Author: Suisei
Translator: Rinkage
Character page: Here
Chapter 141 – I secretly watched her arranged meeting
Time flew by, and no matter how much I tried to escape reality, Cecilia’s arranged meeting still eventually happened. Although their chances of confirming the marriage were slim, something still bothered me. However, causing any disruption would be out of the question.
In fact, recently, Yuuga, who had been behaving himself, tried to rush out, but the three of us – me, Mikana, and Raven – managed to restrain him. Since having him in Minerva felt like trouble waiting to happen, we decided to send our dear hero somewhere. After looking over the guild’s request, I sent him to a coal mine where only burly men work, just to avoid any woman-related trouble. The request concerned a landslide inside the mine, somehow connecting it to a demon’s habitat during that event. Even though the incident threw the demons into a state of panic, they weren’t particularly dangerous, so a peaceful resolution would be preferred. It was the perfect job for a hero, who had been through all kinds of intense situations. Mikana, who was worried about our resident troublemaker, went along as well.
“Well, I’m no different from Yuuga. I can’t just sit still either.” [Youki]
Even though I helped stop Yuuga’s rampage, I understood how he felt. I just couldn’t remain calm.
At the moment, I was in the Aquarain family’s garden. It was meticulously maintained, with not a single unnecessary weed growing. I was currently engaged in a covert activity, hiding in the shadow of a tree to avoid being found. In the worst-case scenario, I could use ‘Vanishing Wave’ to make myself invisible. I had received permission from Celia-san, so it was probably fine, only with Celia-san, that is.
It was almost time for the person in question to arrive, so I started moving from my hiding spot, disappearing as I went. As I observed from the rooftop, I saw two carriages approaching. For a lord’s son, he seemed to be quite frugal. I was actually expecting someone more of a pompous noble, one who would insist on something extravagant because they wanted to show off. If he had been like that, we would be able to find an excuse to reject him. If he were to try anything with Cecilia, I could covertly step in as well.
The carriages arrived at the mansion, and the people got out.
“He’s a good-looking guy…” [Youki]
The person who stepped out of the carriage was a tall, slender, handsome man with an intellectual air. He wore glasses and a robe (predominantly white and blue), carrying a sword by his side. Greeting Cecilia with a polite bow, she guided him into the mansion.
“Hm… at first glance, he looks like a mage type.” [Youki]
He didn’t seem like someone suited for close combat, but well, you couldn’t judge a book by its cover. Considering he’d been selected to join the hero’s party, though it was in another country, I shouldn’t underestimate him.
“I’m not planning to fight him, so I don’t need to analyze his combat abilities.” [Youki]
I descended from the roof and returned to the garden.
“It’s been a while, Soleil-san.” [Cecilia]
“Yes, the last time we met was probably at the Demon Lord’s Defeat Commemoration Party, wasn’t it, Lady Cecilia Aquarian? I know this is a sudden matter, but I would appreciate it if you could consider it positively…” [Soleil]
Hearing that kind of conversation just made me more and more irritated. As I hid just below the window to eavesdrop, I ground my teeth. I was expecting them to dive straight into the topic concerning the proposal, but they started by talking about each other’s present activities.
“Even though the Demon Lord has been defeated, we can’t let our guard down. As the next lord, I must protect the people. I’m currently assisting my father with his work. Although I’m constantly reminded of how inexperienced I am, I’ve been learning a lot, and these days have been very fulfilling.” [Soleil]
The more I listened, the more he seemed like a great catch. Soleil Gresshart seemed to be studying diligently to become the next lord. Given that he would be the future lord, he would likely have a stable income and future. Based on what I had heard about his character and his domain, the chances of him facing downfall seemed low. Although he hadn’t mentioned it, he probably had plenty of suitors lined up. Cecilia was also responding gracefully, which just reinforced her noble upbringing.
“So, is the atmosphere good or bad?” [Youki]
Since I had never been to an arranged meeting before, I couldn’t tell if things were going well or not. It seemed like they had met before, but I wasn’t sure how the actual scene was. Seeing as they were laughing as they chatted, the atmosphere was probably positive.
“Cecilia-san, actually, I am planning to stay in Minerva for a few days.” [Soleil]
“Stay… here?” [Cecilia]
“Yes. My father told me to take a break, even if it’s in a foreign country.” [Soleil]
“…I suppose he’s concerned about you working too much, Soleil-san.” [Cecilia]
“He scolded me, saying, ‘Do you not even know how to take care of your health?’. It’s truly embarrassing. So, if your schedule permits, would you mind showing me around Minerva tomorrow?” [Soleil]
A tour, huh? More like a date. He’s good at making it sound natural, creating an atmosphere where it’s hard to refuse.
“Understood. I’d be happy to show you around if you’d like.” [Cecilia]
As expected, Cecilia agreed. She didn’t really have a reason to refuse.
“Thank you, I appreciate it. Well then, I’ll take my leave for today. I look forward to tomorrow. Oh, what time and where should we meet?” [Soleil]
“Let’s see… How about around noon? We can meet in front of the castle gate.” [Cecilia]
“Understood. I’m looking forward to it, Cecilia-san.” [Soleil]
With a refreshing smile on his face, he left the mansion. How did I know that he was smiling? I had changed my hiding spot, moving to the rooftop instead. I wasn’t glaring at him when he left, but I was probably emitting some hostility towards him. Perhaps, this was what they called jealousy. It was a feeling I never had with Yuuga.
“…When it comes to Yuuga, the feelings I felt were mostly anger and exasperation.” [Youki]
Speaking of Yuuga, he was probably working in a mine surrounded by a bunch of muscular men at the moment. Considering the environment, it was possible that Mikana, who went along with Yuuga, was having a much tougher time. Not only did she have to babysit Yuuga, but she also had to face all those muscular miners.
Yeah, I bet some kind of event is happening over there.
“What should I do tomorrow?” [Youki]
I scratched my head, pondering over what to do as I headed back to my inn. Despite my temptation, it felt a bit wrong, not to mention very wrong to stalk them. Even though I had Celia-san’s permission to eavesdrop today, it was still totally out of line. I was curious, but I had to draw the line somewhere.
If I mess up, I might get hauled off by Raven.
“Maybe I should give it a rest… Hm?” [Youki]
As I was thinking, something slipped in through the window. The window was properly shut and locked, but what came in was a thin paper doll.
“Isn’t this one of Clayman’s shikigami?” [Youki]
The shikigami bowed its head as if to greet me, so I bowed back. I was impressed by how polite it was, even more so than its master. Then, it handed me a letter.
I was a bit puzzled by the surreal sight of being handed a letter by a piece of paper. While I was wondering what to do, the shikigami started bowing repeatedly, probably because I was taking too long to accept it.
“All right, all right. I’ll take a proper look!” [Youki]
I took the letter and checked its contents.
“Magic Knight of Black Lightning has been specifically requested!?” [Youki]
I had heard of requests being made by name, but I never thought I’d actually experience it. What infuriated me though, was the fact that the letter had left out the crucial details of what the mission was about. Damn, that Clayman…
“What am I supposed to do with just this… Hey, wait!” [Youki]
The shikigami, having completed its task of delivering the letter, suddenly made a soft ‘puff’ sound, released some smoke, and then stopped moving.
RinkageTranslation 
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