kscans

Chapter 222 - New Year's is Full of Unique Skills Too

The end of the year arrived, and Kaede-chan went home to her parents. I spent the New Year's holiday playing cards and board games with Arc. At least, that's how it was at first...

"Eleanor-sama, you live in quite a nice house."

Lydia-chan was elegantly sipping cocoa in my living room... I wasn't sure what was going on, but apparently Arc brought her over.

"You think so? Isn't it a bit small?"

"Arc, that's rude."

Lydia-chan admonished Arc.

"Ah, sorry. But Hajime. You have money, right? Why don't you live in a bigger house? I'm not saying a castle, but you could build a house somewhere, couldn't you?"

As Arc said, I was currently Okita-kun, not Eleanor-san. But Lydia-chan, who was supposed to be meeting me for the first time, just ignored it. People with unique skills are something else.

"It's just me and Kaede-chan. A bigger place would just be a waste of space. It might be different if we had kids, though."

I'll think about that when the time comes. For now, the size of this house is just right.

"Well, I guess cleaning would be a pain."

"I'd move if you gave me Mia."

Give me the maid.

"Absolutely not."

"Then fine. So, Lydia-chan, why are you here?"

"Well, Lydia said she had something to talk to Eleanor about..."

It's not some weird request, is it?

"Lydia-chan, what did you want to talk about? Oh, should I change into Eleanor-san?"

"No, no, you are fine as you are. Whether you are Eleanor-sama or Hajime-sama, it is all the same. There is no difference."

It sounds like she's saying something nice, but for some reason, it's terrifying. I stared...

"Hajime, why are you looking at me like that?"

"It's nothing, just your imagination... So, what's this about? Should I have Arc step outside?"

He's in the way.

"I'd really like to teach you the meaning of the word 'disrespect.'"

"Shut it. Don't you dare defy your master when you're just a disciple. Go eat some ice cream from the fridge."

"I'll have the white mochi one."

The child ran off to the kitchen in high spirits.

"So?"

"Yes. You mentioned before that you wanted my assistance. What, specifically, would you have me do?"

"Oh, right. I'm going to the Emeraldas Mountains soon with some important people from this world. However, unique skill holders are not welcome, so I'd like you to check if the people who come have unique skills."

"I see. That is a simple enough task."

Good, good. I was worried she might refuse, but it seems to be okay.

"Uhm, Lydia, can I have a word?"

Arc returned to the living room, ice cream in hand.

"What is it?"

"Lydia, you can see unique skills?"

Oh, I never told Arc.

"Yes. My appraisal eyes can see a person's skills. That is why I can see your Provocation Level 7."

Hmm? Seven? Wasn't it six?

"...Yeah. Uhm, please don't mention that too much."

This guy was fudging the numbers... What a character... Well, mine is actually 5, though...

"Indeed. A wife must support her husband. However, my husband is eating ice cream, and other things, all by himself."

"Ah, there are two, so I'll give you one..."

Poor kid...

"Arc, that's the situation, so I'm borrowing Lydia-chan. Well, you'll be coming along too."

"G-Got it."

How pathetic. Well, Arc is a girl, so maybe that's why she can't be more assertive. Yes, let's go with that.

"Arc, you want some cocoa too?"

"Oh, yeah. Thanks."

I started to feel a bit sorry for her, so I decided to make a cup of cocoa for Arc and headed to the kitchen. Once there, I put some cocoa powder in a cup.

"Hajime, phone call."

Hmm?

"Who is it?"

"She said it's Claire."

"Claire? What a pain."

Still, a call at this time might mean something has happened.

"Arc, when the water boils, make your own cocoa. I'm going to change into Eleanor-san."

I returned to the living room and told Arc to make it himself.

"Okay."

I left the living room, went to my room, and took off my clothes. Then, I used a TS Potion to change into Eleanor-san, got dressed, and returned to the living room.

"Ah, it is Eleanor-sama. Please excuse my intrusion."

When I returned, Lydia-chan went out of her way to stand up and bow her head.

"Uh, yeah."

I was here just a moment ago, you know?

"Oh well. You two, just be quiet."

"Slurp, okay."

...Well, I guess the sound of sipping a drink is fine.

I sat down on the sofa and picked up my smartphone. The call from Claire had already ended, leaving a missed call in my history, so I decided to call her back.

When I called, the ringing stopped almost immediately.

'Oh, hello? Were you sleeping?'

It was Claire.

"I'm definitely awake at two in the afternoon."

'It's New Year's, so I thought you might be sleeping in.'

Even in college, the latest I ever slept in was noon.

"I'm awake. Happy New Year. What do you want?"

'Happy New Year. I got some intel from the Guild. There's something I want to ask you.'

Does she have a spy in the Guild? America seems like the type to do that.

"What is it?"

'First of all, is this briefing session for real?'

"It's real. It's better to let them see it for themselves, right? There are still a lot of people who think the witch is deceiving them."

There are a lot of opinions like that on the internet and TV.

'You're doing something incredible, as always. So, only one escort? Can't we increase the number? Honestly, if we're doing a briefing like this, some bigwigs will have to go, and many people want to increase the number of guards.'

Well, I can kind of understand that.

"I'm not bringing you over one by one, you know? The more people there are, the more likely something will happen."

'I get that, but...'

"You just need to pick one strong person. You or Harry would be fine."

'Hey, we have unique skills. That's not allowed, right?'

Come to think of it, that's right.

"Hmm, Harry is one thing, but you'd probably be fine."

Claire's unique skill is Recognition Impairment. It's certainly a threat, but it's a first-encounter-only trick, and it doesn't work on me anymore.

'Either way, we have work here, so we can't go. Honestly, the tension here is incredible right now. A conflict could break out at any moment.'

Satsuki-san mentioned that. Ikebukuro has apparently become a town of foreign agents.

"I use teleportation, so I don't go into town."

'What's teleportation... oh well. Everyone's trying to get an edge, right?'

"Are you guys okay?"

'We have reinforcements, and we're A-rank, you know? No problem.'

Won't other places send A-rank adventurers too? Well, if Claire says it's fine, I'll trust her.

"If there's no problem, then that's good. Anyway, only one escort. If you don't like it, you don't have to attend the briefing. The Guild will apparently prepare and distribute informational materials later."

'We can't do that. We will absolutely participate. The problem is the guard... By the way, can you tell if someone has a unique skill?'

"I can."

'Hmm, so the intel I got from Japan wasn't false...'

Was it from the time at the underground ruin? That's when Nanapon saw through Maeda-san's unique skill.

"It's not false. So it's useless to try and deceive me."

'--Harry, tell Norman. Alex is a no-go after all. It seems Eleanor can see through it.'

'Figured as much.'

I could hear Claire and Harry talking on the other end of the line.

"Hey, you're supposed to follow the rules. Don't just try to break them."

'I'm pretty sure there will be other countries that lie and try to bring unique skill holders, you know?'

"That's good for you, isn't it? One less rival to worry about."

'That's true. Hey, are photos not allowed?'

"No. I'll allow the Guild to take them and distribute them later."

If I allow photos, the briefing will never end.

'Well, I get it. I'll pass that on to Norman. Oh, right. Did you get more disciples? That sleepyhead from before?'

She's probably talking about Arc. News of me introducing him to the headquarters chief must have leaked to America. ...Seriously, they leak too much.

"That's right. I have three now. All brats."

I'll count Lydia-chan for now.

'Do you have a thing for that sort of thing?'

No, I don't.

"I'm hanging up."

'Alright, alright. Sorry for taking up your time. Good night.'

I told you I'm not sleeping...