READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 26 - Episode 026: Cool-type Female Knight, Becoming a Bad Kid
Episode 026: Cool-type Female Knight, Becoming a Bad Kid
“So this is the Fluffy Café…”
Maria looked up at the Fluffy Café building nearby.
The appearance, with its atmosphere that seemed straight out of a story, raised her expectations.
*Ding, ding*
As she opened the charming wooden door, a pleasant sound tickled her ears.
Inside, there was a calm atmosphere, with softly lit pendant lights, well-spaced seating arrangements, potted plants scattered around giving a natural vibe, shelves displaying dishes and seasonings as part of the decor, giving the impression of a hidden gathering place for wizards.
And here and there, cute stuffed animals and pictures that didn’t disrupt the ambiance were hung, whoever made them took care not to break the atmosphere.
Cute…
The numerous stuffed animals with deformed animals and the pictures of cute girls with fluffy monsters shook Maria’s heart, which she had been suppressing.
“Welcome.”
A short and low voice, but it somehow felt kind, brought Maria back to her senses.
Moving further inside, a large, intimidating man stood behind the counter wearing a frilly apron like a girl’s.
“!?”
Maria was shocked when she caught sight of him.
To think such a fashionable and cute shop was run by such a rugged owner.
If she looked like Ack, she’d be too scared of people’s judgment to wear such a frilly apron, let alone run a café like this.
And maybe because there were hardly any customers, there were needles, thread, and half-sewn stuffed animals on the owner’s table. Those cute stuffed animals inside the shop were also made by this owner.
How honest he must be with himself…
Maria felt very envious of the owner and realized that she, too, was judging people by their appearance, just like everyone else.
“Hello. Are you Ack?”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
Without expressing those feelings, they greeted each other and introduced themselves.
After listening briefly, Ack seemed to hardly remember anything except for Elder Treant.
Maria didn’t expect enemies that required the strength of several adventurer parties or the squad of knights to be treated like pebbles on the roadside.
Ack was someone even she wasn’t sure she could beat.
But, without changing his expression, he continued to sew his stuffed animals.
“Welcome.”
Stunned by the sudden contrast, Maria heard a cute voice and came back to her senses.
In the light shining through the window, a cute white-haired, blue-eyed girl stood, shining like an angel.
Wearing a frilly apron matching Ack’s on top of a neatly sewn maid outfit.
The girl’s name was Tina. Ack’s family. In other words, his daughter… daughter!?
Maria’s gaze moved back and forth between Ack and Tina, who looked nothing alike.
Could such a rugged man have such an angelic daughter!?
Maria was shocked as if struck by magic.
No, there’s something more important now.
S-So cuteeeee!!
It was a violence of cuteness, not from stuffed animals or pictures, but from the real thing, attacking Maria.
She wanted to hug her, but the shackles of evaluation and gazes from those around held her body back.
“Are you okay?”
Perhaps because of this, her body trembled and she became suspicious, and she was spoken to.
“Y-Yes, I’m fine. Can I have an iced tea, please?”
“Got it.”
Maria returned to her senses, ordered her drink, and calmed herself as she sat down.
“Iced tea it is. Add milk and sugar as you like.”
“Thank you.”
As she took a sip, the aroma gently spread in her mouth and wafted through her nose.
Ah, delicious… I never expected something served by Ack to taste this good…
After indulging in the flavor of the iced tea for a while, Maria returned to reality and began to ask for more details.
“So, about when you defeated Elder Treant…”
“Yeah. At that time, I needed materials for the furniture in the shop…”
From what she heard, the shopkeeper wasn’t someone who would harm the town or its residents. On the contrary, he seemed surprisingly talkative, gentle, and caring towards the café and his family.
While this conversation was the main topic for the Knight Order, for Maria, the real issue was what came next.
“S-So, I’d like to ask a little… what exactly is the Fluffy Café?”
Maria summoned up the most courage she had ever had in her life and asked the shopkeeper.
Ack didn’t mock Maria’s cool demeanor and started explaining in a calm manner.
It was then that Maria finally noticed that there were several fluffy monsters inside the shop.
Perhaps due to the heightened tension and the onslaught of cuteness and surprises coming one after another like a roller coaster, she was on edge.
In this café, it seemed that as long as you placed an order, you could freely pet or pick up the fluffy monsters.
“Kyu-ru-ru?”
A fluffy monster resembling a raccoon, a Puribear, was placed in front of Maria.
*Zkyuuuuuuun!*
Maria’s heart was pierced by its cuteness and gestures.
Just like when she saw Tina, she wanted to reach out, but she couldn’t because she was concerned about the eyes of those around her.
“Kururu?”
“It’s asking you to pet it, you know?”
However, Ack whispered like a devil.
“N-No, I didn’t come here with that intention… If it’s really necessary, though, I suppose I could consider it…”
Even so, Maria couldn’t bring herself to be honest.
“Shiln really wants Maria to pet her.”
“S-So, if it’s really necessary… then I guess I can’t help it…”
“If Maria really wants to pet her.”
Armed with this absolution, Maria finally reached out her hand to pet Shiln’s head.
“A-And now, if you’ll excuse me… Wow…”
The moment she touched it, she was overwhelmed by the fluffy and fluffy sensation, and Maria’s body and mind were captivated.
Ah… to think such happiness existed…
“This is unavoidable… unavoidable…”
Maria continued to pet Shiln, using the absolution as an excuse.
“I’m back.”
Upon returning to the Knight Order’s base, Maria immediately headed to report to the captain.
“You’re back. So, what about that guy we talked about?”
“Yes, he’s an extremely dangerous man, at least for me.”
“What!?”
Feeling guilty, but without mentioning the important parts, she painted Ack as the villain.
Upon hearing this, the captain raised his eyebrows.
“He doesn’t seem to have any immediate plans, but we might need to keep an eye on him.”
“I see…”
Maria’s usual attitude and expression lent credibility to her words, convincing the captain.
“I’ll keep an eye on him.”
“What!? That’s too dangerous.”
Shocked by Maria’s offer, the captain raised his voice, unaware that it was her plan.
“He’s incredibly powerful. There’s no one else besides me who can handle him.”
What she reported was indeed true. If that was the case, then Maria was the most suitable person for the task.
After pondering for a while, the captain gave his answer.
“…Alright. Can you handle it?”
“Yes. Leave it to me. Well then, excuse me.”
Maria performed a salute-like gesture and readily accepted the mission.
Now she had a legitimate reason to visit the Fluffy Café.
As Maria looked back and headed towards the exit, her face relaxed, showing a sense of relief.