Together with Neun-san and Eden-san, I walked away from Heroās Hill and left Kuro and Dr. Vier alone. The weather was fine, and the occasional breeze felt good on my body, which had been flushed from all the running.
[Even so, it was a relief, wasnāt it?]
[Yes, I agree. This should take some of the burden off Vierās shoulders. By the wayā¦ā¦ Kaito-san.]
[Yes?]
[Ummm, errrā¦ā¦ you seeā¦ā¦ She has been āmenacingly glaring at meā since a while ago, can I ask who this person who had an outrageous amount of magic power is? My body is instinctively shaking and I canāt walk properlyā¦ā¦]
Itās easy for me to forget because of my Sympathy Magic, but having powerful magic power could feel oppressive to others, although it may not be as intimidating as Isis-sanās magic power of death. Although it would be impossible to put pressure on others with only the magic power clad in their bodies, unless theyāre as strong as the Six Kingsā¦ā¦ Well, Eden-san has more power than some of them, so the pressure Neun-san is feeling must be quite considerable. There are those who suppress their magic so as not to intimidate others, like Kuro, and there are those who have no intention of suppressing it, like Shiro. It seems like Eden-san is the latter typeā¦ā¦ Neun-sanās body was slightly shaking from earlier just because of her presence.
[Errr, this is Eden-sanā¦ā¦ So to speak, sheās errrā¦ā¦ the God of our previous world.]
[ā¦ā¦I- Is that soā¦ā¦ A- And so, why is she glaring at me? E- Eden-sama?]
When Neun-san timidly asked her that, Eden-san stared at Neun-san with a serious look on her faceā¦ā¦ before she muttered to herself.
[ā¦ā¦This is difficult.]
[Ehh? E- Errr, Kaito-san?]
[Iām sorry. I have no idea what sheās thinking either.]
The words Eden-san muttered made me and Neun-san tilt our heads, but the words she muttered after thatā¦ā¦ made me feel like the hairs on my body are rising.
[The soul is that of my child, but the body doesnāt belong to one of my ownā¦ā¦ Should I consider her as my child, or see her the same as the other talking lumps of fleshā¦ā¦. How troubling.]
[Isnāt it fine to consider her as also your child!? I think whatās most important is the soul!!!]
I reflexively shouted. The reason is that I understood what was troubling Eden-sanās mind when she looked at Neun-san. She was born on the same Earth as me, the world created by Eden-san, but she was reborn as a Demon by Kuroās power. Perhaps, that is what was troubling Eden-san. And although we havenāt known each other long, I too have some grasp of Eden-sanās overly intense personality, and I also believe that whether or not she is her child could make a big difference in how she treats Neun-san.
ā¦ā¦ No, I mean, sheās totally categorizing between her child or ātalking lump of fleshā, and furthermore, when Shiro-san talked about Eden-san before, she mentioned how she dotes on those who were born in the world she created. Feeling that if she considered her not her child, the worst that could happen is that Neun-sanās life could be at stake, so I called out to Neun-san with a desperate look on my face.
[Right, Neun-san? Neun-san still considers yourself as Japanese, right?]
[Y- Yesā¦ā¦ Thatās right. I have been reborn in this world, but Japan is still definitely my spiritual home.]
Seeing my desperation, Neun-san seemed to have guessed something and affirmed my words. Thereupon, after a short silence, the intimidating pressure around Eden-san eased up.
[ā¦ā¦I see, it certainly was as my beloved child says. Whatās important isnāt the flesh, but the soul in it.]
[Y- Yes, thatās right! Thatās definitely it!]
Eden-san seemed to have recognized Neun-san as her own child, and with a gentle smile on her lips, she placed her hand on her head and gently stroked it.
[Even if you now live in another world, you are my precious child. If you ever need help, you can always rely on Mother.]
[Eh? Ah, yes. T- Thank you very much.]
It seems like we managed to weather through the crisis. Eden-sanās love for Neun-san didnāt seem to be as muddled and crazy as it was for me, and she really seemed like a mother who was concerned about her own child. W- Well, letās just leave it at thatā¦ā¦ I should thank her for her helpā¦ā¦
[ā¦ā¦Eden-san, thank you for helping me today.]
[Thereās no need to thank me, for itās natural for Mother to help youā¦ā¦ āmy beloved childā.]
As soon as I heard those words, I immediately turned around and started running. I donāt have any clear reason for why I ran away, but my instincts must have reacted the moment I saw the murky heart in Eden-sanās eyes.
[Fufu, arenāt you quite lively? However, that wonāt do. You canāt just suddenly run, you may trip and fall, you know?]
[ā¦ā¦Ah, yes.]
I thought I started running, but for some reason, I was currently being hugged!? This is bad, I canāt run away!? As I was caught, red alerts began sounding off in my headā¦ā¦ but surprisingly, Eden-san immediately let go of my body and smiled.
[ā¦ā¦Errrā¦ā¦]
Eden-san isnāt saying a word. She was just staring at me with a smile. Something feels strange though. She supposedly has a very beautiful smile on her lips, but I canāt stop the chills that were running down my spineā¦ā¦ My limbs should have been free, but I canāt help but wonder if thatās really the caseā¦ā¦ A- Anyway, this silence is hard on my mental healthā¦ā¦ I think I should say somethingā¦ā¦
[ā¦ā¦Ummm, even if youāre saying that you donāt mind, Eden-san, but since you helped me, Iād like to thank you in some wayā¦ā¦ Ahh, t- thatās right! Eden-san, if itās alright with you, would you like to participate in the Six Kings? Ummm, I can invite you with my invitationā¦ā¦]
After I said it, I immediately regretted it. I wonder why Iām trying to strangle myselfā¦ā¦ However, it was already too late, as Eden-sanās smile grew deeper.
[My, my, my child is inviting mother huh. Ahh, Iām really glad. Of course, mother will be happy to acceptā¦ā¦ Ahh, donāt worry. It seems like my child already have his own plans, so I will be sightseeing on my own. I need to make sure that this world is a good environment for my child. Yes, of course, I donāt doubt my childās eyes. However, mother is a worrier. Iām just worried that there might be some trash out there thatās going to harm my child. Yes, thatās right. I donāt want anyone to harm my child, and I wonāt allow for such a thing to happen. My childās body and mind are sacred. Yes, thereās no way that I would allow anyone to defile it. Such a thing should have been the truth of the world, but there are too many lumps of flesh who couldnāt comprehend something so obvious. There are also unnecessary obstacles not only for my beloved child, but also for my other children who now lives in this world. That being the case, is it not the duty of I, their mother, to correct it? However, thereās my promise with that God half-body, and I also have to consider Shallow Vernal, so itās difficult to erase those obstacles. If someone harms my child, I think I will be able to acquire permission from Shallow Vernal to obliterate themā¦ā¦ but if theyāre still just people who could possibly hurt him, it will be difficult to punish them. I would like to erase them while itās still just a possibility, but this isnāt my world, so I canāt just do that. Besides, my beloved child who holds a gentle heart may be sad, so I suppose it would be better to change my plans. Yes, thatās rightā¦ā¦ letās āeducateā them. Letās educate all these lumps of flesh so that they do not disrespect my child. Yes, thatās it! As expected, the environment around my child should be one easy for him to live in! Speaking of which, there were those āfools who dared to give my child troubleā earlier, werenāt there? It seems like the first person I need to educate has been decided. Yes, well then, letās immediatelyā¦ā¦]
[Eden-san! Stop! Stoooooopppp!]
As I thought, she really is super scary! Neun-san already looks really uncomfortableā¦ā¦Ā No, of course, I understand how she feels. Iām sure that Neun-san had also guessed who Eden-san was from the conversation up to this point, so she must have been quite shocked.
[E- Eden-san, I- Iām glad with the thought butā¦ā¦ I- Itās alright! Please donāt do that! Please!]
[ā¦ā¦I see. If thatās what my child wants, I wonāt do it.]
[T- Thank you.]
[Well then, my beloved child, Iāll take my leave now. If you need me again, you can call me anytime. Mother will always be on your side.]
[ā¦ā¦Y- Yes.]
Seeing that Eden-san somehow understood me, I patted my chest in relief. However, it really is a bit surprisingā¦ā¦ I didnāt think that she would easily say she would leave. I thought asking her to go home would be the hardest thing to persuade her for, but I never expected that she would say it herselfā¦ā¦ Wait. Ahh, thatās right. I guess it was because āKuro is nearbyā huhā¦ā¦
After smiling at me and Neun-san again, Eden-san was enveloped in light before she disappeared. How should I say thisā¦ā¦ Iām really tired. This trump cardā¦ā¦ The āfeather that can summon Eden-san at any timeā, but itās also a double-edged sword that can chip away my mindā¦ā¦ Letās hold back in using this again. Even so, unnnā¦ā¦ The way things went, I ended up inviting Eden-san to the Six Kings Festivalā¦ā¦ W- Would it be alright? I wishā¦ā¦ that it will be alright.
After Eden-san left, Neun-san and I stopped after walking a considerable distance away from Kuro and Dr. Vier.
[Ahh, speaking of whichā¦ā¦ We were brought here with Eden-sanās power, but we forgot to tell Lilia-san and the others that the battle is overā¦ā¦]
[Ahhh, you donāt have to worry about that.]
It was Alice, not Neun-san, who answered the question that suddenly popped out of my mind.
[I have left Alice-chan Clone #44: Phantasmal King Version over there, so Iāll tell the people over there what happened.]
[I- I see, thank you.]
[Yes, yes. Well then, if you still have any orders, just call me~~]
After she said that she told Lilia and the others about how the situation is alright now, Alice disappeared again. Alice is someone who immediately understands the situation and somehow works on it, and thatās why I could really rely on her. As Alice disappears, Neun-san begins to restlessly look around. After that, Neun-san fluidly kneeled down and placed three fingers of both of her hands on the groundā¦ā¦ and bowed down in a dogeza.
[ā¦ā¦Kaito-san, I apologize for all the trouble I brought you!]
[Ehh? Ah, errrā¦ā¦]
[Iām sorry for the inconvenience I caused by being blind to my own weakness. I will definitely apologize for this!]
[N- No!? Iām fine with the apologies, so please raise your head!]
[H- Howeverā¦ā¦]
Apparently, Neun-san is very concerned about having antagonized me before, as she kept lowering her head, as if it was about to graze on the ground. I didnāt really mind about what happened before, so I tried asking Neun-san to raise her head, but she isnāt raising her head at all. How should I say thisā¦ā¦ being bowed down in a dogeza like this feels kinda awkwardā¦ā¦ Iām not even going to ask her to apologizeā¦ā¦
[A- Anyway, I donāt mind about it, okay!?]
[ā¦ā¦Yes.]
After a few more words, Neun-san reluctantly raised her head, but she still looked like she was concerned about it. H- Hmmm. The air feels heavyā¦.. I- Is there any good topic that we could divert the conversation to? Something that could change the current moodā¦ā¦
[ā¦ā¦S- Speaking of which!]
[Yes?]
[If this is the Heroās Hill, the āFriendship Cityā should be nearby, right!? It seems like the two of them would be talking for a while. S- Since weāre nearbyā¦ā¦ How about we kill some time and look aroundā¦ā¦]
[Wha!?]
It was just a diversion I suggested in desperation butā¦ā¦ Neun-sanās reaction was very different from what I expected. The moment Neun-san heard my words, her face looked full of despair, as if the world had ended. As she began to sweat profusely, she muttered.
[ā¦ā¦K- Kaito-sanā¦ā¦ Y- You were that angryā¦ā¦]
[ā¦ā¦Ehh?]
[I- Iām really sorry! I- I will do anything! Anything but thatā¦ā¦]
[Eh? Ehhh!?]
For some reason, Neun-san bowed her head again, more vigorously than before. Eh? Why? Did I say something strange? As I was being puzzled by her actions, Aliceās voice came out of nowhere.
[ā¦ā¦As expected of Kaito-san, trying to take Hikari-san to āthe place she least wants to visit in the worldā. It certainly is a punishment that does immense damage to her sense of shame.]
[U- Unnn? W- What do you mean?]
[Eh? Well, after all, in the Friendship City Hikari, there are many statues of Hikari-san erected over thereā¦ā¦]
[ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦.]
Ahhhhhhhh!? Oh sh*t! I- I seeā¦ā¦ The Friendship City is, in essence, a place where they honor the First Heroā¦ā¦
So to speak, itās something like a head temple for a cult that worships the First Hero, and itās a place that Neun-san would never want to go near. And then, even though I was completely unaware of all this, I still invited Neun-san who was feeling responsible for what happened earlier. In other words, for Neun-san, what I said earlier wasā¦ā¦ āAs punishment, Iām going to make you feel the greatest shame of all. You have no right to refuse.āā¦ā¦ or something like that.
[T- Thatās not it! Neun-san, I never meant such a thing when I said thatā¦ā¦ P- Please raise your head! Itās alright!]
[H- However, Kaito-san is mad at meā¦ā¦]
[Iām not mad at you! Iām telling the truth, okay!?]
[In that case, I should really offer my apologyā¦ā¦]
[Does my words not make any sense in your mind!?]
[Y- You really are angryā¦ā¦]
[No, no, like I said, Iām not angry!]
[Then, my apologyā¦ā¦]
[What the heck is with this infinite loop!?]
ā¦ā¦This wonāt do. Once she starts thinking in a negative direction, sheās become as stubborn as hell. I certainly was at fault because I said something carelessly, but it seems like in Neun-sanās mindā¦ā¦ Me refusing her apology = Me being angry. I feel like this would go on and on until I receive some kind of apologyā¦ā¦ Should I just get her to do something?
[ā¦ā¦E- Errr, thenā¦ā¦]
For now, I thought of something safe for her to do as an apology. Approaching Neun-san, who was still bowing her head, I whispered to her. What Iām making her do wonāt be too much of a burden to Neun-san, and Iām also going to be grateful to her for itā¦ā¦ I guess it would be a good request for something I thought impromptu huh? However, Neun-sanās response to itā¦ā¦ was also different from what I expected.
[ā¦ā¦Fueehhh? T- T- T- That is, perhapsā¦ā¦ A- Aahhhā¦ā¦ I- Iāve heard of it beforeā¦ā¦ I- It was a secret code, rightā¦ā¦?]
[Errrā¦ā¦ Neun-san?]
For some reason, Neun-san raises her bright red face, stares at me with a worried look on her face. Eh? Whatās with her reaction? Thereupon, Neun-san puts her hand on her chin. Looking down on the ground, she began mumbling something.
[ā¦ā¦P- Premarital intercourseā¦ā¦ H- However, I did say Iād do anythingā¦ā¦ Aahhh, but doing such a thing before our marriage isā¦ā¦ No, but I canāt just retract my previous statementā¦ā¦ H- However, thatās embarrassingā¦ā¦. But thenā¦ā¦]
[ā¦ā¦Neun-san? Neun-san!]
[Hyaahhh!?]
[A- Are you alright?]
[I- I- Iām awwieright!?]
ā¦ā¦Eh? What did she say?
[ā¦ā¦E- Errr, you could just say it if you donāt want to, you know? If you donāt like it, I could just think of another thing to askā¦ā¦]
[N- No! I- I donāt mind! I know Iām not knowledgeable about this, but Iāll do everything in my power to āmake amends with my bodyā! I donāt mind doing that as my apology!]
ā¦ā¦Somethingās wrong. As I thought, somethingās wrong. Why the heck does it look like sheās ready to face her death? Just nowā¦ā¦ I should have said āIām going to come visit her next time, so please prepare something tasty for meā to herā¦ā¦ H- Hmmm. With the way Neun-san looks right now, is she planning to cook me a fancy meal? Itās not like she needs to prepare that muchā¦ā¦
[Ah, well, you donāt have to get that worked up about it, you know?]
[N- No! This is an important matter, so Iāll make sure Iām prepared!]
[I- Is that soā¦ā¦]
[Ah, s- should I prepare a bath as well?]
[Eh? You donāt really have to go that farā¦ā¦ but if Neun-san doesnāt mind.]
What a surprise. Not only the meal, sheās asking me if sheās going to prepare a bath as well. She doesnāt have to be so considerate thoughā¦ā¦ I wonder if the bath at Neun-sanās home is something like a cypress bath? If thatās the case, Iād like to take a bath in it.
[ā¦ā¦U- Ummmā¦ā¦ Kaito-sanā¦ā¦ Which do you like better, a kimono or a yukata?]
[ā¦ā¦E- Errr, I guess I like yukata better?]
To be honest, I donāt even know the difference between a kimono and a yukataā¦ā¦ Rather than that, why is she asking such a thing?
[ā¦ā¦Alice-chan is also surprised. I was aware that she was pretty clunky in that area too, but I didnāt realize she was that badā¦ā¦ Well, it looks interesting, so Iāll just leave it at that.]
It seems like Kuro and Dr. Vier was still talking with each other, so Neun-san and I passed the time chatting. After a while, I started to feel hungry.
[Iām kinda hungry.]
[Me too. I was moving a lot todayā¦ā¦ Embarrassing it may be, Iām also hungry.]
Now that the matter with Dr. Vier had been settled, the tension disappeared and my stomach growled in hunger. Iād really like to have something to eat, but I canāt just go to the Friendship City in the presence of Neun-san. Though I say that, I also donāt feel like going home already.
[Hmmm. I wonder if thereās something I could eat here?]
I figured that there should at least be some white rice and pickled daikon radish in my magic box. As I made the magic box appear in my palm, Alice appeared right at that moment.
[ā¦ā¦Alice?]
[ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦.]
Alice silently took out a piece of wood from nowhere, and when her hand seemed to glow for a moment, a rather magnificent stall had been suddenly erected. On top of the stall, thereās a sign that reads āAlice-chanās Tasty Food Stallā.
[Incidentally, the price of our productsā special value āincludes the travel expensesā!]
[ā¦ā¦]
ā¦ā¦This f*cking b*stard. Just a few days passed and she has become quite good at doing business huhā¦ā¦ She even set up two chairs at the counter. No matter how I look at it, it looks like she would try to rip us off. Unfortunately though, itās working very well for us. Neun-san and I looked at each other, before only letting out a sigh of resignation and sitting down at the counter seats.
[Welcome~~ Hereās the menu.]
[ā¦ā¦Unnn?]
[Errrā¦ā¦ Phantasmal King-sama? What in the world is this?]
[It is just as written there, you know?]
With a big smile on her face, Alice handed us the menu with just the words āAnything: Market Valueā. Does that mean sheāll cook whatever we want, but the price depends on what item we order? I know that Alice is amazingā¦ā¦ but can she really make any kind of item? Perhaps sensing my doubts, Alice fearlessly smiled and spoke.
[Oya? Are you doubting me? Well then, how about we make a deal? ā¦ā¦If I canāt make what you ask, or if it doesnāt taste good, āthat meal is freeā. However, if itās goodā¦ā¦ How about āone gold coinā per meal?]
[One gold coinā¦ā¦ Are you trying to overcharge me again?]
[Itās not that Iām doubting Phantasmal King-samaā¦ā¦ but Iām picky about Japanese food, you know?]
If she canāt make the dish that Neun-san and I ordered, itās free, and if she can make it well, it would be one gold coinā¦ā¦ Thatās 1 million yen. Alice seems like sheās quite confident though. However, I donāt think the odds are against us. If itās a dish that doesnāt exist in this world, even if itās Alice weāre talking about, thereās no way that she will be able to make it.
[ā¦..Okay. Iāll take that bet.]
[As expected of Kaito-san, always easy to talk with~~ Well then, please place your orderā¦ā¦]
When I told her that Iāll take her bet, Alice deeply smiles and prompts me to order.
[W- Well then, Iāll have 'sushiā.]
Following her words, Neun-san ordered sushiā¦ā¦ Isnāt that quite a good order? Rice meals arenāt common in this world after all. Iāve seen sashimi being served in the Hydra Kingdom before, but I donāt remember ever seeing sushi. It also takes quite a skill to make tasty sushi. Just as I thought that Neun-san is getting a free mealā¦ā¦
[If itās nigiri sushi youāre looking for, we have regular, top-tier and special. Which one would you like?]
[Mhmmā¦ā¦W- Well then, Iāll take the special oneā¦ā¦]
[Yes, yes.]
However, contrary to my expectations, Alice simply asked which type of nigiri sushi she wanted. T- This womanā¦ā¦ She knows about sushi. S- Should I say that itās to be expected from the Phantasmal Kingā¦ā¦
No, not yet. Itās still unclear what it tastes like. Iāve heard that Neun-san is very picky about Japanese food, so she wonāt just easily accept somethingā¦ā¦ Immediately after I thought about this, a beautiful set of nigiri sushi was placed in front of Neun-san. Looking at the nigiri sushiā¦ā¦ Neun-san silently took out a gold coin from her pocket and placed it on the counter.
[ā¦ā¦Itās my loss.]
[Thank you for your patronage~~]
She was instantly defeated!?
[Eh? N- Neun-san!? You still havenāt tasted it though!?]
[ā¦ā¦I donāt need to eat this to know how it tastes. These will definitely be deliciousā¦ā¦]
The Japanese Food-Fanatic Neun-san is saying that this sushi will definitely be delicious just by looking at itā¦ā¦ Alice, what a frightening person you are.
[Now then, what will you be having, Kaito-san~~?]
[Ughhā¦ā¦ Kuhh, I- I will haveā¦ā¦]
Sushi doesnāt work huhā¦ā¦ What should I get then? Food that doesnāt exist in this worldā¦ā¦ Remember it, me. Iāve been in this world for six months. Iāve also read the guidebook that Kuro gave me, and I know that āthatā isnāt there.
[ā¦ā¦āRamenāā¦ā¦.]
Yes, when I think of noodle dishes in this world, the only thing I think of is the dishes made from pastaā¦ā¦ To be honest, I havenāt seen any noodle dishes other than that, and Iāve already confirmed that there are no ramen shops here. I remembered wanting to eat ramen and tried looking it up in Kuroās guidebook, but I felt depressed because I couldnāt find itā¦ā¦ With this, I should have a good chance of winning the betā¦ā¦.
[What flavor do you want? Salt? Miso? Soy sauce? Tonkotsu? Paitan? I can also make tantanmen, you know?]
[ā¦ā¦Whaā¦ā¦ Kuhhā¦ā¦ Iāll have a tonkotsu-shoyuā¦ā¦]
[How firm do you want the noodles?]
[ā¦ā¦Firm enough.]
[Yes, yes.]
ā¦ā¦This wonāt do. She also knows what ramen isā¦ā¦ N- No, I still donāt know what it tastes like yet! Thereās still a chance that it might not taste goodā¦ā¦ even though it might be a really small percentage chance. A little while later, a ramen that had a delicious aroma was placed in front of me.
[Here you go~~ Iāve also added pork chashu as a service.]
[T- Thanksā¦ā¦ Thank you for the meal.]
Itās a great consideration for a young man with a hearty appetiteā¦ā¦ This is bad. I canāt see a future where I can win this bet. I mean, she even prepared a renge spoon and disposable chopsticksā¦ā¦ Picking up the renge spoon, I timidly took a sip of the soupā¦ā¦ and ate a mouthful of the noodlesā¦ā¦ before I took out a gold coin and placed it on the counter.
[ā¦ā¦.Itās my loss.]
[Thank you for your patronage~~]
Vexing it may be, but that ramen was super tasty, you know!? She looks so annoying with that smug smile on her face, but it tastes so good that I canāt even complain!!! Itās been a long time since Iāve had ramen, but I knew that the thick broth goes well with the noodles and the thick slice of the pork chashu was also juicy. There was nothing for me to complain about. This was a complete defeatā¦ā¦. An utter defeat that makes me glad even though I lost.
[ā¦ā¦Ummm, Alice.]
[What is it?]
[ā¦ā¦Perhaps, could you make a gyudon or a burger?]
[If you order now, just with an additional āone copper coinā for the magic box, you can order it for take out, you know?]
[ā¦ā¦How expensive. Iāll buy it.]
[Thank you for your patronage~~]
An additional 10,000 yen per dishā¦ā¦ Itās very expensive, but I want to eat it. Iād certainly like to order several dishes, especially gyudon and burger, because I sometimes have this irresistible urge to eat them.
[Ahh, by the way, we also have Japanese sweets like dorayaki and such!]
[Iāll buy it!]
And Neun-san just took a bite out of her sales pitch! Unnn, this is hopeless alreadyā¦ā¦ The situation is completely swaying to Aliceās favor. However, I canāt winā¦ā¦ I will still buy them.
ļ¼ ļ¼ ļ¼ ļ¼ ļ¼ ļ¼ ļ¼ ļ¼ ļ¼ ļ¼
While Kaito and Neun were enjoying Aliceās cooking, the people who had gathered in front of the church in Symphonia Kingdom were beginning to disperse. When Aliceās clone told them that Vierās situation had been resolved, the people present looked relieved.
[Umu, he has successfully accomplished it huhā¦ā¦ Hmmm, that manā¦ā¦ I really like him. Hey, young Liliaā¦ā¦ Could I bring him along back to Hydra Kingdom?]
""
[You canāt.]
[A- An immediate reply huhā¦ā¦ Hmmm, what a shame. Well, fine. Itās not really my thing to force peopleā¦ā¦ By the way, young Lilia? It seems like youāve become stronger than before huh?]
[Is that so? If Her Majesty Laguna tells me that, itās making me feel that it really was the case.]
As soon as the situation was settled, Laguna spoke to Lilia, someone who she was familiar with, and Lilia replied to her with a wry smile.
The two women had crossed blades in the past, and because of the presence of Laguna, who was even stronger than her, the genius Lilia continued with her training without becoming complacent at all.
[You donāt need to be modest. Good gracious, young people grow up so fastā¦ā¦ With the speed of young Liliaās progress, it looks like you would take the title of the Strongest in the Human Realm soon.]
[Itās Your Majesty Laguna instead that shouldnāt be so modestā¦ā¦ The way I am now is still no match for you. If luck were on my side, I would be very happy to get a draw.]
[Hohohoā¦ā¦ In that case, would you like to have a fight with me now?]
[I donāt really mind butā¦ā¦ Do you not have any work you need to do, Your Majesty Laguna?]
[Ughhā¦ā¦ T- That isā¦ā¦]
Seeing how much Lilia has grown since the last time they fought, Lagunaās blood as a warrior rises and she proposes for a match, but Lilia calmly asks her back.
[ā¦ā¦Did you sneak out again? Wouldnāt your subordinates be frantically searching for you right now?]
[M- Mnghhā¦ā¦ Iād like to abdicate my throne as soon as possible butā¦ā¦ Guhhā¦ā¦ Hahhā¦ā¦ Guess Iāll go home. If I go home late, theyāll start nagging about things again.]
Just as Lilia expected, Laguna had slipped out of the royal castle without telling anyone. Even though she usually does thisā¦ā¦ No, itās exactly because she usually does this, that she knew that her subordinates would scold her for this again. As her shoulders slumped down, Laguna let out a sigh before she carried her large spear again, waving her hand as she left. After seeing her off, Lilia spoke to Lunamaria and Sieglinde, who were standing nearby.
[When Illness comes back, shall we go home too?]
[Yesā¦ā¦ However, errr, Milady? What in the world was that fight all about anyway? I understand that Dr. Vier was involved in this matter butā¦ā¦ I donāt really know the details.]
[I actually donāt know the details eitherā¦ā¦ Well, letās just ask Kaito-san when he comes back.]
[Hmmm, I wonder why though. This situation, this lineup, the people who gathered hereā¦ā¦ and Kaito-sanās involvement in this matterā¦ā¦ Could this be another situation that would make Lili faint?]
[ā¦ā¦Please donāt spout ominous things, Sieg. Well, it should be alright. Iāve already met the Six Kings and the Supreme Gods. Iāve also briefly greeted the God of Disasters this time, and it seems like Kaito-san got acquainted with Her Majesty Laguna through this matterā¦ā¦ Thereās no other outrageous people that Kaito-san would get to meet anymore.]
When Sieglinde mentioned her worries, with a forced smile on her lips, Lilia said this as if she was telling this to herself.
[ā¦ā¦Kaito-san is involved in this matter, so thereās a chance that the Demon Lord had actually survived the war and is currently targeting Dr. Vier, you know?]
[Fufufu, if the Demon Lord really survived the war, that would turn this into a really important matterā¦ā¦ But then, there wouldnāt be any reason for Sechs-sama and the others to get involved, so perhaps, this may have something to do with Underworld King-sama?]
[Ahh~~ That seems to be the most likely scenario.]
Just as Lilia laughed off Lunamariaās comment, which was actually the closest to the real situation, Illness and Funf returned. Lilia and the others were already aware that Illness was a Peak Count-rank, so without being surprised to find that she hadnāt suffered any significant external injuries even after a fierce battle with Funf, they spoke.
[ā¦ā¦By the way, Illness, do you know the circumstances of the events here?]
[I dunnoooo? I just came here after Miladyyyyyy, so I wouldnāt knoooooow.]
[I see. Well, there are many other questions I would like to ask you, but Iāll ask them when Kaito-san returnsā¦ā¦ Shall we go back to the mansion?
Saying this, Lilia called out to Anima and the others before returning to the mansion.
After Lilia, her group and the other Demons left, Sechs and Shea, who remained until the end, exchanged a few words. Funf was the only other remaining member of the group, but she didnāt participate in the conversation and was just looking up at the sky, seemingly thinking about something.
[ā¦ā¦Even so, Miyama-dono really is quite amazing. Starting with you, to have so many alliesā¦ā¦]
[Itās not like Iām his ally. I mean, I āhateā him.]
[Oya? Is that so? You seem to have been very enthusiastic in helping him though.]
[ā¦ā¦Thatās ridiculous. I only helped that human because he bowed down his head and begged for my help.]
[Doesnāt that mean that you like Miyama-dono?]
Shea claims to hate Kaito, but Sechs asked her if itās because she likes him that she lent him a hand. Thereupon, Shea let out a loud sigh. Turning her back from Sechs, she spoke to him while walking away.
[ā¦ā¦Great Sage of the Dead. Let me tell you one thing.]
[What is it?]
[Emotions arenāt just something being simply positive or negative, you know? The opposite of like isnāt hateā¦ā¦ In this world, there are complicated feelings of āliking someone, but hating them, and hating someone, even as you like themā.]
[ā¦ā¦Fumuā¦ā¦ Well then, what do you think about Miyama-dono?]
In response to Sechsā question, Shea stopped in her tracksā¦ā¦ And without looking back, a faint smile formed on her lips as she mumbled.
[ā¦ā¦Well, you could say that he barely passes. If something like this happens againā¦ā¦ I would probably lend him a hand again.]
[Hohhā¦ā¦ My, oh myā¦ā¦ In short, you say all sorts of things, but you like him huh?]
[ā¦ā¦How the heck did you get that idea from what I just said?]
[No, itās just that no matter how I heard it, it sounded like you evaluate Miyama-dono highlyā¦ā¦ Ahh, I see!]
[ā¦ā¦Unnn?]
Sheaās tone was clearly sounding irritated, but clapping his hands as if he had suddenly thought of something, Sechs aloofly spoke.
[ā¦ā¦Itās that thing, isnāt it? This is that rumored ātsundereā, right?]
[ā¦ā¦Huh? Youāre wrong. What the heck are you talking aboutā¦ā¦]
[Itās that tropeā¦ā¦ Where youāre saying you hate this person, but you actuallyā¦ā¦]
[Thereās no way that is the case! I hate himā¦ā¦]
[But you also like him, right?]
[Wha!?]
The calm demeanor Shea had a moment ago completely changedā¦ā¦ No, more like the mask she wears as the pinnacle of the High-ranking God has been removed, as she flusteredly denies Sechsā words. Sechs, however, continued to speak with an amused smile on his face.
[Well~~ Miyama-dono is quite the lucky man~~ Even the God of Disasters like himā¦ā¦]
[S- S- S- Shut up! Didnāt I tell you youāre wrong!? Die! Go rot somewhere, you sh*tty skeleton!!!]
[O- Oya!? W- Wait!?]
Her face becoming redder and redder, before Shea knew it, she had taken out her scythe and turned towards Sechs. All for the sake of sanctioning a certain Lich for his lack of delicacyā¦ā¦.
[F- Funf-dono, please help meā¦ā¦]
[ā¦ā¦Hmmm, I guess I really should apologize properly afterwards. I suppose I should bring some sort of souvenirā¦ā¦. However, I wonder what would be good? No, before that, I will be visiting a Duchessā home, so I would need to ask him in advance by letterā¦ā¦]
[Funf-dono!?]
[In the first place, the Six Kings Festival would be coming up soon, so he may be busy with preparationsā¦ā¦ In that case, I guess it would be better to do it at a later dateā¦ā¦ Or better yet, at the time of the Six Kings Festival.]
ļ¼ ļ¼ ļ¼ ļ¼ ļ¼ ļ¼ ļ¼ ļ¼ ļ¼ ļ¼
After eating a delicious, but rip-off priced meal at Aliceās stall, Neun and I chatted for a while, when Alice suddenly spoke.
[ā¦ā¦Oya? It seems that the conversation over there has ended. Then, I will go clean up now~~]
Saying that, Alice took out a hammer and after making sure we were out of our seats, she tapped the stall a few times, breaking her stall into multiple pieces of wood. I donāt really know why she had to disassemble her stall with a hammer, but this is Alice weāre talking about here, so letās not worry too much about it. Confirming that Alice had disappeared with the wood, I expanded the reach of my Sympathy Magicā¦ā¦ and I could feel magic power coming towards our direction. This magic powerā¦ā¦ I wonder if itās just Dr. Vier? It doesnāt seem like Kuro is with herā¦ā¦
Just when I was thinking about that, a hummingbird from Kuro appeared in front of meā¦ā¦ Opening its message, āIāll come say my thanks again later. Thank you.ā was written on it. Finished reading, almost as soon as the words vanishedā¦ā¦ I saw Dr. Vier running towards us.
[Hikari! Miyama-kun!]
[Dr. Vier, are you finished talkiā¦ā¦ Eh? W- Wait, Dr. Vieā¦ā¦]
[Miyama-kun~~!!!]
[Uwaahhh!?]
When Dr. Vier spotted us, her speed frighteningly increased and she moved in front of me in an instantā¦ā¦ and held my head as if she was hugging meā¦ā¦ Eh?
[Miyama-kun, Miyama-kun!]
[D- Dr. Vier!? W- What are you suddenlyā¦ā¦ It hurtsā¦ā¦]
Pushing my face against her chest, she held me within her embraceā¦ā¦Ā What I mean is that my face was inevitably pressed against Dr. Vierās ample bosomsā¦ā¦ The texture of her silky habit and the feeling of her soft breasts wrap around my face. Also, was this from the herbs sheās raising? A gentle and pleasant, nature-like scent tickled my nostrils. I hurriedly tried to resist the sudden situation, but with my strength, let alone getting out of this situation, I wasnāt even able to move properly. From the corner of my eye, I could see Neun-san hadnāt been able to keep up with the situation and was frozen with her mouth open.
And Dr. Vier, seemingly oblivious to my reaction, not only hugged me but also brought her cheek close and rubbed it against my head.
[Thank you, Miyama-kun. Itās thanks to Miyama-kun that Iā¦ā¦ Ahh, geez! How could I say thisā¦ā¦ I donāt know. I donāt know how I could express my gratitude.]
Still tightly holding me in her embrace, Dr. Vier expressed her gratitude in a very emotional way.
[F- For the time being, letās stop the conversation for a moment andā¦ā¦]
The pressure on my face suffocates me and the vivid feeling of her womanly softness is making me feel faint, as if Iām suffering from a fever.
[What should I do? Youāve done something for me that Iāll never be able to repayā¦ā¦ Even if it includes the sins that Iāll have to atone for the rest of my life, I owe you more than I can ever repayā¦ā¦ Iām glad, I feel really gladā¦ā¦]
[T- That makes me feel glad tooā¦ā¦ But we shouldā¦ā¦ end the talk soonā¦ā¦ It hurtsā¦ā¦]
[Ehh? Aahhh!? I- Iām sorry!? Are you alright, Miyama-kun?]
[ā¦ā¦Y- Yes. Somehowā¦ā¦]
It seems like my voice finally reached her, as Dr. Vier hurriedly released my head. When I looked up while catching my breath, I saw Dr. Vier look at me with tears in her red, swollen eyes, but she still looked sincerely happy.
[ā¦ā¦Hahh!? V- Vier!? What are you suddenly doing!?]
[Iām really grateful to you too, Hikari!]
[Ehh? A- Ahh, yes. Youāre welcome?]
Thereupon, it seems like Neun-san finally snapped out of her confusion and began protesting at her, but she was quickly overwhelmed by Dr. Vier, whose tension was at its highest. Anyway, Dr. Vier seemed to be at the peak of her happiness right now. It seemed like her talk with Kuro had gone well. Thanking Neun-san several times, Dr. Vier then turned to me again and deeply bowed.
[Miyama-kun, thank you again. Iām sorry for all the trouble I caused you.]
[Noā¦ā¦ It seems like the talk with Kuro went well huh?]
[ā¦ā¦Iām going to continue working as a doctor, so I canāt live in Kuromu-samaās homeā¦ā¦ but Kuromu-sama said I could come visit anytimeā¦ā¦ and sheād also come visit me at my homeā¦ā¦]
[ā¦ā¦Thatās really good to hear.]
[ā¦ā¦Unnn. Itās all thanks to you, Miyama-kunā¦ā¦]
Wiping the tears away from her eyes, Dr. Vier then looked straight into my eyes and smiled. The smile on her face, looking as if she had just been released from a long period of suffering was so beautiful, it even makes her seem like sheās shiningā¦ā¦
[Miyama-kun, āIāve come to love you as someone of the opposite sexāā¦ā¦]
[ā¦ā¦Ehh?]
ā¦ā¦U- Unnn? Arehh? Did I just mishear what she said? I think I just heard something strange. Before I could fully understand the meaning of what Dr. Vier had said, Neun-san flusteredly spoke to Dr. Vier.
[Vier!? W- What are you suddenly saying!?]
[Eh? Did I say something strange?]
[N- No, I meanā¦ā¦ A- About how youāve fallen in l- l- l- love with Kaito-sanā¦ā¦]
[Unnn. I donāt think itās anything strange though, after all he has done for me. Something I had never had the courage to doā¦ā¦ He made my dream of making up with Kuromu-sama come true. Looking so cool when heās forcing me to do this, if such a man like that looks at meā¦ā¦ I would obviously fall in love.]
[F- Fall in loveā¦ā¦ That isā¦ā¦]
I- It was a very straightforward confession. I couldnāt keep up with the sudden development, but I know that my face was really blushing red. Neun-san was also dumbfounded, but Dr. Vier didnāt seem to mind at all and continued speaking.
[Ahh, itās alright, Miyama-kun. Itās not like I want you to respond to my feelings or anything like that.]
[E- Errrā¦ā¦]
[Itās just as Miyama-kun told meā¦ā¦ Of course, I will continue to atone for my sins, but at the same time, I also want to be happy.]
[H- Huhhā¦ā¦]
[I really came to love you, who made me realize this feelingā¦ā¦ However, I still donāt think Iām a fine enough of a woman to get your responseā¦ā¦ Thatās why, I will do my best from now on!]
[W- Work hard, you sayā¦ā¦ What do you mean?]
[Of course, I will work hard to make Miyama-kun love me! Fufufu, be prepared for it. It might be unbelievable since Iām the one saying this, but Iām very single-minded and persistent.]
Both Neun-san and I were simply overwhelmed by Dr. Vier, who conveyed her feelings without any shame at all. I- I guess I can say that itās to be expected from someone who started a war just for the sake of the one she lovesā¦ā¦ How should I say thisā¦ā¦ Sheās a very passionate woman.
[Ahh, but I want to ask you something firstā¦ā¦ Miyama-kun, is there anything about my appearance or personality that you dislike? If thereās anything you dislike about me, could you tell me so I can fix it?]
[Eh? N- No, I think Dr. Vier is, ummmā¦ā¦ a very beautiful and wonderful woman.]
[Is that so? Fufufu, thank you. It makes me feel so happy.]
After softly giggling as she said this, Dr. Vier took a step closer to me and spoke again.
[ā¦ā¦Then, Iāll work hard to make you love meā¦ā¦ Once again, I will be in your care, Miyama-kun.]
[Y- Yesā¦ā¦]
[Chuuā¦]
[Wha!?]
It was an instantaneous incident. Dr. Vier approached me, and with a quick, fluid motion, she brought her face to my cheek and lightly kissed it. In an instant, I felt like blood rushed up over my head and I was speechless from astonishment.
[W- What are you doing, Vier!?]
[Ehh? What, you askā¦ā¦ Showing my affection?]
[K- K- K- Kissing before your m- m- m- marriageā¦ā¦]
[Itās not like I kissed him on his lips though? Iāll only do that after Miyama-kun loves me.]
[Thatās not that point though!? T- T- T- Thatās disgraceful!]
[Unnn?]
In contrast to Neun-sanās red-faced exclamation, Dr. Vier just tilted her head in genuine wonderment.
Dear Mom, Dadāāāā A lot of things have happened, but it seems that the matter between Dr. Vier and Kuro has been settled. Well, putting that aside, Dr. Vierā¦ā¦ errr, how should I say thisā¦ā¦ I donāt know if I should say that sheās more straightforward in her expression of affection than I imaginedāāāā but sheās a passionate woman.