Chapter 13 -
The following day, we returned to our home after handing the shackled assassins to the guards.
"U,Um......Chise-san, are you sure we have the time to be casual when your life is being targeted?"
Yuishia, who was anxious due to a noble eyeing us to the point that they even sent assassins to kill us, asked.
"Well, it's not like we can do anything else either, after all."
"So just take it easy and relax~"
"Y, You aren't wrong, but......"
Nevertheless, Yuishia didn't show any sign of calming down. Kuro rubbed her back with his paws to pacify her.
"......I'm so worried. I didn't even know what happened between you and them when I was out to call the guards. No, I've been staying with you guys for so long and yet, I don't know anything about you."
We were being targeted for my wand, my magic bag, and the Cat Sith Kuro. I guess it was time to reveal our status to her.
I was about to speak after reaching that conclusion when someone knocked on the door.
"Someone has come, Majou-sama."
"Just at the right time. Let's go."
I opened the door of our house to see the adventure guild's sub-master Sherryl standing outside.
"Chise-sama, Teto-sama, Yuishia-sama. Guild Master Zerrich-sama is waiting for you at the guild."
"Alright. And Yuishia, I'll explain everything there."
"Okay......"
With those words, we boarded the carriage Sherryl-san had prepared and left for the guild.
After reaching the guild, we were led to the reception room where the prince-cum-guild master Zerrich was waiting for us with a grave expression visible on his face.
"I was waiting for you, Chise-dono, Teto-dono. And it should be our first meeting, Yuishia-kun."
"Y, Yes. Nice to meet you!"
Yuishia, after dealing with all sorts of requests, was now a D-rank adventurer.
So for her, the guild master, who manages both guilds of this royal capital, must be an out-of-reach person.
"I guess you called us for yesterday's event? Or maybe about this morning's matters?"
As I initiated the conversation with such a preface, Zerrich spoke with a tense look.
"...... For both. The guild has received a complaint from the Count Suzurland family that their member had been attacked by adventurers in the city, and are seeking compensation for it. Also, they want us to deliver the monster we have been illegally raising to them."
"I see......"
"I-isn't there something wrong there?! I mean, the guards knew the cause was them recklessly driving their carriage!"
I muttered so faintly, but Yuishia raised her voice in protest.
Though, Zerrich hadn't finished speaking yet.
"And the assassins that Chise-dono handed to the guards confessed that their client was the Suzurland family as well as their purpose, and are being questioned for the other crimes."
"So, how are they going to be dealt with?"
Zerrich's expression donned yet another complex look when I asked and answered.
"Although no injuries were incurred in either incident, Olbert has been placed under house arrest on charges of false accusation, asset coveting, and attempted assassination. His court sorcerer rank will be revoked once he is sentenced. Due to these as well as his other crimes, Suzurland's influence is expected to decline."
If they were not dealt with accordingly, there were chances that the kingdom would receive a strong retaliation from the Gard Beastkin Nation which was our activity base for several decades, and possibly, from the Iska Kingdom too even if they didn't directly share borders.
Aside from that, the behemoth of the organization in this continent, the five goddess church --- where we had put a lot of effort into uplifting the conditions of its orphanages and also where we made donations at regular intervals --- might also step in as our ally.
For the kingdom, rather than harming their relationships with these powers, it was safer to cut loose the three court sorcerers from the Suzurland faction once and for all.
"This may affect you as well Yuishia-kun since we're going to cut down the influence of Suzurland as a magic clan. Furthermore, we're also going to set the influence of the other magic clans on a uniform level and have them work together to focus on magic craft."
The current look on Zerrich's face as he declared so should be the face of a politician who was going to bring a shift in his nation's dynamic.
"Err, I... that, I never borrowed the influence of the Suzurland Clan, so I don't quite get the meaning even if you say so. But, I think it's a joyous occasion if this is going to bring a decline to individuals who don't treat adventurers well when they work together."
"Alright. I'll put some effort into improving the communication in the guild a little to grant your wish."
On the other hand, Yuishia became flustered, not understanding how to answer. Her true feelings, however, brought a gentle look to Zerrich's face.
"Nonetheless, it's the result of our ill judgment to grant Count Suzurland, who bears the title of wind magician, more concessions just because we're a maritime nation. We're really sorry for this incident."
Yushia's eyes, as a matter of course, widened seeing the prince-cum-guild master bowing his head to us, although unofficially, and once again uttered the question.
"Umm...... Seriously, just who are you, Chise-san, Teto-san? Even the guild master is bowing his head to you......"
"Hmm? No way, Chise-dono, Teto-dono, you haven't told her about yourselves? If I'm not wrong, you've been living under the same roof for around five years, no?"
I averted my gaze at his question.
"I mean, I expected Yuishia to be no longer as cordial if we told her who we were......"
"A cordial relationship is more fun than an awkward one-nanodesu~"
When I murmured so while awkwardly shifting my gaze and after hearing Teto's breezy response, Zerrich exhaled a sigh and explained our status to Yuishia.
"They are one of the few A-rank adventurers who go by the party name of ."
"Ehhhh!? They, they're A-rank adventurerssss!?"
I guess our popularity took a dip after being inactive for a few years since the bards had no more stories to sing about the , so she seemed to not be aware of it. Though our status as A-rank seemed to have already shocked her to the core.
Yuishia was in a daze after realizing that the people who let her live with them were A-rank adventurers.
"S-so, great people like A-rank adventurers taught me magic......"
"Well, we came to Lovile Kingdom for the seafood and to live a partial retirement life, that's why we are living a subdued life while hiding our rank."
"It's fun being with you!"
"Partial retirement!? Just how old are you, Chise-san, Teto-san!?"
Now that she said it, we occasionally forgot to keep tabs on our age due to our perpetual appearance so we had to check our guild cards. I was 47 while Teto was 52 years old.
35 years of living in this other world after reincarnation, huh? I guess I've been living quite well if I do say so myself.
"No way, 4-47 and 52 years old...... I mean yeah, your looks haven't changed even a bit in these 5 years....... but you look so young, rather you still look like a child......"
"Well, increased life expectancy and delay in aging do happen with the increase in mana capacity."
"But, it still can't explain your perpetual looks~! You aren't hiding something else, are you!?"
"I'll leave it for you to guess."
"Chise sa~n!"
Yuishia had a half-crying face at my teasing. Zerrich then made a coughing sound to remind us that the talk wasn't over yet, so we shifted our focus back to him.
"The preparation to curb the Suzurland is underway to protect Chise-dono and Teto-dono. However, there's one thing I must confirm."
"What is it?"
"It's about your black cat, Kuro. They are for some reason fixated on him. It's not rare to request for a monster to be turned over if one is proven to be so to maintain the safety of the royal capital. And then, adventurers who keep monsters as pets are obligated to register them in the guild. In case it turns out to be an unregistered monster, the organization is bound to receive criticism in the noble's trial."
He was going all out to keep us safe so we must cooperate with him to not put extra burden on him.
"Come here, Kuro."
<nyaa~></nyaa~>
Kuro, who had been playing with Teto on the sideline since we were having a slightly serious conversation, jumped on my lap at my call.
"Good boy. I am taking off your collar for a bit."
As soon as I took off the collar from Kuro who was on my lap while I patted him, the camouflage effect was canceled and the fairy-like wings appeared on his back.
His wings, which used to be very small in the past, had grown to be quite big, probably due to growing up, as they released strong mana particles in the air.
"So beautiful...... so this is how Kuro-san truly looks......"
"This...... mythical beast - Cat Sith? I see, that's why the heir of the Suzurland family was demanding Kuro, but......"
I took off the collar from Kuro to prove that he wasn't a monster, however, it seemed to have caused a different type of worry to Zerrich and sub-master Sherryl as their brows scrunched up.
"Indeed, it's clear that Kuro's not a monster, but then comes the question of why it hasn't been reported that he's a mythical beast. I mean, it's bound to attract the suspicion that he was poached from the elven settlement."
After saying that, a deeper shade of worry colored his face.
Mythical beasts, including Cat Siths, require different types of environments to live in that was rich in mana. That was why the forest of towering trees --- which also has a world tree --- in the southwest of the Lovile Kingdom was currently serving as their home.
His worries must be stemming from the fact that this time it was their relationship with the elven settlement that was in danger if Kuro was poached from there, however---
"I think you don't need to worry, this kid fell from the floating island. That's why, we are waiting for the floating island to appear to return him to his group."
"Floating island...... seriously? That legendary peninsula? The floating island where dragons and other mythical beasts live!?"
Zerrich's headache seemed to have further increased after hearing this was related to the thousand-year-old legend.
"Though we have no way to prove that."
"Well, do we even need to prove that, though? We can just say this kitten used to be the familiar of a magician but he unknowingly transformed into a monster due to the influence of mana. We have a trusting relationship since Kuro has been with us since he was a kitten, so there shouldn't be any problems."
The only worrisome thing was keeping a wild monster.
But aside from that, there were many exceptions like someone's pet turned into a monster, or raising a monster from an egg through the imprinting method, in which cases they were allowed.
<meow-meow~></meow-meow~>
"Quiet down, Kuro. Majou-sama is saying all these things to protect you."
Teto pacified Kuro who let out a low growl, not liking that he was being treated as a monster.
"I see...... that said, it's clear now that Suzurland's heir wants the Cat Sith in a low-key manner and to keep it a secret. In fact, we can even launch a counter-investigation against him on how he knows about it and why he is spreading false information if the fact was revealed."
After the general discussion was over, everything was left to Zerrich and the others.
Whether being accosted by a noble, or capturing the assassins and handing them to guards, these were trivial matters to me.
However, contrary to expectations, the impact of these events turned out to be far-reaching, causing the movement around me to become even more intense.
