Chapter 50 Footsteps of Disasters and Troublesome Things (1/2)

Chapter 50 Footsteps of Disasters and Troublesome Things

As I took off the heavy and difficult to move in armour, I ended up leaking a sigh in relief.

Toudou beside me seemed to be the same as he also breathed a truly tired sounding sigh. The brown haired Head Maid—-Angela-san looked at him with a smile as she helped Toudou in removing his armour.

Wearing a black one piece dress with a white apron above, and her semi-long hair tied behind her head and the iconic headband on her head, she had the perfect look of a maid. Even her tight atmosphere had not changed making others focus on their tasks as well………..but today, or rather, right now, this Head maid, who is famous for being always strict and harsh, seemed to have a gentle expression as she interacted with Toudou.At least, compared to the time when I was in the castle back an year ago, her atmosphere seems completely different. She looks like someone dealing with her troublesome younger brother, or child maybe; close yet maintained some distance between them.

I am definitely not imagining this. Even like the way I am, I am pretty confident of my ability to gauge women.

“Say, Toudou.”(renji)

“Hm, What is it?”

“Do you show up at the castle quite a lot or something?”

When I asked that, he looked at me with puzzled face having not understood why I was asking that.

“No, not really, Why?”(toudou)

“No, you seemed pretty close to Angela-san so I thought so…….”

“haa……..”

“It’s probably your imagination?”(Angela)

[Why, what’s the matter?]

It seems he really didn’t understand what I was implying as toudou tilted his head in confusion. And Angela-san as well, answered without showing any expression on her face.

What is this? How should I say it, I feel like there’s a wall in between. It might just be my imagination but I’m pretty sensitive to such changes you know?………I’m sure there’s a difference between how she acts with me and him.

“fuun..”

“…….What’s up with that, you’re making me curious now.”(toudou)

“Don’t mind it.”

[You’re making a weird face, Renji.]

Drop it, will you partner?I was born with this weird face okay? While feeling a bit sad inside, I replied that.

Unlike Ermenhilde and Toudou, Angela-san did realize something……but she continued to briskly help Toudou remove his armour. She truly is the model maid, I can’t find a way to tease her. Well I’d probably get scolded if I go too far as well so I can’t tell how much far I can go with it. After neatly placing the removed armour on the table, I was thinking of how to tease Toudou when Angela-san gave a glance towards me. There, underneath the cold eyes that resembled Utano-san’s, I felt I also saw a slight bit of shyness.

“What?”(renji)

“As usual, your habits of teasing have not gone it seems.”(angela)

“Even like this, I feel like I’m am actually being quite considerate you know?”

“……haah.”

Was her sigh meant for me or towards Toudou? Or maybe it was meant for herself.

Toudou’s denseness is definitely a problem but Angela-san not letting her shyness show at all is a problem as well. She must not feel very good to show such a side of her personality.

Maids are beings that kill their personal desires to work solely for their masters apparently. She must feel that it would be a mistake to let such a side of her personality to be shown. She seemed quite similar to the early Utano-san making me feel a bit nostalgic. Well, she’s still not the type who expresses much emotion easily though.

While giving a sidelong glance at those two who seemed to be ‘flirting’ while removing his armour, I gently stroked the armour set I kept on the table. A full mithril armour set. I wonder how many silver coins were spent to buy all this. (T/N: reminder, silver >gold in this world)

[What are you doing?]

“no, just, you know.”

[That doesn’t really tell me anything.]

Normally I don’t treat Ermenhilde as preciously as I am treating this armour set, it’s more like flicking her with my fingers or hitting her while in pocket etc after all. Her voice seemed to be a bit irritated. Her reaction was so amusing that I teased her only to get a more sulky reply from her. I, who was really enjoying her irritated voice, might not have a very good personality after all.

“To me, yamada-san and Eru-san seem to be on better terms though?”(toudou)

[………Really?]

“Well, yeah.”(renji)

He seemed to be grinning thinking that he was teasing me as payback but it’s a true fact though. Something like that isn’t going to trouble me.

Ermenhilde answered that in an irritated voice but her tone turned for the better at the end hearing that. She’s so easy to understand. So when I agreed without any hesitation, all of her bad mood disappeared instantly.

“Really, you two get along so well.”

“But who did she take it after, she’s started scolding me recently.”(renji)

[That’s because you’re always being so undisciplined.]

As Toudou spoke that, Ermenhilde replied in a loud voice as if I had said something false. But still, her voice still seemed more happier than normal. I guess her mood really must have gotten better.

Probably because I didn’t pay her much attention recently. Or maybe because I had been holding that mithril sword instead of her for the past few days.

“So, how’s it been for you recently, Angela-san?”

“recently?”

“I’m talking about you, Toudou.”(renji)

When I said that while laughing, Toudou simply tilted his head in confusion and behind him, Angela-san narrowed her eyes without letting Toudou realize.

Even her cold strong eyes now only seemed like a way to hide her embarrassment.

“I’ll leave it to your imagination, Renji-sama.”(angela)

Even while listening to our conversation, she continued to remove Toudou’s armour skilfully. As expecetd of the Head Maid, I guess. Maybe she had realized my intention, she did not let any emotion flow into her words, let alone her expression.

As expected, I could definitely feel this wall of difference between me and Toudou.

I’m not really feeling sad about it, in fact that’s what makes this so amusing.

[You’re making a mean teasing face again, Renji.]

“What do you mean by, ‘again’?”

I don’t recall making such a face before.

And Toudou as usual made a confused face not really understanding what was going on…….This guy is so dense!

Does he not even realize that even I got no help from a single maid since the preparations for the tournament were so hectic?

“That aside, what are you going to do about the bet?”(toudou)

“Bet?”(renji)

“Didn’t we bet that the winner will be treated to a meal?”

[Oh yeah.]

“What are you ‘oh yeah’-ing for? You were the first one to lose, Ermenhilde.”(renji)

[………]

So she goes silent when it’s against her eh?

Well, it’s not like Ermenhilde could cook anyway. Or rather, I doubt anyone would have guessed that among the teams we chose, Souichi’s team would be the first one to lose.

If I had to say, we all thought the adventurer team from the Commerce City that Toudou bet on would be out the first. After all, even if they had good equipment, they were still amateurs……..well, maybe that would be saying too much but it’s true that they were low on experience. Though the reason maybe because there aren’t much monsters near there. That might be the effect of a demon god’s descendant as well but let’s leave that aside for now.

More important was Souichi and Masaki-chan’s duel. I didn’t expect Souichi to lose due to violation of rules. Well, that was fun to watch on its own and it really excited the audience as well so it’s fine though.

Souichi’s transformation. He possesses not just goddess Astraera’s but also the Spirit God Zwenelia’s divine protection as well. That was the special characteristic of the Brave only and also the proof that he was the wielder of the Holy Sword as well. Among all of us 13, only he is the one who has received the divine protection of 2 gods.

When used, his hair turn silver and eyes turn golden. It’s not as much as Koutarou but his appearance changes quite a bit. On top of being child faced as well, Souichi ends up looking even more girl-like. If he was a bit more taller, he really would look like Astraera like the people say.

“Well in the end, the one who won the bet was Kuuki though.”(renji)

“yeah. I’ll prepare the place and ingredients so at least help me with the cooking okay?”(toudou)

“Sure. Well, even I’d feel bad if I didn’t help even that much.”

[What should I do?]

“Cheer and encourage us as we work or something.”

[Alright.]

“No, wait, that’d be way too uncharacteristic of her to do something like that or rather, how should I say this………”(toudou)

Seeing our talk, Toudou spoke in a troubled tone. He must be really worried about how to react.

Certainly, even if Ermenhilde cheered for us like [Do your best!~] even I wouldn’t know what kind of face to make afterwards.

AS we continued such chatter, Angela-san finished taking off the armour off Toudou. Why did it take more time than me to take his armour off when I was doing it alone? I doubt I’ll get the answer even if I ask though.

“Well, the treat will be after the tournament is fully over though.”(renji)

“Somehow, that sounds like you just raised a flag to be honest.”(toudou)

“oi, you idiot, shut up. Don’t jinx it.”

Seriously why would he say something like that.

“I don’t intend to raise any flags right now.

Saying that, I loosened the collar of the shirt I was wearing underneath the armour.

His collar must have been tight as well as he moved around his neck and shoulders with a smile.

“now then, I’ll take your armours for safekeeping.”(angela)

Saying that, she clapped her hands when a few maids, they were probably waiting behind the door, came in.

Wait if so many were available, couldn’t one of these have helped me with taking off the armour as well? I don’t really find it to be unreasonable but somehow, I felt a bit unconvinced, making me feel a bit strange.

Giving a word of thanks to the maids, I started to leave the room.

But, while I was leaving, one of them said “Please learn to read the mood more.” in reply.

[So Renji is bad at reading the mood eh?]

“Not as much as you.”

Giving a curt reply, I gave a sigh.

But c’mon, I couldn’t help but tease them. A straight-laced maid and a dense cook. I’m sure even the maids, who seem to be carefully watching over their progress, should have enjoyed this as well.

Maybe because I wasn’t in the armour anymore, my body felt cold as I walked through the stone corridor along with Toudou. We didn’t pass by anyone else probably because everyone’s out watching the tournament. Only maids and guards in steel armour were left. All would bow as they’d pass us but their minds didn’t seem to be here though. I’m sure they wanted to go watch the tournament as well.

“What’s wrong?”(toudou)

“Nah, just thinking how nice and peaceful it is right now.”

“Yeah. It’s nice.”

Both me and Toudou muttered the same thing.

It might feel like we were old men when saying that though. While thinking that, I turned left at the crossroads.

“Oh right.”

There, I recalled something and raised my voice and looked towards Toudou. While looking at me who stopped suddenly, Toudou stopped as well.

“I forgot to say something to Angela-san.”(renji)

[What happened?]

“no, I need to talk to Utano-san later so I wanted to tell her to send some alcohol to her room later but I forgot.”(renji)

“…………….is that so?”(toudou)

What’s with that fed up gaze? While faced with Toudou’s disgusted gaze, I put a hand on his shoulder.

“Go ask her for me.”(renji)

“Why me!?!”

“Well, if I went, she’d definitely start scolding me.”

“If you know that then just endure it…….”

[In the first place, all will be better if Renji stopped drinking so much.]

“Don’t say that.”(renji)

Bring Ermenhilde out of my pocket, I stroked the rim of the medal gently.

Or rather, I’m acting as the cupid between you and Angela-san okay? It’s not like I was hurt when the maids told me to read the mood or anything, alright?

“Please, Toudou?”

“But, wouldn’t Angela-san be mad?”

“Don’t worry. In fact, she’d be happy.”

[In fact, she’d be fed up of you to be honest.]

Well, can’t deny that. Even Ermenhilde was speaking in tired voice right now. While saying that as I walked away leaving Toudou behind, I heard a sigh from behind. And then I heard his footsteps go the other way.

[Even I feel bad for Hiiragi right now…….]

“Yeah, I’ll make it up to him later in some way.”

[haah……..]

Well if this results in some progress in those two, he’ll be the one to thank me instead.

…………I’ll probably have to make it up to him, I guess.

It’s been an year since I left on my journey. They might have made some progress from when they met in the meantime but they definitely cannot be called a couple. Then something like this will probably not result in any progress at all…………well, it’ll be a satisfactory result if they could at least enjoy sometime with each other while in the festive mood.

Maybe I alone have not realized and they’re actually closer than I thought? Then that’d be great as well. It’s always nice to see your own comrade’s receive happiness after all.

“Now then, what to do next?”

[How about going to Souichi and others?]

“They’re probably with their school friends.”

I’m not going to interrupt them there. I’m sure they want to spend time with their friends with whom they fought together. I was thinking of making fun of Souichi for going all out in front of the audience but I’ll leave it for later. Utano-san and Kuuki seem busy with work as well and I have no idea where Kudou or Yui-chan are.

Deciding to go back to my room in the end, I went back the way I came. I did say something about going to Utano-san’s room later but actually I have no such plans and that was just an excuse so I was totally free right now.

I could go to meet Feirona and the others but it’s already getting dark outside.It’d be unrealistic to go looking for someone in the capital so late.

“I guess, I should get changed first.”

Even though I had taken off the armour, I’m still wearing high quality expensive fabric clothes that nobles would wear. It could get torn just by moving a bit roughly or so it made me feel when I wore it making me feel nervous.

Being too used to adventuring, I prefer practicality focused clothes above these. Now whether that’s a good thing or bad is questionable.

While thinking of that, I reached room and felt a presence already inside my room.

I thought it might be Kudou or Yui-chan but I still got a bit cautious seeing someone already inside my room. Holding the doorknob with my left hand, I held Ermenhilde in my right.

“Ermenhilde.”

[Yeah, I know.”

A jade coloured magical energy leaked and a single edged short knife appeared in my hands.

As I opened the door cautiously——-

“Yaa.”

“………………”

The intruder in my room raised a hand and greeted me with a smile. Sitting on the chair near the centre table, the table already had two cups of tea with steam coming out of it already prepared.

With curly silver hair, one red eye and one gold, and with looks that could make one mistake him for a beauty, he smiled and looked directly at me.

Even though the sun had set, he hadn’t bothered lighting the lamp either. Only the red moon’s faint light shined inside the room. But still the fact that it felt bright inside must be because of some magic was used.

Looking at him, I felt stupid to have become cautious and I leaked a sigh. At the same time, the knife disappeared by turning into jade green coloured magical energy.

“Why are you getting all relaxed inside someone else’s room, Koutarou?”

“I can’t help it Renji-dono. It’s troublesome if people see me after all.”

You’re just bad at being secretive and also get caught by Utano-san that’s all. Nobody would bother you if you just got to the gist of it and honestly told everyone what that future seeing eye saw.

While thinking that, I closed the door behind me.

“Well great timing. I was getting bored anyway.”(renji)

“Splendid. It’s a delightful thing if we have nothing to do.”(kou)

“Seriously.”

“But still, you seem to be getting involved into some trouble again, eh?”

“If you know about it then help me damnit.”

Sitting opposite of him, I spoke while giving a wry smile.