Chapter 103 – Mundane Happiness

I waved my hand as I approached Roxy. She responded in kind, as she walked down the terrace.
Roxy thanked the head maid who had brought us here, and then welcomed us with a smile.

[Thank you for responding to the invitation. Fai, Aaron-sama]

Her appearance stunned me, but Aaron quickly woke me up from my revery with an elbow jab to the side.

[Thank you for inviting us]

[It’s nice that today’s sunny. It’s been snowing recently, after all.]

I could see that the sky is clear today. It’s as if the gloomy thick cloud from yesterday was just a lie.
Winter had just begun. It’d be a while before spring come. And yet, today was warm as if it was already spring.

[It’s snowed quite a lot for the a few days, and Aaron and I had to shovel the snow away.]

[I see. Are you planning to hire servants to work for Barbatos family?]

Roxy tilted her head slightly as she looked at me and Aaron.
Regarding that matter, I’ve left it to Aaron. The old man smiled, and replied affirmatively.

[I am planning to employ Mimir of the Burix family.]

[Eh! That Mimir Burix?]

Roxy’s reaction was similar to mine. She seemed not only surprised, but also glad. Nodding silently, she then said to Aaron.

[That seems alright. Because it’s Aaron-sama’s decision.]

[Fumu. If you do not mind, please get along well with Mimir. After all, there are only me and Fate in the Barbatos family at the moment. Besides, Fate is, you know.]

[That’s right, because Fai is like that….. Very well, I’ll help cheer Mimir up so that she can start over more easily.]

[Thank you, Roxy.]

It’s good that the two had collectively agreed to work together in supporting Mimir’s rehabilitation in the days to come. But keeping that aside, there was actually one thing that bothered me.

[Roxy, I’m glad that you are willing to support Mimir. But what do you mean by ‘Fai is like that’?]

[U~n, it’s about that. Right, Aaron-sama?]

[Fumu. Exactly. It’s about that.]

[Absolutely.]

[By the way, please this way.]

Roxy and Aaron headed to the terrace in a haste. Me and the head maid glanced at each other in confusion. I sighed, and proceed to follow them.
I wonder….what was ‘that’? Even the head maid also seemed to be curious about it.
This was probably one of the few thing I could ask Greed for advice. That fellow was surprisingly reliable on such occasions.

[Hey, what was Aaron and Roxy talking about?]

『’That’ is that, of course.You’ll naturally understand once you’ve grown older.』

[Kuh, why does even Greed also say the same thing….]

『Oi, do you really have time to be bothered with that? Roxy is calling you.』

Somehow, I felt like I’ve lost this battle of wits regarding ‘that’. Moreover, what was ‘that’ anyways? I set that annoying feeling aside for now, since it’s a special occasion where Roxy invited us all. I hurriedly followed to the terrace.

A person stood between me and Roxy. A brown haired girl.
Eh, I think I’d seen this little girl somewhere before…. Ah, this girl, back at Gallia, she was one of the soldiers under Roxy’s command. I think her name should be Miria.
Back then, I still had the skull mask, and was heading towards the same enemy as the troops that Roxy led.

At that time, apparently thinking that I was an enemy, she attacked me with the magic sword Flamberge when I was about to approach Roxy. Yes, that’s the one.

[I never imagine in a hundred years to see you here! Could it be that the skull mask from that time is you? I should’ve known it. Even if you are the head of Barbatos family, I won’t let you get in the way between me and Roxy-sama!]

[Uaaa, be careful there.]

Who would’ve thought that she would swing the magic sword at me again just like that time at Gallia? This fellow, she didn’t change at all since that time. Following Roxy hadn’t had any effect on her apparently.
But the sword had been raised and swung. A sharp slash laced in fiery flame coming from the right to the left, along with an unreasonable complain coming from Miria.

[Damn! Just let me hit you for once]

[Are you joking! I’m also one of the guests here. Let’s just get along already.]

[He who tries to steal Roxy-sama away from me, is an enemy]

[An enemy!?]

I simply caught Miria’s burning magic sword with both hands. Since I’m an area E, Miria’s attack won’t even nick me. Not to mention that I also have fire resistance skill.

[That’s foul play. Ku…..too strong.]

[Since you know that, then just give it up already.]

[I won’t give up!]

This girl……as usual. No other choice, I’ll just disarm her weapon by force.
While was considering to do that, Miria’s guardian――Unit Captain Mugan appeared. His huge and trained body exudes the air of a strong fighter.
He was also there with Miria back then, one of the kingdom’s soldiers.
Mugan then picked up Miria by her neck as if he was picking up a cat.

[Ah, please help me fend of this hindrance]

[You are the one being a hindrance to Roxy-sama’s party!]

With Miria finally silenced, I gave Mugan a greeting.

[Long time no see, Mugan]

[Yeah, it’s been a long time. You’ve finally gotten rid of that skull mask. But, what a surprise, back then I never thought that you were the head of Barbatos family. Oops, should’ve used honorific.]

[No, it’s okay. It’ll be nice if we can talk normally like before.]

[Appreciated. It was such a great riot in the military district]

[I’ve tried my best to minimize the damage. Ah, that’s right. Wasn’t Mugan’s daughter working as researcher in the Military district? ………is she alright?]

The damage to the military district couldn’t be said to be just a little. The surrounding buildings were leveled due to the battle between me and Rafal. Not to mention those who were attacked by nightwalkers coming from the underground level.
If you got caught in any of those, then there was no way to survive. However, Mugan laughed heartily instead.

[Hahahaha! It’s embarrassing to say, but Raine didn’t even notice that there was a riot because she was too immersed in her research.]

[Thank goodness. But, with all that fighting….and even the evacuation siren, she still could focus on her research?]

[She’s that outstanding of a researcher. Everything else becomes irrelevant before the legacy of Gallia. I just wish she can quickly find someone to settle down with.]

Mugan restrained Miria, tying her up with a rope, that I had no idea from where he had taken it out, so that she couldn’t move freely .

[Papa, Miria is just playing around]

[Raine! That’s not playing around anymore. Our duty was obvious. Just now, I merely restrained someone who dared to rampage on Roxy-sama’s party. I’ll be taking her to the prison.]

Mugan’s daughter Raine attended the party without wearing a dress, and instead still wearing her white research coat. Her blue long hair was styled in 3 braids, and her eyes looked sleepy.

Miria became frightened upon hearing that Mugan would put her in the prison.

[Are you kidding!? It’s just a joke, right, Mugan-san?]

[I’m always serious. Now, come with me. There is no prison around here, so I’ll just keep watch on you myself. Come on now.]

[Ueee]

Mugan took Miria away from the terrace. Even though Roxy may have asked them to come, why did those two come in here anyways? Well, Mugan and Miria were always like that, so I guess it’s fine.
Thinking like that, I proceeded to go to where Roxy was waiting for me, but Raine took hold of my hand.

[That black sword…..is it a Mortal Sin weapon?]

[Eh?]

[Fu~hn, I thought so. I have mind reading skill….ah, you have it too.]

With her sleepy face, she peered into my heart with mind reading skill. At the moment, my own《Mind Reading》also activated all of a sudden as Raine’s mind dove in.

(This is the first time I have a conversation with fellow mind reading skill owner. It’s somewhat a strange feeling. I’m interested in the black sword……and also to you. If you like, you can visit my lab. This is the place.)

After telling me where her lab is, Raine went to follow her father. Unlike the frank Mugan, Raine invoked a sense of a bottomless well, which is kinda scary.
However, she’s researching Gallia’s legacy. Neither Greed, Eris, or Myne were willing to tell me about it. Perhaps I’ll be able to learn more about my power. I couldn’t let this opportunity to go away.

I watched Raine’s back as she left, but I quickly turned away. I continued to the terrace where Roxy was waiting.

[Because you hadn’t shown up, I was wondering what you were doing. Fai is really….mou]

[Fumu, there is no getting away from this]

[Both of you saw it, didn’t you? Miria was trying to attack me with her magic sword….]

To my desperate attempt of making excuse, Aaron and Roxy let out the laughter that they had held on.

[Fufufu, I’m sorry. I’ll scold Miria later.]

[It’s alright. It’s all because Miria likes Roxy, which is fine]

[Unbelievable….Back in Gallia when I led the kingdom’s army. I already thought that it was someone I knew when I saw that person with the skull mask.]

[Well, I have nothing to say about it.]

When reuniting with Roxy, I was acting as the warrior Mukuro, not Fate. The skull mask has the ability to inhibit recognition. Even so, when we acted together at the Gallia, I was still wearing the skull mask, and yet she still said that I resembled the Fate she knew of from observing my casual gestures.
At that time I was gushing with cold sweats under the skull mask. I could look back and laughed at it now, perhaps because I had already passed that stage.
Seeing Roxy laughing together with me, Aaron decided to give us some space by greeting his old acquaintances who also attended the party. The head maid was busy welcoming the other arriving guests.

[There are only the two of us left here. Would you like something to eat?]

[I was already curious since I sniffed the delicious smell from a while ago. Is it, a barbeque?]

[Yes, it is. Back when I was in Gallia, I often held something like this. The ingredient may not be as good as in here, but eating together with everyone was really fun. I thought about doing it again if I managed to return back home.]

After Roxy said that, she approached me and spoke to me in a low voice.

[Actually the head maid was against it because it’s cold in winter. But I kept pushing it]

[Exactly what Roxy wanted to do]

Vegetables and meats arranged in skewer, grilled over a net-like iron layering. I received one which was already grilled properly from Roxy, and promptly filled my mouth with it.

[Delicious! The spiciness mixes well with the salt.]

[Well, really!?]

Seeing how Roxy seemed happy upon hearing my comment, it dawned on me that it was Roxy herself who prepared the barbeque this time. This was quite a surprise. Because the Roxy I knew before never cooked. Since her father passed away, she was busy with her duty as a Holy Knight, and her days were mostly spent in round trip from the mansion to the palace.

It’s also the evidence that Roxy had more free time recently. This might be out of consideration from the Queen, Eris herself. Since she didn’t seem to attend Roxy’s party this time, let’s thank her when I have the chance to meet her.

[Recently, I’ve been studying on how to cook. I’ll treat you to something else, next time.]

[I’ll be looking forward to it. If it’s me, I can only do simple things like grilling or boiling.]

[Fai likes meat, so how about cabbage rolls?]

[Oh, that sounds delicious!]

Even though it’ll be for later on, I could already imagine the cabbage rolls that Roxy made. For sure, it’ll be as delicious as this barbeque.
While I ate the grilled meats and vegetables with Roxy, Greed spoke to me through 《Mind Reading》.

『What’s with you, saying it’s delicious and all. You know full well that this me cannot join in to taste it.』

[Thank you, Greed.]

『What’s with you, suddenly saying weird thing like that』

[I just felt like saying that.]

Feeling had various colors. And happiness is the strongest color among them. Over my black and red, it painted lots of other colors such as blue in me.
In order to not lose this feeling I received from her, there was something I still need to do. That was to fully control the Gluttony skill, so that I could continue to live in this place.
The man who was Greed’s previous wielder――the previous owner of the Gluttony skill apparently couldn’t live this kind of life.
Even so, Greed never said that it’s impossible to do. Even if he’s unreasonable most of the time, I knew that he never lied to me.
Therefore, there must be a way to do that.