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Tl: Sam

…

　A week had passed since my return from the Tokyo Bay Undersea Dungeon.
　It was a difficult time, but since returning, I’ve been living a peaceful daily life.
　Rin and I were recognized by the country for stopping the monster disaster… but that was about it.
　Other than that, the only thing that’s changed is the way Hoshino and Amatsuki look at me since that night with Rin. I feel a gaze like I’m being targeted by a carnivorous beast. It’s more frightening than a clumsy monster; I feel like they’ll pounce if I show any weakness.
　But other than that, everything is truly peaceful and without a problem.
　Suda, who escaped, also doesn’t seem to have done anything, and there have been no major incidents. I wonder if he has already fled to another country. Even he, as a wanted man, probably wouldn’t do anything to stand out, I think.
　And so, as usual, I was peacefully eating lunch.
　Then suddenly, one of my roommates slammed her hand on the table and stood up.

“I’ve decided! You’re going on a date with me, Tanaka!”
“……Huh?”

　To her sudden words, I gave a silly response.
　The one who suddenly proposed a date was Lilicia, the freeloading elf living in my house. She chewed my homemade pasta with a smug expression.
　Finish eating before you talk. Was she really a princess? I feel like she’s been getting more and more lazy and slovenly lately.
　If her friends from her original world saw her watching videos while eating potato chips, they’d be disappointed.

“What’s wrong, Princess? A sudden date?”

　Dagosuke asked with a dumbfounded look.
　The three of us currently at the dining table were me, Lilicia, and Dagosuke. Hoshino was at university, and the First Subjugation Division members were at work.
　Only the freeloading otherworlders and I, who am unemployed on days without work, were relaxing at home.

“I want to go outside too! I’ve been cooped up at home forever, so it should be fine now!”
“Even if you say that…”

　Since their protection, Lilicia and Dagosuke have basically been confined to this house. They are generally not permitted to go outside. They are valuable otherworlders, and if they were to go out freely, they would probably be kidnapped at mach speed.
　Their internet usage isn’t restricted, so it seems they’ve been seeing all sorts of things about this world, and that might be what’s stimulated their desire to go outside.

“Didn’t you go on a date with Rin at the aquarium the other day?! It’s not fair that it was only Rin! I want to go too!”

　That’s a weak point for me.
　It’s certainly not good for their health to be cooped up in the house all the time. Lilicia has cooperated with me on various things to learn about her world, so maybe I should give her a reward for it.

“Alright. I’ll ask Dojima-san, so don’t get all worked up.”
“Really?!”
“Yeah. But I don’t know if he’ll give permission, okay? I don’t have the authority to grant permission, so all I can do is ask.”
“That’s fine! I’m grateful, Tanaka!”

　Lilicia showed a bright smile and hugged me.
　My face was inevitably buried in her large chest. If I hadn’t had the lung capacity to withstand the deep sea, I would have suffocated.

“First, let’s go to Asakusa and Ueno. I want to visit temples and shrines too! I also want to eat some sweets somewhere!”

　Lilicia happily talked about her date plans.
　I don’t want to get her hopes up only to dash them. I’ll try my best to negotiate… but I wonder how it will turn out.
“That’s fine. The Princess should be allowed to stretch her wings to her heart’s content.”

“……Eh? Is that okay?”

　I gave a stupid response to Dojima-san’s reply.
　I never expected to get permission so easily. I sipped the delicious Japanese tea that Izumi-san served and confirmed if it was really okay.

“Are you really sure? I know I came here to ask, but I think it’s a bit dangerous.”
“Lady Lilicia has cooperated with us very well. In order to repay her kindness, I want to grant her request as much as possible. Of course, if she goes out, we’ll take the appropriate countermeasures.”

　Dojima-san took something out of his desk and threw it to me.
　I caught it and looked at it.

“This is… a bracelet?”

　It was a metal bracelet.
　A simple silver bracelet. It looked like a normal bracelet, but I knew it wasn’t an ordinary item.

“I can feel a faint magicule… is this a magic tool?”
“That’s right. It’s a bracelet with an effect that obstructs perception. The effect isn’t that powerful, but ordinary people won’t notice that it’s Lady Lilicia.”

　When you equip a magic tool with a perception-obstructing effect, you can vaguely sense that a person is there, but people won’t pay attention to who that person is.
　An Awakened person with a certain level of strength could nullify the effect, but it would be impossible for a normal person to see through it.

“Wow, you had something like this. Perception-obstructing magic tools are pretty rare, aren’t they?”
“This was made by the Magic Research Bureau. I got one, thinking that Lady Lilicia might have a use for it.”
“Maki-san made this? That’s amazing…”

　I knew Maki-san was making all sorts of suspicious things, but I didn’t know he could make something like this.
　Now that he has acquired a talent like Dr. Nero, his magical technology is undoubtedly the best in the world. I’m a little afraid of what he’ll develop next.

“By the way, don’t you have one for me? If I’m found, Lilicia might be found as well.”
“You can erase your own presence, can’t you? You two did that when you had your rendezvous with Ayakawa the other day, didn’t you?”
“Well, yeah… wait, how does Dojima-san know about the date?”
“Don’t worry about the small details! It’s good that you’re getting along so well!”

　Dojima-san laughed loudly. It seems I can assume that the story of Rin and my aquarium date has already spread throughout the Ministry of Monster Countermeasures.
　Well, I’m not a student, so it’s not a big deal if it spreads that I went on a date… but I feel embarrassed being looked at with such a gentle smile. Do I have no private life?

“Also, my apologies, but when you go out, we will also send a guard from the Ministry of Monster Countermeasures. We’ll have them monitor you from a little distance. As long as you are by her side, there will be no danger, but if we don’t do this, we’ll get a lot of complaints.”

　Dojima-san sighed, sounding bored.
　He probably truly wants Lilicia to be able to stretch her wings freely. However, given his position as the Minister of Monster Countermeasures, if he lets Lilicia do whatever she wants, he’ll be questioned. Organizations are truly difficult and constricting.

“I understand. That’s fine.”
“My apologies. Then we will adjust our staff and contact you once the date is decided.”

　Agreeing to his words, I left Dojima-san’s room.
　Well, I hope it ends without any problems.

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