kscans

Chapter 209 - A Noisy Christmas

December 24th. This is a day that divides people into two types, those who think it's a special day and those who don't.

For me, last year was a special day. Because after working overtime past midnight, I bought a leftover cake from a convenience store and ate it alone at the office while crying.

So this year, I wished for an ordinary day. I had planned to become a winner, with the best Cabaret Girl, Kaede-chan, by my side, drinking expensive wine and gazing at the tower of gold bars in the corner of the living room.

But in reality...

"Alright, alright! What about the next-door neighbors?"

"The neighbors seem to be a married couple. They're eating chicken."

"Then what about downstairs?"

"Downstairs... Huh!? W-w-w-what!"

It's my noisy disciples...

"Stop peeping into people's homes. It's disgusting."

I chided Nanapon, who was having fun with Arc on the sofa. Of course, I was in my Eleanor-san form.

"Okay, I'll stop... I see, it's Christmas, after all."

It seemed Nanapon had seen something quite stimulating. Arc, who has no knowledge of such things, was just looking on blankly.

"Just eat your pizza quietly... honestly."

I averted my gaze from the two little ones on the sofa and looked straight ahead. In front of me sat Yoshino-san, happily eating a slice of strawberry shortcake with a glass of apple juice in her hand.

"And I even got out the wine for you."

"I told you, I can't drink. If I drink wine, I'll be out like a light instantly."

"Out like a light," how nostalgic. It really shows her age... I won't say it though, since she'd get angry and I'd take damage too.

"Well, there's plenty of apple juice, so drink as much as you like. Arc chugs it down anyway."

"I know what you mean. The stock at my place disappeared in the blink of an eye."

Arc has been staying at Yoshino-san's place, but since Yoshino-san is busy and not around during the day, he's been hanging out at my house.

"I hope that kid gets a cavity. A la vôtre!"

I raised my wine glass towards Kaede-chan, who was sitting next to me.

"A la vôtre!"

The sound of glass clinking echoed through the room.

"You two seem to be having fun."

Yoshino-san looked at me and Kaede-chan with a wry smile.

"We are. More importantly, were you okay today? You've seemed so busy lately."

I had invited Yoshino-san to a party that would double as a celebration for a while now, but because some witch went and did something outrageous like auctioning off an area of Frontier, Yoshino-san had been swamped with work.

"My work is done now, so it's fine."

Sorry to put you through that for my sake. Well, Yoshino-san gets ten percent too, so I hope she can forgive me.

"Does that mean the auction date has been set?"

"Pretty much. It was decided smoothly thanks to you pulling strings with America."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Elle-chan has no idea.

"Everyone knows. Apparently, the people at the Guild were saying that America had become the witch's pawn."

There's no way they're my pawns. We're friends, friends.

"Well, I don't care who it is, as long as they light a fire under the Guild's ass. It just happened to be Claire."

"I don't really care either."

As long as the money comes in, it's all good.

"What are the specifics of how it was decided?" Kaede-chan asked Yoshino-san.

"First, they want to have a discussion. That's where they'll arrange the details of the auction."

Well, I figured I would be needed for that. I've been leaving everything to Satsuki-san up until now, but this time it probably won't be that simple.

"Who will I be meeting with? Some big shot from the Guild?"

"The Chief Director."

Hm?

"I still don't really get it, but isn't the Chief Director not officially a Guild member?"

"That's right. He's affiliated with the government. However, the Guild members were arguing about who should negotiate with the evil witch. So they threw it to the branch manager of the branch the witch belongs to."

That's fine, but I'm not an evil witch.

"You mean Satsuki-san?"

"That's what it comes down to. And since Satsuki-nee is thought to be connected to the witch, the Chief Director will act as an intermediary. He's a former Shinjuku branch manager and is highly trusted by the Guild. So, you'll be having a meeting with Satsuki-nee and the Chief Director at the Ikebukuro branch soon. By the way, I can't be there, so the three of you will have to handle it."

Three of us, huh... Well, they're both people I know, and the Chief Director seems like a reasonable person, so we should be able to have a productive meeting. It would be a disaster if someone like Shindo-sensei was there.

"Understood. Just decide on a suitable date. I'm free during the New Year's holiday."

Kaede-chan is going back to her parents' house, so I don't care.

"They probably won't want to do it over New Year's. Tomorrow is... Sunday. Then I'll try to arrange it for Monday. I'll let you know."

"Please do. And there's one more thing I need to ask of you."

"Of me? What is it?"

"Well, it's nothing major. The potions the King asked for are ready, so I'm going to deliver them. I'd like you to come with me, just in case."

I don't really want to go alone.

"I'd be happy to. I want to eat their food and see that mountain of gold bars."

I understand that feeling all too well.

"I'd like to go too."

It seems Kaede-chan wants to go to Frontier as well.

"Arc, the three of us are coming."

I informed Arc, who was playing Othello with Nanapon on the sofa, of the decision.

"Huh... Three people?" Arc sounded reluctant. The reclusive royal family probably doesn't like having too many guests.

"What's the difference between two and three?"

"I guess it's fine... Kaede is decent, aside from her taste in men."

I want to throw this empty wine bottle at his head.

"What about me!? What about me!? I want to go too!" Nanapon also wanted to go.

"Nanaka, I'm sorry, but you can't. You're the one person who absolutely can't."

I agree.

"Why!?"

"We can't bring someone with Clairvoyance..."

No matter how windowless the underground mansion is, it's meaningless against Nanapon's Clairvoyance. She'd see everything.

"Gah! I've been banned for being too competent!"

Don't say that about yourself.

"I'll bring you back a souvenir, okay?" Arc tried to console Nanapon.

"Grr. Left behind again..." Nanapon looked frustrated. Maybe I should have brought her last time? But if they found out she had Clairvoyance, I don't know what they would have done. If she learned something important, she might have been killed in the worst case. Yoshino-san and I could feign ignorance, but it would be goodbye for Nanapon. That would be too sad.

"It can't be helped. Arc, ask the King what he needs. We need to decide on a date to go."

"I think any time is fine."

Is the King that free?

"Then tomorrow."

"Tomorrow's not good. I haven't finished my shopping yet. I need to buy frozen pizza."

I had ordered delivery pizza today since it's Christmas. Arc was ecstatic about it. Apparently, he sent some to the King, who immediately told him to buy more.

"Then when is good?"

"I'll be out tomorrow and the day after... Three days from now?"

He sounds unsure. How much does he plan to buy?

"Let's make it four days from now. Is that okay with you, Yoshino-san and Kaede-chan?"

"I don't have any more work, so I'm fine."

"Me too."

Well, putting Yoshino-san aside, that's probably true for Kaede-chan. She seems to have a lot of free time.

"Four days from now, Arc. Get ready by then."

"I need to narrow down what to buy..." Arc started to worry.

"You're going to be staying for a while longer, right?"

You're just going to eat and sleep, right?

"Yeah. I'll be here until your auction is over. Well, I'll go back occasionally, so that should be fine."

"Then just buy a reasonable amount and take it back with you. By the way, don't you have any work to do?"

"I'm working right now. Researching Feire."

Apparently, eating pizza and playing Othello is work.

"Whatever, but you're really going to get fat. You should at least exercise."

"Exercise, huh..."

"Shall I teach you Swordsmanship?"

"I feel like you'd beat me up..."

I wouldn't do that to a child. I hate Spartan training.

"It doesn't have to be Swordsmanship."

"Hmm, well, I use skills and magic, so I should be fine."

Hm?

"Is that so?"

"Yeah. Magic and skills use up energy."

"Come to think of it, there's no MP or anything..."

Neither my Alchemy nor Nanapon's magic has ever failed because of a lack of MP.

"MP? I don't really know, but using magic and skills just makes you tired."

"So if I just keep using Alchemy to make items, I won't get a potbelly?"

"I think so? I feel like you drink too much, but you seem to be consuming more energy than you're taking in, so it should be fine."

Oh, ho. That's good to know.

"Maybe I should use my skill too..."

"Me too..." Yoshino-san and Kaede-chan, who had been listening to my conversation with Arc, nodded with serious expressions.

"You should use yours too, Nanaka-san. You're still young, but it goes by in a flash."

I was a college student just the other day, and now I'm in my late twenties in the blink of an eye.

"I'm always using Clairvoyance, so I'm fine."

As expected of Nanapon... a closet stalker.

"Are you done with the room downstairs?"

"Yes, just now...!"

Nanapon's face turned beet red.

See? She was peeping while playing Othello.