The following hour, Noah stayed in the holy palace as they poured over the security detail for that conference. They planned routes, vehicles, extraction, bounties, and time limits, as well as ironing out other minor details, Seitenshi presided over the discussion.

Originally, security detail should have been left to Yasuwaki. The reward should also have been under the secretary’s jurisdiction.

But, Seitenshi said Noah is her own personnel and since he’s hired as a professional bodyguard, she left the security detail to him while personally negotiating with Noah in regards to pay.

Noah didn’t particularly mind who he talked with.

It’s good that he didn’t have to talk with some annoying bodyguard team of the holy palace or negotiate with some number-crunching secretary under Seitenshi. He’s happy because this made his schedule rather vacant.

He finished up on the security arrangement for the conference and he handed his proposal to Seitenshi. He then left her room only to sigh outside.

He walked along the corridor while scratching his cheek. He continued sighing.

“Saitake Sougen, huh?”

He’s tired just thinking about the two phone calls he had with the man. He slightly regretted taking this job.

His impression of Saitake is very poor, almost as poor as his assessment of Kikunojou.

Noah absolutely hated the man, he personified the traits Noah didn’t want to see in anyone.

Saitake’s decade long rivalry with Kikunojou meant that he would be going up against someone as sly and underhanded as the old man. Naturally, Noah is very annoyed by this.

“Should I quit?”

Noah stopped and his eyes gleamed when he detected someone nearby.

“Yeah, you should, I agree with that very much.”

The intruder didn’t notice that Noah stopped before he actually appeared. The guy stuck a hard object against the back of Noah’s head.

“Noah Dreyar, I think it’s best if you turn this job down, for your own good.”

A bunch of other individuals appeared to surround Noah when the guy announced that ultimatum.

They are all in formal white suits. They had guns that were already unholstered. They branched out and covered Noah with their sights.

It’s the same security team that Seitenshi introduced to Noah.

He glanced around and he revealed a look of disdain. He shrugged like those are just peashooters in their hands.

“What are you doing? Are you thinking of threatening Captain Yasuwaki?”

The one pointing his gun at the back of his head was, without a doubt, Yasuwaki Takuto.

Although Noah couldn’t see his face, he could guess that this glasses guy had a very sadistic look on his face, like a lizard that is about to devour its target, gleefully grinning like a smug villain.

“Shut your mouth!”

He pressed the barrel of the gun against Noah’s head in a harder manner, emphasizing himself with a low growl.

“I am the glorious captain of Seitenshi-sama’s bodyguard team. You’re just the leader who adopted a bunch of little monsters. Don’t talk to me like we are on the same level!”

The other guards giggled and sneered at him. If only they sensed that Noah’s eyes had already turned frosty.

“The hero who defeated Scorpio?”

Yasuwaki looked like he had been holding it in, he kept teasing him like he has already won.

“If I have the bullet that can bring Scorpio down, I would also be able to obtain the title of Scorpio slayer. You’re just someone who got lucky, how unsightly.”

“Why you?”

Yasuwaki started going off like he can’t deal with his own hatred.

“Lord Tendo assigned Seitenshi to me, I should be the only one who needs to stand by Seitenshi-sama’s side. Why are you getting all this special treatment from Seitenshi-sama? Why did she allow you entrance into her chambers?”

“Chambers?”

Noah parroted.

“So that was her room?”

“It’s ‘Seitenshi-sama’ to you, scum!”

Yasuwaki yelled at him.

“Don’t call her so intimately, that beautiful premier of a country is mine. Only I can obtain her and become the ruler of the Tokyo Area!”

“Oh?”

Noah said in an unconcerned manner.

“I more or less saw this coming but you truly had an ax to grind with me, over something this?”

Noah’s cool as a cucumber attitude rubbed him the wrong way and he started trembling from anger.

“Stop pretending like you’re calm, why don’t you?!”

He raised the gun and he whipped the gun at Noah’s head, he didn’t hold back at all.

“You should be shivering in fear!”

He swung his gun only to hit air.

Swish

Noah disappeared from sight, no, he traveled so fast he looked like he teleported behind Yasuwaki.

He stuck his leg out and between Yasuwaki’s feet, tripping him easily with a simple move.

Bang

Yasuwaki fell because he didn’t see this coming at all. He fell face-first and judging by the dull thud, his nose probably suffered enormous damage, enough to make him moan in pain anyway.

“—-!”

The other guards didn’t think Noah would strike back. When they reacted, they only managed to adjust their aims. In the next instant, looks of shock appeared on their faces.

Their guns are gone! How? When?!

“Hey.”

Noah continued.

“Looking for these?”

He stretched his arms out and their confiscated guns fell to the floor in a cacophony of deafening metallic sounds.

“You…”

The guards all retreated in panic.

“When did you?”

“Bastard!”

Holding his inflamed nose, Yasuwaki stood up, or at least he tried to stand up when Noah stomped down on him.

Oof

Being pounded right back onto the floor, that tremendous force coming from his back forced all the air in his lung to come out through his mouth. It’s like somebody dropped a heavy boulder on him and agony filled his mind.

“S-stop!”

The guards knew they needed to cover Yasuwaki but a cold look from Noah was all it took to shut them down.

“—-!”

The other guards all froze up, they forgot how to move for a second there.

“Hmph.”

Noah laughed at them. he looked down at Yasuwaki who is struggling under his foot.

He reminded her.

“What’s this? The future ruler of the Tokyo Area actually got stomped down by a lucky bastard? Should I be touched that you offered your broad strong back for me to stand on?”