As I stood watching Noin-san and Hapty-san’s conversation, it seemed they had finished, as Fia-sensei and the others began walking toward us. Fia-sensei glanced briefly at Hapty-san before offering a gentle smile.
"It looks like things have settled down on your end, so I suppose I should... say it’s been a while?"
"...Umm... er..."
"Wait, you’re kidding, right? Don't tell me you’ve forgotten me? No, no, after that fierce battle we fought, there’s no way..."
"A fierce battle... Ah! Oh, right!"
Fia-sensei had called out to her as the Demon King she once fought, but Hapty-san’s initial reaction was a genuine "Who is this person?" However, she seemed to remember almost immediately, clapping her hands together.
"You’re the one I fought over the heritage of the Taiyaki Kingdom—the one that went extinct!"
"What are you talking about?! A Taiyaki Kingdom? I have absolutely nothing to do with that! Though, honestly, that is an incredibly intriguing phrase..."
"Oh? Wasn't it that Ancient Takoyaki Civilization thing?"
"That’s a separate matter entirely."
"Wait, Hikari, why are you reacting with such a straight face?! What is this feeling... like a friend has drifted to a place I can't reach? Is it me? Am I the one who's weird here?"
Don't worry, Fia-sensei, the three of us can't keep up either. Though, even so, I did feel a slight urge to hear more about this battle over the heritage of the Taiyaki Kingdom...
It already felt like the pace was being dictated entirely by Hapty-san, but Fia-sensei cleared her throat and spoke up as if to force the conversation back on track.
"...I am the former Demon King who fought against you all."
"Demon King... Ah, I see. Now that you mention it... your appearance has changed so much I didn't recognize you."
"Ah, that’s true. Compared to back then, I certainly have..."
"Back when you were the Demon King, you had this incredibly simplistic idea that 'if I wear dark colors and clothes with spikes, I’ll look like a villain.' You had this aura that made people think 'Oh, she’s trying way too hard' the moment they saw you. It was almost pitiful, but you’ve certainly come a long way since then!"
"Fuguh?!"
"F-Fia-senseeeeei?!"
Following the Hero, the Demon King had also been brought to her knees by psychological damage. Was Hapty the world's strongest verbal combatant? As usual, Hapty-san didn't seem to care about Fia-sensei’s state and continued nonchalantly.
"Anyway, why the sister outfit? Did the Demon King have a religious awakening?"
"N-No, this outfit is just the result of a series of misunderstandings. I’m not a sister, I’m a doctor."
"Heh~"
As Hapty-san nodded with a casual response, Noin-san tilted her head, a look of sudden concern crossing her face.
"...Come to think of it, I was so shocked to reunite with Hapty that I forgot to ask—why is she with you, Kaito-san? Wait... No! Hapty, don't do anything reckless! It’s true that Kaito-san is wealthy, but targeting him is simply going too far!"
"Could you please not say such terrifying things?! Hikari, you know how I work. I don't go after money when the risk and reward don't balance out. Even I stay informed, you know? I’ve gathered plenty of info on Kaito... It’s not even a matter of the ratio being off! I’d actually like someone to tell me what kind of reward could possibly justify the risk of trying to scam Kaito."
"...Well, that’s true. Even you would understand who you shouldn't lay a hand on."
"Even if I were offered the entire world, the risk of making an enemy of Kaito would still be greater. It really isn't even worth considering."
Alice was truly incredible. Her agitation felt so genuine that it was almost frightening. Her acting was so superb that even though I knew the truth, I found myself forgetting that Hapty-san was actually Alice.
Well, thanks to that performance, I was able to act naturally as if I were meeting Hapty-san for the first time too.
"I’ve accepted a request from the Phantasm King-sama to act as the guardian for these three... or more accurately, for the rookie adventurers, Aoi and Hina."
"...Oh? Did Kusunoki-chan and Yuzuki-chan become adventurers?"
"Yes!"
"Just the other day, actually..."
Hearing that conversation, I realized I hadn't told Noin-san or Fia-sensei yet. Just as I was thinking that, Hapty-san clapped her hands together.
"Ah, that’s right! Since the timing is good, there’s something I want to ask Fia (True)."
"Eh? What’s with that '(True)'? You make it sound like there’s a different one... Wait, are you still dragging out that story about the Taiyaki Kingdom? I told you, I have absolutely nothing to do with it!"
"Well, setting that aside."
"...I’d really appreciate it if you didn't just set it aside."
"Do you have a Magic Power Examination Qualification?"
"Hmm? Ah, I see what you're getting at. You want me to be the primary physician for Kusunoki-chan and Yuzuki-chan. Yes, I have both the Magic Power Examination Qualification and the Qualification to Issue a Certificate of Complete Recovery, so that's fine. I was in charge of things back when Noah-san and Ru-chan were active, too."
Terms I wasn't familiar with came up, but Fia-sensei nodded with a smile, and Aoi-chan and Hina-chan both looked relieved.
"...Aoi-chan, what is a Magic Power Examination Qualification?"
"Well, adventurers are required to undergo a health checkup once every six months. It isn't just a normal physical; there are also exams regarding magic power, so you have to be diagnosed by a doctor who holds a special qualification. They can do it at the guild on designated days, but apparently, it gets incredibly crowded, so it’s much better if you can get it done privately."
"I see, so that's a thing..."
"Yes. Also, if you suffer a major injury, you can't accept your next job unless you have a Certificate of Complete Recovery issued by a doctor. You need a specific qualification to issue those certificates as well."
"That makes sense."
Fia-sensei having those two qualifications would be a massive help for Aoi and Hina, so I was glad to find that out now.
...Though, this encounter was almost too convenient. That hurried departure that left Lilia-san behind... Could it be that Alice timed everything from the start just to introduce the girls to Fia-sensei and arrange a primary physician? If it was Alice, that was a very likely story.
Bonus
【Taiyaki Kingdom】
A kingdom that once boasted great prosperity in the Stall World. However, it was defeated and destroyed in a war against the Baby Castella Empire, which had rapidly gained power after receiving the divine protection of a certain individual. It remains now only in the form of legends spread across various regions. The legends state that the path to the legendary Danish Taiyaki will open only before those who have obtained both the Power of Black Bean Paste and the Power of White Custard.
【Fia (Temp)】
A rival who fought Hapty-chan over the secret treasures of the Taiyaki Kingdom. Sometimes they were enemies, and sometimes they fought together against common foes, engaging in fierce battles that lasted roughly the length of five anime seasons. She is a descendant of the destroyed Taiyaki Kingdom and wishes to obtain the legendary Danish Taiyaki to restore her nation to its former glory. Ultimately, Hapty-chan obtained the treasure, but she didn't take it home. Instead, she left it with Fia (Temp), saying it had been an enjoyable fight, before making a cool exit. The Danish Taiyaki stall is currently doing quite well. Incidentally, she has the same hair color as Fia, so at most, one might think, "They might look similar if you squint?" The similarity rating is approximately 40%.
【Ancient Takoyaki Civilization】
This has absolutely nothing to do with the Taiyaki Kingdom. Despite having "Ancient" in the name, it still exists normally today. It has a decent amount of recognition, but it is perceived as 'one of those delicacies you eat at festivals' rather than a staple. Compared to Baby Castella, which is widely known to be favored by the Underworld King, it is a minor presence in this world. As a side note, a "twenty-winged angel who was extremely conspicuous in both appearance and atmosphere" was spotted buying and eating it during the Six Kings Festival. This apparently served as a trigger to pique public interest, as it reportedly had quite high sales during the event.