“Who would’ve thought we’d meet again this quickly?”
“No need for sweet-talk lies.”
The same place.
The same ritual.
It had been a while since I last saw Eligos, but he looked no different. What could possibly change, right?
“There’s no need to be so cold.”
Eligos looked at me, seemingly disappointed, and sipped from his teacup. It was probably cocoa like last time… But I had a feeling he’d mixed something in there.
I took a sip of my coffee and glanced outside. People were walking by with slightly tired expressions.
The scent of a gruff life was different from the Yeomyeong-gwan and its surroundings where I lived.
Remembering that I was casually sitting in a cafe chatting with a demon at this time, I turned my gaze back to Eligos.
“The information you passed on was useful. But there were three of them.”
“Oh, really? I didn’t know which god came. Must be the Egeir siblings then.”
“Is that true?”
“Absolutely.”
Our gazes collided across the table. I just didn’t like demons. Even now, they were trying to engage in a battle of nerves.
I wasn’t any different, though… how could I trust a demon?
“Well, let that slide. Right now, we need to focus on the future. So… did you find any information about other gods?”
“There’s a cursed forest in the northeast. It seems a god has descended there.”
“Seems?”
Why say the information so vaguely? It sounds as if you’re unsure.
“They say it’s the goddess of magic. Quite skilled at concealing her appearance.”
“Hm.”
The goddess of… magic, huh?
“Sounds like a bothersome opponent.”
If she’s adept at hiding, even searching for her will be tough before an actual fight.
She’s the next opponent, huh?
“A real nuisance. The witches only just noticed she had snuck in after several months.”
Is she really that good at hiding?
In a way, she might be the trickiest god I’ve encountered so far. If she’s just planning to hide or run away without wanting to fight, that’s troublesome.
“You managed to find such a figure.”
“The witches are in a fuss, having learned she’s returned.”
Ah, so that’s how they got wind of her.
“The goddess of magic will be quite the headache.”
She got found out because the underlings were causing a ruckus. But if she let the witches know it was her, that’s her own fault.
“So, are you asking me to capture that god next? Any more information?”
“I have more, but the rest is still uncertain. Rumor has it that the news of you hunting gods has spread, and many gods are trying to hide their identities.”
“Hm.”
Somehow, that answer raises suspicion about deliberately keeping information hidden. Trusting a demon in the first place was just madness.
I didn’t expect this guy to easily spill information, so it’d be good to actively utilize other information sources as well…
Then a thought suddenly struck me.
Are they asking me to kill the returning gods just to block the ‘outsiders’?
Thinking that way, every statement became questionable.
“Oh, are you doubting me?”
“Believing a demon’s words literally is as foolish as it gets.”
“What a mean thing to say. I’ve been known as quite a diligent demon, you know.”
Can “diligent” and “demon” coexist in the same sentence?
I shook my head at his strange claim.
“Bold, aren’t you?”
“Boldness is a virtue of demons.”
Well, regardless… should I squeeze more info out of this guy, or go back to find Sabrina?
“Hand over more information about that goddess of magic.”
“Information comes with a price.”
“I feel like I’ve already more than paid.”
Eligos shut his mouth and met my gaze. A battle of nerves. Not good.
I locked my eyes on him, channeling the Quartz Family’s energy. He avoided eye contact and reluctantly replied.
“Wow, you’re quite the shameless brute. But still, you’re not wrong, so I’ll tell you. The name of that goddess is Hecate. She’s so good at hiding that there are even whispers saying she’s not a goddess but a goddess of thieves.”
From goddess of magic to goddess of thieves. Quite the downgrade.
“Any other information?”
“Be careful of the witches. They’re practically her kin.”
…That’s quite ominous information.
“Well, I have a schedule to keep, so I’ll be on my way.”
With those words, he scattered like smoke.
Witches… huh.
I should head back for now.
I quietly got up from my seat.
Thinking about it, that guy didn’t even pay for his cocoa, did he?
Damn demon.
———-
“Johann! Would you like to go for a walk?”
After a cozy dinner, as I was about to return to my room, Elisa chased after me into the corridor and grabbed my sleeve. Looking at her as she spoke, I noticed her eyes sparkling with a moist glimmer.
She was a bit different from usual.
“A walk, huh? Sounds nice. What about others…”
“Can’t we go just the two of us?”
Cheeky little thing.
I stroked Elisa’s cheek once and turned my body. Instead of going to the room, I was headed towards the entrance. Elisa naturally linked arms with me and led me to the lobby.
“It’s been a while since we walked like this…”
“…Now that you mention it, you’re right.”
While helping with the reconstruction in Lorelei, I mostly stayed by Karina’s side. It’s been nearly a month since we had a date just the two of us. Maybe that’s why Elisa clung to my arm more tightly than usual.
“I wanted to walk like this…”
Perhaps because she was holding onto my arm with more force, the softness of her chest was more noticeably felt.
The oddly distorted lump of fat pulled tightly against my arm, causing me some discomfort, but even so, Elisa didn’t relent in her grip.
“It feels like it’ll hurt if you hold on that tightly.”
“But I don’t want to be apart from you, Johann…”
She seemed a bit more clingy than usual today. Enjoying the pleasant sensation of her holding my arm, I stepped onto the front yard of Yeomyeong-gwan. The moist grass crunched under my feet.
“How’s your third-year prep going?”
“Yeah! It’s a bit tough, but… it’s not harder than first-level magic.”
Well, it’s hard to find anything tougher than first-level magic. What you could learn at Kalon Academy mostly consisted of easy spells within second level, and tough ones needed to be learned during quests or directly from the principal.
Especially with someone like Elisa, who boasts excellent magic skills, the third-year curriculum shouldn’t be much of a challenge. She wasn’t the type to flaunt her talents; she was a diligent, studious achiever.
“That’s a relief. I was going to consider hiring a private tutor if it got tough.”
With the money I had now, it wouldn’t be hard at all to hire a top-notch wizard, and if needed, I could even talk to the principal about getting a short lesson.
“I’m fine.”
“Then I’ll take your word for it.”
If she says she can do it alone, then pushing someone on her would just be meddling.
“Johann! Look over there! It’s a cat!”
Huh?
Isn’t that the cat that roams around Yeomyeong-gwan? The cat was leisurely walking around in the grass, lazily preparing for a stroll now that the weather was pleasant.
“Meow~”
Elisa crouched down and extended her hand toward the cat. A typical way to call a cat. The cat, who often received treats from the people at Yeomyeong-gwan, ambled over to Elisa and rubbed against her palm.
The cat let out a content sound as it enjoyed Elisa’s touch. I placed my hand on Elisa’s head as she petted the cat.
“Y-Yohann?”
“Isn’t it just too cute?”
“C-Cute? The cat?”
“No. I mean you.”
“Uuuh…”
Elisa quietly accepted my touch. Seeing her move her head in response was a sign she truly liked it.
“I want to keep being petted like this.”
“You really are like a little puppy.”
“I’d be fine with being your puppy, Johann…”
“You’ve got some pretty questionable tastes, huh?”
Huh?
Who said that?
“Y-Yohann! The cat is t-talking…”
“It’s not the first time seeing a talking cat, is it?”
No, that’s due to the unique position of a familiar. But a cat we’ve known for a long time talking is an altogether different matter.
I pulled Elisa into my arms and quickly stepped back into a defensive stance.
If it shows any suspicious behavior, I’ll turn it into cat stew right away. Maybe sensing my thoughts, the cat licked its front paw and spoke.
“Don’t be so wary. I’m not an enemy.”
“How should I believe that?”
“Sadly, I have no way to prove it.”
“Ha.”
“Still… I’ve come to offer you a proposal that may not be bad for you.”
“First, reveal who you are.”
“Don’t you suspect already?”
“…Hecate.”
Who would have thought a god would approach me first?
I frowned at the unexpected turn of events.
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