Chapter 106
I finally came beside the inner wall near the large front gate .
If we pa.s.s through beyond this wall, we would be outside the royal capital .
I started walking towards the entrance of the underground sewers .
Silently, I arrived at my destination .
While keeping vigilance around the area, I carefully removed the grid .
As I stepped into the sewers, I also make sure that I put the grid back .
If Eve hadn’t come through here, she may have come out through the large front gate .
However, I’m going to use this place so that we wouldn’t stand out .
[Milord?]
Seras’ voice .
Taking off the mask on my face, I started walking towards her direction .
Turning to a corner, I found Seras .
I could also see Eve and that girl’s figure .
I picked up my luggage that Seras had been looking after .
[My bad, I made you all wait . ]
[No problem . ]
[Hati . ]
Eve called out .
I held out my hand and stopped her .
[Let’s talk while walking . ]
After walking for a while, Eve spoke again .
[I’m sorry about earlier . I suddenly lost my mind due to anger…]
[You’re more short-tempered than I thought . ]
[…I’m quite ashamed of that . ]
After a brief moment, Eve asked .
[And the shopkeeper lady?]
[I’ve done what I need to do . ]
[…Is that so . ]
It seems that she had understood what I meant .
[I must look pretty naive…]
[It’s possible . ]
[………… . . ]
[Putting that aside, is that girl alright?]
[Ah, yeah . ]
Eve stroked the head of the girl walking beside her .
[Liz, introduce yourself . ]
[Y- Yes…]
Timidly, the young girl looked towards me and Seras .
[I- I’m Lizbeth… I’m sorry, that’s the only name I’ve known of . Ahh… It’s a bit long, so you can just call me Liz . ]
[I’m Touka . ]
Liz had an expression on her face that she found something strange .
Eve also had the same expression .
Until now, they were under the impression that my pseudonym was my real name after all .
[Hati is just a pseudonym . My real name is Touka Mimori . ]
[So that’s how it is . You’re pretty cautious, aren’t you?]
[Well, yeah… Anyway, this swordswoman beside me is Seras Ashrain . She currently had changed her appearance through the power of the spirit . ]
[I’m in your care, both of you . ]
Seras greeted in the end .
Eve already knows the ident.i.ty of Seras .
It seems that Liz doesn’t really know that she introduced herself with the name of the former leader of the Holy Knights .
After Seras introduced herself again to them, Liz came next to me .
[Touka-sama . ]
Bowing her head, Liz spoke .
[I- I will do anything so… Please let me and my sister go with you… I beg of you . ]
[…I will be going into a dangerous place after this . It’s possible that you may lose your life there . If you’re fine with that, then I’ll bring you with me . ]
[I don’t mind… Even if it’s towards a dangerous place, as long as I’m with my Big Sister…]
[I understand . That’s good . ]
Liz sniffs .
[Thank you very much…]
Well, I really intended to take her along with me though…
[……………]
Liz raised her head and peeked at me .
[Are you worried about something?]
Liz looked uneasy ever since she joined our group .
I’ve noticed it since earlier .
[Ah, umm… It’s just that… I felt like your voice is a bit different than when you were wearing that King of Flies mask… I’m sorry if I bothered you…]
[Ahhh, that headgear had some tweaks included with it . That’s why the voice you heard would be distorted . ]
A magic stone that changes the voice— “Gem of Voice Alteration” .
It’s one of the magic tools listed in the “Encyclopedia on the Forbidden Arts” .
At the time when we were shopping, we luckily found some materials that we needed to make this at the shop in Monroy .
I’ve made this in the room at the inn while Seras was sleeping with .
Now, it is attached to the mouth section of the fly mask .
It seems that the effect lasts for about a day if I were to inject about 100 points of magic energy in it .
Initially, I had made it so that it could help Seras change her voice .
It could also help in hiding her ident.i.ty .
If the quality of the material also improves, it seems that I could alter the voice even further .
Standing behind me, Eve approached .
[I also have something to ask . ]
I turn my head towards her .
[What is it?]
[I could hear some kind of strange sound from your body . It sounds kind of watery . ]
[Ah, that’s another one of our friends . ]
[A friend?]
[I’m just going to inform you beforehand, but he’s not dangerous . Therefore, don’t just suddenly swing your sword towards him, okay?]
I stopped walking .
[Seras, go ahead and look around for the exit . I’ll be introducing Pigimaru towards the two of them . ]
[Understood . ]
Alone, Seras went ahead .
I turned towards Eve and Liz .
[Introduce yourself, Pigimaru . ]
[Pii . ]
Coming out of my robe, Pigimaru hops down near my feet .
Pyon~ pyon~
Liz shouted “Ah!” after she saw him .
[Mhmm…? A slime huh?]
[Pyuu?]
Pigimaru looked towards me .
[These two are our new friends, Eve and Lizbeth . ]
Eve crouched down .
[I’m Eve Speed . Take care of me, Pigimaru . ]
[Pii!]
Pigimaru holds out his protrusion .
Eve gently grasps the tip of the protrusion with her hand .
[Pigii . ]
[Umu… This guy looks like he’s quite fond of you, huh?]
[He’s my important partner after all . ]
[Pyyuuuu~♪]
[U- Umm…]
[Pii?]
Liz is kneeling down .
She looks quite nervous .
[I’m Lizbeth . Please take care of me… Pi- Pigimaru-san?]
[Pigii . ]
Flinch
Liz stiffened .
I smiled a bit at her .
[Your way of calling him is too stiff . ]
[Pigimaru… chan?]
[Pikyyuuunn~♪]
[It seems that he likes it now . ]
His color changed into a light pink, Pigimaru extends his protrusion towards Liz .
[It seems he wants to shake hands with you too . ]
[Ah—]
With a hint of embarra.s.sment on her face, Liz held Pigimaru’s protrusion with both of her hands .
[Please take care of me… Pigimaru-chan . ]
[Piii♪]
[…Ehehe . ]
Though, she still feels some awkwardness, Liz happily smiles .