Chapter 511: I Ranked Up

The misunderstanding I had with Zwei-san has been successfully resolved…… Well, it's not that I don't feel like the solution that came to my mind was somewhat problematic, but at any rate, my relationship with Zwei-san was improved.

We then went around the night festival together with Raz-san and the others, but Zwei-san left sometime later because she still had work to do.

As she was leaving, she "invited me to come and visit the city she was in charge of", so I plan to find some time to visit after the Six Kings Festival ends.

The city that Zwei-san manages is probably that city where Kuro's castle is located, which I had briefly visited before. At that time, I was too busy making the music boxes and wasn't able to check around the area, so I gratefully accepted her offer.

After that, I went around the night festival with Raz-san and the others for about an hour before going back to the Central Tower, as it was getting close to dinner time.

As I walked to the Central Tower, choosing to walk through a relatively empty road, I thought back on the things that happened today.

I met so many different people today. I know that there's a great chance we could see each other because we're attending the same festival…… but it was a little surprising to see such a high encounter rate in this large venue.

Of all of them, my encounter with Zwei-san was the most shocking. She wasn't actually hostile to me, but I was quite confused because it wasn't often that I was treated in such a cold way.

Thinking about it again, I'm really blessed with the people around me……

[……Arehh?]

[Tsk…… Kaito huh……]

Regarding Zwei-san's attitude, I was mistaken about how she felt, so I misunderstood. However, there is another person I know who treats me very harshly. As for this person, not only was she pretty aware that she's unwelcoming towards me, she still keeps on doing it.

[……Why is it that you always click your tongue every time you see me, Shea-san?]

[……There isn't any special reason about it. It's not about you. I'm a goddess who likes to be alone, so I don't like people who interfere with others too much.]

Shea-san, whom I met by chance on the deserted street, replied with the usual displeased expression on her face. Well, as for Shea-san, it's not that she hates me or anything like that. It's just that this is her default response to anyone……

[So, Shea-san…… is a loner?]

[I don't know what that word means, but what I know is that you're making fun of me…… you want me to punch you?]

[I- I'm sorry. However, what a coincidence it is to meet you here.]

[……You're right.]

Well, at least, she calls me by name and properly responds when I talk to her, so I'd like to think that it's not like she hates me or anything like that. Well, she did tell me she hated me when we first met though……

As I was thinking about this, I suddenly remembered something. Come to think of it, I was thinking of thanking Shea-san for her help with Dr. Vier. I hadn't had a chance to meet  her very often, so in a way, it was good timing for me to meet her tonight.

[Speaking of which, Shea-san. I'm sorry that it took me a while to express my gratitude, but thank you for lending me your help before.]

[Hmph…… It's nothing special. It's just that you looked so pathetic, so I lent you a helping hand on a whim.]

[Even so, you have been a great help. Please accept this as a token of my appreciation.]

[……Unnn? What's this?]

She looked away and spoke badly again, but I just wryly smiled and took out the extremely spicy vegetable…… thing that I received from Shiro-san.

For Shea-san, who has a penchant for spicy food…… I think this was the best thank you I could give her, but I wonder what she thinks about this?

According to Shiro-san, this vegetable is so spicy that if I eat it even with her blessing, I will lose my sense of taste for a few days, while if a normal person eats it, they will die.

Shea-san looked at the vegetable I took out and received it with an incredulous look on her face. Incidentally, this vegetable has no smell at all, and even if one touches it, it won't affect your skin.

After looking at the vegetable and my face several times, Shea-san took a bite out of the vegetable…… and her eyes opened wide.

[W- What the heck is this!? T- This is amazing…… I've never eaten something this delicious before!]

[………………….]

I repeat, it is something that would supposedly kill you if eaten by normal people.

[This unprecedented spiciness, but it isn't irritatingly pungent and has an elegant taste to it…… This is the supreme. This is the food that I've always been looking for……]

[Errr…… Yes.]

[Kaito! Where in the world did you get this? Please tell me!]

[Ahh, errr, this is……]

Receiving Shea-san's aggressive questioning, I explained that this vegetable was created by Shiro-san and that it would grow in three days once the seeds were planted.

She was astonished to learn that Shiro-san had created these vegetables, but by the time she received the seeds, she had a rare look of happiness on her face.

[……I guess it's to be expected for Shallow Vernal-sama to easily mass-produce this flavor…… This is extremely wonderful.]

[I'm glad you like it.]

[Ahh, my bad, Kaito, I appreciate it. Your value in my eyes increased because of this.]

[I- I see……]

[Be confident, Kaito. You are an "intelligent life form". I can vouch for that.]

[I've never been unsure about such a thing, you know!?]

Or rather, for her to finally recognize me as an intelligent life form…… How low was my value in her eyes before……

Dear Mom, Dad————- Although Shea-san still had a violent tone and roundabout in expressing her thoughts, it seems that she was really pleased with my thanks. Unnn, although I'm very reluctant to receive Shea-san's evaluation, but since she was finally able to say that I'm an intelligent life form————– I guess I can say that I ranked up.

Baby Castella-senpai : [I have some good news and some bad news.]

Serious-senpai : [Let me hear the bad one first.]

Baby Castella-senpai : [The original plan was to start updating the "First Anniversary Extra Chapters" after the Six Kings Festival Alice's day and Kuro's day were finished, but the Six Kings Festival became too long, so they're going to start updating the chapters in order after a few chapters later…… The candied sugar would come bursting at the same time.]

Serious-senpai : [……I guess I'll go back to my parents' home at that time…… What about the good news?]

Baby Castella-senpai : [Alice's extra chapters are said to be quite serious.]

Serious-senpai : [……I've always felt like Alice has the most seriousness for some reason…… though she would always appear and break that seriousness though……]