Chapter 101
When we returned to the inn, we decided to change our clothes first .
Currently, I am dressed in clothing that could easily blend along with the citizens .
I’m also changing my undershirt and underwear everytime that I can .
[Should I leave the room for a while?]
[No, it’s no problem . ]
[All right . ]
We both turn our backs around each other and started changing our clothes .
I could hear all kinds of sounds of the rustling clothes .
I feel like the sounds we’re making were different .
I kind of feel like my sounds were rougher .
Maybe you could also find out someone’s personality at times like this…
I finished changing my clothes a bit faster than Seras .
[Well then, I guess we should start packing our things . ]
Seras fastens her belt .
[Yes . ]
We then started gathering our luggage and putting them back into our bags .
Pigimaru who had been house-sitting coiled around my body under my robe .
[Pyuuu~♪]
Seras charmingly smiles .
[You really like Touka-dono huh, Pigimaru-dono?]
[Pyyuu . ]
[I also like you too, Pigimaru . ]
[Pii! Pyuuu~♪]
I carry my backpack on my shoulders .
My luggage has increased for a bit .
Is it about time I started thinking about bringing along a luggage carrier with us?
[Now then… Preparations complete . After this, we would now wait at that bridge in front of the large front gate just as we planned . ]
Finishing the formalities, we left the inn .
There are still many people walking around at this time of the night .
The night breeze feels rather cold .
However, you could also say that it’s mildly refreshing .
Kyururu~
[Unnghh…]
That sound just now…
Is that Seras’ stomach?
Seras awkwardly turns away .
[That’s quite embarra.s.sing of me…]
[Well, we haven’t had our dinner yet, right?]
We went out to the main street .
Standing in front of the food stalls, we bought some light dinner .
This is one of the convenient advantages of being in large cities .
There would always be stalls available even at night .
As expected though, there are no stores that are open 24 hours just like those convenience stores back in my world .
I bought some cylinder-shaped meat skewer .
It kind of looks like a tsukune skewer . (T/N: Chicken meatball skewer often cooked yakitori style)
[Nom…]
Biting into it…
[Hmm?]
It hardly had any seasonings .
Well, it’s fine as long as I get full .
While eating, we started walking our skewers .
[Omnom… I’ve just thought about this while we were buying those skewers earlier . ]
While eating her skewer little by little, Seras speaks .
[While you’re acting, I sometimes feel like I’m seeing an illusion that you’re just a stranger in front of me . Is that what you’re talking about, blending along the surroundings and becoming less conspicuous…?]
I remembered my uncle’s family .
[It’s because I couldn’t afford to let others see through my acting . ]
I had always been acting as the “Kind Mimori Touka” .
That’s right— It’s so that my uncle’s family wouldn’t know .
If they were to see through my acting, they may become worried about me .
I understood that .
They would think that I’m overdoing it and acting like a “good child” .
If my uncle’s family were to be concerned about me, they would be worried sick .
That they may have been lacking when they’re taking care of me .
That’s why, it’s necessary for me to act like “I’m not overdoing it” .
[So, that’s something you learnt because it’s necessary?]
[…Yeah . ]
I look towards Seras who still had some meat residues beside her mouth .
[On the contrary, you may be too noticeable . ]
[A- As I thought, that’s the case huh? I tried to blend into the surroundings and eliminate my presence but…]
The ability to alter your appearance by the power of the spirit of light .
She can’t greatly deviated from her original appearance .
In short, no matter how much changes she makes in her appearance, she can’t completely hide her beauty .
As a result, she tends to attract the eyes of the public .
Besides her beauty, Seras also had many other factors that attract the opposite s.e.x .
It seems that she had received several invitations from men while she’s collecting information .
Well, how should I say this…
Seras doesn’t have any hint of mobness in her .
[There are things that we can’t do even when you put in our utmost effort . And most of all, n.o.body is perfect . For example, like that place . ]
I pointed my finger beside my mouth .
Informing her the area where meat residues were left .
[Ah . ]
Seras looked surprised .
She then proceeds to take out a white cloth from her pocket .
Subsequently though, she went closer towards me .
Hmm?
[Please excuse my discourtesy… should I wipe it off?]
Seras extends her hand out closer to my mouth .
Though, I immediately hold Seras’ arm .
[Milord?]
[I’m not talking about my face . ]
[Not Milord’s face…? Ah—]
It seems that she finally noticed .
[Umm—]
[I’ll borrow that for a sec . ]
s.n.a.t.c.hing away the cloth in her hand, I wipe away the meat residues from Seras’ mouth .
[…Excuse me . ]
I exhale out a bit .
How should I say this…
[It would be better if things don’t suddenly get strange…]
▽
I could already see the bridge in front of the large front gate .
There’s hardly any people around the area .
I walked towards the side of the bridge and stopped there together with Seras .
For the time being, we stood in a place that can’t be seen from the large front gate .
It’s so that we could avoid being seen by the guards .
Putting down my luggage for a moment, I take out my pocket watch .
We have around 4 hours until we reach the limit of time we could wait…
[It’s unexpectedly difficult to act like a stupidly honest good person who’s firm on his conviction…]
There are some easy things you could do when you’re being stupidly honest .
Most of all, Eve is…
[Do you want her to accompany us to the Demon Zone, MIlord?]
Standing next to me, Seras asks .
[She’s the strongest Blood Champion after all… I just think that it would be a great advantage for us if Eve becomes our comrade in some way . ]
That’s right…
[If we were thinking about the future…]
[Whichever it may be, I will follow your decision . ]
I look towards the Blood Colosseum .
[Even if she were to survive today, Eve Speed would still have to decide which way to escape from Monroy . ]
The problem is “when” she will escape .
Before her duel?
During her duel?
After her duel?
[At some point, Eve would know what reality really is . ]
However, we will be out of that tomorrow .
No matter whichever time it may be…
It will be troublesome for us to interfere tomorrow .
It may be possible for us to save Eve .
However, if that were to happen, it will cause a lot of fuss in the royal capital .
According to how I read her situation, Eve will not be able to leave the royal capital tomorrow .
In other words, we will need to take action in the royal capital if we want to save her .
As a result, there’s a risk that the G.o.ddess might know of my existence .
I want to avoid it for the meantime .
The whereabouts of the Witch of Taboos .
The risk of being perceived by the G.o.ddess .
These two were two sides in a balance .
And I’ve chosen to avoid the latter .
That’s why at the time that the day changes, we would leave Eve behind and depart from Monroy, aiming towards the Demon Zone just as we planned .
The time limit is until the time I designated before .
This is all the compromise I could do .
The rest would be— depending on what Eve chooses .
Seras casts her eyes downwards .
[Is there even a future where she gains her freedom as a Blood Champion and live peacefully with the young girl?]
[None . ]
I refuted .
[As far as what I have heard from the citizens, Eve’s owner, Duke Zuan is one of those sh*tty b.a.s.t.a.r.ds . There’s no bright future waiting for them . Genuine garbage like him would always be poison towards good people . ]
I already know how toxic garbage could be .
[Genuine garbage would always make sure to thoroughly eat the good people . They would even go as far as sucking up their bone marrows… until they’re no longer useful . ]
That is the reason why my uncle broke off with his brother, my father .
Even so, my father pushed me towards my uncle .
Because he knew that he couldn’t abandon a pitiful child .
Seras looks disappointed .
[Is there no chance of a happy ending?]
[None . ]
I don’t have any confidence when the other person is garbage .
I don’t even have any hopeful observation in this situation .
[As long as Eve Speed stays as a stupidly honest good person, the happy ending will never appear . That’s right—]
Unless someone who spreads poison himself controls the poison that’s currently ruining Eve’s life .
▽
As time pa.s.sed, the number of people who people who goes in and out of my sight decreased .
Humans are meant to sleep at night .
I saw such a story on the internet before .
[I wonder, will she come?]
[I don’t know… I don’t really have any confidence myself . ]
Eve’s personality .
Information about Eve .
The people surrounding Eve .
The circ.u.mstances surrounding Eve .
Our behaviour when we spoke with her…
[I think we already did what we could . ]
We already did our best .
After that would be which direction her eyes would turn .
Even back then, I had always been gambling .
Even back when I confronted with the Soul Eater in the Disposal Ruins…
Even when I faced Civit…
There is no absolute victory in all those cases .
There is no certainty of my victory .
That’s why, this time would also be a gamble .
Whether it would be my win or not .
Which side would the balance tilt?
[Even so—]
I snorted .
[If I don’t see any chance of success, I wouldn’t have bothered waiting here . ]
As the lights in the road began disappearing one after another, we are waiting until that time arrives .