Chapter 13: Does Hoshimiya Miyabi Like Me? (Patreon)

Simmer Hot Pot Restaurant, private room on the second floor.

"Proxy, you really lucked out with me today — if it weren't for me, you'd be done for!"

Nicole sat perched on the table, grinning at Musachi as she said it.

"True enough. If not for you, I'd probably be eating government rice by now."

Musachi nodded. "So this meal's on me. Eat up, don't hold back!"

"Yes! Then I won't be polite about it!"

Nicole cheered.

Beside her, Anby wore a faint smile of her own.

She might love burgers, but that didn't mean she didn't appreciate other good food.

Only Billy sulked.

"Damn it, I should've installed an eating module back then... ugh, guess I'll just gnaw on my battery..."

He watched everyone else feast with a look of pure misery on his face.

After a moment, his gaze drifted over to Remielle.

For some reason, Billy kept feeling like he'd seen her somewhere before — that she looked oddly familiar.

"Proxy, who's this...?"

He looked at Musachi, puzzled.

"This is Remielle, my shop clerk. I brought her to Lumina Square today to take care of some business — didn't expect we'd run into Hoshimi Miyabi."

"Ah, I see."

Billy nodded. Remielle's name did remind him of someone, but he quickly dismissed the thought — that person belonged to a hundred years ago.

The first-generation Void Hunter wasn't some Intelligent Construct. There was no way she could still be alive after all this time...

Probably just a coincidence of names — plenty of Winged Thiren were named Remielle, after all.

The meal went well, host and guests all in high spirits, and Remielle grew a lot more familiar with the Cunning Hares by the end of it.

Afterward, as they were leaving, Nicole seemed to remember something and turned to Musachi.

"Oh right, Proxy — do you want that payment in cash or transfer?"

"Transfer's fine, it's more convenient."

"Okay okay, this haul was a big one — that collectible caught the eye of some big shot, it'll fetch a great price!"

She said it with a grin.

This time, they'd really struck gold.

"Next time there's good work, just give me a call."

Musachi nodded with a easy smile.

"Will do, will do!"

With that, the group waved their goodbyes.

On the way to the subway station, Musachi stayed cautious the whole way, terrified of running into Hoshimi Miyabi again and winding up in a pair of silver handcuffs.

Luck was on his side, though — he didn't cross paths with her again the whole way.

It wasn't until he got home that Musachi finally let out a breath of relief.

"Pfft... Boss, the way you're acting, it's like a mouse spotting a cat. That Hoshimi Miyabi is clearly a cute girl, you know."

Watching Musachi's behavior the entire trip, Remielle finally couldn't hold it in and burst out laughing.

"What would you know? This is called avoiding trouble. If I get tangled up with someone on the level of a Void Hunter, my peaceful little life is as good as gone!"

Musachi said, dead serious.

"Is that so? Sounds like you really don't want anything to do with Void Hunters~"

Remielle's eyes glimmered with curiosity. If it were an ordinary person, getting entangled with a Void Hunter would be cause for celebration — being hunted down by one, of course, excepted.

"Obviously. The web of relationships around a Void Hunter is a tangled mess, and my status isn't exactly suited to showing up in front of people that important. Get dragged into some dispute and it'd be a huge headache."

"Your status? You're just a part-time Proxy. Talking like you're some big deal. Even if those important people knew who you were, they wouldn't bother dealing with you — small fry like you can't stir up any waves."

Watching Musachi act so timid and skittish, Remielle couldn't help finding it a little funny.

As long as a part-time Proxy shop owner like him wasn't out there dating Hoshimi Miyabi, nobody would bother sparing him a second glance.

"That's exactly what you don't get. This is what's called 'a wise man doesn't stand under a crumbling wall.' What if my charm ends up winning Hoshimi Miyabi over, and she falls for me? Wouldn't that be even more trouble?"

As he spoke, Musachi casually flipped on the TV nearby.

As it happened, what came on was an interview with Hoshimi Miyabi.

Host: Miss Hoshimi Miyabi, what is it that drives you to keep growing stronger, to become a Void Hunter?

Hoshimi Miyabi: It's the Taixu Sovereign. During the Fall of the Old City, my mother and I were trapped in our home, badly corroded by Ether. If not for the Taixu Sovereign, both my mother and I might have died. My memories of it have grown hazy now, but I still remember his silhouette. From that day on, I swore I'd become someone like him — that I'd use the life he saved to go help more people!

Host: Ha, so it was the Taixu Sovereign's influence. I don't mind admitting, if not for that person back then, my wife and daughter would likely have died in the Fall of the Old City. There's no telling how many families that person saved!

......

"Well, looks like you might not have a chance after all."

Glancing idly at the TV screen, Remielle looked over at Musachi with a light laugh.

"No chance at what?"

Musachi looked a little confused.

"Didn't you see that interview just now? The moment she mentioned the Taixu Sovereign, there was a light in Miss Hoshimi Miyabi's eyes — that was clearly a look of admiration and affection. If that Taixu Sovereign hadn't vanished without a trace, that girl would absolutely be pursuing him hard."

Remielle said it casually, eyes still on the TV.

Inside, her curiosity about this Taixu Sovereign was only growing.

After all, back then it had taken the three of them working together just to push the Dark Wall back a short distance.

And this one person, all on his own, had held the Dark Wall's expansion back for ten whole hours...

And left such a lasting impression on so many people, besides.

That was frankly a little too outrageous.

"It's just some TV interview. What could you possibly tell from that."

Musachi pursed his lips, unconvinced.

Hoshimi Miyabi, liking him? No way.

Sure, he'd saved her once, years ago — but back then she'd been a tiny little bean sprout. Even if she'd grown into a young woman now, Musachi didn't think she'd actually be into him.

So many years had passed, after all. She'd probably only said that because someone put her on the spot in an interview.

"That's exactly where you're wrong. I happen to be a girl myself, and girls have a sharp eye for this kind of thing. Trust me — the moment this Hoshimi Miyabi meets the Taixu Sovereign in person, that admiration is going to turn into real affection, fast!"

As Remielle spoke, a hint of nostalgia crept into her thoughts.

Back in her day, plenty of girls had looked at her with that exact same expression — she'd even turned a few of them around entirely...

Though for all that Remielle loved cuddling up with cute girls, her actual preferences ran perfectly normal, no issues there.

And then, after everything that happened later, Remielle had fallen into her long slumber — no need to even go into that.

As for Remielle's take on the matter, Musachi just rolled his eyes, not buying it in the slightest.

Say what you want, it had been ten years. Back when he'd saved Hoshimi Miyabi, the kid hadn't even had ears that reached his waist. What did a little brat like that know...

As he muttered to himself, Musachi glanced at the time.

Come to think of it, the landlady should be arriving soon, shouldn't she?