“Welcome back, Krai. How was the church?”
“All right, I guess. I hadn’t been there in a while, but it looks like Ansem is still getting along nicely with them.”
On my way up the staircase to the clan master’s office, I ran into Eva. With everyone slandering my good name, Eva’s unchanging presence was a source of salvation.
“All right. All right? Krai, do you think I’m totally ignorant?”
“All right.”
Man, Ansem really was something. Even if he wasn’t a gigantic hunter, serving the church sounded like a lot of work. If he could befriend everyone there, then I guess what’s on the inside is more important than the outside.
What’s more, he told me that a handful of people besides us had noticed that the black knight had emerged from the pendant. This meant that all the witnesses had decided not to blame him and were keeping their lips sealed. How many virtuous deeds did he do in his previous life to earn this sort of respect? As someone who was always the subject of baseless suspicion, I envied him. What I didn’t envy was how nonchalant Lucia was about letting him get swallowed by her Hailstorm.
Maybe I’ll take after Ansem and live an earnest life. But I am living earnestly! I don’t know what’s going on!
“Krai,” Eva said, looking dissatisfied, “you seem to be in an oddly good mood.”
“Ahh. Is it that obvious?”
“Considering the tumult at the Church of the Radiant Spirit, I’m a little confused.”
It wasn’t like I was upbeat because of what had happened at the church. It was because, at the very end of it all, I got a little present. Everyone should have an excellent childhood best friend. Since I was always the one receiving, I was keeping an eye out for a chance to one day repay him.
“Starlight said they’ll do something about the mess at the church. Everyone’s been panicking about the prophecy or whatever, but I get the feeling it’s going to be resolved smoothly. Too much has happened in rapid succession, and I’m tired.”
Eva didn’t respond to that.
Though I hadn’t done anything, my total lack of stamina meant I was worn out just from seeing everything up close.
I noticed Eva was looking at me intently. Her sharp eyes sat beneath a furrowed brow, focused as if there were something written on my face. I took a step back without thinking.
“Wh-What?”
“Nothing. Nothing at all. It’s just that I make my living reading your expressions. The recent series of curse-related incidents has stirred up lots of chaos. A large number of people have fled from the imperial capital. If a resolution really is imminent, then we have an opportunity...”
I had a feeling it would be better not to inquire further. With how perfectly suited she was for her job as vice clan master, I tended to forget that she had once worked for a major trading company.
The imperial capital sure had been a hectic place recently. From the trouble with Akashic Tower and the dragon attack, to the current prophecy business, so much mayhem in so little time would make anyone want to pack their bags.
“You can run if you want,” I told Eva, halfway serious.
I’ll run with you.
Looking surprised, Eva held up the palm of her right hand. On her ring finger was a familiar ring.
“I won’t run, especially not if you’ve entrusted me with a Safety Ring. I know what I’m getting myself into.”
That was too manly for me. I never showed that sort of resolve, and I always wore upwards of a dozen rings.
At least it looked like this would be the end of the madness. I had had my fill. I had even returned Franz’s Sounding Stone, so now I’d get to be lazy for real. The assorted chaos had affected my friends’ schedules, leaving them with newfound free time, so maybe we could all hang out together.
Then, Eva said something surprisingly unsurprising.
“I just remembered, Liz is here. She and Tino are in the clan master’s office.”
“Oh! Just as the simulations predicted.”
“She was in very good spirits. Something about receiving a present. Are you going to be okay?”
“Oho. For once, a perfect reading. Not an inch off. My genius scares me.”
Is it all dancing in the palm of my hand? Is my preterhuman artifice taking shape?
This was it. Just this once, I forgave myself for getting carried away with the hard-boiled act. My eyes were anything but sharp, but I knew all there was to know about my friends. After all those years spent with them, I had something to show for it.
“There’s something I need to ask of you,” I said to Eva, who was looking at me uncomfortably. “The church should be sending over their best treasure chest any moment now. Could you do me a favor and get someone to take it to the lounge?”
“Well, certainly. But it’s a treasure chest, you say?”
I was sure even she would be surprised by the sight of it. In all my years as a hunter, I had never seen a more treasure chest-y treasure chest. Liz was going to be pleased. I hadn’t at all expected the Church of the Radiant Spirit to have so many treasure chests in its possession. They had told me to pick one out myself because they had no idea what I was getting at, but I had just laughed at the absurdity of it.
In my office, Liz had Tino in a choke hold. She had definitely gotten bored while waiting for me. The moment she saw me, she tossed Tino to the side, just before she could pass out. She flew at me, every bit as energized as Eva had said.
“Krai Baaaby!”
“There, there, good girl. There! There!”
Handling her with one hand, I looked at Tino, stretched out on the ground. Her messed-up hair made me think they had been sparring or something. I didn’t think a bit of boredom was any excuse to have a mock fight in someone else’s room. Carelessly scolding Liz could just end up making Tino’s life harder, so I just gave her a look of disapproval. She didn’t seem at all sorry. That was when Tino’s fingertips began twitching. She had regained consciousness.
She sat up and shook her head. Her cheeks flushed when she saw me. “Master, when did you get here?! I’m sorry you had to see me like—”
“D-Don’t worry. Here, you too. There, there.”
Compared to how she used to be, our junior hunter had gotten scarily durable, mentally and physically. As her master, I figured I should be happy. But perhaps I should’ve been more embarrassed that I couldn’t keep Liz under control.
What am I gonna do if Tino specializes in durability and becomes gigantic like Ansem?
The moment she was on her feet, Liz grabbed Tino by the arm and shoved her in front of me. “It’s almost my turn to be your guard, right? I just couldn’t wait any longer and came early! I’ll give it my very best! You can use T too! Though I guess nothing too weird has happened since the attack on the lounge.”
“Ah. Right. That happened.”
“It happened just days ago, Master!”
Oh, I get it now. So the daily guarding is to protect me from further ambushes. I mean, after everything that’s happened, you’ll have to forgive me for forgetting about the attack! But enough about that. I’m showing a rare stroke of genius today.
Eyes glimmering, my dear friend Liz was waiting like an eager puppy.
“Ahem. Actually, Liz,” I said in a stately manner, “there’s something I’d like to give you.”
She perked up.
“I thought it was unfair that everyone but you was getting something.”
“I love you!” she squealed.
“L-Lizzy, control yourself.”
Liz leaped, embracing me from behind and rubbing against my back. Her body heat was almost enough to make me sweat. I had more or less expected a reaction like this, but I wasn’t sure how to feel about her exuberance. After all, we didn’t even know what was in the treasure chest. I assumed she’d be happy even if it were empty, but seeing her so overjoyed had me second-guessing myself.