Author: Suisei
Translator: Rinkage
Character page: Here
Chapter 156 – I tried to trail the lady mage
“Hey, I just saw Mikana. She looked pretty serious about something.” [Youki]
“…Serious?” [Happiness]
“Yeah, she had this… sharp look about her.” [Youki]
I tried to imitate a cool, serious expression, but Happiness snorted. Raven, on the other hand, shook his head in silence, which meant it probably didn’t suit me.
“…I smell a case.” [Happiness]
“…Ah, Happiness!?” [Youki]
I wasn’t sure if she was triggered by my ‘serious look’, but she dashed outside, thinking that some sort of case was brewing. She was so engrossed with that thought that she even forgot to pay the money, so it looked like Raven and I were left to cover the bill.
“…I’ll take care of it.” [Raven]
“Nah, I’ll pay for my own.” [Youki]
We hurriedly went after Happiness after that, however, once we got outside, we were greeted by a bustling crowd. It would normally be hard to find her among the throngs of people, but tracking people was my specialty.
“Leave it to me, Raven. I’ll enhance my sense of smell and hearing-” [Youki]
“…This way.” [Raven]
“Huh, where?!” [Youki]
I followed Raven, but I couldn’t spot Happiness anywhere.
“…Over there. See the outfit she’s wearing today? You can catch glimpses of her fan now and then.” [Raven]
“Oh, yeah. I see it now, but…” [Youki]
It was only barely visible between the people passing by. Was I just bad at this, or was Raven this incredible? Was this the power of love? Or, it could be his exceptional insight as the captain of the knight.
“…Well, I could spot Cecilia in a crowd like this too, you know.” [Youki]
I muttered, sounding a bit like a sore loser, but I hoped Raven didn’t hear it.
“…Happiness, you shouldn’t run out of the store like that all of a sudden.” [Raven]
“…Observation.” [Happiness]
“Hmm, looks like a clothing store. And one of those high-end, noble exclusive types.” [Youki]
“…Captain, no connection.” [Happiness]
“Yeah, yeah. I am a commoner after all.” [Youki]
When I shopped with Cecilia, sure, I made an effort to step into places like that, but I decided to be frugal. I wanted to save for the future, so I didn’t indulge myself much.
“…So, is that the kind of store Happiness likes?” [Raven]
Raven, currently on cloud nine, chimed in on our usual bantering. Upon hearing that, Happiness’s eyes widened and she shook her head repeatedly to deny it. So she didn’t want her boyfriend to think that she was a luxury-loving, spendthrift?
“Ow!” [Youki]
It seemed she noticed me grinning at her rare flustered reaction. She glared at me with resentment then kicked my shin from a position where Raven couldn’t see.
“…Retribution.” [Happiness]
“It’s not my fault!” [Youki]
“…Both of you, look. Mikana just made a move.” [Raven]
At Raven’s words, we turned our attention to Mikana. She seemed to be selecting formal wear.
“Formal wear… is she attending some kind of party?” [Youki]
“…Party, dress.” [Happiness]
“Oh, right. So… what could it be? Was there some kind of ceremony coming up?” [Youki]
“…There are no plans for any ceremony in the near future. If there were, the knight order would be informed due to security concerns.” [Raven]
“Could it be a matchmaking event or something?” [Youki]
Raven and Happiness both showed complicated expressions, neither confirming nor denying my suggestions and fell silent. The one who brought it up was me, but I could only give a wry smile and tilt my head when I considered the possibility. Mikana had made it clear through her words and the obvious signs of affection she had shown him were evident she was in love with Yuuga. But, given what I had heard from Yuuga, it wouldn’t be surprising if she grew tired of him. He did say things that were harsh enough to shatter all her feelings from childhood.
“Maybe we should pretend we didn’t see anything and call it a day…” [Youki]
“…Unacceptable.” [Happiness]
“…Youki. This was my and Happiness’s first date. To leave things on such a sour note and act like nothing happened… that’s not possible.” [Raven]
Their first date would end with a rather unpleasant memory. I felt extremely sorry about it, but what could I do?
“It feels awkward to even go talk to her, right?” [Youki]
Knowing the situation made it hard to take a step forward.
Not that I think it’s likely, but if, by chance, she’s actually getting new clothes for a matchmaking session, sending Yuuga to Breitling would have been pointless. All I could do is hope he learns from this for his future relationships.
“…I want to believe that Mikana’s feelings for Yuuga haven’t cooled.” [Raven]
“That’s starting to sound like wishful thinking, Raven.” [Youki]
“…When did I stop trusting my comrades?” [Raven]
“Probably around the time when your hero and party leader messed things up in a big way.” [Youki]
“…Agreed.” [Happiness]
It was amazing how Yuuga could somehow impact a situation even when he wasn’t around. Despite the three of us agonizing over it, we couldn’t come up with any decisive plan to take action. Before we knew it, Mikana had already left the store.
“All right. Let’s just forget about it.” [Youki]
“…Impossible.” [Happiness]
“…I can’t shake this uneasy feeling.” [Raven]
“It’s not like it’s been decided that she’s going for a matchmaking. Let’s put our faith in Yuuga… and believe he’ll come back a changed man.” [Youki]
It would be entirely up to Caius now, or rather, up to the vampire. But honestly, what more could I do with Yuuga, who didn’t even understand why I punched him? I just hoped he would level up and return as the perfect prince charming to sweep Mikana off her feet.
“…”
“…Happiness, you’re making a face like you just ate something weird. Are you okay?” [Youki]
Happiness frowned, clearly feeling uncomfortable. There shouldn’t be much of a connection between Yuuga and Happiness, so it was unexpected for her to express such a strong dislike for him. Raven gently patted her back, feeling concerned.
“Well then, take care. I’ll contact you if there’s any new information.” [Youki]
I silently wished the two of them an enjoyable date and left the area.
♦♦♦
About ten days passed, but there was no news of Mikana having any matchmaking meeting. Yuuga still hadn’t returned, and Mikana wasn’t showing any notable changes, so time flowed peacefully.
“Yuuga should be back any day now.” [Youki]
There was no reason for him to stay away this long, and Caius’s training seemed to be more about giving advice than anything else. If everything went smoothly, he should have returned by now.
“Well, let’s just wait patiently.” [Youki]
I sipped my tea and got ready to head out when I heard three knocks on the door.
Knock, knock, knock.
I hurriedly got dressed, thinking it was Yuuga, but when I opened the door, I realized the error in my thought: Yuuga would never knock so politely.
“Hahahaha, long time no see.”
And, as expected, it wasn’t Yuuga, but Caius.
“Why are you here?” [Youki]
“I’ll explain inside… Excuse me.” [Caius]
It seemed that Caius wanted to come into the room, but he was struggling because of the large object on his back. What was he carrying? A wooden coffin? I could hear sounds coming from inside, confirming my doubt that something or someone was inside.
“H-Hey, what’s that?” [Youki]
“Oh, this? Whatever you do, don’t touch it. You can think of it as something equal, no, more valuable than my life.” [Caius]
He gently leaned the coffin against the wall, but whatever was inside was still moving. I really wanted to question this further, but I wasn’t sure how I should begin. There was also the matter with Yuuga and Yuuga’s friend, Shot, that I wanted to find out. Given the way Caius was gazing at the coffin so affectionately, I had a good idea what, or who was inside, but it was hard for me to believe it myself. Did he bring her along in that even when he was travelling?
“So, uh, how’s your girlfriend doing?” [Youki]
“Hahaha. Well, actually, she hasn’t woken up yet. She’s quite the heavy sleeper.” [Caius]
The sounds from the coffin grew louder and more intense. She was definitely awake, right? It was obvious she was trying to get out of that coffin. I couldn’t help but glance at the coffin even as I talked to Caius, and Caius didn’t even seem bothered even though he knew what I was staring at.
“You never know when she might wake up. The thought of not being by her side when she does… well, it makes me want to bring her with me.” [Caius]
No, no, there was no way your girlfriend was still asleep. She was definitely awake – full of energy too. The coffin was shaking so much that I could even hear banging on the door from inside. It was starting to feel like a light horror show at this point.
“Oh, uh, I see… So, your girlfriend can’t speak, right?” [Youki]
“She’s perfectly healthy. But, if she were to wake up while we were walking through town, it would cause quite a commotion. So, I’ve taken the appropriate measures.” [Caius]
“Appropriate measures…?” [Youki]
I could faintly hear the sounds of moaning when I enhanced my hearing. It was obvious where the sound was coming from.
“Caius, did something happen between you and your girlfriend?” [Youki]
“No…” [Caius]
Then how would you explain the sounds of moaning and the fact that the coffin was shaking so much?
“Hm, you don’t seem convinced…. Sunlight is like poison to her. Since she’s been asleep for so long, it affects her even more.” [Caius]
The coffin that had been rattling suddenly went quiet.
“If it’s at night, the sun isn’t out, so she can walk around normally. And if something does happen, I can use my full power at night.” [Caius]
“Please don’t cause any trouble in Minerva.” [Youki]
“…Oh, don’t worry. As long as we’re not noticed, it won’t be a problem.” [Caius]
“No, it’s definitely a problem!” [Youki]
Saying, ‘as long as we’re not noticed’, isn’t going to fly.
The coffin started shaking again. It seemed that even his girlfriend couldn’t overlook that comment. Caius glanced at the coffin with a gentle smile and murmured, “Just kidding.”
“Seriously, make sure not to cause any commotion in town. I get that you’re excited, but still.” [Youki]
“Hahaha. Don’t worry, I won’t cause any trouble. I’m not so reckless as to run wild at my age.” [Caius]
“Well, that’s good to hear. By the way, what about Yuuga? I sent him over to you, didn’t I?” [Youki]
“That guy… Hmm, actually…” [Caius]
Caius’s expression turned serious, a stark contrast to how he’d been talking about his girlfriend a moment ago. Did something happen to Yuuga? Knowing him, it was probable that he had caused something to happen instead. It wouldn’t be surprising if that idiot got himself into some trouble again. Given that Yuuga wasn’t around and Caius came alone, it seemed highly likely. As my anxiety grew, Caius finally spoke.
“From what I’ve heard, it seems difficult to resolve the situation. However, if I were to give up here, I’d bring shame to the name of ‘Cupid’ himself. So, I’ve come here on a special mission.” [Caius]
Apparently, things were so bad that the hero needed the cupid to make a special trip.
RinkageTranslation 
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