Chapter 478 - Even Worse Than Her

Having to experience something that she couldnt explain in words, seeing her friend that she hadnt seen in a long time had shrunk, Neun-san became dumbfounded.

However, Fors-san is the same as usual. Ive only known her for a short time, but I know that shes the type who doesnt read the mood.

[Come on, Neun, you should calm down. Surprise is just a temporary emotion, and Humans are creatures that easily adapt. Soon, the sense of unease youre feeling will disappear.]

[No, well, youre still the same as usual huh.]

[Did you know? I heard that theres a saying in another world about how leopards cant change its spots. I dont really know what this leopard is, but I heard that it means that ones personality formed at a young age doesnt change even when you get older. Even if hundreds or a thousand years had pa.s.sed, as long as Im me, my personality wont change that much.]

[Huhh Well, lets just forget that. I give up. Its unusual for you to go out, isnt it? Since youre with Kaito-san he probably helped you when you got lost or something like that]

Perhaps understanding Fors-sans personality due to their long relations.h.i.+p, Neun-san quickly gave up and switched the subject.

And from what Neun-san said, I guess Fors-san has been quite directionally-challenged.

[You arent too far off the mark. He had certainly helped me, and I certainly was lost, but the reason he helped me was slightly different. Well, I suppose thats not what you were really asking about. The reason Im here is that Im meeting up with Laguna.]

[Laguna?]

[Im supposed to be meeting her at 9:00 am. But what Im troubled about is that Im late. Just thinking about Lagunas reaction is making my head start to hurt.]

Hearing what Fors-san said, not only Neun-san, but Dr. Viers and I also tilted our heads. After all, its currently 8:50 am, so she shouldnt be late yet.

And yet, Fors-san said that she was late for the meeting. She also wasnt saying that she might be late, but that she was already late I wonder why?

Just as I was about to ask her why, I saw Laguna-san das.h.i.+ng towards our direction.

[FOOOOOOORRRRRSSSS!]

[Ohh, Laguna! Im glad that weve safely met up]

When she saw Laguna-san, Fors-san waved her right hand towards her with a bright smile on her face. However, Laguna-san didnt respond to her greeting and leaping towards Fors-san, Laguna-san slammed her knuckle on her head.

[What the heck are you doing, you b*tch!?]

[Ghaak!?]

Fors-san, who was struck with a strike that held a tremendous force, was slammed face-first into the ground. Eh? What the heck happened? Whats going on?

As I was stunned by Laguna-sans sudden action, Fors-san slowly looked up while holding her head with both hands.

[Ouchie What are you doing all of a sudden, Laguna? Id like it if you wont attack me, a rearguard, with a physical attack. I could feel killing intent from that strike, you know?]

[Thats because it was loaded with killing intent!]

[Oi, oi Well, considering the circ.u.mstances, it was certainly my fault. But Im not mistaken that were supposed to meet at 9:00 am, right?]

[9:00 am on the first day of the Six Kings Festival! I said you should come before the opening ceremony!!!]

9:00 am on the first day of the Six Kings Festival!? Three days had already pa.s.sed that cant even be called late anymore, you know!?

I- I see, its no wonder she was angry. I finally understood what Fors-san meant when she said given my current situation, its unclear to me how the time would have any significance of some sort before. She was late not just by the time, but even by the date

[Haahhh Its good that Ive been coming here everyday, around 9:00 am just in case And here you are Youve got to be kidding me]

[I see, Lagunas anger is indeed understandable. In fact, Im the one who was late, so Ill just obediently apologize. No, Im sorry. However, this may sound like Im just making excuses, but Id like it if you hear my side as well.]

[What is it?]

[In the first place. Isnt it a mistake to let me, who has been called the most directionally-challenged person in the long Elven history, come alone? I can certainly understand that youve been so busy as the king that you havent had time to pick me up, and thats a primary factor why I pity you. But the Flying Dragon Services directly flying towards the venue is set up on the gate to the Demon Realm, which means I would have to reach the gate by myself Incidentally, Ill have you know that it took me two days just to get to the gate near Rigfores.h.i.+a.]

[..]

Listening to Fors-sans words after apologizing for being late, I whispered to the nearby Neun-san.

[Neun-san. Was Fors-san really that directionally-challenged?]

[Yes. To be honest, it was so bad that I once thought that she might have been getting lost on purpose. When I heard what she just said, what Im wondering is How in the world did she get to the gate?.]

It seems that Fors-san is so directionally challenged that its a bit dangerous.

When Neun-san told me about it, I looked back at the two and saw Laguna-san collapsed to her knees, with her hands on the ground.

[Its my fault.]

[Its alright if you understand. However, it still was fundamentally my fault. Even though I was lost, now that I think about it, I still had a way to contact you. This wont do. Maybe its because of my temperament as a researcher, but when I concentrate, my thoughts became narrow. Ill reflect on this By the way, I actually found some interesting plants on my way along the Rigfores.h.i.+a forest. I was so excited harvesting them that I couldnt help myself]

[You b*tch! Doesnt that make it the reason why youre late!!!?]

[N- No, that certainly might be one of the factors but calm down, Humans are beings capable of discussion. Put down that raised fist. If you hit me any harder, I might lose my memory]

Hearing Fors-sans words, Laguna-san looked exhausted, her shoulders slumping down. As I watched their exchange, I called out to Neun-san again, who was now standing next to me before I knew it.

[Fors-san is an amazing person, isnt she? In more ways than one]

[Yes, its just that Well, theres still someone worse among my party members, so I got used to it]

[Eh? Someone worse than her]

[There is. Hapti was quite an amazing person As soon as we arrived at a city occupied by Demons, she went around stealing from the flame-ridden houses without a care in the world, negotiated with the inhabitants who had escaped behind our backs for a reward, led us to some ruins with treasures in it, saying that it was some Demon stronghold, and when we arrived at the Demon Kings castle, she tried to ditch all of us and head straight to the treasury She was a money-grubbing troublemaker]

[.]

[Were rea.s.sured of her abilities, but about half of the shambles our party went through was because of Hapti.]

[.]

After listening to the story Neun-san said with an amazed expression on her face, I quietly left her side and called out to a certain someone behind me.

[Come out here, money-grubber.]

[W- What could you be talking about? I- Im just an extremely beautiful shopkeeper of a miscellaneous goods store, so I dont know who this Transcendental Beauty Phantom Thief Hapti-chan- Migyaaahhhh!?]

It seems like Alice was hiding it from her, so I wont tell Neun-san about Haptis true ident.i.ty. But that being said, I think I still need to punish her on behalf of Neun-san and the others.

With that thought in mind, I turned towards the pale Alice and slowly raised my fist overhead.

Dear Mom, Dad Fors-san is also quite an outrageous person. She was quite the character, but according to Neun-san, Alice no, Hapti was even worse than her.

Ground-type Serious-senpai : [Hmmm. If its not serious, or even lovey-dovey at all, Ill get pretty bored Ahh, could you pa.s.s me the soy sauce?]

? ? ? : [Here Well, Im very curious as to who this Mysterious Transcendental Beauty Phantom Thief Hapti-chan is For the time being, I think Serious-senpai should just prepare for the sweet development that is about to begin.]

Ground-type Serious-senpai : [Dont really wanna though Grilled fish tastes great]

T/N: 49/271