第１４７２堀：久々に集まる護衛メンバー (Part1)
Chapter 1472: The Guard Members Gather After a Long Time
Side: Fiora
Ah, yes.
I am, for once, feeling quite unwell.
The reason is simple: I ate too much yesterday.
Following the long, grand meeting yesterday, we all gathered at home for dinner. Yuki-sama, wanting to reward us for our hard work, went all out.
There were leftovers, but since they could just be turned into bento boxes, he had prepared an enormous amount of food.
Naturally, it was delicious, and it was packed with his love, too.
And it wasn’t just me.
“...Ugh.”
“I thought I was used to this by now, too...”
“Ah, woo...”
“...To think I couldn’t finish Yuki-sama’s cooking.”
Orelia, Hovis, and Yayui were expected, but even Prof, having heard it was Yuki-sama’s cooking, pushed herself to the limit, resulting in a significant drop in her work efficiency.
Normally, we would all deserve a reprimand, but...
“Naha-ha. You’re all still amateurs.”
“Says Deryu, who’s also resting because she ate too much.”
“The same goes for you, Ria.”
“Jessica-san looks fine, but she consumed twice as many sweets as usual, didn’t she?”
“...Naturally. That was worth eating.”
As you can see, Deryu and the others who returned are also incapacitated by gluttony, so there’s no one to blame anyone else—it would just reflect back on themselves.
If he were to punish or ground all of us, it’s obvious that operations would grind to a halt.
By the way, Nina-dono is not here today, as she said she had business with Ratz.
And as for our husband, Yuki-sama?
“I’m just happy as the one who cooked that you all enjoyed it so much. And I’m glad you have the energy to talk. There’s no urgent work, so it’s fine to take it easy today. After yesterday’s meeting, it’s probably good to take a break and think things over.”
He says this while calmly handling his usual tasks.
...Usually, I would feel guilty and start working, but—
“Yes. Everyone ate too much. I’ll provide some digestive medicine, so please rest today.”
We even received a doctor’s order from Rurua.
I managed to follow Yuki-sama here as his guard, but look at this state I’m in.
I truly wonder why I even came to Yuki-sama’s side.
Being carried like this, if my father saw me, he would undoubtedly lament that I am a disgrace to the Dafaio name.
As I was wallowing in such regrets...
“Yesterday’s meeting, huh... The Dark Guild. There is no doubt they are keeping a closer eye on us than expected.”
“Indeed. We only caught a glimpse of their shadow regarding the Lyushi incident, and Weed suffered no direct damage. And this time, the events in Suls, Kinauf, and Irinau happened outside the alliance. We forced our way in via Litea, but there’s no doubt the Dark Guild and the Dungeon Masters are targeting places where we cannot intervene.”
Deryu began discussing the Dark Guild and the Dungeon Masters, and Ria and Jessica joined the conversation.
“Excuse me, Yuki-san. In the end, what are you going to do about the visit to the Saint’s Spring that Eagil and the others pointed out? Couldn’t this be called an intervention by the Dark Guild?”
“Ah, I was curious about that as well. You were supposed to be heading to Suls to protect and confirm the status of rare species, right? Eagil says they targeted that place, doesn’t she?”
That is true.
Before the Great Flood occurred, we had planned to visit the Saint’s Spring in Suls.
I had barely remembered it until Eagil and the others brought it up.
I hadn’t even thought it was related, but looking at the situation, it’s suspicious enough to warrant concern.
I can’t say for certain that it’s unrelated.
“The probability is likely low. ...Nevertheless, we can’t afford not to investigate. We’ll have to go soon.”
“Eh? But Yuki-sama, isn’t that extremely dangerous?”
It was Lyushi who asked that incredibly inquisitive question.
She has been showing her face more often since joining our department—or rather, Yuki-sama’s inner circle—and she is the type to say exactly what is on her mind.
Perhaps thanks to that, Yayui, who used to stutter, has started speaking fluently, and Prof seems less nervous in her private life as well.
Still, because of her blunt personality, I worry she might get into trouble with the wrong people.
Well, that’s probably why she’s by Yuki-sama’s side.
Putting that aside, as Lyushi said...
“That’s right. If the Dark Guild and the Dungeon Masters were aiming for the Saint’s Spring, it’s clear they obstructed Yuki-sama’s visit. As a guard, I cannot condone heading into a place where the enemy might be waiting.”
I am in charge of diplomacy, but I am also one of Yuki-sama’s guards.
The other members seem to feel the same way.
“Fiora is right. I don’t know if the Dark Guild was targeting Yuki-sama or the rare species, but either way, it is undoubtedly dangerous. To head there...”
“...That’s no good. Yuki shouldn’t go out, even as a Doppel. It’s better to stay home and be with us.”
*Nod, nod.* Wait, Cleena, that would be an ideal life, but that’s impossible.
Actually, the fact that she says things so straight even in this situation shows that Cleena is a different type from Lyushi.
She is quite straightforward about her own desires...
“I’d love to do that, but if I don’t do the paperwork here, things will stall. Plus, I’ve made promises to Miyabi, Gaul, Coral, and Naarjia-san regarding the spirits at the Saint’s Spring. That said, I don’t intend to walk in there fair and square.”
“Well, after everything that’s happened, if you ask for an official visit, they’re bound to refuse...”
That is only natural.
Although the Great Flood has calmed down, the cause remains unknown.
And while the state of war with the neighboring country has been lifted, they surely don’t trust us yet.
In such a climate, it’s questionable whether they would accept a VIP from Weed.
“No, they might actually accept it. They’ll likely want to declare that this trouble has been completely resolved.”
“Eh, so by welcoming Yuki-san, they’re saying ‘Suls is safe now’?”
“Exactly. This incident has been a blow to Suls, after all. More than anything, they’ve caused trouble for Litea. They were told repeatedly to join the alliance, weren’t they? This is the result of them kicking that offer away. It’s a case of Suls having problems of their own.”