I Played the Role of a Hated Hero, but for Some Reason, I’m Loved by the Last Boss and Living With Her! - Chapter 73

「Trouble.」

「We’re in trouble, Sister Yuri.」

It’s been a month since they left Kamui to find a certain person under Touka’s orders.

Yuri and Kaede, passengers on a trading ship crossing between continents, stared out at the ocean with gloomy expressions.

Yuri’s white hair is tied up in a side-tail on the left, and she has jade-like eyes, while Kaede’s red hair is tied up in a side-tail on the right, and she has eyes reminiscent of aquamarine.

However, other than the color of their hair and eyes, they are twin sisters with the exact same appearance.

「Melancholy.」

「Yeah, it’s totally…」

「But.」

「But.」

「「It’s all for you, Touka-sama.」」

Simple answers. But for these sisters, this is the only way to communicate.

Perhaps it’s a kind of heart-to-heart communication that only twins can do.

The two of them can vaguely understand what the other is thinking. Therefore, minimal words were necessary.

This ability is also put to good use in their『work』.

They are immersed in what is called『backstage family business』.

Recently, however, their main duties were to protect Touka and gather information.

The reason for this was that Touka had placed them by her side.

Until then, the girls had been contracted by clients to eliminate their targets and had been able to survive on the success fees they received.

In the beginning, Touka’s first encounter with them was not a peaceful one, as she was the target.

In Kamui, Touka was hailed as a hero for defeating the demon gods, and her success in the Kingdom of Gald brought her the backing of the royal family.

As a result, Touka was immediately entrusted with the management of the sword, an important role in the country.

Thanks to her success in defeating the demon gods, she also succeeded in reviving her family’s fallen fortunes. Her name has become so famous that no one in Kamui is unaware of it.

At the same time, however, there were frequent attempts on her life by politicians who feared that Touka, who had defeated a demon god, would threaten their power, or by the newly appointed administrator of the demon sword, who wanted to eliminate her before she could set up her organization.

It was at this time that the twin sisters accepted the request to assassinate Touka.

Their opponent was a veteran soldier who had defeated a demon god, but they were twins who had buried opponents beyond their ability.

They have the class of『Ninja』which has the power to cut off any sign of life, they are reapers who reap life from their opponents’ blind spots.

This time, too, they had no intention of challenging Touka head-on, but were prepared to turn the tables on her.

However, Touka was much stronger than they had expected.

The twins were supposed to be completely invisible, but their presence was noticed by the samurai’s ability called『Mind’s Eye』.

The twins tried to fight back, but were kneed and captured.

The twins were prepared to have their corpses exposed to the world after the fierce torture, but the conclusion that Touka came to was.

『Come under me. It would be a shame to kill someone as good as you so easily.』

This was an unprecedented decision.

As expected, many condemned this decision, but the people around them seemed to have reluctantly agreed with the voice of the hero who said that the twins’ position would be in the form of servitude to Touka, and that they would atone for their responsibilities with their bodies if something should happen.

This alone shows that Tuka’s statement has a strong influence.

It means that one or two lives are targeted.

The twins became Touka’s property, and she also took on the role of servant. After that, he and Touka began to help with the work of managing the sword.

However, the work itself is not so different from the past.

Basically, they work as a sword guardian and a member of the dark side of sword guardians.

Their role is to gather information about those who are after the sword, and in some cases, to nip the problems in the bud before they start.

This is the role of the girls.

It’s a job that involves risking one’s life, just as it always has.

However, Touka never neglected to support them, and they were able to accomplish far more work than when the twins were working alone. Furthermore, they never made reckless requests outright. If the mission is difficult to accomplish, they have no choice but to withdraw. In the past, this would have been unthinkable.

No matter how disadvantageous the situation was, if they couldn’t accomplish the mission, they would be killed by the client. They were just disposable pawns to be used.

Therefore, there was no way they could retreat, and sometimes they were injured so badly that they almost died to complete the mission. The scars from that time are still fresh on their skin.

Compared to that, the current environment is as different as heaven and earth.

In addition, the twins were able to lead a stable life without having to worry about their clients cheating them out of their rewards as in the past.

In the beginning, the girls were wary of Touka, but as they worked, they gradually understood that their employer was a good-natured eccentric.

By now, Yuri and Kaede were so enthralled with Touka that they had become her vassals, pledging their absolute loyalty to her.

Therefore, the twins were happy to accept the mission to find someone.

But,

「Searching.」

「Yes. Have to find this person for Touka-sama.」

In Yuri’s hand, she holds a memo that Touka gave her a month ago, describing the person to be searched for, as well as his gestures, behavior, and other characteristics.

In her pocket, she also kept a letter addressed to Sophia.

Yuri and the others were told to cooperate with Sofia, who was investigating phantoms in the town of Cid, to find the man who wrote the description and bring him to Kamui.

「Hero.」

「Yes, this is Ares Brave.」

「A sprout of disaster.」

「The enemy of Kaede and the others who will bring ruin to Touka-sama.」

Their gazes darted towards the sketch. As soon as they did, their eyes, colder than the blowing sea breeze, focused on the person on the paper.

The atmosphere from the twins was so cold that I almost felt as if the temperature had dropped there.

The crew of the trading ship only looked at the girls from a distance, none of them daring to approach them.

Their instincts made them hesitant to approach the girls.

「I’ll take him.」

「Touka-sama said to bring this man to the mansion.」

「But.」

「Can’t bring him back.」

「An order.」

「Because your『father』ordered to do so.」

◆◇◆◇◆

Just before Yuri and Kaede left Kamui, they were summoned by Genm Murasame, Touka’s father.

There was no explanation as to why, just「come」.

Genm is the priest of the Izanami Shrine, where the demon sword is sealed.

The history of this shrine is old, and if you trace it back, you will find that it was built about 500 years ago.

In the outside world, religions that worship the goddess Norn are common, but in Kamui, people have long believed in a goddess called Izanami.

It is said that Izanami single-handedly defeated the dragon that once attacked this land, and greatly reduced its power.

The dragon is said to have been a dragon god who is still active in the world today, but the details are not well known due to the lack of literature.

Izanami Shrine is the largest shrine in Kamui, with branch shrines all over the country. The shrine managed by Genm is its headquarters.

The Murasame family had been the custodians of the Izanami Shrine for generations, but they were relieved of their duties when the previous generation of priests disrespected the then emperor of Kamui at a festival.

But later, Touka, the daughter of the Murasame family, succeeded in defeating the demon gods that posed a threat to the world. She also became friends with the king of the Kingdom of Gald and gained their backing. In addition, she was paid a large sum of money as a reward for her success in defeating the demon gods, which resulted in Genm’s return as the priest of the Izanami Shrine.

At first, it was thought that Touka, who had done so much for the shrine, would be given the position, but under the custom that the position of priest should be held by a man from generation to generation, Genm became the priest, and Touka became the princess who managed and protected the magical sword sealed in the shrine.

The appointment of Genm as the priest and Touka as the princess to manage and protect the sword sealed in the shrine was proof that there is still a gender barrier in the priesthood, but both the priest and the princess are still important positions for Kamui.

Although Yuri, Kaede, and the others were in the custody of Touka, they sometimes worked on the orders of Genm, the chief priest.

In the first place, the priest is the superior of the princess. Yuri and Kaede, whom Tuka had entrusted with his care, were also in the position of Genm’s subordinates.

The fact that they had been summoned was no surprise in itself.

「「Sorry to keep you waiting, Genm-sama.」」

「You’re here. Come in.」

In response to the thick and powerful voice, they opened the sliding door and entered.

A great man over 50 years old was sitting on his knees in front of them. Genm straightens his back and stares at the twins straight as if he has a core.

With a head of gray hair and sharp eyes, he looks at the visitors.

Although he is a shrine priest, he has a sturdy body that resembles that of a samurai.

It’s no wonder. In the first place, the priest of the Izanami Shrine is required to have more than just intelligence.

In this place where the power of the sword, which can shake the country, is sealed, it is not acceptable to be weak in the first place.

In addition, the frontman had taught Touka how to use a sword.

It would be impossible for him to be weak.

「Well done. Yuri, Kaede.」

「「I’m glad to see you’re doing so well, Genm-sama.」」

「Yes. Now, come with me, both of you.」

「Yes.」

Yuri and Kaede closed the sliding door and stepped in front of Genm, kneeling again and bowing their heads.

「First of all, I want to ask you, I heard that you two are going to the Kingdom of Gald by order of Touka, is that correct?」

「「Yes.」」

「The purpose of the trip is to find people?」

「「That is correct.」」

「Do you have a description of the man you’re looking for?」

「「……yes.」」

The two hesitated for a moment, wondering if they should answer Genm’s question, but decided to answer honestly. They thought that if they tried to hide something from Genm, he might misunderstand them.

If Genm knew that they were looking for someone, it would be unnatural for them not to tell him who it was.

They have nothing dark that needed to hide from Touka. However, it would be bad for their image if they had to hide something from him.

With that in mind, the two of them replied in the affirmative to Genm’s question, using their usual heart-to-heart communication.

But if they did that, the next thing he would say would be.

「Now, show me that sketch.」

「Yes… Kaede.」

「Genm-sama, the person you are looking for is in this folder.」

As expected, Genm made a request.

Kaede took out a sheet of sketch paper from her pocket, handed it to Genm, and stepped back again.

Genm looked over the sketch he had received.

His eyes widened slightly, his lips tightened, and his eyebrows raised.

「Yuri, Kaede, you are certain that this is the person Touka told you to find?」

「That is correct.」

「Well, I was expecting… you to go all the way to a foreign country, but I guess bad premonitions can often come true.」

「「Genm-sama?」」

Genm puts his hand on his chin and narrows his eyes.

He stared hatefully at the person who wrote the person’s name, and the index finger extending from the hand on his chin restlessly tapped his cheek.

「Yuri, Kaede.」

「「Ha!」」

「I don’t know how you’re being told by Touka, but if you find this person… take care of them as quickly as possible.」

「「―――?!」」

A slight astonishment flashed across Yuri and Kaede’s expressionless faces at Genm’s unquestioning order to eliminate them.

「Please wait.」

「Touka-sama has asked that as soon as we find him, company him to the residence with all due respect…」

「No.」

One-sided words of rejection. It was as if there was nothing they could do.

With a piercing gaze, Genm looked at the twins and spoke in a voice that seemed to be suppressed emotion.

「This man’s name is Ares Brave. He used to accompany Touka on her journey to defeat the demon god Demiurge. But… this is a man who can bring disaster to the country if he is not careful.」

◆◇◆◇◆

On the ship, Yuri and Kaede remembered what Genm had told them about Ares and the possibilities that could happen if he and Touka came into contact with each other.

Yuri then put Ares’ description in his pocket and looked at Kaede.

Kaede met Yuri’s gaze and gave a small nod.

「Dead or alive.」

「If he’s dead as they say, good. If not…」

「Delete.」

「This person will be… dead.」

A breeze from the ocean blew against their cheeks, and their side tails fluttered loudly.

The two of them looked in the direction of the wind, seeing the target to be killed in their vision.

「「All for the sake of Touka-sama and the Kamui Kingdom.」」

They muttered quietly.

However, the two of them felt a sickening feeling in their stomachs at having to defy Touka’s orders and assassinate her find.

AN: For now, here’s another break.