The 18th Day of the Light month. I woke up at the usual time and headed to the dining room as usual, but Lunamaria-san was waiting for me on the way.
No, it doesn't seem like she just met me by chance. She was standing in the middle of the hallway, her gaze staring right at me.
[Oya? If it isn't Miyama-sama? Good morning. What a "coincidence" it is, meeting like this.]
[No, you're obviously intentional, aren't you? You're waiting here for me...]
[Hahaha, you and your jokes again...]
What now? What kind of evil scheme is she up to this time? Her smile looks really suspicious.
[...So, what do you want from me?]
[As expected of Miyama-sama, you cut right through the chase. You've opened up this Lunamaria's bleary eyes.]
Freaking shameless... Ahh, I'm starting to get worried. What kind of absurdity is she planning to do now?
My heart is screaming at me that this wouldn't end well, probably because of my deep trust in Lunamaria-san's personality.
[...In fact, I have something I'd like to earnestly request Miyama-sama...]
Here it comes. She'll probably say something outrageous again...
[I would like to ask you to choose my mother as a companion for the Six Kings Festival...]
[...Unnn?]
Arehh? This isn't what I was expecting. I thought it was just another request to get Lilia-san in a good mood or asking me to come with her so that she could apologize to Lilia-san.
However, what came out of Lunamaria-san's mouth was regarding Noir-san.
[...When you say companion, you mean that, right? Applying for her in advance and bring her along with me.]
[Yes. As Miyama-sama may remember, the scope of the companion's activities depends on the rank of the invitation.]
[...Yes, that's what I heard.]
It seems that the iron-rank invitation that Lunamaria-san has is limited to one companion, and the range of activities of her companion is also quite restricted, according to that cat-eared Demon who came to explain to us about these things... I think her name was Caraway-san?
I see, that would make it difficult for Noir-san to act freely, so she was asking me to make her my companion.
My black-rank invitation allows me to bring along as many companions as I want, and they don't have many restrictions on the scope of their activities.
For Lunamaria-san, it would be better for Noir-san to ask me to make her my companion than making Noir-san her companion.
[...Yes, of course, I don't mind.]
[Thank you very much!]
[I was just about to think of applying others as my companion too...]
I tell Lunamaria-san, who bows her head at a beautiful angle, that she doesn't need to worry about it. It's totally not because I'm feeling guilty for suspecting that she's planning to do something bad again just now.
Lunamaria-san thanked me several times for my agreement before leaving, leaving me to think about some things.
Even so, Unnn. Companions huh... I certainly feel like it's about time I decide who I should bring.
Aside from Anima, Eta and Theta, I'll invite some of the servants I'm good friends with at Lilia-san's mansion, but the problem is the people outside of Lilia-san's mansion.
It seems like most of my acquaintances outside of Lilia-san probably have accepted someone's invitation.
Orchid and Ryze-san are most probably invited already, and Noir-san will be invited via Lunamaria-san. As for Rei-san and Fia-san... Has Sieg-san invited them yet? If she hasn't, I think I should suggest applying for their invitations as my companion.
Other than them... Ahh, that's right! There's also Dr. Vier!
I've known her for quite some time already, and I've had tea with her and been under her care.
She'll probably refuse because she's busy with her job as a doctor, but let's leave thinking about what to do when she refuses me... Let's go invite her first.
It was still a little early in the day, and thinking that I should visit her clinic after lunch, I started walking towards the dining room.
...What about Eden-san? There's a part of me that thinks she's already invited, but there's also a part of me that thinks that she isn't invited to this event... I guess I'll just invite her for the time being? However, I'm afraid to meet Eden-san one-on-one. Alright, I'll ask Kuro to indirectly contact her next time.
When I visited the clinic a little later than lunchtime, I was greeted by Dr. Vier with her usual gentle smile.
[Welcome, Miyama-kun. What's the matter? I don't think today was the day for Noir-san's treatment though?]
[Good afternoon... No, I came for Dr. Vier today.]
[For me?]
[Yes, do you have some time today?]
There was a possibility that Dr. Vier didn't know about the Six Kings Festival, so I asked if she had some time she could spare.
Thereupon, Dr. Vier flipped through the notebook she had on the table.
[...Unnn. It's alright. I don't have a home visit this afternoon.]
[Is that so, then...]
[Since it looks like this would be a long talk, how about we talk about this over a cup of tea? A patient I had treated today gave me some delicious cookies.]
Saying that with a smile on her face, Dr. Vier leads me to the living space adjacent to the clinic.
Unnn, I think we're close enough that she would let me into her kitchen like this, so it's not strange to ask her out.
Thinking about this, Dr. Vier urged me to sit on a chair.
[...So? What's the story for today?]
[Yes, actually...]
Listening to what she said as she prepared to make a cup of herbal tea, since I think it was a good starter, I tried to get to the point... but at that moment, I heard some hurried footsteps, so I shut my mouth and turned around to hear that sound.
Thereupon, the door to the kitchen was vigorously opened and a familiar person appeared.
[Vier! I'm here to play! Look, I got some very tasty... you... kan... Eh?]
[...E- Errr, good afternoon... Neun-san.]
[...Kaito-san?]
[Y- Yes.]
(T/N: Youkan is sweet bean jelly.)
Neun-san, who appeared with a big smile on her face, immediately stiffened when she saw me, and her face gradually turned pale.
And then, moving like a broken tin can, she moved to the corner of the room... and sat down, hugging her knees.
[...I can't become a bride anymore....]
[...…]
I couldn't even react quickly enough before her tension drastically dropped down!? S- She got absurdly depressed for some reason.
Thereupon, Dr. Vier approached Neun-san and called out to her with a wry smile on her face.
[Hika... Neun. You abruptly came, but why are you suddenly depressed?]
[...Kaito-san saw me being unladylike... I can't... be a bride anymore.]
[...…..]
No, I'm sorry to say this, Neun-san... but isn't it a little too late to say that? You're the one who showed up carrying a dragon at our first meeting, you know...
[...Arehh? Speaking of which, Neun-san and Dr. Vier acquainted with each other?]
[A- Ahhh, unnn. We've known each other for quite a while. Hikari, I mean.]
[Eh? Did you just call her Hikari?]
[Ah... No, ummm...]
Neun-san's real name came out of Dr. Vier's mouth... That should mean that Dr. Vier knows that Neun-san is the First Hero. However, why is she that flustered?
[...Ahh, that's right! It's alright. I also know about Neun-san's true identity.]
[Ehh? A- Ahh, I see... I'm glad. I can be relieved then.]
I see, she was flustered because she thought I just found out that the First Hero was still alive.
[Even so, for you to know that Neun-san is the First Hero... Could it be that Dr. Vier...]
[!?]
[K- Kaito-san!?]
[...Did you help Neun-san when she was the Hero?]
[.....]
[.....]
[Eh? What's the matter?]
[No, it's nothing.]
[Yes, as Kaito-san thought, I had been under Vier's care when I was a Hero, and we are still friends because of that.]
Arehh? What is this? Both Neun-san and Dr. Vier's expressions and voices are quite normal.
However, I could feel a strong sense of urgency in the emotions conveyed by my Sympathy Magic. Moreover, they're coming from both of them...
Feeling a strange sense of unease, I don't really have any particular reason to pursue this matter, so I just nodded my head in agreement.
Dear Mom, Dad————- I visited Dr. Vier to invite her to the Six Kings Festival, and in her home, I also ran into Neun-san. The two of them seem to be friends, but something feels strange. Yes, it's as if———— they're hiding a big secret...