kscans

Chapter 88 - Unchanging Friends

Hayato left Mist and approached the spot where Maris and Lunaria were.

The two were talking while petting Maris’s pet, Siegfried, and his new mate.

"I’d like to rent a pet. I’m going to turn the Demon Lord’s Castle into Neko-Neko Castle, so lend me lots of cats. Personally, I’d like to push a black cat theme."

"The Demon Lord’s Castle spawns demon-type monsters, so that’s a no-go. The demons attack anyone nearby indiscriminately, so I can’t possibly lend them out in such a dangerous place."

Lunaria was as hopeless a Demon Lord as ever, which made Hayato happy. Maris was also the same old pet-loving girl, which was a relief.

"I’m back, you two."

"Oh, Hayato-san! Please tell Lunaria-san. That you can’t keep cats in the Demon Lord’s Castle."

"I am the Demon Lord. I shall shatter such rules."

"Um, I just got back after half a year, are you just going to ignore that?"

Hayato, who could be called the guest of honor at this banquet, was being treated so casually. It wasn’t that he disliked it, but he felt there could have been a little something more.

The two of them just stared at Hayato with blank faces. But then, their expressions changed as if they had just remembered something.

"Now that you mention it, that’s right! In that case, I want a souvenir! For my Siegfried and his family too!"

"I’m expecting something amazing. Preferably something cute. A cat would be acceptable."

"You two aren’t getting anything."

Hayato put on a slightly angry face, but it was just an act. Part of it was that he hadn’t expected much from these two in the first place.

But contrary to Hayato’s expression, Maris broke into a smile.

"Just kidding! Welcome back, Hayato-san. But we were really surprised, you know? After you lost consciousness right after the last Clan War, we woke up in bed to find you gone. I don’t think you have any right to be mad at me for a little payback like this!"

She certainly had a point. Hayato didn’t know what happened immediately after the final Clan War ended. But since the members had been captured by Diite, it was likely they simply woke up in bed right after the war.

After that, they found only Hayato’s message on the base’s bulletin board, but he himself was gone. Esha and Diite had thankfully followed up, so things turned out okay, but if they hadn’t, it would have been natural for everyone to be angry with him.

"You’re right. I had to leave in a hurry, so I set off without saying goodbye to anyone. I’m truly sorry."

Hayato said, bowing his head.

"Well, it can’t be helped! Diite-san said you had to hurry to a very distant place. That said, I’m looking forward to a souvenir!"

"Um, sorry. I actually don’t have any souvenirs. I said you weren’t getting anything, but the truth is, I don’t have anything at all…"

Hayato had been in the real world. There were no souvenirs. Unaware of this, the two of them were clearly disappointed.

Their disappointment was fleeting, as Lunaria suddenly drew Arondight for some reason.

"I understand. I will make Hayato into rust for Arondight. It is a sad thing, but I am the Demon Lord. I cannot allow myself to be taken lightly."

"Please change your definition of ‘taken lightly’ from ‘not receiving a souvenir.’ Um, look, I’ll make you whatever you like, so please just let it go. I’ll make anything."

At Hayato’s words, the two of them began listing off all the sweets they wanted to eat, one after another. It was practically every kind imaginable.

After promising to make them later since he couldn’t prepare them now, he left the two of them.

Next, Hayato headed toward Ney and the others.

Hayato hadn’t told the other members, besides Ney, the full story.

He had only told them that he went to the Demon Lord’s Castle for a game event and couldn’t log in due to a system error.

He had told Ney the whole story. Since she had arranged for the hospital in the real world, he felt he had to explain what had happened. He had also gotten permission from Diite to do so.

Upon hearing it, Ney’s only comment was, "Amazing!" and she didn’t pry any further.

Normally, one would either not believe such a story or ask a ton of follow-up questions, but Ney did neither.

And then she smiled and said, "If you’re ever in trouble again, you can count on me!" for which Hayato was deeply grateful. But in a way, he was now troubled by how he could ever repay her kindness.

After all, in the real world, Ney was in a position to give orders, or perhaps requests, to the Foundation.

(A Foundation that even manages colonies… a true core member of Central. To think she’s one of the people connected to it.)

Several Foundations existed. While there were many, they all had one thing in common. Only those of a certain bloodline could belong. This meant Ney was a relative of one of the Foundations.

(My view of Ney might change, but she probably adopted that strange roleplay because she hated that. It makes sense that someone who’s practically a princess would want to hide it. Though I’m not sure about the whole ‘super career woman’ act.)

With those thoughts in mind, he approached Ney and her group.

There, he saw a surprising person.

"Come on, just say yes already. It’s not a bad offer, is it?"

"I have told you many times that I serve Lunaria-sama, so I will not be joining a clan, have I not?"

For some reason, Ney and a woman in Gothic Lolita attire were talking, and the members of Kokuryu seemed to be part of the conversation as well.

"Ney, what’s going on?"

"I’m in the middle of recruiting her for the clan. Hayato, could you tell her about the charms of Kokuryu from your perspective too?"

He had heard that Ney re-established the Kokuryu clan right after the Clan War event ended.

He had also heard that since he couldn’t log in, and was unlikely to return to Kokuryu even if he could, she was recruiting someone else.

He just hadn’t known it was the woman in the Gothic Lolita dress, one of the Ten Black Rose Saints.

The woman in the Gothic Lolita dress sighed, a tired look on her face.

"She keeps inviting me no matter how many times I refuse. Could you please tell her from your end that it’s impossible? She’s been coming to the Demon Lord’s Castle to recruit me almost every day recently, and it’s becoming quite a bother."

Although Hayato had told Ney his circumstances, he hadn’t told her that NPCs were human. He had only learned that himself recently. This meant Ney was trying to recruit the woman in the Gothic Lolita dress knowing full well she was an NPC.

For some reason, that made Hayato happy.

He himself had recruited NPCs into his clan without knowing they were human. Of course, at first, it was for their strength to win the Clan War, but as he spent more time with them, he found them charming.

Their charm was likely because they were human, not AI, but seeing Ney and the others trying to befriend an NPC and treat them like a person, just as he had before, somehow made him feel glad.

"Gothic Lolita-san, how about giving Kokuryu a try? Even just as a trial. It’s a bit much for me to say, having left, but they’re all good people."

At Hayato’s words, all the members looked embarrassed, but the woman in Gothic Lolita attire took out a scythe and held it to Hayato’s neck.

"Who are you calling Gothic Lolita-san!"

"Ah, sorry. It’s just, I don’t know your name."

The woman in the Gothic Lolita dress let out a deep sigh.

"My name is Rosalie Quentis-wa. Honestly, it is such a bother. Even in the Demon Lord’s Castle, I have to deal with people shouting, ‘Hey, a Gothic Lolita appeared!’"

"Oh! So that’s your name! Well then, Rosalie! Please join Kokuryu!"

"You were trying to recruit me without even knowing my name…?"

As Ney and the others continued their passionate recruitment, Hayato decided to move to another spot.

He met up with Ney and her group often in the real world anyway, and while Rosalie had helped him, they weren't particularly close. He figured he should talk to other people.

I’ll talk to Ash and the others next, Hayato thought.

Just then, what was known as a World Announcement reached everyone’s ears.

"A Stampede has occurred in the Imperial Capital Gralmorat. The Fire Dragon Eddy Owl has begun its invasion. Please proceed to repel it. I repeat…"

It was an announcement of a Stampede, a horde of monsters attacking the Imperial Capital.