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Arifureta Chapter 476
🕑 Added 2023-11-26 13:19:15 +0000 UTCVillager, Becoming Prime Minister?
A spacious garden with beautiful greeneries of trees and grasses.
The red brick style building surrounding it was more suited to be called a castle, or perhaps a palace rather than a university building. Anyone would let out a sigh of admiration no matter how many times they had seen it before.
And walking on stone paving path between the buildings would even make anyone feel like they had passed through a time slip into Middle Ages Europe.
The university in Britain was beautiful.
That was the honest feeling of Kousuke that he still held to even after several months had passed since he enrolled here.
「Kousuke? What’s the matter?」
The beautiful girl with blonde hair tied into a side tail──Emily who was walking beside him tilted her head in curiosity.
She wasn’t wearing a white coat that was one of her trademarks. Today she was wearing a white blouse and a checkered shawl on top of it, perhaps because the weather was unfortunately cloudy. She was also wearing a long skirt below which was hiding her beautiful legs that were always wrapped in black stockings.
「No, I’m simply enjoying the view of the buildings here.」
「You never got tired of it huh~」
Emily placed her hand before her lips and chuckled fufufu.
There were benches that were placed in interval at both sides of the path. There were several students sitting there chatting, whose gazes were clearly got unconsciously drawn toward Emily.
Not only she was beautiful from the start, her charm right now had been polished even further after undergoing various experiences.
She wanted her beloved person to think of her as beautiful, and she didn’t spare any effort to achieve that. Of course that also played a part but, more than that, her eye catching appearance was also because of her growth at the inside to positive direction.
But, unlike when she was in the downtown where she often got called out with high frequency, there was practically nobody inside the university who would approach her with the purpose of hitting on her.
Was it because Kousuke was beside her?
Of course not. After all nobody noticed that there was him at her side. He wasn’t of any use at all as a deterrence.
No, perhaps he was, in a sense……
「Ah, Doctor Grant! Thank you for your time before this!」
「Good afternoon, miss Grant. I’m looking forward to your lecture later.」
「Are you going to have lunch after this Doctor? How about going together if you like it?」
A trio of male and female called out to Emily as soon as they caught sight of her.
Actually, Emily was also in charge of several classes on top of being a student herself.
For some reason recently she was being thought as a mad scientist, or other people having an impression of her as this unyielding amazoness who fought against Hauria’s chuuni behavior(Hauria), or being mistaken as an awakened (?) who displayed impressive sixth sense when it came to Kousuke’s woman relationship, or being treated like a new urban legend when she performed “I’m Emily. I’m behind you right now” for real at that time, but……
She was an authentic genius. A prodigy in the world of pharmacy.
It was a common knowledge that she was already in the possession of doctor’s degree.
Since she ended up receiving the backing of the demon king family, she had submitted many new medicines and thesis, which were receiving high recognition.
As the result, the university requested her “it’s fine even if it’s just for a limited time please let us appoint you as a lecturer”. And so right now she was wearing three statuses as a student cum researcher cum lecturer.
Her lovely appearance, and firm conduct that belied her actual age, and also her extensive knowledge that was living up to her reputation as a genius. Occasionally those with talent would turn out to be unsuited in bequeathing knowledge to other people. Such case wasn’t rare, but that wasn’t true in Emily’s case. Rather her lecture was easier to understand than the average lecturer.
There was also how she was younger than the active students, which make it easier for them to talk to her.
In other words, Emily was very popular among the students who were taking her classes. There was a considerable number of people who would amiably call out to her like just now.
There were but……
「Thank you for the invitation. But, I’ll pass for now. As you can see, I’m going to have lunch with him.」
「「「Him?」」」
「Ah, hello.」
「「「HIH, GHOST-」」」
「I’m human.」
This. In a sense, this was one of the reasons that was protecting Emily from troublesome ulterior motive.
──Doctor Emily Grant was being possessed by a ghost
Emily was very often together with Kousuke in the university. Rather, it was rarer for her to not be with him.
However, human who could detect Kousuke’s existence was rare.
And so. This kind of phenomenon occurred.
──Doctor Emily Grant was often talking to empty air
At the same time, this kind of phenomenon could also be easily witnessed.
──There was a shadow slipping in and out of view beside Doctor Emily Grant
──The young man beside Doctor Emily Grant, was also witnessed at other place at the same time
It went without saying, the phenomenon above was due to Kousuke ‘s appeals of 「I’m here you know?」 that were working sometimes.
And the latter one was due to his clones.
The proper lectures would begin from September, so until then Kousuke was given the right to attend lectures at his own discretion quite freely. Having connection with power of the state, banzai.
In that case, since he had a cheat technique like clones, he might as well took several lectures at the same time for courses that he had interest at, like Emily’s pharmacy field and the like, not only lectures related to medical faculty. Surely it was inevitable for his thought to veer that way.
That kind of things accumulated and rumors that were like urban legends related to Emily spread out, which were holding back any thoughtless playboy from approaching her.
「A-aa, if I remember right you’re the scholarship student from Japan, aren’t you?」
「I’m Kousuke Endou. Nice to meet you.」
「You aren’t a gho──」
「I’m not. You guys don’t have any spiritual sense, and I’m also not Emily’s stand or anything. I’ve been saying this many times but I’m genuinely a human!」
「It feels like, your claim as human is too blatant that it feels suspicious instead……」
They must have been perceiving him clearly for the first time. The university students were staring scrutinizingly at him. One of the female students were smiling vaguely even while accepting the explanation, while the other one started poking on Kousuke’s chest curiously. The male student was observing him scrutinizingly without any reservation.
「Exactly. He’s a scholarship student at the medical faculty. Also, remember this one too.」
Emily pulled Kousuke’s arm energetically. As though to pull him away from the female student who was poking on him.
Then she pressed and hugged that arm on her chest tightly while speaking with a wide smile.
「He’s Emily Grant’s beloved lover.」
Eyes blinked. The students looked at each other. Perhaps they were thinking that it didn’t feel like Emily and Kousuke weren’t a good match. After all she was an authentic genius girl with lovely appearance and bright future that everyone had great hope for.
But, seeing Kousuke who didn’t say anything to deny that while smiling shyly, and Emily who was pressing her body on him with a really happy expression, it seemed there wasn’t any need for many words.
「A-aa~, looks like we’re getting in the way here.」
「Miss Grant, so cute……」
「Can I call you Kousuke? Our bad, we were acting rudely there. If you like let’s talk next time. I love things like Japan’s anime you know?」
The three students said that and left with acceptance of the situation.
「Yosh. Today too my effort to spread out my relationship with Kousuke is progressing successfully a little bit again.」
「I’m really putting you in trouble huh.」
「You promised not to say that didn’t you, Aby-san.」
The two exchanged such light jokes with each other and chuckled together. Then they started walking to go out of the campus and headed to a certain café that was a little distance from there.
They were doing their best to choose a path with few people, but as expected the degree of attention on Emily was great until they leave the university.
「As expected from the medicine genius who sends everyone into frenzy. I’ve never heard of someone in their teen to be appointed as lecturer.」
「No, there were also other people than me who got appointed as lecturer in the past. This Percival University has a long history, so I’m not that special. Well, I can’t deny that it’s unusual though.」
Besides, Emily continued with a wry smile on her face.
「I’m a survivor of Down Classroom after all.」
That too was undoubtedly one of the reasons why many gazes were following Emily.
The ghost rumor mentioned before. The source wasn’t simply from Kousuke’s existence. Her being a survivor of that tragedy was also a common knowledge, so that kind of rumor formed.
There were people who thought that Emily talking to empty air was because the wound in her heart that hadn’t healed, and there were also those who linked the shadow that appeared and disappeared around her to the incident and felt fear. That kind of rumor was getting louder the further away someone was from Emily.
Certainly, no male would talk to her to hit on her with that kind of rumor spreading around.
「……I see. Not much time has passed to allow everyone to forget about it.」
「Yes. They haven’t even reached any decision whether to destroy that research building or not. The media isn’t heating up or anything thanks to demon king-sama dealing with it but……there is still a stream of people related to the university wanting to interview me about it.」
The first incident where Kousuke and Emily met each other──the Berserk Incident.
About this incident, the official announcement and media reported that Kaysis Wentworks of Gamma Pharmaceutical was the mastermind behind everything.
The fake story went like this.
The pharma company created the Berserk drug, then spread it around with the scheme of obtaining immense profit and great influence from selling the antidote.
The terrifying plan that was being carried out behind the scene got leaked out because of some slipup. An experiment escaped in the middle of transport and got into the middle of city.
Because of that, Kaysis hurriedly ordered his subordinate to sneak the drug into Percival University.
He planted false evidence in the university to deceive the investigation of the law enforcement authority. He did that to buy time until the drugs could be spread out far and wide effectively.
However, the drug got discovered by security while it was brought in. There was a scuffle and the drug got spilled in the process.
It caused victims from the university people and the investigators who didn’t know anything at that time in the research building……that was the story.
It wasn’t a complete lie. It was mostly true.
It was a story to protect Emily.
Emily’s chance of normal life would be lost if it got announced that she was the creator of Berserk drug. The people of the underworld would never stop targeting her family as a genius pharmacologist, and there was no doubt that the surface world too would become like a bed of thorns for her.
And more than that, the country would also need to put her under stringent protection to prevent “Doctor Grant” from getting kidnapped and remade the threat of Berserk.
In the first place Berserk was the result of coincidence. It wasn’t something that Emily created intentionally.
Nevertheless, she was stopped from destroying it due to the betrayal of Professor Down who she trusted as a mentor and even like a second father. In addition he even stole the drug and misused it. It was a circumstance that was too heavy for a sixteen years old girl.
Then, the sin should be completely shouldered by the demon who betrayed even the secret organization he belonged to and schemed to become the sole dictator by trampling over innumerable lives, and the higher-ups of the pharma company who followed such person……such opinion didn’t meet even a single objection about it.
The leakage in the research building was the result of the security bureau──and the nation by extension getting greedy, so this story also helped with hiding that fact. That part was a skeleton that any country would have in its closet.
「I’m feeling bad for those people who simply worked normally without knowing anything in Gamma though……」
「You’re overthinking it. Emily hasn’t done anything wrong at all, not a single one.」
「But, I heard that society’s eyes on them are harsh. Anyone who was found out as employee in that company got cold eyes from everyone. And it looks like there’re also many who quit their job.」
「That’s even more unrelated with you Emily. The media is interfered and manipulated so all the employees can get improved working conditions……we’re backing them up as much as possible. ──Mainly Nagumo!」
If their salary got doubled, even the employees would go 「W-well, whether I’m going to quit or not……I guess I’ll think about it a little?」.
The society’s cold eyes were also lighter than they originally should be. The method was the same when dealing with the media during the returnees commotion. Using subliminal magic formation.
Also, the money source was……from when many underworld organizations like drug cartel or human trafficking organization all over the world got crushed. It seemed everyone related was searching with bloodshot eyes for the vast amount of fund that vanished into thin air.
「The groundwork so they can have a chance to redeem themselves from now has also been created enough. Or rather the result is already showing──Mainly by you Emily! ……Sorry that I can’t do anything at all.」
「Geez, Kousuke. That’s not true at all. Fufu」
Actually, the pharma company called Gamma Pharmaceutical already didn’t exist.
The imprisoned management and upper echelons were replaced by people who were connected with the security burau. Then Hajime supported the company when its stock price nosedived and became the biggest stockholder.
And so, the company name had also been changed in order to renew the company’s image too. Now it was called [Alpha Pharmaceutical]. Alpha……the beginning, in other words Hajime. (TN: The word Hajime also meant beginning in Japanese)
By the way, in public it was a wealthy person of Britain who was holding the stocks. It was so that Nagumo family wouldn’t gather attention. The security bureau was the one that prepared the scapegoat.
It was the birth of a fictional character who was officially approved by Britain──Alphard Southcloud-san. (TN: Just as reminder, Nagumo meant south cloud in Japanese)
It couldn’t be helped. Because……
「He created a personal lab for me at my request……and also provided me with tools that are completely super technology. It’s only natural that I produced result.」
Not only she was provided with tool that could easily separate and combine objects freely regardless whether they were inorganic or organic, she also got a tool that could instantly analyze a material’s information down to its smallest detail.
In addition was a lab and experiment tool that could speed up or slow down time. Not only that, there was also a tool that could do “regeneration” to return something to its former state in case of failure.
For experiment that required immense amount of time and number of verification, being able to directly interfere with material, seeing through information, and manipulating time were truly extraordinary methods.
「But……it’s my dream to create something that can be useful for others, but this feels like I’m cheating……I can’t feel honestly happy even if you call that as me producing result.」
「Cheating……it’s not like you’re mass producing magical medicine as it is, it’s Emily’s achievement for creating something that has the same effect with only earth’s ingredients right?」
「Reproducing a completed item with different material and aiming to create something from zero into the completed item that you pictured in your mind are two things with completely different difficulty level you know?」
No matter in what field, creating something new was the result of countless experiments and verifications.
It was like groping around for a single needle inside a pitch black darkness where you couldn’t even see an inch ahead of you. It was a world where effort and perseverance at a level that was reaching insanity were required.
But, Emily who had the backup of the demon king family was enabled to do so from completely the opposite approach.
She analyzed the completed item, comprehended the effect of each ingredient, then searched from among the earth ingredients for replacement of the other world ingredients. That was all.
She was using a far easier method to produce a result that her predecessors needed to pay with blood and sweat to do the same. How could she not call something like that cheating?
That seemed to be Emily’s feeling in this matter.
「No, look here, Emily. I think even just searching for the replacement ingredient is normally something very difficult though. At the very least none among us can do something like that.」
Kousuke spoke half in exasperation. What he said wasn’t wrong. After all, the original ingredients were fantasy things. Just because there was the completed item, trying to reproduce it using only earth ingredients would be more difficult wouldn’t it? That was his thought.
「That’s not true at all. In fact, something like the hair restoration tonic only took me a week to make.」
「Ah, yeah, guess so……」
The groundbreaking hair restoration tonic. For the gentlemen with shiny head, such thing was already like a legendary elixir.
A part of the authorities in in pharmacy society seemed to think badly about Emily at the beginning because of their pointless pride, but……
The hair restoration tonic was created after Hajime gave her advice. A month after the free samples were distributed,
They scoffed at the item that was provided to them, even so they tested it while thinking that they were going to lambast her later on after it proved ineffective. But then they held their heads inside the bathrooms of their houses.
「……What’s this? Just what in the world is this-?」 They all muttered. While looking at their own heads that were little by little, gradually losing their shine day by day without fail.
Among the upper echelons of the university and also among the scientific society, there were nobody who was regarding Emily with thoughtless envy and she was also being properly evaluated. Not only that they were even watching over her with kindness……
No, let’s not continue any further. There was no need to go out of the way to touch the darkness. Yes, even if the authorities from every field whose heads were clad in radiance were making something like a secret organization of 「Society of White Robed Saintess who Drove Away the Radiance」 that was growing in influence, there was no need to learn about that.
Getting back on topic.
「You know that Nagumo……before this he was saying his wallet getting fat from drug laundering and not money laundering.」
「It’s a wording that smell of crime to high heaven! Use the word medicine at the very least……」
「W-well, anyway other than the “sales of accessories that’s just a little bit effective”, he’s also earning a lot in the field of magic potion thanks to Emily, so that guy is also happy. It’s also a fact that there’re people who’re helped by it……that’s why, I think it’s fine even if you don’t feel too guilty about it yeah?」
「Is that so? ……No, that’s true. If someone is helped by it, then there’s no need to hesitate even if it’s cheating as long as it increases the number of people helped as much as possible, perhaps.」
Actually there was also such objective among the reasons of why they took over (?) the pharma company.
If Emily who could analyze magic potion and recreate it for earth’s use was there, many groundbreaking medicines would be able to be released to the world. In addition, there was the great advantage of not needing to build the mass production system and marketing from zero.
Of course, there was the problem of trust from the society and business partner. Because the current trust to the company was at rock bottom even though the company’s name and management had been replaced.
But, if the company could produce revolutionary as well as effective medicines one after another, its reputation should be overturned one day. In addition, there was another method, a method to regain trust being carried out, so it wouldn’t take that long until the company made a comeback.
That was the thinking of Hajime and Magdanese.
Most of the pharma company’s profit went to the security bureau to fund their activity. Hajime too naturally was given dividend as the major stockholder. It’s gonna be fun at the future like this……the two thought while exchanging a handshake with dark smiles. It went without saying that Kousuke and Emily who happened to be present at that time were creeped out.
「It also helps that the company is there to soak up the people’s attention no matter how many great medicines got invented.」
「Usually people will think of that as a honor though.」
That too was one of Hajime’s aims in taking over the company.
The pharmacy genius Emily Grant’s name wasn’t announced as the origin of the groundbreaking medicines. Instead it was made to be the work of a large group that was “Alpha Company’s development” so that she wouldn’t stand out.
This was something that Emily herself also strongly wished for.
「I don’t need anything like fame in society. It’s enough as long as someone is saved by the result of my research.」
「I see.」
「Yes, that’s right. Besides, I’ve decided to come with Kousuke, so it’s pointless to get fixated with fame on earth right?」
「That’s, it’s my dream to one day stay at Tortus and spread out medical science there that doesn’t use magic but……right now we can travel between worlds quite easily thanks to Nagumo.」
「You mean it’ll be something like commuting to work at Tortus, then going home to earth?」
「Yep yep. Recently I’m thinking that perhaps something like that is also acceptable.」
「It’s because you met with Hinata isn’t it!? You can’t just leave her behind huh!」
「……………………T-that’s also part of the reason, I guess?」
Whoops dangerous. It’s a hornet nest that……Kousuke thought while averting his gaze. Emily’s piercing stare stabbed at his face from the side. It was a fact, so he was unable to meet her eyes even more.
「W-well, it’s still something that’s far ahead in the future!」
It would be five or six more years in the future before he graduated from the medical faculty and started his activity in Tortus.
At that time Hinata would be still in middle school or just entered high school. In any case she would be right in the middle of puberty moving to youth.
The two had tentatively promised that in the future, Kousuke would consider once more if Hinata still harbored feeling for him even after she had turned into adult, so perhaps Hinata too would meet someone her age who was more suitable……
Kousuke was the only one who was thinking that.
Emily-chan knew.
That Hinata’s family was outrageously wealthy. And how it was a distinguished family with lineage that spanned until ancient time. And also, how the feeling of that strongest young onmyouji was the real thing, so her mother who was holding the actual authority over the house was already moving to cut off any escape route!
The level was different from a certain saintess somewhere! This wasn’t an opponent who “Even I’m a doctor!” could work!
Fujiwara Hinata was a princess of the highest level in every aspect, whether it was in the open or behind the scene!
「Listen to me, Kousuke.」
「……What is it?」
「Never, ever! Lay your hand on her before she come of age no matter what!」
「There’s no way I’ll do that right!?」
「Even if she has cut off all paths of escape! Even if she use any kind of questionable magic! Laying your hand on a minor is a crime!」
「I know that though!? Or rather, what’re you saying in the open like this!?」
「If you want to lay your hand on someone then do it to me!」
「Guess I should zip your mouth for a bit!!」
Do you want to end my beautiful college life before it can even starttt!? Kousuke said while reflexively covering Emily’s mouth.
When he looked around, other people had been paying attention to Emily from the start. Some students who seemed to have heard her words were looking shellshocked to their way.
Emotion like they were looking at a criminal was appearing and disappearing inside their gazes……he couldn’t help but imagine that, so their shock must be not solely from noticing Kousuke’s existence.
Or rather.
Looking objectively, this looked like Emily-sensei was raising her voice toward a suspicious man, then that suspicious man covered up Emily-sensei’s mouth in respond.
「Hello, police──」
「Please don’t report thissss!!」
He flipped up a pebble on the ground and directly flicked it with his finger without even catching it first! The superb control and strength adjustment hit the smartphone to make it slipped off the person’s hand. It was a fast and daring obstruction of police call!
「Ah, I’m fine over here! Sorry for making a ruckus!」
Emily also hurriedly raised her voice, so the people around them regained their composure for a moment.
But, 「Is that really true?」「That man, doesn’t he look suspicious?」「Why can’t I make out his face clearly even from this close?」 doubtful gazes from them were still there.
「Kousuke, let’s leave quickly. Before things become troublesome.」
「No, look here, Emily. If we leave this situation like this, their doubt at me will still remain and I’ll get thought as a suspicious guy won’t I? Won’t the rumors get exaggerated again?」
「T-that’s……that might be so. Kousuke is already treated like a ghost and also almost turning into an urban legend at this rate……」
By the way, the urban legend was “The Omnipresent Man”. It was Kousuke’s own fault for using clones to take another class while already attending one. It was the adverse effect of being a man who was too used to not being noticed despite wanting to be noticed.
「I want to solve everyone’s misunderstanding properly though……」
「R-right. Because I carelessly yelled……sorry, Kousuke.」
「No, that’s…………no, it’s Emily’s fault. Because you treated me like a pervert.」
「Uu」
Kousuke-san unexpectedly pinned the blame straight on her. In a sense, him being so straight with her might be a sign of his relationship with Emily developing to a good direction.
Kousuke returned a piercing gaze back. Emily groaned slightly and split her mind for a way to resolve the misunderstanding. And then, *ping* the light bulb lighted up over her head.
Emily blushed and fidgeted. She pressed the tip of her shawl on her lips and made an upward gaze to Kousuke shyly while saying.
「T-then do you want to solve this misunderstanding in one go?」
「Eh, there’s a way like that?」
Even though they were already standing close to each other, Emily closed the distance by one more step.
「It’ll be resolved, if I kiss you from my end right?」
「Rejected.」
「W-why! We also did it a lot this morning!」
「Because that’ll just give rise to new rumors! Or rather it’s plainly embarrassing! Think of where we are!」
「Woman is all about guts! Most things will get resolved if you charge ahead! Kaori-san also said that!」
「Have you every think, of the feeling of the side who got charged?」
You can say that because you never saw Nagumo’s eyes looking like a dead fish……Kousuke retorted inside his heart, but Emily-chan who seemed to have entered her kissing mode was pressing her body on him insistently.
As expected, the people in the campus somehow sensed the atmosphere between the two and became noisy.
There an unexpected savior arrived.
「Oh! Isn’t it my highly enlightened sworn friend, the Abyss Lord over there!?」
「No, you have the wrong person.」
Kousuke reflexively said a denial, perhaps because he got called abyss lord in the public.
But putting that aside, the one calling him that must be someone who knew of his hidden side. When he turned his gaze toward the voice,
「Eh, why are you here……」
「Of course, it’s for the sake of enlightenment. For the youths with promising future, I shall spread this noble ideology and conviction that the lord has bestowed to me, as one of the villagers!」
The place became noisy in a different way this time.
The man who was accompanied by several people gave an impression that was far removed from being a “villager”. Thin blonde hair that was combed down precisely, a splendid moustache, a nicely toned body that was wrapped in a high quality tailored suit, and one hand holding a walking stick. This man was known by practically everyone in Britain.
「That’s parliament member Jefferson Allgrey!」
「If I remember right, there’s notice that there’ll be special lecture this afternoon……don’t tell me……」
「Seriously!? A lecture from an MP (member of parliament)? Why is the lecturer’s identity kept hidden huh!?」
「Isn’t it because non-students will rush in too if this became known?」
「More importantly, I wonder if can we join the lecture too?」
Just as could be heard, this person was Jefferson Allgrey, a real estate king and a member of British parliament on the surface, while a leader of the secret organization Hydra behind the scene.
He became a pious “villager” due to Abyss Lord’s “Staking the Pride of a Villager”. Along with that his organization and the members also got reborn into the worldwide charity organization “Staking the Pride of a Villager” that was still continuing to exist even now.
Perhaps because of that, right now he was a popular parliament member and even got treated as a saint by some people. The students were getting excited as though they had run into a celebrity.
In respond, MP Allgrey waved his hand to them with a refreshing smile on his face, as though his ugly face that was smeared with greed in the past was just a lie.
One of the people accompanying him must be a secretary. A young man in suit who seemed to be still in his twenty whispered to his ear 「We shouldn’t stand out too much……」 in warning.
「Sorry sorry. I caught sight of my benefactor. I couldn’t stop myself from calling out because of that.」
「Benefactor? This student?」
「Fuh. I can’t talk in detail but……that’s right. The current me can exist now is all thanks to him!」
*Murmur-, murmurmur-, murmurrr? Murmur-murmur-!!*
MP Allgrey’s voice was a baritone voice that was excessively springy. Because of that too, well, it resounded really clearly far and wide.
Not only he was sponsoring numerous philanthropic activities, even as a parliament member he was continuing to work hard if it was for the sake of the people that he even sacrificed his sleeping time for it. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that right now he was an existence with the most popularity and name recognition among the British parliament right now.
Someone like that, was calling a student to be his benefactor and even put his arm around that student’s shoulders with intimacy.
The eye color of the students who stared at him with suspicious that perhaps he was a stalker of Emily-sensei changed! Into the color of respect and astonishment that said You are actually someone that amazing!?
「Now then, there are a lot of things I want to talk with you but other than the lecture I also have to meet a lot of people here. So lord, how about you also come with me to have lunch together so we can also talk? Of course, the lovely lady there can also come with us.」
「A-aa, no, regrettably we’ll like to refrain, yes. Surely the other people will also feel troubled if someone who isn’t even in the arrangement suddenly intrude.」
「Is that so? No, this is tactless of me it seems. I’m getting in the way of your date.」
「No, nn, well, it’s something like that.」
Why’re you that pressured even though it was you who turned this man into this……Emily got an exasperated expression that was saying that.
「Then, until next time. Please convey my best regards to the demo──Mr. Southcloud and Mrs. Magdanese too.」
「Aa, you’ve been a great help until now, so let’s meet again soon.」
「right-. Well then I shall look forward to that day, my sworn friend, Lord Abyssgate!」
「That name is──」
MP Allgrey left gallantly before he could tell him to stop with that name. His walking stick to the end must be just to complement his appearance as a gentleman. His way of walking that was overflowing with dominating aura was sharp, and fast.
The students were also watching with gleam in their eyes seeing a parliament member in the flesh who was brimming with energy and passion. They felt that he was even more than what they saw in TV.
At the same time, gazes were also gathering on Kousuke who was called as a benefactor by such personage.
「It makes me realize once more, demon king-sama’s artifact is really nasty isn’t it?」
「Yeahh. Though I’m not feeling sympathy at all when I recall their crime that Magdanese-san told me.」
Most likely the day he got released from being a villager would never come.
Originally he was the head of a crazy occult organization, and he had also piled up the suitable amount of crimes to reach that position. And he had also hushed up all those crimes using his organization’s power and his own influence and wealth. At the inside he had already gone past being pitch black and straight into darkness. If it was for the sake of his own benefit and greed, something like other people’s life didn’t matter at all. He was a wretch of wretches.
The people who knew of his hidden side seemed to believe without any doubt instead that he must be planning some kind of really sinister design seeing his current appearance and behavior, but there was no doubt that before long they would start tilting their head in confusion 「When is he going to show his true nature?」.
Also, if Britain demanded it then Kousuke and others had also prepared to simply return him to normal and handed him to be charged for his crimes.
But, the country’s decision that was told to them from Chief Magdanese was “to conveniently keep him like that”.
Part of the reason was because the confusion in the society would be too great if all the former Hydra organization members got arrested after they got so popular due to their turnabout, but in reality, this was a kind of punishment for them. After all their original personalities got ignored and they were forced to do something completely opposite of their actual desire.
「Is this really alright? From what I’m seeing in public opinion right now, at this rate that person, he’ll go as far as he can won’t he?」
By that she meant the seat of prime minister of Britain. That was just how popular he had become.
「He’s “convenient” for that too.」
「Brrr. Behind the scene of a nation is really pitch black.」
「It really feels real when someone who had been met with terrible experience because of that black part is the one saying it. But, you know, his philanthropic activities are a good thing for the children of the world, and it’s also beneficial for us.」
The beneficial here referred to Alpha Pharmaceutical. One of the method for the company to restore its reputation was none other than MP Allgrey. It was a plan for him who was a popular parliament member to give his guarantee, as well as him giving order to former Hydra members who were prominent figures in various circles to advertise the company with good evaluation.
「Well, more importantly lunch. It’ll be troublesome if we stay here.」
「? Aa, that’s true. Fufu, it caught us off guard, but it might be a good thing that we met Allgrey here. It feels like Kousuke’s visibility increased again.」
The surrounding students looked like they would approach them even now with eyes that were full of curiosity. Among them there were even those with gleaming eyes.
In various senses, having a connection with the charismatic parliament member who shook the country right now was stimulating for them.
「It’ll be hard to answer even if they ask me how am I his benefactor. I’ll think up some kind of fake story.」
「That answer is really befitting a crew of the demon king.」
The two then looked at each other and smiled wryly.
Then they immediately started walking to exit the campus toward the face that was their destination with slightly hurried pace before they got surrounded by a crowd.
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Some ten odd minutes after that.
「Isn’t Allgrey’s schedule leaked out too much?」
「Looks like it’ll be really crowded in the campus this afternoon……I have lecture to give but, be careful okay, Kousuke? I think the “benefactor” rumor must have been circulating.」
Kousuke and Emily could be seen at the nearest café to the university──not.
The two’s gazes were directed toward a different café. There was an arch shaped wood signboard with the letters “ILS” on it. Below those letters were “I Love Salmon” written in small letters.
Yes, the former unlawful agent of Hydra who got enlightened by the abyss lord to the path of salmon sandwich and became a salmon sandwich evangelist──Woody was the own managing this café that specialized in salmon sandwich.
Of course, it was far away from the campus.
If asked why they went out of their way to go through a relatively near “gate” that was set up inside the security bureau to come until this far, that was because the café that was their destination was full.
The info that Allgrey would give a lecture in the campus had been leaked, though it was unknown when he would arrive. That was why there were incredible amount of people killing time in the shops around the university until it was time for the lecture.
And so, seeing that was the situation they decided they might as well go to eat lunch at ILS. After all this café was empty most of the time other than when the regular customers (mostly the security bureau staffs) came.
「Now then, it’s salmon sandwich after so long. I couldn’t come here lately because of how hectic things are.」
「You really like it huh. Well, the manager’s sandwich is certainly delicious though.」
Maybe it was just her imagination but Kousuke seemed in high spirits. A smile also formed on Emily’s face seeing that.
Kousuke opened the café’s door. Emily was with him so there would be no problem but, he didn’t have any naïve expectation that his existence would be noticed just because the door had bell attached, so just in case, he called out to Manager Woody──but before he could.
「Here, darling♡ Aa~n♪」
「I already told you that many times don’t call me──」
The inside of the store that was completely deserted even though it was lunch time.
That room that should be desolate was strangely hot.
At the other side of the counter, a lovely woman with brunette hair that had gotten slightly longer than before and tied up in a bundle behind her──Samantha was bringing up a fork with deep fried salmon toward the hardened face of Manager Woody.
One of her arm was firmly entangled around Manager Woody’s thick arm. Her body was also pressed tightly on his.
「「……」」
「……ah」
Manager Woody’s eyes met Kousuke’s, no, more accurately Emily’s eyes. Next he also noticed Kousuke’s existence and Manager Woody’s voice unconsciously slipped out from his mouth.
The air froze.
Of course that happened. Samantha-chan was a 19 years old female university student. Manager Woody was a 41 years old middle-aged man who also kept a hidden side of being an information broker.
「T-this isn’t how it looks like, head! No, it’s how it looks like but, there’s a reason behind-」
「Eh? Ah, oh no, how embarrassing-──I mean, welcome you two!」
Wonder why, Manager Woody was clearly acting like 「I got seen doing something bad!」, but Samantha-chan showed no other emotion than shyness. Not only that, her atmosphere was like a young wife who was running a shop together with her husband where they were supporting each other.
Just what in the world had happened during the two months he didn’t show his face here?
For the time being, Kousuke and Emily looked at each other. They nodded together and looked toward Manager Woody once more.
And then,
「Guilty」
「Head!?」
「Hello is this with the security bureau? This is Emily Grant. Please connect me to Barnard-san.」
「Can you please not report meee!? What’s more you’re calling someone like the chief of the assault division-? Spare meeee!!」
Emily sent a scornful gaze toward the uncle who was formerly an unlawful agent who had completely deceived (?) an active university student who had a wholesome life under the sunlight, while fulfilling her duty as citizen by reporting it.
AN: Thank you very much for reading this every time.
Thank you very much too for the thoughts, opinions, and reports about misspelling and omitted words.
I was thinking, I’ve never written the society’s perception or the course of events of society after Berserk incident, so I put them in this chapter. Sorry that the story hasn’t really progressed, but I hope everyone can read this daily life arc with leisurely manner! Best regards!
※Notice
I forgot to tell but, there’s pachinko machine for Arifureta. It looks like it came out at the beginning of this month. If you like please try playing it by all means!
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