you’re not the culprit.”
Wow, was he really an angel?
“You believe me…!”
“If you were skilled enough to cleanly kill the Imperial Guard, you wouldn’t have just narrowly escaped my Meteor.”
“Oh… I suppose that’s true.”
His logically sound facts momentarily left me speechless.
“So, let’s summarize this. While you were stealing the fishing rod and escaping, someone else killed the Imperial Guard and attempted to frame you for it. All within that short period of time.”
“…That’s right.”
“Don’t you regret it?”
“Regret…?”
“Whatever the reason, you must have come here because you wanted to, but this is what you experience as soon as you arrive. The good things you envision about this place might ultimately just be illusions.”
Rai’s eyes had a slight melancholy about them. Was he worried about me? If he was, then maybe he could throw some favorability points my way…please?
I decided to be a little braver.
“Even if it’s an illusion, it doesn’t matter. As long as the Tower Lord starts to like me a little.”
“…What?”
Maybe it was my imagination, but Rai’s eyes seemed to waver slightly.
By the way, what kind of emotion would 10,000 affection levels be? If a textbook costs a few hundred when purchased from a general store, wouldn’t 10,000 be pretty good?
“Not… not love, I think… But still something pretty good. Can’t you just like me that much?”
“…What are you talking about?”
Rai’s eyes flickered. I knew it too. I was saying something insane. But what could I do? This is literally a matter of life and death for me.
And honestly, I wanted to say it even just once. Trying to increase favorability isn’t easy, especially when you might get kidnapped by hostile fairies or get entangled in a murder case out of the blue. Despite that, I felt like I should at least share my situation with the person involved. And it’s not like my affection levels could drop any lower, so I might as well give it a shot.
Oddly enough, Rai, who I thought would say something extraordinary, remained silent. Maybe he felt really uncomfortable right now. I think his affection levels may have dropped by a few thousand, but since it wasn’t an choice event, I couldn’t know the exact change.
I guess it can’t be helped. Already being in the negatives by a few thousand, could it really get any lower?
“I heard that you dislike elves. Still, could you reconsider just a bit… and see me in a slightly better light?”
“So, are you trying to propose to me again?”
‘What? Oh…it’s because of that damn choice event.’
It seems like Rai completely misunderstood. I needed to reassure him.
“No, that’s not it. I have absolutely no intention to propose again.”
“…Right. It should never happen.”
I said with sorrowful eyes, “Could you just… see me a little more favorably? It’s the only way I can survive.”
Rai stared at me quietly, as if examining the sincerity of my words.
After a moment, he said, “This is ridiculous.”
Yeah, I know. But how can I explain further? Do I at least have to explain that I came from a different world and that a transparent window appeared somewhere that said if I don’t earn your affection, it’s game over for me? Do I have to elaborate on that? I’m doing my best to be completely honest.
Then, Rai took a sip of his tea and said, “…Then, at least raise the level of books you read.”
“Level of…books?”
I don’t know why he suddenly mentioned books, but isn’t this a good sign? He himself suggested a solution. He declared that if I raise the level of the books I read, it would earn me his favor. It was truly an unexpected harvest.
“Don’t worry! I’ll really only read books of a very high standard. From history to economics, even tactical manuals.”
As my voice poured out in excitement, Rai responded with a composed gaze.
“…But that’s not the main issue right now, yes?”
“…Yes?”
Suddenly, I don’t know where the book popped out from, but isn’t this a bit of a good sign? This is practically a solution he presented. He declared that if I raise the level of the books I read, it would earn me his favor. It was truly an unexpected harvest.
“Don’t worry! I’ll really only read books of a very high standard. From history to economics, even tactical manuals.”
As I poured out my excited voice, Rai responded with a composed gaze.
“But that might not be the main issue right now.”
“Yes?”
“There’s someone framing you for the murder of an imperial guard. In the midst of this, do you really have time to read books just to win my favor?”
“That’s…!”
“Although I intervened for now, Knight Commander Leon is not someone who easily gives up.”
Suddenly, I was struck speechless. He was right. Even if I fail to raise Rai’s affection levels, it’ll take about a year before I die from it, but if I get captured by the knights, death would be immediate.
“What should I do…”
I really didn’t know what to do. I muttered to myself, letting out a lamenting sigh.
And then Rai smiled plainly and said, “We can catch the real culprit.”
“…Are you helping me?”
“Me? Not a chance.”
There was a strange chuckle at the end of his sentence, almost making me feel a slight blow to my pride. Wow, that’s really harsh.
While I was feeling sullen from his cutting sarcasm, Rai stood up and spoke.
“Find where it all began.”
