Translator: Tsukii
Editor: Lilia
Read at Watashi wa Sugoi Desu!
Chapter 37 – After the Incident②/ Beginning of a Budding Friendship
The capital of the Tail Kingdom was where the royal castle stood.
In this vibrant city filled with people from all corners of the world, one corner was shrouded in silence.
At a table on the café terrace overlooking the street, there were two girls sitting with nervous looks on their faces.
On one side, there was the youngest daughter of one of the most prominent families in the kingdom, and currently a student of Adventurer Haruto: Erin SwordX.
She usually wore a school uniform, but since today was private business, she dressed in casual clothes to not stand out.
On the other side, there was the strongest healer on the continent, who used to be party members with the Descendant of the Hero, Haruto: Mariemaia.
For now, she was staying at an inn in the royal capital and taking a short break from adventurer activities.
The other day, the two of them were involved in a major incident caused by a certain greater demon that would later be etched into the history books.
The incident itself was successfully resolved── but somehow, perhaps due to something like instinct, or maybe just the empathy that came from them both being people who would one day be caught up in their respective fates, the two had promised to meet again at a later date.
But when they actually met, even though there were many things they wanted to say, their mouths wouldn’t move.
For example: Are you going to leave on another adventure? And when you leave, are you going to bring that man along with you?
For example: What kind of person is that man as a teacher, and what is he teaching you?
Although they had a lot to ask, the two of them just glanced at each other while sipping their drinks.
What kind of emotions were swirling in their minds?
(Mariemaia-san… now I look at her closer, she has big boobs…!)
(Uuh… she’s a cheerful, blonde-haired person who seems to get along easily with others… now that I think about it, she looks dazzling, it’s scary…!)
It turned out one was sexually harassing the other in her mind while the other was just an introverted woman.
◇
There were suspicious shadows watching over the two who remained silent at the café.
“……They’ve been silent since a while ago.”
The person who muttered that was standing on the roof of a building across the street, dressed in a classic maid outfit with binoculars in one hand. It was the mysterious beauty, Julietta.
“Well, they never got a chance to talk to each other calmly before. They also got caught up in a major incident the other day after all.”
“But that should have produced a suspension bridge effect.”
“That’s only for romantic relationships, isn’t it?”
Next to her was a young man who dressed in neat aristocratic clothes, who had accompanied Mariemaia in her journey since the beginning: Alphas.
“Isn’t it good to make it a romantic relationship? It is good, so romantic relationship it is!”
“Don’t get excited over something incomprehensible. Why are you so excited?”
“To be frank… I love passionate relationships between beautiful girls!”
“At least call it a date!”
Alphas shouted at Julietta’s ridiculous declaration.
“Please keep your voice down, Alphas-sama. They will realize we are tailing them.”
“Isn’t it you who should control your urges, since you’re the one who brought up the idea to tail our comrade to begin with?”
“As expected of Alphas-sama, such a logical argument. What a boring person.”
“If not for you taking care of us on a daily basis, I definitely wouldn’t let your remark slide…”
For Alphas, who was the son of a feudal lord and strictly controlled himself on a daily basis, Julietta’s behavior, which was too free in many ways, felt like a powerful drug.
There were two other people there doing the same thing, and they smiled wryly at Julietta and Alphas.
“They look like they’re having fun as a party～♡”
“You’re right. They’re noisy but fun. I guess being in a party feels like that.”
Sharon and Kuyumi heard from Erin that she was going to meet with Mariemaia alone, so they came to check on her.
In particular, Kuyumi was wearing sunglasses and looked suspicious no matter how one looked at it. She looked conspicuous in a bad way.
“But since they’re quiet, I think that means Erin-chan doesn’t feel bad about it～♡”
“Is that so?”
Kuyumi grinned as Julietta offered her water.
“That girl would talk even if she didn’t enjoy it, but her not talking this time means that she’s relieved and doesn’t feel the need to force herself to talk♡”
“I see… I think Mariemaia-sama is just being quiet as usual, with her communication problem aggravated by Erin-sama’s surprising quietness. Erin-sama is an outgoing person, after all.”
“Didn’t you just blatantly insult your own comrade just now…?”
Sharon was horrified seeing the maid nodding as if she was convinced she knew the situation.
As Sharon was about to ask the other party member what was wrong with the maid, she noticed Alphas looking at her with a serious expression.
“……What? Is something wrong?”
“Ah, ah~ well, maybe this isn’t the right time to say at a time like this but-“
“If you want to pick up girls, do it to other girls♡”
“Alphas-sama has no such courage.”
“Shut up, I can’t get a single word in!”
Even though the man was half-crying for being dismissed senselessly, he still continued.
Alphas cleared his throat and looked at Sharon and Kuyumi with a serious expression.
“Um… I’m sorry. Because we failed to notice the danger despite us traveling together, we ended up dragging you two as well as your teacher into disaster. I did apologize directly to Erin SwordX, but I didn’t have a chance to talk to you two until now, so I was unable to apologize to you all this time. I’m sorry it took me so long.”
Alphas apologized sincerely.
Sharon’s eyes went wide and waved her hands.
“If… If you say that, we also put your precious comrade Mariemaia-san in danger, right? We’re the ones who are supposed to apologize.”
“No, but…”
“But…”
Alphas and Sharon apologized to each other as if competing.
Seeing neither would yield, as if they needed to prove which of them was the better person, the remaining two shrugged their shoulders.
“I’m terribly sorry, Kuyumi-sama. Alphas-sama is a straightforward person who won’t yield once he becomes like that.”
“You should say that to the person in question~… well, Sharon-chan is similar though♡”
The two left something unsaid.
That was exactly why they thought of their comrades highly.
The two had the quality of goodness that came from human beings that never knew the hellfire they had lived in, a hell where people weren’t considered humans.
Kuyumi and Julietta liked people who had that innate integrity and wanted to protect them.
They wanted to be with them. They wanted to be accepted as comrades by their friends in the warm sunshine.
They already knew those people would accept them kindly.
Kuyumi and Julietta understood each other even without exchanging words, could tell each other’s intentions, and were able to smile kindly and honestly at each other.
──Even though we know we have no such qualifications♡
──Indeed, that’s exactly the case.
◇
Meanwhile, Erin and Mariemaia had no idea their comrades were having fun with each other on the roof of another building.
“Eh, you mean that thing Teach’ did isn’t magic?”
“That’s what I heard. The SwordX family has a combat magic formula, but it is said to be something similar yet different.”
“Uheeh, what’s with that? So basically, its true nature is unknown…”
“Ah, well, on the contrary, it’s a good thing that the phenomenon of overwriting objects he touched into the Hero’s Sword is actually not magic…”
“That’s certainly true. It’s definitely not good if someone could imitate it easily.”
The conversation between the two girls centered on their mutual acquaintance, Haruto.
Erin was the one who started on that topic.
I thought it should be a last resort to use Teach’ as a topic to talk about, or rather, as someone who knows his circumstances, I thought it was too risky to bring it up, but she caught on… I should have done it from the beginning.
Erin calculated potential small talk strategies and listened to the other party.
From her perspective, she was convinced Mariemaia would enjoy this topic.
I-I did it. Erin and I could talk about Haruto-san quite a bit…! It’s so much fun~…!”
On the other hand, Mariemaia didn’t have the ability to choose a topic, so she was simply enjoying the conversation.
“Ah, that’s right, I’ve been speaking informally to you all this time, but I’m younger than you, right?”
“Ah… no… you don’t have to speak so politely.”
“But you’re doing it.”
“Ah, you could consider this a habit of mine.”
Mariemaia smiled shyly with flushed cheeks.
“Haruto-san also told me to not speak formally, but it just stuck for me.”
“I see. Well, if it’s easier for you, both of us can use it then!”
Just at that moment, the additional cakes they ordered were brought to their table.
Mariemaia chose a fruit tart, while Erin was having a shortcake.
“Um… there’s something I want to ask.”
At the moment they each grabbed the fork and were about to enjoy the cake, Mariemaia suddenly spoke up.
Erin glanced at Mariemaia, who had an extremely apologetic expression on her face.
It’s here.
“It’s about Haruto-san’s actions from now on.”
“……Yes. We do need to talk about it.”
Erin expected that this was probably the thing that Mariemaia really wanted to talk about.
From the moment she accepted the invitation, she knew there was no way this topic wouldn’t be mentioned.
That was close! I’d forgotten about it until a while ago… I’m glad that I’m able to remember it~ on my way here, I thought I might as well mention it today, but I guess I tend to forget things if I don’t note it down somewhere…
It turned out Mariemaia only just remembered.
◇
Time passed and the sky was soon dyed in the color of sunset.
“So that’s how it is.”
“Yes. I’m going to meet Haruto-san at a later date, but please tell him about it.”
“Okay.”
Their tea party ended under a red-lit cloud.
“……Then let’s meet up with the people who came to pick us up.”
“Eh? Ah, so they’re following us…”
When Erin snapped her fingers, four figures appeared from the shadows.
“Oh my, Kuyumi-sama, what a blunder did we commit! It seems we got caught tailing them. I guess my skills are getting rusty.”
“Stop with the act♡ rather, you showed your presence on purpose once they came out from the cafe, didn’t you♡”
“Um, Sharon-san. It seems my parents will be going to a social gathering your family is also attending. I apologize in advance if they end up doing something rude…”
“I’ll tell my parents that my friend’s parents will be visiting… don’t make such an expression. It’s fine, right? It’s a roundabout way to tell them. It’s not like I’m deceiving them, I’m just using my privilege.”
Apparently, the four had become friends on their side.
Mariemaia covered her mouth with her hand and giggled.
“Everyone looks like they’re having fun… they’re nice people, or rather, they’re your friends, aren’t they?”
“Yes. You also have good comrades.”
Mariemaia and Erin looked at each other.
There must be some sort of shared empathy between the girls who had been destined to walk a similarly harsh fate.
“……Mariemaia-sama, shall we return to the inn?”
Although she felt bad for disturbing them, Julietta felt it would last forever otherwise, so she called out to her comrade.
Then Mariemaia glanced at Erin, who was smiling wryly.
“It’s a friend that came to visit after all, why don’t you spend the rest of the night talking…”
“P-please stop that, Julietta-san. It’s not good to declare someone as a friend without the other party’s consent…”
“Eh?!”
Erin let out a curt voice as she was unexpectedly denied.
The two of them spent time together at a café for a few hours and enjoyed themselves.
If that wasn’t enough to be recognized as a friend, then she would have no choice but to write a petition and apply.
“Eh… i-is it okay to consider you a friend…?”
Mariemaia’s voice immediately lacked confidence.
Seeing the red eyes upturned toward her, Erin was convinced.
This was cute. She understood why Haruto liked Mariemaia.
“Ahahah, we enjoyed our drinks together, so aren’t we already friends?”
“……!”
Mariemaia’s eyes sparkled and she nodded repeatedly.
There was no need for an opportunity to form a friendship. All one needed was empathy and a smile.
But well, seeing how the other party seemed to treat the idea of friends so sacredly, it made Erin a bit uneasy.
Was this person really okay? thought Erin’s group.
“Um, Mariemaia-san.”
“Yes? What is it, Erin-san?”
“I don’t know if it’s okay to ask, but aren’t the other party members other than Teach’ your friends?”
“Eh, of course they are, really. But those three are somewhat diverged from common sense and are abnormally strong, so…”
That’s not something a person capable of deploying a barrier that would never let your comrades die has any right to say, Erin thought, but she wasn’t close enough to Mariemaia to point that out.
“That’s not something a person capable of deploying a barrier that would never let your comrades die has any right to say, right?”
“That’s not something a person capable of deploying a barrier that would never let your comrades die has any right to say, right?”
“Uwaa~hn! It’s an honor to be treated the same as those people, but I don’t like it somehow~!”
On the other hand, her close comrades pointed that out mercilessly, making Mariemaia cry out in tears.
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