[Quest: Find the Golden Claw!]
Progress: (99/???)
Completion Rewards
—Title: Master of Ti
—Items: Golden Claw, Return Ticket (Ho)
The progress rate had increased trendously. Probably because she had made contact with Daria. If Daria was the person who possessed the Golden Claw as the duke said, if she was the person who created dungeons in Mabelwood and Pinent House, it was a natural result.
Dungeons. Definitely yesterday, a dungeon had appeared in Pinent House. People died and were injured. Even though they succeeded in clearing it in the end, it was certainly a disaster. And that 'disaster' appearing in the heart of Nine Holder was yesterday's event. How could it be this quiet?
Unconquered disasters change the world. And when that disaster is conquered, the world changes once more.
When the Monster Crisis occurred, this world was turned upside down. After that, hunters appeared, so another change must have occurred. Although what Esperanza had encountered was only the world after two changes had already passed.
But the incident at Pinent House was by no ans small compared to that, yet no change occurred at all. The front page of the newspaper only had trivial political scandals. Even flipping through the newspaper to the last page, there wasn't a single line about the commotion at Pinent House.
'Did they cover it up?'
So many people had died, yet no matter how much it was sothing that only happened inside the mansion, how could they make it as if nothing had happened so perfectly?
The Hunter Association thirteen years later had been the sa. But because it was sothing done by the royal family, who had acted weak and helpless, saying they had no power and asking for help, the sense of emotional betrayal was greater. Having the power to cover up the major incident of an entire palace turning into a dungeon as if nothing had happened.
"As if nothing had happened..."
Her train of thought carelessly shifted. 'As if nothing had happened.'
They had also decided to pass over another problem 'as if nothing had happened.' Esperanza blinked while lying on her bed. Whether from fatigue or ntal complexity, even though she had overslept, she didn't want to get up at all.
"Miss Esperanza, won't you have breakfast?"
Annie poked her worried face through the door crack. Madeline grabbed Annie's neck and pulled her back, saying the miss seed tired so they should just leave her alone. Esperanza, who had been lying in bed blankly watching the two bicker, sat up.
I wasn't rejected or anything, I should eat.
It was past ten o'clock, but Cider was already down in the dining room. Esperanza, who had hesitated at the dining room threshold, made an effort to sit down as if nothing was wrong. Cider suddenly asked.
"Why are you being so conscious?"
Was he calling that a morning greeting? Not picking a fight? She thought she had misheard for a mont.
"Uh, good morning...?"
"Good morning."
Fortunately, it wasn't picking a fight, as a proper response ca back. She didn't think Cider Claiborne had always given proper responses though. Moreover, compared to Esperanza who had slept well, Cider looked a little tired. As if he hadn't slept well. Probably because he went to bed late as usual.
...That's what it should be.
"How's your injury?"
"It's fine. It doesn't really hurt either."
"Change the bandage on ti. Or use that potion thing."
"It's not that serious a wound."
The potion should be saved for more dangerous tis. Esperanza tapped the table with her fingertips while thinking. When she clashed with Daria, Esperanza had judged 'I can win this much.' And she thought Daria had made the sa judgnt.
So next ti she definitely wouldn't co alone. If Daria joined forces with Cyrus too? She knew Cyrus's combat style well, but in person-to-person combat, the difference between 1-on-1 and 1-on-2 wasn't just double.
Moreover, since the attempt to assassinate the duke had failed, they might co with more cunning thods. Preparation was necessary.
"Count, it's ti for you to leave."
Millen quietly approached and showed him his pocket watch. Cider stood up from his seat.
"Where are you going?"
No wonder he had gotten up early.
"...I'll be late."
"What kind of business is it?"
"It's nothing much. See you later."
Later? While Esperanza was blinking, Cider had already left the dining room first. Had so problem arisen like last ti?
Cider didn't return all afternoon. After eating dinner alone and lounging in the reception room with several books she'd brought from the study placed on the side table, Esperanza slamd a book shut with a thud.
"It's really taking a long ti."
It was ant to be a soliloquy, but Annie, who had been making ribbons beside her, startled at the book sound and looked up, then read the mood.
"It's nothing. Just go upstairs. Annie, you go to bed too."
She was the one who got caught, so why am I the one being more mindful? Is this how it usually is? Grumbling as she climbed the stairs, Esperanza fell asleep waiting for Cider. According to what she heard the next morning, Cider had returned very late at night. But he wasn't even the one who told her that. And she heard new news in succession.
"He went out?"
"Yes. He left in the morning."
"There's nothing wrong, is there?"
"Didn't you hear about it?"
The butler asked back as if it was strange. She felt embarrassed as if she had revealed that their relationship wasn't what it used to be. However, the butler told her as if it was nothing.
"He went to the Magical Engineering University to give a lecture he promised Pri Minister Tempton."
"How long does that take?"
"I understand it's three days. The ti is two hours a day, but he's probably late because he stopped by the gentlen's club."
Both the butler and Esperanza knew that Cider rarely went to gentlen's clubs. But he went to a club?
'Is he really avoiding ?'
When I was the one who said to pretend not to know first!
I would have understood if he hadn't said such things. No, he didn't even look uncomfortable. If he had shown signs of overcoming discomfort and awkwardness with all his might to barely face Esperanza, it would have been understandable, but he was really exactly the sa as usual.
Right, he said three days. Let's wait and see after three days pass. After that, there won't be any excuses either.
Three days passed like that. For all three days, Cider Claiborne left early in the morning and only ca ho when it was almost dawn.
He really is avoiding .
??????°??☆????°??????
The next day. Esperanza, who had gotten up early, went out of her room as soon as she opened her eyes and hung from the railing. Cider on the first floor was already dressed in outdoor clothes.
"Going out again?"
She stepped on the railing and jumped down from the third-floor height. Her skirt puffed up and settled down. The maids let out small screams, but Esperanza landed gracefully.
"Good morning."
Whether others scread or not, Cider only showed a briefly surprised expression. While giving a nonchalant morning greeting as if it had always been like this. Esperanza answered while brushing off her nightgown skirt.
"Yes. But didn't the lecture end yesterday?"
"Howard must have been mistaken. It's until today."
"Are you avoiding ?"
Unable to hold back, she suddenly asked, and Cider briefly closed his lips. Then he slowly tilted his head.
"It seems like you're the one being conscious."
She couldn't say no. Every ti she thought of Cider, she was also recalling the gaze she had seen then. Even though his eyes now only held so warmth and amusent like always.
She just hadn't been conscious of it before, but perhaps even this current gaze was so kind of sign? All the things she had thought were kind worry as a friend... When such suspicions were sprouting in her mind, Cider cut off that thought and asked.
"How's your injury?"
"...It's fine."
Cider briefly gave his attention to the leg hidden by the loose nightgown, then quickly looked up before the strict senior employees noticed. But even in that short ti, he saw the dicine that had seeped from the bandage staining her skirt. His lips ford a gentle arc.
"You must have wanted to see ."
She didn't expect him to say such things. She didn't expect him not to hide his feelings like this either. Cider, who had been staring at Esperanza who could only open her eyes wide without saying anything, shrugged his shoulders.
"...You told
to pretend not to know."
"That was telling you to pretend not to know. I have no reason to do so."
"Isn't it usually the opposite?"
The picture of Esperanza being embarrassed and running away while Cider chased after her would be equally awkward, but usually things naturally progressed in that structure. In her experience, when such things happened, it was usually like that. Cider bent his waist slightly to et her eyes and said.
It was the first ti since then. eting eyes at such close range.
"Well, you like ."
She was speechless. Esperanza barely found words to respond.
"As a friend."
"Whatever it is."
Cider, who brushed off those words as if they were no big deal, tapped Esperanza's cheek. The cheek his fingertips touched flinched and stiffened. It sohow felt different from contact with Cider Claiborne as a friend. Even though it wasn't actually different at all.
"You like , and I'm not a child who trembles because a confession I never even made got rejected. So you continue to pretend not to know and be friends with ."
Now she was more anxious than sorry or troubled. What on earth was he thinking?
"...Then what about you?"
"Well. What should I do?"
Cider, who trailed off without a proper answer, took out his pocket watch from his jacket inner pocket. Then he suddenly brought up sothing else.
"Actually, I have ti before the lecture. If you're worried that I'm avoiding you, would you rather co with ?"
"To the university?"
It was an unexpected proposal. Co to think of it, even after playing Golden Claw for seven years, she had never been to a university. She had been to colleges once or twice because of dungeon clearing, and had been dispatched to girls' schools a few tis, but she had never been to a university. Moreover, it was a Magical Engineering University. She didn't know what it was, but it seed like it would be different.
Her hesitation was brief. Esperanza nodded vigorously. Cider spoke in a voice that seed to be holding back laughter.
"Good. But your typical lady's attire would stand out. You might be prohibited from entering the lecture hall."
Damn 19th-century gender concepts. In an era when they flew airships with mana, ladies couldn't enter lecture halls in ladies' clothing. Standing out was fine since she'd always done so living as a hunter, but being prohibited from entering lecture halls was painful.
"Then I don't have to go. Or I could just tour the library."
"Going all the way to the university, wouldn't you regret it?"
"I went to university too. University isn't such a big deal."
"But it's your first ti at a Magical Engineering University. It would be interesting. The library only has boring books."
His subtle tone and gentle coaxing swayed Esperanza's thoughts. The fact that she couldn't enter wearing won's clothes still annoyed her.
However, not only in reality but even by the standards of Nine Holder thirteen years later, the type of clothing wasn't such a big problem for hunters. There were quite a few people who went around half-naked or with animal tails attached to their buttocks.
So. What's the big deal about cross-dressing?
"Fine, then. But I don't have clothes."
"Don't have them? Howard, are there still clothes left from when I was young? Clothes from when I was about ten... no, fourteen should work."
The ticulous butler Howard had already given up on his master's eccentricities with both hands and feet. After giving a reproachful look to Esperanza, whom he had thought was a bit more sensible but turned out to be not much different, he obediently went to find clothes.
"Shall we wait a bit then?"
Cider leisurely turned his body toward the reception room. Esperanza followed behind him thinking.
Co to think of it, she had originally co out to be angry at Cider. When she ca to her senses, she was facing each other having trivial small talk as usual.
It was funny, but in so way, she had achieved her original purpose.
Reviews
All reviews (0)