Bringing Noin-san to meet Kaori-san was a plan I’d been brewing for a while, but the primary obstacle was her identity as the First Hero. Since Kaori-san lived in the Friendly City, where statues of the Hero were likely everywhere, there was a high chance she’d recognize Noin-san’s face immediately.
However, telling her the truth beforehand was a difficult prospect given how delicate the issue was.
"Since Kaori-san is a regular person, I think the recognition inhibition magic you mentioned—the kind you aren't particularly fond of—should be more than enough," I suggested.
"Indeed. With magic tools to change my hair color and style, she shouldn't realize the truth, provided our stay is brief."
"Exactly. So, I’d like you to go in that state first and see what you think of her. I believe she’s trustworthy, but I don’t know what kind of impression you’ll get. I’ll leave the final judgment to you."
"I understand."
Thus, the plan I devised was to have them meet once after taking precautions so that her identity wouldn't be discovered. I had already told Kaori-san that I would be bringing a fellow countryman, and I’d asked her to let us in before the shop officially opened. If Noin-san decided that Kaori-san was a trustworthy person to whom she could reveal her identity, she could do so; otherwise, she could simply maintain the recognition inhibition.
"I don't strictly hide who I am, so it wouldn't have been an issue even if you had told her beforehand, Kaito-san. However, I appreciate the thoughtfulness."
"Alright. In that case... shall we go?"
Even if I had revealed Noin-san's identity to Kaori-san, news of her survival had already broken at the Hydra Kingdom’s Founding Anniversary Festival. If rumors began to swirl and threatened to cause an uproar, Alice would likely step in to manage the information. Still, it was best for Noin-san to decide for herself. If she chose to come clean, Kaori-san would undoubtedly be shocked, and I felt terrible about that—but the weight of the First Hero’s identity was so delicate that I couldn't simply go around talking about it behind her back.
With those thoughts in mind, I used a teleportation magic tool to move us to Kaori-san’s shop. As we entered, Kaori-san greeted us with a smile, likely thanks to our prior conversation.
"Welcome, Kaito-kun! So, this is the Noin-san you told me about? The one who reincarnated into a demon? Nice to meet you, I'm Kaori Mizuhara."
"It is an honor to meet you. I am glad to find someone from my home. When I was in Japan, my name was Kujou Hikari, though I now go by Noin. I look forward to your acquaintance..."
"The pleas... ure is... mi... ne... wha...?"
"Noin-san!?"
Then came the introduction, and to my surprise, Noin-san immediately dispelled the helmet of her armor and greeted Kaori-san with her bare face visible. She even went out of her way to state her original name...
As Kaori-san stood there dazed and I stared in shock, Noin-san turned toward me and gave a light smile.
"I apologize for rendering your precautions moot, Kaito-san. However, if this is someone you trust, I wish to interact with her with similar trust. I decided to tell her at the start rather than trying to measure her character from behind a mask."
"Oh, I see... No, if you're fine with it, Noin-san, then it's not a problem at all."
"............Hauuugh."
"K-Kaori-san!? Are you okay!?"
While I was happy about the deep trust Noin-san placed in me, Kaori-san let out a faint moan and slumped to the floor, and I rushed to her side.
"I'm... not okay. This is 'her,' isn't it? As in, the one?"
"Yeah, well... sorry for startling you."
"No, yeah. I get it... Looking at how this conversation started, I’m not an idiot, and I understand why you couldn't just say it. I can't even blame you for this, Kaito-kun... I can't, but stoooooooop!! Way too many big names have been coming into my shop lately!! Give me a break... give me some time to breathe! My brain might understand the situation, but that doesn't make the stomach pain go away!!"
While she understood the unavoidable circumstances, she still wanted to voice her grievances. Kaori-san's half-crying scream echoed through the shop.
Serious-senpai: "Well, the circumstances around Noin and the First Hero are a bit messy, so I get why he couldn't just blurt it out. I get it, but it doesn't do a thing for her stomach pain..."
???: "Noin-san isn't exactly hell-bent on staying hidden, and even if it got out, she's under Kuro-san's protection. I'd be moving behind the scenes anyway, so it wouldn't turn into a catastrophe... but in terms of sheer social impact, she's a bigger deal than even the Six Kings or the Supreme Gods. I can see why Kaito would be cautious. Though, in the end, Kaori-san still took a body blow to the gut..."