Chapter 69

In the midst of cherry blossom petals dancing in the wind, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of the promise written there.

---

While "Sura-chan" was in my care from the Monster Research Institute, she seemed to have grown quite attached to Gar-san without me noticing.

When taken out of the bottle, she happily climbed up Gar-san's arm to his shoulder, rubbing against his cheek. She was small enough to fit in the palm of a hand, transparent, round, and smooth.

Unlike before, she no longer approached me or Liselotte, who have magical powers. Now, she clung to Gar-san all the time.

Even when not in the magic bottle, Sura-chan would obediently listen to Gar-san. She could even communicate simple intentions through the gestures of her tentacle-like appendages.

Surprisingly, she also got along well with Amelia.

When Amelia trembled, she would respond with a "quack quack." Were they having a conversation?

The other day, Sura-chan had given her a feather she had shed. Perhaps as a fashion statement, Sura-chan inserted Amelia's feather into her head (or what might be her head) and happily spun around.

Everyone watched Sura-chan with a smile.

This situation surprised the Monster Research Bureau as well, and researchers kept coming to take a look.

◇◇◇

Today, the other team members were in training. Liselotte was attending a mage training session. Amelia and Sura-chan were staying in the office. I was sitting at the captain's desk, doing bookkeeping.

Today, a bureau staff member came to see Sura-chan. I was a bit surprised as there was no prior notice.

I told them to get permission first, but they pleaded to stay just a little. I didn't like being alone with the middle-aged man. However, it didn't seem like they would listen to my concerns.

"Um, it's still not okay. Please get permission first."

"..."

Ignoring my words, they stared intently at Sura-chan in the bottle.

The bureau staff member was a middle-aged man in his late thirties, wearing a dirty lab coat and glasses with a smudged lens.

Amelia had been warning him with "quack quack" sounds. I thought he wouldn't do anything with so many people watching, but—

"Hunnu!"

"Huh?"

The staff member, with a mysterious cry, grabbed Sura-chan's bottle, opened the door, and ran out.

"Sura-chan, oh no—!!"

"Quack quack quack!!"

Amelia let out a sharp roar and chased after them.

I was unsure what to do. I wouldn't catch up if I ran now.

So, it was better to report to the captain. I stood up, grabbed my magic wand Gura, and ran to the training ground.

I reported that a Monster Research Bureau staff member had come without permission and had taken Sura-chan despite my attempts to stop them.

"What!?"

The captain approached me with a scary face. I also informed him that Amelia was in pursuit.

"I'm sorry for letting this happen while I was here."

"Let's talk about that later. Where is Amelia?"

"Um..."

"--- Touch the contract mark. You'll probably be able to find Amelia's location."

I turned around to see Liselotte, who had caught up with me in the corridor of the knight's quarters, panting and red-faced.

"Phantom beasts and their contracted humans share information through the contract mark. Try it."

"Okay."

I touched the mark on the back of my hand. For a moment, I shared Amelia's vision.

"No way!!"

"What happened?"

"The staff member seems to be a mage and is being attacked by ice shards."

"Where?"

"Near the colonnade in the courtyard."

"Got it."

The captain gave orders.

"Berry, Gal, head to the colonnade in the courtyard immediately. Try to capture the Monster Research Bureau staff member without injury. I'm counting on you."

"Understood."

Deputy Captain Berry sheathed her dual swords and ran off. Gal-san nodded and followed.

"Zara, go report to the Monster Research Bureau. Lissliss, do you know the staff member's name?"

"I'm sorry, I don't know."

I relayed the staff member's features.

"Fine. Zara, I'm counting on you."

"Understood."

Zara headed to the Monster Research Bureau.

"Urgas, go to a position on the second floor where you can target the staff member. If necessary, you have permission to use paralysis or sleep-inducing arrows."

"Under what conditions?"

"If one person becomes combat-incapacitated. I'll take full responsibility, but aim for non-vital areas."

"Understood."

I ordered Liselotte to report to the expeditionary force commander.

Finally, I—

"Let's go."

"Huh?"

Suddenly, my body was lifted into the air. I thought I was being carried like a bag, but the captain started running, and I felt the wind on my face.

"Ah!"

"Be quiet!"

"But, it's scary..."

I bit my tongue. I was told to clench my teeth.

After being carried roughly for five minutes, we arrived at the colonnade in the courtyard.

"Wow..."

"This is bad."

The courtyard's soil was deeply gouged, and trees were knocked down. Large blocks of ice nearby indicated the use of magic.

Many knights had gathered due to the commotion.

Deputy Captain Berry and Gal-san were facing the Monster Research Bureau staff member. Amelia was crouched a short distance away, seemingly unharmed.

"Captain, what should we do?"

"There's no choice. We can't have a large-scale battle in such a confined space. We have to rely on Gal, Berry, and Amelia."

"But, that's..."

I watched the scene while being carried by the captain.

The cornered staff member, realizing his situation, took a drastic action.

"If you come any closer, I'll smash this slime!!"

There was a murmur among the knights.

Those watching whispered, "Not Sura-chan..." and "Taking Sura-chan as a hostage, what a coward."

Perhaps Sura-chan's innocent trembling, which Gar-san took for walks daily, had become a source of comfort for the knights.

Deputy Captain Berry sheathed her dual swords, and Gal-san lowered his spear, planting it in the ground.

Taking advantage of the moment when their weapons were sheathed, the staff member climbed a nearby tree and shouted for the knights to back off.

Just as I thought he was being unreasonable—magic circles appeared around Gal-san.

"What the—"

As the captain muttered, black mist-like substances drifted from the magic circles, obscuring the staff member's vision.

"Ah!!"

"Quack quack quack!!"

Amelia immediately took flight.

She circled in front of the tree and attacked the staff member's hand holding Sura-chan with her tail.

"Ouch!!"

The staff member dropped the bottle. Amelia skillfully caught it mid-air.

"Good job, Amelia!"

"Nice work."

From there, the resolution was quick.

Gal-san quickly climbed the tree and captured the staff member.

"Don't be rough, I'm sorry!!"

The staff member, with a regional accent, pleaded for help in an unfamiliar tone.

Gal-san, still holding the staff member, silently jumped down from the tree.

"Yaaah!"

Thus, the Monster Research Bureau staff member was apprehended by the knight team.

It was a ridiculous situation.

However, an hour later, a surprising fact was revealed. The man was not a staff member of the Monster Research Bureau. He was not even a staff member of the Magic Research Bureau.

Then, who was he, and why did he target Sura-chan?

He refused to talk, and the case became a mystery.

The cleanup of the courtyard was assigned to the Monster Research Bureau staff and the second team.

They filled in the holes in the ground and chopped the fallen trees into firewood.

The rescued Sura-chan clung to Gal-san, not metaphorically but literally, stretching thin and adhering to his chest.

"By the way, what was that magic circle around Gal-san earlier?"

Gal-san pointed to his magic spear Ira.

Apparently, when Sura-chan was taken as a hostage, he felt an unprecedented anger. He realized that black mist was emanating from his spear.

"I think that weapon is a magical artifact."

Liselotte, who was filling in the holes, muttered.

"Maybe when the weapon's name is associated with a strong emotion, a spell is activated?"

Indeed. Gal-san's magic spear Ira means "anger" in ancient language.

At that moment, when Sura-chan was threatened to be smashed on the ground, Gal-san was furious.

Incidentally, the captain's magic sword Spelvia means "pride," Deputy Captain Berry's magic dual swords Awartia mean "greed," Urgas's magic bow Acedia means "sloth," Zara's magic axe Luxria means "lust," Liselotte's magic staff Invidia means "jealousy."

And my magic wand Gura means—gluttony.

I wonder what would happen to this weapon if I let my appetite explode.

I'm curious, but also a bit scared. It's complicated.