3 bar menu

Volume 12 Chapter 5 Part 2

「Yeah. 」

「Oh, while we are still on the subject, I have a message that Lady Cassandra wanted me to pass onto you. She said: 『I see you are quite busy doing your best, but I would like you to pay me another visit soon 』. 」

「Understood. 」

I see. So Elder Cassandra can pass information to those whom she is keeping an eye on through such a route as well, huh? All thanks to the fact the Explorers stationed at the entrance to this Labyrinth are the members of her clan, which makes it easy for her to pass messages around.

And after that, all that needs to be done is for the Explorer to confirm whether or not we entered the Labyrinth properly. Once she sees the records that confirm that we are indeed entering the Labyrinth like the old Lady asked us to, she will know that we are properly reporting at the Labyrinth’s entrance and that she can pass on the message for us through the Explorer stationed there.

Who knows, maybe something good is going to come out of it?

「Thank you very much for your cooperation. 」

I have to wonder though: if I am not going to go meet the old lady right away, does that mean that the Explorer guy is going to be reprimanded for it because he didn’t fulfill his duty properly?

I mean, it’s not like I particularly care about that sort of thing, but I don’t want to be too much of a bother to him just in case if there is something like different factions within Elder Cassandra’s clan that are not getting along with one another and he happens to be a member of one such hostile faction.

Thinking about it in such terms, I guess I technically could be classified as a member of the Duke of Hartz faction… yeah, even if such a faction did exist, then I don’t really care about it.

But that is actually a curious thought.

Is the Duke of Hartz even a part of the clan in the first place? Because if not, then what factions would there be in the clan? Cassia faction? Rutina faction? Nah, there’s no way something like that would be possible.

Even if there were factions like that, then it be the faction on the side where the message would definitely have been omitted, but knowing that old lady, she would probably find a way to skillfully maneuver through any and all such conflicts between the factions.

An ability like that is probably exactly what allowed her to keep her position as the head of the clan for such a long time.

Just like I thought, this old lady is actually pretty damn terrifying.

「Let’s go pay her a visit then. Would it be viewed better if we did that as soon as possible? 」

「I do not know what are the exact customs of the nobles in relation to such matters, but something is telling me that the sooner we do this, the better, especially since the person who requested the meeting is the local person of power, so if you make them wait for too long, then they might have a bad impression about you. 」

Sherry answered my question.

Even if all he was doing was delivering a message for me, I must not forget that it is unlikely that the Explorer standing at the entrance to The Labyrinth Behind Nesco is someone with a direct connection to Elder Cassandra.

Maybe she’s just using one cushion or two cushions here? And if the Explorer at the entrance is standing here all day, then it is more than likely that he is going to make his report to Elder Cassandra only late into the evening.

A few days ago, the old lady asked for a message, and a few days later the report was returned. If it takes about a week, it might be better to go early. It might be slower than the report, but that is probably the best thing to do here.

「I see. 」

「I think it is going to be better to go and pay her a visit early as well. 」
I thought that sending a message and getting a reply in a week’s time might seem like it’s too early, but that does not seem to be the case, and even Rutina agreed with me on that one.

「You are going to go with me as well, Rutina. 」

「No, I don’t think there is a need for me to go this time…. 」

「You are going go with me as well. 」

「…. Yes. 」

I should definitely be taking Rutina along with me in order to get the brunt of the old lady’s attention off of me, especially since it would seem that just like Gozer, I am in a situation where I cannot simply say no to her.

Right now Elder Cassandra is annoyed with Rutina’s father and the events that he caused, so I understand tat Rutina doesn’t want to go because she’s going through some tough times right now, but her not going with me is not an option right now.

「And so, Rutina and I will going out after breakfast. 」

「I understand. 」

I asked Roxanne to take care of the rest while we’re going to be gone.

It is normal for me to be going to the Merchants Guild or to pay a visit to the Duke of Hartz after breakfast, so there should be no problems with us going to see Elder Cassandra only after we finish eating.

No sooner than that.

「Rutina, do you want me to remove the equipment for you? 」
「Ah, yes. Please. Do so. 」

Since we are going to pay a visit to Elder Cassandra’s place again, there’s no need for her to be wearing that equipment to such a meeting.

「Alright, here goes. 」

「…Nhh… 」

I took off Rutina’s equipment for her. Taking it off now shou;dn’t be too much of a problem because she was wearing it for a short time anyway, and since we’re not going to the Labyrinths just yet, then I might as well take it off for her to no feel uncomfortable during the meeting.

Besides, since I am more than willing to put it back on for her anytime during the day, she’s always welcome to ask me to do so.

That, and putting in on for her is always a good excuse for me to put my hands under her clothes and grope her boobs without hesitation.

The important thing here is that I need to be the removing the Body Clip for her, since no one but me has the right to put on and take off Rutina’s equipment for her.

I am not going to give that right away to anyone.

Even the person herself is not allowed to remove it by herself.

As long as she wears it in front of me, I will be able to enjoy observing it carefully, allowing me to appreciate it all the more.

Does she want me to do it again?

However, she ends up wearing it so much that she’s going to get so used to it that she’s not going to be reacting to it in any meaningful way anymore, there won’t be any need for me to take it off for her anymore.

And that’s going to be bad.

I want to continue putting it on for her, and I want to continue taking it off for her as well.

I want to keep on cherishing this right of mine, and I want to continue to protect this right of mine.

「My name is Michio. I would like to request an audience with Elder Cassandra. 」

I then warped to Elder Cassandra’s place after I removed Rutina’s equipment for her.

「I understand. Please wait here for a moment. 」

We were then made to wait in the same waiting room as the first time we have come here last time.

Whether I like it or not, I guess this is just how the system works here. And that is why it is all the more strange to me now that the Duke of Hartz always told me to go into the Bode’s castle and then into his office without asking for permission first.

Well, I have received her message that she wanted me to show my face in here, but it might be that having to pass through the waiting room every time you come to visit is a part of the official instructions or something along those lines.

Thankfully, we didn’t have to wait in the waiting room for long, and we have been brought to Elder Cassandra’s office almost immediately after we have arrived there.