Chapter 885: Portcullis' Giant Soldier ③

After a brief self-introduction, Funf-san spoke with a gentle expression on her face.

[I don't want to stand around talking here, so let's continue in my room. Ahh, but wait for a bit…… Auto-Control.]

Then, with a snap of her fingers, in a blink of an eye, the giant armor from before appeared. After that, in response to Funf-san's words, the giant armor moved by itself and returned near the gate where it had been before.

[Alright, let's go!]

[Yes…… wait, arehh? Your hair and clothes……]

When I turned my attention back to Funf-san, I was astonished. Before I knew it, her hair, which had been short, was now loosely flowing to her waist, and her clothes had changed to a suit-like attire.

[Unnn? Ahh, my hair is originally this length. They get in the way when I'm fighting though, so I keep them short.]

[I see……]

[Funf-sama, was that just now a spell to make the golem act independently?]

[That's right. I'm not very good at separating my thoughts and activating the golem independently, so it's performance is a few steps lower than when I'm running it myself.]

We followed Funf-san, who had started walking while answering our questions. Sieg-san seemed to be interested in the magic that Funf-san used, and she asked several questions while we walked.

[……Or something like that. I'll just teach you the finer details later.]

[Thank you, I learned very well.]

[Don't worry about it……. Even so, fumufumu, I see……]

After answering Sieg-san's question, Funf-san nodded her head as if she was convinced of something before looking at Sieg-san.

[Since Kuromu-sama recommended you, I figured that it would probably be the case…… but it seems like you're pretty good at Tempering Magic huh, Sieglinde…… Ahh, we're here. This is my room. Now, now, come on in.]

In the middle of the conversation, we arrived at Funf-san's room. It was a beautiful room with simple, yet mature and stylish furniture, and the size of the room made it look like a model room.

[What do you two want to drink? We have tea, coffee, juice…… If you want, there's also alcohol.]

[Errr, I'll have tea then.]

[I'll have the same.]

[Alright, I'll be back in a minute.]

As I suspected, she has a sister-like air about her, and the tempo of her conversations was very light. In fact, being one of the older members among Kuro's family, it would be like she had many younger brothers and sisters, so it makes sense in some ways.

In fact, it's just a hunch, but her tone of voice is a little bit like Dr. Vier's.

While I was thinking about this, tea was prepared and Funf-san placed in front of us along with some teacakes, then sat down in front of us with a cup of tea for herself.

[……So, to continue where we left off, I think Sieglinde has a talent for Tempering Magic, but have you ever used it before?]

[N- No, as expected, using advanced magic like Tempering Magic is……]

Tempering Magic, if I remember correctly, was the magic that Neun-san uses to materialize her magic power. From what Kuro taught me, it consumes a lot of magic power and the only people who can use it among the Demons are those of a certain high rank.

In addition to that, it seems that even at the level of Baron-ranks, people have different strengths and weaknesses in this magic. There are many people who aren't very good at using it and even among the Count-ranks, there are those who don't actively use it.

[I see. Then, when I'm actually starting to teach you, I'll also teach you the basics of Tempering Magic.]

[Yes! I'm in your care.]

Once she said that, Funf-san took a sip of her tea before turning towards me with a serious expression on her face.

[……I've been wanting to meet Kaito for a while now.]

[Me?]

[Unnn, of course, I heard about you from Kuromu-sama and my other family members…… but more than that, I wanted to thank you for everything.]

[……Thank me?]

As I tilted my head at her incomprehensible words, Funf-san stood up from her seat and bowed deeply to me.

[……Thank you for saving Vee.]

[Errr……]

[Ahh, I meant Vier. Vee and I were both taken in by Kuromu-sama around the same time, and we've grown up together like sisters. However, I couldn't save Vee…… But thanks to Kaito, Vee was able to look forward to the future and I really can't thank you enough.]

It seems that I wasn't wrong when I felt that the atmosphere around her was similar to that of Dr. Vier earlier. Expressing her deep gratitude, Funf-san looked really happy that Dr. Vier was able to face forward.

[I was……]

[Yes, stop!]

[Eh?]

[No matter what the trigger was, the fact that Vee was saved by you and that I am grateful to you is an unshakeable fact. That's why, I just want you to push aside the modesty and just obediently accept my gratitude.]

[……………………….]

[Once again, thank you very much.]

[……Yes. You're welcome.]

Somehow, I felt that this exchange was very important to Funf-san. Thus, without saying anything else, just as Funf-san said, I obediently accepted her gratitude.

After a few moments of listening to my words, Funf-san raised her head. The smile on her face was very radiant, and I could sense that she had reached some kind of closure.

<Afterword>

~ ~ Extra : The difference with the Light Novel ~ ~

【Light Novel Funf】

In Volume 6, she met Kaito for the first time, and she and Vier are as close as real sisters. She felt uncomfortable with Vier's condition at that time, but in the end, she couldn't answer Vier correctly as she was having second thoughts.

When Vier invaded the Human Realm as the Demon Lord a thousand years ago, she tried to protect Vier even by turning her blade against Ein, but Ein defeated her and was unable to help Vier.

She is determined to protect Vier this time (Volume 6), and enters the Demon Lord Arc on Vier's side.

T/N: A scene from the Light Novel.

『——-This isn’t a power to protect my family. Even if I cast aside everything, even if I sacrifice everything, this is a power to protect Vee alone! Activate——- 《Pluto’s Hands》!』 (T/N: Yes, "Pluto". It was written in Engrish. My head hurts thinking about what the other Kings' names would have been if Underworld King is actually Pluto.) 

【Web Novel Funf】

Her relationship with Vier is the same as in the Light Novel, but in this version, she was out for a long time on another errand when Vier began to think about her actions  as a Demon Lord, and was unaware of Vier's abnormality. She learned of Vier's invasion of the Human Realm much later than in the Light Novel, so she didn't come into conflict with Ein.

She regrets not being able to notice Vier's suffering , but she doesn't seem as sad as she did in the Light Novel. Thus, she only waits for Vier's return as the gatekeeper, believing that she will come back one day.

As the matter of Vier has already been resolved here, the lump in her heart has already been removed and she was calmer than in the Light novel, deeply grateful to Kaito.

【Clear difference】

In the Light Novel, before Vier invaded the Human Realm, she asked Funf ”Will Funf be on my side even if the whole world is against me?”, and the fact that she couldn't immediately answer her led to a strong regret in the Light Novel's Funf.

In the Web Novel though, Funf wasn't there for Vier to ask, so she didn't have to answer that question.