For half a day, we busy ourselves in collecting intel.
Collecting intel by hand is not particularly efficient.
Particularly because I'm the only one that speaks the Demon God language.
So basically, only I could ask around.
If only Roxy were here.
Still, searching a town, one or two people won't make much of a difference.
When it comes to intel, let's count on the expert Nokopara instead.
With those thoughts, I continue to ask around...
"Petite, purple hair, bondage wear, self-proclaimed Great Empress of the Demon Realm, habitually laughs like a maniac. Have you met that girl before?"
"Ah, that kid. I have. But that was almost... a year ago."
Turns out I got a lot of responses.
Unexpected.
Truly unexpected.
With this, maybe it won't be too long before we find her.
"Score!"
Cliff raises his voice happily.
As if we already found her.
But Elinalise shakes her hand.
"But no one saw her recently?"
It's true.
They're all [About a year ago.]
Well, some also said [About half a year ago.]
Maybe she left already.
In that case, we should start asking [Where did she go?]
Rikarisu Town sits on the northeast corner of the Magic Continent.
For the time being, she would probably head southwest.
There's a mountain range to the southwest, in that case maybe... No, this is Kishirika after all.
Not that I know Kishirika very well.
But I got a feeling she's capable of anything.
If she doesn't follow the roads, then who knows where she could be.
"Let's go check in with Nokopara."
"It's only been half a day. I doubt even he could have found much..."
Regardless, we head back to the Adventurer's Guild.
We picked a table, and just when we were about to grab something to eat, Nokopara shows up.
"Yo. Waited long?"
Just like how he left, he came back smiling and full of energy.
No, I can't tell how happy a horse face is.
But he seems pretty happy to me.
"Sorry, I have yet to find the person, but I've got some intel for you."
"What did you hear?"
Only half a day for the eagle to land.
Basically, we already know all the information Nokopara found.
But as expected of Nokopara, he was able to summarize all the most common sightings, as well as where she was last spotted.
Not bad for half a day's work...
Rather, as part of his daily routine, he knows all the right people to ask.
Then, based on what info is needed, he picks the best candidates to ask, something like that.
That's talent too.
"Demon King-sama seems to be looking for the Great Demon Empress as well."
"Demon King?"
"Yeah. About a year ago, the Demon King from the adjacent territory traveled here."
Apparently, a Demon King currently resides at the center of Rikarisu Town, at Old Kishirisu Castle.
So all the black-clad soldiers here are her personal army. The riders too are basically her private guards.
"Don't tell me that Demon King is Badigadi?"
"No, not Badigadi-sama. It's Atofe-sama, older sister of Badigadi-sama, a very terrifying Demon King."
Badigadi has a sister?
A black amazon?
"Really scary?"
"Ah, she's a Demon King that fought in the Laplace Campaign after all. If you accidentally offend her, she might execute you on the spot."
I can't even imagine that when Badigadi is so easy going.
But if that's the case, then I should probably avoid her.
No, if she is related to Badigadi, then she might also be immortal too.
If she has lived since a long time ago, then maybe she knows of the cure to Doline syndrome.
I should try to get an audience with her and ask...
Whether she will see me is another question.
"Say, has Badigadi returned?"
"He has yet to return... Hey, watch your language when you talk about the Demon King-sama."
"Apologies."
Badigadi hasn't come back.
Who knows where he's wandering the world right now.
He's been gone for 8 years already.
Maybe wandering the world is a hobby of his.
I summarized the details to the others.
Zanoba, with a hand to his chin, says,
"The portrait looks nothing like her."
Now that he mentioned it, that portrait does look completely different from the Kishirika that I remember.
I know Kishirika was a kid.
I didn't notice when I checked the portrait, but that vixen looks quite like Kishirika.
Maybe once Kishirika grows older, that's how she will look.
Maybe Kishirika has grown in the past few years?
No, no.
We have witness reports of that girl.
In other words, that Demon King doesn't know that Kishirika is a kid?
Oh...
Maybe Nokopara would know.
"That portrait that the private guards have looks different from the actual Kishirika. What do you think?"
"Demon King-sama doesn't concern herself with petty details. So maybe she thought any age would do."
"Ah, I see."
Badigadi is whimsical as well.
Maybe Atofe is the same.