Chapter 93

“Welcome… Oh, Takumi-san? It’s been a while!”

Upon opening the door, I was greeted not by the bespectacled clerk, but by Mars. Seeing me, his face lit up brilliantly with a delighted smile.

Indeed, as he said, it had been quite some time since I last visited the perfume shop, “Ingrid Perfume.”

“Is that so? But I’m glad to see you’re well, Mars-kun.”

I had returned to the capital just yesterday after completing the subjugation of the Drain Dryad.

As a reward for the mission’s safe and resounding success, the members of the Drain Dryad subjugation team had been granted three days of rest, starting today.

Therefore, I decided to take this opportunity to visit the perfume shop.

Previously, Gazelle had told me to refrain from coming to the perfume shop to investigate the girl’s objective, but in the end, she hadn’t shown up here since then. Considering the reaction the last time our member met her, it was unlikely there would be a third encounter, so it was judged that there would be no problem with me visiting the perfume shop now, and I was granted permission.

“By the way, I heard! The Black-winged knights achieved a complete subjugation of the Drain Dryad!”

“Mars-kun, you heard about that too?”

Mars brought a chair from the back of the shop, and I gratefully took a seat next to the counter where it was placed. He went back inside and returned with steaming tea. Sitting down on the chair opposite me, he handed me the tea.

The tea seemed to be mixed with jam, and as I took a sip, the sweet and sour taste along with the fragrance of flowers spread through my mouth instantly. My chilled body was soothed and warmed, and the tea was delicious.

I had walked along the main street to get here, but the capital was getting colder. At this rate, the second snowfall might come soon.

“Perhaps the reason we haven’t seen much of you recently is because you were part of that subjugation team?” Mars tilted his head slightly as he asked me.

The success of the Drain Dryad subjugation seems to be a hot topic throughout the kingdom of Ritzheim. Even before coming to this perfume shop, most of the people I passed on the street were talking about it.

Speaking of which, Gazelle had said with a wry smile yesterday, “There might be a celebratory party at the castle to commemorate the successful subjugation. Be prepared, Takumi.”

A celebratory party at the castle, huh? If it happens, I’d be nervous but also a bit excited.

“Yeah, that’s right. Although, I didn’t really do much,” I said modestly.

“That’s just like you, Takumi-san! Congratulations!” Mars beamed with a smile.

His smile was charming, and looking at him like this, it was hard to believe he was the same person as that Demon King. Then, unexpectedly, Mars’s smile faded.

“Actually, it would have been nice if my sister was here… but she’s out purchasing supplies and won’t be back until late at night. It’s unfortunate that you and Takumi-san just missed each other.”

“I see. I wanted to meet her too, but I haven’t been feeling well in the stomach.”

“Yes… When she finds out that Takumi-san visited, she will surely be disappointed,” Mars said, his words contrary to the smile that played loosely on his lips. He must be imagining the aftermath of the bespectacled clerk’s return.

His smile was truly that of a brother thinking of his sister, and it made my heart stir with emotion.

As I watched Mars with a heartfelt gaze, he noticed and smiled softly.

“I am grateful to you, Takumi-san.”

The two of them really are close. If it weren’t for the horns growing on Mars-kun’s head, some might believe they were actual siblings.

“To me?”

“Yes. That you’ve come here… that I have a new family now, it’s all thanks to you,” Mars spoke gently, with a maturity that took me aback.

For a moment, I saw a double image – him as an adult, like the Demon King. Feeling suddenly awkward, I turned my face slightly away from Mars-kun…

I had gotten permission from Gazelle and Felix to come here because I wanted to see Mars-kun today. The Demon King once transferred almost all his magical power to me. Although I don’t feel that power within me…

But he was concerned for me until the very moment he lost consciousness.

So I wondered, if I chose not to return to my original world and stayed in this one, what would the Demon King say? That was why I came to this store.

…Perhaps he would be angry or disappointed. That worry made it all the more crucial that I meet Mars-kun today. Yet, revealing such feelings would only trouble Mars-kun. This was something I needed to keep to myself.

“I haven’t done much. Gazelle and Felix took care of all the adoption and legal procedures.”

“No, it’s not about that…”

“Mars-kun?”

Suddenly, Mars grimaced in pain, clutching his head with both hands. I quickly stood up from my chair.

“What’s wrong? Does your head hurt?”

“Sorry… I’ve been having these pains occasionally lately…”

I placed a hand on Mars-kun’s back as he pressed his head. To my surprise, his back felt unusually hot through his clothes.

I thought about calling someone, but unfortunately, the bespectacled clerk was not in today. I considered calling a doctor, but I hesitated to leave Mars alone.

What should I do…? Should I go out to the main street and ask someone to call a doctor for me?

Or should I have that person stay with Mars-kun?

While I was hesitating and rubbing Mars’s back, I heard the sound of the shop’s entrance door opening.

“Oh, good! It seems a customer has come!”

Alright, I’ll have to apologize to them, but while I go to call a doctor, let’s have them watch over Mars-kun.

With that thought, I turned around and gasped.

The newly arrived customer at the store today was dressed in a crimson one-piece, topped with a warm-looking thick overcoat. As she removed the hood of her overcoat at the entrance of the store, glossy hair cascaded down.

It looked like a bright chestnut color where the sunlight filtered through, but it was unmistakably, like mine, black hair.

“Oh? Is something wrong with that child?”

Indeed. The visitor was the same girl from another world, whom I had met before at this store.

“Is the child feeling unwell? Are they alright?”

Noticing Mars holding his head and moaning softly, the girl walked over with a concerned look. I was so taken aback that I just stared at her.

No way, at this timing!

I never expected her to come to the store again, especially not at a time like this.

“Shall I go call someone? Oh, but I don’t know where the hospital is.”

“It’s alright, you don’t need to go that far.”

The one who answered the girl’s question was not me, but Mars.

However, his voice was not the usual boyish one, but a tone lower. Moreover, his way of speaking was not like the usual Mars-kun, but rather, it was closer to the tone he had before he became… when he was not the Demon King’s.

“Mars-kun?”

Startled, I grabbed Mars’s shoulder and peered into his face.

Mars appeared dazed, but as our eyes met, he gradually regained the light in his eyes. Then he looked at me, puzzled.

“Hmm, Takumi-san? Is something the matter?”

Without knowing why, the girl chimed in with Mars’s words.

“…Do you not remember? Just now, Mars-kun started complaining about a headache… and you seemed to be in pretty bad shape.”

“Ah, now that you mention it, that was the case. I’m sorry to have caused concern. But, I’m really okay now,” replied Mars.

“Is that so? If you’re feeling really unwell, I can call a doctor…”

“There’s no need for that. I’m truly completely fine now. Perhaps it’s because the capital has suddenly gotten colder lately.”

“Really, really, it’s been so cold recently! Maybe because of the change in atmospheric pressure, I’ve been having headaches too,” she continued. “Hmm… I wonder if you’re okay. Mars-kun’s agony earlier didn’t seem like a common matter…”

“By the way, you visited this shop before, haven’t you, miss? What brings you here today?”

Despite my concerns, Mars seemed to have completely returned to his usual self.

He asked the girl with a slightly sharp tone. From the time she first visited and troubled his sister, who was a clerk at the shop, it was clear he wasn’t thinking highly of her.

“Uh… well, I think I was in the wrong before… I was just hot-headed at that time,” the girl said, her shoulders drooping dejectedly at Mars’s words.

Mars appeared somewhat taken aback by her dejection.

“…By the way, isn’t that girl here today?” The girl looked around, regaining her composure.

Mars’s expression became wary and tense again at her behavior. I quietly restrained him with a glance and turned back to the girl.

“She’s out for the day. If you need something from her, I’ll listen,” I said.

“Oh, now that you mention it, your face… I feel like I’ve seen it somewhere…”

The girl tilted her head slightly, gazing at me. For some reason, she didn’t seem to run away today.

Could it be because of the clothes? The last time I met her, I was wearing the uniform of the knights, but today I was in civilian clothes. Maybe she doesn’t recognize me as a knight because of that.

“I am Takumi. This is the second time we meet…”

“Huh, is that so?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

But there, our conversation abruptly ended.

Huh? Is that it?