Chapter 55
"That's right. Kururu, couldn't you bring a few people from the castle who have nothing to do? Even if we can't pay them, if you explain the situation, there shouldn't be a problem bringing along off-duty soldiers or servants with time on their hands, right?"
At that, Kagami clapped his hands as if an idea had just occurred to him and made the suggestion.
"I... don't think that's possible. Even if it's to prevent an all-out war with the demons... knowing my father..."
As she said this, Kururu fell silent, looking somewhat gloomy. Seeing her expression, Kagami more or less understood what she meant, turned his head sharply, and looked back at Takako.
"I suppose it can't be helped... Still, there may be a way, even at this point."
Takako said with a sigh, perhaps having understood as well.
The people of the kingdom were the ones who had originally encouraged them to kill demons and monsters. So if they explained the situation and asked for help to avert an all-out war with the demons, they'd just be sent packing, with the kingdom saying it was ready to fight one.
It would be cruel to make Kururu, who was only just beginning to understand the relationship between demons and humans, ask for help when the answer was already obvious.
"So? What kind of method do you have in mind, Takako-san?"
Alice asked, her eyes full of expectation, looking at Takako, who was as dependable as ever.
"There's a plaza in Valman where people gather to recruit party members, right? We can recruit casino staff there."
"I see... But almost everyone in this city is an adventurer. I don't think we'd get many people right away just by saying, 'Anyone want to work at a casino?'"
"That's not necessarily true. There are plenty of Villagers in the residential district, and it'll depend on the working conditions. Besides, with the charisma of Rex-chan and Kururu-chan, you might be able to make people think, 'I want to work alongside them!'"
At Takako's words, Rex and Kururu turned their faces away, looking a little awkward. Kururu naturally turned her gaze toward the bay window, while Rex mistakenly looked toward Kenta Uros at the counter.
"Human. I understand that people look upon beings as charismatic as us with longing and admiration. But someone like you, a trashy playboy who's merely blond, could never pull it off. Give up."
"Shut up."
Irritated by the unbearably obnoxious creature, Rex turned his gaze back to Kagami and the others. Everyone except Kururu was staring at him, and, perhaps resigned, Rex sighed.
"I was the one who put out a call for party members in the plaza to defeat the Demon King. It would be a little... awkward if people thought I'd given up already and was trying to become a casino employee."
"What, it's a pride thing? Don't let yourself be tied down by something so trivial. You're about to take a new path, aren't you? This would be a great first step toward living differently from before."
Kagami shook his head from side to side as if to say it was ridiculous. Rex looked troubled by those words. Kururu, however, showed no sign of hesitation at all, only a sour expression.
"Kururu-san, what's wrong?"
Seeing her like that, Alice asked with concern.
"I... am a member of the royal family. If someone like me recruits casino employees in front of the people, they might be disillusioned... Not with me, but with the royal family. And that would surely cause trouble for them."
Hearing that, Alice more or less understood what she meant. It was basically the same issue of pride as Rex's, but the pride belonged to others, not to her. If she did, she might provoke anger she had no way of controlling.
"Well, it can't be helped. I'm still grateful and happy that you'll help us."
"...Kagami-san."
Kururu seemed relieved by his words and smiled.
"We'll have Rex handle the recruiting. He can say something like, 'I quit being a Hero and became an idol! I'm working at this casino, so why don't you all come work here too?' That should draw people in."
"Wha!?"
"I just came up with it on the spot, but it might actually work. Rex is handsome, after all, and he's got the makings of an idol... All right, that's what we'll do."
"W-wait a minute, Master! I never said I'd do that! A Hero becoming an idol? I've never heard of anything so unprecedented and ridiculous!"
Faced with such an utterly outlandish idea, Rex rushed over to Kagami in a panic.
"What's wrong with being an idol? A Hero's practically an idol already. You'll be popular, right? Girls will scream for you! A handsome, strong Hero who's an idol? You'll have your pick of girls!"
"P-popular...? S-screaming...? Have... my pick...?"
Rex seemed to be getting brainwashed, taking Kagami's words at face value. Kururu, Tina, and Alice watched him with cold looks.
"An idol needs a good persona, right? What kind should we give you? For starters, whenever you speak, begin with 'Hehe...' to play up your coyness, and when you laugh—
'Guehbeh-gahaha! Kopo!'—make it boisterous, and your debut song will be Bottomless Swamp. That's the plan."
"A strong persona...! That's way too much! I feel sorry for Rex-san!"
Hearing this incomprehensible character concept, Tina couldn't help but object. But perhaps caught up in Kagami's promise that girls would adore him, Rex was already so dazed by the word 'idol' that he murmured, "An idol, huh... Not bad."
After that, Menou suggested that they should get moving to recruit people even while they were still talking things over, so Kagami headed for the plaza with Rex, Alice, and Tina.