Chapter 204: Unannounced Storm (1/2)

Chapter 204: Unannounced Storm

The Kuzunoha Company’s representative is going to come to Limia Kingdom.

This is small news.

For a company that has its headquarters at a foreign country to go through the trouble of going to Limia to say its greetings is relatively rare, and for the many knights and nobles, it is a happening that isn’t given much attention, or at least that’s how it is supposed to be.

They took it as a simple merchant trying to get on their good sides, and the representative of the company in question was half with that intention.

The merchants that have stores in Limia have already asked for information about the Kuzunoha Company from the Rotsgard Merchant Guild, and there were many nobles that were indifferent to it.

The Kuzunoha Company currently doesn’t have the intention of establishing in Limia, and in this time, they were simply going because the Limia royal family had wished for it. They heard that the Kuzunoha Company doesn’t have any big business plan prepared.

At most, in terms of movement, a part of the people that are interested in information are thinking about creating a connection with the Kuzunoha Company in the time of their stay.

However, for a limited few, this matter held a big meaning.

From the Limia side, it is Prince Joshua and hero Hibiki. And there’s also the Hopelace household.

The Limia King also has a relative interest in the Kuzunoha Company and the representative Raidou.

In the side of Kuzunoha Company, there’s Raidou’s follower, Mio who has something hidden within her.

For them, it was already clear that they will be meeting with an ulterior motive of their own.

And then they arrived at the appointed day.

Raidou, Mio, and Lime; those three headed to Limia in a morning with good weather.

At the teleport formation managed by the Academy, Raidou’s group was being seen off by the Kuzunoha Company members.

The teleportation to Limia’s state border was prepared, and from there, a carriage travel was waiting for them.

“Waka, please be careful.”

“Yeah, I will do my best, Tomoe. I won’t be showing my face in Asora, so I will be leaving that part to you.” (Makoto)

“Yes.” (Tomoe)

“Waka-sama, I will be taking care of the Academy matters, so I am counting on you for the selection. I will make sure to always be ready to receive your thought transmission, so if there’s anything that you need to consult about, don’t hesitate to.” (Shiki)

“I will probably rely on you a number of times. Thanks, Shiki.” (Makoto)

While nodding, there was a slight hesitation in the state of Shiki.

He looked like he wanted to say something more, but in the end, he didn’t say it.

“Please leave the store to us.”

“I have perfectly gotten used to dealing with customers. I have obtained the skill [Devilish Clerk], so go ahead with the mood of being on board of a boat.”

“Akua and Eris, I am counting on you.” (Makoto)

“But well, if the souvenirs are going to be bananas, make sure the boat is big.” (Eris)

“Well then, I will be going.” (Makoto)

Ignoring the utterance of Eris, or more like, without paying attention to her words, Raidou followed Mio, and Lime and entered the building with the teleport formation.

“To think that he would use [Ignore] on me…What a high-class skill. I didn’t know Waka had learned such a skill.” (Eris)

“There’s no bananas in Limia, Eris.” (Aqua)

“…And compared to that, what an obvious retort. The level of Akua is low. It seems like there’s the need to go back to the basics with ‘what’s up with that?’.” (Eris)

The two Forest Onis that have gone to see them off had begun a friendly quarrel.

There were none who tried to stop it.

“Shiki, it seems like there’s something in your mind.” (Tomoe)

“…No.” (Shiki)

“Waka and Mio are not here, and I have something I want you to hear. Lend me your time.” (Tomoe)

Telling Akua and Eris to make it in time to open the store, Tomoe took Shiki and changed locations.

To an empty location in the Academy that is silent and is not being used.

“This place is fine. For these past few days you haven’t been acting like yourself. Shiki, at the time of the farewell as well, you looked like you had something in your mind, you know?” (Tomoe)

“…Is that so. It is true that I am busy, but I think I am as always though.” (Shiki)

“I feel like you are self-aware of it though. Also, the matter about Waka going with Mio to Limia, you accepted it way too easily.” (Tomoe)

“That was…uhm…Mio-dono persuaded me in a variety of ways and…” (Shiki)

“Physically?” (Tomoe)

“…No. Ah, I-I will leave it to your imagination.” (Shiki)

“In my side, I had a slight dispute with Mio, and I was a bit interested in your thoughts.” (Tomoe)

“My thoughts?” (Shiki)

Shiki returns the words of Tomoe as a question.

In the first place, Tomoe and Mio having friction was news to him.

“About how you think of Waka -no, that’s not it. What do you want Waka to become-ja?” (Tomoe)

“Waka-sama?” (Shiki)

“The reason of you acting weird might actually be because of that. It seemed like you are getting way too involved with the Rotsgard students after all.” (Tomoe)

“!! Something like that is…not true.” (Shiki)

Shiki was clearly shaken, and it was practically like saying ‘that’s true’.

“Especially what you did to that girl called Amelia. Depending on the reason, it is something that can be taken as a joke, you know?” (Tomoe)

“Why do you—?!” (Shiki)

“I coincidentally saw that girl, and within her head, it was completely filled in pink. She was truly happy, but the details were something that I can’t ignore. I didn’t expect you to be related to it.” (Tomoe)

“…”

“Now that I think about it, there’s practically no commonness in what we wish for Waka. It is certain that there’s no ‘I want to cooperate with the Goddess and make this world a paradise to hyumans’, though. Even if there’s no antagonistic feelings towards Waka, within our group, there are times when we oppose each other, and I am beginning to think that it is a matter of course.” (Tomoe)

“That’s impossible. We have originated from the control pact, we are Waka-sama’s followers. There’s no way we would be able to do acts that would go against our master.” (Shiki)

“You telling those things to that girl as if they were the words of Waka, depending on the way it is taken, that can be considered a betrayal to Waka. There’s no absolutes. Even if we don’t go against Waka, there’s plenty possibility that we oppose each other, right?” (Tomoe)

“!! I wouldn’t do something like betraying Waka-sama! That was something I did while thinking of the good of that girl and Waka-sama and…” (Shiki)

“But that manner of speech, didn’t Amelia certainly get a bad impression of Waka?” (Tomoe)

It is certainly true that Shiki had done a severe criticism to Amelia as words of Raidou.

At that time, he took the position of soothing Amelia.

That could be taken as an act of betrayal to Raidou.

“Tomoe-dono, that’s not it. Until then, I had already given plenty enough praise to her. In a sense, my role is to give self-confidence. That’s why, to play the bad guy in only that moment would go against the class policy that Waka-sama had set before.” (Shiki)

“But in the first place, those were not the words of Waka, right? It is true that you have lied-ja. That fact doesn’t change, you know?” (Tomoe)

“The evaluation that Waka-sama gave to Amelia was way too harsh for Amelia at that moment. It is true that I falsified it, but for the one receiving the lessons, there’s something harsher than a severe criticism. And so, I decided to tell her the conclusion of my own analysis of her faults as if they were Waka-sama’s words.” (Shiki)

“…How did Waka evaluate her?” (Tomoe)

“Normal, it seems. Things like she asks a lot, a mobile professor, she talks a lot. Anyways, it seems like he didn’t have much interest in her and there wasn’t much impression of her.” (Shiki)

“…”

“Waka-sama has placed notations on the students depending on their special traits and has an understanding on them, but in principle, he sees the students as people to instruct techniques, and doesn’t hold further interest or emotions than that. Waka-sama and them are close in age, and it is certainly true that at first, he said that he would draw a line, but…I thought that in time it would grow vague. However, that didn’t happen at all.” (Shiki)

Shiki opened up.

He spoke of the emotions that took shape at that time he was talking to Makoto about the students’ evaluation and their employment.

“Even so, it didn’t turn into something like a master-disciple relationship, and he has been acting as a simple teacher doing his job. I thought that even if Waka-sama doesn’t go too far with Jin, Amelia, and the others, they would be able to reach a relationship of teacher and student close to that of friendship…no, I began to wish for that to happen.” (Shiki)

“Teacher and student huh.” (Tomoe)

“Do you understand, Tomoe-dono? The most painful thing for the people that earnestly want to learn from their respected teacher. It is…not criticism; it is unconcern. Not being interested in them, and being dealt with in the same way as the others. That’s how it is. Or at least, that’s how I think it is.” (Shiki)

“Is this something that you can tell because you were a hyuman before being a Lich and had been in the path of research? I feel like you are reading into it a bit too much though.” (Tomoe)

“I don’t know. But after obtaining the body of a hyuman again and being in a learning environment once more, it is the truth that I…have grown attached to my students.” (Shiki)

“Good grief, that was a miscalculation. Isn’t that the total opposite then?” (Tomoe)

“…Tomoe-dono?” (Shiki)

“And so, you showed a severe criticism that would be ‘similar’ to that of Waka that has been playing the bad guy, have Amelia think that Waka has interest in her, and that he has been properly analysing her ability. You are saying that you wanted that girl to think in that way?” (Tomoe)

“…Yes.” (Shiki)

Shiki nods at the words of Tomoe.

Shiki was bothered by what Tomoe said of ‘opposite’, but he decided to first affirm her words.

“And so, you planted at the bottom of her heart that in her current state she would die if she were to enter our place, and you showed her your feelings of wanting to avoid that.” (Tomoe)

“No, that’s not it.” (Shiki)

“It is. What a troublesome man-ja na, to think that you haven’t noticed it.” (Tomoe)

“…”

“In the first place, Waka has no interest in Amelia, so if that woman wants to work, it would be okay to just have her stay somewhere close to you and the problem would be solved.” (Tomoe)

“But then it would end up as Amelia dying a pointless death… Waka-sama will probably…not give her a special treatment.” (Shiki)

“True. But what’s wrong about dying pointlessly? Isn’t it just one woman, who doesn’t know her place, dying?” (Tomoe)

“Wha…” (Shiki)

“This is something that you would have said before heading to Rotsgard. That was my miscalculation. Seriously…the reason why you showed antipathy towards my words just now was because you are holding the lives of all your students dearly, or maybe just that one girl-ja ro ga.” (Tomoe)

“?!! I feel that much towards those kids?” (Shiki)

With a face as if receiving a shock, Shiki mutters as if groaning.

In a pretty weak voice.

“Good grief, the men at our place are all blockheads in the important parts. It makes me think that the consistent denseness of Waka is better.” (Tomoe)

Tomoe mutters in a truly amazed manner.

“I am amazed that everything was right on the mark. In that case, your attitude towards Waka just now was mostly you wanting to say a complain because he so easily threw all the matters of the students to you?” (Tomoe)

“To make a complain to Waka-sama, there’s no way!! But, it is certainly true. I did think about why he didn’t say a single thing about Jin and the others. Those kids straightforwardly follow mine and Waka-sama’s lecture. In that case, we should also show our sincerity—” (Shiki)

The words of Shiki were stopped by Tomoe who had gotten closer.

“Shiki.” (Tomoe)

“…What is it?” (Shiki)

“Do you remember me saying ‘opposite’?” (Tomoe)

“Y-Yes.” (Shiki)

“You see, I thought that when Waka becomes like you, I wanted you to do a follow-up so that Waka doesn’t go too far. That’s why I agreed in you accompanying him to Rotsgard.” (Tomoe)

“Waka-sama…becoming like me?” (Shiki)

“That’s right-ja. If it is you, I thought that it wouldn’t become that way-ja. But it seems I have splendidly missed.” (Tomoe)

In a distance where their faces were practically touching, Tomoe spoke to Shiki with an extremely low voice.

It was a low volume, but it was a voice that had a silent pressure.

“That’s why it is the ‘opposite’ huh. I got into it, and Waka-sama remained unchanged.” (Shiki)

“That’s right-ja.” (Tomoe)

“But why was it me?” (Shiki)

“…You are being way too stupid-ja na, Shiki. You are not telling me that you don’t remember what you did before becoming Waka’s follower, right? Even if you obtain the body of a hyuman, your past doesn’t disappear, you know? Can’t you remember? What you did as a Lich to the people in the whole world.” (Tomoe)