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Sunday 1 December 2019

Vol. 1 Chapter 2 (2/2)

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Chapter 2

(2/2)

"My name is Tilarna·Balsh·Mirvor·Lata═Imsedaria·Ye·Teberena·Divor═Nerano·Seya·Neru·Exedilika. .....It means 『The daughter of Exedilika family, firstborn daughter of Seya, descendant of archduke Divor, apprentice knight under the glorious order of Mirvor, Tilarna』 in you dorini's English, do you understand? Now, what's your name?"

"Kei Matoba."

"Kei Imatuba?"

For some reason, the girl knited her eyebrows.

"It's Kei Matoba. San Teresa Police Department sergeant and detective, special vice squad."

"Is that your full name? Kei·Matoba═San·Teresa·Bolice·Debartment═Sergeant═And·Detective═Sbecial·Vice·Squad?"

Farbanian language doesn't have the sound 'P'. That's why when the Semanians that were raised on that side try to speak this side's language the words like 'police' will be pronouced more like 'bolice' instead.

"No, that's not it. My full name is only Kei Matoba."

"So short."

The Semanian girl openly displays a scornful expression.

"Is it strange?"

"No, the lowborns having a short name is a normal thing, I do not pay any attention. Normally I go by Tilarna Exedilika."

The girl's thin bladed sabre made a short metallic sound as it goes back into the scabbard in a blink of an eye. From that small body and thin arms were the skillful use of the blade he didn't imagine is possible.

"You are the first conversation partner since I came to the dorini's land. Therefore, as an exception I shall specially permit you to call me 'Bona·Tilarna'. Be grateful."

'Bona' would be roughly translated as 'Miss' in English.

"Then, carry my luggage to where it will not be hit by these salty breeze, Kei Imatuba."

"It's Kei Matoba."

"Whatever your name is. Just hurry up and carry the luggage."

The Semanian noble——— Tilarna·(omitted)·Exedilika, without a care, arbitrarily walked into the boat's cabin.


Inside the boat on the way back to San Teresa, Matoba desperately tries to suppress the feeling of boiling anger in his stomach.

I'm supposed to be a detective, you know?

Not only does he have to become a sham diplomat, now he's also stuck with being a babysitter.

That Tilarna or something girl, no matter how you look at her, at most she would look like a middle schooler. Well, it's true that Semanians tend to look quite a bit younger than their age would otherwise suggest. Even if a Semanian is 45 years old, they would look similar to a 30 years old Earthling. Furthermore, one Semanian year is shorter than one Earth year, therefore a 45 years old person according to 'Semani year' would be about 36 years old in 'Earth year'. It's a remarkably complex subject. In addition, as stated in the treaty between Earth and Semani, this side must treat them with respect to their age in 'Semani Year'.

In the documents Tilarna brought with her, it was written that her age is '27 years old (Semani year)'.

(Convert to this side year would be....)

After he did some rough algebra in his head, she should be around 20. At least she's more or less legally an adult.

He takes a glance at the side of Tilarna's face.

Still, however he looks, she looks to be around 13-14 years old.

Why does he have to waste his time escorting this girl? Especially now that he want to hurry and continue his work tracking down the one who killed Rick as soon as possible.

Well, she's a beautiful girl. That much is clear just by looking at the behaviour of the crews, most of those who're free from work would find some sort of excuse just to take a peek at Tilarna on the bridge at least once.

Certainly, Tilarna is genuinely beautiful.

You can call it a beauty coming straight out of CGI. There's almost no imperfection to speak of, an ethereal beauty. That's what makes Matoba wary. If a thing likes beauty without favourable impression were to exist, surely that thing would be the quality this girl possesses.

Tilarna was sitting arrogantly in the seat on the bridge.

Perhaps due to boredom or something, she soon started looking around curiously at the various instruments installed on the bridge—— such as the navigation instrument, the communication equipment, and radar control panel. Every time she reaches her hand to the switch or dial on the control panel, Matoba has to warn her with 'don't touch it' everytime.

"Why can't I touch it?"

After the fourth 'don't touch it', Tilarna asked in displeasure.

"Because that's the reset switch for the navigation equipment's connector."

"Reset switch? What's that?"

"It's for resetting all the data configurations and returning the navigation data to initial value.... Ah—— anyway, just know that it will break and reset everything."

"Can't understand at all."

"Just don't touch it."

Tilarna then, for some reason, talked in admonishing tone.

"Listen here, Kei Imatuba is it? I'm not boasting here, but I'm a person of very high status. While it may be true that the lowborn person such as yourself has things that cannot be touched, but there are not that many things that I'm not allowed to touch."

"I'm not following...."

"I'm saying that, even if I touches it, this device won't be tarnished. Not only that, my guardian spirit is the third apostle of Kizenya. My fingertips might even have Latina dwelling in them."

"I don't know what's that third apostle or whatnot, but I kinda understand what you meant."

Perhaps she didn't notice the sarcasm in Matoba's respond, Tilarna smiled a little on her face.

"So you understand? Then don't forbid me from touching anything again."

Having said that she then reached her hand toward digital navigation instrument.

"Don't touch it."

"Muu...."

"Don't touch it, it's not about tarnish or blessing or anything. In any case, don't touch it."

He said in a firm tone. The girl intently stared at Matoba for several seconds. Before long, maybe she think it's no use arguing with him, she looks out the window without saying anything.

He feels a little guilty, maybe he's too harsh to a child opponent.

(No, no, wait a second.)

Even if she seems so, this alien is not a child. Even if wanting to play around with the things on the boat she's on the first time might seems like children behaviour, she's definitely not one.

There's no need to pity her. She can hate all she want, we won't be together in a few hours anyway.

Getting her to the car at the pier, heads into the city, and guides her through the elevator to the 14th floor of the police department building. That should be all there is to their relationship.

That's what he thought at that time.


After they disembarked at the Coast Guard base and passed through some brief document check, Matoba carried Tilarna's luggage to his car. Maybe the incident on the boat still leaves a bad taste in her mouth, Tilarna, without helping him, looks at the scenery of the port with distrustful eyes.

"Let's go. Get in the car."

He slammed the car's boot closed and jerked his chin to the front passenger's seat. Tilarna stood still in front of the car's door and kept staring at the door handle.

"Don't tell me you don't know how to open the door?"

".....No."

Matoba sat in the driver's seat and started the engine. Tilarna still stands there, her eyes focus on the slightly vibrating bonnet.

Even if it's true that, to the Semanians that don't have culture of industry, car is a strange being, but it shouldn't be to the point of 'never seen before tool'. Because a few Earthlings that live on that side should be using cars in their daily lives. More importantly, if internal combustion engine is really that strange, her eyes would be popping out by the time she boarded the Coast Guard's boat.

"Just hurry up and get in. You should know about the car already, shouldn't you?"

"O....of course! Are you an idiotrakebai?[1]"

After saying that, Tilarna clumsily opened the door and tried to get into the front passenger's seat.

At that moment, the scabbard on her waist bumped into the door. Suddenly losing her balance, the girl stumbled head first to the driver's seat, her face collide with Matoba's abdomen.

"Unyuuu..."

The Semanian made strange sound.

Tilarna, lying face down between Matoba's legs, is not moving at all for several seconds. He also doesn't know how should he respond, so he stiffly sits there, clutching the steering wheel.

".....Oi"

After he said that, Tilarna got up, corrected her posture and acted like nothing had happened. Her porcelain white cheek is slightly blushing, he's also feeling awkward so he pretends to not see it.

She took the scabbard that's stuck with the door off along with her belt and shoved it into the car before closing the door.

"P....pay no attention. Let's go."

Saying just that, Tilarna turns her face away to look outside the window.

"Door isn't closed."

"W....what's it?"

"The door wasn't closed properly. Can you open the door again, and close it forcefully?"

"Is that so? I understand."

Tilarna closes the door again as instructed.

"Let's go."

He drives his Cooper S off. After they left Coast Guard base, they headed from the harbour district to the city centre. Tilarna only looked outside the window, never once did she look Matoba's way.

Having almost no conversation that can really be called a conversation between them, they arrived at the 15-floors police department building, then he took Tilarna to the director's office on the 14th floor.

Director and boss Roth are waiting for them.

"We're expecting you, Miss Exedilika."

Director grandiosely gestures with his hands and body, welcoming Tilarna with excessively ceremonial words, and ends his speech wishing that her visit this time will be worthwhile. On the other hand Roth simply says 'Welcome to San Teresa' only.

There's no reaction to the young appearance of Tilarna. These two must've known who's the Semanian visiting beforehand.

"Thank you for your hard work, sergeant Matoba."

"I've already brought her here. Well, if you will excuse me."

After he half-heartedly responded to director's thanks, Matoba quickly tried to leave the room. This is not the time to be worried about some weird Semanian girl. His mind is already thinking about finding who killed Rick.

But his boss Roth called him to stop.

"We aren't finished yet."

"What's it?"

"It's about her."

"?"

While still gripping the door knob, Matoba deeply furrows his brow.

"Is there anything more about young lady about there, sir? If it's about sightseeing guide, can't you use someone from the admin office? She's quite fluent in English anyway."

"Don't say something so disrespectful, sergeant Matoba! This is absolutely not about sightseeing guide."

Director angrily said that, before turning around and, in obsequious tone, told Tilarna with his smattering Farbanian 'excuse us, this man simply doesn't understand the circumstances.'.

"Then what's it?"

"She's also tracking down that fairy."

Said Roth.

"It's the fairy that was snatched from you yesterday, seems like it wasn't just a normal fairy."

"She's Fiel. Fiel·Queze·Badeli."

Tilarna corrected him.

"In your English it has the meaning of 'Great High Fairy'. She lives in the 'Forest of Perpetual Night', west of Farbani. She's an important Fiel of a powerful clan."

"Ahh— ...meaning?"

Although Matoba can speak Farbanian to some degree, he's not familiar with these kind of words and phrases. In truth, most of the Farbanian he knows are words like 'Do not move!', 'Freeze!', 'You're under arrest.' or 'I'm going to kick your asses.'.

Director further explained.

"Meaning, that fairy is an important person from a powerful clan in Semani. She was kidnapped from that side since 7 days ago. The only thing we know is that some smuggler brought her to this side. And this lady Exedilika was sent to protect that fairy according to the Semani's order of knights's instruction .....is that correct, ma'am?"

"It's roughly as you said."

Tilarna·Exedilika arrogantly puffed her chest out and nodded.

"As per the agreement between the Kingdom of Farbani and the country of United Nations, knights of Mirvor, including apprentice knights, are permitted to enforce justice in dorini world. For the sake of protecting the Great High Fiel, I, in the name of the king of Farbani, formally request your support in my investigation."

".....So, it's as she said."

"I see. ....And, that agreement or something, how does it have anything to do with me staying here?"

"You're going to work with her."

Roth said.

"What?"

"You're going to do the investigation with her."

Matoba stood there stupidly for a moment.

"Me? With this alien?"

"That's discriminatory, sergeant Matoba. Call her Miss Exedilika."

Director's order doesn't reach Matoba's ears at all.

"Can't you stop this already? My 4-years partner got killed just half a day ago, even other detectives are working at this very moment. Why do you have to push all these troublesome works only to me again? Boss, don't you want to find the one who killed Rick at all?"

Matoba said that in anger, Roth immediately walked up to him and looked him in the eyes.

"Matoba, say that again, and this time look me in the eyes."

His voice is trembling with suppressed fury, his normally cold eyes flicker in zealous flame. There's no way boss doesn't want to catch the one who killed Rick.

"Then why don't you let me concentrate on my work?"

"I've never said you can't concentrate on your work."

"That's easier said than done, you know?"

"That's your problem. A case involving Semanians also has things that can only be understood by Semanians. There might be a need to do things like this again in the future. You liking her or not is not important now."

In this San Teresa Police Department, there's never been even a single Semanian police officer since the foundation of the department 10 years ago when this city stopped being under the control of United Nations military. Because it's universally recognised that the law on the Earth side should be enforced by Earthlings, which is done until today.

"I see, so I'm the guinea pig?"

"If you understand and call it like that that's your problem, if you still don't like it you can turn in your badge right this moment."

"So that's the order. Even if I say 'go eat shit', can I even deny it?"

"You can try. But even if it's you, I won't go easy you know?."

The two detectives glared directly at each other, none of them spoke for a while.

Director uncomfortably sat down on the sofa and feeling around his pockets searching for his cigarettes. The other onlooker—— Tilarna·Exedilika watched Matoba and Roth with indifferent eyes, before loudly cleared her throat.

"Dispute between fellow dorinies is not my business. But———"

Said Tilarna.

"——it seems like you are ignoring my thought on the matter. Among the bolicemen here, I have no intention to partner with anyone but the experienced, valorous, well-mannered, and resourceful warrior boliceman. That stubborn lowborn man over there, I do not think he fits my aforementioned criteria?"

"Alien, just shut up."

"Look, this! Shouldn't you just let this ill-mannered man go wherever he wants? Assigning this barbarian to guide me would just be equal to looking down on us Farbanian people."

Tilarna angrily said that. Looks like her accumulated displeasure since their meeting on the boat has finally exploded. She tried to be as threatening as much as her small body can be. While it's true that Matoba's behaviour is not a praiseworthy one, but it's not like it's to the point that it will become a diplomatic issue.

"But, Miss Exedilika....."

Director mumbled something, before looking to boss Roth for help.

Roth followed him up right away.

"While his manner might be as you said, but detective Matoba does meet all your other requirements. Within this San Teresa Police Department, he's one of our most excellent police officers. He solved a large number of difficult cases and received various decorations for saving lives, he also knows the city very well and has a lot of connection with the locals. Moreover, he used to be in the Army's Special Reconnaissance Unit, for that reason he's also very proficient in 'Art of War'."

"This man?"

Tilarna looked intently at Matoba's face again as if to closely reexamine him. Still, the only feeling can be seen on her eyes was disbelief.

"I cannot see what you said. More importantly, I———"

Boss cut in while Tilarna's in the middle of her sentence.

"If you want an officer who's well-mannered but useless in other ways, we can provide you with that. But don't expect that officer to help you protecting your important fairyFiel."

"........"

"Do you still think manner and outer appearance important? Frankly, we would like you to put aside your preference this time around."



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1.Yes, she said 'Baka'.





Translator's Note

That's it for the second chapter! I'll try to release next chapter as a whole chapter release so it might take a week or two longer than usual.





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1 comment:

  1. Thank you for taking on this LN, I'm looking forward to the next chapter!

    ReplyDelete