Gerber-san guided us to where Mirai is
This is my second visit, but there’s some mysterious tension.
When we arrived at the room, Gerber-san knocked on the room first.
However, there was no reaction.
After knocking two, or three more times, the door finally opened a bit after the fifth time.
I hear them talking, but I sense the lethargy in Mirai’s voice as if she can’t be bothered to talk
That’s how the conversation was going, but when Gerber-san told the situation, the door opened up with so much momentum
It surprised me, and also Gerber-san, and as we pulled ourselves together, Mirai appeared.
「Get in!」
She sounded so unenthusiastic earlier, and yet I can sense the change of tone.
Her eyes stare at me intensely, I feel the strong emotions.
She gave her permission, so I went inside, and Mirai closed the door vigorously.
She turned her face to me, and then she suddenly began to blurt out tears…
「I-I thought you won’t come anymore. I thought that you just scammed me」
「Don’t go crying suddenly. I’m here, see?」
「Why did you not check on me sooner?」
「I was busy with a lot of things」
「T-That’s just…You said that you would help me, don’t leave me」
Hmm, seems like she’s become unstable.
Mirai looked a little strange at first glance.
She doesn’t care that her uniform is worn out of shape, her hair is not combed, or her bed hair is still intact.
Her facial expression, gestures, emotional ups and downs, things look weird.
When I saw her before, she seemed more sane than I thought, but now she looks like she’s losing her mind
Perhaps she almost gave up on her return home before.
But I gave her hope, so it might’ve been a bad way since it shook up her spirit.
「Calm down. I have good news for you so stop crying」
「Good news?」
「Yes, good news. How about we sit on the sofa so we could talk?」
「Yeah…」
When I put my hand on her shoulder, Mirai obeys.
I’m afraid of the emotional highs and lows.
I let her sit down first, then I sat next to her.
「You don’t seem lively」
I was so flustered by her appearance that I intentionally let out a common greeting, but that didn’t fit the situation, so I got a clinging look.
「There’s a lot to talk about but that’s for later. For now, I’ll take you out of the castle」
「You mean?!」
「Wait, that’s for later」
「…………」
I interrupted her, and then she looked at me with a slightly resentful glare.
「Don’t make that face. I’m taking custody of you, so come with me. Good?」
「But, Japan…」
「That’s for later. Not here. I actually thought of bringing you out after you’re convinced with a little talk, but the deal went through sooner than I anticipated. I need to take you with me before they change their mind, so will you come with me? If you don’t do what I say, then I’m going home alone」
「C-Can I believe in you, Kotori-san?」
「I promise you that your wishes will be fulfilled if you make your decision. Either way, it’s better than staying here」
Mirai looked uneasy at what I told her, but she nodded the next moment.
「Then, get ready. Think that you’re not coming back here again」
She looked unconvinced, but she still chose to follow me.
She turned her back on me and returned with a school bag on her shoulder that she picked up on the bed.
She had her essentials in there.
It’s so she could leave anytime.
「Is that all?」
「I don’t have anything else」
It sounds like she’s saying that she doesn’t need anything in this world.
That’s extreme.
She’s full of rejection of this world, she followed me out of the room and stuck close to my back.
I turned back and saw a frightened look on her face.
「I’ll keep you safe, don’t worry」
「…………」
She didn’t answer, but she grabbed the back of my clothes, so I guess she believed me at the moment.
A little further down, Mirai pulled my clothes.
「Are we just going outside?」
「No, we’re going to meet with the prime minister to talk to him first. Just stay quiet and stay behind me」
「Okay…」
Mirai tightened the grip on my clothes.
Seems like she didn’t want to meet the prime minister, but I was told that he still had to talk to me, I also had to give him a watch as a thank you, so she relented and followed me.
I returned to the prime minister’s room and stood in front of his desk.
Mirai’s standing next to me, but she’s standing behind me.
The prime minister saw her, and then he spoke up with a compassionate smile.
「Mirai, I feel I’ve wronged you. You can do whatever you want once you leave the place. Nyhied will no longer demand something from you. Work hard so Kotori-dono doesn’t abandon you」
Mirai reacted to the prime minister’s words by moving closer to me.
For a moment, I thought that she was trying to fawn on me, but it seemed that she was just rejecting the prime minister himself.
His expression didn’t change even when he was treated as such, and he looked at me with a smile.
I’d be a bit heartbroken if that were me.
「Sir Prime Minister, I’ll be taking her with me.
「Yes, you can do as you please with her」
「Thank you. As for the promised item. Please take this」
The deal was done, and so I offered him the watch I took out of my magic bag.
Every time we make this exchange, it’s through the knight, not directly, but this time, the prime minister approached me and received the watch.
It seems like he wants to take a look at it as soon as possible.
That’s when I realized that the prime minister wasn’t wearing the watch I handed him.
He wanted to put on the new watch once he received it.
I would’ve given him a whole box of watches if that were true, but I thought that it wouldn’t be right in terms of the setting I set up on my teleportation, so it’s bare.
However, he seemed impatient and he hastily slipped his arm through the band and turned his gaze on his arm.
「Ohooooo!!」
The prime minister began to look at the clock and speak up in a funny tone while on his knees.
「T-T-T-This is too beautiful. W-What are all these details? It’s such a complex interface just to tell time. You can even say that this is a work of art created by God」
He’s so impressed that his legs are wobbling.
Mirai and Gerber-san were backing off from the prime minister who was on his knees, looking at the watch.
The prime minister remained in his pose, mumbling for a few minutes, but for some reason, I feel like I shouldn’t disturb this supreme moment, and wait for him to come back to consciousness.
Perhaps the same feeling was shared in the room, and so nobody moved.
No, Mirai’s different.
She saw the prime minister behaving so abnormally, that she felt something close to fear and just kept her mouth shut.
After a while, the prime minister came back.
He stood up, looked at me, and spoke up.
「Phew. Kotori-dono, I haven’t had that climax in a long time」
Can you stop saying weird stiff while looking at my face?
I’m not into old men so I didn’t check on his crotch, but to think that he’s made a mess down there?!
What the hell is this fetish?
「Then it’s worth gifting it」
「Yes, yes, you’re a great man. I hope we continue our long friendship」
I beg you, please don’t say that after you climax.
The meaning changes really badly.
「Well then, I suppose you’re already leaving, but before you do, why don’t you check the territory you’re administering now, Kotori-dono?」
「The territory? I won’t say I’m uninterested, but I have to bring her home for now」
「Hmm. But it’s already time for the sun to set. There won’t be any carriages available, and you won’t be leaving until tomorrow, so I don’t think it’s a bad idea to check the territory now」
I came to the capital early in the morning, but I met the prime minister after waiting for an hour or two so I could use my long-distance teleport again, just for the lookout.
Time-wise, it’s already past dinner, and close to bedtime.
The prime minister continued.
「The territory is located southeast of the capital, not far from the city, you can reach it in two teleports. I don’t know which direction you’re heading since you didn’t tell me where you live, but if you’re moving in the same direction, then we can save some time, can’t we? Well, I will be coming to the territory, thus I’m inviting you」
「You’re coming with us?」
「No, I’m going back to my territory to take my time and enjoy the company of this clock. I haven’t seen my wife in a long time. And since we’re heading in the same direction, I thought I’d show you the place」
So he’s going back to his territory at this hour, not to his home in the capital.
He’s definitely going to enjoy the watch when he goes home.
「It’s a good place to stay the night, don’t you think? It’s small, but there’s a lord’s mansion. No one has used it in a long time, but we had it maintained, so it’s ready to go. At least, it’s better than the inns in the capital. How about tonight?」
Oh, he’s thinking that I’m about to have sex with Mirai tonight.
I guess he’s being tactful.
Well, I might as well go if he goes this far.
To be honest, I’m interested in the mansion.
Besides, it might be good for Mirai’s emotional well-being to leave the capital.
It’s not that I’m going to be in danger when accompanying them.
But, I don’t think they’re going to set a trap this late, and I’m too tired of being suspicious.
I know I’m letting my guard down, but I also have to give some trust.
「If you’re going that far, then maybe I should check my territory」
「Yes, that’s great. After all, it’s your territory, Kotori-dono. Now, if you’d excuse me as I get ready. Oh, guide the two ahead」
Thus, the two of us waited for the prime minister to finish his preparations and we moved to the territory in question.