Book 2: Chapter 26 (2/2)

「I see…」

Lelenore slowly reached her hand for the cube.

「Ouch, it’s hot!」

「Oh, sorry. It gets hot, so don’t touch it for a while.」

「……」

Lelenore was worried for a moment if this was a prank from Mimino.

「Well… you didn’t come just to hand this over, right? Your letter said that you had something to talk about.」

「Ah, yeah…」

Mimino, who had been all smiles up until then, tensed up.

「Actually, I want you to find someone.」

「Find someone?」

「Yes. I know you’re busy, so it’s okay if you do it when you have time.」

「Well, since my cousin is the one asking…」

Lelenore is Mimino’s cousin.

Hailing from the same village, Mimino left the village as a traveling herbalist, and Lelenore was employed as an escort.

「But Mimino, an escort like me–」

Mimino raised her hand, and stopped Lelenore.「Actually…」

The person she is looking for is a boy of the human race, with black hair and black eyes. Furthermore, he may have received special education. In other words, it is possible that he might be digging into the noble society. Mimino has already been searching everywhere else that an adventurer could, but she was a complete outsider to the noble society, so she needs to rely on someone else. The boy she’s looking for has the talent to use magic even without a skill orb, and he is quite skilled for his age.

(…A boy who can use magic without a skill orb?)

What came to her mind was what happened at the “Sprout and New Moon Banquet”. It’s been about a month since then.

The escort she saw at that time… The escort of Eva Sillys whom she has met several times after that during tea parties, but since escorts do not talk to each other, she didn’t even know his name. It seems that the head of House Ebene said, “I want that boy,” but, as the escort of Ethan, she rarely gets such information.

(Hmm, that boy does match the description. He has blue hair, but… black hair and black eyes are the target of persecution in some lands, so he might have dyed his hair. And he spotted the poison which I didn’t notice. I was wondering if he had a high level skill such as observation or insight, but …)

Then, she noticed that Mimino was staring at her.

「Lelenore, do you perhaps have any idea?」Mimino asked, leaning forward.

「Hou〜?」

「W-Why are you giving me that nasty look?」

「Don’t call it nasty! No, I mean, you seem so worried about this boy? Is it one-sided love?」

「Wha!? That’s not the case! Don’t make fun of me!」

「Even while saying that, your face is turning bright red.」

「I-I-It’s not like that! Reiji-kun is smaller than me! He is someone I just want to protect… but then, I was protected by him instead…」

「Oh, is that so?」

Lelenore gave it a little more thought. Eva’s escort was reasonably tall and definitely bigger than Mimino, who is about the same size as herself.

「A-Anyway, if you find any information on that person, please let me know!」

「Okay, okay. Calm down.」Lelenore sighed, looking at Mimino who was flushed.

She wondered if her late-blooming cousin had finally found love, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. Minino is looking for a smaller boy – it would be Mimino’s biggest mistake not to tell Lelenore that the information was four years old – so it’s going to be difficult.

(Mimino, are you looking to be a mom before you even find love?)

Though, before Lelenore worries about others, she should worry about herself who hasn’t found love either.

(Wait a minute, the lady of House Sillys called that escort “Reiji”, right? Could it be?)

There was no point in giving hope with uncertain information, so Lelenore decided to ask her other escort friends later.