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Chapter 27 - Chapter 27: What Lies Ahead

Princess Kumiko looked at Jotaro with curiosity.

— I want you to explain to me: why were there two of you? — she asked.

Jotaro swallowed hard and began to speak.

— Well... it all started because, apparently, I caught a mirror slime.

— A mirror slime? — the princess replied, confused.

— Yeah. Don't you know what those are? — he asked, surprised.

— Of course I do — said Kumiko — it's just strange to see one here.

— Isn't it normal for them to appear around here? — asked Jotaro.

— Not at all — she answered — those slimes belong elsewhere; it's not normal for them to be here.

— I didn't know that — Jotaro admitted.

— By the way, I want to ask one more thing — said Princess Kumiko.

— Sure, go ahead.

Kumiko looked seriously at Jotaro.

— Well then... you... did you see me before I put on the mask?

Silence.A cold sweat ran down Jotaro's back; the question caught him off guard. His mind raced. Ba-dump, ba-dump.

— This is bad... really, really bad, — he thought — What should I say so she doesn't get mad? Should I lie or tell the truth? No... better tell her the truth and hope she doesn't do to me what she did to the slime.

With a trembling voice, he looked at the princess and replied:

— Yes.

Kumiko showed a faint smile.

— I see. So you did see me. Well, it doesn't matter; after all, you won't be alive to tell anyone.

Jotaro quickly raised his hands, waving them nervously.

— Wait, wait! I won't tell anyone, I swear!

— Really? And why should I believe you? — she replied coldly.

Jotaro averted his gaze, feeling trapped. Thump...

— She's right, — he thought — she has no reason to trust me. Now what do I do?

Just then, a voice came from behind the princess.

— Huh? What happened?

Kumiko turned her head. Jotaro also looked and saw that Aiko was already awake. She was sitting up, resting on her folded legs, her body upright though her movements still stiff. Her hands rested on her thighs and her calm gaze remained fixed forward. She had completely regained consciousness; she breathed quietly as silence filled the air.

— Great — murmured the princess — now there's another one I'll have to eliminate.

But then her eyes widened in recognition. In front of them, lying on the ground, was the adventurer Ronin, still unconscious.

Kumiko fixed her eyes on Jotaro and asked:

— Hey you, you don't happen to have more friends hiding around here, do you?

— No, it's just the four of us — Jotaro replied.

Kumiko glanced around, scanning the area for others. Seeing no one, she turned back to Jotaro and said:

— I see. I'll tell you one last thing — she said, stepping a bit closer to him.

— Yes — he answered immediately.

— If you tell anyone that you saw me, I swear I'll kill you.

With those words, the princess turned around and began to walk away, leaving the carriage and the guards behind. As she departed, Jotaro remembered the time she had saved them from the fire orc.

— That's right, I almost forgot to thank her, — he thought, leaning slightly forward and cupping his hands around his mouth — Hey! Thank you so much for saving us that day from the orc!

Princess Kumiko ignored Jotaro's words and kept walking. As she passed by Aiko, Aiko glanced at her from the corner of her eye while she left.

Jotaro kept watching as Princess Kumiko walked away without looking back. Just then, Kira tugged on his ear.

— How long are you planning to stare at her?

— Ouch! That hurts, Kira! — Jotaro complained.

— Come on, let's check on Aiko.

— You're right. Though... I think we should check on Ronin first — said Jotaro, looking at the adventurer.

After a moment, Ronin slowly opened his eyes. Aiko, surprised, exclaimed:

— Ah! You're awake... Jotaro, Kira! Ronin's awake!

From a distance, Jotaro's amazed voice was heard:

— Seriously!?

He approached, knelt down, and looked at Ronin.

— Hey, how do you feel?

Ronin blinked several times, then began to sit up with a faint groan. Ugh... His hair fell over his face as he straightened up, still dazed and breathing heavily. He put one hand on his head and the other on the ground to steady himself, bending one leg and resting his arm on his knee.

— What happened? — he asked, confused.

— You fainted from the slime's blow — Jotaro replied — so we stayed to make sure you were okay.

— I see. If you're still alive, that means you managed to kill that mirror slime, right? — Ronin said, narrowing his eyes.

Jotaro scratched the back of his neck.

— Well... actually, I wasn't the one who defeated it.

— Someone else? — Ronin asked.

Jotaro nodded.

— Can I know who it was? — Ronin pressed.

— Well... I'd rather not say — Jotaro replied evasively.

— I see — said Ronin, not insisting.He stood up and added:— I suppose you're not telling me because someone threatened you, right?

Jotaro was shocked.

— How do you know that? — he asked.

— Just by looking at you, I can tell that if I'd asked who defeated the mirror slime, you would've told me right away. But since you didn't, that means someone threatened you to keep quiet... am I wrong?

Jotaro sighed and admitted:

— Actually, you're right.

— I knew it.

— You're amazing, Ronin! — Kira exclaimed — And you only met him once!

— I guess it's because I talk to a lot of people — Ronin replied — Just by talking for a bit, I can tell what kind of person someone is.

— Incredible! — said Kira and Jotaro at the same time.

Aiko asked Ronin:

— Do you feel better now?

— Yes, thank you very much for healing me — he answered.

Aiko shook her head and smiled.

— You shouldn't thank me; it was Jotaro who healed you with his recovery magic — she said, looking at him.

Ronin thanked again, this time facing Jotaro.

— Really? Thank you so much, demigod Jotaro.

— It's nothing — he replied — Besides, you got hurt because of me.

— Now that you mention it — Ronin said — weren't you the one who was seriously injured?

— Yeah, but Kira and Aiko healed me; I'm fine now.

— I can see that — Ronin replied — though it looks like your clothes took quite a beating.

— My clothes?

Jotaro looked down and, for the first time, noticed the damage: a hole in the abdomen, torn sleeves, and ripped shoulders from the attacks.

— Damn slime! — he exclaimed — That outfit was the last memory I had of my parents!

— Calm down — said Kira — Can't you repair it?

— If I could, I wouldn't look like this — Jotaro answered, frustrated.

— Is that garment really that important to you? — Ronin asked, curious.

— Yes — Jotaro said softly.

Ronin placed a hand on his chin, thinking. Hmm...A few seconds later, he got an idea.

— Then, how about your clothes turning into armor?

Jotaro fell silent, surprised by the proposal. ...!?

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