Chapter 994 – Job Experience: Reporter

000

Noctis, a girl who played a leading role in the exorcism in the Five Elements Festival and worked together to publish the details of her activities in an article.

After that, he got involved in various things, and it turns out that he was not just a reporter in training, but the head of a famous family in the Eastern Kingdom.

In the end, my relationship with her was much deeper than I thought when we first met.

She stayed together until the second day of the festival, but on the third day she acted separately from Cleon in the interception of the air fortress Vajra.

In the end, Cleon’s busy days continued even after the festival ended, so there was no chance to see her face after that.

According to the story, when automata imitating Cleon appeared in the shelter, she ran around to protect the people.

Just as she was thinking that she would have to say thank you someday, Cleon thought it was a good thing and then-

She asks, recalling what she said to them.

＂Interview…?＂

“Yes! Cleon, the protagonist of the exorcism that saved the Eastern Kingdom, and Herty, the mistress of the Dark Dragon Company, who supported him both materially and spiritually. Those two people walking around the streets of the Tofu country with a woman they’ve never seen before… I smell something, a scoop!”

The girl who spoke with a triumphant attitude, ‘Mufu!’, Seemed to still be thirsty for scoops even after taking away her title as her successor.

Well, should I say that it is an unavoidable instinct as a reporter, or it may be something of an ingrained habit.

After continuing the conversation with Cleon without any problems, she came to her senses and spoke while looking at Herty.

“Now that I think about it, I heard that your eyesight has recovered, Herti! Congratulations!”

＂Thank you. It’s just that the front is blurry…”

In response to Noctis’ aggressive attitude, Herti would also respond to her with a slightly puzzled expression.

＂Hope you will recover in the future… Then the first question is-＂

And, naturally, as Noctis had said at the beginning, she was about to start an interview about the two.

Noctis took a small breath, then glanced at Zita standing between Cleon and Herty.

“Who is this woman who is looking at me like a child who has just discovered an animal she is seeing for the first time?”

Even Noctis must have been quite burdened by Zita’s sparkling eyes, she asked cautiously in a slightly dejected voice.

＂Ah, this is…＂

“I’m Zita! After living underground, I came up to the surface yesterday! Please take care of me!”

A voice rang out loud enough to drown out what Cleon was trying to explain, and Zita grabbed Noctis’ hand and shook it up and down.

Noctis must have made a bewildered expression at the expression of intense joy.

＂Oh, yes, well, please take care of me.＂

Noctis, who was so stressed out that he stuttered, answered awkwardly while looking at Zita, who did not let go of her hand even after shaking hands.

Even then, she would tilt her head as if she sensed something strange about what she said.

“… Huh? Living underground…?”

“Yes! Me and my compatriots are Adamaneungbung”

＂That’s right! Underground! Zita is a person who lived in an underground area a little far away! So, let’s say I don’t know much about the earth!”

Cleon hastily covers Zita’s mouth and says so.

And she’ll whisper in Zita’s ear

‘The fact that you are adamantite must be hidden for now…!’

‘Well, now that I think about it, it was like that!’

When Zita heard Cleon’s words, she was reminded of the fact that she had decided to keep her identity a secret.

Noctis looks at the two people with a suspicious expression for a moment due to the suspicious attitude of the two people wherever he looks.

Then, Herti will smile and talk to Noctis in a kind voice.

“Zita is my friend, and she came from far away. Even if there are some parts that are rude, I hope you will be lenient.  “I don’t think it’s a good idea to interview someone who has just arrived in the East and make a big story in the newspaper… Right?”

In other words, Herty is no different from telling her not to write her article about Zita.

It may have been his usual gentle tone and voice, but Noctis nodded while feeling cold.

If the being in front of me was someone else – for example, a person with a bad reputation like the now fallen Enlai – I would have pushed back, claiming the right to know…

I couldn’t say that to Herti.

As for what she does, I guess Zita thought it was okay to trust her.

Of course, it was a painful truth to say that Herti was much scarier than Enlai.

＂I can’t tell you much about Zita… But if she wants to ask you anything, I’ll answer. She’s been busy lately, so she hasn’t received any coverage like this.”

When Herti spoke as if to keep things about Zita a secret, Noctis made a sound like he was thinking about something and tapped his temple with the tip of his pen.

Then he closed his mouth for a moment and seemed to think deeply.

Then, she let out a weak laugh, ‘Hehe’, and then turned to Cleon and spoke.

“Because her head was full of thoughts of writing about Zita, she didn’t prepare any questions. What should I do, Cleon?”

Cleon would reply to her adding words like ‘You’re in big trouble…’.

“If you ask me… Isn’t it a reporter’s job to think about such things for oneself?”

Noctis, who was hit by Cleon’s corrective punch, was so damaged that he almost dropped the pen in his hand while making a sound from his mouth.

As expected, she had motivation, but an important part was missing.

To Noctis, Herti says one more thing.

“Anything is okay. For example, about the product that Amryong Trading Company will invest in next?”

＂Eh. But if you make it into an article, wouldn’t it be a promotion for the company? Well, if that’s the case, please request an advertisement from our newspaper!”

Herti tries to ignore Herti, and Noctis tries not to fall for Herti’s tricks.

As if a war of nerves was unfolding between a cat and a tiger, Cleon watched the scene-

Squeeze. And she feels a force pulling on her sleeve.

This… Is familiar.

＂Teacher!＂

“Okay. Are you curious about what a reporter does?”

“Omg. How did you know!? I want to read minds too!”

Zita’s eyes sparkling as she looked in this direction, it was as if she was seeing Sasha not long after joining the party.

… No, Sasha is still pure and cute.

“I didn’t read your mind… I just thought you would say that.”

“You predicted my actions?! It would be nice to say that our understanding of each other has deepened!”

Well, Zita is quite simple.

Swallowing hard, Cleon nodded her head, saying, ‘Yes, that’s right.’

“… Because that’s how it happened. Noctis. If you don’t mind, why don’t you show her what her reporter does?”

“I’m not sure what happened, but is she interested in being a reporter?”

Noctis slyly accepts Cleon’s words, which are quite sudden, and asks back.

Although she had some pride in her work as a reporter, she shrugged her shoulders because she felt that it was thanks to her becoming a full-time reporter that anyone was curious about her work.

Then, in response to her question, Zita nodded her head vigorously on behalf of Cleon.

“Yes! Because I learned that if I want to live among people from now on, I have to work!”

However, when Zita’s answer comes back, her shoulders will fall, and she will stumble.

“What I was thinking was that I wanted to know the truth… It was a reason full of a sense of duty…”

Cleon would probably add something to Noctis’ words.

“Well, making a living is more important than anything else.”

Herty nodded her head as if she agreed.

＂Uhm… Okay. Then, I’ll go to the house where the interview is scheduled, so we’ll talk as we go there. I can’t hang out with you for a long time, is that okay?”

In the end, perhaps because he understood Cleon and Herti’s words, Noctis sighed but allowed the three to accompany him.

“Of course, I won’t disturb you. Ah, but is it okay if we accompany you to the interview?”

“Ah, it’s okay. The subject of the interview is someone you all know well!”

Noctis said that in a somewhat carefree manner, and Zita let out an exclamation of ‘Oh!’.

… What should I say? If the story goes well like this, it’s normal to trip over a foot sticking out from the side and fall.

Cleon and Herti looked at each other, worried about what they had experienced.

They followed behind Noctis as he walked, hoping that this was their luck.

001

“Then, please wait here for a moment. “I will ask for the understanding of those who have promised to cover the story!”

While saying that, the place where Noctis knocked on the front door while smiling was a sheep building that was familiar to Cleon in some way.

It was a house built differently, almost unique even in this eastern country.

＂Only here the appearance of the building is different.＂

It was almost at the same time that Zita said that and the front door opened, and a black-haired boy came out.

The black-haired boy looks at her with a somewhat tired face and a slightly distorted expression, giving the impression of ‘What are you?’

‘Wow.’

Cleon must know very well that the boy was originally one of the empire’s executives.

Berlin.

Now, he has thrown away all his grand nicknames, shed the vicious appearance for which he was well-known, and was living with his only remaining family in the form of a young boy.

However, although his personality has become toxic, he still has a harsh side to people, so Cleon immediately becomes worried about Noctis.

“Hello! My name is Noctis from the Touhou Newspaper company who had an appointment with Maybelle~!”

The energetic, lively voice of such a boy.

It was a voice that anyone could feel was attractive when they heard it, but Berlin took one look at Noctis first and then sighed, saying, “Ha.”

“… What time do you think it is?”

Just by hearing the voice, you can tell that the boy is in a bad mood.

“Yes? … Well, 11 o’clock. It’s…”

Noctis was so embarrassed that he seemed to have forgotten all about the brightness he had just felt, and as he stuttered, he checked his pocket watch and answered.

“It’s too early…! If you want to talk to my sister, you have to come as promised!”

Wow! Not only Noctis but also Cleon, who was watching from a distance, was taken aback by Berlin’s answer, which showed an angry expression along with his voice.

＇Did you not keep the appointed time? ＇

However, Noctis responded to Berlin with a voice of resentment.

＂Huh!? Ha, but, is it on time!? As promised, I came to see you at 11 o’clock!”

Noctis says he came at the ‘appointed time’.

While their opinions clash, Berlin hears her answer and lets out a big sigh.

＂Are you stupid…!＂

＂Yes?＂

“If your sister says it’s 11 o’clock, it’s natural that it’s ’11 o’clock at night’! “My sister is nocturnal!”

Rumble!

And, somewhere, a shock resounds, like thunder striking a dry sky.

Cleon and Herti may have looked shocked, but the one who looked most surprised was, of course, Noctis in front of Berlin.

＂W-Where is that thing~!?＂

When Noctis lets out her long, drawn-out scream, Bayerlin looks at her with his sharp eyes and speaks.

“Anyway, you’re sleeping right now. Please come to me at the right time as promised…!”

“Yes!? Wait a minute!? 11 o’clock is not working hours!?”

Noctis’ voice is indifferent, and the door to the mansion closes with a ‘squeak’ sound.

Noctis must have been so shocked that he couldn’t say anything for a moment and just stood there blankly staring at the closed door.

Then, Zita speaks while holding Cleon’s hand.

“Teacher, I understand!”

＂… What?＂

Cleon was also speechless for a moment due to Noctis’ pitiful appearance, so he must have been a little caught off guard.

Zita’s voice, heard at such times, was so refreshing that it purified the heavy air.

“Being a reporter is a job where you go to people and get scolded at the door!”

＂…＂

Let’s not talk about that in front of Noctis.

Thinking like that, Cleon had no choice but to quietly shake his head.

The time it took for Noctis to regain strength was about 13 minutes.

“Huh? Why am I here…? Oh, that’s right! Today, I had a chat with the owner of this mansion from 11 o’clock!”

“Noctis, you remember…!”

She fainted after standing for 13 minutes due to the shock she received, and her memories of the dozens of minutes before that were lost.