Soon, a tall and bulky figure, dressed in a black cloak, approached the two mysterious figures from behind.
"Care if I offer a drink to these fine ladies?" he inquired, his voice gruff yet polite.
"These fine ladies don't fancy drinking," The child-sized figure responded.
"How about pastries?" the bulky figure 'suggested'.
"These fine ladies do fancy pastries!" the child-sized figure exclaimed, without glancing at the bulky figure.
The bulky dude took a seat beside them upon hearing that.
Following, the child-sized figure inquired, "Have any good news?" Her voice held a mixture of seriousness and hope as the two awaited his response.
"Unfortunately, even after these days of reaching out to every known guild in and out of the empire, nobody has seen or heard anything about a person with the Hero's crest," the bulky figure replied, his voice tinged with disappointment.
"Where could the Hero possibly be, Priestess? Did the Hero fall into the Demon's lair?" The supposed Princess' voice cracked with panic.
As only her eyes visible from the hooded cloak, it was wide with fear as she considered the worst-case scenario.
"Don't jump to negative conclusions just yet, Princess. Although we don't have any information regarding the Hero yet, it doesn't mean the Hero fell into those demons' hands!" The child-sized figure—supposed Priestess, exclaimed, her voice calm yet firm as she tried to reassure the panicked Princess.
Stroking his chin, the bulky figure muttered, "I'm not sure if it's the Hero or not, but…"
Immediately, the other two leaned in eagerly, their expressions expectant as they exclaimed in sync, "But what? Say it!"
Their anticipation palpable as they awaited the bulky figure's revelation.
"I—I'm getting at that, calm down…" The bulky figure reassured them, gesturing for patience.
The two settled, but their attention still fixed intently on him.
"Ahem… As I was saying, a party of four arrived today in our Adventurers Guild. Two were already well-known adventurers, as for the other two, a young man and a young lady, seemed like ordinary bumpkins oblivious to the world. But…" He paused, building suspense for his next words.
The two girls, growing impatient, shouted in unison, "BUT WHAT??" Their voices filled with urgency and eagerness, demanding to know his revelation without further delay.
"I'm saying it, I'm saying it! God…" The bulky figure exclaimed, slightly exasperated by their impatience.
Taking a deep breath, he continued with a serious tone, "But that young man's eyes… they reflected the gaze of a warrior who had faced countless battles and lost countless comrades! His tone showed no fear, even willingly considering to gamble with his life!"
His words hung heavily in the air, leaving the girls in stunned silence as they processed the implications of his revelation.
He then added calmly, "That's the information provided by the Analyst of my guild, at least."
His tone was measured, yet there was an undercurrent of certainty in his words, emphasizing the reliability of the information he had shared.
He also added, "I included this piece of information based on his judgment. After all, he Is a 6th Stage Analyst in my guild! His analyses have always proven accurate, and I trust his assessment."
His confidence in the Analyst's expertise was evident in his words, reinforcing the credibility of the information provided.
"IT HAS TO BE HIM!" The Princess stood up, slamming her hand on the table.
Her voice echoing with determination through the inn and drawing the attention of everyone present. All eyes turned to them, curious about the outburst.
Maya also glanced towards the corner, her curiosity piqued by the sudden commotion. "What's happening over there?"
"Innor than (Ignore them)!" Ayami gulped down, her voice tinged with discomfort. "It happens every day…" She resumed eating afterward, trying to dismiss the disturbance and focus on her meal.
"Hey, don't talk with your mouth full of food, It's bad manners!" Ayaka exclaimed, her frustration evident in her tone as she reminded Ayami of proper etiquette.
"Donthu laccer mi, em the bic cicte heia (Don't you lecture me, I'm the older sister here)!" Ayami's words muffled by the food in her mouth as she attempted to assert her authority despite Ayaka's admonition.
"No, you're not! You always make a mess, and I have to clean up after you! If anyone's the older sister, it's me," Ayaka said calmly but with a touch of irritation, her frustration evident as she addressed Ayami's claim.
– Hehe~, they reminded me of that morning when Ewaan and I also bickered like them…
Maya pondered, a fond smile tugging at the corners of her lips as she reminisced about the playful banter she and Ewaan had shared.
Meanwhile, the Takagi sisters continued to bicker, their voices blending into the background as Maya lost herself in her memories.
°°°
At the corner table, the Priestess whispered anxiously, "Calm down, Princess. Don't just suddenly shout like that!"
Her voice carried a note of concern as she tried to soothe the Princess' agitation and prevent any further outbursts.
The Princess sat down, exuding confidence. After taking deep breath, she calmly spoke, "He must be the Hero! I mean, an ordinary man with ferocious eyes and a fearless tone? Have you ever heard or seen any ordinary people described like that?"
Her conviction was evident as she pointed her case with unwavering certainty.
"We don't have any way to confirm if he's the Hero or not, but he still needs to be investigated for confirmation…" The Priestess looked at the bulky figure, her tone thoughtful and measured. "What does he look like? Do you have any leads on where he might be at the moment, Guild Master?"
Her questions were directed at the bulky figure—supposed Guild Master, seeking more information to aid their investigation.
"Hmm…" rubbing his chin in thought, he answered, "I just know that the boy should be around the Princess' age, has white hair, and…" He paused for a moment before continuing, "According to his conversation with the Analyst, he'll certainly be partaking in the Baptism in two days!"
His words carried a sense of urgency as he revealed the information, emphasizing the significance of the upcoming event in their investigation.
"Good thing I urged the Matriarch and Pope to move the Baptism to an earlier date! Hehe~" The Priestess chuckled mischievously, her satisfaction evident as she recalled her cunning maneuver to expedite the Baptism process.
"When he enters the church, he'll be under your care, Priestess! And of course, I'll be there as well," The Princess excitedly remarks, her anticipation palpable as she looked forward to the upcoming events at the church more than ever.
"But I do have one concern though..." The Guild Master doubtfully exclaimed. "If he's truly the Hero, why would he need to be baptized? I mean, didn't every Hero possessed extraordinary prowess from the moment they descended?"
His question hung in the air, casting doubt on the necessity of the Baptism for someone believed to be the Hero.
"It's mostly true! However, not all Heroes had that luxury. I found a passage in the ‹Book of Guidance And The Records of Heroes› about the first Hero. Although I couldn't decipher much of what was written inside, there was a part that mentioned,"
[He was one who had descended with no additional prowess.]
"In essence, the first Hero was an ordinary man who had to acquire his abilities from the ground up!" The Priestess explained, shedding light on the historical context of Heroes and their varied origins.
The Princess nodded, convinced, remarking with a serious tone, "What she says must be true. That person we suspect is definitely the Hero!"
Her conviction was unwavering more than ever as she affirmed their belief in the identity of the mysterious individual they had been discussing.
The Guild master sighed, stating, "If you're really that convinced, I have no choice but to also cooperate. I'll send the information about the adventurers who were with that boy to the church after I head back,"
His willingness to support their investigation evident as he offered to provide additional information to aid their cause.
The Priestess grinned, her tone hinting at malice and ominous intentions as she gave a sinister smile under her black cloak.
"Splendid! With that, when the time comes, we'll definitely be able to identify the Hero and apprehend him on the spot… hehe~"
However, it was clear from her demeanor that her words were meant in jest, and there was no genuine malice intended.
Listening to the Priestess, who was already grinning, the other two mirrored her sinister smiles.
Their expressions matched hers, conveying a sense of shared complicity.
••• ••• •••