Vol 1 Chapter 4 (1/2)

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Chapter 4

The sky is vibrant blue, and the wind is blowing just right.

Even the temperature’s in that perfect sweet spot between hot and cold.

As such, the weather proved it’s the ideal time to meet Cecilia at her mansion for our planned rendezvous.

”Man, the weather is so nice today~ I even get to meet with Cecilia, today's gonna be a great day off!”

I‘m in such high spirits, that I’m skipping all the way there.

Everything is fine up until that moment.

The problem stood in front of Cecilia's mansion.

”...Wha? I can't go in?! Why not? I know I made an appointment.”

Arriving at the mansion, I was stopped by the same two guards as last time. What's more, they’re staring daggers at me again.

”Right now M'Lady is having a meeting with the Hero. What's more, we simply don't trust you. Now take your leave!”

What are they talking about?

So the Hero came or whatever, I'm the one who made an appointment!

”If that's the case, at least let me wait until they're done.”

To get here I had to walk what would have taken a carriage 10 minutes.

No way I'm leaving until I see Cecilia.

”...Enough! If you don't leave now, I'll...”

Saying that, the guard came at me with his spear.

Hey now, is this guy right in the head?

Frankly, I could take these guys out in 3 seconds flat, but I'm convinced that would only make things worse.

It would also cause problems for Cecilia.

”Tch, fine, I got it! I'll leave!”

I clicked my tongue at them, and went back the way I came.

From behind I hear them saying something about never letting me see Cecilia again. It made me angry, but I endured it as I left the mansion.

”Aah, d.a.m.n it, that makes me mad.”

I'm in the worst possible mood.

The previously happy mood is nowhere to be found.

“a.s.sholes, I'll remember this next time!”

I kicked the ground as I cursed them.

Today is supposed to be my day off so I didn't feel like going to the guild either.

It couldn't be helped so I wandered around the town all by my lonesome.

Wandering about, I saw a crowd gathering.

As I compared it to the paparazzi from my previous life. I took a look at the center of the spectacle.

As I did...

(What's this? I feel like I've seen him somewhere before. That face...)

It was a pretty boy at the center. He had a sword at his hip, a sharp gaze, and gave off a 'cool' impression.

(Ah. I remember. He was the Hero Party’s Swordsman-kun.)

Hero-kun is a refres.h.i.+ng kind of pretty boy, but Swordsman-kun is a pretty boy with an imposing air about him. But now he looked both trouble

d and confused.

(In a way, I’m starting to feel bad for him)

Perhaps it’s because I was also feeling unfortunate today that I went to help him.

(Can't be helped, I guess I'll give him a hand.)

I pointed my finger away from the swordsman and yelled,

”Oh look, there's the Hero!”

Or so I said.

Then, there were shrieks of ‘Kyaa’ and ‘Hero-sama’ as they took off to the direction I pointed to.

Just as I thought, Hero-kun is more popular.

“Ha, piece of cake.”

It went so perfectly according to plan, I had to laugh.

Looking back, with everyone gone you wouldn't have believed there'd been such a huge crowd earlier. Unable to grasp the situation, the swordsman of the Hero Party looked flabbergasted.

”Y'know, you should use this chance to escape.”

I pulled him along by the arm and took him to a less prominent area.

”Phew...We should be ok around here.”

We went to an alleyway a bit away from the previous spot.

It was a dim and ominous place, but I doubt anyone else would come here.

“...”

Hey hey, even now you're gonna act like the cool guy?

Well, it's not like I’m expecting to get thanked for saving him or anything.

”Bye then. Next time wear a disguise when you walk around town.”

And so I left.

Perhaps I was a bit too c.o.c.ky?

Well, I saved him, and gave him some advice, so we'll call it even.

Thinking about that I set out to wander again by my lonesome, however...

“Wa...wait a minute!”

“...Huh?”

Suddenly, I heard a strange voice.

It was nothing more than a voice calling out.

The problem lied in that it sounded like a voice that belonged to a professionally acted anime character from my previous life.

But here, in this deserted alleyway, there was only me and Swordsman-kun.

...So that means.

”So the person that spoke just now was...”

He is timidly poking his fingers together and after a moment he nods.

... No wait, something's wrong here!!

This cool and handsome guy actually spoke with an anime-like voice?

”...let me get this straight, that voice is the reason you hardly ever say a word?”

“...yeah.”

That's an affirmative.

I see, no doubt he's developed a complex about it.

He tried to hide it so no one would find out.

”Well, everyone has something about themselves they don't want broadcasted to the world. Even I have something like that.”

“...You’re not gonna make fun of my voice?”

”It's not like it's your fault. Plus, I have plenty of things about myself that I don't like. There's not a person out there that has no faults.”

And of course in my case it's that I'm from the demon race.

It's a complex that won't go away and can't be cured.

”...You're a weird guy. Usually when people first hear my voice, they would make fun of me or laugh at me.”

Seems like he had a rough time because of that voice.

So that's why he became the cool, silent type.

”I won't laugh. I've even seen other guys with a voice like that. ”

Only on TV though.

“...I see.”

A little smile appeared on his face.

I guess he was just glad I didn't make fun of him.

I thought it over, and I was speaking to him casually like I would with a good friend.

...Was I being too disrespectful?

Oh c.r.a.p, no matter which way I think about it, I must be!

“Well then, I’ll just be going over here…”

I decided to escape before he could say anything.

“Wait a minute!”

I was stopped.

This is bad, is he gonna take me to the guards?

”Wha, what is it?”

I started sweating like crazy.

However, the words he spoke were not what I expected.

”I was wondering...if we could be friends?”

“Eh?”

I can't believe he asked if we could be friends.

Honestly, it relieved me.

”Well, I mean...only if you want to. It's just, my mom and cousin are the only ones who never laughed at my voice before, so without thinking I kind of...”

What on earth did he do while he was in the Hero Party?

Well, it's not like I mind having a new friend.

On the contrary, it should have been me asking him.

”I was also thinking it'd be nice to be friends. I'm Youki. Nice to meet you.”

”...Really? Thank you! You probably already know, but I'm Raven. Nice to meet you too.”

We shook hands with a firm grip.

It was the first time in the 20 years since I was reincarnated that I made a friend.

I couldn't meet with Cecilia, but since I made a friend, today's day off turned out to be worthwhile.

”You know Youki, I feel like we've met somewhere before...”

”...Y-you sure you’re not imagining things?”

I broke into a cold sweat.

It's only been a few days since I became friends with Raven.

And right now...

I’m stuffing my face eating breakfast in the guild.

It's vegetable and bean soup with rye bread—I have some funds saved, but I'm still going to eat frugally.

If my parents had made anything like that I would've complained the moment I laid eyes on it.

However, in this world it's fairly standard fare.

The crazy part is, now I don't even feel like doing any quests unless I eat it.

”Oho, what an extraordinary way to eat.”

A voice called out suddenly.

I was in the middle of eating, but at some point, a lady sat down at my table. I was so surprised I stopped mid-bite.

”Oh my, what's wrong? If you're still eating why don't you go ahead and finish?”

Well then, I won't hold back and resume eating.

Like that, she continued to watch me, moreover with a giggling smile.

...Come to think of it, who exactly is she?

I don't remember being this close to such a beautiful lady during any of my quests.

While eating, I ransacked my brain but came up with nothing.

”It's just like my daughter said. You truly are entertaining.”

Like her daughter said?

I thought ‘It couldn’t be’, and dropped the rye bread in my hand.

”Oh my, it seems I haven't yet introduced myself. I am Celia Aquarain, Cecilia's mother. Pleased to meet you, Youki-kun?”

Whaaaaaaaat!?

Why did Cecilia's mom come to the guild so early in the morning????

”Oh my, aren't you still eating? Then I shall wait until you're finished.”

I practically inhaled it.

I don't think I ever ate a meal so fast in either of my lives.

It was more like gulping down a drink than eating.

It made for quite a breakfast.

”Oho...You really don't have to rush yourself on my account. You truly are most interesting.”

I finish off my last bite with a swig of milk.

After a short pause, I’m ready to listen to Celia-san's story.

”...So, what did you need to talk to me about?”

”In truth, the other day it was reported that our family's guards were quite rude to you. For that, I came to apologize.”

Waitwaitwaitwait.

I can't think of any reason why Celia-san had to be the one to come.

Heck, you should’ve sent the guards instead.

Why would the lady of the house come herself?

”Ah, they did have a bad att.i.tude...I guess. I was really mad, but thanks to that I met someone new...I guess.”

It pained me to receive such an apology, so I tried to get across that I really didn't mind.

”...Oh dear. According to my info, I heard you were quite taken with Cecilia...?”

Oh no!

I think she misunderstood something.

The gentle smile Celia-san wore changed, and now she was looking at me with a rather cold gaze.

”You-You're mistaken, a mistake! I just meant that I made a new friend yesterday.”

”I see...I wonder exactly what kind of friends.h.i.+p you have with this girl?”

”I made a guy friend. A guy.”

She still seemed unconvinced, so I made sure to state the gender.

”Oh my, is that so? Dear me, I just jumped to conclusions. If my daughter got mixed up with a scoundrel wouldn't that be just awful? Pardon me, did I scare you perhaps?”

Before my eyes, the frozen smile returned to the earlier gentle smile. I'll keep it secret that I almost shat myself.

”NO, I-AM-JUST-FINE.”

No freaking way am I okay. I started driveling.

”Oh? I'm so relieved. Well, it seems like you're all finished eating, so shall we be on our way?”

“WHERE-MIGHT-WE-BE-GO-ING?”

I haven’t even completely recovered yet.

The psychological damage was considerable. The amount of time I would need to recover is likely...

”Is it not obvious? To my mansion! You want to see Cecilia-chan, don't you?”

Instant recovery.

Something inside me flared.

”Yes, I'll go! Let's be on our way immediately!”

Luckily I hadn't taken on any new quests, so I was in the clear. But I should at least go and tell Clayman he doesn't have to work today for once.

“Clayman! Today. Me no work. Day off. Important stuff. Must do!”

I tell him in frantic speech that was practically gibberish.

”Th-that so? Seems like you're in a hurry there. Well, it'll shorten my stack so what do I care?”

Hearing the answer I about-face and quickly return to Celia-san.