Chapter 383: Precious

After an investigation by magic investigators, the Demonist who disguised himself as the dry cleaner was the perpetrator of the curses.

In addition to the broken Job Stealing Gems and the corpse of the dry cleaner that was over a week old, the deciding factor was the spent talismans found inside the uniforms of the town hall staff.

The next morning, I was invited by the assistant mayor and went to the government office.

Guided by Medley-san who was looking for a boyfriend, I waited in the reception room. The same sugar confectionery was placed on the table. I had the chance to replenish the portion that I had eaten in my item bag.

I wondered if it was okay to take more so for now, I only took one and stored it in my item bag.

They were too sweet to eat on their own but they were perfect ingredients for making sweets.

After some time, the assistant mayor and Felice the secretary came in.

“Thank you very much, Ichinojo-dono. You are exactly the man I look up to.”

The moment he entered, Felice grabbed my hand with a flushed face.

The fear that struck me when I thought my frenzy curse would activate came back.

He wasn’t doing anything wrong so I couldn’t run by fling his hand away either.

I asked the assistant mayor while feeling an unpleasant sweat drip down my back.

“S … So, does it look like the siege will be lifted?”

“I have already reported to the royal army that the curse practitioner has died. After confirming the evidence, the siege will be lifted within three days. The staff have already communicated to the citizens and food from the royal army has been brought into the city. It looks like the situation is finally over.”

“I see, that’s great.”

“Yeah. I feel that the actions of the royal army were a little overboard but it couldn’t be helped if the oni race was the source of the curse. The oni race is a hated race known to cause terrorism problems all over the world.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Although there is a gag order so only a portion of people knows. Everything will be perfect once we find the last remaining piece of the puzzle, the transmitting talisman.”

“Transmitting talisman?”

“Yes. It seemed that the talismans placed in the clothes of the victims were not communication talismans as Ichinojo-dono predicted but receiving talismans. Although a transmitting talisman is needed to transmit voice to them, there were only unwritten papers in the dry cleaner. The transmitting talisman was probably hidden in some other location.”

Unlike the two-way communication talisman, the transmitting and receiving talisman transmitted sound uni-directionally.

“Don’t worry, we will do a thorough investigation.”

“Okay – well then, I’ll excuse myself.”

“I see. Felice-kun, please send him out.”

“Understood, assistant mayor.”

“It’s okay, there’s no need to.”

I immediately refused.

“That won’t do. Ichinojo-dono is this town’s hero. If anything happens to the hero on the way back from the government office, my dream to be the next mayor … ahem, it would be troubling if anything happens.”

He was being insistent.

I couldn’t find a reason to refuse so I sighed.

I was guided until Suzuki’s home.

Felice didn’t do anything. He was consistently three steps behind me. But it was terrifying knowing that he was behind.

I knew that he was staring at me the whole time and I had goosebumps the entire way.

What was with this development?

I rather fight Kanesha or the queen spider.

Now that I think about it, won’t Milky appear if I linked hands with Felice? I recalled the jest Carol said … it was a jest, right?

“Ah … right, I just recalled. This belongs to Felice-san, right?”

I said and took out Milky’s book from my item bag.

I did check the contents but I didn’t notice any message from Miri. I already made a copy so I decided to return it.

“Ah, that is – I left it in the inner pocket of my bag when I entrusted it to the dry cleaner.”

Felice-san took the book,

“Before this situation started, a pink-haired girl told me that I had an aptitude and passed me this book and since then, it has been my bible that taught me how to be in love.”

That was definitely Milky.

What was that girl doing?

“Thank you very much, Ichinojo-dono!”

Felice said as he held both my hands.

Close, his face was way too close.

“ – precious.”

I heard someone collapse along with that voice.

When I turned around, I saw a pink-haired girl, Milky, on the ground with a nose bleed.

She wrote with her blood, ‘bring me my paper and pen’.

It actually worked!

What was all the hard work we put in for?

Although we were able to locate the curse practitioner because of that.

“You’re that master – !? It’s dangerous, stay back Ichinojo-dono! She suddenly had a nose bleed and collapse, perhaps she is infected with some kind of illness. You might contract it if you approach her.”

“Ah, it’s okay. That’s how she is.”

“It’s not okay! Don’t worry, I will protect you with my life.”

“It’s seriously okay. In fact, it will be even worse if you say that.”

Milky’s nose bleed had not stopped since just now.

That couldn’t continue. At that rate, Milky would die of blood loss before I could talk to her.

I carried her on my back and,

“Sorry but I have something to do –”

“Ah, please wait, Ichinojo-dono.”

I ignored Felice’s shout to stop and ran away at full speed.

“Ichinojo-donooooo!”

While fearing the voice of Felice coming from behind me.