Chapter 110: Change
When embraced by Luca, we were separated by an intrusive bug!
“Get off, rabbit!” (Aix)
The Queen, a fluffy rabbit plushie, floated in the air between the two of us, waving her long ears wildly in a fit of rage.
“Queen, what’s the matter?” (Luca)
Luca, who was also separated, nodded in agreement. Uh oh, the angry Queen locked onto me.
“Aix-san! Your tight hug suffocated me when you both embraced each other with such affection!” (Rabbit)
Oops. Come to think of it… it might be unpleasant.
Luca, pointed out, also looked a bit embarrassed and averted her eyes.
“Sorry, Queen.”
“Sigh. If Aix-san says so, I’ll forgive you.”
Phew, that’s a relief.
When she bounced back and hugged again, she rubbed against me intensely. Oh well, it seems like this rabbit, like its owner, has a strong possessive streak.
Feeling a chill down my spine, I then discovered a sulky Luca. These two, honestly.
“Queen, can you back off? Luca seems like she wants to say something.”
“No way. Besides, she should say it herself. It’s about time for a change.”
Luca’s shyness was a sacrifice, so it couldn’t be cured. Therefore, this was a forbidden phrase, so my tone unintentionally became rough.
“If you say mean things, I’ll drop you.”
“Wait! Aix-san. We’re not finished talking yet!”
“What’s going on?”
“Just watch. Hey, Luca-san. Bring out the doll.”
Doll?
Luca nodded, and then started speaking in a strange, low voice, trembling as if possessed by something. Huh???
“Kukuku, what do you need, Queen?” (Posessed Luca/Doll)
“Oh? How silly. Figure it out yourself.” (Queen)
Luca’s expression was like a completely different person.
She was totally under control. Only Luca’s hollow, which she contracted, could pull off such a trick. Unbelievable…
“Is it the Sacrifice Karma?” (Doll)
“Yes, Doll. One of them went somewhere, but I recognize Nitra and Lai-nee as friends.” (Queen)
“Hmmm, I see. Then I agree.” (Doll)
In this case, Luca’s contracted hollow would be an unseen doll. Then, whose hollow are Crazy Bear and the Queen? In the first place, there should be one hollow per magician.
Lai-nee’s excited voice interrupted my thoughts.
“Goshujin-sama. The bunny and the bear have opened their hearts to us!”
“Huh? That’s great, Lai-nee.”
“Yes!”
Despite the tense atmosphere, she looked round-eyed and delighted, which was heartwarming.
“Hehehe, if it’s the Queen’s request, then it’s okay.”
Seeing Luca speak in a strange voice again, she suddenly glowed and squatted down, clutching her chest in pain.
“I’ll accept it. Ugh…” (Luca)
“Luca!”
“Madam!”
Hurrying over, I rubbed her trembling back gently.
Feeling warmth in my hands, I was slightly worried, but I was also concerned about something completely different. Come to think of it, Luca had this kind of glow on the day we first talked.
Eventually, Luca stopped trembling and smiled, regaining his sanity.
“Thank you, Aix. And Lai-chan.”
Ah, that expression was as natural as when we were alone, almost angelic. That was the Luca from that day.
“Madam replied!”
Lai-nee exclaimed happily. It seemed like that was the case after all.
“Could it be?”
“Yes, that’s right. They’ve met the conditions.”
I don’t know what the Queen did, but it seems Nitra and Lai-nee have been exempted from being targets of Luca’s sacrifice, “social anxiety.”
“That’s great, Luca.”
“Yeah.”
“Nice to meet you, Madam.”
Luca timidly shook the hand offered by Lai-nee.
“Is it okay?”
“Hehe, Madam is so cute!”
Lai-nee pounced on Luca.
Seeing Luca hugged until her ears turned red, I felt both happy and a bit lonely, as if something special had been taken away.
Is this what parental love feels like?
“Hellooo. Aix-saaan, here’s a letter for youuu.”
Knock knock!
At the sudden knock, Luca trembled and quickly hid behind me. It was the usual Luca.
Seeing Luca during her brief invincibility time, she had a dissatisfied expression.
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing. Ouch!”
I chuckled and pinched her back.
Maybe she should learn from Lai-nee, who rushes to the door with a maid’s spirit to respond to knocks.
“Hello. May I ask who’s calling?”
“Um, I’m a delivery person. Maid-san, where can I find Aix-san?”
The delivery person, guided by Lai-nee, found me and then began searching for the amazing Aix-san who was somewhere else. Here we go again.
“Um, I’m Aix.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. Congratulations! You’ve received a recruitment notice from the Forest Security Force.”
I couldn’t help but make a displeased face.
“I don’t need that.”
“Huh!? Wait, why not? It’s from the Forest Security Force. You passed a tough exam, didn’t you?”
Perhaps I would have been happy a little while ago. But now, I couldn’t find any value in that paper.
“No, I didn’t take any exam.”
“A recruitment notice without an exam… Who are you exactly?”
Just a defective magician, perhaps? No, wait, I’m being referred to as a Great Magician now, right? I answered confidently.
“It seems like I’m a Great Magician.”
I was given a skeptical look.
Ah, yeah. I guess so.
“Goshujin-sama is amazing!”
For some reason, Lai-nee had a smug look on her face.
Luca too! She poked me in the back, cheering me on. But does that really convey anything to anyone other than me?
“Um, excuse me, but do you have any proof?”
Yeah, that’s right. Just the testimony of a girl and me won’t suffice. But there’s no need to prove anything, and the proof is in the room anyway. Just as I was getting annoyed, the bear and the rabbit barked!
“Cut the crap already! You thick-headed moron. Can’t you see the greatness of my partner?!”
“Exactly, you’re nothing but a small fry. Call the president!”
“Wh-what?! Did the plushie just speak?!”
The delivery person stumbled backward.
Crazy Bear, and the Queen.
It brought tears to my eyes.
“Partner, what’s the big deal?”
“No need for thanks. I’ve said my piece.”
“…Please, just don’t complicate things. What if the president actually shows up?”
Crazy Bear trembled and Queen turned away.
“W-well, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”
“I have no idea! Oh, Aix-san, it seems someone else has arrived.”
Moreover, the sound of a creaking carriage drew closer. Who could it be?
It seemed like today was going to be busy.
Amidst the attention, the person who got off the carriage was the guide. As he approached, the delivery person, possibly recognizing him, shrank back.
“Aix-sama! How splendid to see you.”
“The president?! Why are you here?”
“Hm? You seem well. But why are you sitting in front of a customer’s house? You didn’t do anything rude to Aix-sama, did you?”
“Um, well, you see…”
The delivery person’s gaze shifted from someone who told lies to a Great Magician. He seemed to realize his earlier slip of the tongue and turned pale.
“No need to turn pale, it’s okay. This guy is also less reliable when it comes to driving someone home., anyway.” (Aix)
“Aix-sama? That’s quite harsh. Everyone makes mistakes. Thank you for defending my subordinate. However, today we have good news! I’m sure you’ll be pleased.” (Guide-san)
I jabbed him lightly, and he laughed it off. Gratitude appeared in the delivery person’s eyes as he sat there.
“Yes…”
“Don’t be so cautious! It’s a letter from the royal family. Since there are other items to deliver, could I have your signature for receipt?”
What was handed to me was a high-quality envelope I’d never seen before. It was addressed to “Great Magician” in elegant handwriting. Luca tapped my back. It was a signal to be cautious.
“Well, I’ll decide after confirming it.”
“Huh?”
“If it’s not acceptable, I won’t even open it.”
“Please! Please! Take your time to check! Confirmation is important.”
Sorry.
It’s for Luca’s sake.
I bowed and closed the door to secure a private space. The strategist Luca breathed a sigh of relief.
“Aix, if it’s weird, refuse it. I’ll make the judgment.”
“What could it be?”
I borrowed a stylish knife from Luca’s thigh holster, and as I cut open the wax-sealed envelope, a luxurious scent wafted out.
To the Great Magician.
From Rula!
It’s a bit late, but the paperwork is complete, so I’ve drawn up the contract.
Position: Great Magician
Contribution: 1,000,000 pts
Conditions: Presence in the Kingdom of Whitening
Note: Please inform us when traveling abroad.
Note: You don’t have to work.
Dear Aix-sama, the finance minister has persuaded me that traveling to other nations could be detrimental to our national interests. Kindly notify us in advance of your intentions to travel abroad. In return, you will receive a monthly reward of one gold coin. Hehehe.
I can clearly see Rula’s mischievous smile.
“W-what the!?!”
“Wow, partner, the Kingdom of Whitening doesn’t mess around. There’s nothing tricky about this contract.”
“Such conditions. What on earth did you do, Aix-san? That’s amazing.”
Opinions were divided. The two plushies were delighted, while the other two showed different reactions.
“Goshujin-sama, what does it say? I can’t read.”
“Hmm! Aix, I’ll be the one taking care of you.”
Luca patted me warmly.
“You’re too kind, Luca. Hehehe. Lai-nee, we’re rich now.”
“Nnnnoooo! My plan—”
“As expected of Goshujin-sama!”
I don’t know what Rula was planning, but I happily exchanged my signature for a gold coin!
I’ll have to tell Luca later. I’ve already paid the moving expenses as a congratulatory gift, so there’s no need to worry about it.
