243 - - Episode 2 Fake Yume

In a room at a luxury inn in the racial kingdom capital, "UR, Level 5000 Assassin Blade Nemmu" frowns grimly.

'It's a bit ...... disrespectful of you to make Master Dirk wait for me.

Nemm, calm down. In case you are wondering, we are adventurers, even though we are A class and top class. Lilith is royalty, so it's only natural that she has to wait for us because of her position.

Currently, we, the "Black Clown" party, were staying at a luxury inn upon entering the capital of the racial kingdom.

The reason was to escort Lilith, the first princess of this racial kingdom.

In fact, Lilith and I are connected behind the scenes, and the reason is to help her overthrow the current king at the Sixth Duchy Congress and get to the top.

She is desperate for our cooperation, but because of her ostensible position, she has had to wait.

Nemmu is not happy about that, apparently.

She was not happy about it. The longer we have to wait, the more we can enjoy the city's drinks, food, and customs.

Unlike Gold, I don't care about food and drink on earth. I'm not interested in earthly liquor or food, unlike Gold. There must be something wrong with your tongue.

The food is certainly less tasty than at the bottom of the Abyss, with fewer seasonings and a narrower range of dishes, but there is still the occasional tasty morsel. The Lord also enjoyed the dried octopus that came in from the port of the Dwarf Kingdom.

Oh, that was delicious," he said. "Oh, it was delicious. It had a concentrated flavor."

'Nemmu, do you still think this makes a mockery of eating on the ground?'

Gold refutes Nemum's negative opinion by citing me.

In response to this rebuttal, Nemm

I only approve of what Master Dirk approves of. Even if the food Master Dirk approves of tastes like a mess, I will continue to eat it as my favorite food for the rest of my life!

Oh, oh ...... I was wrong to try to argue with a Lord Ganguly like you. ......

Gold withdraws his pet theory, donning Nemum's rebuttal.

Nemm thought he had won, and he let out a snort of pride.

While we are conversing, there is a tap on the door of the room.

Nemmu stands up and approaches the door.

The other party is an employee of the inn.

He has come to tell us that a messenger from the royal palace has arrived.

The male employee blushes when he sees Nemmu answering the door, and tells her of his business in a tone of voice strained by her good looks.

Nemmu paid no attention to the employee's attitude and asked the messenger to come to her room.

It is impolite to summon a messenger from the royal palace to one's room," Nemmu said. We should have been the ones to greet them.

However, in order to exchange confidential information, we had to ask the messenger to come to our room.

The clerk closes the door and goes to call the messenger.

A few minutes later, the door was knocked open again, and the messenger from the royal palace - a fake yumemaid - appeared.

She closes the door and comes into the living room where we are sitting.

I stare at the fake Yume and ask Nemmu.

'...... Nemmu, any sign of probing this way?

No one is listening around the room. But there are some people who are watching us on the side of the inn.

Nemum is a top class assassin.

She is included in the adventurers' party because of her ability to detect signs.

Since Nemmu assures us that there are no people listening in our room, we can be sure that there are people watching the inn.

When the fake Yume learned that there were no people listening in the room, she fell to her knees and hung her head, appealing for help.

Forgive my remarks, Mr. Wright."

...... forgive me."

Thank you." Perhaps those who are watching the inn are the handiwork of His Highness Prince Claw, the first prince of the racial kingdom."

"............"

The information from the fake Yume was very useful, but I was more concerned about the fake Yume who was taking the form of a retainer in front of me than about the content, and I could not concentrate on the conversation at all.

The reason was that even though she was an imposter created by "UR, the second shadow (double shadow)," her appearance, voice, and gestures were all identical to those of her own sister.

I guess I will get used to it if I repeat it several times, but it is very uncomfortable to be served by my own sister whom I adore, even if it is only in appearance.

Incidentally, the interesting thing about "UR, Double Shadow" is that it does not pledge allegiance to the person whose card it reads and whose shape it imitates.

For some reason, it is pledging allegiance to me, the person who played the card.

Is it because it is a card that came out of the "Infinite Gacha" (gift) and is pledging allegiance to me, the creator, rather than to its imitator?

"...... Mr. Wright?"

Fake Yume calls out to me with an anxious expression on her face at my lack of response.

I responded to her, letting out a faint giggle.

I'm sorry," she said, "but I can't help feeling a little uncomfortable because I have the same appearance as Yume thanks to the power of the card. If possible, could you please report back to me without awe?"

I beg your pardon. I am sorry for reporting to you without considering your feelings, Mr. Wright!　Nnnngh!　Gohon!　Niichan!"

The fake Yume stops her retainer's bow and stands up, calling me with a smile like the real Yume.

I offer her a sofa.

Fake Yume thanked me and sat down on the sofa.

I told her, "His Highness the First Prince Claw doesn't want to take Ni-chan and the others who are in and out of the city of the 'Witch of the Giant Tower' to the Six Principality Conference. He said it would be a bad impression from other species. According to the princess, they even argued in front of the king, so she seems to be very distraught. She told me to be careful with my brother tomorrow when we come to the castle for the meeting to discuss the escort and travel arrangements.

I see. ...... Then those guys outside are almost certainly working for the First Prince."

There might be a possibility that he might have his hands on your sister, Master Dirk's sister, who is an emissary, even though she is an imposter made of cards. In fact, that possibility is probably remote, but just to be safe, shall we eliminate it now?"

Nemmu asks in a heavy voice filled with murderous intent.

Even in the daytime, it would be easy for Nemmu, a top-class assassin, to take care of them without anyone noticing.

But I shake my head.

I feel the same way as Nemmu. Even if I knew he was an impostor, just the thought of him getting his hands on Yume makes my guts boil. But since there is little chance of them making a move, it would be bad if we make a move and make the problem bigger.

Yume agrees with Ni-chan. If they wanted to interfere, they would have done it before coming to the inn. Besides, the first prince wouldn't want to make the problem worse by making a move on Yume, the maid in Lilith-sama's entourage.

...... but there is no possibility of that. Nemmu, please escort Yume to the royal palace on the way back without anyone noticing. If they try to touch her--it's not nice to kill them, so incapacitate and capture them."

Awe."

I really want to make those who touch Yume, even if they are imposters, experience pain that will make them regret their birth, but I order them to be captured because they could be used for trade.

Nemumu's escort is only an insurance policy.

Afterwards, through the fake Yume, I ask him about precautions when visiting the royal palace and other details.

I agreed, and she returned to the face of a maid with the first princess of the race again and left the room.

As soon as the fake Yume left the room, Nemmu, as her escort, disappeared from the room like a puff of smoke, but not through the door.

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