Chapter 138 - Invitation and Demonkind [2] (1/2)

138. Invitation and Demonkind [2]

When the president stormed away with Rodis-san, tranquility returned.

「My goodness… He was no less doting than my father.」

「Ahaha, that’s true.」

Ria’s father, King Gris Vesteria, was also a considerably doting parent.

The president’s father is also quite the thing.

(…No, perhaps all fathers who have a daughter are all that way.)

After taking a deep breath, I slowly looked around.

(…There are so many different people.)

A person dressed as a samurai

A person wearing an unusual tricoloured dress, obviously not of this country.

A person wearing a large white hat that the hunters in the south prefer.

The venue was overflowing with an exotic air.

As I continued to look around at the surrounding people, a person in a clearly flamboyant costume entered my view.

「Is that… Clown-san?」

It was Clown Jester, the branch chief of the Holy Knights Association Orest Branch.

(O-Oh my…)

Even if there was no dress code, to think he would wear his usual flashy clown costume to the Keishinkai where Tenshi-sama is attending. A truly freewheeling person.

「Let’s go and say hello, shall we?」

When I was about to take a step forward,

「…Wait a minute, look next to Clown-san.」Ria said, with an incredibly serious expression.

「Next to Clown-san?」

When I turned my gaze a little to the side, there was Rize-san, dressed in her usual red kimono.

「I’m sorry, but let’s say hello another time. We shouldn’t get involved with Bloody Fox.」Ria said, shaking her head slightly.

(O-Okay.)

As Leia-sensei said some time ago, Rize-san’s reputation doesn’t seem to be very good.

(But I think she’s a very nice person, though…)

When I was thinking of that,

「Ara, if it isn’t Allen-kun!」

Rize-san noticed me, and walked towards us together with Clown-san.

「Yikes, we’ve been found!」Ria frowned.

As usual, she has an abundant expression.

「Rize-san, Clown-san. Happy New Year.」

「…Happy New Year.」

When I and Ria greeted them, they also replied in the same way.

「To see Allen-kun at the start of the year, I am sure that this year is going to be a good one.」

Rize-san, who was in a good mood, stared at me with her sharp fox-like eyes.

「Ahaha. I’m also very happy to see Rize-san.」

「R-Really? Y-You’re making me blush.」

She hid her face behind the folding fan in her hand, and turned her gaze away.

Clown-san inserted his usual silly remarks.

「Oh come on, Rize-san. Why are you falling for that? That’s obviously a flattery– kah!?」

At that moment, he suddenly clutched his chest, seeming to be in pain.

「C-Clown-san!?」

His face turned pale, as he grabbed Rize-san’s sleeve, shaking his head sideways.

It seemed that he was unable to breathe.

「Naa, Clown… mouth is the source of disaster. So, be careful, okay?」she said, with a terrifyingly cold tone that could even bring down the temperature of the room, and Clown-san nodded his head many times over.

Immediately after that,

「Pu-ha! Haa haa… Aha, hahaha… merciless as usual…」

Freed from some sort of『ability』, he put on a strained smile, while breathing heavily.

「Fufu, that is so, but the way you suffered on purpose… I don’t hate it either.」

「Ahaha… Did you find out?」

「Obviously. There’s no way you would suffer just because you couldn’t breathe.」

Normally, I think people would suffer, though…

Which means, similar to Rize-san, Clown-san is no ordinary person either.

「What did you think about it? I think it was a pretty good performance, though…」

「Hmm, it’s about three points.」

「Oh, three out of five?」

「Fool, a thousand points.」

「T-That’s quite harsh…」

And they laughed happily.

How do I put this… it was a very peculiar world view.

Perhaps Rize-san and Clown-san have been together for a long time.

(But… I still don’t understand.)

There is no doubt that the phenomenon just now was due to Rize-san’s『power』.

(This is the second time I’ve seen her power following the Daido Commercial Festival, but…)

I still have no idea what kind of ability it is.

「Well then, I am going to take my leave here.」

Rize-san struck the folding fan on her hand, and turned her eyes towards the exit.

「Oh, are you going home already?」

「I have already greeted Tenshi-sama, and there is still another meeting. So, I am leaving for today.」she said, waving her hand slightly.

「I also have a meeting at the Orest branch after this. So, I will also take my leave!」Clown-san said, bowing slightly.