Volume 10 Chapter 5 Senior Rikka And The Eve Of The Festival
Somehow, we managed to return to town and headed straight to the Office.
We reported to Miss Roreis, who was in the office.
"So, in other words, the rumors of the Undead King started because of the massive outbreak of Ghouls, right?"
Miss Roreis said, glancing at the report.
"That's right. It's possible that some merchant neglected their anti-undead measures. We'll investigate that here."
Miss Roreis made her usual calm and collected decision.
However, she looked suspicious, furrowing her eyebrows.
Was there something that didn't add up?
"Can I go home now?"
"It's fine."
"Alright!"
Senior Rikka quickly left the office.
"I'll go too..."
As I said that and tried to leave, I noticed Miss Roreis staring at me intensely.
I couldn't help but tense up, remembering how I was suspected of being a Phantom earlier that day.
"Uh, is there something?"
"What do you think?"
"What do you mean?"
"About the massive outbreak of Ghouls."
"My thoughts are already written in the report."
"Really?"
Miss Roreis flicked the report with her finger, making a sharp sound that made me flinch.
...To be honest, I lied in the report.
I found someone who seemed like the Undead King in the graveyard, but I kept it hidden.
It was more convenient for me to get the cursed equipment that way.
"...There's no reason to lie."
I replied curtly.
"...Well, it's fine."
Miss Roreis nodded.
"We'll find out the truth soon enough anyway."
"Huh...?"
Miss Roreis cut off the conversation and went back to her paperwork.
Her words bothered me, but in the end, I decided to leave the office as is.
* * *
After finishing the investigation report, I left the Inquisitor's office... and it was already night.
The sun had set, leaving no remnants of the evening glow in the sky.
The surroundings were shrouded in darkness, but... today's town felt strangely bright.
"You're late."
Outside the office, Senior Rikka was waiting.
I thought she had gone home already.
"Did you wait for me?"
"No, it's not like that."
"Really?"
"Why are you patting my head?!"
Senior Rikka puffed out her cheeks, looking upset.
"What's with that? We're senior and junior, after all. I'm the senior, and Noa is the junior. That means only I, the senior, can pat your head."
"Then, do you want to pat my head?"
"Huh? Ah, yeah..."
Senior Rikka stretched her back and reached out her hand, looking a bit hesitant.
I felt a mischievous urge and stretched my back a bit too.
"Ah, ah..."
Even when Senior Rikka stretched out her hand as far as she could, it barely reached my head.
In the end, she jumped up and down, going "pyon pyon".
"Nggh! Ngghhh!"
"Just a little more, senior! Don't give up! You can do it!"
"Huuuh!"
"......"
Since it was no use, I gave up and bent down a bit.
"Ah, I did it! Noa, I did it!"
"Yeah, you did it!"
High-five.
"Hehe, how's that? Are you humiliated from having your head patted by me?"
"No way, Senior Rikka, it's so soothing when I'm with you."
"Huh, why's that?"
Looking back, I saw Senior Rikka's adorable side.
Or rather, Miss Roreis is scary.
"Anyway, since we're here, why don't we take a walk around town?"
"What do you mean, 'since we're here'?"
"Hey, today's the eve of the festival, after all."
"Oh, the eve of the festival..."
I see. I thought the town was unusually bright, but it was because they were preparing for tomorrow's memorial service.
When I went out into the street, I saw that even though it was nighttime, the stalls were lively, and many people were walking around.
Mixed with the vendors' calls, I could hear the sound of a clear pipe organ and hymns.
The red butterflies that are often seen in this town were also fluttering above people's heads, as if they were enjoying the festive atmosphere.
"Ah, it smells nice."
"They're burning herbs, like lavender. Good smells attract good spirits, and bad smells attract bad spirits, you know?"
"I see."
Experiencing a different culture is quite an interesting experience.
'It's not just any festival.'
And the one who couldn't stay quiet upon hearing the word "festival" was Juju.
She poked her face out of my waist bag, looking around restlessly.
"Ah, let's go to that food stall! They have Zarigani dishes! Zarigani!"
"...Later, okay?"
'Boo-boo!'
I ignored Juju as she puffed up her cheeks.
"Anyway, this is quite a lively atmosphere. The main event starts tomorrow morning, right?"
"It's the biggest festival of the year, after all. For this town..."
"Is that so?"
It's a unique culture in Ravenyard, where there are many graves.
"People come from outside the town too... it'll be a fun festival, for sure"
For some reason, those words sounded like someone else's concern.
"Ah... I love the eve of the festival, but..."
"Is the Memorial Festival no good?"
"Because... it's a festival where the dead come back to life, right?"
Indeed, the Memorial Festival was a festival where the dead, who came back to life for just one day, were welcomed.
"It's gonna be spooky, right?"
"W-will they really appear?"
"Are you scared?"
"No, I'm not scared at all! I'm confident!"
"Yeah, you're confident, all right."
"Why are you patting my head?"
"Well, ghosts and stuff are just superstitions. When people die, they're gone for good."
Ghouls and skeletons are just monsters that possess corpses, and ghosts are just monsters that appear without any relation to dead bodies. In the true sense, the dead don't come back to life.
Festivals like this are ultimately just to comfort the living, not the dead.
"When you die, it's the end, huh?"
Senior Rikka looked unhappy, as if I had said something bad.
"Uh..."
I didn't know what to say in situations like this. I hated being bad at socializing.
Should I change the subject?
Yeah, if I talked about equipment, everyone would probably smile.
"By the way, have you seen this month's 'Monthly Equipment Mania'?"
"Huh?"
I looked to the side and saw an unfamiliar old man.
Who was this guy?
"Uh, I saw it... could it be that you're also a reader of 'Equip Mania'?"
"Yes, I love it."
"Friend."
"Friend."
We shook hands firmly. This person seems like someone I can have a good drink with.
But, that's not it. Before I knew it, Senior Rikka was gone.
"What, did she get lost?"
I panicked and looked around.
"...Huuuh~~"
I found Senior Rikka in front of a food stall.
It's a stall selling cheap accessories like rings and necklaces...
They're all F to E rank equipment, but they have a certain charm to their design. They're not practical, but I kind of like this type of equipment.
Senior Rikka was gazing intently at the accessories.
"Do you like it?"
"Huh?"
When I called out to her, she let out a silly voice.
"N-Noa... Where did you go? You're still getting lost at your age?"
"I know, right? I thought the same thing."
"You really are no good without me, your senior."
While trying to play it cool, her gaze kept darting towards the stall.
I didn't think she was the type to care about fashion or accessories, but...
Senior Rikka is a maiden at heart, after all.
"If you want it, just buy it. It's cheap, anyway."
"No, I don't have money... and I don't want it, anyway!"
"Huh?"
She's been looking at it for a while, and yet she can say something like that.
"What's with that face?"
"No, nothing."
"Hmph, whatever. Let's go somewhere else."
"Wait a minute, please."
I handed the vendor a copper coin, and I picked up a ring.
It was the one Senior Rikka was looking at. Apparently, it's not just a cheap ring.
"Oh, it's a ring that glows when equipped."
It's the kind of equipment that would be sold at a festival.
Festival-limited equipment is pretty interesting, and I'd love to collect it.
"Noa, do you like girls' accessories or something...?"
"No, that's not it. I was thinking of giving it to someone important."
"Wow, so Noa has someone like that too..."
"That's right. So..."
I handed the ring to Senior Rikka.
"Please."
"Huh?"
Senior Rikka was taken aback for a moment, and then her face turned bright red.
"Eh... me...?"
"Yes."
"What, what, what does this mean?! You can't be serious, P..."
"No, it's because I've been getting along with you so well."
"Ah, yeah."
To be honest, the impression that I've been taking care of her is stronger, but I'll set that aside.
Senior Rikka seemed to be troubled, but she decided to put the ring on her left ring finger.
As she put it on, the ring shone softly like moonlight.
"Eh, hehe... how's it? Does it suit me...?"
"Isn't it normal?"
"......"
"Ah, yeah, it really suits you. Yes."
"Don't get too worked up about it!!"
Senior Rikka puffed out her chest, looking completely pleased with herself.
"...it's fine, anyway. I know this kind of thing doesn't suit me."
"No, it's not like that at all!"
"Geez! So why are you patting my head?!"
I got scolded.
And then, right there...
"――Sister!"
A child's voice echoed, and at the same time, 5 kids gathered around Senior Rikka, chattering excitedly.
"Wah, you guys..."
"Who are them?"
"Eh, um... siblings, maybe?"
"You're a big family, huh?"
"Well, yeah..."
Senior Rikka was flustered.
"Sister, what's going on?"
"Is that person your boyfriend?"
"N-no way!"
Senior Rikka hurriedly covered the child's mouth.
"H-hold on, I've been saying it all along! This person is my junior!"
"Ah, yeah, the guy Sister always talks about!"
"You talk about him every day, don't you?"
"Is he your boyfriend, then?"
"N-no way, that's not it!"
"But you have a ring! Hey Sister, look, you're wearing a ring!"
"Getting married?"
"Like that's gonna happen! He's just a weird guy who loves dolls!"
...The festive noise died down, and the gazes around me pierced through me.
You didn't need to announce it in front of so many people, anyway...
"More importantly, isn't it dangerous? You can't just go out at night by yourself."
"It's okay, it's just during the festival, right?"
"Sister's been breaking promises since way back when"
"Uh..."
Senior Rikka is taken aback. This person's being bossed around by kids.
"I'm starving. Buy me something!"
"We don't have any money at home..."
"Then ask the boyfriend!"
"No way! That's a hassle And besides, I don't have a boyfriend!"
Senior Rikka tried to hit me, but I dodged it easily.
These kids, though... they're so skinny.
Well, it can't be helped, I suppose.
The food situation in Ravenyard is the worst.
Most of the land in the territory is dead, and the forests are withering, so people can't even raise livestock. They're importing food using the funds they got from attracting graveyards and disposal facilities, but most of that food ends up going to the wealthy.
It really feels like a world of the survival of the fittest.
"Uh, I have some food. Do you want some?"
As soon as I said that, the kids pounced on me.
"Food?! Are you giving us some?!" "I want some!" "Me too!"
There was one kid who was a bit different from the others, but oh well.
"I-it's okay, Noa? I'm..."
"Well, it's a special occasion, after all"
There's nothing more miserable than going hungry on a festival day.
Luckily, Little Mimi had a lot of food in her bag.
It wouldn't be a problem to share a little bit with them.
So, that's how I ended up visiting Senior Rikka's house.
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