Chapter 154: “The Demon Lord’s Territory & ‘Town of Nosa’ Joint Investigation Team, Moves in the Shadows (2)”

After that, we entered the inn room.

It was a large room located in the corner of the second floor. Four beds were lined up, and through the window, we could see the town.

The inn faced the main street of the town, and there was a lot of foot traffic around. But because of that, the area was safe. That was probably why the inn had many guests. And if there were many people coming and going, we wouldn’t stand out.

Erte-san and Dorothy-san must have considered all that when they chose this inn.

As expected from the niece of Kelve-san and the captain of the “Lady Omawarisan Unit.”

Their judgment was not wrong, but—

“…The next room… is noisy, isn’t it?”

“…They said there were no other rooms available, so it can’t be helped.”

“…Maybe they’re having a drinking party or something.”

Sophia, Mabel, and I exchanged glances.

From the room next door, loud voices rang out constantly.

It was pretty noisy. Normally, we’d complain about it, but we were here on a secret investigation. We couldn’t afford to cause trouble and draw attention to ourselves.

Besides, while it was noisy, it wasn’t unbearable.

“…Alright.”

Sophia, Mabel, and I moved to the beds near the window to put some distance between us and the next room.

But—

“…Ugh…”

Misana-san from the “Lady Omawarisan Unit” was on her bed, looking distressed and trembling.

“Misana-sama is Dorothy-sama’s close aide and is highly skilled in ‘presence detection.’”

Sophia began explaining.

“Because of that, Misana-sama has heightened hearing—”

“So the loud voices from the next room are echoing in her head?”

“Yes. Also, since this is an unfamiliar place, she’s likely feeling tense and on alert. That makes her more aware of the noise from the next room.”

“I see. In that case, let me take care of it.”

I had a solution in mind.

It should only take about ten seconds to resolve.

“Misana-san, could I ask you to try something?”

“Y-Yes!”

When I called out to her, Misana-san looked up.

She was a small person.

Her chestnut-colored hair was braided and hung down her back.

Apparently, during combat, she ties weapons to the tips of her hair to use them as hidden weapons for surprise attacks.

She was an elite of the “Lady Omawarisan Unit,” specializing in covert operations.

But she probably never imagined she’d be troubled by noise from the room next door.

“Misana-san. Could you try wearing the ‘Noise-Cancelling Coat’ inside out?”

“I-Inside out?”

“Yes. And once you do, try channeling your magic into it to activate it. Just trust me.”

“…I-Is that alright, Sophia-sama?”

Misana-san looked toward Sophia.

After confirming Sophia’s nod, Misana-san turned the coat inside out.

She put it on, pulled the hood over her head, and channeled magic into it—

“—The sound disappeared!?”

Misana-san’s eyes widened.

“The noise that was so loud—I can’t hear it at all! It’s so comfortable…”

“I’m glad.”

“But… how is this happening?”

“Huh? Well, it’s a ‘Noise-Cancelling Coat,’ isn’t it?”

“Y-Yes, I was told that. When worn, it cancels out sound on the inside, right?”

“That’s right.”

I nodded.

“So, when you wear it inside out, it cancels out external noise. If it cancels the inside sound normally, then reversing it would naturally cancel sound from the outside.”

“W-What!?”

“This is the second ability of the ‘Noise-Cancelling Coat.’”

In its normal state, the coat cancels the sound inside it.

When worn inside out, it cancels external noise.

It’s designed to cancel sound that touches the fabric—so whether it’s sound inside or outside, it’s just a matter of which side the sound hits.

(I originally wanted to implement this feature using ‘headphones.’)

But with my current tech, I couldn’t make it that small.

Covering the whole body with a coat and canceling the sound touching the fabric was the best I could do.

I still have a long way to go to catch up with the hero’s world.

“But… if I can’t hear outside sounds, I can’t fulfill my duty as a bodyguard…”

“Right now, you should focus on resting and preparing for the investigation, Misana-sama.”

Sophia responded to Misana-san’s concern.

Sophia also wore the coat inside out and approached Misana-san.

Misana-san hurriedly stood from the bed, and Sophia connected her hood to Misana’s.

With that, their voices should now reach each other.

“Besides, if your attention is constantly drawn to the noise, you can’t perform your duties properly either, right? First, calm yourself. Knowing you can always block the noise will help you feel secure even after taking off the coat.”

“Th-That’s true, but…”

“It’s alright. You can still fulfill your duty even while wearing the coat. How about placing both your hands and feet against the door? That way, you can sense who’s approaching through the vibrations.”

“Y-You’re right! I’ve been trained for that. Your Highness… did you know?”

“I never overlook the profiles of those protecting me.”

Then we carried our chairs to the door.

Misana-san sat there, removed her shoes, and placed her palms and soles against the door.

With that, she’d be able to sense anyone approaching through the vibrations.

“But… in this position, I can’t see the inside of the room.”

“We’ll keep watch inside. Myself, Canaan-sama, and Mabel-sama will handle it. Don’t worry.”

“Is that alright?”

“Right now, I am Sophia. A fellow member of the investigation team, just like you. If that still doesn’t convince you, then consider it an order from me.”

“…Y-Yes. Understood.”

With that, Misana-san seemed to accept it.

Her expression also calmed down. She seemed relieved that the noise was gone.

I’m glad the ‘Noise-Cancelling Coat’ was useful.

By nighttime, the room next door would probably quiet down.

And if it didn’t—then we could hang the coats inside-out along the wall.

If we lined up all six coats to make a ‘Noise-Cancelling Curtain,’ it would block the noise just fine.

“Well then, let’s talk. May I come over to your side as well?”

Suddenly, Sophia said that.

When Mabel and I nodded, Sophia stepped down onto the floor and moved over to our bed.

Then, she sat down beside me.

On the hard bed in a faraway town.

The three of us sat side by side, leaning our backs against the wall.

“…Canaan-sama.”

“U-Um. Canaan…”

Sophia and Mabel called out to me at the same time.

I instinctively took Mabel’s hand. Just like I always do.

Sophia saw that and looked puzzled.

“Canaan-sama and Mabel-sama seem very close, don’t they?”

“I’m always with Mabel.”

“…You live in the same house, correct?”

“B-Because we’re engaged.”

Suddenly, Mabel spoke up.

“Canaan and I are engaged with the permission of Her Majesty the Demon Lord…”

“That’s right. Just like me.”

Sophia took Mabel’s hand.

She leaned on me to reach Mabel, putting her weight on me.

“I, too, aim to be engaged to Canaan-sama. Eventually, I plan to have Archduke Kharon act as an intermediary so we can formally proceed with the process. I’m the same as Mabel-sama.”

“Eh? No… Even if we’re both engaged… Sophia-sama, your status and mine are…”

“That doesn’t matter. Besides, I’m here now on a mission, in the same position as Mabel-sama. And Misana isn’t watching…”

Sophia glanced at the door.

Misana was wearing the “Noise-Canceling Coat” inside out, stuck to the door with both her hands and feet. Her back was facing us. Thanks to the coat, she shouldn’t be able to hear what’s happening in the room.

Seeing that, Sophia nodded in satisfaction.

“Therefore, Mabel-sama and I are equals right now.”

“R-Really?”

“Yes. So, Canaan-sama, please treat both Mabel-sama and me equally.”

Sophia looked at me with sparkling eyes.

Come to think of it, Mabel and Sophia had somehow ended up holding hands with me between them.

They both seemed to have decided that they were now on equal footing.

But—

“To begin with, Sophia-sama is just as important to me as Mabel is.”

“──!?”

Swish.

Suddenly, Sophia turned her face away.

Huh?

“I-It’s nothing. I was just surprised by the sudden comment.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Please continue.”

“I think of you as a companion, Sophia-sama.”

“…Is it because, like you, I was cast out by the Empire?”

“…Yes. It might be rude to say it like this, but—”

“That’s not rude at all!”

Sophia grabbed my hand and raised her voice.

“I can imagine what you went through in the Empire, Canaan-sama. Alchemists are treated unfairly in the Empire, and even though you’re the son of a duke, you were sent off as a hostage…”

“…Sophia-sama.”

“Compared to that, my hardships were nothing.”

Sophia murmured, staring into my eyes.

“I was just confined in a detached palace. And my younger sister, Liana, was with me. But you… had no one, right?”

“There were a few people at the government office I got along with, though.”

“…If only I had known about you back then.”

“Sophia-sama?”

“…If I had, I wouldn’t have let you feel so alone. I would’ve had you serve as my personal alchemist in the detached palace, and you could’ve used your abilities to the fullest…”

A personal alchemist for Sophia, huh.

That might’ve been fun in its own way.

But then I wouldn’t have met Rukie or Mabel, wouldn’t have awakened the “Creative Alchemy” skill, or discovered the “Mail Order Catalog” of the Hero World.

“Thank you, Sophia-sama.”

I said.

“I’m really glad I met you. Thanks to you… I learned that people from the Empire—like your sister, Isaac, and Dorothy—can also be good.”

“T-That’s not because of me!”

Sophia tightly gripped my hand.

“It was because you healed me, Canaan-sama, that my world expanded. That’s why I’ve been able to do many things. People started listening to me more. The current me exists because of you!”

“Then let’s just say we helped each other.”

“…Geez.”

Huh?

Why are you turning away again, Sophia?

Your neck looks kind of red…

“Anyway, thanks to you, Sophia, I don’t hate the time I spent in the Empire as much anymore. That time before I came to the Demon Lord’s territory was valuable too, and I learned that even in that country, there are good people like you.”

“…………Ugh.”

“Canaan-sama is always like this, Sophia.”

Mabel whispered into Sophia’s ear.

“I, Her Majesty, and even Agnis-sama have heard such words from him. Their effect rivals that of high-level offensive magic—and sometimes, I wonder if my heart might stop…”

“…He’s terrifying. To think natural sincerity could surpass all of my strategies…”

Wasn’t that kind of harsh?

…Well, it’s fine, I guess.

“By the way, Sophia-sama—what will you do if you get the box?”

This was something I’d been wondering about.

There was no real need for a princess to come on this search personally.

Dorothy and Isaac are both capable; she could’ve left it to them.

But Sophia chose to join the search team herself.

I figured she must have her own reasons.

“I want to use ‘that box’ to help stabilize the border regions.”

Sophia said it without hesitation.

“The contents of the box are likely items from another world. I want Canaan-sama to manage those. As for me, I only ask to have the empty box.”

“Just the empty box?”

“If possible, I’d like an ‘unopenable empty box.’ I want to use that as a bargaining chip in negotiations with the Empire.”

“That box” has yet to be opened by anyone. No one knows what’s inside.

To someone who doesn’t know what’s inside, whether it’s an empty box or filled with stones, its value doesn’t change.

The Empire has no choice but to estimate that value as being the highest possible.

So, it can be used for negotiations.

If the Empire ever opens the box and complains about what’s inside, we can just say, “It’s been like that from the beginning.”

Until then, we extract as much profit as we can—that’s what Sophia seems to believe.

“I hope that through these negotiations, peace can be maintained in the borderlands. After all, we don’t know how long Archduke Kharon’s authority will last. At an official meeting, I want to negotiate with His Majesty the Emperor… or with the Crown Prince, Diaz-sama, and have them clearly state that ‘the town of Nosa’ will always remain a part of the duchy.”

“Is that the negotiation Sophia-sama desires?”

“It’s one of the strategies. By piling up small measures, I want to protect what’s important to me.”

“…So that’s what it was.”

Amazing. Sophia had thought that far ahead?

Indeed, since the contents of the box are unknown, even just the outer box is sufficient as a bargaining chip.

All I have to do is somehow open it, and reseal it afterward.

Maybe I should stuff it with monster bones or something.

I can use Creative Alchemy to make it look like bones from a monster from another world.

Then I can insist, “These are the bones of an interdimensional monster, like the beast Gargarossa!”

“Sophia-sama is truly an amazing person.”

“────!?”

“I think it’s a brilliant strategy. Please, let me help. Negotiating with the Empire by ‘handing over the box’—as long as it’s just the outer box, it’s not a lie. It’s a clever plan that uses the other side’s greed against them. I think it’s fantastic.”

“U-um… Canaan-sama?”

“Sophia’s plan benefits the Demon Lord’s domain as well, doesn’t it? Even if Archduke Kharon’s power wanes, as long as either the Emperor or Crown Prince gives their word that ‘the borderlands belong to the duchy’—with you, Sophia-sama, governing them—the Empire won’t be able to interfere. That would make the Demon Lord’s realm have the best possible neighbor. And I… I’m also happy to have Sophia nearby.”

“Th-that may be true, but this strategy of mine is also for Lia… I mean, for my little sister…”

Sophia waved her hands in a fluster. So cute.

With her face bright red, she said:

“If peace is maintained in the borderlands, my sister will have fewer chances to fight. I want her to use that time to learn and grow. If she ever gets caught up in political turmoil, I’ll be able to protect her in the borderlands. So, in a way, this is also a selfish wish of an older sister…”

“You’re a wonderful sister. I wish I had someone like Sophia in my family.”

“────!!”

Thump.

Suddenly, Sophia turned her back.

On the small bed in the inn, she curled up like a child.

“…What’s wrong, Sophia?”

“…………It’s nothing. Please allow me a moment to compose myself…”

“Alright. I just thought of something.”

“W-what is it?”

“Once this whole ‘box’ situation is resolved, I’d like to invite you to my workshop.”

In disguise as an ordinary traveler, Sophia looks so lively.

She’s able to share things she normally wouldn’t.

I want to see more of that side of her. That’s why I want her to visit my workshop and have a relaxed conversation. I also want to talk about the Hero World and consult her about items we’ll need going forward.

And I want her to meet Rukie, too.

A demon lord and a princess—I’d like to see what happens when they talk beyond their official roles.

“Of course, I’ll need Dorothy’s help. While she’s gone, we’ll use the ‘Improved Body Pillow Stand-in Model’ to act as her double. But I think we can manage for a day or two. If Sophia is okay with it, that is—”

“I’ll go!”

She answered immediately.

Sitting up with a bam, Sophia looked me straight in the eye and replied:

“I’ll make up an excuse. I’ll convince Dorothy-sama. Please, let me visit your workshop.”

“Understood. Then, after this investigation is over—”

“So I just have to convince Dorothy-sama, right? I’ll say, ‘I need to go to Canaan-sama. As compensation, please negotiate for a steady supply of facial toner for Dorothy-sama’—and that’ll persuade her easily—”

“Please don’t make me the villain here.”

“To go to your home, I won’t hesitate to use any means necessary.”

“Please hesitate a little.”

At that, Mabel burst into laughter.

She quickly covered her mouth and said, “Excuse me,” but Sophia didn’t seem to mind.

Mabel had been listening to Sophia’s story beside me the whole time.

She seemed surprised to see a new side of her.

“…Canaan-sama, Mabel-sama, please forgive my shameful display.”

“No, don’t worry about it.”

“Please don’t tell Liana. Otherwise, my dignity as an older sister will be…”

Sophia’s face turned bright red as she covered it with both hands.

After waiting for her to calm down, we returned to the topic of the box investigation.

When it comes to work, we can stay calm.

I explained the items we’d be using for the search, and Sophia gave input on more efficient methods.
Mabel’s role was to provide sensible commentary.

As we talked like that, time passed—

“──I hear footsteps. Dorothy-sama and the official from the Demon Lord’s domain seem to have returned.”

Misana looked toward us and said.

“Thank you for waiting. The inquiries around town have been completed.”

“We’ve gathered some intel. We’ll be moving after sunset. Everyone, please get ready.”

And with that, Dorothy-san and Erte-san returned to the room, sharing the news.

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