Chapter 11
Night Owl
I may be getting the hang of the "time" concept here in Planeptune (or in any parts of Gamindustri for that matter). The arrows on my pocket watch are pointing at ten-oh-eight.
"I can check this as one of those rare good night occasions," I murmur to no one in particular. By good night, I mean the night itself and not going to bed.
This is such a bliss. Temperature is not that low, wind visiting every now and then, the street is properly lighted (unlike that one night), and not a cloud in sight, well, mostly anyway. But the best part is it's not a full moon anymore. The moon itself is in the waning gibbous phase, even if it's only a little. As long as it's not an exact full moon, then I won't have to worry about anyone showing what "it" is.
Nothing can get me away from this peacefulness, nothing at a—
"Gaahh! I'm so boooored." Right . . . almost forgot about Neptune. To be fair, it was a surprise for me when Histoire assigned me with her. It makes me wonder whether she did it on purpose or not.
"You know, hanging around the garbage can won't solve your problems," I say. She has her head buried underneath the can with the lower part of her body exposed.
"Can the event flag happen already? It's going to take for-ever to make anything happen at this rate. I just want to get back home and continue all my saves." The more I hear her speak this way, the more it convinces me that she's not the same as the princess' younger sister. How uncute. It's a term I usually use for anything intolerable.
"Hey, take that back! Everyone knows I'm the cutest protagonist there is!" she retorts. Did she hear me or did I speak my thoughts too loud? It's probably not the latter part though. But there's still this one question: How?
Other than that, she might be using those strange comments to let my guard down on her. Almost positively even, since it's not a guarantee that she's telling the truth when she said she didn't saw my face.
I take out and bite on a small roll from the bake shop I went with Blanc's little sister. It's actually quite good than expected. The bread isn't too soft or too hard on the teeth and the cranberry filling isn't overpowering to the point that it's sickening (that's something the kingdom's baker should work on – like eugh).
The girl who requested me to come with her was odd as well. First, she stares intently at me, holding my fore and pinky fingers and then the next moment, she decided to have me watch over her than her sister. That's not something you can dismiss as a "coincident." That's not going to convince me. But I've got to say, her tastes are those of a kid, asking for a strawberry shortcake and look around her surroundings with curiosity.
"Ahhh . . . I want some pudding. Give me pudding. Pudding, pudding, pudding," Neptune chants.
"If you wanted pudding, then you could've told me before we headed out," I say. "I would have brought some with me." Then maybe I can have my moment of peace and not a continuous buzzing noise.
"Oh!" Neptune gets her whole body inside the trash can and pops her head out with the lid acting as her hat. "I've got a great idea! Go get me some pudding."
"If I did, will you keep it down?" she nods. "Alright, wait here. I'll go buy some." How wonderful it is to have her whole stock run out so quickly – and I mean quickly – and still have the capacity to shove it in her stomach.
"I'll keep an eye out while you're out getting the goods, Sarg!" she says . . . and then goes inside the can.
As long as she doesn't attack me out of nowhere once I come back, I think in my head. The part we're assigned to patrol is on the opposite side where Blanc and Rom are (at least that's what Histoire said anyway). The only place selling pudding is on that side, so I head to that direction. It's not very hard to locate since the Basilicom is pretty much the tallest building in the city, but finding my way around is not the same case however.
This part of the city has taller buildings than the other side, not Basilicom level, and less shops but more residences. It makes me wonder if slums exist here as well. It doesn't seem like anyone is having financial problems. Not that I've seen enough of people to confirm it though.
I finally arrive at the Basilicom, taking a good thirty minutes, and passing by the guards in front of the door. Nothing much other than the guy on the left is fighting the urge to drop his head on the ground.
Because I went to this particular direction often enough, getting to the shop won't take me as long. "Making progress at least," I whisper.
. . . Or at least that's what I thought. Of course, of course the shop doesn't stay open at this hour.
Facepalming at my own stupidity, since I'm already on this side of the map, I'll check on Blanc and Rom. I'm not particularly concerned on Blanc as much as Rom since they did mention she's not feeling like her usual self. Can't comment on that myself since I've only met her recently. IF told me that Rom is naturally shy, staying quiet, not talking too much and doesn't stand out. It's a bit hard to believe that because she asked me to go shopping with her. That alone already strange enough, but I don't necessarily have any reason to reject her.
It's going to take me forever to locate them if I pointlessly run around without any guide or direction. Thanks to the multiple buildings that's not too high, I can jump over them to get a better view.
"Heave ho." I kick the ground and land on the first building nearby. Good thing I had enough training to do this without waking anyone up.
Then the next problem is the direction. They can be anywhere on the streets. Perhaps the most reasonable start is head to the direction of the exit. It's likely, but I still need to survey the surroundings to make sure.
As I jump from roof to roof, I alternate looking at the left and right. Going too fast will result in me missing them if I'm not too careful.
"Found them," I say with my lip, without uttering a sound.
Just when I'm about to leap down, the night's breeze visiting again, a cold high-pitched voice similar to a little girl's stops me in my tracks.
"Are you going around in your usual or is it something different?" There's no annoyance or delight in those words, only indifference. I remain facing my back to her. There's no need for me to do so anyway.
"Anything you need? I don't suppose you talked to me without a real reason," I say, sharing the same indifference.
"Not like it matters to me anyway. I'm only here to tell you one thing."
"If it's about that thing you asked me, I'm still on it."
"No, that's not what I'm referring to." It's not? Then what else would it be? She's not giving any hints about it whatsoever. But even still, it's nothing irrelevant.
Even with my back turned to her, I can hear the sound of her wings spreading out.
Not wasting time, huh? It's not in my best interest to play guesses with ridiculous hints. She should also realize this. I still want to pay a visit to Blanc and Rom.
"I'll only say it once, so listen carefully," she says. "You will not interfere tonight. I'll only allow it if there's something off with the situation. But if there's none, then there's no need for you to take any actions."
Not interfere? Is she referring to our whole patrol? What plans does she have to have me uninvolved with this? If I have the chance to ask, then I will spill it out to her immediately. However, she already raises herself to the air, the noise of her wings makes it obvious for me enough, and takes off in the opposite direction where I'm facing.
So close, so close and I would've reached Blanc and Rom. But this is as far as I can go apparently. They're just below me, looking around the area, their weapons already drawn out, and showing no gap in their awareness.
I turn around, taking one last good look on the two sisters, before jumping the buildings again to the direction of the Basilicom.
". . . Guess I'll make those puddings myself then."
