Chapter 553 - 553: The One Blocking the Way

The faint glow of Magic Stone lamps flickered along the long corridor.

Bell did not linger in Chloe's room. After straightening his clothes, he quickly opened the door.

Outside was an open-sided corridor lined with railings, with Orario's enormous city wall looming close by. Judging from the layout, this was clearly a communal dormitory unaffiliated with any particular familia.

Bell immediately figured out where he was.

The northwestern part of the city was home to many communal dormitories like this. As long as the rent was paid on time, tenants could enjoy a peaceful stay no matter how suspicious their identities might be.

Bell guessed that this room might have been one of Chloe's old hideouts. Its secluded location would explain why no one had managed to find the two of them last night.

Reality, however, quickly proved him wrong.

"Bell-san, I never thought I'd see the day when you came out of that perverted Cat Person's room."

A human woman with short brown hair was leaning against the railing.

"Good morning, Lunoire-san. I'm surprised to see you here too."

Bell greeted her politely.

She was one of the tavern's employees. Instead of her usual light green uniform and white apron, Lunoire was dressed in practical combat attire.

"It's an unfortunate connection, but Chloe and I were practically neighbors once. Whenever she started giggling to herself or muttering in her room, I'd punch the wall as a warning. Looks like that perverted Catgirl improved the soundproofing since then."

Lunoire seemed to be recalling their past, a nostalgic smile briefly crossing her lips.

Her figure was slender and agile, yet there was always something about her that gave off an unmistakable sense of pressure.

"So you used to live next door, Lunoire-san?"

Bell casually probed for information.

Most of the tavern's employees lived in its dormitory. Unless they were fools or had some special reason, there was no need to pay monthly rent elsewhere and take on an unnecessary expense.

Lunoire being here was definitely no coincidence.

"That was a long time ago. I only lived here because it covered the bare minimum I needed. Other than a bed and a table, all I had was a hanging punching bag. Once I started working at the tavern, I didn't need this place anymore."

Lunoire looked Bell over, then added with a smile, "That stupid cat probably kept this room because of some perverted urge, just in case she ever needed it. No wonder she's always running short on money..."

The morning sunlight was blocked by the city wall. Beneath the dim glow of the Magic Stone lamps, Lunoire's expression seemed faintly melancholy.

"You know Chloe pretty well, don't you?"

Bell had more or less figured out why she was here.

Lunoire now lived in the tavern dormitory. For her to make a special trip back to her former residence, someone had obviously asked her to come.

If Syr and the others had sent her to find Bell after Chloe had carried him off, there would have been no reason for Lunoire to wait until morning before appearing in front of him.

Which meant that this human girl was most likely on Chloe's side.

"Yeah. That perverted Cat puts on a cloak and hood and goes around playing the righteous thief. She visits casinos and uses her acting skills to swindle gamblers who make a living cheating other people. Thanks to that, she was always dumping her work on me. What a stupid, hopeless little troublemaker..."

Lunoire looked beyond the railing, her gaze seeming to drift somewhere far away.

She let out a quiet sigh before continuing.

"But that same silly girl spent several years by my side... Whenever I or one of the others at the tavern got sick, Chloe would immediately carry us to a doctor. If someone was being bullied, she'd be the first one to jump in. She's timid herself and only wants to live a quiet, peaceful life, but even when Anya starts doing something stupid, Chloe still follows her without hesitation."

"..."

Bell silently listened to her reminisce.

To the tavern employees, the Hostess of Fertility was a warm and welcoming home.

The warmth there was enough to soothe the heart, and it existed not only because of Syr's accepting nature. Chloe's presence was indispensable as well. If Anya amused everyone simply by being her foolish self, then Chloe had her own way of bringing everyone closer together.

It was obvious with only a little thought. Chloe had never once slipped up while acting as an assassin, yet inside the tavern she often got carried away and left everyone with the impression that she was a complete goofball.

"Anyway, even if ours is an unfortunate connection, that stupid cat is still an important friend of mine. She asked me for help with that miserable look on her face, like she was about to cry, so there was no way I could turn her down."

Lunoire clenched her fists and gave a self-deprecating smile.

"I'm not even getting paid. I really didn't want to take this job..."

"Is that so? You could always just leave. When I see Chloe, I promise I won't tell her."

Bell answered with a bright smile.

The human girl before him was Chloe's friend. The reason she had come here was now perfectly clear.

"Sorry, but I take my work seriously. Bell-san, if you're saying that much, then you really do intend to go after her, don't you?"

Lunoire was confirming the boy's resolve.

The request she had received from Chloe was simple. Stop Bell Cranel from leaving Orario. Nothing more.

Lunoire did not know what kind of trouble the Catgirl had become involved in, but if their positions were reversed and something happened to her, she would not want to drag everyone at the tavern into it either, much less the goddess Demeter, who had looked after her.

So Lunoire prepared to put on her gauntlets.

"Yeah. Once I've finished getting ready, I'm leaving."

Bell looked straight into those brown eyes and answered honestly.

To make sure he had enough cards in his hand, there was still one crucial person he needed to meet.

"That perverted Cat should have gotten what she wanted last night, right? Bell-san, couldn't you just treat it as a precious memory between the two of you, let her go, and leave the future to fate?"

Lunoire offered what seemed like the most reasonable course of action.

As an orphan herself, she understood that everyone had obstacles in life that seemed impossible to overcome. Chloe had already made her decision because she did not want anyone else getting hurt. As her friend, Lunoire felt she should respect that choice.

That was the price of living in the shadows.

"Of course not. I like Chloe, so I don't want to just stand here and wait."

Bell answered without hesitation.

"If that's really how you feel, you could force her to stay. Even if Chloe spent every day crying, at least you could guarantee her safety."

Seeing the determination on Bell's face, Lunoire smiled and turned away.

A kitten crying inside a cage was clearly not what this boy wanted.

"I guess I said something unnecessary. Looks like you've chosen a different path. But it's going to be a very difficult one."

Lunoire pointed toward a secluded clearing below.

"Let's move somewhere else before we continue talking."

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