I put the hemp bag Jisrare-san gave me over my head.
Then I adjusted it so the three holes lined up with my eyes and mouth.
「How is it?」
Even if you ask me that.
「……For now, the size fits perfectly」
「Yeah. It seems so. That’s good」
「Haa……」
So, the countermeasure Jisrare-san came up with for my handsomeness――was to wear a mask.
「……Can I look in a mirror?」
「Yeah」
I took out a hand mirror from my magic bag and checked my appearance.
「……I see」
Am I a bank robber or something?
This mask is surprisingly well made. It fits perfectly, and the holes are properly cut, so I end up looking like a bank robber or an old-style masked wrestler.
No way, Jisrare-san. This is the answer you came up with after a whole month…… Seriously…….
Ah, but still, a month…….
She spent a whole month thinking about this and making it for me. When I think about that――
「Thank you, Jisrare-san」
「Yeah. I’m glad you like it」
「……Yes」
Do I like it……?
I don’t really like it…….
But still, I should be grateful. Jisrare-san worked hard to make it, so I should appreciate it.
If I look at it another way, it’s similar to a hand-knitted scarf. In other words――a hand-knitted balaclava.
……A hand-knitted balaclava.
The sound of that alone is something else, but for now, it’s definitely something to be thankful for. In terms of warmth, it probably beats a scarf.
「Honestly, I wasn’t sure if this was okay」
「Really?」
「If it were me, I’d hesitate a little before putting it on」
「…………」
It’s not like I put it on eagerly either, you know?
「If you’re going to hide your face, I thought this was the best way」
「Well, that’s true……」
「Also, when I asked someone, they agreed it was a good idea」
「Asked someone……? Huh, who did you ask――」
「Nana」
That girl……!
What did you do…… what did you do, Nana-san……!
Ugh, she definitely messed around. She definitely agreed just for the joke. What are you doing, Nana-san…….
I had just convinced myself it was something to be grateful for, but knowing Nana-san was involved makes that feeling waver a bit…….
「Alec and Nana are close, so I thought if I asked, I’d understand your preferences」
「Haa……」
「And when I asked, she said you would definitely be happy」
「…………」
I’ll confront her when we get back…….
「Ah, come to think of it, Nana-san measured my head size before」
「Yeah. I asked her to」
「So that’s what that was for……」
I had assumed Nana-san was going to make me a hat or something.
So, I just let her measure me without question…….
A hat is a hat, but… a balaclava…….
◇
This is actually pretty scary.
In the end, I accepted the mask and am now riding Hezrat-kun while wearing it, but it’s pretty scary.
For one, my field of vision is bad. The holes for the eyes aren’t that small, but they still get in the way no matter what.
Masked wrestlers really have it tough…….
Offering a silent salute to the pro wrestlers I used to watch in my past life, I ride forward on Hezrat-kun.
By the way, this time too, Hezrat-kun suggested 『We’re getting close to Kirk Village, so perhaps it would be better to send me back』, but we decided to continue together as is.
Last time, we sent Hezrat-kun back before reaching Kirk Village for reasons like 『We might scare the villagers』 and 『First impressions are important』, but…… well, it doesn’t really matter anymore.
At the point I’m already Masked Alexis, first impressions don’t matter at all.
With that in mind, I decided we’d go to the village together. That’s how a slightly careless me ended up thinking.
――And so, I, now turned into a masked rider, and Hezrat-kun continued toward the village together with Jisrare-san.
……But maybe it’s just my imagination. It feels like Jisrare-san is walking just a little farther away than usual.
She’s not trying to keep her distance from a suspicious person, right? She isn’t, right? After all, this suspicious style was created by Jisrare-san, you know?
「……Hm? Jisrare-san, that is」
「Yeah」
I called out to Jisrare-san beside me――who might be keeping just a little distance from me.
As we were heading toward Kirk Village, I spotted someone coming out from the village.
「I think that’s someone from Kirk Village, but are they going out to hunt?」
「That’s what it looks like」
Just as Jisrare-san said, they’re probably heading out to hunt. Their equipment gives off that impression.
「Huh? Or rather……」
「Yeah?」
That is…… That person is――
「That’s Kirk-ojisan」
「……Huh?」
「I’m sure that’s the person we met last time, right?」
「Um……? Ah, yeah. I think so. What an incredible coincidence」
That person walking toward us from the village is someone we also met during our second world journey.
We ran into him just before reaching the village, and exchanged a few words…… well, I didn’t even manage a greeting back then…….
Anyway, he’s that ojisan we met before.
Most likely, last time we met him when he was returning from a hunt, and this time we’re meeting him while he’s heading out to hunt.
Kirk-ojisan is probably someone who regularly hunts outside the village. That’s why we ran into him here both times.
Thinking of it that way, it makes sense that we met him here again, but it’s still quite a coincidence. You could even call it a small miracle.
For some reason, I feel a sense of fate with that ojisan.
That said, since he’s an ojisan, even if it’s a fated reunion, it’s not something that makes me particularly happy…….
「For now, let’s try talking to him」
「Hm? ……Yeah」
「Let’s go, Hezrat-kun」
「Kii……」
Jisrare-san and Hezrat-kun both seem a bit worried.
They’re probably concerned about whether it’s really okay to approach him like this.
But there’s no point hesitating now. We’ll just have to see how it goes.
We approach Kirk-ojisan, and with a smile――well, it’s questionable whether a smile comes across through a mask, but I try smiling anyway as I call out to him.
「Hello」
「W-what are you!」
Oof…….
Unlike last time, he at least responded, but it doesn’t feel friendly at all…….
Kirk-ojisan places his hand on the hilt of the sword at his waist, watching us cautiously.
He hasn’t drawn it, but the air is already tense.
「W-we’re not suspicious……」
「That’s a lie!」
「N-no, it’s not a lie――」
……Well, actually, it probably is.
There’s no doubt that we look suspicious.
Anyone would think a person wearing a mask and riding a giant rat looks suspicious…….
next chapter: Kirk-ojisan
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