CH 22.2

Where should we go next?

“—A-re, isn’t that Felix-sama?” 

“Young master Felix! I didn’t expect to see you here!”

Just as we were exiting the store, Felix’s name was called out. As I turned around, I noticed two middle-aged people, dressed like servants, walking past the bakery next door and appearing surprised to see Felix. They were both very short, barely reaching my waist.

Could they be half-elves?

When I turned to Felix, he too looked surprised and said to them, “What a coincidence. 

“Young master Felix, I hope you’re doing well.”

“It’s been a while, you two. I was just showing the newest member of the Black-winged knights around town. Takumi, they are servants of my parents’ family…”

I bowed my head and introduced myself to them both, saying that I was indebted to Felix. They responded by bowing more deeply than I had and then introducing themselves. Apparently, both of them had been serving Felix’s family, the Alpharettas, since long before Felix was even born.

“Felix-sama! Perhaps you have finally made up your mind to return to the Count’s house—”

“Both of you. I’m sorry, but please stop talking about this.”

Felix, in a rare moment of sternness, cut them off. I was taken aback by his response. It was the first time I had seen Felix interrupting someone in the middle of a conversation.

“B-But, Felix-sama, the count’s condition is getting worse day by day. Felix-sama, why don’t you come back home?”

“I’m… “ 

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“Felix,” I said, “I’ll be waiting for you over there, so why don’t you go and have a little chat?”

“…Are you sure? Then, give me 10 minutes. I’ll be done in no time.”

“Ah, I don’t mind. I’ll be looking at the store next door, so don’t worry.” 

While I’m curious about the story between the two and Felix… but I probably shouldn’t listened to their conversation at this timing. If Felix is willing to talk to me, and I am willing to talk to him. I’m sure he’ll tell me exactly what he wants to tell me then.

I then said to the two servants who looked anxious, “Don’t worry about me, go ahead,” and headed for the fruit store next to the bakery. After I left, I caught a glimpse of the three of them moving to the wall of the building and starting to talk with each other in the corner of my eye.

Well now.

Some of the products lined up at the front of the fruit stand were widely popular in my former world, while some I had no idea how to peel. Come to think of it, I hadn’t been able to eat that much fruit since I came to this world. 

The pink fruits over there look delicious, I think I’ll buy one for myself. Oh~ they also sell dried fruits. Maybe I can buy some dried fruits as a gift for Iris! Should I buy some to try?

Then, as I was debating whether to summon the shopkeeper, I noticed a tall man with silver hair. He had long, straight hair that reached his back, and I could not help but admire the way it flowed in the breeze. He was standing a safe distance from me, perusing the fruit stalls, when he was bumped by an elderly gentleman making his way across the street against the flow of pedestrians.

“Wally, hurry up.”

“………..” 

The older gentleman, his face obscured by his hat, quickly apologized for his blunder and continued to walk away without looking back. The man with silver hair who was bumped into, on the other hand, did not complain or nod back, but simply remained silent.

But neither of those two men seemed to notice what happened next. Somehow the impact of the collision caused a silver coin to fall out of the older man’s slightly brown and dirty pocket and land on the ground. At the same time, nobody on the street seemed to notice the dropped coin. It was such a hustle and bustle scenery—and no one paid any attention to the fallen coin on the ground.

No. If this is the case, I guess I’ll have to enlighten him!

“Oi~ Wait a minute!” I picked up the coin that had rolled toward me and called out to the older man. 

“…!”

The moment I called out to him, he turned around and ran like a hare.

Ehhhhh

The silver-haired man looked quizzical as the man suddenly started running. However, with a look of realization on his face, he began to rummage through his jacket pockets with a panicked look on his face. 

No, you didn’t lose anything though?!?!?!

I cast a glance at the silver-haired gentleman. Then, for a brief moment, my gaze met his. His eyes were a light ice blue. When combined with his silver hair, he resembled a fairytale ice witch. His sharply lined features and long, intelligent eyes gave the impression that he was a little nervous, but he was still a lovely, sculpted man. But there was no time to call him out. Even at this very moment, the older man who dropped his coin was moving further away from me.

What kind of man has such leg strength at that age…! I can’t stay like this! I have to go faster, or I’ll lose him before I can deliver the lost item to him!

I hurriedly started to run. As I started to run after him, a man with silver hair shouted at my back, “You, wait!”. However, I didn’t have time to look back. 

Ah, come to think of it, I haven’t say anything to Felix. But, if I told Felix, then I’ll lose that oji-san… Well, as long as I deliver the lost item to that oji-san and camo back immediately afterward, I’ll be fine!

But… I immediately regretted my hasty decision to jump out of the vehicle.

This is bad. I had totally underestimated the fitness level of ordinary people in this world. I can’t catch up with oji-san at all!!! I didn’t know even ordinary people have this much physical strength!

That’s right. This oji-san is a man of unimaginable physical strength despite his appearance. What’s more baffling is that even when I shout, “Hey, stop!’ at the man’s back while running, that oji-san wouldn’t stop at all! On the contrary, he keeps running into narrow alleys, as if to scatter me. 

What the hell is happening right now? Could it be that there’s something so urgent that he doesn’t even want to stop?

But, wouldn’t it be nice if he glanced back a little, or showed signs of hesitation? I wondered if he could not hear me because he was so focused on running. As I pursued the man, we both ended up in a deserted alley.

I guessed that this place situated in the backside of the main streets called, ‘alleyway’. Unlike the main street, which was well-organized and well-lit, this street was barely wide enough for two adults to walk side by side. I could feel the weight of the concrete buildings pressing in on me from both sides.

As the old man’s legs slowed to a stop, so did mine. That’s right. There was a wall in front of us. A wall, or a concrete building was blocking our way. 

“Huh… looks like a dead end,” I spoke to the man, smiling of relief that the mouse and cat chase was finally over.

Now, all I have to do is return this coin to oji-san!

“You got me good, brat.”

“What? It’s just a coincidence. You were just unlucky this time,” I approached the old man who was facing me, one step at a time. 

You’re just unlucky that you dropped this coin, oji-san! But I think you should put them in your wallet properly the next time! It is a good thing that I happened to notice and was able to pick it up this time!

As my mind raced and I was about to hand the coin—the old man glared at me hatefully for some reason.

Translator’s Notes

Lol. Takumi just couldn’t get a break, doesn’t he?