kscans

Chapter 201 - Otherworldly Exchange

Before I changed back into Okita-kun, I decided to give Nanapon a call and pulled out my smartphone. Just then, in what was either perfect timing or the result of her constant dialing, a call came in from Nanapon. I hit the receive button and answered.

"You're calling way too much. Learn to wait a little."

I started the conversation with a complaint.

'Hey, don't ignore me!'

"I was busy, so it couldn't be helped."

'You could have at least sent a single message.'

The sheer number of calls was just annoying. Not that I could say that to her directly.

"Sorry, sorry. More importantly, did you see it on TV?"

'I did. What's this about auctioning off areas of Frontier!? And who was that beautiful blonde girl behind you!?'

As expected of someone with Clairvoyance. It seemed she was able to spot Arc even though he had drunk a transparency potion.

"That child is my disciple."

'What!? Am I being fired!? Have I graduated!?'

Don't make it sound so grand.

"You're disciple number two. Since you're Number Seven, I'll make Arc Number Eight."

"How lame! And besides, I'm not your disciple!"

Arc, who had been listening to my call with Nanapon, interjected with a complaint. Just then, Kaede-chan came over to the sofa, placed mugs of cocoa for everyone on the low table, and sat down next to me.

'Who is that child?'

"The pri... Arc, what are you going with?"

I was torn between prince and princess.

"Please make it princess while I'm over here. I'm just the mysterious, beautiful girl Arc while I'm on this side, after all."

He's getting carried away just because he has a pretty face. Well, I have no objections.

"He says he's a princess."

After hearing Arc's preferred setting, I relayed it to Nanapon.

'Is this a kidnapping?'

"No, why would it be?"

'It has that 'princess abducted by a witch' vibe...'

Ah, I can kind of see that. But in that scenario, I'd end up being slain by a hero of justice.

"That's not it. Arc is the next king, so he came here for an inspection tour. Then he said he wanted to become my disciple..."

"I never said that. Are you crazy? ...Oh, right, you were."

Hey! And Kaede-chan, you stop nodding along.

'I don't quite get the disciple part, but he's here for an inspection, I see. What about the areas in Frontier?'

"Where are you right now? Want to come over?"

'Ah, I'm sorry. I can't leave my seat at the moment. We can talk about the details later, but please just tell me this. Are you okay? You're not in some kind of trouble, are you?'

I was sure she'd come over, but it seems she won't. That's rare. I wonder if she has a university class?

"I'm not sure what you mean by trouble. The very act of selling off Frontier territory is trouble, isn't it?"

'I mean, are you in any danger? Did you acquire it through legitimate means? You didn't trick someone or steal it, did you?'

"I obtained it through normal negotiations. So there's no problem."

'Is that so... Then that's fine. Please tell me the details later. I just wanted to confirm that one thing.'

It seemed Nanapon was busy.

"I understand. Well, contact me when you have time. We need to discuss future plans, and I want to introduce you to Arc."

'Got it. I'll be in touch. Later, then.'

With that, Nanapon hung up.

"It's unusual for Nanaka-chan not to come over. I honestly thought she was already downstairs," Kaede-chan said with a surprised look, sipping her cocoa after I ended the call.

"I thought she was down there watching us, too."

Is she out with friends, or maybe has family matters to attend to? There's no way Nanapon would be working a part-time job.

"Hey, hey. Does that disciple of yours happen to have Clairvoyance?" Arc, who had been listening to our conversation, asked.

"That's right. She has the unique skill Clairvoyance. That's why I made her my disciple. It's useful."

"Isn't a master-disciple relationship supposed to be about teaching something? The way you talk about your disciple makes her sound like a convenient errand girl."

"She is. Errand girl number two. You will work for my sake."

This one's magic and skills are extremely useful. I have to secure him.

"No way!"

"I'll take you to a sweets buffet."

"Well, if you insist..."

What a kid.

"Very well. Nanapon's call is over, so I'm going to change back into Okita-kun. Oh, Kaede-chan, this is a souvenir for you. Apparently, they're sweets from Frontier."

I took the basket I'd brought back from my bag, handed it to Kaede-chan, and stood up.

"Wow. That's amazing. Are they good?"

"Super delicious. Though I'm not really sure what they are."

"...Are they safe?"

Kaede-chan eyed the sweets suspiciously.

"They're fine, they're fine. Yoshino-san and I ate them, too."

"You mean you pigged out."

Honestly, his Provocation is level six, for sure.

"Ask Arc for the details. I'm going to get changed."

I wanted to get back to being Okita-kun as soon as possible.

"Okay. Hey, hey, what's this?"

"It's something made by mixing Millet fruit and flour, then baking it. It's sweet and delicious."

"Oh, so it's like a cookie?"

Leaving the sweets-obsessed Kaede-chan behind, I returned to my room.

◆◇◆

I went back to my room, changed from Eleanor-san to Okita-kun, and returned to the living room.

"Senpai, the sweets are all gone..."

I'd brought back a pretty large amount, but apparently, it had vanished in an instant.

"You ate too much..."

"No, they're just really that good. I've never tasted anything like it. I just couldn't stop."

Well, Yoshino-san and I were the same way.

"Arc, bring a much bigger batch next time, please."

"I could just go back and get some now, you know?"

What?

"You can go back with teleportation magic? What about the Gate?"

"I can go back without using it."

Royal teleportation is insane.

"Are there any restrictions?"

"Hmm, just a limit on the number of people, I think. I can probably transport about ten people at once. I've never tried, so I can't say for sure."

That's incredible. He's not the Anywhere Door, he's Anywhere Arc.

"Then go get them. I'll give you some of our snacks in return. Kaede-chan, we have some chocolate or something, right?"

"We do. Just a moment."

With that, Kaede-chan headed to the kitchen.

"A snack exchange is nice. It's peaceful, and everyone's happy."

I think so, too.

"We have chocolate cookies and potato chips!" Kaede-chan called out from the kitchen.

"Arc, which do you prefer?"

"I don't know, so both. I'll give them to His Majesty and Mia to try. Then I'll binge-buy whichever one they like better."

He'll probably end up binge-buying both. Mia will likely prefer the chocolate cookies, and the King will go for the potato chips.

"Kaede-chan, he wants both!"

"Okay!"

Kaede-chan returned with the gently comforting chocolate cookies, along with lightly salted and consommé-flavored potato chips.

"Here you go."

Kaede-chan handed the chocolate cookies and potato chips to Arc.

"Thanks, Kaede. Okay, I'll be right back."

Arc said this, downed the rest of his cocoa, and vanished in an instant.

"That was fast."

"Senpai, let's be hospitable to Arc-chan. I think she's a very nice girl."

Kaede-chan was saying something with a dark undertone.

"Let's do that. He's useful, and though his personality is a bit flawed, he's a truly capable person."

As expected of the next king.

"He has flaws? I thought he was a nice kid."

"He has Provocation. And it's a terrifying level six."

"Six!? That's the same as your Swordsmanship level, Senpai!"

He's a master-class provocateur.

"You'll notice it if you talk to him enough, but he says horrible things so naturally. And he has no ill intent or awareness of it."

It's a really nasty trait.

"That's surprising. He doesn't seem like that at all."

"He called Eleanor-san an old lady."

"...................."

Kaede-chan fell silent.

She's two years younger than me and Yoshino-san, so it must strike a delicate chord. After all, twenty-four is still plenty young, but the wall of death known as one's late twenties is starting to come into view. To be called an old lady by a middle schooler under those circumstances would hurt.

It hurt me, even as a man. It must be even worse for a woman.

"It's going to be harder to do the cutesy act you like, Senpai..."

No, you're naturally cutesy.