Having to experience something that she couldn't explain in words,
seeing her friend that she hadn't seen in a long time had shrunk, Neunsan became dumbfounded.
However, Fors-san is the same as usual. I've only known her for a short
time, but I know that she's the type who doesn't read the mood.
[Come on, Neun, you should calm down. Surprise is just a temporary
emotion, and Humans are creatures that easily adapt. Soon, the sense of
unease you're feeling will disappear.]
[…No, well, you're still the same as usual huh.]
[Did you know? I heard that there's a saying in another world about
how "leopards can't change its spots". I don't really know what this
leopard is, but I heard that it means that one's personality formed at a
young age doesn't change even when you get older. Even if hundreds or
a thousand years had passed, as long as I'm me, my personality won't
change that much.]
[Huhh… Well, let's just forget that. I give up. It's unusual for you to go
out, isn't it? Since you're with Kaito-san… he probably helped you when
you got lost or something like that…]
Perhaps understanding Fors-san's personality due to their long
relationship, Neun-san quickly gave up and switched the subject.
And from what Neun-san said, I guess Fors-san has been quite
directionally-challenged.
[You aren't too far off the mark. He had certainly helped me, and I
certainly was lost, but the reason he helped me was slightly different.
Well, I suppose that's not what you were really asking about. The
reason I'm here is that I'm meeting up with Laguna.]
[Laguna?]
[I'm supposed to be meeting her at 9:00 am. But what I'm troubled
about is that "I'm late". Just thinking about Laguna's reaction is making
my head start to hurt.]
Hearing what Fors-san said, not only Neun-san, but Dr. Vier's and I also
tilted our heads. After all, it's currently 8:50 am, so she shouldn't be late
yet.
And yet, Fors-san said that she was late for the meeting. She also wasn't
saying that she might be late, but that she was already late… I wonder
why?
Just as I was about to ask her why, I saw Laguna-san dashing towards
our direction.
[FOOOOOOORRRRRSSSS!]
[Ohh, Laguna! I'm glad that we've safely met up…]
When she saw Laguna-san, Fors-san waved her right hand towards her
with a bright smile on her face. However, Laguna-san didn't respond to
her greeting and leaping towards Fors-san, Laguna-san slammed her
knuckle on her head.
[What the heck are you doing, you b*tch!?]
[Ghaak!?]
Fors-san, who was struck with a strike that held a tremendous force,
was slammed face-first into the ground. Eh? What the heck happened?
What's going on?
As I was stunned by Laguna-san's sudden action, Fors-san slowly
looked up while holding her head with both hands.
[…Ouchie… What are you doing all of a sudden, Laguna? I'd like it if you
won't attack me, a rearguard, with a physical attack. I could feel killing
intent from that strike, you know?]
[That's because it was loaded with killing intent!]
[Oi, oi… Well, considering the circumstances, it was certainly my fault.
But I'm not mistaken that we're supposed to meet at 9:00 am, right?]
[9:00 am "on the first day of the Six Kings Festival"! I said you should
come before the opening ceremony!!!]
…9:00 am on the first day of the Six Kings Festival!? Three days had
already passed… that can't even be called late anymore, you know!?
I- I see, it's no wonder she was angry. I finally understood what Forssan meant when she said "given my current situation, it's unclear to me
how the time would have any significance of some sort" before. She was
late not just by the time, but even by the date…
[Haahhh… It's good that I've been coming here everyday, around 9:00
am just in case… And here you are… You've got to be kidding me…]
[I see, Laguna's anger is indeed understandable. In fact, I'm the one who
was late, so I'll just obediently apologize. No, I'm sorry. However, this
may sound like I'm just making excuses, but I'd like it if you hear my
side as well.]
[…What is it?]
[In the first place. Isn't it a mistake to let me, who has been called the
"most directionally-challenged person in the long Elven history", come
alone? I can certainly understand that you've been so busy as the king
that you haven't had time to pick me up, and that's a primary factor why
I pity you. But the Flying Dragon Services directly flying towards the
venue is set up on the gate to the Demon Realm, which means I would
have to reach the gate by myself… Incidentally, I'll have you know that it
took me "two days" just to get to the gate near Rigforeshia.]
[...]
Listening to Fors-san's words after apologizing for being late, I
whispered to the nearby Neun-san.
[…Neun-san. Was Fors-san really that directionally-challenged?]
[…Yes. To be honest, it was so bad that I once thought that she might
have been getting lost on purpose. When I heard what she just said,
what I'm wondering is "How in the world did she get to the gate?".]
It seems that Fors-san is so directionally challenged that it's a bit
dangerous.
When Neun-san told me about it, I looked back at the two and saw
Laguna-san collapsed to her knees, with her hands on the ground.
[…It's my fault.]
[It's alright if you understand. However, it still was fundamentally my
fault. Even though I was lost, now that I think about it, I still had a way
to contact you. This won't do. Maybe it's because of my temperament as
a researcher, but when I concentrate, my thoughts became narrow. I'll
reflect on this… By the way, I actually found some interesting plants on
my way along the Rigforeshia forest. I was so excited harvesting them
that I couldn't help myself…]
[You b*tch! Doesn't that make it the reason why you're late!!!?]
[N- No, that certainly might be one of the factors but… calm down,
Humans are beings capable of discussion. Put down that raised fist. If
you hit me any harder, I might lose my memory…]
Hearing Fors-san's words, Laguna-san looked exhausted, her shoulders
slumping down. As I watched their exchange, I called out to Neun-san
again, who was now standing next to me before I knew it.
[…Fors-san is an amazing person, isn't she? In more ways than one…]
[Yes, it's just that… Well, there's still "someone worse" among my party
members, so I got used to it…]
[Eh? Someone worse than her…]
[…There is. Hapti was quite an… amazing person… As soon as we
arrived at a city occupied by Demons, she went around stealing from
the flame-ridden houses without a care in the world, negotiated with
the inhabitants who had escaped behind our backs for a reward, led us
to some ruins with treasures in it, saying that it was some Demon
stronghold, and when we arrived at the Demon King's castle, she tried
to ditch all of us and head straight to the treasury… She was a moneygrubbing troublemaker…]
[...…]
[We're reassured of her abilities, but about half of the shambles our
party went through was because of Hapti.]
[...…]
After listening to the story Neun-san said with an amazed expression
on her face, I quietly left her side and called out to a certain someone
behind me.
[…Come out here, money-grubber.]
[W- What could you be talking about? I- I'm just an extremely beautiful
shopkeeper of a miscellaneous goods store, so I don't know who this
Transcendental Beauty Phantom Thief Hapti-chan————-
Migyaaahhhh!?]
It seems like Alice was hiding it from her, so I won't tell Neun-san about
Hapti's true identity. But that being said, I think I still need to punish
her on behalf of Neun-san and the others.
With that thought in mind, I turned towards the pale Alice and slowly
raised my fist overhead.
Dear Mom, Dad————– Fors-san is also quite an outrageous person.
She was quite the character, but according to Neun-san, Alice… no,
Hapti———— was even worse than her.