CH 27

「I have returned, minister Revenant. That was really the worst, the worst I say」

An irritated voice echoed through the room. The voice came from a blond haired woman with glowing red eyes and a large scar on her neck.

「What do you mean by the worst? 」

The person who answered was Revenant, an overweight man dressed in luxurious clothes filled with jewelry but badly arranged.

He was currently in front of his desk reading documents, seated in a luxurious chair, much bigger than a normal one.

The woman walked towards the front of his desk, then continued talking in an annoyed state.

「That guy, Vanil Mirth was defeated」

「Huh, what? 」

Hearing her ridiculous report he couldn’t cope up with the facts. The woman sighed and once more delivered the same news that she previously said.

「As I said, that guy, Vanil Mirth was defeated」

「wha, really, then what about the plan――」

「Un, it was quite troublesome, right now, it’s urgently necessary that we procure the new《Weapons》」

「But, if we rush it now, won’t they be easily annihilated? 」

She watched the disappointed Revenant who was murmuring about things, but then she started laughing.

「If it’s Vanil Mirth we are talking about then it would certainly result like that. However his opponent was just a child, and if that child hinders our plan then she will certainly be a greater threat.」

「Is there a way to fight her? 」

「That girl, it seems like she was refining her magic power unconsciously to strengthen and harden herself, but she probably can’t use magic」

「I see, so she is a physical power type. Is what you are trying to say? 」

Exactly, is what she implied, then she started walking around thinking of something else.

Revenant continued the talk without minding her.

「However, if she is strong to the point of beating that, why not try to bring her over」

Hearing his next words, the woman snorted and started laughing.

「If it can be done, then it would be simple. I am also considered a scholar so I don’t think it would be unreasonable『Unreasonable』, but in my current state it would be impossible. It’s normal for a child to enjoy a festival with someone watching over her after all. Besides, handling her would be too dangerous, even I won’t be able to hold her back if she were to retaliate by force」

「……I see」

Revenant leaned back in his chair, and silence then dominated the room.

It seems like the woman was still thinking about something, then after a while tried to leave the room but turned back before doing so.

「What is it? 」

「About the research institute, I would like to see some results soon. Well, I would also like to check on those new developed weapons」

「Umu, then let’s arrange for it immediately」

Opening the door, the woman went out, and Revenant followed her after placing the documents he was handling on his desk.

◇――――――

Three days have passed since the time I’ve won the tournament, and it was one day before we would leave the capital.

After coming to the capital I was guided by Lutie, won the battle tournament, and enjoyed looking around the stalls of the festival with mom, so I was very satisfied.

After all that, although I won, I was thinking to give the reward money to mom, but since she already retired, quite some time ago, she was not using her guild card anymore, so the prize would be delivered to our village at a later date instead.

We have been strolling around the capital in the past three days, to my surprise this time beside mom, Doppelganger was also here, but didn’t say anything since then.

I wanted to talk to her about a lot of things, but it would be much better when we get back to the village, where we will be able to talk without any worries.

Today I came to say goodbye to Lutie, since we will leave tomorrow morning, at the same time we left the town before coming here, that’s why today is the last time for me to say goodbye to her.

「umm, is Lutie here? 」

The one inside was the gray-haired old man I’ve met before who seems to be the person in charge of this station, I was looking around the room from outside through the window.

「My, maybe it’s her rest day today」

Hearing our voices, the old man moved his gaze towards us. Then he awkwardly approached the window, walking with a cane, but well, all he needed to do was to sit near the window.

「Oh, I heard that the little lass defeated that boy. He has been going a little wild for a while now, but this should calm his nerves down. So, good job.」

「Un, Thanks」

「So, why are you here today, did you come to see Lutie? 」

「Right」

「She’s out on an errand at the moment, but she will be returning soon. You can wait here if you don’t mind」

「Un, understood」

After talking to me, the old man stared towards mom, then he placed his hand on his chin thinking about something.

Mom was also showing an awkward face when she saw the old man. Eh? What happened?

「Ohh, aren’t you that, the Tomboyish Rihanna」

「Oh please stop calling me like that already. You never change, do you Griffit-san? It’s been a while」

「Tomboy? 」

When I looked at mom tilting my head, she quickly shook her head and said「Let’s not talk about the old days」and smiled awkwardly.

Old man Griffit also laughed out loud. You were acquainted with each other, huh. If I am not mistaken, Griffit-san was supposed to be the retired knight commander, right.

「I see, so does that mean she is your daughter? Iya, it’s quite hard to believe knowing the you from before」

「People change as they grow older, even I am not an exception. I’m more curious about what happened to your leg though? 」

「Ah, this? It’s because of a dragon’s curse that have gone from bad to worse, but it was finally dispelled now, so I might end up recovering soon」

「that looks really serious」

「Iya, it was quite bothersome, not being able to walk before, but also thanks to that I was released from all the work of the knight commander. The busyness and troubles of that job have been handed down to that Vanil boy now.」

And so, Griffit-san and mom kept speaking with each other, about the latest information they know and other stuff, and I now have free time, but Lutie still haven’t returned.

Then, the subject of the chat was pushed back to stories of their older days, and since I was too free I just listened.

It seems like mom liked doing everything on her own will. She was also quite active and was doing a lot quests, but you know, even though Griffit-san told me about the days that she reached B-Rank, I didn’t really understand what that is like. I do know that they were supposed to be senior adventurers, but I don’t really know what mother was like in those days.

「Oh, why are you here Toto? Are you lost again? 」

While I was busy listening to the two, the door was opened, and Lutie final returned.

I quickly raised my hands and stood up in reaction to what she said.

「I, not lost」

「Then, I’ll first clear up my luggage, so just wait for a bit more」

「Un」

Dashing inside, she placed her bags and things she carried on a desk in the room, then she returned to the station area.

「And so, did you need me for something? 」

「Because want to see you, came to say hello」[TL: This is not wrong grammar, it’s how Toto talks]

「Ah, now that you mention it, it’s really been a while since you’ve last visited, thank you for coming all the way here to visit me」

「This, will give you」

What I handed to Lutie was a palm-sized mysterious object, and was a recommended gift from one of the shops we visited yesterday when I was looking for a present to give to Rikka-chan. Lutie showed me a delighted smile after receiving the gift that I gave her.

「U, Umm……what is this by the way」

When Lutie was finally focusing her sight on the mysterious object, she asked this. Un, that is certainly a normal reaction, after all I was the same when I bought that object.

It has one eye at the center with tentacle like things of different lengths surrounding it like petals…… A flower maybe? [ED: Yea, we all know what is a good match for female knights, right?] It really gives off a mysterious image with the eye and the thorny body connected to its base.

「Isn’t that just a perfect gift for saying goodbye」

……Doppelganger said.

「……Is that really so?」

If so then great, I will be happy to give her something good as a gift. Still, she sure has quite a different aesthetic sense and I don’t know if the recipient would find it good or bad.

Well, it was when we’re walking around looking at street stalls that Doppelganger called out to me.

『Ahh, that, it was imbued with disease preventing magic, buy it now, it’s definitely a great bargain! 』

Really.

The person who was selling it didn’t know what it does and only selled it saying,「Eh, is it really ok for a child to take that strange thing? 」, when we bought it.

And so, after finally buying it, Doppelganger looked really satisfied, that’s why I thought it was definitely something good. I know that she could see and understand magic from our fight with Vanil Mirth-san, that’s why I know that she didn’t just pick it up to harass me.

「But still, I’m very happy receiving a present, I will definitely decorate my room with it」

「Un」

「And so, when will you be visiting again? 」

「Hmm, Dunno, maybe in a year? 」

I have also informed Anse-san that I’m not sure if I can participate in the tournament next year, and that I would like to join again if possible. I am the champion after all, and if I win again then there will be more money.

It seems that the prize money would decrease if I was the winner though. It is so to make sure that the challengers are properly paid, and I am only fighting once in the whole tournament anyway, so I can agree to the rules.

「yes, then is that all, I will be looking forward to seeing you again next time」

「Un, Be sure, Meet Again」

Well, I don’t know how strong the protection of that certain object, but I hope that she will be fine until the time that we meet again.

When I looked towards mom, it seems like they have also finished, and so we said our goodbyes.

「Well then, we will probably come again around this time」

「Right, if there is anything you want to ask that Vanil boy, I can directly deliver it as the former knight commander」

「Hai hai, then till next time」

Mom then shook Griffit-san’s hand then walked towards me.

「so, did you say all you greetings? Shall we go then? 」

「Un」

The next day, we got up early in the morning and went to ride a carriage, this time the escorts were a mix of D and C rank parties, they were also relaxed when they saw me for some reason.

This was usually the normal ranks that are accepted for guarding a carriage. Well it was quite strange for Hannou-san and Zanbara-san, who were A Ranks, to escort a carriage like the one we rode though, and their behavior was also kind of strange.

「Umm, you are the champion of the martial arts tournament, Toto-san right? 」

「We don’t need to confirm that you know……」

「Awawawa, we, we will do our job properlyー」

The one who asked first was their leader, a purple semi-long haired girl, the one who stuttered hiding behind her was a pink short-haired girl, and the one who retorted the leader was a mint-green long-haired girl who was like a tsun and unwilling to smile but forced herself to smile.

Thinking about why they asked, it was probably because they watched the tournament. I don’t really mind if that is so.

「Please take care of us」

If they are going to ask for some extra payment then I won’t give any. I haven’t received the price yet you know!

Whispering this silently to their leader, she answered that they would still do their best but was a bit dejected.