0p0 #359 - I push the child
#359 - I push the child
"Wait, wait, wait." Natsuki Subaru hurriedly interjected, his expression strange. "If I'm mistaken, I apologize, Liliana, but... you wouldn't happen to be the songstress, would you?"
"Yes! The songstress of rumors is none other than me! Oh dear, I'm so embarrassed!"
"What in the world is going on?!"
Natsuki Subaru, unwilling to accept reality, clutched his head and screamed. Faced with the fact that Liliana was the songstress, his impression of songstresses continued to plummet.
Beatrice beside him seemed to share the same sentiment.
"I actually think it sounds quite pleasant."
Zunzun displayed his memories, playing them on repeat. Even though it wasn't the singer herself performing, the captivating voice still resonated, astonishing everyone.
"No, no, no, what's even more surprising is that thing you have there. What is that, a phonograph? A DVD player?"
"Hmm, something like that, a magical device, I suppose."
Natsuki Subaru and Betty were fascinated by this magical device, while Liliana shyly covered her cheeks, expressing her extreme embarrassment at hearing her own singing again.
"Alright, Liliana! Give it your all and sing for me!"
"Okay! Please listen to this song bursting forth from my inspiration—"
"Hold it right there!"
Before it could devolve into an Indian movie with singing and dancing at a crucial moment, Natsuki Subaru decisively jumped in to interrupt, even if the three of them said it was inappropriate. He had to stop it, because time was running out.
"Speaking of which, Liliana, you're the songstress, and the obsessed man who's called a 'Songstress Maniac,' wouldn't that be...?"
"It's Kirika Taka, ten out of ten, no doubt about it!"
"It's that guy?!"
At the name the songstress proudly proclaimed, Natsuki Subaru once again clutched his head, shouting in disbelief.
"What's going on?"
"Actually..."
Beatrice began to explain the situation.
Kirika Taka was someone Liliana had encountered while staying at the mansion, an out-and-out stalker, to put it bluntly.
From a certain point of view, he could be seen as a patron who appreciated her artistic talent, but since Kirika Taka was only infatuated with Liliana herself and not her talent, he was considered a stalker.
"Uh-huh, my 'oshi' is in danger, right? Stalker behavior is common. It's possible it could escalate into assassination, imprisonment, or bondage play."
"No, no, no, he hasn't reached that level of twistedness... has he?"
Natsuki Subaru scratched his head.
"Will I be assassinated?!" Liliana exclaimed, then, with a frightened expression, she tapped on her instrument. "Next, please listen to a song, 'The Songstress's Dead End.'"
"D-don't sing..."
However, the atmosphere had already reached that point, and even if Natsuki Subaru tried to stop her, it was completely futile. In the end, he even started singing along, without even knowing the lyrics beforehand, causing Betty and Zunzun to clap their hands in unison.
"Stop, stop, stop, really, no more of that."
After a bout of noise.
"Speaking of which, I seem to recall that guy being the son of a certain merchant guild, which means...?"
"That's right! He's the young head of the Muse Merchant Guild, the leading faction in this city!"
"To that extent, that's amazing!"
This unexpected development, and with Natsuki Subaru actually having met Kirika Taka, he simply couldn't reconcile his impression of the man with this information.
"Of course, Liliana was also called a songstress in just one year."
"Ehehe, thank you for the praise. But, but, you're even more amazing, you know."
"Huh?"
"The Shota Envoy!"
"Ugh!" "Ugh..."
As Liliana uttered this nickname, Natsuki Subaru and Betty simultaneously groaned, covering their faces in shame.
"The Shota Envoy...?"
Zunzun, the only one present who was unaware of this, looked inquisitively.
Natsuki Subaru sighed in anguish.
"I didn't want you to know."
This was the title he had acquired upon receiving his knighthood, a name that was allowed to be reported as Emilia's bona fide knight, and it could be said to be the most famous disreputable nickname he had acquired during the past year.
"Yes, yes, it is quite the impactful nickname, a bit more resounding than Otto's."
"But I feel like I've become a shield."
This humorous nickname had indeed helped Otto a bit.
After all, a knight's title with a suggestive connotation would unconsciously lead people to compare him to Ferris and Roswaal. Otto, lacking achievements, would naturally be criticized, and the appearance of the nickname "Shota Envoy" had invisibly alleviated Otto's pressure.
"Otto...?"
Liliana pondered for a moment, and soon her eyes lit up as she quickly approached.
"Is that the Gray Knight Otto?"
"Ah, ah... you know him?"
Zunzun subconsciously took a step back, as he was too close and could smell the sweet scent emanating from her.
"I know him, sort of. Because I really wanted to meet our new hero, I made a special trip to the Astrea Domain half a year ago and stayed there for a few days."
"New hero?"
"Yes! Appearing alongside the fifth royal candidate, was an amazing male candidate, more beloved by the Divine Dragon than the others! Subsequently, the kingdom issued an absurd decree stating that whoever married him would become the next king! But he did not choose to sit back and enjoy the benefits. Instead, he joined forces with the other royal candidates to defeat the White Whale! Following that, a corner of the Witch Cult's Archbishops of Sin, Sloth, who had been shaking the world, was cleanly and decisively defeated!"
"...Who are you talking about?"
"You!"
Liliana piously recited the achievements of Zun Zun, her hands clasped together. While it seemed that way, her descriptions of both the White Whale and Sloth were somewhat exaggerated.
"The White Whale was defeated through everyone's combined efforts; I merely landed the final blow. As for Sloth, I didn't contribute at all; it was all Subaru's achievement. I don't deserve to be called a hero for that."
"Just as the rumors say, he's a humble man! Just like how he disappeared back to his territory after everything ended! I, Liliana, am sincerely impressed!"
For some reason, she suddenly knelt down and bowed.
"Hey, Subaru!"
"Although I also think it's a bit of an exaggeration, honestly, Zun Zun, you really helped a lot, especially during the Sloth subjugation. I'm sincerely grateful that you didn't come with us, really."
Natsuki Subaru covered his mouth, saying this with lingering fear, as if Zun Zun's presence would have caused him to be torn to pieces.
Is it really necessary to exaggerate so much?
"However…"
Natsuki Subaru looked at the kneeling Liliana, surprised, and exclaimed: "What a beautiful kneeling posture!"
"Hehehe, this is precisely the kneeling technique I've honed through my wandering life! It can not only make bandits spare me but even make them want to give alms for my journey!"
"Allocate my ability points to the bard class!"
Even though she said that, she still had the skill to be called a songstress as a singer.
Most geniuses with outstanding talent are eccentric and have quirks. Liliana undoubtedly belonged to this category. Her outstanding talent brought with it an extremely unrestrained personality, though it was very extreme.
"Um…"
Zun Zun tapped the excited Natsuki Subaru on the shoulder, pointed to his non-existent watch, and said, "I know it's exciting for you to have this rare reunion, but haven't you forgotten what you're supposed to be doing?"
"I'm doomed!!!"
Natsuki Subaru shouted in anguish.
By the time he calmed down and Liliana understood why, five minutes had already passed.
"Mm-hmm, I see, I see. You have something to discuss with Mr. Kirika Taka's merchant guild, right! Actually, I'm currently under Mr. Kirika Taka's care in this city, so let me guide you!"
"Oh, oh, that would be a great help!"
After learning that they were lost, Liliana patted her chest, as flat as a cutting board, and volunteered to lead the way.
Soon, she couldn't help but sigh.
"Actually, I have an important business meeting today, so they told me to stay outside."
"In a formal business setting, you just look like trouble, I understand."
"+1."
"Eh, that's a surprisingly different way of accepting it than I expected!"
Although Liliana pouted in dissatisfaction, her worries were perhaps unfounded. The important business partner Kirika Taka mentioned was likely Emilia.
As someone welcoming the royal selection candidates, Kirika Taka also had his position as a merchant. Therefore, it was difficult to have a boisterous and self-centered person like Liliana attend important occasions.
"In short, you're reaping what you sow."
"What audacity! Inspiration has struck! Please listen to my song—Surging Tides, Tumultuous Waves, Drifting Along!"
"Although I'm very interested, as Zun Zun said, we don't have enough time. Hurry and lead the way!"
Natsuki Subaru didn't want to listen.
"Wuu, the waves of the world are fierce and aloof."
Liliana grumbled and pretended to cry after being rejected, but the next moment, she ran off with a bright expression and spread her arms in front of a huge building located in front of them.
"Here is the long-awaited Muse Merchant Guild!"
The Muse Merchant Guild's office, a stone building, was located between First and Second Streets in Pristella. The city's main figures frequently traveled between these two areas, and its location at the intersection was enough to prove the Muse Merchant Guild's influence.
"But, there's absolutely nothing to worry about!"
"Hmm?"
"In situations like this, the way to solve it is through connections! Duty and affection, and if you're measuring those, the person who can destroy them is me—Liliana Mascarede!"
"Destroy? What are you planning to do?"
"I'll just say good things directly!"
Under Betty's questioning gaze, Liliana struck a stiff pose and gave a clumsy wink.
"Mr. Kirika Taka dotes on me from the bottom of his heart, so if I talk to him, the negotiations will definitely proceed smoothly, drip-drop, gurgle-gurgle, how about it?"
"Those unsettling onomatopoeia… is that really okay?"
"Don't worry, don't worry, this level is a piece of cake, just based on my relationship with Lord Natsuki, isn't it!?"
After saying that, Liliana, ignoring the uneasy Natsuki Subaru and Betty, and disregarding the staff's obstruction, rushed in like a madwoman.
Zun Zun watched from below.
Besides the fact that he shouldn't be sitting in on the meeting, Liliana had overlooked one thing—
Men have a very strong possessive desire. Seeing other men flirting with women they like will make even the most gentlemanly men feel unhappy, let alone Kirika Taka, who was known as the Songstress Maniac.
Soon—
With a loud boom, a huge explosion occurred on the second floor of the merchant guild, and a certain degree of commotion also appeared on the street.