Re:Zero: No Job, No Magic, Just a Stupid Romance System

Deep in the forest, a small lake formed by accumulated water nestled beside the towering cliffs of the Red Dragon Mountain Range.

A natural habitat.

Logically, there should have been birds, beasts, and monsters roaming the area late at night. But at this moment, within a radius of dozens of meters, more than a dozen tents were densely packed. The raincoats draped over the tents were old and worn, the anchor nails tangled with ropes were rusted, and they surrounded several small wooden houses in a semicircle. Numerous torches had been set up throughout the camp, casting a bright glow. The grass on the ground had been trampled flat, revealing the yellow-brown soil underneath.

Humans had driven out the native wildlife and taken over the land.

More than thirty figures stood in the torchlight, silently watching a single thin man seated before them.

At his feet lay a burly man with a full beard, nearly twice the size of the seated man, yet he had been kicked into the mud and lay unconscious.

"How many times have I told you—I'm not gathering you here just for highway robbery, but for the bounty of one thousand gold coins! So why are some of you still secretly stirring up trouble? Sneaking off to the north to sell slaves? Is that what the Night Lion Boss ordered you to do?"

The thin man looked somewhat feminine, eyes half-lidded as he surveyed the bandits around him. None dared meet his gaze.

Silence stretched long. Finally, everyone turned their eyes to the bald man standing nearest the thin man. The bald man drew a deep breath and spoke in a steady tone.

"Boss Leopard, everyone thinks that Allen ran off a long time ago. Staying here like this won't solve anything. If this keeps up, not only will we not get the thousand gold coins, but everyone's hands are tied. You summoned us here suddenly, and we've been here a while now without a single lead. Who's to say the Night Lion Boss's intel wasn't..."

Bang!

Blood and brain matter exploded into the air. The bald man looked down in horror to see that the head of the burly man beneath Leopard's feet had been crushed into pulp.

Leopard squinted, scanning the crowd.

"Do you think this is a negotiation?"

Everyone stared at the corpse on the ground in shock.

Leopard continued, his voice now dripping with anger.

"First of all, I can confirm that the information source is real. And if you dare question the Night Lion Boss again, let's just say it won't end well."

As he spoke, Leopard looked around at the pale, panicked faces of the bandits. Then, with a soft sigh, his tone softened back into its usual feminine lilt.

"You were all raised by the Night Lion Boss from the slave market. You should know he's not the kind of man who'd throw away his brothers' lives lightly. There's a deeper reason for this order. Let me make it clear: he's under tremendous pressure—pressure that concerns the very survival of our bandit group."

Whispers broke out among the men, surprised and uncertain. The murmuring grew until it was silenced by the sound of a blade being drawn.

Leopard stabbed his sword into the ground. The hilt buzzed with tension.

"The pressure is coming from powerful forces at the capital. That's why you need patience. Each of you is a mid-level swordsman or higher—some are even senior swordsmen. Why else would you all be gathered here from across the Kingdom of Asura?"

"Do you really think you're here to rob commoners? Think carefully."

Leopard let his words hang in the air, observing the uncertain faces of his men. Then he exhaled again.

"Alright. Get back to your duties. Keep the perimeter secure."

The men stood silent for a moment, then slowly dispersed in small groups. Before long, only the bald man remained.

Leopard gestured for him to approach.

"You still haven't found Black Wolf and the others?"

The panic on the bald man's face disappeared. He leaned in and spoke in a low voice.

"Not yet. Your speech calmed them for now, but it's only a temporary fix. They're probably out wandering or slipped into Rigate for fun. Those three are strong. They're used to bullying local bandits and don't take orders easily. We have to deal with the real issue: that kid, Allen..."

Leopard turned to him with a blank expression.

"Grey Eagle, do you not believe me? Or are you saying I was just bluffing?"

Grey Eagle paused, his expression troubled.

"I believe you. But… isn't James supposed to be the most powerful figure in the capital right now? He's just a junior minister, hasn't even succeeded Shao Ross yet. How could he have the power to pressure the Night Lion Boss?"

"If it were James, would that be enough?"

Grey Eagle's eyes widened.

"That can't be..."

Leopard's voice was soft, nearly weightless, but the weight of what he said sent shockwaves through Grey Eagle's mind.

"It's not James. It's Darius."

"Darius?!"

Grey Eagle glanced around nervously, then leaned in closer.

"You mean Senior Minister Darius, the first prince's favorite?! Are you saying he's suddenly into boys now? Has a thing for Allen? What if the kid cuts his head off when they sleep together?"

Leopard pinched the bridge of his nose, shooting Grey Eagle a look of disdain.

"What are you thinking? Of course not. That's not the reason. But it's a fact that he's pressuring the Night Lion Boss. Otherwise, why else would the boss dip into such a messy situation? James is irrelevant."

Grey Eagle swallowed.

"So, you're saying… if the intel is real, then Allen Boreas Greyrat really is hiding somewhere in the southern foothills of the Red Dragon Mountains? Then shouldn't we be expanding our search? Why are we stuck in this small area? The forest is huge—just stopping and questioning people won't help us find him."

Leopard frowned.

". . .I'm confused about that too. But the orders we received were to stay put and wait."

"Who's there?!"

A shout rang out from the front of the camp. Leopard and Grey Eagle both turned their heads at the same time.

From the edge of the firelight, a short figure emerged from the darkness.

It was a young man wearing glasses—no, a boy.

He smiled, calmly slid his bloodied glasses into his blood-soaked swordsman's coat, and looked straight toward the camp.

"Who are you?"

In response, Allen raised both hands and spread them out as if presenting himself.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm the one you've been looking for."