“This is strange. I thought I heard it was around here.”
As Kent and Hanako left the adult theater and walked through the red-light district, they spotted a suspicious middle-aged woman looking around, seemingly searching for something a little ways off.
“Most women walking alone in this area are probably employees of the shops located nearby, but that person looks completely out of place,” Kent said.
“I agree. She certainly doesn’t seem to belong here, being in a place like this,” Hanako replied.
When Kent conveyed his thoughts to Hanako, she seemed to understand what he meant.
“Wait, now that I look closer, that person is the Queen. What is she doing here?”
Kent took a closer look at the woman and realized he knew her. It was Margaret, the Queen of this country. She was disguised in clothes worn by commoner women for walking around town, but Kent, who knew her face, was certain it was her.
“What are you doing here?” Kent asked.
“Eh? Oh, Kent. I never expected to meet you here. Did you come to the red-light district looking for a quick one?” Margaret retorted.
“Wh-what are you saying! You shouldn’t use such vulgar language, especially when you’re the Queen!”
“Well, it’s that kind of town, so a little vulgarity shouldn’t be a problem,” Margaret said confidently, though Kent couldn’t comprehend her logic.
“Are you perhaps trying to pick me up? Oh my, I’m so embarrassed that you’d invite an old hag like me. If you insist, I might accept your invitation. What do you say? Want to go for it?” Margaret teased.
“If I did that, I’d lose my head!” Kent exclaimed.
“Oh, what a shame,” Margaret replied.
Kent politely declined, knowing that such actions with the Queen would put him in danger. Margaret looked incredibly disappointed, and it was unclear whether she was serious or joking.
“Oh, Kent, you’re not with a woman. You should have said so. Now I feel foolish for getting excited thinking you were inviting me,” Margaret said.
When Margaret noticed Hanako next to Kent, she realized she wasn’t being invited and became shy.
“So, what’s your relationship with her? Hmm? Tell your Auntie about it. Oh! Wait. For me to be seen by you in this state… Oh, what should I do? I’m so happy, I can’t hold it. It’s coming out!”
Margaret’s demeanor changed as she stared intently at Hanako. Her legs began to tremble, and a golden liquid began to trickle down her bare legs, visible beneath her knee-length skirt.
“Ah, I can’t stop! Oh, God!”
A puddle formed at Margaret’s feet.
“Your Majesty! Snap out of it!” Kent exclaimed, realizing Margaret had lost control of her bladder. But she was staring blankly, lost in thought.
“Hanako, what’s going on?”
“She might have been overwhelmed by my magic and gone to another world,” Hanako explained.
“Can’t you do something? If this continues, people walking in the street will see that the Queen has wet herself!”
“That’s fine. I’ve put up a barrier to obstruct recognition, so the only ones who know about this are you, me, and her,” Hanako assured him.
Hanako had cleverly set up a recognition-obstructing barrier around them. Thanks to this, Margaret’s dignity was preserved.
“She’ll probably get used to it soon, so it should be okay. I’ll clean up the mess with magic for now,” Hanako said, twirling her hand. The puddle on the ground vanished, and Margaret’s wet skirt, shoes, and legs were restored to their original state.
“Amazing. It’s back to normal in an instant.”
“It’s an item from another world, ‘Cleaning Magic’,” Hanako nonchalantly replied.
“Saying it like that makes it sound less impressive,” Kent muttered.
While magic cleaning was indeed impressive, Hanako’s casual explanation diminished the awe Kent felt.
“I-I’m so sorry. I was so happy to meet a god that I accidentally wet myself. I apologize for making you, a god, attend to my bodily needs,” Margaret said, regaining her composure.
She bowed deeply to Hanako.
“Did the Queen realize who this child is?” Kent asked.
“Yes, of course. When you’re hit with divine magic that powerful, someone like myself would immediately realize. It’s my first time meeting you in this form, Lady Hanako.”
Margaret, who normally wouldn’t bow to anyone but the King in this country, deeply bowed her head to Hanako.
“But I thought you had met Hanako many times before. Why are you acting like this today?” Kent inquired.
“Well, you know I was a Saintess before, correct? During my apprentice days, I was taught to be absolutely obedient to the gods. Until now, I could only sense faint magic, so I interacted with you normally. But now you are such a dazzling presence. Because of that, someone like me is simply happy to receive your blessings. Furthermore, Your Ladyship Hanako likely possesses power far greater than the gods of my country. Oh my, just seeing your divine visage makes me feel faint.” Margaret’s face was flushed, and her breathing was heavy.
“Hey, Hanako. Is there any way to return the Queen to normal?”
“In her current state, self-control is impossible. It saddens me that it will be harder to speak with you, Master, but it can’t be helped. I will return to my previous state,” Hanako said.
Hanako’s body began to glow, and she returned to her original form.
“There. This should be fine,” Hanako stated.
“Thank you, Hanako,” Kent said, stroking Hanako’s head.
“Haa, haa. I’ve made such a spectacle of myself. I never expected the god of this country to possess such power,” Margaret exclaimed.
“Hmm, I’m retired,” Hanako replied.
“No, there is no successor, and the statues of the goddess worshipped are modeled after you. Even now, Lady Hanako is the god of this country.”
Although Margaret had regained her senses, her devotion to Hanako remained unchanged.
“Hmm, I’ve retired. Now I’m just a Contract Fairy who has formed a master-servant relationship with Kent, and nothing more,” Hanako stated.
“Oh, please don’t say that. Just do both jobs part-time. I want you to continue being the god,” Margaret pleaded desperately.
“Hmm, I’ll think about it,” Hanako conceded.
“Yay!” Margaret cheered as Hanako relented to her persistent pleas.
“So, Your Majesty, what were you doing here?” Kent asked.
“Ah, right. I forgot. Also, calling me ‘Queen’ in public is unavoidable, but it’s inconvenient to be called that in town, so please call me Margaret,” she requested.
“Eh? Um, isn’t ‘Margaret-san’ okay?”
“No,” Margaret replied firmly.
“Ugh, Margaret,” Kent said.
“Yes!” Margaret responded with a beaming smile to Kent’s call.
“You asked what I was doing. Actually, I heard that Patty’s mother works at a shop near here, but I couldn’t find the shop and was looking for it,” she explained.
“Patty’s mother, Eliza’s shop? I don’t think she works there anymore,” Kent replied.
“No, according to my information, she’s still working there. I haven’t had many opportunities to meet her, and I haven’t spoken to her yet. Since I have some free time, I came here to try and meet her.” Margaret had come to meet Patty’s mother, Eliza.
“From the looks of it, Kent seems to know the shop where she works.”
“If it hasn’t changed, I probably know it.”
“In that case, could you guide me there?” Margaret requested.
“Eh?” Kent looked at Hanako after Margaret’s request.
“Hmm, I don’t mind either way,” Hanako said.
“Thank you, Hanako. Alright. Then I’ll guide you to the shop,” Kent replied.
With Hanako’s permission, Kent decided to guide Margaret to Eliza’s workplace.
