The Strongest Clan’s Master Is the Weakest and Most Evil Support Class - Chapter 82

「The clan master says that he agrees to the interview」

When Joseph visited Wild Tempest’s clan house, an exclusive interview was agreed to without much negotiation.

The one who had received him wasn’t Noel, but an unfriendly white-haired woman who was working as a clerk, yet there was no doubt that he had gotten a promise from Noel.

Joseph was excited. At the same time, a sense of fear began to grow. Noel was a dangerous person. There was a high possibility that he would get attacked during the interview and be sent to the bottom of a sewage channel.

That was why he didn’t conduct the interview right away, but specified that he would inform them of the location of the interview at a later date using owl mail.

If he went to an inn that he was familiar with, Noel should not be able to touch him. Even if Noel wanted to cause him harm, he wouldn’t be able to talk his way out of committing a crime in a closed room. Even if Noel tried to abduct and imprison him, it would be impossible to pull the wool over the eyes of the employees and guests of the inn and carry that out.

It was the perfect place to protect himself. For that reason alone, he thought that Noel wouldn’t accept it that easily, but surprisingly, he wrote in his reply that he would accept it. On top of that, it appeared that he wasn’t bringing his allies and would come alone.

Because that was far too good to be true, Joseph only became more wary. Even without using the bargaining chips that he had prepared, Noel was moving as Joseph wished. It went without saying that it was an unnatural development. Asking him to not be wary was a tall order.

「What on earth is that guy thinking……」

Joseph didn’t understand what Noel was thinking and was troubled. But no matter how much he wracked his brain, he couldn’t come up with an answer. Then he started to think like this.

「Noel Stollen may be only a brat in the end……」

Perhaps Noel hadn’t put much thought into it and likely intended to threaten Joseph into doing what he said. He was undoubtedly unable to imagine that there were adults who wouldn’t yield to his threats. Uneasiness still remained, but it was an explanation that he was satisfied with.

And then, it was the day of the interview. It was the promised time, and the interview was being conducted in the specified room. Joseph and Noel sat facing each other across the table.

「Hmm, so you’re the reporter who wrote that article」

Noel tilted his chin up arrogantly and looked at Joseph as if he was evaluating him.

「The article is third-rate at best, but the photo was taken beautifully. Then again, I suppose it’s natural as a really good tool can’t choose the person who uses it」

His eyes moved to the compact projector hanging on Joseph’s neck.

「That isn’t something that a third-rate reporter like you can buy, is it? In all likelihood, you probably got it from Lorelei. We have a hostile relationship. When reporters are used with the goal of tarnishing our image, they’re the only ones that come to mind」

Joseph was surprised to have the people behind him seen through all of a sudden. But that was within his expectations. This level of deduction was something anyone could do.

「Third-rate is a fine thing to say, isn’t it?」

Joseph smiled and said in a provocative tone.

「Okay. If that’s the kind of attitude you’re going to take, then I’m not going to act humbly. Let’s both of us put our cards on the table and talk」

「That’s my intention from the start. Quickly state your business」

At Noel’s attitude, which was completely looking down on him, Joseph ground his teeth lightly. Making light of adults in spite of being a kid, I’ll make that haughty face twist in surprise, raged Joseph inside his heart.

「Even if you ask me to state my business, I’ve already finished what I came here to do. I’ve finished investigating your evil deeds long ago. This interview is only to gain the trust of the readers. Even if you don’t say anything, I’m able to achieve my goal」

All that was needed to gain the trust of the readers was the fact that the interview had taken place. Whatever Noel said, what he would write had been decided from the beginning.

「Oh, in other words, I’ve completely fallen for your trap」

When Noel said that in a fascinated tone, Joseph couldn’t hold back his laughter.

「Stop pretending to be composed. You’re being a bad loser. I’ve thoroughly investigated not just the fact that you have an intimate relationship with the Bargini Family, but also that you’re the mastermind behind the prison bombing incident. If my exposé is published, you’re finished」

Just for the record, he continued with a triumphant smile.

「It isn’t wise to lay your hands on me here. If I yell, the people in the inn will come right away. It’s one thing if you want to increase your sins, but if you don’t, you had better behave yourself. Even if you kill me, it’s meaningless as I’ve left the information to a trusted friend. If he loses contact with me, he’s supposed to publish the truth」

Joseph said that proudly, but it was a bluff. The current Joseph didn’t have any friends that he could trust. However, if he said this, Noel would likely hesitate to lay his hands on him.

「I’ll say it again. You’re finished」

Triumphantly, Joseph pointed the projector at Noel and pressed the “photograph” button. A clicking noise was heard and the strobe flashed.

Dazzled by the flash, Noel squinted and laughed as if troubled.

「Your aim is money, isn’t it? How much do you want?」

The moment he heard those flippant words, Joseph hit the table in a rage.

「You dumb brat!!! Don’t look down on adults!!!」

He pointed at Noel and rattled on vigorously.

「Don’t think that everything can be solved using money! I’m not working as a reporter for the sake of money and fame! It’s for the sake of delivering the truth to all readers! Yes, my mission is solely to bring your evil deeds to light!!!」

It would be a lie to say that he didn’t want money and fame. But there was something more important than those things. No matter how much money was stacked in front of him, he had no intention of changing his mind.

「The pen is mightier than the sword. No matter how good of a Seeker you are, you can’t escape from the truth」

Joseph declared as if he was passing judgment.

「I see, so you’re a man of conviction」

The sound of Noel clapping his hands dryly rang out.

「Splendid. You’re the first reporter who didn’t yield to me for money. I’m sincerely expressing my respect for you. I’m sorry for calling you third-rate」

That’s why, he continued, with an evil smile that froze Joseph’s spine.

「I’ll follow your example and fight using the pen」

Just as he had declared, Noel took out a pen and paper and wrote something on the spot.

「Here you go」

The moment he looked through the paper that had been presented to him, Joseph had the mistaken feeling that something had grabbed his heart tightly. Sweat gushed from every pore of his body like a waterfall, and his body went rigid with fear.

「Apparently, it appears to be to your liking」

「Y, you……」

What was written on the paper were names. And they were all names of Joseph’s blood relatives or acquaintances.

How on earth had he investigated this, he wondered. Let alone his parents, grandparents, siblings and their families, even the names of those who used to be his friends and his former lovers were on it.

「Reporters always think that they’re on the side that controls information. Consequently, when they themselves become the target of an investigation, their fragility is exposed immediately. “The pen is mightier than the sword”, have you properly thought about the true meaning of that saying, I wonder?」

Noel smiled at Joseph, who was stunned, and stood up slowly. Just like that, he walked behind Joseph and placed his hands on his shoulders. Despite his delicate girl-like appearance, Noel’s hands were strong enough that he could tell that resistance was impossible from the start.

「It seems that you’ve finished investigating my evil deeds, right?」

He passed his hand over Joseph’s earlobe as he whispered into his ear.

「Then you should know what kind of fate awaits them. It doesn’t matter if it’s a little girl or an old man. I’ll make every single one of them have the same “appearance”」

「St, stop……」

When Joseph said that while quivering in fear, Noel laughed joyfully. His childlike laughter was merciless.

「Hey hey, what happened to the boldness from earlier? Isn’t your mission solely to bring the truth to light? How many lives of your family and acquaintances do you want to try to sacrifice?」

At that mocking voice, Joseph bit his lip. It was true that he had laid his life on the line for his work. But he couldn’t also sacrifice the lives of those who had absolutely nothing to do with this.

「Pl, please, stop…… I was wrong……」

「Huh? What did you say? I can’t hear you」

Noel deliberately put his hand to his ear and pretended not to hear him. Joseph had no choice but to beg him as his body shook with frustration and fear.

「I’m very sorry. I beg you, please forgive me……」

That instant, Noel let out a high-pitched laugh.

「Ahahahahahahaha! Please forgive me? Even though you spoke so sharply to me, isn’t that too convenient for you? Isn’t a first-rate reporter who pursues the truth embarrassed by yielding to a dumb brat like me? ――Well!? Hey, answer me!!!」

At that threatening voice, Joseph’s teeth chattered.

「Do you think that I’ll forgive you or something if you show me a scared, miserable look? Is the likes of a garbage insect like you looking down on me? Hey, are you listening? I’m asking you if you’re looking down on me!!! Shall I bring your kid sister here right now? Huh?」

Joseph, who was so scared that tears filled his eyes, shook his head. He had been through veritable hell many times until now, but this was the first time that he was convinced that he wouldn’t be able to escape no matter how fast his wits were.

He had intended to trap him. He had thought that everything would go well. ……He had been foolish. Noel’s moniker was『Snake』. There was no way he would do something like show compassion for people, and once he had latched on to his prey, he would swallow it whole mercilessly.

He had never imagined that there could be something more scary than death……

「Pathetic. You’re pathetic」

Noel, muttering as if he was dumbfounded, suddenly thrust the knife that he had into the table. Then, to Joseph, who was cowering in fear, he said in a soft voice.

「Joseph, do you know how the Yakuza set things right, I wonder?」

When he looked up while trembling at Noel without understanding the meaning of he was saying, he saw two eyes that were as dark as the bottom of a well.

「I’m generous. I’ll forgive you with five」

That cheerful voice that seemed like it was joking tempted Joseph into the depths of hell……

†

†

When Zero was looking through documents in his private room, there was a knock on his door.

「Sub-master, a package has arrived」

「Come in」

A clan member that was his subordinate entered the room holding a package. He was a youth even younger than Zero, and because he was good-natured, he often took care of random chores.

「This arrived for you, sub-master. But the sender is unknown」

「Did you check its contents?」

Lorelei had members with Skills that could see through things. With their assistance, it was easy to learn the true identity of suspicious objects.

「No, because I can’t check the contents without permission. If the sub-master is alright with it, I’ll immediately ask them to take a look though?」

Zero considered it for a moment and then shook his head.

「I’ll receive the package as is. Good job」

「By any chance, is it this?」

His subordinate had raised his pinky finger and had a mischievous smile on his face. Apparently, it seemed that he had suspected that it was a gift from a woman he was close to. Zero smiled wryly.

「It’s something like that. Now, get back to work」

「Understood. Please tell me the details another time」

After confirming that his subordinate had left the room after leaving the package, Zero began carefully removing the packaging paper of the package. Then, a single message card fluttered down onto his desk.

『To my dear friend. With respect』

Feeling bad vibes from the message, which was written in a good hand, should definitely not be his imagination. The bottom portion of the white box that had been wrapped along with the message had turned slightly red.

「Now――」

Zero opened the box. Inside was the compact projector that Zero had given to Joseph, and――five severed fingers. In all likelihood, they should be Joseph’s fingers.

「This is Snake, I see. It’s completely a method employed by the Yakuza, isn’t it?」

Zero had a faint smile on his lips as he muttered that calmly.

Snake was a man who was willing to do anything to achieve his ends. Moreover, he was also cruel and mean. However, Zero hadn’t understood his behavioral principles and what his real intentions were. Was he impulsive, or did he act after much deliberation, or what were his personality biases……

For that very reason, he thought of using Joseph as a sacrificial pawn and learning what was inside Noel. Consequently, he got his answer.

「A perfectionist who is bound by pride. So that’s your true identity」

Looking at it from Noel’s perspective, there were plenty of ways to deal with Joseph. He could also have handled it in secret. He could even have won him over and made him a spy that conversely looked into the inner workings of Lorelei.

But what Noel had chosen was to punish Joseph and show his own cruelty――and strike fear into Lorelei, who was behind him.

Fixating on methods that controlled others using the emotion called fear, was proof of high pride and a personality that didn’t forgive the mistakes of others. They were precisely the personality traits that were often seen in Yakuza. This was evidenced by his past, in which he never forgave his allies’ misconduct.

If Zero understood his insides, formulating a strategy was easy. People couldn’t escape from themselves. No matter how intelligent or how good their judgment was, people always made decisions that conformed to the inclinations of their personality.

Zero got up from his seat and used the elevator to descend to the 4th basement floor of the clan house.

The only people that could come to the 4th basement floor were the clan master Johann and the sub-master Zero. Only by using the exclusive key that the two of them had, could the elevator be made to descend to the 4th basement floor. In other words, this floor was a secret place that the other members didn’t know about.

In a dimly lit corridor, the sound of Zero’s footsteps echoed. Eventually, Zero stopped in front of a sturdy metal door and opened an inspection hole. A pungent sour smell assaulted his nose. A small shadow squatted in the center of the room.

This was a solitary cell. The prisoner was fitted with a collar that prevented the activation of Skills. Because this solitary cell was very sturdy, the prisoner couldn’t get out without Skills no matter how much the prisoner went on a rampage. Even if the prisoner got out, it was impossible to escape from the 4th basement floor, which had no entrance or exit other than the elevator.

「Hi, how are you?」

When Zero called out, the prisoner looked up slowly. The exhausted face was lifeless and only despair clung to it. The prisoner had been given the minimum amount of food to prevent death, but it appeared that the mental fatigue from staying confined inside the cell the entire time was immense.

「Your physical condition doesn’t look so good. I feel ashamed to treat a person like you in this way, but I can’t show mercy to spies. I would like you to understand that」

It wasn’t a lie that his conscience pricked him. Having said that, he also had no intention of improving the way he treated the prisoner. If he took pity on the prisoner clumsily, he might start to sympathize with the prisoner. This prisoner was a tool. Tools should be treated as tools.

「I’ve finally decided on how I should use you」

Zero muttered in a soft voice.

「Faceless」

And so, with a cliffhanger, we’ve come to the end of this run.

The story doesn’t end here though, it’ll still be continued through the LNs and the manga. Again, I encourage all of you who have enjoyed the story to support the author in whatever way you can, links to the LN have long been on the ToC. Thank you all for reading and supporting my work. Please consider reading and supporting my other works as well(Links are below). Thank you!

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<Update> I’ve been giving brief updates to the differences between the LN and WN, so come to my Discord if you’re interested.

<Update 2> Woah! The LN and Manga got licensed by Seven Seas, so do check it out!