Chapter 90

Once the flow of customers started to die down, Maki and Chiharu talked about all the mistakes they had made .

“First, maybe you shouldn’t have handed him the change like you would in Japan?”

Chiharu pointed out .

“But, I couldn’t exactly throw it into his hand . ”

“That’s true . But you didn’t have to hold his hand like that . ”

Chiharu said as she took Maki’s hand and pretended to put change into it .

“This isn’t a convenience store . I mean, the girls seemed happy . Even older women seemed happy . Now that I think about it, even the older men were happy . ”

“Ohhh . I just cannot help that I’m an expert at customer service . ”

“You might want to tone it down . It’s important that we don’t stick out . ”

This time, Chiharu didn’t stick out at all . It was because people thought that she was a child who was too young to be interested in anyone . It was a rather comfortable feeling .

“Also, you really need to stop shouting ‘Rasche!’ every time you see someone that looks dog-like . That guy wasn’t even the right color . ”

“Uhhh . But, didn’t he look like a younger Zynis who had turned into a human?”

“He did! I got a good look at him while you two were getting busy!”

Chiharu said dreamily .

“It was like if you took Zynis’s kind eyes and made them sharper . Same with the jawline . Add some youth and irony as well . If only he had some dog ears . ”

“You sure studied him, Chiharu . ”

Maki was impressed .

“Stories are more enjoyable when you get to watch instead of having to be the protagonist . ”

“That’s true . ”

Chiharu knew this after being abducted several times .

“What are you talking about?”

“Ed! And Aaron . ”

The two of them had returned from selling oranges .

“We were talking about how trouble sucks when it happens to you, but it’s fun for everyone else to watch . ”

“You’re terrible . ”

Chiharu and Maki said and then burst into laughter . However, Edwy looked at them seriously .

“You must be talking about that ash-colored youth . What happened!”

“Ed . Be careful . This is not the place to talk about it . We should return to the inn once . ”

Aaron also looked serious . Maki and Chiharu stopped smiling and nodded . And with that, they decided to return to the inn earlier than scheduled .

As it was still too early for dinner, the four of them gathered in the room together . Maki had been quiet up until now . She sat down on the bed and then asked them the question . Chiharu sat next to her and looked at Edwy .

“So, what about that guy with ash-colored hair?”

“Yes . I know him . ”

“And you, Aaron?”

“I don’t know him directly . Not me . ”

There seemed to be a hidden meaning there . If not him, then who?

“I don’t think it’s a bad thing . I just wasn’t expecting to see him . So I needed some time to recover . ”

Edwy sighed and then sat down in the chair . It was rare to see Edwy like this .

“Maki . Did that ash-haired man look like anyone to you?”

“Huh? Me and Chiharu thought he looked like a young Zynis . But surely…”

“Yes . He’s Zynis’s son . His name is Dilon . ”

Maki and Chiharu looked at each other .

“Ah, so that’s why they look so similar . ”

“So that’s why he’s so handsome . ”

“Handsome?”

Edwy asked . But they ignored him .

“Wait, but he didn’t have the ears?”

Chiharu said . Edwy’s reply was most surprising .

“Ah, he must be using a special form . He has turned completely human . Apparently, it’s quite difficult to do, and I’ve never seen it done before . ”

“A special form!”

What a fantastical idea . Chiharu said excitedly . No . No . This was no time for that .

“But isn’t it strange that a beastman came all the way here, and is even doing it in disguise?”

“That’s why I was surprised . However, they weren’t trying to hide from us either . They were acting quite boldly . Whatever it is, I don’t think it is something that would be bad for Midland . ”

Interesting .

If anything, we look more suspicious . ”

“Well, I’m sure they’ll at least want to know what we are doing . I suspect that they will try to contact us . ”

Edwy sunk even deeper into his chair as he said this .

“The problem is knowing how much to tell them . ”

“True . ”

As Aaron and Edwy talked, Maki asked them with a puzzled expression .

“Why not tell them everything? We’re allies, right?”

“If they knew that we brought the Saintesses to such a dangerous place, do you think you would be able to continue to move so freely?”

“Oh, I see . ”

“Dilon is quite stubborn . It wouldn’t be so bad if Ortha was here too . ”

Who’s Ortha? Maki and Chiharu seemed to say . And so Edwy explained .

“Ortha is Zynis’s daughter and Dilon’s older sister . She is a lot more accommodating . ”

“I see . ”

Maki and Chiharu nodded . And then Aaron said,

“We don’t need to tell them everything . Especially the part about these two being Saintesses . ”

“Yes . We’ll figure the rest out as we go along . ”

The four of them nodded and decided to meet at the dining hall after they prepared .

Maki arrived first and sat at the counter, where she began to talk with some of the staff . Almost every inn had a bar, and many people from around town were present . After a while, the doors opened and the young man with ash-colored hair came in with another young man .

Everyone’s eyes turned towards them at first, but they quickly lost interest . However, the man with gray hair looked straight at Maki .

“Ah, it’s you . ”

“Oh, from the market . What do you want?”

Maki said casually . The man scratched his head for a moment and thought .

“You . Where’s your…uh, older brother?”

“Huh? Oh . I’ll go and call him then . ”

“Thanks . ”

Maki slid off her chair and ran up the stairs to the second floor .

“Oh? Have you made new outsider friends then?”

As the two sat down at a table for four, the waiter talked to them . While he was teasing them, it wasn’t malicious .

“Well, meeting them in Highland is quite a coincidence . I thought we could trade business information . ”

“Of course . If I knew you guys were coming, I would have told all the women in the town . ”

“Please don’t . I enjoy their company, but not when there are so many . ”

“You poor thing . ”

The rest of the customers laughed when they heard this . It didn’t take long for the others to come down from the second floor .

“Let’s go to a table where all six of us can sit down . ”

The one selling the scales said . But Maki stopped them .

“It’s fine . Chouze and I will eat at the counter . ”

“That would be best . ”

Aaron agreed . And so Maki and Chiharu nodded and moved to the counter, where their feet dangled above the floor .

Dilon and Corete admired how well-mannered the children were as they turned back to Edwy and Aaron .

“So, it is you, Edwy . ”

“It’s you . Dilon . ”

They seemed relieved now that they were certain . They ordered their dinner and finished their introduction before the ale arrived . It was a calm atmosphere .

“They sure are good-looking . ”

“My eyes are blessed . ”

“The one that’s not Dilon looks more like Rasche in color . ”

“Chiharu, weren’t you the one who just told me to stop doing that?”

“Oh, right . ”

As they giggled, someone called to them from the other side of the counter .

“You two seem to be enjoying yourselves . ”

“Just look at them at that table . Aren’t they all handsome?”

“I suppose . But they’re still just men . No matter how good-looking . ”

The man said with a shrug as he poured himself another cup of ale .

“More importantly, this place is about to be filled with a lot more drunks . ”

“Got it . Chouze, let’s go back to our room . ”

“Yes . ”

They got off of their chairs and headed to the table .

“Ah, Norfe, and Chouze . You should go and get some sleep . We might be going out after this . ”

“Okay . ”

They nodded at Aaron and then went upstairs .

“What good kids . ”

“Uh, yeah . Though, they can be tough . ”

“I see . ”

Aaron and Edwy had strange expressions, which puzzled Dilon and Corete . They would soon find out what they meant by that .