CH 197.1

The store that located at the East of the Royal Capital.

「But man to think that they would show that much interest in my hobby. I am honestly very much surprised」

Taking the iced tea that had water droplets on the surface of the glass, the man gulps it all down in one go. The ice in the glass makes a clinking sound as he puts it back down onto the table.

「This path is long and deep and is filled with, and overflowing with the allure of mystery. However, the people who know the good points of this is far and few between」

Shaking his head from left to right in a way that suggests that he felt that this is a waste, the handlebar mustache on his face shakes.

「Did you say that this is a magazine that is aimed at young people? If my hobby is able to capture the hearts of people like the young noblewomen, then to me, it is something that will bring me much joy」

He was full of vigor.

It was after he received a letter from the young female reporter who was sitting right in front of him. The contents of the letter are as follows – 『I will allow the world to know of your hobby, in order to do that, I would like to enlist your help』

(At the very beginning, I rejected her thinking that this was the same as the one I received at that time)

This is not the first time he has received a request for news coverage.

However, at that time, the article was written in such a comical manner that it resulted in sneers from the readers in the end.

(However, it is different this time)

The reporter was rejected twice but she did not give up.

The letter that was sent every time she was rejected. On the letter is the strong interest and burning passion expressed towards the type of 「meals」 that is to his liking, which was all been packed into the elegant words that were written on the letter.

「Please feel free to ask me any questions. If it is something that I can answer, I shall do my very best to answer it」

The female reporter, whose eyes were looking down at her hand that has a notepad, lifted her head when she heard those words.

The female reporter, who has a style of hair with sidelocks and frontal fringe that are the length of her cheeks, also, the rest of her hair is long and straight, looked quite young to his eyes. If Tauro were here, he would probably have thought that she is currently commuting to a high school.

(Her expression is very rigid. I guess it can be said that she is still new to her job)

Just as he thinks of such a thing, a certain doubt surfaces in his mind.

The female reporter places her notepad on the table. She then proceeds to take out something that was in between her chest.

(That is a Rosario? A large emerald, that has the shape of a water droplet, has been through inlaying work and made into a Rosario. It is most likely something that is of pretty high value)

Well, the Rosario has nothing to do with the contents of the interview. While the muscular giant of a man, who is in the prime of his life, thought as such, he tilted his head to the right.

「Doctor Slime! No, oh evil spirit who has possessed a human and brings forth evil to the world thereafter!」

At this sudden change of attitude of the person sitting across from him, the muscular giant of a man, who is in his prime, loses his ability to speak for a while.

The female reporter does not let her eyes leave him who was acting in such a manner as she continues to speak.

「I will purify you as per orders from God himself. Please prepare yourself!」

While the muscular giant of a man makes a troubled expression, he squeezes his handlebar mustache with his fingers.

「I am not the one you call Doctor Slime though」

「Please do not act like you are not the one! I know that you are the one who has been organizing the 『Adult Gourmet Clu 』!」

The true identity of this female reporter is a holy maiden who came from the Eastern Kingdom.

Her objective is to put a stop to the spread of 『Sin and Punishment』.

(The source of this contamination is Doctor Slime. There is no mistake that his very heart has been taken over by an evil spirit)

As the holy maiden believes that this is true, she does not lend an ear to the words spoken by an evil spirit.

「Hmm」

The muscular giant of a man pinches his chin as he thinks to himself.

(Doctor Slime, a name that is extremely well known in the red light district)

However, the muscular giant of a man has never met Doctor Slime before. He also has no inkling as to why he would be mistaken as this very person.

「You are a gourmet, am I right?」

The muscular giant of a man raises his eyebrows. In order to peer deeper into the reason he was acting in this manner, the high school holy maiden asks another question on top of the one she asked before.

「Madam. To be completely honest with you, I do not know the 『Adult Gourmet Club』 that you have been talking about. However, it is a fact that I am indeed called the 『Gourmet of Gold』」

In all good faith, the muscular giant of a man decided to answer truthfully.

「It is as I expected!」

The high school holy maiden, who only reacted to the word known as gourmet. Seeing her only react in this manner made the Gourmet of Gold drop his shoulders, showing his extreme disappointment.

It is a fact that he had felt an unexpectedly large amount of joy and expectation for the interview today. So much so that he forcefully canceled all of the jobs he had for today and came directly to this place from the headquarters of the Knight Order itself.

(A person, namely one that understands this interest of mine, is one that will not appear before me it seems)

Knowing that this interview was all due to his identity being mistaken has caused the Gourmet of Gold to be in low spirits. Thinking of the schedule he had forcefully arranged for today caused a huge sigh to come out from deep within his very lungs.

(It seems like, right now, too much blood has rushed to the head of this woman. I must get her to calm down and have her listen to what I have to say)

And if it is at all possible, I would like to return to the headquarters of the Knight Order. I have mountains upon mountains of work that I would very much like to finish.

The Gourmet of Gold was thinking hard as to what to say in order to get the High school holy maiden to raise her head. It was just then that his movements stopped.

The High school holy maiden was no longer sitting on the chair. Before he even knew what was going on, she had got up on the table right in front of him and had taken up an imposing pose. She is now looking down on him.

(She does not seem very friendly)

The mouth of the Gourmet of Gold forms into the shape of the Hiragana for he*.

The High school holy maiden lifts one of her legs high up into the air, taking a huge step with the sole of her feet which caused it to step on the wall behind that of the back of the Gourmet of Gold. Or this is what can be described as a 「Kabedon**」that is done using the feet of a person.

[*TL note: The Hiragana for this would be へ] [**TL note: Tldr; A palm slam on the wall behind another person. A Kabedon (壁ドン) is an action where one uses one’s palm to slam on the wall behind another person hence explaining the wall (壁, Kabe, in Japanese) part of the word. The don (ドン) part of the word comes from the sound that is made when the palm slams on the wall. To find out more, visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabedon]