Chapter 33: 33

Putting that zealot aside, the conversation between Kuro and the homeowner, Lilia-san, began again .

However, it seems that Kuro has already left her serious mode and returned back to her normal mode, so she continued talking to Lilia-san, who is very nervous and stiff, with a bright smile on her face .

[Duchess Albert…… Can I just call you Lilia-chan?]

[Eh? Ah, yes . Of course . ]

[Well then, once again, nice to meet you . I’m really sorry for the sudden visit today . However, you didn’t really have to be exaggerated in your welcome, you know?]

[N- No! Rather, my apologies for the poor hospitality in receiving Underworld King-sama . This was my fault . ]

[No no, you really don’t have to worry about it at all, you know? I mean, you can stop calling me Underworld King-sama and just call me by my name, alright?]

[N- No, I wouldn’t be so disrespectful to just…]

Kuro still had a smile on her face while talking with her, looking the same as ever, but nervousness was clear from Lilia-san’s face .

[Ah, these must be the children from another world who arrived together with Kaito-kun~]

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[Ah, yes! I’m Kusunoki Aoi . ]

[I- I’m Yuzuki Hina . ]

[Aoi-chan and Hina-chan huh . I’m Kuromueina . Nice to meet you~]

Kuro calls out to Kusonoki-san and Yuzuki-san as well, and both of them looked flustered as they bowed their heads .

Both of them look quite bewildered…… Unnn . I can really understand how they feel, she doesn’t feel like a remarkable person at all, even though she’s supposed to be one of the Six Kings .

I’m already used to Kuro always having this tone, so I’m fine with it, but to Lilia-san and the others, it’s like a king is suddenly talking to them like they’re friends, making you feel like you don’t know what to do .

[Ah, that’s right . Lilia-chan, you may have heard about it from Kaito-kun already, but I’m sorry for entering the mansion without permission until now . ]

[Ah, i- it’s alright!? Of course, I don’t mind! Rather, I’m sorry that I wasn’t able to meet you until now……]

[I’d like to keep coming back often if it’s possible, but is it alright?]

[Y- Yes!? If Underworld King-sama wishes it, then please visit whenever you please!]

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Ah, Lilia-san is starting to panic . It’s like she’s already fed up with everything .

Especially when Kuro apologized for sneaking in without permission just now and bowed her head, her complexion went from blue to white and besides, because of the fact pace they were speaking, I feel like she wasn’t able to keep up with the situation at all .

Thereupon, as if to help out the panicking Lilia-san, teacakes are brought in at this exact moment .

There are brightly colored confections, especially some artistic-looking cakes that clearly looks like they were made by a first-class patissier .

Looking at it, which would have been prepared for an existence that can be rightly called a guest of honor, Kuro quietly murmurs in a voice that only I, who is next to her, can hear .

[Ueeggghh… That looks difficult to eat……]

[…………… . . ]

Unnn . I had a feeling that it was quite different from Kuro’s image, but these lavish sweets weren’t really Kuro’s taste .

Thinking back upon it, she was usually eating baby castellas, and according to her, she likes to eat food that she could eat while walking, so I had thought that she prefers more common sweets .

My prediction seemed to be correct, and Kuro just ended up taking a bite of each of the snacks and not touching any more of them, just as a matter of courtesy…… It appears that she doesn’t really like it .

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Lilia-san also seemed to have figured out that Kuro didn’t like the snacks that were served to her, cold sweat has begun to flow down her pale face, making her look pitiable .

And as if it’s dealing the final blow while Lilia-san is like that, a servant comes into the room by himself, tells Lunamaria-san something and leaves the room .

[My Lady, a messenger from the royal palace with a letter from His Majesty the King has arrived . ]

[Ah, the King probably wants to say a few words to Underworld King-sama in person…… Underworld King-sama, a letter from His Majesty the King has—- ! ?]

From the content of the conversation, the king of this country…… That is to say, Lilia-san’s brother wants to pay his respects to the Underworld King, Kuro .

However, since Kuro is currently a guest of Albert Duchy and didn’t come here to see the king, he may have sent a messenger to ask for permission .

Lilia-san immediately understood the king’s intentions and tried to get confirmation from Kuro, but when Kuro heard what she said—– the smile on her face disappeared .

[……Unn? Ummm, Lilia-chan?]

[Y- Yes!?]

[……”The King of Symphonia, who didn’t invite my favorite Kaito-kun in that evening party, treating him like an outcast, said what?]

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[……Ah, no, errr……]

Receiving Kuro’s words, which had extinguished the smile she had on her face a while ago and having a clear full-blown displeased aura around here, Lilia-san began sweating like a waterfall .

[I didn’t hear you well, so why don’t you say it again……]

[……I apologize . We were mistaken . Luna…… Push it back to them . ]

[I respectfully obey . ]

As if Kuro’s intentions were sufficiently conveyed, Lilia-san quickly pretended that what she had just said hadn’t happened .

Then, she gave her instructions in a voice that feels like it was imbued in killing intent, and Lunamaria-san, who received her command while her eyes were still perfectly fixated on Kuro, perked up her hand and exited the room .

[……Again, that stupid Older brother is…… really doing anything good……]

Turning away from Kuro, whose air had obviously changed, Lilai-san held her head in her hands and quietly muttered in a voice filled with killing intent…… Lilia-san, you’ve worked hard .

Anyway, the conversation was cut off and the air in the reception hall had turned somewhat heavy .

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Lilia-san has an expression on her face that looks like she’s about to start crying, glancing towards me as if she’s asking for help .

This probably means that she wants me to do something to somehow return Kuro’s mood back to normal…… Errr, what should I do? Ah, that’s right . I have that .

[……Come to think of it, I bought some sweets that I thought Kuro would like . ]

[Eh? Kaito-kun bought me something?]

Not really being able to ignore the really pitiable Lilia-san’s SOS, I took out the cookies I bought yesterday from my magic box .

[Ahh! Jam cookies!]

It seems that I was able to attract her interest and after looking at the jam cookies I gave her with interest, Kuro picked one and brought it to her mouth .

[Uwaahh! This is really tasty! Kaito-kun, where did you buy this?]

[Errr, it’s in a confectionery on the street west of the fountain square . ]

[West? Errr, that shop next to a bookstore?]

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[No, I’m pretty sure that next to it was a bakery……]

[Ahh! That shop on the opposite side huh…… Uwaahhh, I didn’t know they sold tasty sweets there . Say, do they also sell some jam there too?]

[Yeah, they’re selling different varieties of jams there . ]

[Ohh, then I’ll go get some later~]

It seems that she liked the cookies, Kuro began taking one after another with a big smile on her face .

It seems that she really likes these kinds of common sweets better . The pace that she’s eating it was clearly different from the sweets just now .

Anyway, Kuro’s mood, which had been a little displeased, has returned to normal and she resumed the conversation with Lilia-san with a bright smile on her face .

At first, Lilia-san looked a bit confused and nervous, but as expected from Kuro, she cheerfully talked about topics one after another, and Lilia-san’s smile gradually appeared and her stiffness disappeared, so the conversation between them became more lively .

The fun conversation continued, as if the words “friendly conversation” perfectly fit, and before I knew it, time had flown by and it was time for Kuro to leave .

[Well then, Lilia-chan . I had a great time today . Thanks . ]

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[No, it’s my pleasure instead, Kuromueina-sama . Please come visit again . ]

[Unn . Ah, next time, you don’t have to be so exaggerated with your welcome, okay?]

[Fufufu, I understand . ]

Lilia-san has already opened up with Kuro, she calls her by her name now instead of calling her Underworld King-sama, her title .

No, I think it’s better to say that Kuro’s social skills, or rather, her communipower are really great . Not only Lilia-san, she also quickly became friends with Kusunoki-san and Yuzuki-san .

[Aoi-chan and Hina-chan too, let’s talk again . ]

[Yes . Kuromu-sama . ]

[Kuromu-sama, tell us more stories about you again . ]

Responding to Kuro’s call, Kusunoki-san and Yuzuki-san nodded with pleasant smiles on their face .

The reason they were still calling Kuro by her nickname is that they still strongly sense that she is the Underworld King . If I’d known that Kuro was the Underworld King when I first met her, I would have called her that way too…… Well, I’ve gotten used to calling her Kuro, so I’m not going to change it at this time……

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[Lunamaria-chan, the black tea you served me was quite tasty . Let me drink some again, okay?]

[Y- Yes! Please come whenever you like . ]

By the way, Lunamaria-san is still the same as ever . In her case though, her liking for Kuro has been overwhelming right from the start, so every time she speaks to Kuro, she looks like she’s on the edge of happiness…… And honestly, it was pretty scary .

[Ah, that’s right . I almost forgot…… Lilia-chan, here . ]

[Eh, this is—– !?]

After exchanging goodbyes with each of them, it seems like Kuro suddenly remembered something as she took out a piece of paper from her coat and handed it to Lilia-san .

Lilia-san received the paper and nodded her head once, but when she looked at the contents written on the paper, her eyes widened .

[……I’ve already dealt with those that were on the Demon Realm’s side…… Can I leave those that were on the Human Realm?]

[Yes . Please leave it to me . ]

[Unn . I’ll leave it to you~]

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I didn’t understand the contents, but it seemed to be something important, as Lilia-san nodded with a serious expression on her face after receiving Kuro’s words .

Hmmm . I wonder what they’re talking about…… now that Kuro has been able to get to know everyone, she can carefreely visit here in the future . I think this should have been a joyous occasion, but how should I say it, the mood is a little complicated .

All in all, I don’t think Kuro and I got to talk very much today…… Could it be that I was just lonely after not being able to talk with her?

If that’s so, that was quite shameful of me…… There’s no denying that I feel embarrassed .

I knew that Kuro has a personality that can get along with anyone, and that’s also probably why I got along so well with her . And yet, when I finally saw that Kuro was so close to Lilia-san and the others, it was quite unmanly of me to feel like I’ve lost my advantage over them .

To Kuro, I’m just a “friend” and I’m not particularly special at all . Maybe it’s because of the long history of being a loner that I have a bad habit of overinterpreting the good will that I’m not used to being directed at .

I was just a misunderstanding b*stard…… Ugghh, I’m starting to feel pathetic thinking like that to myself . I need to reflect on this for a moment and straighten out my mind……

[……Kaito-kun, Kaito-kun . ]

[Eh? Unn?]

As I was thinking about that, I saw Kuro beckoning me, and as I approached her, she stood on her tiptoes and whispered in my ear .

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[……Thanks for the cookies, they made me so happy . It feels lonely not being able to talk with you so much today, so let’s go somewhere, “just the two of us”, next time . ]

[……Eh?]

After saying that like sweet whispers murmuring in my ear, Kuro smiled brightly like a blooming flower, and left while greatly waving her hand .

Dear Mom, Dad—– Kuro is getting along with everyone . I had lots of things that I’m thinking about regarding that, but in the end, Kuro—– seems like she saw through everything .