ch281-ch300 · 289-ch289

Chapter 289: The Real Holy Maiden

"Now then—to celebrate everyone's Triple-Rank promotion: cheers!"

"Cheers!"

We made it safely back to the surface, and it's the day after the everyone-to-Floor 30 operation ended.

Anego-san, seated on the far side from us, gets the celebration party underway.

By the way, I did properly go to school today, and it's evening now, you know?

This is a restaurant near HQ that serves alcohol—so naturally, we don't drink.

The plan is to head home before it gets too late.

The heavy drinkers have been seated as far away as possible. Very considerate.

Like Anego-san, Mia-san is at the farthest seat of all.

"Haruki-san, there's Chikuzen-ni. Let's order more."

Kasumi-san is beside me, and the other side of me is a wall.

Across the table: Soushi, Aikawa, and Shiraishi-san.

'Sato-saaan, this one's tasty.'

'Ah, this one too, this one. Say ahh.'

Sato-san is still surrounded by the women, as ever.

Robo-ko-san secured the seat right next to him, but cowed by the crowd around them, she can't get a word in.

I'll cheer her on in my heart.

The men of Hondo-san's party are likewise scattered around, each surrounded by women.

'Eh? You got 【Dual Swordsman】? What a waste—. I've decided I'm going 【Dual Swordsman】 for my upper job no matter what. How do you usually fight?'

'Congrats on Triple—. Ahh, so jealous of the New Dungeon survey—'

'I will definitely catch up. So go on ahead of me.'

Today's attendees aren't just the operation participants.

Several of the women adventurers they usually run freelance parties with have come as well.

The cocoa-loving Cocoa-sis is here too, but this shop doesn't stock cocoa.

Speaking of Cocoa-san—the two part-time girls apparently got taken around by Dr. Amamiya on a tour of 【Chef】 shops across the various dungeons during the operation.

The three-day weekend and no school—perfect timing.

Shiraishi-san cooked dinner before coming, so right about now those two are eating in the Chiba Dungeon.

"Mmm-mmm-mmm. Haruki-san, the Chikuzen-ni is here. Say ahh."

Oh my—spurred on by that other table, Kasumi-san feeds me.

Aikawa makes an "eeh?" face, but it's fine.

This isn't the dungeon. Monsters aren't going to come swarming.

Flirting to our hearts' content.

You go feed Soushi too.

"Digging i— Gweh!"

The moment I open my mouth to eat, someone shoves me into the wall.

And now she's wedged herself in between me and Kasumi-san.

"Tasty~ Kasumi-chan fed me, so it's twice as tasty~"

Who? It's cramped, you know?

She keeps pressing me into the wall.

But...... soft......

"Miyuki!? Why are you here?"

Miyuki?

Kasumi-san, startled, checks behind her.

Her gaze lands on the black-suited people at the counter seats.

This was supposed to be a private booking with fifty-plus people here, no?

Ah—this person's bodyguards......

"EHHH!?"

Soushi and Aikawa cry out in shock.

No wonder they do.

This person is the 'Holy Maiden'......

"Hm? Did no one tell you? I was in the lineup from the very start? An emergency patient came in, so I ran late, but still. Everyone—congrats on Triple-Rank—cheers!!"

"Cheers!"

'Gyahahaha, another round—'

That's Mia-san's voice, demanding another round after downing hers.

Her face is already bright red.

The 'Holy Maiden' downed hers too—but that was my drink, no, Kasumi-san's......

It's juice, by the way.

"Your Chikuzen-ni here is delicious. I love Chikuzen-ni."

Oh my—we're on the same wavelength.

I also "love it"—it's my setting!

"Mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm. Please move aside. Haruki-san can't breathe. There is a free seat over there, so sit there."

No, no—please don't trouble yourself.

"Then, Kasumi-chan, slide one seat that way. There we go."

"Mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm. Very well."

Sandwiched between the wall and Kuwashima-san, I must have looked pleased—because seeing it, Kasumi-san was the one to give in.

Kasumi-san moves one seat over, and the 'Holy Maiden' takes her seat.

I'm freed from between the wall and the 'Holy Maiden'...... how disappointing.

Is me sitting in the middle seat not allowed?

Not allowed, right...... yes......

"Ku-, ku-, ku-, Kuwashima-san, right? I'm a huge fan! There's someone in my class who admired you so much he became an adventurer because of you! Ah—I'm Natsukawa Soushi!"

You're a fan of the 【Light Armored Warrior】 lady, aren't you......

Come to think of it, the class delinquent, Minami, is a Kuwashima-san fan.

In first year he fell off his motorbike and broke a bone, and she healed it, apparently.

He loved bragging about that.

"My? You're Soushi-kun, then. So the one next to you is Natsuki-chan. I'm Kuwashima Miyuki, Kasumi-chan's cohort-mate. Nice to meet you."

Does she know Shiraishi-san?

Their greeting was just a mutual nod and "same to you."

"Mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm. How do you know that?"

Yeah, that.

Does she know about me, too?

"So many M's, aren't there? When I heard about today's gathering, I was told. Of course, about this one too."

Oh my?

"This one" being me?

She glanced at me for a moment, there.

No, no. What a small face.

I see her in the commercials almost every day, but the real thing is different.

A figure that would put gravure idols to shame.

Such a small face, and yet so big.

Different from 'that Saint'—this is the real 'Holy Maiden.'

"Mm. Then no explanation is necessary. This is my fiancé, Kasugano Haruki-san!"

Ka-shing! She brandishes her trusted trump card—the silver ring fitted on her left ring finger.

"MMMMMMMM! Bad, bad, Kasumi-chan. What you're doing is a crime, you know?"

So many M's!

"We have already had the formal meeting between our families, and both sets of parents have approved the marriage. Besides, Haruki-san is eighteen—an adult. Legally, there is no problem whatsoever."

"That's not the point! Society won't accept it!"

True—hence the secrecy, and......

'That's right, that's right! Tell her—!'

'Long live the Spear King—!'

'Don't think you get to be the only happy one—!'

The crowd joins in with the fired-up Kuwashima-san.

"......…"

'B-but! You took us all the way to Floor 30, so I'll forgiiive—!'

'Yeah, yeah, what matters is love, love!'

'High schooler, rookie adventurer—lightbulb!'

But at one glare from Kasumi-san, the peanut gallery swings around to her side.

"You took these kids to Floor 30 this time, didn't you? Where did the Kasumi-chan who said she'd never let adventurers do dangerous things go? Is it this one's fault? It's this one's fault, isn't it!"

Hmm.

Kuwashima-san is like this normally......?

She's always so crisp and composed on TV.

And she calls Kasumi-san with "-chan."

"Calling him 'this one' does not meet with my approval. He is my fiancé. Please treat him with respect. ......Haruki-san, there is still time. Pay us no mind and eat."

"Ah, yes......"

Kasumi-san leans across Kuwashima-san to talk to me.

"MMMMMMMMM! I'm not finished talking! Look at me properly! The chairman is looking for this one too, you know! If it gets out......"

Bam!

Eek.

Kasumi-san slammed the table......

The shop goes dead silent.

"The chairman? That is the second word I hate most. Please do not say that name......"

"B-but what am I supposed to call him, then?"

Kuwashima-san cowers before that intensity.

"Let's see. For convenience, we shall refer to that person as 'that one.' Outside of public settings, of course."

Kasumi-san getting this angry is rare.

There's 'that Saint' too, and that chairman must be a really bad man.

"Oh? What's this, a fight? Fine by me—keep it up—. Gyahaha. Oh, Haruki, huh? Drinking?"

Drawn by the commotion, drunk Mia-san barges in.

That may have saved us from the bad atmosphere......

The black-suited people who'd stood up sit back down.

"I'm not drinking. Haru-kun is over there. This one is Soushi!"

But she's far too drunk, and even Aikawa is put off.

"Huh? There are two Harukis? Hiramatsu-ryu Clone Jutsu, is it? Gyahaha. Hm? You're not drinking. My sake not good enough for ya?...... Just kidding. Gyahahahaha!"

Is this woman okay......

Eh? She's always like this? I see......

"Two Haruki-sans...... Perhaps a little alcohol is fine now and then after all."

"Mmhm. I'm drinking too—can't stand it otherwise! BEER!"

So even the 'Holy Maiden' drinks.

"Me, sake—warm sake—!"

It's October, and the nights are getting cold, after all.

"Parfait for me~ Bring me the one at the top of the menu~"

It IS cold, you know?

After that, drunk Kuwashima-san clung to me and so on, but this and that happened......

I got to talk with Hondo-san and the other sober ladies about all sorts of things, so joining the celebration was worth it.

Ah—Kasumi-san didn't drink, and took us home when the time came.

But afterward, the two of them apparently moved on to Kuwashima-san's house and drank.

And the night call got interrupted by Kuwashima-san—Kasumi-san was angry about that.

By the way, the next day, Mia-san was nowhere to be seen.