NOVEL NEXT Chapter 13 - People Worthy of the Title "Special-Grade"
People Worthy of the Title “Special-Grade”
“Well then. First, Gil. Please explain where you found Meg-chan.”
We were shown to the guest room and seated on a comfortable sofa. Saura-san started the conversation. I was sitting next to Gil-san across from Saura-san, while Schlie-san was gracefully brewing tea. Juma-san was leaning against the window, still standing.
“Right. I briefly explained it to Schlie and Juma earlier… but I’ll explain it properly again.”
I was touched that Schlie-san had thoughtfully added milk only to my tea. I took a sip and sighed contentedly, “Fuu…” Schlie-san then beckoned me over.
“Hm?”
“Hmm? …Ah, right. Our conversation must be boring for you. Go ahead and have some sweets over there.”
“Fufufu, Meg-chan, those sweets are from my favorite shop! They’re a limited-edition item. They’re whole Oran jellies, and they’re absolutely divine when chilled!”
Oran? What’s an Oran? But if they’re chilled jellies and Saura-san is praising them this much, they must be delicious.
“I-Is it okay for me to have some…?”
But was it okay for me to have something she treasured so much…? I felt a bit guilty and asked. Saura-san gave me a dazzling smile.
“Oh my, Meg-chan, not only are you adorable, but you’re also such a good girl! It’s fine, it’s fine! Just promise me you’ll enjoy them?”
Oh no, Saura-san, you’ll make me fall for you! When you say something like that with a wink, what else can I do but nod enthusiastically!
Schlie-san chuckled at my reaction and led me to the table by the window where Juma-san was. This is so embarrassing…
“I’m going to savor these!”
“Hey, Juma. You’re paying for these.”
“What, why?! You’re so stingy!”
Listening to their banter, I happily sat down at the table… but…
“…I can’t reach.”
My body was too small. Sitting on the chair, the table was about eye level. How sad…
As I was sulking, I suddenly felt myself being lifted. Someone was carrying me?
“Whoa, she’s so light! Hey, kiddo, are you eating properly?”
A voice echoed from above. Apparently, the red-haired guy had sat me down on his lap. Finally, the table was at the right height. He seemed loud and rough, but he had a kind side. Um, I think his name was…
“Juma… shan?”
“Yep, that’s right. I haven’t introduced myself yet! You can call me ‘Aniki’ too!”
He grinned and ruffled my hair. When he smiled, his slightly pointed canines showed, giving him a mischievous, big-brotherly look. His hair was messy, but his touch was gentle. Hmm, aniki… Okay, then.
“I’m Meg. Nice to meet you. Um… Juma-nii-cha?”
Sitting on his lap, I tilted my head back to look at him and asked if this was okay. Juma-kun’s eyes widened, and his movements stopped abruptly. Oops, was that a no-go?
“Ah, no, that’s… fine. Yeah, nice to meet you, Meg.”
Juma-kun stuttered. So it was okay. I breathed a sigh of relief.
“Juma… you’ve finally experienced the power of cuteness firsthand…”
Someone muttered something as they placed a glass of water and the jelly in front of me. Unfortunately, I couldn’t quite catch what they said.
Oh well! Jelly, jelly!
“I mean, you saw how that little one was brought here, right? Wrapped in a huge cloth, carried by Shadow Eagle Gil, flying through the air? Like a stork delivering a baby, it was hilarious!”
The jelly tasted like a sweet and sour mandarin orange. So Oran was a type of citrus. Juicy, sweet, and delicious. As I savored the jelly, the topic of conversation turned to why Juma-kun had been laughing so hard when I woke up.
“Sh…tork?”
I tilted my head at the unfamiliar word. Schlie-san chuckled and explained.
“A stork is a type of bird. Haven’t you heard of them? The story about how babies are brought by storks, wrapped in cloth?”
So it was about storks, huh? Well, well, they had a similar saying in this world. What an interesting common point. As I was marveling at this, Juma-kun, who was above me, chimed in with a lighthearted tone.
“Well, the thing about babies is… they’re not actually brought by storks. It’s men and women, having fun in be—Mmmph!”
It seemed something had been stuffed into Juma-kun’s mouth, cutting him off mid-sentence. Schlie-san, probably. Then, Saura-san, who’d apparently been listening in on our conversation, chimed in with a sharp reprimand.
“What kind of thing to say with a child present! You inconsiderate, simple-minded idiot!”
“You’re a small child yourself! Besides, shouldn’t sex ed be taught properly?!”
“Regardless, that’s too early! You need to learn some common sense! Go back to being a child! No, an infant… no, back to the womb! Start over from the very beginning!”
A war of words was raging between the sofa and my perch on Juma-kun’s lap. Well, I was an adult on the inside, so I knew all about “those things.” But yeah, it definitely wasn’t appropriate for someone as young as me to be hearing about it.
For now, to avoid further chaos, I’d pretend I didn’t hear or understand anything and focus on finishing this delicious jelly. Mmm, so good!
“Man, you’re so loud, you short, old hag…”
Just as I popped the last bite into my mouth, he went and said that. The room instantly transformed into a tundra…! Eek! Juma-kun, you shouldn’t say that…! I didn’t know how old Saura-san was, but calling a woman “old,” on top of that insult… what a reckless fool!
Juma-kun’s softly muttered words echoed in the now-silent room.
A rumbling sound, ゴゴゴゴ filled the air, and a dark cloud seemed to descend over the room, despite being indoors. My instincts screamed in alarm, Danger! Extreme danger!
I was suddenly lifted and found myself in Schlie-san’s arms. I looked up at him, wondering what was going on, and met his eyes. He was smiling gently. Ufufu, okay. Emergency evacuation, I get it! I understand!
“Tell me, Juma? Short, I’ll let slide… but ‘old hag’? Who are you referring to, I wonder…?
“Ah, no, you see, I didn’t really mean it…”
“Ufufufufu! Ah, right, since we’re done talking with Gil anyway? Would you mind letting me test out my new creation? Don’t worry! Since you’re an oni, I’m sure it won’t kill you. In fact, you might be the only one who can withstand it… so, would you mind lending a hand?”
“Uh, sure…”
Perhaps even Juma-kun realized he’d gone too far. He readily agreed to Saura-san’s request without any protest. The fact that she called it her “new creation,” and that Juma-kun was an oni, piqued my interest, but it seemed best to leave it alone for now…
“…What’s amazing about Juma is that no matter how many times Saura and I try to beat it into him, he forgets and doesn’t learn. And just a while ago, I explicitly warned him to watch his words… while I can’t say I respect him, his resilience and ironclad spirit might be worthy of praise.”
Juma-kun left the room, seemingly dragged along by Saura-san. Once they were gone, Schlie-san’s exasperated voice echoed in the silent room. …He certainly didn’t seem like the type to learn from his mistakes.
“…He’s a goner.”
Gil-san’s muttered words stuck with me. Hang in there, Juma-kun!
It seemed the members of the Special-grade guild were special-grade (in every sense of the word.)