When we arrived at the inn that would be the base of Mialak, we left our luggage in our respective rooms and headed to the inn where Mr./Ms. Hayate was staying.

Nea and Ferm said they were going to rest at the inn, so me and my seniors would go.

 

"A double room......

"I guess it's more efficient to have two people in a room than one person...... In my case, I'm also a watchman, so I guess I'll share a room with Amira."

 

Do I have to keep an eye on Koga...... Well, I shared a room with tongs in the rescue team, so I'm used to it, so I don't mind it.

Ferm and Nea were in the same room, so it would be no different from when they were in the rescue team.

 

"Usato-kun, what kind of person is Hayate Mr./Ms.?"

"He's a kind man, he's the chief of the beast tribe, and he's the one who helped us on our journey to deliver letters."

"That's right."

 

We exchanged letters a few times to keep up with each other, but it was the first time we had seen each other in months.

 

"There's a child named Linka, a friend of Amako's, and she's Mr./Ms.'s daughter."

"It's small and cute."

"I didn't say a word about that."

"It's wolf ears."

"I didn't say a word!?"

 

Wait a minute, how do you know!?

I've never said that Linka is a wolf beastman!

 

"Eh, because Amako is a fox beastman, right? Then her friend is bound to be a wolf beastman, right?"

"I'm sorry, I don't understand it at all."

"In other words, it's only natural that I, who bears the name of a dog, should be mixed in there."

"Do not distort the laws of nature"

 

What kind of super theory is this person turning?

I'm saying something very unreasonable, but this is normal for this person.

Well, it's good that you don't get bored, but you can't embarrass anyone but me by showing such eccentricities.

 

"Well, if your seniors are about to do something, I will do my best to stop you, so be prepared."

"Usato-kun, your eyes aren't smiling, ......?"

 

I close my eyes a little, but if it seems to go out of control, I have to take responsibility for stopping it.

During such an exchange, they arrive at the inn where Mr./Ms. and the others are supposed to stay.

I came to the front of the building, which was almost the same as the inn we were shown to, and after talking to the knight who was guarding it, I asked him to let me into the inn.

 

"I'll leave it to you at first."

"Okay, I'll knock for now."

 

There is a light knock on the door—and before you can do it, the door is thrown open.

 

"You're finally here, Usato."

 

Amako emerges from the gap in the door and has a somewhat relieved expression on her face.

You will be invited into the inn as it is, but the interior of the inn does not seem to be much different from this one.

There is also a space in the center where people can gather and talk, and there are familiar beastman soldiers Mr./Ms..

 

"Usato—!"

"yes?"

 

The appearance of a gray-haired beastman girl who charges at a tremendous force.

Feeling a kind of déjà vu, I took the girl--Linka--took three steps back to soften the impact.

 

"It's been a long time!"

"Yes, how are you...... That's true. Know. Are you here too?"

"Yes! Your mother's Mr./Ms. should support your father's Mr./Ms.."

 

She smiles wryly at her words, with her hair color almost white and wolf ears.

For the time being, I will introduce her while controlling the senior who is running away without saying a word next to me.

 

"Linka, this is Suzune Inukami, a friend of mine, a hero of the Ringle Kingdom."

"Nice to meet you! Suzune!! I'm Linka!"

「……!?」

 

Linka smiles at her senior, who is upset as if she was struck by lightning.

With a slight trembling voice

 

"Linka, can I call you sister?"

"What!? I'm an only child, so I didn't have an older sister! Yay, it's my sister!"

「———」

 

Was this kid so mentally old ......? No, is this normal for a 14-year-old? I can't compare Amako because she's more calm than I am.

- A senior who was called an older sister by Linka turns her gaze to me with no expression.

 

"Usato-kun, call me Suzutan."

"Really......

"I don't think there is a child who calls me sister with a smile when I meet her for the first time, ...... is real."

 

Everything you say and do is too sudden.

Not only me, but also Amako and the soldier Mr./Ms. are surprised.

 

"Don't think that if it's a dream, you can do anything for me, do you?"

"Kyayes."

 

"Then I'll call your father Mr./Ms.!" After seeing off Linka who was heading upstairs with the same cheerfulness as ever, I approached the center table with Amako, and Mr./Ms. Nagi, who was sitting on a chair, beckoned to me.

 

"Oh, Mr./Ms. Nagi!"

"It looks like you've arrived safely, did you come to see Mr./Ms. Hayate?"

"Yes, I heard that you arrived here first."

 

Urged by Mr./Ms. Nagi, he sits down at the table and sees Mr./Ms. beastman soldiers, who are probably his bodyguards.

When Amako was trapped by Jinya Mr./Ms. in Hinomoto, they were Hayate Mr./Ms.'s subordinates who fought with her.

 

"Didn't the Demon King do anything? I hope he's not bothering you because he's still out of character......

"No, I had a conversation with him, but he didn't do anything suspicious, did he?"

"What about Usato?"

"Amako, isn't it strange that you think I'm doing something suspicious in this vein?"

 

Do you think he's the next guy to do something after the Demon Lord?

 

"Because it's Usato, well, if you take your eyes off it, you could be stuck to the wall."

「……」

"It's a lie, isn't it......?"

"It's not the walls, it's the ceiling."

"Are you stupid......?"

 

Damn, I can't say it back......!

Nea says the same thing, so ......!

 

"Hey, how was Mr./Ms. Nagi?"

"What, me? The cityscape of Miarak has changed a lot...... Also, the people here were really surprised."

 

Nagi Mr./Ms. laughs and the guard Mr./Ms.s nearby shake their heads.

 

"It's almost the same as the statue, so that's surprising......

"I'm a student of the Kannagi style, so I'd like to give you your guidance."

 

「…… This is what it is."

"I see......

 

I nod to Mr./Ms. Nagi, who dyes her cheeks in embarrassment.

Is it natural to be embarrassed if the school with your name continues to this day?

 

"So, I'm Master Kannagi's apprentice, which means you're my apprentice, right?"

"Senior, there are sweets here, right?"

"yes? Thank you?"

 

Give the senior who seems to be doing something wrong a candy wrapped in a package placed on the table in front of you.

I continue to talk while looking sideways at my senior, who tilts his head curiously.

 

"Mr./Ms. Nagi, how was your meeting with Mr./Ms. Hayate?"

"I was relieved...... I wonder. I've known him through your gauntlet, but when I actually talked to him, I realized that he was trustworthy."

"Is that so......?"

 

I didn't say it out loud, but I'm glad that Nagi Mr./Ms. seemed to be accepted by all the beastmen Mr./Ms..

Above all, in terms of age, he is almost the same age as the senior next door.

That's why I hope from the bottom of my heart that the country of the beastmen will become her new home.

 

"Actually, I had something I wanted to tell you guys."

"Is that something you want to talk about?"

 

Did something happen?

Tilting his head, he listens to Mr./Ms. Nagi.

 

"Did you see anything strange in this city?"

「……? No...... Eh, was there such a fuss?"

 

When I asked that question, Mr./Ms. shook her head with a grim expression.

 

"Well, if there is a commotion, Mistress Falga will sense something is wrong...... I don't think it was like that, but I didn't feel any kind of discomfort."

"As it stands...... I don't think I would have felt uncomfortable."

"I'm the same as Usato-kun, at least no one has any ill will towards me."

 

The boy who waved at me with a friendly expression for a moment? But I felt that it was not a strange feeling, so I shook off that thought.

 

"If it's murderous intent or malice, I can kind of understand ......."

"I think that's pretty funny."

 

Amako is even more poked.

This is the feeling that you can tell by the rustling sensation of the skin.

 

"If it wasn't anything, that's fine, maybe I'm just being too nervous."

「…… No, we'll be careful."

 

If Mr./Ms. Nagi, who has precognition magic and keen senses, is wary, there is a high probability that something will happen.

As I was trying to be careful, Linker came down from upstairs.

 

"Usato! My father calls Mr./Ms. about Usato!"

"Hmm, I understand."

 

It looks like I'll be talking to Mr./Ms. upstairs.

Linka came down to the first floor and ran up to us.

When the senior sees this, he turns to us with a straight face.

 

"——— Usato-kun."

"Senior, there are sweets here, right?"

"Isn't it messy!? I tried to make a move, but I'm not a woman who can be caught with sweets--"

"Suzune, the sweets here are so delicious!"

"Delicious Resu!"

 

I'm going to fall right away.

Hearing Linka's words as she pointed to the table, the senior threw the sweets into his mouth at a tremendous speed and smiled widely.

 

"Usato! My father's Mr./Ms. is in the room right in front of me up this staircase!"

"Thank you, Linka, can I play with you for a while?"

"Yes!"

"Why does Usato say something like Suzune's protector ......?"

"Don't nod your head ...... Linka."

 

Listening to Nagi Mr./Ms. and Amako muttering, I went upstairs and headed to the room where Hayate Mr./Ms. was.

 

"Hey, it's been a while, Usato."

"It's been a long time, well, how are you...... Is it?"

 

Mr./Ms.'s complexion, which had not been seen in a long time, was not flattering.

No, it wasn't illness or anything like that, it was just exhaustion or something like that.

 

"For the time being......

"yes?"

"Shall I cast a healing spell?"

 

I'm sure you're having a lot of heartache about the process of getting here.

I immediately sensed this, and first thought about working as a healing wizard.

 

●

 

After casting a healing spell on Mr./Ms., I sat across from him at the table and talked about what had happened.

From the time I left Hinomoto to the present day.

Talking about it as simply as possible, Mr./Ms. Hayate lets out a deep sigh of emotion.

 

"It reminds me of when you came to Hinomoto."

"Hahaha, I did a lot of crazy things back then."

"But it is because of that recklessness that we are where we are now...... I think so."

 

When I came to Hinomoto, it was eventful from the beginning.

He was shot with an arrow by Linka, and after that, he became friends with the beastmen Mr./Ms.of the village, and the furious development continued.

 

「…… What's going on with Towa now?"

 

A magic tool that transfers precognitive magic to others.

A magic tool that Kanoko Mr./Ms. tried to make in order to prevent her daughter, Amako, from living a life bound by precognitive magic.

It failed, and Mr./Ms. Kanoko had lost her clairvoyant magic to the former chieftain, Jinya Mr./Ms..

Now, he has reversed Towa's clairvoyant magic by using Kanoko Mr./Ms. in reverse, but we still don't know what happened to Towa after that.

 

"I'm taking it apart and storing it now, and I guess I should really get rid of it, but none other than my girlfriend stopped it."

"Mr./Ms. is trying to finish Towa again?"

"I don't know, at least, Hinomoto doesn't attach that much importance to clairvoyant magic right now."

 

Don't you need it?

Isn't the clairvoyant wizard still as important to Hinomoto as ever?

 

"The clairvoyant magic caused Hinomoto to be in turmoil for a while, and of course I understand that it wasn't Kanoko and Amako's fault. But it was the beginning of a change in Hinomoto's perception of clairvoyant magic."

「……」

"We can't just rely on clairvoyant magic, we live in the present, not just the future."

 

It's a cliché, but Mr./Ms. laughs shyly.

I don't know how clairvoyant magic will be treated in the future, but I hope it will move in the right direction.

Hayate Mr./Ms. is a moderate person unlike Jinya Mr./Ms., so he doesn't have much to worry about.

 

"How are you doing, Mr./Ms.? I've heard that your body has improved a lot."

"Oh, she's fine. In fact, I'm so energetic that I'm in trouble......

 

He looks exhausted.

- Her expression makes her say "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

 

"She's just as free as ever...... When I took my eyes off him, he would wander away and make a fuss about it, and it was already ....... Well, that's a sign that she's getting better, so that's something to celebrate ......."

 

He pauses and looks up.

 

"It's too late, can I complain?"

"Yes, if it's okay with me."

"Thank you......! Thank you ......!"

 

This man has been acting as the chief of the Beastman tribe to this day.

The heartache that befalls him who cannot say a weak voice to his subordinates in his position must be tremendous.

Well, for now, let's enjoy the conversation with Mr./Ms. Hayate for the first time in a long time.

　__________________________________________________

A combination of seniors and linkers with excellent compatibility.