Chapter 839: Rookie Adventurers and the Legendary Chivalrous Thief ③

As I watched Neun-san and Hapti-san chatting, Dr. Vier and Aoi-chan seemed to have finished talking and approached. Turning her glance towards Hapti-san, Dr. Vier gently smiled and spoke.

[Our conversation here had just finished…… so I guess I should say my greetings too huh? It's been a while.]

[…….Hmmm…… Errr……]

[Eh? You're just fooling around, right? Could it be that you've forgotten about me? No, no, after we've exchanged such a fierce battle, there's no way……]

[Fierce battle…… Ahh. Ahhhh~~!]

As the former Demon Lord, Dr. Vier also called out to Hapti-san, but she only looked at her with an expression that seemed to be wondering who was talking to her. However, it seemed like she immediately remembered who she was, as clapping her hands, she spoke.

[You were the one who I fought against for "the legacy of the fallen Taiyaki Kingdom"……]

[The heck is that!? Eh? Taiyaki Kingdom? No, that has nothing to do with me at all, but that place kinda interests me……]

[Arehh? Are you that guy from "the Ancient Takoyaki Civilization"?]

[You guessed wrong again.]

[No, no, why the heck are you normally responding to her answers!? What the heck is this feeling? It's as if I'm watching my friend go towards a far distance…… Was it me? Am I actually the strange one here?]

It's alright, Dr. Vier, the three of us couldn't keep up with what's happening either. No, putting that aside, I'd really like to hear that battle over the legacy of the Taiyaki Kingdom……

Just as the pace was already going according to Hapti-san's pace, Dr. Vier coughed once before changing the subject.

[……I was the Demon Lord you fought back then.]

[Demon Lord…… Ahh~~ I see, now that you mentioned it…… You looked so different now that I didn't recognize you.]

[Ahh, that's understandable. I certainly looked so different from back then……]

[Back when you were a Demon Lord, you seemed to have been under the very simple idea that "wearing dark and pointy clothes would make you look like a villain", looking so pitiful that at first glance, you would immediately have the impression that "you're feeling pained". Ahh, I guess things change when they change eh~~]

[Fughh!?]

[D- Dr. Vieeeeeeer!?]

After the Hero, the Demon Lord was brought to her knee from a mental attack…… Is she invincible when it comes to having arguments with each other? However, just like before, Hapti-san didn't pay attention to Dr. Vier's condition and continued to speak as if it's nothing.

[I mean, why do you look like a nun? Did the Demon Lord wake up to religion?]

[…….N- No, this outfit is like the result of an accumulation of misunderstandings. I'm not a nun, I'm a doctor.]

[Heehhh~~]

After Hapti-san just nodded while laxly replying, at that moment, Neun-san spoke, tilting her head.

[……Come to think of it, I was too shocked Hapti again, but why is Hapti together with Kaito and the others? ———–Don't tell me!? H- Hapti, don't be hasty! Kaito-san certainly is rich, but targeting him is just too……]

[Please don't say terrifying things! You know I don't make money where the risk/reward isn't worth it…… I am pretty well-informed myself, you know, Hikari? I completely know what kind of person Kaito is…… And there's no considering about this matter when it comes to risk/reward! What kind of reward could possibly be worth the risk of tricking Kaito?]

[……Well, I guess you're right. As expected, even you would know who not to mess with, right?]

[Even if I could have everything in the world, I think the risk of antagonizing Kaito would be greater. It's seriously not worth it.]

How should I say this…… Alice sure is amazing. It looks like she really is flustered…… To be honest, even though I knew her real identity, Alice's performance was so great that I almost forgot that Hapti-san was really Alice.

Well, thanks to this, I'm able to act as if I've never met before without feeling uncomfortable……

[I was dispatched by Phantasmal King-sama to be the escort of the three of them…… Well, technically, I'm more of an escort for these two new adventurers, Aoi and Hina.]

[……Arehh? Are Kusonoki-san and Yuzuki-san going to become adventurers?]

[Yes!]

[We started just the other day……]

As I listened to their conversation, I remembered that we hadn't told about this to Neun-san and Dr. Vier yet, and looking as if she thought of something, Hapti-san clapped her hands.

[Ahh, that's right! Since we're at it, I have a question for you, Vier (True).]

[Eh? What's with that (True) attached there, it's as if there's a fake one out there…… Eh? Are you still thinking about that Taiyaki Kingdom? Like I said, I had nothing to do with it!]

[Well, let's just put that aside.]

[……I'd like it if you don't just push things to the side by yourself.]

[Do you have the Eligibility for Magic Power Inspection?]

[Unnn? Ahh, so that's what you're talking about…… You're thinking of asking me to be the personal doctor for Kusunoki-san and Yuzuki-san, right? Unnn, I've got both the Eligibility for Magic Power Inspection and Eligibility for Issuance of Full Recovery Certification, so it's alright. I've also been in charge of Noir-san and Lu-chan when they were still active after all.]

Those words were unfamiliar to me, but Dr. Vier nodded with a smile, to which Aoi-chan and Hina-chan looked as if they understood something.

[……Aoi-chan, what is this Eligibility for Magic Power Inspection?]

[Errr, Adventurers are required to undergo a medical check-up every six months, but it's not just an ordinary check-up, as there's also a test for magic power, so we have to have it done by a doctor with special qualifications. The Guild will also do it for the Adventurers on the designated day, but it seems like such days would be quite crowded, so if you can get it done separately, it's better……]

[So there was such a thing huh……]

[Yes. Also, when you have received a serious injury, you have to go to the doctor and get a Certificate of Full Recovery before you can start working again, but it seems that you need to have qualifications to issue such a thing.]

[I see.]

It would be great for Aoi-chan and Hina-chan if they can have those two qualifications from Dr. Vier, and it was good that they got to know it here.

……Hmmm, it was a too timely of an encounter…… A hasty departure, leaving without telling Lilia-san…… Could it be that from the beginning, she was aiming to have this talk with Dr. Vier to become their personal doctor? ……Since it's Alice we're talking about, that would be possible.

<Afterword>

~ ~ Extra ~ ~ 

【Taiyaki Kingdom】

The kingdom once boasted of its prosperity in the world of "food stalls", but was defeated and destroyed in battle with the "Baby Castella Empire", which rapidly gained power because of the blessings of a certain person.

Legend has it that the path to the legendary "Danish Taiyaki" will open before those who gain the power of both "Black Bean Paste" and "White Custard".

【Vier (temp)】

In the battle for the treasures of the Taiyaki Kingdom, she had sometimes fought against Hapti-chan, and sometimes fought together against a common enemy. She and Hapti-chan had a good rivalry that lasted as long as anime with five seasons.

She is the descendant of the fallen Taiyaki Kingdom, and hopes to restore the kingdom by obtaining the legendary Danish Taiyaki.

In the end, Hapti-chan obtained the secret treasure, but she didn't bring it back with her, coolly leaving the treasure to Vier (temp), saying that they had a fun battle.

The Danish Taiyaki stall was quite a success. Also, Vier and her had the same hair color, so if they were to stand side by side, one would think that "they kinda look each other?"…… the degree of resemblance is just about 40% with each other.

【Ancient Takoyaki Civilization】

It has nothing to do with Taiyaki Kingdom, and although it is called "ancient", it still exists today. Although it has a certain level of fame, it's more like "one of the delicacies eaten at festivals" than a very popular one, which made them considered as a minor item in this world compared to the Baby Castellas, which is widely known to be the Underworld King's favorite.

As a side note, at the Six Kings Festival, "an angel with 20 wings, who stands out both in appearance and atmosphere", was seen buying and eating this food, which may have attracted the interest of others, as sales of the takoyaki were quite high at the Six Kings Festival.