The Teahouse (Not Green)

Since talking outside would have looked strange, we decided to move our conversation to a nearby teahouse. For some reason, though, I felt guilty about ruining my date with Glacia. So on the way there I quietly apologized for messing up our date, but her answer was this.

We had only eaten at a commoner-style restaurant, so what exactly had she accomplished? Well, if she was happy, that was good enough for me. I was a man with a heart as wide as the sea, after all.

We sat down and started ordering our drinks one by one. Naturally I ordered melon juice, while Glacia chose a simple black coffee. Squar flipped through the menu for a while before placing her order with a bored expression.

"Please make the chocolate cookie latte with soy milk instead of regular milk, add honey and syrup, preheat the cup to ninety degrees, and don't forget to sprinkle coconut powder on top."

Man, that was one ridiculously complicated order. While the server stood there looking flustered, the Heavenly Demon Ocheon-yeong closed his menu as well. Given his aura, he seemed like the type who should be drinking herbal or green tea, yet...

"One musk melon parfait and a chocolate parfait with extra strawberries on top, if you would."

Was there an order that clashed more with his appearance? An old man who looked like he'd only ever guzzle alcohol turning out to be a parfait addict—it really felt like the end of the world. I was worried the old man might get diabetes and kick the bucket.

Still, the fact that a medieval fantasy world was overflowing with sweets like this made it seem like all historical accuracy had been thrown to the dogs. Then again, some isekai stories had people adding sugar to burdock stew as a way to fight food shortages, so maybe it wasn't a problem.

After a while our drinks arrived. I downed the cool melon juice in one go and asked my question.

"Squar, noona, what brings you here anyway? Actually, before that—what country's etiquette is it to send a letter saying 'The two of us are going'? I'm an uneducated orphan, so I wouldn't know."

Squar, who had been about to take a sip of her drink, smiled slyly.

"Hmm... This isn't the kind of story to discuss in a place with so many ears listening."

She snapped her fingers, and trump cards began flying throughout the entire café. When she clapped her hands, every single person inside the teahouse vanished.

Glacia looked around in shock. It was only natural; customers, staff, and even the owner had all disappeared in the blink of an eye.

"What did you do to those people...?"

"Don't worry too much. Right now they're all fast asleep inside a false space I created."

"Just how in the world did you manage to do that to so many people at once..."

"Revealing the principles behind a trick goes against a magician's virtue, I'm afraid. It's also contrary to the nature of a phantom thief."

In short, she just couldn't be bothered to explain it step by step. This was the Phantom Magic that Squar used—a complex spell said to have been developed by her master, the righteous thief known as Darkwing, who had supposedly stolen an entire nation. Unlike conventional magic that utilized nature spirits, it involved intricate formulas that interfered with space itself, combining alchemy, artifact usage, assassination techniques, and martial arts into one.

"Hmph... Haven't I told you not to tease a young one with such petty sorcery?"

The Heavenly Demon Ocheon-yeong said this as he had already emptied one parfait.

"Anyway, I don't need all that. I'd appreciate it if you just told me why you're here."

"Hiiing... This big sis came all this way, and that's the reaction I get? Our youngest has gotten so cranky."

Squar covered her eyes and began pretending to cry.

"That child is turning thirty the day after tomorrow, so stop it already. Quit the nonsense and get to the point."

"Oh, right."

Squar stopped her crying act. As expected from a half-succubus, her personality was quite mischievous.

"First off, it's a message from our leader."

"It's pretty important information, so I understand why it couldn't be sent in a letter... but did two people really need to come just to deliver that?"

At that, the Heavenly Demon's educational Blue Lightning Fist came crashing down on my head. Even though it was just a fist, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it stung like an electric shock and hurt like I'd been hit with a hammer, but I didn't cry out.

"Ow! Old man, why'd you hit me?"

"In a situation where there might be a traitor, what kind of foolish talk is that about sending only one person to you?"

Ah... So if they sent only one and that one turned out to be the traitor, something bad could happen, which is why they sent two. When I thought about it, it sounded like a pretty reasonable decision.

Squar shrugged her shoulders and spoke in a bitter voice.

"We haven't suffered any direct damage yet, but... thanks to that, the atmosphere among our comrades has become one where everyone is watching each other. The old harmonious vibe is still there on the surface... but that's all it is. We can't even go fishing alone at night without someone secretly following."

Just the fact that comrades were suspecting each other like this was threatening enough. Suspicion was the worst enemy a group could have.

"It's hard to imagine. They're monitoring each other like that and still haven't found the traitor?"

"That's why the leader initially suspected Ricardo. But it's not him. We fed fake information in the report to the imperial family, and the enemy noticed it."

"Oh, I see, fake info—wait, hold on. You wrote fake information in the documents submitted to the imperial palace?"

Intentionally writing falsehoods in documents sent to the imperial palace was a serious crime that could lead to execution. To do such a thing so casually, it seemed like they all had guts the size of their stomachs.

"But that was the only way to check if Ricardo was the traitor or not."

"I'll add my testimony to that. Brother Ricardo is not the traitor."

His name did a bit of a strange dance, but Ricardo was definitely a good person.

"Yeah, yeah. Oh, and... we recently found one of the Black ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Round Table's branches near the capital."

That wasn't information to be thrown around like a tomato sale at the store next door.

"So how did you find out about that?"

"We've decided not to disclose the sources of information anymore. In a situation where we don't know who the traitor might be, revealing who the informant is would be suicidal."

In short, it meant she couldn't even trust the Heavenly Demon old man.

"We're thinking of going ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to crush it next Thursday with the old man... Youngest, do you want to come along?"

"Ah, can you postpone that to Friday?"

"We could do that, but... is there a particular reason?"

Seeing both the Heavenly Demon and Squar's eyes sharpen, it seemed that if it was related to the Black Round Table, they would be on guard first. Well, that made sense.

"I have an important appointment next Thursday."

"An important appointment?"

Even Glacia began staring at me with curious eyes.

Saying I was meeting a god might make me sound crazy...

"My mother is alive."

At that, both Squar and Glacia jumped up in shock and shouted.

The only one maintaining his composure was the Heavenly Demon old ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠man.

"So, is it really unmistakably your mother...?"

Saying that while holding a parfait glass didn't give off much dignity, but... the Heavenly Demon seemed worried that I might be getting deceived.

Well, even in the world I came from, there were countless people who approached successful orphans claiming to be their biological parents, so it was a natural concern.

"It's information from a trustworthy person... or rather, informant, so it's definitely true."

"No, who is that informant?!"

Squar was so shocked she was grabbing my collar and shaking me. She was practically in a state of panic.

"No, noona, you said we shouldn't reveal the informant."

"It's fine in front of this noona, so tell me quickly!"

"There's this old, prickly informant."

The Heavenly Demon old man said while calmly eating his chocolate parfait.

"I see... Then go meet her."

"No, old man! This isn't something to decide so easily! What if this is a trap!"

Well, since he was in a position where he could beat me up anytime if he wanted, I didn't think he'd need to go through the trouble of setting a trap...

"Shouldn't we go together?"

"There is nothing more foolish than a third party interfering in matters between parent and child. My master, the Black Winged Sword Saint, also advised me not to interfere in other people's family affairs."

I didn't know who that was, but they sounded like a truly excellent person.

"Don't mind us and go meet her."

I thought the matter had been somewhat resolved, but suddenly Glacia tugged at my sleeve.

"What is it?"

"Um... Could you tell me when I should go greet Mother?"

Her blushing face was cute, but... dealing with all this was giving me a headache.