"... in the back room, please. There's a deputy director here."
"Yes, thank you."
The man closest to us answered Al's inquiry, looking like a hundred million. Al pulled my hand "let's go" instead of blaming the attitude and headed to the indicated place.
Along the way, I almost stepped on something like a mysterious pill that was rolling on the floor, but I could avoid it by my hair.
"Can I come in?
Knocking on the door, Al calls out again. Slightly behind the door, I heard a voice saying, "... go ahead."
Open the door. Inside it was a room, and a man who didn't even hide his grumpy face was swooping back on the cheap couch. It weaves white coats, and from that attitude, I can expect him to be the deputy director.
Is he a little older than Brother Victor?
I guess the deputy director in that year means he's quite capable. But my mustache was puffy and I couldn't say it was very clean.
……
He has appealed, with only his gaze, to sit in the front seat. When sitting down for the most part, he cuts the fire as quickly as possible.
"So? What's the story you want to hear until the Great Highness takes away my research time? If it's boring, I won't forgive you."
"I'd like to know your name at least. Uh, was that the deputy director?
Al heard as troubled, but the man frowned troublesomely and exhaled this seemingly sigh.
"Is that the information you need? Oh, that's good. I'm Renate. So, what can I do for you?
I feel a resolute determination not to talk in vain. When I smiled unexpectedly, Al and I met each other. Apparently, he's also shuddered, clapping his shoulders.
"... this is more or less what the wizards of Anura look like. I can't help being angry. I'm glad you don't mind either."
"Even though Al won't be angry, there's no way I'm angry."
I think I used to be mad that I was disrespectful, but now, I can give myself some credit.
I'm just in a position where Al brought me here. It would be different for me to say something.
Al nodded, asking the man who named him Renate.
"Okay, I'll ask. Don't you know how to break the curse? Specifically, I'm talking about buying the wrath of the Spirit King and wanting to undo the person who has been turned into a cat."
Renate's eyes sparkled as she listened to Al looking bored.
I've been doing that ever since, and suddenly I get up off the couch and I'm stuck in Al.
"The curse of the Spirit King? What's that, more details!
"... you suddenly changed your attitude. Until now, I've seen your face saying you're not interested."
Not too different, just when Al pointed it out, Renate just naturally said it off.
"Your Highness didn't expect me to tell you a story of interest. No, no, it's a coincidence, but cursing is my specialty. So, see, be more specific, talk to me from the beginning. I'm so excited about the curse of the Spirit King!
While I thought the renate of momentum that could lick my tongue was disgusting, no, I reconsidered that this could be quite expected.
Did Al think the same thing, and as he shuddered, he would tell the details.
But where the great wizard Noel had been turned into a cat, Renate opened his eyes with dismay.
"What? Noel? That big wizard Noel in the cat? He was a cat, wasn't he?
"Yeah. If I didn't think I'd see him for over a decade, he was a cat, and he couldn't help it. Lili keeps me now, though."
"... you're a brave man to keep our director"
"What?"
I didn't understand the meaning of what Lennart said. Turning her gaze with the feeling of another time, Renate looks sinister and opens her mouth.
"So, Director. The Great Wizard Noel is our director. I haven't seen him in over a decade, and even before that, he barely showed up here by name alone. The fact remains that he is the Director. Actually, I've never met him either. That's stuttering."
"I don't think it's a stuttering or anything like that. Didn't you guys know Noel was safe?
I accidentally spoke out.
Al nods in the face, too.
"I didn't hear the great wizard Noel talk about Agura's director?
"I think a lot of researchers don't know because if you suck at being director, it's over a hundred years ago, and you don't even show up. Deputy Director, what do they say, but I also work for the substantive director."
"Over a hundred years..."
It was a strange moment when Noel realized he was a high elf, not a human being. I hear High Elf is a very long-lived species. Even if you didn't show up for decades, I guess everyone, didn't think anything of it.
In silence, Lennart asked in an intriguing manner.
"Director, you're in your lady's mansion, right? Would you tell me to show my face over here next time if I could? Because if even a cat can talk, it's fine. I've always wanted to talk to you!
"Noel is the kind of man who would use a sinless spirit as a flat experimental material, but do you still want me to come?
"Yeah, sure."
To Al's question, Renate was not lost for a moment.
"This world is a world of weak and strong eating! Even we put sinners on medicinal materials and spell dependence. Same."
Surprised by the words, Renate said away with a radiant smile.
"Oh, I remember. Surely the director was a high elf! You know what? High elves are also an excellent ingredient. That's it. With the whale. I have nowhere to throw it away. Oh... Director, I was wondering if you could skin me. And if I could get about five teeth...... oh, I'd like my hair too. I think maybe I can make a medicine that works well for alopecia."
……
I thought of the director of my place as something similar to Noel in a way to the statement that I only saw as the raw material for the medicine.
The wizard who does it is definitely a bunch of people who don't understand it in the head of a regular person.
◇ ◇ ◇
In the end, no significant information was obtained from Lennart.
First of all, there is no such thing as a curse from the Spirit King.
Lennart said he wanted to actually look at Noel and find out, but I don't know if Noel would nod.
Besides, they don't know how to un-curse anything special about being a cat.
"It didn't make sense that you came all the way to Anura because of it"
I wanted to go back to the mansion, but Al told me to follow him, and I was on my way to the royal settlement with him.
I'm kind of horrified to see the sparkling walls and ceilings of the royal neighborhood, as well as the many pieces of art that are placed. I guess I was still quite nervous about the different appearance of the royal castle I always see. Al, realizing that he had lost his strength from his body, peered into his care.
"Lili, are you okay?
"... Yes. Because I was just horrified. I'm fine. Al, by the way. Which way are you headed?
At first I thought we were headed to Al's room, but the road is different. I asked Al thoughtfully walking in a place I don't remember, and Al gave me a light answer.
"Yeah, Will's Room"
"What... His Highness Wilfred's?
"Yes. After all, I think he knows the most about this one. - Forget about the game, there are a number of things Will's story can't ignore. You know that too, don't you?
"Yes."
Al looks forward with a serious face.
"I still think Will's story is" ridiculous. "I can't accept that this world is a game. But I can't even say it's all 'different'. Because Will knows too much."
"... Yes"
That's what I thought too. Prince Wilfred knew the truth about Noel that no one was supposed to know.
No one should know that Noel was the Great Wizard Noel and bought the wrath of the Spirit King, but he answered with a natural face.
"So even if we leave the games behind, I think we should listen more seriously to Will. Of course we don't believe in everything, but we don't have one single tip to break the curse right now. I might be able to get some helpful stories."
"Right..."
Al's story was particularly extreme, and I could agree.
You and I head straight to Prince Wilfred's room.
Prince Wilfred, who opened the door to the room, looked surprised to see our faces, but shut up and let us in.
"Sit down properly, please."
"Uh..."
To that word, I don't care what I do, I look at Al.
Prince Wilfred's room was completely different from Al's.
It's like a kid's playroom, that impression.
There is no such thing as a sofa that can welcome guests, instead, a staircase of height is set up, with a fuzzy carpet with long legs and lots of cushions on top of it.
There is a table for card games, etc., but there is no executive desk, etc. The only thing I could call a chair was an elbow chair in front of a large fireplace. But there's no way I'm gonna sit in the only chair in the room.
Not sure what to do, Prince Wilfred noticed how I was doing.
"Uh... I'm sorry. I don't really let people in. There, you're getting a little high. Take off your shoes and go up, and be appropriately forgiving."
"Take off your shoes?
Keep an eye out for stories that are unlikely to be me. Again, sending Al his gaze, he nodded that he had no choice.
"When I go into town, I tell you to follow the town. Shall I if Will tells me to? Look, Lili, come on."
"Yes..."
First Al takes off his shoes and goes up to where the cushion is laid. I also took off the shoes I was wearing, albeit frightened, and followed Al. The feel of the carpet that hits my feet is soft and pleasant, and I kind of feel liberated because I'm not wearing shoes.
"That's a strange feeling..."
"You're not bad."
As I say, Prince Wilfred comes up, too. Sitting directly on the carpet was my first experience, but it wasn't bad. The padded cushion hits the back. Soft and pleasant.
Confirmed that we had settled down, Prince Wilfred asked.
"So? What are you two talking about when you come all the way over here... I guess we'll just have to talk about Noel. But I told Liz Beltran yesterday that I really don't remember how to break the curse."
Al nodded at Will's words.
"Right. But even this one's stuck. As it stands, you're the one with the most information, so I thought I'd give you a hint."
"If it's my brother's favor, I'd like to ask... hints, hints... Noel, I don't know how it went. I don't think I used a special item or anything like that."