Weakest Beast Tamer Gets All SSS Dragons

Chapter 201 - Tamers Missing - 2

”Damn it, this thing barely fits through here.” ”Careful with the proboscis, you nearly took my eye out.” ”Shh, theyʼll hear us.”

”Liora is going to hear it from me,” Larissa smiled maliciously. ”What ʼthingʼ do you think theyʼre bringing?”

As if answering her prediction, a long proboscis with a metallic gleam emerged first through the crack, followed by the head of a Deep Assassin.

Everyone began to take defensive positions.

The silence that followed was absolute.

Suddenly, a flash of blue light appeared beside Taro, and Liora materialized as if she had been there all along. Her clothes were covered in dust and there were dark stains on her sleeves, but she maintained her composure with a nobleʼs dignity.

”Lady Liora!” The guards exclaimed in unison.

”Hello,” she greeted casually, as if appearing out of nowhere was perfectly normal. She looked toward the crack and then at the girls surrounding Taro, shrugging in a gesture that clearly said ”oh well…”

Ren emerged with difficulty, and it wasnʼt until he was out that everyone could see it was just a Deep Assassinʼs head, without the body.

Ren, still clutching his macabre trophy, looked around and finally registered the scene: Taro trapped in the middle of a group of girls with expressions ranging from disbelief to fury, Liora standing casually to one side as if nothing had happened, and Min, the only one who seemed to be genuinely enjoying the moment.

”Ah,” Ren swallowed, his mushrooms pulsing nervously. ”Hello.”

”ʼHelloʼ?” Maria was the first to recover her voice. ”Is that all you have to say? ʼHELLOʼ?!”

”Surprise?” Ren tried, slightly raising the Assassinʼs head as if it were a gift.

”Is that...?” Mira paled upon recognizing the creature. ”Itʼs a Deep Assassin! Those things are Bronze rank!”

”A Deep Assassin!” the guards exclaimed in unison.

”You were facing Bronze monsters?” Larissa stepped forward, her smile too sweet to be reassuring.

”Lady Liora!” Maria seemed about to faint. ”You faced a Deep Assassin!”

”Technically,” Liora clarified, ”Ren faced the Assassin. I just provided the lighting.”

”That doesnʼt make it better!” Maria waved her arms.

”Look,” Ren tried to appease the mood, carefully placing the Assassinʼs head on the ground, ”we werenʼt planning to encounter any beasts. I just needed to go to a specific place to process some crystals for my hydra and...”

”And you decided to take Lady Liora with you without telling us?” Maria interrupted. ”Do you know how dangerous that was?”

”I wanted to go,” Liora clarified. ”And it was fascinating.”

”Thatʼs not the point,” Mako added. ”Weʼre supposed to protect you. How can we do that if you disappear without warning?”

”And you,” Larissa addressed Ren directly, her smile never faltering though her eyes gleamed dangerously, ”didnʼt think I might also be interested in this little adventure?”

Everyone turned to look at Larissa incredulously.

”I... umm...” Ren looked desperately at Taro for help, but his friend just shook his head, clearly communicating ”youʼre on your own with this one.”

Min gave Taro a thumbs-up while Han turned away, finding one of Taroʼs walls extremely fascinating.

”It wasnʼt personal,” Ren finally responded. ”I didnʼt want to bring anyone but Liora had already noticed what I was planning to do...”

”Oh, so it wasnʼt personal,” Larissa crossed her arms. ”But you still could bring her... Wouldnʼt it have been fair to ask everyone if we were interested in the adventure?”

Luna, who had remained silent as always, finally spoke: ”I-itʼs not like others would have wanted to go,” she said, avoiding looking directly at Ren. ”You shouldnʼt generalize, Larissa. Itʼs not like I was especially interested in knowing what they were doing.”

”Of course not,” Larissa smiled, looking meaningfully at her cousin, whose cheeks had turned slightly pink.

”But you didnʼt miss much, it was a short trip and the battle was quick too,” Ren pointed to the Assassinʼs head. ”Actually I thought bringing someone would be difficult but... Iʼd say it went pretty well.”

”ʼPretty wellʼ?” Maria seemed about to have an aneurysm. ”Facing a Bronze-rank monster as Iron students isnʼt ʼpretty wellʼ! Itʼs a miracle youʼre alive!”

”Well, technically I am Bronze,” Ren murmured.

”What did you say?” Larissa leaned toward him.

”Nothing, nothing,” Ren stepped back.

Min, who had finally approached to join the spectacle, examined the Assassinʼs head with genuine interest.

”I have to admit,” he commented, ”itʼs quite impressive. How did you defeat it?”

”Thatʼs not important right now,” Maria interrupted. ”What matters is that they took an unnecessary risk and...”

”Actually, Iʼm quite interested in knowing how they defeated it,” Larissa smiled.

”How did they defeat it?” Maria asked, her attitude doing a complete 180 at her ladyʼs interests.

Larissa rolled her eyes and continued. ”After all, if weʼre going to organize future expeditions, we need to know how capable our guides are.”

”Future expeditions?” Maria and Mako exclaimed in horror.

”Of course,” Larissa nodded with feigned innocence. ”After all, itʼs evident thereʼs much to learn in the depths. And since Ren and Liora have proven to be... competent, it would be a shame not to take advantage of their experience.”

Renʼs expression fluctuated between horror and resignation as he understood the implications. There was no escape; somehow, he had gone from being in trouble to becoming the master guide for more expeditions with the noble girls.

”I could make an exception and accompany you if you wish,” Luna added.

”I...” Ren began, desperately searching for a way out.

”I think itʼs an excellent idea,” Liora interrupted, a small smile forming on her lips. ”Iʼm sure thereʼs much more Ren can teach us down there.”

”So he taught you things,” Larissa smiled.

The girls began to close the circle around Ren and Liora, their expressions promising a thorough interrogation.

”Any last wishes?” Taro whispered to his friend.

”Yes,” Ren responded as the nobles approached. ”Next time, bring Min as lookout. At least he knows how to keep something secret.”

”Hey!” Taro protested. ”Itʼs not my fault girls are so intimidating!”

♢♢♢♢

”Itʼs strange,” Klein murmured while reviewing the papers on his desk, the afternoon light casting long shadows across the room. ”I think itʼs been a few days...”

Astor Blackwood looked up from the advanced evolution book he was studying, his eyes sharpening with interest. ”What is?”

”Harold,” Klein responded, frowning as he shuffled through his notes. ”Heʼs disappeared. I havenʼt seen him in classes, he doesnʼt come to the dormitory, and I have no idea where he is.”