Chapter 27: After It Got Cold [later] (part two)

“I’ll be leaving Leomel by the end of the year, so I’m glad I was able to check on Fiona one last time.”

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to the Holy Land on business. For more than a year! When I was asked, I was going to refuse the request, but it was just the content…..”

The Holy Land is located almost in the center of the Elfen continent.

The place is the headquarters for the worship of the main god Elfen, and is a neutral zone where people from all over the world gather to pray.

“I’m going to be rebuilding a part of the Silver Sacred Palace Nodias.”

“Ah, the Silver Sacred Palace is a building that’s home to temples all over the world. As I recall, it was quite dilapidated, and that makes sense.”

But Klonoa is not a carpenter or a sculptor.

The reason why she’s being sent out is related to the many holy relics in the Silver Sacred Palace. There are many seals and barriers protecting them in the Silver Sacred Palace, and they cannot be easily touched.

Klonoa is going there to help remove or reinstall them.

“Other countries are sending people, so Leomel can’t afford not to do the same.”

Each country is sending personnel to a holy site that claims to be neutral.

Although the story has a political flavor everywhere, it couldn’t be ignored from a religious standpoint, as there are many in Leomel who pray to the main deity Elfen.

“So I wonder if the board of directors will be the chief executive of the academy in my absence.”

“That’s a good arrangement. It’s a good feeling to see from the side that the board of directors, which is busy fighting factions, will finally get to work. I hope Klonoa-sama will take this opportunity to spread her wings.”

“Hmmm …… I wonder if that’s so. ……”

Klonoa, a little lost in the words of Ignat, looks at the watch in her hand and says, “Ah!”

She realizes that unexpectedly time has passed, and she hurriedly exchanges goodbyes.

“When you return to Leomel, please come again.”

“Yes! Then, thank you for today!”

This is how Klonoa left the residence of Marquis Ignat.

Naturally, she wore her robes and a hood deeply covered so as not to be seen.

Then, she walked around the town for more than an hour.

She thought about picking up a carriage on the way, but since she was going all this way, she headed for a certain place while enjoying the scenic townscape.

The destination was the magic boat pier in Eupheim.

There, she put money into a magical ticketing machine to buy a ticket, and boarded the ship, which was scheduled to leave for the Imperial Capital in an hour.

She excitedly bought a ticket for a private room and looked at Eupheim from the window of the private room.

On an airship, one can look down on the town from a reasonable height from one’s cabin.

While taking in the cityscape, which is well known even among the aristocrats of the imperial capital, she thinks about her thoughts on this business trip.

Ren-kun, you were lovely. It would have been easier if I could have made the Baldor Mountains the site of my exam.

Finally, she stretches out with a groan and collapses her body onto the large sofa.

Taking advantage of the lack of publicity, she hugged the sofa cushions and flapped her legs.

“I’m going to bed!”

She declares to no one in particular.

She rubbed her eyelids, which had grown heavy, and headed for the bed with all her strength.

She takes off her clothes and slips into her underwear, and looks through her notebook with her plans written in it.

The notebook is filled with plans for after she returns to the capital, and there are no gaps until the morning of the day she leaves Leomel.

In short, there are no holidays.

For Klonoa, the time before returning to the capital is her only day off.

“Haa! What am I doing —-?”

It was a meaningless resistance, but Klonoa threatened the notebook filled with plans.

But she soon felt ridiculous and lay down on her bed and closed her eyes. She soon began to snore in her sleep, probably because of the accumulated stress.

***********************

At the same time, Ren was visiting the Adventurers’ Guild.

As soon as he arrived, the receptionist, who had already become a familiar face, asked him.

“Have you checked your letter?”

Ren nodded in reply.

“I was surprised when the guild’s messenger arrived at the residence, but I immediately read the letter you sent me.”

“It’s a request from Kai-sama, I was told that you were assigned to escort the merchants.”

“…… Kai?”

“Oh? Don’t you remember who you always chatted with?”

Unfortunately, I don’t remember him.

I didn’t even remember asking the name of anyone in the Adventurers’ Guild.

Ren shrugged his shoulders, reaffirming that he had forgotten the person’s name.

“It’s me, hero-dono.”

Someone said behind him.

Ren turns around and notices a man with a rough tone standing right behind him.

This was the man who had first approached Ren when he visited the Adventurers’ Guild.

“Kai-san, is that you?”

“Oh, yeah. Well, it’s natural that you don’t know. I didn’t introduce myself. So, girl, I’ll tell him the rest in person!”

The receptionist nodded, and Ren was led to a table where he could eat and drink.

At the other end of the table, Kai’s partner, a werewolf, was waiting for him.

“I heard about what you did. I’m sorry, Hero-dono. I should have introduced myself, but I completely forgot to do so.”

“No, I’m sorry too.”

Ren apologized and took his seat.

Kai sat down in the same way and slowly took out a map.

“The job we want to ask you to do, Hero-dono, is an escort mission, as you have heard. The client is a merchant who is a favorite of some nobleman.”

“So he’s an official merchant?”

“Maybe. He said he came to Clausel to buy a lot of things. He’s on friendly terms with the heroic aristocrats.”

Ren’s expression distorted in an instant.

Kai who understood the situation smiles.

“I know how you feel, but I’d like to rely on you. I’m planning on a month round trip.”

A month is a long time. Ren says with difficulty.

“That’s a long time…..”

To tell the truth, I wasn’t too keen on the idea.

One month is too long, even from a caretaker’s point of view, considering that I am allowed to live in the Clausel family’s old house.

Although the financial terms didn’t seem too bad, Ren’s heart wasn’t the least bit moved.

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