Chapter 26: Looking for Someone

Author: Kurohitsuji
Raw: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n2086fk/27/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

Yesterday I went back to the inn dejected, took a bath, and burrowed into bed right away.
And I’m still sleepy.
Hmm. Because I ran wild yesterday, maybe.
I’d like to sleep until noon, but unfortunately I have business today.
I have to go to the royal castle and talk with Katsuragi Kanon.

Unyu… all right! I’ll just wash my face, brush my teeth, and get changed!

○○○○○○○○

Before heading to the castle, I stop by the guild to check with Glad, just in case.
I push the door open and the adventurers in the guild all look this way at once, so I wave for now and they start whispering.
Oi, hey. What is it.

“Ou, morning. Permission’s through, so you’re fine.”
“Thanks. Hey, what’s that?”

I point at the clump of adventurers.
Being that obvious about it doesn’t feel great.

“Ah, that. How do I put it… well, they’re on your side, so don’t worry about it.”
“Haa? That doesn’t make any sense.”
“…By the way, you have foods you like?”
“What’s with that all of a sudden. I like everything, but sweets and meat, I guess.”

Whisper whisper.

“…Sweets, huh.”
“…There’s a famous meat-skewer place in the square.”
“…A shop on the main street with a reputation for good cake.”

Whisper whisper.

“No, Liza wanted to know.”
“I like anything Liza cooks, you know?”

She’s good at cooking. And she’s beautiful.
Liza’s home cooking kind of makes me feel like I came out ahead.

“You should tell her that yourself.”
“Nn. Anyway, I’m going to the castle.”
“Ou. I won’t tell you not to cause problems. Finish it as peaceably as you can.”

Saying something awful with a serious face.
I always try to finish things peaceably.
It’s just that the trouble comes at me.

“That’s a pretty loaded way to put it, but fine. I’m off.”

Well, I’ll go with not worrying about it. Yeah.

○○○○○○○○

“…. Oi, you lot, she’s gone.”

“Guildmaster, nice!”
“Good asking!”
“You lot, hurry up picking sweets we can keep on hand!”
“I’m going to the baked-goods shop!”

“…You people. Do your jobs. Work.”

○○○○○○○○

I greet the soldier I’ve gotten to know and get shown in as I am.
I go straight down the long corridor and arrive at the room I was taken to last time.
I knock, knock knock, and get an answer right away.
I open the door and inside, a black-haired beauty—that is, Katsuragi Kanon—is sitting elegantly.
A looker as always. All’s well, all’s well.

“Hello. It’s been since the other day.”
“Yes, I’m glad you look well. I’ve been hearing various rumors.”
“Uwah, is that so… so, well, to get to it. Do you know where Katsuragi Arei is right now?”
“I don’t. Or rather, likely no one does.”

A flat assertion, in a voice that’s dropped a little in temperature.
Eh, what. Did I step on a mine.

“Uh, is that so?”
“We’ve had people try many times, but apparently his mana pool is too small in his normal state to detect.
It seems to catch on search when he’s using his blessing, but after using it he moves immediately… even when we send adventurers it ends in a miss. Yes.”

Uwah. Her eyes are scary.
Her face is smiling and her eyes are furious.
Her pupils don’t reflect light at all; it’s actually scary.

“I see. Sounds hard to find.”
“Conversely, if you learn anything, could you tell me?”
“I understand.”

…Ah. Come to think of it, there’s one method I haven’t tried.

“Uh, could you wait a moment?”
“Yes? Eeh, I don’t mind.”

I take cover in the corner of the room.
I’d completely forgotten, but Ring might be able to find him.
…Well, nothing to lose. I’ll try.

“Ring. Search, Katsuragi Arei.”
“—Searching… hit. The northernmost end of Gernika.”
“Ooh, as expected. Wait, Gernika, huh.”

Gernika is the demonfolk continent far north of the kingdom.
From the capital it takes several months or more; going to look would be pretty hard.
Anyway, I’ll tell Kanon.

“Kanon, he seems to be at the northernmost end of Gernika… can you do something with that?”
“Gernika? How… no, more than that, are you certain?”

A dubious face. Well, yeah.
That face is also beautiful, good, good.
Just, could you stop with the eyes. I’m actually pretty scared.

“Most likely. It hasn’t missed so far.”
“I understand… by the way, can you search for other people as well?”
“From experience, I think anyone except people who have died is fine.”
“To be safe, could I also ask you to search for Kodama Renju?”

“—Searching… hit. Northernmost end of Gernika. With Katsuragi Arei.”

“Ah. They seem to be with Katsuragi Arei.”

Pishiri.
I felt like I heard the sound of the air freezing.

“……Fufufu. I seee…? Still together, after all. Fufufufufufufufu.”
“…Um?”
“Excuse me. I lost my composure a little.”

Look, “a little”… my spine went cold.
I’d thought this one was the decent one among the Heroes. I feel a bit betrayed.

“Now then, I’m sorry it’s sudden, but after this I intend to go with Kaede to fetch my older brother.”
“Ah, then if it goes well, please tell me.”
“Yes, gladly. Until then.”

She makes a noble-style bow, pinching her skirt hem, and walks off briskly.
…Let sleeping gods lie. I’ll go home too.

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On the way back from the royal castle, I feel gazes from all sorts of places.
But when I look back, they always look away.
What is it, seriously.

Especially adventurer-looking people, I feel like they’re watching.
They’re just looking, no harm, but it bothers me.
Hmm. I can’t exactly grill them. What do I do.
Whatever. If I go to the guild the gazes should decrease.

○○○○○○○○

“Ou, good work.”

Gash! Dangle—

“Dei!”

Geshi! Poto.

I got grabbed by the back of the collar, so I kick his arm up with a heel and he drops me as I am.
All right. I’m not someone who just gets done to forever. Serves you right.

“I told you not to grab me out of nowhere.”
“You’re the one who pulls something every time. And what did you pull this time?”
“Rude. Nothing at all.”
“…What? Really?”
“Really.”
“You’ve grown, huh.”

He murmurs it, somehow deeply.
This fierce-faced muscleman is really rude.

“What is that supposed to mean… ah!”
“What, what’s wrong?”
“No… I forgot to talk about the epithet.”
“Ah, I see. But I think it’s already too late. Here.”
“An? What.”

I look at the paper he hands me. What is this, a newspaper?

And there, huge in the headline.
“A New Hero! What Is Night-Sakura Fantasy!?”
With a portrait of me.

I crush it, gushari.

“…I’ll kill—”
“Liza!”
“Yes, yes! New honey chiffon cake, please enjoy!”

It’s shoved into my mouth by force.

Uwah, delicious. Amazing, this, fluffy and it melts…!

“This is a revolution…!”
“Yes. There’s plenty, so eat lots.”
“Liza, I super love you.”

mokyu mokyu

mokyu mokyu

mokyu mokyu

“…Oi, Liza. Give the newspaper a heads-up, just in case. She might pull something.”
“I expected that reaction, so I’ve already contacted them.”
“As expected.”
“Fufu. I’m starting to understand Ouka’s tastes too.”

They’re saying something, but it’s delicious, so whatever.

“…She’s eating.”
“…Ah, she’s eating at an amazing pace.”
“…I want a daughter too.”
“…I get that.”

Yummy yummy.