CH 29.1

“But are you sure, Felix? You’re coming with me on my errand today, too.” I asked Felix in the carriage that the Countess of Alpharetta had prepared for us after we left the house.

Instead of heading back to the Black-winged order’s barracks, the carriage was heading for the castle town where we had been touring yesterday. Yesterday, since we went to Count Alpharetta’s house right after the pickpocketing fiasco, I ended up not being able to buy a gift in return for Iris. 

So, since today was my second day off in a row, instead of reporting to the knights’ barracks, I had the coachman take me to the castle town. But I didn’t anticipate bringing Felix along with me today. Since it was Felix’s day off, I assumed he would spend it at the Count’s mansion.

“Yesterday, I promised to go shopping with Takumi, but I almost didn’t make it. After all, you haven’t bought anything for Iris yet, have you? If it’s all right with you, I’d be happy to accompany you.”

“But …… don’t you want to stay with your father? You don’t have to stay with me.”

“It’s all right. Father was feeling better this morning, and I’m going to commute from home to the order for a while starting today.” 

“I’m sorry for making you feel like I’m trying to get you to do something you don’t want to do.”

“No, it is not like that. It is my greatest joy to be by your side.” Felix stroked the back of my hand and smiled a radiant smile.

This handsome guy saying those lines to me easily again! Did he not remember that I asked him to cut it out this morning? It’s nice to hear him say it like that, but it’s bad for my heart!

On the contrary to my nervousness, Felix was smiling as calmly as ever.

“Speaking of which, Commander Gazelle said he would join us in the afternoon since he has some free time. Shall the three of us have lunch together for the first time in a while?”

“Oh, that would be nice.”

Since Gazelle held the position of Commander, he rarely had a full day off. So it was a rare occasion for the three of us to meet on our off days. Later, together with Felix, we both headed for the main street in the castle town. Just like yesterday, the town was bustling with people of all races.

The air was filled with the aromas of freshly baked bread and fragrant gingko nuts, both of which lifted my spirits. It gave me hope to see that Ritzheim, too, appeared calm and secure on this day. 

Unlike yesterday, however, there was something unfamiliar today. In the middle of the main street, there was a wooden plaque. Humans, beastmen, and dwarves alike gathered around the plaque, murmuring to one another in low voices about its contents.

“Oh, is something wrong?”

“I’ll go check it out. Felix, you can wait here for a while.” After a brief conversation with Felix, I approached the plaque to learn more about its contents. I joined the group and read the plaque aloud as we stood in a circle.

It stated: 

『If you are a citizen who assisted in the arrest and detainment of a thief who was seen in the vicinity of this area on the 20th of March, please report yourself to the White Winged Knights. Please be advised that we may ask you to identify yourself when you arrive. 』

The surrounding citizens who read the notice showed a variety of reactions, some breathing a sigh of relief, others with expressions of confusion.

“The pickpocket who has been haunting this area recently has finally been caught, hasn’t he? I’m so glad.”

“I guess the increase in the number of monsters recently has caused a rise in the number of immigrants from the rural areas, which has made the capital city less safe and secure.” 

“But what’s the meaning of this message? This means that there is a citizen who helped the knights apprehend the pickpocket, but the fact that the knights are looking for him is a bit ridiculous.”

Eh?

“Could it be that the person who helped with the arrest left without receiving a reward or anything?”

“Well, if that’s the case… What a humble man!” 

Hmmm? Could it be that the information on this plaque refers to yesterday’s pickpocketing incident? It says, “…citizen who assisted in the arrest and detainment,” doesn’t this refer to me? Yesterday, that old man was the one who blew himself up on his own, so it had nothing to do with me.

Wait, does it mean that there were two thieves arrested in the area yesterday? That’s not quite right… Oh, I get it! The citizen they mentioned on the plaque must have been the silver gray-haired man who arrived after me in that alleyway! He was the one who restrained the unconscious oji-san.

Besides, unlike me, who quickly and hurriedly left the scene to rejoin Felix, that person remained at the scene afterwards. From what I could gather from the notice, the silver-haired man left after turning in the pickpocket to the knights without receiving any sort of reward.

So, I guess that means the White Winged Knights are looking for him, Huh, that’s cool~! Although it is a mystery why the silver-haired man left without receiving the reward from the order, perhaps he had some urgent business to attend to. 

If that’s the case, I feel bad for forcing him to go through all that trouble. To at least atone for my crime, I should inform the White-winged knights of the man’s information. If I did that, the knights might be able to find him.

When I fully understood what the plaque said, I went back to Felix. When I returned, Felix asked, “How did it go?” he asked me with a slightly worried look on his face.

“Ah, it seems they had finally caught the thief who had been haunting the area. They said there is a citizen who helped them catch him, and he is invited to visit the knights.”

“I see. That’s good to know. “ 

“I hope they find the right person that helped them soon. Does the order give you a letter of appreciation in times like this?”

“A letter of appreciation? I haven’t heard of it much before… But it’s an interesting idea! It might be nice for the ones who have cooperated with us to receive a record of their well-intentioned deeds.”

After that, Felix and I talked about the letter of appreciation, and we toured the stores we had not been able to visit yesterday. One of the stores we visited sold baked pastries, so I bought a small set of cookies for a gift to be given to Iris as a courtesy gift.

In addition, I also stopped by a fruit shop where I had seen some dried fruits the previous day and bought two kinds of dried fruits for myself. By the time we left the fruit stand, it was already almost noon. I followed Felix as he walked to meet Gazelle in front of a nearby store. 

The restaurant we had agreed to meet at was located on the ground floor of a red-brown brick building one street away from the main street. Empty liquor barrels lined up in front of the store like a fence, with lanterns perched on top of them. There were no lights on because it was the middle of the day, but I could picture the building illuminated by these orange lanterns once the sun went down. Then, it would certainly be a magical scene.

Upon opening the old but solid wooden door, we found only three groups of customers inside. At the far end of the table, we spotted a man with familiar burgundy hair, and so we approached the table.

“Commander Gazelle, I’m sorry. Have we kept you waiting?”

“Sorry I’m late, Gazelle.” 

“Don’t worry about it, I just got here.”

Gazelle, who only had a half day off today, was also dressed like a regular citizen. His tanned and muscular arms protruded from the sleeves of his shirt. His stocky frame and broad shoulders gave off an air of dependability, and the women at a nearby table were obviously throwing flirting gazes at him. The man in question, however, did not show any interest in any of the women present. Perhaps he was used to dealing with situations like this.

What a cool, handsome man!!!

“Gazelle, I’m sorry you had to come all the way here today. You were busy this morning, weren’t you?” 

“Not so much these days. Since potions have started being distributed, many adventurers have been working hard.”

While I was conversing with Gazelle, Felix bowed his head with an apologetic look on his face.

“Commander Gazelle, I apologize for the trouble I caused you yesterday.”

“I’m sure it’s no big deal to get permission to stay out a night or two, so don’t worry about it. Well, I’m glad you’ve finally made peace with your father.” Gazelle, with a pleasant smile on his face, looked relieved, causing Felix to relax his shoulders as well. 

“Thank you very much. It’s all possible because Takumi got my back.”

“Oh, really? Then I should buy you guys a drink today. What do you want to drink, Takumi?” After finishing his conversation with Felix, Gazelle shifted his gaze to me sitting in the chair across from him.

When I thought his gaze suddenly shifted to the clothes I was wearing, he stared at me intently.

I wonder what is it? Putting aside the usual lame me, I’m wearing the clothes I’m borrowing from Count Alpharetta today, so there shouldn’t be any problem with my dress sense…? 

“Takumi’s mood today is different from usual. Is that what you’re into?”

“No, this was lent to me by the Countess of Alpharetta.”

“From Felix’s house?”

“Yesterday, Takumi went with me to the castle town and came directly from there to my house, so he didn’t have any change of clothes. So I prepared some spare clothes from our house for him.” 

“Ah, so that’s how it is.” Gazelle nodded in understanding. However, his eyes were still fixed on the clothes I was wearing.

Is it because I’m wearing type of clothes that don’t fit me?

He was staring at me so intently that I felt uncomfortable and flinched.

“Do you think I look funny in this outfit? I know it’s not exactly what I’m supposed to be wearing…” 

“Un? No, no, no. That’s not it. It’s just that I’ve never seen you dressed so stylishly like an aristocratic boy before. I just thought it was cunning.”

“Cunning?”

W-what do you mean by “cunning”?

When I expressed my puzzlement, Gazelle raised his cheekbone and smiled deeply, as if teasing me. 

“When you first arrived in the capital, I tried to buy you some clothes, but you turned me down. And yet you accept clothes from Felix? Felix is sure cunning.”

“No, that was… .It’s not that I didn’t want Gazelle to buy me clothes. Besides, why would Gazelle go to the trouble of buying my clothes? I mean, all members are provided with uniforms and training uniforms.”

“Putting aside uniforms, training uniforms are not a substitute for casual clothes. Besides, you only own a few pairs of casual clothes.”

“I don’t plan on going out much. I just need the bare minimum of personal clothing.” 

I have always been an indoor person. I mean, I really admire how physically strong you guys are to be able to play outside after such a grueling training session.

However, Gazelle and Felix raised their eyebrows at my words.

“Takumi, you…”

“I know you have your own reasons… But this is too much.”