Special Quest Completion (2)

"Okay, Laura-san successfully made her way over to the Regressor's side," Nine fiddled with his UI.

"Good work," I replied.

"Oh yeah. You said we're meeting up with her Highness Siesta later.. what for?"

"You said that you wanted to hunt, didn't you?."

"But we're still going to go to the west gate in the end right?"

"I'm not stopping by the adventure guild however?"

We were still at the florist. First task at hand was to allow the High Elf Laura-sama to return to the Irregular's side. I found it rather touching, how they would be able to meet after so long. It's like a love that should've gone but came back to life.

I never really understood Laura-sama's story. One thing is for sure, this High elf sure is impatient. As elves and humans possess different life spans, their value also differs in accordance to that. I didn't think she would accept the offer proposed after rejecting it once.

"So you two are to go off soon? You're leaving rather late today?" Margrett-san who came out from the back room, asked.

"We'll be going soon. I apologize for not being able to help in the store today yet again."

"That's alright. It's not obliged."

"Okay, Her Highness Siesta should be on the way," Nine said.

"Her Highness?" Margrett-san looked at us, confused.

I merely nodded.

Margrett-san took a while to process the information, proceeding with her sigh. With a smile she said.

"Send my regards to Her Highness on your behalf, would you kindly?"

"Will do Margrett-san."

"Thank you."

"Oh, I forgot you didn't know, sorry about that."

"I should've expected this. I suppose it wasn't a waste to invest in you four after all."

"Too bad I'm worse at magic and fighting compared to your daughter," Nine lamented.

Margrett-san merely smiled, sending us off.

Today, I will have to serve another 40 cups of tea. I made sure all the necessary items are inside the inventory.. paper cups, tea boxes.. just these two items.

"West gate-- so Her Highness came here to help solve the refugee issue.. Which nation were they from again? Phylus was it? How exactly are they going to solve this crisis anyways?" Nine asked after I decided to explain the reason for Her Highness Siesta's appearance.

"I do wonder myself."

I couldn't quite imagine how the kingdom would deal with such a large group of immigrants. In the recent novel I've read, usually, it mentioned about the threat of spies infiltrating the kingdom, thus why the refugees were left abandon.

I do find that hard to wrap my head around as I don't see a need for a spy to hide amongst the refugees. One could freely enter and exit by paying the required tax. That was all.

If that were the case.. why did the refugees stay outside the kingdom? They could pay the tax could they not? Then come to search for a job and suitable life in this new kingdoms..

My ability to think of society as a whole must be lacking.

Nine and I soon arrived at the West gate. The arrangement of knights was different from the usual.

There was a tent set up to measure the skill amongst the refugees. It seems the kingdom intends to take in refugees that have skills that the kingdom covets.

Past the gate, the camp spread out before us. Though, this time, there new tents erected with people busily working in them.

Her Highness Siesta was giving a speech to the crowd on top of a podium. Many knights surrounded her as a mess of people, mostly merchants tried to slither their way into the backstage. They were however, removed by the knights.

"I don't get fancy speeches.. how does someone do that anyways," Nine looked at Her Highness Siesta with an expression that said he did not comprehend.

"Similar to my thoughts when I learnt that you yell at a flat mini-television to earn a living."

"Television? You mean my monitor? That's me streaming.. awh man, I miss that.. "

"I can sympathize with that.." I do miss the time when I'd smash the keyboards-- as some would say.

"Do we go to the tent there?" Nine asked, referring to the backstage.

Her Highness Siesta did not specify the place so we didn't really know where we should meet.

"Oh, isn't that.. Liliath, this way."

I followed Nine, he went in the direction of Her Highness Alytia. I had not noticed her presence, quite shameful if I may say so myself. She, despite wearing ceremonial clothes that stood out, blended in quite well in the crowd.

She was giving out orders to a troop of knights.

"Your Highness Alytia," Nine called out, waving his hand. Her Highness Alytia turned to us. When she met my eyes, she quickly dismissed the knights and came walking over to us.

"Hm? If you are here to sell the Princess on something I suggest you give up. Sorry, who is this boy?"

"What in the.. hey, do you not recognize me?" Nine asked in panic.

"I do not. Er.. Miss Lili.. was it?"

"Liliath, that is my name. An honor to meet you once again Your Highness," I wasn't irked by the fact the Princess did not know my name. I did not introduce myself to her before this, "This here is Nine-san."

"Nine-san?" she looked at him with an incredulous expression. Her face was scrunched with obvious creases.

Ah. I see. The Nine she met that time was..

"What? You don't remember?"

"Please allow me a moment.." Alytia closed her eyes tightly shut, looking up at the bright blue sky, she blinked a few times before looking down at Nine once again. "Sorry, are you getting the wrong person, Liliath-san?"

"That is not the case Your Highness.. it is that he is a she."

"Pardon? He is a she?"

"Oh, right! Your Highness, close your eyes for a second. Liliath, concealment barrier."

Instead, Her Highness ALytia moved her hands towards the pommel of her sword.

"Um.. sure then."

Taking the chance, Nine fooled her Highness the very same way we tried fooling the elderly at the florist before. I didn't understand how quick clothing changes were considered a magic trick in Noel's world, but I did find the concept quite amusing.

"Your Highness, it is not your eyes deceiving you."

It was a pitiful sight. Nine's smirk did not make it any easier for her to believe the truth either.

"T-This can't be a t-trick can it?" She stiffened.

"Do I need to do it.. a few more times?" Nine's voice altered between a girlish and boyish tone, clothes altering between his black adventurer uniform, and a pairing of tunic and loose skirt as he spoke to me in between gender transformations.

"How is this possible," Her Highness Alytia muttered, an expression of reverence on her face..

"Do you believe me now your Highness?" Nine, a girl, held her waist and bent forward. With a pout, she glared at Her Highness.

"Does that mean.. you truly are capable of being both genders?"

"Any further explanation needed? Or do I have to show it another time?"

"N-No.. there is no need for that.. forgive my impertinence Nine-sama." Her Highness Alytia shook her head before her sentence came to a conclusion, "I heard from my sister that you wanted to meet her, this way please."

Her Highness Alytia reverted to her stoic expression and led us to the backstage tent.

Nine looked at her dumbfounded.

'She's not misunderstanding is she?' Nine asked in chat.

I didn't reply.