The next day, Gerard and I went to the Spirit Song Inn. We had been summoned by a certain person.
“Huh? You’re still going on about that nonsense? It’s time to let go of your children, your younger sisters, and your grandchildren. If you go too far, you’ll end up like my Papa, you know? Do you want to be glared at by Rion and Kuromel? Have you awakened to such perverted tastes?”
“N-no, that is, I’m ashamed or something…”
“We were just worried, so worried, there was no other intention. It’s the truth…”
That person was Bell, who was sitting before us. If Claire’s special Mont Blanc hadn’t been on the table, her mood would have worsened even further. It was terrifying, truly terrifying.
“I was surprised when Sister Sera called me. Seeing how utterly foolish you two were.”
” “Guh…” ”
We were currently sitting facing each other at a table in the tavern, but while Bell was sitting normally, Gerard and I were forced to sit in the seiza position on our chairs. Although they were chairs without backs, sitting seiza here was more mentally draining and taxing than sitting seiza on the ground. Gerard, with his massive build, found it difficult just to sit seiza. And this seiza time was about to exceed an hour. In other words, my legs were already in bad shape. I had lost all feeling. I’m sorry. Touya, I’m sorry for making you do this kind of punishment game before…
The reason we were enduring such mistreatment was that the “Gerard Strongest Security Guard Plan” had been discovered by Sera. Even communicating information solely through telepathy directed at Gerard was something Sera could sense with a mere glance.
< "You're planning to make only Gerard a security guard, aren't you?! It's the same as with Ange; you're all so sly towards Kelvin and the others for keeping things to yourselves! If you don't make me a teacher at Lumiest, I'll tell Bell, the one involved!" >
Our foolishness in trying to hide things from Sera, who possessed both sharp intuition and good luck. And so, our grand plan came to be known by Bell. Upon receiving the call from her beloved elder sister, Bell came to the mansion first thing in the morning. She had traveled across the sea from the Northern Continent. She came early in the morning, despite her low blood pressure. Incidentally, the option of using a Transfer Gate had apparently been eliminated, as she anticipated my refusal. Truly, a descendant of Baal, sharp indeed.
Upon arrival, she dragged Gerard and me to this Spirit Song Inn, and once we got to the tavern, she forced us into seiza and arbitrarily ordered whatever she pleased, demonstrating her tyranny. Well, it was certainly my fault. But still, I wish she’d stop with the mental attacks, bringing up Kuromel and Rion. I’m truly remorseful. I don’t want to be disliked. Seriously…
“Honestly, after showing you such a grim future, you won’t take any foolish actions, will you?”
“Yes, I’ll be careful. I’ll exercise self-restraint…”
“I promise to simply watch over you from afar, even if we go to the Western Continent together. Truly, truly.”
“W-wait, Bell!”
“Huh? We’re going to cross over to the Western Continent?”
“Wait, Bell-san! It’s a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding!”
Seiza and mental attacks continued. It took another thirty minutes for Gerard and me to clear up the misunderstanding.
” –So, you’re saying that crossing to the Western Continent is for adventurer activities, and you have no intention of causing a disturbance at Lumiest?”
” “We swear it!” ”
” …Really?”
“I mean, I do want to see your face occasionally, but I have no intention of getting involved with the academy or the students. I’ve entrusted your protection to Bell, and I trust her completely.”
“I, like the King… I just want to see your face occasionally, truly, truly occasionally…”
“Hmm? Well, as a compromise, that should be fine. Rest assured. Now that we’ve made a contract, I won’t be holding back either. I’ll carry it out perfectly. Including those in the Cielo Dormitory that you two are worried about.”
Bell declared this while savoring the last piece of Mont Blanc.
“Oh, what incredible confidence! I can expect great things!”
“Even so, you’re awfully confident… Do you have some kind of plan?”
“Ah, I haven’t told you yet. The dormitory I’ll be assigned to is Cielo.”
” “Eh?” ”
We froze.
“I’ll take these empty plates away.”
“Thank you. Also, could I have some black tea after this?”
“Coming right up! Please wait a moment.”
While we were frozen, Bell ordered more tea. Now that I think about it, Claire isn’t phased by this situation at all. She’s strong.
“H-how did you get assigned to Cielo Dormitory? I admit your status is impeccable, but… after that, both Gerard and I asked Shutra and did some research on the dorms. Didn’t Cielo Dormitory uphold a human-supremacy ideology like Trysen in the past? Wasn’t the dorm head, Boyle, particularly holding such views?”
“Ah, I disciplined him during the interview exam. Now, he’s about half like our Sebastian Del.”
“What did you do during the exam!?”
“It was an interview exam. Nothing more, nothing less.”
“Y-you’re too dependable, it’s scary!”
“Then rely on me more.”
Unfazed by our barrage of retorts, Bell entered her elegant tea time. Strong.
“While guarding near you two is one option, I happen to prefer attacking over defending. If there’s a nest of pests, it’s quickest to deal with it from the root. That’s why I’ll take down Cielo from the inside.”
“Take it down… No, I just said I’d leave it to you, Bell. I’ll leave the method up to you. Gerard, is that alright with you?”
“U-um. Bell, please take care of Kuromel and Rion.”
“You’re our only hope. Please let them have a fun school life.”
“Hmph, well, leave it to me. Compared to the missions I undertook as an Apostle, this is child’s play.”
Still sitting seiza on the chairs, we bowed deeply to Bell. As S-Rank Adventurers, we drew considerable attention even in familiar places. There were acquaintances among the adventurers in the tavern, but we had no shame or reputation left. We had discarded it all during our seiza time. Now, we could only appeal to Bell, our last hope, with sincerity.
“Say, Claire. What did Kelvin and Lord Gerard do to be bowing so deeply?”
“Who knows? I don’t either. But they looked quite desperate.”
“Hoho? Well, it’s not something worth getting involved in. Hey, you too, don’t do anything unnecessary—”
“And doesn’t that girl sitting in front look a lot like Miss Sera? Is she your younger sister? Is she your younger sister!?”
“Gnnnh! That Kelvin, with another cute girl!”
“I want to get close to her!”
“…You guys, again?”
Uldo and the members of the Macho Party, who happened to be at the tavern, seemed more interested in Bell than me. Yes, I wanted to persuade them with all my might to stop.
“The leader’s right, you fools! Are you going to charge into that intensely heavy atmosphere? Besides, that’s someone Kelvin and Gerard-san are bowing to. At worst, you’ll die, and you’re not a match for her.”
“Ugh, t-that’s true…”
“B-but still…”
“After all, I noticed her first! It doesn’t matter if the air is heavy, first come, first served! No encounters without action!”
” “Ah, you coward!” ”
–GONNNG!
“G-goooh…”
It happened outside my field of vision, but I heard a refreshing sound like a tray held by Claire hitting someone’s head. I couldn’t see the details because I didn’t turn around, but the victim had probably collapsed and fainted. Strong.
“What are you trying to do to our important guest! You’ll be sure to be lectured about this later!”
“Y-yes…”
Next, I heard the sound of something being dragged. Ah, the macho guys were being carried away.
“Hmm, this is a shop with excellent service. The cake and tea that came out are also to my liking. Kelvin, you have quite the taste. I’ll give you credit for that alone.”
“I-is that so? I’m glad you liked it…”
