Chapter 217
Chapter 217
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 217
Chapter Title: An Exotic Princess is Very Interested in Clothes (2)
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Whoosh!
A sharp wind whipped past my ears.
It felt as if I were riding a speeding motorcycle.
But a small question arose.
I wasn't on any vehicle, nor was I using my psychokinesis.
So how on earth was I experiencing such incredible speed?
The answer was quite simple. I was being carried in the arms of someone with incredible strength.
"Sorry, Yuria! We don't have time to walk leisurely... We'll be there soon!"
"..."
Alice dashed through the streets at a tremendous speed, holding me in her arms.
She was so fast that she easily overtook the cars on the road.
What was more surprising was that despite all this, I felt no strain at all.
I could faintly sense just how much care she was taking with me.
*I guess it can't be helped if we're in a hurry. Yes, this is all fine, but...*
Without my psychokinesis, I was just a bit sturdier than others my age.
I had no confidence I could keep up with her pace, which matched the speed of cars.
So, this brute-force method of travel was purely for the sake of rational efficiency.
It was nothing to be upset about, just something perfectly reasonable to endure.
My only complaint was... did she really have to carry me like a princess?
She could have just slung me over her shoulder like a sack of luggage. The stares from passersby were a little sharp.
"...Mmph."
"Hm? What's wrong?"
"Ooh... Daah..."
But one can't become great by dwelling on such trivial things.
I let out a small sigh, cleared my mind, and gently set aside my embarrassment.
Then, with a light wave of my hand, I asked Alice for the specific reason she needed me.
Perhaps even for someone as perceptive as her, it was difficult to understand my intentions.
It took over a minute of back-and-forth before my meaning finally got across and I could hear the full story.
*Hmm, I see. A distinguished guest from overseas requested an escort, and as a bonus, asked for a girl of elementary school age, under 140cm tall, who would look good in any outfit. Hmm, this might be a bit harsh, but... is this guest a pervert?*
Why specifically ask for a short, young girl? No matter how I think about it, the intention seems impure.
Did my inner thoughts show on my face?
Alice gave a small smile as if to say that wasn't it, and added that the client was a girl around my age.
It was certainly an unusual request... so why did it now sound like a perfectly normal one?
In that case, I could fully understand why Alice had come looking for me in such a hurry.
I don't really see it myself, but I'm often told I have good proportions.
And my relationship with the Fixer Agency was so close, we were practically family.
Since Greg had also given his permission, there was no reason for me to refuse a request to come over for a bit.
Alice didn't know the exact reason either. I suppose I'd have to see them in person to find out.
Mmm, I just hope it's not too much of a hassle.
As I was lost in thought, snuggling into Alice's soft embrace,
Alice, who was bounding swiftly down the street, muttered as if in passing.
"By the way, it feels like it's been a while since we've gone around together like this. Don't you think?"
"Yeah."
Well, we've been busy for a while. Lately, we've mostly just exchanged brief greetings.
I briefly retraced my memories and nodded in agreement with Alice.
The reason it felt like it had been so long was more due to Alice than me.
Recently, she had been heading straight home as soon as her work was done.
Far from hanging out, I barely saw her face once every two days.
Of course, it wasn't without reason, so I wasn't particularly hurt.
It was because Alice was studying hard to retake the Fixer exam.
Her father, Renji, had acknowledged Alice's skills and allowed her to stay in Nighthaven.
But she probably wanted to become a proper, certified Fixer and earn her father's full recognition.
I didn't want to get in her way, and I was busy with Crescent and the Psychic Power Response Team.
So, it was only natural that we didn't have as much free time to meet as we used to.
*Is she even cutting back on sleep to work this hard? She looks a little tired right now. ...The back of her hand is a bit rough, too.*
Even for a famously sturdy Oni, lack of sleep must take its toll.
Lying quietly in Alice's arms, I gently reached out and caressed the back of her hand.
At that, Alice's fingers snapped shut like a Venus flytrap, catching my hand.
As I stared at her, startled and bewildered, Alice fiddled with my hand with her fingertips and said,
"Are you scared you might fall? It's okay. I won't let anything happen to you. Don't worry."
"...Mhm."
That wasn't what I was worried about...
Having nothing in particular to say, I gently squeezed Alice's hand back.
Her hand was very warm, yet slightly rough.
Alice is always serious about her sword practice. I guess calluses are unavoidable.
It might not match her glamorous, celebrity-like appearance,
but it was undeniably a mark of hard work etched into her palm. Honestly, I thought it was cool.
Alice was a genuinely skilled swordswoman, after all. This suited her much better than delicate hands.
*So cool. Should I train my body as hard as Alice does? Mmm, but with the time it would take for me to develop calluses... it seems much more efficient to research more ways to use my psychic powers.*
I wasn't born with the inherently superior blood of an Oni like Alice.
And my apparent biological age is that of a child. The training itself might be meaningless.
Still, I'll need enough stamina not to get exhausted from fighting all over the place.
Besides, concentration comes from a solid foundation of physical strength.
It's not inconvenient to go without, but it wouldn't hurt to have it.
Alright, I'll start exercising properly later.
I decided this internally while idly fiddling with Alice's palm.
Of course, it was questionable whether I, who was prone to short-lived resolutions, could stick with it.
Should I just use the Tesseract to change my body? A small smile formed at the silly thought.
***
Thanks to Alice's powerful legs, we covered the distance in an instant.
Alice and I soon arrived at our destination, the Fixer Agency.
Inside, in the reception area, sat two people who were clearly the clients.
One was a blonde young lady who looked to be in middle school, about a hand's breadth taller than me. The other was an old man with pure white hair and shoulders broader than David's.
Hmm, seeing the sword at the old man's waist, he must be the bodyguard.
In that case, the client who was looking for a pretty girl who would look good in anything must be the young lady.
*Huh, she seems familiar... Is she a character from the original story? Mmm, but I can't quite place her...*
I felt a sense of déjà vu, but I couldn't easily recall who she was.
The original plot has long since gone bye-bye, so I can't deduce it from the story's flow.
At this point, it's too difficult to identify someone just by their face...
Muttering this to myself, I peeked inside from beside Alice.
Just then, did they notice that Alice and I had returned?
The girl, who had been sipping her tea with a bored expression, looked at me and spoke.
"...A maid? Don't tell me the child with the covered face is the girl I was looking for, the one who looks good in everything?"
"Yes. Her name is Yuria. She is unable to speak due to certain circumstances, so I ask for your understanding on that matter."
Despite Raven's words, the blonde young lady didn't hide her skeptical gaze.
They were looking for a pretty girl, but I was wearing a mask. I suppose it was a perfectly natural reaction.
Did she conclude that she couldn't learn anything by just sitting there?
She shot up from her seat, walked briskly over to me, and brought her face close.
"Hmmmm..."
"..."
The blonde young lady's gaze was like that of someone carefully examining a product on display in a department store.
To be specific, it was the appraising look of someone scrutinizing jewels or expensive luxury goods.
So, when I met her gaze and cautiously tilted my head as if to ask what was wrong,
she slowly extended a finger, poked my shoulder, and said,
"The ratio between your shoulders, waist, and legs is very good. No... at this level, is it almost ideal? Your height is just right, too. The fact that you have breasts is a slight flaw, but in its own way... it's beautiful."
"Eek...?!"
"But the face is what's truly important. Even with a body that's a 10, if the face is a 5, it's like pearls before swine. Still, with this outstanding physique, a face that's an 8... no, even a 7 would be sufficient. Hey, could you show me your face?"
The girl's index finger lightly traced over my body.
Was it because I was poked so unexpectedly? A strange sound escaped me reflexively.
It didn't feel like sexual harassment, more like a meticulous inspection, so I didn't feel any strong aversion.
Perhaps because my skin is a bit sensitive. It tickled, and my body trembled involuntarily.
But, she wants me to show my face. That's a little embarrassing.
After glancing at Alice and Raven and hesitating for a moment, I lightly took off my mask.
Then, as if to ask if this was enough, I quietly met the blonde young lady's eyes.
At that, she, who had been staring at me with a "let's see what you've got" expression...
reacted with something close to shock, her eyes widening to twice their previous size.
"Ugh... Ah, beautiful...! This is a 10...! No, an 11 of a face! Truly elegance!"
"..."
E-Elegance...?
Blinking at the unfamiliar exclamation, I felt something strike me like a bolt of lightning in my mind.
A gorgeous, blonde beauty who loves to express everything in numbers from 1 to 10 and is obsessed with beautiful things.
Who uses a muscular, sword-wielding old man who clearly has an extraordinary past as a bodyguard.
A young lady who would entrust an escort mission to a first-rate Fixer like Raven...
*The British idol, Anna Stuart...?*
The one and only daughter of Mikhail Stuart, the CEO of Ark, the megacorp that dominates Europe.
And most importantly, someone with a significant connection to the current number one ranked Fixer, Seraph... a true big shot.