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(Sutamai) 'Placed Under a Spell of Popularity', Part 4
EVENT STORY INDEX
25.
I was caught up to in no time at all.
And he dropped the book that he was holding.
-Queen of Hearts’ Garden-
Rei: So this the Queen of Hearts’ garden!
(...... Alright…… Let’s get going then!)
After steadying my breathing, I burst into a run.
Rei: (...... If I think about being discovered because of something like this, then I will be.)
(And if I believe that I won’t be caught, then I won’t be……)
???: …… Oi! You there! Sprinting with all your might!!
Rei: (I was spotted from the get-go!?)
All the while running, I turned around to check on the voice that came from behind me.
Burly Male: Hold it right there!!
Rei: AARRRGH!! I’M NOT A SUSPICIOUS PERSON, I SWEAR! I’M JUST PASSING BY!! PLEASE LET ME PASS BY!!!
(What’s with this person!? They’re abnormally fast! Actually, what’s with those muscles……)
(If I were to arm wrestle with a person like that, then I’d flat out never win!)
(In other words, my liver is going to be served up for dinner!!)
Despite desperately running away from him, he was advancing in on me at a speed enough to start questioning if he had in-built engines.
I was caught up to in no time at all.
Burly Male: Who are you!?
Rei: I’m not someone worth mentioning by name!!
(More like, why is this person running alongside me?)
(Didn’t he come chasing after me so that he could capture me!?)
Burly Male: You’re amazing!
Rei: Huh?
Burly Male: I’ve never met a woman who could run with such an awesome form before! I’m in love!
Rei: I beg your pardon!?
Burly Male: I’m the General of Hearts, KIRISHIMA! Become my woman!
Rei: !!
(I’m popular for my running form!?)
As usual, the conditions for activating the spell were far too much of an enigma. But in the midst of thinking that, I immediately came up with a solution.
Rei: (If I’m popular for my running form, then if I stop running……)
Having thought that, I began to slow down my momentum.
KIRISHIMA: DON’T STOP!
Rei: !!
(I can’t stop running!!)
26.
-Queen of Hearts’ Garden-
KIRISHIMA: Where are you from? You should come join my army!
Rei: My parents would weep if I entered into military service so it’s a little out of the question……
(...... Oh god, I’m going to die from a lack of oxygen before I even lose my internal organs.)
(...... Oh!)
Although I was becoming dead tired from all the running, I continued to pump my legs.
That was when I remembered about “that thing” that was rattling around and clacking together inside the pocket of my dress apron.
Rei: This is it!
KIRISHIMA: Oi. What’s that you got there? Let me see it.
Rei: Just something to hydrate myself!
KIRISHIMA: Oh, so that’s all it is!
Rei: (I’m so lucky that he’s such a believing person!)
And just like that, I sculled down the “DOWN” milk—I mean the potion—while running.
Not long after I did…...
KIRISHIMA: …… You…… You’ve got pretty sweet legs for a girl!
But stop!
Rei: You got it!
After succeeding in making him say those words, I was finally able to stop running.
I took no time at all in sinking down into the grass.
Rei: (Thank you MAKI-san, thank you mysterious milk…… I mean potion……)
KIRISHIMA: Oi! What are you doing?
Rei: Sorry, just let me stay like this for a little bit longer so that I can catch my breath……
KIRISHIMA: HIYAMA! MAKOTO! Stop slacking off!
Rei: Huh?
(Oh, so he wasn’t yelling at me?)
When I glanced in the direction KIRISHIMA-san was briskly walking in…...
HIYAMA: ……
MAKOTO: ……
I saw a male tending to the flowers, and a male who was engrossed in a book.
From the looks of their attire, it would appear that they were KIRISHIMA-san’s subordinates.
HIYAMA: I have not abandoned my duties. I’m in the middle of working right now as well.
KIRISHIMA: Man, I thought I told you to not patrol while watering the flowers.
HIYAMA: If the objective can be achieved accordingly, then surely there is no problem to be had.
…… By the by. You, the Missus over there.
Rei: Y-Yes?
HIYAMA: I apologize, but could you fetch me that watering can over there?
Rei: Oh, yeah…… You mean this?
HIYAMA: !
Rei: (...... Huh. This reaction of freezing up, and this gaze…… I’m kind of getting a bad feeling here……)
Er, um……
HIYAMA: …… You’re a lady of whom the watering can suits the most in this world.
Rei: !!
KIRISHIMA: Damn, HIYAMA’s gone and said stuff I don’t understand again.
Do something about it, MAKOTO.
MAKOTO: …… I refuse.
27.
-Queen of Heart’s Garden-
Rei: (T-This is bad……)
T-There are a million more people than me who would look good with a watering can!
The person that you’re truly seeking is actually someone unexpectedly close by, so…… Oh, yeah, like him!
MAKOTO: What are you—!
Rei: Oh.
When I tried to hand over the watering can to MAKOTO-san—or whoever he was—my arm bumped into him.
And he dropped the book that he was holding.
MAKOTO: ……
Rei: S-Sorry!
(I was only able to sneak a peek at it, but…)
(If I’m correct, then it was open at a page with an illustration…… Ummm……)
MAKOTO: !
As I was panicking while flipping through the pages……
I suddenly felt a hot gaze on my fingers.
MAKOTO: …… It’s almost as if those fingers of yours were made to turn pages.
Rei: Come again?
MAKOTO: Such elegance.
Rei: (And now he’s under the spell too!!)
HIYAMA: I’m wondering if you could perhaps try holding this watering can here for me next?
KIRISHIMA: Forget about that. Let’s start running again!
You can patrol with me instead of these guys.
Rei: !!
(T-The situation is starting to get out of hand here…… In that case……)
I, I…… I must be on my way to purchase the liver for Her Majesty!!!
KIRISHIMA: You gotta purchase the liver!?
Rei: !!
KIRISHIMA: Why didn’t you just say so from the start then!
You can’t be diddle daddling here! Hurry up and get going.
HIYAMA & MAKOTO: ……
Rei: O-Okay! Well then, please excuse me!
(The fifty-fifty gamble paid off in my favor!!)
In order to avoid having KIRISHIMA-san once again be affected by the spell, I power-walked out of the Queen of Hearts’ garden.
From there on, I walked for quite a while longer before finally reaching my mark.
-Archdemon’s Castle: Outer Perimeter-
Rei: …… I’ve arrived…… at the Archdemon's Castle!!
(...... Gosh, it’s already so ominous looking on first sight that I really don’t want to go inside.)
(But I’ve come this far so there’s no backing out now……)
???: …… Alice.
Rei: !
IMAOJI: Or no, was it Rei-san?
Hello.
Rei: I-I-IMAOJI-san!?
28.
-Archdemon’s Castle: Outer Perimeter-
Rei: (My ears!)
I quickly went to confirm that the both of my ears were covered by my hair. Fortunately, they were.
IMAOJI: But what brings you here?
Rei: Oh, err, I kind of have some personal business with the owner of this place……
IMAOJI: You have business with the Archdemon?
Rei: Err, yeah…… Um, why are you here, IMAOJI-san?
IMAOJI: Oh, I was looking for you.
Rei: L-Looking for me?
IMAOJI: That’s correct. You dropped this a little while ago.
Rei: My handkerchief!
IMAOJI: I’m glad to have been able to return it to you.
Rei: T-Thank you very much.
(...... If it weren’t for the influence of the spell, then he’d be this much of a gentleman and a nice person, huh……)
IMAOJI: So you’re heading off to see the Archdemon now then?
Rei: Yeah, seems like it……
IMAOJI: I don’t think that he’s a devil to the extent of carrying out acts of cruelty or anything…
But he’s not someone that you would’ve heard many pleasant rumors about either.
If it would please you, may I accompany you inside?
Rei: Huh?
IMAOJI: I would be happy if I could even just be of help in some way.
Rei: (...... It’s only because of the spell that they become all weird.)
(From the start, the citizens of this world are extremely kind, or rather, they’re probably good people.)
(The only ones around look like they’d be popular—)
{Flashback}
-The Abyss of Doors-
SUGANO: Welcome to the Land of the Popular, Alice.
{End Flashback}
-Archdemon’s Castle: Outer Perimeter-
Rei: (Oh, is that why it’s called the “Land of the Popular”? Is that what it means??)
IMAOJI: …… Rei-san? Is there something wrong?
Rei: Oh, sorry about that!
(...... So long as I keep my ears concealed, I feel like he’d make for a reassuring ally.)
Honestly, I was feeling rather hopeless…… So is it really okay if I take you up on your offer?
IMAOJI: Yes, why of course.
Well then, shall we make haste?
30.
-Archdemon’s Castle: Corridor-
Despite being frightened from the bottom of my heart of what exactly was awaiting for me within the dreaded castle……
Rei: …… The furthest door on the third floor…… This must be it.
IMAOJI: Yes, it would appear that way.
Rei: (...... I seriously didn’t think that as soon as we entered the lobby…)
(... There would be a map of the inside of the castle with generously detailed instructions recorded down……)
… It was almost a letdown that we didn’t run into any encounters with anyone or anything.
We arrived at the “Archdemon’s Chamber” without a hitch. I nervously gave the door in front of me a few knocks.
[Knock Knock Knock]
IMAOJI: ……
[Knock Knock Knock Knock]
Rei: ……
IMAOJI: There’s no response.
Rei: Well, I guess my original objective was to wake him up anyways.
So it’s not like it’s strange or anything that there’s no response……
IMAOJI: Oh, I see.
Then do you suppose that he won’t mind if we just go ahead and enter?
Rei: …… I think so?
IMAOJI: I believe so.
Rei: (Alright……)
I-I’m coming in……
-Archdemon’s Chamber-
Rei: (Wow, it’s spacious…… Maybe even more so than KAGURA-san’s room.)
(I wonder if being a Archdemon pays well……)
Excuuuse meee…… Sorry to bother you while you’re sleeping……
(...... Oh.)
That was when I spotted the canopy bed at the furthest end of the chamber.
I cautiously approached closer while trying not to make any sounds as much as possible.
???: You’re behaving like a thief.
Rei: EEEP!?
(From behind me!?)
Upon turning around, I saw in front of me an enormous bay window.
And sitting atop there was a male with a devil-may-care grin on his face.
Mysterious Male: Or did you come here to surprise me in my sleep?
Rei: I-IMAOJI-san… Is this person……
IMAOJI: …… Yes.
This is the Archdemon, YOU-san.
YOU: Thanks for the introduction. It’s nice to meet you, “Alice”~
…… So. What brings you here?
Rei: !!