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Thus, with our preparations complete, we set off for the villa of the former royalty located near the port city of Quito. Yes, everything was proceeding as planned, except—

“……How did you end up being our guide?”

After a morning of swimming lessons, where I nearly drowned for a second time, and barely managed to swim 5 meters with a flutterboard, I found myself in town by the afternoon, propelled by Joey’s insistence.

Due to my usual black dress feeling hot and stuffy, I had switched to a more casual summer outfit— a pannier with frilled chest, a tiered skirt, a wide-brimmed hat, and summer shoes adorned with lace ribbons.

I unraveled my braids, reverting to my usual straight hair. Simply untying them restored my hair to its natural state without a single kink. Though I was uncertain whether to rejoice at this peculiar trait of my hair.

“Well, my hometown is nearby.”

Joey replied nonchalantly, casually pulling my hand as we walked.

Apparently, he was born in a remote mountain village that lacked many resources. During festivals or when supplies were needed, he would make a half-day trek on foot to Quito to haul supplies during his childhood.

“So that explains it. Speaking of which, it’s surprising not to see Fiore with you.”
“Fiore? She’s taking a break from adventuring for a while because of a 4th grade National Mage Trial or something this week. She seemed quite confident about it from what she said.”
“Oh? She must have been working hard. Let’s hope it goes well for her.”
“You’re right.”

And… wait, if she passes the state-level exam, would she continue adventuring? I recall she turned to adventuring after setbacks in her career; wouldn’t she want to return to her aspirations of being a mage…?

This thought suddenly struck me, but seeing Joey, her partner, show no concern, I shelved the idea and changed the topic.

“Anyway, since you don’t come here often, why don’t you take this opportunity to visit your hometown after the guide mission?”
“I might… maybe. I’ll consider it.”

After a long pause, Joey responded with a chuckle, his expression twisting into a bittersweet smile.

Oh, he had mentioned his circumstances before—that his family struggled to afford meals, so he left to lessen their burden and started adventuring in Alra. Ugh, I must have touched a sore spot.

Unintentionally, I hung my head at the blunder. Joey looked puzzled, watching my reaction, then glanced at the sun at its zenith and, seemingly struck by a realization, clapped his hands.

“Look at that, it’s already past lunchtime. Let’s find some food around here.”

…You know, I think I was foolish to worry about him so much.

◆◇◆◇

We entered the first reasonably good-looking eatery we saw—a quaint little restaurant. Perhaps because it was past lunchtime or due to some local peculiarity, we were the only customers.

No sooner had we sat down than a woman, apparently the proprietress, approached me with an overly enthusiastic gaze, exclaiming, “Woah, are you a princess?!” and “My, you’re a stunner!” She even compared me to “the moon goddess Lady Arte,” as she brought over several dishes we hadn’t ordered.

Her husband, from deep within the restaurant, rebuked her sharply for her flattery, shouting, “Everything that comes out of your mouth is stupid hogwash, you old hag!”

At his words, the proprietress’ smile vanished, replaced by a ferocious glare akin to an asura.

“Who died and made you the arbiter of truth, you bum?!”
“What’s wrong with speaking my mind, eh, you smelly hag!”

This marked the beginning of a verbal skirmish between the couple.

Initially bewildered by the situation, I wondered if I should intervene, but Joey, unfazed, simply turned a blind eye and began sampling the dishes.

“Just focus on lunch, Hiyuki. There’s no point getting involved in a couple’s scuffle.” His tone carried a hint of wisdom, like that of someone long accustomed to such quarrels. With no better plan, I also settled in to eat.

“The ingredients are fresh, so it’s quite good.”

Encouraged by his review, I tried the fish dishes, apparently a town specialty. Unlike Joey, who could ignore anything, I found the ongoing quarrel too distracting to enjoy my meal.

“…It seems you’re quite accustomed to these kinds of fights, eh?”

Catching the hint, Joey flashed that melancholic smile again and said, “Well, this was a daily occurrence for us. As the eldest son, I often tried to mediate—usually ending with me being kicked out after a few punches.”

…Oh dear, it seems this return home is not as welcome as one might hope. Considering he had long left this town behind, it does make sense.

“By the way, the proprietress said I resemble the ‘Moon Goddess Arte.’ You also asked if I was the Moon Goddess when we first met.”

He suddenly choked on his fish soup, his eyes widening as he coughed violently.

“Cough-cough…You… cough…you still remember that?”

Struggling to breathe, Joey’s face turned a deep red up to the roots of his ears.

“The scene was quite memorable. Though I bet my personality quickly shattered that illusion for you, right? —By the way, is the Moon Goddess Arte some kind of hero?”

Joey, however, seemed lost in thought, mumbling phrases like, ‘No, I never thought that… You’ll always be… in my heart…’ As I pondered what he meant, the proprietress approached, her footsteps echoing from the other side of the room, ready to provide an explanation Joey could not.

Her husband was nowhere in sight, which led me to believe she had won their argument.

“Moon Goddess Lady Arte is revered by sailors,” she began. As she explained, she nonchalantly took a seat at our table. “She is the daughter of the Sea Goddess and the Night Goddess, ruling over the stars—both symbols of the sailor’s deep respect.”

Ah, that makes sense. For sailors on a landmark-less sea, the moon and stars are crucial for navigation. It’s no wonder they’ve been deified.

“This town also has a shrine dedicated to her, but it’s been bustling lately with sailors seeking guidance amidst the pirate chaos.”

Although the proprietress spoke casually, her mention of ‘pirates’ caught my attention and lent the conversation a serious air.

“Oh? Have the pirates become so troublesome?”
“Indeed, to an unbearable degree,” the proprietress replied, her expression sour.

According to her, the pirates had gained a new vigor, now regularly patrolling the transportation routes between Amitia and Cres. While the larger and magical ships here still outpaced them in speed and firepower, the pirate groups were growing rapidly and becoming increasingly familiar with local sea routes. Sailors believed it was only a matter of time before they faced greater threats from these pirates.

“That sounds dire. It seems only the nation’s protection can ward off such a disaster.”
“That’s wishful thinking. Our forces specialize in surface skirmishes. It would be a miracle if they could handle the pirates effectively.”

Her voice carried unconcealed scorn, yet there was a tone of resignation in her words.

“I see… But how did these pirates suddenly become so reinforced?”

“Hmm.” She pondered for a moment before responding. “It’s just a rumor I’ve heard. Apparently, the pirates initially had a base in the north. After losing a turf war, they fled here, tails between their legs.”

This was news to me, prompting a long, inquisitive stare at the proprietress.

“Is that true?”

“That’s why I said it’s just a rumor. Supposedly, a pirate with a magic ship and a crimson sail tried to claim the north as their territory, which led to the current situation. They say this pirate leader even controls a giant white fish… but again, it’s all hearsay.”

“ “Oh?” ”

Our voices overlapped in surprise at this unexpected intel, although the proprietress clearly considered it nothing more than fanciful rumors. I couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly.