A break from serious chapters, I suppose would be nice.
This is not my first time writing some kind of heartwarming vanilla romantic scene but please do not get your hopes high.
-Author, suffering a heart burn while writing this chapter
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They are still loitering around, those bastards.
[Crap.....] I looked at the map and saw that the red dot markers have increased quite a lot. This only means one thing and that Lushea's pursuers are still hot after her.
I looked at the map again and saw that the individual herself was helping at the kitchen downstairs. Phew, at least she's starting to get to know and trust the family owning this inn.
It's been exactly a week from my return, and I have been taking things lightly that it started to cause problems.
For now, I need to do something about the bastards that are looming around the area in search of her.
What to do? That's the question. I can't just blast these people into bits as they have a "noble" or two as their backer. Arghhh!!! Why can't they take a rest!?
I grit my teeth as I feel helpless. I may have the brute force to deal with the situation, but some rules prohibit being a vigilante especially when in the city. Mistress Irene was the one who told me not to be stupidly heroic. Rushing on things just because I can deal with it would mean leaving behind the people I care about quite vulnerable.
Haaaaaah. Also, it's been weeks since I heard last about Rynia and Ethan. When are those two coming back? I kind of miss them already...
Ehem.
[That could work....] Suddenly a brief moment of eureka hit me. It seems that I can do something about these bad people without getting myself in trouble.
Though...this could mean that I would be indebted to her. By her, I mean the person governing the security of the city.
[Kyu?] (Mime) I deployed a holographic image of me sitting at the chair near the window, purposely letting it show to the outsiders that I am reading something near the window.
[Let's go for a stroll] Well...I hope all goes well.
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Considering the time and location is the most important aspect when it comes to secret meet-ups like those scenes in spy movies. A single mishap is all it would take to allow the enemies to know your goals...or so I thought it should.
[This is interesting] (Irene) Donned in a white one-piece summer dress with a straw hat in her head is the person I am meeting today.
The witch, or so others call her is currently fiddling and groping Mime as if it's a stress ball (b**b stress ball) Also, does this count as a date?
[Can you stop doing that?]
[Hmmm? Why though? I am not hurting it, and my nature as a researcher peaked when I saw this cute fellow] (Irene) Mime does not care as it's being fed some food, yet...it just does not seem normal under all circumstances.
It's....yeah, it's gross.
Despite that, the person did not take my feelings into account. As expected, she's a hundred-year-old hag-
[Ouch! What's that for?!] She stepped on my foot....this bitch.
[I felt malice in your thoughts. Care to share what's on your mind~?] (Irene) An eerie smile...She's sharp.
While I was suffering the pain from my foot, the witch was just sipping tea and minding her own. Curses...the heels of her shoes are quite the damage dealer.
[The number of wolves sniffing the sheep has increased around the inn, right?] (Irene)
[Wa...how? I was just about to ask that]
[It shows on your face] (Irene) Damn, it does?
I tried making a poker face, but she just giggled at my futile attempt. Alas, as expected of a witch who is 100 years ol..
[YEOUCH!!! Why?!!!!] Twice in a row! Twice in a row!!!!
[Hmph! Learn to be a tad bit gentleman, won't you? So, let us discuss what we should do by now] (Irene) Finally, after my foot became a sacrifice for the talks, it finally began.
She gave me a rundown on how things were at her side and they have scratched the surface.
First is that certain nobles are protecting these men, in short, they are related. Have names surfaced? Yes...and no. Some are confusing according to her as the names that appeared seem to be someone of much higher position.
That means they have a huge backer, and that complicates the current situation. It seems that the illegal slave trade is still rampant, and the cases have increased daily.
Other than wanting to take back Lushea, they also have another agenda that they are clueless about. For now, they have taken note of the persons of interest involved in this matter. I just hope that the situation won't escalate into something that I am afraid of happening. Still, a question lingers in my mind.
[Are the black vipers involved in this one?]
[Fufufufu~ What do you think?] (Irene)
[Judging from their aim, they have the same habit of abducting people for a purpose other than slavery. The information that I have got is the same as what you have given to me before. If I am correct, then perhaps they are somehow related...just that I don't know to what extent]
[......Bravo, you've nailed it on that part. The black vipers are related to this incident, just the branch located here though] (Irene)
That's is rather predictable, but another branch huh...
[Alas, but you are spoiling the mood] (Irene)
[Gafu?!] She suddenly spoon-fed me with the food at the table causing me to almost choke.
[After this we are going to places you have never set foot upon, so eat up so that...you will have the strength to go around. We will also talk along the way so as to not bore you, will that be enough?] (Irene) She really smiled at me not knowing that her action almost made me unconscious.
......Oddly enough, it seems that this has now turned into a date.
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I may have been a month-long resident of the city, but that does not mean that I knew every nook and cranny of this place. What I meant is that there's a lot that the map can share with me which are places I have never visited nor have I actually looked at. The drones played a big part in the scanning of the entire city on my part, and I am thankful for it because it allowed me to have a constant monitoring of threats present in the city's premises.
[Ou! Young man how about some skewers!] (??)
[Fresh vegetables! Come get your fresh vegetables! Oi! That couple over there!] (??)
I just can't believe that the organization is targeting the peaceful and lively life of the city folks. Fuck them.
[Can't you at least try to hide your disdain?] (Irene) She hugged my arm as we walked side by side. Now...this is the most awkward part of this. Why is she doing this?
[I can't walk normally if you are doing this?] It might seem romantic, but she's the one pulling me.
[Why not? Couples always do this, right?] (Irene)
[But we're not]
[Muuuu~ Come on, no wonder you never graduated from your purity...Fuu~(Irene)
[Wa!?] She suddenly blew air at my left ear, to which I suddenly distanced.
How does she know? I looked at her, puzzled as to how she knew. Do I look like I have no girl? Excuse me!
[Hey let's have some lunch for now~] (Irene) I don't know why she's doing this, but I think going with the flow is the best action. Besides, too much seriousness leads to a boring life. Still, that does not mean I would not exercise caution.
I just trust her that is why I am doing this.
[How about....] A choice was immediately given. I have to choose. Judging from her looks and atmosphere, going to a fancy restaurant it is then.
[Let's go eat some skewers!] (Irene) Huh?
Huuuuhhhh? What about the talk? Where did it go?
I...guess I was wrong to judge a person on an external basis. It seems that she does not care, as long as the food tastes good and the presentation is fine.
[Sure, why not?] The image of the refined lady, however, shattered in the back of my mind. Perhaps I was wrong to assume that girls are feminine. Some are tomboyish, some are straight manly than men, then lastly there are these practical women. Not bad, but I should brace myself for more types.
[Old man, give us 3 skewers each] (Irene)
[Oho~ Sure Sure~] (??) Judging from the atmosphere of the conversation, she knew the old man manning the cart as she just handed him 1 silver coin.
[Smells oddly good] Despite the lack of spices in this world, cuisine is still basically almost like home.
Skewers or as I call them "Barbecue/Barbeque" is just meat in stick grilled over charcoal. The sauce? It's the owner's secret recipe so it's better not to pry. Besides, my danger senses are not bringing up any signs of danger.
[Here~ Enjoy it you two~] (??) Wrapped in some kind of leaf, it was given to us pipping hot as steam was still rising from it.
Hooooo--I haven't eaten skewers from this stall before so the smell is basically brand new to me. The smell of the sauce mingling with the juices and melted fat of the grilled meat whet my stomach.
We found a spot to sit at (which was a bench underneath a huge tree just near the stall.
[Wow...it's good] As soon as I bit at the skewer, the flavor and umami immediately assaulted my tongue. It almost melted my cheeks too.
Suddenly...
[You've got sauce on your lips~] (Irene) Her finger wiped the sauce at the side of my mouth with her finger before licking it. Of course, any dude who was in that scene blushed including me.
This woman's feminine power on a scale of 1-100 is at 90+, no doubt.
To avoid any scene like that in the future, I will have to bring out a towel or something to avoid embarrassment. Still, that made my heart jump a bit.
The old man running the skewer stall laughed at us as he talked about it at the neighboring stall.
Damn it.
[Kyu?] (Mime) Thank goodness you are here!
If not for Mime's tapping at my cheek, I would have daydreamed the whole time.
I think I can't finish all three skewers, so I handed the last one to Mime.
[Kyun~] (Mime) The meat disappeared in no time, and all that's left is nothing. Not even the stick was spared or the leaves. I guess slimes are not just called dungeon cleaners for nothing.
But how am I going to deal with my own emotions regarding this?
[You spaced out, something wrong?] (Irene) Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.
Maybe, just maybe, I have still yet to mature. Haist.
Just when I was about to recover...
*PING!*
A warning sign popped out of nowhere in the map.
<<DANGER: LIFE-THREATENING!>>
[Wha?!] (Irene)
A shiny object entered my sight, acting on an impulse, I immediately hugged the witch and hopped to the cover of the tree behind us.
An arrow pierced the part of the bench where Irene sat. This was clearly an attempt of assassination.
I searched for the guy on the map, and there it was atop of the roof.
Due to the busy atmosphere of this part of the city, the scene we had just now may look romantic on the onlookers unless you were us then one would know the situation.
[That was...] (Irene) Shocked, she just sat at the ground with her legs quivering.
[You already know, and I got the culprit's location] I looked at the figure trying to lower its visibility from us.
When I turned around to see her, to ensure she was okay, my hair stood.
She was smiling, but her eyes weren't. I can also see some sort of haze surrounding her, and boy it did not feel good being around that.
Whoever you are that tried to assassinate the head of security of the city's entire premises, I am very sorry but your life ceased the moment you did so. You will get her wrath, and I know it.
Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah. I will need to do something now, as this situation has progressed for the worse.