Episode 12: Strobe Lights
A woman stood before me, letting out a soft sigh. She was breathtakingly beautiful. Her black hair, cascading down to her shoulders, reminded me of the night sky. The white, long dress she wore accentuated her dark locks, creating a striking contrast.
And above all—
Noticing my gaze, she lowered her eyes. Moments later, she lifted her gaze again, piercing through me. I couldn’t help but gasp.
There was a sharpness in her eyes that seemed to see right through to the truth. Though they could easily be perceived as harsh, the intelligent glimmer within, combined with her dignified presence, elevated her overwhelming beauty to another level.
“I was asked for assistance by that perverted Anon, so I came… Is it alright if the two of you join me?”
She scrutinized me and Angelica.
“Uh, yeah, my name is Ichi—no, I mean, my name is Row.”
At that, she tilted her head slightly, as if a question mark had appeared above it.
“You said your name was Row, right? Haven’t we met somewhere before?”
“No, I don’t think so…”
“Really?”
“Really…”
I answered her question vaguely, cold sweat trickling down my back as I turned my face away. She might have known me from my time in the party—as the Holy Knight. Even if it was a false accusation, I didn’t want anyone prying into my past.
“Well, that’s good to hear…”
She seemed somewhat dissatisfied, but it appeared she had managed to quell her curiosity. To that, Angelica introduced herself succinctly.
“I am Angelica Honest.”
Orphelia then chimed in.
“Ah, so you are Sage Angelica. I’ve heard much about you.”
Her tone was laden with implications, but the atmosphere didn’t invite further questions. Just then, Anon interjected.
“Sage Angelica, right? Speaking of which, you’re here too, Kimi.”
I wanted to shout, “Of course I am! I’ve been here the whole time!” Anon, your choice of words feels a bit sharp!
“Honestly, I don’t trust you, Kimi. That’s why I called Orphelia to assist Row. But since you’re heading towards the Virtuous Front as well, do try not to drag Row and the others down.”
Oof!! What is this?! Why is she saying such things when it’s our first meeting?! This is definitely a situation that would make Angelica snap—yet, despite that,
“Ororo?”
She remained silent, still looking down. Oh, and speaking of which, those clouds over there look like cats, right? And they resemble British Shorthairs! Why are cats so cute? Not only are they adorable, but they also feel great to touch, and just being around them can lift your spirits. They’re perfect in every way—good to look at, good to touch, and good to cuddle! I was trying to escape the harsh reality by daydreaming about cats.
“Well, it’s fine. I’ll probably have to discuss things with the Sage again soon. Row, sorry for holding you back. Crane’s Guidance is this way.”
With that, we followed Anon out of the room.
“I’m truly sorry for putting all this burden on you, Row. I’ll head over to you all as soon as I can.”
Anon squeezed my hand. Her little hand felt warm. Make sure to eat well, okay?
“Yeah, but until then, I’ll take care of things.”
“That’s reassuring, Row.”
As our exchange continued, Orphelia shot us a sidelong glance.
“You two aren’t… in that kind of relationship, are you? Not that it matters, but… we should get going.”
Nodding at her words, I turned to Angelica, who also nodded in agreement.
“See you later, Anon!”
Thus, we set off towards the base of the Virtuous Front in the town of Skruld, using Crane’s Guidance.
Upon arriving in Skruld, we followed Anon’s earlier instructions and headed to the Fog extermination base set up at the Guild. When I asked the members there to connect me with the top of a well-known clan as instructed by Anon, they looked at me with suspicion.
“Who do you think you are, asking to see the Master?!”
“Who does this nobody think they are?!”
“What kind of idiot makes such an unreasonable request without an appointment?!”
I knew it… This is my position. Sigh. As I wallowed in my sadness, the figures of Angelica Honest, the so-called Sage, and Orphelia Verite, the promising star of the renowned Clan ‘Seventh Blue’, appeared behind me.
They were genuine big names. After their introductions, the underlings turned pale, confused by the sudden appearance of such important figures. After a moment of contemplation, they stared at the two, trying to ascertain their authenticity. But just looking wouldn’t reveal anything, and they quickly realized that if they were indeed the real deal, it could lead to serious trouble. From there, it was simple.
Their previous aggression vanished as they humbled themselves, quickly connecting us to their Clan Master. I was witnessing the overwhelming disparity in social status firsthand. Sigh.
After some exchanges with the Clan Master, we arranged for a wyvern (which was nothing compared to my Bourbon) and a driver to take us to our destination—the place where Pulmy-san was likely fighting right now.