Volume 6 Chapter 18 Sibling Dynamics
I visited the guild and immediately headed to Karan's room.
Just a minute later, I lightly thought to myself, "I've been coming here more often."
As I sat down on the sofa, facing me with a look of discontent was Rouza, fanning himself with a fan and smiling.
He was waiting for me even before I entered the room, while Karan, the owner of the room, stood there with a somewhat stern expression, though not as stern as me right now.
Naturally, Getsuya was standing behind Rouza. Even though we hadn't really exchanged any words yet, he had been glaring at me since I entered the room.
After being urged by Karan to sit down, both Rouza and I remained silent.
Nothing would start if we kept quiet forever.
I exhaled and then turned my gaze towards Karan.
"Hey, Karan-san. What's going on here? I was called here by you, so why are these guys..."
"You, how dare you speak disrespectfully to Rouza-sama again."
Getsuya snarled with bared teeth, and I furrowed my brow and glared back. When faced with such hostility, even I can get a little angry.
As Getsuya was about to pounce, Rouza casually raised a hand to stop him.
"Hold back, Getsuya."
Even if Rouza wasn't the one being addressed, being brushed off so easily with provocation can throw one off balance.
"To these kind of people──"
With a tight grip, Getsuya clenched his teeth audibly enough for me to hear, but he didn't go any further. Despite holding his anger inside, he obediently followed his Lord's orders, showing that he's Mikage's brother, including his impulsive nature.
"It's been a while, Yukina."
"Indeed. I didn't expect to meet face to face again in such a short time."
Even if we were to meet again, I would have liked a little more time. If asked if I wanted to meet again even with the time we had, I would hesitate to answer.
However, if asked if it was good to end things completely, I would say no.
"Today, Mikage is dealing with something else. It's a shame we're not together."
"It was our side that rushed things. It's unfortunate, but blaming is off the mark."
Rouza answered with a smile. Maybe because we talked to Mikage, I can't help but feel there's an intention behind that smile.
As I harbored a small sense of caution inside, Rouza closed the fan with a snap.
"You probably heard about our situation from Mikage. With this attitude, I feel rather good about it. It seems like asking you for help is the right choice after all."
"I have no idea what you're talking about at all."
Seeing Rouza, who seemed content by himself, I couldn't help but interject with a tsukkomi. Instantly, I tried to see Getsuya's reaction, but he had his eyes closed, breathing slowly as if in deep concentration.
Finally, Karan, who had been waiting for the right moment, spoke up.
"Rouza here── has a request for you, Yukina. During my stay in the royal capital, I would like to ask for your protection as a guard."
"Protection... as a guard?"
Once again, I glanced over at Getsuya. He was breathing heavily and slowly, with furrowed brows as deep as canyons. His frustration seemed so intense that it required complete mental focus to contain.
Let's set aside Getsuya for now.
"Is this really okay?"
"...It's not against the guild's rules. He has followed the proper procedures and issued the request to you. Of course, whether you accept it is up to you."
Karan's response seemed deeply troubled.
The other day, regarding the incident with the monster, I reported to the guild (Karan) following the script prepared by Rouza. However, he's not just a random executive in the guild. He must not have taken all of my report at face value. I could tell from his expression when we parted ways, and I didn't deny it either.
Karan probably already knows that Rouza is not just a mere hobbyist from another country. Even so, he can't intervene because Rouza is sticking to the plan on the surface.
It's quite bold of Rouza to confidently make requests to the guild. His audacity is something else.
"You're having a hard time too, Karan."
"Just so you know, you're partly responsible for this mess."
That was a blunder. I felt a sting from his reproachful words and slumped my shoulders a bit. If it weren't for me and Mikage, Rouza wouldn't have come to this country (Arcus). It's not just someone else's problem.
If I'm going to be true to my guild, then accepting requests completely depends on my own decision. Even though the other party is royalty, they are from a different country. It's easier to decline requests from them compared to those from our own country.
First, I ask a simple question.
"...Do you need guards? Your skilled members from the Kaiden guild are probably already there."
When the term "skilled members" is mentioned, Getsuya's expression relaxes slightly.
Rouza crosses his arms and nods in agreement.
"So you've been asking Mikage about it. Well, as you say, there's no doubt about the skill of my right-hand man (Getsuya). The guards he leads are all capable individuals as well."
Getsuya's fox ears twitch, and his tail sways slightly. These traits are similar to Mikage's. While usually calm, they are surprisingly easy to read in terms of emotions.
"However, this is still unfamiliar territory. Even with thorough preparations in a foreign land, weaknesses can still be exposed. Don't you think so?"
"...You're not wrong."
What he's saying makes sense, but Rouza's guard isn't just Getsuya. There's only one person here, but...
'Partner, as you can guess, they are scattered outside the guild, keeping an eye on us.'
There are only this many people protecting him. It doesn't seem easy to expose a vulnerability. Additionally, there is always an Azure Monk Staff (Touga) by Rouza's side. Just as Gram sensed, his scouting ability is significant. It feels somewhat excessive to add me here.
"I've learned some of your abilities, including that magician lady. It's not everything, but it's reassuring compared to the random people wandering near the entrance."
Just this line alone could turn most of the mercenaries in the guild against them.
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