Ash spoke in a cold voice.
“Our Master isn’t interested in the affairs of the world.”
“We know that. And what we’re asking will not trouble him in any way. We would only like to et him for a short while.”
“That’s a request I can’t accept. The Master said that he will not et anyone.”
“There are exceptions for everything. I’m pretty sure this will be one of those tis for Hector.”
“…”
Ash fell silent for a mont before responding in a firm tone.
“That isn’t sothing that we can judge.”
Peran had a slightly embarrassed expression on his face.
Their stubbornness was like an iron wall… But he had expected sothing like this to happen. This was because he knew how inflexible these maids were.
He also understood just how absolute the orders of Hector, their true Master, were.
‘That’s why I tried to act like a guest.’
“We’re trying to find Anastasia.”
When she heard Lukas’ words, Ash’s expression changed for the first ti.
“…that na… how…”
Suddenly.
The sound of footsteps ca from outside the door.
It was clear that soone was walking towards the room with great montum.
Realising this, Lukas and Peran tensed up.
Nix also seed to sense it, but she continued to stare at the bread in front of her as if she determined that whoever it was wasn’t a threat.
Bang!
Soon after, the door opened violently, and a red haired man strode in.
Hector.
Ten years had passed, but his appearance hadn’t changed much from the last ti Lukas had seen him. The only difference was that he seed a bit thinner than back then.
The other thing he noticed was his eyes.
Hector was staring at Lukas with bloodshot eyes.
“Did I just hear my Ana’s na in here?”
“Ma-, Master…”
The maids stared at Hector in surprise. His eyes swept across the crowd before settling on Peran.
“You are… Peran?”
He hadn’t expected to et Hector like this.
Peran turned to Lukas for a mont with a dumbfounded expression before turning back to Hector with a wry smile.
“Long ti no see, Mr. Hector.”
* * *
Hector sat down at the table first.
Ragged beard, greasy hair, and dark bags under his eyes. All in all, he looked haggard. It looked like he had been working all night.
“Here you go, Master.”
Ash handed a cup of tea to him in a polite manner, which Hector accepted with a bright smile.
“Thanks, Ash.”
“…”
Looking at his scruffy face, it seed that his personality hadn’t changed much at least.
After taking a sip of the tea, Hector slowly opened his mouth.
“It has been a while, Peran. Has it already been 5 years?”
“Seven years. Have you been well?”
“I’m always well. How can I not be when I’m always stuck in a safe place?”
“I heard you decided to focus on business. I always knew that you were very resourceful, but you truly surprised this ti. I’ve seen your franchise in the Imperial Capital. I also heard that the response in other countries has been very good too.”
When he heard those words, a bright smile spread across Hector’s lips.
“Hahaha. I suppose my actions affected the winds of change which hastened our fated eting. After all, every intelligent being with a working brain is destined to love maids.”
“…I… see.”
Peran’s smile cracked a bit as he replied.
“But why have you co here? Peran, I thought you were always very busy. Also.”
Hector’s gaze turned to Lukas.
“It was you, right? The one who said my Ana’s na.”
“That’s right.”
“Hmm… This is my first ti seeing your face. Pardon my manners, but what is your na?”
“It’s Lukas.”
“I see. I am Hector.”
“…”
It seed that Hector didn’t rember him either.
Lukas was able to accept this fact calmly.
Perhaps it was because he was already used to it by now.
Or perhaps it was because he had already found people who rembered him.
Although one who subrged in soone else’s consciousness and the other only rembered a part.
“I’ll be blunt, Mr. Hector. We desperately need to know where Anastasia is.”
“Please explain in detail.”
Peran began to give him a brief explanation of the situation.
That Diablo had revealed his hand.
And that Snow had beco his first victim and was on the brink of death.
“…”
Hector didn’t really pay much attention to his story. But that didn’t an he ignored him. Instead, he gave vague responses to the things Peran said, sotis nodding or letting out faint exclamations.
Then, when the story ca to an end, he muttered.
“I see. So that’s why you need Ana’s knowledge as the Great Sage…”
“That’s right.”
“…but it’s still strange. Wasn’t Snow already capable of overwhelming Jekid a few years ago and inherited the title of Sword Master? I don’t think even Diablo is capable of pushing her to the brink of death.”
“I agree. That ans he has a trump card that we don’t know about.”
“…”
When Hector’s face beca a bit troubled, Peran added cautiously.
“…of course, I know that Anastasia isn’t with Mr. Hector right now.”
Hector’s expression changed at that mont as if those words broke his heart.
“She’s in her rebellious phase right now. I thought she’d return ho soon, but… Huu. It breaks my heart.”
“…”
“…in any case, I understand your situation. I did think that the continent was a lot more noisy lately, so it was probably because of Diablo.”
Although he spoke clearly, there was no alarm in his voice. Instead, his voice was calm as though he was talking about a war that was happening on the other side of the world.
This wasn’t very surprising. Hector had always been like that.
Even when he’d been forced to be a minion for the Demigods, he hadn’t shown any signs of pessimism. He was the type of person who perfectly suited the word ‘optimism’, but… there was a slight sense of incongruity with his current attitude.
“My desire to help you is burning, but as you said, Anastasia isn’t here. You ca to despite knowing that because you want clues about that kid, right?”
“Yes. Do you have any clues to give us?”
“I do.”
“That’s true. Mr. Hector probably doesn’t know-”
Peran, who had already let out a low sigh, stopped talking for a mont and looked up at Hector with a startled expression.
“…huh?”
“I do have so clues. To be precise, I know where Anastasia is right now.”
“A-, are you serious?”
“Naturally. There is nothing I don’t know about my Ana.”
Hector spoke in a hoarse voice.
“Where is she now?”
“The Ispania Mountains.”
“…!!!”
In an almost synchronised motion, Peran and Lukas turned to look at Nix.
It was only then that they realised Nix had already finished all of the food on the table and was now reaching for Peran’s steak.
When their eyes focused on her, her fingers froze in the air and she raised her eyes to et theirs.
Then, after pausing for a mont, she brazenly grabbed Peran’s plate without changing her expression.
“…nom.”
She swallowed the piece of at as big as a palm in one bite.
Then she spoke to Peran in a slightly timid tone.
“You weren’t eating anyway…”
“…”
“…”
It was now abundantly clear that Nix had not been paying any attention to their conversation.
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