<Author’s Notes>
【Sorry to keep you waiting. The eBook version of the Light Novel’s Volume 13, even though it has been delayed a bit, has now been released】
After talking with Funf-san, Alice finally got off my back and we headed to the next location with her Teleportation Magic. What we arrived at was a town I was seeing for the first time.
The town was quite large, not as large as Yggfresis, but it still seemed about the size of the city in the vicinity of Kuro’s castle.
[……This is the first time I’ve seen this town. Where is this?][This is one of the towns on the land that Kuro-san owns. Kuro-san’s land is vast, so she had several towns like this. Each of these towns has its own representatives, and Zwei-san is the one who organizes them.]
[Ahh, so that’s why Zwei-san is here huh……]
[She has many offices here and there, but this is where she does her main work.]
After a brief explanation, we arrived at a large building near the center of the town. After Alice said a word or two to the person who seemed to be guarding the entrance, we were immediately ushered into a room, which seemed to be Zwei-san’s room.
When I entered the room, I saw Zwei-san silently organizing a large amount of documents on a large table.
There was a large sofa and a beautiful table in the room, so I understood that it was used not only as an office, but also as a reception room.
When Zwei-san saw that we had entered the room, she stopped working and quickly standing up, she gave us a beautiful bow.[Miyama-sama, Shalltear-sama, welcome. I deeply apologize for not being able to prepare to receive you……]
[Hello, Zwei-san. I’m sorry for our sudden visit.]
[You don’t have to worry about hospitality or anything like that…… For the time being, just bring me some snacks.]
[At once.]
[Oi, Alice……]
While feeling astounded at Alice who cheekily demanded sweets after saying not to worry about it, I sat down with Alice on the big sofa at Zwei-san’s urging.
After placing some fancy-looking cookies on the table, Zwei-san quickly brewed us a pot of tea using the utensils provided in the room…… This was already my third cup of tea. I felt like my stomach was starting to get flabby.
[So, how may I be of service today?]
[Ahh, no, it’s nothing much. I’ve decided to revise a part of the Peerage system, and I’ve come to certify Zwei-san as a Duke-level, High-ranking Demon.]
[……Revising a part of the system, I see…… You lowered the threshold for the Duke-ranks and raised Ein to a higher level huh? Also, were you planning on raising a certain number of people from each camp to Duke-rank?]
[As expected of Zwei-san, you’ve read the situation well. That’s right.]
[……Have you actually managed to convince Ein well?]
[……The new rank is now named Maid-Rank.]
[You have my heartfelt sympathy.]
As if she understood everything by the words Alice said and the expression on her face, Zwei-san had an indescribable expression on her face.
[By the way, Zwei-san?]
[What is it?]
[I apologize for my sudden visit today. You must have been flabbergasted, right? Well~~, I should have sent out a notice a while ago~~]
[……Errr, Shalltear-sama? Ummm, from my past experiences, when Shalltear-sama has that kind of expression on your face…… How should I say this…… Errr…… I have a bad feeling about this.]
As a nasty smile appeared on Alice’s lips, Zwei-san somehow looked flustered. Zwei-san was still keeping her magic power from leaking out, so I couldn’t read her emotions through my Sympathy Magic…… but there’s no doubt that she looked like she had some bad premonition.
[Well, it’s just, we suddenly came out of nowhere, and even though it felt like we walked in while you were working…… I was just thinking…… You sure are very well-groomed, aren’t you~~?]
[…….Shalltear-sama…… I already understand what you’re trying to say. Please, please have mercy……]
[Oya? This smell, I see you’re even wearing new perfume. When you heard that Kaito-san was here, I guess you must have prepared in a great hurry before we arrived here~~. And yet, when we entered the room, you acted like you didn’t notice our arrival, acting like you were just doing your job like usual~~]
[……I- It’s not like I was doing that…… I- I- It’s not that I hurriedly got myself ready just because Miyama-sama was coming. It also just so happened that I put on my new perfume……]
Zwei-san, just like Lilia-san, seemed to be the type of person who couldn’t lie, and it was all too obvious as her eyes were clearly swimming about and she clearly looked flustered, completely different from her usual coolness.
[By the way, that document you were holding when we entered the room…… “It was upside down, you know”?]
[……………………………….I prepared for your arrival with great enthusiasm. The best cookies and other things in the residence were prepared and waiting.]
[Unnn, unnn, it’s good that you’re being honest.]
Zwei-san, hiding her bright red face with her hands, hung her head low and fully acknowledged what Alice was pointing out…… Unlike my first impression of her, Zwei-san may really be quite a lovely person.
Also, I think I now somewhat understood why Alice said that Zwei-san was someone that was teased often.
<Afterword>
Serious-senpai : [She’s basically a serious person, so that makes her a good teasing target for Alice huh……]
