Volume 23 Chapter 5, Kousuke Went Missing

A few days after Kousuke returned to the Administration Floor, an incident occurred.

Shrein, who woke up a little later than usual, went to the relaxation area and found a breathtaking sight.

Kouhi and Mitsuki were facing each other, in a state of confrontation.

Just looking at them, the air was intimidating, and Shrein managed to confirm the situation with Collete, who was standing right next to her.

“Hey, what happened? What happened to Kousuke?”

This had never happened before.

And Kousuke, who would have rushed to the scene immediately if something like this happened, was nowhere to be found.

“Kousuke disappeared…”

Collete said with a sad look on her face, and Shrein’s face turned as if she had been struck dumb.

Confusion came shortly after as the meaning of those words permeated her mind.

“What? What do you mean?”

“When Mitsuki woke up in the morning and checked Kousuke’s bed, he was already gone, and there was a letter on the bed. The letter said, ‘I have some things on my mind, and I think it would be better if we spend some time apart, so I’m leaving the Administration Floor for a while. I know you want to be with me, but I think it is necessary, so please don’t chase me. I will be back.’”

Shrein was stunned by Collete’s explanation.

“…So, that was the situation?”

Regardless of the reason for Kousuke’s disappearance, this current situation was understandable.

Kouhi was about to go after Kousuke, and Mitsuki was stopping her.

“Let me ask you something, aren’t you going to stop them?”

“I’ll ask you the same thing… How?”

Shrein and Collete were engaged in conversation, but their eyes were on both Kouhi or Mitsuki.

They were in a state of flirtation, so they could not take their eyes off the two.

Sylvia and the others were a short-distance away from where Shrein and Collete.

However, even though they were watching this situation, no one was reckless enough to try to stop them, of course.

***

“Why are you stopping me?”

“Because Kousuke-sama wouldn’t have wanted you to go.”

The two glared at each other, unconcerned about the attention they were receiving from other members.

“It doesn’t matter. An escort is absolutely necessary.”

“Not really. You know where he is, right?”

Kouhi fell silent at Mitsuki’s inquiry.

“If we can sense him, it means that he has no intention of hiding. Let’s just wait and see.”

“No…”

Kouhi shook her head briefly.

Seeing Kouhi like this, Mitsuki let out one sigh.

“It can’t be helped. I didn’t want to tell you if I could, but…”

“….What?”

“If we make a move now, they will intervene, won’t they?”

“… What?”

Kouhi looked surprised, and Mitsuki let out another sigh.

“I knew it. You didn’t realize it, did you? It’s the only way he could have slipped out undetected in the first place, especially with all of us on our guard, right?”

“…No way.”

“Well, it seems like they would certainly intervene if we made a move. Or would we even be able to make a move?”

“That is, is there really…”

“There is no other way, right? Especially at a time like this. She has a soft spot for Kousuke-sama after all.”

Kouhi’s face was sad, and Mitsuki approached and patted her head.

“I understand how you feel. But let’s wait for now, okay?”

Kouhi did not move for a while after Mitsuki said so.

But eventually, she nodded slightly.

***

The pressure that had been emanating from the two of them quickly fizzled out.

Everyone who felt this relaxed their shoulders in relief.

Even if they knew that the pressure was not directed at them, it was still intense.

In the end, there was no battle, only a discussion, and no damage was done to the relaxation area.

At the same time, since Kouhi had given up chasing after Kousuke, they could no longer suggest looking for him.

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He had no idea that such things were happening on the Administration Floor.

Kousuke was relaxing at the Yurino Shrine (Large) on the 8th Floor.

For Kousuke, this incident was no big deal, and he wrote the letter just so that everyone would not worry.

For now, he decided to step away for a little while.

And during that time, he was going to do one of the things he wanted to do when he came to this world.

***

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

Cecil asked Kousuke.

Incidentally, Kousuke looked as if he had taken something bitter for a moment, then dropped his gaze and began patting Nana’s back next to him.

“It should be alright, you know?”

“Aren’t you busy managing the Tower?”

Hearing Cecil’s words, Kousuke muttered, “Oh, you mean that”, and then replied.

“Well, it’s no big deal even if I’m not around. There’s no significant changes in the Towers at the moment. Generally, if something happens, either Kouhi or Mitsuki will immediately move.”

Kousuke said with a laugh as he pictured them literally flying in.

In reality, it was far from that, but Kousuke was trying not to think about it.

He wasn’t too worried because he had the cooperation of the powers of the three great deities under Asura’s direction as he made his way out.

If anything went wrong, a communication would be sent from one of the four pillars.

That’s why he moved away from that place with such a sense of security, but his purpose was to ask Arisa and Cecil.

“Are you sure you want to work with us as adventurers for a while?

Arisa said anxiously.

***

“Hmmm. In fact, my time as an adventurer has been very short. In that sense, I might become a liability…”

“No, no! I didn’t mean it that way! “

Arisa hurriedly waved at Kousuke, who was slightly depressed.

In fact, the two had heard several times that Kousuke had not been involved in any monster subjugation during the Tower attack.

However, they both know that this was no reason to underestimate him.

No matter how many of the strongest guards they had, they had survived in an area overrun by dragons and other monsters of the highest rank.

That alone was worthy of respect as an adventurer.

After all, the first thing you were taught as an adventurer was to survive.

Therefore, as an adventurer, they were not worried about Kousuke.

Instead, they were more worried about the management of the Tower.

“As for Tower, it’s really fine. Everyone else has done most of the work. In fact, there’s very little for me to do, and all I’ve been doing was checking the developments.”

“…I see. Then I won’t say anymore.”

Arisa stopped asking Kousuke, who once again spoke about the current state of the Tower.

“Then, let me confirm that we are Kousuke-sama’s slaves, is that correct?”

Kousuke denied that he was, in fact, nominally so.

“Oh, I’m sorry, but that won’t be the case.”

“No, but we are in a similar position, aren’t we?”

Both Cecil and Arisa were slaves.

Wahid was nominally their master, but in reality, Wahid had given up his rights to Kousuke.

Therefore, Kousuke became the master for both of them.

Kousuke had no intention to say anything about that.

But in this case, that could be a problem.

“If they find out that I’m the master of the two of you, my position will be exposed like a sack of potatoes. At least outwardly, I’m asking you to be a friend or something like that.”

“Okay, I understand. So, how about we accept the Crown’s request and become Kou-sama’s comrades while at the same time undertaking an escort mission?”

They couldn’t help but wonder what kind of noble son would take such a dangerous risk as an adventurer, but then again, maybe it was just the kind of thing that a materialistic aristocrat would do.

“Hmm. There seems to be many holes in it, but… I guess it can’t be helped?”

Kousuke decided to work as an adventurer after making a more proper set-up, if he could.