“Hmm, I’m waking up.”
“Is it morning already? I’m getting up now.”
The next morning, Hanako came to wake up Kent, who was fast asleep. Marie was in her usual terrible sleeping position next to him, but since Hanako had told Marie beforehand that they were going out, Kent carefully slipped out of bed to avoid being caught.
“Good morning, Kent. You’re going out today, aren’t you?”
“Catherine, good morning. Did Hanako tell you? That’s the plan.”
“Something like that. I’ll bring breakfast right out.”
“Thank you.”
After getting ready, Kent joined Hanako in the living room. Catherine was preparing breakfast in the kitchen, and as soon as she noticed Kent had woken up, she hurried to get the meal ready.
“You’re finally awake!”
“Ah, Fuuko, you’re already awake. Good morning.”
“Hmph, good morning, Master. Please take care of me today.”
Fuuko was already having breakfast in the living room and stopped to greet Kent.
“So Fuuko is coming along too.”
“Hey, Hanako, you didn’t tell me I was coming?”
“Hmm, I didn’t see the need.”
“Grrr, I’m cooperating with you, and this is how little you think of me?”
Kent realized at that moment that Fuuko was involved in this matter. When Fuuko learned that Kent hadn’t been told she was accompanying him, she protested to Hanako.
“Kent, Hanako, breakfast is ready.”
“Thank you, Catherine.”
“Hmm, gratitude.”
While Kent was talking with Fuuko, Catherine finished preparing breakfast, and meals for Hanako and Fuuko were ready.
“Kent, it seems like it’s going to be a tough day. Even with the two of them with you, please don’t get injured.”
“With that way of speaking, Catherine, you seem to know what’s happening today?”
“Well, I was surprised when I heard about it, but the two of you really seem like you’d pull it off. I’ll just prepare for that possibility. As for the details, if the two of you want to keep it a secret, I can’t say more. I’m sorry.”
Catherine seemed to sense something and hesitated when Kent asked her.
“Alright, I’ve prepared breakfast for Mom too, so I’ll be going to the Sanctuary now.”
With that, after preparing Marie’s breakfast, Catherine left a note and busily went out of the house.
“I thought things had settled down recently, but have they gotten busy again?”
Not long ago, Catherine had been busy going back and forth to the Sanctuary. Recently, she seemed more settled and spent more time at the shop. Seeing her, Kent felt that her work at the Sanctuary must have gotten busy again.
“You guys better hurry up and eat, I’m waiting!”
“Hmm, rushing is bad.”
“I don’t want to keep you waiting, so I’ll try to eat as quickly as possible.”
Fuuko, who had finished her breakfast, said to Kent and Hanako, looking bored. Hanako was her usual unhurried self, but Kent, not wanting to keep them waiting, quickly stuffed his breakfast into his mouth.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
“Hmm, thank you for the meal.”
“You’re finally done eating. Well then, let’s move quickly.”
“Move where?”
“You’ll know when we get there!”
Fuuko said to Kent and his companions with an impatient expression. Her face wasn’t one of displeasure, but rather one filled with anticipation. Kent asked about their destination, but he wasn’t told at that point.
“Hmm, I’ll synchronize with Fuuko to move.”
“Hmph, it’s a pain to do this with you, but I’ll do it for Master’s sake!”
“Mm.”
Saying that, Hanako and Fuuko brought their faces close to each other and then kissed.
“Wh-what are you doing?”
“Ngh, we’re in the middle of something important, so hngh, be quiet for a bit!”
“Sorry.”
The two of them were engaged in an intense kiss, their tongues intertwined.
“Hmm, synchronization complete.”
“Hmph, finally done!”
After intertwining their tongues for a while, they separated naturally.
“Hmm, we’re moving now.”
“Y-you’re using Teleportation Magic for the move?! AAAAAAAAAAAAH!”
Kent had a vague idea they were going somewhere, but he thought they would be moving on foot. To his surprise, he realized they would be using Hanako’s ability, Teleportation Magic, to travel, and he was shocked.
“So, where is this?”
“Hmph, you finally made it. This is their Duchy’s capital city, what you’d call the capital!”
“Hanako, your Teleportation Magic was limited to within the Kingdom, right? How can you travel to the Duchy?”
“Hmm, I borrowed its power. If it were just me, it would be limited to the Kingdom, but by borrowing the Duchy’s divine power and synchronizing, I can travel within the Duchy as well.”
“S-so that’s how it is.”
Kent was surprised to learn that if Hanako and Fuuko combined their powers, they could instantly travel to the Duchy.
“So, this is the Duchy’s capital city. Compared to Tiol’s town, it looks a bit smaller?”
“Yes, you can consider it to have about half the population and scale.”
Their current location was a plain a little distance from the capital city. A large castle was at the center, with small buildings arranged around it, and a city wall was built on the outskirts. While smaller in scale compared to the Kingdom’s Royal Capital, it was by no means a small town.
“Since we’ve come all this way, I’ll give you a tour of the city!”
“O-oh.”
“Mm.”
As Fuuko had lived in this city, she confidently offered to guide them.
“Halt!”
As Kent and his companions approached the capital city’s gate, an inspection was underway for entry. Naturally, the three of them were stopped by the guards.
“Excuse me. These two are my guests. You’ll let them pass, of course, right?”
Fuuko spoke to the guards in a commanding tone.
“Huh? We’re doing our job to prevent suspicious people and items from entering the city. Now, you all get in line.”
“Huh? Why do I have to line up? I can’t reason with you. Bring me your superior!”
However, the guards at the gate ignored Fuuko’s words and told her to stand in line with the other people waiting to enter. Hearing this, Fuuko became very angry, insisting on speaking to a superior.
“What’s going on? Trouble?”
“This little one is making a fuss, demanding to see the person in charge.”
Hearing the commotion, other guards gathered. Fuuko was completely being treated as a suspicious person by the guards.
“I apologize, we will get in line. Sorry for the trouble.”
“W-wait, Master, don’t pull me!”
Kent, thinking it would be bad if the commotion escalated and Fuuko became unruly, decided to handle the situation peacefully. He apologized to the guards, then pulled Fuuko’s hand and led her to the back of the line of people waiting to enter.
“Ugh, how uncool.”
“Keeh! It’s just that the guards happened not to recognize me. Really, it was just a coincidence!”
Hanako said provocatively, and Fuuko shouted back with excuses.
“Next.”
“Both of you have been called.”
After waiting in line for a while, the entry inspection progressed, and it was Kent’s turn.
“Ah, you’re the troublemakers from a little while ago. Alright, let me see your belongings. Hmm, one strange tablet and something that looks like a smaller version of it.”
Kent and his companions were told by the guards to place their belongings on the table. However, since they had come without anything, their only possessions were Kent’s terminal and Hanako’s smartphone.
“I don’t know its purpose, but it doesn’t seem particularly suspicious. Alright, you can pass.”
Normally, luggage would be thoroughly inspected, but since they had nothing else to carry, the inspection ended quickly. Though it took some time, Kent and his companions successfully entered the capital city.
“It took longer than I expected. Well then, I’ll show you around the city, so stay close so you don’t get lost!”
Once inside the city, Fuuko’s mood improved, and she eagerly prepared to show Kent and Hanako around. The three of them decided to explore the city for a while.
