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

「......Since we bumped into each other, shall we have tea or something?」

When Tania invited him, Noel checked his watch.

「Alright. How about that cafe over there?」

Noel indicated with his gaze a chic open cafe that was open nearby. There were few customers, and the vacant seats stood out.

「Alright」

The two of them went over and sat in the terrace seats. A waiter came immediately to take their order. Both of them only ordered tea. They didn’t intend to stay long.

「It’s good that you seem to be doing fine」

Tania smiled.

「Congratulations on the creation of the clan. It looks like you’re quite successful, doesn’t it?」

「Quite successful?」

Perhaps he found something funny, but Noel burst out into laughter.

「Let alone being quite successful, we’ll soon become one of the Regalia. And after that, it’s the top of Regalia. I don't need things like your flimsy lip service. How much do you think those cheap words are worth?」

At Noel's aggressive way of speaking, Tania felt a rush of blood to her head. When she was about to reply in anger, Noel put a cold smile on his face as he forestalled her with his hand.

「If you have an emotional outburst, then the conversation is over. I’ll leave」

Tania was the one who had invited him. She couldn’t complain no matter when Noel left. Moreover, the waiter had come over with the tea at that exact moment. She had no choice at this point but to swallow her anger.

Tania sipped the hot tea and calmed herself.

「Your personality is as bad as before, I see……」

「I'm always kind. I merely choose who I’m kind to」

Noel said curtly, and then put a cigarette to his mouth and lit it.

「You’ve started smoking cigarettes……」

「Unlike you, I’m busy, you see? Even something like this helps」

Something about Noel’s choice of words bothered Tania.

「Did you know what happened to me after I became a slave?」

「Of course. I heard it all from Finocchio」

Noel continued while sending up a curl of cigarette smoke.

「It appears that you happened to meet a wonderful master, didn’t you? But then, you and Lloyd were both high-class slaves. I knew from the start that both of you would be able to have a good life. A far better life than being caught for embezzlement, or continuing a life on the run with Lloyd」

「......So I should be grateful or something?」

「That's right, Tania. You should be grateful to me」

Noel declared unabashedly.

「It’s thanks to me that you got to lead a good life」

「How can you have the nerve……」

Noel snorted with laughter at Tania, who was trembling in anger.

「No matter what you think about it, that’s a fact. You betrayed me. I took revenge on you. However, we’re both in a blessed environment now. Then there's no problem, right? It's all in the past. I don't feel anything for you anymore. Neither anger nor hate」

「……In the past, you said?」

Tania could only be stunned. She knew that Noel had forgotten about her and was walking a new path to hegemony. However, she had never expected that he would take such an indifferent attitude directly to her face.

She wasn’t hoping for an apology. She wanted him to at least vent his hatred for a betrayer. She wanted him to vent feelings that he only had for her. Then she would be able to accept it.

However, Noel himself had no feelings for Tania. Noel’s cold gaze was exactly the same as the look he directed at the pebbles on the roadside.

「Aren’t you going to ask about Lloyd and Walter?」

Noel asked Tania, who was at a loss for words.

「Just like how I know about what happened to you, I also know who Lloyd was sold to and what kind of life Walter is leading back in his hometown. I didn't refuse your invitation because, seeing that we were former allies, I thought that I’ll let you know about the two of them」

「I couldn’t care less about those two……」

Tania spat out those words softly and then looked straight at Noel.

「More importantly, there’s something that I want to ask you」

「What is it? Go ahead」

「If――If we had stayed allies, could we have become as successful as all of you currently are?」

「Of course」

Without hesitation, Noel answered immediately.

「The one who chose all of you as allies was me. Though there were some differences, we would certainly have achieved the same amount of success」

「If that’s the case, why didn't you forgive us!?」

Tania, who had kicked aside her seat and stood up, yelled loudly.

「Certainly we did something that cannot be undone! We ran away from you too! But if you were going to the extent of coming after us and selling us into slavery, wouldn’t it have been fine even if you forgave us!? ――No, it’s fine even if you don’t forgive us! I merely wanted the chance to atone! If you won’t even allow me to atone, then it’s fine even if I become your slave. I’m different from Lloyd. If it’s for you, it’s fine even if you use the covenant of servitude!」

Undaunted by the surrounding gazes, Tania went on in a heart-wrenching voice.

「That’s right, the covenant of servitude! You said you couldn't believe me. But if you use the covenant of servitude, you’ll be able to believe me, right? I can do anything for you. I can give even my life to you. So please. Let me be your ally once more. My talent is acknowledged by even you, am I right? If you gain an excellent Healer, much more than now――」

「I refuse」

Tania, who was going on and on feverishly, was cut short by Noel.

「Why?」

「My wish is to stand at the top of all Seekers. The allies that I need in order to do that are only ferocious wolves. I don’t need people who are like dogs that wish to be chained by their own volition」

That’s why, Noel said as he narrowed his eyes.

「I don't need the current you」

Brushed off by those cold words, Tania staggered a step back.

「An idiot elf that I know said that the one you truly loved wasn’t Lloyd, but me. Apparently, that seems to be true」

Noel laughed in amusement as he said.

「Someone like you, desires me? Know your place」

In a flash, Tania flipped the hem of her dress and drew the hidden knife from the garter holster on her thigh. Then she brandished it as if to stab Noel.

But――

「……Why aren’t you fighting back?」

Although Tania was attacking him with a knife, Noel hadn’t moved an inch. He merely looked up impassively at Tania.

「With your martial arts, fighting back should be easy! Answer me!」

Noel remained silent even when she demanded an answer from him. Unstoppable tears overflowed from Tania’s eyes. The knife slipped from her hand and fell to the ground.

Sighs of relief escaped from the surrounding guests, who had noticed the tumultuous affair. It appeared that they had perceived it to be a quarrel due to complications of love. In fact, it was exactly that.

「Hey, why aren’t you saying anything? Say something, please……」

Tania pleaded. Noel puffed on his cigarette.

「Forget about me. You have your own life」

「I can’t forget you so simply…… It was because you were there that I――」

When words failed her, Tania pressed her lips to Noel’s and poured her hot breath in. However, Noel wasn’t surprised and calmly pushed Tania away. A thin, transparent thread stretched from their overlapped lips and broke immediately.

「Don't desire me」

Putting the half-smoked cigarette out in the ashtray, Noel stood up. He left the money for their tea on the table and turned on his heel.

「Goodbye」

Noel left without looking back even once. While watching his back grow smaller, Tania clenched her fist so tightly that blood seeped out. And then, she shouted.

「If you won’t be mine, that’s fine!!! But don't forget! I’ll never forgive you!!! I’ll never forget you! I’ll kill every single one of the women who get close to you!!! I’m serious! The current me has the power to do that!!! If you don’t want that――if you don’t want that…………」

Tania couldn’t bear it any longer, and flung herself face-down on the table as if she had broken down.

「……If you don't want that, stay forever as the you that I admired. Don't show your weakness as a person…… Be the strongest you who doesn’t let anyone get close……」

She muttered a curse that was mingled with sobs. Noel stopped his steps for only a moment.

「My king is only me. I won’t be tied down by anyone」

Noel declared that with his back to her and then started walking once more. Tania knew, even without looking up, that Noel would never come back.

「……love you. So much that I could die…………I love you」

It was precisely because he was such a man that Tania loved him to the extent of losing her reason.

However, a Snake will never be compatible with a person――

Notice that when Noel rejected Tania, he was using words that are very similar to what he said to Kouga? It’s just what I feel, but I think that he’s trying to tell her the same thing he told Kouga, but unlike Kouga, Tania didn’t get it. Imo, he’s really telling her that he doesn’t need her as she is now, but if she were to change……

Super short chapter this time, but worry not, next chapter is much longer! Stay tuned!