138. Invitation and Demonkind [2]
When the president stormed away with Rodis-san, tranquility returned.
「My goodness… He was no less doting than my father.」
「Ahaha, that’s true.」
Ria’s father, King Gris Vesteria, was also a considerably doting parent.
The president’s father is also quite the thing.
(…No, perhaps all fathers who have a daughter are all that way.)
After taking a deep breath, I slowly looked around.
(…There are so many different people.)
A person dressed as a samurai
A person wearing an unusual tricoloured dress, obviously not of this country.
A person wearing a large white hat that the hunters in the south prefer.
The venue was overflowing with an exotic air.
As I continued to look around at the surrounding people, a person in a clearly flamboyant costume entered my view.
「Is that… Clown-san?」
It was Clown Jester, the branch chief of the Holy Knights Association Orest Branch.
(O-Oh my…)
Even if there was no dress code, to think he would wear his usual flashy clown costume to the Keishinkai where Tenshi-sama is attending. A truly freewheeling person.
「Let’s go and say hello, shall we?」
When I was about to take a step forward,
「…Wait a minute, look next to Clown-san.」Ria said, with an incredibly serious expression.
「Next to Clown-san?」
When I turned my gaze a little to the side, there was Rize-san, dressed in her usual red kimono.
「I’m sorry, but let’s say hello another time. We shouldn’t get involved with Bloody Fox.」Ria said, shaking her head slightly.
(O-Okay.)
As Leia-sensei said some time ago, Rize-san’s reputation doesn’t seem to be very good.
(But I think she’s a very nice person, though…)
When I was thinking of that,
「Ara, if it isn’t Allen-kun!」
Rize-san noticed me, and walked towards us together with Clown-san.
「Yikes, we’ve been found!」Ria frowned.
As usual, she has an abundant expression.
「Rize-san, Clown-san. Happy New Year.」
「…Happy New Year.」
When I and Ria greeted them, they also replied in the same way.
「To see Allen-kun at the start of the year, I am sure that this year is going to be a good one.」
Rize-san, who was in a good mood, stared at me with her sharp fox-like eyes.
「Ahaha. I’m also very happy to see Rize-san.」
「R-Really? Y-You’re making me blush.」
She hid her face behind the folding fan in her hand, and turned her gaze away.
Clown-san inserted his usual silly remarks.
「Oh come on, Rize-san. Why are you falling for that? That’s obviously a flattery– kah!?」
At that moment, he suddenly clutched his chest, seeming to be in pain.
「C-Clown-san!?」
His face turned pale, as he grabbed Rize-san’s sleeve, shaking his head sideways.
It seemed that he was unable to breathe.
「Naa, Clown… mouth is the source of disaster. So, be careful, okay?」she said, with a terrifyingly cold tone that could even bring down the temperature of the room, and Clown-san nodded his head many times over.
Immediately after that,
「Pu-ha! Haa haa… Aha, hahaha… merciless as usual…」
Freed from some sort of『ability』, he put on a strained smile, while breathing heavily.
「Fufu, that is so, but the way you suffered on purpose… I don’t hate it either.」
「Ahaha… Did you find out?」
「Obviously. There’s no way you would suffer just because you couldn’t breathe.」
Normally, I think people would suffer, though…
Which means, similar to Rize-san, Clown-san is no ordinary person either.
「What did you think about it? I think it was a pretty good performance, though…」
「Hmm, it’s about three points.」
「Oh, three out of five?」
「Fool, a thousand points.」
「T-That’s quite harsh…」
And they laughed happily.
How do I put this… it was a very peculiar world view.
Perhaps Rize-san and Clown-san have been together for a long time.
(But… I still don’t understand.)
There is no doubt that the phenomenon just now was due to Rize-san’s『power』.
(This is the second time I’ve seen her power following the Daido Commercial Festival, but…)
I still have no idea what kind of ability it is.
「Well then, I am going to take my leave here.」
Rize-san struck the folding fan on her hand, and turned her eyes towards the exit.
「Oh, are you going home already?」
「I have already greeted Tenshi-sama, and there is still another meeting. So, I am leaving for today.」she said, waving her hand slightly.
「I also have a meeting at the Orest branch after this. So, I will also take my leave!」Clown-san said, bowing slightly.
「Is that so? Good luck with your work.」
「Fufu, thanks a lot.」
「Thank you very much for your consideration!」
Then, they left the Ringard Palace.
Then, Ria, who had been silent from a little while ago, opened her mouth.
「To ditch a ceremony held by Tenshi-sama… They must have some pretty thick nerves!」[1. TL Note: “Tenshi” means “Heavenly Ruler”.]
「Ahaha. That is so like them.」
After a while,
「Is that… Tenshi-sama?」
A peerless beauty escorted by a great number of guards slowly walked in our direction.
(I’ve seen that face in newspapers. That person is no doubt, Wendy Ringard-sama!)
The Heavenly Ruler who governs the Ringard Imperial Kingdom – Wendy Ringard.
If I remember correctly… she is 15 years old, the same age as me.
Beautiful, light pink hair that stretches to the back.
The height is about the same as Ria. About 165 centimeters.
A flawless style.
A kind, angelic face.
A pure white dress with exposed shoulders.
At the age of ten, she inherited her position from her predecessor. She possessed superior intellect and formidable ingenuity – the greatest talent in Ringard Imperial Kingdom.
She slowly walked towards us, and…
「Ara… You are Allen Rodore-sama, aren’t you?」
Stopped right in front of me.
「Y-Yes…」
I could only return a stiff answer in that unexpected situation.
「Fufu, please don’t be so stiff. Today is the Keishinkai, after all.」
「T-Thank you very much.」
And when I addressed Tenshi-sama,
「I am the first princess of Vesteria Kingdom, Ria Vesteria. Tenshi-sama, thank you very much for inviting me to Keishinkai today.」
Ria greeted Tenshi-sama gracefully, with her dignified manner.
「I am the Tenshi of the Ringard Imperial Kingdom, Wendy Ringard. It is I who should thank you for coming all this way.」
When the『Princess』and『Tenshi』exchanged greetings,
「Hey, Allen-sama? If you don’t mind, can we talk alone for a little while?」
She suddenly said something unbelievable.
(T-This is a joke right?)
What does the leader of a country have to talk about to an ordinary citizen like me!?
However, the other party is the one who stands at the summit of this country, the Tenshi.
I can’t refuse her invitation so easily.
「Y-Yes… If you don’t mind, I would love to.」
「Well, thank you!」Tenshi-sama showed a flower-like smile.「Excuse me, Ria-sama. May I borrow Allen-sama for a little while?」she asked Ria, with an apologetic expression.
「Y-Yes, that’s fine.」
Ria is a princess, not yet a “King.”
There was no way she could refuse a request from Tenshi-sama, who is at a higher position.
Thus, for some reason, I had to talk to Tenshi-sama alone.
「Ria. I’ll be back as soon as I’m done. So, just wait a little while.」
「O-Ok.」
I parted with Ria, who had an uneasy expression, and was led by Tenshi-sama to the second floor of the Ringard Palace.
Meanwhile, an astounding number of curious glances pierced my back.
「O-Oi… Tenshi-sama is walking alone together with a man without an escort!?」
「Wait a minute… If I remember correctly, that guy is…『Allen Rodore』!」
「Allen Rodore… Rumor has it that he has been getting his hand involved in the『underworld』these days. They say he has a deep connection with that Bloody Fox.」
「A-Already a connection with that one!? That’s so quick!」
「It’s better not to get involved with him.」
I-I can hear you…
It seems that the bad rumors have already gone beyond the small sphere of the『Swordsmanship Academy』.
It might already be too late to put down these rumours.
(Haa, why did things turn out like this…)
When I sighed,
「Well, Allen-sama. It’s an empty room, but please come in.」Tenshi-sama said, and opened the door in front of her.
「T-Thank you.」
I entered the room. It was a very ordinary room.
There were only the minimum necessary furnishings, such as a dresser and a bed.
「Tenshi-sama, what are we doing in this–?」
Just when I was about to ask a question,
–CLINK
The sound of a lock resounded.
(Eh? Are we… locked in?)
Somehow, I had a very bad feeling.
「Te-Tenshi-sama…」
When I nervously called out to her,
「Fufu, we can finally talk alone, Allen Rodore.」
Tenshi-sama, who had completely changed from a while ago, gave off a sharp glint in her eyes, as the corners of her lips curled up.
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