"Cranberry, please, don't be like that...! I'm just using it as an excuse for a visit...! You know how my family is! And you've promised me that the three of us will train together...!"
Claymore cried and knocked on the blocked door.
"Graough...? (Three of us...?)"
The blue undead groaned confused.
"Zombie? I can hear you there! I'm the kid from the first kill party that fought against the black scorpion! Please tell your master to let me out...!"
Claymore called very politely.
*WHAM*
"Kyaah!"
"Don't involve my Zombie, stupid! I clearly wrote that I'm not allowed to have male guests come over! And I didn't promise you anything! You were moping around after I wrote you that I helped Mary with her training, so I simply said that I could write a training plan for you. There was nothing about you coming over!"
Cranberry hit the carriage for the third time and scoffed at the person inside.
"B-but isn't it better to meet in person...?"
Claymore sulked and knocked on the door from the inside.
"Please...? I promise that I'll behave!"
Claymore sounded so innocent that even Zombie started feeling a bit sorry for him.
"Because you advised me to get a charm skill I made a fool out of myself! I still hadn't forgiven you."
Cranberry looked to the side, away from Zombie's concerned eyes, and declared.
"Eh? Even with the book I sent you? But the 'Art of seduction' really is the easiest to understand... oh, I see! You just lack any appeal~"
*WHAM* *CRUSH*
"AAAAHHHH!"
"KYAAA!"
Another hit not only made the carriage sway but straight up toppled it, destroying the wheels on one side, throwing off the handsome man, and making Claymore tumble inside like a ragdoll.
Though, truth to be told, it wasn't really a hit.
It was a kick.
"GRAOUGH!? (HOW DARE YOU BADMOUTH MY MASTER?!)"
Zombie's roar surprised even Cranberry.
The undead servant put his leg down and grounded the earth underneath his boot.
"Haa... Zombie... you broke their wheels, now they can't even leave..."
Cranberry breathed out heavily while massaging her forehead.
"Graough...! (Ah...!)"
Zombie gasped realizing his mistake.
But what was done was done.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?! Attacking the head of the Lust family?!"
The handsome man jumped up and started shouting furiously.
"Passionfruit, it's okay, I'm fine!"
Claymore called sounding a bit shaky, but otherwise fine.
"No! It's not okay, master! That corpse puppet could have...!"
"I said it's okay, Passionfruit!"
It sounded like Claymore stomped his foot, and the handsome man closed his mouth instantly.
"How many times I have to tell you this? I can't have guests of the opposite sex, it's my mother's order. Even if you get in and have that pointless marriage talk, after you'll be finished, she will send you away."
Cranberry explained and even that clearly was pushing the limits of her patience already.
"Oh! Don't worry, I thought about that too! Ta-dam!"
But for whatever reason Claymore didn't sound discouraged at all.
The door to the carriage opened, though considering the position of the carriage was now, it was more like a hatch at the ceiling getting opened, and a pair of pale hands and a tuff of brown hair appeared from the inside.
"...?"
Cranberry raised her brow.
"Graough...? (What is he doing exactly...?)"
Zombie tilted his head in confusion.
"..."
The hands were still spread out but the tuff of hair flinched in distress.
"Ugh... I didn't realize that this carriage is so wide... Passionfruit, a little help, please!"
Claymore called and waved his arms to get the attention of the handsome man that was dusting off his clothes.
"At once!"
Passionfruit responded and hurriedly jumped on top of the toppled carriage.
"Master, on three. One... two..."
He grabbed the pale hands and started counting.
"And three!"
"Ta-dam!"
Passionfruit pulled out Claymore from the carriage in one swift motion.
"Graough...?! (Huh...?!)"
Zombie expected to see a fifteen years old boy to show up.
He remembered Claymore as a plain-faced, unassuming boy that didn't stand out at all unless he was smiling.
Because when he was smiling, everyone around him would lose their heads for his beauty.
So of course the blue undead expected just a slightly older version of that.
Well...
The person who got pulled up could be only described as a refreshingly beautiful young girl, with big brown eyes, and cute short hair, with an adorable strand of hair standing up like an antenna, wearing a tasteful green one-piece dress and sandals.
"Since no boys are allowed to visit you I came as a girl!"
Claymore declared with a bright smile that made both the guard and the Passionfruit feel weak in the knees.
"Graough...? (Wait! Wasn't he a boy before...?)"
Zombie groaned confused and turned to his master.
And Cranberry herself was massaging her forehead with an annoyed expression.
"Haa... So that's what you came up with? Considering how your body is... Fine by me."
She sighed and give up.
"Graough... (Is it really okay though? Your mother is... you know...)"
Zombie fidgeted nervously, glancing towards the mansion.
"But the one who will decide whether you can stay or not is still my mother."
Cranberry finished her sentence and glared at Claymore.
"Yes...?"
Claymore leaned forward, showing off a very modest bust, and smiled adorably.
*flop*
Everyone looked back and saw the guard on his knees staring at Claymore with pure adoration.
"...sorry for that..."
Claymore bowed and hurriedly stopped smiling which made his face turn plain.
"Haa... You look very nice, I hope that my mother will at least let us have a talk."
Cranberry sighed and even ended up smiling a bit.
"Yay! Thank you! You look like a cool adventurer!"
Claymore clapped happily and complimented Cranberry back.
"Ah, right. Zombie, this is my pen-friend, Claymore Lust. Claymore decides her gender depending on her mood. As she said herself, today she's a girl. Address her accordingly."
"Graough. (As you wish, master.)"
Cranberry remembered to introduce her friend and Zombie nodded.
"Yay! Nice to finally meet you, Zombie! Directly I mean. Cranberry wrote me all about you!"
Claymore smiled and struck a cute pose.
"Graough. (Likewise, lady Claymore.) Graough. (A friend of my master is my friend.)"
Zombie returned the smile and bowed politely.
"Te-he, you were right Cranberry, his groans are really cute!"
Claymore giggled and glance at the red-haired girl.
Which earned her a glare and a sigh.
"Haa... you actually sound like that in person, huh... I was sure it was just your quirky writing style."
Cranberry rolled her eyes and turned to the guard.
"Let them in this time."
She said in a flat tone.
"...ah... y-yes..."
The guard had trouble focusing his attention, continuously sneaking glances at Claymore, but eventually, he managed to stand up and open the gate properly.
"When you'll be talking with my mother... watch out, alright? Avatar of pride is mostly immune to the powers of other avatars and on top of that, there is the overpower skill..."
Cranberry warned the other girl while making a sour expression.
"I know, I know. Wish me luck!"
Claymore laughed and walked through the gate with confidence.
"Do you even know where should you go first...?"
Cranberry's question made her flinch and stop.
"No, actually..."
Clamore turned around and blushed, the tuft of hair on her head twitched from embarrassment.
"Zombie, show her the way. Mother wouldn't want to see me like that anyway..."
Cranberry asked her servant while inspecting her attire.
Zombie nodded and approached the current head of the Lust family.
"Uwah...! So cool!"
As soon as the blue undead did that, Claymore gasped looking at him with glittery eyes, and wrapped her hands around his right arm.
That action earned her an ice-cold glare from Cranberry, but Claymore didn't back off.
"I'll be in your care, Zombie~"
Claymore said coquettishly resting her head around his elbow since she wasn't tall enough to do that to his shoulder.
"Graough. (Likewise.)"
Unsuspecting undead simply grunted in response and started walking, adjusting his speed to the short-legged guest.
"Haa... you have less freedom than I do, so consider this a gift."
Cranberry mumbled looking at the two of them going to the mansion.
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