Chapter 106
Chapter 106
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Reunion with the Veiled Informant
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"...Huh?"
Three days later, I returned to the Information Guild.
I was curious about when Karen would arrive, and beyond that, I wanted to gather some other intel, so I'd come back...
"But why are you here?"
"Does it look wrong to you for me to be here?"
"No, it's just..."
"Heh."
...Why the hell was this woman here? I could see her with my own eyes, but I just couldn't wrap my head around it.
Wasn't she only working at the southern branch of the Information Guild...?
As always, she wore a pitch-black dress that covered her completely, with a black veil over her face and gloves and fabric hiding every inch of exposed skin.
I was a little thrown off by the fact that this woman I'd frequently run into whenever using the guild was the one greeting me.
Why, though...?
"Why are you here?"
"Because it's my exclusive spot?"
"...Cut the weird talk. Why are you really here?"
"Hmm... I've been diligently handling you as my client at the Information Guild for ages now, and you're pretty important there too, right?"
Her usual playful demeanor as she dealt with me.
Well... it wasn't entirely wrong. I'd met her here at the guild many times before, and I'd gotten a ton of useful info through her.
I got it, sort of, but it was still pretty disorienting.
"Sigh..."
For now, I sat down in a chair.
Standing there staring at her would've been weird anyway.
"So, what brings you here? What info do you want? Anything I can get for you?"
"...First, I want to know when the second- and third-years from the Academy are coming back."
"That one's easy."
"And about the two saintesses coming in as new students this time."
"That might be... a bit trickier, but I'll give it a shot."
Well... setting aside her attitude and speech, she was damn good at her job. No need to hate her or anything. Just treat her normally.
Of course... her outfit that hid every part of her body, face included, was still bizarre to me.
But as long as she delivered the info properly, that'd be enough.
"...How long are you planning to keep wearing that veil?"
"Hmm...? Why~?"
"You show up every time with the veil, gloves, the works. How could I not be curious?"
"So you're finally interested in me?"
"I've asked before."
"True, you have."
"I know you won't show me anyway."
I'd complained almost every time we met that the veil looked suffocating, the room was dark, and why wear even darker clothes on top of it all.
I hadn't expected her to actually take it off.
Her voice was so soft and refined that it made me wonder about her looks, and since she hid them every single time... it only piqued my curiosity more.
Sure, voice and looks aren't everything, but still, you can't help but wonder.
"Sigh..."
"So, how's the Academy? Place looks huge."
"It's big. Definitely."
I leaned back comfortably in the chair and started chatting with her.
She'd already given me the basic info I wanted, and getting the rest would take time anyway.
No rush to hear more right now.
"Heh heh, after living down south and coming up here, even I'm personally impressed."
"Yeah, seems a lot more comfortable than the south."
"Right? The south gets so brutally hot in summer, it's hard to dress like this... Heh heh..."
"...Why not just not dress like that?"
"It's my signature look."
"........."
What the hell was she on about...?
I'd always wondered, but I could never predict what was going through her head.
I'd thought about it plenty since we first met, but she was impossible to read.
"Water?"
"No thanks, I'm good."
"You just don't want anything from me?"
"...That's not it."
"Eeeeh..."
...Yeah, she was a weird one.
I didn't think I was some normal person either, but she was seriously annoying and odd.
"Fine. Water, please."
"Got it~"
"...Sigh."
...She was great at her job, but her identity was a mystery, her whole deal was unclear, her attitude was ridiculous... yeah.
"Make it cold."
"Sure thing~"
...Having to deal with her every time I visited the Information Guild for three years straight.
Hmm... maybe I should be glad it was someone competent and familiar.
Or should I dread dealing with this hassle of a woman again?
"Oh, right."
"What?"
"The upperclassmen at the Academy start coming back tomorrow."
"...You knew?"
"Yep."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"You didn't ask right away."
"........."
...What a weirdo.
*
"I wonder when she'll show..."
I sat idly at a nearby café by the open plaza.
I was watching as other nobles... more precisely, upperclassmen... began arriving one by one at the same plaza where I'd arrived a few days ago.
I didn't have anything else to do, and today was the day Karen was supposed to arrive, so I'd stuck around...
"An hour's gone by already."
No, it felt like at least an hour had passed, but Karen still hadn't appeared.
Other Academy upperclassmen were disembarking from carriages and heading toward the dorms one after another, but I hadn't spotted the familiar redhead yet.
"Hmm..."
Of course, the strawberry parfait was so good that waiting wasn't that bad.
Karen hadn't said an exact time anyway, so I was just sitting there patiently.
"No Rosaki crest carriages either..."
When the hell was she coming?
It was even more frustrating that no carriages bearing the Rosaki Family crest had shown up.
"...Ah."
Something suddenly clicked.
The Rosaki Family... I'd barely given them a thought until now, but one thing popped into my head.
"...Didn't she have a younger sister?"
I'd never really paid attention, but the first time I'd gone to the Rosaki mansion had been because of that sister.
I'd completely forgotten since I never cared... but thinking back, yeah.
Her name was...
"Grace, right?"
Unlike Karen, she had sharp eyes and a strong impression, so she stuck in my memory a bit.
Of course, Karen's looks were way more my type, and unlike with Karen, I'd never really talked to Grace, so I'd overlooked her.
"Hmm..."
Had Karen's little sister come to the Academy too?
I'd never given it a thought before, but now I wondered.
She was around my age, I thought. Maybe she'd enrolled as a freshman this year.
"I'll ask her about it later."
Karen would probably tell me if I asked.
Family and all?
Even though Grace had way more recognition and standing in the family than Karen, I remembered their relationship being decent.
Of course, Karen never really talked about her sister Grace much while we'd hung out, and I'd never cared enough to ask anyway?
Probably fine.
"...There."
After waiting and waiting, I finally spotted a familiar crest.
It was small, but my eyesight was sharp enough.
Even from afar on the carriage, I could tell it was definitely the Rosaki Family's.
A lion with two tails.
"She's here."
A little over an hour, but finally.
...Maybe even earlier than expected, but still, good to see her arrive.
I finished off the rest of my parfait, wiped my mouth, and stepped out of the café.
"Hoo..."
My breath was still visible in the air, and the cold wind blew.
Totally different weather from the south—wandering outside wasn't pleasant, but I wanted to see Karen.
Truth be told, I didn't even have much to talk about with her, but I wanted to anyway.
Just like how Karen had always come to our mansion every break to spend time with me... I just wanted to see her.
When someone likes you that much, you can't help it.
I crossed the plaza where carriages parked, heading toward the one she'd be getting out of.
She probably had some luggage to grab inside, so she wasn't coming out right away after parking.
*Clunk.*
After standing there waiting about five minutes, Karen finally started to emerge slowly.
As timid as ever.
She'd opened the carriage door, but even as she stepped out, she was scanning her surroundings intensely... like a cautious little animal. It was kinda funny.
Did she really need to be that shy just getting out of a carriage? But that was Karen's charm.
"Karen!"
"Ah, C-Camellia?"
"Long time no see. How've you been?"
"Y-Yes! I've b-been well..."
"It's been since summer break, right? Feels like forever—I'm so glad to see you."
"M-Me too...!"
"I actually got to the Academy a few days ago, but they said you weren't back yet, so I've been waiting like crazy."
"R-Really...?"
"Of course. I wanna eat meals together at the Academy with you and have some fun."
"H-Heh... R-Really...?"
Karen, as always.
At first, I'd worried she was too introverted, but these parts ended up being cuter than expected.
What was it... like a gloomy beauty vibe?
She wasn't actually gloomy...
Yeah, let's just call it introverted.
Anyway, Karen was pretty and cute for real. Personally, I thought if she dolled up just a little more, she'd be even prettier.
Of course, even without it, her figure was killer and her face was gorgeous, so no real issues.
"Um... should we head to the dorm first...? Talking here like this..."
"Sure. I'd love to see your dorm room again."
She had a point—chatting in the open plaza wasn't ideal.
Two noble ladies standing around in a place like this in winter... looked kinda off, right?