CHAPTER 47…………………………

It was a little ironic that Lerazier—a demon—was guiding Jenya, a human, around the human world, but everyone was enjoying themselves, so it wasn’t a bad thing.

On top of that, the restaurant recommended by the inn staff had been truly excellent, and the café recommended by the restaurant staff had a wonderful atmosphere as well.

That is, until a new customer walked in.

Jenya had been cheerfully eating her tart when she looked up at the man who entered the café with an unnecessarily loud clatter.

“Hey! Bring me any cold drink!”

Even at the man’s overbearing order as he took a seat at a table diagonally from Jenya’s group, the staff member kept her professional smile and politely bowed her head.

Apparently irritated about something, the man roughly raked a hand through his hair and raised his voice at his companion. Losing interest in him, Jenya looked across the table at Lerazier.

“It feels like it’s about to get noisy.”

In other words, since they had eaten enough, it was time to leave. Lerazier seemed to agree and nodded.

“Yeah, let’s finish up and go.”

Lumiere had already finished her tea and pushed her share of the dessert toward Jenya, so they were able to wrap things up quickly. If not for the man’s booming voice ringing out, they would have left just like that.

“It’s all because of that damn Hero bastard!”

At the shout loud enough to make the café tremble, Jenya and Lerazier’s eyes met.

Blinking blankly at the sudden statement, Jenya was startled to see that Lerazier looked just as surprised.

Why is he that shocked?

Even Lumiere, who had glanced over subtly, didn’t seem bothered at all.

Jenya forced an awkward smile and started to rise again when the man’s voice rang out once more.

“Damn it, why is it our fault he turned out like that?!”

“Jin, lower your voice.”

“Lower it? Who’s even listening!”

The fact that he was shouting at the top of his lungs while thinking no one could hear them was absurd. Jenya swallowed a dry laugh when Lerazier whispered softly in front of her.

“Would it be all right if we listened to this a bit longer?”

“…Pardon?”

“I have a great interest in the Hero.”

Only then did Jenya remember that the Hero was included among Lerazier’s category of handsome men.

Right.

Watching Lerazier prick up his ears and focus on the conversation, Jenya turned to meet Lumiere’s eyes.

What should we do? she asked silently, but Lumiere simply smiled at her with clear eyes, as if she hadn’t understood the question.

Realizing she was the only one flustered, Jenya finally relaxed and leaned back in her seat.

And like Lerazier, she focused on the men’s conversation.

“No, I mean… that’s not… why would that….”

Perhaps because they had lowered their voices, it was hard to hear them clearly now.

As Jenya raised her brows, Lumiere whispered softly beside her.

“They’re saying the Hero has gone missing. It seems they’re being questioned by the Temple over it.”

Startled, Jenya looked at her. How could she say something like that so calmly?

Unfazed by Jenya’s expression, Lumiere continued.

“He was summoned to the main temple but is refusing to go. Everyone else responded to the summons, so he’s anxious.”

Who was that man, that the Temple would summon him over Lumiere’s disappearance?

“And now he’s panicking and lamenting it. Would you like me to relay everything?”

Seeing that Lumiere seemed ready to repeat their entire conversation word for word, Jenya quickly shook her head.

Then, conscious of Lerazier sitting across from her, she asked,

“They’re saying the Hero has gone missing?”

She had no way of knowing whether the Demon King had revealed Lumiere’s true identity to Lerazier. Even if he knew, he would probably still pretend not to.

“So it seems.”

“But that can’t be true, can it? If the Hero had really gone missing, it wouldn’t be this quiet.”

They had wandered around the city for two or three hours before their meal and hadn’t heard a single word about the Hero’s disappearance.

So she had naturally assumed that any news about Lumiere had been suppressed by those in power.

“The man across from him says that one of them is one of the Hero’s companions.”

“…What?”

“One of the Hero’s companions.”

Really? Jenya stood there stunned when Lerazier cut in from across the table.

“Yes, apparently that one is a mage, one of the Hero’s companions.”

At that, Jenya stiffly turned to look at him. When their eyes met, he frowned slightly.

“From what I’ve heard, it sounds real.”

“…Y-you said you’ve seen the Hero in person before. Have you ever seen his companions?”

“Hmm. Even if I had, with a face like that, I doubt I’d remember him. Just a moment…”

When it came to faces, he was ruthlessly honest.

Jenya wanted to grab Lumiere and ask if that man was truly her companion.

As she clenched her teeth, Lumiere reached over and took her hand.

Slowly turning her head, Jenya saw Lumiere give her a faint smile, as if to say don’t worry.

So he isn’t?

As Jenya tried to interpret the meaning of that smile, Lerazier spoke again.

“I suppose there’s nothing more to hear. Shall we get up?”

Ah.

Showing hesitation or shock here would not be wise. Forcing strength into her legs so she wouldn’t stumble, Jenya rose from her seat and followed Lerazier.

After paying and leaving the café, Lerazier let out a deep sigh.

“I hope it’s a lie.”

“…Pardon?”

“The Hero being missing… that’s a terribly sad thing, isn’t it?”

How was she supposed to respond to that? Jenya kept her mouth shut, unable to find words, while Lerazier continued without caring.

“Such a beautiful face!”

The owner of that very face was right beside him, yet he hadn’t recognized her at all.

“As I said before, that Hero is truly very beautiful. A beauty comparable to His Majesty. Especially those lake-like blue eyes—do you know how remarkable they are?”

Murmuring with a grave expression, Lerazier added,

“Losing such a face is a loss to the nation—no, to the human realm.”

Listening to what was clearly no joke but sincere lamentation, Jenya forced an awkward smile.

“Shall we return to the inn and rest for a while?”

Lerazier seemed to have lost interest in sightseeing, and more than anything, Jenya wanted to hear the full story from Lumiere.

But Lerazier refused the suggestion.

“No, we can’t do that just because of me.”

“It’s fine. I’ve had a wonderful time.”

When Jenya answered with an effortful smile, Lerazier hesitated briefly before saying,

“Then let’s stop by just one more place. I must also carry out the task His Majesty ordered.”

“Ah.”

If it was for that, Jenya had no choice but to wait. Checking the time, Lerazier led the way.

“I’ve already contacted them in advance. We’ll just receive the information and leave.”

Suppressing her curiosity, Jenya followed him again. Fortunately, their destination wasn’t far.

“Wait here for a moment.”

Pointing at a shabby, pitch-black building, Lerazier added,

“You could come in with me.”

“It’s not exactly a desirable place. There are some rather rough types there.”

If she couldn’t confirm anything, there would be no point in having followed him.

As Jenya tried to speak again, Lerazier glanced around and pointed to a café with long rows of outdoor seating.

“Wait here.”

Before she could protest, he raised a hand to order a drink for her and disappeared before she could stop him.

Watching him vanish in an instant, Jenya frowned.

“There’s no point in coming along.”

“Shall I sneak in and eavesdrop?”

Jenya brightened.

“Can you?”

“If I go alone…”

“Really? Then please do.”

As Lumiere obediently rose from her seat, she paused and asked,

“Will you be all right by yourself?”

“It’s broad daylight and there are plenty of people around. And it’ll only be for a moment.”

Though this area was more on the outskirts compared to where they had wandered earlier, perhaps because of the fine weather, the café’s outdoor seats were fairly full.

After gauging the distance between Jenya’s seat and the building Lerazier had entered, Lumiere finally nodded.

“I’ll return as quickly as possible. If there’s trouble, scream.”

“Okay.”

After glancing at her a few more times as if reluctant, Lumiere swiftly disappeared.

Staring at the seat that had emptied in the blink of an eye, Jenya murmured in admiration,

“That’s impressive.”

Then she looked again toward the dark building—when a glass was set down on her table.

“Huh? Where did your companion go?”

At the café employee’s question as she handed over the drink, Jenya gave a small smile.

“She said she’d take a quick look around. She’ll be back soon.”

“Really?”

Muttering that it was strange since she’d been there just a moment ago, the employee walked away. Jenya took a sip of the drink that had been ordered for her.

For a place she’d been dragged into unexpectedly, the drink wasn’t bad.

As she tried to guess the ingredients of the pleasantly nutty, sweet beverage, she recalled what had happened at the café earlier.

If that man isn’t a companion…

Then news of Lumiere’s disappearance was surely starting to spread among the people.

And as the rumor grew, so would people’s anxiety.

Shouldn’t we return before that happens?

If that man truly was one of the Hero’s companions, wouldn’t the Temple be doing everything it could to find Lumiere?

“This isn’t the time to be debating whether to accept someone’s feelings or not.”

With a bitter smile, she set down her glass—when a dark shadow fell over her head.

Had they already returned? Curious, she looked up, and in that instant, a rough hand clamped around her wrist.

“You—why have you been hovering around me since earlier?”

What was he talking about now? Wincing at the pain in her wrist, Jenya looked up at the owner of the hand.