The Kelvin’s Residence – Garden
Several days had passed since the “meeting” and the decisive battle was finally approaching. Ever since the date was set, time seemed to flow faster than usual. It was probably partly because Victor had forcibly sent my father-in-law back to his country. However, the greater reason was the thrill I felt each day at the prospect of clashing blades with Kuromel.
I had declared that I would defeat Kuromel, and she had accepted my challenge. She could have chosen to pity me. But that’s not what she wanted. Kuromel had spent thousands of years preparing for this day, solely to entertain me.
So, I decided to entertain her to the fullest. I would devour everything Kuromel had accumulated. Her strength, her techniques, her magic, her mysteries, her miracles—all of it. That was my responsibility for causing her to fall into despair, or rather, I wanted to do it more than anything else. I desired all of Kuromel. After devouring everything she had built, I would rescue Melfina. Absolutely.
“Kelvin-kun, you’ve got a wicked grin on your face!”
Ange pointed out my expression as she passed by.
“Huh? Isn’t it a cool face filled with a sense of mission?”
“Nope, it was your usual cool face filled with desire.”
That’s strange. I thought I had said something quite profound…
“KELVIN! Stop daydreaming there and help with the departure preparations! You’re in charge of the final checklist for what goes into Kuro’s storage, right!”
“Alright, alright! I know, so stop yelling, Sera.”
At Sera’s urging, I returned to Kuro and received the checklist from Efil. We were currently in the midst of preparations before departing the mansion. However, our basic style remained unchanged. We’d hand over the essentials to Kuro and go empty-handed!
“Master, excuse me for interrupting your busy schedule. Claire and Uldo have arrived.”
“Claire and the others?”
Had I discussed their visit today? As I pondered this, the two of them appeared from the direction of the main gate. Uldo was in his usual adventurer attire, while Claire, perhaps having slipped away from work, was in her landlady outfit with an apron and a triangular headscarf. They held a large basket.
“Kel-chan! We heard rumors that you’re heading to the Angel’s Nest, is that true!?”
“Sorry, Kelvin. Claire heard some strange rumors from someone and just barged in.”
The operation to conquer Battleship Elpis was a top-secret matter known only to a select few. For adventurers, it was as secret as S-Rank or higher. The fact that this information reached Claire meant that someone must have let slip a word and it had become a rumor. Well, with that group, keeping a secret was utterly impossible, so I didn’t expect anyone to try and keep it completely under wraps.
“Yes, well… it’s something that’s a secret even among most adventurers, so please don’t broadcast it too widely.”
“Oh, so it was true! Ow!?”
“See, just like I said! He wouldn’t believe me at all, saying it was all hearsay!”
“Haha, well, well.”
I tried to calm Claire as she enthusiastically patted Uldo’s sturdy back. Uldo, who possessed considerable skill as an adventurer, seemed to be in quite a bit of pain, indicating Claire’s considerable strength.
“So, what brings you here today? To confirm that matter?”
“That’s part of it. Here, take this.”
Claire handed me the basket she was holding. Oh, it was quite heavy.
“I thought, why not, so I put my heart into making the best cuisine. Judging by everyone’s condition, you’re leaving today, right? Please eat this with Efil and the others. This is my ultimate support.”
“Wow, thank you! Oh, it smells really good.”
The pleasant aroma of the food, presumably inside the basket, wafted towards my nose. Saliva naturally welled up in my mouth.
“Hm…? Sniff sniff.”
Oh, Efil seemed curious about the smell too, sniffing the food’s aroma along with me. It was unusual for Efil, who valued propriety so highly, to behave like this in front of others.
“…This aroma is unlike any I’ve ever smelled. Claire, what is this dish?”
“Fufu, that’s a surprise until you open it. I’ve put the recipe in the basket, so try making it yourself next time. Well, this might be the last recipe I can teach you, Efil… Efil, you’ve truly become a wonderful woman.”
“Claire…!”
Claire’s motherly side was immense. Efil covered her mouth, looking on the verge of tears. But to think she had a secret, unshared recipe held back—how vast was Claire’s repertoire? The more I dug, the more she revealed.
“Fufu, with this, I can confidently send you off to be married! You hear me!”
“You bet! There aren’t many women as wonderful as Efil! Kelvin! When you return safely, make sure you say what you need to say!”
“Um, what do you mean by that…?”
The two of them, with wide smiles directed at Efil, moved behind me and started patting my back vigorously. It hurt.
“F-you two, I understand that, but if you talk so loudly here…”
“Huh…? Wh-what, huh!?”
See, Efil was also confused by the implied meaning of their words. I felt like they had conveyed their message more than enough, but making those remarks in front of Ange and Sera was ill-advised. People were starting to notice, wondering what was going on. Also, those words sound a bit like a flag, Uldo-san.
“Well, between you and me, Claire is still the number one! You know, I used to be just as beautiful as Efil back in the day. Can you believe it? When I was young, I even entered the Pars beauty contest—”
“You talk too much!”
“Guaaa!”
Claire’s full-powered flying kick landed, sending Uldo flying. Gerard, who happened to be passing by, caught the airborne Uldo. Wow, his giant body flew that far. He was slightly rolling his eyes, I hope he’s alright…
With a flashy kick that belied her voluptuous figure, a past of breathtaking beauty, and a repertoire exceeding even Efil’s, today was full of surprises. Though I’d known Claire for quite some time, she continued to reveal new facets of herself.
“Hoo, that felt good.”
And then, there was that refreshingly pure smile after kicking her own husband. I respected Claire myself. I did, but I certainly didn’t want Efil to imitate her to this extent…
“Now then, Kel-chan, Efil-chan. We’ll be waiting like this, goofing around as usual, so when you get back, come over for a drink. While I’d be happy to hear about your marriage, seeing your healthy face is the most important thing. That’s a promise, okay?”
“…! Yes, I promise. Right, Efil?”
“Yes, I will… At that time, I will bring dishes that won’t lose to yours, Claire-san.”
“Ooh, you’re confident, aren’t you. As your culinary mentor, I’m not planning on losing yet!”
Perhaps Claire and the others came here today not because they heard rumors, but because they sensed something unusual from us. To cheer us up and offer even a little bit of emotional support. A gentle warmth spread through my heart.
“Older Kel, it’s time!”
“Go on, Kel-chan!”
My body and mind were fully prepared. There was nothing to fear anymore, except for Mel’s food expenses, Colette’s rampages, and Sera’s drinking.
“Everyone, are you ready for departure! Alright, let’s go!”
“Hey, Uldo-dono still hasn’t woken up, is that okay~?”
“………”
Before we left, I treated Uldo.
We have surpassed 150 million PV.
We will continue to strive towards 200 million PV.
