Chapter 478: 「Could You Please Stop Being so Intense? It’s a Little Scary」


    The next day, we all set out to handle our respective tasks. Mimi consulted with Chris about heading to the Dexer star system. Tina and Wiska prepared for departure, with Neve helping them while receiving guidance. Kugi contacted the embassy of the Holy Vuelzarus Empire in the Imperial Capital to arrange and discuss our trip there. Dr. Shouko procured materials for Neve’s treatment.


    As for me, Elma, and Mei, we contacted Serena to arrange a meeting with Marquis Holz House.


    「It’s such a hassle just for a short trip. All these ties really are a pain, aren’t they?」


    「I get it. I ran away from home because I couldn’t stand this kind of thing.」


    The outfits that Elma and I were wearing today weren’t as formal as yesterday’s, but they were still more formal than our usual attire. <em>Well, you could say it’s a sort of military uniform. We made sure the design was different enough not to be mistaken for the ones of the Imperial Space Force.</em>


    「You two surely don’t mince your words, huh…」


    Serena, sitting across from us in a luxury vehicle simr to a flying limousine, red reproachfully at us as she said this. After receiving our call first thing in the morning, Serena went through great trouble to squeeze us into her father, Marquis Laurenz Holz’s schedule. <em>With the significant effort we put her through with just a single message, it’s no wonder she has a thing or two (or three) to say about our less-than-enthusiastic attitude.</em>


    「No, really, I appreciate the effort you put in for this sudden request. And I’m genuinely happy to see you again today, Serena.」


    「…I’m not so sure about that.」Serena muttered, turning her flushed face away from me. <em>I wasn’t just trying to tter her; I genuinely meant what I said. But given her duties, I can’t be as close to her as I am with the rest of my crew. The same applies to Chris, too.</em>


    「Were you just thinking about another woman…?」


    「I’m sitting next to another woman too, as you can see… Could you please stop being so intense? It’s a little scary.」


    <em>It’s unnerving how urately she reads my thoughts without any psionic abilities. Is this what they call a woman’s intuition? Or perhaps, knowing Serena, she picked up on something with her enhanced senses that I’m oblivious to.</em>


    「Honestly… Why did I fall in love with a frivolous person like you?」


    「Oh? If you don’t like it, you can always stop chasing him, you know?」


    「…If you don’t start being a bit nicer to me, I’m going to cry, you know? Is that what you want? I’ll cry loudly, right here. I’ll throw a tantrum, rolling on the ground, right in front of my state.」


    「What a terrifying threat…」


    Elma’s face froze in shock at Serena’s extreme threat.<em> If she actually does that, I can only imagine what Laurenz will say to me, so I sincerely hope she’s not serious.</em>


    「If such an event were to ur, there’s a high probability that the rtionship between Master and Serena-sama would bepletely severed, including any engagement. Therefore, Serena-sama wouldn’t actually do something like that. In such situations, it’s better to be more straightforward in showing your affection, Serena-sama.」


    「…」


    「Please don’t look at me like that… Come on, why don’t you sit next to me?」


    「…I’ll sit.」


    Serena moved from her seat across from me to sit beside me, clutching my arm and leaning against me. By the way, Mei, who had been sitting there earlier, quietly moved to the seat that Serena had just vacated.


    「Must be nice, having two women by your side so early in the day.」


    「Is it really? Well, I guess it is.」


    <em>That is, if you overlook the fact that both of these beautiful women are terrifying women who possess the strength of a grizzly bear. No, I’m really fortunate even taking that into ount. The only downside of this situation is that, since we’re all dressed rather formally, I can’t fully appreciate the sensation of their bodies embracing me.</em>


    ☆★☆


    「I’m sorry, but I’m incredibly busy. I really can’t spare much time, so let’s get straight to the point.」


    As soon as we arrived at Marquis Holz estate—<em>though calling it a state feels inadequate; this massive building is bigger than a castle</em>—we were shown to what appeared to be a reception room. Laurenz, Serena’s father, immediately appeared and cut straight to business. <em>Given that Serena contacted him first thing in the morning and squeezed us into his schedule, he must truly be pressed for time.</em>


    「We’ve decided to leave the Empire for a while, so we’vee to report and discuss that.」


    「Leave the Empire?」


    「Yes. We have a shrine maiden from the Holy Vuelzarus Empire among our crew. ording to her, there’s information rted to my origins in the Holy Empire. So, we’re nning to verify that, and while we’re at it, I thought I’d work on training my psionic abilities as well. Plus, it’s also an opportunity for her to visit her loved ones.」


    「At this particr time?」


    Laurenz tilted his head in confusion. <em>It’s true that going to another country right after getting engaged might raise some eyebrows. It can’t be helped, I’ll exin a little.</em>


    「This is the only asion we have time to do something like this. And I need to meet with Earl Dareinwald, so I figured we might as well take a little detour.」


    「Hmm… Well, that seems reasonable. You’re not nning to go there and not return, right?」


    「Of course not. If that were the n, I’d have already whisked Serena away without a word and disappeared with the wind at our backs.」


    <em>Now that I think about it, that is not such a bad idea, we could just take Serena and Chris away, escape to the Holy Vuelzarus Empire, and live a leisurely, carefree retirement… Hmm, it’s tempting, but I’d probably get bored of it in less than three months from theck of excitement.</em>


    「True enough. In that case, I have nothing more to say. Just get in touch as soon as you return. I’ll handle what I can on this end in the meantime.」


    「I appreciate the trouble.」


    <em>He must be referring to the preparations for the wedding and dealings with the Dareinwald and Willrose Houses. I’m really going to owe him for this.</em>


    「Well, that’s just a minor inconvenience. If I let you organize everything, it would reflect poorly on the Holz House’spetence… Oh, sorry, but I’m out of time. I’ll leave the rest to Serena. Is that alright?」


    「Yes, Father.」


    「Good. Well then, Hiro, and Lady Elma, when you have more time, I’d love to hear about your travels in detail.」


    With that, Laurenz excused himself and left the room. <em>He really has a very tight schedule, he must have forced himself to squeeze us in. I feel a bit guilty about it.</em>


    「Alright, then. We shouldn’t impose any further. Let’s get going.」


    「That’s not going to happen and you know it…」


    「Yeah, you’re right.」


    Following Elma’s exasperated gaze, I saw Serena with her cheeks puffed out in a pout.


    「Sorry, I was just kidding. I know we can’t leave without properly greeting your family.」


    「Do you really mean that? If it’s too much trouble for you to meet my family, you can go back. I’ll just have to endure the endless snide remarks from my father, mother, and siblingster.」


    「Alright, alright. I’m really sorry. I shouldn’t have joked about that. Please forgive me.」


    <em>Today, Serena seems about thirty percent more needy than usual. Is her rtionship with her family bad? I’d better tread carefully from here on out.</em>