《Brave Soul of Evil Supremacy》 Prologue No content CH 1 No content CH 2 No content CH 3 No content CH 4 No content CH 5 No content CH 6 No content CH 7 No content CH 8 No content CH 9 No content CH 10 No content CH 11 No content CH 12 No content CH 13 No content CH 14 No content CH 15 No content CH 16 No content CH 17 No content CH 18 No content CH 19 No content CH 20 No content CH 21 This the extra chapter... ¡°......¡± ¡°......¡± ¡°......¡± ¡°......¡± The amount of money I had just mentioned was met with a moment of silence in the auction room. The participants were frozen in place for a moment, but then, perhaps their thinking caught up with the situation, a loud commotion arose from all over the place. ¡°10,000,000!?¡± ¡°The price suddenly went up!¡± ¡°He''s going to pay that much for one woman!?¡± 10 million is not a cheap price, even in the game world. For example, even the most expensive weapon item that can be purchased at an armory costs no more than 1 million gold. So, with 10 million gold, it is possible to equip all the members of a party with the most powerful equipment and face the final boss battle with all possible preparations. To spend that much money to get just one slave. It is an act considered foolish. ¡°I''ve made a mistake... I''ve done something unnecessary again...¡± I sighed inwardly as I stared at the bustling auction hall with vacant eyes. Even if I don''t help Urza, she will be saved by the hero in the scenario of the [Sacred Sea} and be released from slavery. My action is an action that may destroy such a future. Maybe even the outcome of the war itself will be changed by my actions. ¡°But... how can I ignore her tragic future when I know it''s coming?¡± Urza White Ogre is a girl who will be saved by the protagonist of another game. Until then, however, she will fall into the hands of a vicious nobleman who will play with her small body. Her immature, still-growing body becomes a prey to their ugly desires, and she is tortured to the point of having her heart broken into pieces without a trace. If I don''t know something, I can ignore it. But in my previous life, I witnessed such a horrific future through the game screen. So, it is impossible for me to turn a blind eye to the fact that I am at the crossroads of rescuing an innocent demi-human girl. ¡°I''m sorry for the protagonist of [Sacred Sea]... but if I''m the main character, I can at least do something to change the scenario by myself. I can''t become a villain like Zenon Baskerville!¡± ¡°Come one? Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on!? 10 million, 10 million Gold!? Anybody!? Anyone, who''s interested in competing with that handsome boy over thereeeee!?¡± Perhaps in response to the unprecedentedly high amount of money, the host, Leybold, was also excited, flailing his arms around. His belly, which was bulging violently, moved up and down in accordance with his excited movements. ¡°Kuh... 10... 10 million...¡± The man moaning in frustration is an aristocrat who was almost ready to win the auction but was intervened. He looks at me with a hateful glare as I stand in the aisle, but when I glare back at him, he turns his face away from me. ¡°My villainous look has come in handy for the first time. So this mean, I won''t lose in a staring contest¡± I sniffed and returned to my seat, where I had just stood up. Then, I sit down and cross my legs in a big, proud smile. Zenon Baskerville was a man with an evil-looking face, but at the same time, he was a handsome young man with a wise appearance and an aura of nobility. I must have looked very handsome sitting like this. After all, all around the venue, female guests were blushing and breathing heavyly. As I looked ahead, I noticed that Urza had raised her head and was looking at me. The girl with white skin, white hair, and a different look was staring at me with vague eyes. I raised my right hand and waved to the girl. ¡°..!¡± Urza''s shoulders shake and she turns her head to the side as if in a panic. However, she is glancing at me through her white bangs, and it is obvious that she is aware of me. Perhaps it is my imagination, but I even feel that her pigmentless cheeks have turned rose-colored. ¡°You don''t have to be so scared... I''m trying to help you, after all¡± I shrug my shoulders and turn my attention to the nobleman who is now trying to get Urza. I puff out my chest and sneer at him with a cold smile on my mouth. ¡°Damn...¡± The nobleman clenches his teeth in frustration at my imposing behavior. Maybe he still can''t give up, he raises his right hand weakly. ¡°10,500,000...¡± ¡°Whoa! This gentleman has increased the amount even more!? 10.5 million, 10.5 million Gold!? Is there anyone else...?¡± ¡°12,000,000¡± ¡°What!?¡± I added the money without changing my expression. I also didn''t blink. I said it like it was nothing. And the nobleman, who was raised the price, flinched greatly under my counterattack. He strokes his bosom - perhaps he has a wallet in there - with his hand, and sweat drips down his forehead. ¡°T-twelve... million gold....¡± The man tries to raise his right hand but then lowers it. He tries to raise his right hand again, but it doesn''t come up fully, so he lowers it again. After repeating this action like a broken toy several times, he slumped his shoulders and groaned. He declared his surrender without words. Seeing that the man''s heart was broken, Leybold nodded his head. ¡°Then, this girl from the Oni-jin tribe will be sold for 12 million Gold. Ladies and gentlemen, please give a big round of applause for this young man!¡± ¡°Uoooooooooooooo!¡± ¡°Huff...¡± The whole room claps their hands in celebration of my victory. In silence, I raised my right hand and waved it from side to side while sitting on a chair in the front row of the venue. CH 22 ¡°Urza''s name is Urza! Nice to meet you, Goshujin-sama!¡± ¡°Ah...? Yeah¡± As soon as I finished the payment and completed the procedure for purchasing the slave, Urza came up to me with a cheerful voice and hugged me. Urza, who looked like an elementary or junior high school student, was only as tall as my chest. She hugged me hanging on to my arm, and a big smile appeared on her face. ¡°Urza will work hard for Goshujin-sama! So, please take good care of me, desu no!¡± ¡°......¡± Is this the kind of character this girl is? If I remember correctly, Urza White Ogre in [Sacred Sea] was an expressionless girl with a doll-like face. But the Urza in front of me is as friendly as a puppy that is spoiled by its owner, and her white hair is waving from side to side like a tail. ¡°Hmm... is this girl the original Urza?¡± ¡°Is something wrong, Goshujin-sama?¡± ¡°No, nothing...¡± Come to think of it, Urza White Ogre in the game was a slave of a vicious nobleman who tortured and trained her repeatedly until her heart was broken. So, the Urza in front of me is her true self. Maybe that''s the way she was before she became a slave and was played with. ¡°Well... whatever the case, you are my slave from now on. You will work for me to the best of your ability¡± ¡°Of course! I''ll do my best to serve Goshujin-sama!¡± ¡°I''m counting on you... but first, you have to do something about your outfit¡± Urza was wearing a white one-piece dress, but it was worn out here and there like a slave''s clothes. In addition, she was wearing a metal collar. This kind of outfit would make me look like a bad guy, and I would have been reported to the police. ¡°Is there some place where she can change her clothes? ...Leybold!¡± ¡°Yes, what can I do for you? Young Master Baskerville...¡± I call out the owner''s name, and immediately Leybold appears with his belly shaking. ¡°I''d like to change her outfit. Do you have a room?¡± ¡°Of course. There is a vacant waiting room for slaves, so please use it¡± ¡°And... I''d also like you to take her collar off¡± ¡°Collar...? That''s a little...¡± Leybold looks at me with a difficult expression and strokes his bald head. ¡°The collar proves that the girl is your slave. You see, Young Master''s name is engraved here to show that you are the owner. If you remove the collar, you may put her in danger as a ownerless slave¡± ¡°Danger...? What exactly?¡± ¡°A slave without an owner has no human rights. Even if they are kidnapped or violated on the road, they will not be charged with any crime. Even if she is freed, she is a precious kijin race. So, if she is not shown to be the property of Young Master, she will be taken away soon¡± ¡°Mmm...¡± I wrinkled my brow and fell silent. Yes, I remembered something. In Slayers Kingdom, the demi-human race has a low status and there are no demi-human in the town except the slaves. This is the reason why Slayers Kingdom is not on good terms with Elf and Dwarf nations, thus there are additional paid scenarios that aim at avoiding wars with demi-human nations. The horns on Urza''s head make it obvious at a glance that she is a demi-human. If she did not wear a slave collar, she would be treated badly as a fugitive slave without an owner. But I have no taste for putting collars on women. What should I do? ¡°Goshujin-sama, Urza is fine¡± Urza pulled my arm and looked into my face. Her golden, crinkled eyes reflect my villainous face. ¡°This collar is a proof that Urza belongs to Goshujin-sama. And Urza likes it very much!¡± ¡°Hmm... Okay. If it''s okay with you, I don''t have to worry about it...¡± I nodded my head in agreement for the time being, although I was not quite sure what to think. Leybold, who had been watching this exchange, opened his mouth at the right moment after I finished talking. ¡°Now, let me show you the room. No one will be allowed to come near the room for a while, so please enjoy your time¡± The owner, who had some kind of misunderstanding, led us to the slave''s waiting room. I had expected the room to be dirty since it was the room where the slaves used to stay, but the room we were shown was simple and tidy. Although Leybold had guided me to this room, he did not enter the room and closed the door. The room was empty and furnished, and it was just the two of us, me and Urza. ¡°Well, then...¡± ¡°Yes, desu no!¡± ¡°...Wait, whoaa!?¡± Urza starts taking off her clothes without a pause. She takes off her one-piece slave suit and wears only a pair of underwear. Her small breasts with gently undulating hills are exposed. But no matter whether I rented a room to change her clothes or not, I think she is taking off her clothes too much. ¡°Don''t take off your clothes suddenly! Are you an idiot!?¡± ¡°Eh... Aren''t we going to make a baby now, desu no? I can''t do it with my clothes on¡± ¡°What are you saying! Of course not!¡± It seems that Urza had the same misunderstanding as Leybold. I mean, what the hell do these people think? I don''t have loli fetish. ¡°Just change your equipment? You can''t even dive in a dungeon dressed like that!¡± ¡°Dungeon?¡± ¡°I bought you so we can dive dungeons together. I''m not going to turn you into a sex slave!¡± ¡°Dungeon, dungeon...!¡± As I explain the dungeon to her, Urza smiles like a bud blossoming into a flower. ¡°I''m so happy! Urza loves to fight! Even after becoming a slave, my dream is fulfilled to be able to dive in the dungeon, desu no!¡± ¡°I see... Oni-jin race is from fighting tribe. So they like to fight¡± ¡°Are we going to kill a lot and rob a lot? Please count on me, desu no!¡± ¡°...Okay¡± I mean, don''t say such a horrible thing with a cute face! I don''t know how to react. Anyway, I regain my composure and bring out the female equipment from my magic bag with unlimited storage space. The items of equipment that I have collected from the treasure room as a perk of the round are all items that I can''t equip due to my skill level. However, I kept a stock of low-ranked equipment for women so that I could give them to newly recruited female members. ¡°This one, and this one. This one for weapons and this one for accessories at the beginning of the game¡± I pick up items of equipment and lay them out on the floor. ¡°Try these on for now. If you have any problems, I''ll adjust it¡± ¡°Yes, desu no!¡± I take out my equipment, and Urza, who is wearing underwear, puts it on. A few minutes later, there stands a beautiful girl dressed like a full-fledged adventurer. CH 23 Sorry for the late update... If you want to increase the number of the released chapter, you can donate me... ¡°It is a very comfortable equipment, desu~no. I didn''t know there were such good weapons and armor in the human land¡± Urza jumps up and down, her voice full of joy. Her white hair is swaying as she jumps, and her body is wrapped in a blue-colored shirt and skirt and light leather armor. Her equipment, which emphasizes ease of movement rather than defense, suits her very well, and is full of cuteness that makes people smile. And ¨D the most eye-catching feature is the kanab¨­ clasped in her both hands. The thick black metal club was covered with countless spikes and emitted a violent force that would have shattered someone''s skull if he/she had been hit with it. ¡°That oni kanab¨­ also suits you well¡± I nodded my head in satisfaction and snapped my fingers. The oni kanab¨­ is an equipment item dropped by ogres, hobgoblins, and other oni monsters. It has very high offensive power and requires low skill proficiency, so it can be equipped even in the early stages of the scenario. In the [DunBrave], there are only a few characters who have the skill of [Hammer Art], so this is a gem that has been kept in a dead storage. Combined with the two horns on her head, it looks as if the weapon was made for Urza. ¡°I''m so happy, desu~no! I''ll take good care the present from Goshujin-sama!¡± ¡°Well, I''m glad you like it¡± ¡°With this I can fight any enemy, desu~no. I''ll kill them with all my heart for Goshujin-sama!¡± ¡°Like I said, don''t say such scary things... are all Oni-jin people fighting maniacs?¡± Urza holds the kanab¨­ in her hands as if it were a stuffed animal. Despite the fact that the spikes on the club look as if they might be painful, the white-haired oni girl does not care about that and hugs the kanab¨­ tightly. ¡°Ehehehehehe... Goshujin-sama, I love you so much!¡± ¡°...Hey, why do you love me so much?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°We just met. And I just gave you some equipment, I don''t remember doing anything to make you like me so much¡± Urza''s face, which had been sold at the auction, was filled with sadness and despair, and her eyes were moist as if she were about to cry. However, ever since she was sold to me, Urza has been so excited that she was so happy to have been bought by me. I wonder why her favorability has increased so much in such a short period of time. ¡°Urza likes good-looking men, desu~no!¡± (*Note: Ãæʳ¤¤: menkui) ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°You see, Goshujin-sama is so cool. So, I''m so happy that I belong to such a handsome guy, desu~no!¡± ¡°Cool...? Are you talking about me?¡± Urza''s answer is met with a questioning look on her face. It is true that Zenon Baskerville is a good-looking man with a slender and sharp face. However, his sharp eyes and hawk-like nose give him an evil look and make him unapproachable. In fact, I was obviously shunned by the girls in my class. And sometimes they screamed at me when I smiled at them in a friendly manner. ¡°Yes, desu~no! Eyes that could kill people just by staring. A wickedly pointed nose. A mouth with sharp fangs as if to devour flesh and blood... All of these are Urza''s ideal man! Goshujin-sama is just like a legendary demon god (Asura), so wonderful, desu~no!¡± ¡°...That''s great. But I don''t feel like I''m being praised at all. Even though I should be happy about it¡± But wait, is it possible that Urza has a special sensibility? Or does this villainous face look like a handsome boy to the oni-jin people? Still, it is surprisingly unpleasing to hear girls praising me. It is as if I became popular among the natives in a village deep in Africa, while I was not popular at all in Japan. It is a very complicated feeling. ¡°I fell in love at first sight with such a wonderful Lord from the moment our eyes met in the hall, desu~no. It was a fate that Goshujin-sama would buy Urza, desu~no!¡± ¡°............Well, I''m happy for you¡± I shake my head, giving up on thinking. I had a rather unsettled feeling, but there was no point in interrupting the conversation at this point. Whatever the reason was, it would be good if the girl I was about to join was like me. After all, it is much better than being feared and hated. ¡°...Anyway, it''s better to be liked than hated. Okay... let''s switch it up. If you''re done getting dressed, we''re leaving. Follow me¡± ¡°Yes, desu~no¡± Urza follows me out of the room behind me, her body bouncing nimbly. On my way out of the building where the auction was being held, I ran into the auctioneer, Leybold. The well-dressed slaver strokes his chin in admiration as he sees Urza following behind me like a loyal dog. ¡°Well, well, she seems to have grown quite fond of you in such a short time... You are just as strong at night as the big master, young master¡± ¡°...You can say whatever you like. I''m getting tired of correcting the mistake¡± I glared at the well-dressed slaver with half-lidded eyes and quickly tried to leave the building. As I was leaving the building, Leybold called out to me from behind. ¡°Please come to our auction again. We have a good selection of slaves waiting for you.¡± ¡°......¡± I waved him off with a curt wave and left the auction hall without looking back. CH 24 By the time I went out of the hall, it was already late in the evening. The market was closing down here and there, and the number of people on the street had become much sparser. ¡°...It is easier to walk at this time of the day because I don''t have to be bothered by the crowds of people¡± It has been a few days since I was reincarnated in this body. But, aalthough I''ve gotten used to looking like a bad person, it is easier to walk in a quiet town like this than to walk in a crowded place and being avoided. And now, while paying attention to the slave girl following behind me, I walk home at a rather fast pace. Although there was no curfew, it still took me about an hour on foot from the market to the house in the aristocratic district. But it would be better to return home before nightfall. ¡°¡«¡«¡«¡«¡«¡«¡«?¡± Urza follows behind me, humming happily. She carries a big kanab¨­ on her shoulder, but her steps are light and bouncy. It is as if a rabbit is running in the field. However, such joyful steps suddenly stop. Urza grabs my clothes and yanks me. ¡°Goshujin-sama!¡± ¡°What''s wrong...?¡± Just a little later than Urza, I realized. There are three men standing in the direction we are going, blocking the way. And more men appear from the side street behind us. ¡°...An ambush, huh? What a mess¡± Before I know it, the passers-by have disappeared. Perhaps they chose an unpopular place for the ambush, or perhaps they had been chasing people away in advance. Anyway, out of the back of the three men in front of us, a well-dressed aristocratic-looking man appeared. ¡°Well, well, we meet again!¡± ¡°......?¡± I tilted my head at the aristocrat who greeted me with a smirk. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Huh? You don''t remember me? Surely, a man who can pay as much as 12 million gold doesn''t care about a stone on the side of the road, does he?¡± The man''s sarcasm reminded me of the last person I had competed with at the auction house. ¡°...Ah, you were a big help to me at the auction. Thanks to you, I spent more than I expected¡± ¡°I''m sorry about that. But please forgive me for that, because it was also a matter of competition¡± ¡°...Yeah, so? The loser who lost the game... What the hell do you want? You even brought your friend... is there a festival going on somewhere?¡± ¡°...Yes, we''re having a fun and happy party. I''d love for you to come along¡± His mouth twitches at the word "loser," but he continues without losing his gentlemanly tone. ¡°And I''d like to ask you a favor... could you give up that pseudo-human slave? If you hand her over to us quietly, we''ll let you off with nothing more than a broken limb¡± ¡°So that''s what you wanted... As expected, you boring bastard!¡± It seems that this aristocratic-looking man could not give up on Urza. He even went to the trouble of bringing his friends with him and trying to persuade me to give it up. He must have been very angry at losing to me, as his eyes, clouded with greed, are glistening with hatred. ¡°By the way, what do you mean by "pseudo-human"? It''s a word I''ve never heard of before¡± ¡°Oh, you don''t know? It''s a term for a demi-human. It''s a common word in my country, but it''s not used here?¡± ¡°Who knows...? Maybe I just don''t know¡± Either way, it is an annoying word. Who decided that demi-humans are not people and are inferior to humans? I mean, Urza is smiling broadly as she was given an equipment. So, it is hard to believe that this girl is inferior to the noble man in front of us. For now, I sniffle and spit with a cold smile on my face. ¡°What you just said... is out of the question. This girl is mine now, and I''m not giving her up. I don''t know where you''re from, but you''re going home empty-handed with your butt rolled up¡± ¡°Hauu!? Urza is so thrilled to hear that I''m "your girl", desu~no!¡± Urza behind me screams in excitement, but I leave it alone because I''m not in a situation to worry about it now. Hearing my reply, the nobleman''s face contorts in annoyance... but then he smiles a clingy smile. ¡°I was trying to make things easy for you, but... this is why I don''t like undisciplined brats. If you don''t want to live I''ll let you die, is that all right with you?¡± The nobleman raises his right hand and his men draw their weapons. I narrow my eyes slightly at the murderous intent coming from in front of and behind me. ¡°As you know, I am a nobleman, too. I''m from a family with a certain status in this country. Don''t you think you''ll get away with this for free?¡± ¡°Yes, no doubt you are a nobleman. After all, you can pay 12 million gold for this, so you must be from a well-financed family¡± ¡°Then...¡± ¡°But I can''t withdraw it either. With that girl, I can achieve a higher position in my country!¡± The man opens his arms and raises his voice in an euphoric tone. ¡°If I offer that girl¡­ a rare pseudo-human, an oni, I am sure that he will be satisfied! I will be his right hand man, and I can make even greater achievements!¡± ¡°That man...? Ah, I see. I remember him¡± His exaggerated talk, his theatrical behavior, tugged at my memory. Finally I remembered that I knew this man. ¡°You are from Coulomb, right? And when you say "that man" you mean Zagitharos, the General of the Coulomb Army, correct?¡± ¡°Huhh!?¡± The nobleman''s eyes widened in astonishment. This exaggerated gesture indicates that he was a man close to Zagitharos. I can''t remember his name because he is a mob character, but both of them are enemies who appeared in [Sacred Sea]. General Zagitaros is a pedophile by nature. He is a pervert who likes only demi-human girls. Urza was also a slave of this man and suffered a lot... but later she was rescued by the hero of [Sacred Sea] and became his friend. So... this is the man who offers Urza to Zagitharos. And then this man will be taken as a close associate of Zagitharos by virtue of his achievement. ¡°It''s all connected. It all makes sense now¡± ¡°H-How? How do you know it... and more importantly, how do you know his Excellency?¡± ¡°Well, I don''t know for sure. After all, I have no obligation to tell you¡± ¡°Damn... now that you know who I am, I can''t just leave you here! You''ll die here!¡± ¡°I see. Thank you for being so straightforward. But fighting is my specialty!¡± I don''t know why the nobles of Coulomb Kingdom, a country to the south, are in this country, but I will gladly counterattack if he makes a move. Although I will interfere [Sacred Sea] side again, it will not cause any trouble to the main character as long as I just reduce the number of enemy characters. In return for Urza, I will reduce the trouble for him. ¡°Rejoice, Urza. You''ve got your first job. Raise your weapon!¡± ¡°Yes, desu~no!¡± She raises her voice full of joy at the thought of working for the Lord, and with a smile like a blooming flower, Urza readies her oni kanab¨­. CH 25 ¡°Kill that brat!¡± The nobleman shouts, and his men come closer, pointing their weapons at us. Seeing the enemy closing the distance, Urza''s lips lift up, and her canine teeth bare in a ferocious manner. She has a pretty face, but when she gets ready for battle, she has the face of a great warrior. ¡°Urza, don''t move yet. Protect my back¡± ¡°Uh... am I going to have to wait? But I can''t wait, desu~no¡± Urza is about to run toward the enemy. But the oni girl nodded her head firmly, though she looked dissatisfied. ¡°Item... [Dark Spirit''s Grimoire]¡± A scroll in the shape of a cylinder is taken out from the magic bag. This is one of the items recovered in the [Treasure Room]. As I untie it and quickly unfold it, countless letters emitting a bluish-white light spill out from inside the scroll. The letters flow into my head as if they were being sucked into it, and the magic enclosed in the scroll is imprinted in my brain. This is an item for learning new magic. And for learning dark magic. I held up my hand to the enemy in front of me and unleashed the magic I had just learned. ¡°Dark Range Magic - Blood Carpet!¡± ¡°What the... Guaahhhh!?¡± ¡°Huh!?¡± A bright red spear appeared at the feet of the three thugs blocking the road ahead. And several dozen spears came out of the road like a sword mountain, skewering the men and causing them to die with bright red blood spurting out from all over their bodies. The splatter images were omitted from the game... but it was horrifying to see them in real life. I feel sick even though I did it myself. ¡°It''s a horrible magic, even for me. Like the torture magic my father used. I mean, why is it that dark magic is always like this?¡± ¡°Wha... W-w-w-w-w-wha!? M-My guards...!?¡± The nobleman falls to his knees as his men are slaughtered before his eyes. The spear that erupted from the ground did not reach the nobleman just in time, but if he had stepped forward another meter, he would have been killed by the spear. ¡°Well... now it''s time for the guys in the back. Urza, you can kill them now¡± ¡°I''ve been waiting for it, desu~no. Now, I''m going to kill you all, desu~no!¡± Urza raised the oni kanabo and ran. Then, with all her strength she strikes the men standing in front of her. ¡°E...?¡± ¡°Ei, desu~no!¡± Urza swung the kanab¨­ at the face of the man in the middle. The thorny kanab¨­ mercilessly smashes the man''s skull, and a wet sound echoes through the town in the evening twilight. ¡°Hii... gyaaaaaaaaaaa!?¡± ¡°D-Damn it! You monster!¡± Two thugs remained. One of them stands back in fear, while the other slashes at Urza with his sword. The sword swings down at her small body, but Urza grabs it with her left hand only. ¡°Wha... L-Let go of me!¡± The man tries to pull the sword out, but it is held in place as if in a vise. As the man''s face tightens in fear and surprise, Urza swung her kanab¨­ to the side. ¡°Ei, desu~no!¡± ¡°Guakk...!?¡± The man''s waist is struck from the side. And a cracking sound of bones sounded, and the man falls on his face. It seems that his spine is broken. But without hesitation, Urza stomps on the head of the man who has fallen to the ground and is unable to move. ¡°Is this the only one left, desu~no?¡± ¡°Eeeeeeeeekk!? H-Help me! Please forgive me!¡± ¡°No! Goshujin-sama''s enemies must be killed, desu~no!¡± The last man begs for his life, but Urza is determined to kill him. ¡°Goshujin-sama ordered me to kill you. So I can''t forgive you, desu~no¡± ¡°No...¡± ¡°Ei, desu~no!¡± Before the man can finish, Urza swings her kanab¨­. With a swing as powerful as a major league home run king''s, the man''s head flies off into a thousand pieces. His head flies through the air and lands in the yard of a nearby house. The residents of the house must be horrified when they find it tomorrow. ¡°Heh... isn''t she strong?¡± As I thought, she is a bargain. 12 million - worth half of the money I''ve spent on her over the last ten cycles on the game. She''s this strong at the beginning of the game, when her skills are still at a low level of proficiency. And if she is trained in the dungeon and fully developed, she will be as powerful as Leon, the brave hero, and the three main heroines. ¡°Goshujin-sama, I did it!¡± ¡°Yes, you did it! Let''s pat your head¡± ¡°Eheheheheh... It feels so good, desu~no!¡± When I patted her white-haired head, Urza''s cheeks turned rosy and she giggled. Her smile is innocent and cute, which is hard to imagine after she has slaughtered three people so cruelly. Now, with my hand still patting her head, I turned my gaze back to the front. ¡°Now your friends are gone... what do you want to do now?¡± ¡°Eeek...!¡± The only one left was a man who looked like an aristocrat. He should have just run away while his men were being beaten, but instead he was dumbly falling on his butt. ¡°W-Wait! If you kill me, the problem will become more serious!¡± The nobleman turns his hands toward me and squeezes out a plea for his life. ¡°I''m a nobleman of the Coulomb Kingdom. If you kill me, it will be a diplomatic problem!¡± ¡°Hmm? But isn''t this first diplomatic issue when you''re attacking me? I told you first, I''m a nobleman of this land¡± ¡°That''s...¡± ¡°You thought if you got rid of my body and covered up the evidence, someone wouldn''t know about it, didn''t you? Well, I''ll do the same thing. When you lost the auction, you should''ve just walked away, but it looks like you beat around the bush and let the snakes out¡± And what appeared was an oversized, poisonous snake. The man in front of me has no way to live. So let''s make sure I kill him here. ¡°Hmm?¡± Then I suddenly noticed something strange. From a moment ago, I''ve been talking on the assumption that I''m going to kill the nobleman in front of me. No... before that, I had already killed three people with magic. I have killed a human for the first time in my life, including my life in Japan, and yet my heart is surprisingly cold. I did not feel guilty at all. ¡°...Does it mean that I have become Zenon Baskerville both in body and mind? Or did I become "Zenon" because I was "like this" from "the beginning"?¡± As I ponder this question, the nobleman squeezes out a desperate plea for his life with his face tightening. ¡°H-H-Help me...? I''ll pay you any amount of money, any amount of money...!¡± ¡°I''m sorry, but money is not a problem. Urza¡± ¡°Yes, desu~no!¡± With a go signal, Urza approaches the nobleman, swinging her oni kanabo. Apparently, the living weapon in the shape of a girl has made the nobleman panic. He tries to crawl away. ¡°Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!?¡± ¡°Ah, wait, desu~no!¡± Urza runs after him and tries to hit the nobleman with the kanabo. In a second the nobleman''s body will be minced. ¡°A?¡± ¡°Ara, desu~no?¡± But then, something unexpected happened. A metal knife came flying from somewhere and pierced into the nobleman''s neck. The nobleman fell to the ground and stopped moving immediately. CH 26 ¡°Urza, come back!¡± ¡°Yes, desu~no!¡± Urza jumps at the sound of my voice, and rushes back to me. She holds her Kanab¨­ in front of her chest, preparing for the mysterious assailant, whom we don''t know where they are. At the time the nobleman was killed, I felt no sign of an attack. It was not only me, who was unaccustomed to such a rough situation, but even Urza, who was supposed to be a fighter, felt the same way. I looked around cautiously, and then a slender figure appeared from behind a building in front of us. ¡°Don''t be alarmed, Zenon Baskerville-sama¡± ¡°You...¡± A slender woman with long purplish hair hanging down her back appears. She was wearing a black mask from the nose down and a black robe like a ninja. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I''m afraid I can''t tell my name. But... don''t worry. I work for your father. I''m a member of the Baskerville family assassination squad¡± ¡°My father''s...!¡± The woman may have been trying to reassure me, but her words made me more cautious. How could I feel safe when she told me that she was my father''s subordinate? ¡°...What do my father''s people want? Don''t tell me he sent you to keep an eye on me?¡± ¡°No, I was watching over Zenon-sama at the request of my companion, Leybold, who is in charge of the auction¡± ¡°Leybold...? Why is he doing this?¡± I thought of a well-dressed slaver and asked suspiciously. ¡°It''s not uncommon for big clients to be robbed on their way home from the auction. That''s why guards like me go with our customers to keep them away from robbers¡± ¡°I see...¡± That was an explanation that made sense to me. Auctions were a highly entertaining way to purchase goods, but at the same time, there was a risk that one''s financial power would be revealed to other people. Buying expensive slaves without an escort, as I did, would be like asking a robber to attack me. ¡°However, it seems that there was no need for an escort. Indeed, you are the heir of the Baskerville family. I am sure that the future of this family is secure¡± ¡°......¡± I am silent with a complicated look on my face. It''s nice to be recognized by someone who''s obviously a skilled fighter, but it''s not fun to be regarded as the heir to my father''s throne. But for now, I put my hand on Urza''s shoulder and quickly try to leave. ¡°I''m leaving. I don''t need an escort from here on¡± ¡°Please be careful. And do not worry, we''ll take care of the bodies¡± ¡°...Let''s go, Urza¡± ¡°Eh, uh, yes, desu~no¡± Urza looks back at the woman clad in black and follows me. As I was about to leave, I heard her gentle voice on my back. ¡°I look forward to seeing you again. The heir of ¡®the Baskerville¡¯¡± * * * As I return to the mansion with Urza, I am greeted by a servant. I order the maid to give Urza a bath and go back to my room. ¡°Phew...¡± I lie on the bed on my back and let out a heavy sigh toward the ceiling. It''s only been a couple of weeks since I came to this world, but today I killed a human for the first time. I have no regrets because I think it was necessary. But it''s crazy to think that I can tolerate murder without resistance because it was necessary. ¡°...Was I such a brutal person? Or am I influenced by Zenon''s body after all?¡± It is understandable that Urza, who was born as a warrior, can kill people without hesitation. However, I was an ordinary worker in Japan until the other day. And yet, I don''t feel guilty about killing people. What is wrong with me? ¡°Well... whatever the reason, I should be happy about this. If I hesitate to kill people, I won''t be able to do it from now on¡± Monsters are not the only enemies in [DunBrave]. Sometimes the enemies are evil people who believe in a demon king, or criminals such as bandits. The fact that I can kill them without hesitation is an advantage in battle. If anything, it is better to accept it positively. ¡°After all that has happened... now I have a partner I can rely on. I can finally explore the dungeon properly¡± No matter how well I know the dungeon with the knowledge I have gained from the game, there will always come a time when I will get stuck in the dungeon alone. But with the help of Urza, my chances of survival have greatly increased. If I had to say so, I would have liked to have other magic and healing members. Two attackers are too unbalanced. ¡°Well... I''ll leave that for later. I should look for more slaves. Or...¡± ¡°Goshujin-samaaa!¡± ¡°What?¡± The door was opened with a bang. And the one who bursts through the door with the force of a kick is Urza, the slave I just bought. ¡°Bwah!?¡± I burst out my mouth at the sight of her. Urza was completely naked, and her whole body was drenched with water. Even her white hair was soaked, but without any hesitation, Urza hugged me. ¡°Uuuuu, my eyes hurt, desu~nooo! The maid is bullying meee!¡± ¡°Wait, why are you hugging Obocchama in such a manner? Urza-san!¡± Levienna, the maid, came into the room after Urza. Levienna was not completely naked like Urza, but she was dressed only in a towel wrapped around her naked body and her long hair was tied up on her head. Unlike the slender Urza, Levienna had a very voluptuous body. Her half-naked figure was so arousing that I could not take my eyes off her. ¡°I''m still washing your head, you know? I have to wash off the bubbles!¡± ¡°Uuu, noo, my eyes hurt... they hurt, desu~noo...!¡± It seems that Urza ran away while her head was being washed with soap. Well, it is impossible that the oni-jin race, which was living in the uncivilized demi-human continent, has such a civilized thing as soap. So, she seemed to be tormented by unknown pain and fear. ¡°Ahh... I''m also getting wet¡± I was soaked to the skin, and my clothes were soaked by Urza, who was hugging me. I tried to pull Urza away from me, but her hands clutched my clothes tightly and wouldn''t let go. In the first place, she is an Oni-jin, and she is very strong. It would be impossible to pull her away from me. ¡°It can''t be helped. Please take a bath too, Obocchama¡± ¡°What!?¡± Levienna said something outrageous. Judging from the situation, she probably didn''t mean that I will have to come in alone. ¡°Hmm...? Are you embarrassed, by any chance? I mean, is it too late for you, Zenon-bocchama¡± Levienna''s eyes turn black and white with a puzzled look on her face. Judging from this reaction, Zenon may have bathed with her on a daily basis. It would not be surprising if they had a deeper relationship than that. ¡°Umm, o... okay. It''s a little early, but I''m going to take a bath¡± With determination, I stood up. If I resisted too much at this point, she would know that I was not the real Zenon Baskerville. It is not that I want to bathe with Levienna, but I need to keep her from knowing who I really am. Now, while holding Urza''s body with my both hands, I leave the room somewhat nervously. Levienna moves ahead of me. But I suddenly catch a glimpse of her shapely butt under the towel covering her naked body. ¡°Ugh...¡± I shake my head from the unprecedented tension and step into the changing room. CH 27 And so ended a night of tension and excitement. Levienna, a beautiful young woman, and Urza, an unripe blue fruit. Bathing with them was... well, what can I say? I think it was the most stimulating bath I''ve ever had, including in my previous life. It is not that I had no experience with women in my previous life, but even so, I have never been in a relationship with a beautiful woman of such an extraordinary level as Levienna. In addition, I did not have a criminal hobby to have a relationship with an undeveloped girl like Urza. Bathing with them was in many ways unsettling and unforgettable. After such a night, I open my eyes in my bed in my room. ¡°...Finally, it''s morning. I''ve been waiting for it¡± I couldn''t sleep at all. My eyes have been wide awake ever since I got into bed, and it was almost dawn when I began to drift off to sleep. Now, while lying on the bed, I slid my eyes to the side. ¡°Munyamunya... desu~no¡± ¡°Mmm... Haan...¡± On the same bed, Urza and Levienna were sleeping. Urza''s face was pressed between Levienna''s ample breasts, and perhaps stimulated by this, hot breaths were escaping from Levienna''s mouth. I don''t know how I can bear to sleep under such circumstances last night. But what kind of trial is this? ¡°Huff...¡± I sigh deeply and quietly get off the bed so as not to wake them. I swear to God, I didn''t do anything last night. I didn''t touch Levienna, let alone Urza, the little girl. But how did I end up sharing the bed with them? ¡°The warm water felt so good, desu~no. I''m getting sleepy so I''m going to sleep with Goshujin-sama, desu~no¡± Those words froze Levienna in her tracks. Levienna, who was supposed to be a reserved maid, was stubbornly opposed to the idea of Urza and me sharing the bed. But Urza insisted on sleeping with me, and Levienna still refused to accept it. Their argument lasted until late at night, and somehow we ended up sleeping together as a compromise. In the end, I end up spending the night with an attractive and criminally beautiful girl, which results in an agonizingly sleepless night. ¡°...Give me a break. Don''t tell me this is going to go on every night?¡± Would it be easier if I just give it a try? I was tempted to fall for such an alluring temptation, but Urza''s presence would not allow me to do so. I wonder what Urza''s reaction would be if I touch Levienna. Will she be interested in it, or will she become averse or fearful of men? But if worst comes to worst, she will ask to be held by me too. I bought her as a slave, but only as an asset. I have no interest in holding such a little girl. Therefore, I don''t know how I should react when Urza asks me to hold her. ¡°I mean, how old is this girl? If she is an Oni, she must not be as old as she looks, right?¡± There is a possibility that she is older than she looks. Maybe she is old enough that I''m allowed to touch her. If anything, I should just let my momentum carry me away... ¡°No, no, no? Oh, damn, I haven''t had enough sleep and my thoughts are flying...!¡± ¡°Goshujin-sama...?¡± While I was anguishing alone, Urza seemed to have woken up. She rubbed her eyes and hugged me as if she were sleepwalking. ¡°Mmm...¡± ¡°Good morning, Goshujin-sama~¡± ¡°Ah, good morning...¡± ¡°Eheheheh...¡± Urza, who seems to be still half-asleep, rubs her face against my chest and relaxes her face happily. As I thought, she''s a kid. How can she be older than me? I sigh and pat Urza''s head, which is pressed against my chest, with my hand. CH 28 After Urza and I, Levienna also wakes up. I change into my uniform and take Urza to the dining room to have breakfast at the table. By the way, Garondolf, my father, has not been home since the day of the entrance ceremony. As for my mother, I don''t even know if she exists or not. After stuffing my mouth with the food that Levienna had brought, I left the house with Urza. ¡°Now, we are going to the school... Urza, you remember what I taught you last night, don''t you?¡± ¡°Yes, desu~no. No fuss, no screaming, no violence!¡± With a firm salute, Urza assured me clearly. The decision to bring Urza to the school was made in advance. The Royal Slayer Academy is attended by nobles and royalty, and many of them have servants such as stewards and maids, or guards. If Urza is brought along, it does not violate the rules of the school as long as he/she does not make noise during the class. In addition, from now on, dungeon exploration and monster hunting in the outside of the town will be a part of the class curriculum. Therefore, I can''t leave without Urza, my partner who will dive the dungeon with me. ¡°If you cause any trouble in the school, you will be banned. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes, desu~no. Urza is behaving herself to be with Goshujin-sama!¡± Urza answers immediately with sparkling, straight eyes. If she assures me so firmly, there is no need to worry about causing a commotion. I patted my chest and got into the carriage with Urza. ¡°Desu~no, desu~no. It''s school, desu~no. With Goshujin-sama, going to school~...¡± ¡°......¡± Urza is humming a funny song in the carriage. What on earth made her so happy? Her childish face was full of smiles. ¡°...I don''t know why. I''m starting to get really worried. Is it really safe to take her with me?¡± ¡°Desu~no, desu~no, kill desu~no~?¡± ¡°......¡± In contrast to Urza''s good mood, I felt downcast, but the carriage still transported us to the school without stopping. ¡°Arrived, desu~no!¡± Soon we arrived at the school. Urza got off the carriage suddenly and while I follow her, I was met with surprised stares from the students on the way to school. ¡°Is that...?¡± ¡°The Baskerville family... who is that girl?¡± ¡°What was that girl? She''s cute...¡± ¡°But she''s wearing a collar. And she''s got horns on her head... is she a demi-human slave?¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± The response was more than I expected. I was prepared for a bit of a commotion, but it seems that Urza''s appearance attracted more attention than I had expected. ¡°This is Goshujin-sama''s school... I''m so glad to join, desu~no!¡± ¡°Well, that''s good to hear. I''m a bit nervous though...¡± ¡°Well then, shall we go? Urza will lead the way, desu~no!¡± ¡°...Hey, you don''t know the way to the classroom. You''ll have to stay behind me¡± Urza, who is the center of attention, walks across the schoolyard with her eyes shining, paying no attention to the gazes of the people around her. Her innocent face made me feel more anxious than relieved. I wondered if Urza, who was born and raised as a warrior and a native of the demi-human continent, would be able to adapt well to the group life at the school. ¡°No, no, no... don''t worry. I''ve told her so many times before, and besides, she''s going to the school as my partner. She''s not going there as a student, so there won''t be any trouble...right? I told myself and took a deep breath. Urza pulled my sleeve and looked into my face with a superior look. ¡°Goshujin-sama, is something wrong? Does your stomach hurt?¡± ¡°...No, nothing. I was just thinking¡± I pat Urza''s head lightly with a worried expression on my face, and I walk toward the school building. Naturally, Urza follows close behind me. Of course, she does not try to get close to the trouble. Since Urza listens to me, there should be no problem. But as I was walking toward the school building, I forgot one important thing. Trouble does not always come from my side. Sometimes it come from the side of trouble. ¡°Hmm? Baskervilleee!¡± ¡°What?¡± A sharp voice came from behind my back. I turn around, frowning. I don''t think I''ve ever had a friend at this school who would suddenly call out to me. So, the person I turned around was not a friend. ¡°What is that little girl? Forcing her to wear a collar and making her a slave... you''ve failed me, you wicked villain!¡± A blond man in the school uniform pointed a finger at me. It was Leon Brave, the top student in the class and the protagonist of [DunBrave 1], a young man with a burning sense of justice in his eyes. CH 29 ¡°I forgot... there''s this guy¡± Leon Brave is a man with a very strong sense of justice. In the game, he even risks his life in a fight against a monster to rescue a girl he has only met once. So, if a young girl is collared and treated as a slave right in front of him, how could he possibly miss such a scene? ¡°You saved my classmates in the dungeon the other day, and I thought you weren''t such a bad guy... But you''re a villain after all, Baskerville!¡± Behind Leon, who pointed a finger at me, was his childhood friend Ciel Uranus. Her strong brown eyes are glaring at me behind Leon''s back. ¡°Tsk... it''s so annoying...¡± Now, how should I handle this turn of events? If I follow the scenario of the game, Leon will eventually defeat the Demon King and save the world. After that, if Zenon doesn''t steal the heroine, the world will be at peace and everything will be all right. As for me... I had no intention to get involved with Leon and interfere with the scenario unless someone dies in front of my eyes like in the case of the gargoyles. But why would Leon get involved with me? I feel like cursing the heavens. ¡°...I guess the game is different from the reality. Unexpected things keep happening¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Let the girl go!¡± While I''m pondering this, Leon heats up and comes at me. I couldn''t help but cough a little and then open my mouth. ¡°Yes, she''s a slave, but... what''s the problem with that? Leon Brave¡± I glared at Leon with cold eyes and brushed my hair back deliberately. ¡°She was purchased legally and become my slave through the proper channels. And I believe the school rules allow nobles and royalty to bring their own squires and such to this school. So, I didn''t break any rules. You have no right to complain¡± ¡°What!? Don''t you have any shame, enslaving a girl of such a tender age?¡± Following Leon''s lead, even Ciel, his childhood friend and heroine, yells at me, ¡°Yes! It''s not about the rules of the school. It''s wrong for a human being to enslave a little girl!¡± Ciel also has a strong sense of justice, especially when it comes to women and children. Her eyes flash up with a corner of her eyes that she can''t let go. ¡°...So? Are you going to forcefully, forcibly take her away from me and free her from the slavery? You know that is a crime, don''t you?¡± In the Slayers Kingdom, slaves are publicly recognized property. Forcibly taking them from them is a crime of theft or robbery. When I pointed this out to them, Leon and Ciel both fell silent in frustration. However, they seemed not to be convinced by what I said, and they continued to insist. ¡°...How much?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°How much should I pay you to sell her to me? How much to free her from slavery?¡± ¡°Huff...¡± I sighed deeply. Yes, this is the kind of man Leon Brave is. As a descendant of a brave man, he should only think about defeating the resurrected Demon King, but he gets himself into unnecessary troubles that cost him money, time, and effort, and he goes a long way around. He cannot accept the sacrifice of the weak as necessary. That is his character. ¡°Well... RPG heroes are like that. It''s a game where you enjoy the unnecessary detours. Really, he''s a righteous protagonist, to the point of disgust¡± ¡°......?¡± ¡°This is out of the question. Get lost¡± I waved my hand from right to left at Leon''s wondering face. It''s not about the money. Urza is an asset I need. I wasn''t going to give her up no matter how much money he offered me. ¡°I won''t sell her for anything. She is my slave. She''s my precious subordinate, my follower.¡± ¡°That...!¡± ¡°Then, see you later in class¡± I ended the conversation unilaterally and turned my body. I try to walk quickly to the school building, but a firm grip on my shoulder forces me to stop. ¡°You... you still don''t get it after I''ve told you this much!? You evil!¡± ¡°What...!¡± I was forced to turn around and saw Leon raising his fist in the air with an angry expression on his face. He was an intuitive and reckless man, but I never thought he would resort to violence in public. It seems that I underestimated the hero''s sense of justice. ¡°Tsk...!¡± I do not resist and try to get hit. After all, many people are watching me. Even if I look like a bad guy... if I continue to be beaten without any resistance, it will be Leon''s side that is at fault. As a punishment, maybe I can ask the academy to stop him involving with me any more than necessary. ¡°......!¡± I clench my teeth and try to catch the fist in my face. When doing so, I also close my eyes and brace for impact. ¡°I won''t allow you to touch Goshujin-sama!¡± But then... again, something unexpected happened. There was someone there who didn''t want me to get hit. ¡°Huh..?¡± Leon lets out a dumbfounded voice. It was Urza, who protest. And, with a cute face contorted in rage, she was about to swing her oni kanabo down on Leon''s head. CH 30 ¡°Whoaaaaa!¡± Leon screamed in shock as the spiked kanab¨­ came toward his head. Still, he was the heroic hero. Instead of being beaten senseless, he let go of his grip on my shoulder and jumped backward. Kanab¨­ hit the ground and the paved ground of the schoolyard cracked, creating a large crack. Urza quickly looked up and glared at Leon, who stepped backward sharply. ¡°I won''t let you go, desu~no! Goshujin-sama''s enemies are dead, desu~no!¡± Urza readied her oni kanab¨­ again and charged after Leon, who stepped backward. Her unhesitating movement made it clear that she intended to kill Leon. But Leon waved his hand and shouted to stop her. ¡°W-Wait! I was trying to help you! Calm down and let''s talk...!¡± ¡°I will blow your guts, desu~no!¡± ¡°Wait.... Whoaa!?¡± Leon pulls out the sword from his waist in a panic and catches a swinging blow from the side. And a heavy clang sounded. Leon''s eyes widen in shock at Urza, who, despite her small stature, boasts formidable strength. ¡°No, stop, wait...!? I''m not your enemy. I''m just trying to free you from slavery!¡± ¡°Yes, he is right. Leon is not your enemy. Please listen first!¡± ¡°I don''t care what you say, desu~no!¡± Leon and Ciel try to persuade Urza, but she refuses to listen to them. Of course, as a target, Leon screamed and ran away. ¡°Whoa, it''s scary............ Wait, this is no time to be stunned!¡± I had been escaping from reality for a while with Urza''s rampage, but as expected, I couldn''t ignore the situation any longer. I tried to stop my rampaging partner. ¡°Hey...wait, Urza! Stop once! Sit down!¡± ¡°I will kill Goshujin-sama''s enemies! Kill them, desu~no! Slay them, desu~no!¡± ¡°Hey! Listen to your owner!¡± It seems that Urza is the type of person who loses sight of her surroundings when she gets into a fight. Should I be impressed that she is a warrior, or be amazed at her madness? ¡°Wait... This is not good...¡± ¡°I-I''ll call the teacher!¡± ¡°Run! She''s gonna get us all in trouble!¡± The gallery screams as the girl goes berserk. Will the teachers hear the commotion and rush to the scene first? Or will Leon be crushed by Kanab¨­ first? ¡°Damn... what must I do?¡± I have no choice in this situation. I may get caught in the middle of this, and the only thing I can do is to stop Urza even if I have to bind her body in a tight knot. As his guardian, it is my responsibility. I have to stop Urza forcefully even if I have to hurt her. ¡°...I can''t let the hero die here. Brace yourself!¡± I''m determined, and I''m about to leap at Urza''s small body... but before I can do that, this wild brawl comes to an end. ¡°Chest, desu~no!¡± ¡°Kuh, you little...!¡± A blow came down from the top. But, Leon caught it with his sword above his head. However, Urza''s attack does not end there. She saw an opening while Leon''s hands were being used for defense, and struck a kick from below. ¡°Crush, desu~no!¡± ¡°Guhi...!¡± ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°Whoa...!¡± Urza''s toe pierces between Leon''s legs... in other words, between his legs. I, Ciel, and the other students who had been watching the commotion around them at school are speechless, and the sound disappears as if time has stopped. All the boys who had been watching, including me, pulled away and clutched our crotches with our hands. ¡°Hi, gyuu... a, apapa...¡± A funny sound escaped from Leon''s mouth. He let go of his sword and fell to the ground. But Urza still raises her oni kanab¨­. ¡°I will finish you, desu~no!¡± ¡°Hey, wait, wait!¡± ¡°Wau, Goshujin-sama!?¡± I hold back Urza''s body to stop her from moving. And the oni girl squirms in my arms but doesn''t seem to shake me off. ¡°A-Are we going to have a baby here? The sun is shining... It''s embarrassing... desu~no¡± ¡°What a funny thought you''re having... you crazy girl...¡± Urza shakes her head in embarrassment. Meanwhile, a teacher finally comes running from the school building. The brawl that had caused a commotion in the schoolyard in the morning ended in exchange for the hero''s precious sacrifice. CH 31 By the time a teacher rushed to the scene, the situation was resolved. Leon, whose groin was injured, was taken to the infirmary by a teacher and some students, and I was taken to the guidance room with Urza. Fortunately, we did not receive any punishment beyond a warning. It was because the testimonies of the other students made it clear that Leon was the one who had first started the incident. Leon tried to free the slaves by force. That is, it was an act of robbery against the properties. Even Urza''s beating of Leon could be considered as self-defense, depending on one''s point of view. Not to mention that I am the legitimate son of the Marquise of Baskerville, a powerful noble family in the kingdom. Leon, on the other hand, is only a commoner, although he comes from a family with a long lineage of heroes. Even though he is under the guardianship of Count Uranus, Ciel''s birth family, his criminal acts would not be tolerated. But the school did not seem to want to make a big deal out of this issue. And regarding Urza''s violent behavior, the school did not ask any questions on the condition that they did not pursue Leon''s robbery. Anyway, I warned Urza again not to be violent and went to the classroom. The first period had already ended and it was break time before the second period started. Upon entering the classroom, I was met with stares from the whole class. ¡±Is that...?¡± ¡±Yes, yes, suddenly went berserk...¡± ¡±Brave, he tried to stop him and got hurt...¡± It seems that my classmates are getting the message that I am to blame. Brave is popular in class because of his cheerful personality, while I am the bad guy, the hated one. Maybe this treatment is understandable. ¡±Hey, Baskerville¡± ¡±Hmm?¡± I shrug my shoulders and walk to take an empty seat, but one of my classmates calls my name. I turned my head toward the voice and saw Jean waving at me. He is the man I had saved from the gargoyle in the dungeon the other day. There are two empty seats just in front of Jean. It would be unnatural for me to ignore him, so I sit down there with Urza. ¡±Hey, Baskerville. I heard you had a rough morning¡± ¡±...What are you talking about?¡± ¡±You got into trouble with the Brave, right? I''m sorry to hear that¡± It seems that Jean knows that Leon was the one who got me involved. ¡±I can understand how he feels. Walking around with a little girl, who looks so pretty, with a collar on, I''m sure it''s a terrible. Especially with your face.¡± ¡±Leave it alone. I''m born with this face...¡± ¡±Hahaha, why do you have such an imposing face? It''s a mystery¡± Jean''s words showed no restraint. It seems that he is looking at me without the ''bad guy face'' or ''evil Baskerville family'' glasses after his life was saved in the dungeon. ¡±Uww... she''s so cute!¡± ¡±Feh... Don''t snuggle on me, desu~no!¡± The girl sitting next to Jean, her lover and party member Arisa, hugged Urza from behind. Urza is flapping her arms and legs in frustration, but she can''t seem to shake them off too hard, probably because I had given her strict orders not to get out of control earlier. ¡±Hey, Baskerville-kun. Can you giveme this girl? I want to put it up in my room¡± ¡±...Please be nice to her. She''s from the demi-human continent and she''s not used to people¡± ¡±Ahh, I never knew demi-human are so cute! I want to have one too!¡± Really? She is treated like animal. Is this racism? Arisa was rubbing her cheek against Urza''s head, and Jean crossed his arms with a wry smile. ¡±She likes small animals. Uh, but, I don''t mean that she treats demi-human like animals¡± ¡±Okay, I know. And I''m grateful that you see us in a positive light¡± I''m Baskerville, the hated, evil man. Urza is a demi-human slave who just injured a classmate. Just a casual conversation like this is appreciated. While we were making small talk, the classroom door was opened from the outside. I thought it was the second period teacher, but it was Ciel, Leon''s childhood friend, who entered. ¡±...!¡± Ciel glared at us with fiery eyes and walked into the classroom with rude steps and sat down on the seat nearest to her. Jean tapped my shoulder with a sympathetic look. ¡±Ah... she seem to have a lot of resentment towards you. You see, a woman''s resentment is a scary thing¡± ¡±*Sigh*... They say whatever they want. But it''s not my fault¡± In the first place, it was Leon who got involved. And the one who went rampage was Urza. Although I can''t say that I''m not responsible for her actions, I''m not happy that she''s taking it out on me like this. As I slump my shoulders in disappointment, the classroom door opens again, and this time the teacher enters. ¡±Let go of me!¡± ¡±Ah? Urza-chan!¡± Arisa, who had been shaken off by Urza, shouted with tears in her eyes, and as if on cue, the second period class started. CH 32 In the end, Leon did not return to the classroom. He was also absent from the school the next day and the day after that. It seems that Urza''s kick had a considerable impact on him. Since his injuries should have been healed by the healing magic, he might have suffered a great deal of psychological shock. No matter if he is the hero or the last boss, there is no way he can survive after being kicked in the vital point. And so, Leon is still in the process of recovering from the injury. ¡±Well... it''s understandable. He''s a boy, too¡± At lunchtime. I sat down on a chair in the cafeteria and murmured somewhat sympathetically. I am sitting at a rectangular table for four. Urza is sitting next to me, and Jean and Arisa are facing us. It''s been a week since then, and still Leon has not come to school. Thanks to the absence of the irritating hero, my school life continues to be peaceful. Ciel Uranus, his childhood friend and the heroine, still stares at me, but she doesn''t seem to want to get involved because she did not even talk to me. Furthermore, the purchase of Urza seems to have had a positive effect on the people around me. The charm of this little oni seems to have eased my villainous look, and more and more of my classmates, including Jean and Arisa, have started to talk to me. I feel that I have been able to blend in with my classmates, albeit only a little. Despite all the commotion this girl has caused, I am once again glad that I bought Urza. ¡±This meat is... delicious, desu~no!¡± Urza was eating a lot of food next to me after I had already finished my meal. Perhaps it was because of her race as an oni-jin, Urza was a very big eater contrary to her appearance. I was always amazed at the way she happily ate a meal for five people. Arisa, too, who was sitting opposite to Urza, shouted excitedly as she watched her stuff a mountain of meat into her small body. ¡±Aww, Urza-chan, you are so cute when eating. You look like a hamster with a cheeks stuffed with food. You can eat this one too, it''s delicious, you know!¡± ¡±Mwah... Thank you, desu~no¡± Urza took a bite of the cupcake offered to her. Since a while ago, some of the girls, including Arisa, have been feeding Urza with desserts and sweets. Urza looked unhappy at being treated like a child, but her appetite got the better of her and she reluctantly accepted them. As I watch Urza chew with her cheeks full, Jean, who is sitting on the chair opposite me, opens his mouth. ¡±Anyway, that brave guy, he didn''t come today either. Is he still feeling down?¡± ¡±...It seems so. A kid kicked his groin and almost made him unable to have children. If it were me, I''d be traumatized too¡± ¡±Uh... yeah¡± Jean''s face is drawn and he holds his crotch with his hand. Although he was not involved in the situation, that was a spine-chilling shivering scene. It was no wonder that Leon, the person concerned, was down. ¡±But... he''s an idiot too. Trying to take someone else''s slave. I wonder what he''s thinking¡± ¡±......¡± At Jean''s words, I sip my tea in silence. I had the same question. Leon is certainly the type of hot-blooded protagonist whose sense of justice goes out of control, and he often acts on his emotions without thinking. But I never expected him to do something so stupid. ¡±He''s an intuitive fool, but I thought he was smarter than this. I don''t know what''s gotten into him¡± I don''t think Leon is the same person today as he was in the game. Legal issues aside... trying to rescue a child from slavery was a very good-natured Leon-like action. The only difference is that this is not a game but a reality. The protagonist is not bound by the rules, but follows his own will. In the world of manga or games, this may seem unprecedented and attractive. However, if it were someone close to me in the real world, he would be a very troublesome person. They would deny and try to take away what others have obtained by legitimate means, based on one-sided and unreasonable reasons such as a sense of personal righteousness. It was not a pleasant experience for those who were actually victimized. I mean, in reality, it is not as simple as dividing the world into good and evil. There is a gray area in the world that is neither black nor white. Even the people on the gray side, who are not right but not wrong, are painted black by the hero''s subjective viewpoint, which was a nuisance in itself. While thinking about this, I open my eyelids with a depressed sigh and lift the corners of my mouth sarcastically toward Jean. ¡±...He''s too serious and clumsy. There are things in this world that need to be overlooked and ignored. Isn''t that what ''social skills'' are for?¡± ¡±Well... you''re probably right. Although Brave is an idiot, I don''t think he''s a bad guy¡± ¡±I agree with you. I hope we can understand each other one day¡± I gulp down the rest of the tea in one gulp. Next to me, Urza had received the third cupcake and threw it into her mouth, which was covered with a sticky cream. CH 33 After finishing the lunch, I decided to go back to the classroom. Behind me, there was Urza, who was following me with a little pace. Jean and Alisa are not here. It seems that the lovers had entered the after-dinner lovey-dovey time, and had quietly left the cafeteria so as not to disturb the others. ¡±Hmm...?¡± I looked out of the corridor window and saw a men and women arguing in a corner of the schoolyard. Although I said ¡°men and women,¡± there was only one woman in the group. The remaining three were all men. ¡±Come on, isn''t it okay? Please join my party!¡± ¡±You absolutely won''t lose anything. We''re the vanguard. You''re a healer, so you''re in a good position, right?¡± ¡±Can we just do this one exploration? How about a trial?¡± ¡±That''s... this gentlemen, I''m not sure I want to be in a party with you guys¡± The men were somewhat aggressive in their solicitations. It seems that they are inviting the woman to join their dungeon-diving parties. The woman is tilting her head and her eyebrows are furrowed as if she is troubled. When I look through the window, I see her neat profile and recognize her. She is one of the three main heroines. She is Aeris Centorea, a [Cleric], a healer and known as the ''Saintess of Centorea'' or something like that¡± ¡±This event, could it be...?¡± I searched my memory mumbling ¡°Hmmm¡± and nodded my head. This scene was familiar to me. This was the event that would be the flag for Aeris to join Leon''s group. Aeris is in trouble when she is forcefully recruited by a noble student. By chance, Leon comes in between them and says. ¡±I''m sorry, but Centorea-san is going to join my party¡± Leon says to the nobleman without fear and takes Aeris''s hand and leads her out of the schoolyard. His courage makes Aeris feel a faint liking for him, which leads to their intimacy. ¡±I remember. There is such event...¡± It is strangely moving for me to see the events that happened in the game happening right in front of my eyes. I tried to leave the place without disturbing them, remembering the game with deep emotion. But when I took two or three steps down the corridor, I suddenly stopped. ¡±Huh...?¡± ¡±Hwah!? Goshujin-sama?¡± Because of my sudden stop, Urza hits her face against my back. But I was so flustered that I didn''t have time to worry about that. ¡±Damn it... That bastard, he''s not going to be here today!¡± I turn around and rush to the window. In a corner of the schoolyard, Aeris was still surrounded by boys. There is no sign of Leon coming to the rescue. No wonder. The main character, Leon Brave, is absent from the school today because of the ¡°ball-kicking incident¡±. ¡±This is not good... What''s going to happen?¡± ¡±Okay, okay? I''m not asking you to partying with us forever. Just help us explore the next dungeon!¡± ¡±Hey, just once is fine. My father is a count. I''m on good terms with your father, Viscount Centorea, too. Let''s get along¡± ¡±...I-I understand. I will go along with you guys just this once¡± It seems that the mention of his father''s name was the deciding factor. Aeris nodded her head reluctantly. ¡±...I will join your party, even if only temporarily. I look forward to working with you¡± ¡±So, it''s decided, right? Okay, I''m looking forward to working with you too!¡± ¡±Let''s dive in the dungeon after school. We will have a meeting now!¡± ¡±......Yes¡± One of the male students, a boy who is the son of a count, takes Aeris''s shoulders and leads her somewhere. The boy''s fingertips are touching her bust, but Aeris only bites her lip and is taken away without any resistance. ¡±Oh, come on... Seriously?¡± No way. The heroine is taken away by mob characters. Considering that both they and Aeris are nobles, one would think that they wouldn''t do something nasty right away... but still, it was clear that the boys'' faces showed a lust. Their ulterior face as if to say ¡°lucky¡± was so obvious. ¡±...She''s gone. What are you going to do, Leon?¡± I sighed and mumbled to the protagonist who was not here. How long are you going to stay in bed with your balls in your hands? Your heroine is about to be cuckolded by some nameless mob, you know? I mean, it''s not funny that your precious heroine is going to be cuckolded by a small, not even big evil like Zenon Baskerville. ¡±This is... beyond me. This is really a disaster. I hope it won''t be a problem...¡± This means Aeris won''t be able to join Leon. More and more, the hero is going to fall. I watched Aeris and the others leave and scratched my head with annoyed face. CH 34 In the afternoon was a free class. Students could study in the classrooms, or swing swords and spears in the training grounds. They were also allowed to leave the school and explore the dungeons if they applied to the teachers. As most of my classmates have already conquered the tutorial dungeon, the ''Sage''s Playground'', this allowed them to freely dive into other dungeons. Exploring dungeons away from the teachers can be dangerous... but the Royal Swords and Magic Academy is an institution that trains people to explore dungeons and fight against monsters. Anything that happens inside the dungeon is your own responsibility. This is true even if a student. The teachers explained to us that even if we lost our lives, it would be our responsibility. ¡±Sigh...¡± As my classmates leave the classroom one after another, I let out a depressed sigh at my desk. What''s stuck in my head is a scene from the lunch break. It is about Aeris Centorea. Aeris and the boys who had asked her out are already gone from the classroom. I heard their conversation as they were leaving the classroom, and it seems that they went to the dungeon called ''King of the Cavern''s Chamber''. The ''King of the Cavern''s Chamber is a cave-type dungeon located a short distance away from the capital. It is mainly inhabited by golems and other rock monsters, and is a dungeon for beginners which is not difficult to conquer if a wizard and a monk are present. In that dungeon, there should be no danger of death unless something serious happens. If nothing serious happens... ¡°Ah, it''s so depressing. Maybe I should go to that dungeon too¡± I mutter as if to throw up and get up from my chair. I don''t have any plans for the rest of the day anyway. If I stay in the classroom, I''ll just end up in a gloomy mood, so I might as well go to the dungeon and do some hunting. That should make me feel a little better. With this thought, I walked out of the classroom, and Urza came running next to me. ¡±Goshujin-sama, where are we going now?¡± ¡±Well... it''s too much trouble to go far away. Let''s go to the ''Sage''s Playground'' on the school grounds¡± ¡±Eh? Shouldn''t we go after the woman who just came out?¡± ¡±...Hey, why would we do that?¡± I stopped and looked down at Urza, who was a little taller than two heads. The white-haired oni girl looks up at me with her eyes twinkling curiously. ¡±Because... Goshujin-sama, you look like you''re chasing after her. You''re curious about her, right?¡± ¡±Well... that''s... true, but...¡± I frown and nod reluctantly. I didn''t expect Urza to see through me. For someone who doesn''t seem to be interested in anything but fighting, she does seem to watch people more closely than I''d expected. ¡±If so, we''d better hurry if we''re going to catch up with them or we won''t be able to catch up with them, desu no¡± ¡±...I didn''t say anything about chasing them. It''s not like I said anything was going to happen¡± I replied, shaking my head. In fact, there is no guarantee that the three of them will do anything bad to Aeris. Although they were aggressive in their recruiting, they were not breaking any rules. Nor did they explicitly threaten to do so, although it was not a good idea to mention a nobility. I think that other students would have done the same if they could have made such a solicitation. Anyway, if it was just a normal party and seduction, I have no right to complain about it. ¡±In the first place, ''King of the Cavern''s Chamber'' is not a difficult place to explore. Unless they are very unlucky, they don''t need my help. Besides...¡± Besides, there''s also Leon. The person who saves Aeris, the main heroine, must be the hero, Leon. It was not the place for a villainous hero. If I rescue Aeris and set a flag, I would be taking the first step toward becoming a cuckolding hero. ¡±Then why does Goshujin-sama look so distressed?¡± ¡±......¡± Urza says, and I fall silent. I know it myself. I know that I am lost in my mind. I want to help Aeris. I can''t make that choice because of the trauma of the game. Before I came to this world, I was a gamer who played [DunBrave]. I was enjoying my days of adventure, encouraged by Leon''s courage and excited by the romance with the heroine. But then... in the long-awaited sequel, everything was ruined by the villainous hero Zenon Baskerville. The heroines are all stolen and played by Zenon, and Leon, who I admired as a hero, resurrects the Demon King out of hatred. Because I have witnessed such a development, I am afraid to get involved with heroines as ''Zenon Baskerville''. ¡±I wish I could just turn a blind eye to it... but I am a softy too. I can''t laugh at Leon.¡± As I laugh at my own self-deprecation, Urza stands in front of me, puffing her little chest out. ¡±Urza is too stupid to understand what is bothering Goshujin-sama. But...there''s a saying among Oni-jin that ''if an oni is troubled, he/she should eat first''...!¡± ¡±...What does that mean?¡± ¡±Instead of worrying, bite first. It means eat your enemy first and then think about it. Beat them to death first and then think about the rest. If it bothers you, why don''t you just find someone whom you don''t like and beat them up one by one?¡± ¡±...It''s too stupid. This battle-mad race¡± Really, their race was a very hard-headed man. They''re such a fighting race... they''re so stupid that it''s almost refreshing. But... it''s funny. ¡±He, hehe, hehahahahahahaha... well, it''s a stupid phrase, but it''s a saying for sure. Talking with you makes me feel like a fool for worrying so much.¡± My shoulders shook with the urge to laugh, and I let out a long breath. ¡±Okay... it''s not a bad idea to be a fool once in a while. The main character is sleeping anyway. No need to worry about scenarios and flags. I might as well follow Leon''s example and act like an emotional fool¡± I don''t know what the consequences of my involvement with the heroine will be but Leon is the one who pays the bill. Leon got his balls kicked in and he deserved it. It''s his fault that he missed the Aeris flag because he was absent. It''s ridiculous that I should be bothered by it. ¡±I''m a villain no matter what. Let me be selfish and do whatever I want! I''ll reach out to those I want to save, and I''ll crush those I don''t like. It''s that simple!¡± ¡±Yes, I like that too, desu~no! That''s Urza''s Goshujin-sama!¡± I ran out of the school and started running toward the ''King of the Cavern''s Chamber''. With carefree steps, I rush toward the entrance of the dungeon, which leads to the darkest depths of the earth. CH 35 [DunBrave] is an RPG in which the theme is to deepen the bond with the heroine while conquering dungeons. Therefore, there are many dungeons in Slayers Kingdom where the game takes place. One of them is the ''King of Cavern''s Chamber'', a cave-type dungeon inhabited by many rock monsters such as golems. Urza has a special attack against rock monsters because she uses an oni kanab¨­, a blunt weapon. This would be the perfect place to display her power. ¡±Crush, desu~no!¡± ¡±Guaaaah!?¡± Urza raises her club with thorns and smashes it against the monster in front of her. The head of a stone-armored big lizard is destroyed, and it lies limp on the ground. The monster Urza is fighting is a stone lizard, a rock-type monster that inhabits the upper and middle floors of the ''King of Cavern''s Chamber''. They are not weak monsters by any means, but Urza manages to defeat them with a single blow. Even though she exploited the weakness of rock monsters, it was quite an impressive performance. ¡±I did it, Goshujin-sama!¡± ¡±Yes, well done!¡± Urza reports to me in a cheerful voice and I pat her white-haired head lightly. In this moment, there were about a dozen dead Stone Lizards lying around. All of them were killed by Urza, and I didn''t have to do anything. As expected of a girl who had beaten a brave man. Once again, I was impressed by Urza''s strength. ¡±I don''t see Aeris''s party... It seems that they have gone deeper than this¡± The ''King of Cavern''s Chamber'' is a 10-floor dungeon. Currently, we are in the middle of the dungeon, but we have not caught up with Aeris and the others yet. It seems that not only Aeris, the main heroine, but also those three boys are quite good in their own way. They must be diving deeper. ¡±Let''s dive a little deeper. The monsters are getting stronger, so be careful¡± ¡±Yes, desu~no¡± We went down the stairs to the lower floor, and this time a bear monster made of stone appeared. ¡±Stone bear...? This thing is strong!¡± I pull out my sword and point the tip at the enemy. Finally, I have a tough opponent. I can''t leave this to Urza alone. It''s my turn. I try to move forward, but Urza jumps out of the way before I can. ¡±Blow its guts out, desu~no!¡± ¡±Ah...¡± Urza roared out and she smashed Stone Bear''s right leg. Seeing that the monster has been knocked down, Urza jumps. ¡±I''ll kill it, desu~no!¡± Urza jumps up like a rabbit and smashes Stone Bear''s head with her oni kanab¨­. Then the huge stone body fell to the ground and remained motionless. ¡±I did it, Goshujin-sama!¡± ¡±......I saw it¡± I respond in a subtle voice to Urza, who comes running toward me with a ¡°praise me, praise me¡± attitude. The Stone Bear is supposed to be a very difficult monster in the early stage of the game, but Urza beat it with ease. It seems that Urza''s potential is higher than I had expected. Is there at least a mid-level job for a warrior? ¡±That''s very encouraging... but it doesn''t help my training¡± I came to this dungeon because I was curious about Aeris Centorea, but I also wanted to improve my skill level if possible. However, it would not be good for my training if Urza continued to fight. Since the battle with the gargoyle, I have not fought any strong enemy. I''d like to get used to it a little before I encounter powerful monsters in the lower floor. ¡±It can''t be helped... Urza, stay back until I say so in the next battle.¡± ¡±Ehhhh!? I can''t put Goshujin-sama in danger, desu~no!¡± ¡±This is an order. Refusal is not an option.¡± ¡±Uuuu...¡± Urza looks at me with her eyes like a small animal. Even if she looks at me like that, I can''t accept it. I sigh and shrug. ¡±Could you really trust me? I''m not some little fish who can''t do anything without your protection, okay?¡± ¡±Gaaaahhh!¡± ¡±Oh?¡± Just in time, I see the new Stone Bear. As if to show me what it can do, it steps forward. ¡±Hmph!¡± ¡±Gah!?¡± With a swift step, I ducked its downward swinging claws and slashes at its torso with my sword. The angry Stone Bear attacks again, but I know all the patterns of its attacks. So, I could avoids its attacks with ease, not even glancing at it. ¡±Grrrrrrrrrrrrr!¡± Stone Bear gets down on all fours, and puts a lot of strength into its hind legs. This is the pattern of a charging attack. At this moment, I move to a position where there is a wall behind me. ¡±Gaaaaaaaaaaaaa!¡± Stone bear rushes forward with great force. I have heard that a brown bear can run at 40km/h (24 mph), but this one is no slouch either. It''s got some serious speed. ¡±Here we go!¡± ¡±Gyahhhn?¡± I jumped up and dodged the charge. Stone Bear, which had been charging forward with unabated momentum, crashes head first into the wall behind me. Stone Bear staggers unsteadily as its head hits the wall. At this moment, I thrust my sword into its back from above without mercy. ¡±Gah...¡± Stone Bear is hit in the back of the neck, its weak point, and it falls down, motionless. I put my sword away and looked back at Urza. ¡±So? Nothing to worry about, right?¡± ¡±As expected of Goshujin-sama!¡± Urza hugged me with words of praise. She snuggled her face into my chest and sniffed me. Her reaction was quite exaggerated. How pathetic did she think I was? ¡±Goshujin-sama is strong after all. You are worthy to be my Lord, desu~no!¡± ¡±That''s a little sarcastic coming from you. Well, I don''t feel bad about it¡± With this, I could defeated a middle-class monster solo without using magic. I should have some confidence in my strength. Although I''m still a novice in terms of skill proficiency, my knowledge and skills in the game have given me an edge against superior opponents. The more monsters I defeat, the easier it is to increase my skill level. At this rate, I should be able to grow up to the point where I can conquer dungeons in no time. ¡±However... I must be careful. This is not enough to defeat the demon king and his entourage. Besides... there is also the worry of ''Dangerous Encounters'' in the dungeon.¡± I told myself not to get carried away, and I led Urza further into the dungeon. We encountered stone bears and stronger rock golems several times, but Urza and I were able to defeat them without any problem. We went deeper and deeper, and eventually we reached the 8th floor of the ''King of Cavern''s Chamber''. We are close to the deepest part of the dungeon, but still no sign of Aeris. Perhaps we have passed them somewhere? If so, they may have already turned back outside the dungeon. Just as I was thinking like that, I heard someone''s scream from the deep end of the dungeon. CH 36 ¡±Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!¡± ¡±Huh...!?¡± A scream pierced the air from deep within the dungeon. It was a high-pitched female voice. Urza and I turned our heads in the direction the voice came from. Just as we were considering whether or not we should go, we heard a scream again, and my eyes glazed over. ¡±Dammit!¡± ¡±Why are those monsters here!¡± A group of three boys come running from the direction of the voice. They were armed and wearing armor, and their faces were familiar. They were the boys who had picked up Aeris Centorea at the school a few hours earlier. The boys looked a little surprised to see us, but they tried to slip past us without a care. ¡±Shadow Bind!¡± ¡±Whoa!?¡± The magic I had cast stopped them. Shadow tentacles crawl out from under their feet and bind the boys. ¡±Hey, you! Stop right there!¡± ¡±Y-You''re Baskerville!? How did you...!?¡± ¡±Answer the question! Why are you here? And what about Aeris Centorea?¡± ¡±W-We were just in the dungeon to collect items and materials...¡± ¡±I-It can''t be helped! I can''t believe such a strong monster came out!¡± ¡±Really? You guys didn''t mean to leave her? But...¡± ¡±Tsk..¡± I quickly realized the situation and clicked my tongue. Apparently, they had unexpectedly encountered a powerful monster and had escaped on their own, leaving Aeris behind. ¡±Let''s go, Urza!¡± ¡±Yes, desu~no!¡± I immediately turn around and run deeper into the dungeon. I don''t think that Aeris, a healer, can get out of this predicament by herself. If I don''t get there immediately, her life will be in danger. For now, I leaves the restrained boys alone and tries to go deeper into the dungeon. ¡±W-Wait!¡± ¡±Can you remove the spell? We can''t escape!¡± ¡±I don''t care! You idiot!¡± I spit out and run without looking back. Anyway, I''ve killed most of the monsters in the area. Hopefully, they''ll be safe until the binding spell wears off. Even if the monsters find them, I don''t care about the lives of those who would abandon their friends, especially the woman whom they forcefully recruited, and run away. Without hesitation, I went deeper and deeper. After a while, I came to an open area. There was Aeris Centorea and a monster. ¡±Is that... a Gigant Mithril!?¡± I gasp, gnashing my teeth at the sight of the familiar monster. A shining blue-silver golem is swinging its fist at Aeris. Aeris is using one of the holy magic spells called ''Sanctuary,'' and is praying desperately while blocking enemy attacks with a hemispherical barrier. ''Sanctuary'' is a barrier that can be used by priests of the Holy attribute, and it is a magic that can prevent attacks for a certain period of time. It was a powerful defensive magic, but while protected by the barrier, the user could not move or use any other magic, and the duration of the barrier was not long. And now, Gigant Mithril repeatedly slams its fist against the barrier. The translucent barrier was already fading away, and it was obvious that there was no time left for its effect. ¡±Dark Bullet!¡± ¡±Gah?¡± A black bullet lands on the head of Gigant Mithril. The attack with elementary magic did not do much damage, but it succeeded in drawing its attention. The silvery blue golem stops punching the barrier and turns to face me. ¡±You are... Baskerville-sama!?¡± Aeris looks up in surprise at the sudden intruder. Her eyes widened while she were staring at me from a distance. ¡±Run away! You are no match for this monster!¡± ¡±...in this situation, can you say ''help'' instead of ''run away''? You really are no different than in the game, aren''t you?¡± I sigh and laugh, oblivious to the situation. Aeris Centorea is a very kind-hearted and self-sacrificing woman. She believes that her existence is worth sacrificing herself for the sake of others, and she is willing to sacrifice her life to help those in need. Perhaps, the fact that she was attacked by the Gigant Mithril was a result of her taking the bait in order to save the trio. ¡±Aeris Centorea, I''ve always respected you... but you piss me off just as much!¡± ¡±Gagagagagagagaga!¡± I ducked under the swinging fist of Gigant Mithril and ran over to Aeris. ¡±Urza, buy some time! Don''t attack too aggressively, just avoid!¡± ¡±Yes, desu~no!¡± Urza did as ordered, moving left and right to attract the enemy''s attention. Gigant Mithril has a high attack power but a very low hit rate. With a speed and fighting sense as good as Urza''s, it is not difficult for her to keep dodging until the golem runs out of energy. About the same time, I arrive Aeris, whose barrier is lifted. I pick up Aeris, who falls down exhausted. ¡±Hey, are you okay!?¡± ¡±Uh...¡± Aeris moans weakly. Although she has a glamorous body with clearly protruding parts, she is surprisingly thin and light when I pick her up in this way. With such a body, she has been fighting all alone? To save someone, to sacrifice herself? ¡±Run away... don''t worry about me. If you don''t, she''ll die and so will you... please leave me alone...¡± ¡±Are you still saying that? Really...?¡± Aeris grabs my shoulder weakly and pleads with me to run away again. I feel a little annoyed, but I force the bottle of recovery medicine into Aeris''s mouth and force her to swallow the liquid. Apparently, I need to give this idiot in front of me a lecture before I smash that big piece of shit. With this thinking, I squeezed Aeris''s shoulder and opened my mouth. CH 37 Thanks SouthKoreanJesus for the support... ¡±You idiot. Who''s going to listen to you?¡± ¡±Eh...?¡± I guess she didn''t expect me to reject her. Aeris''s eyes turned black and white at my blunt words. ¡±B-But... if things continue as is, you will die as well. Please don''t die for someone like me...!¡± ¡±Someone like me, huh...? You have a very low self-esteem. You make it sound like your life is worthless¡± ¡±That''s...¡± The reason why a girl named Aeris Centorea has come to sacrifice herself so much is because of her mother. Aeris, the daughter of a viscount, was attacked by bandits when she was a child while traveling with her mother in a carriage along the streets. While her guards and attendants were killed one after another, Aeris'' mother cast a barrier to protect her daughter. The barrier magic drains her magical power as time passes. And thinking that her lovely daughter would be killed if the barrier removed, the mother forcefully extended the effect of the barrier by draining her life force even after her magic power was exhausted. As a result, she succeeded in protecting her daughter until the patrolling guards arrived, but in exchange, she lost her life. However, after surviving in exchange for her mother''s life, Aeris began to take her own life lightly and to give up her life for the sake of others. ¡±I hate that kind of self-sacrifice the most! I hate it when people who can live give up their lives, when people who can be happy but miss the opportunity that''s right in front of them. Are you mocking me!?¡± ¡±B-But I''m a servant of God and I have a duty to serve others...¡± ¡±That''s what''s annoying! And since there''s no hero here, I will say it for you! ''Think of the people who''ll be sad when you''re dead!'' Your father who raised you, your mother who died for you! Don''t you realize that when you deny yourself, you''re denying the people who care about you too!¡± ¡±Ah...¡± Aeris is frozen speechless. It was a line that Leon, the main character, should have said, but he is unfortunately not here. Then, I have no choice but to say it. I can''t allow such a depressing situation where only others are saved and one heroine dies without being saved. Now that I have been reborn in this world, I will not allow the heroine to be unhappy. I will become a hero or a villain if I have to destroy all the depressing developments. ¡±Your life is yours! There is no life you can waste for others. If you can''t even make yourself happy, how dare you try to make others happy? Don''t be so self-centered!¡± ¡±...!¡± ¡±Don''t you have things you want to do? Don''t you have hobbies? If you don''t want to die, why don''t you just say so? Be a wimp and cling to me for help!¡± ¡±Ugh... ahhh...!¡± Aeris''s blue eyes were dripping with tears. Her tears are as beautiful as pearls. She had survived her mother''s death, and had chosen to sacrifice herself as if to punish herself. And because of her great ability, people around her were also spoiled by the kindness of Aeris and treated her like a saint. But I will destroy such sweetness and illusion. She is neither a saint nor an angel. She is just a weak little girl, that''s what I will tell her. ¡±Can I... be saved? Can I, someone like me, who survived at the cost of my mother''s life, ask for someone else''s help?¡± ¡±You idiot, it''s a privilege of the weak to ask for help. You''re weaker than me. So get off your ass and beg for your life¡± ¡±......Y-Yes. Please help me. Please help me¡± Aeris said in response to my blunt words. It seems that my thoughts had been heard. I patted my chest in relief and turned my face away from her to cover up the fact that I had uttered the embarrassing words. ¡±Huff, I envy beautiful women because they are also beautiful when they cry. I really want to see them cry!¡± ¡±It''s so embarrassing...to be called beautiful...¡± ¡±Of course I''m being sarcastic... Don''t blush!¡± I said these words with a sarcastic intention, but for some reason Aeris''s cheeks turn rose-colored and her face looks down. I felt a strange flag in the corner of my head... However, I pretended not to notice it and took out a magic potion from my magic bag. ¡±I''m going to sink the big guy now, and you''re going to help me. You have no right to refuse¡± ¡±I-I understand. But... that monster is really powerful. Even if we attack it together earlier, we couldn''t put a scratch on it...¡± ¡±I''m not like those scum who leave women behind. I have a plan.¡± A little further away, Urza and Gigant Mithril are fighting. Urza seem to be able to avoid its punches, but she still cannot do any damage. Still, her white skin is not without damage. Every time Gigant Mithril strikes the ground, a piece of stone shattered by the punch is grazed on Urza''s white skin. But, Urza also seems to hit her opponents when she sees an opportunity, though this does not seem to result in any damage. Gigant Mithril had hardly any wounds. ¡±...Gigant Mithril was hardly damaged, huh? Just like in the game¡± Gigant Mithril is not a monster that is usually encountered. They are dangerous enemies called ''Dangerous Encounter Monsters'' that rarely appear during dungeon exploration. Also, one of the mysterious beliefs of the production staff of [DunBrave] says, ¡°There is no safe dungeon!¡± In other words, no dungeon is 100% safe, no matter how familiar player might be with it. There is always the possibility of unforeseen circumstances. Based on this strangely realistic belief, the production staff included a certain setting in this game. This setting is a mysterious theory called ''Dangerous Encounter Monster''. With a 0.1 percent chance, such monsters, which are obviously more powerful than their dungeon level, appear in the dungeon. Each of them has a strange skill that makes them a first-time-killer player. If the players encounter them, they will inevitably be annihilated by them. ¡±Heal Urza, that demi-human girl... while you regain your magic power. Meanwhile, I''m going to start chanting magic.¡± I unilaterally instruct Aeris and enter the preparatory stage of casting the spell. In the game, I have encountered this strange creature several times, and it has given me a lot of trouble. Let me return the favor here. CH 38 ¡±No, stop! Magic doesn''t work on that monster!¡± Aeris shouts in panic as I start chanting magic. ¡±Huff...¡± Of course, I know it. Gigant Mithril ¡ª that dangerous monster has its body covered with a coating of mithril ore. Mithril is a metal highly resistant to magic. Thanks to this, magic attacks are repelled and do no damage at all. ¡±Just shut up and obey me, can you? Do your job as you''re told!¡± ¡±Uuu...¡± Aeris'' eyes flicker with confusion, but she still follows the instructions and casts a healing spell on Urza, who is stalling for time. Urza''s wounds, large and small, disappear without a trace as she is enveloped in a green light. ¡±Ex-heal... Strength Up... Guard Up... Stamina Charge... Rapid Foot...¡± ¡±...!? I suddenly have a lot of power! I can still fight, desu no!¡± She continues, casting one auxiliary magic after another to boost Urza''s abilities. This is an appropriate action as a rear guard. Aeris, one of the main heroines, is a very capable one. I was reminded of her greatness through our joint battle. ¡±That''s good... Your strength is recovery and support. You''re not going to go out there and shield someone, you''re not going to fight head-on¡± ¡±...I know that. But I still don''t want to see someone else get hurt¡± ¡±If we''re hurt, you can heal us. That is your job as a healer. And it is our job as the vanguard to stand in front and protect the rear guard¡± ¡±......¡± ¡±Well then...¡± Aeris is silent, and I focus on my own work again. Magic is no good against Gigant Mithril. Physical attacks are not that effective either. This monster is very hard and its endurance is almost inexhaustible. If I try to beat it with physical attacks, I need to have a skill level as high as that of the latter half of the game. ¡±It''s a real... first-time-killer. It shows the ill character of the production staff.¡± I swore at the ill-natured production staff and took an item out of my magic bag without stopping my chanting. The magic I am about to invoke cannot be used with my current level of proficiency in dark magic. As there is no level system in the world of [DunBrave], I have to acquire a ¡°magic book¡± to master new magic. The new magic can be used by learning it from the spellbook, and furthermore, by training the skill to the level of proficiency to invoke the magic. On the other hand, it is possible to learn powerful magic even with low proficiency as long as someone have a spellbook. It is just that it cannot be invoked. ¡±Mithril Gigant ¡ª there are two ways to defeat it¡± The first one is to force it with physical attacks. By avoiding the enemy''s attacks, and by attacking it continuously, I can chip away at its durability. The second is to use magic. Gigant Mithril nullifies magic. Actually, it is a fake. Though the mithril armor of this monster can nullify magic attacks, if it receives more than a certain amount of magic damage, the mithril armor is destroyed and it turns into a simple golem. Incidentally... this strategy was not available in the game, and it was an information that was posted on the strategy site after an unbelievable number of players challenged this Gigant Golem. With these information, I take out a rainbow-colored bottle from my bag and crush it in my hand. Immediately, a rainbow-colored light envelops my body. ¡±Paid Item ¡ª Doping Bottle.¡± Nevertheless, I can''t use enough magic to break down the armor of Gigant Mithril at my current skill level. So, I used a paid item to temporarily increase my skill level to the maximum. With this, my skill in dark magic is maxed out, and I can use magic that I can''t use now. Now I can use even the highest level of dark magic! ¡±Get back, Urza! Dark magic ¡ª Abyss Gate!¡± Urza instantly breaks away in response to my voice. The next moment, a jet-black darkness like a black hole engulfs Gigant Mithril. ''Abyss Gate'', a single attack-type dark magic. The power of this magic, which can be invoked only when one''s mastery of dark magic reaches 90 or more, is truly one of the most powerful. Except for Zenon Baskerville, only the Demon King can use this magic among the characters in [DunBrave]. This is the ultimate in darkness, and it consumes Gigant Mithril. ¡±Gagagagagaga...!¡± Mithril''s armor is destroyed like a piece of paper by the most powerful single attack magic. The stone body that emerges from beneath the armor is also shattered. Even after the Gigant Mithril is destroyed, the darkness of the abyss continues to erode, crushing the remains of its stone until it is reduced to a fine powder of sand. This is a clear overkill. After the Gigant Mithril is gone, all that is left is a small medal the size of the palm of one''s hand. ¡±Successfully defeated... Good grief¡± ¡±Did it work, desu~no? As expected of Goshujin-sama!¡± ¡±Amazing... this is Baskerville-sama¡¯s power...¡± Urza hugged Aeris with a cheerful voice, and Aeris breathed a sigh of dismay. ¡±Mother, have I finally met the one to whom I must devote everything, the one you told me was ''my destiny''?¡± ¡±Goshujin-sama? You were so cool, desu~no!¡± Aeris mumbles, but her soft words are drowned out by Urza''s bright voice. It is only a short time before I realize that missing the murmur is a fatal problem. CH 39 After defeating the Gigant Mithril, I collected its medal and exited the dungeon. By the way, the medals I collected are the proofs of the ''Dangerous Encounter strategy'', and I can get special items by collecting the medals. The person, who I can exchange the medals, is called the ''Witch of the Well''... But does she live at the bottom of the well, as in the game? Anyway, a little further back in the dungeon, there was a former Aeris party member still tied up, crying out in fear and delirium. Despite all the fuss, they are lucky that the monsters did not find them, and they seem to be unharmed for the time being. I thought that I should leave them there, but Aeris, the victim of the party, asked me to let go of them. ¡°No, you can''t do that. Zenon-sama¡± ¡°...What''s the use of saving them? They are not worth keeping alive¡± Before I knew it, I was called by my first name. When I tilted my head, Aeris took on the tone of a child. ¡°They left me behind, but that''s because I took the bait myself. So, it''s not logical to blame them all¡± ¡°That may be true, but that doesn''t change the fact that they abandoned their party members, does it?¡± ¡°Even so, it is the job of the teachers of the school to punish them. There is no reason for us to do private punishment based on our personal beliefs!¡± When I expressed my dissatisfaction, Aeris raised her index finger and added. ¡°Besides, Zenon-sama doesn''t have to get his hands dirty for people like this, right? Please don''t do anything that will further damage your reputation, when other people are afraid of you!¡± ¡°Mmm...¡± I frown a little and shut up. Aeris has a good point. Even though it''s their own fault, I will be blamed in the school if I ties them up and feeds them to the monster. There is a possibility that Jean and other friends I have made will leave me. Without any choice, I shrugged my shoulders and released the binding spell I had cast on them. ¡°You are really a saint. I can''t believe you''re showing mercy to these worthless people.¡± ¡°I''m a saint? No way!¡± I said half in admiration and half in ridicule, and Aeris shook her head in exasperation. ¡°I don''t want to save them. What I want to protect is your honor. After all, Zenon-sama saved my life¡± ¡°Huff... you''re getting cocky. Since when did you become my guardian?¡± The boys are released from their restraints, and with a ¡°whoooaa¡± sound, they run toward the stairs to the upper floor. Aeris doesn''t follow them, and for some reason, she and Urza are snuggled up to me. I wouldn''t feel anything if it were with a smooth Loli like Urza, but Aeris is a beautiful girl with a voluptuous figure. I am afraid that my arms might touch her protruding bosom if she comes closer than necessary. ¡°...Aren''t you too close to me? I''d like you to walk a little further away from me¡± I can''t stand it if I am falsely accused of molestation in such a place. But Aeris''s cheeks turned rose-colored and she smiled. ¡°I am a healer, so I need you to protect me in case of emergency. It would be better not to keep too much distance from me, wouldn''t it?¡± ¡°That''s... no, you''re still too close to me...¡± ¡°And wasn''t it Zenon-sama who told me I could do as I please? It was Zenon-sama who said I could live for myself. So, I do what I want. Please take responsibility for your words.¡± ¡°......¡± When she said this with a mischievous smile, I had no choice but to be silent. Why did this happen? Well... I know it''s because of me, but isn''t this a complete flag? Though it''s not a ''cuckolding'' because Aeris is not yet in a party with Leon, but I''m sure that I''ve taken away the flag that Leon would have raised. ¡°By the way... Zenon-sama?¡± ¡°...What is it?¡± ¡°Just before my mother passed away, she told me, ''Find the one to whom you are destined to give your all and marry him. That person will surely become your hero...'' is Zenon-sama a hero like my mother said?¡± ¡°Hey, hey...you''ve got to be kidding. How can I be a hero?¡± On the contrary, I''m an enemy character who leads the world to ruin by cuckolding the hero. I don''t know what Aeris'' mother was thinking when she left such a will, but I think she was mistaken. ¡°I see... Then maybe you are going to be a hero now? Whether Zenon-sama will be a hero or a villain depends entirely on your will¡± ¡°I don''t understand... I mean, since when did you change your occupation to a fortune teller? And I don''t remember giving you any life advice¡± I say in astonishment... but Aeris looks back at me with a straight face. She takes my arm and sandwiches it on her soft chest. She then opens her mouth with a solemn air, as if she is making a vow to the gods. ¡°If you become a hero, I will become both a saint and a guardian angel to protect you. If you will end up an ordinary man, I will devote my life to you as an ordinary woman. The one I serve, the one I am destined to serve, I swear to you that I will always be by your side in sickness and in health.¡± ¡°......¡± Aeris says this with her eyes closed in prayer. I don''t think such a line has ever appeared in the game... what kind of flag did I set? ¡°What will happen... now...?¡± At a loss for what to do with the unexpected turn of events, I focused my attention on the feeling of Aeris''s chest against my hand for the time being. CH 40 The next day, I arrived at the school as usual and was summoned to the student guidance office. My homeroom teacher, Wanko-sensei, and the head of the year and the student advisor questioned me strictly about the incident in the dungeon yesterday. Apparently, Aeris and those who abandoned her had reported me to the school. The three boys said, ''I was exploring in the dungeon when suddenly I was restrained by magic and left there. I was almost killed by a demon''. They never mentioned that they had used Aeris as a decoy and left her for dead, a report that completely ignored the part that was inconvenient for them. ¡°Yes, it''s true.¡± But ¡ª I replied in a curt tone of voice. Their report lacked details, but it was not a lie. It was an undeniable fact that I had cast a spell on them and left them there. ¡°I see... May I ask why?¡± Wanko-sensei asks in a sincere tone, with an accusatory look in her eyes. ¡°I''ve heard many bad rumors about you, but I don''t think that you are a person who commits violence against others for no reason. Do you have a reason for that?¡± ¡°Is there any reason!? He is the scum of Baskerville!¡± It was not me who answered, but a male student advisor. A bald middle-aged teacher yell at me hysterically. ¡°You did it to steal their money and materials, didn''t you? If we keep a criminal who commits crimes in our school, our school''s honor will be damaged! He should be expelled immediately!¡± ¡°......¡± This is a very one-sided argument. Come to think of it... this middle-aged teacher is an enemy character in a video game. He takes bribes from some students in the school to falsify grades and to divert test questions, and he also takes advantage of the weakness of female students and commits indecent acts. In the game, Leon accidentally discovers this man''s true nature and fights to save the sub-heroine who is being blackmailed and brings all his evil deeds to light.... ¡°Are you making a statement without hearing my side of the story? Did you take a bribe from them, by any chance?¡± ¡°What...!¡± It seems I hit the mark. The middle-aged teacher got upset in an interesting way. I wonder how such an obvious guy could keep his wrongdoings under wraps all this time. In disgust, I get up from my chair. As I was heading for the door, Wanko-sensei hurriedly called out to me. ¡°Baskerville-kun, I haven''t finished yet!¡± ¡°I''m fully sorry. But I''d like to voluntarily be suspended from here on out for a while. Please contact me at the mansion when the official punishment is decided.¡± ¡°Such a selfish thing...!¡± ¡°Also, about yesterday''s incident, please talk to Centorea-san. I''m sure you''ll hear an interesting story.¡± With these words, I walked out of the guidance room despite Wanko-sensei''s efforts to restrain me. I could have pleaded my case here, but all the teachers and staff except for Wanko-sensei had already decided that I was a member of the Baskerville family and that I was a bad person from the beginning. It was obvious that it would turn out to be an argument over whether I did or did not do something. In that case, I''m sorry, but I''ll leave the rest to Aeris. She is trustworthy, and I am sure she will explain me in a good way. ¡°Have you finished? Goshujin-sama.¡± As soon as I left the room, Urza, who I had ordered to wait on the outside, came running to me. She looked like a puppy waiting for her owner to come home. If she had a tail, it would have swung wildly from side to side. ¡°Yeah, let''s go.¡± I answered shortly and went to the entrance to leave the school building. This meant I would be absent from the school for a while... but that was rather convenient. Missing some school is not a problem. Zenon Baskerville has a brilliant mind, so classroom work is no problem, and dungeon exploration is just a matter of going into an outside school dungeon. In fact, it would be much more efficient to take advantage of this opportunity to do some outside work than to go to school diligently. ¡°We''re going to the Adventurers'' Guild now. There will be some quests, and we may have to fight some monsters. Be prepared.¡± ¡°Yes, desu~no! I love fighting, desu~no!¡± Urza replies to my command by raising her hand vigorously. As I have some free time now, I''d like to take this opportunity to finish up the sub-events that are happening in the capital. Of course, I will leave the important events to Leon who is the main character, but some of the events have a time limit. There are also some hidden events that can be found only by going around and using strategy sites, so there must be many events that Leon has missed. Let''s focus on these events and earn proficiency and event items. ¡°Well, let''s start playing the hero, shall I? Let''s enjoy the events of the game at best.¡± CH 41 ¡°I''ll accept this quest.¡± ¡°Yes, this way, please.¡± I place the quest form on the counter, and a beautiful young woman, a receptionist, greets me with a business smile. I am now in the Adventurers'' Guild in the center of the capital. This place, a staple of fantasy, is a place where the citizens of the capital come to ask for advice and seek solutions to their various problems, and where many adventurers work hard to solve them every day. It''s been a week since I was suspended from the academy. During the week, I was taking quests from the Adventurers'' Guild and working on sub-events unrelated to the main storyline. Fortunately, my knowledge of the game allows me to have a good grasp of event strategies. As a result of my efforts to save time and work efficiently as much as possible, I had accomplished 20 requests in a week. ¡°Then, please present your guild card.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± With a short reply, I take out my student ID card from my pocket. For this matter, because I was not registered in the Adventurers'' Guild, I could use my student ID card as a substitute for my guild card. Then, since I have already conquered the tutorial dungeon ¡°The Sage''s Playground¡±, my guild rank is rated as D. For the note, there are five ranks in the guild, from A to E, so I''m ranked second from the bottom. While the receptionist is processing the application, I look around and see many adventurers gathered in the guild, making a lot of noise. Some of them were looking at the quest forms on the wall, some were exchanging information with other adventurers at the table, and some were drinking at the bar counter of the adjoining bar. I''m not a big fan of crowded and noisy spaces, but there are many strong-looking people in the guild, so I''m glad that my bad guy side isn''t noticeable. ¡°Yes, the formalities are finished. Thank you for your patience.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Please take care and don''t hurt yourself...¡± ¡°Mm...¡± The receptionist squeezed my hand as she handed back my student ID card. This receptionist, who called herself ''Alyssa'' or ''Marissa'', has been acting like this ever since she found out that I was the son of a nobleman. She was always touching my body and showing off her cleavage and thighs more than necessary. Incidentally, this receptionist is also a sub-heroine in the game, and although she looks young, she will be 30 this year and is in a hurry to get married. In the game, her route started when Leon accomplishes more than a certain number of quests. If it reaches the perquisites, she will seduce him like now, and if he accidentally falls for her honey trap, it is the end of the story. She is like a carnivorous plant that will get a player drunk and have the player make a mistake of having one-night stand, and of course, the player will end up married to her. ¡°Zenon-san. After finishing this job, would you like to have a drink with me? I know a place that serves good wine...¡± ¡°...I''m sorry, but I''m a student. I can''t go out at night because of the curfew.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± I shake off the receptionist''s hand, put my student ID card in my pocket, and quickly leave the counter. ¡°Sheesh... it''s annoying to be scared of someone more than necessary, but it''s also annoying to be approached by someone with calculation...¡± I sigh, remembering the faces of my classmates who had been looking at me with frightened eyes. As a result of the recent incident in the dungeon, I am suspended from the school for two weeks. Anyway, I heard that the student advisor who was taking bribes argued for a more severe punishment, but Wanko-sensei disagreed with the one-sided condemnation and listened to what Aeris had to say, just as I had told her to do. As a result, it was revealed that the three boys had forcefully recruited Aeris into the party and then left her in front of the monster and ran away. Aeris''s father, Viscount Centorea, although not a very high rank, is an influential man who has been appointed as a cardinal at the court. Considering the seriousness of the problem, the school called Viscount Centorea and the three boys'' guardians to have a meeting. It seems that my father, the Marquis of Baskerville, was also invited to the meeting, but as a matter of course, I did not hear anything from him. The result of the discussion, which involved several noble families, was in favor of the Viscount Centorea. Evidently, there were more female students who had been victimized by the trio, which came to light as a result of this incident. They had brought the girls into the dungeon, made it impossible for them to escape, and committed indecent acts with them. Although it is not a praiseworthy act to leave one''s friends behind in a dungeon, and since Aerith offered to serve as a decoy, the three boys cannot be punished too severely. However, the malicious and indecent use of the dungeon was unacceptable, and the three were expelled from the school, and Aeris and the other victims were compensated with a large sum of money. As for me, who had attacked the trio in the dungeon, I wasn''t acquitted, but I was still only suspended from school for two weeks, which was a light punishment. ¡°Well... I don''t really care. As long as I don''t get expelled, it''s a free vacation.¡± As an aside, it seems that the student advisor who was trying to ostracize me was also forced to quit the school. He seemed to be very upset when I pointed out the bribe thing to him, which made Wanko-sensei suspicious, and she later investigated the money flow of the man. As a result, it was revealed that this man had received bribes from many noblemen and wealthy merchants, and had been involved in various wrongdoings such as the embezzlement of examination papers and falsification of grades. Later, Wanko-sensei, who came to the house to inform me, was suspicious as to how I knew about it, but at any rate, the problem seemed to have been settled for the time being. ¡°Rather than the school, I have a problem with this one...¡± ¡°Ah, welcome back, desu~no!¡± When I left the guild, Urza, who had been waiting outside, came running up to me like a puppy. I patted the head of the oni girl who hugged my waist, and turned my attention to the other person waiting for me and said. ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting¡± ¡°No, I don''t mind¡± The person waiting with Urza outside the guild is Aeris Centorea. She is one of the main heroines of [DunBrave] and a skilled healer known as the ¡°saint¡± in the academy. It was the day after I was suspended from school, when I went to the guild with Urza in tow, Aeris was waiting for me at the gate of the mansion for some reason. She said, ¡°I will join Zenon-sama''s party from today. Although I am a newcomer, please take good care of me.¡± When I asked her what she wanted, Aeris declared with her big chest puffed out. It seemed that Aerith felt responsible for my suspension and wanted to atone for it. I tried to refuse her, saying it was none of her business, but Aeris never left and started to follow me around. Eventually, we ended up forming a party, and she help me with some of the quests at the guild. The question is where did this flag appear...? It must be because of that lukewarm line I uttered to Aeris in the dungeon. ¡°Well... whatever. There''s no point in worrying about the scenario now, and I wanted a healer too.¡± ¡°Zenon-sama, what''s the matter?¡± ¡°Huff...¡± I sigh at this saintess who tilts her head cutely, and shake my head wordlessly. Anyway, what has been done can''t be helped. In the first place, I couldn''t abandon Aerith in that situation. Consequently, it was a good thing for me to increase my strength, and it was also a good opportunity for me to break away from the game scenario. Yes, it was all good for me... but still, there is one thing I really want to say. ¡°Leon... make sure you''re a hero.¡± Is he really going to be a hero? Was his declaration at the entrance ceremony a lie? I muttered to the hero who was not here while I looked up at the clear blue sky. CH 42 After leaving the guild, we went to my favorite coffee shop. It was a coffee shop that appeared in the game, and its name was ''Chien Viverrin''. In French, it is said to mean ''raccoon dog''... The reason why it is called so is a mystery to me. Recently, it has become a routine for the three of us to visit this coffee shop and have a strategy meeting before going on a quest. ¡°I''ll have a coffee.¡± ¡°I''ll have the same.¡± ¡°Urza wants a Giant Extreme Parfaits, desu~no!¡± We sat down at a table and ordered our drinks from a familiar waitress. A few moments later, coffee for two and a giant parfait are delivered. The stuff Urza ordered, with a name like a special move, is the specialty of this coffee shop. It is a huge parfait that looks as if it is about to hit the sky, and it is filled with a lot of fruits and chocolates. In the game, it was a reasonably priced sweet, but since eating it buffed one''s strength and speed, it was often ordered before a big battle. ¡°Then... Zenon-sama? What kind of quest did we accept today?¡± Aeris asked me as she sipped her coffee. She is a beautiful girl who looks pretty even when she just sips her coffee cup. But when she tilted her head in a cute way, it was more destructive. ¡°Ah...''Straw Millionaire''...¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°No, it''s nothing. Today''s quest is simply to gather medicinal herbs. Our destination is the forest east of the capital.¡± I explained the details of the quest. The purpose of this quest is to collect and deliver ''red dragon flower'', a plant that grows wild in a place called ''Forel Forest'' in the east of the capital. The deadline is within a week from now, and the reward is only 100G. The reward is very cheap. Is it worth? Urza asks curiously as she crumbles the parfait into pieces and puts them in her mouth. It takes about two hours from here to the Forel Forest on foot, so it takes quite a bit of time just to go there and back. For that much effort, the reward was only 100 G. It was obvious that the reward was not worth it, even if he didn''t point it out. ¡°Well, it can''t be helped. The client is a seven-year-old girl.¡± The client is a poor little girl living in the capital. The girl had sent a quest to the Adventurers'' Guild to give the flower to her mother for her birthday. This flower symbolizes the memory of the girl''s mother and her father who died as an adventurer, and she is trying to cheer up her widowed mother by giving the flower to her. Incidentally, since red dragon flowers are only available deep in the forest and are neither poisonous nor medicinal, few people go out of their way to risk their lives to pick them. So,they were rarely found on the market. ¡°In other words... in order to make the child''s wish come true, Zenon-sama dare to accept a quest that does not bring in any money? As expected of Zenon-sama. How merciful...!¡± Aeris crossed her arms as if she were praying and uttered an exclamation of deep emotion. She was so moved that there were even tears in the corners of her eyes. Other customers in the coffee shop were looking what was going on, but they seemed not to notice it either. ¡°...It''s not like that. It''s just a whim.¡± ¡°Geez, you say that again... you are really not honest, are you? I like that side of you too!¡± ¡°Haaah...¡± No matter what I say, I''ll always get high marks. At this point, I frown and shut up. Aeris is happy and praises me with a big smile on her face, but I didn''t really accept this quest out of the goodness of my heart. You see, this unworthy quest is a flag for a sub-event in the game, the ''Straw Millionaire Rally''. The old tale of the ''Straw Millionaire'' is well-known to all Japanese people. It is a story about a poor villager who obtains straws, and through exchanging them, he eventually becomes enormously wealthy... something like that. So, when I accomplish this task and bring the Red Dragon Flower to the client girl, she gives me a stone she picked up on the street as a token of her appreciation, in addition to the 100G reward. The stone, which looks like a light green bead, is actually a stone that was attached to a ring that a young man sent to his girlfriend. If I find this young man and give him the stone, he will exchange it for another item. If I keep exchange it, eventually I can exchange it for a ¡°skill orb¡± that allows me to acquire the ability of ¡°growth acceleration¡±. A skill orb is a stone that contains a skill''s power. This item is necessary to obtain new skills in [DunBrave]. It is mainly obtained as a drop item from defeating monsters or as a reward from events. And among these orbs, the skill orb of ''Growth Acceleration'' was very rare and valuable. This literally means that it could speed up proficiency of a skill, and it is a necessary ability for those who want to achieve the highest level of the skill. Skill orbs are disposable. In addition, the only event where it is possible to obtain the ''growth acceleration'' is the ''Straw Millionaire Rally'' event. However, according to the net, it could appear as a drop item from a certain monster, but the probability is so low that I cannot expect to get it. Anyway, this skill orb is not included in the items collected at the ''Treasure Room'', so I must get it by all means. ¡°...This event has made me cry a lot. I won''t make any more mistakes.¡± ¡°Huh? Is that so?¡± Aeris blinked at my comment. By the way, it seems that Urza has already stopped listening to me and is puffing up her cheeks like a hamster with a piece of fruit in her mouth. For the note, this sub-event has a time limit. It occurs one month after the student enters the school, and disappears after another month. Probably, this is due to the fact that the birthday of the girl''s mother will pass. In the game, per turn equals to one week, so that the event can no longer be completed if the quest is not fulfilled within a short period of only four turns. When I was playing the game, I was not even aware of the existence of the event, or I postponed it, and the quest disappeared without being able to clear it. Also, there were times when I got a jewel after completing the event, but I sold it to a tool shop without realizing that it was the start of the ''Straw Millionaire Rally''. So, when I found out the whole story of the ''Straw Millionaire Rally'' on a strategy site later, I cried over the rare item I had missed. ¡°I can''t forget that regret even if I wanted to... So, I''ll never regret it again.¡± ¡°I don''t really understand... but it''s true that regret is not good¡±. ¡°Ah, I will live without regrets, so, let''s get on with the strategy meeting. I''ll fulfill the wish of this filial girl...¡± ¡°Yes, with pleasure!¡± ¡°Munch, munch!¡± Aeris nodded with a smile, and Urza, her mouth covered with cream, raised her hand cheerfully. CH 43 Thanks Dan for the support... ¡°Well then, I have something for you two before we go on today''s quest.¡± After saying this, I put my hand into the item box. What I take out are several jewels. They were white, red, blue, yellow, and brightly colored spheres. ¡°These are skill orbs, aren''t they? Aeris tilted her head when she saw the jewels on the table in the coffee shop. ¡°Where did you get such a valuable item? I''m sure they are rarely found on the market...¡± ¡°...I have a little connection. I got them at a very low price.¡± These skill orbs were all inherited items obtained in the ''treasure room''. To obtain skill orbs in the game, there are two ways. Either they were dropped by defeating monsters, or they were obtained as rewards for completing event quests. Skill orbs were also rarely sold at auctions, and were difficult to obtain because they depended on luck. ¡°My family is a powerful family. So, rare items tend to come around.¡± ¡°I see... The Baskervilles are indeed a powerful family. It seems that the power of the old aristocracy that has continued since the founding of the kingdom is still alive and well.¡± Aeris doesn''t seem particularly offended by the use of family power as an excuse, and nods in admiration. ¡°Goshujin-sama, are you going to give this to Urza?¡± Urza asks with a sparkle in her eyes after eating the huge parfait. Urza is not interested in jewelry or other ornaments. For this oni girl who values strength, skill orbs that can make her stronger are more appealing. ¡°Yeah, this is for Urza and this is for Aeris.¡± I put the skill orbs out on the table and offered them to the two of them. ¡°Over the past week, we''ve come to know each other''s strengths and weaknesses. I want you to learn new skills to enhance your strengths and compensate for your weaknesses.¡± ¡°Thank you, desu~no! I want to be stronger!¡± ¡°But... are you sure? Do you really want to buy such an expensive thing for me?¡± While Urza accepts the orb without a second thought, Aeris is reserved and keeps her eyes down. The skill orb was a reasonably expensive item if sold. She was probably hesitant to accept it for free. ¡°Wouldn''t it be better if I paid you something for it at least?¡± ¡°No. Don''t worry about the trivialities. Just use it.¡± ¡°But...¡± ¡°Look, Aeris, the stronger you are, the more likely it is that we will survive. I''m not giving this to you for your own good. I''m giving it to you to strengthen our party.¡± Aeris still tries to refrain from accept it, but I point my index finger at her and tell her. ¡°But... if Aeris doesn''t intend to work with me in the future, you don''t have to use it. In that case, you''re out of the party...¡± ¡°I will use it! Thank you very much!¡± Aeris rushes to pick up the skill orb and holds the jewel in her hands. She snatches it away from me so vigorously that her huge chest is pressed against the table, distorting its shape. My eyes widen at this unexpected lucky scene, causing me to pull my hands back in a hurry. ¡°I am Zenon-sama''s healer! So, this is mine, too!¡± ¡°O-Ohh... yes¡± It was supposed to be a joke, but the fact that she was about to be excluded from the party must have been too much for her. After all, she was desperately pleading with me. I was horrified by her attitude and shook my head again and again. ¡°Then, feel free to use it. We are friends, so don''t worry about it.¡± ¡°Friends...? Yes, of course. Friends... Friends...¡± Aeris repeats happily, clutching the treasure she has just secured. Aeris, who has been called the ''Saint of Centorea'' and revered by others, has always been in a position to be respected and admired by others. Therefore, she may be genuinely happy to be an equal peer. Anyway, I coughed my throat to compose myself, and explained the skills I was going to give them. ¡°Okay... the three skills that Urza will learn are ''Hit Enhancement'', ''Endurance Enhancement'', and ''Intimidation''.¡± The ''Hit Enhancement'' is literally a skill that raises the hit rate of an attack. Urza is equipped with a hammer, which is a weapon with high power but low accuracy. Therefore, the skill to increase the hit rate is indispensable. ''Endurance Enhancement'' is an effective skill for vanguards and tanks. The higher the defense is, the higher the survival rate will be. "What kind of skill is ''Intimidation''?" "It is a skill to intimidate enemies to drive away weak monsters, or to attract hate and draw attention to yourself. It is a skill that is necessary to protect your friends." I explain lightly and look into Urza''s face with a serious expression. "It''s important skill... So, I want you to focus on your ''intimidation'' skill from now on. I''m sure you will need it eventually." "I understand, desu~no! If Goshujin-sama wants it, Urza will be happy to use it, desu~no!" "Yes, I''m counting on you!" I nodded my head in satisfaction at Urza''s reply, and turned to Aeris this time. CH 44 The Forel Forest, located east of the capital, is a forest dungeon inhabited by a large number of plant monsters. Strictly speaking, it is a monster habitat and not a ''dungeon'' like a cave, but it is treated as a dungeon in the game. ¡°Yaaaaaaaa, desu~no!¡± ¡°Kishaaaaaaaaah!¡± Urza slams her kanab¨­ against the tree-shaped monster that is attacking her. The monster, a ''man-eat-tree'', is smashed into two pieces with its trunk broken in half in the middle. ¡°She''s as powerful as ever. I don''t know where such power comes from in that small body.¡± ¡°Kishaaaaaaaaaaah!¡± ¡°Goshujin-sama? It''s headed your way!¡± ¡°I''m on it!¡± I slashes at the man-eat-tree that attacked me from the other side. In the same time, I activate the skill I had learned before -- ''Magic Sword''. ¡°Gaaaaaaaaaahh!?¡± The man-eat-tree immediately enveloped in black flames. This is the effect of the magic ''Hell Flare'' contained in the sword. For the note, ''Magic Sword'' is a skill that could be acquired by raising the proficiency level of both magic sword and swordsmanship to 40 or more. It is a very powerful skill that can inflict both physical and magical damage because it can apply the acquired magic to weapon. ¡°Still, it consumes a lot of magic power, so I can''t use it repeatedly... but it''s more than twice as powerful. This is the realm of the [Rune Knight], isn''t it!¡± ¡°Gui, yiiiiiiiii...¡± Man-eat-tree crumbles helplessly under the damage of the fire and dark dual magic. It vanishes, leaving behind the drop items. However, maybe hearing the screams of this monster, some beetle-shaped monsters more than one meter in height appear from the depths of the forest. And not just one or two of them. There were more than ten of them. ¡°If this is a game, there won''t be so many monsters at once... Aeris!¡± ¡°Yes! Holy field! Aeris activates her special barrier magic. It creates an invisible wall that blocks the path of the swarms of insects crawling toward us. This magic can prevent monsters from approaching for a certain period of time. Although it is only effective against weak monsters, it is perfect for the situation we are in. ¡°The rain of malice from the heavens. Tears of the evil god...¡± After confirming that the enemy is stopped by the barrier, I start chanting magic. In order for powerful magic to work, it takes a long time to chant. During that time, I''m completely defenseless, but it doesn''t matter as long as there''s a barrier. ¡°Urza, get back!¡± ¡°Yes, desu~no!¡± I order immediately as soon as the chanting is over. And Urza, who had been smashing another man-eat-tree, retreats as ordered. ¡°Dark magic - Blood Rain!¡± The effect of the barrier expired, and the swarm of beetles tried to move toward us, but a bright red rain started to fall from above their heads. The blood-colored rain was actually a strong acid. It peels off the hard armor of the beetles, and their exposed bodies burn and sore. The beetles flail about in the rain, scratching furiously, but eventually they all stop moving together. I sigh as the beetles disappear, leaving behind their drop items. ¡°Looks like it''s over. That''s comforting.¡± ¡°Zenon-sama, it''s for you.¡± Aeris offered me the mana potion in her hand. I take it without hesitation and pour it down my throat. It tastes as refreshing as soda and restores my depleted magical power. ¡°They are not strong monsters by any means... but when there are so many of them, it is indeed a bit overwhelming.¡± Since entering the Forel Forest, we had already been in combat more than a dozen times. The monsters that appeared in the forest were not strong enemies by any means, but when huge insects appeared, I felt a shiver down my spine. Moreover, the fatigue caused by walking through unpaved forests was not something to be underestimated. Fortunately, I have plenty of recovery items. If the need arises, we can even rest in the tents while using items to ward off monster, meaning that the situation has not yet reached a serious stage. ¡°That''s about half of the way. There are more enemies than expected and it has taken us longer than expected.¡± ¡°At this pace, we will be back by nightfall.¡± ¡°Yeah... is Urza okay?¡± ¡°No problem, desu~no. I can still kill them, desu~no!¡± Urza replied cheerfully. As expected, a party of three is very efficient. If it had been just me, I wouldn''t have been able to proceed so well. Especially with a healer, I feel much safer. I can fight against enemies without worrying. ¡°...I guess partners are important. I''m sorry to Leon for taking his friends away from him.¡± ¡°Leon...? Is something wrong with Brave-san?¡± ¡°No, nothing. Let''s move on.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± I waved my hand at Aeris, who tilted her head curiously, and stepped deeper into the forest. As I feel the presence of the two people following behind me, I look around carefully before continuing on my way. After a few more battles, we arrived at the deepest part of the forest without suffering any noticeable injuries. ¡°...We''re almost at the boss''s nest. Be on your guard.¡± In order to obtain the quest''s item this time, we have to defeat the boss monster deep in the forest. This is the first time since Gigant Mithril that this group has fought a strong enemy. Although we are getting better at working together, we still have to be on our guard. I stepped into the place with my memory of the game... and stopped when I saw an unexpected sight. ¡°...Huh?¡± At the far end of the forest, I found a huge praying mantis lying on the ground. The black, eerie-colored praying mantis had been mutilated all over its body, and is twitching and convulsing with green body fluid. And beside the boss monster lying helplessly, there is a girl holding a sword in her right hand. ¡°Oh... you guys...?¡± The girl with black ponytail hair notices our presence and turns around. The person who defeated the boss monster by herself is one of the main heroines of [DunBrave] - Nagisa Seikai. CH 45 ¡°This is ridiculous... why are you...¡± Why is Nagisa Seikai here? In confusion, I cover my mouth with my hand. I''ve rescued my classmate from a gargoyle attack, enslaved Urza, a heroine from another game, and so on. And finally, I saved one of the main heroines, Aeris, and made her my friend. I understand that the scenario of [DunBrave] as I know it has already deviated from the one that I know, and that it is impossible to fix. So, I''m not going to dwell on the scenario now. But still... why does Nagisa Seikai appear in front of us? Why is Leon not here beside her, the heroine? What kind of a fate could have brought about such a situation? Unaware of my confusion, Nagisa stabs the fallen giant praying mantis with the sword in her hand. ¡°Kishaa...¡± The mantis lets out a short grunt and vanishes, leaving only its sickle as a drop item. The giant praying mantis, the boss monster of this dungeon, seems to have been defeated by Nagisa before we could fight it. ¡°Baskerville and Centorea...? And that little one over there...¡± ¡°My name is Urza, desu~no! Urza is not small, desu~no!¡± ¡°Oh, right, Urza. I''m sorry if I offended you.¡± Nagisa apologizes with a slight bow of her head. She sheathes her sword and turns to face us. ¡°Are you guys exploring this place too? I heard that Baskerville was suspended from school after a violent incident, was I mistaken?¡± ¡°No, there is no mistake. I am just practicing while suspended. What about you, Seikai? What about your classes at school?¡± Today is a weekday, a normal class day. And it is still early afternoon, before the end of the school day. ¡°I decided to cancel the afternoon classes voluntarily. I''m also here for training.¡± Nagisa readily confessed to skipping class. Her cool good looks showed no sense of guilt, and she did not seem to think anything of missing the class. But Nagisa''s remark caused a sensitive reaction in Aeris, an honor student, who was listening to the conversation behind me. ¡°Seikai-san, you can''t do that!¡± ¡°Aeris?¡± Aeris comes out in front of her, puts her hands on her waist, and raises her eyebrows in reproach. ¡°Your studies are an important opportunity for your personal development. You can''t selfishly take a break from it for personal reasons!¡± ¡°...Centorea, are you saying that? You also absent from school to work with Baskerville...¡± ¡°I''m responsible for causing a ruckus and I''m suspended too! I also have the school''s permission!¡± Aeris said while pushing out her ample breasts. Hmm? Aeris doesn''t have to be suspended as well, since I am the only one who is being punished... but she probably won''t listen to me. Experience has taught me this. ¡°Besides, I''m part of the party, so, it''s a joint responsibility!¡± Being together with Aeris, I have noticed that she is surprisingly stubborn and self-possessed. It might be better than the time when she sacrificed himself for others, but I am a little confused when she shows her straight favor to me. ¡°...I see. Even though I don''t know, I''m glad to hear that you seem to be enjoying yourself more than when you were in the academy. Whatever the reason, it''s good to get some real-world experience.¡± Nagisa murmurs in a flat voice as she collects the items dropped by the praying mantis. There is no one around her who seems to be her friend. Neither Leon nor Ciel nor anyone else is around. It seems that she has come this far solo. Nagisa is wearing a colorful kimono over her school uniform, but her slender body is covered with countless wounds and blood. Aeris also noticed Nagisa''s wounds and looked worried. ¡°Seikai-san, please let me treat your wound...¡± ¡°Hmm? Oh, I''m sorry. Please take care of me.¡± Nagisa accepted the treatment quietly. As Aeris holds out her hand, Nagisa''s body is enveloped in a green effect. ¡°Thank you. Now I can continue my training a little longer.¡± ¡°Seikai-san... it''s too dangerous to come here alone... what if you get hurt?¡± ¡°I know it''s dangerous. I know the risks, but I have to be strong. I will not stop even if the god of death has to stand by my side¡± Nagisa looked with a strong color of determination in her eyes. Hard, sharp, clear and straight eyes. But at the same time, they have the color of fragility and danger, as if they could break at any moment. The way she risked even her life for the sake of self-improvement was similar to Aeris when she used to devote herself to self-sacrifice. ¡°I don''t mind your training, but... why are you alone? I thought you were in a party with Leon and Ciel.¡± I asked what I had to ask. In the original scenario of [DunBrave], Nagisa should have been working with Leon after the fight with the gargoyle at the ''Sage''s Playground''. And yet, here she is, diving in a dungeon solo, and accomplishing the dangerous feat of defeating a boss single-handedly. What in the world could have happened to Nagisa? ¡°You mean Brave? We''ve been a party for a while, but I''m already out. He and I just don''t get along.¡± Nagisa says it matter-of-factly. She is supposed to be the heroine, but her words deny the hero. ¡°Brave was out of school for a few days due to an injury, but he''s already back. And now he''s teaching the underachievers in the class. He train them in combat and dive dungeons with them. Uranus also with him. And sometimes he does the same thing with the other class¡± ¡°Huh? Why would Leon do that?¡± ¡°Well... he said things like, ''It''s the duty of the class president to lead the others!''¡° . He cares more about everyone taking a step forward together rather than about his own personal growth.¡± ¡°......¡± It was a good-natured Leon-esque argument, but it was a development that did not appear in the game. Is it possible that this mysterious scenario was changed due to the ball-kicking incident? ¡°I respect what Brave is doing as a human being. I think it''s a very noble idea. But... the strength I''m looking for won''t come from being with him. I''m not looking for group strength. I''m looking for the strength of a single sword sharpened to its limits. That''s why I''ve trained alone.¡± ¡°That''s...¡± I try to say something, but I fall silent because I don''t know what to say. I wonder how things turned out this way. In the game, I was only allowed to form a party with the three main heroines and other fellow characters, but in this world where the game has become reality, I can form a party with mob characters who have no names. This may be a factor. Or it might be because of the fact that I saved Jean and his friends by defeating the gargoyle in the ¡°Sage''s Playground¡±. Maybe the gargoyle''s killing of his classmates made Leon feel powerless and he began to seek for strength. So, it was also possible that my saving Jean had made Leon not want to be as strong as he needed to be. ¡°This change is troubling... what should I do about this...?¡± This development is not good. The hero and heroine, Aeris and Nagisa, are already gone from Leon''s side. This is a clear reduction in the strength of the team. There are other strong characters besides the main heroines, but from the looks of things, I don''t think he has any contact with them either. At this rate, the future in which Leon is defeated by the Demon King is becoming more and more realistic. He may not be able to acquire enough strength to face the Demon King. For the note, the Demon King will return in April of the second year. Although there is still a grace period of about 10 months, the monsters under the control of the Demon King are already on the move. If Leon continues to smolder, there is a possibility that he will be defeated by the Demon King and the world will be destroyed. ¡°......¡± ¡°Well, I''ll leave for now. I''ll see you at the school.¡± Nagisa bids us goodbye as I have been thinking about it, and then she turns to leave. ¡°Wait, Seikai-san!¡± Aeris calls out to her behind her back. Nagisa turns around with a curious look on her face. Her pony-tailed hair sways softly. ¡°What''s wrong? You still have something to tell me?¡± ¡°Um... Seikai-san, if you don''t mind, would you like to join our party?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Aeris said something that made me roll my eyes. Why in the world would Aeris say something like that? I listened to her words so that I wouldn''t miss anything she said. CH 46 ¡°Hey, Aeris...¡± ¡°It''s fine. Zenon-sama.¡± Aeris said selfishly and it made me wrinkle my brow. I glared at her in protest, but Aeris had a calm and relaxed expression on her face and nodded her head lovingly. ¡°I''m worried about leaving Seikai-san alone like this, and with her ability, I don''t think she''ll be a hindrance, right?¡± ¡°That''s true, but... hmm?¡± I ponder what to do. If I want to increase party''s strength, Nagisa Seikai is a very reliable heroine. The problem is that, once again, I will take away a heroine who was supposed to be a member of Leon''s party. It is inevitable that Leon''s strength will decrease, but it seems that Nagisa has already given up on Leon, so it may not make much difference if I take her. ¡°I am willing to join you. On one condition, though.¡± Nagisa replies before I can even gather my thoughts. She seems to be taking the invitation positively and she then answers with a slight smile on her dignified face. ¡°I have to become strong in your party. But I want to test you to see if you can rise to the heights with me.¡± ¡°......¡± ¡°I mean... let''s duel. Let''s fight.¡± ¡°Hey, hey... Are you serious?¡± ¡°Of course, I''m serious. I''ve always wanted to fight you, Baskerville. If you want me, show me how to defeat my sword.¡± Nagisa draws her sword and points it at me. Her eyes burn belligerently, as if she has already decided to fight me. ¡°Haah... I don''t have a choice. If you insist, then let''s fight.¡± I haven''t decided yet that I''m going to accept Nagisa as one of my partner, but she''s already in a warlike state, and there''s no longer any room to speak out. Still, I am glad that Nagisa is joining me. As for Leon, he''s so stupid that he deserves to be left to his own devices. ¡°Then, I''ll play along. I''m going to chop you, so be prepared.¡± ¡°That''s a lot of confidence. And we had promised to arrange a fight, Baskerville. I''m glad to see it''s come true.¡± ¡°It seems you still remember our meeting at the ''Sage''s Playground''.¡± I remember the day after I killed the gargoyle. I remember that she had asked me to fight her. But it has been more than a month since then. And I thought she had already forgotten about it. ¡°Well, I''ve seen you''ve been very busy. So, I refrained.¡± ¡°That''s very kind of you. I''m moved to tears in a different way.¡± I had been so busy that I didn''t have time for private dueling, as she said. But this samurai girl in front of me is not just a fighting maniac who greedily seeks power, but she is also capable to care for others as much as anyone else. ¡°Baskerville, if you can win, you can do whatever you want with my body. After all, it''s not bad to be held by a strong man.¡± ¡°Hey, hey... don''t joke about that. What if I''m serious about it?¡± ¡°I''m not joking. I like strong men. Isn''t it natural that the winner has the right to like the loser?¡± Nagisa said something outrageous without any shame. Speaking of Nagisa Seikai, the R-18 version of Nagisa Seikai, too, suddenly asks for a duel when her favorability level rises above a certain level. And if player win the duel, the scene goes into an adult scene right then and there. ¡°W-W-W-What!? What are you talking about!? Seikai-san!¡± ¡°That''s right, desu~no. The order is wrong, desu~no!¡± Aeris and Urza, who were watching from the side, also intervened when they heard Nagisa''s bombshell. Aeris''s face turned red and Urza''s eyes were raised in frustration. ¡°I haven''t had him do that to me, you know!? It''s not fair of you to come in after me!¡± ¡°She''s right, desu~no. According to the order, it''s Urza first who''s going to make a baby with Goshujin-sama!¡± ¡°...Guys, what are you talking about!?¡± ¡°Really? Are you two getting close to Baskerville? You have hero-like aura, I like you more and more!¡± ¡°Don''t make your own impression too!? Stop complicating matters!¡± The heroines are too unrestrained. I hold my head down to keep the headache at bay. I feel like a fool for worrying about so many things. I wish I could put myself in their shoes, thinking about defeating the demon king, saving the world, and so on. ¡°We''re going to duel, aren''t we? Let''s get to it!¡± I clap my hands and break off the conversation, trying to get the fight started. ¡°N-No way... Zenon-sama...!¡± Aeris flinched in shock at my answer for some reason. She seemed shocked than anyone else. Even though she was the one who suggested that Nagisa join the party. ¡°Z-Zenon-sama...? Don''t tell me that Seikai-san is more attractive than me...? Do you prefer black hair? Or do you prefer long legs?¡± ¡°Why are you talking like that!? Aren''t you the one that said you just want to increase our strength? I mean, you''re the one who asked her to join us in the first place!¡± ¡°Hmm..? So, should I be more aggressive in seducing you? Okay, it''s time to wear that naughty underwear I bought before...!¡± ¡°....Hey, you are out of character! Was your character really that much?¡± I started to get a serious headache. I hold my head down and try to fight the dizziness. I felt it was no longer a matter of changing the scenario or something like that. Thinking about it, I thought I knew about the heroines Aeris and Nagisa from the game, but it seems that the game is only a small part of their lives. Perhaps... I just didn''t know that Aeris, a graceful young lady, had such a hilarious side to her. ¡°All right... let''s get started!¡± As I stood there, Nagisa cleared away fallen tree branches with her sword to create an open space. Fortunately, there are few trees here because the boss monster has been placed here, and there is a wide open space. In no time at all, a space for a duel is secured. ¡°I am glad that you accept my invitation to duel... let''s start the fight right away! Let''s have a hearty duel!¡± ¡°All right, I''ll fight you...¡± ¡°Wait, desu~no!¡± I put my hand on my sword and try to step forward, but this time Urza stands in my way. This small, white-haired girl with a flat chest then shouts in an imposing voice. ¡°Before you fight Goshujin-sama, fight Urza first! I will prove that Urza is Goshujin-sama''s rightful wife!¡± CH 47 ¡°Hey, hey... what are you doing, too?¡± ¡°Goshujin-sama, do you want me to step back? But I won''t let her take the leader''s head immediately!¡± Urza is adamant and wields her kanab¨­. ¡°I see... it is indeed excessive of me to fight against the leader suddenly. All right, let''s start with this oni girl.¡± It seems that Nagisa is also willing to fight. Her eyes are shining belligerently in the face of this unusual race. ¡°But... I don''t like to slay children. So, I''d appreciate it if you''d give up as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Hmph...! If you think you can get away with it because your chest are big, I''ll smash them and rip them off!¡± Urza and Nagisa. Both of them have a bit of a fighting frenzy in them, so it seems that their hearts are in tune with each other. Anyway, I shrug and sit down on a nearby tree. ¡°...Okay. Suit yourself. If it''s mutually agreed upon, then I have nothing to say.¡± ¡°Umm... Zenon-sama, are you sure you want to do this?¡± Aeris sits down beside me, puts her lips to my ear and whispers. ¡°It''s okay. They won''t listen to me if I tell them. .¡± ¡°That''s... but what if they get hurt?¡± Aeris''s eyes are glazed over with worry. Although they have only been together for a week or so, Aeris seems to think of Urza as her sister. She is probably worried that Urza might get hurt. However, since Urza is a demi-human and grows slowly, she might be the same age as us. ¡°...Okay, you should prepare healing magic. Just in case one of them gets hurt.¡± ¡°Yes. I''ll be ready to use it anytime!¡± Aeris nodded decisively at my words. Soon Urza and Nagisa were facing each other at a distance of about two meters. ¡°Now, let''s do it!¡± ¡°Oh yeah... Baskerville, can you give us a signal?¡± ¡°Okay... just to be clear, no killing each other. The fight ends when one of you is incapacitated. Anyone have a problem with that?¡± In the game, anyone who is mortally wounded in combat is considered to be dying, and thus incapable of fighting. That''s only in the game. But in real life, it is possible to die. ¡°Yes, it''s no problem¡± ¡°Yes, desu~no¡± ¡°All right then, get ready...¡± I raise my hand, and Urza lowers her body and stares at the enemy in front of her. Nagisa, too, smiles, her red lips pursed in a beaming smile, and grips the hilt of the sword she has drawn from its scabbard. ¡°Fight!¡± ¡°Yaa, desu~no!¡± Urza jumped out furiously and swung down her weapon. She is agile. Like a wildcat pouncing on its prey. ¡°Haaa!¡± But Nagisa is nowhere to be seen when she swings her kanabo. Instead, there is a flash of silver, and in an instant, she is behind Urza. ¡°...desu~no!?¡± A little later, red blood spurts out from Urza''s shoulder. Nagisa, who had rushed past her at blinding speed, slashed at her as she passed him. ¡°Urza-san...!¡± ¡°...Well, this is as it should be...¡± Aeris gasps. But I squint at the expected scene. Nagisa Seikai is a warrior who specializes in speed, even surpassing the hero Leon in speed alone. So, Urza, who excels in power rather than speed, would not even be able to survive an attack from her. ¡°If Urza could blow her once, I''m sure she will win. So... what is she going to do?¡± I expected Nagisa to win this match. Urza is indeed strong. She had high potential originally, and she has learned new skills since she started working with me. Her ability is truly prodigious. But Nagisa is also a gifted female swordswoman. She''s a student from another country, and a prodigy at her family''s dojo, Kendo Dojo, and is the strongest in her age group. Power and speed. It is impossible to say which is better, but in a head-to-head battle between the two, Urza''s inability to hit would be her downfall. ¡°Unless, of course, Urza can do more than I expect.¡± ¡°Yaa, yaa, yaa, desu~no!¡± Urza swings her kanabou over and over again. She seemed to be trying to make up for her lack of speed with the number of moves she made, but all of her attacks came up empty. Nagisa, on the other hand, seemed to see through all of Urza''s attacks and danced with light steps as she dodged the blows. ¡°Too slow!¡± ¡°Ugh... desu~no!¡± Nagisa''s white blade dances again, and Urza lets out a groan. This time she cut her abdomen, and bright blood splatters on the ground. CH 48 From there, the battle became one-sided. Urza swung her kanabou and attacked hard, but Nagisa ducked and counterattacked with a slash. Urza''s wounds only increased, and she was unable to land a single blow. Each wound is not deep because she is able to avoid a fatal blow by a hair''s breadth. Even so, the blood loss is quite significant when the number of wounds is multiplied by ten or twenty. Due to the loss of blood, Urza''s movements gradually become slower and slower. ¡°...It''s almost over. Urza has reached her limit.¡± I muttered to myself. It''s as I expected. It''s not a surprise. When a power fighter and a speed fighter fight, the former must land the killing blow within the very first few moves of the fight in order to win. After all, the longer the fight goes on, the less chance the power fighter could detect their opponent''s moves and hit the target. It can be seen from Nagisa''s face that she has already read Urza''s movements perfectly, and her steps to avoid the kanabou are easy and her face shows a relaxed expression. That Urza has not been seriously injured yet may be because Nagisa is taking it easy on her, not because the oni girl is just barely avoiding her. ¡°Urza-san...¡± Aeris, who is beside me, holding her hands tightly while murmuring worriedly. Her ladylike face is pale, but she still keeps her eyes on the battle. Perhaps knowing that in less than a minute Urza would be kneeling on the ground, she watches intently. ¡°Ugh...¡± ¡°Why don''t you give up now? Have you realized by now that you can''t beat me?¡± Nagisa advises Urza, who is gasping and groaning, in a calm voice. Nagisa must also be convinced of her own victory. Her soft face looks more like that of a teacher or a fellow apprentice than that of a warrior who is trying to defeat their opponent. ¡°Urza, you are strong. I have no doubt you will be a first-rate warrior, even a genius.¡± ¡°......¡± ¡°But... you still can''t beat me. You and I carry different weights. I cannot be defeated again. The moment I am defeated, the name of ''Seikai Itto-ryu'' will fall. I cannot allow that, even if it costs me my life. I cannot lose because I must protect the sword school that my late master left behind.¡± ¡°Huff...¡± I narrowed my eyes as I recalled my memories. Nagisa Seikai is the heir to a swords school in the eastern lands. Her family''s dojo, the Seikai Itto-ryu Dojo, had been given the prestigious role of instructor of swordsmanship in that country, and was a family as famous as a marquis''s. But, one day, a dojo-stormer stormed into Nagisa''s birthplace and killed all the swordsmen of the school. Among those killed was Nagisa''s father and Master. Nagisa was also seriously wounded, but luckily... or unluckily... she was overlooked and survived. The only survivor, Nagisa, swore to avenge her father and her school, and came to this country to study, chasing after the dojo-stormer. ¡°It''s heavy... it sure is heavy. What she is carrying on her back.¡± In the game, this would have been a matter of ¡°Oh, I see...¡±, but when hearing this heavy and grim description from her own mouth once again, I began to feel a gloomy feeling. After all, her father, whom she believed to be the strongest, was killed, and her family''s school was destroyed. Left with only herself as a student. On her slender shoulders, she must carry the school of ''Seikai Itto-ryu'' and the regrets of many of her friends in her pursuit of her revenge. I wonder how much it will takes, how much regret it take, to go on without being broken. Her determination must be unimaginable. ¡°...I''m sorry Urza, but maybe it was an unwinnable match from the beginning...¡± I muttered with a somber mood and took a step forward to stop the reckless slave. But then something unexpected happens. ¡°Uggaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Urza, who had been wounded to the bone, suddenly screamed. Her monkey-shriek-like rage is released into the deep green forest, and the trees shook as startled birds flew into the sky. Instantly, an aura-like light effect of bright red gushes out from Urza''s small body. Urza emits a poisonous aura like boiling steam, and Nagisa jumps back in surprise. ¡°Don''t just say whatever you want, desu~no! Do you mock me, desu~no!?¡± ¡°What...!¡± ¡°My reason for fighting is important, desu~no!? What do you know about Urza, desu~no!?¡± Her white hair sways like a creature''s, like Medusa''s. The whites of her eyes are bright red. Then, her pupils shone golden. From my knowledge of my previous life, I remembered that it was called ''Fiery Eyes''. ¡°Urza is fighting to protect Goshujin-sama!? Where is the lightness in that!? That is not a trivial reason, desu~no! Don''t you dare say it''s not a good reason to fight, desu~no!¡± ¡°Wha...!¡± Urza swung her kanabou down again. The ground cracked wide open when she hit her with it, and a big tree behind her split in half and collapsed. Although Urza had always been a strong figter, her physical strength was clearly out of the ordinary. It was as if her limiter had been released, and her strength exploded. ¡°Goshujin-sama is definitely going to do something extraordinary someday, desu~no!? So, Urza is his sword and shield, desu~no. A demon who kills everything that stands in the way of Goshujin-sama! I won''t let you say that Urza''s reason for fighting is light, desu~no!¡± ¡°I see... yes, yes!¡± Nagisa''s lips lift up in a smile as she bares her pointed canine teeth. The smile of the past is gone and replaced by a fierce warrior''s expression. It is the face who enjoys fighting for his life. ¡°I beg your pardon. It seems that I underestimated you and Baskerville. From now on, I will fight you with all Seikai Itto-ryu sword art!¡± Nagisa holds up her sword and shouts loudly. It seemed that she had been slacking off a little earlier, and her white blade was filled with a firm intent to kill. ¡°Nagisa Seikai, the 8th generation master of the Seikai Itto-ryu, now, let''s fight!¡± ¡°Shut up, desu~no! I''ll skin you and eat you!¡± Nagisa kicked the ground and jumped straight toward Urza. Urza raises her kanabou to the top step and tries to slam it down on Nagisa, who is right in front of her. The fight between the two had already gone beyond the realm of training or mock battle. Either Urza or Nagisa. One of them will die. Perhaps they will even go head to head. A fight to the death. A life-destroying struggle. A fight to the death between a demon and a shura. Kill or be killed. That moment was about to arrive. ¡°You fools!¡± The battle was never going to be decided. And I can''t let them settle it. So, between the two people who were about to clash, I jumped into the intersection where the white blade and the kanabou collided without hesitation. CH 49 Bonus chapter... ¡°Huh...!¡± ¡°Eh...?¡± Nagisa widens her eyes in surprise at the sight of me suddenly barging into the scene before her. Urza also loses her demon-like expression as the Lord she is supposed to protect appears in front of her. ¡°Z ...Zenon-sama!?¡± The people outside are surprised too. Aeris put her hands over her mouth and let out a scream at the sight of me jumping to the dead. At their astonished gazes, I tried my best to deal with the two ''deaths'' approaching me from the left and right. ¡°Consumable item - ''Patron Saint''s Talisman''.¡± I aimed my left hand at Urza. In my left hand, I hold a bill-like piece of paper with geometric patterns and letters on it. This item is an item that can be obtained in the middle or later stages of the game, and it can nullify the opponent''s attack only once. From the talisman, a bluish-white light shines and covers my left hand like a shield, repelling the kanabou that Urza swung at me. ¡°Hyah!?¡± I feel Urza being blown away and turn my attention to the right side of my body. There, a sword is coming at me, ready to cut me open. Nagisa, who is holding the sword, has an impatient look on her face and seems to be making an effort to stop the slash somehow. ¡°Fuuh!¡± I slammed my sword into the center of Nagisa''s sword. And immediately, her sword is flicked away with a red effect, and Nagisa''s body rolls on the ground. ¡°What happened...!?¡± Nagisa lets out a shocked voice as her face is distorted by the impact of hitting the ground. What I did was what players call ''Counter Parry'' or something like that. In the game of [DunBrave], this technique allows you to parry an opponent''s attack by countering the attacked part of the body at a certain time, thus taking the enemy down. This is a trick produced not by skill but by the player''s skill. It is quite a tightrope to walk against Nagisa''s speed, but it seemed to work because she tried to stop the attack, slowing down the speed of the sword. ¡°...I feel that time seems to slow down when I am in imminent danger. It''s a familiar thing like that in battle manga, but that''s exactly what it felt like.¡± I muttered to myself. I sheathe my sword and wipe the sweat from my forehead with my arm. To be honest, it was a risky bet to come between the two, but somehow I managed to get through. Anyway, I''m still in a cold sweat thinking about the possibility that I might have been minced and sliced if I had not been able to stop both of them. Although I have an ''insurance policy'' in case of emergency, I never want to do such a heartbreaking thing again. ¡°Zenon-sama, are you all right!?¡± Aeris came running up to me with a pale face. She must have been chilled by my sudden suicidal act. ¡°I''m fine. Instead, heal Urza.¡± I pointed at Urza, who sat stunned on the ground. Urza, who had been trying to kill Nagisa with a furious expression earlier, is now stunned with no expression on her face. Is she shocked that her attack could be easily blocked? Or is she shocked that she attacked me, his owner? Either way, I can''t leave her alone. Urza''s body is covered with countless sword wounds, and the blood that is flowing in drops is making reddish-black stains on the ground of the forest. ¡°Ah... I understand! Urza-chan!¡± Aeris rushes toward Urza. She immediately activates her healing magic, creating a green effect that envelops Urza. ¡°Well then...¡± I guess Aeris can take care of that one. I turn around and face Nagisa who is lying on the ground. Nagisa is still lying on the ground in the same position where she had fallen down after being struck. She should not be injured, but I wonder what happened to her. ¡°Hey, what''s wrong? Did your knee get hurt?¡± ¡°......¡± When I call out to her, Nagisa looks up with a slow movement. Nagisa, who had looked like a belligerent Shura during the battle, now looks as if she is at her wits'' end, as if possessed. She had been a girl with a beautiful and well-groomed face, but now she looked more childish than her age. ¡°Why...?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± I tilted my head at the question that was murmured in her voice. Is she angry at me for interrupting her one-on-one duel, by any chance? ¡°Ah... I''m sorry. I''m sorry for interrupting your one-on-one duel. But Urza is my partner. And even though you''re not my partner, you''re my classmate. So, seeing you die in front of me is not good for my sleep.¡± ¡°No, it''s not that! You know, that part...!¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Nagisa reaches out her hands and grabs my chest. She pulls me to the ground so strongly that I''m in a position to press her down on the ground. Her beautiful face is right in front of me. Our lips almost touch each other. Nagisa''s whole body is wet with blood from the battle, and her red face has red lines on her cheeks as if she were wearing makeup. It was a gruesome sight, but it seemed to enhance Nagisa''s beauty with its mysterious and bewitching charm. ¡°Hey, what the hell are you doing!?¡± ¡°The sword technique you just used. The technique you used to parry my sword... wasn''t that ''Reverse Wave Flow (Ä沨Á÷¤·)'', one of the secrets of the Seikai Itto-Ryu style? How can you use a technique that was lost with the death of my father?¡± ¡°What?¡± An unexpected situation has arisen. I couldn''t help but raise my voice in disbelief. It seems that Nagisa has misunderstood something. I wrinkle my brow and open my mouth to the girl who is questioning me with a desperate look. CH 50 Bonus chapter 2... ¡°I don''t know what you think you''re doing but that is my own style. It has nothing to do with your family''s style.¡± ¡°That''s impossible... because...!¡± ¡°I am from Slayers Kingdom and I have never been to your country nor set foot in your dojo called Seikai Itto-ryu or whatever it is called. Or have you ever seen me in a dojo?¡± ¡°......¡± Nagisa is silent for a moment, but then she releases her hand holding my chest. ¡°I''m sorry. Please forgive my sudden rudeness.¡± ¡°...yeah, that''s fine.¡± I move over Nagisa''s body, feeling a little disappointed. Despite her overwhelming strength, she is surprisingly soft and feminine. I regretted that I should have enjoyed it more, but I extended my hand to her, and she grabbed it hesitantly. Then, I pulled her up from the ground. ¡°Do you mind if I ask you what happened? If you don''t want to talk about it, I won''t force you...¡± ¡°No, I''d like you to hear what''s happened.¡± Nagisa held her sword, her weapon, close to her chest and began to talk about how she came to Slayers Kingdom. Most of the story was the same as the one told in the game, but there were some parts of it that I did not know. Nagisa Seikai is a female swordsman who belongs to Seikai Itto-ryu dojo, but one day, most of the students, including her father, who was her master, were murdered. In pursuit of revenge, Nagisa came to Slayers Kingdom to study, but she has another goal in mind besides avenging her father''s death. It is the revival of the Seikai Itto-ryu style. Her goal is to restore the lost style. For Nagisa, the Seikai Itto-ryu is the sword that her father had mastered, and it is no exaggeration to say that it is a family bond. So, restoring it is an important part of Nagisa''s life as well as avenging her father''s death. However, it is not an easy task. Although Nagisa is a gifted swordsman, she is still a young teenager. Besides, she did not inherit all of her father''s swordsmanship. Especially, she was never given the secrets of some of the techniques that were considered to be the secrets of the school, but was kept in reserve. ¡°My father said that if I gained too much strength while I was still young and undeveloped, I would go astray... so he said he would teach me after I had enough life experience...¡± ¡°But he died before he could teach you... I see.¡± After listening to Nagisa''s story, I sigh deeply. I finally understood why this calm female swordsman had lost her mind. It seems that my ''counter parry'' I had just shown her is very similar to one of the secrets of the Seikai Itto-ryu style. The technique which should have been lost with the death of his father was being used by another swordsman in a foreign country. She must have lost her composure at such an impossible scene. It was mentioned in the game that Nagisa came to this country to avenge her family''s death. However, I had never heard about the restoration of the school or the loss of the secrets of the school, as if it was a backstory. After hearing this story, it would be pathetic to say +Yes, bye-bye+ after the duel. So-- ¡°I don''t know about the Seikai Itto-ryu style, but I can at least teach you some tricks if that''s what you want to do. Of course, if you''re willing.¡± ¡°Really!?¡± ¡°Whoa!¡± Nagisa has closed the distance between us again. Her two dark eyes are shining brightly as she looks into my face. ¡°Are you really going to teach me!? Do you really want to teach me that technique...!?¡± ¡°O-Of course I can teach you. It''s no harm to me...¡± ¡°What a miracle... ahh, to meet my father''s sword again in a foreign land...!¡± Nagisa shook my hand as if she was moved to tears. Her hands are calloused from gripping the sword so tightly, but her fingertips are thin and feminine. ¡°Please teach me! My new master!¡± ¡°Master...? Why?¡± ¡°Yes, since I''m asking you to teach me, you''re my teacher from now on! I will serve you as your apprentice at the risk of my life!¡± Nagisa''s eyes sparkle, and I stand there, not knowing how to react. From a little distance, Urza and Aeris came walking side by side after the treatment seemed to be finished. This concludes our search in the Forel Forest. The results are the desired red dragon flower and a beautiful and elegant apprentice. CH 51 Thanks KrazeyK for the support... And so, after some twists and turns, Nagisa Seikai has joined the party. This means that two of the three heroines of [DunBrave] have joined my party. At the beginning, I had policy, ¡°No involvement in the scenario of the game. No cuckolding of heroines.¡± But before I knew it, I went along with the flow and I surrounded by beautiful girls. No doubt because of this, the scenario of the game has already collapsed and I can''t predict what will happen in the future. It is possible that Leon will defeat the Demon King and save the world as in the game, or it is possible that the world will be destroyed due to the altered scenario. The future is in the dark. Things are now uncertain. However, thanks to all that has happened, I am prepared to break away from the game scenario and face the world crisis in my own way. I am now going to start my life in the true sense of the word. I will create my own story. Not as the hero or the villain of [DunBrave]. But I will create the story of Zenon Baskerville, as a new human being! "I wish I could say that, but..." What''s going on here? What is happening? I mumbled, at a loss. The situation is unfolding like a storm, and I can''t understand what''s going on. "Master, does it hurt? Should I rub harder?" "Au~, some foam got in my eye!" "Urza-chan, don''t do that. Don''t open your eyes when I''m washing your hair!" "Mmm... Gh..." I groaned, my voice sounding like something pushed in. That''s all I could do. We are now in the Baskerville family mansion. Inside the bathroom. I am sitting on a bath chair, naked for the bath, and my back is being washed. The person who is scrubbing my back with a towel is a person I never expected to think. It is Nagisa Seikai, one of the three great heroines. And Urza is sitting on the bath chair next to me, and Aeris Centorea is washing her white hair. Urza is completely naked, and Aeris and Nagisa are dressed only with towels wrapped around their naked bodies. Although the towel itself is of a larger size, Aeris had big melon-sized breasts, and Nagisa had big breasts that are bigger than an orange, though not as big as Aeris''s. So, the size of the towels was not enough to cover their ample breasts. Furthermore, Aeris and Nagisa''s bodies are wet from the hot water, and the towels are sticking to their bodies, making them look quite revealing. "...Why...? How did this happen?" "What''s wrong, Master?" "Whoa...!?" Nagisa asked me from behind, responding to my soliloquy. I do not have to worry about being able to see Nagisa''s body now that she is behind me, but as she leans her body forward, her two oranges are pressed against my back. My shoulders jumped at the sudden stimulation, and I barely managed to squeeze out a few words. "N-Nothing... Just rub me a little harder" "Understood! Is this better?" "...Yes, that feels good" For some reason, she replies in an honorific tone, and I think back to the events that led up to this point. * * * After adding Nagisa to our party and healing Urza''s injuries, we decided to leave Forel Forest. Of course, we don''t forget to collect the red dragon flower, which is the objective of the quest. We were able to collect it without much trouble, thanks to Nagisa''s help in defeating the boss monster. Then, by the time we returned to the capital, it was already evening and we decided to leave for the day and deliver the flowers to the client girl tomorrow. And as I was going home... for some reason, not only Urza but also Nagisa followed behind me. "...What''s the matter, aren''t you going back?" "Go back...? Where am I going back to?" Nagisa asked me curiously. In the game, Nagisa lived in a rented room and went to the school from there. I thought she would return there... "I am your disciple now, aren''t I? Then, as a student, I will assist Master from now on!" "What!?" Nagisa said this line, and I was taken aback by it. Does she mean that she will come and stay at my place? I agreed to take her as my apprentice, but I never allowed her to live with me. "Wait a minute! That''s out!" Not only I reacted to Nagisa''s words. Even Aeris, who was already on her way home, interrupted at high speed. "Staying at Zenon-sama''s house is such an enviable thing... I mean, it''s out of bounds! Out in the name of God!" Aeris is shaking her head and shaking her golden hair, showing a very entertaining temper tantrum. "Hmm? But Urza lives with Master, too, doesn''t she? Then, why can''t I accompany Master?" "It''s okay because Urza-chan is still a child! But Seikai-san, you are a girl in your prime!? I won''t tolerate such behavior!" "Well, it''s a problem... but my father taught me to show respect to those who are my teachers. So, as a disciple I''ll take care of Master." "W-What do you mean by taking care of him? You don''t mean to be obscene, do you...?" "Well, cooking, laundry, room cleaning..." "Umm... T-That''s okay, you can do that..." "I''ll also wash his back in the bathtub and if he wants, I''ll even ''entertain'' him." "Outtttttttttttttttttt!" Aeris shouts. It is evening, but we are in the middle of the royal city. Furthermore, there is plenty of traffic in the city. Of course, passers-by on the street look at her to see what''s going on. "I won''t tolerate such an indecent thing! I''m the first one to join the party, so please keep the order! I''m the one who will create Zenon-sama''s successor first!" "...What are you talking about too!?" I replied to Aeris, who unintentionally revealed her own desire, in a stifled voice. Although I had given up my thought because of Nagisa''s bombastic statement, it is not so strange if I think about it calmly. I almost forgot that both Nagisa and Aeris are heroines of 18-rated games. It is natural that they have their own sense of chastity. Maybe it is an instinctive behavior of heroines of erotic games that they try to make the story more erotic whenever they have a chance. At this point, I must exercise self-control and not be carried away by my desires. "I appreciate your feelings, but the maids and butlers will take care of me. There''s no work for you to do if you stay at my place... right? "Well... how about personal protection? I''d be happy to escort you." "That''s already taken care of too. Because I''ve got Urza" "Yes, desu~no! As long as Urza is around, there''s no problem, desu~no!" I patted her white head, and Urza responded proudly with her chest puffed out. "As long as this Urza White Ogre''s eyes are yellow, I will kill every crook that comes near Goshujin-sama! There is no need for Nagisa, desu~no!" "Hmm... then what can I do...?" "Urza-chan is safe. Because she''s a child." Nagisa reluctantly withdraws, and Aeris is relieved. This was the end of the story and I breathed a sigh of relief, but my face turned grim when I heard Urza''s next words. "By the way, Urza is not a child. Urza is 18 this year, so I''m older than both of you, desu~no" "What the......?" We all froze at that statement. For a moment we stood still as if time had stopped, but then Aeris let out a yell, twitching and convulsing, and time began to move again. "O, Oooutttttttttttttttttttt" * * * After all that had happened, Aeris and Nagisa ended up coming to the Baskerville family''s mansion. Nagisa says, "If Urza is good, there is no reason why I can''t be good!" . Then, Aeris says, "I''ll keep an eye on you two to make sure that nothing indecent will happen!" and so on. As a result, the three-party members gathered at my place and we ended up taking a bath together for some reason. CH 52 "...N-Nagisa, why are we taking a bath together?" "Hmm? Well, when Centorea heard that Master always bathes with Urza, she got competitive, and I joined her to wash her back...? "...I see. Yes, that''s right." The impact of the melon and the orange had caused my memory to wander a bit. However, I finally finished sorting things out in my head and let out a long "Huff" breath. Come to think of it, the situation is not that confusing. Although I am now possessed and reborn in the body of Zenon Baskerville, in my previous life I was a working man and had experience with women. Besides, there were more extreme scenes in the event of [DunBrave]. There was even a foursome event with Ciel Uranus, another main heroine, in addition to Aeris and Nagisa. I mean, it''s not like they are little kids who get upset just because they take a bath together... "Okay~, I''ve finished washing your hair... Hyaa!" After Aeris finished washing Urza''s hair, I don''t know why but the towel covering her body suddenly fell off. Immediately, the two melon fruits are exposed. "Bwah!?" With towel on, it looked like a melon, but it turned out to be a watermelon. The sight of the flabby fruits released from the tightness of the towel hit my head as if I had been hit by a blow. "All right, the back is done! Now, Master, let me wash your front..." "Whoa!?" This time I was attacked from the back. Nagisa reached for my chest with her hand holding a sponge, and as a result, a soft object is pressed against my back. I couldn''t see her fruit because she is behind me, but the feeling of her nice weight and her fine and smooth skin is so...... unbelievable. "N-Nagisa... Wait, where''s your towel!?" "Hmm? I took it off because it was too tight. Also, it''s not good manners to wear a towel in the bathroom, isn''t it?" "What...!?" Nagisa hugged me from behind and washed my chest and waist. As she moves, the soft texture on my back changes its shape. What kind of a test is this? Is it a reward for my hard work? Or is it a punishment for changing the scenario? "This kind of thing, it is impossible. How am I supposed to endure it?" Will there more extreme scenes like in the game? No, no, no, but the reality is more stimulating than the game! However, have I had experience with women in my previous life? Yes, but I''ve never been surrounded by such beautiful girls! Just like a volcano about to erupt, my face is getting hot and my head is about to explode. Maybe the explosion will be somewhere else... No, this is no joke! Just when I feel that my brain is about to boil over with unprecedented excitement, or that my desire is about to explode into a savage act... Urza jumps into my sight. "Goshujin-sama, Urza will wash you, too, desu~no" "......" A beautiful white-haired girl with her body covered in foam appeared in front of me. Although Urza turned out to be older than me, her body is so immature that her breasts and other parts looked like two small cherries on a cutting board. Looking at her underdeveloped body, a sense of emptiness filled my heart, as if I was lamenting the cruelty of the world. But thanks to her, I dropped my shoulders and murmured like an enlightened monk. "...I feel so relieved when I look at you. Many things have cooled off." "...Goshujin-sama, I don''t know what you are talking about, but it makes me very angry, desu~no" Thus, with Urza''s assistance, I survived the bathing event and successfully escaped from the bathroom. "Ah! Have you already left, Bocchama!?" Incidentally, Levienna, my personal maid, was in the middle of taking her clothes off to jump into the bathroom. If I had come out of the bathroom a little later, I would have received a crushing blow. I would have had a fatal blow if Levienna had joined the bathing event, and I would have been unable to suppress my desire even with the power of Urza''s chopping board. "That was close... that was really close...!" I was horrified by the appearance of the last assassin, but I was relieved to have averted a crisis, got dressed, and went back to my room without incident. However, I didn''t realize that the night was not over yet. Because the ''Bed fighting, cuddling event'' is waiting for me...! CH 53 I can say for sure that I will never forget that night for the rest of my life. Because, at that time, Aeris and Nagisa slept at the house of the Baskervilles, and there was a commotion over the room in which they slept. This was because I was sleeping in the same bed with my slave Urza and my maid Levienna. I forgot that it looks immoral to others because I was so used to sleeping in the same bed with them. "A young man and a young woman in the same bed... it''s immoral. It''s out. It''s unacceptable!" "But, I, as Master''s disciple, have no problem sharing the bed with him, right? There''s no problem to have many guards, after all" "I''ll sleep with him too! I won''t tolerate any sins in the name of God!" They both insisted on sleeping together with me. At first, I refused, but I have learned in the short time I have known them that they are terribly stubborn. In the end, just like in the bath, I gave in and the five of us slept together. My bed is quite large, but as expected, there is not enough space for five people. So, I decided to bring in an extra bed from the guest room and join two beds together. The king-size bed occupied most of my room, and a large-scale redecoration took place during the night, including moving some of the furniture such as the table to another room. After a long night, the morning came. I open my eyelids and speak frankly as soon as I open my mouth. "...I can''t sleep." I was sleeping in the middle of a huge bed, sandwiched between beautiful girls from both sides. The four women had decided by rock-paper-scissors where each of them would sleep, and I was naturally placed in the middle, which meant that I was not allowed to participate. To my right is a small beautiful girl. Urza is sleeping comfortably in my arms. To my left is a big beautiful girl. Aeris is also holding my arm and pushing it into her too-big cleavage. Despite her last night''s comments about my being "pervert" and "indecent," her thin negligee was unbuttoned two buttons at the top, and her bosom was exposed quite boldly. If I change the angle a little, I can see the tip of the mountain. I felt like telling her which one of us is the more indecent. "Mmm... haaaan..." "Uuu..." Aeris let out a troubled sleep in my arms and I wonder what she''s dreaming about, as she presses her face against my shoulder and rubs her cheek lovingly. Whatever the case may be, it''s very erotic. It''s really a very slippery situation. "......" Still, with a strong will of steel, I shook off my desire and slowly pulled my arms out of the beautiful girl''s chest. I then sit up so that I can see the whole bed. Behind Urza''s back, Levienna in her nightgown is sleeping elegantly, and on Aeris''s side, Nagisa is sleeping with her hair undone. Nagisa is dressed in white like in a historical drama, and she is carrying a sword on her chest. It seems that she is ready to fight at any time, and that her purpose is more than just a pretext for being an escort. "...This isn''t going to go on every night, right?" "Yawn... Good morning, Goshujin-sama." Perhaps woken up by the soliloquy I mumbled unintentionally, Urza woke up rubbing her eyes. Levienna and Nagisa also woke up in turn. "Mmm... Zenon-sama..." Unexpectedly, it was Aeris who slept until the end. Aeris, who turned over wriggling in her sleep, rested her head on my thigh as I sat up on the bed, and looked happy and relaxed. "...this girl." I finally understood. Among the members of this group, Aeris Centorea must be the one I have to watch out for the most. She talks about morals and common sense, but her body and her behavior are more erotic than anyone else''s. Even now, her head is on my thigh and her face is between my legs. If she moves her head a little more, her nose and lips will be touching the dangerous parts of my body. The three girls, who were already awake, had white eyes at the sight, which was like a morning service. "...Zenon-bocchama." "Levienna, do it." "Understood." Levienna nodded, grabbed Aeris''s collar and dragged her off the bed. "Mugyu... W-What is happening!?" "Good morning, Centorea-sama. It''s already morning." "You''re... uh, is it Levienna? You could have woken me up more gently." "I''m sorry. I mistook you for a b*tch in heat." "A-A b*tch? Heh...?" Aeris looked at each of our faces in turn curiously and tilted her head. "Everyone, what''s wrong?" "...Aeris-san, you''re too vulgar..." "...Centorea, I don''t think you''re right..." "Heh...?" At Urza''s and Nagisa''s repeated comments, Aeris''s expression became more and more puzzled. "The Cardinal will cry. Really..." I muttered in dismay, too, and looked up at the ceiling as if at a loss. And so, the first dawn arrives with my personal maid, my party mates, and my instant harem. It seems that life surrounded by multiple women is different from manga and video games, and is more difficult than I had imagined. CH 54 After understanding the hardships of a harem protagonist, I changed out of my sleepwear and left my room. I got dressed and went out of my room to do my morning training, which I have not been doing for a long time now. The purpose of this resumption of training is to teach my unintentionally created disciple. "Master, you are finally going to train me!" Nagisa shouts in a cheerful voice as she is walking down the corridor toward the training ground. She has changed into a Japanese-style kendo outfit with her hair tied back behind her head and her favorite sword at her waist. She follows behind me with a light, skipping step. By the way, the other girls are preparing breakfast for us. So, it''s just me and Nagisa who head to the training ground. "Well... I promised you. I''ll teach you what I can." "Umumu! Now I can move forward on the path of the sword again...! Heeheeh, heeheeheeheeh... my blood is boiling!" "......" I sigh softly to Nagisa who seems to be in a good mood. Urza, a warrior of the oni-jin tribe, Aeris, a priest, and even Nagisa, a samurai, have joined my party, and as a result, we end up living together. Although it is a good thing to have more strong companions, living surrounded by women is surprisingly tiring. I wonder how the harem protagonists in the world can endure such a life. "Good morning, Zenon-sama." "Hmm..." As I walk along, a man appears in front of me. He is an elderly man with romance gray hair, a beard, and a monocle on his left eye. He has a sturdy body despite his age and wears a butler''s uniform. His name is Zaius Ooren, my father''s close aide and the head servant in charge of the household under the family order. "You seemed to have a lot of fun last night." "...If you see it that way, your eyes are blind. You''d better buy a new glasses." "What do you want with my Master? Old man?" Nagisa stepped forward protecting me, perhaps sensing the tense atmosphere between Zaius and me. Her right hand is touching the hilt of her sword, ready to fire a killing blow. "Hmm...? Well, well, well...!" Zaius gazes at the female swordsman who has appeared before him, and breathes in admiration. "Rough but alert atmosphere, deadly spirit sharpened like a sword... Zenon-sama, you have found a good ally. I''m relieved to hear that you seem to be enjoying your school life to the fullest." "...Yeah, pretty much." "I was worried that you might have indulged your sexual desires when you brought two women into the house at the same time... but they are both rare talents, the daughter of the Centorea family and this woman here. I''m sure the Lord will be pleased with Zenon-sama''s growth." "That man? Don''t joke about it. How can he be so interested in me?" I had not seen my father, Garondolf Baskerville, the head of the Baskerville family, since I was punished right after the entrance ceremony. He had not been seen for several months, but it seemed that he is going back and forth between his job and his mistress. Although he comes back to the mansion from time to time, it seems that most of the time he is away from the mansion when I am away from home for school or on a quest. However, I am glad that I don''t have to face my father, whom I consider to be my enemy, but I still don''t think that Garondolf will ever feel anything like a normal father toward me. "If that man has even a shred of love for his son, he would at least come to see me once a week or once a month." "That''s..." Zaius opens his mouth to argue. But when I give him a glare, he shuts up. I don''t know how powerful this Garondolf guy is in the underworld. But I know better than anyone, having been tortured and punished by him, that he is an unfit father. I will not allow any rebuttal. "...Zenon-sama, the Lord will return to the villa next month to meet with Zenon-sama." "Oh?" "You''ll soon have a final exam at the school. Depending on the result, he will lecture Zenon-sama again." "......" I am speechless, and my shoulders shake slightly. No matter how hard I try, my body remembers the torture. If I don''t get ''first rank'' in next month''s exam, my father will come back and torture me again. "...I won''t let him do that. I will never surrender to him again." "Zenon-sama?" "I don''t want to become a father like that. The thought of that man''s blood running through my body makes me want to gouge out my heart." When I say this to him, Zaius smiles, his wrinkles deepening due to his aging. "You say so, but... Zenon-sama looks very much like the Lord when he was young." "...Don''t you say such a horrifying thing. Are you trying to pick a fight with me?" "It''s true. When he was young, he used to bring women into the house with him every night... no, this has nothing to do with it." Zaius cut off his speech and coughed repeatedly. "Anyway, there is a saying that ''a parent''s heart is a child''s heart, and a child does not know. I''m sure that Zenon-sama will come to know that feelings sooner or later." "No way! I hope such a day will never come. I don''t want to go crazy!" With these sarcastic words, I slip past Zaius and continue walking. I have nothing more to say. After all, any more talk will only make me feel uncomfortable. As I quickly walk away, Nagisa follows me, casting a wary glance at the hulking old butler. "Zenon-sama" "......" Zaius'' calm voice follows my back as I ignore him and walk away. "The time will surely come. You are the heir to the ''Demon Dog of Baskerville''. You are the one who will rule the nights of the Slayers Kingdom." CH 55 "Haa!" "Hmph!" I catch Nagisa''s slash with my sword held above my head. I strike back, but Nagisa''s body is already gone. Intuitively, I turned my sword to my left, and there I saw Nagisa swinging her sword. "Seikai Itto-ryu, Freeze Wave (ƒö²¨)!" A slash is shot out from the sword, emitting a blue effect. I dodge the slash of magic power that comes flying at my neck, keeping my posture low. "Hey... It''s dangerous!" I evade and run forward at once. This technique is also a player skill in [DunBrave], and is called ''Tobinori''. By avoiding an enemy''s attack and pressing the move button at the same time, the player can get to the top speed at once. This technique is often used by players as a counter technique to turn an evasion into an attack. "Kuh...!" Nagisa rushes to intercept me as I close the distance instantly, but I activate my magic before her. "Illusion Ghost!" "What...!?" My image splits into multiple people. This dark magic creates shadowy alter egos and increases my evasion rate. Nagisa tries to cut me open with her sword, but it''s just an illusion. The next moment, I hit Nagisa''s abdomen with the back of my sword. "Kuh... I gave up!" Nagisa falls to the ground, groaning in frustration as she admits her surrender. I sheathe my sword and sigh lightly. "Don''t tell me magic is against the rule. You were using your skills too, weren''t you?" Nagisa''s flying slash - that''s a technique from her swordsmanship skill. It is not magic. It is a shockwave created by the sword, as seen in manga and video games. By the way... Nagisa''s current status is as follows. -------------------- Nagisa Seikai Job: Swordsman Skills: Swordsmanship 45 Body Enhancement 40 Speed Enhancement 42 Magic Resistance 1 NEW! Abnormal Resistance 1 NEW! Deadly Attack 1 NEW! -------------------- Since she has been alone in the dungeon, her three initial skills have already grown to more than 40. But the following three skills are learned by giving her orbs. First, I gave her skills to improve her resistance to magic and abnormalities, which are Nagisa''s weak points. In addition, to compensate for the lack of offensive power of a speed fighter, she has learned the [Deadly Attack] skill, which increases her critical attack rate. These skills are designed to compensate for her shortcomings and to enhance her strengths. This is probably the best skill structure among the skill orbs that I have now. "Of course. I will not argue about the match. But I never thought that the man whom I have acknowledged as my teacher would be able to use even ''Jiryu-hashiri (Dragon Running on Earth)''." Nagisa got up from the ground and said that she was impressed. "Jiryu-hashiri (Dragon Running on Earth)... what is that?" I asked suspiciously at the unfamiliar word. It was a word that did not appear in the game. "''Jiryu-hashiri (Dragon Running on Earth)'' is also a technique considered to be one of the secrets of Seikai Itto-ryu. In this technique, the fighter avoids the opponent''s attack and then turns to counterattack as if a dragon were running on the ground. This technique was not taught to me by my father..." "Hmm... Are there other techniques? I''d like to know as much as you know." "Of course. First of all..." Nagisa tells me about some of the techniques that are considered to be the secrets or secret arts of the Seikai Itto-ryu. And all of the techniques Nagisa mentioned were those used by [DunBrave] players. It seems that the techniques that are considered to be the secrets of Seikai Itto-ryu are player skills. This is also a setting that did not appear in the game. "...I could teach you all those techniques..." "What...! I''d love to learn them!" Nagisa comes up to me with a fierce look on her face and clasps my hand. The hands of a girl who has devoted most of her life to swordsmanship are firm and muscular, but they are still the hands of a woman. They are much smaller than mine. With such small hands, Nagisa must have been carrying her own weight. The murder of her father, her sword master. Also, the crushing of her school. She carried her anger and grief all by herself. "...You''re my comrades who will fight with me from now on. So, I''ll teach you everything I can." "Thank you very much! Please take care of me!" Nagisa smiles with a big smile on her face and moves her clasped hands up and down. Nagisa usually acts cool, but her face is that of a girl of her age as she smiles like this. If I could see her face like this, it might not be a bad idea to serve as a teacher, a role I am not accustomed to. With this thought, I try to keep Nagisa''s smile in my mind''s eye. * * * After finishing the training, Nagisa and I rinse ourselves off lightly with water and go to the dining room. Apparently, breakfast is being prepared in the dining room, and Levienna and Aeris are setting out plates of food. I could smell the appetizing aroma of the soup on the plate, which made my stomach rumble. "It smells delicious, Levienna." "Oh, Zenon-bocchama, I was just about to call for you. Today''s soup is prepared by Centorea-sama." "Zenon-sama, I borrowed your kitchen." Aeris, wearing an apron, smiles at me and then offers me a chair, saying, "Come on, enjoy it." Urza, on the other hand, is already sitting at the table, staring at the sausage on her plate with wide-open eyes. She had a fork in each hand, and drool is dripping lazily from the corner of her mouth. "...If you are hungry, you could have eaten first, right" "No, Urza is Goshujin-sama''s slave! I can''t eat before Goshujin-sama!" "You''re a very disciplined... well, it doesn''t matter..." "I''m hungry too because I''ve exercised all morning. May I join you?" After me, Nagisa takes her place at the table, followed by Aeris, who has finished arranging the food. I sit at the host of the long table, with Urza and Aeris on my left and right. Nagisa sits beside Aeris. Levienna, the maid, does not sit on a chair but stands behind me with her back straight. As we sit down at the table, we begin to eat breakfast. "By the way, Master. What are your plans for the next few days?" Nagisa asked me, scooping up scrambled eggs with a spoon. "I think this party is taking a quest from the guild, isn''t it? I''m new here, so I''ll try to follow the schedule as much as possible..." "Uh... yes" I sip my drink from my cup, thinking about it. The first thing that comes to my mind is to deliver the red dragon flower that I got from yesterday''s search to the client. By giving this item to the client, I get a small amount of money and a small jewel as a reward. This small gem is the start of the "Straw Millionaire Rally event". Then, starting from there, I would go around the city to exchange the items. "Well... let''s take a break today..." "Hmm? Does that mean we won''t go to the dungeon?" "We just went away yesterday. Besides, I thought I''d just go to the market to restock." "That''s true. It''s important to be prepared before going to dungeon. Then I''ll go with you. I''ll at least help with the luggage." "Well... okay." I think for a moment and nod. I had been thinking of doing the "Straw Millionaire Rally" by myself, but it would not be a problem if I had someone with me. Anyway, it''ll be a casual way to do some shopping and get around the capital. "W-Wait a minute! A date on a rest day is indecent!" Aeris, who had been listening to our conversation, opens her eyes and raises her voice. "We bathed together and shared a bed together, what''s the point now? You''ve been doing more naughty things with us!" "That''s not the same thing! Seikai-san is the one who''s being unfair! I want a holiday date with Zenon-sama too!" It seemed that she was simply envious of her. What makes this woman a saint? She is too greedy when it comes to love. "I don''t mind if Aeris comes over... but is everything alright at your home now that you''re staying over at my place without permission?" "Uh..." Aeris''s face paled at my words. I don''t know what kind of a person Viscount Centorea, Aeris'' father, is, but I''m sure he would be very worried if his daughter stayed overnight without permission. Perhaps he might think she was involved in some kind of trouble. "W-What should I do...! My father (Otou-sama) must be worried about me...!?" "...You should have noticed it last night. Well, I forgot too." Anyway, it would be better to have Aeris go back home as soon as she finishes her breakfast. So, I can''t take her shopping today. Aeris'' shoulders droop with disappointment, while Urza''s voice is cheerful. "Urza wants to go shopping too, desu~no. I want to go on a date with Goshujin-sama..." "Ugh... Why am I the only one left out? My date with Zenon-sama..." "...Don''t cry about it. That''s too much." I shrug my shoulders and take a spoonful of the consomm¨¦ soup Aeris has made for me. The taste is rich. Still, I wonder why consomm¨¦ soup is served in a game world, but it tastes good, so I won''t complain about it. At any rate, I should make it up to Aeris somewhere. Maybe I should send her a gift in return for the delicious soup. With such thoughts in my mind, I enjoy the beautiful girl''s home-cooked food. CH 56 And so, after an intense morning, we decide to go out on a holiday date. There, at the gate of the mansion, I see Aeris off with her shoulders slumped in dejection. Since I feel sorry for her if I send her back on foot, I decide to send her back with the Baskerville family''s carriage. "Zenon-sama... Please remember. I will never forget today''s humiliation." "...Don''t scare me. What are you going to do if you won''t forget?" Just before getting into the carriage, Aeris had a very creepy grin on her face. A strand of her hair hung over her mouth, and her eyes seemed to be glazed over as she smiled like a yandere. She looks as if she might take out a knife and stab me at any moment. With a chill running down my spine, I watched the carriage leave. "Well then... Hmm?" As I am about to return to the mansion after sending Aeris off, the door is opened and Urza and Nagisa came out. My eyes widen involuntarily when I see what they are wearing. Because, in front of my eyes, a small white-haired girl and a tall black-haired girl, who look totally opposite from each other, are wearing their casual wear today, instead of the equipment they wear when they work as adventurers. "Ehehe, how is it? Goshujin-sama-" Urza wears a gothic lolita outfit, which I had not expected. The fluffy black dress that covered her ankles is adorned with white ribbons here and there, giving her a fantastic appearance, as if she is an exquisite bisque doll that has come to life. She even put makeup on her face, which is unusual for her, and the red rouge on her lips is very different from her white skin, making her appear very self-assertive. "I don''t think this kind of clothes suit me... it''s a little embarrassing." Nagisa wears a white blouse, a ribbon at the chest, and a black skirt, neat clothes... In other words, a ''virgin-killer outfit''. In the game, Nagisa had never worn anything but school uniforms and kimonos, but now she wears western clothes... especially a virgin-killer outfit. In addition, her black hair, which she usually tied in a ponytail, is hung down, which makes her look like a shy young lady. It is not an unusual attire and it''s not revealing. However, her clothes are so impactful that I wanted to clench her heart with my bare hands. So much so that I didn''t even notice the sword at her waist belt. "......" "Goshujin-sama?" "What''s wrong, Master?" "...What!?" I was admiring their outfits for a while, but I came back to reality when I heard Urza''s voice peering into my face. After all, they are wearing completely different types of clothes, but both of them look incredibly good on each other. The shock of the scene made me stop thinking completely. Since it would be churlish of me not to express even a single comment on the girls'' glamorous figures, I coughed lightly and opened my mouth. "Ah...you two look good together. What''s the matter with your clothes?" "Ehehe, Levienna made me wear it, desu~no" "Levienna?" "She said we have to dress up if we''re going on a date. She brought it from the wardrobe in the mansion." "The wardrobe...?" The clothes in the wardrobe of the mansion must be the personal belongings of the family members living in the mansion. However, Zenon has no mother and no sisters or brothers. This means that the clothes belong to Zenon or his father. As a scumbag and a womanizer, it would not be unnatural for Zenon to have a stock of women''s clothes... but if these clothes are his father''s personal belongings, it would be quite disgusting. Who would think that a gangster boss bought gothic-loli and virgin-killer clothes for? The more I imagine it, the deeper I sink into the quagmire of this question. "...Let''s not think too much about it. It''s too scary." "Goshujin-sama?" "It''s nothing... let''s leave quickly. You two have dressed up for me. Let''s enjoy our holiday date." "Yes, desu~no!" Urza answered cheerfully and hugged my right hand. She hugs it tightly and leans on my arm with a happy smile on her face. "Hey, hey, you''re doing that again..." "Don''t worry about it, desu~no. It''s a date, desu~no!" "...Well, I suppose it''s okay..." I had a plan not to walk arm in arm with a woman, but there was no way I could shake her off when I saw her full of smiles. So, I had no choice but to walk out of the mansion closely with Urza, but before I could do so, someone grabbed my left arm. "Whoa!?" "If that''s the case, I cannot lose either. I''ll take your hand too." "Nagisa, you too...Gnh!?" Of course, it is Nagisa who took my left hand and intertwined her arms with mine. She hugged my arm and squeezed it against her bulging chest with a mischievous smile. The destructive power of Nagisa is incomparable to that of Urza. After all, I can feel the soft yet heavy feeling of her chest squeezing my left arm, and I can feel it changing its shape. "This feeling...!? Are you by any chance not wearing any underwear...!?" My face tightened at the bad premonition. Even though we are in close contact, the feeling coming from my arm is too vivid. When I asked her fearfully, she tilted her head as if she didn''t know what to think about it. "Hmm? Of course, I''m not wearing any underwear. Or rather, I''ve never worn a bra" "What!?" "If it''s a juban (undershirt for kimono), it''s fine, but underwear in this country doesn''t fit me well. But I wore shitabaki (Pants in Judo) at least at school because the skirt of the uniform was too short." "At school...? Wait a minute. Does that mean you''re not wearing anything...?" I fearfully lower my gaze and look at Nagisa''s skirt. I am sure she is not wearing a bra, judging from the way she crossed her arms, but I wonder if she is not wearing any panties, too. "Well, who knows? It would be more interesting if I kept quiet, so I''ll leave it to your imagination, shall I?" "No, answer it! This is important!? It''s really important!?" "Hahahaha!" "Don''t say ''ha-ha-ha''!" "If Master is so concerned about it, why don''t look and see it? If it''s Master, I won''t be offended even if you flip it open or peek at it" "Can I do it!? I want to know if you''re dressed neatly or lasciviously!" I continued to press her hard, but Nagisa, who seemed to be having a good time, kept silent to the very end. In the end, I ended up going to the shopping district of the capital with the two beautiful girls while my arms linked with theirs. CH 57 Bonus chapter... Although the two beautiful girls'' outfits made me a bit distracted, the holiday date and the ''Straw Millionaire'' event began. The ''Straw Millionaire'' event started with the delivery of the red dragon flower that I had obtained in the forest. Now, we are on the way to the downtown area and I visit the client''s house. "Yes, who is it...? Hyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!?" I knocked on the door and a little girl who looked like the client came out... but she screamed when she saw my face. A little girl about 7 or 8 years old screamed with tears in her eyes. "M-Mommmmmmm! A yakuza guy is here! A land shark came to our houseeeeeeeeeeeee!" "...Hey, where did you learn the word ''land shark''?" "Ahh! I forgot my mom went to work! Nooo, I''m going to be kidnapped!? He''ll grab me and sell me to a foreign countryyyyyyyyyyyy!?" "......" It seems that the client girl had an unexpectedly hilarious personality. This kind of noisy character was not described at all in the game. "Calm down. We are adventurers, desu~no" "Huh?" Urza comes out from behind my back to look at the screaming little girl. She stopped crying when she saw Urza, who looked a little older than she was. "We''ve come to deliver flowers to you because we''ve accomplished what you asked us to do... right, Goshujin-sama?" "Ah, yeah" I handed Urza the red dragon flower. She bent down on her knees and looked at the little girl, and held out the bright red flower to her. "Ah... This flower!" When she saw the red dragon flower in front of her, her eyes lit up. She had been crying just a few minutes ago, but children are very patient. "Yeah, this is my mom''s favorite flower! Now I can celebrate her birthday! Thank you very much!" "No problem... by the way..." Urza moves her face closer to the little girl''s while patting her head. "Goshujin-sama looks scary, but that''s what makes him so cool, desu~no! He has a dangerous manly sexiness that soft men don''t have, and he''s very sexy, desu~no! If you want to become a great lady, you''d better understand the charm of such a dangerous man, desu~no!" "Umm, is it cooler to look scary?" Urza smiles with a strange power, and the little girl blinks repeatedly with a slight fright. To such a little girl, Urza says words one after another as if she is trying to explain something to her. "You''re right, desu~no. Re-peat af-ter me (She said it in english). Scary face is cool and very nice." "Scary face is cool and very nice?" "Scary face is cool and very nice!" "Scary face is cool and very nice!" "Scary face is cool and very nice!" "Scary face is cool and very nice!" "Yes, when you grow up, you should go out with a scary yet cool guy like Goshujin-sama, desu~no" "...Hey, what are you trying to do?" What kind of education is she giving to a little girl who is not even 10 years old? Please don''t instill her with an idea that their parents would be worried about. "What kind of doctrine is this! Don''t brainwash this little girl!" "It''s not brainwashing, it''s education for the future, desu~no. I just teaching her not to judge people by their appearance, desu~no" "......" This sounds like a nice thing to say, but it is not the case at all as far as I can tell from the conversation they just had. Obviously, Urza has distorted the little girl''s thinking and put a bad factor in her future. "...I hope she doesn''t fall for a bad guy. Her parents will cry." I was here to deliver flowers as a present to her mother, but I ended up putting a bomb into the little girl''s brain that might worry her parents. I felt a deep sense of guilt and pressed my forehead with my finger. "I don''t really understand, but I''ll never forget what you taught me! Would you take this as a thank you for the flowers?" The little girl offered Urza a 100G coin and a blue-colored stone. "What''s this stone?" "A beautiful stone I picked up on the street! It''s my treasure!" "Hmm? I''ll take it, desu~no" Urza takes the coin and the stone without hesitation, and gives them to me. "Here you go, Goshujin-sama." "Oh, thank you." I look at the stone with a longing gaze. This stone is the jewel that would be the start of the ''Straw Millionaire'' event. Finally, I had what I was looking for. All the hard work of walking through the forest and brainwashing the little girl by chance had paid off. Now, I decided to leave quickly before the little girl''s parents came back, but then I noticed that the little girl''s eyes are flashing. "Onee-chan, why are you giving the money? Should you tribute it?" "Hey, where did you hear those words...?" "A great woman is a woman who is devoted to a cool man, desu~no. Paying tribute to a cool man is a woman''s duty, desu~no!" "Hey, don''t teach this little girl crazy things!" I pull Urza''s collar and leave. If I stay here any longer, Urza might say something more unnecessary to the little girl. "Ah, you''re back, Master" As I dragged Urza away, Nagisa, who was waiting a little further away, tilted her head. I thought it was not a good idea to go with so many people, so Urza and I went alone, but it seemed to have turned out to be a bad idea. I should have taken Nagisa with me. "It''s nothing... I mean, what''s the matter with you?" Three young men are lying at Nagisa''s feet. The groaning men are apparently not dead, but their eyes are rolling back and they are stretched out. "Well. They wanted to have dinner with me, but I let them sleep because they were too persistent." "I see... a pick-up, huh?" Apparently, the men who are lying on the floor had tried to seduce Nagisa but failed. It''s understable because today Nagisa is wearing a virgin-killer outfit and looks like a beautiful, innocent-looking girl. . "...Well, I respect the bravery of the guys to pick up a girl with a sword at her waist, no matter how pretty she is..." I sighed and released my grip on Urza''s collar. The released Urza coughs repeatedly. "Well then, now that the work is done, let''s get out of here. I''ll accompany you shopping, so let me know if there''s anything you want." "Yes, desu~no! I''m looking forward to eating delicious food, desun~no!" "Yeah, I''m looking forward to it. I''d like to go to the arms store with Master" After that, I lead them toward the shopping district. Although I am mildly distracted by the two girls who naturally wrapped their arms on my arms, we continue with our holiday date. CH 58 Bonus chapter... In a corner of the main street, there is a man crouched down. He is a young man in his twenties or so. At first glance, he seemed to be ill, but upon closer inspection, he seemed to be on all fours looking for something. "Ah... not here. Not here either..." He sounds exhausted, and his voice is tinged with despair, as if he has been told that the world is going to end today. People on the street look suspiciously at the obviously suspicious man, but they ignore him and walk past him, not wanting to get involved. "Wow... He''s really here" I muttered to myself and approached the man from behind. "Hello, are you looking for this by any chance?" "Ahh!" I held out the jewel that the little girl had just given me, and the man shouted in surprise. Without looking at me, he snatched the stone from me, holding it in front of his face and staring at it. "Yes, this is it! It''s the stone for my wedding ring!" The man exclaims with tears in his eyes, exclaiming with joy that he has found what he is looking for. "The stone has been missing from the ring, and I''ve been looking for it for a long time! I''m glad, I''m so glad! If my wife finds out that I lost the stone, surely...!" --And then the man finally looks at me. He is probably going to thank me, but he froze in place with the stone in his hand, his face scrunched up as if he had just run into a man-eating tiger. "Eek...! It''s a debt collectorrrrrrrrrrrr!?" * * * "What did you think you were going to do to my face...?" I say dismissively, sitting down on a park bench. While on dates with Urza and Nagisa, I''ve been running ''Straw Millionaire'' events everywhere I go. I gave a ''red dragon flower'' that I had gathered in the forest to a little girl who was looking for a birthday present for her mother, and received a ''jewel'' that I found on the road. I gave the ''jewel'' from the little girl to the man who was looking for something on the road, and received a ''decorated knife'' from the man who is a craftsman. I gave the ''decorated knife'' from the man looking for something to a gardener who was pruning a roadside tree, and he gave me a ''rainbow feather'' that was stuck on a branch. I gave the ''rainbow feather'' from the gardener to the designer who was looking for a decoration for his hat, and got the ''enchanted dress'' made by the designer. Now there is only one place left. If I bring the ''enchanted dress'' to a certain place, I can get the orb skill, which is the end goal of the ''Straw Millionaire''. "However... it''s a bit depressing. It''s so much noise." The bartering was going well, but for some reason, I was getting screams everywhere I went, and I was being slandered as a gangster, a kidnapper, a loanshark, etc. I thought I had gotten used to my villainous face, but it took a toll on my mentality. "It can''t be helped, desu~no. Ordinary people cannot understand Goshujin-sama''s cool face, desu~no" Urza, who is sitting next to me on the bench, patted my head as if to comfort me. In her other hand she holds a crepe she had just bought at the store, filled with white cream and fruit. "Well, Master has a very evil face. It''s not surprising if they''ve never met before." "......" Nagisa sits down next to me, and I am mortified and silent. I am aware of Zenon Baskerville''s evil face, but I think it''s some kind of curse. "Ah! There is an ice cream shop over there, desu~no!" "...You''re still eating? You really eat a lot." I take out a silver coin and hand it to Urza. Urza quickly gets up from the bench and runs to a stall a little further away. Nagisa and I are left alone on the bench. "And yet... Master. What have you been doing?" "...Well, I''m just helping people. I''m sorry I got distracted on our date." I didn''t explain to Urza and Nagisa about the ''Straw Millionaire''. After all, from the outside, it would appear that I am dating while making contact with strangers here and there and mysteriously bartering with them. "I don''t mind. I''m being offered drinks and such, so I have no right to complain." Nagisa takes a sip of the juice in her hand. The juice is made from a fruit called ¡®Giant Orange¡¯ which is similar to an orange, but is about the size of a basketball. It was quite a spectacle to see the waiter drilling a hole in the fruit with a drill-like device and extracting the juice. Like Nagisa, I also sipped the juice and enjoyed the citrus flavor. In the park, there are many people: children and their mothers playing, young people playing sports, and old people taking a leisurely stroll. It''s a very peaceful scene, and it''s a peaceful time to recover from the fatigue accumulated from the battle against the monster. "By the way, Master. There is one more question I wanted to ask you." As I was relaxing over a glass of juice, Nagisa spoke up as if she remembered something. "What is it?" "Why... don''t you embrace me?" "Bwah!?" The unexpected comment made me spurt out the drink I had in my mouth. CH 59 Bonus chapter... "Hey, what are you talking about in a place like this?!" I blamed Nagisa as I looked around the park. There are many children in the park. There are some things that can be said and some things that can''t be said. Fortunately, we are the only ones around the bench. "I''m sorry, I couldn''t help but think about it. I have become your disciple and I was prepared to offer my body to you if necessary as a reward for your teaching me your techniques. Last night I shared a bath and a bedchamber with the intention of doing so... but in the end, you never touched me." "......" "I was depressed because I thought that perhaps I was not attractive enough, but today I saw that this was not the case. You''ve been concerned about my skirt for a long time." "...I see, so that''s why you told me that you weren''t wearing any underwear." Come to think of it, it would be extremely insane to go out without underwear, even if kimono is her daily attire. So, she probably wanted to find out my reaction and see if I liked her at all. "Well, I usually don''t wear underwear. But in school I wear it because the skirt of the school uniform is too short." "Wait, I didn''t want to hear that!" It seems that my attempt to confirm the truth has brought out the cruel truth. I''m shocked and I hold my head. "Me... or even Centorea or that maid, why don''t you touch us? Probably, both of them want your seed" "...Don''t say ''seed''. It''s too vivid" And don''t casually exclude Urza. Aside from her looks, she''s the same age as us. "Before, I think you''re impotent, but you''re not. Because in the bathroom it was getting pretty big." "Hey, I said don''t be so explicit about it..." I scratch my head with a sigh. I look for an answer to Nagisa''s question... but then I wonder why I really don''t touch them? This is a world that is supposed to be based on an 18-restricted video game. And they are the heroines. They are the women who would have been embraced by Leon Brave in the original scenario. So, there is no rule that says I can''t touch them. On the contrary, they even allowed me to do so. Then, what is the reason why I haven''t embraced the heroines? "...Ah, I see. I''m scared." In this world, Zenon Baskerville is a cuckold man who seduces heroines with his vile methods and plays with their bodies as he pleases. Maybe somewhere in my heart, I am afraid that I will become a villain like Zenon in the game. There is a possibility that I might be awakened to become a villain like in the game, triggered by having a woman in my arms. This is what I subconsciously feared. Besides, the activity between a man and a woman, that is, s*x, is addictive. This is even more so when it is with exceptionally beautiful women and girls such as Aeris, Nagisa, and Levienna. Once I had them in my arms, I''m afraid that I would become so absorbed in them that I could not do anything else. "...In the first place, I have things I have to do. I can''t just sit around and be absorbed in women." Just as misfortune and hardship can make a man grow, happiness and rest can corrupt a man. I still don''t think I have the strength to survive in this beautiful and cruel world. And I think it will not be too late for me to make love to Nagisa and the others after I have enough power to fight my way through this world. "Indeed, that''s a good reason" Nagisa nodded deeply. "It''s an effective way to train yourself by cutting off greed and putting restraints on yourself. I admire your desire to continue your pursuit of improvement even after you have acquired such a power. It seems that I have not wasted my time following you as my teacher." "I don''t think it''s that big of a deal, but I''m glad you understand." I took a breath and drank the rest of the juice in my glass. "Anyway... after I have beat that guy, I''ll reevaluate the relationship between you all." "That guy...? Who''s that guy you want to beat?" "......" Instead of answering the question, I keep my lips pursed in silence. In my mind''s eye, I see the face of Garondolf Baskerville, my father, my sworn enemy in this world. CH 60 Bonus chapter... At last, the ''Straw Millionaire'' event has come to a close. This is the last one. The final mission is to bring the ''Enchanted Dress'' to a certain place. That place is a theater in the center of the capital. Since it is a holiday, many people come and go in the circular domed theater. In this theater, a performance by a popular theatrical troupe took place every week. Therefore, on weekends, the theater is filled with many spectators, young and old, men and women. "Hohou, this is a very crowded place." "There are many couples, desu~no. They seem to be on a date too, desu~no" Nagisa and Urza are looking around with a curious look at the crowd gathered in the theater. It seemed that today''s performance is a love romance, and more than half of the audience entering the theater are young couples. Nagisa is from the East, and her martial arts-oriented character probably has no connection to the glamorous place. The same is true for Urza, who is a demi-human. So, this is the first time for both of them to visit such a dating spot. "I''m just here to deliver something..." "Oh, they sell snacks and drinks too, desu~no! I''m going to eat while we watch the show, desu~no!" "They were handing out pamphlets over there! It seems to be a story about a warrior who rescues a girl from bad undead!" "......" It seems that they are interested in the show. And it would be foolish to just barter with them and go home. "...Well, today is a date. I guess it''s okay." I shrugged my shoulders and took out my wallet to buy tickets for the show. I buy three tickets at the reception and hand one to Urza and one to Nagisa. In addition, I give Urza a few silver coins. "I''m going to take care of a few things. Go in first and save me a seat. You can go buy whatever you like with this, okay?" "Yes, desu~no! I''ll get the popcorn!" "Yes... If you need someone to help you, I''ll go with you." "It''s a simple errand. I''ll be right back." I tell Nagisa and checks my watch. There is still an hour or so before the play is to begin. That would be enough time for me to give the ''Enchanted Dress'' and receive my reward. So, I leave them and head for the back entrance of the theater. On there, a man who looked like a member of the troupe is standing, and when I tried to enter, he stopped me. "This is a restricted area." "I have a delivery for Catherine Rose Red. I found a rare dress." "Hmm... this is...?" I took out the ''Enchanted Dress'' and showed it to the troupe members, who gasped for breath. The crimson dress has an amorous design, and at the same time, it is a mysterious dress that evokes a sense of nobility. Even to the untrained eye, this is sure to be an amazing dress. "...All right. But don''t be rude to Rose Red-san" The troupe member looks at me with a suspicious look on her face, but still invites me into the back of the theater. Catherine Rose Red is the director of the troupe and the wealthy owner of the theater. She herself is known as an outstanding actress, and her fame reaches to other countries. Therefore, she has many admirers and must be very careful about the people who ask her. If I hadn''t brought the "fascinating new dress design" that Catherine was looking for as a stage costume, I would have never met her. Now, I am taken by the troupe members to a room at the back of the theater. On either side of the door is an archway decorated with brightly colored flowers. "Director, a guest is here to see you." "Come in." The troupe member knocked discreetly on the wooden door and immediately received an answer from inside. Inside came a beautiful voice as sweet as the nectar of a flower. "Excuse me. Someone has come to submit an application for the dress contest." "Ara? I''m looking forward to it. Could you like to sit over there?" The woman, Catherine Rose Red, greeted us while sitting on the sofa with her legs folded. She had long burgundy hair and two eyes of the same color. Her face with a deep bridge of the nose is exactly shaped like a "Femme Fatale". Once someone sees her face, it will be burned into their retina and they will never forget it. She wears an aggressive purple dress on her undulating and glamorous body, and her long legs peek out seductively from the hem of the dress with a deep slit. "Gulp..." The sound of spitting is heard loudly. Was it the troupe member who had brought me all the way here? Or was it my own? "Could you please sit down over there? Can I see the dress?" "...Yes, of course" I sat down on the sofa across the table from Catherine and offered her the ''Enchanted Dress''. Catherine''s eyes widen when she sees the dress. "...It''s wonderful. It''s more than I expected." Katherine takes the dress from my hand as if to snatch it from me, and then she looks at it intently, examining every detail. "The design is very passionate and innovative. It is very revealing, but the curves are exquisite without being vulgar. The details are so carefully designed that it could not have been made overnight. I can see the passion and diligence of the craftsmen who made it." "......" "It''s good, it passes the test without a doubt." Catherine nods her head in satisfaction and glances at the troupe member standing by the door. "Could you leave us, please, so that I can have a word with this gentleman? Would you please go back to your work?" "Yes, but..." "I told you to leave, didn''t I?" "...!" The troupe member jumps up and down on his shoulders and quickly tries to leave the room. In this troupe, Catherine is not only a star in the flowery style but also a director. She is the boss of the house for the lower-ranking members of the troupe. So, it was easy for her to fire them. "......!" As he walked through the door, a member of the troupe glared at me with hatred in his eyes. Perhaps he doesn''t like me approaching their star, Catherine. Anyway, I shrugged my shoulders and waved him off. "Then... first of all, who made this?" "...The dress is made by a young man named Dallas, who lives in the commercial district of the capital. Miss Rose Red, he said he made this with you in mind." "...I see, he is the one who made it. For me." Catherine murmurs gloomily and a sigh escapes her red lips. It is revealed later that the dressmaker named Dallas and Catherine have been childhood friends, and that they promised each other their future when they were children. Although they had to separate due to the difference in their status and position, it is said that they still had feelings for each other secretly even after their separation. This ''Enchanted Dress'' is originally made by him as a gift to Catherine, but he could not find the courage to meet his childhood friend who became a top actress. He, who could not give the dress he had made with all his heart to the woman he loved, yet could not throw it away - finally gave it away in barter to break off his attachment to Catherine. "He seems to have become a fine artisan. I''m glad." "That''s good. By the way, I''d like to get paid for the dress." "I know, I know. How about this?" Catherine stood up and brought a small jewelry box from a shelf by the wall. When she put the box on the table and opened it, it contained what looked like a rainbow-colored crystal ball. The crystal ball is a skill orb. It''s a rare item that allowed the user to acquire one of the rarest skills in the game, the ''Growth Acceleration'' skill. CH 61 Bonus chapter... "Yeah, I''m not complaining. I''ll take it." I put the skill orb in my pocket and leave the room. There''s still time before the theater performance starts, but it''s not a good idea to keep the girls waiting too long. So, since my business is done, I decide to leave. "Are you leaving already? Why don''t you just relax a little?" "No... I think I''ll pass." I shook my head, thinking about it for a while. In the game, rewards are not only skill orbs, but also bonus. Bonus... in other words, erotic events with this Femme Fatale in front of me. Catherine Rose Red is a genuine fan of younger men, and she brings young men into this room to toy with them. Maybe, the member of the theater troupe who just led me to this room was one of the victims who were played by her and had their hearts stolen by her. Still, this event is a dream for a young man, who wants to be played by a mature lady with great technique.... "I''ll pass... I''m in the middle of a date. I don''t want to keep them waiting." Despite my reluctance, I firmly refused. To tell the truth, it was impossible not to be moved by a beautiful woman like Catherine. However, I just told Nagisa just a few minutes ago that I would not embrace a woman until I finished my father. So, it would not be cool for me to make out with another woman while my lips are still dry. "Arara, you turned me down. You''re really an amazing boy to refuse my seduction." Catherine blinked at me in surprise. "You must really love this woman to think that a date with her is more important than me, young master Baskerville..." "...I don''t remember giving you my name. Where did you hear it?" "I''ve known it from the beginning. But rather than me, my family has been in contact with the Baskervilles. In fact, I''ve met your father a few times." "...I see." I nodded with a subtle expression on my face. It was not Catherine''s fault, but I couldn''t help but feel bad when it came to my father. The mere fact that she is related to Garondolf makes me see a dark cloud behind the beautiful woman in front of me. "Heehee... Don''t be so contorted. If you do, you''ll look more like your father" "...Stop it, seriously. If you say I look like him, my wrath will boil." When I say something like that, Catherine looks amused. "He is hated by a lot of kids, huh? Still... he''s a very nice guy. And even though I prefer younger men, he could sway me." "I don''t care. I don''t give a sh*t about your taste in men." I clicked my tongue in annoyance and turned my back to Catherine to get the hell out of the room. I was curious about the relationship between my father, Garondolf Baskerville, and this beautiful woman, but I had no intention of talking to someone who was so fond of my father. "I got what I got. I don''t think we''ll see each other again. But I''m going to enjoy today''s performance." With that, I opened the door. As I went out into the corridor and was about to close the door, Catherine''s voice leaked out through the crack in the door. "I''m sure we''ll meet again. The ''Demon Dog of Baskerville''-san" "......" There it is again. Really, what does it mean? I went out through the door and into the corridor while thinking about this. "Whoa! You came out already?!" "......What are you doing?" In the corridor in front of the director''s office, the member of the troupe I mentioned earlier was somehow putting his ear to the door. Apparently, he was listening in the room. Is he trying to make sure that I wouldn''t do something bad to Catherine? Or... maybe he is just enjoying the sound, hoping that +me and Katherine would be doing that+. "Eh, uhhh! It''s not like I''m particularly aroused by the fact that the woman I love has been cuckolded from me..." "...Don''t think that far. Do your job, theater guy." What a disgusting adult I''ve encountered. His word made me feel offended in various ways, and I quickly walked away from the place. CH 62 Bonus chapter... After the ''Straw Millionaire'' event completed, I went out from the employee''s corridor. I checked my watch and found that I had been talking with the mysterious beauty for almost an hour. I wonder if it was the magic of the beautiful woman with the strong scent of sex appeal. After all, I did not think I had stayed there that long, but surprisingly time had passed. Since there is only about five minutes before the play begins, I run quickly to the front of the theater. I ran as fast as I could to the front entrance of the theater, where Urza and Nagisa are waiting for me. "Sorry, I made you wait. You could have gone in first..." "No problem. It''s all right, Master." "I couldn''t leave Goshujin-sama behind too, desu~no. Chomp, chomp..." Nagisa holds a drink in her right hand, and Urza has her hands full of food. In her hands, there are many foods, from standard junk foods like popcorn, American hotdogs, and frankfurters, to mysterious blue-purple fruits, giant cookies the size of human face, mammoth bones that look like come out from manga, and huge grilled fish that are bigger than tuna, etc.... Even though Urza has far more food than her tiny body can hold, she devours it with all her might. "Munch, munch, munch." "...You sure bought a lot of food. But did I give you that much allowance?" I had given Urza some coins, but the huge amount of food clearly exceeded the amount. When I asked her suspiciously, Nagisa, who is standing next to her, raised one hand. "Ah... I paid for the rest" "Nagisa... I''m sorry about that. You can have your money back. How much is it?" When I try to take out my wallet, Nagisa waves her hand in refusal. "You don''t have to pay me. I''ve got plenty of money thanks to the monster-slaying I''ve been doing and I like to buy things for her." "That''s not how it works. She''s my slave. I''m obligated to pay for her food." When I insist on paying the money, Nagisa shrugs with a wry smile. "I really don''t mind if you don''t pay. After all, it''s nice to watch Urza eat. So, I can''t help but want to give her food." "That''s... well, it''s certainly interesting." "Crunch, crunch, munch, munch, gulp" Urza bites into a pillow-sized grilled fish and swallows its huge body without leaving even a bone. The size of this coelacanth-like fish clearly exceeds Urza''s stomach... or rather, her body size. But Urza gulps the giant fish like a cat-shaped robot storing secret tools in its pockets. This unbelievable way she ate the fish is definitely worth seeing. In fact, passers-by walking in front of the theater stopped to see what is going on, and are stunned and fascinated by Urza''s single-handed food fight. "Munch, munch... what are we doing just standing there? The play is about to start, desu~no" "...Oh, right. Shall we go inside?" "Yes, let''s go inside." I think her performance is much rarer and more worth seeing than a play... but anyway, the ticket we''ve bought would be wasted. So, we enter the theater quickly. I walk through the entrance of the theater while worrying about Urza, who full of food, behind me. Then, as I step into the auditorium, most of the seats are already occupied. I take out a ticket from my pocket and go to my seat with the number written on it. CH 63 Bonus chapter... When we entered the theater, most of the seats are already occupied. But after following the numbers on the tickets, we found our seats and sat down in a row. I naturally sat in the middle, with Urza on my right and Nagisa on my left. "Crunch, crunch, munch, munch!" As soon as Urza sat down, she immediately resumed eating. The people seated around her are surprised at what is happening, but she continues to throw the food into her mouth without any concern. Some of the audience members are annoyed by the sounds and smells of the food. But fortunately, the audience seats are dimly lit, and the stares from the outside did not bother us too much. After we had sat down for a while, a trumpet-like sound is heard, and the curtain on the stage in front of us is opened. It seemed that the play is about to start. "Ah! How could it be!" A woman in a dress appears on the stage and shouts loudly. She is a young actor about my age. Starting from the woman''s sad voice, actors appeared on the stage one after another, and the story proceeded. "Hmm... this is boring." I frowned lightly as I stared at the scene. The storyline of the stage is not so unusual. There is a beautiful princess in a country who falls in love with a prince in a neighboring country. Gradually, their love deepens, but then the evil undead appear and kidnap the princess. The prince sets out on a journey to rescue the princess. He overcomes many trials, meets his friends, and finally defeats the undead and rescues the princess. In summary, it is a story like that. "The direction may be well done... but the script is cheap." I think the actors'' performances are not bad. Although I don''t know anything about acting, the actors'' movements on the stage are dynamic and their acting is quite spirited. The problem is the scenario of the script. The storyline is too straightforward, which is not unusual, and the audience can predict what will happen later. But... this may be because I have read many books when I was in Japan. I''ve read a lot of fantasy light novels and web novels, and I''m used to this kind of classic stories. In fact, all the audience members except for me were absorbed in the play, cheering, and screaming at the actors'' every move. "Crunch, crunch, munch, munch!" "Zzz, zzz..." "......" I take back what I said before. There are people besides me who don''t enjoy the theater. And they''re very close to me. They''re on my left and my right. "Munch, munch... it''s delicious, desu~no!" To my right, Urza is munching her food with all her might. Urza is so focused on her food that she is not looking at the stage at all. And after emptying a large bucket of popcorn, Urza pops a chocolate banana into her mouth, perhaps craving something sweet after the salty food. "Lick, lick, lick... Mmm, it''s so big, desu~no" "......" I don''t mind what she ate, but don''t eat it in an erotic way. She has chocolate dripping on her cheeks, and a male customer sitting nearby is leaning forward while glancing at Urza. "Zzz, zzz... Mmm..." On my left, Nagisa is breathing in her sleep. Nagisa had been watching the stage for the first 10 minutes or so, and was completely asleep after the middle of the show. Now, Nagisa is lying on my shoulder with her head on my shoulder, and she looked so relieved. Seeing her up close like this, I realized once again that Nagisa is an extraordinary beauty. Her eyelashes are long and her nose is straight and clear in spite of her Japanese-style face. Her red lips are plump and thick, and have a sheen that makes me want to suck on it. "Haan... Mmm..." "......" What in the world is she dreaming about? Nagisa''s hot breath is hitting my collarbone area, and I felt something crawling up my spine. "......What in the world is going on here?" We were supposed to be on a date to see a play. Or rather, we entered the theater because they wanted to see it. But... why has the situation become like this? "Is this a date...? No, is this more like a date?" I no longer know if the situation is appropriate for a date or not. All I know is that once again I''m being pushed around by two girls. "Hey, evil undead - Duke of Hell, Zeromon! I will bury you so that you will never appear on the earth again!" Meanwhile, the play is reaching its climax. The hero, the prince, thrusts his shining sword into the black-robed skull mask. "Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" A cloud of white smoke enveloped the stage and the audience cheered. The skull masks scream as he disappears offstage, and the prince raises his shining sword to the heavens. "Evil is destroyed! The world has regained its light!" "Ah, my prince! You''ve come to save me!" "Princess! I''ve finally met you!" The undead who seems to be the last boss disappears, and the prince and the princess embrace and kiss each other passionately. The audience applauds, and the curtain closes. "...It''s over at last. What was the time, huh?" To tell the truth, I was so concerned about the girls on either side of me that I couldn''t focus on what was happening on stage. And come to think of it, I don''t saw Catherine in this play... I wonder if she is going to use that dress for another play...? "Well... it doesn''t matter." The stage is over, and one by one, audience members are getting up from the seats and heading for the exit. We''re leaving, too. "Hey, let''s go back. How long are you going to keep eating? You should get up soon, too!" "Ah! It was fun!" "Where is...... huh?" A voice from the front row of the auditorium almost made me yell back, and I raised my eyebrows. After all, I recognized that voice. "Eh... why are you...?" "You..." A couple, a man and a woman, are sitting in front of me. The woman turned around and her eyes widened in surprise. I, too, am speechless at the unexpected look on the face of the person I did not expect. I didn''t notice it because of the dimness of the auditorium... but the person sitting in front of me is a classmate of mine from my school. It''s Ciel Uranus, one of the main heroines in [DunBrave]. "So, the man with her is..." "Aren''t you... Baskerville!?" "I knew it! You''re here too... Leon Brave!" I sigh in annoyance at the sight of the blond man in front of me. This man is Leon Brave, the protagonist of the game, not of the stage. CH 64 Bonus chapter... Why are Leon and Ciel here? Today is a holiday. It''s not surprising to have a chance to have a near miss with my classmates, but to run into these guys of all people? "No... would it be natural for them to be here?" I look at Leon and Ciel, who are standing side by side. Leon is simply dressed in a long-sleeved shirt and black pants, while Ciel is wearing a bright red one-piece dress, clearly in the middle of a date. The two are strangely close to each other, and seem to be more intimate than when I met them last at the school. Come to think of it, Aeris and Nagisa, two of the three heroines, are somehow working with me, and had left from the story in which Leon is the main character. It is perhaps a natural progression that Ciel, the last of the three, is monopolizing Leon''s affections, and is now on a holiday date with him. "Why is Baskerville here... and that''s..." Leon looks at me with surprise in his eyes. Then his gaze turns to the two girls beside me. "The slave girl and... Seikai-san!? Why are you with Baskerville!?" "Hmm...? Oh, isn''t it Brave? What a coincidence." Leon''s voice wakes Nagisa up. She looks at Leon suspiciously and tilts her head. "Uranus is here too. Are you two on a date today?" "That''s right, but... no way, Seikai-san too...?" "Yeah, we''re on a date too. Can''t you see that?" "Date...? Why Seikai-san?" Leon looks shocked, as if he can''t believe it. It seems that he can''t accept the fact that Nagisa, who had been in a party with him even if only temporarily, is with me. Leon''s eyes are shaken with confusion, and I sigh deeply. "...For now, let''s get out of here. We''ll only be disturbing the other people if we stay here." "Munch, munch, munch, munch... Hwah!" I suddenly poked Urza, who was still eating, at the head while staring at Leon who had just appeared. "Come on, you two. The show''s already over." "Yeah, let''s go." "Yes, desu~no! I''ll eat on the way back!" "You''re still going to eat...? You will eat too many calories, you know..." Urza and Nagisa follow me as I walk to the entrance of the theater, chatting and laughing. "H-Hey! Wait!" I heard a panicked voice, and for some reason Leon followed behind me. I frown and take a glance behind me. "...What do you want? I don''t have anything to say to you?" "That''s... uhh..." Leon stammers at my questioning. He bit his lip with an expression of hesitation, as if he had something to say but couldn''t get it out of his mouth. I raise my eyebrows at him suspiciously. "......?" Leon had been staring at me with hostility at the school, but today he seems to be less hostile than usual. He looked uncomfortable and is mumbling something, as if he had just bumped into his friend who was in the middle of a fight in town. "Tsk... what a pain" However, since the ''ball-kicking incident'', I haven''t had any contact with Leon at all, and have hardly heard any rumors about him. It seems that he failed to make Nagisa a heroine, so I might as well inquire about the current situation of this man who is supposed to be the main character of the story. "Well, okay... I will hang out with you for a bit. You''re the one who approached me. You don''t have a problem with that, do you?" "Oh, yeah..." I say, and Leon follows my lead with a slightly disgruntled look on his face. For now, we should move to a place where we can talk calmly. So, I walk out of the theater and head for the park nearby. CH 65 Bonus chapter... Why are Leon and Ciel here? Today is a holiday. It''s not surprising to have a chance to have a near miss with my classmates, but to run into these guys of all people? "No... would it be natural for them to be here?" I look at Leon and Ciel, who are standing side by side. Leon is simply dressed in a long-sleeved shirt and black pants, while Ciel is wearing a bright red one-piece dress, clearly in the middle of a date. The two are strangely close to each other, and seem to be more intimate than when I met them last at the school. Come to think of it, Aeris and Nagisa, two of the three heroines, are somehow working with me, and had left from the story in which Leon is the main character. It is perhaps a natural progression that Ciel, the last of the three, is monopolizing Leon''s affections, and is now on a holiday date with him. "Why is Baskerville here... and that''s..." Leon looks at me with surprise in his eyes. Then his gaze turns to the two girls beside me. "The slave girl and... Seikai-san!? Why are you with Baskerville!?" "Hmm...? Oh, isn''t it Brave? What a coincidence." Leon''s voice wakes Nagisa up. She looks at Leon suspiciously and tilts her head. "Uranus is here too. Are you two on a date today?" "That''s right, but... no way, Seikai-san too...?" "Yeah, we''re on a date too. Can''t you see that?" "Date...? Why Seikai-san?" Leon looks shocked, as if he can''t believe it. It seems that he can''t accept the fact that Nagisa, who had been in a party with him even if only temporarily, is with me. Leon''s eyes are shaken with confusion, and I sigh deeply. "...For now, let''s get out of here. We''ll only be disturbing the other people if we stay here." "Munch, munch, munch, munch... Hwah!" I suddenly poked Urza, who was still eating, at the head while staring at Leon who had just appeared. "Come on, you two. The show''s already over." "Yeah, let''s go." "Yes, desu~no! I''ll eat on the way back!" "You''re still going to eat...? You will eat too many calories, you know..." Urza and Nagisa follow me as I walk to the entrance of the theater, chatting and laughing. "H-Hey! Wait!" I heard a panicked voice, and for some reason Leon followed behind me. I frown and take a glance behind me. "...What do you want? I don''t have anything to say to you?" "That''s... uhh..." Leon stammers at my questioning. He bit his lip with an expression of hesitation, as if he had something to say but couldn''t get it out of his mouth. I raise my eyebrows at him suspiciously. "......?" Leon had been staring at me with hostility at the school, but today he seems to be less hostile than usual. He looked uncomfortable and is mumbling something, as if he had just bumped into his friend who was in the middle of a fight in town. "Tsk... what a pain" However, since the ''ball-kicking incident'', I haven''t had any contact with Leon at all, and have hardly heard any rumors about him. It seems that he failed to make Nagisa a heroine, so I might as well inquire about the current situation of this man who is supposed to be the main character of the story. "Well, okay... I will hang out with you for a bit. You''re the one who approached me. You don''t have a problem with that, do you?" "Oh, yeah..." I say, and Leon follows my lead with a slightly disgruntled look on his face. For now, we should move to a place where we can talk calmly. So, I walk out of the theater and head for the park nearby. CH 66 Bonus chapter... "Fight... Why are you suddenly doing this!?" Leon raises his voice in agitation at the sudden declaration of war. Leon apologizes for the trouble he caused at the school, and I accept his apology. This means that we have made peace. But then I asked him to fight with me, and he must be in a confused state. But... that''s what I brought Leon here to the park for in the first place. "Hey, Leon. You said it at the entrance ceremony, right? ''I''m going to be a hero.''" "Oh, yeah. I said that, but... what about it?" "So... what have you been doing in the last few months since you joined the academy? Have you been making a real, full effort to be a hero?" "That''s... of course, I''m trying. I was trying to be strong!" Leon nods his head firmly, though his words are slightly slurred. "Hahaha!" But I laugh it off nonchalantly and lift my lips in mockery. "Then why is Nagisa under me? She said that even if she works with you, the Brave, she won''t get the power she wants!" "...!" Leon gasps, his eyes wide with astonishment. In the first lesson on dungeon exploration, Leon, Ciel, and Nagisa fought against gargoyles together. Their joint battle led them to form a party, and they continued to share the same fate until the decisive battle against the Demon King, which is the scenario of the game as it should have been. However, in this world where the game has become a reality, Nagisa has been working together only for a short period of time after the battle against the gargoyles, and soon Nagisa has been acting alone. She has come to the Slayers Kingdom with the goal of avenging her family''s death, and she has set herself the supreme mission of gaining the strength to avenge her family''s death. For this purpose, she has given up Leon as a partner. "If you were serious about making great progress in your quest for power, Nagisa would never have left your party. So, are you really aiming for the top with all your might?" "B-But Seikai-san..." Leon opens his mouth to defend himself, making a bitter face at my questioning. "Seikai-san left of her own volition. She didn''t like the fact that Ciel and I were helping the other classmates to overcome the dungeon, and she didn''t like the fact that we were working together with everyone else, so she left the party." Well, Nagisa had told me earlier that Leon was leading the lower-performing students to the dungeon. The reason for the difference from the scenario is probably that Leon is no longer seeking more power than necessary after I saved Jean from the gargoyles. Leon is probably doing a great job as the head of the class, taking on dungeons with the rest of the class who can''t do it. But he was not a good match for Nagisa, who was looking for the power to avenge her father''s death. "...I''m not going to go along with a weak guy, huh? That''s just like Nagisa." "But... is that my fault!? Is it wrong to act for the sake of classmates in need!? Doesn''t Baskerville think so too?" "......Hmph" I sniffle and glare at Leon, who is questioning me in the opposite direction. "I''m not talking about right or wrong, okay? I''m just asking, ''Is that how you strive to be a hero?''" "...Yes, it is. Helping people in need, that''s what I''m trying to be a hero for!" "Haha! I disagree. A hero is a person who can do what no one else can do. Not the majority who stands out from the crowd. They are the minority that stands out above the rest!" Still, I don''t think what Leon is doing is wrong at all. Help the weak. Stand in line with others. It''s not about one person taking 100 steps. But everyone should take one step together. I am sure that this is a very moral and honorable way of thinking in a peaceful country like Japan today. If Leon had been an ordinary boy in Japan, he might have been a popular boy in his class with a strong sense of justice and leading everyone. But that is a far cry from being a ''hero''. There are many monsters in this world. There are people who are more corrupt than monster. Moreover, there is the Demon King who is a greater threat than monster. So, it is not 100 ordinary people who can stand against the Demon King. It is only the individual with overwhelming strength that can defeat the Demon King. "I don''t say it''s wrong to help people. I''m also not saying that it''s wrong to feel sorry for the oppressed and weak. But... if you keep walking along with the slow runners, you''ll never get to the top of the mountain you''re aiming for in your life, will you?" "That''s..." "The hero you''re aiming for... will never be as heroic as the hero who once sealed the Demon King and saved the world. I assure you... you will remain an ordinary man for the rest of your life." "...What do you know about me!" Leon''s rage is finally getting the better of him as I repeat to hit him with my words. He stands up and grabs my chest... but I throw him away without mercy. "Kahah!?" Leon exhales in pain as his back is slammed hard against the ground. "That was neither skill nor technique. It''s a judo technique called ''Koshi Guruma''... but that''s okay." "Ugh...!" Leon gets up from the ground with a groan of pain and glares at me. I throw the sword I took out of the item box at Leon''s feet. "Use it! You''re not carrying a sword on your date, are you?" "Baskerville. You''re not seriously..." "We''re not trying to kill each other. This is just a mock battle." I looked around briefly. The streets are deserted as the sun is setting. It is a good time for a fight. Even if it is a mock battle, it would be troublesome to explain if the guards are called. "Part of the reason for your fall is that I killed a gargoyle and saved our classmates in the first dungeon. So, I''ll take the responsibility and open up your mind." "......" "If you are truly proud of your efforts to be a hero, take up the sword. Prove yourself right by winning!" "...All right. If you say that much, then I''ll do it!" Leon picks up the sword lying on the ground and stands up. His will to fight surges through him. The aura of a warrior that permeates the air tells me that the man in front of me is a talented man. "I got a better score in the entrance exam than you! Don''t regret it!" "Yes. That''s what I want!" I laugh, my lips pursing into a smile, and pull out another sword. Leon Brave, the hero who takes the right road. Zenon Baskerville, the villain who takes the wrong path. It''s the first time that these two men faced each other head-on, without the company of their comrades. CH 67 Thanks Yuechan for the support... "Haa!" "Hmph!" Leon slashes at me with his sword from above. I backstep to avoid the attack, and counterattack with a side slash. "Damn, it''s heavy...!" Leon catches my slash with his sword, but his face distorts. It seems that if we compare only physical abilities, I have the upper hand. It was worth raising my physical enhancement skill. "What''s wrong? You look so weak!" "Don''t mock me!" Leon, who had bounced off my sword and moved away from me, now holds his sword at his waist. On his steel sword, a blue effect appears. This is a technique of the swordsmanship skill called ''Air-slash (Zenku)''. This technique is a well-known one in the game and it will send out a slash. "Slash and split!" A blue slash is sent toward me. This attack comes straight at me, and if I suffer a serious blow, I will be injured. "Well... I don''t owe you anything to suffer..." I also sheave my sword and send a slash. We have the same swordsmanship skills. And so, Leon''s blue slash and my red slash collide head-on. The two slashes are balanced for a moment, but it''s my slash that won the battle. My slash, which had dispersed the blue slash, slowed down a little and went toward Leon. But-- "Hmm...?" Leon is not there. I look for a sign... and look up above me. I see Leon jumping high in the air while swinging his sword from above. "Take this... power slash!" "Heh... that''s not bad." If we compare our skill levels, I can say without a doubt that I''m better than him. It is only natural, since I have developed my skills in the shortest and fastest way possible through the game. However, Leon is still the hero. It''s no exaggeration to say that his potential is natural. He uses ''Zanku'', an indirect attack, as a decoy to jump in the air and attack with ''Power Slash'', a highly powerful sword attack. His battle sense, which even seems to be growing during battle, is something I could never have possessed. "But... you''re naive!" "...!" I make an action with the [Taijutsu] skill, ''Steps of Heaven (Tenpo)''. I move fast in the air and instantly jump toward Leon, who raises his sword. If we fight in five or ten years from now, I may not even be able to strike a blow at Leon and lose. And if we compare the hopeless factor of talent without knowledge and experience, I am not even close to Leon. But still, it is certain. There is no way that Leon can defeat me now. No matter if we fight a hundred times or a thousand times, I will surely win against Leon. "Hmph!" "Kahah!" I strike Leon''s torso with the back of my sword. Leon, who was about to perform a great move, is unable to avoid it. He bends his body into a "¤¯" shape, loses his posture, and is smashed to the ground. Meanwhile, I landed on my feet and taunted the falling Leon. "What''s the matter, Class Rep? You''re not reacting very fast" "Damn...!" Leon grunts in frustration, but still gets up. It seems that he had minimized the damage by taking a passive stance as soon as possible. Really, it was an abominable talent that made me hate him. "Why is it so one-sided...? Baskerville, how did you get such power?" "How did I get it...? It''s natural for those who work hard to become stronger." I reply without hesitation, with a derisive smile on my face. "You didn''t move forward. You stopped. You just slowed down to keep up with the people around you and stopped running toward the goal. It''s only natural that you can''t catch up with me who''ve been running so hard." "...Are you saying I''m not working hard enough?" "That''s what happened. Am I wrong?" "......" Leon is silent, his face contorted in frustration. It seems he can''t even respond to me. Still, I continue to hit him with my words. "Leon Brave... Nagisa abandoned you not because of a difference in direction or personality. She abandoned you because you are weak." "......" "You''ve justified your laziness and stopped trying, cloaking yourself in such sounding words as ''kindness'' and ''cooperativeness''. You have stopped aiming at your ancestor who once sealed the Demon King, and have accepted being an inert and weak nobody. That is why Nagisa has given up on you. Aeris could have had a future with you, but she chose me." Perhaps, there is no doubt that Leon Brave is a kind and just man. Kindness alone can save someone only in a peaceful world. But, in this world threatened by monsters and the Demon King, a man who is only kind is of no use. The hero who defies his surroundings and makes continuous efforts that make his blood run down his body is the one who is called ''hero''. That is the role the world needs Leon to play. "Wake up! If you want to be a hero, be more desperate. You can''t protect anyone if you''re weak. You can''t protect your friends from unreasonable violence." "...!" "If you keep showing your face like that..." I looked down at Leon and raised my middle finger provocatively. I twisted my lips, bared my pointed fangs, and said arrogantly. "I''m going to steal your childhood friend, Ciel Uranus, too. Do you want it?" CH 68 "What... what are you trying to say...!" "I didn''t say anything crazy. Leon Brave." Leon''s eyes widen in astonishment at my words, and I continue without hesitation. "Even in this seemingly peaceful world, if you peel back its skin, you will find the threat of monsters and the malice of humans lurking in the air." Just like Urza was captured, enslaved, and auctioned off. Just like Aeris was forced into a party by a classmate and abandoned in the depths of a dungeon. And just like Nagisa, who came to this country to avenge the murderer of her family. This world, the world of [DunBrave], is not a peaceful one. Especially when the Demon King will return in six months and bring chaos to the world. "Hey, Leon. If I become your enemy... can you protect the people you love from me?" "...!" "Everyone get along, that''s great. Nothing wrong with caring for the weak. But when the weak are in the clutches of the strong, only the strong can protect them. And I am not a spoiled brat who has stopped aiming higher by following in the footsteps of the weak!" "...!" "Leon Brave... you are NOT a hero now! You can''t even protect your own childhood friend!" "You...! You say whatever you want to say!" Leon is furious and slashes at me. But, I counter-parry his sharp blow and take him down. "Ggh...!" "What''s wrong? Is that what you can do?" "I... I..." "Hmm...?" "I... won''t lose!" Leon falls to the ground again, but his body is enveloped in a white light. It seems that he has activated his hero power. His power makes the park, which is now in the dark of dusk, brighten as if the sun has just risen again. "I am not weak! I''ll protect everyone! Not only Ciel, but everyone else... I''m going to be a hero who can protect everyone!" "Hmm... But if it''s just talk, anyone can say it, can''t they?" "Then... I''ll prove it with this one blow! I''m not weak. I''m going to win!" Leon holds his shining sword at the highest level and swings it down with all his might. This is one of the most powerful attacks that Leon Brave has, the secret technique, ''Yuusho Zanbatsu (ÓÂÏè”ØÆÆ)''. In [DunBrave], Leon can master three secret techniques, and this is the first one. This is the strongest of the techniques that can be mastered in the early stages of the game, and it is the blow that proves that Leon is the descendant of the hero. Now, this blade of light comes close to engulfing me. "Ooooooooooooooooooooo!" "As expected of the descendants of the hero. It''s a great move... But..." I narrow my eyes and sigh in pity. No matter how much strength he exerted... he could never reach me. Because... "I''m tired of seeing that trick. I''ve seen it too many times in the games." "Huh...?!" Leon unleashes a desperate attack, but his expression changes to one of shock. Just before the blade of light swallowed me, my body, which had been standing there without resistance, vanished, leaving behind an afterimage. "Illusion Ghost" This is a dark magic that creates an illusion of my body and uses it as a decoy for an enemy''s attack. In the game, this is an elementary magic that only improves evasion performance, but in this world where the game has become reality, it is able to nullify even Leon''s high power magic. "In the game, the secret technique is unavoidable. It was a surefire attack... but reality is not a game" "...!" I used the illusion to get into Leon''s pocket, and raised my sword at him when he is defenseless from the attack. "Go back to sleep!" "Ugh...!?" I hit Leon''s head with the hilt of my sword. Leon''s body shakes and he falls to the ground. "T...hat...?" "With this you realized, right? You''re weak, Leon Brave." I look down at Leon, who groans on the ground, and I tell him coldly. "You can''t protect anyone if you''re weak. If you want to protect someone, don''t choose your means. Be more desperate and show them how strong you are." "......" After I said these words, Leon faints. I wonder if my words reached his heart. "Be firm. You''re the hero... you''re carrying the fate of the world on your shoulders." I tell the fallen Leon, and put the sword away in my item box. CH 69 "Hey... What are you doing to Leon!" As I was pouring the healing medicine on the fallen Leon, the women who had gone to the stall came back. When they see Leon lying on the ground, Ciel, his childhood friend, comes running to him in a panic. Ciel kneels on the ground and picks up the unconscious Leon. Leon is still unconscious, but his injuries are gone without a trace thanks to the recovery medicine. After confirming that there was no significant injury, Ciel breathed a sigh of relief, but immediately turned her sharp eyes on me. "What did you do to Leon!? I won''t forgive you if you answer me!!" "Don''t be so rash. We agreed to this." I shrug my shoulders and turn my back to Ciel, welcoming Urza and Nagisa back. "Yo, welcome back." "Here it is, Goshujin-sama. I bought Rango fruit juice as you ordered, desu~no" "Ah, you''ve done a good job." "Eheheh, desu~no" When I pat her white hair, Urza smiles broadly. "Nagisa, I''m sorry about it. I''m sorry for leaving you to babysit." "I don''t mind but... so, Master, did you have a satisfying battle?" "Well, I guess so... if this doesn''t change him, there''s nothing more I can do for him." I have achieved my goal of beating Leon and reminding him of his own powerlessness. He is going to be a hero who saves the world. I am sure that he will use his frustration as a stepping stone to grow up and show me how much he has improved. If he defeats the Demon King as he is, it will be a happy ending. That''s the happy ending everyone want. "Well then, Ciel Uranus. Please give my best wishes to your boyfriend when he wakes up." "...!" Ciel stares at me with hostile eyes. It seems that I am now completely recognized as an enemy. "...Well, it doesn''t matter." Although it''s not a pleasant feeling to have unjustified hostility directed at me... two of the three heroines, Aeris and Nagisa, are already on my side. At least Ciel must stay by Leon''s side. Maybe it''s better if she hates me. "By the end of the week, my suspension will be over. Next time we''ll see each other at the school. If you want revenge, I''ll be your opponent in the final exam." "You should remember it... you may beat Leon in a cowardly way... but if Leon wants to, he''ll beat you to a pulp!" "...If he''s that strong, I''ll have a lot less trouble. Still, I expect the best." After saying this, I wave goodbye to Ciel and quickly leave the park. Despite several unexpected circumstances, the ''Straw Millionaire'' event was successfully completed. And so, we could enjoy the holiday date, and I can say that it was a worthwhile holiday. With the sun on my back, Urza on my right and Nagisa on my left, I return to the Baskervilles'' mansion. * * * "...Welcome back. Did you have a good date?" "Ugh..." When we returned to the house, we met a woman standing in front of the gate of the mansion. She is a beautiful woman in a dress with long golden hair hanging down her back but is standing like a ghost under the dim light of the lamp. She had a tuft of hair in her mouth and looked at us three people in a row with a cold reptilian gaze. "......Sorry for leaving you. Aeris." I manage to squeeze out an apology with a look of unprecedented horror on my face. It seems that our beloved saint Aeris Centorea has turned into a yandere behind the scenes of our date. CH 70 "I see... that''s what happened." In the Baskerville family''s mansion, Aeris Centorea says this deeply while having dinner in the dining room. At the entrance, we met Aeris, who had turned into a yandere, and from then on, I tried to put her in a good mood, since she had been excluded from the date. Aeris, with eyes that looked like a mixture of all kinds of misfortunes, was absolutely terrifying. Not only me, but even Urza and Nagisa''s faces were wrinkled with shivers. After about an hour of quieting her down, hugging her from behind and patting her head, I finally succeeded in getting her back to her usual calm expression. At dinner time, we sat around the table and talked about the events of the day. "No way, it''s just a coincidence that you met Brave-san. And I didn''t expect Zenon-sama and Brave-san to fight a duel..." "Brave wasn''t weak either. But still... his lack of training was still noticeable. I''m sure I will win if I have to fight him a hundred times." I say my honest opinion as I put the knife-cut meat into my mouth. Leon Brave is a hero, and his potential is overwhelming. Not to mention me, even Nagisa and Urza can''t beat the fully grown Leon. Even so... Leon, who has unintentionally avoided the trials he should have gone through because he was out of the regular scenario, was not that strong. For me, who had grown up by the shortest route using the knowledge of the game and the items, he was not a threat by any means. "But... he may turn out to be a good opponent after this defeat." Otherwise, it''s meaningless. I need Leon to defeat the Demon King so that I can live peacefully from now on. If the Demon King can be defeated without Leon, I can leave him alone... but the blood of the hero is indispensable to seal the resurrected Demon King. And there is already less than half a year until the Demon King comes back to life. Leon must grow up before then. "He didn''t look like he had that much guts, desu~no. That ball-less guy looks fragile, desu~no" Urza gives a withering assessment as she bites into a hunk of roast beef. Please don''t tell him. Although his ball has been kicked and bruised... maybe it''s still attached. "Fumu... Brave was not bad with the sword. The problem is that he is too good-natured." Nagisa, who has changed into a loungewear designed like a yukata (Japanese summer kimono), also evaluates Leon in this way. "I don''t mean to say that being lonely is strength. I understand that there is strength to protect. It''s just... he lacked the desperation to be strong at all costs. Perhaps, he has never experienced defeat in his life." Nagisa stirs the soup with a spoon, a somewhat melancholy expression on her face. "Defeat and humiliation are hard and painful, but they are also food for leaps and bounds. I guess that man never experienced a decisive defeat, so he was never saddened by his weakness and impatient with his strength." "...I suppose that''s true." Nagisa Seikai, a female swordsman, experienced the ''decisive defeat'' of having her school and family eliminated, which gave her the strength to fight through to this point. Her words came from that experience, and they were as heavy as gold. I believe that Leon was supposed to get such a decisive defeat in the battle against gargoyles. The correct scenario would have been that he would not be able to defeat the gargoyle and that his classmates would die because of it... and that he would use that defeat as an opportunity to grow as a hero. "...I wish my fight with him could be the substitute for that..." I murmur somberly and put a piece of meat in my mouth. This meat is of the finest quality, seasoned by a skilled chef and it is melted on the tongue. But, perhaps because I was worried about Leon, I couldn''t taste it at all. "...I don''t like it. It''s useless for me to be worrying about it." No matter what I worry about, Leon does not suddenly become stronger. As a villain, as a hated character, I''ve done all I can. All that remains is to trust the hero''s guts. "I''ll see the results soon anyway... and I''m looking forward to it on the final exam." "If I recall correctly, the exams start next week. Oh dear... I''ve been so busy that I haven''t been able to study at all. What should I do?" Aeris pressed her cheeks with her hands troubledly. The final examinations at the academy consist of both written and practical tests. The written examinations are the same as those at ordinary Japanese schools. The answers to the written examinations are based on what you have learned in class. In the practical test, on the other hand, the students form a party of four and work together to defeat monsters and collect items in a specific area. The rarer the monster or item is, the higher the score is, so it becomes a real competition. "Oh, by the way..." Nagisa murmurs as if she remembers and tilts her head. "We''ve been diving in dungeons instead of going to the school lately...perhaps the party is being decided in a place where we''re absent?" "No... the party assignment for the final exam is supposed to be flexible. There is no such thing as being assigned to a party without permission. However..." We need to form a party for the final exam. Aeris, Nagisa and I will be on a team of three. Urza can''t participate in the final exam because she is not an official student. "Uuu, now Urza is left out!" "Don''t be upset. I''ll buy you some sweets next time... But still, do we need to find one more party member somewhere? Can''t we participate in the exam if there are only three of us?" In the game, Ciel, Aeris, and Nagisa were already in the party by the time of the summer final exam, so there was no need to worry about the number of party members. But what happened if the members could not be gathered? "As I recall... if we don''t have enough members, we are supposed to participate with the number of members we don''t have. The score of the practical test is equally divided by the number of members, so I don''t think it would be too much of a disadvantage even if there are three members..." Aeris answers my question. In the practical test, points are awarded for defeating monsters and collecting items in each test area. In the end, the scores are divided equally among the members of the party, and the results are graded. "In that case, it would be better not to increase the number of members. If we bring in a person of half ability into the party, he or she will be a liability, and the score will be taken away by the increase in the number of members." "I agree. I think we should challenge with these members" Nagisa agrees with me. The female swordsman, who is a strong fighter, seems to be of the same opinion as me... On the other hand, Aeris is thinking with a difficult expression on her face. "It''s unbalanced that we don''t have any offensive magic user... But there are probably already some talented wizards in the other party, and it''s going to be difficult to find them now, isn''t it?" "I agree. There will not be any good wizards left." "Besides... we can''t have any more girls around Zenon-sama. I can''t stand it if I''m excluded again." "......" I looked away silently, not knowing what to say to Aeris'' words. CH 71 At last, the suspension is over, and for the first time in a while, I go to school at Royal Sword and Magic Academy. Early in the morning, I train in the garden with Nagisa, work up a sweat, and have breakfast. After finishing the morning preparations, I board the Baskerville family carriage, followed by Urza, Aeris, and Nagisa. It is natural that Urza, a slave, sleeps at my place... but Aeris and Nagisa also sleep at the Baskerville family''s place as a matter of course. Nagisa, an international student, lives alone in a rented lodge, but she had already moved out of the lodge, so, it was reasonable. And she seems to be planning to stay at my place for the time being. The problem is Aeris, who has her own house being the daughter of a cardinal... However, she has officially obtained her father''s permission to stay out overnight and is now living in the Baskerville family''s mansion with full pomp and circumstance. The other day, she was severely punished for staying out overnight without permission, but I heard that she spent a day trying to convince his father to let her stay at my place. But after that, I am surprised that Viscount Centorea gave her permission to stay here, since I am sure he has heard of the notoriety of the Baskerville family. "It''s all God''s will. My father finally convinced himself that my being with Zenon-sama is also a gift from the God." ¡ªThis is what Aeris said, proudly puffing out her huge chest. I don''t know what Viscount Centorea was thinking when he chose to leave his daughter in my care, but I beg him not to come and visit me. I don''t want to do such a "please give me your daughter" kind of thing. "Huff..." Now, I spend time with three beautiful girls in the same carriage. And lately I have been sleeping in the same room with them and my maid Levienna every night, but I still feel uncomfortable being in the same space. Although I am not doing anything wrong, I feel strangely guilty or out of place. Because Aeris and Nagisa are heroines who are supposed to be married to Leon. Urza also a character from another game. Perhaps it is natural for me to feel it since I am dealing with three people who are not supposed to be with me. After a 30-minute ride in the carriage, we arrived at the main gate of the academy. As I get off the carriage and walk in front of the open gate, I hear a murmur from the other students who are going to school. "Could that be...?" "Isn''t that Zenon Baskerville...! Was the rumor that he quit school a lie!?" "I heard that he killed a student in the dungeon that he didn''t like... If that''s the case, why is he allowed to come to school?" "Maybe he pressured the school to cover up the incident. There are stories that he made some teachers quit because he didn''t like them..." "Hey, hey... my rumors are getting worse and worse." What kind of rumors are they talking about? Some of them are true... but those rumors have been completely made to make me look like a bad guy, covered with dorsal fins, tail fins, pectoral fins, and even butt fins. Is this because of my evil face? Or is it because of the notoriety of the Baskervilles? "Arrived, desu~no" "Phew, it''s been a long time since I''ve been here." "Me too. I''ve been training in the dungeon instead of attending classes for a long time." Following me, Urza, Aeris, and Nagisa get out of the carriage, and the buzz from the surrounding area grows even louder. "Huh! Isn''t that Centorea, the Cardinal''s daughter?" "And there''s Seikai-san, the foreign student, too! Why are two students with excellent grades with him!?" "Hey! Don''t make eye contact them! There''s that ''Breakball Ogre''! She''ll make you incapable of having children!" Aeris and Nagisa are known by their names because of their excellent grades, but now even Urza has a funny nickname. "...I miss my old school. It''s going to be a noisy school life again." I mutter to myself as I walk toward the school building. It is not going to be easy to go to school for the first time in a long time after being suspended from school. Thinking of the commotion that is about to happen, I let out a deep sigh. * * * When we arrived at the school, we first went to the teacher''s office to meet the teachers after the suspension. Wanko-sensei gives me a sermon with a serious face, as I meet her for the first time in two weeks. Still, she tells me to consult her immediately if I have any problems. I realized once again that Wanko-sensei is a good teacher. After leaving the teachers'' office, we went to the classroom. As I open the door and enter the classroom, Jean, one of my few friends, waves to me. "Hey, Baskerville! I see your suspension has been lifted!" "Yeah... it''s a little fast, but it''s been an exciting summer vacation." I shrugged my shoulders lightly and responded to Jean''s greeting. "Urza-chan! How are you!?" "Mgh!? L-Let go of me!" Arisa, Jean''s girlfriend and his member party, hugged Urza. She hugs her as if she were holding a stuffed bear, and Urza flails her arms and legs. If Urza wanted to, she could shake her off by force, but she does not do so, so she may not really dislike it. "Ah, Centorea-san. It''s been a while." "How have you been?" "I''m fine, and I''m glad to hear that you are all well." A little further away, Aeris is chatting with her friends. Aeris, who is known as a friendly and ''saint'', has many friends unlike me. "Oh, it''s you, Seikai-san!" "At last, you''ve come to the school, have you finished your training?" "Yes, the training was quite meaningful. Thanks to that, I met a good teacher." Surprisingly, Nagisa, who is a lone swordsman and does not seem to be good at socializing, is also surrounded by her classmates. Unlike Aeris, who talks with only girls, Nagisa''s classmates are mostly boys. They are all athletic guys with good physique. "I''m surprised... Nagisa is quite popular, isn''t she?" "Oh? Ah, those are the guys who had a match with Seikai-san and lost. Baskerville may not know this but Seikai-san has been doing some kind of dojo-storming activities in various clubs since she entered the academy. Some students don''t like her because of that, but there are some who became friends with her because of that, you know?" "...You mean she made a friend through fighting? She is really battle maniac" I mutter half in dismay and half in admiration, and take a seat near Jean. Jean comes up to me, his eyes sparkling with curiosity. "No, I''m the one who''s surprised. Since when did you become friends with Seikai-san? It''s so mysterious that you come to school together." "Well, uh... a lot has happened. A lot of things" I blurted out with my unexpressed feelings and turned my eyes out of the window. In fact, many things happened during the suspension period. I met Nagisa during the "Straw Millionaire" and she volunteered to be my apprentice, we went on a holiday date together, and so on. After some twists and turns, I even ended up in a duel with Leon. "Hmm... Speaking of which...?" Leon is nowhere to be seen in the classroom. Neither is his childhood friend Ciel. It was only a few days ago that we had a duel... but I don''t remember that I hurt him so badly that he had to miss school. As I think about this, the door of the classroom opens and Leon enters. He is accompanied by Ciel and another unfamiliar female student. The unfamiliar girl with Leon has purplish-black hair tied back behind her head with a hair ornament. She wore black-rimmed glasses and looked somewhat plain, but upon closer inspection, she was not inferior to Aeris or Nagisa, and her face was enough to be regarded as a ''beautiful girl''. This person did not appear in the [DunBrave] game. After all, I didn''t recognize her. "...!" Leon''s face twists awkwardly for a moment when he sees me. Still, he does not speak to me and takes a seat far away from me. By the way, Ciel is staring at me with eyes that are obviously hostile. It was as if she was looking at me as if I was her parent''s enemy. "Oi, oi, did you do something to make Brave hate you again? You guys are perfect for each other!" "Don''t joke around. I was just poking him a little... but who''s that girl with Brave? Was there someone like that in our class?" "Who? You can''t even remember the names of your classmates?" At my question, Jean scratched his head in exasperation. "That girl is Melia. Melia Su. I hear she has been hanging out with Brave lately, and they will be partying together for the final exam" "Heh... I don''t remember her, though." I folded my arms and thought about it, but I couldn''t remember. To be honest...I don''t remember half of my classmates'' names. Aside from the characters from the game, Jean and Arisa were the only ones I''d ever talked to. "I heard that she got 6th place in the entrance exam. Though she wasn''t invited to the entrance ceremony, she;s a pretty good honor student." "Hmm, that''s good to hear. It seems he has found a good friend." He is a great protagonist in such area. He missed Aeris and Nagisa, but he still has another beautiful girl with him. "By the way... the final exam will start next week. Have you already arranged a party for the practical test?" Jean changes the subject in a casual tone. Anyway, he''ll find out soon enough. Since I had nothing to hide, I answered in the affirmative. "Yes. Me, Aeris, and Nagisa are going to take the test together. Urza can''t join the party because she''s not a student of the school." "A party of three... well, all of you have good grades, so it''s good enough" Jean nodded, held up his index finger, and turned it in a circular motion. "In the class, most of the students have already formed a party. Most of them seem to be grouped together within the class, but there are some who are teaming up with club mates from other classes." "So, you''re going to team up with Arisa?" "Yeah, of course. The members of our party haven''t changed since we started school." Jean turns his attention to his childhood sweetheart. Meanwhile, Arisa pulls out an apple pie-like pastry from her bag and feeds it to Urza. "Aaaa! Urza is so cute! Eat this one too!" "Munch, munch... Don''t treat me like a child, desu~no. Urza is older than you, desu~no!" "Geez, you keep telling lies like that... Look, look, I have chocolate too..." "Ugh... you''re still an annoying woman, desu~no!" Urza complains unpleasantly, but opens her mouth to eat the sweets. Maybe this is one of the forms of friendship. "Okay, let''s start the class. Take your seats." Wanko-sensei opens the door of the classroom and enters wearing a suit and tie. The students, who had been chatting with their classmates, take their seats. "Excuse me, neighbor student" "I will take a seat here. Master." Naturally, Aeris and Nagisa sat down on either side of me. Urza also tries to come toward me, but Arisa catches her on the way and makes her sit next to her. "Okay, first we will review the test subjects for the final exam. Please listen quietly." Thus, the first class I have had in two weeks begins. The only difference from before is that the heroines are sitting on either side of me. With the final exam just around the corner, my new school life begins. CH 72 The resumed school life went surprisingly smoothly. Although I had a hard time taking the classroom classes because I was suspended from school, I was able to catch up quickly because of Zenon''s excellent knowledge. I still have an awkward relationship with Leon, and we do not talk to each other. However, Leon''s eyes do not show any hostility toward me, and he does not seem to be suffering from the duel of the other day. After school, he seems to be in the dungeon with two of his party members, and I believe that he is training seriously. If anything... it is not the school but my life at home that has been difficult. Aeris and Nagisa have come to live in the Baskerville family''s mansion in earnest, and they have turned the vacant room into their room and brought in their belongings such as daily necessities, clothes, and so on. Especially, whenever they went to sleep, they always slept in my room. "Zzz...zzz..." "Mmm... Haah..." "Goshujin-sama... Munyamunya..." "...How can I sleep? Under these conditions..." Beautiful women and girls sleeping in my bed. At the sight of these girls sleeping, I suffer from chronic sleep deprivation. If anything, I am lucky that my father, the head of the Baskerville family, does not seem to be coming back home. I don''t know where he stays, but Garondolf Baskerville has not been seen at the house since my punishment right after the entrance ceremony. "Well...it''s better that way. I can''t let my parents see me like this." Even if Garondolf is a lousy, bad parent, if he sees his son having a harem of girls in his room, he will take some action. Hopefully, I don''t see him until the day comes when I defeats my father. "Until then, I''ll be patient..." "Zzz... Master... Don''t touch that place..." "Ah... Zenon-sama... that feels so good..." "Goshujin-sama... I want to eat Goshujin-sama''s frankfurters too..." "......" I''ve determined myself to stay chaste and not touch the heroine until I''ve defeated my father, but listening to such a troubling sleep-talk night after night shakes my faith. My rationality is nearing its limit, and if I let my guard down for a moment, I will be tempted to do a lupine dive because of their scent. "Ahah... Obocchama... Please suck my t*ts more..." "...you too, Levienna." In addition to Urza, Aeris, and Nagisa, Levienna, who had changed from a maid''s uniform to a negligee, also slept on my bed as a matter of course. Her negligee is so revealing that if I peeked into it, I could see the protrusion at the tip of her bust. "Remember it... if I beat my father, I''ll definitely have a lot of s*x with you all...!" I vowed secretly and spent the night in agony. * * * Somehow, I managed to make it to the first day of the final exam without touching any of the girls. "Now then... We will begin the first final exam for the first-year students." Now it was time for the test to begin. Wanko-sensei, our homeroom teacher, stood on the platform and announced to the students "As I explained to you before, the test will be divided into two parts: a written test and a practical test. The final score will be announced after the test, which will be the total of these scores plus the personal score. As you know... if you cheat on the test, your score will be confiscated and you will be asked to leave the test room. So, please do not behave in any suspicious manner that may lead to suspicion of cheating!" Wanko-sensei tapped the blackboard with his pointer and his glasses shone brightly. "Depending on your test results, you may be moved to a lower class. If you want to stay in the A class, you should take it to heart! Now... let the test begin!" The bell rings in the classroom, and the final exam has finally begun. The first part of the test is a written test. There will be a paper test on each of the subjects studied in class, which will be divided into two days. "Huff..." When I turned over the answer sheet from the reverse side to the front side, I saw a question that seemed to be more difficult than I had expected. This is indeed one of the most elite schools in Slayers Kingdom. Since I possessed Zenon''s body after I entered the school, I have no memory of the entrance examination... but I understood that the test in front of me was very difficult. Taking the test in this way made me realize how far behind I had been during the period of my suspension. I had thought that Zenon''s brain, which is the best in the class, would be able to handle the test, but I may have underestimated it a little. Still, I worked hard to twist my brain and write down the answers. The mathematics is the same as what I learned in Japan before my reincarnation. There is no particular problem. The bottleneck is memorizing subjects. There are some questions about the history of this world. I tried to memorize as much as I could before the test... but some things are missing from my memory. After two days of work on the written test, I can say that I answered more than 80% of the questions correctly. At this rate, I don''t think I will fail the test, but it may be a little tough to compete for the top grade. "In that case...I''ll just have to make score in practical test. Let''s explore the dungeon." Finally ¡ª the third day of the test. The long-awaited day of the practical test has arrived. CH 73 Thanks Charlos Zhu for the support... "The location for the practical test... at Margarita Canyon?" In order to ensure fairness, the location for the practical test at the Royal Sword and Magic Academy had been kept a secret until just before the test. If the location was known beforehand, some parties would have prepared the test carefully. And now, the school had prepared a ''earth dragon carriage'', and we are taken to the canyon west of the royal capital. Margarita Canyon. Named after the execution of Queen Margarita, who was called the ''Queen of the Inclined Kingdoms'' 200 years ago. The dungeon is a place where many undead monsters inhabit. According to the game''s setting, Queen Margarita, who was executed for a crime she did not commit, had become a powerful undead, creating countless undead out of hatred for the people who killed her. It is a dangerous place for ordinary people to even set foot in... but it is not a very difficult dungeon as long as one doesn''t go too deep into the ''depths''. "...It''s quite a scary place to see in person. It''s very discouraging." I muttered in frustration as I got out of the carriage and looked at the high, deep canyon spreading out before me. Modeled after the Grand Canyon, the terrain looks as if it were carved out of a high hill, which was raised by tectonic movements, by a huge river that cuts through the center of the canyon. The hills eroded by running water have exposed layers of strata from ancient to modern times, with fossil-like objects found here and there. Geologists and archaeologists would drool at the sight... but the sky is covered by thick purple clouds, so no sunlight shines into the canyon. The whole area is dimly lit, and the temperature is so low that one''s breath turns white even though it is almost summer. Just being here gives one a gloomy atmosphere, as if one''s life were being sucked out of one''s body. "This is the test place? I thought it would be a mountain or a forest somewhere..." Aeris, who got out of the carriage after me, said this with a sigh. Aeris'' expression is darker than usual, but her almond-shaped eyes are full of motivation and a sense of mission. It seems that she is both nervous and missionary as a priest, seeing one of the most undead-inhabited areas in the Slayers Kingdom. "A place where many unsaved souls wander. As a priest, I knew I had to visit there someday to purify it. But I never thought I will be here for the school''s test..." "Yeah, I''m surprised too... I didn''t expect to be here for the test." But... that''s not what I''m surprised about. In the game [DunBrave], the final exam was not held in Margarita Canyon, but in another dungeon. It seems that... my actions had an effect, and as a result, the test site is changed. "Well... the difficulty level is not so different, so I don''t mind..." "Hmm... I''m not so sure about the dead. They are not my favorite enemy." Nagisa came down next to me and Aeris. For Nagisa, a swordsman, the formless ghost-type monsters are her natural enemies. But she can slay skeletons and zombies if they have a shape, which are both found in the Margarita canyon. "Yeah, I''m not good at it either. Dark magic is not so effective against the undead." I shrugged my shoulders in response to Nagisa. My attack tools are ''sword'' and ''dark magic''. Both of them are disadvantageous against the undead. Except for Urza, who is not a student of the school, our party consists of three members. This means that two of the members, including myself, are not good at this dungeon. "However... it''s not an unreasonable handicap. We can cover up the disadvantages with items, and we have Aeris in our party." "Yes! Leave it to me!" Aeris said with a proud smile in front of a deep valley. "Those poor souls who cannot go to the Kingdom of Heaven...those who are beyond the reach of the God, I will save them!" "Yes, but don''t be too hard on yourself..." "Yes!" Aeris nodded her head strongly. Looking at her motivated face, it seems that she might push herself again... but if push comes to shove, she can be stopped by force. "Now, I will explain about the practical test! Please gather here!" Wanko-sensei, the examiner, shouted from a little distance away. The other students who got off from the carriage also gathered around Wanko-sensei. Among them, of course, Leon is among them. "Well... shall we go, then?" "Yes! Let''s go!" "Ohhhh, my arms are throbbing!" Aeris and Nagisa. And me. I don''t know how far we could go without Urza... but of course, I''m not going to let Leon beat me. I had given him a big lecture in the duel in the park, so I can''t let him see how pathetic I am. "I''m going to get top marks in the practical exam! I''m going to impress the others!" I said arrogantly and laughed with my fangs bared. CH 74 "Now... let me explain the rules of the practical test." In front of about 200 students, Wanko-sensei begins to explain the test. In addition to Wanko-sensei and the other teachers, there are also armed adventurers in the room. They are probably hired to rescue students in case of an emergency. "The place where the test will be held is here ¡ª in the whole area of the Margarita Canyon. The time period is 24 hours. The test will end tomorrow at noon." That means the students will have to spend the night in the dungeon. To attempt the test without any preparation would be a suicidal act. "You are free to bring your own items. Food, water, and camping equipment will be provided. If you need other items than the ones you have, please buy them at the store set up over there." I look at the direction to which Wanko-sensei pointed, and I see an earth dragon carriage remodeled to look like a mobile vending van. The storefront is lined with consumable items, mainly recovery items, and from a distance, I can see holy water and charms to protect against the undead. "Next, we will discuss the grading of the test... I will hand out these cards to each of the parties that you have decided on." Wanko-sensei pulled out from her breast pocket a silver card about the size of a playing card. This card has a special magic spell on it, so that the name and the number of monsters that the party would have defeated are recorded on it. Weak monsters are scored low, and strong ones are scored high. In addition, the party will receive bonus points for delivering the items they have found. The total of these points divided by the number of participants is the final score of the practical test. The rules of the test are the same as in the game. The player will have to go through the dungeon and defeat many strong monsters to get the top score by obtaining drop items and treasure chests. However... this is a real dungeon. Fighting monsters is not a training, but a real battle. If students try to achieve more than they are capable of, they may lose their lives. Wanko-sensei also begins to explain the dangers of the dungeon with a serious expression on her face. "I''m sure you have been told about this before, but... the school will not take any responsibility for any injuries that may occur during the test. The same goes for any deaths. You have entered this school to protect this country from the threat of monsters as adventurers or knights. Whatever happens to you in the process of doing so, please remember once again that you are responsible for your own actions before participating in the test." "..." "Of course... even we teachers do not want our students to be harmed. So, we will distribute ''rescue fireworks'' to all of you, so if you feel your life is in danger, please launch them into the sky." Wanko-sensei distributes a cylindrical item that looks like a smoke bomb. The tube had a large ''RESCUE!'' written on it, with an illustration of fireworks below the words. "By using the ''Rescue Fireworks'', adventurers, who are stationed at each point of the dungeon, would come to the rescue. A party that has used the fireworks will retire from the practical test at that time, but it will not forfeit the points they had earned up to that point. Please do not hesitate to use them if you deem it necessary." Although her face is stern, Wanko-sensei''s tone is filled with concern for her students. It seems as if she is telling the students not to do anything reckless. "Well then... we will now begin the practical test. Please enter the canyon from the party that is ready." As soon as Wanko-sensei announced, a cheer arose among the students. Half of the students start to move as if competing with each other, receiving backpacks filled with food and camping gear and stepping into the Margarita Canyon. Despite the vastness of the canyon, the number of monsters is limited. They are probably thinking of killing the monsters as soon as possible. "...It''s foolish. They don''t understand anything" Nagisa scoffed in disapproval at the ugly competition among the students. "To challenge a battle without sufficient preparation is the work of a fool with only momentum. Only a strong men, who know themselves, know their enemies, and take sufficient countermeasures, would go into battle." "Such words spoken by a woman who has been hiding in the forest alone are unbelievable. You''re talking out yourself" Nagisa raises her eyebrows at me sarcastically, as if she is offended. "That is not true, Master. I went into that forest alone because I was convinced that I could conquer it by myself. I did not mix recklessness with bravery. But... they are different." Nagisa stares at the backs of the students as they dive into the canyon. "How many of them have already taken measures against the dead? It is a fool''s act to challenge the dead without special equipment and items." "That''s harsh... but I agree with you." Skeletons and zombies may be one thing, but holy water and amulets are indispensable when dealing with ghosts and other such insubstantial foes. Nearly 100 students have already jumped into the canyon, and at least half of them will probably drop out early. "I hope they make it back alive... it''s hard to sleep knowing that my classmates will be among the dead." Soon my fears become reality. Less than 30 minutes after the start of the practical test, rescue fireworks are set off one after another in the sky with purple clouds floating in the sky. CH 75 More than 20 students dropped out of the test within 30 minutes of the start of the practical test. The students who dropped out were mostly from the lower classes such as D and E. It seems that they had jumped into the dungeon in order to catch up with the higher classes, but they had not prepared any countermeasures against the undead, and were beaten back by the ghosts and skeletons that they encountered. They returned back to the dungeon with the help of adventurers who served as rescue staff. On the other hand, the upper-class students such as A and B did not dive into the dungeon immediately, but purchased items at the store or held a strategy meeting in a circle with their party. It seems that the upper-class students knew how to attack the dungeon. After all, there are 24 hours left for the practical exam. So, instead of rushing into the dungeon, it would be much more helpful to prepare and plan properly. "Okay, the strategy meeting is over! We''ll go!" "Yeah, be careful." Jean''s party steps into the canyon ahead of my party. Although our friends are ahead of us, we are in no hurry. In an RPG, entering a dungeon without sufficient equipment is suicide. So, without rushing, I prepare myself for the dungeon, checking one thing at a time. "Okay... that''s pretty much all the equipment I have..." Before entering the Margarita Canyon, we prepare our equipment and items. Fortunately, among the treasure items in the item box, there are anti-undead equipment. There are also a large amount of anti-ghost holy water and charms. I equipped myself with a sword with a light attribute, and changed my armor to one with a resistance to the dark attribute. In addition, I equip myself with a charm with a curse-resistant effect to prevent curses used by ghosts. As for the equipment of my companions... since Aeris''s equipment has a light attribute from the beginning and is effective in keeping away the undead, there is no need for her to change it. However, the key point of this dungeon attack is how long Aeris''s magic power, which can purify the undead, will last. Therefore, to avoid running out of magic power, I give her a unique item that reduces her magic consumption by half. "Zenon-sama gave me a ring...! Ah, what a surprise!" She is more pleased than I had expected. Well, a ring with a jewel as blue as the azure sky is indeed a very precious item, but the reason for Aeris''s delight was obviously different. After all, when Aeris put the ring on the ring finger of her left hand, she gazed at it as if she overflowed with emotion. "I will treasure it forever! Today is the best day of my life!" "...I see." Actually, I would like to get it back later if possible. But I couldn''t ask her to give it back if she was so happy. This item, after all, is a one-of-a-kind unique item, but it seemed to have become Aeris''s property. "Hmm... this is a nice robe. This sword is also very good. I like it." Nagisa wore a shining white robe of feathers over her usual kimono. The robe of feathers with light and dark resistance suits Nagisa, who has black hair and wears Japanese clothes, as if she is a celestial maiden descended from the heavens. The sword she carried in her right hand is black with a faint white haze on the blade. The name of the sword, which has an anti-undead effect, is ''Spirit Sword Sujumaru (둵¶ÊýÖéÍè)''. It was dropped from a certain boss monster in the game. It''s a perfect weapon for this dungeon because it has a special attack against undead monsters and can slay even shapeless ghosts. "As we''ve given out holy water and healing potions, we''re all set. Unless something goes wrong, we won''t be in any danger." "Yes. That''s true, but I feel sorry for the rest of the party if we''re the only ones so well prepared..." Aeris''s expression turned somber, and her narrow eyebrows furrowed. While we were getting our gear ready, several parties were retiring from the test after setting off their distress fireworks. Seeing them disqualified for lack of preparation with poor results certainly makes her feel like we''re playing foul. "...We''re not doing anything wrong, though..." Well... we are not breaking any rules. In dungeon attack, preparing equipment and items for every possible situation is not something to be praised or blamed as an explorer or an adventurer. However, if one thinks about it, having the knowledge of the game and the items that can be used to complete the rounds is what is called a cheat. Since the prerequisite for this is an advantage over other students, it is understandable to feel guilty about it. "If that''s what you think, why don''t you give me the item?" "Hmm...?" Suddenly, a voice calls out to me from behind, and I let out a doubtful voice. I turn around... and standing there is a girl with purple hair in a braided pigtails wearing black-rimmed glasses. "Umm... you are...?" "Hello. I''m Melia. Melia Sue. I''m a classmate of yours, in case you don''t know. Baskerville-kun?" "Ah... speaking of which, I''ve seen you in the classroom before, haven''t I? I think you are a new member of Brave''s party" "Yes, I''m Leon''s friend, Melia!" A strange girl...or so I thought, but it turned out to be a female student who belongs to Leon''s party. She wears women''s light armor and has a rather short sword hanging from both sides of her waist. I had assumed that she was a magician because of her modest appearance like an honor student, but it seems that she is a warrior who uses twin swords. "Ah... that''s right. Was it Sue?" I try to pull up some information about her from my vague memory, but there is no information that sticks in my mind. And ever since I entered the school, we had never spoken to each other. In fact, I don''t think I even remember seeing her face. "Are you... alone? Where''s Brave?" The girl named Melia is a mob character who does not appear in the game, but I heard that she is in a party with Leon. If so, where is this important Leon? "If it''s Leon, he''s gone to change the equipment he bought at the store. And Ciel, too." "Hmm... so what do you want with me?" "I said... I''m asking you to give me some items... Our party ran out of money when we bought equipment for two people. We even couldn''t buy enough holy water. So, I wonder if some rich person can give me a few bottles...?" "..." She''s brazen. Why should I give an item to a classmate I''m talking to for the first time? "Isn''t that fine? Don''t you have some left over? Aren''t you rather lucky that you can make a loan to a beautiful girl like me?" "Umm... Zenon-sama, why don''t you give her some of your money? She seems to be in trouble." "...Yeah, okay" To tell the truth, I''m getting tired of dealing with this good-natured woman. For some reason, talking with her makes me unusually tired. At least, I''ll give her some holy water, and I want her to go away. "Thank you. Aeris-chan too, many thanks!" "...that''s enough. Go away before Brave come back. After all, that Uranus girl''s gonna be staring at me again." I don''t know about Leon, but Ciel is completely against me after the incident in the park. If she saw us talking together, she''s likely to give me a trouble. "Yes, yes! Good luck, Baskerville-kun! Be careful of any unexpected incidents." With these words, Melia left with a bottle of holy water. She is a noisy woman. Apart from Leon, she is the kind of person I don''t want to get involved with. While I was casually following Melia''s back with my eyes, Leon and Ciel, who seemed to have finished getting dressed, arrived. Leon''s party exchanges a few words with Ciel and Melia, and then they walk into the canyon. "Hmm...?" "..." Just before they step into the canyon, Leon looks at me for a moment. The man who is the hero of the story has an expression of fighting spirit on his face. It is a provocative look, as if he is challenging me. "...Hmm, it''s good. Is he trying to pick a fight with me? It seems that the duel in the park was not in vain. Leon''s face is filled with a thirst for victory. By the looks on his face, he''s going to be strong and desperate. "We can''t lose either. We''ll get top grades!" "Yes, let''s do our best!" "Yeah, my arm''s throbbing! Let''s go!" With Aeris and Nagisa in tow, I set foot into the Margarita Canyon, albeit belatedly. Under the purple clouds that seem to symbolize bad luck, we descend the sloping valley, careful of our footing. Royal Sword and Magic Academy, first-year students'' practical examinations ¡ª remaining time is 23 hours and 20 minutes. CH 76 We set foot in Margarita canyon and proceeded onward, defeating the undead that stood in our way. "Yaaaah!" "Oooooooooooh!" Nagisa swings her sword, and a pale, translucent wraith is sliced in half. The wraith disappears into the void with an enraged expression on its face. Normally, intangible enemies such as wraiths and ghosts would have been natural enemies for swordsmen and warriors. However, Nagisa, equipped with a sword that is effective against undead monsters, has no blind spot. She slashes through the monsters that appear one after another. "Give salvation to the wandering dead... Turn Undead!" Of course, Aeris, the priestess, is even more active. Each time Aeris casts a spell, a dozen or so undead are purified at once. "Gagagagagaga¡­ Ah!¡± The undead, enveloped by the white light, scream in pain for a moment, but this is soon replaced by the joy of release. The souls ascending to the heavens bathed in the purifying light, are freed from the long spell of death, and they all have peaceful expressions on their faces. "Hmm..." The two of them are playing an active role in the battle... but on the other hand, my presence in the battle has decreased to a surprising degree. The dark magic I''m good at is not very effective against the undead. Although I wear light-attributed equipment, Nagisa, who is faster than me, is always ahead of me, so the game is over before I can make a move. All I have to do is to spray holy water to drive away the enemies when they increase in number, and to support the two girls by using potions. Well, the score of the practical test is given to each party, and is divided equally among them. I''m not at a disadvantage just because I didn''t perform well, but... Somehow, I feel inexplicable. "Huff... How many have we killed so far?" "About 150 so far. That''s quite a lot." Nagisa answers my question by checking the card she was given. It has been three hours since the start of the practical test. But we had been able to defeat a good number of enemies. Our party is now in the middle of the lower part of the canyon. We ran into other parties before we arrived here. Some of them were able to fight with some strength left, while others were injured and waiting for help. Since Aeris wanted to heal the injured as we went along, our pace was a little slower, but we were able to make up numbers. "At this rate, we should be able to go deeper, don''t you think?" "But... isn''t that dangerous? I think we should be more careful." Aeris rebukes Nagisa, who is in high spirits. Well, we had been able to fight so far without any danger and I think we can go to the area where stronger enemies appear. "...I agree. Let''s proceed a little more carefully." Still, I adopt Aeris'' opinion instead of Nagisa''s. "Hmm? May I ask why, Master?" Nagisa''s lips twitched in frustration when her opinion was rejected. Apparently, this girl with the qualities of a mad warrior is eager to fight a stronger enemy. "Because the ghost of Queen Margarita is deep in this canyon... I want to reduce the probability of encountering her as much as possible." Queen Margarita is the boss monster of this canyon. The queen, who was executed for a crime she did not commit, is located in a place called ''the queen''s execution platform'' at the deepest part of the canyon, but there is a very low chance that we may encounter her wandering in the middle of the lower part. For the note, the random encounter, called ''The Queen''s Walk'', has a fatality rate of over 90%. It is a calamity that has plagued many players. "The deeper you go into the canyon, the more likely you are to encounter the queen. I don''t want to gamble with my life on a school test." "Hmm? I don''t understand, but I''ll believe Master''s words." Nagisa tilted her head, but at least she agreed with me. The monsters in this dungeon are not so strong. The enemies in the lower part are easy as long as you are prepared for the undead. Even the enemies in the lower part can be defeated with no problem if you have the skill level of the intermediate level. In spite of this... for some reason, only Queen Margarita is unusually strong. Her strength is as strong as that of the boss characters in the latter half of the game, and in some cases, even as strong as that of the "Four Heavenly Kings" who are subordinates of the Demon King. So, although we have taken sufficient countermeasures against undead, we will have no chance to win if we encounter her. "...I hope the other students are safe. Especially Leon." Leon was motivated by his defeat and seemed to be very enthusiastic about this practical test. That''s what I''m trying to do, but... I hope the motivation I''ve brought out of him won''t spin out of control in a bad way. "...This is not good. I''ve got a feeling that this is going to be a flag." I have a bad feeling about this. With this thought in my mind, I looked up at the ominous purple sky. CH 77 And so - the first day of the practical test is over. The time has turned to evening, and the purple sky has turned black. Although there is no daylight in Margarita canyon for 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, the night does come to this dungeon. As promised in RPGs, the monsters become stronger and their numbers increase dramatically during the night. Since we were afraid of slipping down in the dark, we decided to set up camp and rest until morning. We set up a stone to repel the monsters, and put charms around the tent to keep them away, just in case. We are sure that the monsters will not come close to us now, but still, we take turns to keep watch just in case. After all, the monster are not necessarily the only enemies. There are also two beautiful women in my party. We can''t be sure that the other party won''t go crazy and jump into the tent. Sometimes humans are more fearsome than monsters. So, it''s best to be careful. "Shall we have curry for dinner?" Aeris declared with a smile, and the camp dinner started. Curry is a common dish when it comes to camping, but we did not choose this dish just for fun. During the day, we fought a lot of undead. Although we were not injured because we had fought only inferior ones, our noses were completely overloaded with the strong smelling undead. If we did not reset ourselves with strong smelling food like curry, we would not be able to taste anything we eat. Pots, knives, pans, cooking ingredients, and other necessary items are in the item box. We could just bring the finished dishes, but we decided to enjoy cooking in the open air. "Nagisa-san, please cut the vegetables." "Yes, I''ll take care of the cutlery. Aeris." Aeris instructed Nagisa to cut the vegetables with a kitchen knife. Her confident expression is reflected in her vivid hands. Because in no time at all, the vegetables are cut into bite-sized pieces. As for me, I am in charge of cooking the rice. I put rice and water in a pot and put it on the fire. This is the first time for me to cook rice without using a rice cooker, but thanks to the camping videos I watched when I was in Japan, I think I can manage to do it without making any mistakes. "Hmm...?" As I was working, I suddenly realized... when did Aeris and Nagisa start calling each other by their first names? Not so long ago, I think they were calling each other by their family names... "Because we are friends who go on adventures together" "Yes, we''re friends who eat out of the same pot too" Aeris and Nagisa say such things together. It''s all well and good that they get along so well... but for some reason it makes me uneasy. "If we don''t get along well with each other and stand aside, Zenon-sama will soon have more women!" "Yeah, we must unite. Though we like the color of heroes, we can''t let insignificant women come to Master!" It is makes me very uncomfortable to hear them say such a thing. And I wonder when women surround me. In the beginning, the only one I have kept by my side of my own will is Urza, a slave, but before I knew it, both Aeris and Nagisa had come to me. Rather, I should be praised for being a gentleman who does not touch anyone in such a situation. "Yes, it''s ready. Please enjoy the meal." Aeris smiles as she adds the fried ingredients to the curry powder and simmers it in a pot. My nose, which has been paralyzed by the putrid smell of the undead, is hit by the tangy aroma of spices. The mouthwatering aroma makes me salivate. "It looks delicious... I haven''t had curry in a long time." It is the first time for me to eat curry since I came to this world, although it is a bit of a mystery why there is curry in this European-like world. Still, the slightly spicy curry had a stimulating spice, and the more I ate, the more I felt my appetite grow. "It''s delicious. It''s a feast for tonight." "Mmm, it''s delicious." Aeris and Nagisa also tasted the curry that the three of us had made together, and they chomped down on it with smiles on their faces. "About tomorrow... I think we should try to go up to the middle part in the morning." I said this to them as we ate half a pot of curry. After all, when I casually looked at the sky as we went through the dungeon early, many students had launched a distress signal. It is a selfish guess, but I doubt that most of the students have reached the middle part of the dungeon. Therefore, we should go to the middle part in the morning, do some hunting, and get out of the canyon by the time limit of noon. Perhaps that will be enough to get us into the top ranks. "Huff... I''m more interested in the lower part..." Nagisa suggested casually, glancing at me. It seems that the upper and middle part are not enough for this beautiful mad warrior. It is good that she has a desire to improve, but it is also a kind of "life and death" thing. "Don''t be in such a hurry. As your master, I tell you... if you want to be strong, all you need is ''efficiency''. It''s not fashionable in these days to think that the more you push yourself, the stronger you will be." I know that Nagisa is seeking power to avenge her family death, but if she loses her life by overreacting, it will be for nothing. If she wants power, she must survive even longer. "Don''t worry you will avenge them sooner or later. You will be stronger than now." "If Master says so, then there is no choice. I trust that you will fulfill my long-cherished wish." Nagisa gently closes her eyes and puts her hands on her rich breasts wrapped in the kimono. Next to her, Aeris is also watching our conversation with a gentle smile on her face like a loving mother. Then we returned to our meal in silence. There is no conversation between the three of us, but strangely enough, the atmosphere is not awkward. During the night, there are no incidents such as attacks by monster, and we are able to greet the morning without any problems. And then - the second day of the practical examination started. CH 78 "Well then... let''s go hunting again today." It''s the second day of the practical test. At dawn, I take down the tent, pack up my equipment, and declare once again. "Let''s dive a little deeper today to kill the undead and then head for the entrance of the canyon. We should be back by noon." The main thing to watch out for is the Queen Margarita, the dungeon''s boss character, but the chances of encountering her in the morning are quite low. Queen Margarita wanders around the dungeon mainly from dusk to dawn. From sunrise to noon, the encounter is rare. Unless we are very unlucky... yes, unless we are very unlucky, we should not encounter her even if we dive near the deepest part of the canyon. "...I hope this isn''t a flag." I feel a chill run down my spine, as if something cold is caressing my back, but I cover my face with my palms and try to get rid of this ominous thought. I felt that if I spoke out the ominous future that came into my mind, it would become a reality. Since I have been struck by various kinds of bad luck since my reincarnation into this world, I have a bad feeling that another disaster with an impossible probability will befall me today. "...it''s just my imagination. It is impossible. I''m really serious, please." "Hmm... What are you talking to yourself? Master?" "..." Nagisa looked into my face, and I shook my head silently. I was worried about a lot of things... but be that as it may, I had to do my best for the examination. So, we finish packing our bags and head down the sloping path. Along the way we encounter the undead, as we did yesterday. Since we have descended to a position close to the depths, the strength of the enemy has increased to a certain extent. "But... we should have an easy time now..." "Haa!" "Turn Undead!" Nagisa slashed at the black skeletons with her spirit sword, and Aeris used her purification magic to wipe out a few of them. Their movements are already familiar to each other, and they are driving away the undead without a hitch. "I can''t lose to them either.......!" As I sighed at the two too-reliable girls, I kicked the ground again. I dodge Nagisa, who is in the vanguard, and jump-kick a skeleton that tries to attack Aeris, who is in the rearguard. I then continued to sprinkle holy water on the zombies crawling up from the bottom of the canyon. "Kishiiiiiiiiiiii!?" "Good-bye!" The zombie falls down the cliff with a cloud of white smoke like it has been doused with strong acid. And, with a cold dismissal, I point the tip of my sword at the next enemy. * * * "I guess it''s time to get out of here." I muttered to myself, looking at the pocket watch I had taken out of my pocket while we are hunting at the boundary between the lower and middle part. I still had some strength and magic left in me, but we had to get back to the entrance by noon. On the way back, I would use an amulet to nullify encounters with weak monsters. There is no need to rush, as it will save us a lot of time. "However... there''s nothing better than leaving with time to spare. A field trip is a field trip until we get home. If we''re late and get demerit points, we''re doomed." "It can''t be helped... I''m sad to leave, but I guess we can save the rest of our souls for another time..." Aeris says these words with rosy cheeks. Her skin is glowing, perhaps because she is fulfilling her mission as a priestess to purify the undead, and her eyes also sparkled. The way she casts purification spells on the undead with a full face is a kind of bizarre sight, and makes me wonder if it is a strange habit of hers. "Let''s visit here again with everyone! This time, bring Urza-san, too!" "...If I feel like it..." I feel a light trickle of cold sweat down my spine, and give a vague reply. "Master, I''ve burned ''Incense'' to ward off evil. This should reduce the number of monsters." In Nagisa''s hand was a bundle of purple incense. The incense, lit at the tip, emits a magical white smoke, which envelops our bodies with a sparkling, pale light. The incense has the effect of reducing the chance of encountering monsters. It only works on monsters weaker than us, but it is enough for the monsters in this dungeon. "Alright. Let''s quickly go back up and check the results..." "Kyaaaa!? "Master!" My words are cut short when a flash of light comes from below the cliff. "Huh!?" My gasp of surprise is short-lived. The next moment, the flash of light soared high into the sky, creating a huge firework in the sky. "A rescue signal...!? Who in the world...!?" The "rescue fireworks" came from a dungeon further down than where we were hunting. It was used in the deepest part of this dungeon, the deepest part of Margarita canyon. It is a lair of the undead, much more powerful than the upper and middle part, and the boss monster ''Queen Margarita'' awaits at the deepest part. "Zenon-sama! Someone is calling for help!" "They seem to be fighting down there... maybe 10 meters down from here." Aeris and Nagisa looked down the cliff and requested directions. I click my tongue and scratch my hair in frustration. "Damn... Who are these idiots to dive so far down so recklessly!?" In the lower part of Margarita canyon, rescue adventurers cannot come to the rescue immediately. Whoever they are fighting and whatever they''re fighting... they''ll probably fall before any backup can get there. And now, we are faced with two choices. Save them or abandon them. "..." If I think about the safety of myself and my friends, the obvious choice is to abandon them. I''m sorry for them who needs a help, but this is a dungeon. They are in the dungeon, and they know that they are on their own no matter what happens. If they misjudged their own ability and went into the depths, only to encounter a more powerful enemy than they expected, it would be their own fault. "But..." "Zenon-sama...!" "Master!" The two girls in my party were looking at me with eager eyes, their eyes burning with motivation. Aeris, a kind-hearted girl, is not averse to helping others. Nagisa is not such a good-natured person, but now she had a cause to fight against the powerful monsters in the depths. She will gladly jump into the danger zone. Of course, they will obey me if I insist on their return... but that''s no fun for me. "Haah! I''m not going to run away with a tail between my legs when the girls are ready for it!" I laugh ferociously and shout arrogantly. "Okay, okay! Let''s go down the cliff and help the guys below! Follow me!" "Yes!" "Yeah!" With slippery steps, I run toward the bottom of the cliff, followed by Aeris and Nagisa in the hall. There are only two hours left until noon, the end of the exam. It seems that we have to cross swords just one more time. CH 79 Bonus chapter... "I''m going ahead! You come after me with Aeris!" "Understood!" Nagisa takes Aeris, who is the only one going too slow, and I run down the cliff first. "''Black Coat''!" Without stopping, I activate the magic. A thin, cloth-like darkness covers my body, forming a cloak. It is a dark magic that hides me from the monsters and temporarily blocks their attacks. This will allow me to approach the cliff undetected by whatever is fighting below. As I reach the bottom of the cliff - there, a familiar boy is engaging the enemy. "Damn... Haaaaaaaaaaaa!" A white slash is unleashed with a piercing attack. The one who unleashed the magic sword, a combination of swordsmanship and light magic, was Leon Brave, the hero. It seems that... before I knew it, Leon had overtaken our party and was moving ahead, reaching the depths of Margarita''s canyon. Considering that ''light magic'' is effective against the undead, he must have worked very hard to get this far. The provocation in the park must have been very hard on him. "...!?" But... this is where the real surprise comes in. Leon is fighting an unexpected opponent. "Ahh! I am sad... I am really sad! I am sad that you are weak!" The opponent cries out in a theatrical manner as he repels a slash of light with the weapon in his hand. He moves swiftly and without hesitation. This is something that an undead without reason would never be able to do, and it is a clear indication that Leon is fighting a living person. The man Leon is fighting is human. It is a young man in his twenties... looks like ''something''. His hair is colored pure white and tied back on his head, and he has a flowing face. He looked like an actor. However, his two red eyes are frighteningly cold and filled with the color of a man who tortures his prey. The man wears a dark blue cloak and holds a single-edged sword like a Japanese sword in his left hand. In contrast, he doesn''t have right hand. The sleeves fluttered and danced with the man''s movements, and it appeared that his right arm had been severed from the shoulder. "Is that all you got, you immature and weak offspring of heroes? You will never be able to defeat me with such a warm attack!" "He''s...strong...! But...I can''t lose!" Leon exhales sharply and slashes at the man with a face contorted by exhaustion. "What a sad struggle! It''s so shameful." But... the blow he fires in frustration is easily avoided, and a kick from the man slams into Leon''s back as they pass each other. "Kahah!" "Leon!" A high-pitched scream is heard as Leon is kicked and rolls on the ground. The scream is raised by a girl with glasses who was standing a little far away from Leon. It''s Leon''s new friend, Melia Sue. Melia is crouching on the ground, and Ciel Uranus is lying unconscious in front of her. It seems that Melia is treating Ciel. Ciel''s chest stained red with blood, and her face is completely white. The shallow rise and fall of her chest indicate that she is not dead, but she looks in a very dangerous state. "No more... You can''t hurt my friends... I must protect them, I must protect them...!" Leon rolls on the ground, covered in mud, but stands firm and grips his sword. It seems that Leon is fighting alone to protect his friends. "Huff... It''s sad. It''s sad that you can''t protect your friends!" "SHUT UPPPPPPPPPPP!!" Leon and the man clash swords again. Leon looks desperate, while the man smiles smugly. The difference in strength is obvious. Clearly, Leon was being toyed with by his superior opponent. "You''ve got to be kidding me... What the hell is he doing here!?" I mutter quietly, keeping my distance from the battle and hiding behind my magic. The enemy fighting Leon looks familiar. That man is another enemy from [DunBrave]. His name is Shin¡¯ya Kushinagi. He is a boss character belonging to the demon king''s army, and one of the four heavenly kings, the highest-ranking officers. He is a corrupted swordsman who made a contract with a demon for power and became ''Majin'' despite being a human. He is an enemy whom the protagonist would fight in the latter half of the scenario, and he is a strong enemy whom the protagonist could not defeat even if he stands at the beginning of the game. "This is the worst... How could this guy come at this time...? Where did I make a mistake in my choice? Did I just step on a flag that would bring him out before I knew it!?" "Hey¡­ Where are you Master?" "Z-Zenon-sama?" While I was asking myself these questions, Nagisa and Aeris caught up with me. They stopped a short distance away and looked around for me, who had disappeared. "...Huh!?" But then their gazes turn to Shin¡¯ya. Shin¡¯ya and Leon, who are engaged in a sword fight, don''t seem to notice, but they can clearly see Leon''s opponent. "Ah..." "Nagisa-san?" It was Nagisa who showed a remarkable reaction to the one-armed man who was pointing his sword at Leon. Nagisa''s slit eyes widened to their widest limit and her lips trembled. The emotions on her graceful face are astonishment, fear, hatred, regret, and... "Ha...hahaha, hahaha! Hahahahahaha!" A rapturous joy. Nagisa bursts into loud laughter, showing her emotions of joy like I have never seen since we started living together. "Ahahahahaha! I found it... I found it! I will avenge my father! Avenge my school!" "Hah...!?" "My sworn enemy... Shin''ya Kushinagi! Prepare to dieeeeeeeeeeee!" Nagisa leaves Aeris behind and runs in a straight line toward Shin¡¯ya. Yes, that man, Shin''ya Kushinagi, is the murderer of Nagisa''s father, and the avenging enemy that Nagisa has been pursuing all the way from the Far East. CH 80 "Ah, damn! I knew it!" I unintentionally shouted at Nagisa as she ran out toward Shinya. It is obvious that this would happen if Nagisa saw her family murderer, Shinya. I want to curse the heavens for this man who is the fourth heavenly king of the demon king army to appear in the beginning of the game. "I really shouldn''t have come here!" I run after Nagisa without caring, even though the spell to hide my appearance is lifted. Although he is an enemy that I do not want to fight at this moment, now that Nagisa recognizes him, a battle is inevitable. And as I run alongside Nagisa, I draw my sword from my waist. "Hmm, a newcomer, huh?" While Nagisa runs toward him with a murderous intent, Shinya, who has been fighting Leon, turns his eyes toward her. The sharp, cold look in his eyes made Nagisa think of her own death, but she pointed the tip of her sword at her enemy. "Nagisa! Match me!" "...!" Nagisa''s eyes show a drop of reason as I shout out the command. She reflexively matches her attack based on our experience of training together in the morning. "Magic sword ¡ª ''Black Wolf Slash''!" "Seikai Itto-Ryu ¡ª ''Namikiri Fuudo''!" "...!" A black slash from the right. A blue slash from the left. The simultaneous strikes are a true kill. The timing of the two attacks was so exquisite that it would be impossible to reproduce them even if asked to do the same thing again. However... "Seikai Itto-ryu ¡ª ''Zekkai''!" Shinya make a slash with his sword and it collides with our slash. Two slashes and one slash. They balanced each other for about half of a second. But Nagisa and I are the ones who are blown backward by the force of the blow. "...!" "Damn... it''s no use!" Nagisa and I rolled on the ground and quickly got up. Shinya was standing in front of us, not blown away. The attack was not so bad, but... there was too much difference in our stats at this point. Our skill level is too low. "What kind of unreasonable game is it to take on the Four Heavenly Kings in the first half of the story... it''s just too much!" "...I''m surprised. You''re a lot better than those nominal heroes. Who are you?" A closer look reveals that Shinya''s chest is slightly ripped open, with a red line trailing under his dark blue outfit. He may not have been completely unharmed, but he is far from damaged. "But... it''s sad. It''s really sad to see a surprise attack by two people like this. It''s sad that I thought you went in to save the hero there... but you were reckless enough to jump in without running away." "Seikai-san and Baskerville...!? Why are you here...!" On the other side of Shinya, Leon is kneeling with his shoulder moving up and down violently. His breathing is erratic, and he is clearly at the end of his physical strength. He also has small wounds all over his body. Each wound is not large, but together they probably cause a lot of blood loss. By the looks of things, Leon will not be able to fight any longer. It is unlikely that he could be counted as an asset. "Seikai...? What a surprise! Isn''t it Ojou-sama?" Shinya shouted in response to Leon''s words. It was not a derisive taunt, but a voice of pure joy. "Don''t tell me you have followed me this far west! What a surprise! I''m glad to hear that you are so attached to me!" "Shut up... you are a disgrace! You''re a traitor of our school!" "This is harsh. The strong slaughter the weak and survive by eating them. That was the truth of the sword your father taught us!" "Do not mock my father''s teachings! The law of the jungle is no excuse for oppressing the weak! My father taught us to have the strength to stand up to the strong. I will not allow evil people like you to oppress others!" "Nagisa!?" Nagisa, who was enraged, cut at Shinya by herself. I rush to follow her, but the fierce swordfight between the two swordsmen with Japanese swords is too fierce for me to intervene. Her eyes are bloodshot with intense hatred, and she looks only at Shinya. If I carelessly joined the fight, we might have ended up in a comrade''s duel. "Damn... I knew this was going to happen!" I growled through my clenched teeth. Shinya Kushinagi, one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon King''s Army and the man who killed Nagisa''s father and destroyed the school. In fact, this man is a fellow student of the Seikai Itto-ryu style, just like Nagisa. In the past, Shinya was a talented swordsman who outshone other students and was well known in the Far East as an excellent and ambitious swordsman. His talent was so great that even Nagisa''s father, the master, was so impressed that he was thinking of having him take over the dojo as his son-in-law. But... Shinya''s too high aspirations lead him astray. A sword is a weapon. Swordsmanship is the art of killing. This is a truth that has been told in a famous manga about swordsman, and Shinya has also been possessed by such subject matter. And to perfect his sword, he must slay and kill. So, he became a swordsman who only seeks for strength, and has begun to commit dojo-storming against swordsmen of other schools, and even to engage in a kind of "Tsuji-giri" (The killing of a passerby on the road at night, in order to test the sharpness of a sword, or to improve one''s skill). The country where Nagisa lived in the Far East was in a peaceful period of about 100 years after the end of a long war. It was the Edo period in Japanese history. But in this peaceful time, Shinya, who was a manslayer, was akin to a demon. It is impossible to leave him alone. So, Nagisa''s father, though regretting Shinya''s talent with the sword, cut off his dominant arm and banished him from the school. "And... in retaliation, I made a pact with the demon and attacked and destroyed the dojo. You stupid, recalcitrant bastard...!" "Haaaaaaaaaaaaah!" "Hahahahahahahahahahahaha!" Nagisa and Shinya are fighting each other with techniques of the same school, and are engaged in a fierce battle. At first glance, the two seemed to be fighting evenly, but while Nagisa was looking desperate, Shinya was smiling with a relaxed smile on his face. He is obviously cutting corners... but for now, I have to make the most of this time Nagisa has made for me. "Aeris, come here! Treat Brave and his friends!" "Ah...yes!" I call for Aeris, who has been standing a short distance away, fascinated by the battle. Now, let''s heal Leon''s party while we can. So, I take out my own healing potion and run over to Leon''s party. CH 81 "Hey! Are you guys all right?!" I shouted at Leon''s party, who looked like they had wounds all over their bodies. Ciel is bleeding from the chest. Melia is tending to her. And - a little further away from them, Leon is kneeling down with a wound. They are cornered, as if they were about to be annihilated. "I-Isn''t it Baskerville-san? Did you come to help us?" Melia, who is holding a cloth to Ciel''s chest to stop the bleeding, looks up. Her tone of voice was slow and tense, but her forehead covered with beads of sweat. At her feet, there are exhausted bottles of recovery medicine and remnants of rescue fireworks. It seems that it was Melia who launched the fireworks. "Is it because of my good behavior that the help comes so conveniently? And Baskerville-san, you''re getting a lot of points from Melia. Shall I give you a kiss on the cheek?" "No need. I''m glad to see you''re doing well, but I guess you''re not. Please, Aeris." "Okay. I''ll take care of it!" Aeris begins to heal the unconscious Ciel. Ciel, whose face is as white as paper, is obviously out of combat, but Aeris will be able to heal her without any problem. Well, it''s good. In the meantime, I''ll go to Leon. "Here, here''s a potion. Drink it quickly or you''ll die." "Baskerville... why are you here...?" Leon looks up at me while kneeling on the ground, breathing on his shoulders with wounds all over his body. But I shrug my shoulders and ask Leon back. "That''s my line. How did you end up fighting such a crazy enemy?" "...I don''t know. He challenged me to a fight because I''m the descendant of a hero." "Hmm...?" Leon''s explanation pulls the game scenario from my memory. As a descendant of a hero, Leon was often targeted by the minions of the Demon Lord''s army, including the gargoyle that he fought in the first dungeon. But...of course, Shinya, the fourth heavenly king, does not appear in the early stages of the game. There must be some event that triggers it.... "Ah..." I suddenly realized one fact. The next assassin of the Demon King''s army that the hero Leon fights after defeating the first assassin, a gargoyle, is a monster named ''Gargoyle Powered''. This is a gargoyle that was defeated by Leon once, but has been specially modified and greatly strengthened by the Demon Lord''s army. For Leon, the gargoyle is the mortal enemy who killed his classmate. There is supposed to be an event battle where those who have a history with each other clash again.... "...That Gargoyle, I had killed it..." I whisper to myself, so Leon can''t hear me. Come to think of it, I had already killed the gargoyle. And there is no way the gargoyle and Leon will have a rematch. Perhaps the defeat of the gargoyle is the reason for Shinya Kushinagi''s appearance. Is it possible that this incident might have alerted the demon king''s army to Leon''s power, and they suddenly sent one of the Four Heavenly Kings into the fray? Well, the common sense says that the weaker enemies are sent in turn to help the protagonist to raise his level up... but now that the game has become a reality, the sudden appearance of the stronger enemies is an unreasonable development. "...I was the cause again, wasn''t I? Sorry about that..." I mean, who would have thought that saving the lives of Jean and Arisa would have changed the scenario too much? "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" "Nagisa!?" In the meantime, Nagisa is blown away and flies into the air. She rolls on the ground, spraying red blood, until she comes to my feet. "Hold on! Are you all right!?" "Ugh...!" Nagisa is barely conscious with a deep cut in her abdomen. Immediately I take out a healing potion and sprinkle it on the wound. "Mas...ter..." "Don''t talk. You''ll bleed your guts out." "I have lost... without avenging my father... without avenging everyone..." "...!" Nagisa''s eyes are filled with tears. But such tears from the stout-hearted Nagisa had never happened even in the game. "It''s sad. It''s so sad. Nagisa ojou-san... it''s sad that you''re so weak that you can''t even avenge your father''s death." "...!" I look up at the theatrical voice and see Shinya covering his face with his palms in sorrow against the cliff of the ravine. He doesn''t even attack Nagisa, who has been blown away. Instead, he is treating Nagisa as if she is his subordinate. "How do you feel? You chased me all the way from the east to avenge your familty death, and when you finally found me, you were defeated because you couldn''t even draw out you true power and was beaten by me. It must have been a humiliating experience. At that time I let you off the hook, but it seems that was all for nothing!" "You...!" "But I respect your seriousness. You may not be good enough to kill me, but you may still be worth using." Ignoring my glare, Shinya smiles with amusement. The edge of his palm reveals his ugly crescent-shaped lips. "Ojou-san... no, Nagisa. You will conceive my child! If it''s you and me, I''m sure our child will grow up to be a mighty swordsman! You will give birth our child who will inherit my talent, and you will raise our child... and when our child is fully grown, I will slay him/her! Hahahahahahaha! If it''s a child with my blood in it, it will be a good fertilizer!" It was a loud laugh that was too loud to be heard. And for the note, in accordance with his contract with the demon, Shinya has the ability to gain strength by killing the strong and taking their lives as his strength. Both Nagisa''s father and his students were killed by this man and became his food and strength. "Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha! It must be humiliating to give birth to a child whom you hate as an enemy! But don''t worry. If I had not expelled from the school, you would have become my wife! It''s just a matter of getting back together. Don''t be discouraged! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!" "...You''re a much uglier man than you sound. Don''t spew any more words that stink more than shit." "Huh?" I spat out, and Shinya turned his eyes to me as if he had just noticed. "Hmph...!" I ignore his eyes, which are twisted into a grim expression. Then, I carry the fallen Nagisa to Aeris. "When you''re done with the first aid, please take care of Nagisa. And... please give me a buff." "U-Understand... Strength Up... Guard Up... Stamina Charge... Rapid Foot..." Aeris puts her hands together as if in prayer and casts a support spell on me. A blue effect envelops my body, and I feel my strength welling up from within. "Zenon-sama, I wish you good luck...!" "Master, I''m sorry. I''m so sorry...!" Aeris and Nagisa send me off together. In their eyes, I could clearly see their concern for me and their wishes for my safety. "I can''t lose, can I? To that scumbag who is no better than a scoundrel?" After all, the heroine is watching over me. Defeat is unacceptable. So, I''ll kill any insolent man who tries to touch her. "And... Nagisa, I''m a man who keeps his promises." "...?" "I''ll avenge your family, just as I promised. So, ''please watch my back carefully''." I leave with these words and walks toward Shinya. Right now, my heart is boiling with anger, but my thoughts are strangely clear and cool. "...Maybe human beings become calm when their anger reaches an extreme level. I''m going to kill that son of a bitch." "B-Baskerville..." Leon stands up and calls out to me as I head toward the enemy. "I''ll help you... we''ll fight together...!" "Take it easy. Your wounds are not fully healed. Your leg''s shaking." "But...!" Leon tries to argue with me, but I put a smile on my face and look at him. "Ugh...!" "I''m not going to fight a fight I can''t win. I''ll show you the power of the man who beat you." "I... understand. But, be careful..." I tried to reassure him with a smile, but Leon''s face became obviously frightened. Did I look that scared? "Thanks for waiting. I''m sorry I left you hanging." "...It''s sad. It''s so sad that you think you can beat me all by yourself." Shinya looked at me reproachfully and hurled a snide remark at me. "Are you Nagisa''s man? Or are you just another companion? You look rather weak for a comrade who has gathered here to defeat me." "Is that all you have to say? If you have more to say, go on. You''ll never speak again. Get all the shit out of your mouth." "...You''re really an unpleasant man. Be glad that a sad little fish is my food." Shinya slash sideways with his sword in a smooth movement. The slash is so natural that it is hard to be alert, as silent as the calm of the sea. "Ha!" "...!" But I caught it with the sword I had taken out of my magic bag. "Huh...!?" Shinya''s face changes color in surprise. Then, he leaps backward and moves away from me. Perhaps the reason for his astonishment is not that he was able to catch the special slash but other reason. "What''s with that sword...! Where did you get that!?" The composure he had shown earlier disappeared from his face. Instead, his gaze, filled with strong hostility and caution, is fixed on the sword in my right hand, the ''Amanohazamaru''. CH 82 Magic Sword - Amanohazamaru. It is not a weapon that can be obtained in the game, but an original item created by taking material items to a blacksmith. The performance of the weapon, which has been strengthened through more than ten rounds of gameplay, surpasses even the strongest equipment in the game, the ''Holy Sword Ex-Brave''. Although it looks like a single-edged odachi, it is classified as a "sword" rather than a "katana". Its black blade is slightly damp as if it were covered with moisture, and reflects the light, giving off an icy emerald-blue glow. The overwhelming sense of intimidation that the sword carries, even to the untrained eye, suggests that it is an extraordinary work of art. In fact, Shinya Kushinagi''s facial muscles tightened and he looked impatient as he saw me holding the Amanohazamaru in my hands. "Where did you get that sword...!? Answer me, you brat!" "What''s the matter? Where''s the composure you had before?" "...!" Shinya''s face is distorted as I laugh it off as a taunt, because he has been mocked by someone whom he had underestimated as an inferior opponent. "...It''s so sad. An insignificant brat seems to be getting carried away. It''s sad that you are so foolish that you don''t know the terrible fate that awaits you!" Shinya kicked the ground and slashed at me with his sword. His slash is fast and sharp. It''s clearly different from when he was fighting Leon and Nagisa. It''s a slash without restraint. But... I caught the full force of the blow with a minimal movement, only tilting the Amanohazamaru slightly. "You fool...!" "Huuf, it''s too slow. Does it look like it''s stopping?" "Damn...!" I flick off Shinya''s sword and slashes his left shoulder in return. Shinya quickly took evasive action, but he barely made it in time and blood splattered on the ground. "Are you hiding your ability!? How can a simple human being be this swift?!" "I don''t have to answer you! You can die, you piece of trash!" "Kuha!?" I pretend to slash at him with the Amanohazamaru, but instead I kick him with my left leg. Shinya is sent flying backward, unable to react to the unexpected move. Of course, this is not the end of the story. I take a big step forward and release a follow-up attack. "Ooooooooooooo!" "Guuuuuuuuuuuuh!" A slash as fierce as a storm ¡ª it is not Shinya, who is supposed to be superior, who is unleashing it, but me. I swung my Amanohazamaru down from above, slashed up, swung to the side, swung back, thrust, and swung down again. Shinya is not unresisting, but he is clearly forced into a defensive position. With only his one arm and his sword, he is doing his best to defend against my continuous attacks... but the slashes he couldn''t catch kept hitting him one after another, inflicting more and more fresh wounds. Now, the game had turned. A one-sided attack. My turn goes on and on, and I''m pushing Shinya back. Of course, it is not that I suddenly became stronger after taking out Amanohazamaru. The factor that brought about my overwhelming strength ¡ª it was a small bottle, clutched in my left hand. Paid Item - Doping Bottle. The item, which I had once used to defeat Gigant Mithril, had the effect of temporarily increasing my proficiency in a skill to its maximum level. I have used this item to max out two skills, [Swordsmanship] and [Body Enhancement]. In order to equip Amanohazamaru, I have to reach 90 or more in [Swordsmanship] skill. If I hadn''t used the doping bottle, I would not have been able to wear it in the first place. Unfortunately, I could only bring three doping bottles into this world. I used one bottle to defeat Gigant Mithril, and used two more bottles here. These paid items cannot be purchased at stores, and they do not drop from defeating enemies. This means that I have used up my trump card item. "But... it''s not too bad! If I can kill the bastard who hurt Nagisa!" "You bastardddddd! You brattttttt!" The furious attack by the maximum value of [Swordsmanship] and [Physical Reinforcement] had finally pushed Shinya to the brink. Probably, Shinya''s strength had already been reduced to less than 30%. However...I don''t have much time to spare either. The doping bottle has three minutes until it expires. Now, I have less than a minute left. If I''m Ultraman, the timer on my chest would be blinking. So, I can''t take my time. "This is the end!" "...!" I try to make my final attack from the right side, which is Shinya''s blind spot. Because Shinya''s right arm, which is his dominant arm, has been cut off by Nagisa''s father. "Noooooooooooooooo!" Shinya screamed. His handsome face is twisted into a desperate cry. After killing innocent people, killing his mentor, killing his peers... the time of the end was coming for the evil swordsman who had sacrificed everything in order to become stronger. "...did you think I would say such a thing!? You sad and foolish brat!" ¡ªOr so it seemed. A moment later I swung my sword and tried to reap Shinya''s torso. A bright red arm sprouts from Shinya''s empty right shoulder. That is Shinya Kushinagi''s trump card ¡ª ''Demon''s Right Arm (Demon Light)''. The new right arm that Shinya has acquired by making a contract with a demon. CH 83 "I hope you die! You cheeky little brat!" Shinya''s bright red right arm swings down. The sharp clawed arm is so powerful that it could easily gouge rocks and cut through a human body like butter. This ''Devil''s Right Arm'' - it is Shinya''s last trump card. It is a concealed weapon for deceit. Its power is immense. It is a special attack from his hidden right arm that kills the opponent the first time he sees it. "Ah, that''s right. You''re that kind of guy" I murmur to myself as I look at his approaching right arm emotionlessly. Shinya Kushinagi is a peerless swordsman. He is the second strongest opponent after the demon king of the Four Heavenly Kings, and his brilliant swordsmanship surpasses Leon''s and Nagisa''s. But then again... Although Shinya is a powerful swordsman, he is by no means a samurai. The reason why Shinya was able to defeat Nagisa''s father, the master of the Seikai Itto-ryu style, was not because of his superior swordsmanship. He won by a surprise attack with his ''demon''s right arm'' just as he does now. Anyhow, Shinya was not a fair and square warrior. He is a despicable murderer who is willing to cheat and take hostages if necessary to win the battle. "Yeah... I know you, I know you well." "What...?" Shinya''s right arm slices through the air. It was indeed the demon''s right arm that caught me, but just before it hit me, my body vanished like a mirage. "Dark magic ¡ª Illusion Ghost." It is a magic that creates illusions to avoid enemy attacks. And what Shinya sliced through was just an illusion. As for me, I stayed behind him, a few feet away from my shadow. "Too bad, you''re out of luck." "No way! Did you read my attack?" "I didn''t read it. But I knew it... because I''ve been sick and tired of your ugly right arm." To win, he''ll go to any length, even the most despicable means. It may be a shameful thing for a samurai to do, but it is a way that I can relate to. What is important is the result of ''victory''. To get it, I also don''t hesitate to dope myself with items or to cheat with magic. In a sense, Shinya and I may have been the same kind of people. "Damn...!" Shinya''s missed a big blow, which he had intended to kill me with certainty, has created a clear opening. I have no right to let him get away with that. So, I stepped into Shinya''s pocket this time and delivered a counter slash. "If you can avoid it, avoid it. If you can''t... you can die." "...You brattttttttt!" Shinya lets out a desperate cry. Of course, no amount of shouting will stop the attack. The slash from the bottom up is still swung straight into Shinya''s body. "Damn it... Nooooooooooooo!" But... after all, Shinya is also a first-rate warrior. He did not take the attack in silence. From the posture in which he swung his "demon''s right arm" down, he twisted his waist forcibly and twisted his body as if he used the right half of his body as a shield. As a result, my slash hit the ''demon''s right arm'' and slashed diagonally from the forearm to the middle of the elbow, and stopped. "Heh... you''re good!" "I stopped it, you sad brat!" "It''s you who''s sad! Hellfire Dragon Blast (ªzÑ×ýˆÆÆ)!" My attack is not over yet. With my sword still embedded in Shinya''s right arm, I activate the Dark Magic Sword. Jet-black flames pour out from Amanohazamaru, burning Shinya''s right arm from the inside. "Gugaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" "Hmph!" With the sword covered in hellfire, I rotate my hips and swing the sword. The demon''s right arm is finally severed by a heated slash and flies through the air. It spins around and flies away, but as soon as it hits the ground, it turns to white ashes and vanishes. "Gggrrrrrrhh! How dare you, how dare you take my armmmmm!" Shinya leaps backward to get away from me after losing his right arm, his trump card. Shinya''s right arm has been burned off, and he is now a one-armed man again, but the wariness in his eyes has not disappeared yet. His handsome face is contorted into a vicious, yasha-like expression, and he glares at me with searing hatred. "How dare you, how dare you...! I will cut off your limbs from end to end, turn you into daruma, and then give you all kinds of pain!" "You can''t do it, you know." "Yeah, it''s impossible." My coldly assured words are overlaid by a voice as clear as the sound of wind chimes. The sentence of despair, like a bottomless sea, was released from right behind Shinya. "What!?" Shinya''s expression changes to one of surprise. He turns to look back at the voice coming from such a close distance that he is horrified, but a silent slash cuts his neck before he can turn around. "Seikai Itto-ryu hidden technique ¡ª ''Watatsumi no Tachi''." "...!" It was a silent yet powerful slash. Nagisa, who had somehow gotten behind Shinya, released a slash that left no sound behind and sliced Shinya''s neck with a speed that left no sound behind. A little later, the sound of ''Plop'' severed the neck bone is heard, and Shinya''s head flies away from his body. Slowly, in a slow motion, the headless body falls to the ground. The head, which is flying in the air, looks at both eyes wide open in shock, as if it still does not understand what has happened to it. "¡¯I''ve been watching your back¡¯ just like you told me, Master." Nagisa said with a smile and sheathed her sword in a beautiful, flowing motion. The white blade disappears into the scabbard, leaving a blue afterglow like the sea on a clear day. "The enemy is defeated!" The blade and scabbard clink, and Shinya''s head crashes to the ground at the same time. The fallen head does not turn to ashes like the ''Demon''s Right Arm'', but instead bleeds and forms a black puddle on the ground. CH 84 "..." Looking down at the corpse of the man who was her family murderer, Nagisa is silent with an indescribable expression on her face. The dignified face of the girl is not only filled with a sense of accomplishment at having achieved her goal, but also with a somewhat lost feeling. "Can I say congratulations...?" "Master..." When I called out to Nagisa who was standing still, she looked at me with weak eyes as if she was clinging to me. This is a rare look for Nagisa, who is always so resolute. "...I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your help. Thanks to you I was able to avenge my enemy." "I''m glad to hear that. You did well." "..." Nagisa becomes silent again with a somewhat delicate expression on her face. I waited for Nagisa to start speaking without saying a word. "What... should I do now?" After a while, Nagisa mumbled something like that. Nagisa is at a loss. I wonder if this is what is called ''burnout syndrome''. The kind of burnout where you have achieved a great goal, and you are so discouraged that you don''t know what to do with yourself. After all, she was supposed to devote her life to revenge, but she happened to meet her target and avenge him easily, and she seems to be confused by the fact. "Master... please give me one more instruction. What should I do now?" "Hey, hey... don''t ask me. It''s your life." I reply in a quiet tone. I understand Nagisa''s feeling of having lost her purpose, but it''s not up to me to decide what happens next. It is for her to decide for herself. "It is okay to revive a school. Or pursue the way of the sword. You can go home and mourn for your father and your friends... your life is yours to decide." "..." "I can understand why you might feel a little discouraged when you''ve achieved your goal but life is no longer after your dreams and aspirations have come true. Your life is far from over." "I see... I can make my own decision." Nagisa thought for a moment, and then nodded clearly. Then... she walked up to me and looked up at me with straight eyes. "Master...no, my Lord. Please allow me to serve you again as your servant." "..." "I owe you a great debt of gratitude for all that you have done for the restoration of my school and for the mourning of my people. Please allow me to serve you as your vassal and to devote myself to you." "...I see." To tell the truth, Nagisa''s reaction was as expected. In the game, Nagisa had pledged her allegiance to Leon, the main character, after defeating Shinya Kushinagi, the target of her revenge. Then comes the reward scene, which is a torture for me, as I am celibate until the day I defeat my father. "...I''m going to make love to you, remember? I''m going to do something so great you''ll be surprised." "Hmm... is something wrong, my Lord?" "Nothing... Nagisa, I''ve received your loyalty. I''ll be counting on you. "Yes, use it to your heart''s content. As a sword and as a woman." "..." Nagisa smiled brightly and held out her hand. I reach out to grab her hand, my face indescribable at the words that could be taken as a temptation. But... just before I take Nagisa''s hand, a fierce feeling of fear runs up my spine. "Nagisa!" "Whoa!" I take Nagisa''s hand and leaps forward. The next moment... a sword is swung down on the spot where we had just been. "Look out! Baskerville!" "Too late! If you''re going to warn me, warn me sooner!" I glared at the assailant, yelling at Leon for issuing a warning too late. "Haha, hahahaha...! It''s sad, it''s sad that you''re so stupid that you think you''ve won...!" "You b*stard! Why are you still alive?" Nagisa looked at the attackers and shouted with wide eyes. The one who had just swung down his sword was Shinya Kushinagi, the man who had just had his head chopped off. His whole body was stained by the flowing blood, and he had wounds all over his body. He looked like nothing more than a mortal, but his head, which was supposed to have been cut off by Nagisa''s sword, was still firmly connected to the rest of his body. "...That''s impossible. How did you come back from hell?" It was an impossible sight. In the game, Shinya''s head was chopped off by Nagisa at the end. Of course, he was never resurrected. I had no idea how the fallen swordsman in front of me had come back to life. "You ignorant... you ignorant people make me sad...!" Shinya took out a small sphere from his pocket with his crazy eyes shining brightly. What emerged between his two fingers is a flaming crimson-colored jewel. The oval-shaped jewel looked like an egg with a deep crack in the center. "A phoenix egg!? How did you have that...?" "Hmm...? You knew it well. As I thought, you''re not just a small fry. It seems that it''s not the hero or Nagisa Ojou-sama that I should be wary of, but you...!" Shinya smirks at me and confirms my words. ''Phoenix egg'' is an equipment item that can be obtained in the latter half of the scenario, and it is an accessory with an ''automatic resurrection'' effect. If you equip this item, you can revive yourself with 20% of your health when you are killed by an enemy. Although it can be used only once, and it will shatter if used... it''s a very effective accessory against enemies who would unleash a one-hit-kill attack. Since it is not a unique item, it can be obtained any number of times by visiting the dungeon called ''Flame Mountain''... but it was completely unexpected that Shinya had it. "Really, he''s a foul enemy. It''s too much to be expected for a boss character to be equipped with a resurrection item...!" It is annoying that boss characters use recovery spells such as ''Behoma (¤Ù¡ð¥Þ)'' or ''Curaga (¥±¥¢¡ð¥¬)'', but if they use resurrection items, the balance of the game will be broken. It''s not even funny to see the bosses that have been defeated with hard work and damage resurrected. However... if I think about it, this may not be so surprising. Now that the game has become a reality, I am free from various fetters. I have been able to do many things that would have been impossible in the game, such as winning the heroine of the hero, saving people who were supposed to die, defeating enemies who could not be defeated in the beginning of the game. Then... it is natural that the enemy could do the same thing. They have items that they are not supposed to have, they have foul revival items... I guess the enemy side is also benefiting from the game''s fetters being removed. "It''s a depressing thing... it would have been a nice ending if Nagisa had killed you... You really can''t read the air, can you, you troublemaker!" "Hahaha, you brat, I''m not going to follow your lead. But..." Shinya looks at me, Nagisa, and Leon, Aeris, Melia, and Ciel, who are a little further away, in turn. Nagisa and I are mostly unharmed. Leon and Melia are wounded, but their wounds had already been healed by Aeris. Except for Ciel, who is unconscious, we still have enough strength to fight. On the other hand... although Shinya was able to revive himself, the effect of the phoenix egg had restored only 20% of his strength. His torn ''demon''s right arm'' does not seem to have recovered either. In this situation, Shinya had only one choice. "Dark Bullet!" I fire a spell at Shinya... but it is too late, and Shinya''s body leaps up into the air. He leaps to the top of a small rocky hill and looks down on us from above. "I''ll let your life be in your hands for now. But the next time we meet I''m going to eat you up without a shred of your soul!" "Are you kidding me! Get down here!" Nagisa shouts in desperation, but Shinya cries out with an ugly smile plastered on his face. "It''s sad. You think you have killed me, don''t you? To think that you almost missed the murderer, who killed your father... you really are a sad person." "Shinya...! Don''t you have the pride of a swordsman? Come down and fight me!" "I have no right to obey a command to come down. Even if I were wounded and I would not be defeated by you but your man is a bit of a nuisance. I''m going to have to step back now." Shinya puts his sword over his shoulder and turns his hate-filled, fiery eyes on me. "You brat... no, they call you Zenon. I will let the other demons (ħ×å/Mazoku) know about you. From now on, all demons will be your enemies. You may sleep with a shiver!" "...You''re really a sore loser. Does this sound like a real loser? You reek of a small fry who''s getting off on the wrong foot and will be easily beaten." "...!" I provoked him, but Shinya only twisted his face in hatred and didn''t come down. "Tsk...!" I click my tongue and clench my fists so hard that my nails dig into my palms. I let the man who killed Nagisa''s family go. I miss the enemy I was so close to killing. It was more humiliating than a simple defeat, and it was heartbreaking. "I should have killed him here. I could have killed him...!" But... Shinya had already escaped out of my reach. I grit my teeth and look up at Shinya standing on the rocky hill. Shinya, too, looked down at me with hatred, and was about to leave. "I''ll never forget your face... the next time I see you will be your last. Remember that!" "..." "Farewell!" Shinya turns around and is leaving. And all I could do is to watch him go, helplessly. "...Ah?" "...Huh?" But then... something unexpected happened, for us and for Shinya. Shinya was about to turn his back and leave, but when he turned around, there is someone who had somehow come in his direction. "You are... Gahaa!?" Shinya was about to say something, but before he could finish, the person thrust out his/her hand forward. The sword thrusts out and pierces Shinya''s chest, through his heart, and down to his back. "It¡¯s ridiculous, you... you...!" Shinya''s mouth was filled with blood foam and his voice was shaking. This is not the way he expected to die. He was beaten by us, who were supposed to be inferior to us, and he survived by using a revival item... and just when he thought he could escape, someone pierced his heart and killed him without a second thought. "Gah..." Shinya''s body collapses to the side and he tumbles off the rock pile. He can only wear one accessory at a time. Of course, the phoenix eggs have already been used up. No matter how hard he tried, there was no way he could revive himself. "...Hey, hey, are you kidding me?" Shinya''s defeat reveals the person on the other side. Realizing the identity of this person whom I had seen many times in the game, I let out a stifled voice. ¡°Uuu... aaa...¡± A woman wearing a black dress stands in the background against the purple sky, letting out a voice that sounds like a groan. Her skin is pale and lifeless. Her golden hair flows down her back. Her eyes are a chillingly cold jade green. "Queen Margarita..." She''s the boss of this dungeon. She is the Queen Margarita, the Queen of the Dead, a formidable foe comparable to the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon King''s Army. In her right hand, Queen Margarita, dressed in a dress, held a pale blue sphere. That is a soul, which was been attacked by instant-death attack used by undead monsters ¡ª ''Soul Eat''. And the soul of Shinya Kushinagi, which had been gouged out of her body, is in the queen''s hand. Shinya''s soul now is desperately clawing at the seaweed like a creature trapped by a predator... but the queen throws it into her mouth without hesitation. ''GAAAAAAAAA!!!'' A hair-raising scream is emitted from Queen Margarita''s mouth. The scream from the queen''s mouth is not her own. It was from the soul-eaten Shinya. For the note, those who have been defeated by the [Soul-eat] cannot be released unless someone defeat the undead who have taken their souls. So, Shinya could neither go to heaven nor hell, and she was to suffer in her body forever until the day someone defeated Queen Margarita. ''Ah...'' Queen Margarita licked her lips with her long tongue in satisfaction after eating Shinya''s soul and turned her back without even a glance at us. "..." We watched in stunned silence as Queen Margarita disappeared into the depths of the canyon. Thanks Ekmo for the detail... CH 85 After that, we escaped from ''Margarita Canyon'' accompanied by adventurers, who saw the ''rescue fireworks'' and rushed to our place. After returning to the entrance of the canyon, we reported to Wanko-sensei about the battle with one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon King''s Army. We also reported to Wanko-sensei about our encounter with Queen Margarita. We were immediately taken to the capital by an earth-dragon carriage, and were interrogated by the knights of the royal palace. The knights seemed to be suspicious about the appearance of the Demon King''s army and the fact that the students had defeated one of its officers, but when I gave them the drop items recovered from Shinya''s remains, they seemed to finally be convinced. After two hours of interrogation, I was released, but the sun had already set and it was nighttime. Aeris and Nagisa, who had finished the interview earlier, were waiting for me in front of the knight''s guardroom, and the carriage of the Baskerville family was also parked there to pick me up. "Goshujin-sama! I was worried, desu~no!" "Ohh, sorry... You came all the way here to pick me up, Urza." Apparently, she had come with a carriage to pick me up. But then, Urza jumped in and hugged me. Urza presses her head pressed against my chest like a small animal sniffing its favorite spot. I wonder if I have worried her too much. Still, although I''m sorry to hear that, I''d like to ask her to stop pressing her horns against my head, because they are hurting me. "It took you long enough, my Lord." "We finished our interrogation quickly... what''s wrong?" "...Don''t ask. It''s too depressing to explain." At Nagisa''s and Aeris''s questioning, I shook my head slowly with a tightened face. The reason why my interrogation took so long was because I was being interrogated under suspicion of something that was not true. The knight who asked me about the situation suspected me of being a collaborator of the Demon King''s army without any evidence. This was because of my evil face and the notoriety of the Baskervilles. I explained to them that I had defeated Shinya, but it took them a long time to believe me. They finally believed me when Aeris and Leon''s party told their story, but the knight who was in charge of the interview looked at me suspiciously until the very end. " I don''t like having my insides probed endlessly. Really... What have I done?" "I see... I''m sorry to hear that." Aeris sympathetically smiles and claps her hands together, and then, she said as if remembered something. "Oh, yes, I just got a call from the teacher that we can return home without going back to the school. The report can be made later, so why don''t we go back to the house and rest today?" "...I guess so. I feel like I''m going to collapse." My body and mind are both complaining of severe fatigue, after all. This is because I''ve used two doping bottles, which are very hard on my body, and fought against overwhelmingly stronger enemy... and after I''m finally back outside the dungeon, only to be interrogated on the suspicion of something strange. My fatigue has reached its peak, and my whole body is begging for rest. As I climb into the carriage dragging my body, Urza tries to sit next to me as usual. But Nagisa slipped first. "Ah! That is Urza''s place, desu~no!" "I''m sorry, Urza, but can you give it to me just for today?" "Uh... just for today." "I''m sorry." Urza gives her a reproachful look, and sits down on the opposite side beside Aeris. I then ask Nagisa, who has come to sit next to me, suspiciously. "...What''s the matter? What can I do for you?" "Ah... my Lord, let me thank you first." "Thank you for... Whoa!?" "Excuse me." Nagisa grabbed my head, made me roll over, and forced it onto her thighs. I felt a soft but slightly corey sensation on the side of my head. It seems that I have been put on her lap. It''s a very exciting situation for me as a man... but to tell the truth, it''s not so pleasant. It''s not that I was dissatisfied with Nagisa''s thighs. It''s just that I had to lie down with my legs folded forcibly because of the narrow space of the carriage. "...Hey, hey, what''s going on all of a sudden?" "My Lord, thank you so much for your help in this matter. Thanks to you I was able to avenge my family." "..." I look up at her from her lap, and I see that Nagisa has an auspicious look on her face. Looking closely at her face, I see that the bridge of her nose is straight and her eyelashes are long and well-defined. She looks dignified when she is wielding a sword as usual, but she would also look good in a kimono and doing Ikebana. "...Don''t worry about it. After all, the last one took all the good parts." I had intended to give the final blow to Nagisa, but she failed because of the ''phoenix''s egg. In the end, Queen Margarita eat Shinya''s soul, and the result is still incomplete. "Still... I was able to cut off the head of the man who killed my father and my brothers with my own hands. Thanks to this, I will be able to give a good report on their graves." "...Are you sure you don''t want to go home? I don''t mind if you do." Well, to tell the truth... I don''t want Nagisa to go back to her hometown. After all, one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon King''s Army has appeared, and if the scenario is correct, even the Demon King will be back after the summer vacation. The battle against the Demon King will be in full swing from now on. Under such a situation, it would be very troublesome to lose a valuable asset. However, she has avenged her family murderer whom she has been chasing for a long time. I am sure that she would like to take the credit for this victory and to bring the glory back to her hometown. With this in mind, I recommend that she return to her hometown, but Nagisa shakes her head. "As I have said before, I am not so heartless as to put my personal feelings ahead of the gratitude I owe to my benefactor. I will not set foot in my homeland without returning the favor I owe to you, my Lord." Nagisa declared clearly. Her clear, unwavering eyes reveal the honest and diligent character of a female swordsman. "My sword belongs to you. This body exists only to serve you. My beloved Lord. Use me as a sword or as a woman, as you wish." "I see... well, I don''t mind." I murmur, and take my eyes off Nagisa''s face, which is smiling a clear smile. Then, while resting my head on her reassuring warmth, I close my eyes in exhaustion. CH 86 Thanks Reni2425 for the support... The next day, I went to the school again to report the incident at Margarita Canyon. Not only Wanko-sensei, my homeroom teacher, but also the vice principal, the principal, and a board member who was apparently in a higher position, who did not usually appear in front of the students, asked me to explain the incident to them. The teachers were skeptical when they heard the story. Their reactions were similar to those knights who interviewed me at the knight''s guardroom. After all, Shinya Kushinagi is one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon King Army. He is a man who gains power by killing the powerful and eating them with his demon right arm, and is wanted all over the world for attacking powerful warriors. So, it must be hard to believe that a simple student could defeat a man who had killed famous knights, warriors, and adventurers. Shinya''s body, whose soul was eaten by Queen Margarita, has disappeared too, but fortunately, I found a drop item as a proof. That was the ''Demon Swordsman''s Magic Stone'' and the ''Cursed Sword - Kamishini no Muramasa,'' which could only be obtained by defeating Shinya. "This sword... surely belongs to that evil swordsman. I have seen that man wield it on the battlefield." My explanation was backed up by a male second grade homeroom teacher. Although he was a mob character whose name was not even mentioned in the game, the teacher was a former mercenary who had been recruited as a teacher at Royal Sword and Magic Academy because of his abilities. "The mercenary group I once belonged to was disbanded after that man killed our leader. To think that that fearsome swordsman was killed by a student of our school..." "However, it wasn''t me who put the finishing blow, but the ghost of the queen. He must''ve been exhausted after fighting the hero''s descendant." "Hmm... I heard that the blood of a brave man has the power to weaken demons. If you defeated him after he was weakened by the power of the hero, it would make sense...?" The teachers accepted my explanation with a difficult expression on their face. Although there were many doubts, the school finally admitted that I had defeated Shinya Kushinagi. I had defeated the cadre of the demon king''s army, the sworn enemy of mankind. I was told that I would receive special points for my performance in the practical examination. After all, Shinya was wanted in many countries, and a large bounty was placed on his head. If our achievements were officially recognized by the government, we would receive a reward along with the commendation. "...There is no bounty in the game. But you can have whatever you want." By the way... the school and the knight asked me to hand over the dropped items, but I refused. You know, the ''Demon Swordsman''s Magic Stone'' is a rare material that can be used to create powerful weapons, and the ''Kamishini no Muramasa'' originally belonged to Nagisa''s father. It was taken from her when her father was killed, and the right of ownership would belong to Nagisa, the survivor of the family. "I thank you again and again. I cannot thank you enough for retrieving the sword that was my father''s pride and joy..." "I''m tired of hearing you say thank you. In the first place, I can''t equip myself with that sword anyway." After shrugging Nagisa, who looked very moved, we returned to the Baskerville family''s mansion. Following the practical examinations, there is a three-day post-test break. During this time, the teachers would grade our written and practical tests. The results of the test are announced on the first day of school, four days later. For the students waiting for the results, the three days gave them both a sense of release that the test is over and a sense of stagnation that they are in agony over the results that are no longer in their control. "The rest will take care of itself...huh? Anyway, I don''t really care about the result of the test." No matter how impatient I am, no matter how much I hope for the result, the result of the test that is already over will not be changed. All I can do is to wait for the result with a calm and composed attitude. What concerns me more than the result of the test is the future of the Demon King''s army. Shinya Kushinagi - one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon King''s Army has been defeated. For the enemy, this must have been an unexpected loss. The Demon Lords would almost certainly think that Leon had defeated Shinya. For them, the only one who is troublesome is Leon, the descendant of hero. Zenon Baskerville must have been out of their minds from the beginning. Maybe after this, they will send more assassins? Or, they will wait and see until the demon king''s seal is completely broken? Whatever the Demon King''s army will do, it will be interesting to see how they will behave. "I hope Leon will be more inspired and become stronger through this battle. Huff, it''s troubling." "What''s wrong, my Lord?" "I''m troubled... troubled... really, really troubled..." "I don''t know what''s troubling you... but is it itchy? No bubbles in your eyes?" "It''s troubling... it''s really troubling..." I repeat, shaking my head slowly, as if trying to escape reality. I had just returned home from the school, and now I was in a very difficult situation. The place is the Baskervilles'' mansion. It is in the bathroom. I was naked in the bathroom, as a matter of course, but... behind me was Nagisa, who was also naked without a stitch of clothing on. At this time, she is lathering my hair with soap and washing it diligently with both hands. "..." I felt a soft touch on my back. The object of this soft feeling is obvious, but if I thought about it too much, I might lose my reason. Indeed, this is a situation that really troubles me. It has been a long time since Nagisa moved in. It is not the first time for us to bathe together, but I still feel more nervous than happy. "Ah, damn it. This life is really annoying." I sigh deeply, feeling the blood rush to my lower body. CH 87 It has already been almost half a year since I started living with some beautiful girls. I should have gotten used to the life-killing life in which I was constantly tempted by various temptations, but... since the completion of the practical test, I have a feeling that the women are getting more and more proactive. The reason is obvious... Nagisa''s mysterious awakening. Having achieved her life goal of avenging her father and her school, Nagisa has come to worship me as her lord for helping her to avenge her father''s death. Although we had bathed together and slept in the same bed before, she began to treat me excessively now. She washed my hair and body in the bathtub, and she would even cuddle on my naked body without hesitation, and when we went to bed, she would hug me as a matter of course. And... it is the other girls who are frightened by such changes in Nagisa. Aeris and Urza, as well as Levienna, my maidservant, are getting more and more proactive like Nagisa, and every night a kind of sexual battle is going on. I have made it clear that I will stay celibate until the day I defeat my father, but these girls have been seducing me as if they don''t care about that. In these days when my rationality was about to collapse, I almost became enlightened beyond my desires. "Nagisa-san, please switch with me! I have cleaned myself." "Calm down. Aeris. You''ve worked up a sweat today. You must wash all the way down to the roots of your hair." "Uh... you two are cheating. If only I''d pulled a par at that time...!" Nagisa is washing my hair, and Aeris is waiting her turn to wash mine. Urza is in the bathtub a little farther away from me, soaking her body up to her nose in the hot water and spitting bubbles in frustration. I don''t know what kind of exchange they had between them... but it seems that they have been deciding who washes my body and hair by rock-paper-scissors these days. Today''s winners are Nagisa and Aeris, while the loser, Urza, looked at them reproachfully. "It can''t be helped, Urza-san. Goshujin-sama is a great man. It is natural that everyone wants to serve him." These words of comfort came from Levienna, who was soaking in the bathtub with Urza. The beautiful maid is wearing a light bathrobe and is patting Urza''s head. "Don''t worry, it will only be a little while longer. Today we are in charge of sleeping together. You will be able to sleep in Goshujin-sama''s arms all through the night, right?" "Umm, I know it, desu~no. Patience, be patience... By the way, why is Levienna-san wearing clothes in the bath, desu~no?" "You see, gentlemen are more aroused by thin clothes that show the lines of the body than by nakedness. The important thing is to be moderate. Rather than exposing your skin all the time, you should dare to put on clothes and let his imagination run wild." "I''m learning a lot... I''ll do my best so that Goshujin-sama won''t get tired of me!" And so on, a mysterious conversation took place in the background. Please, don''t tell her something strange. I can''t help but feel guilty every time I am tempted by Urza. "Mmm-hmm~. Mmmmm~." "..." Nagisa was humming in a good mood while washing my hair. I don''t know what she was enjoying so much... but I could feel something swaying behind me as she hummed. Every nerve in my body is focused on my back, and I''m aware that I''m trying my best to sense the presence of the soft mass swaying behind me. "It''s done. I''ve finished washing your hair. My Lord." "...Thank you." "Now close your eyes while I rinse the bubbles." "...!" The shower-shaped magic item emits hot water of moderate temperature, and the bubbles on my head are washed away. Meanwhile, Nagisa presses her breasts against my neck in an unnaturally close contact. I felt a terribly soft and heavy mass wrapped around my neck from both sides, which held my head firmly in place. I see... it must be very easy for her to rinse my head if my head is fixed like this and there is no place to escape. I wonder where this girl, Nagisa, learned such a technique. "Mmm-hmm~, hehe~" "Okay, okay, stop! That''s it! The bubbles are already gone!" "Hey... you''re being too harsh, Aeris." Aeris finally couldn''t hold back any longer, and she pushed Nagisa out of the way and hugged me. My fixed head is released, but in place of it, a twin hill, one size larger than Nagisa''s, touches me. "Now it is my turn! Let me wash you!" "Whoa...!?" Of course, Aeris is trying to wash my body without using a sponge. To be more specific, she tried to wash my body with her own body covered in soapy foam. "Hey... isn''t that a specialty store''s technique? That''s not something a heroine is allowed to do." "Zenon-sama, I don''t know what you''re talking about. But, I think it''s a wonderful way to serve Zenon-sama with my own body, right?" "Ghhhhhh...!?" "Heheheheh...!" Aeris smiles with a beaming smile and slides her body on my back. The slender arms of the woman called a saint are wrapped around me, passing through my armpits. Her ten fingers wriggle suspiciously, stroking my abs and pectoral muscles and occasionally flicking my nipples. I mean, where did this girl learn such a technique? Even though she is a "saint"... why has she turned into a "s*x lady" completely. "Hey... wait a minute! Time, give me some time...!" "Heheheheh... Zenon-sama''s nipples are his weak point. I bet you don''t even know it yourself, do you, Zenon-sama?" "Waittt... Ghhhh...!" The fingertips of the "s*x lady" moved like a different creature, stimulating the sensitive parts of my body. It''s already like a service in a special store... I wonder who started calling this woman a saint? "Ughhhhhhhhhhhhh!" "Heheheheh...! Hahahahahahahahahaha...!" The bathroom is filled with stifled screams and sadistic laughter. Thus, on this hot night of excessive service, the night goes on in a troubled and lustrous manner. But, tomorrow, the final exam results are finally announced. What will my rank be...? CH 88 -------------------- First Year Overall Ranking for the First Semester 1st: Leon Brave 2nd: Ciel Uranus 3rd: Aeris Centorea 4th: Nagisa Seikai 5th: Melia Sue 6th: Ruffie Astoglow 7th: Jean Rosand ? ? ? -------------------- The next day, the overall results are posted next to the main entrance of the school. My name is not among the top students. It''s far below my companion Aeris and Nagisa, and the name ''Zenon Baskerville'' is written at the ''17th place''. This must be a high rank considering that there are about 200 first-year students, but quite low considering the fact that the ''runner-up'' rank at the entrance ceremony. "Well... as expected, I guess." The result did not surprise me at all. It''s not that I did not respond well to the test or that I did not have confidence in myself. In fact, the results of the ''grade'' posted on the bulletin board were not determined only by the ''written test'' and the ''practical test''. But also, the internal comments such as the students'' attitudes in class. And... to make matters worse, I have been suspended because of the incident at the time when Aeris joined my group. Of course, that suspension was also included in my grade. "...I''m sorry to hear that. Goshujin-sama" "Well... if it were only for the grades of the final examinations, my Lord would be the best..." Urza and Nagisa console me, but I shrug my shoulders, having predicted this result in advance. In addition to the overall results, the results of the ''written test'' and the ''practical test'' were also posted, and I came in a close second in the written test after Leon. In the practical test, I was in the same rank as Aeris and Nagisa, who were members of my party. Especially in practical skills, the fact that I defeated Shinya Kushinagi seems to have been highly evaluated, and I came in first place by a huge margin over Leon''s party, which came in second. In other words... if it''s only the ranking of the examination, I would have been the first. In fact, If I had not been suspended, I would have been the first place. "I''m sorry Zenon-sama... it''s my fault..." Aeris, who seemed to feel responsible and was the cause of the suspension, slumped her shoulders. "Don''t apologize. It''s already happened. I already got your apology too." However, I think the suspension was a good training period for me. It wasn''t that I wanted to be the first in the grade, and it didn''t matter now. "If you feel bad, please continue to be useful as a healer. I''m counting on you." "...! Of course! I swear on the ring given to me by Zenon-sama, I will heal you with my body and soul!" Aeris grips the ring-shaped magic item on the ring finger of her left hand, and her eyes sparkle. It is a very encouraging statement, but...why is it that I am the only one to be healed? Is it really because of my dirty mind that the words "body and soul" make me think of something wicked? "By the way... Zenon-sama, I heard from Nagisa-san that there is a wonderful culture called ''Nyotaimori'' in the East. Tomorrow is summer vacation, and I''d like to serve dinner with it to liven things up..." (Note: Nyotaimori => link) "Don''t think I didn''t know that! Oh god, why is your head only filled with pink!" Really, this girl. She''s already become "s*x lady" completely. Even if she''s a heroine of an adult game, it''s too much of a character change. "Wait, Aeris! Fresh sashimi is necessary for the girl''s body. First we have to get some fish at the market." "But in the capital, we can only get dried or salted sea fish. River fish smells too fishy." "Hmm... Ah, that''s right! There is a trading company which is favored by the Centorea Viscounts that sells magically frozen fish from distant places! We may be able to get fresh fish from the sea through them...!" "Don''t make concrete plans!? Why are you guys so sex-conscious!" Why are they talking about eroticism so harmoniously? How much do they want to have s*x with me? If they love me so much, I no longer feel happy but feel like a small animal being targeted by predators. "Don''t talk like that with people around... Look, it''s orientation time before summer break. Come on, let''s get to the auditorium!" I try to rush them and take them to the auditorium. But then... the hero, Leon Brave, stands in front of me. Leon is unusually alone, without his childhood friend Ciel or newcomer Melia. "Baskerville, can I talk to you for a minute?" "Hey, hey. Isn''t that Brave-san, the top student of the year? What do you want?" "Don''t tease me... I know I''m not worthy of it." When I asked him jokingly, Leon''s handsome face was distorted. "...It''s obvious that you''re stronger than me. You should be the first student of the year." "...What is it? You''re flattering me all of a sudden. I don''t appreciate compliments from a man." I tell him annoyed and he smiles at me bitterly. "Baskerville you saved my life this time. If it weren''t for you, I, Ciel, and Melia would have been killed by him. Thank you so much." "..." "But I haven''t lost yet. I haven''t given up on winning." Leon looks at me clearly, and he assures me forcefully. "You''re a great guy. That''s why I want to win. No, I''m going to win!" With these words, Leon is truly a hero. He is like a hero who admits his weakness and tries to grow up. "Oh, try it, hero. The place where I am is not so low that you can easily surpass me, okay?" "Yeah, that''s why it''s worth aiming for! Remember after the summer vacation. I''ll be stronger than ever!" With these words, Leon turns around and walks away. I look at the hero''s back as he walks away and smile. "I''m glad to see that his eyes are looking better. It seems that Shinya has done a good job as a stepping stone." They say everything has its use... even a piece of sc*m like Shinya seems to have helped Leon grow. Just as Leon had declared... after the summer break, he would emerge a much grown-up man. I am looking forward to seeing him again. * * * Thus, the first half of the first year of Royal Sword and Magic Academy comes to an end. My school life spent as the villainous character Zenon Baskerville was full of unexpected incidents, and the days were filled with enemies and mishaps that attacked me one after another. Even so, I was able to gain reliable friends such as Urza, Aeris, and Nagisa. I eventually reconciled with Leon, with whom I had a hard time at first, and I succeeded in helping him grow as a protagonist. The fact that I was able to save people who were supposed to die in the game, such as Jean and Arisa. The fact that I was able to defeat Shinya Kushinagi, whom originally planned to fight much later in the game, is also a great achievement. However... the story is not "happily ever after" at this point. There is one more incident left to tell. "Zenon-sama, the Lord has asked you to come to his room." Zaius, the chief butler, told me when I returned to the mansion after the orientation. For the first time in months, I will see my father again. I will see Garondolf Baskerville, the head of the Baskerville family, who rules the nights of Slayers Kingdom. CH 89 After returning the women who wanted to follow me, I went to my father''s room by myself. "Breathe..." I stand in front of the door and take a deep breath. I listen carefully, but I don''t hear anything through the door. The room is as quiet as if it is empty. "Well then... let''s see each other..." I turn the doorknob with determination. Then the door is opened slowly. I step forward and step into the room... "Dark Bullet!" "...!" The next moment, a jet-black bullet flies out from inside the room. I ducked as low as I could to avoid the bullets. I had expected him to attack me without warning, but he is still a crazy father. Now I had two choices. Either I jump into the room. Or, to retreat and run away. "Ha! Isn''t that obvious!" I laughed evilly and jumped forward from the low position using the force of my legs. Even if I retreat, there is no escape as long as I am in the Baskervilles'' mansion. My life is in the midst of death... So, I''m going to decide the game at once! "Hmph...!" I jump into the room, and in the center of the room stands Garondolf Baskerville, dressed in a black suit. Garondolf''s eyes widen in astonishment as he sees his son jump into the room, having avoided his surprise magic attack. As he was surprised, I dashed into my father''s arms and fired an attack skill with my physical skill. "''Destruction Strike (Zeppasho/½~ÆÆÕÆ)''!" "Ngh...!" Garondolf catches my palm strike with his arm, but the impact released penetrates his body, ignoring his defenses. ''Destruction Strike'' is a physical skill that does not use a weapon. It uses no weapon and although its attack power is small, it has a penetrating effect that nullifies defenses. I had expected Garondolf''s body is sent flying backward... but he is the evil leader who claims to be the strongest in the kingdom. Instead of slammed into the wall, he stomps the floor hard and holds on. "Hey... Zenon...!" "Hmph!" Ignoring my father''s attempts to speak, I draw my sword from its sheath. I try to slash at his neck, but Garondolf quickly catches it with the sword at his waist. "Haa...!" "Ngh...!" The two swords clash, and for a moment, I see an opening. Unfortunately, Garondolf seems to have more power. My sword pushes back, and I leap backward. "...It has been a long time, Father. I''m glad to see you are well." "Zenon... what do you think you''re doing, coming at your father?" Garondolf ignores the social greetings and glares at me. I cower sarcastically and retort flatly. "Excuse me. But you suddenly fired a magic shot at me, and of course, my body moved quickly. I mean, you were the one who made the first move, weren''t you?" "Well... now you''re telling me. I heard you defeated the cadre of the Demon King''s army." Garondolf squints at me with interest as I retort. "I was going to give a warning to my incompetent son who failed to fulfill his duty to take the first place in his class... but you''re showing more spirit than I thought you would. I praise you." "There is a saying, ''Take a look at the boys after they don''t see each other for three days...''. So, if you don''t see your son for a few month, you''ll miss his growth." I watch Garondolf with my sword still in its scabbard. We exchanged something that it would not have expected to see in a father-son reunion... but Garondolf did not seem to be attacking me. At least, he does not seem to have any intention to attack me out of resentment for being repelled by him. I would have preferred to continue the exchange of blows, but if Garondolf does not make a move, I decide to change the situation. "Father, you mentioned it before, didn''t you? The head of the Baskerville family must be the strongest." "..." "In other word... if I beat you, you''re not qualified to be the head of the Baskerville family, right?" I take off the gloves I had on before entering the room and throw them at Garondolf. The black leather glove goes off in a parabolic trajectory and hits Garondolf''s chest. "Father, I challenge you to a duel." I look Garondolf straight in the eye and declare clearly. "The Baskerville family is mine. If you call yourself the strongest, you won''t run away, will you? "...You stupid son of a bitch! Are you serious?" When challenged to a duel, Garondolf turns his fiery gaze on me and bares his fangs like a large predator. At the same time, his entire body overflows with an enormous amount of murderous intent. An overwhelming will to kill - an aura so vicious that it was no less than Shinya Kushinagi''s or Queen Margarita''s. "I thought you were a foolish son, but I never thought you could not read the difference in our strength. Now, I will not allow you to swallow your spit. If you want to die, I will kill you!" "Fine by me... You''re the one who''s going to die, anyway" I retort, unafraid of the killing with my lips pursing into a smile. Zenon Baskerville and Garondolf Baskerville. The root of all evil that rules the nights of Slayers Kingdom. The Baskervilles, father and son, exchange a vicious, biting smile and exchange glances head-on. Oddly enough, their evil and belligerent expressions are very similar, just like father and son. CH 90 The duel decided to take place tomorrow night. I could have done it right away, but for some reason my father insisted. "I''ll get some spectators for the fight. Wait for a while." "...Don''t make any stupid plans. Will I disappoint you?" "Quietly chirp your nonsense. There''s no need for unnecessary tricks. I will crush you head on." With these words, my father climbed into the Baskerville family carriage and drove away from the mansion. Meanwhile, I returned to the girls I live with, feeling a bit disappointed. Aeris, Nagisa, Urza, and Levienna were waiting for me in the dining room, fully armed with swords and armor. "...What are you guys doing?" "Goshujin-sama, are you okay!? Levienna is with you!" "We were just talking about going to help, desu~no! It''s time to fight, desu~no!" Levienna and Urza came running up to me, and they spoke to each other in a strong tone of voice. Urza is wearing in her usual adventurer''s gear. She is holding up her oni kanabo with her right hand with an "Ei, ei, ooo!" while raised it to the ceiling. Levienna is wearing armor with only her helmet removed, instead of her usual maid''s outfit. This maid comes up to me, rattling her metal full-body armor, and I slump my shoulders in dismay. "Aside from Urza... did you plan to fight my father, too? This is not something a maid can handle." "Don''t worry. This is armor to shield Goshujin-sama. Please use this Levienna as a meat wall and defeat the Lord!" "..." As a servant, why would she say that? Levienna''s employer... the one who pays her salary, after all... is supposed to be my father. "...If I start using you as a shield, I''ll be done for. I''ve prepared for that, don''t worry. Urza too, calm down." I pat Urza''s head and tell Levienna to take off her armor. I then turn my attention to Nagisa and Aeris in the back of the room. "You guys have been worrying me. I''m going to fight my father tomorrow, but it will be a single combat, so I don''t need your help." "So do you have a chance, my Lord?" Nagisa, who stood with her back leaning against the dining room wall, asked me with interest. She, too, is fully equipped and had a sword at her waist. She is fully prepared to go into battle at any moment. "Of course. There is plenty of room. I have at least ten different strategies for both offense and defense." Ever since Garondolf Baskerville had beaten me and tortured me, I have been trying to figure out how to defeat Garondolf. A pattern of a sudden decision to fight. A pattern in which a decision to fight had been made by prior arrangement. A pattern in which Garondolf attacked me by surprise. A pattern in which he attacked me in the dark. A pattern in which we fight in a one-on-one combat. A pattern when I fight in a melee of many against many. And many more. I had made several strategies based on the assumption that I would fight in every possible situation and place. It would have been impossible for me to win if I had just been reincarnated in this world... but now I have a chance to win. To be honest... it hurts me a lot that I used the ''Doping Bottle'' that I had saved as a last resort in the fight against Shinya Kushinagi the other day. If I had had it left, I could have won the fight with a safe strategy... but what is not there is not there. So, it will be a risky battle. "I''m not proud to be stronger than my father. There will be some risky paths to cross. But... in the end, I will win. That''s what I''m determined to do." "I see... then that''s fine. If my Lord says so, I will only watch the battle." Nagisa nodded with a gentle smile and closed her eyes. "My Lord, you have put an end to my fate. Now I will watch over you and see that your fate is settled." "Thank you. A beautiful woman''s support is the best fuel." I cowered with a wry smile... and finally turned to Aeris. "You don''t cheer me up, Aeris?" "Zenon-sama... I''m worried about you." Aeris is sitting in a chair, looking down with a somber expression. Her angelic beauty is severely pale, and her bitten lips are white. "No matter how Zenon-sama is injured, I will heal you, I promise. But... if you die, I can''t bring you back to life." "..." "If something happens to Zenon-sama, I don''t know how I will live. If you can, please don''t do anything dangerous." "...It''s a little late for that. We''ve been through the hellhole together." Our party has been through many dangers, including Gigant Mithril. Even the battle with Shinya Kushinagi was so close that a single misstep could have cost us our lives. "But I''ve been winning all along. You''ve seen it too, right? You worry too much." "I don''t know why I''m so worried either. I don''t know... but I have a really bad feeling about this." Aeris looks up from her slumped face and looks straight at me. Her blue eyes are filled with tears. They are as beautiful and clear as if they are made of glass. "I don''t know why... it just pop into my head. Zenon-sama being murdered by the Marquis of Baskerville. Bring stabbed by a sword through the heart." "..." My eyes widen involuntarily at this ominous prophecy. Come to think of it... in the game, Aeris has often made strange predictions. Every word of the oracle of the goddess foretold an ominous future that would surely come true in the near future. However... if asked whether this foresight is important or not, it is not so. Even in the game, there is no detailed explanation of Aeris''s precognition, and the conclusion is left vague: ''She is a saint, so she may have been divinely ordained''. Neither the appearance of Gigant Mithril nor the encounter with Shinya Kushinagi was foreseen, nor was her own future of being immersed by pleasure in [DunBrave 2] foreseen. "It''s an interesting story... but don''t worry. I''m going to win." "But..." "And your prophecy has convinced me of my own victory. I will defeat my father and put an end to the Baskerville family''s cursed history." "..." Aeris still has a worried look on her face. It''s not very nice... but I''ll give her a service to reassure her. I took Aeris''s left hand and kissed the back of her hand. "Z-Zenon-sama!?" Aeris''s voice turned upside down. Come to think of it, this might be the first time for me to touch her like this. "I''m glad you like that ring." On Aeris''s finger is a ring, the magic item I gave her. I had accidentally given her a valuable magic item, but I don''t feel bad when I see her wearing it on her ring finger like this. "I''m going to win. So... when this is all over, let''s talk about men and women. Will you let me kiss you again?" When this fight is over, we''re gonna get married. I realized after I said this that I had uttered a line that almost sounded like a death flag, but Aeris seemed to like it. Her cheeks are tinted rosy with emotion. "Zenon-sama... I''m so happy! You''ve finally decided to marry me!" "Yes, but I haven''t said that much..." "I understand, I''ll be waiting for you, Zenon-sama, believing in your victory! I''m sure you''ll win and have s*x with me!" "Hey, don''t say ''s*x''... you''ll make me weak..." Really, why are the girls so proactive about s*x? Are they frustrated? "Hmm...?" I glance over to see Urza, Levienna, and Nagisa standing in a row beside me. "Goshujin-sama, Urza want a kiss too, desu~no!" "Yes, it''s not good to favor only Aeris-sama." "Umu, I also felt a thrill when I was watching from the sidelines. So, I''d be happy if you could take me too." "..." In the end, I ended up kissing each of their hands in turn. The girls seemed to have gotten carried away, and now they asked me to kiss them on their cheeks and lips, and even demanded hugs from me. I refused to kiss them on the lips... but instead they asked me to give them more skinship than usual. And then... the next night came, and it is time for the duel with my father, Garondolf Baskerville. CH 91 The duel took place at the training ground of the Baskerville family. It is already late at midnight, and the short hand is turning the top of the clock. Tonight is a new moon. In addition, the sky is dark and cloudy. Although no starlight in the sky, there are several bonfires burning on the ground, so there is no need to worry about light. Just in time, I left the mansion and stepped into the training ground. Behind me are Levienna, Urza, Aeris, and Nagisa. The four of them seem even more nervous than I am, their expressions tightening into grim expressions. "I see you didn''t run away. Zenon." "There''s no reason to run away from a winning battle. Father." My father, Garondolf Baskerville, already waited for me at the training ground. Garondolf is not the only one in this place. There are several figures surrounding a wide-open space in the light of the bonfire. Some are servants of the Baskerville family, some are ordinary-looking men with no features, some are obviously suspicious figures wearing black hoods, and some are women wearing dresses and masks as if they are attending a masked ball... about 20 people in total are gathered there. "They are witnesses. Don''t worry, they won''t interfere." "In the beginning, I wasn''t worried, and I don''t think you''re so weak that you need help." Surrounded by 20 witnesses, Garondolf stands confidently, looking like an absolute strongman. I''d like to believe that he''s a little lower than the Demon King or the Four Heavenly Kings, but at my current skill level, he''s an extremely difficult opponent to fight without using a doping bottle. "Though... I don''t intend to lose" "Goshujin-sama, I wish you good luck, desu~no!" "Yes, I know it. But putting that aside..." I decide to finish what I have to do before the duel starts. I push Urza''s shoulders as she cheers me on, and take her to a corner of the training hall. "Urza, come here for a minute." "Fweh? What is it?" "Come on, come on." I take out a very thick chain from my magic bag and wrap it around Urza''s body, who is looking at me curiously. "Hyah! What? Are you going to do something naughty, Goshujin-sama!? Outdoors, on a leash, with lots of people watching us, it''s too maniacal, desu~no!" "Of course not! Nagisa, you hold this end." "Hmm...? Ah, I''ll do it." I give the end of the chain holding Urza to Nagisa, and asks her to hold it without letting go. This way, no matter what happens, Urza will not be able to move. Thus, there is no need to worry that she will break into the duel and go berserk. "This is a one-on-one duel. Don''t interfere. If I leave you alone, you''ll do whatever you want." "Really... Urza is not such a bad girl, desu~no! Urza is a good girl and she''s doing her ''wait and see'' thing, desu~no!" "How dare you talk to me like that... have you forgotten the ''ball-kicking'' incident?" Thinking of Leon''s fainting in agony after getting his balls crushed, I get a light shiver down my spine. Even though it was someone else''s problem... it was a traumatizing scene. It''s something I hope I never have to witness again. "Listen, ''no matter what happens, don''t interfere''. Stay there and see what happens. Nagisa? Don''t let go of the leash." "Yes, I''ll hold it tightly. Fight well, my Lord." I remind Nagisa and lightly pat Urza''s bound head. Finally, I look at Aeris and Levienna, in turn, and tell them not to worry, even though their faces are clouded with anxiety. The preparations are now complete. All that is left is to fight. I draw the sword from my waist and walks over to Garondolf, who is standing in the center of the training ground. "Thanks for waiting. Father." "No problem. Say goodbye to them as long as you like for this may be the last time you speak to them." "Ha! That goes for both of us. I''ll make sure you don''t live out your days in peace!" I''ve already drawn my sword. Garondolf draws his too. My friends, the Baskervilles'' servants, and an unknown someone are watching, and Garondolf and I come face to face. "..." "..." We don''t need a signal to start. We''re both already in a state of readiness, waiting for the right moment to slash at each other. "..." "..." For about a minute we have been staring at each other. But then, without warning, the moment arrives suddenly. Is it a coincidence, or did the tension of the situation become unbearable? Because there is a wild bird flying into the night sky from a branch of a plant located a little distance away from us. "Hmph!" "Kaaagh!" Garondolf and I swing our swords and slash at the same time. In the light of the blazing bonfire, our swords clash, and sparks fly. He is neither a hero nor a demon king. But, for me - for Zenon Baskerville - he is the Demon King. The curtain falls on the decisive battle against the last boss. CH 92 Bonus chapter... "Ggh...!" "Mngh...!" My sword clashes with Garondolf''s sword. The two swords spark and send both of our bodies flying backwards. "It''s heavy...!" I mutter. Garondolf Baskerville is a character in [DunBrave 2], but there is no battle scene in the scenario. His strength is unknown. Perhaps, he may be the first enemy that I fight when I first come to this world. I expected him to be weaker than the boss characters of the latter half of the game, such as the Four Heavenly Kings... but his attacks are several times stronger than I expected. I was able to endure it thanks to the fact that my skill level had been improved by defeating Shinya Kushinagi, but if not for that, I might have fallen by this blow. "It seems that you have really improved your skill! Wasn''t it just a foolish conceit that made you challenge me!" Garondolf, on the other hand, also let out an exclamation of admiration at my slash. This is the first time I have been praised by my father, who has always spoken to me in a venomous way. I didn''t think it made him happy, though. "I guess I could be a little more serious! Don''t die so easy!" "...!" Garondolf kicked the ground again, and came flying toward me. It seems that he was not serious about his earlier slash. But his speed has increased dramatically, as if he switched gears. "Don''t mock me!" I shouted, and I dealt the incoming slashes. I parry the slashes that come down from above with the middle of my sword, and avoid the slashes that follow by keeping my posture low. "Nngh!" "Whoa...!?" But, before I had time to regain my position, Garondolf threw a whip-like kick at me as I crouched down. I quickly jumped backward to reduce the momentum of the kick, but I felt a zing of pain in my abdomen where I had been hit. "You''re so merciless to kick your own son... you''re really a horrible father!" I roll on the ground to brace myself, then quickly get up and ready my sword. Garondolf doens''t follow me and hadn''t moved a step from where he had kicked me. He is obviously playing me. He just held his sword at ease, as if he didn''t need to charge at me. "What''s wrong? You seemed to be slower than before. Did I not go easy enough on you, by any chance?" "...You really have a wonderful personality. You, Zenon''s father." Garondolf even provoked me, and I clenched my teeth in frustration. It is very annoying but Garondolf is a much better opponent than I am now. Although he was inferior to Shinya Kushinagi in terms of speed alone, Garondolf had more power. Garondolf''s swordsmanship, which he used continously, showed that he is an experienced fighter. Still... "Eat this!" I invoked dark magic. Without chanting, I unleashed ''Shadow Javelin''. It is an attack spell that creates a spear from the shadows and shoots it at the enemy. And this jet-black spear flew straight for Garondolf''s heart. "What a waste! That magic will not work on me." "Mngh...!" The jet-black spear hits Garondolf in the chest as intended, but shatters instantly. The spear is not destroyed, but it breaks on its own... maybe the result of some kind of item? "This ring that has been passed down in the Baskerville family from generation to generation... Its name is the ''Ring of the Duke of Hell''... It has the power to nullify the dark attribute. So, dark magic does not work on me." "There is an item like that...? I''m surprised there''s an item I''m not aware of." On Garondolf''s finger is a ring with a hideous skull design. Such an item has never appeared in the game, but it seems that the ring has a ''dark attribute nullification'' effect. This is a serious problem. His sword is one better than mine. Dark magic doesn''t work either. Swords and dark magic. All of my offensive options have been blocked. If I still had the doping bottle, if I had ''Amanohazamaru'' on my sword, I could have fought better. However, I had already used all the paid items, and I already equipped with a mid-level weapon. At this rate, the odds of defeat are high. Clearly, it is too early to challenge Garondolf. "It can''t be helped... I wanted to win the fight head-on if possible. Still, if things become like this... maybe a little cowardly is fine..." It seems that it would be very difficult to win by a straight fight. So, I think of some ''tricks'' I''ve thought up in my mind. I smile with my sharp canine teeth bared. "From here on, I will fight for my life. It''s going to be a real bloodbath!" Dark magic, ''Illusion Ghost''. I create several shadows that look exactly like myself, and makes them plunge into Garondolf at once. "You are very clever with your illusion magic. But..." A black sphere appears around Garondolf. One by one, the marble-sized black dots grow in number, until finally there are about 20 of them. "Dark Bullet!" The black spots become dark bullets and are released at once. Twenty bullets pierce my illusion, obliterating it in an instant. "What the...!" All that is left is my real body. With my shadow gone, I am exposed. "You''re so naive!" "Ha! Isn''t that you!?" Garondolf, who has eliminated my shadows, turns his blade toward my body, but I parry the thrusting edge with the cuirass attached to my left hand. I try to counterattack with a slash, but Garondolf jump to the side and ducks. However... Garondolf''s body tilts slightly due to his forced evasive maneuver. "Power Slash!" I immediately fire a follow-up attack. I swing my sword upward with my swordsmanship skill. "You think you''ve won with that! You''re too naive!" "...!" Garondolf''s arms swell with power while he is thrown off his feet. With this hand... like a swallow leaping from the ground to the sky, Garondolf takes a low posture and lands an uppercut to my face. "Damn it...!" It was so unreasonable. How can he recover from such an impossible posture that he almost fell to the ground? I wonder how much experience he''s had in actual combat. It seems that he wasn''t just a fool or a drunkard when he claimed to be the strongest in the kingdom. "Haaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" "Huh...!?" But... this situation is also an opportunity for me. I let go of the sword with which I was about to deliver a power slash, and instead raise my foot greatly to catch Garondolf''s fist with the sole of my foot. Then I take advantage of the momentum from my father''s uppercut and leap into the air. With the cloudy night sky behind me, I look down on Garondolf from high in the air. Garondolf looks up at me with wide eyes. No, not only him, but Urza and the others also look up at me. Even the people Garondolf had gathered are also staring at me in the air. "Well... from now on is a gamble...!" I pull out a new sword from the storage item and plunge from the sky, letting gravity do the work for me. "Ooooooooooooooooooohhh!" I raise my sword as I free fall and slash at Garondolf from above like a hawk at its prey. But... Garondolf smiles at the sight of his son coming at him from above, his lips pursing into a sneer. "You think you have the upper hand! Gravity is not as fast as you think!" As I fall straight down, Garondolf prepares to meet me with the tip of his sword. If I continue to let gravity take me, Garondolf will counter. "Of course, I don''t think I''ve won this one... Flashbomb!" "Huh!?" I throw an item that I have kept under my sleeve at Garondolf, who is staring straight at me. The item I threw was a ''flash bomb''. A so-called flashbang. Now, I fell from the sky and Garondolf looked up at me on the ground. The small bomb exploded at the midpoint between us, emitting a strong flash of light. I had closed my eyes beforehand, so I am unaffected, but Garondolf looks up at me, and it is unbearable for him. I know it''s a sneaky move on my part, but I''m on the same side as Shinya Kushinagi. I don''t believe in winning fair and square. I will do whatever it takes to win. I will use what I can, and I will use who I can. "Tenpo!" I also activated my [Taijutsu] skill and accelerated in the air. By combining the gravitational fall with the acceleration of this skill, I swing my sword down at Garondolf, who is blinded by flashbomb. "Ghh... Uoooooooooo!" Garondolf, however, does not let his blindness stop him from cutting easily. Even though he is blind, he must have sensed the impending death with his intuition. So, with a twisted expression on his face, Garondolf thrusts his sword up from below. The flash of light disappears, and two shadows meet in the darkness of the training ground. My slash from above. My father''s thrust from below. The moment that can be called an extreme moment. I caught the enemy''s figure in my sword... "Kahah!" "Huh... Zenon, you...!?" My sword had struck Garondolf''s shoulder. It bit into his right shoulder and stopped just short of severing his collarbone. "Ah... Ggh... Even with this, I can''t reach it..." "Ah, damn it!" From there, I couldn''t hear the rest of Garondolf''s sound. After all, Garondolf''s sword had pierced through my chest, skewering my heart. CH 93 Bonus chapter... Surprise attack from the air. Blinding by flash bomb. A slash accelerated by skill. I tried everything I could, and even though this is a ''winning strategy'' that I thought would take down Garondolf, I only managed to cut off his right collarbone. However, Garondolf''s sword is pierced my chest. Who is the winner and who is the loser? It''s obvious to everyone. "Gh... ghha...!" My heart is pierced, and an enormous amount of blood flows through the sword. The thought that such a large amount of blood had been circulating in my body vaguely flashed through my fading mind. "Stupid... Zenon, what have I done...!?" "...?" On the other hand, Garondolf, who should have mortally wounded the enemy, looked impatient for some reason. For the first time, a human-like emotion appeared on my father''s face, who had always had a cold expression on his face. It''s like a father who was worried about his son. Why would this man, who should not have any affection for his son, make such a face after all these years? "...!" As soon as I have this question in my mind, my vision blurs, and my consciousness fades away. My body is terribly cold. It is as if all the heat in my body is vanishing along with my blood. Is this... death? I''ve been through many ordeals since I became Zenon Baskerville, but this is the first time I clearly felt the scythe of the god of death against my neck. "Ah...!" This might be really bad. My powerless limbs hang limp, and I feel as if my soul is about to be swallowed into the cold darkness. "Ugaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" But... my consciousness is interrupted by the scream of someone. A thunderous cry of rage is released, piercing through my dying body and holding my consciousness together. "How dare you, how dare you, how dare youuuuuuu! I''ll kill you! I''m going to kill you! I''ll skin you and eat you up!" The one who emitted the atmosphere-shaking explosion cry was Urza, who had been watching the battle from the side. This trusty follower, the white ogre, had entered the "Berserker" mode, the same mode she had entered when she and Nagisa had once dueled. Her white hair swirled like a snake, and golden irises flickered wildly in the center of her red-tinted eyes. "Wait! Stop moving!" Nagisa shouts in panic, and does as I say, pulling the chain. Aeris and Levienna are also clinging to the chain, their faces turning pale. Despite the restraints of her companions, Urza is still furious. She pulled the chains that restrained her tightly and tried to tear it off with force. However... the chains are custom-made to restrain Urza''s outburst. It''s not easy to break the chain, and Urza''s eyes, which had turned into the Fiery Eyes, hung up in frustration. "You... ggaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" "Ugh..." "Aaaaaah!?" "Ggh... What an intimidating ''pressure''...!" Urza''s roar became a sonic wave that shook the surrounding trees and buildings. Many of the people present were startled, their ears clamped down, and their faces drawn in fear. What was emitted from the small body was not just a roar. Instead, the [Intimidate] skill, which she had obtained with a skill orb before. The [Intimidate] skill is so effective that everyone in the training ground, even Garondolf, is glued to Urza''s body. "..." Ah, what a mess. This turn of events. This situation. Really, what a mess... "...I didn''t think it would go this well. It was worth getting stabbed in the heart." I mutter to myself. Urza''s screams keep me awake, and the pain is slowly subsiding. Even with my heart pierced, the words I mumbled come out of my mouth more clearly than I had expected. "Huh!?" His son, who was supposed to be dead, started to speak. The anomaly brings Garondolf''s attention back from Urza to me. But... he''s too late. Even though he is an experienced fighter, he is still full of gaps because of the unexpected events that have happened. "Magic Sword ¡ª Black Wolf Sword Break (ü\ÀÇ„‡ÆÆ)!" I put all my strength into the sword that is still clenched in my father''s right shoulder, and I activate the dark magic sword. "Gwaahhhkkkkk!" A jet-black aura overflows from the sword. Then, a black slash cuts deeply from his right shoulder to his waist, and this time Garondolf''s blood splatters in the darkness. "I win... father! I don''t accept your arguments!" I said this with a hearty smile, and pulls out the sword that is now piercing his chest. CH 94 Bonus chapter... "...Good grief, I thought I was dead. I''ll never gamble like this again." I breathe out deeply, patting my closed chest wound. I reach into my pocket and find that the item I had in my pocket is shattered. Although it was already shattered... what was inside was the ''phoenix egg'' that I had equipped as an accessory. It is an item with a revival effect. In the past, Shinya Kushinagi had used this to revive himself in Margarita canyon, and I had the same item as a turnaround item. "I have to thank Shinya. Thanks to his role as a test subject, I could use it without any worries." The phoenix egg is a resurrection item... but to tell the truth, I was not sure how effective it was. In the game, it automatically revived characters who had been disabled in battle, but I wondered if it was really effective enough to revive a dead person in real life. Even if it could bring the dead back to life, I did not know if it could repair even severely damaged bodies. I wanted to try it before using it, but... an experiment that risks my life is not so easy to do. Just as I was wondering what to do, I saw Shinya using this item. With this item, Shinya was able to revive himself even after he had been beheaded by Nagisa. Seeing this, I was convinced. The phoenix''s egg can bring the dead back to life, and to some extent, physical damage can be restored. So... as a trick to defeat my father, I decided to equip myself with this and go into battle. The ''phoenix egg'', the resurrection item. Equipped with this item, I pretend to be dead, and use it to catch Garondolf in the nick of time. In addition, I made Urza learn the [Intimidate] skill, just in case Garondolf''s consciousness does not shift even if he kills his son. Given Urza''s character, if I am stabbed in front of her, she will be furious and attack Garondolf immediately. If she activates her intimidation skill, Garondolf''s attention will be drawn to Urza. For Garondolf, it was a double surprise. He was intimidated by Urza, who was not paying attention to me, and I, who had been pretending to be dead, came back to life and slashed at him. If he can handle even with this trick... there is no way to defeat Garondolf anymore. "A one-on-one duel... with a little help from my friends, but they didn''t ''touch'' you. That''s not against the rules, is it?" "..." I asked in a derisive tone, but Garondolf remained silent and did not answer. He is kneeling on his knees, breathing heavily from a large cut to the chest. He has narrowly escaped a fatal wound, but if left unchecked he would have died within minutes. "Hmph... boring." I snort, disappointed at my father''s unresponsiveness. It would be better if he made a more regretful face, but his reaction is boring. "Goshujin-sama!" "Zenon-sama, are you all right? My friends rush over to me after they see that I have won. The first one to jump into my chest is the oni girl named Urza. Seeing that I was safe, Urza recovered from her berserk state and rushed toward me with tears streaming from her eyes. Of course... she''s still chained up, so it hurts me a lot. The horns on her head are also stinging. "Now... you''re going to keep your promise, father. You will give me the reigns of the Baskerville family. Wasn''t it you who said, ''The head of the House of Baskerville must be the strongest''? As a loser, you don''t deserve it." "..." "You''re not going to say that you didn''t lose because I used a cowardly method, are you? A win is a win no matter what means I use, right?" "...Fine. I lost." After a long silence, Garondolf murmured. He kneels on the ground and looks up, staring straight down at me. "And... from this day on you are the head of the family, the ''Baskerville''s Demon Dog''." "Demon dog...?" I''ve heard this word several times before. What does it really mean? "Father, explain it to me. What does it mean...?" "Why are you so careless? I''m still alive!" "...!?" I was about to ask for details when suddenly Garondolf, who was kneeling on the ground with a deep wound, moved. He grabs the end of the sword I''m holding, moving with such agility that I don''t believe he''s injured to the point of death. "Ggh..." "Huh...!?" Then, Garondolf pulls the end of the sword strongly. The unexpected movement makes my eyes widen for a moment. Because, the next moment, the sharp point of the sword cut out Garondolf''s left chest. CH 95 "What...?" My eyes widen as I see my sword cutting into my father''s chest. I pull out my sword in a panic, and Garondolf''s chest gushes out a gush of blood. "Huh...!? What are you doing! You''re going to die, you kno!?" I think I''m talking crazy. Even though I had been fighting with the intention of killing Garondolf, when the moment came, I became very upset. I reach out to heal him, but Garondolf shakes off his son''s hand as he falls to the ground. "No need... my task is done..." "Your task is done!? You can''t just..." "The next one is you, my son. Take over the task..." Blood bubbles out of Garondolf''s mouth. His hands fall to the ground and his eyes lose their power. "Hey, don''t just leave me to my own devices!? If you''re going to die, explain to me before you die!" "..." I grab his shoulders and shake him... but Garondolf no longer speaks. Garondolf Baskerville. The underworld leader who ruled the nights of the Slayers Kingdom has died so easily, so quickly. "...You''ve got to be kidding me!" I clenched my fists tightly, biting my back teeth at my father''s corpse. I don''t know why. I felt frustrated even though I had won. I don''t feel as if I have won. Instead, a sense of defeat fills my heart for some unknown reason. "Congratulations, Zenon-sama. Congratulations on your victory." "...Zaius?" The man with romance gray hair and a beard called out to me from behind. Zaius Oren, an old butler with a monocle over his left eye. Behind Zaius are all the servants of the Baskervilles, along with an unidentified black-clad figure. "Let us pay our allegiance to the new head of the Baskerville family, the ''Baskerville''s Demon dog''." Zaius and most of the others in the room kneel down and bow their heads. "From now on, Zenon-sama is our new Lord. Please use us as you wish." "..." I stand in front of the kneeling servants, some of whom appear to be members of the underworld, but then, I open my mouth. "...The Baskervilles is now dissolved. And so does the underworld. There is no more evil in this Baskervilles. All of you can do as you please." That''s what I decided long ago. To dismantle the Baskervilles, the feared rulers of the underworld, and to cut the roots of evil. It was the greatest good I could do. Apart from defeating the Demon King as a hero, it meant eliminating the evil that threatens the Slayers Kingdom. "...Are you going to abandon us? That''s unforgivable." "I don''t care. I''m not going to be the leader of evil. If you want to be evil... do it at your own risk." "Well... that''s a problem." Zaius looks disappointed... but strangely enough, there is a satisfied smile on his face. I am about to ask him why, but then a new intruder appears. "Well, we can''t afford to lose the Baskervilles. It would be a loss for our country." "Huh...!?" A third voice suddenly interrupts. I turned my head in the direction of the voice and saw a big middle-aged man emerging from the darkness. He is dressed in the luxurious clothes of a nobleman, and on either side of him stands a knight in armor. They are knights of the Kingsguard working in the castle. Even though it''s late at night, it''s impossible to miss the three figures standing side by side in the training ground where a bonfire was burning. Perhaps they had disappeared by magic or some magic item. "A knight of the Kingsguard...? Who are you...?" "You are...!" It was not me who reacted to the man''s appearance, but Aeris, who was standing by my side. Aeris'' blue eyes widened in disbelief, and her shoulders trembled in shock. "Do you know that man?" "How come Zenon-sama doesn''t know!? That man..." "It''s fine, daughter of Centorea. Make yourself at ease." "Y-Yes...!" The middle-aged man says in a confident tone, and Aeris bows her head in awe. Aeris'' attitude and the fact that the middle-aged man is accompanied by a knight of the Kingsguard indicate that he is of a very high rank. "This is the first time I''ve met you. The eldest son of Baskerville... no, the new ''Baskerville''s Demon Dog''." "..." "My name is Julius the Slayers. The 13th King of the Slayers Kingdom!" CH 96 Thanks SipTheCup and kenchan223 for the support... "...The king?" There was once such a man, I think... I don''t speak these word, but I look at the middle-aged man''s face. I searched my memory and found that King Julius the Slayer had appeared in the game as well. I had forgotten about it, since he appeared only briefly in the ending after the main character defeated the Demon King. "Haha, you talk like that when you know I''m the king. You''re really insolent for being Garondolf''s son." Unknowingly, I have been rude to him. Julius seems amused but maybe I''ve been disrespectful to the king. I sigh softly and decide to change my tone somewhat and ask the question. "Forgive me, Your Majesty. So... why would you be here?" "Of course, I''m here to witness the birth of a new ''demon dog''. I''ve come to see the face of Garondolf''s proud son." "Proud son...?" An unexpected word causes me to raise my voice in disbelief. I have only met Garondolf, my father, a couple of times, but every time I see him, he always hurls insults at me. I could not imagine this father uttering such praise as "I''m so proud of you". "It seems, I have to explain to you, the heir of the ''demon dog''. About the role of the Baskervilles. About their history of the family that guards the night of Slayers Kingdom." "..." "The Baskervilles are the ringleaders of evil among the people. They are known as the masterminds behind the control of dark guilds and crime syndicates, and as the incarnation of evil involved in human trafficking, the sale of illegal drugs, and the assassination of important people. But... in reality, they are administrator who are tasked to control the ''evil'' of the Slayers Kingdom by order of the royal family." "Administrator...?" My polite tone broke down unexpectedly. I had never heard of such a setup, and I had never thought that a father who would torture his son without a second thought would have such an important role to play. "You''d be surprised. Garondolf never mentioned any of this to you, did he?" "Yes... that''s new to me. I don''t mean to be rude to Your Majesty, but I find it hard to believe. I doubt your sanity." "Z-Zenon-sama, you can''t talk to His Majesty in such a manner..." Aeris pulls back my sleeve anxiously, as I am being rude by doubting the king''s words. She seemed to be afraid that I might accuse him of rudeness, but Julius, on the other hand, did not seem to be bothered by it and smiled wryly at me. "No problem, no problem! I was depressed that Garondolf''s role was over and that there was no one who could say something so blunt. But I like your impudence, just like your father!" "...You seemed to be very fond of my father. Were you two that close?" "Well, I protected this country from the front and Garondolf from behind the scenes. We may even be considered comrades." Julius looks at me with a distant look of nostalgia for the past and continues his explanation. "The Baskervilles have been protecting this country from behind the scenes for generations. They have controlled the backstabbing assassins and hit men from turning on the royal family, dealt with the criminals who had gone astray and overreached, and controlled the slave and drug trade so that the outlaws from other countries would not gain power in the country. Although despised by the other nobles as a corrupt aristocrat and feared by the people as a scoundrel, they still served this country well." "..." "Garondolf''s cold treatment of you was also an attempt to make you more capable of fulfilling your role. He played the role of an evil father to instill in you a hatred of evil by making you the villain and to help you grow up. In truth, he loved his son more than anyone else." Julius turned to Garondolf on the ground. He looked at him as if he were looking at a friend. But also kindly, as if he was showing his appreciation for the hard work of his men. "The role of the Baskervilles is passed down from one generation to the next. The role of the Baskervilles is passed down from father to son by the son defeating the parent. Garondolf also killed his father and took over the role of the ''demon dog'' who controls the darkness." "I see... I have my doubts about the method, but the logic makes sense to me." To sum up the king''s explanation... Garondolf must have controlled the ''evil'' spreading in the Slayers Kingdom by reigning as the great evil in the underworld. How rich is this country? Even in the most technologically advanced countries, there are always people who go astray and become evil. This fact is evident from the fact that there were gangs and gangsters in the "other world" as well. No matter how many laws are established and enforcement is strengthened, it is impossible to completely cut off the seeds of evil. That is why the Baskervilles controlled evil in this country as the ringleader. "Ah, damn you... you stupid father...!" I swore with a twisted expression on my face. If cursing and beating his son was the way to make him grow up to be his successor... then Garondolf had completely wrong in his educational policy. Indeed, Zenon Baskerville has grown up to the point where his father wanted him to grow up and become strong enough to win a duel, but this is the result of being possessed by the presence of ''me''. In the game''s scenario, Zenon has lived a life without love and has gone decidedly astray. He was intensely jealous of and hated Leon, who had achieved glory as a hero, and cuckolded the heroine, resulting in the resurrection of the Demon King and the destruction of the kingdom. In other words, Garondolf''s education worked for ''me'' but had the opposite effect on the real ''Zenon''. "Then... what do you want from me, Your Majesty?" "To take over the role of the Baskervilles, of course. To protect this country from the shadows as the new ''Demon Dog''." Julius replies to my question without a pause. "If the Baskervilles abandon their role, the criminals who have been kept in check will run amok. The assassins will lose their masters and will have no one to turn to, and the outlaws will start up criminal gangs to fight each other." Julius points a finger at me and orders me to speak clearly. "Zenon Baskerville! Become the new ''Demon Dog'' and rule the night of the Slayers Kingdom! Control the ''evil'' in this land and protect the peace of the people!" "We ask you, too. Please guide us to the great evil." "Please show us the way. So that we may follow the path of the ''righteous evil''." "Oh, great Baskerville. Our master." "Be merciful. Control us." Following the king''s words, Zaius and the other servants, all in black, kneel around me, praying. They looked like vassals to the king. Or a religious man praying to God. "Zenon-sama..." "Goshujin-sama..." "..." Aeris, Urza, Nagisa, and Levienna look up at me with puzzled expressions. I guess they are puzzled by my uncertainty, not knowing what kind of answer I will give. "...I see." I thought for quite a long time and finally came up with an answer. I casually look up at the sky, and before I know it, the clouds have cleared and the stars are twinkling in the night sky. But... there is no moon in the new moon sky. It must be a frightening and anxious experience to walk through the moonless night without any light. The night sky needs the moon. A bright moon to illuminate those who live in the night. "I am..." And then I said the answer I had come to. I had decided to live as Zenon Baskerville, the path I would follow for the rest of my life. CH 97 After that, we had a lot of s*x. ...No, I don''t mean that deeply. I just said it because it''s a line I''ve wanted to say at least once. Soon after the duel with Garondolf Baskerville, the Royal Sword and Magic Academy has entered the summer vacation. As in the case of Japanese students, summer vacation is spent in different ways. Some of them go back to their parents'' houses in the countryside to spend time with their families, while others stay at dormitories or boarding houses to enjoy the summer with their friends. Some of them spend their summers studying hard, and some of them spend their summers playing around at a life-threatening pace. As for me, Zenon Baskerville''s summer is no different from the time when I was suspended from school for assaulting a classmate. I spent my days with Urza, Aeris, and Nagisa, diving dungeons and completing guild requests. Nagisa and I train swordsmanship every morning... and occasionally, I take the ladies out on a date for a change of pace and to keep them in a good mood. The only thing that has changed is my night life... but I won''t talk about that in depth. Let''s just say... the pent-up energy has exploded like a volcanic eruption. Yes, not at all. I''m glad I had the potion with the energy-boosting effect. Without it, I would have dried up and died. So, that''s how I enjoyed my summer... but before I know it, the summer vacation is over. It seems that the game world is no exception to this rule, and before I knew it, my first summer in this world had passed like a wild wind. "And then, school again...? How fast things are moving..." After the summer vacation. At the Royal Sword and Magic Academy. I look up at the school building from the schoolyard and mutter to myself. The exciting summer vacation is over soon. I feel sad about it... but at the same time, a part of me is relieved. After all, spending all day long with a beautiful girl. After a month of that, I had completely run out of energy. It is true that these are happy days, of course, but when there are three or four of them, it is a kind of hardship. Even the effectiveness of the potion for increasing energy is limited. If such days had continued forever, I would pent-up have been preyed upon by the girls, just like praying mantis. "What''s wrong, Goshujin-sama?" "Zenon-sama?" Urza and Aeris called out to me questioningly as I stood in the schoolyard looking up at the school building. Urza had the body of a little girl, and Aeris had the fullness and glamour of a woman... they are completely opposite types of women, but... both of them had sparkling eyes and glistening skin. Their skin is glowing. Both have a look of satisfaction on their faces that tells even for someone meeting them for the first time that they are living a full life. "Still... isn''t that a good thing? My night life is more fulfilling..." "Zenon-sama, come quickly. Nagisa-san''s is waiting too, you know?" "Oh, yeah, that''s right. Let''s go to the classroom quickly." By the way, Nagisa and I are not going to school together today. Because Nagisa has been participating in a club called "Kenjutsu Club" at the request of her classmates from the latter half of the summer vacation. As we know, Nagisa is the daughter of a kenjutsu dojo and a master of the Seikai Itto-ryu style of swordsmanship. It seems that she is teaching swordsmanship to the club members at the request of her classmates, and she left the mansion early today to come to the school to participate in the morning practice. In the past, Nagisa would have coldly ignored her classmates'' request, but recently she has been more active in socializing with her friends. Perhaps she has been able to relax her mind after her revenge, she was declaring with a big heart, "I will teach the sword to the members of the kenjutsu club, and if possible, I will make it the foundation for the revival of my family school!¡±. "Nagisa-san, morning practice is already over. She is waiting for us in the classroom." "Yeah, we''d better get going. Wanko-sensei will get mad at us again if we''re late for the first day of the new term." "W-Wanko-sensei?" "Ah... Did I say that? Come on, let''s move." I unintentionally said the nickname on the Internet, but I pretended it didn''t happen and went to the classroom. When I opened the door of the classroom, I found Nagisa chatting with her classmates. When she noticed me, she apologized to her friend and walked toward me. "My Lord, why are you slow? You are almost late." "Ah... The carriage was delayed because of the traffic. How was morning practice?" "Well... They''re still inexperienced but they''re not bad. It''s fun to teach others how to use a sword." "I see. I''m glad you''re satisfied." "Yes, I''m fulfilled. As a swordsman and as a woman." "Cough!" I couldn''t help but blow up at the bombshell. I looked around in panic, afraid that someone might hear it, and saw one of the female students sitting on a chair staring at me with dumbfounded eyes. "Aa... Awawawa!" As soon as the girl''s eyes met mine, she moved to a seat far away from me. Was she afraid of my face, or did she feel awkward when she found out her classmate''s love affair? "Nagisa... you should be aware of the situation. This is a public place." "I don''t mind. It is a fact that I... Aeris, and Urza are your women. It''s natural for a strong man to take more than one woman in our country too. You should boast of your worthiness." "I don''t know about your country. But in this country, monogamy is the basic rule." Nagisa blinked curiously. "That''s strange. Aeris told me that in this country too, nobles sometimes take many wives, right?" "Ugh..." "My Lord, ''you are already the head of the Baskerville family''? Then don''t worry about it. You can say ''these are my wives'' and be proud of it." Yes... I am Zenon Baskerville, the new head of the Baskerville family. The successor of the ''Baskervilles'' Demon Dog''. I have become the evil leader of the Slayers Kingdom. CH 98 The night I defeated Garondolf Baskerville. After much deliberation, I accepted the King''s proposal and decided to take over the title of ''Baskerville''s Demon Dog''. I was not so sure whether many bad guys would be freed from the yoke and let loose, or whether the head of the Baskerville family would get various privileges in exchange for taking on the role of a dirty dog, but more than that, I had an idea in my head. ¡ªCould I use the power of the Baskervilles to defeat the Demon King? With my various actions, the game is no longer constrained, and the behavior of the Demon King people is becoming unpredictable. I encountered Shinya in Margarita canyon and he used resurrection items, which was beyond the level that I could overcome with my knowledge of the game. In order to survive in the coming battles, game knowledge and routine items are no longer enough. New weapons and new means will be needed. The Baskervilles are the masterminds behind every criminal organization and outlaw in the Slayers Kingdom. It is rumored to have a thousand members. If I can use their power to fight against the Demon King''s army, I may find a way to save the world from a different approach from that of Leon, a hero. It is not that I do not trust Leon''s power, but... nothing is better than having more bullets to shoot through the enemy. "Although... well, being the head of the Baskerville family is not a very busy job either." I inherited the title of "Demon Dog" with such a motive, but being a don of the underworld is not so easy. The basic management of the organization is taken care of by those in charge of middle management. My job is to listen to their reports. Occasionally, I do audits on people to make sure that their reports are correct. There are also conflicts with traitors in the organization and outside organizations that reach out to me from outside the country, but these are actively handled by Urza and Nagisa ¡ª two mad dogs (Berserkers), so I don''t have to do much work. Despite my desire not to involve them in the affairs of the Baskervilles, they seem to be in high spirits. They seemed to be enjoying this rare opportunity to compete against each other. One of the unexpected events was that Aeris'' father, Viscount Centorea, a cardinal, came to the Baskerville family mansion to pay his respects. It seems that Viscount Centorea, who stands by the king as a cardinal, knows the truth about the ''Demon Dog'', and on the contrary, he and Garondolf have been friends for a long time. It is very interesting how the friendship between the good clergyman called the ''Conscience of the Kingdom and the Lord of the Underworld'' developed. ''She is a careless girl, but please take good care of her. Please love her forever.'' Next to the Viscount who bowed deeply like that, Aeris said to me, "How is it!" while she puffed out her huge chest. It''s a mystery as to when the conversation started, but it seems that Aeris and I are engaged to be married, and the royal court has already been notified. I had been feeling a little uncomfortable about Aeris staying at the Baskervilles'' mansion, but it seems that Garondolf and Viscount Centorea had already had an agreement. By the time I realized it, the outer moat had been covered. Aeris had established herself as a ''legal wife'' and gained an advantage over the other women in the family. There was another controversy over this matter... but it is too exhausting to describe it, so I won''t explain it. * * * Anyway, I became the new head of the Baskerville family and went to school as a student. Wanko-sensei came to the classroom to give us an orientation for the new semester, and since there are no classes today, we were dismissed. Aeris seemed to have a talk with her female friends, and they went to a salon on campus for a girls'' party. Apparently, some of them had already found out that she was engaged. She was shyly saying that she would say about the details of the engagement later. Nagisa was going to attend the after-school practice of the "Kenjutsu Club" again today, and she asked me to go back first. It seems that club activities have become a part of her life. Compared to the days when she lived only for revenge, she seems to be much more positive. The only one left is Urza... "Urza-chaaan! Let''s go to the cafeteria together!" "No, let go of me, desu~no!" Arisa, the girl who is fond of Urza, and some female students dragged her to the cafeteria. It seems that Urza is treated as a pet by the girls in the class, and is taken to the cafeteria to be fed whenever the opportunity arises. "I''ll buy you a new cake! Look, look, it''s a cake with lots of blueberries!" "Uh, that''s despicable, desu~no..." Urza doesn''t seem to really mind, as she reluctantly goes along with them, even though she could have swept them off their feet by force if she had wanted to. For this reason, I was left alone after school on the first day of the new semester. Since there were always girls around me during the summer vacation, it might have been a long time since I was left alone like this. "But... I have an appointment to meet someone..." Yes, I have an appointment with someone. This person is Leon Brave. He is the protagonist of [DunBrave] and the only hero who can defeat the Demon King. CH 99 This is the last chapter of Volume 1! "Oh, if it isn''t Baskerville-san... What are you doing here?" On the way to the rooftop of the school building, where I was supposed to meet Leon, I met Melia Sue, a member of Leon''s party. She is a serious-looking honor student with glasses and pigtails, and comes down from the top of the stairs, waving her hand nonchalantly. "I need to talk to Brave. I want to meet him." "Heh... I see... just kidding. I know it because I heard it from Leon." "...Then don''t bother me. It''s a waste of time." Feeling fed up with Melia''s ''teasing'' tone of voice, I slip past her and head for the rooftop. "Heheheh, why do you want to meet with him? Even though you have three or four girls in your life, are you now going to make a move on Leon?" "Tsk... Annoying." Melia spoke to me from below in a tiresome tone. And I click my tongue at the girl''s nerve-racking voice and try to leave the place quickly. "...Don''t worry, you''re doing fine." But... Melia''s voice changes abruptly. Her voice is mature and calm, though it is hard to believe that it comes from the same person. "I am confident that I made the right choice in choosing you. I believe that if you have the same ''love'' and ''anger'' as I do, you will defeat the ending created by the sh*tty creator and lead this world to the real true ending." "..." I turn around and look down the stairs. Melia is already gone. The girl with the pigtails is nowhere to be seen. Has she already gone down the stairs? Or... "...Daydreaming? It seems I''ve been working out too much at night. I''m pretty tired too." I shake my head and heads up toward the rooftop. I think she said something very important and meaningful... but strangely enough, the words are hazy and quickly fade from my memory. By the time I reached the top of the stairs, I could no longer remember having even spoken to Melia. * * * I open the door to the rooftop and there, as promised, is Leon Brave. His childhood friend Ciel, who is always with him, is not there. He is unusually alone. "Hello, Baskerville. It''s unusual to see you alone." "I''m sorry... I brought you all the way out here." "No problem. So, what is it you wanted to talk to me about?" Leon is standing leaning against the fence on the rooftop, but his body is a little more muscular than it was before the summer vacation began. Apparently, he had been training hard during the summer vacation. I have seen him a few times at the guild, and he must have been taking on commissions. "Hey, Brave. Do you still want to be a hero?" "Huh...?" Leon''s eyes go black and white at the sudden question. He must have been expecting something more important than that, considering I called him all the way up here. Maybe he thought I will challenge him to another duel. "Well, of course... I still want to be a hero... is that bad?" Leon says angrily. "Even though I''m not strong like you. But...I still want to protect the people I love. I want to protect this country we all live in. I don''t want to see a scoundrel like that guy Shinya from the canyon left alone." After a pause, Leon clenches his fists and speaks. "I''m going to be a hero. Just like my ancestors were, a hero who will never be defeated. I may be losing now... but I will catch up to you someday!" "Ha! That''s good! I''m relieved to hear that." I chuckle and look away from Leon to the outside of the rooftop. I could see the whole capital city where we live from the rooftop of the school building. The auction house where I bought Urza. The coffee shop where Aeris and I went. The marketplace where I walked with Nagisa. I could even see the Baskervilles'' mansion where Levienna would be waiting for me. "I want to protect it, too. I''d like to protect this view with the people I love." "Baskerville...?" "Actually, Brave. I wanna be a hero too. I''ve always wanted to be a hero." Before I came to this world, before I became Zenon Baskerville, I always wanted to be a brave man, a hero. I wanted to be the kind of hero that protects people, protects the town, protects the world... the kind of hero that everyone wants to be. "I am not a descendant of heroes. I have no special power. But I will protect this world in my own way." And I''ve already begun to do that. I will use the power of the Baskerville family to defeat the Demon King. ¡ªIs it really true that the resurrected Demon King can only be defeated by Leon Brave, the hero? It was 300 years ago that the previous hero sealed the Demon King. Leon has the power of a hero because he has the blood of the previous hero, but is Leon the only one who has inherited the power of a hero? Is Leon the only descendant of a person who lived 300 years ago? Is it possible? The answer is no. Lineal or collateral. Whether the blood is thick or thin, there must be other descendants of the hero. Even other descendants must have the power of the hero. I have already ordered the Baskervilles men to begin a search for the descendants of the hero. It has not been an easy search, as there is no convenient evidence such as family registers or family trees... but eventually I will find the descendants of the hero. If I produce them and raise them as ''Second Heroes'', maybe the Demon King can be defeated even without Leon. "Baskerville... What are you talking about all of a sudden...?" ''Hahahahahahahahahaha!!'' Just as Leon let out a doubtful voice, a loud laugh from someone was suddenly heard. It was a deep, dark, fear-inducing laugh that seemed to echo from the depths of the earth, sending chills down one''s spine. "Huh... !? From where...?" "Where the hell are you looking? Look up, Brave" "Huh...? Huhhh!?" Leon follows my gaze and looks up. The sky is clear and cloudless... but then a huge figure appeared, blurring out of the blue sky. It''s a man with long black hair. The upper half of his face is hidden by a silver mask, and golden eyes like the full moon looked down through holes in his eye sockets. ''Listen, humans! I have returned!'' A menacing voice descends from the sky. The man''s lips lift, and a blood-red tongue peeks out from the corner of his mouth. "Is that... a Demon!? How could he be in capital..!?" "Calm down, Leon. It''s a phantom. It''s not the main body." Leon rushes to ready his sword, but I warn him in a calm voice. An abnormal situation is currently attacking the capital. It was an event that had also occurred in the game scenario. ''Listen to me with impatience and fear! My name is Ajagash (¥¢©`¥¸¥ã¥¬¥Ã¥·¥å). I am the Demon King who has come back to this world after 300 years of history and who walks the path of supremacy to the abolition of mankind!'' "The Demon King!? No way, he''s back!?" Leon exclaims in surprise. Ajagash, the Demon King. It is the Demon King who was imprisoned by Leon''s ancestors 300 years ago, and the last boss in [DunBrave]. This is the ''Demon King Resurrection Event''. This event is the one that the Demon King announces his resurrection to mankind and the battle against the Demon King''s army begins in earnest. "Finally, the Demon King has resurrected. This is the turn of the scenario." I murmured in a calm voice while Leon was confused. The event of the Demon King''s resurrection. I have seen this scene many times in the game. There is no need to panic now. Now, above my head, the Demon King smiles more evilly than Zenon and flips his cloak wide. ''Now, be afraid! Despair! Fear! Now is the end of the world. This is the beginning of the extinction of mankind! Tremble and wait for the inevitable doom!'' The Demon King, projected on the screen in the sky, smiles broadly and disappears at once. From the schoolyard, the streets, and all over the town, a murmur of confusion and agitation rose up. The people who knew that the Demon King had returned are terrified and screaming in mourning. "The Demon King...!" While everyone is in despair, Leon is the only one who clenches his fist and stares up at the sky where the image of the Demon King was projected just a moment ago. He is a hero. He is not a hero with no pretensions or drunkenness. Leon''s eyes are burning with a sense of mission, not a bit despairing. He seems to harbor a fierce righteous indignation against the Demon King who has declared to destroy the humankind. "Haha, hahahahahahahahahahahaha!" "Baskerville...? " Leon''s face makes me start laughing. Leon looks back at me suspiciously and squints his eyes doubtfully. I smile a big smile at him and spread my arms out to the left and right. "Hey, Brave. How about a game?" "Huh? What are you talking about, at a time like this?" "Let''s see who can defeat the Demon King first. You and I have been through a lot since we entered the academy but this will be our last real showdown!" Ignoring Leon''s words of censure for my imprudence, I raise my index finger to the sky and declare with pride. I point to the sky, where the figure of the Demon King had just floated in the sky, and laugh with my fangs peeking out. "Whether Demon King or Hero. I''ll beat them all up without mercy. I''m the strongest and most invincible villain!" A villainous character. Zenon Baskerville, the demon dog who controls all evil in the Slayers Kingdom. The heroic tale of evil supremacy (Brave Soul) begins here. CH 100 "What''s... going to happen to me...?" A young girl murmurs in a dark stone room, her voice filled with tears. How did this happen? She repeated the question over and over again, but never got an answer. The entrance to the room was guarded by hard iron bars, which deprived the girl of her freedom. On the cold floor, which deprived the girl of her body heat, there crouched about ten people, including the girl. All of them are young girls. Some are weeping, some aresadly calling for their parents, and some had their eyes lighted up and their faces frozen in despair. The reason why the girl is locked up in that room is a result of a whim. The girl lived in a rural village. Her parents grew medicinal herbs in a corner of the village, and once a month, they came to a big town located a little far from the village to sell them. There was a great demand for herbs to make potions. The girl''s family earned their living by selling the herbs to the pharmacy guild in bulk. That day, the girl came to the town with her father. She wanted to help her father''s work in order to take over the herb-growing business in the future. She came to the town in the same carriage as her father, met a familiar employee at the pharmacy guild, and helped her father carry medicinal herbs from the carriage. So far, it was business as usual. She has done this many times before. But... from there on, things were different. "I''m going to stop by the Adventurers'' Guild. I''ll be back in an hour or so." With these words, the father left the carriage and the girl on the road. The father''s purpose was probably to ask the guild to help him defeat the monsters that had recently appeared in the area around the village. A month ago, a being calling himself the Demon King suddenly declared war on mankind. Since then, monsters have been active all over the continent, and the wave has reached the village where the girl lives. Originally, only wolves and stray goblins appeared around the village, but now orcs and other strong monsters have started to appear. In order to ask the Adventurers'' Guild to take care of the situation, the father leaves his daughter and disappears into the main street of the town. "I''m bored... What should I do?" The girl murmured and looked at the town where many people were passing by. The main street is lined with many stalls. Delicious smells from the stalls attract the girl''s nose. Since she has received an allowance for helping out, she decides to go shopping for a while, and on such a whim, she goes to the main street of the town by herself. The town is actually not bad. Children playing around on the main street, and guards hired by the lords who rule the town patrolling the streets. The girl''s action was not exactly rash... but still, she should have been a little more careful. She went around the stalls, lost track of time, and became engrossed in her shopping. The next thing she knew, it was almost time for her father to come back from his errands. "No, I have to go back soon or my father will scold me!" The girl walks quickly back to the street. Her father would not have been angry if she had gone out for a while. But... it is a different story if she has been playing outside the appointed time. The girl''s father was a strict time-keeper, and he always taught his children to be faithful to their promises. As the girl runs down the street, she can''t run as fast as she wants in the crowded city. In her impatience, she saw a side street leading to a back street. It was a road that the girl had taken many times with her father. This would be a much shorter way to get back to the home. For a few seconds she was confused. But soon the girl turned into a back street. From there on, she did not remember much. She just stepped into the back street and continued down the deserted path. But just as she was about to reach her destination... suddenly her vision was blocked by a cloth-like object and it became completely dark in front of her eyes. The next thing she knew, she found herself squeezed into a room with stone walls and floor, surrounded by iron barred doors, and surrounded by children just like herself. "Uuu..." The girl struggled to hold back the tears that were welling up in her eyes. If she let her tears fall here, something would collapse. If she did, she was afraid that the ''worst possible scenario'' that had been nagging at the back of her mind would come true. "..." While the girl was holding her knees and curling up to endure the cold... suddenly, the iron bars of the door rang with a clang. "Kyaah!" "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! "I''m scared! Mommyyyy!" A metallic clang caused screams among the children. The girl also gasps and stares at the door as it is opened. What opens the barred door and enters is a big man. And a well-dressed man with a bulging belly. "Ho-ho! You''ve caught a lot of fish. I admire you!" "Thank you so much. Danna." The big man smiles and bows his head. "I''m sure this will satisfy His Eminence. My reputation will rise as well. Ho-ho-ho, we''re celebrating tonight. Let''s serve you some good wine, too." "Thank you, Count... but may I ship this ''lamb'' to its usual place?" "Umu, no problem. But I''m a little hungry." "...!" The man called "the Count" is sizing up the children one by one. The girl''s small body stiffens under his licking, ugly gaze. "Ho-ho, there''s a tasty looking ''meat'' here! This is a good one!" "Hyahh...!" It was that girl who caught the Count''s eye. The girl lets out a short scream and tries to run away, stretching out on the stone floor... but a thick arm catches her by the ankle. "His Eminence will forgive a few nibbles. Tonight we''ll enjoy this ''lamb''." "No, stop! No, no, don''t do that!" "Ho-ho-ho! A lively lamb! Now we can look forward to dinner!" "Hyahhh, noooo!!" The Count grabs the girl by the ankles and lifts her up. The girl''s body is upside down and her skirt is rolled up. The girl tries to run away with flailing her arms and legs, but the Count gives her a twisted smile as if he enjoys her poor resistance. The Count further lifted one of the girl''s legs and ran his tongue along her slender thigh. "Nooooo! It''s disgusting...!" The girl''s whole body breaks out in goosebumps at the feeling of slugs crawling on her. The girl''s feet kicked off her ugly face... but the Count rocked his flabby belly up and down as if he enjoyed even the pain. "Good, very good! After all, lamb must be fresh! Should we roast it whole or cook it in a stew... no, no, taking advantage of its freshness, sashimi is not a bad idea!" "...!" A terrible premonition runs through the girl''s mind. It is hard to believe that the fat man in front of her is a decent human being. "What will happen to me now?" The girls thought. "Somebody... help me... please..." The girl cries weakly, and the Count licks his lips and smiles broadly. "Huhuhuhuhuhu! The moment when the lamb''s face is dyed with despair, it''s unbearable. Simply processing and eating it is no longer enough for me! It''s not a bad idea to suckle it alive and make it dance and eat it..." "Ggak..." "Huh?" The Count lets out a dumbfounded cry. Suddenly, the big man behind him, falls forward. "Eek!? What the hell!?" Jack''s head was cut off as if it had been devoured by a beast. A stream of black blood poured out from the gaping wound, spreading over the cobblestone floor. At the death of his subordinate with whom he had just been conversing, the Count opens his eyes wide and lets go of the hand holding the girl. "Ah..." The Count looked outside the bars. Meanwhile, the girl, who had rolled on the cobblestones, also looked at him. "You''re the Man-eater Count, Belonga Jack Salt (¥Ù¥í¥ó¥¬?¥¸¥ã¥¯¥½¥ë¥È), aren''t you?" "W-Who are you...!?" A young man''s voice came from outside the door. His voice was flat, but it was filled with a coldness that sent a chill down the spine. "This is my property! You think you can get away for free!?" "You said I couldn''t get away for free, huh...? You''ve got a funny way of saying that. I''m laughing so hard. I''d like to know what you''re going to do if I don''t get away for free." "...!" A man appears from behind the door. He is a young man, no older than 20. He wears a black robe and a cloak, and his jet-black hair is carefully trimmed and arranged like a raven''s tail. Although he was dressed in black from top to bottom as if he were a condensation of the darkness of the night... what caught more attention is the cold look in his eyes. If it''s a metaphor... he is like a reaper who reaps lives and eats souls. His ominous eyes that show no emotion at all make people feel as if their life will be sucked out of them just by staring into him. "Ah... Ggh..." "...!" The reason why the girl was able to keep her sanity while looking into those terrifying eyes is that the eyes of the Grim Reaper were staring only at the Count. If she had caught even a glimpse of those eyes, she would have fainted, wetting her crotch. On the contrary... the Count''s reaction to being stared directly into the eyes of the Grim Reaper is remarkable. His face, which had been contorted in amusement earlier, was now contorted in intense fear. "W-Who... d-do you think... you''re t-talking?" "I haven''t done anything but make eye contact with you. It''s funny how a glare can make you look like this. And to think that you''re an evil man who''s taken the lives of countless children and literally preyed on them... I can''t help but feel sorry for the victims of your murder." "U... ggh... He... Help..." Step by step, the Grim Reaper closes the distance. The Count can no longer stand the extreme fear and tension, and falls to his knees, having difficulty breathing. He looks as if he would die if left alone, but then the Grim Reaper pulls out the sword from his waist and holds it up to the ceiling. "Keep your face down and cover your ears. You don''t need to see or hear anything else." "?" The girl realizes that the Grim Reaper''s mumbled words are not directed at the Count, but at her, and does as she is told, with her face down and her hands covering her ears. "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" "...!" Immediately afterwards, a desperate scream echoes through the small room. It is a scream like the cries of livestock in a slaughterhouse. The girl fainted at the end of the scream, which still rushed into her eardrums even though she had covered her ears. After that, the girl was protected by someone and handed over to the town guards, and she was safely reunited with her father. In the end, the girl never knew until the very end. What was the purpose of her abduction? Who her abductor was? And... she never knew that the man who rescued her was named ''Zenon Baskerville'' until the very end. CH 101 "They even faint...? If they''re this scared, as I expected, it makes me depressed too." Inside the small stone room. I look down at the kids, all of whom have fainted, and sigh deeply. I am aware that my face is scary. So, I try not to make eye contact with the kids as much as possible... but they seem to have fainted because they couldn''t bear it any longer. "...As I thought, I''m not like Leon. No matter how much I try to help people with my Buddha heart, I can''t be a hero." I don''t know why, but I suddenly feel the need to introduce myself, so let me say my name again. My name is Zenon Baskerville, the eldest son of a noble family that has been granted the rank of Marquis in the Slayers Kingdom... Once again, I am the current head of the family. The Baskervilles, the family of which I am born, are feared as the ''Incarnation of Evil'' in this kingdom, and have been behind every evil thing, such as slave trading, assassination guilds, and the handling of illegal drugs and items. In reality, however, it is a shadow organization under the direct control of His Majesty the King. Its mission is to control and manage all the evils that exist in Slayers Kingdom, and is the leader of a secret society. I was born and raised in such a special family, and about a month ago I won a duel with my father, Garondolf Baskerville, and took over the reigns of the family. Now I am the head of the Baskerville family while attending school in the capital. However, I have another secret identity. I am a reincarnated person who has taken over the body of a young man named ''Zenon Baskerville''. In my previous life, I was an ordinary businessman living in Japan, and my hobby was playing video games. In addition, this world is very similar to the game ''Dungeon Brave Souls'' that I used to play when I was in Japan. ''Zenon Baskerville'' was also a character in the game, another main character who cuckolded Leon Brave''s heroine, the central character of the story. The ending of the game was that Leon, who lost all heroines to Zenon, resurrected the Demon King and the world was driven to destruction... I don''t like depressing storylines and I don''t intend to play the role of ''Zenon Baskerville'' faithfully. So, I was not going to steal the heroine, nor was I going to bring this world to its doom. And I have only one goal. To survive in this world as ''Zenon Baskerville'', to defeat the resurrected Demon King, and to restore peace. Nothing would be more exciting than Zenon, the villain of the world, saving the world by outsmarting Leon, the hero. In order to defeat the Demon King... I, as the head of the Baskerville family, continue to fight the monsters under the control of the Demon King''s army while dealing with ''evil'' today. "Even though I say something like that... the kids are scared of me, and they''re fainted. It feels bad when even the people I''m trying to save are scared of me..." "Goshujin-sama is depressed. I''m going to comfort you, desu~no" As my shoulders slumped in depression, I heard a light voice and felt a small bump on my lower back. I looked down and saw a small beautiful girl with white hair hugging me. Urza White Ogre. She was the girl I had purchased at a slave auction, and she was the party member I always carried with me when I adventured in the dungeon. Urza looks up at me with golden eyes and a big smile on her childish face. But... Urza''s clothes are stained with bright red blood, forming a speckled pattern that is almost venomous. "...Your clothes are very dirty. How many people did you kill?" "Fifteen, desu~no! I competed with Nagisa-san to see who could kill more, and Urza won, desu~no!" Urza rubs her face against my chest like a kitten spoiling its master. "So, Urza is going to have a night out tonight. It''s the winner''s privilege, desu~no/" "...I see." I replied after a long silence. Urza was a slave and a party member, but she was also my frequent partner and lover. You might think I''m a scumbag for engaging in a lewd act with a little girl, but Urza''s actual age is older than mine. I hope you will forgive me because she is what is called a "Legal Loli". By the way, I have three other women with whom I live together and have physical relations... but I don''t think they would forgive me for that. "...Well, any kind of harem guy with a taste is better than this guy. Compared to this lowlife, I''m a saint." I look down at the ''thing'' lying on the floor and click my tongue in disgust. The man lying on the floor is named Belonga Jack Salt. He is a villain of the worst kind in the underworld, known as the "Man-eater Count". This man has a terrible taste for using his men to kidnap children, especially girls around ten years old, and eat their flesh. The number of children he has victimized is said to be as many as 100 or 200, and he is feared for his abominable deeds. Although Jack Salt is a nobleman, as the name "Count" implies, he doesn''t belong to the Slayers Kingdom. He is a nobleman that owns a territory in the ''Maafern Kingdom (¥Þ©`¥Õ¥§¥ë¥óÍõ¹ú)'', a neighboring kingdom to the north. Maafern Kingdom has a stricter status system than the Slayers Kingdom, and nobles often get off scot-free even if they commit criminal acts. This is why scum like Jack Salt are sometimes born... but they cannot get off scot-free by coming to other countries and doing the same thing. "...It was a mistake to come to this country. What you do in your own country is your business, but the dark night of Slayers Kingdom is the Baskerville family''s territory. It''s your mistake to think that you can ravage it as you like and come back alive." Jack Salt, who had committed treasonous acts of kidnapping, killing, and eating children in his home country, had recently invaded the Slayers Kingdom, and was committing the same crimes. He has been buying affordable mansion with money, kidnapping children, and keeping them in the basement. As a result, he was caught in the Baskerville family''s net and thus purged. "...I don''t know how this scumbag came to our country, but let''s ''interrogate his corpse'' and we''ll find out. I''ll leave the rest to you!" "Yes, sir! Understood! I leave the kids to the Baskervilles'' men who come down to the basement after Urza, and I go up the stairs. Tonight, we have purged the ''evil'' that has gone astray. Thus, the nights in Slayers Kingdom will be peaceful once again. "I''m going to have lots of s*x when I get home. I hope I''ll be able to have a baby today with Goshujin-sama, desu~no!" "...Hey, you have to use contraceptives. I''m not ready to be a father at my age." It seems that the work of the night is not yet finished. I''m sure there will be more trouble when I get back to the house. I sigh in depression and smack Urza''s head with my palm as she follows me with a happy face. CH 102 Bonus chapter... "...You''re back. My Lord." "Why, you look so glum...? Nagisa." As I went up the stairs, a woman I knew was waiting for me in the entrance hall. Her name is Nagisa Seikai. She is a classmate and party member who goes to the same school as me. She is also a live-in mistress like Urza. She is also my student who I teach swordsmanship to... but nowadays our relationship is more like a ''lover'' than a ''master and disciple'' relationship. Now, Nagisa stands with her arms folded with her cheeks puffed out in a sullen smile. "She''s sulking because Urza beat her, desu~no... Hehe, sorry, that was a slip of the tongue..." "...!" Urza says in an agitated tone, and Nagisa glares at her with her twinkling eyes becoming even sharper. She has long black hair tied up in a ponytail. Nagisa, a female samurai in Japanese kimono, always wears a deadly air as if she is wearing a suit of armor, and she looks at Urza like she could kill her with her gaze. Like Urza, Nagisa''s clothes are covered with blood, which adds to the intimidation that is radiated in her eyes. "...I have no complaints about the outcome of the game. But you should choose the words you speak to the losers. Do not underestimate the losers and the dead. After all, the Zipangu Samurai will bite their enemy''s throat off with only his neck even in death." (*Note: Zipangu: the name for Japan used by Marco Polo) "Is that what the loser is saying...? It just a howl, desu~no. Waoonn..." "All right, let''s do it here... Let''s see if I can rust my sword." A huge Prajna has appeared on Nagisa''s back, and she puts her hand on the sword at her waist. In the entrance hall there are numerous corpses of what appear to be Jack Salt''s men, and Nagisa''s kimono is stained red from their retroactive blood. The murderous look emitted by the female samurai bathed in these bright red blood sends a chill down my spine, instead of Urza. "For God''s sake, don''t fight each other with me in the middle. Don''t provoke her too much, Urza." "It hurts... desu~no!" I smacked her hard on the head, and Urza looked up at me reproachfully with teary eyes. They are the two vanguards of the party, but they are not the best of friends. Although it can''t be helped that they are two battle-crazed people who have been fighting each other since they first met, it seems like they have been fighting more and more recently. "...Well, the cause is obvious." Whenever the two of them fight, it is usually over me. They''re fighting over me, fighting over the love of one man. I don''t know what they like about me... Zenon Baskerville, but they''re all crazy. "We''re done here. Let''s get the hell out of here." "Yes... desu~no." "I understand... and we''ll settle this some other time." The two of them were glaring at each other, sparks flying, but when I left the building, they followed me competitively. As we exit the mansion on the outskirts of town, my men, who specialize in cleanup, enter in time. Even though Jack Salt is a criminal, it is not a good appearance if a nobleman of another country was murdered in our country. At least, the neighboring countries have a strong sense of their own privileged position. It was obvious that they would turn a blind eye to Jack Salt''s criminal act even if he was blamed for it. Rather, there was a great possibility that the Slayers Kingdom would take the blame for the crime. It would have been better in a normal time, but now was a time of confusion due to the resurrection of the Demon King. I wanted to avoid unnecessary troubles. Our ''cleaners'' are very good. I''m sure that by the end of the night, everything will be cleaned up and all the bodies and blood will be gone. "Well then, I''ll leave the rest to you..." Urza gets into the carriage parked in front of the mansion. Then I follow her, and finally Nagisa enters the carriage. The carriage is disguised as a street carriage, but it is owned by the Baskerville family. The driver is a member of the underworld, and he is not likely to reveal any secret. Now, the carriage goes straight to the Baskervilles'' mansion, and I rest my back deeply against the seat and close my eyes. "Urza will have the Goshujin-sama to himself today. It''s the privilege of the winner, desu~no." "Hey, Urza! The game was about who would receive first, wasn''t it? You can''t monopolize it all night!" "Urza doesn''t care. It''s been a long time since we''ve been alone, desu~no..." I closed my eyes, but I heard Urza and Nagisa arguing. I wish they would let me rest as soon as possible, for God''s sake. But... My night is not over yet. When I get home, two more noisy people are still waiting for me. CH 103 Bonus chapter... "Welcome home, Zenon-sama! Are you hurt!?" As soon as I entered the house of the Baskervilles, a woman jumped into my arms and hugged me. I feel the softness of her body against mine. Her exquisite twin hills are changing their shape obscenely against my chest. "...It''s an enthusiastic welcome, thank you. Aeris." Aeris Centorea hugged me with her huge breasts pressed against me. She is the third member of my party and a priest who plays the role of a healer. She had soft blond hair and clear blue eyes. She is a beautiful woman with too-busty breasts. She is my companion and lover. She used to be called ''the saint of Centorea'', but nowadays she has become a ''s*x lady''. "You don''t seem to be... hurt. Shall I clean you up for now? I''ll take you to the bathroom right away." "Wait a minute." "Wait, desu~no!" Aeris was about to take me to the bathroom without any questions, but Nagisa and Urza waited for her at the same time. "Let me wash his body. That is the duty of a follower." "Urza will wash Goshujin-sama''s back. It''s a slave''s job, desu~no!" "Hey, you two! It''s a wife''s job to wash her husband''s body." To their protests, Aeris says, her cheeks flushed rosy and bewitched. "You know that, don''t you? Zenon-sama and I are engaged. We are going to be husband and wife. As a wife, isn''t it natural for me to care for my husband after he comes home from work?" "I don''t agree! I will protest firmly!" "I object! I am against it, desu~no!" Nagisa and Urza bitingly expressed their disapproval at Aeris''s triumphant attitude. "In the first place, I don''t approve of the marriage between my Lord and Aeris! My Lord will come to my hometown and take over the position of the master of Seikai Itto-ryu!" "Hey, I''ve never heard of this...!" "Me too, desu~no! Urza and Goshujin-sama will have lots of children and destroy the human kingdom and conquer the world, desu~no!" "Hey, wasn''t it the bad end? What''s going to happen if I become the Demon King!?" The two of them are saying whatever they want to say. Or three if it includes Aeris. Aeris and I are engaged... it''s true. I became the head of the Baskerville family after defeating my father...but for me, a student, to become the head of the family, I needed a powerful nobleman to be my guardian. At that time, Aeris''s father, Viscount Centorea, came forward to be my guardian. Viscount Centorea is a cardinal and a man of character who is called the ''Conscience of the Kingdom''. Although his title is low, he had a broad reputation and influence. He also had the King''s trust and is a perfect guardian. Many people are surprised at the unexpected combination of Viscount Centorea, a man of character, becoming the guardian of the new head of the Baskerville family, a family that is the authority of evil. However, there was no opposition from the other nobles, who believe that the evil will be quieted down with Viscount Centorea overseeing the Baskerville family. The betrothal to Aeris was the only condition that the Viscount Centorea offered for his guardianship. ''My daughter has chosen to live with you. I ask you to accept her.'' These are the words that Viscount Centorea said to me when I met him. In addition, he also said the following. ''You let my daughter stay at your house and took a bath with her, didn''t you? Of course you will take responsibility, won''t you?¡¯ Viscount Centorea, who is supposed to be a man of character, smiled softly, but his eyes were not smiling at all. Regardless of the circumstances... it is a fact that Aeris has become a ''s*x lady'' because of me. And unable to say no, I nodded my head in total surrender. Although the engagement to Aeris raised some eyebrows among the young noblemen who wanted the beautiful saint... it is an engagement that was approved by the king. No one had the guts to defy the Baskervilles, and the engagement ended amicably. "Well... that''s where the hell started." I''ll never forget the uproar in the Baskerville family when Aeris became my fianc¨¦e. It was what you might call the Baskerville Rebellion. I''ll be traumatized for the rest of my life. "Come here, Danna-sama. Your bath is ready. Please come this way." "I won''t let you, Aeris! I''m the one who will wash off the blood from my Lord''s body!" Aeris embraces me on my right arm and Nagisa on my left. Soft objects of different sizes are pressed against my left and right arms. I can''t shake off the magical touch, and I follow them into the bathroom. "...They''re supposed to be Leon''s heroines, aren''t they?" I mumble in my mouth so that the two on either side of me don''t notice. I didn''t mean to steal them. And yet... I sigh deeply, sandwiched between the two heroines whom I''ve accidentally ended up cuckolding. "Ah, Urza is coming too, desu~no! It''s not fair that you hold the hand, desu~no!" Urza, who was late to join the party, hugs my waist while screaming in protest. Unlike the other two, Urza''s chest is not so uneven... I sigh once again, this time out of pity. CH 104 The bathrooms in the Baskerville mansion are very spacious. The marble walls and floor make it look like a big bathroom in a luxury hotel. Although there was some quarrel as soon as we came back... we ended up taking a bath together with ''five people''. The reason why there is one more person is because a naked woman was already waiting when we took off our clothes in the changing room and entered the bathroom. "I have been waiting for you. Zenon-bocchama." One of the maids working in the house... Levienna, greeted with a smile. Levienna, who usually ties her hair back on the back of her head, was let her hair down. Her purplish hair flowed like a waterfall down her white naked body. "Bocchama, I was waiting for you to come. As a maid, it is a rule to predict the Lord''s actions before he does." "Hmm...? I don''t think there is such a thing..." Levienna is Zenon''s personal maid. She has been working in the house since Zenon was a child... but there was no such character in [DunBrave 2], in which Zenon was the main character. She may have been treated as a mob... or she may have disappeared from the mansion for some reason at the beginning of the game''s scenario. Considering that Levienna was routinely abused by ''Zenon Baskerville''... it is not a very pleasant thought. "...There are too many bath events, aren''t there? I think these service scenes should be more pretentious." "Then, come here, Bocchama. Please lie on your stomach here. I''ll wash your body." "Lie down...? I have a bad feeling about this..." Levienna leads the way with a smile. On the floor of the bathroom, there is a mat-like mat. Next to the mat, which is large enough for a human being to lie down on, is a bath tub. Inside the tub is not hot water or water, but a viscous liquid, a kind of lotion. ...Well, isn''t this something like that? The one in the specialty store, or the one that offers special services. "...I mean, where did you get this knowledge?" "Bocchama, it''s a maid''s duty. Levienna will do anything to satisfy the Lord and relieve his fatigue. So, I''ve been trained hard by the experts from the Baskerville family''s store." "...What a waste of time. Wouldn''t it be better for you to learn one of the new dishes during that time?" I asked an honest question, but Levienna ignored my question and led me to the mat. Behind me... the three girls who came with me to the bathroom are standing there with frustrated looks on their faces. "Kuh... As expected, I can''t imitate that...!" "...As expected of Levienna-san. I knew she was planning something a few days ago, but I never thought she could pull off something like this." "She is so admirable... desu~no" Nagisa, Aeris, and Urza are murmuring with a trembling expression. I mean... why are these girls shivering over such a trivial thing? And where did Urza learn this stuff? "Well then, Bocchama, let me give you a massage. After cleaning your body with hot water, I will relax your tired muscles." "Mmm...!" From that point on, it is a wonderful time. Indeed, it was worth taking the trouble to receive a lecture from an expert. Though I had never been to such a place when I was in Japan... if Levienna had offered such a service, I might have become a regular customer, even if I had to spend most of my salary. After 30 minutes of soaking in the bathtub, the exhaustion of my whole body was gone, and I was able to soak in the bathtub with a refreshed feeling in many ways. "It''s paradise, it''s paradise... even the water feels so good that my soul is drained out..." "Ara? It''s not only the hot water that feels good, isn''t it, Bocchama?" Levienna, who has come to sit next to me, says to me nastily as she snuggles up to me. As the previous exchanges had shown, I had had a physical relationship with Levienna since I had become the head of the Baskerville family. Even so... today''s approach is strangely intense. It seems as if the losing heroine, who appeared in the beginning of the story but lost her place to the heroine who came out later, is now making a mad dash to regain her position as the main heroine. Even the other three, who would normally interrupt and interfere... today they are shivering under Levienna''s earnest accusations and are stuck in the corner of the spacious bathtub. "Levienna-san is really into this. She''s evolving at an incredible rate." "Ugh... even though her breasts are bigger than mine. A matured woman is different. I can feel the matured sexiness..." "...Come to think of it, she''s the oldest among us, isn''t it? So, of course, young girls like us are no match for her... Really, what a powerful enemy we have here..." "...Hey, what kind of a game are you guys playing? There''s no winners and losers in taking a bath." To my dismay, Urza''s lips twitched. "Goshujin-sama has become a sage, desu~no. This is a cheat time when man''s mind become bright and clean as a stainless mirror, desu~no, and man don''t know what it''s like to be a woman fighting over a man, right?" "Well... that''s..." She''s right... I don''t know how woman feel. It''s not that I don''t understand woman''s feelings because I''m a man... but rather I couldn''t understand the feelings of erotic heroines who are too sweet for man. Even though I didn''t make a move on them, four beautiful women had a physical relationship with me before I knew it. They naturally accepted their harem status as a matter of course. After all... this is the world of adult games, no matter how real it is. "Although I''m happy...I don''t know, I feel this decadent situation. I feel like I''m finished in so many ways." I sigh at my own situation, drowning in women and corruption... and I look up at the ceiling and close my eyes. In addition to the comfortable warmth of the water, I feel Levienna''s smooth skin against my left arm. I wonder if I should be so happy. I feared that it might be a premonition of something bad to come, but an hour later, my premonition comes true. After all, the other three girls, inspired by Levienna''s behavior, launched an unbelievable attack on me in bed. I was completely exhausted by the blame of the three who were supposed to be fighting with each other, but had formed an alliance before I knew it. CH 105 The next morning, I go to school as usual. And being exhausted from last night''s fierce battle, I get into the Baskerville family''s carriage, wobbly from lack of sleep. Incidentally, the ''battle'' is not with an evil nobleman who kidnaps children. It is a battle with a ''s*x beast'' that has been mercilessly attacking me in my bed. Now, with Levienna seeing me off, I head for the school accompanied by Aeris, Nagisa, and Urza. While I felt so exhausted, the other members of the group looked glowing and full of vitality. This is very frustrating. The school I''m attending - Slayers Royal Sword and Magic Academy is a school that trains students to fight against monsters. In this world, which is a realization of the setting of [DunBrave], there are countless dungeons all over the world, where monsters are constantly being born. Monsters that have increased in number sometimes attack villages and towns, and adventurers and knights are forced to deal with them. In order to acquire the power to fight against monsters, Slayers Royal Sword and Magic Academy was founded. It is also the setting of the game, and a place to meet various heroines. Once at the school, I get off the carriage and head for the school building. Today too, other students are looking at me. "Hey, isn''t that...?" "Ah, that''s Zenon Baskerville. The new head of the Baskerville family." "He''s really engaged to the Viscount Centorea''s daughter. I can''t believe they go to school together..." "The other girls are pretty too. That samurai-looking girl is my type..." As we head straight for the school building, the students on their way to school start talking about us in private. And being born into the evil Baskerville family, I''m used to attracting attention like this. However, since I''ve been working with Aeris and Nagisa, I''ve been getting more and more attention... mostly from jealous eyes. Well, I''m walking around with such a beautiful girl. No wonder people talk about me. "Look at that..." "Isn''t that a ball-kicking ogre?" "Even though it looks like a kid... don''t go near her. She''ll make you incapable of having children!" Urza also attracted attention in a different way. She had kicked a boy''s ''balls'' when she had a dispute with him before, and the boys seemed to be staring at her in fear. "...No wonder. That was a traumatic scene." "Is something wrong, Goshujin-sama?" "..." I shook my head silently as Urza looked into my face... and entered the school building with a light shiver down my spine. The usual corridor. As I enter the classroom along this usual path, a boy I know, who has been talking with a girl in the classroom, notices me and raises his hand. "Hello, Marquis. Good morning." "Yeah." I respond lightly to the boy who greets me in a friendly tone. The man who spoke to me in a friendly manner is Jean. The woman with him is Arisa. They are both classmates with whom I have a close relationship. Though most of the people in this school are afraid of me, the evil Baskervilles, they have been able to build a friendship with me after I helped them in a certain case. As soon as I sit down beside them, Arisa quickly closes the distance between us. "Urza-chaaaan! Good morninggg!" Arisa''s purpose is to see Urza, who had accompanied me even though she is not a student. In this school where many of the students are nobles, it is permitted for them to bring their attendants such as butlers and maids to the classes. "Noo... here it comes again, desu~no!" "Ahh, don''t run awayyy!" Arisa tries to hug her as soon as they meet, but Urza runs away, using me as a wall. I don''t know why... but Arisa was very fond of Urza and chased her around every day. Urza too seems to be fed up with her and runs away with a frown on her face. "Look, look, I have sweetsss! Here are the new chocolates from the storeee!" "Mmm... They look delicious, desu~no..." But Arisa is no stranger to this. She knew exactly what Urza''s weakness was. So, lured by the chocolate, Urza approached her unsteadily, and Arisa shouted, "I''ve got a chance!" and jumped on her, capturing her helplessly. "Aaaaaaahhhh, desu~no!" "Hmm, hmm, hmmm... Urza-chan''s hair is soft. I wonder if it''s your shampoo, you smell like orange... sniff, sniff, sniff!" "Don''t sniff, desu~no! Get away from me, desu~no! Go away, desu~no!" The morning classroom is filled with the sounds of an adulterous struggle. Jean bows to me after her childhood sweetheart''s outburst. "...I''m always sorry. It''s my fault." "No... Urza is having a good time too. I guess..." I replied vaguely and shrugged my shoulders. "Good morning, everyone." Just then the classroom door opens. Someone walks in who is also a familiar face to me. He is the main character of [DunBrave], Leon Brave, the hero who has the power to seal the Demon King. "Mmm..." "Ah..." My eyes meet Leon''s. The main character of the first game, a legitimate hero, and the main character of the second game, a cuckold. We were enemies in the game, but... we both bade hello to each other. When I first entered the school, Leon, who has a strong sense of justice, was very hostile toward me. However, we have recently become friends to a certain extent, and my reputation seems to have risen to the level of ''a good rivalry that must be settled sooner or later''. Following the summer vacation, I also have a match with Leon to see who will defeat the Demon King first. The old Leon would not have been a match for me, but... he seems to have trained a lot during the summer vacation, and he seems to have become much stronger. "Good morning, everyone." "Yahhoo! Let''s work hard today!" By the way... when Leon came to school, he surrounded by three female students who were his party members. The first is Ciel Uranus. Leon''s childhood friend, a beautiful red-haired girl. She is one of the three heroines in [DunBrave]. As the other two - Aeris and Nagisa - are unintentionally following me, she is one of the top heroines for Leon. Her job is ''Sorcerer'', and she is an excellent mage who can use offensive magic of any attribute except light and dark. The second one is Melia Sue. She is a student who has been working with Leon since before the summer vacation, and is a mob character who did not appear in the game. She wears a braid and glasses, but she has a surprisingly cheerful personality and is not afraid to talk to me. She seems to be an excellent ''Fighter'' who uses twin swords, and she is a girl who is growing up so fast that it is hard to believe that she is a mob character. "...Morning." And... the third one. After the summer vacation, a new heroine has joined Leon. A tall, gray-haired girl enters the classroom with a cool face. Her modified school uniform is open, revealing a deep cleavage, and her legs wrapped in tights extend out from her short skirt. She is a female student who had been promoted to the "A" class in the class change held a month ago at the end of the summer vacation. Her name is Ruffie Astoglow. In the game, she appeared as a new sub-heroine in the latter half of the scenario. Like Aeris, she came from a family of priests, but her job is not ''Cleric'' but ''Monk''. "...It seems that he has made a good friend. Is it a coincidence or is he thinking about things in an unexpected way?" I mutter to myself as I see Leon party sitting side by side in an empty seat. The ''monk'' is a multi-job that could use healing and auxiliary magic like a ''cleric'' and could also engage in melee combat with their fists. Although it is an unpopular job with its poor dexterity, whose healing ability is not as good as that of a cleric and whose close combat skills are not as good as those of a warrior, it is an appropriate choice to fill the hole in the current Leon''s party. As a result of various coincidences and unfortunate accidents, Leon is missing two people who would definitely have been in his party in the game, Aeris and Nagisa. But Ruffie, who can heal and engage in melee combat, is the perfect member to make up for these deficiencies. This makes Leon''s party consist of Leon the ''Rune Knight'', Ciel the ''Sorcerer'', Melia the ''Fighter'', and Ruffie the ''Monk''. Although a little more aggressive than the others, the party is now complete with sufficient strength. A month has passed since the Demon King was resurrected after the summer vacation. And Leon seems to be growing up well... now he can fight well against the cadres of the Demon King''s army. "...It looks like he won''t need a babysitter anymore. That''s good news." "Is something wrong, Goshujin-sama?" ¡°No, it''s nothing." I shake my head at Urza who looks into my face. If it''s Leon now, he can at least cut off the sparks of fire by himself. It seems that I don''t need to worry about him like before. Now I can concentrate on what I have to do. As head of Baskerville family, I will control the evil in the Slayers Kingdom. And... find a way to defeat the Demon King in my own non-hero way and save the world. "Okay, everyone, please take your seats. Let''s start homeroom!" The female homeroom teacher enters the room. The students, who had been scattered sparsely, return to their seats, and another day of classes begins. I apologize in my heart to the teacher who is conducting the class neatly according to the textbook, and I take a nap with my eyes closed to relieve the fatigue of last night. CH 106 In the morning, the last class is a practical subject. The content of the class is ''Fighting Against Human Beings''. It is a class for training to fight not against monsters but against human beings. Although it''s a physical class, I could manage to attend it thanks to the fact that I spent most of the class time sleeping. "Well. It looks like everyone is here. We will now begin the class about ''Fighting against Humans''!" The teacher in charge of the subject announced the beginning of the class in a stern voice. This class is a joint class of A and B. Both classes are divided into two groups. The students of the two classes are wearing comfortable gym clothes and lining up in front of the class. Standing in front of the students is a male teacher in his forties. He is a knight of the Kingsguard who used to guard the royal palace and had retired as a teacher after losing the use of one of his legs due to an injury. He also appeared in the game as a sub-character, a teacher who was later given the sad role of fighting to save his students in a battle against monsters and lost his life. "I don''t have to explain it to you now, but in this class, you will gain real combat experience against humans in case you have to fight against criminals such as bandits." The teacher looks at each student in turn with a sharp, hawk-like gaze, a wry smile on his mouth. "Now... form pairs of two. Then, you will practice in turns. The weapons chosen for the mock battle will be dulled swords. You may use magic, but be careful not to kill your opponent. Accidents are bound to happen in this kind of class... but in the unlikely event that you kill your opponent, you will be killed by the teacher. So, please be prepared to fight with that in mind." Some students shudder at the stern words of the teacher. This teacher, whose name is ''Jagath'', is feared like an oni by the students because of his strong face. But, in reality, he is a teacher who loves his students, and his earlier words "you''ll be killed" seem to be his own joke... Unfortunately, no one seems to have noticed the joke, which is too bad. The students seemed to be all pale. "...Don''t mind about it, Sensei." As someone who also suffers from a villainous face, I don''t feel as if this teacher is a stranger. I almost cry when I see the situation of Jagath, a teacher who genuinely cares about his students, but is constantly being feared by them. "My Lord, if you have no partner, could you fight me?" While the other classmates around me are forming pairs, Nagisa calls out to me. Nagisa and I had practiced together on a daily basis. Although it is unlikely that she would learn much from a mock fight now, still.... "I want you to see the technique I learned from you the other day. Today is the day I''m going to win one." "Well... okay. Nobody wants to fight with me anyway." Some of my classmates, including Jean, understand that I am not the villain I am rumored to be. But most of them are still afraid of me and don''t talk to me much. Although Nagisa is not the best of opponents... it would be safer to pair up with her. "Wait, Baskerville. Why don''t you play with me?" "Hmm?" I thought so, but then I saw someone calling out to me on my back. I turn around... and there stands the hero, Leon Brave. I raise my eyebrows in disbelief at the unexpected appearance of someone. "What sort of a wind you got in your sails? Why do you want to fight me all of sudden?" "Baskerville, I''ve been beaten in a duel by you before. But I want a return match today! You should see how I''ve grown since I trained!" "Nagisa-san... if you like, you can fight me..." After Leon, a girl with a slow voice enters the conversation. The one who appears, rubbing her sleepy eyes, is Ruffie Astoglow, Leon''s new party member. Her gray hair with permed ends is tied in a side-tail, and she is dressed in a gym uniform which is twisted below her chest to show her belly button. Ruffie, who had makeup on and generally looked like a gyaru (gal), looked at Nagisa with half-open sleepy eyes. "As I recall, you are Astoglow... right? I don''t think you''re the right partner for me." Nagisa says in a cold tone of voice. Nagisa has been much more amiable lately, but she seems to be in a bad mood now that she was interrupted in her fight. "Hmm? Are you afraid of fighting me, by any chance?" Ruffie''s voice is a little provocative. Nagisa''s eyes roll back in anger at the unexpected words coming out of the sleepy-looking gal''s mouth. "What... are you talking to me?" "There is no one else but you, Nagisa-san. Well, I''m from B class and I''m the lowest in my class, so I understand that you''d be embarrassed if you lost. Don''t worry, you can refuse if you''re afraid." "...Isn''t this interesting? I never thought I''d have to fight with a classmate whom I''m talking to for the first time. If you insist, I''ll be your opponent. Don''t swallow your spit now, okay?" It was a blatant provocation, but it seemed to have an effect on Nagisa. She glared at Ruffie''s sleepy eyes and carried the flames of her fighting spirit in the background. It seems that Nagisa and Ruffie have decided to fight. And alongside Ruffie, who is in gym clothes with her belly button exposed, Leon nods his head. "If Seikai-san is going to fight Ruffie, I can have Baskerville, can''t I? It''s fine with you, right?" "Huff... do what you want. I''ll be your partner." I shrugged and accepted the challenge. Despite the troublesome process, it''s not a bad idea to check out Leon''s current abilities. I''ll be here to find out if the hero''s sword is at a level where it can reach the Demon King. CH 107 The students, paired in twos, fight a mock battle one after another. Their movements are somewhat stiff, perhaps influenced by Jagath-sensei''s words before the mock battle. After every mock battle, Jagath-sensei pointed out the students'' bad points. It was warm advice from a teacher who loves his students, but his strong face made it seem as if he was giving a sermon, and the students who had their faults pointed out all slumped their shoulders and looked depressed. And while I was waiting and watching the other students'' battles, it is Nagisa''s and Ruffie''s turn to fight. Both girls enter the circular field set up in the center of the schoolyard, facing each other. Nagisa''s weapon is a single-edged sword. Ruffie''s weapon is a metal armor worn on both hands. They face each other at a distance of about three meters, and Nagisa opens her mouth with narrowed eyes. "Armor Kumite, huh? There are masters in my country, but this is the first time I''ve ever fought like this." (*Note: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kumite) "I don''t know what you''re talking about. But I learned the sacred fighting techniques of the priests." Ruffie says in a low voice, as usual. For generations, Ruffie had come from a family of "monk". A monk is a soldier who guards churches and temples, a job characterized by its ability to use healing and supportive magic as well as melee combat. "Goshujin-sama, who do you think will win?" Urza, who is observing next to me, pulls my hand. Although Urza is not a student of this school, she is wearing the school''s gym uniform for some reason. "Well... normally, I would say that Nagisa will win." While Nagisa is a genuine fighter, Ruffie is a half-cleric, half-fighter. It is natural to think that Nagisa would win in a proper battle. "But... Zenon-sama... Ruffie-san''s auxiliary magic is quite good. If she improves her ability and fights, won''t it be hard to tell if she wins or loses?" Aeris, who also observing the battle next to me, added this to the conversation. Ruffie, who comes from a family of monks, and Aeris, who is the daughter of a cardinal, have a complicated relationship. It is not an unfriendly relationship by any means... but they have their own feelings toward each other and keep their distance from each other. "That''s true. But, on the other hand, I can assure you that Nagisa will surely win if she finishes her off before she can use their auxiliary magic..." "Then... let''s begin!" While we were talking, the gong rang to announce the start of the battle. As soon as the battle begins, Ruffie with both fists in the air activates her magic. "Rabbit Foot... Strength Up... Guard Up..." Ruffie casts a series of auxiliary spells on herself, but Nagisa does not move. She still holds her sword in her hand and watches silently as Ruffie''s status is enhanced. "Of course, that''s what she would do. She''s a battle-crazed Nagisa, after all" I sigh deeply. As I had expected, Nagisa dares to miss Ruffie''s use of auxiliary magic. Is she giving her a handicap to give her a little leeway, or is she intentionally overlooking the reinforcement in order to fight against a stronger opponent? "Nagisa''s character makes me think it''s the latter, most likely. What will she do if she licks her opponent and loses?" "If she licks her enemy and loses, Urza will laugh as hard as I can, desu~no. Hahaha, desu~no" Urza''s lips pout and she makes a mocking face. On the other hand, Aeris looks somewhat worried. "Nagisa-san... Ruffie-san..." Aeris''s face looked lost as she called out their names. But I bite my lip and slap Aeris''s back. "Kyaa!" "Don''t look so grim. It''s just a mock battle. This is just a contest of strength. If you''re not sure which one to root for, wish them both victory." "Zenon-sama..." "I know you and Astoglow are old friends. But... Nagisa isn''t a small person to get upset when you support the other side. You should stand your ground." "That''s right... Zenon-sama is right." Aeris retracted her dark expression and nodded deeply. "No matter who wins, I will take care of the injured. That''s the best I can do!" "Mmm..." Aeris took my arm and hugged me. Although Aeris was a ''s*x lady'' at home, it''s rare for her to make skinship with me like this during the class. I could feel the happy sensation of my arms between my breasts, which were wrapped in her gym clothes. As I felt this, I turn away from Aeris, who is smiling at me, and murmur. "...I''m sure she won''t get mad if I cheer for the enemy, but she''ll get mad if I flirt while she''s fighting, right?" Ruffie, who had just finished casting an auxiliary magic, clatters her right and left hand armor against each other. It seems that they are ready to fight. Nagisa, too, senses this and points her single-edged sword at Ruffie, holding it firmly. CH 108 While being wrapped by the blue effect of her auxiliary magic, Ruffie opens her mouth with her fist poised. "Are you kidding me that you waited for me to finish casting the spell? Don''t you know the word "Carelessness is the greatest enemy"? "If this was a real battle, I would have cut you down in a moment. But... this is just a mock battle. Besides, what''s the use of fighting seriously against a weak enemy?" Nagisa stares back at Ruffie''s sleepy eyes and speaks in a calm tone. "If you can become a strong fighter even if it''s instant, that''s what I want. So, I''ll give you the lead. Go for it." "Hmm? That means... you''re really underestimating me. If you insist... let''s make you regret it a little!" Ruffie kicked the ground. Her speed is increased by her auxiliary magic, and she instantly steps into Nagisa''s range. She then swung a sharp fist at Nagisa''s face. "I see... you''re fast." Nagisa tilts her head and ducks the fist coming at her face. If she had been even a little slow in evading the fist, Nagisa''s fair face would have been a mess. "Besides, that is a good attack without hesitation. You don''t hesitate to aim at a woman''s face, and I can see your mercilessness." "I''m not so good at taking it easy on people I don''t like." "Oh? I''ve never heard that you don''t like me. I can hardly remember having a conversation with you." "I don''t need a reason to dislike someone!" Ruffie closes the distance and starts to deliver fist blows after fist blow. Nagisa deals each blow one after the other with her sword in her hand. The fierce battle is breathtaking. The students around them are watching the battle with bated breath. "Hmm, she''s strong. More than I expected." I nodded my head in admiration. Of course I knew that Nagisa is strong, but I had not expected Ruffie to put up such a good fight. Even without the reinforcement by auxiliary magic, she is doing quite well. "Well, she has been partying with Brave for a month now... and she seems to have been through some rough times. This makes me wonder about Brave''s growth." If his friends are growing up, it means that Leon, the leader of the party, is also growing up. I''m looking forward to the mock battle that follows. "Haaa!" Ruffie kicks Nagisa this time. But, Nagisa avoids a whip-like high kick by bending her body away from the kicker. "You avoided this one, too. I don''t like it." "I''ll take that as a compliment. Well then, it''s time for me to counterattack..." "I won''t let you do it. Won''t you stay put?" Nagisa tried to counterattack with her sword, but Ruffie quickly moved in to block her resistance. Ruffie fights with her hand armor, while Nagisa''s weapon is a sword. Although Nagisa had the advantage in terms of reach, but on the other hand, she could not do anything if Ruffie stepped into her range. Ruffie skillfully closed the distance so that Nagisa could not swing her sword. "At this distance, ''Swordsman'' can''t do anything, can they? I won''t let you leave!" "Mu...!" Ruffie''s fist grazes Nagisa''s cheek. The sharp blow caused a gash on Nagisa''s cheek. Nagisa tries to backstep away from Ruffie to counterattack, but Ruffie moves in closer to prevent her from making room to swing her sword. Ruffie''s fighting style should be called ''skillful'' rather than ''strong''. She played Nagisa, who was a superior fighter, at her mercy. "If it continues like this... Nagisa-san will lose. Ruffie-san is completely controlling the flow of the battle." "This is what happens when someone didn''t defeat their enemy when they can, desu~no. She''s really licking her wounds, that''s too bad, desu~no" Aeris and Urza say something like that together. It is true that Nagisa will be defeated if the battle continues. Although there is a time limit for auxiliary magic, it is very difficult for her to endure the onslaught until then. "But... that''s only if it was Nagisa before she joined me. The Nagisa of today is different from the Nagisa of the past." As soon as I mutter this, Nagisa takes action. Ruffie swung his fist to strike Nagisa, and at the same time, Nagisa slammed her sword into her metal hand. The slash, which was not even swung hard enough, had almost no offensive power. It was not a damaging blow, but... "Kuh!?" Ruffie''s fist is knocked away by the light attack, and she falls down. Her sleepy, half-open eyes widen for the first time, and she looks shocked. "Counter parry... that''s what called." I snap my fingers. It was a technique used by the player in the game. By slamming the attack into the center of the opponent''s attack area, it would knock the opponent off his feet and take him down. And seeing Ruffie, who was supposed to have been attacking unilaterally, suddenly knocked down, the students around them are confused. Ordinary people would not have been able to understand what Nagisa had done. "Seikai Itto-ryu ¡ª Hidden Technique ¡ª ''Reverse Wave Flow (Ä沨Á÷¤·)" Nagisa murmurs quietly as she throws Ruffie away. Counter parry is called ''Reverse Wave Flow'' in Nagisa''s sword school, and it is said to be a technique that was lost after the death of her father, who was her master. But Nagisa has grasped the secret of this technique under my tutelage, and has succeeded in bringing this once lost art back to the world. "Well... this is my victory. You have no complaints, right?" Nagisa thrusts her sword at the fallen Ruffie. "..." The tables have turned in an instant. Ruffie frowns slightly at the tip of the sword in front of her... but then her shoulders slump in resignation. "...Yes, yes. I give up. You''re not going to complain now, are you?" She raised her hands and pursed her lips in a sultry manner. Nagisa nods in triumph and draws the tip of her sword. "Astoglow, you were not bad. But I must correct you on one thing." "What is it? Are you being sarcastic?" "My job is not ''Swordsman''. I''ve just received an oracle and changed my job to ''Samurai Master''. So, change your perception." "..." Nagisa said without a hint of triumph, and turned around while leaving Ruffie lying on the ground. CH 109 "Nagisa-san won. It''s not interesting, desu~no." Although Urza is dissatisfied with the result of the mock battle, her expression is somewhat relieved. It is not an honest reaction, but she seems to be pleased with the victory of Nagisa, whom she recognizes as her rival. "Aeris!" "Yes, I''m off!" Aeris starts to move as soon as I call out to her. First of all, she runs to Nagisa who is coming back to us and casts a healing spell on the wound on her cheek. "I''ll heal you right away, Heal." "Yeah, I''m sorry. It helps." "It''s a girl''s face, after all. I''ll have to make sure it heals properly." Although they often fight in the bath or in bed, they are not really at odds with each other. So, Aeris is treating Nagisa''s wounds with a smile, congratulating her on her victory. Nagisa also accepted it as a matter of course. After finishing Nagisa''s treatment, Aeris runs to Ruffie who is sitting in the middle of the ground. Leon and Ciel were already running to Ruffie''s side, cheering up their defeated friend. "Ruffie-san, are you hurt?" "...Aeris-san." When Aeris called out to her, Ruffie''s shoulders shook slightly. Aeris looked at her with a puzzled look on her face, and Ruffie''s sleepy face showed an unusually anxious emotion. For the note, both Aeris and Ruffie were born in a clergy family, so they are what one might call childhood friends. But, although they were as close as sisters in their childhood, they are now estranged from each other because of a certain incident. The incident was the murder of Aeris''s mother by bandits. That was when Aeris and her mother were traveling in a horse-drawn carriage when they were suddenly attacked by bandits. At that time, the monk guarding them was killed or ran away, endangering the lives of the mother and the child. Aeris was saved by her mother, who used all her strength to cast a barrier, but at the cost of her mother''s life, who had used up all her strength. Ruffie''s involvement in this incident is that the escaping monk was Ruffie''s father. Ruffie''s father had run away from the escort to save his own life, and then disappeared. Ruffie felt responsible for Aeris losing her mother because of her father, and she began to distance herself from Aeris. "Your knee seems to be scrapped. Let me help you." "..." Aeris casts a healing spell on Ruffie, who is awkwardly silent. Ruffie, who could use healing magic herself, accepts Aeris'' treatment without rejecting it. She kept her mouth tight shut for a while... then she opens her mouth. "...Thank you. You''re very kind." "Yes, you''re welcome. I remember when I was treating Ruffie-san. In the past, I used to cast healing magic on you when you were injured in training." "Yes, that may have happened... once..." "Now that we are in the same class, we may have more opportunities like this. It may be inappropriate for the injured Ruffie-san... but... just a little, I''m glad." "..." Ruffie bites her lip and fell silent. Leon and Ciel, who are unaware of the situation between them, look at each other curiously at this delicate atmosphere. "I hope we can be friends again like we used to be. Let''s have a cup of tea together sometime." "...I understand. Aeris-sama." Ruffie answered in a firm tone of voice, not in her usual stilted voice. The awkward atmosphere has not gone away yet, but it seems that both parties have made a step forward. "That''s great, isn''t it? Female friendship is wonderful." I mutter to myself as I watch them from afar. In the game, if Aeris and Ruffie are reconciled, they will serve together in a service scene... but Ruffie is now Leon''s friend, so such a rewarding event will not happen. Alas... it''s nice to see estranged friends make up. Aeris seems to be happy, and I''m glad I pushed her. As the two laughs awkwardly at each other, I shrug my shoulders with a wry smile. CH 110 "Well... then, I guess it''s our turn. Are you ready, Baskerville?" The battle between Nagisa and Ruffie is over, and Leon stands in the middle of the field and declares. "This time, I''m not going to let you win. Are you ready to kiss the ground?" "Aren''t you full of motivation? I''d get goosebumps if a guy hit on me with such passion." I follow Leon''s lead and move toward the field. With my mock battle sword in my right hand, I face Leon head-on. "Let''s see how your training has paid off, shall we? I hope it won''t disappoint me." "I promise I won''t bore you. Even I''m not fighting a battle that can''t be won." Leon''s words and attitude are filled with confidence. It''s been a month since the Demon King''s resurrection. I don''t know what kind of training he has been doing but I guess he is so sure that he can beat me that he challenges me to a mock battle. "Brave, you can do it!" "Don''t lose! Take him down!" "Leon-kun, stay strong!" Leon seems to be more spirited than usual, and surrounding classmates are cheering him on. Sadly, most of the cheers are for Leon. As for my cheering... "Goshujin-sama, do your best to finish him off, desu~no!" "Zenon-sama, do your best!" "My Lord, I believe in your victory!" ...Anyway, there''s more than one. I mean, those three girls are having physical relations with me. "Baskerville. Good luck to you!" "Don''t disappoint Urza-chaan!" By the way, Jean and Arisa were waving at me, too. Remembering back to the time when my classmates treated me like a tumor when I first entered the school, I have gained a lot of allies. "Both sides seem to be well prepared. Let''s start the match!" Jagath-sensei raises his right hand and announces the start of the fight. At the same time as the signal, Leon and I start to move. "Dark magic - Shadow Edge!" "Light magic - Shine Edge!" The magic from both of our hands collided head-on. The two blades, one black and the other white, collide and bounce off each other, creating a shockwave. "Haaaa!" Leon kicked the ground with his waving spirit. This is an attempt to check me with magic. And using that opening, he closes the distance at once and slashes me with a sideways slash. "Well... his reaction is not bad..." But I leap in the air and evade the slash. Then, using the momentum, I twist and turn in midair and slash him with my sword. "Whoa...!" Leon ducks low to avoid my attack... then he leaps from his low position. "Haaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Using the spring of his body, he launched a thrust at me from diagonally below with great force. From evading to counterattacking, he strikes back in a fluid movement. This reaction speed is indeed a hero. Such potential is astonishing. Leon is strong. If it was only talent and sense, he definitely surpassed me. "Take ittttttttttt!" "But... I''m not going to let you defeat me like this!" I use the air as a foothold and leap to greater heights. Leon''s thrust narrowly misses me and ends up hitting empty. This is an aerial movement action using the [Taijutsu] skill - ''Tenpo (Ììši)''. By using the scaffold of magic power that I built in the air, I jumped up two steps, narrowly escaping from Leon''s attack. "Kuh... I can''t reach it!" "Well, that''s too bad. And take this... Shadow Javelin!" "Ggh!?" Then I hit him with a dark intermediate magic attack. Leon is unable to evade the attack in time due to his awkward stance, and is hit by a jet-black javelin shot over his head. Leon is blown away by the magic and rolls on the ground. "Ah...!" I expected him to faint and the game was over... but he quickly got up from the blow. His eyes are filled with a fiery fighting spirit, showing that his will to fight has not yet waned. "Not yet! I won''t be defeated just like this!" "Heh... you''re quite impressive. I''m starting to think you''re a little better than I thought." Though it looked like my dark magic had hit him directly, Leon had canceled the attack with a light magic just before it hit him. It seems that he was not able to completely eliminate the impact, but he avoided being deadlocked. "It seems that you have trained not only for fighting against monsters but also for fighting against other people, right? Have you gained experience against bandits and thieves?" "Yes, just like that swordsman we fought in the final exam, there are humans who have joined the Demon King''s army. I won''t show the same poor behavior as I did then." "Very well. So... this is round two then?" As I land on the ground and ready my sword, Leon''s mouth curls into a belligerent grin. "Yeah... it''s time to get serious! Let''s go, Baskerville!" "...!" Leon''s body immediately burst into a golden light. It''s as if he''s a fighting tribe from a famous manga that gets stronger and stronger. "Overlimit...''Tensho Tsuyori (Heavenly Fighting Spirit/Ì콫êLÒÀ)''!" At the sight of Leon enveloped in a golden light, I growl, my lips pursing into a smile. "Well... it looks like you''ve finally reached that point. You''ve learned to control the hero''s power with your own will." The ''Tensho Tsuyori (Heavenly Fighting Spirit/Ì콫êLÒÀ)'' is a skill that only Leon can master in the game by raising his skill level of [Hero Blood] to 60 or more. While activating this ability, all the status values are doubled, and the damage against demons (Mazoku) and the dark attribute is doubled. "And, if [Hero Blood] skill is over 60, the condition for class change is ready...!" That is, it means that Leon''s job has been changed from ''Rune Knight'' to a higher-level job. Was this the reason for Leon''s confidence? "You''ve finally become a ¡®Hero¡¯... Leon Brave!" "Come on... take me seriously, Zenon Baskerville!" Leon Brave, who has changed his job from ''Rune Knight'' to ''Hero'', comes charging straight at me, clad in a golden light. I laugh with my fangs bared, and charge at the oncoming hero. CH 111 Each character in [DunBrave] has his/her own occupation (job), and there are differences in skills, techniques, and magic depending on the job. There are warrior jobs such as ''Swordsman'' and ''Fighter''. There are magician jobs such as ''Sorcerer'' or ''Cleric''. There are special professions such as ''Merchant'', ''Dancer'', ''Monster User''. There are also multi-Job, which has characteristics of several professions such as ''Magic Swordsman'' or ''Monk'' and so on. The number of job types is more than 100. There are also hidden jobs that can only be obtained by obtaining special items or by clearing conditions such as event strategies, making the choice of job an enjoyable part of character development for players. So, the initial job that a character takes at the beginning can be changed to a higher-level job by raising the skill level to a certain level. For example, Nagisa, who was a ''Swordsman'', became a ''Samurai Master'' by training her [Swordsmanship] skill to a certain level of proficiency. Nagisa was a samurai from the East, so she learned [kenjutsu] from the beginning... If she had learned [Kenjutsu] skill, she would have become a ''Swordmaster''. If she had raised [Shield] instead of [Swordsmanship], she would be a ''Heavy Knight''. If she had raised her [Fighting] skill, she could change her class to ''God Hand''. The way to change jobs is to increase skills and use items for changing jobs. When the conditions are met, the voice of ''oracle'' is heard in the head. If one chooses to change jobs according to the voice, he/she can change jobs, and his/her status value will be greatly increased and he/she can learn the skills specific to his/her job. * * * "The conditions for the hero to become a ''Hero'' are the resurrection of the Demon King, and raising the [Blood of Hero] skill to 60 or more... It seems that the conditions have already been met!" "Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Leon roared as he launched a series of attacks on me. He slashes at me one after another while clad in a golden light. Leon''s status has doubled, thanks to the effects of the "Tensho Tsuyori (Heavenly Fighting Spirit/Ì콫êLÒÀ)". His movements are different from those of the past. I evade the attack with frightening speed and tremendous pressure just in time. "Hey, hey! This is, indeed..." To say the least... it''s pretty bad. Since I have better skills and stats than him, I can handle it better than him. But... Leon''s attack with ''Tensho Tsuyori'' has a special attack against demons and dark attribute. Even a single blow will end me. Or rather... if I happen to be hit, I''ll die. An instant death. "Hit itttt!" "Hey... aren''t you so worked up you forgot it''s a mock? You''re not really going to kill me, are you?" Even though it''s a mock battle sword, it''s a piece of metal. It''s a blunt weapon. A direct hit to the brain would crush the skull. "Are you unknowingly taking revenge on the man who stole Aeris and Nagisa from you?! Are you trying to kill the cuckold who stole the heroine from you, taking advantage of your training?!" It''s scary that I can never be sure the answer. Well, I guess Leon doesn''t intend to kill me, he just thinks I can handle it even if he puts all his strength into it. "Really... you''re the most annoying man in the world! I''d die too if my head was split open!" A slash comes down on my chest. I felt a heat in my chest. Although I avoided a direct hit, it was a close call. "Good grief... I can''t let him kill me like this, no matter what. Illusion Ghost! "Huh...!?" I create a shadow clone with dark magic. Around him, five of them appear. They spread out to the left and right, moving around and playing with Leon. "Kuh... which one is the real one!?" Leon slays the fleeing ones. The shadow clones are running in all directions, but Leon was faster than them. One, two, three... in a dozen seconds or so, all of them are defeated, and I, the main body, am the only one left. "The main body... is here!" Leon quickly steps into my pocket and tries to slash at me. But... by then, I was ready. "Advanced Dark Magic - Nightmare Garden." "What...!?" I activate my full power of magic, and a jet-black dome envelops the field. Leon and I are both caught in the dome. Advanced dark magic - ''Nightmare Garden''. This is a magic that controls a certain area with a space of darkness. The power of the dark attribute is greatly increased within the area of this space. Meanwhile, the power of the opposite attribute, light, is greatly reduced. It is a very powerful magic that transforms the area into a field favorable to the user. "This magic is powerful but requires long chanting. I''ve bought some time with my shadow clone." "Huh... My body!?" Leon''s body shakes violently and he falls to one knee on the ground. Leon, who has activated his ''Tensho Tsuyori'', has become an incarnation of light. He is greatly restricted in his movements due to his being caught in the space of the dark attribute. "It seems that there will be no problem even if I defeat you as usual, but... as a reward for your hard training. I''ll show you some of my big moves as a special treat!" "What...!?" I didn''t invoke the Nightmare Garden to weaken Leon. The real purpose is to cover the space around me with a dark barrier, blocking the eyes of the outside world. At the moment, Leon and I are the only two people inside the Nightmare Garden. The other students and the teacher who acted as a judge are outside the dome, unable to see what is going on inside. "Now, I can do a big move without anyone seeing me... Overlimit... ''Meisho Jigokuyori (Underworld Hell Spirit/Ú¤½«ªzÒÀ)''!" "...!?" As if the lid of hell had opened, an evil aura appeared, covering my body like armor. I felt as if something suppressed had been released. My whole body is filled with power. The ''Meisho Jigokuyori (Underworld Hell Spirit/Ú¤½«ªzÒÀ)''. This great skill is the counterpart of Leon''s "Tensho Tsuyori". While using this technique, the status value is doubled, and a special attack effect is given to God''s dependents such as angels and saints. Of course, the target of the special attack included the "Hero" who is the messenger of God. Leon''s eyes widen to the limit when he sees me activating my trump card, the big move. "Baskerville, what the hell are you...?" "Don''t worry. I''ll take it easy on you. You won''t die, so don''t worry and let me beat you up!" "Ah...!" "Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!" Leon gasps and a shiver runs down his face. I attack him with a high laugh, as he stops moving as if frozen. * * * The battle is over, and the Nightmare Garden is lifted. The jet-black dome slowly disappears, and the scenery around me returns to normal. The faces of classmates and teachers are revealed, with expressions of surprise and bewilderment on their faces. After the dome disappears, all that remains is the image of me standing with my sword sheathed. And then... the image of Leon on the ground. "Leon!" Ciel, Leon''s childhood friend, is the first to move. Lagging behind, Melia and Ruffie run to their fallen comrades. "Don''t worry. The wound is not so deep. I''ve adjusted them just enough to heal them with magic and medicine." "Basker, ville...!" Leon, who had been picked up by Ciel, let out a weak cry. He is wounded all over his body, and his voice sounds as if he is trying to squeeze out. "Just tell me one thing... what is your job? Aren''t you a ''Rune Knight'' like I used to be?" "Hmm..." I chuckled and turned my back to Leon. I answer Leon''s question as I walk over to Urza. "I''m sorry, but I''ve already changed my class... my job is ''Dark Lord''." "Dark, Lord...?" Leon repeats the name of a job he has probably never heard of before in his life. Of course. I''ve never heard of such a job in the game either. I played through the game more than 10 times and even completed the additional paid scenarios, but I never heard of such a job. The initial job in Zenon is ''Rune Knight''. Even if he had changed his class, he would have been able to change to ''Evil Swordsman'' or ''Slave Trainer'' or something like that. But now I am a ''Dark Lord'', which is an unknown job. What triggered me was that I defeated my father, Garondolf, and succeeded to the title of ''Baskerville''s Demon Dog''. The ''oracle'' flowed into my head as soon as the king was informed of my succession to the role of the Marquis of Baskerville and the role of the ''Demon Dog'', which opened the way for me to change jobs to become the ''Dark Lord''. As it turned out, the ''Dark Lord'' seems to be the counterpart of the ''Hero''. By becoming a ''Dark Lord'', I was able to acquire a dark version of the skill used by Leon, the hero. Leon, the main character of [DunBrave 1], and Zenon, the main character of [DunBrave 2]. These two are really light and shadow. Like the sun and the moon, they are opposites. "Let me tell you something Brave. The Demon King is stronger than I am. And perhaps he can use the magic of the Nightmare Garden to weaken the light attribute." "...!" "Leon, you''ve grown strong. Your effort and study are truly admirable. I''m sure you can fight even Shinya Kushinagi. But... you can''t reach the Demon King yet. If you want to defeat the Demon King, you should be more diligent." I am sure that Leon will grow up from this defeat. I told what I wanted to say to the gasping Leon and returned to the outside where Urza and the others were waiting for me. CH 112 After his defeat to Shinya Kushinagi in the final exam, Leon had grown up in two months, much more powerful than he had ever been before. But... I have grown stronger as well. I took over the Baskerville family and spent my days fighting criminals who had gone astray. I have grown while leading my friends against monsters and the army of the Demon King. -------------------- Zenon Baskerville Job: Dark Lord Skills Swordsmanship 75 Dark Magic 73 Training 85 Magic sword 70 Taijutsu 69 Magic Enhancement 72 Night Blood 65 Big Shot Killer 62 Physical Enhancement 50 Abnormal Immunity - Instant Death Immunity - Growth Acceleration - -------------------- By becoming a higher rank, the number of skills I can possess has increased from 6 to 12. The new skills have been acquired through skill orbs, and by winning events. Since the average skill level required to defeat the Demon King is around 80, I had almost reached the stage where I could defeat the Demon King. As usual, the growth rate of the [Training] skill is still very high, which is a frightening thing... Among the newly acquired skills, [Night Blood] and [Big Shot Killer] are the most distinctive ones. [Night Blood]... The name of this skill sounds like a vampire''s special ability, but to tell the truth, I don''t know the details of this skill well. This skill was acquired when I changed my class to ''Dark Lord'', and from the name, it seems to be a counterpart of Leon''s [Hero Blood] skill. I also learned ''''Meisho Jigokuyori '' when this skill reached ''50''. [Big Shot Killer] can be acquired by killing a certain number of boss monsters, and it increases the amount of damage dealt to boss monsters, that is, big ones. The higher the skill level, the greater the effect, and ''62'' simply means that the damage value increases by 62%. It was a very powerful skill, but... since it only counts for the person who put the killing blow, only one or two people in the party could master it. I think I have become much stronger... but it is meaningless if I am the only one who has become stronger. No matter how much I improve my skills, it will be very difficult to defeat the Demon King in a solo game. Needless to say, I have to make my companions grow up as well. -------------------- Urza White Ogre Job: Rakshasa Skills: Physical Enhancement 62 Toughness 65 Hammer Art 61 Hit 45 Durability 52 Intimidation 60 Oni-eating 40 Taijutsu 35 Speed Enhancement 28 Natural healing 37 Abnormal Immunity - Instant Death Immunity - -------------------- -------------------- Aeris Centorea Job: Saint Skills: Healing magic 65 Support magic 63 Barrier 60 Chanting Acceleration 50 Magic Conservation 53 Protection Barrier 45 Grant Revival 33 Physical Resistance 25 Luck 35 Concealment 35 Abnormal Immunity - Instant death Immunity - -------------------- -------------------- Nagisa Seikai Job: Samurai Master Skills Swordsmanship 73 Physical Enhancement 70 Speed Enhancement 69 Magic Resistance 45 Deadly Attack 51 Manslayer 35 Penetrating attack 33 Absorption attack 32 Physical resistance 35 Monster Killer 30 Abnormal Immunity - Instant Death Immunity - -------------------- In the past month, Urza, Aeris, and Nagisa have changed their job to ''Rakshasa'', ''Saint'', and ''Samurai Master'', respectively. The reason why my skill level grows faster than theirs is that I have acquired the ''Growth Acceleration'' skill obtained from the ''Straw Millionaire'' rally. For the note, each job has its own unique skill when one changes class... The three of them have mastered the skills of [Oni-eater], [Resurrection Grant], and [Manslayer], respectively. Rakshasa''s unique skill, named [Oni-eater], has the effect of absorbing the enemy''s physical strength when attacking them. Since it can recover a certain percentage of the damage inflicted on the enemy, it was a very useful skill that can attack and recover at the same time. Saint''s unique skill, [Grant Revival], can add the effect of recovering from the inability to fight to the normal healing spells. This skill can reduce the use of healing magic which consume a lot of magic power, because the player may be disabled many times in the battle against powerful bosses of the demon king class. Since the revival effect extends to the whole healing spells, it is possible to restore more than one person at a time. Samurai Master''s unique skill, [Manslayer], is also a very dangerous skill, but it increases the amount of damage against humanoid enemies. Since it targets only "humanoids", it is effective not only against humans but also against humanoid demon. Since most of the leaders of the Demon King''s army, including the Demon King, look like human, it can be used in most of the boss battles in the latter half of the scenario. The reason why all of the players have acquired the [Abnormal Immunity] and [Instant Death Immunity] skills is that the monsters in the last part of the scenario often use abnormal or instant death attacks. These skills can be acquired by any player as many times as he/she wants by conquering certain events, so I have all my friends learn these skills. Although the three friends have grown up considerably, they are not yet proficient enough to fight against the Demon King. Even so, if the three of them fight together, they can defeat the cadre of the Demon King''s army without my help. However... no matter how much I and my friends grow, that alone will not defeat the Demon King. We''re missing an important piece to defeat the Demon King. The blood of the hero... the only power that can seal the Demon King... That''s what we lack. That''s why I''m using all the power of the Baskervilles to search for the descendants of hero other than Leon. Just after school today, I was to receive a report from the head of the search party. CH 113 Leon, who was beaten by me in the mock battle, surprisingly showed up in the classroom after the lunch break. He seems to have recovered easily, even though I beat him up pretty badly. It seems not only his ability but also his toughness is growing, which is good thing. As Leon came into the classroom, he turned his face to me and silently made a clenched fist. I don''t know what such an action means... but I guess he meant it as a challenge. He also seems to have tightened his loincloth again after witnessing my seriousness. But I know that Leon will continue to grow. It is a great honor for me to be able to contribute to his hero''s progress and to play the villain. And now, in the afternoon, the classes consisted entirely of classroom lectures. Like before, I quietly doze off to sleep in a corner of the classroom. "Goshujin-sama¡ª, the class is over..." "Hmm... Ah, is it that time already?" Before I knew it, afternoon classes were over and it was time to leave for school. Since I started working at night as the head of the Baskerville family, classes have been my only time to sleep. Except for the practical classes, I spent most of the time in bed. Fortunately, ''Zenon Baskerville'' is smart. He can get a high grade in a test by reading a textbook two or three times. "As expected, ''dark magic'' is useful... I can sleep without the teachers knowing." I used my dark magic skill to disguise myself from the waist up with an illusion, and acted as if I was taking the class seriously. Even if I had been sleeping without any hesitation, a teacher who is afraid of the Baskervilles would not have bothered to point it out. However, Wanko-sensei, my homeroom teacher, is not afraid of me and scolds me, so I have no choice but to use this method. "...Are Nagisa and Aeris in a club?" "Yes, desu~no. They said they would return before dinner, desu~no." The Royal Sword and Magic Academy is a school, too. As a matter of course, clubs and extracurricular activities do exist. Nagisa is a member of the Kenjutsu club and promotes her Seikai Itto-ryu style among the students of this school. She is vigilantly recruiting students of the school in order to revive the school, which had been driven to extinction by a traitorous evil swordsman. Aeris is not strictly a sorority, but she frequents attending the salons held by the daughters of the nobility. In her own way, Aeris is trying to be useful to me. She gathers information on aristocratic society while promoting herself as the daughter of the Centorea family and the future wife of the Baskervilles. "Urza... is Arisa good today?" "Arisa-san is going shopping with Jean, desu~no! I''m so glad she''s not being so noisy, desu~no!" Urza''s lips pouted and she made a sulky face. Well, she is treated as a mascot by Arisa and the other girls in the class, and after school she is always treated with sweets at the cafeteria or coffee shop. But, today, there is no such after-school girls'' party because of Arisa''s schedule. Urza must be happy that there are no noisy people and sad that she can''t eat sweets... she must be having mixed feelings. "Well then... I guess I''ll go and take care of some business..." "Urza want to go too, desu~no! It''s an after-school date with Goshujin-sama, desu~no!" I get up and walk out of the classroom, and Urza follows me with skipping steps. Although we are not going to a romantic place... Urza looks as happy as a puppy following its owner. If she had a tail, it would have been wagging and whirling like a fan. Now, we went to the school''s club building. The room we visited is located in a corner of the building. At the entrance, there is a plaque that reads ''Newspaper Club and Fortune-telling Club''. I knocked lightly, but there is no response from inside the room. So, I opened the side-opening door with a doubtful mind, but it is pitch black inside the room with the black curtains closed. "...Welcome to the spiritual world. Poor, sad, yet lovely lamb." "..." A candle is lit in the darkness. A faint orange light illuminates a robed figure sitting in a chair in the center of the room. If I had encountered this person on the street, I would have turned right around and walked away. When I try to see this person, I could not see the face because of the hood... but I could tell that this person is a woman from her dignified voice that sounded like a bell ringing. "...Now, release your innermost feelings. Tell me your troubles without pretense. Let the stars and the gods guide your path, O lost lamb." "...What a big welcome. Did you wait for me all this time dressed like that? And what were you going to do if it wasn''t me who came to the room?" No doubt, the person, who enter the room, is going to call the security guard. As I said this to her in a calm tone like pouring cold water on her, the robed woman''s lips twitched as if she was snickering. "...Oh, you''re not very flirty, are you? Why don''t you at least enjoy my company a little bit? Our leader!" With a complaint, the woman took off her robe. From within the black robe, a woman with a short cut emerges. She has a bright and vivacious face, and her tomboy appearance seems to be more popular among the same gender than among the opposite gender. Judging from the color of the ribbon on her uniform, she is an upperclassman. "Anyway... welcome to visit, Leader-dono. Thank you for coming. To the Sword and Demon Academy''s newspaper club... or the fortune-telling Club." Her large, curious eyes turn to me. The woman bows her head in a clownishly pretentious gesture. She is the head of two seemingly unrelated clubs, the newspaper club and the fortune-telling club, and her name is Polaris Masquerade. A third-year senior at Sword and Demon Academy, and a well-informed informant who knows everything there is to know about the school. In addition, she is trusted by the female students of the school as an excellent fortune teller. "Come, sit down at the seat over there. I''d like to welcome you, our Leader." Polaris says in a cheerful tone and opens the curtains that cover the window. Immediately, the light of the westerly sun streamed into the room. Because of the darkness of the room, I did not notice that there were tea cups on the table at the back of the room, and even tea cakes were prepared for the guests. It seems that she is well prepared to entertain her guests. Anyway, I sat down on a chair as I was told, and Urza sat down next to me as a matter of course. Naturally, Urza immediately puts her hand on the cake and puts it into her mouth, and her face instantly becomes happy. "Munch, munch... Chomp, chomp... it''s delicious, desu~no. It''s a good cake, desu~no" "Hey, hey, hey... the tea hasn''t even been brewed yet..." "Don''t worry about it. Aren''t you a cute little oni? I''m tempted to keep her myself." Polaris smiles and takes the teapot as I try to correct Urza for her rudeness. Then, she places a teacup in front of Urza and me. A green liquid is poured into the cup, and fine tea leaves are dancing softly in the teacup. "Green tea... that''s unusual." I sipped the cup with deep emotion. The mellow taste of fine green tea fills my mouth. It tastes just like the tea I drank in Japan. It tastes nostalgic. It has been a long time since I have had a cup of Japanese green tea, because this world is the same as the European one. Although it was very incongruous that the cup was a teacup instead of a Yunomi. (*Note: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yunomi) "...The tea was very well prepared..." "I''m glad you liked it. It was worth ordering from the East." "The East... Is it Zipangu? I''m sure Nagisa will be very happy to drink it." (*Note: Zipangu -> Japan in italy) "If you like, you can bring some back as a souvenir. Give it to your lover to drink." "That would be great... by the way, can we get down to business now?" I take a breath and put my teacup on the table. I turn to Polaris, watching Urza gobbling down her tea and the cakes next to me. "I would like to receive the results of the investigation I asked you to do. Of course, you''ve done your job, right?" "Yes, of course. It was an easy job with our intelligence." Polaris says proudly and pulls out a thick stack of papers. Polaris Masquerade. She is the head of the newspaper club and the fortune-telling club, but her true nature is something else. She is a member and a daughter of the leader of the Baskerville family''s intelligence organization, the "Star Reader". She is a female agent who joined the Baskerville family after I became the head of the family. CH 114 I take the stack of papers offered by Polaris and quickly skim through them. The thick papers contain the detailed results of the investigation I had requested the intelligence agency "Star Reader" to conduct. I spend about ten minutes checking the contents of the document... and then I open my mouth seriously. "...Is it true what is written here?" "Of course it is. Do you not trust our investigations, Leader-dono?" "No, of course not. But it''s unexpected. I''m getting a headache." I clicked my tongue and pressed my forehead with my finger. Written in the document is the information about the descendants of the hero who once sealed the Demon King and saved the world. Who the hero married and had children, and how their children lived. And where are their grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and further descendants. Information on the lineage of hero up to the present day is described in detail. In order to find the descendants of the hero other than Leon, and to secure them as a force to seal the Demon King, I had the "Star Reader" investigate the lineage of the hero, but the results were unbelievable. "I don''t mean to doubt your investigative abilities, but I find it hard to believe. Except for Leon, the descendant of the legendary hero who sealed the Demon King, how can it be that almost everyone else has died in the last ten years?" In the game [DunBrave], it was explained that Leon was the only person who could defeat the Demon King, with no other descendants of hero besides Leon appearing in the game. At the time when I was playing the game, I did not think it was unnatural that the game was set up in such a way, but... it is strange when I think about it. It was 300 years ago that the previous hero defeated the Demon King. Then it is not surprising that there are more people who have the blood of hero in their veins, whether the bloodline is strong or weak. "Leon''s father died in an accident. His grandfather, aunts and cousins are dead. Almost all the other descendants of hero have died out, and there are none left in the world... Is there an epidemic in this world that only the descendants of hero can get?" The deaths are so unnatural that I might suspect that they are cursed or possessed. It seems that my plan to find and raise the offspring of hero other than Leon so that I can use them as weapons to stab the Demon King has already been foiled. "This can''t be a coincidence at all... I''m sure that someone is trying to end the lineage of the hero. Is it the work of the demons?" "Perhaps you''re right, Leader-dono. Accidents and illnesses, various causes of death, but all of them suspicious. There is no doubt that someone is working behind the scenes." Polaris tilts her head in confusion and adds her findings. "''I am a descendant of a brave man'' - not to mention those who claim to be so, even their descendants who probably didn''t know of their ancestors'' great deeds are dead one by one. Moreover, those people are carefully killed with a vindictive, careful, and even insane degree of care. They must be very afraid of the heroes. The demon tribe..." "If that''s the case... why is Leon still alive? His relatives are dead, aren''t they?" It''s a question I''ve been asking myself for a long time. The gargoyle in the first dungeon and Shinya Kushinagi, who was sent later, were all sent to Leon after he entered the school. If the assassins had been sent earlier, the protagonist would have died before the story even started. It is possible that the compulsive force of the game is at work here, though it may not be worth thinking too much about it. "Well... the problem is the descendants of the surviving heroes. I hope some of them survive like Leon..." For some reason, the survivors of the hero families are not mentioned in the documents. Maybe Polaris wanted to tell the story from her own mouth, so she did not write it in the document. As expected, Polaris is very excited and said, ¡°I have been waiting for this!¡± and snapped her fingers with a proud look on her face. "I''m glad you asked! Of course, I''ve done my investigation. About the survivors of the hero clan!" Polaris, with her chest covered by her uniform, opens her mouth with her index finger raised. CH 115 "I found about three descendants of the surviving heroes, except for Leon Brave, who is in this school." Polaris picks up a steamed bun and pops it into her mouth. She chews it, swallows it, and after a long pout, she speaks up with certainty. "The first one is Brave-kun''s little sister. Her name is Arte Brave. She is three years younger than Leon. She lives in a village in Uranus territory and helps her mother with her work. By the way, her mother''s work is weaving wool. She has a reputation among the locals for her carefully woven fabrics with innovative designs." "..." I close my mouth and listen to Polaris'' report. I already knew about Leon''s family structure. His sister, and his mother for that matter, had appeared in the game. However, they appeared not in [DunBrave 1] in which Leon is the main character, but in [DunBrave 2] in which the main character is a villainous cuckold. They are imprisoned by Zenon, who hates Leon, and are subjected to severe torture. After his lover is taken away by Zenon, Leon returns home with a broken heart, only to find his house burned down. His sister and mother are missing. Desperately searching for his missing family, Leon finally arrives at the house where they are imprisoned... There, the mother and daughter are surrounded by several men, smiling with flirtatious faces and covered with white spunk. Their bellies are bulging, and there is no sign of the family that used to live together. In despair, Leon slaughters the men who raped the mother and daughter, and with tears of blood, raises his sword to the family he once loved... ¡ªLeon''s family appeared in the story for the sake of such a depressing story. His father did not appear in the story, but it seems that he had already passed away. "Well... if the father had the blood of a hero, it is only natural that the younger sister should be qualified." "But I don''t think she can be of any help since she seems to be living a life not related to fighting. And the second one... do you know ''Spear-king Lesfalt (˜ŒÍõ¥ì¥¹¥Õ¥¡¥ë¥È)''?" "...Only by name." Lesfalt, the Spear King. He appeared in the game as a helpful character. He is a hard-boiled middle-aged father who often appears when Leon, the main character, is in danger, and saves Leon''s life by defeating his enemies with his overwhelming power. In the game, his identity remained unknown throughout the game, and until the ending of the game, his origin remained a mystery. "Could this guy be the last boss of the next game?" This character caused controversy among the fans. "I''ve heard rumors that he''s quite an expert, but... I didn''t know that. I never knew he is a descendant of a brave man." "No, no, no, hear me out. The Spear King is not descended of a hero. But his wife seems to have the blood of a hero." "His wife... he''s married? The Spear King?" I never thought that middle-aged man with no fixed home address would have a family to protect. I thought he is a single man. "His wife died a long time ago, too. But he has a daughter who is missing. If she is still alive, then she must be a descendant of a hero." "A descendant of a hero and the daughter of the ''Spear King''? If she''s alive, that''s very encouraging..." "My friends are looking for her... but don''t get your hopes up. Apparently, the Spear King is looking for his daughter too, but he hasn''t found her in over ten years." "Hmm... I didn''t know that old man had such a history. People have histories, don''t they?" The ''Spear King'' who appears here and there unnaturally, seems to have been wandering around looking for his daughter. It seems that he was not wandering around dungeons and towns for no reason. "And then... the last one. And this last one... in another hard-to-get-at place..." "...Tell me. I''m listening." "..." Polaris, who had been pretending to be silent, eventually speaks up, shaking her head. "The descendants of the hero. The last one is in the palace of the neighboring kingdom, Maafern." "What?" "The daughter of the current king. Princess Shakuna Maafern is the descendant of the hero." "..." I was speechless when I heard the name of the Maafern Kingdom. What popped into my mind was the aristocrat I had purged the other day, Belonga Jack Salt, the "Man-Eater Count". That man was also a nobleman in the Maafern Kingdom, but I never thought I would hear the name of his country again. CH 116 "...There''s a ''strange'' bond between that country and me. I don''t like that country." Maafern Kingdom is the location of an additional scenario in [DunBrave 2] that could be downloaded for a fee. The additional scenario ¡ª ''Jade Tombstone'' - is set in the desert kingdom, Maafern, where the protagonist, Leon, confronts the tyranny of the state power. The time frame is right after the defeat of the Demon King. One day, Leon, who became the hero of the time after defeating the Demon King, is invited by the royal family of the neighboring kingdom, Maafern, to a founding party held at the royal palace. Leon had no choice but to go to the neighboring kingdom, but when he arrived there, he saw the people being oppressed by the authorities. Leon felt a fierce righteous indignation toward the children shivering in the corner of the street, the starving and emaciated vagabonds, the whipped and forced demi-humans, and the aristocrats who were laughing and laughing at them. Moved by anger and emotion, Leon storms into the king''s palace at a party to which he has been invited, accusing the king of his ruthless and uncaring rule. Of course, the king is furious at the public rebuke, and captures Leon and his friends and throws them into the prison. Despite the fact that Leon became a hero by defeating the Demon King, he is powerless before the immense power of the "State". He was unable to save the people from the cruel powers that be, and while in prison, Leon was so devastated by his inability that he even shed tears of frustration. However, Leon was rescued by the daughter of the king, the princess of the Maafern Kingdom. She let Leon out of the prison and made him a wish. ''Can you please fight for me? Please help me to save the people of this country!'' The princess rebelled against her father''s oppressive rule and formed a ''Revolutionary Army'' to save the people from being oppressed by the authorities. Taking the hand of the princess, Leon becomes a member of the revolutionary army to fight against a huge malevolence called ''State''... that is the main story. "I know that the heroine is Princess Shakuna. But I never thought she was a descendant of a hero." I mutter to myself. Princess Shakuna is the main heroine of the additional scenario, but there is no information in the scenario that she is a descendant of a hero. The story was that Shakuna was the daughter of a traveling dancer whom King Maafern had dallied with for fun, and that her mother had died many years ago after being played with by the king. "...So, the dancer''s mother was a descendant of a hero, huh? Does this mean that having a great bloodline has nothing to do with nobility?" "Oh, did you know about that? You even knew that Princess Shakuna''s mother was a dancer?" "I''m sort of related to her... now what to do... I''m faced with a tough three choices." I crossed my legs and thought about it. My plan to defeat the Demon King was to seal him off by recruiting a descendant of a hero and preparing a new hero apart from Leon. However... all three candidates are problematic. The first candidate, Arte Brave, Leon''s sister, is just a village girl. She does not have the strength to fight, so she must be trained from scratch. Moreover, if I involve her in the fight, her brother Leon will be furious. The friendship that has been established after the worst first impression will be lost. The second candidate, the daughter of the Spear King, may be an asset, but she is missing and her name is unknown. I cannot rely on a daughter who may or may not be found, and may even be dead. "So... the only one that can be counted on as an asset and whose whereabouts are known is Shakuna Maafern, huh? The problem is that I have to get involved in the problems of Maafern Kingdom." Shakuna Maafern is a skilled magician. She is good with the attribute of ''lightning'' and has some other useful abilities besides magic. If she is really a descendant of a hero... she would be a perfect asset to the war effort. The Revolutionary War broke out after Leon''s defeat of the Demon King. It was more than a year away, but Shakuna might already be preparing for the revolution. To bring Shakuna on board, I need to get involved in the affairs of the Maafern Kingdom. As the head of the Marquis family, there would be a lot of problems if I get involved in the revolutionary war in the neighboring country. If I''m not careful, it might even spread to the Slayers Kingdom. "...His Majesty the King is going to scold me. I hope it''s nothing more than a scolding." I look up at the ceiling with a depressed sigh. "Munch, munch... Chew, chew... desu~no" In the clubroom where the conversation has stopped, the only sound is Urza''s chewing of the tea cakes. I envy her from the bottom of my heart as I look at the white-haired girl who is enjoying the sweet treats in a good mood. CH 117 A few days after receiving the information from Polaris. I decided to go see someone over the holiday weekend. "Go to the ''Death-eating Bird (ËÀ†Ð¤¤øB)''. I need to see this guy." "Certainly, sir." The servant of the Baskerville family faithfully carries out the Lord''s orders without question. He leads the horse to the destination, a short distance from the palace. Apart from the coachman, it is just me and Urza in the carriage. Aeris and Nagisa are not here. Aeris is a representative of the Baskerville family and is present at social gatherings, trying to make contacts and gather information in the aristocratic society. Nagisa was on a mission with her fellow assassins to destroy a gangster from another country who was bringing illegal drugs into the country. Despite their differences in form, both of them are working for the Baskerville family. "..." And now, I rest my weight on the back of the carriage, rocked by the intermittent vibrations. Urza sits next to me and leans her head against the back of the carriage, so I pat her head for the moment. As I am rocked by the carriage... what comes to my mind is the information that Polaris has given me. It was about Shakuna Maafern, the descendant of a hero. "Shakuna..." I call out her name, and a pain shoots through my chest. I can say that [DunBrave1] is the best game I have ever played in my life as a gamer... but the sequel [DunBrave 2], and the additional scenario ''Jade Tombstone'', I didn''t like until the very end. I disliked [DunBrave 2] because I... or rather, ''Zenon Baskerville''s'' cuckolding of me pissed me off. And the reason why I disliked ''Jade Tombstone'' is that the last scene was so sad and empty. Princess Shakuna cooperated with Leon and staged a coup d''etat, and finally overthrew King Maafern and accomplished the revolution. After defeating her father, Shakuna proclaimed herself as the new queen to rebuild the nation... but in the ending, she was killed by an assassin''s sword. Shakuna''s chest was pierced and she died in Leon''s arms who rushed to her with a smile on her face. ''Why didn''t you resist?! You could have deflected that attack, couldn''t you?'' ''Because... she was just a child. How can I point a sword at a child...?'' Shakuna smiles weakly in Leon''s arms. The assassin who killed Shakuna was a small child. The child who was the son of the king''s aide and the son of the Knight Commander turned his blade against Shakuna to avenge his father''s death. Shakuna could have resisted if she had wanted to, but she was led astray by the face of the child, and her chest was pierced without resistance. No matter what the cause, there is no war without sorrow. Even the boy who stabbed Shakuna''s chest was also a victim born from war. That last scene made me cry. I cried a lot. I played the game again and again to see if there was any other ending, any other way for Shakuna to survive... Unfortunately, no matter how many times I played the game again, I could not save her. This last part shocked many gamers. Although not as much as in [DunBrave 2], many players complained about it. ''Shakuna had to die. No matter what the cause, we must not justify causing a civil war. We must not glorify the war. Just as Oda Nobunaga and Ryoma Sakamoto were killed in the end, Shakuna had to take responsibility for causing the war.'' This is what the scenario writer later said in an interview. War is not allowed for any reason. Shakuna had to be killed for causing a civil war in the name of revolution, and she had to be killed for the grudge she bore. I understand what the scenario writer is trying to say... but as a fan, I cannot agree with his comment. "Goshujin-sama, where is the carriage headed?" Urza, sitting next to me, asks me with a scowl as I remember something unpleasant. "...Hmm, yeah. We haven''t met yet. We''re going to meet a magician in the service of the Baskerville family, ''Death-eating Bird''." "''Death-eating Bird (¥·¥¯¥¤¥É¥ê)''... what a funny name, desu~no. And what business does Goshujin-sama have with this person?" "Well, ''Death-eating Bird'' has the corpse of the scum nobleman Jack Salt from the other day. He''s a magician who can talk to corpses and get information out of them. I''d like to find out a little more about Maafern Kingdom, so I thought I''d meet him in person." "This person can talk to corpses? A very strange person, desu~no" "That''s true, but... hmm?" The carriage stopped abruptly. The horses are neighing. "What''s wrong! Did something happen!?" "W-Wakadanna-sama! It''s...!" "...!" I asked the man in front of me. His voice came back impatiently. It seems that an accident has occurred. Urza and I immediately jump off the carriage. The carriage is already outside the capital. The unpaved footpath is surrounded by trees, and we seem to have been going through the woods. "This is...!" "It''s an enemy attack!" The carriage is surrounded by numerous enemies. There are ten enemies... no, there must have been more than twice as many, including those hiding behind the trees. The shadows of the enemies around us are not human. But that does not mean that they are monsters. Around the carriage is something humanoid. They had no eyes, no nose, and no mouth. It looked like a mannequin doll with a face like an egg, but with clothes on. """""...""""" The crowd of creepy dolls surrounded the carriage silently... and then they pulled out weapons such as knives and clubs. "Good grief... so that''s what this is about. It''s a mess." I instantly understood the situation... and sighed deeply. "Looks like we''re getting a warm welcome... Urza, can you kill it?" "No problem! Goshujin-sama''s enemies are all dead, desu~no!" At her Lord''s question, Urza nodded with a ferocious smile on her young face. She raises her beloved kanab¨­ high into the air and strikes at the armed puppet. CH 118 """"Kakakakakakakakakakakakakakaka"""" A puppet-like ''something'' with a knife or a club in its hand closes the distance and comes at us, making a sound like a moving spring. "Chest! Desu~no!" However, Urza swings full force, like a big leaguer. And the head of the knife-wielding puppet shatters into a thousand pieces, and it hits a tree trunk, shattering it into pieces. "First one, desu~no! It''s no big deal at all, desu~no!" "Be on your guard! It''s not over yet!" "Huh!?" The puppet, which had lost its head, pulled out its knife toward Urza without hesitation. Urza rushes backward to avoid the deadly blade and looks at the puppet in surprise. "It attacked me headless!? Is this a strange phenomenon, desu~no!?" "It''s quite a strange phenomenon when a puppet attacks you. I mean, these are just puppets. So, the vital point is not always in the... head!" "Ka...!" I stabbed my sword into the puppet''s chest as it approached me. It seems that I was able to destroy the core inside the puppet''s body. After all, like a marionette whose strings have been cut, the puppet crumples to the ground. This mannequin-like humanoid puppet that attacked us ¡ª called ''Crazy Marionette''. It is a lifeless puppet monster, and unless its core somewhere in its body is destroyed, it will attack you regardless of whether you cut off its head or shred its arms and legs. "Perhaps, the core is hidden inside the body. Find it and destroy it!" "I understand, desu~no! I''ll destroy it anyway, desu~no!" Urza makes a big jump and attacks one of the puppets from the upper position. The Crazy Marionette is crushed from head to foot by the full force of the blow delivered by Urza, who has been training her combat skills, [Hammer Art]. Once the whole body was shattered, it did not matter where the core was. It is a bold move that shows no sign of wisdom, but it is very typical of Urza. "Wakadanna-sama! I''m here to help you...!" "You guard the carriage and the horses! I don''t want to walk home from the woods like this!" I order my servant, who is holding a weapon for protection, kicking away a puppet that is trying to hit me with a club. As a servant of the Baskerville family, he knew at least some fighting techniques. However... I do not intend to rely on his help. If I cannot defeat an enemy of this caliber, I cannot call myself the head of the Baskerville family. "I''ll finish it off at once! Swallow my enemies into the abyss... Black Hole!" I launched a dark magic ranged attack. Just a few moments after the chanting, a jet-black gravity storm envelops the group of puppets, and about half of the crazy marionettes that were pointing their weapons at us were swallowed by the darkness and smashed to pieces. "As expected of Goshujin-sama, desu~no! But Urza can''t afford to lose!" Urza''s body immediately enveloped in a bright red aura. Her white hair stood on end, and her irises glowed gold in the center of her red-tinted eyes. Her eyes transformed into a special eye called "Fiery Eyes", making her look like a god of war. This is the activation of [Oni-ka], a special ability that only Oni-jin can use. This technique did not appear in the game [DunBrave]. It is a unique ability of the Oni-jin race that is different from skills. Urza was able to activate the technique which she had activated unconsciously in the duel with Nagisa, by her own will. Now, Urza is enveloped in a red aura, and her attack power and speed are greatly increased for a certain period of time. Instead, the attack''s hit rate is reduced... "Urararararararararararara... desu~no!" """"Katakatakatakatakatakatakata!?"""" Urza swings her spiked kanab¨­ around. And a stormy barrage is created. The remaining crazy marionettes are destroyed one by one as they are caught in these blows. Urza is equipped with a Kanab¨­, a weapon with high attack power but low hit rate. It sounds good as a ''one-hit-kill'' weapon, but it lacks stability. The [Oni-ka] effect further lowered the hit rate, but Urza compensated for it with her overwhelming speed. "She''s a power fighter, but she''s very agile... I guess her small body isn''t all it''s cracked up to be..." "This is the last time... de-su-no!" "Katakatakatatatatata..." The last of the crazy marionettes falls prey to Urza''s Kanab¨­. All of them, including the one hiding behind the tree, are now destroyed. I take no damage. Urza was hit several times by enemy attacks, but she was only grazed. There was no damage that could take the life of a tough ogre. "The battle is over. It seems that we have become much stronger than before." After the duel with Garondolf Baskerville, my father, we had been training hard during the summer vacation. During the day, we would hide in dungeons and hunt monsters, and at night we would do our duty as the Baskerville family to take down the villains that were running amok... Thanks to these days, our combat skills had greatly improved. "Leon had matured a lot as a hero, but I couldn''t let him down. A villain has a villain''s pride. I will not be overtaken so easily by a righteous warrior." "Haiya, my puppet has been defeated. Everything''s destroyed." "...Finally, you''re here. As usual you''re talking in a shady tone..." A third person''s voice echoed from deep in the woods. The space that should have been empty distorts like a mirage, and a girl in a strange outfit appears. She has a beautiful oriental look. She is as small as Urza, but her breasts are abnormally big and full against her petite figure. She had what is called ''Lolippai''. Her unbalanced body is wrapped up in a cloth with a tight collar and deep slits on both sides of her legs. This clothe is called "qipao," or "Chinese dress". "Hao! Thank you for coming. Our leader-dono!" "Don''t lie to me! And don''t say such convenient things when you were really going to kill me... ''Death-eating Bird''." The girl who raises her hand with a big smile is called Lin Hua. She is a magic in the service of the Baskerville family. Known in the underworld by the nickname ''Death-Eating Bird'', she is a skilled ''Necromancer''. CH 119 The Baskerville family¡ªthe leader of evil in the Slayers Kingdom. Since its foundation, the Baskervilles have ruled over criminals and gangsters who may harm the state, mainly in the underworld, and many crooks have served under their command. The Death-Eating Bird¡ªLin Hua, is one of them. She is a member of a Necromancer family that has been in the service of the Baskervilles for three generations. It is said that Lin Hua''s grandfather was a Taoist trained in the East. A Taoist is a kind of monk who trains himself for immortality, and is skilled in the art of manipulating dead bodies. Everyone has probably heard of the monster called "Jiangshi" at least once. Yes, Jiangshi is an undead creature used by a Taoist. According to the story, Lin Hua''s family was a kind of evil practitioner who had strayed from the right path, and they were driven out of the country after a dispute with the royal family of their hometown. They fled to Slayers Kingdom and were taken in by the Baskervilles, and the master-servant relationship continued until their granddaughter Lin Hua''s generation. Incidentally, Lin Hua is another character who appeared in the game. She is Zenon''s supporting character in [DunBrave 2], and is a villainous character who helped him to hunt down and cuckold Leon''s heroine by using her undead minions and puppets. "I''m glad that boss came to see me~" As soon as we see each other, Lin Hua hugs me with a smile on her face. She was only as tall as my waist, and her smile seemed innocent and pure... but I clicked my tongue and put her in a headlock. "You! Don''t you dare to harass me, your Lord! Really, you''re getting on my nerves every time!" I squeeze the girl''s head tightly and warn her. The puppets that attacked us earlier, they were monsters used by Lin Hua. Necromancer'' is a magic job derived from Summoner, and it can cast specific monsters to fight for her. But only undead and inorganic monsters such as puppets can be used by Lin Hua. The fact that she could cast more than 20 monsters at the same time is a testament to her power. "Bushi. I can''t do that. I have to find out if my leader is worthy of being my leader. The best way to do that is to fight, aru~yo" "...I''ve never seen anyone say ''aru (¥¢¥ë)'' in real life. Everything you say is so shady." Despite the lock on her head, Lin Hua''s face is cool. In fact, her childish face was dyed with joy, as if she was happy to have skinship with me. "Muu! That''s not fair, desu~no!" In the meantime, Urza intervened from the side and forcefully pulled Lin Hua off of me. Apparently, she didn''t like the fact that I was having a tit-for-tat with another girl, who was about the same size as her. "Who is this little bit*h! Urza can''t allow another little girl to have an affair with him, desu~no!" "Oh, is this the oni girl? She''s as cute and tiny as people say. Her height and chest are the size of an ant''s. She''s adorable, aru~yo." "Ghhh... You said it, you little cow! Even though you''re a loli, your breasts are too big, desu~no! You''ll get a red card, desu~no!" "Hahahahaha, can you satisfy the boss with such a small body? I think I can make the boss feel much better than you, aru~yo." "You piss me off! If there''s enough technique, I don''t need a big chest, desu~no! Even Goshujin-sama likes Urza''s mouth very much and last night..." "Stoppp! Stop ittt!" I grabbed Urza''s and Lin Hua''s head and forcefully separated them from their quarreling. Even though Lin Hua is my subordinate, I don''t want my night life to be revealed out loud. "Stop playing around and let''s talk about work. Lin hua, what about that thing I entrusted to you? Did you get the information out of him?" "Shi~, of course I did. I''ve done my job properly, so I want you to praise me, aru~yo." Lin Hua tries to hug me... but Urza quickly steps in between us and blocks the way. She defends with the agility of a seasoned point guard. "I won''t let you do it! The Loli slot in Goshujin-sama belongs to Urza, desu~no! I won''t let the evil little cow have it, desu~no!" "Bu hao (No way)! You annoying little oni! I''m going to show you that Lolippai is the best in the world, so be prepared, aru~yo!" "...Give me a break. I don''t have enough tsukkomi." I slump my shoulders in exhaustion. The two girl, Urza and Lin Hua. I had been wondering what would happen if I put the two loli girls together... but it turns out to be even more boisterous than I had imagined. In the end, I was able to accomplish what I set out to do ten minutes later. Still, the two Loli''s continued to argue at a low level until I was able to quiet them down and get them to calm down. CH 120 "Come on, come on, let''s go in~" Lin Hua led me to a small house in the forest, the lair of the ''Death-eating Bird''. "Uh..." As soon as I entered the dimly lit house, I could smell the nauseating smell of rottenness in the air. It is a smell that I have become quite familiar with since I came to this world... in other words, the smell of death. Inside the small house, corpses are laid out in various places. A model of a human body with its skin peeled off and flesh and organs exposed. A woman''s head hung from the ceiling. A deformed corpse soaked in a formalin-like liquid and stuffed in a bottle. A man''s face skin pinned to the wall. A pile of corpses arranged in disorder, but somehow in harmony. These fearful objects made me feel insane just by looking at them... but what they all have in common is that every single one of them is "alive". ''Ugh... Aaaa...'' ''Help... Gigigigigigi...'' ''Forgive me... Already, please kill me...'' A sobbing voice comes from the mouth of the corpse. How could they be spinning the words? Even the raw heads and human skins, which should have had no throats or lungs, were speaking. The wreckage enchanted by Lin Hua, the ''Necromancer'', is not allowed to die, but is being played with as a toy. "You have a bad taste... What a quintessential example of a corpse-lover (necrophilia). The sensibilities of a magician skilled in the use of the undead are unique." "But everyone here is a deviant, an out-of-towner, okay? ''Don''t kill anyone else''. That''s the deal I made with the boss''s ancestors." The grandfather of the ''Death-eating Birds'' had made a pact with the ancestors of the Baskervilles, giving them several "bonds" in exchange for the protection of their clan. One of them is that they are not allowed to kill anyone but the outsiders who are hostile to the Baskervilles. Incidentally, one of the ''bonds'' was even a very troublesome one that "if the head of the Baskerville family is replaced, the new head can be put to the test to see if he is fit to be a lord". Thanks to this, every time I met Lin Hua, I would be confronted with undead or puppets... my ancestors had made a rule that was unnecessary. "Here, here~. Here''s my new one, aru~yo!" "Wow..." Lin Hua brought a pincushion. It is used to keep needles in when sewing. ''Uuu.... Ghh... Aaaaaaa...'' But a pitiful cry leaked out from the "Pincushion". This ''pincushion'' is crying with its face contorted as much as possible. He is actually the scum aristocrat I beat up the other day, Belonga Jack Salt. Belonga had been decapitated, leaving only his head. In addition, the skin of his head and a part of his skull had been removed, leaving his brain exposed. In addition, Belonga''s brain is pierced with numerous needles. Hundreds of sewing needles used for embroidery are growing out of her brain, just like hairs on the back of her head. ''No... No more needles...'' Belonga''s mouth breaks into sobs. The worst of the villains who used to kidnap and mutilate so many children seem to be experiencing the pains of hell even as they live. It is a cruel end, even if he deserved it. "...It''s pathetic. No, he deserves it considering what he has done. In fact, it may not be enough for the victims and their bereaved families." "I was saved because I just in need of a new pincushion. I will take good care of my boss''s gift, aru~yo." "I didn''t give it to you as a gift... so what was he talking about?" "Shi~, that''s right..." Lin Hua''s mouth spins the information that was extracted through torture or interrogation. Lin Hua, a skilled necromancer, has a hobby of loving dead bodies, and the process of her loving dead bodies naturally spits out information. It is doubtful if she is aware that she is trying to get information out of them, but... there was no information that Lin Hua could not get out of them, even if they were not open to any kind of torture. What Jack Salt told her was what kind of evil things he, the fearless madman, had done in his life. It was disgusting to hear. Where he had killed whom. How he killed them. How he cooked them and ate them... even how they tasted. He also talked about the inside of the Maafern Kingdom... just as I knew, the neighboring kingdom seems to have severe status disparity and oppression of its people. He did not seem to know Shakuna, the princess, and had little information about her. "And... he said something funny. He said that it was on the orders of His eminence that he was kidnapping children in this country, aru~yo." "His Eminence...?" I wonder who he''s talking about. Considering that Jack Salt is a nobleman from a neighboring kingdom, it''s likely someone from the Maafern kingdom. The fact that this man, a count, is following him suggests that he''s a very powerful man. I believe ''His Eminence'' is a title reserved for religious authorities... "...Well, I don''t understand. Don''t you know the name of this ''His Eminence''?" "I only knew the name as ''Your Eminence, or His Eminence''. Like ''Your Eminence, help me¡ª'' or ''His Eminence, Godjhiwoo (¥´¥¸¥Ò¥ò©`)''." "Hmm... Is it religion? Maybe he''s affiliated with a church or temple in a neighboring country, but... there''s too little information." Even though [DunBrave] has many priests and priestesses, religion is never explained in detail in the game. There are several religions, sects, and even paganism... I only know about the Slayers Kingdom at best. I do not have the slightest knowledge of the religious situation in the neighboring countries. "...Slayers Kingdom has a king who is also the head of the church, and the cardinal is the practical head of the church." Would that be similar to the Church of England as an institution? I don''t know if it is the same in Maafern Kingdom, but that is just in this country. "I''ll ask Aeris about it later... Lin Hua, you continue to get information out of this guy. Ask him if he knows anything about His Eminence and the Revolutionary Army." "Shi~, I understand. I''ll talk to him later while I''m sewing a handkerchief, aru~yo" Torture while sewing is a good thing. My reliable yet terrifying subordinate was bothering me as I left the lair of the "Death-eating Bird" with Urza in tow. CH 121 After receiving the information from the Death-Eating Bird, we went back to the Baskervilles'' mansion by horse-drawn carriage as we had done before. It seems that Aeris and Nagisa had already returned when we got back to the mansion, and they greeted us at the entrance. From there on, it was the same as usual. A classic turn of events. We had dinner, took a bath, and finally went to bed. Of course, the nightly battle has begun. "So... Do you mean that something is going on in the Maafern kingdom? That someone called ''His Eminence'' is working in the dark?" At the end of the night''s fighting. After I summarized the information I had gotten from Polaris and Lin Hua, Aeris tilted her head and asked this question. There are three of us in the king-size bed, me, Aeris, and Nagisa. Urza and Levienna are not here. Since I don''t have enough energy to have physical contact with four women every day, these days I often ask two women at a time to take turns to be my partner for the night. Today, Nagisa and Aeris were on duty, and the other two were sleeping in the other room. Nagisa, who had just been doing a strenuous workout, was sleeping soundly next to me. Meanwhile, Aeris and I were sorting out the information we had gathered together. "...Yeah, I''m also wondering why the scum nobleman in the neighboring country have been kidnapping children in this country. Even so, the neighbor is a shady country. They might be up to something." I added, looking up into Aeris''s face. I want to say that... But actually, what I am looking up at are her two hills. Currently, I am lying with my head on Aeris''s thigh. This is what is called "lap pillow". I want to look Aeris''s face with my head resting on the best pillow... but I can''t see her face because of her ridiculously huge chest. A completely naked girl was giving me a lap pillow, an experience I could not have imagined in my previous life. "As I don''t know much about religious matters, I would like to ask for the wisdom of Aeris. Do you have any idea who this ''His Eminence'' is? I''m sure he''s a religious official, given the name." "Well... Do you know about the ''Valmet religion (¥Ð¥ë¥á¥Ã¥È½Ì)'', Zenon-sama?" "...I think I''ve heard of it, but I''m not sure." The word "Valmet" seems to have appeared in the game... but I don''t think it was an important word. I think I heard such a word in a line spoken by an NPC. "Valmet Maafern, also known as the ''Creator King'', was the first king of the Maafern Kingdom. He is worshipped as the Creator God in the neighboring country, and he is regarded as a living god who has the blood of the Creator God in his veins." "Hmm... ''Creator King'', huh?" I guess it is not an unusual story. Christian and Buddha are said to have existed, and the Japanese imperial family has reigned as descendants of Amaterasu. It is common for historical figures to be worshipped as gods, and for people claiming to be descendants of gods to be rulers. "You know that the neighboring countries have a very strict class system... The descendants of the Creator God are the royalty, and the descendants of the ''Apostles'' who served the Creator God are the nobility. The royalty and nobility have the right to rule over the people, but they have the duty to guide the people to the right path." "For all that, I don''t hear good things about the nobility in that country. I hear that those in power are taxing and oppressing the people?" "It seems so... But I don''t think that country used to be such a place..." Aeris''s face clouded as if she was remembering something. "Almost ten years ago, my father took me to the Maafern Kingdom. Our country, which worships the goddess who created the world, and this country, which worships the Creator God, have different religions, but... when the previous leader, Raifit Jaro-sama (¥é¥¤¥Õ¥£¥Ã¥È?¥¸¥ã¥í), was here, royalty and nobles understood their position correctly, and their mission was to help the weak. That country has changed since the ''Guru (Œ§ŽŸ)'' took over." "Is this ''Guru (Œ§ŽŸ)'' different from a king...?" "A ''Guru (Œ§ŽŸ)'' is a priest in charge of organizing doctrines and preaching the faith, much like a cardinal in our country." "Cardinal... the head of a religion. You mean, like ''His Eminence''?" "It''s possible. The previous Guru was close to my father and known as a man of character, but since the current Guru took over, the arrogance of those in power has only increased. I don''t want to speak ill of a man I''ve never met, but honestly, the current Guru, Rudagana-sama, would probably be tempting the nobles to do evil." "Rudagana... is that the name of the current Guru?" I''ve never heard that name before. Yes, I''m sure I''ve never heard it before, but I don''t know why. It felt strange, as if a strand of my memory had been plucked. I repeat the name to find out what it is that is so strange that it sticks with me. "Rudagana... Rudanaga... Ru-da-ga-na... Hmm?" As I repeat the name, the feeling of discomfort becomes stronger and stronger. As I search my memory, I see a man in my mind. "Rudanaga...no, Rujanaga! One of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon King Army, ''Rujanaga the Snake God Priest!" At last, I succeeded in finding the source of the discomfort. It was the name of the enemy character who appeared in the game - the boss character who had been the most difficult enemy for Leon the Brave. Rujanaga, the Snake God Priest. One of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon King Army. In other words, he is a boss character in the same position as the evil swordsman Shinya Kushinagi. While Shinya was an excellent swordsman who wielded a nightmarish sword, Rujanaga was an enemy who specialized in magic. His fighting ability was not so high. Compared to Shinya, Rujanaga might be called weak. However, Rujanaga was the only one among the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon King Army who was good at scheming and plotting, and he always did things that I did not like. He takes people who are close to the hero as hostages, turns unrelated people into monsters with evil methods, and even uses monster (Mamono) that specialize in raping women to attack the heroine. He is one of the most hated characters among all the characters in [DunBrave]. While ''Zenon Baskerville'', another hated character, has a strong following among a certain segment of the population and plays a leading role in thin books... none of the players liked Rujanaga. "Rujanaga has also tried to manipulate those in power to start civil wars and civil unrest...perhaps he is also behind the turmoil and revolution in the Maafern kingdom?" "Zenon-sama...?" Aeris looks doubtful as I mumble... but I''m so deep in my thoughts that I don''t even care about that. The additional scenario featuring the Maafern Kingdom¡ª''Jade Tombstone''¡ªis set in the timeline after the overthrow of the Demon King. Rujanaga, one of the fourth heavenly king, should have been defeated by Leon at that time, but it is possible that the plot that Rujanaga had been working on might have bloomed over time. Rujanaga disguised himself as a human being and took on the role of ''Rudanaga the Guru'' to gain power. It is possible that Rujanaga was trying to cause a civil war in the form of a revolution by getting the royalty and the nobility to oppress the people. By creating a civil war, he may have been trying to get people to kill each other and possibly even to spark chaos in the neighboring Slayers Kingdom. "If my guess is right... if Rujanaga is defeated at this point, can I prevent a civil war from breaking out?¡± If so, it would prevent the ''Jade Tombstone'' scenario from being triggered. I may be able to avert the death of Shakuna, the princess, and even bring in her as a collaborator, since she carries the bloodline of the hero. Moreover, defeating Rujanaga would prevent many tragedies that he might cause in the future. "...Let''s go to Maafern Kingdom." I''ve been thinking about it... and I''ve come to that conclusion. There are disadvantages to leaving the Slayers Kingdom, but there are even greater advantages. If Rujanaga, the brain of the Four Heavenly Kings, can be defeated, the power of the Demon King will be greatly reduced. If I can get in touch with Shakuna Maafern, the princess, I may be able to get Shakuna, who is a descendant of the hero, to cooperate with me in defeating the Demon King. Two birds with one stone. It was well worth leaving the Slayers Kingdom behind and heading for the Maafern Kingdom. "Geez... Don''t ignore me!" "Ugh!?" Aeris said sultryly and hugged me with her knees. My face is pressed against the two large breasts, and my breathing is choked. The soft flesh that perfectly shaped and wrapped around my face is so... I mean, what does she eat that makes them so soft yet so nice fat? I am amazed at the mystery of life, or rather, the mystery of women. "...I''m right here beside you. Did you forget?" "Mnght...?" This time, the attack is on the lower half of the body. It seems that Nagisa, who had been down, has gotten up. I don''t dare to describe the details of the attack, but it is a hard attack on the lower part of the body. It seems that there is an enemy that I must defeat before going to the Maafern Kingdom. Confronted with a beautiful, huge, and difficult foe I enter the second round of the night battle. CH 122 Thanks Reni2425 and webolivefor the support... Maafern Kingdom, a neighboring country to the west, can be described in one word: ''Arabian Nights-like country''. The country, which is covered with desert for two-thirds of its land, is hot and arid. The environment of this country is very different from that of the warmer Slayers Kingdom, and visitors to this country are at first puzzled by the difference in climate. Most of the population is concentrated in oases scattered in the desert, and the royal capital, the center of the state, is located next to a large river called the ''Bern River (¥Ù¥ë¥óºÓ)''. Maafern Kingdom was founded about 500 years ago, but there are still some ruins of ancient civilizations around the great river. Many of them are now dungeons, inhabited by monsters. "It''s hot..." Now, we travel by carriage (܇) through such a sand-covered land. Even inside the carriage, which was blocked by the roof and interior walls, the heat of the sun''s rays transmitted through the walls. The carriage can seat up to six people, but, because there are only three of us, we''re using it spaciously. For the note, the carriage''s wheels are different from normal carriage, and it is specially designed to climb over sand piles. So, as we move forward, the wheels draw a line in the sand. In the Maafern Kingdom, where there are many desert areas, the means of transportation is mainly by ''Dragon Carriage''. These carriages are pulled by dragons called ''Sand Dragon'' instead of the ''Earth Dragon'' that are common in the Slayers Kingdom. Sand dragon is smaller in size than Earth Dragon, but they are very strong against heat and could store water on their backs like camels. Now, these two sand dragons pulled the dragon carriage that we boarded with great force, heading toward the capital of the Maafern Kingdom. "Goshujin-sama... It''s hot, desu~no. It''s like a cauldron of hell has opened..." In the dragon carriage, Urza leans languidly on my lap. It''s been half a day since we started our desert journey. It seems that this little ogre has collapsed from the heat. So yesterday we crossed the border and entered Maafern Kingdom. Then, we paid some money at a nearby village to rent a dragon carriage, and began our journey to the capital. The first challenge we encountered after entering the desert was, as we expected, the extremely hot weather. As I explained before, the dragon carriage had thick curtains covering the windows so that no direct sunlight could come in. However, the hot air in the sealed room made us feel as if we were in a sauna. Some people might think that it would be better to open the windows, but... when the windows are opened, a huge amount of sand comes in with the wind. Besides, the wind in this desert sometimes blows a kind of dust called "poisonous sand" generated from the carcasses of dead monsters, which makes it impossible for non-native visitors to open the windows. I remember that in the desert area, there is terrain that when you just walk on it, the terrain will damage you. It''s natural because the heat is unbearable. It is much worse than being attacked by monsters. I think we''ll be roasted before we reach our destination. "Oh..." Even Urza, who was initially excited about her first visit to the desert, is now completely giddy. It seems that there is no time to be coy. I took out an item from my item bag to reduce the heat. "Icebird Feather (šêøB¤ÎÓð)." It''s a translucent feather made of ice, which I took out just like a secret tool of a cat-shaped robot. Then, as soon as I lightly fan the feather, which is about 30 centimeters long, a chill of air flows inside the dragon carriage. "Hwaah! It''s cool, desu~no!?" Suddenly, Urza jumps up at the cold wind that brushes her face. She looks at the ice feather in my hand and tilts her head. "Goshujin-sama, what is that? Is that a feather?" "Yes, it is a feather from a bird called Ice Bird. Its original purpose is quite different... but let''s use it to keep cool." Icebird feather is used as a material item to make weapons and armor, but this item can also be used as a consumable item to inflict ice damage on enemies. Just as a light fan had cleared away the heat in the carriage, throwing it at an enemy with all one''s might could freeze them in place. "Ugh... Now it is getting cold, desu~no. I''m afraid I''m going to catch a cold, desu~no" "Don''t be selfish. Put on some heavy clothes and adjust." I hand her the warm clothes I took out of my bag, and Urza wraps the fur blanket around her small body. She looks like a bagworm as she warms herself with only her face showing. "Bocchama, you must be cold too. Please take this blanket." The other passenger in the carriage spread out the blanket and invited me to come in. My companion, who is traveling with me and Urza to a neighboring country, is Levienna, the maid. Aeris and Nagisa, who are members of our party, did not accompany us on this trip. They had been left in charge of the Baskerville family while we were away from the Slayers Kingdom. Since Aeris was a daughter of a noble family, she had received a high level of education from her childhood. As such, she has been entrusted with all the internal affairs of the house, including paperwork, as the acting head of the house. Nagisa also has been put in charge of behind-the-scenes work. She is in charge of organizing assassins under the Baskerville family, controlling gangs, and purging out the scum who have strayed from the path. It was a hard decision to leave my two companions behind... but I had no idea how long this trip would take. After all, the head of the marquis family would be away from home for a long time. So, I would need someone to fill in for me. Of course, both Aeris and Nagisa were not happy about being left behind, but I told them that it is a wife''s duty to take care of her husband''s absence, and they agreed with me. I am afraid to go home, though, because I made a promise to do whatever they say when I come back. As for Levienna, I brought her in to replace the two-missing people. At first, I was going to take one of my assassins or a gangster... but Levienna volunteered to take the place. I tried to stop her, asking what a free maid could do, but then Levienna said the most outrageous thing. ''Bocchama, I won''t slow you down! Because my job is ''Royal Guard'' now!'' ''Royal Guard'' is a rare job besides ''Rune Knight''. There is only one character in DunBrave who has this job. When I asked her why Levienna had such a job, she told me that she had trained and changed her job in the past two months. Two months ago¡ªthat fateful night just before summer vacation. I had a duel with my father, Garondolf Baskerville, and after a mortal struggle, I won. This ''duel to the death'' is not a metaphor. I was actually killed once and revived thanks to a revival item. Levienna was also there... and she felt a sense of constricting fear when she saw me being stabbed by Garondolf''s sword. She was so overwhelmed by her inability to participate in the battle that she started training to somehow be useful to me in battle as well. Well, lately, she has been absent from the mansion on many days for personal reasons. It seems as a result of her intense training in those days, Levienna has opened the way for her to become a ''Royal Guard. Considering that her initial job was a ''Servant'', a non-combatant position, this is a terrific evolution. I am afraid to ask how much effort she put into it. "Please come here, Bocchama." "...Yeah." Levienna opens the blanket and invites me in. I sit down next to her, and we snuggle into the blanket together. "Hafu..." "..." As we are wrapped in the same blanket, Levienna has a look of happiness on her face. She looked satisfied, as if she had monopolized all the happiness in the world. You may think it''s a little late for that after all the erotic things we''ve done, but this situation is rather embarrassing. However, considering the efforts Levienna has made in order to protect me, I could not be indifferent to her. So, I do as Levienna asks and we exchange body temperatures. "Bocchama... I''m so happy." "Is that so...? If you''re that happy because of this, you''re a cheapskate." "Well, it''s not just that I get to be with you, but I''ve always wanted to have adventures with you, Bocchama. I am truly happy to be a shield for my beloved." "..." She said with a hint of color in her cheeks, and I turned my eyes away to hide my shame. Inside the blanket, Levienna''s hand moves and grabs my arm, guiding me toward her. Immediately, I feel a soft touch on my hand. It doesn''t take me long to realize that it is the feeling of Levienna''s breast. "Ghh... I''m late. I''m cold inside and out, desu~no." "Hehehe... isn''t it okay? I''m so proud of myself." Urza, who is sitting opposite me, stares at us with her head wrapped up in a blanket. Levienna smiles triumphantly at the girl with half-lidded eyes and pursed lips. CH 123 The dragon carriage had been moving through the desert without any problems... but suddenly, the body of the carriage shook with a loud "thump," and it came to a stop. I thought that the wheels had been caught in the sand, but I soon realized that it was for another reason. A loud man''s voice came from outside. "Come out! Don''t do anything unnecessary!?" "...Looks like we are in trouble. Let''s get out." Urza and Levienna nod in return. I kicked open the entrance to the dragon car and stepped out, and immediately the scorching heat of the sun began to shine down on us. I frown at the retina-burning sunlight... but then something else immediately jumps into view. "Heh heh heh... looks like your fun trip is over. Oh, nobleman." "Bandits... or should I say ''Sand Bandits''. In this country." Outside the dragon carriage, a dozen men are waiting. All of them are armed, and they are staring at us with mocking eyes. Among the sand bandits is a local guide who I had hired as a coachman of the dragon carriage. He does not appear to be captured, but is holding a weapon like the other sand bandits. "...It looks like we''re being set up. It seems that the man was one of the sand bandits." I sigh deeply. Probably, that man had been acting as a guide for the dragon carriage, while watching carefully for his prey. For example... a person who is rich and has no escort. It is said that it''s a good thing when a person gave a large tip to the guide, but it turned out to be a bad thing. Apparently, when the guide judged the person to be rich enough, he decided that the person was worth robbing. Besides, the fact that Urza and Levienna were my only companions was also a factor. Maybe I should have brought a strong-looking escort, even if it was just for show. And now, the guide who judged that I was ''easy prey'' led me to the place where his companions were waiting, and then he revealed himself and attacked me. "I wonder... why they have a lot of guts, desu~no? To attack Goshujin-sama." "They have no idea how scary Zenon-bocchama is. After all, he''s wearing sunglasses today." "...Is it only me? Well, I''m certainly covering my eyes today." I laugh at Urza and Levienna''s words and touch the sunglasses on my face. Since we are traveling in the desert, I have been wearing sunglasses to protect my eyes from the sun. The sunglasses are a subtle accessory with a defense of ''1'' and a 5% reduction of light damage, but it is a popular fashion item that changes the appearance of a character. "If they could see my eyes, they probably wouldn''t have thought of fooling me... No one would be a daredevil to pick a fight with me when they see my villainous face..." "Leader (¤ªî^)! Look at them, they''re scared!" "Gahahahaha! It''s only natural that this young master and his girl scared because they are captured by us ''Red Spear Gang''..." "Hee hee hee... he''s got a nice girl with him. I can''t wait to hear what she sounds like!" As we get off the dragon carriage and stand on our feet, the sand bandits, who seem to be the Red Spear Gang, are smiling at us with a sneer. I don''t know what kind of gang they are... but they don''t appear in the game, and I, as the head of the bad guys in the neighboring country, have never heard of them. In other words, they are just that kind of people. "Hyahahaha! Let me have a little taste! This woman''s body... I can''t stand it!" One of the sand bandits approached with a shrill voice. The man has a big smile on his ugly face and tries to reach for Levienna''s breasts, which are wrapped in a maid''s robe. "...You dirty bastard. Don''t touch my girl." I immediately took action. A bullet of dark magic shot out from my finger and went straight through the man''s brain. "Pyahhh..." It took less than a second to kill this man. He probably didn''t even know what happened to him as he fell on his back with the bullet through his brain. "Thank you for saving me, Bocchama." "I know it''s easy to you that now you''re a Royal Guard but I can''t have other people''s hands on my property. If you mess with my girl, you''ll be prepared to die." "Uuuu...!" The second half of the sentence was directed at the sand bandit... but for some reason Levienna gasped in ecstasy. Levienna covered her face with her palm, and blood flowed slightly through the gaps between her fingers. "I can''t believe I''m Bocchama''s property... I''m so excited." "...For now, wipe the nosebleed. We''re about to go into battle." "Y-You son of a bitch! What did you do to my men!?" A large, hairy man as big as a bear yell at me. He carried a spear painted red on his back. "If you didn''t know what I did to him, then you''re just that much of an enemy. I have no right to give you a souvenir, and you''ll die knowing nothing." "You brat... I''m the leader of the Red Spear Gang, for crying out loud!? If you think I''m stupid, I''ll beat you to death..." "Okay~, I will beat you, desu~no!" Before I can finish my threat, the enemy boss is blown backwards. Urza, who had started to move without waiting for my order, had given him a flying kick. "Goshujin-sama is flirting with Levienna-san all the time! I''m so pissed off, I''m going to do some exercise to relieve my anger, desu~no!" "Hey, you! How dare you hit my head... Gyaaaaaaaaaaaa!?" "Ei~, desu~no!" Urza''s weapon slammed into the bandit''s torso. The bandit, whose waist was bent into a ''¤¯'' shape, flew away and plunged head first into the mound of sand, forming a parabolic curve. "I''m going to go on and on, desu~no!" "Gghaaa!?" "Gaaaa!" "Stop this little brat... Guhaaaa!" One after another, Urza smashed the sand bandits surrounding the dragon carriage. She beat them to a pulp with her Kanabou as if she was playing whack-a-mole with them. "You... son of a b*tchhhhhh!" One of the sand bandits runs toward me as if in desperation. I try to intercept my foe with my sword, but this time Levienna makes a move. "Just the prey I was looking for... let Goshujin-sama see me grow up!" Levienna stands in front of me and flips up the hem of her maid''s uniform. I wonder how she had stored them, but she pulls out a metal shield and a sword from inside her fluttering skirt. "Shield bash!" "Gigyak...!?" Levienna hits the bandit''s face with the shield, and the bandit falls on his back. While this bandit is dazed, Levienna stabs the tip of her sword into the bandit''s chest, mercilessly slamming it into his chest. "Kahak..." "As long as I am here, Zenon-bocchama will not suffer even a single scratch! This is Levienna, your maid reborn... and she will take care of you!" Levienna says with a high voice, holding up her sword and shield in both hands. Levienna''s new job¡ª''Royal Guard''¡ªis a girder job with extremely high defensive capabilities. This job is good at attracting enemies and protecting friends, and has many counter-type skills. Although the job was behind Urza''s job ''Berserker'' in power and Nagisa''s job ''Samurai Master'' in speed, this job made the rear guards such as monks and magicians much easier to move by having it in the party. "Unfortunately, a party of three vanguard people can''t make use of her strength... Hmph." "Come at me! Your limp d*ck (¥Õ¥Ë¥ã¥Á¥ó) is only half the size of Goshujin-sama''s!" """""Ooooooooooo!""""" Levienna shouts loudly, and the surviving sand bandits rush in. The girder''s essential skill, [Provocation], has been used to gain the enemy''s hate. Well, the content of the line is very interesting. Now that Levienna had attracted enough of the enemy, she took a big backstep. "Zenon-bocchama! Now!" "Yeah... I know!" I call out Levienna''s intention and immediately activate my magic. A black carpet-like thing spreads out at the feet of the crowded sand bandits, and in the next instant, countless black spears shoot out from it. "Dark magic - Blood Carpet!" """""Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa"""" The sand bandits are all wiped out by my ranged magic. It was a brilliant move in which Levienna gained the enemy''s hate, drew them to her, and then, I unleashed a ranged spell on them. "To slaughter such a large number of people with a single blow, as expected of Bocchama. Levienna is impressed." "I''m more impressed with you... you''re a great decoy." Urza also has the skill of gaining the opponent''s hate... but she can''t use it like this if she''s a madman running around and hitting the enemy as she pleases. However, Levienna''s ability to see the battlefield from a broad perspective and take the appropriate action to take advantage of her fellow fighters'' abilities was an admirable talent. "Urza, Nagisa... our vanguard is full of selfish people. But Levienna is a great maid that shows her spirit of service even during the battle. I''m impressed." "Hehehe... I''m so happy to be praised by you, Bocchama. Perhaps you can give me a reward." Levienna whispers to me in a playful manner, and I hug the maid-suited knight. "Hwahhhhhhh!? You shouldn''t do that so suddenly, Bocchama!?" Levienna screamed in my arms, surprising me, and her undulating body became limp and weak. I wonder where her defensive power had gone. After all, I never thought I could beat her with just one hug. "Sheesh! Even Urza worked hard, it''s not fair, desu~no! Goshujin-sama''s monopoly is forbidden by law, desu~no!" "Oops!?" This time, Urza hugged me on my back. She threw down her beloved Kanabou and clung to me tightly with both hands and feet. With no regard for the situation, the three of us flirt with each other in the middle of the desert. Around us, the corpses of sand bandits are lying in a heap of corpses. CH 124 "Well... What should we do now?" I looked around at the corpses lying around me. There were more than twenty sand bandits, but we had wiped them out in less than five minutes. Among the corpses lying on the ground was our guide who had brought us here. "...Oh no. I didn''t know how to return. And where is this place?" We''ve been set up by the guide and taken to a different place than the royal city we were supposed to be heading for. We don''t know where we are, and we don''t know where the royal capital is. If it was a game, I could just open the map screen and check the location... but in the real world, that is not so easy to do. The situation was very frightening: we were lost in the middle of the desert. "Royal capital... or wherever it is, we must find a human settlement or else we will die out. Besides, I can''t even operate a dragon carriage..." I looked at Urza and Levienna, hoping for a glimmer of hope, but they both shook their heads frantically. If this is a horse-drawn carriage, I might have been able to do something about it, but to operate a dragon carriage it requires the job of ''Monster Tamer (ħÎïʹ¤¤)''. Of course, none of us had it. Again, the scorching sun is shining down from the sky. Sweat is pouring down my body as soon as I become aware of it again, and at this rate, we will be lost in the middle of the desert. "Goshujin-sama... it''s suddenly getting hot, desu~no" "...You were acting wildly just now, so you probably didn''t notice. Let''s just go inside the dragon carriage and figure out what to do. We''ll turn into mummies if we stay here." A little farther away from us, the sand dragon that brought us here is lazily sleeping. Although we can''t move the dragon carriage now that our ''Monster Tamer'' is gone, we can at least take shelter in the carriage and avoid the sun. As we move toward the carriage, I notice that among the dead sand bandits, there is a man who is crawling on the ground and trying to get away from us. The one who is crawling is a big hairy man who used to call himself the leader of the Red Spear Gang. "Hey, where are you going in a hurry?" "Eeek!?" I shoot a dark magic bullet, and the bullet lands next to the face of the big man who was crawling in the desert. "You''re a tough guy to survive being kicked by Urza. But... you''re lucky. I was having a hard time figuring out where I was." "Hey, don''t think you can get away with this! The Red Spear Gang have 50 more men! My men will avenge you for sure!" "Oh? You''ve got a very interesting remark. It''s so interesting, it makes my stomach curl." "...!" I take off the sunglasses covering my eyes and glare at the big guy lying on the ground. As everyone knows, my piercing white eyes make even monsters tremble. So, it''s obvious that the big guy, who has just been beaten to a pulp, is terrified, as if he had just met a man-eating tiger. "Eeeeeeeeek!? I-I''ll tell you anything! I''ll tell you anything, but please don''t kill me! Please don''t eat me!" "I won''t eat you! What the hell are you talking about?" "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!?" I glared at him, and the big man let out a scream that echoed through the desert. Although he is a big man, he is a small man inside. "Good grief... So, where the hell is this place? Which way is the village? You''d better answer quickly..." "T-This place is 100 km southeast from the capital!" "A hundred kilometers... that''s a long way to walk without a camel, isn''t it?" I have never traveled in the desert before, including before I came to this world. Also, I don''t know how far a 100 km journey is... but there is a possibility that if we walk in the desert, we might get lost and die. With a ''certain item'', we could get back to the village where we started... but then we would have to start the journey all over again. "I want to get to the capital somehow, but... can you operate the dragon carriage?" "...I-I can''t." "I see... then there''s no reason to keep you alive." "Eeeeeeeeeek!? M-My friends! My friend''s a Monster Tamer! That guy can handle it!" I try to pull out my sword, but the big man pleads with tears in his eyes. "Where is this guy? If you''re lying, I''ll make you regret your birth!" "M-My friend at our hideout... I''ll show you the way..." "..." I looked at Urza and Levienna, and they both nodded their heads in agreement. It seems that there are no objections from the others. I ask the big man to lead us to his hideout. "If you try to run away, I''ll pull out your knee plate. Don''t try anything stupid." I take a rope out of my magic bag and restrain the big guy with it, and make him stand up. I let him lead us to his hideout, which he said was a short walk from here. CH 125 The leader of the sand bandit took us on a 10-minute walk through the desert. After sweating all over, we came to a small oasis. Near the oasis, there are plants similar to palm trees, and short grass is growing. There are several tents built on the grass, where the sand bandits seem to sleep. "Is this your hideout? How many of your people are left?" "...None. You guys took them all out." "They got what they deserved. Don''t blame me." I tell the big man, who''s giving me a hard time, resentful. As a bandit, he commits a robbery, and then he resents us for returning the favor? Only those who are ready to be killed are allowed to kill. "Then... let''s call your ''Monster Tamer'' friends..." "Yes, I understanddddddd!" "What?" The big man, who was still bound by the ropes, suddenly rushed out. He runs to the oasis with his legs cramped, and turns around at a distance from me. His hairy face is covered with a grin, an ugly grin. "Hahahaha, you fell for it, you idiot! I''ve lured you into my trap, you stupid brat!" "Hey, hey, hey... Why are you so cheerful all of a sudden? You were all teary-eyed just now..." "Fear me from the bottom of your heart! The execution''s about to begin!" "It''s too late to act tough all of a sudden. You''ve shown us all how pathetic you are. You can''t ask us to be afraid now!" "Shut uppppppp! This is where the battle begins! Hey, guys, come out now!" "Hmm...!" When the big man shouts, some monsters emerge from the sand that surrounds the oasis. They are scorpion monsters as big as a large dog that emerges from the grayish-yellow sand. At this sight, Levienna stepped forward to protect me with her sword and shield. "Bocchama, it''s a monster!" "Yeah. It''s Death Scorpion... Hmm...? Oh... So, you''re the Monster Tamer..." "Hahahahaha! It''s too late to find out now, you idiot! I bet you were surprised to see my pet, weren''t you!" The big, hairy man laughs, clutching his stomach, and shouts out in a grating, muffled voice. "I don''t have any friends in the hideout, you stupiddd! The only thing here is my monsters on guard! That means you''ve walked right into a monster''s lair!" The Death Scorpions increase in number by two or three... to a total of about ten. Then, the giant scorpion clasps its scissors together and buzzes, wagging its poisonous tail up and down from its rump. "Well... this is certainly a lot worse than the bandits." Death Scorpion is not a powerful monster, but it can poison its victims if it stings them with its tail, which it swings around aggressively. It is quite dangerous to fight Death Scorpion without a healer, not to mention without Aeris, who is a healer. Of course, I have a recovery item that can heal the abnormality, but it takes a lot of concentration to heal with the item while fighting against 10 enemies. I don''t know why he didn''t bring Death Scorpion to the first battle but it is a much more alarming situation than when we were dealing with the sand bandits. "Urza, Levienna, they are poisoned so don''t go near them. I''ll attack them with my magic, so you guys protect me and defend yourselves..." "Kyuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!" "What?" A high-pitched sound echoes through the air like a badly made flute. It wasn''t the Death Scorpion surrounding us that let out a piercing sound that pierced my eardrums. But from a huge shadow, which is break through the clouds and appears from above our heads. "This creature... Get back!" I backstep backward as quickly as I can. Urza and Levienna follow. "Hyuuuuuuuuuu!?" "Kyuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!" A huge shadow descended from the sky and attacked Death Scorpion. Death Scorpion''s hard shell is crushed by its giant beak, and the poisonous scorpion is swallowed by the giant shadow. The shadow looked like a huge jumbo jet... It was an immense bird of prey with golden feathers. Its drill-like beak preys on Death Scorpion one after another, and the number of scorpions, which had been nearly 10, is decreasing rapidly. "Oh, come on... Seriously?" Maybe I''m just unlucky today. I hired a desert guide, got duped, got attacked by sand bandits... and when I got rid of them, I was surrounded by scorpions, and now an immense monster appeared. I feel like lamenting my life for what kind of bad luck I''ve had. "...Really, without a warning...? In such place, we encountered Falcon Pharaoh¡ªQueen of the Desert. Tyrant of the sky!" I mutter bitterly as I look up at the huge falcon eating a scorpion with relish. CH 126 Condor, Eagle, Hawk, Falcon. They are all similar birds of prey in appearance. Many people may not be able to distinguish one from the other when they are shown side by side in a photograph. But there are several ways to tell them apart, such as anatomical skeletal structures and differences in the way they fly... but the easiest way to tell them apart is by their size. Condor is the world''s largest bird of prey. Eagle and Hawk, in that order, are smaller. And the smallest is Falcon. The small size of the Falcon makes it more agile, and it is said to be the world''s fastest bird in terms of vertical descent speed when it captures its prey... Anyway, Falcon is small. As a bird of prey, it is supposed to be small. "And yet... it''s crazy how big it is. It must be a naming error by the staff." The sight of a huge falcon¡ª''Falcon Pharaoh''¡ªpredating on Death Scorpion from a short distance away made me feel an intense sense of unreasonableness. A huge bird of prey monster descended from the sky. Like ''Gigant Mithril,'' which I had once fought, it is a dangerous pop monster. It is an extremely dangerous monster that appears in dungeons with a 0.01% probability, and has a fighting ability equal to or greater than that of the boss monster. "What a nuisance monster, showing up at a troublesome time...! I''m going to hide in the sand hill over there!" I lead Urza and Levienna to the shadow of the sand hill and try to stay low to let Falcon pass by. Fortunately, Falcon''s goal is to prey on the scorpions, and it is not looking at us. If we continue to hide behind the sand hill, we can avoid a fight. "Bocchama, do you know that monster?" Levienna asks me in a whisper as she hides herself behind me. "...Yes, it''s a monstrous bird called the ''Queen of the Desert''. In addition to being as big as you can see, it flies very fast. It''s on the ground now, but there''s no way we can attack it if it flies in the sky." "...Well, it seems dangerous to fight with this party without any magician or archer..." "That''s right... At all, it seems that some of us are having a hell of a lot of bad luck." Our guide leads us to the sand bandits, and just when we think we''ve defeated them, we run into the most alarming monster in the desert. What kind of bad luck is this? "But... it didn''t notice us. That''s the only lucky thing. If we just wait for this guy to finish the meal..." "Damn... Damn itttttttt!?" "What?" Suddenly, a scream echoes through the air. I looked toward the voice and saw the Sand Bandit leader holding a staff in his hand and pointing it at Falcon. "I-I''m a Monster Tamer! No monster can escape my command! Listen to me and become my slave¡ªMonster Time!" "What the hell... is that idiot doing?" A black fuzzy thing shoots out from the staff held by the sand bandit leader. The fuzzy thing wraps around Falcon, who is eating a scorpion, and tries to take away its freedom... but the Falcon shakes its head in annoyance and it easily dissipates. "No way... My power doesn''t work...!?" ''Monster Tamer'' is a special job that allowed the tamer to control monsters and use them as his or her companions. However, it was not effective against boss monsters. And now, the leader of the sand bandits who had failed to cast the Falcon stood aghast, his shoulders shaking with fear as he saw that his power was not effective against his enemies. "Does he want to die, that bastard... Don''t do anything stupid, run away!" I yelled at the shocked leader. Maybe he was trying to make the best of a bad situation. After all, even though he could have escaped from Falcon''s eyes if he had stayed hidden like we did. But the death scorpion he was using, however, was used as bait for the monster birds, and the sand bandit leader, having lost all his men and demons, was captured by us. Then, once we reach the town and hand him over to the authorities, he will be enslaved at best, and hanged at worst. So, perhaps, he thought of a reversal of fortune to ensure his survival... and that''s why he tried to control the Falcon Pharaoh. "Pyuiiiiiiiii!" Falcon, having finished eating most of Death Scorpion, turns to the sand bandit leader. It glares at the insolent Monster Tamer who tried to control it and failed, and quickly pulls its head back. "Damn... I knew it!" I shout, and jump out of the pile of sand. That''s a preliminary move for a beak attack. Soon its sharp beak will pierce the sand bandit leader. "Dark Flare!" "Pyuiii!?" Before the giant bird can attack, I hit it with my dark magic. The dark flame hits Falcon''s head from a blind spot, and part of the huge head is engulfed in black flames. Falcon hurriedly rubs its head against the ground to put out the flames. "Who''s going to operate the dragon carriage if you''re going to die! We''re stuck in the middle of the desert with no way out!" Of course, I''m not trying to help the sand bandits out of the kindness of my heart. If the leader of the sand bandits were to die, there would be no one to guide us and we would never be able to reach the capital. "Just go back to sleep, you bastard!" "Guhe!?" I kick the sand bandit leader unconscious with a leaping kick and kick him into the far side. Now he won''t interfere with the battle by doing something unnecessary. "Pyuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii! The bird cries and points its beak skyward. The black flames on its head had already disappeared. Falcon Pharaoh then completely locked on to me as an enemy with its earlier attack. It is quite unwilling, but I suppose a fight is inevitable. "It''s really not my lucky day... to have to fight against a superior enemy to save a scum like this!" I spit out disgustedly and holds up my sword. Falcon Pharaoh. Queen of the Desert. The battle against the biggest monster bird in [DunBrave] has just begun. CH 127 "Bocchama!" "Goshujin-sama!" "You two don''t come out! Stay out of sight!" I shouted without looking back at my two comrades who were about to join the fight to help me. "This is an order from your Lord! Don''t come out until I say so!" Two people instead of one. Three instead of two. It was not a question of numbers. Surely, it would be suicide to challenge the boss monster solo. But... this monster, Falcon Pharaoh, is different. Even if Urza and Levienna had joined the fight, they would have been nothing but more targets. "Pyuiiiiiiiiiiiiii!" Falcon Pharaoh flaps its wings with a high-pitched whistle-like cry. And then... in an instant, it soars far overhead. "This huge body, this speed... It''s really unreasonable!" Those who have seen the monster Falcon Pharaoh must have been first struck by its enormous size. Its huge jet-like body is powerful in itself. Just a careless swing of its beak or claws can transform its overwhelming mass into a powerful one-hit kill. But... That is not what I really need to watch out for. Falcon Pharaoh''s true strength lies in its incredible speed. In fact, it is one of the five fastest fighters among the monsters in the [DunBrave] game. "Pyuuui!" "Hmph...!" Falcon folds its wings and straightens up. I immediately roll to the side to escape. "Pyuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!" The next moment, the Falcon, spinning like a drill, plunges into me. The Falcon scrapes away at the sand-covered earth and gouges out the space where I had just been. If I had been even slightly slow in evading it, I would have fallen prey to its spinning beak. "Charge while spinning¡ª''Drill Charge''! The preliminary movements seem to be the same as in the game!" "Are you all right, Goshujin-sama!?" "Zenon-bocchama!" "I''m fine, so don''t come out! If you come out, we''ll really be wiped out!" I repeatedly tell my companions, who are screaming in frustration. After all, Falcon Pharaoh''s speed is not something people can follow with their eyes. Once this technique is activated, there is no way to avoid it. There is only one way to avoid the monster bird''s attack. That is, to predict the next attack from the preliminary movement before the technique. Although it is not a weakness, Falcon Pharaoh has a large pre-movement before its attack. The pre-movement itself is not unusual, and it is seen in other monsters as well... but this bird''s pre-movement is especially exaggerated. A skilled player who has played [DunBrave] can predict its next move from its pre-movement. "However... the production of this game is really devilish. How can they kill a player on the first try!" While complaining to the production staff, I slash at the monster bird, which is in a post-attack freeze. A magic sword imbued with dark magic slices through the torso of the giant, and a curse that causes abnormal conditions is cast through the wound. "Gravid Slash!" "Pyuiiii!?" The curse cast with the skill of [Magic Sword] is a dark magic that debuffs the opponent''s speed. With this I was able to reduce Falcon Pharaoh''s speed status by about 10%. This will make the battle a little easier. "Pyuiiiiii!?" "Not yet! Take this blow!" Falcon Pharaoh spreads his huge wings. It''s a prelude to flying away. But, before the bird moves away, I throw a bottle of poison that I had taken out of my bag in advance. The huge body of the monster bird disappears in an instant... but the poison hits its body slightly earlier. As the monster bird flies up above my head... purple liquid, indicating that it is poisoned, flows out from the wound on its body. "It''s tough to cut down the HP of a boss monster solo. I''ll make full use of the abnormality this time." Since I cannot ask for help from my friends, I should use all the means available to me. The Falcon Pharaoh''s attacks can be anticipated and avoided by players who have played the game for a long time, but Urza and Levienna, who are new to the game, cannot avoid it at all. I could not let them join the fight. So, in order to make up the missing damage source, I would make full use of poison, which I usually do not use. "Pyuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!" "This time, the claw attack is from above, huh...? It seems to be ''Clawbind''. But, don''t think you can catch me!" As anticipated, I avoid the claw attack that tries to grab me from over my head. "Gravid slash!" I counter with a sword. With a sword imbued with a speed-decreasing magic, I slash the enemy''s torso, adding another debuff to its attack. Now, two slash marks are carved in a crisscross pattern on Falcon Pharaoh''s torso. "Pyuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!?" A scream emitted from its huge beak. The falcon must be wondering why it can''t hit me, how it can anticipate it attack. Well, for me, Falcon Pharaoh is an opponent that I have fought many times in more than 10 rounds of play, and I have checked hundreds of videos posted on the net for countermeasures. On the other hand, Falcon Pharaoh has never seen anyone fight like this. There is no other player in this world but me. "It''s so funny because the boss monster who is supposed to be a ''first-time-killer'' is eating the ''first-time-killer''! Let''s keep on grinding out, Queen of the Desert!" "Pyuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!?" Falcon Pharaoh cries out in pain as it unleashes its attack, but I anticipate and evade. Then, I attack again with the magic sword imbued with an abnormality magic. After this, I anticipate the enemy''s attack. I evade. I counterattack. Anticipate, evade, counter. Anticipate, evade, counter. Anticipate, evade, counter. And so on. After many such exchanges with this giant monstrous bird, its movements visibly slowed down. The debuff that reduces its speed has taken effect. In [DunBrave], the debuff could only be applied up to five times... but the simple calculation is 50%. The speed was halved. "Pyuiiii... Pyuiiiii..." In addition, the poison that I had injected into its body was draining its HP. If this were in a game world, it would be much better... Still, if it''s flying around, the poison would spread to its whole body faster than ever. It can be seen that Falcon Pharaoh''s movements are completely lackluster due to the debuff and poison, and now I can avoid the attack even if I don''t anticipate it beforehand. "Pyuuuuuuu, pyuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!" "Hmph..." But it is also true that I should not underestimate a wounded beast. The wounded bird spreads its wings wide as if it were burning up at the moment a candle is extinguished. This is "Feather Squall," a ranged attack that is launched when Falcon Pharaoh''s HP falls below 10%. Countless feathers are released from both wings and rain down in a torrential downpour. The range of the attack is about 10 meters centered on me. It was not something I could avoid. "Goshujin-samaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!?" "Oh no.... Zenon-bocchama!" Seeing me pierced by countless feather arrows, Urza and Levienna jumped out from behind the sand hill. They must have been so shocked by the sight of me that they couldn''t stand still. "Good grief... I told you not to come out no matter what. You''re a very difficult maid and slave to disobey your Lord''s orders so brazenly." I shrugged my shoulders in dismay. The phantom shot out by countless feathers vanishes like a mirage. "Dark magic ¡ª Phantom Decoy. I''m not so naive as to take the last blow that I know is coming." It was the phantom I had created with my dark magic that had taken the enemy''s ranged attack. I had predicted that the Falcon would launch a "Feather Squall" soon, so I had set a trap to make the enemy''s attack shoot in the opposite direction. My main body is already behind the monster bird, and I take out my weapon to put the finishing blow on the enemy. "Monster Restraint Item ¡ª ''Stun Shotgun''". The item removed from the magic bag is similar in shape to a bow gun. When pointed at the floating Falcon Pharaoh in mid-air and the trigger is pulled, a metal net is ejected toward the enemy. This is a disposable item to restrain the enemy with a net to slow down their movement, and although it is a little expensive, it is a tool that can be purchased at a tool shop. The effect is to reduce the speed of monsters restrained by the metal net by 50% for a certain period of time. Although the effect is short-lived, it is a powerful debuff. "Pyuiiiiiiiiiiii!?" A metal net entangles itself around the bird''s wing. Falcon Pharaoh lets out a high-pitched scream as it is hit from an unexpected direction. "Now... Here''s the problem. The big guy there has its speed debuffed by 50% by my dark magic. And now it has another 50% speed reduction by the item... What will happen then?" "Pyuiiiiiiiiiii!?" "It''s going to fall. I knew it." Falcon Pharaoh falls to the ground with zero velocity. Its huge body crashes to the desert ground, sending up a cloud of dust. "It''s been a long wait. You''re up... Urza, Levienna!" "Yes, desu~no! I''m tired of waiting, desu~no!" "Bocchama, leave this to us! We will destroy the enemy!" Finally given permission, Urza and Levienna dash out. They are going toward Falcon Pharaoh, who is, of course, unable to move. "It''s a given that this is what happens to an emperor who is dragged off his throne, isn''t it? It''s the beginning of the public execution... you can die now." "Pyuiiiiiiiiiiiiiii...!?" Urza and Levienna raise their weapons and leap at the cowering bird. A bird that cannot fly is like a limb being torn off. They relentlessly pound the unresisting foe with their relentless pursuit. Urza''s kabaou and Levienna''s halberd gouge the bird''s body. "Pyuuuu..." A feeble cry, like a gust of wind, escapes from its huge beak. Thus, the giant bird, which had been called the Queen of the Desert, died, leaving its pathetic cry echoing in the desert. CH 128 Bonus chapter... "It seems it''s over. It was a tough fight... but a complete victory." "As expected of Zenon-bocchama. Levienna is in awe that this mighty monster was defeated almost single-handedly." "Urza''s Goshujin-sama is amazing, desu~no! I want you to hold me right now, desu~no!" Levienna and Urza embraced me while shouting excitedly. The soft touch of a beautiful girl and a beautiful woman wrapped my arms on both sides. "...." As I was in close contact with them again, I realized that the size of their breast was hopelessly different from each other. Levienna''s breasts are melon-sized and heavy. Though they are not as big as Aeris, whose breasts are as big as a watermelon, they are more than enough in size to give her a motherly and comforting feeling. On the other hand, Urza''s breasts are at most as big as a banana peel. They are soft enough for a girl''s body, but... the gentle hills seem to embody the concept of despair. Just being close to her like this, the sad and forlorn feeling almost brings tears to my eyes. "..." "...Goshujin-sama, why do you look so sad? When you look at me so pitifully, why do I feel annoyed, desu~no?" "No... it''s not important, let''s just do what we have to do and get out of here. It''s too hot to compete with you." I break away from the two women who are holding me and decide to collect the spoils of the battle for the time being. "...This guy dropped a feather and a beak fang. Oh, there''s a medal, too." I find a medal on the sand as a proof of defeating Dangerous Pop. The golden medal has an illustration of a bird on its surface. Collecting this medal will give me a special item... but that is not important in this case. For now, I put the items in my bag. All of them are rare items, since they were obtained from dangerous boss characters. These items can be used as materials for making powerful equipment, or they can be sold at a store for a small fortune. "Urza, there should be a scale on its forehead, so please get it." "Scale...oh, I found it, desu~no" Urza climbs up on the face of the monster bird and grabs the scale that is there. The scale is like a jewel, shining in all colors of the rainbow, and reflects the sunlight in many different ways. "Why do this bird have scales on its head, desu~no?" "Even if you ask me, I don''t know. Anyway, it''s a valuable item that can only be obtained by defeating it. I''ll take it without hesitation." I take the scales that Urza brought. But, just as I was about to put the scales, which were large enough to fit in the palm of my hand, in my item bag, I suddenly heard a voice behind me. "U... gh..." "Oh... it seems that the original idiot has woken up..." The voice comes from inside a tent, which had been set up in the sand bandit''s hideout. On that tent, I kicked in the leader of the sand bandits whom I had knocked unconscious a moment ago. It seems that the unconscious leader has woken up. "Go wake him up. If we don''t get that man, the ''Monster Tamer'', to operate the carriage, we''ll be dried out in this hot sun." For the note, the dragon carriage had been parked a short distance away from the road. They are staked and roped, so they can''t escape. As we don''t know the way to the town in the middle of the desert, we need the leader of sand bandits to show us the way. "Then, I will tie a rope around that ruffian''s neck and drag him away. After all, he tried to trick us... to kill Bocchama. So, let''s use him to the fullest and ''kill (š¢¤ê)'' him!" "...I agree." Levienna smiles, says something horrible, and moves toward the tent. I think her last word "beat (¤ä¤ë)" is "kill (š¢¤ë)"... Hopefully it''s just my brain''s mistake. "Well... the bandits are either enslaved or executed anyway. It won''t be a problem if we use them up as we please." I flick the scales of the trophy with my fingers like coins and catches it in midair. I play with it in a high-spirited mood, feeling refreshed after defeating a powerful foe. However... I was completely caught off guard. After defeating a strong enemy and escaping from the danger of almost getting lost in the desert, I seemed to have been distracted. I did not realize that this string of bad luck was not over yet. "Pyuiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!" "What...!?" Suddenly, a high-pitched cry echoes across the desert. The loud cry that pierces the eardrums is emitted from a monster bird that is supposed to be dead--the Falcon Pharaoh. The fallen bird flaps its wings and slams against the ground, sending up a cloud of dust into the air. "How the hell... is it still alive!?" Falcon Pharaoh had definitely died. Otherwise, the materials would not be harvested, and the medal would not be dropped. But... In reality, Falcon Pharaoh has actually started to move, and its wings are moving up and down, attempting to leap up into the air. "Damn it... Did the gate of hell open!? Then I''ll kill you again and again!" I put my hand on my sheathed sword. I''m going to cut off its head this time so that it can''t be revived for sure... I think of this and try to jump at it, but Falcon Pharaoh moves faster than I can think. "Pyuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!" A high-pitched whistle-like cry echoed, and the resurrected bird charges toward me. "...!?" "Hyaa!" Fortunately, it''s not very fast. I quickly push Urza away, and I jump to the opposite direction using the reaction of the force. The bird passes between us as we dodge to the left and the right. However, at this moment... two misfortunes struck me. The first is that I dropped the magic bag I was carrying because I evaded with an unreasonable angle. The bag, which contained a large amount of equipment and recovery items, fell to the ground. The other is that the net which I had just used to block its movement that wrapped around the bird''s body. "Ugh...!?" The part of the net caught my leg by accident. I fell down as if I had been knocked off my feet, and was dragged up into the air by the monster bird. "Are you kidding... meeeeeeeeeee!?" "Goshujin-samaa!?" "Zenon-bocchama!" "Pyuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!" The guides tricked us. We were attacked by sand bandits. Then, we were encountered the Falcon Pharaoh. And to top it all off, I was taken into the sky by a mysteriously resurrected monster bird. ''It seems that some of us are having a hell of a lot of bad luck.'' That was the line I had just uttered... but it seems I was the one with the bad luck. "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!?" I was caught in the net, and hanged upside down, and carried away into the sky. CH 129 Bonus chapter... "Goshujin-samaaaaaaaaa!" "Zenon-bocchamaaaaaaa!" I hear Urza and Levienna screaming from below. I try to free my legs from the net, but the net is still tight around my ankles and doesn''t seem to come off. I try to slash it with my sword, but to my dismay, the sheath of the sword comes off from my belt when I was hanging upside down and disappears somewhere. As I dropped my magic bag, the only item I have is the scales of the drop item I was playing with in my hand. Though it was a very valuable item... the situation was such that it was of no use to me. So, as I was hanging upside down in the air, I shouted out to my companions below. "The capital! We''ll meet up in the capital of this country! I''ll find a way to get out of here on my own...!" "Pyuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!" "So... Just stay alive! Make sure you make it back alive!" That was all I could say. Soon the Falcon Pharaoh is soaring and I can''t see them anymore. I think they were shouting something to me at the end... but I couldn''t hear them. "Pyuiiiiiiiiiiii, pyuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!" Falcon Pharaoh lets out a cry like the sound of a flute, and flies through the sky. Its speed is much slower than before... perhaps due to the damage from the battle. "In the first place...how did this guy come back to life?" I ask my question as I''m rocked in the air. There is no doubt in my mind that this monster bird was dead at that time. It is obvious from the fact that the medal, the proof of Dangerous Pop''s defeat, was on the ground. This means that the bird died and then came back to life. "Is it possible that it had a resurrection item like a ''phoenix egg''...? No way. If so, someone might have used necromancy to bring it back to life as an undead creature... But who is this someone?" At that time, there must have been no one in that place but me and my companions. Even if Falcon Pharaoh was brought back to life as the undead by necromancy, there is no sign of any magic being performed by a [Necromancer] like Lin Hua. "Did that person cast some kind of magic beforehand? Did that person put a curse inside its body so that the necromancy would be activated when the bird died?" "Pyuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!" "No... That''s not important. Right now, I need to figure out a way to get down to the ground." I''m still in limbo, trying to figure out a way to get out of this pinch. I''ve lost my weapons and my item bag... but come to think of it, I can even use magic. It is possible to use magic to cut the net entangling my legs. "However... if I try that in this situation, I might die from the fall." I don''t know the exact altitude... but I don''t think it''s 100 meters. I''ve heard that the maximum height a human can handle to is about 40 meters. Even if my body is stronger than usual, I don''t think I''ll be able to get away unscathed. Besides, I can''t even recover from the damage with potions now that I have dropped my magic bag. I don''t even know where I am. Even if I could go down, with no food or water, there is no guarantee that I could escape from the desert safely. "However... I can''t just stay hanging upside down. I don''t know where this guy will take me. However, if I stay like this, my head will explode with blood." The villain of the century, Zenon Baskerville. It''s not funny to think that the current head of the Baskerville family died from being hung upside down. As I''m trying to think of a way out of this, my vision reverses and I see a scene. "Is that... an oasis!?" I saw a large puddle of water in the direction the bird traveled. The oasis is about the size of a pond in a large park. For some reason, the oasis is covered by a curtain like a tent, and around the oasis are tents set up by people who seem to be travelers with sand dragons. "Caravans... Just in time!" If the bird continues to fly, it will pass right over the oasis. If I cut the net above the oasis and falls, I will fall on the water surface to reduce the impact. If I can negotiate with the peddlers to share food and water with me, and if they guide me to the nearby town... there is a good chance that I will survive. "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Don''t miss it... don''t miss it!" Around the oasis, some peddlers who had noticed the approaching bird are making a lot of noise. It is a natural reaction when a bird as big as a commercial jumbo jet fly toward them. "Shadow Edge!" I timed it carefully... and just in time, I fired the magic. The blade of dark magic severed the net binding my legs. "...!" I fall head first into the water and land in the oasis with a big splash. I managed to land in the center of the oasis. It is deep enough to reduce the impact sufficiently. (All right, I''m okay... I''m alive...!) As I sink into the water, I strike a gut-punching pose. I risked breaking my neck by falling on my head... but I didn''t feel much pain. I might have whiplash, but it doesn''t seem to be a serious injury. (I won the bet... it''s great to be alive!) I change my position by scratching the water with both hands, and emerges from the water. "Puhaaaah!" As soon as I emerge from the water, the scorching sun hits me. The cool water feels good. All the sweat on my body is washed away. "It feels good. It''s great... it''s like coming back to life!" The central part of the oasis is quite deep, but I find my feet as I swim toward the shallows. I walk towards the edge of the oasis, feeling alive and exhilarated... "Eeek...!?" "Eh...?" I realized that I was not the only one immersed in the water. "Ah...?" There are two people bathing in the oasis. They are young women. The girls about my age or a little younger than me. One of them is staring at me with a tense face, and the other one has a puzzled expression on her face. Both of them had been bathing in the water, so they are completely naked. It seems that the reason why the oasis was surrounded by a tent was to keep their naked bodies from being seen by the people around them. "W-Where did you come from...!?" "You''re...? No way...!?" "..." A tall girl with a slender body. A small girl with a well-developed body. They both looked at me in surprise at the same time... and I silently gave up. I had no excuse, so I tried to show them that I had no hostile intentions toward them. But still... "...Why are you here?" I mumbled in my mouth without saying it out loud. The two girls had bright jade-colored hair that was wet with water. One of them is Shakuna Maafern¡ªthe heroine of the sub-scenario for which I came to this country. CH 130 Bonus chapter... As I am reminded once again by various events, it seems that there is no bottom to human misery. Even when I think I am at the bottom of my unhappiness, I can be dropped further down from there. "...How unlucky am I today? Did I do something wrong?" "Well... let me ask you a question. The ruffian, who jumped into a woman''s bath." Upon seeing the two women naked, I was caught by their guards. I was bound with ropes and taken to a large tent that had been set up next to the oasis. I was seated on the sand, and the two women who had just been bathing were in front of me. Of course, they are not completely naked, but have changed into Arabic-style long-sleeved clothes. Around them are armed men who look like guards, and now, they are staring at me with a resentful look. "Don''t think you''ll get away with this for free since you saw us naked!? Who are you?" The one who looked down at me angrily with her hands on her waist is Shakuna Maafern, the heroine who also appeared in the game. Her bright jade-green hair reached down to her waist, and she glared at me with her strong-willed beauty. Although her slender figure lacked femininity, her dark skin is healthy and her long legs are very attractive. "It''s better for you to be honest, okay? If you tell me everything, I will at least let you choose how you die." "...Are you so determined that I will die? You''re so proud of yourself." "Of course, since you saw not only me but also Ryuna naked. Do you think you''re going to make it home alive after you''ve left my pretty little sister in such a mess?" Apparently, the other girl''s name is Ryuna. Ryuna is standing a little behind Shakuna with a troubled look on her face. Like Shakuna, she had jade green hair brushed back behind her ears and wore a jeweled hair ornament. Though smaller in stature than Shakuna, she greatly surpasses her sister in style. She looked very feminine with her large breasts, slender hips, and slender figure. They certainly have the same hair color and similar facial features. The only differences are their height and style, and the sharpness of their eyes. It made me understand that they are sisters. "Sisters...? I''m surprised Shakuna has a sister." I mutter quietly so they don''t hear me. In the game''s additional scenario¡ª''Jade Tombstone''¡ªShakuna was supposed to be the only princess of the royal family. I think she mentioned in one of the conversations that she had a little sister... but she must have already passed away at the beginning of the scenario. Come to think of it... the Shakuna who appeared in the game seemed to carry more gloom than the woman in front of me. I wonder if her dark, gloomy expression came about because of her sister''s death. "Hmm... Does this mean that her sister is still alive at this moment? What''s going to happen now...?" "What are you mumbling about? Are you praying to God before you die?" "Ggh...!" Shakuna kicked my abdomen with her toe. I groan in agony, choking slightly. "...The Princess of Maafern Kingdom is very violent. Shakuna Maafern." "You know me? Are you one of my father''s... or the hand of the guru Rudanaga?" "Rudanaga... Rujanaga. Why does that name come up?" "...I don''t allow you to question me. Do you want to talk quietly or be tortured?" "..." The words were spoken without mercy... and once again I thought to myself, "Oh, it is Shakuna, after all". Shakuna Maafern is a harsh and aggressive woman. She was like a tyrant who could be thoroughly ruthless with those whom she judged to be her enemies. However, she has a very soft heart for women and children, and is a merciful woman who never abandons those whom she has once judged to be her allies. At first, she is hostile toward Leon, the protagonist of the story, but gradually opens her heart to him through repeated fights. "...I don''t want to be tortured. I have nothing to do with Rudanaga, but I will answer your question. My name is Zenon Baskerville and I am a marquis in the neighboring Slayers Kingdom." "Marquis...? That''s a funny joke. I wonder if in the neighboring country, marquis come down from the sky and peek at naked women?" Shakuna snickers and declares my words false. "I know it''s hard to believe. But... I''m sorry, but it''s the truth. No amount of torture can make the truth a lie." I''m tied up and point at my chest with my eyes. "In my breast pocket I have a piece of identification. You can see it if you look at it." "..." Shakuna looks at the man who seems to be a guard nearby, who has a stern expression on his face. The guard nods and puts his hand inside my clothes. He pulls out a silver pocket watch. On the outer cover is the coat of arms of the Slayers Kingdom. "In Slayers Kingdom, this watch is given to the head of a royal or noble family as a proof of identity. Royalty or dukes are given a gold watch. A silver watch is given to noble families from the rank of marquis and below. If you open the lid, you would find the name and crest of the Baskerville family engraved on the inside cover." "Indeed... there is. A nobleman on a diplomatic mission once showed me a similar watch. Apparently, they really are nobles from a neighboring country." Shakuna looks at me with difficulty. My identity was proven... but that didn''t untie me. "But I still don''t trust you. How could a marquis from a neighboring kingdom fall from the sky?" "Didn''t you guys see that? You saw the big bird fly over this oasis. That''s where I fell from." "That bird... the Queen of the Desert?" Shakuna raised her eyebrows in wonder. I tell Shakuna the whole story of how I came to this country. I had come to this country with my companions. We were on our way to the capital by dragon carriage and were attacked by sand bandits. How we had to fight against the Falcon Pharaoh, and how we got ''rid of it''. The fact that a monster bird that was supposed to be killed somehow got up and kidnapped me and took me to the skies. I managed to escape and fell into an oasis. "I can''t believe it... you defeated the "Queen of the Desert". It''s a legendary monster that can''t be defeated." "I have proof. Check it out." "...!" I twist and turn while I''m tied up and flick my fingers at the scales of the monster bird I''ve been holding in my hands for so long. Shakuna''s eyes widened as she caught the flying scales. "This... This is definitely it. These are the same scales on the forehead of the ''Queen of the Desert'' as the scales of the national treasure kept by the royal family...!" "Oh, so the royal family owns the scales too. Is there someone else who defeated Falcon Pharaoh besides me?" "...The creator king. The first king who build our nation defeated the Queen of the Desert and the scales he stripped off have been handed down as national treasures. I never thought that anyone other than the first king could defeat that monster..." "Shakuna-oneesama, why don''t you ask this person to help us?" Ryuna, who was listening to the conversation in the back, tugs at her sister''s clothes and makes a suggestion. "We do not have many allies. A nobleman from another country would not have the influence of our father or the guru, and would be a good person to hire as an ally." "Ryuna... but I don''t know if we can trust this man. He spies on us when we bathe and he has a scary face." Hey, it has nothing to do with his face. Why I still have to suffer from my villainous face when I come to a foreign country? "I don''t care about the face, but seeing us naked was an accident, and I don''t think it''s too much to blame. Besides... you can trust this man. I guarantee it." "Okay... if Ryuna says so, I trust him. You are a good judge of character." Shakuna nodded hesitantly. I don''t know why Ryuna trust me... but it looks like I won''t be tortured. Shakuna let out a sigh and ordered his guards to untie me. "Zenon Baskerville-sama. I''m going to let you go. I won''t apologize for the rope, but I won''t pursue you for seeing us naked either." "I''d appreciate it if you would. Thank you so much, it brings tears to my eyes." "And... here''s a suggestion... Would you be interested in working for us for a while?" Shakuna looks at me with a strong gaze. Her jade green eyes, which I''ve seen in games before, are filled with a strong will, and they reflect my villainous face. "Please help us, just for a little while. Can you fight to protect my sister from the evil guru?" CH 131 Bonus chapter... "Speaking of the Guru... He is a religious authority in this country, right? I believe his name is Rudanaga?" "That''s right. Rudanaga the Guru... ever since that man came to our country, things have been getting weird and weird." Shakuna clenches her fists in bitterness. "That man came to this country about five years ago. We didn''t even know where he came from. He was a mysterious man whose lineage is not known. And yet... he quickly won the hearts of the powerful in this country, including my father, and rose to the position of Guru." "...I heard that this country has a strict status system based on bloodline. How did a man whose lineage is unknown gain power?" "He made miracles happen. Like making rain, and driving away hordes of monsters with a single prayer. Even resurrected the dead." "Miracles... That''s a fishy story." I question the girl who is biting her lip after my rope is released and I move my free limbs lightly. "Isn''t it just magic? Though, I don''t know about making it rain, but driving away monster, and resurrecting the dead, aren''t those the kind of magic that a high-ranking bishop should be able to use?" "Of course, I know that. But... that man brought back to life a man who had been dead for years and whose bones had turned to bone." Resurrection magic performed by bishop or resurrection items such as ''phoenix eggs'' are only effective immediately after death. They lose their effectiveness within an hour after death. "That man gained my father''s trust by raising the dead queen from the grave, and became a Guru. Since then, the country has only gotten worse. The strong class system became even stricter, with the nobility taxing the people more than necessary and oppressing those who disobeyed them without mercy." "..." "In addition... He even tried to sacrifice the maiden, Ryuna, in order to perform a special ceremony to bring back the god...!" "Okay... I''m beginning to get the picture. I was wondering why you princesses were bathing in a desert oasis." Shakuna looked frustrated as she bit her back teeth, and this is what I surmised about the situation. Rudanaga the Guru... or Rujanaga, one of the four heavenly kings of the demon king''s army, has used his magic to gain power over the king and seize the center of power in this country. Rujanaga is an evil shaman called the "Snake God Priest," so it''s not surprising that he could bring the dead back to life with magic that I don''t know about. Rujanaga''s purpose is not clear... but he wants to sacrifice Shakuna''s sister, Ryuna, in order to perform some kind of ritual. Then, to save Ryuna from being sacrificed, Shakuna may have escaped from the palace and fled to the desert with a small escort. "Roughly, it is not wrong, Baskerville-sama" It was Ryuna, not Shakuna, who confirmed my guess. "¡­Did I say it out loud? I think I just thought about it in my head." "I have received [Priestess] job from the God, and I can read people''s minds a little bit. Thanks to this, I know that Baskerville-sama is a trustworthy man." "Priestess...! That''s another valuable job. No wonder they''re after you!" [Priestess] is even rarer than the [Rune Knight], and there is only one [Priestess] in the [DunBrave] game. Although its bearer can use simple recovery magic and are of little use in battle, they can foretell the future, read people''s minds, receive divine prophecies, and use special abilities. "If you can read my mind, you knew from the start that I wasn''t the enemy, didn''t you? I wish you could have helped me sooner." "Please forgive me. I knew that Baskerville-sama is not as bad as he looks but it was still embarrassing to be seen naked." "...I''m sorry." "By the way, Baskerville-sama really has an interesting soul. Dark as an abyss. But behind it, the full moon shines brightly on the earth. The dark ones who lurk in the darkness worship, honor, and believe in you, the full moon... Such a scene is shown in my mind, Baskerville-sama." "...Well, it''s not a very pleasant sight to the eyes, is it? I''m surprised you didn''t label me an enemy." I grimace bitterly at the eerily prophetic words. But for some reason Ryuna smiles friendly and follows up with a smile. "It may be a horrible scene for some people... but I like it. I like Baskerville-sama''s soul very much." "...I see. Thank you." I shrug my shoulders and smile at Ryuna who is smiling softly. Then I noticed that Ryuna''s eyes are out of focus, staring blankly at me even though they are pointed at me. "Wait, by any chance, are your eyes...?" "Yes. I can''t see. In exchange for being able to read people''s minds, I have lost the ability to see the real world." Ryuna says simply. It seems like an unfortunate thing to be visually impaired, but Ryuna''s calm face shows no sign of such a thing. "These eyes, which were given to me by God, tell me. Guru Rudanaga... must not be left alone. He is not a man but an evil monster. If left unchecked, he will surely bring this country to ruin." "..." "So please... please... Baskerville-sama. Please lend us your power, even though we are powerless. We will give you whatever reward you desire." Ryuna breaks off, takes a deep breath, and says something outrageous. "If you wish to take my body, I will gladly give it to you. You may do with my body what you will but please help me destroy the evil Guru." CH 132 Bonus chapter... The talks that day ended with a rather explosive statement made by Ryuna. But Shakuna started screaming, "Blablabla!" at her sister''s remark. Unlike Ryuna, who had looked into my mind, Shakuna had not yet trusted me. She was shocked by her sister''s statement to offer her body to me, an outsider whom she did not trust, and she screamed out in turmoil. And then... "...So, this is what happens as a result of that statement. It''s so unreasonable that it doesn''t make sense." "If you are going to touch my little Ryuna, you better go beyond me, her big sister! So, let''s fight!" Near the oasis, Shakuna and I are standing facing each other. Shakuna has a sword in each hand and is dressed like an Arabian dancer. The sword in Shakuna''s hand is a slim but curved sword, a so-called ''shamshir''. In contrast, the sword in my hand is an ordinary straight sword. It is not a magic item, but an ordinary iron sword sold at a weapons shop. The sword, which I borrowed from Shakuna''s guard, is much weaker and more unreliable than the one I usually use. As to why we faced each other and fought... Shakuna challenged me to a duel to see if I was the right man for her sister. "...I''m not asking for Ryuna''s body. I never agreed to help you in any way." In fact, I was going to help Shakuna and Ryuna to fight against Rudanaga... or Rujanaga. I had no reason to leave that man, one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon Army, alone, and I couldn''t leave Shakuna and her sister Ryuna, my favorite characters in the game, alone. After all, Ryuna was dead at the beginning of the "Jade Tombstone" scenario, and of course I wanted to help her if I could. "Heh... Does that mean you are not attracted to her body?" "No... that is not what I mean. I think she is a lovely and nice woman." In fact, I like her body much more than Shakuna''s. Shakuna has longer legs and taller height, but her figure is not so well developed. She had ''poor breasts'' to say the least. On the other hand, Ryuna is small but has big breasts, and she has what is called ''lolippai'', which is the kind of body I like. "Of course. She''s my little sister, so how can you not be attracted to her! But I can''t let an unknown man like you near my sister. Don''t take it personally!" "...You''re really a sis-con, huh? Even though I''ve played that scenario many times... I didn''t know that." I''ve played the additional paid scenario¡ª''Jade Tombstone''¡ªmore times than I can count. Many times, I tried to find a way to save Shakuna from being stabbed to death by the boy soldier in the ending. And of course, I have heard from Shakuna''s own mouth that she cared for her dead sister. But... I didn''t think she''d really let her sis-con complex get this far. "Can we talk about this? Do we have to fight?" "Baskerville-sama... Please do your best!" "Shakuna-sama! Fight on, please! "Let those who try to steal our Ryuna-sama die!" "Please crush the unknown outsider!" A little further away, Ryuna, the cause of the battle, was smiling at us. The soldiers in the guard also shouted in support, waving their hands toward Shakuna. "I can''t believe that Ryuna is cheering for this man instead of me..." However, Shakuna was somehow damaged by such cheering. Shakuna looked shocked for a while, then she gave me a piercing look and said, "Ggghh!". "...I still can''t forgive you. I''m going to finish you off right here." "...That''s so unreasonable. Don''t Sis-con''s Nee-chan understand my word?" I give up and slump my shoulders. Now that it had come to this, a fight with Shakuna seemed inevitable. Although Shakuna and Ryuna were being chased by Rudanaga and this is not the time for this... if it''s inevitable, I might as well just get on with it and get it over with. "Forgive me if I''m not going to get serious in a stupid mock fight but I''m rather strong. If you get hurt, I don''t care." "You seem like you''re ready. But how long can you say you''re not going to get serious? I''ll use these two swords to see if you''re the right man for my sister!" "Hmmph...!" The duel began without a signal. Shakuna immediately activates her magic as soon as she draws her twin swords. "Thunderbolt!" A blue-white lightning bolt comes straight at me. I jump to the side to avoid it. Then, as if anticipating my evasion, Shakuna steps into my path. "Yaaaaaaa!" "Hmph...!" Her magic attack is a decoy, and it seems that her main goal is to slash me with her twin swords. Now, that two shamshirs cross from the left and right, aiming at my neck. "Tsk... You''re relentless! What will you do to me if I really die?" If I get hit, my head will be cut off. So, I bend my body to avoid slashes from the left and right. At the same time, I throw a kick from below, as if to scoop her up. "Hmph!" "Ngh... Not so quick!?" The kick hit Shakuna''s torso. She takes a counter blow, and retreats backward a few steps. However, when I try to move forward to attack her, she does not allow me to get close to her easily. She glares at me and builds a defensive wall with her lightning magic. "I won''t let you advance... Thunderwall!" "Tsk... You''re fast. I''d say you have the fastest lightning magic of all attributes." I click my tongue as the wall of lightning blocks my approach. Shakuna specializes in lightning magic, and lightning is considered the fastest of all magic. I am confident that I have the skill and the destructive power of the magic, but... my magic is slower than Shakuna''s. No wonder Shakuna Maafern is the fastest magic user in DunBrave. "Although I could push her with my advanced magic, I can''t kill her, huh..." If the game is correct, Shakuna''s [Lightning Magic] skill is about 50. That is lower than my [Dark Magic]. If we shoot each other with high power magic, I will win. But then I''m not sure I can keep Shakuna alive. "It''s really not fair. You''re really shooting magic while I have to be careful not to hurt your maiden''s soft skin." "Oh? You can''t afford to worry about your opponent in a duel. Well then... this is just a teaser. It''s time for me to get serious!" Shakuna held her hands out to the left and right, both holding twin swords. And then... she moves her legs and hips lightly as if she were dancing. No, not ''as if''. It is definitely a dance step. "O brave spirit, cut down my enemy! Warrior''s Dance¡ª''Alda Fares (¥¢¥ë¥À?¥Õ¥¡©`¥ì¥¹)''! Shakuna began to dance even in the middle of the battle. Instantly, a bright red aura is emitted from her slender body as if it were on fire. "Here it comes...this is where the real work begins..." I raise my alert level at the sight of Shakuna. Shakuna''s job is "Magic Dancer". It is a versatile job that combines sword and magic attacks with the support effect of dancing. CH 133 Bonus chapter... Shakuna''s job [Magic Dancer] is a higher level job that combines the characteristics of both [Sorcerer] and [Dancer]. A [Dancer] is a rearguard position that can support allies by dancing and can cause abnormalities to enemies, and by adding the characteristics of a [Sorcerer] who is good at offensive magic to the [Dancer], the [Dancer] can both attack and support from the rear. Now, Shakuna''s body is covered with red light as she wore a dancer''s suit. She danced a warrior''s dance, which had the effect of increasing her power and speed. "Yaaaa!" Lightning magic and the support effect of the dance. And Shakuna''s true talent comes from beyond that. Shakuna slashes at me with her left and right shamshirs, releasing her waving spirit. She swung her left and right swords with blinding speed, slashing vertically and horizontally. "Hmph... Such power and speed for a rear guard. That''s a high spec indeed!" I howl as I deal with one incoming slash after another. By nature, [Magic Dancer] is rear-guard magic supporters. It is not a job that allows them to stand in the front line and fight. They can equip wands and rods, but not swords. However, Shakuna has a special weapon that only she can equip - ''Shams-Kamul''. This weapon looks like a sword, but is actually an item used for dancing. Even dancers can equip it. Shakuna, who can equip a sword despite being a rearguard, is a versatile character who can perform physical, magical, and support functions. "...She is similar to me and Leon in terms of being able to use both sword and magic. Maybe that''s why she''s a descendant of the hero?" I ponder as I narrowly avoid Shakuna''s attack. I realized once again that Shakuna is strong. She is a character who appears in the additional scenario after the completion of the main story, and she seems to have enough fighting ability to fight against the cadres of the Demon King''s Army right now. "She is about the same level as Leon, or maybe a little lower. It''s all well and good to be so bold, but... aren''t you being a bit too merciless?" If I remember correctly... just a few minutes ago, they were talking about something like ''I need your help to protect Ryuna'' or something like that. And yet, this woman is determined to kill me... aren''t her actions contradictory? "Of course! I can''t marry my sweet Ryuna to a weak man who''s not prepared to risk his life!" "...When did we start talking about marriage? Don''t make your sis-con complex so complicated!" "Don''t you dare question me!" Shakuna kicked the ground with her dancing steps and slashed at me one after another. Right, left, right, left, right, left... The swords attacked from both sides in a fast rhythm. I continue to defend myself with my sword as I back away from the blades, which have gained even more momentum than before. "What''s wrong? You are being attacked unilaterally! Did you falsely claim to have defeated the Queen of the Desert?" "I was going to take it easy on you, but... don''t get carried away!" I parry a slash coming at me from the left with the metal basket in my hand. Shakuna''s speed is impressive, but her power is not so strong. The metal basket hand is enough to catch it. "Kuuuuh...!?" "Hmph!" I delivered a counter slash. Shakuna tried to catch the attack with her other sword, but I was much more powerful. And unable to catch the heavy slash, Shakuna is sent flying backward. "You''re fast... but you''re light! Your sword is!" Dark magic¡ªDark Bullet. Jet-black bullet is shot at Shakuna. "...Thunder Bullet!" Shakuna also activates her magic as soon as she can. The lightning bullets collide with the dark bullets, canceling each other out. "...I''m surprised. You can use both sword and magic?" "Of course, I can. Now that I''ve surprised you... I''m going to turn the tables on you!" "Kuhh...!" Now I''m on the offensive. With a kick on the desert sands, I leap into Shakuna''s bosom and deliver a single, straight sword slash. "Nngh...!" Shakuna catches the attack with two shamshirs (left and right), but her power is still not enough. So, she blown away without any hesitation. "You...!" As Shakuna flies backward with her momentum, she attacks me with her magic. "Thunderbolt!" "Shadow Edge!" "Lightning!" "Dark Fire!" Then, Shakuna steps backward, keeping a distance from me and using her lightning spells to attack me. I counter the lightning with dark magic and close the distance with Shakuna without letting her escape. As magicians, we are almost equal in skill. Though, I think I have more skill than Shakuna, but the speed of her lightning magic makes up for it. Then... the outcome of the match will be decided by melee. It is which sword is better. "You can''t have Ryuna!" "You can die 50% of the time, you sis-con b*tch!" Shakuna has two swords. I have one sword. Three swords clash and countless sparks fly. Shakuna has the advantage in the number of blows, but I have the advantage in the weight of each blow. Without pause, a storm of furious sword blows erupts. "Really, she''s strong... isn''t she?" In the game, Shakuna was a reliable ally, but fighting her as an enemy reaffirmed that she is a very troublesome opponent. If it is only physical ability, I can say that I am the better fighter. However, the buffs she got from the dance made us evenly matched. "But... you''re too naive. You don''t have enough experience in combat!" I laugh with, "Hmph." Then, without saying it out loud, I tick off the count "three, two, one" in my head... and my lip curls up in a wicked smile. "Zero!" "Huh...!?" The red light covering Shakuna''s body disappears. The time has passed, and the support effect of the dance has disappeared. "The dance buff lasts for 60 seconds. I was counting it, you know?" "...!" Shakuna gasps and leaps backward, trying to keep in time. However, I raised my sword from above and slammed it into the sandy ground. "Eat this!" "Kuhn!" It seemed like a slash through the air, but then I raised my sword and the desert sand rolled up. Shakuna, who had been hit by the curtain of sand, quickly guards her face with her arms. "What... are you doing!?" Shakuna seems to have lost sight of me through the sand curtain. So, I took advantage of the moment and leaped toward the dancer girl. "Is it there!?" Shakuna thrusts her sword at the shadow coming at me from behind the curtain of sand. But... her shamshir pierced the cloak I had thrown at her. Right now, I took advantage of the sand and threw my cloak at Shakuna, using it as a decoy. "This is the end... Shadow Bind!" "Kuh!? Is this... Magic Rope!?" I use the decoy to get behind her and touch Shakuna''s back to activate the magic. The dark magic rope constructed by the shadows restrains the slender body. As she is bound, Shakuna collapses on the sand. Shakuna struggles to get to her feet, but a sword is held in front of her. "Checkmate. You don''t have a problem with that, do you?" "...I can''t believe I lost. Don''t tell me I didn''t love Ryuna enough?" "I don''t know, and I don''t care if you love her or not, the stronger one wins the battle." Shakuna''s consistency to the end makes me feel respect for her. I don''t think Shakuna was weak. The difference between the winner and the loser at the end was... the difference of experience in the actual game. The experience of playing [DunBrave] as a game. Fighting monsters as an adventurer. The experience of killing many villains as the head of the Baskerville family. None of these are things that Shakuna, a princess, has. "No matter how talented you are, if you don''t have experience, you are nothing. A princess who grew up in a royal palace can''t win against me." If an enemy uses support magic, counting the effect time is a matter of course. It is also natural to take advantage of the desert terrain and anything that surrounds me, such as a cloak. Shakuna lacked experience in actual combat, where rules are irrelevant and anything goes. "Oh no... how could Shakuna-sama be defeated by someone from another country?" "What a magnificent ability! How can a noble of a neighboring country be so strong?" The guards who were watching the battle around us seemed to be surprised at the result of the duel. Some praised my bravery, while others lamented their lord''s defeat. Among them... Ryuna, who was the only one smiling, opened her mouth. "The winner of this battle is Baskerville-sama!" The blind Priestess raises her right hand and declares my victory. Now, the desert sky is filled with admiration and disappointment. CH 134 Bonus chapter... After the duel with Shakuna, I was officially hired as an escort. I don''t remember that I asked her to hire me... but it was something that I couldn''t refuse. "...I don''t mind, though. I''ve been planning to kill that Guru from the very beginning." One of the purposes of my coming to this country is to defeat Guru Rudanaga, or Rujanaga. Strictly speaking, there is no guarantee that Rudanaga and Rujanaga are the same person at this time. There is a possibility that they are different persons with similar senses of the word in their names. " Oh, you are here... Baskerville-sama." "Hmm?" When I was lying in the shade of a tree by the oasis, collecting my thoughts, Ryuna came to me. The blind Priestess walks up to me with a white cane, checking me step by step. I frowned slightly and took her hand as she approached me. "Ah..." "Sit down. It''s not bad to sit in the shade of a tree, even in the desert, isn''t it?" "Yes... Thank you very much!" Ryuna looked slightly surprised... but soon her face broke into a big smile like a blooming flower. I flinch at her innocent smile and cough to cover it up. "So... What''s the situation with your sister? She''s not hurt, is she?" "Onee-sama is in the tent, holding her knees in dejection. She seems to have been shocked by the defeat at the hands of Baskerville-sama." "...I won''t apologize. That''s fight was brought by her..." "Well, she''s always had a talent with swords and magic... and she''s gotten a bit cocky... so I think this will be good therapy for her. I''d like to thank you..." "...To be treated like that by her own little sister, she''s quite a big sister. I''m sure she must be going through a lot." Shakuna in the game had a calmer personality. Perhaps some incident will happen in the future that will change her personality. "Hey... Why did you decide to hire me?" "Eh... Is there a reason?" When I ask her what I''ve been wondering, Ryuna blinks in surprise. "You see, you''re about to be killed by that Guru and your king''s father is being manipulated. There are few people you can trust, and you need help... I understand that. But do you really want to hire a strange foreigner who just fell from the sky?" "That''s... Because I''m a Priestess..." "Well, you ''saw'' it with your eyes, right? I don''t think you can trust me with just a vague image of the moon shining in the dark. And it''s insane to offer up your body as a reward for hiring me as your bodyguard." If she had offered money or treasure as a reward, I would not have doubted her so much. However... Ryuna''s boldness in offering her own body as a reward makes me question it. Thinking back, Ryuna was friendly to me from the very first meeting. She was not angry at all when she saw me naked... and I don''t remember receiving so much trust from her. "...Rudanaga, the guru..." "Hmm...?" "When Guru Rudanaga visited the temple where I lived... I saw a future of doom in my eyes. A future in which giant snake covered the heavens, devoured the earth, and the people cried out in grief. I saw a vision in which I would be sacrificed to the great snake, eaten alive, and suffer forever without being allowed to die in its belly. "Did you see it... in Rudanaga''s soul? Or did you foretell the future?" "I think... it was the latter. Rudanaga is trying to resurrect a terrible monster. For that, he wants me as a sacrifice. At first, I talked to my father about it, but he wouldn''t listen to me. He said that a great guru would never do such a thing." Ryuna bites her lip with a pained expression. She has seen her desperate future, and her father, the one she should be relying on the most, is not at all dependable. Just how terrifying that must have been. "Only onee-sama and some of the priests believed in the future I saw and helped me escape from the temple. Most of the people in the palace can''t be trusted, including my father." "I know you''ve been through a lot... but what does that have to do with you hiring me?" "When I met you in this oasis, I saw a different future. Not the same as when I met Rudanaga. A different future than the one of doom and despair." "...What kind of future is that?" "..." When I asked her... for some reason, Ryuna covered her face with her hands as if she was ashamed. It''s hard to tell because her skin is brown, but she seems to be flushed. "Don''t make me say it! You''re embarrassing me!" "E-Embarrassing you...?" "I can''t marry someone again after what you did to me! Please take responsibility!" "Hey, what did I do!? What did I do to you in the future!?" "Noooo! Please don''t make me say it! It''s sexual harassment!" I questioned her desperately, but in the end, Ryuna did not open her mouth until the very end. The girl''s intense embarrassment made me imagine that I had done something terrible... I wonder what really happened between me and Ryuna in the future. The truth is still in the dark. It exists only in the mind of Priestess, who cowered in embarrassment. CH 135 Bonus chapter... That evening, I was invited to join Shakuna for dinner. I entered a large tent set up next to the oasis, where a large carpet was spread out. Shakuna, Ryuna, and their guards were sitting in a circle on the carpet, and a plate of food was placed in front of them. "Hmph...!" Shakuna gives me a piercing look as soon as I enter the tent. Her expression is distorted in frustration, but she seems to be conscious of her defeat in the duel she challenged, and does not complain to me. "Please sit here, Baskerville-sama!" Ryuna waves to me with a smile on her face. She sits down next to Shakuna, but there is room for one person on the opposite side. I wonder if she is making room for me. I sit down next to Ryuna as she beckons me to sit down... and immediately Shakuna''s eyes become intense. "..." "If you have a problem with me, you can say it. I don''t feel comfortable when you stare at me like that." "...Losers have no words to say. You can flirt all you want." "I see. Well then, I''ll take your word for it, okay?" "Ah!" I get a little naughty and hug Ryuna''s waist next to me. I instantly smell the floral scent of flowers... is she putting perfume oil on her skin? "Ghh... Gnugnugnu...!" Shakuna''s reaction is more than I expected. Her bloodshot eyes are wide open, and her bitten lips are split open and blood is pouring out. "My Ryuna... is being held by a man... Gghh, ghhh, ghhhh!" "Hey... you have a very funny character..." I mutter in amazement and release Ryuna. The ''Shakuna Maafern'' who appeared in the game is a woman who always carries a shadow on her back, a woman who sacrifices herself to save her country, a woman who is willing to shed blood to do so. Contrary to such an image, the woman in front of me, who has developed a twisted sis-con complex, is a character that I cannot help but be interested in. Well, in the game, Ryuna was already dead at the beginning of the scenario... I suppose that for Shakuna, the existence of her sister played a role of a tag to keep her mind in balance. "...Please, all three of you, stop playing around with each other." The three of us, Ryuna, Shakuna and me, were snuggled up against each other, and Shakuna was crying tears of blood in frustration. At the sight of the three of us, the elderly man complained to us. "We are here to talk about what we are going to do. Shall we get down to business now?" "Huff... Haah... that''s right. I understand." Shakuna takes a deep breath and agrees with the elderly man. Still, she gives me a hateful look from the side... but I nod back. "I''m sorry. So... What exactly are we going to talk about? I''m new here, so I don''t know much about what you guys are up to or what you''re doing." "Yes, you''re right. Well then, let''s start with an overview of the current situation so that our guests can understand... Oh, I''m sorry, my name is Haddis. I am a priest-knight in a temple in the capital." The elderly man¡ªHaddis, a priest knight, strokes his beard and begins to explain the current situation in a serious tone. "Maafern kingdom has been under Guru Rudanaga''s influence for the past five years. His Majesty the King and most of the nobles of the palace have been taken in, and there is no one who can stand against Rudanaga. Rudanaga''s purpose is unknown, but it seems that he intends to sacrifice the Priestess Ryuna-sama for some strange ceremony. Shakuna-sama and the priest-knights who have not been taken in by him escaped from the capital with Ryuna-sama." "Hmm... my question is, do you have any allies other than the priest-knights present here? What about the other priests in the temple?" "Most of the priests and priestesses in the temple are under Rudanaga''s control. Some of the rebellious priests lost their lives unnaturally, and those who remain here are the last of the rebels against Eudanaga. The nobles, by nature, are only interested in money and power, so they cannot be counted on." "One more question. Does the king of this country allow Ryuna to be sacrificed? He is her real father, isn''t he?" I wonder if Shakuna and Ryuna''s father, King Maafern, are in favor of sacrificing his own daughter. I don''t think it''s unnatural, since King Maafern, the last boss of ''Jade Tombstone'', is a greedy and arrogant man... "That''s impossible. If it was my real father..." It was Ryuna, not Haddis, who made the statement clearly. I noticed that Ryuna is in the same position that I had just hugged her, in other words, she is close to my chest. I thought I had already let go of my hold on her... but why doesn''t she move away from me? "My father... the King of Maafern, Glenys (¥°¥ì¥Í¥¤¥¹), is a very proud man, a harsh man who does not tolerate those who defy him. But on the other hand, he was tolerant and merciful to those who followed him. My father changed after meeting Rudanaga. It was as if he was being manipulated..." "If he was my father now, he would have killed Ryuna without a second thought. He could have killed me too..." Following Ryuna, Shakuna also talks about her father with a dark look on her face. Hearing the sisters'' explanations, I became even more suspicious of the ''Rudhanaga-Rujanaga'' theory. "Manipulated... I see. That makes sense." Rujanaga, one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon Lord Army, is skilled in magic to manipulate other people''s minds. In the game as well, he has been able to manipulate people''s minds with his magic and has hunted down Leon by treating people as pawns. He manipulates bandits to attack towns. He tricked powerful people into framing Leon as a criminal. He encouraged a classmate in love with Ciel, the childhood heroine, to kidnap Ciel. To top it all off, he even tried to start a war with Slayers Kingdom by using a general of a certain country as a puppet. With Rujanaga''s involvement, it is no wonder that the king and the nobles are under the control of magic. "There is indeed a magic that turns people into puppets. There is also the magic to move dead bodies as if they were alive, and the magic to amplify human desires and emotions and induce them to act..." "...You seem to know a lot about Rudanaga, do you know anything about him?" "I don''t know anything about this Guru. But... I do know one bad guy who uses such evil methods. I wouldn''t be surprised if this Guru is able to do the same kind of thing." I think of the face of my hated enemy and click my tongue. "So? You''ve escaped from him, but what are you going to do now? If the king is being controlled by him, most of the men in this country will become your enemies. I don''t think you can escape forever." Haddis nodded at my question. He seemed to know that this game of tag against the nation would not last for long. "...I know that we will not be able to escape. I''m sure that His Majesty the king and the guru are still following our footsteps. Therefore, we must break the spell cast on the king and uncover the true identity of Rudanaga." Haddis took a rolled-up piece of parchment from his luggage and spread it out on the carpet so that I could see it. It seemed to be a map. He points to a point on the map centered on the capital, and declares in a grave tone "We are now going to ¡®the royal tomb of Salomon¡¯ in the northern part of the desert. We will take one of the treasures of the legendary magic king Salomon, the scepter that dissolves all evil, and free His Majesty the King from the manipulation." CH 136 The Royal Tomb of Salomon. It is an extra dungeon in the additional scenario ''Jade Tombstone''. It is a dungeon with the highest difficulty level. It consists of 100 floors. This is the place where the ancient king Salomon, who was called the King of Magic, rests, and the inside of the dungeon is guarded by demon-type (Akuma) monsters summoned from hell before Salomon''s death. This dungeon exists only to test players'' skills, and has nothing to do with the scenario. Even if the player goes through the dungeon without conquering it, it will not affect the story in any way. The monsters become stronger the deeper one dives into the dungeon, and at the 80th floor and below, there appear many powerful enemies that even a party that has defeated the last boss would have a hard time. Even the dungeon boss ''King Salomon'' at the lowest floor is stronger than the Demon King, and his skills such as [Spiritual Body] and [Anti-Magic Barrier] make him physically ineffective and the damage caused by magic is reduced to 1/10 of the damage, which is extremely unreasonable. Although such a backstage boss lurks in this tomb and the dungeon is a dangerous place, the merit of conquering it is great. In this tomb, there is a middle boss waiting at every 10th floor, and by defeating them, one can obtain the "Treasure of Salomon". The treasures include weapons with attack power comparable to that of the Holy Sword, armor that nullifies all attacks, accessories with magic reflection effects, and the ''Scepter of Osiris'', the item that dissolves all evil. This treasure could be obtained by conquering the 50th floor. "I see... Surely, if we have the scepter, we can lift the magic placed on the King by the Guru..." I nodded my head in agreement with Hadiss''s explanation. The scepter of Osiris is an item that could remove all kinds of magical effects, such as abnormalities, debuffs, and so on. It may seem to be a simple effect, but... it does not run out after use like a potion, nor does it consume magic power like a healing spell. In addition, it can heal the whole party at once, so it is quite useful in many situations. If the ''brainwashing'' that the king was put under by the Guru is a kind of abnormality, this scepter would be the answer to everything. "A scepter, huh? I wish I had one with me..." I have conquered "The Royal Tomb of Salomon" in the game, but I don''t have the scepter of Osiris on my hand. It''s a useful item that healed the whole party, but there is a 1 percent chance that it would break when used. Because of that, the scepter I got in the game was broken, and it was not included in the items I collected at the "treasure room" before. "I don''t mind if I get the scepter by attacking the ''The Royal Tomb of Salomon''... But..." There is a question that kept popping into my head. If the scepter solves the problem... why Ryuna was dead at the beginning of the ''Jade Tombstone'' scenario and the king was still reigning as a tyrant? Perhaps the search for the tomb of the king, which Shakuna and her team are about to attempt, will fail. Ryuna also loses her life as a result of failing in the EX-difficulty dungeon in order to rescue the king from the brainwashing. As a result, the country is in a state of civil war? I gather my thoughts... and look again at the two princesses. The difficulty level of the tomb varies greatly depending on the level. The strength of the monsters and the viciousness of the traps vary widely. At the 50th floor, an ordinary adventurer would be nothing more than fodder for monster. Who knows how many of us will make it out of the tomb alive...? So, even if they are prepared for that, are they still going to challenge the tomb of the king? "Of course! Isn''t it obvious!" "Yes, if it will save my father." The two princesses answered at the same time. One had piercing eyes and the other had soft eyes. Their eyes were opposites, but the light in them was the same. They were filled with an unshakable will. "Even if I tried to persuade you two to stop, you wouldn''t listen, huh? Okay, I don''t have a choice. I''ll go with you." I shrug my shoulders and decide to accept their proposal. It would be a small price to pay if I could save Ryuna''s life and avert a possible civil war in the future. "Anyway, you are likely to die soon if you are left alone. I''ll babysit you so that you won''t become the demon''s (Akuma) plaything." "Hmph... You''re really a very sarcastic man." "As expected of Baskerville-sama. I can count on you, can''t I?" Shakuna folded her arms in frustration, and Ryuna clasped her hands together and shouted brightly. The contrast between the two sisters deepens my resolve not to let them die. And so, our next destination is decided. We are going to an EX-dungeon¡ª''The Royal Tomb of Salomon''. Before I meet up with my friends in the capital, we are going to the demon''s lair where the King of Magic rests. CH 137 After that, we traveled through the desert for three days and three nights. We could not stop at any towns or villages along the way. After all, the king and his advisors might be after us to capture Shakuna and Ryuna. Fortunately, the princesses are well supplied with food and water by magic. They seem to be well prepared for the desert crossing, and it seems unlikely that they will die in the desert. The only trouble was the attack of monsters and sand bandits, but this party consisted of me and Shakuna. Most of the guards with us were useless fry... but only Hadiss, an elderly priest-knight, was reasonably competent. He was a defensive girder. Ryuna, the ''Priestess'', is also a reasonably capable healer and aid, and does not seem to be slowing us down. And now, we have made it to the tomb of Salomon without missing any person. "So, this is the royal tomb...!" Ryuna murmured in a hard and tense voice. It looked like a pyramid. It stood eerily in the middle of the desert, surrounded by an unnaturally empty sandy plain. From the entrance in front of the building, there is a series of stairs leading down, and on either side of the stairs are magical torches that never burn out, their orange light shimmering. The dark and eerie entrance is like the mouth of a monster. Once someone step into it, they may never come out again... such an unexplainable fear is given to those who see it. Because of this, Shakuna, Ryuna, and the guards escorting them all look up at the triangular structure with frozen, anxious faces. They are cowering nervously, but I call out to them from behind. "It''s good that we arrived here safely, but... are you sure you want to take on this challenge with this group?" "Hmm... What do you mean?" Shakuna asked me suspiciously. I sarcastically lift my lips, shrug my shoulders and say. "I don''t think we''re good enough. With this group, I don''t know how far we can go in the tomb. Aside from Shakuna, Ryuna, and Haddis, the rest of us can barely make it to the tenth floor. Going for the 50th floor is like going to die." "D*mn... Don''t act like you know anything. You''re a stranger...!" The guard soldiers in front of the entrance to the royal tombs scrunched up their faces at the blunt assessment of the situation. The guards, except Hadiss, glared at me... but their faces showed more frustration than anger. They must have been aware of this on the way. They must have realized that they were dragging the others down even though they were the guards. Even if all the guards were to join forces, they''d still be no stronger than my one arm. "I assure you... even if we dive into the tomb with those young guards of yours, they''ll lose their lives on the way. They will never be able to follow up to the 50th floor." "Kuh...!" Hadiss is the only one among the guards here who had reached the higher rank, ''Paladin''. Ryuna too, although she only has little experience in fighting monster since she has been in the temple for a long time, she is a healer with enough power. But, the guards in the escort are not strong enough to dive up to the 50th floor, after all, they were just fighting desert monsters. "Then what do you suggest? You''re not going to tell us you''re against going into the dungeon now, are you!" Shakuna said angrily. I shrugged my shoulders at the princess who was angry at me for insulting her friends, and opened my mouth to suggest an alternative. But before I could say a word, Ryuna raised her right hand. "Then... how about if the four of us, including me, challenge the dungeon?" "Oh?" I look at her in surprise. What Ryuna suggested is the same alternative I had been planning to propose. "Ryuna, what do you mean? "Onee-sama, Baskerville-sama, and Captain Haddis. Also, with me as the healer, we will be a party of four, and the other priests and guards will not be in danger." Ryuna explained to her surprised sister in an apologetic tone. "Well... I''m surprised. You can make a much calmer decision than your sister." I nodded, impressed. If I had to bring more people, they would have been in the way. This must be the best solution in this situation. "No... Then there is no point in coming here!" "We''ll be fine, Priestess!" "Please take us with you! We can''t stand to be in a safe place while Priestess is going to a dangerous place!" At Ryuna''s suggestion, the guards protested. With a look of impatience on their faces, they appealed to Priestess, whom they should be served. "If it is us, we are ready to die on the way!" "That''s right! Please take us with you, so that we can be used as a meat wall!" The priests also offer to join us. Their loyalty is real. They must be ready to give up their lives without hesitation for the Priestess whom they must protect. A great resolve. A loyal retainer. Even I, a third party, am impressed. "But... it would be counterproductive, in this case. A ''liability'' is a liability because he''s a liability by his mere presence." I dismissed their resolve out of hand. "If you guys follow me, there will definitely be more injured people. And if anyone gets hurt, it will be a burden on Ryuna, who is a healer. Don''t you understand that it''s more of a burden if you are followed us?" "T-Then...!" "Don''t tell me that you all don''t need medical treatment...? Do you think Ryuna is a woman who can leave her injured friends alone?" If she can abandon her wounded comrades, she can take the priests and guards with her as a meat wall. But neither Ryuna nor Shakuna are ruthless enough to accept such a sacrifice. If that is the case, it would be better for them to stay behind from the beginning. I know it sounds cold, but it is the best and most rational decision. "Hmm..." Hadiss strokes his beard and lets out a heavy sigh. "...I guess you two are right. I do not have any words to respond." "Hadiss-dono!?" "If we take you all with us, it will be a burden for Ryuna-sama. Then it''s better for you to stay here." "...!" The priests and the guards glare at me sharply. However, there''s no point in getting mad at me. It''s a natural decision to save energy in the dungeon, and that''s why Ryuna said that. I just hope they don''t resent me for it. "It looks like it''s settled... Shakuna, is there any problem?" "...No. In that case, there''s nothing I can do. The four of us will face the ''Royal Tomb of the King'' together." Shakuna looked pained, but agreed to leave her escort here. There was nothing she could say to the priest and the guards now. She clenches her fists in frustration and remains silent. "Don''t look at me like that... Dungeons were originally meant to be tackled by a small number of people, weren''t they? Trying to outnumber them is the opposite of the way to go... Hmm?" "...Take this. My traveling companion." As I tried to offer some kind of comfort, one of the priests handed me a leather bag. "It contains food and potions. I want you to use them for Princess and Priestess." "...Oh, okay. I accept." He handed me a magic bag for storing items. It is not a bag of unlimited capacity like the one I usually use, but one with a limit on the number of items. The priests and guards looked at each other with a bitter expression on their faces. They must be very sorry that they are not able to keep up with Shakuna and the others because of their lack of strength. "...Don''t worry. I won''t let Shakuna or Ryuna die. After all, I''m with them." I clap the priest on the shoulder with my fist and promises clearly. I will never allow a depressing storyline in which the heroine loses her life. I never wanted to see beautiful women like Shakuna and Ryuna die in such a cruel manner. "Well then... let''s take up the challenge. Let''s go to the royal tomb of Salomon, the world''s greatest demon lair!" Zenon Baskerville, the Dark Lord. Shakuna Maafern, the Magic Dancer Ryuna Maafern, the Priestess. Hadiss, the Paladin Thus, an improvised party of four formed in the desert entered the ruins of the demon''s lair. CH 138 EX-level dungeon¡ªthe ''Royal Tomb of Salomon'' The dungeon where Salomon''s soul, the King of Magic, rests is guarded by countless demons summoned from hell. I had tried the dungeon many times in the game, and although I had a vague memory about the structure of the floor, I still knew it generally. Now, with me in the lead, the group moves down the ''Royal Tomb''. "Haa!" "Hmph!" I swing my sword and cut through the enemies standing in the passage. At the same time, Shakuna aims a whip at their head from a little distance away. Ahead of us stood a demon with human torso and fly head. I acted as the vanguard attacker, while Shakuna supported me from the middle distance with sword dances and magic. Ryuna, a healer and the sole low-ranking member of the party, is in the back, and Hadiss, a ''Paladin'', is standing in the back as a guard. "Eat this!" "Kishiiiiii!" Shakuna leaps forward, and with a slash, the fly-headed demon, whose skull is shattered, falls to the ground. The dead demon vanishes in a puff of white smoke, leaving only the insect wings as a drop item. I have seen this scene many times since entering the royal tomb. Every since we entered the underground of the ruins, creepy monsters have been appearing one after another, which make us lose our sanity just by looking at them. They are demons summoned by Salomon, or his family. "What a horrible monster... Why did King Salomon, the legendary magician, summon such a monster to the earth?" Shakuna muttered in a creepy way as she stared at the disappearing monster. At her sister''s question, Ryuna, who was standing behind her, opens her mouth. "A thousand years ago, during the era of King Salomon, there were many dynasties (Íõ³¯) that fought over a limited amount of rich lands. In order to end the never-ending warfare, Salomon summoned the armies of hell and ruled the land. I heard that these ruins were originally intended to trap the demons that he summoned so that they would not misbehave." "Isn''t it strange that he keeps the demons he summoned locked up? If he had no more use for them, why not just send them back to hell?" "Even after King Salomon established a unified kingdom, there were many people who rebelled and planned to rebel. In order to check the rebels, it seems that the demons could not be sent back to hell." I have read this story in the setting material. Salomon conquered the desert with the help of demons, but in his later years, he seems to have been in fear of rebellion and assassination. Well, in most cases, the rulers who brought about a change by overwhelming military power are the ones who die in the end by assassination treason. Like Oda Nobunaga was killed by Akechi Mitsuhide. Caesar was stabbed to death by his comrades. Even Qin Shi Huang and Alexander the Great were assassinated. King Salomon must have been frightened by the remnants of the dynasties he destroyed and conquered, and by his men and relatives who wanted the throne. "But... It seems he was wrong. King Salomon died of illness without sending the demon back to hell, and as a result, countless demons have remained in the ruins. In exchange for not leaving the ruins, the demon demanded that Salomon''s remains be handed over to them, and the next king who succeeded him agreed to this. It is said that Salomon''s soul was buried in the ruins along with the remains, and is still trapped with the demon." "..." I know that. Salomon cannot leave the deepest part of the ruins, and he is still suffering. Salomon is a man loved by the demon. So, to keep him out of the hands of God, the demon locked him in this Tomb of the Kings. "Yandere, huh... It''s scary..." I muttered with a grimace on my face. I don''t know why... but I feel it familiar. I feel as if it will happen to me someday, that I''ll be locked up forever because I''m loved. When my face was pale with unidentified fear, Ryuna looked into my face curiously. "Is something wrong, Baskerville-sama?" "No..." I shook my head. Everything''s fine. It''s okay, Urza and Levienna wouldn''t do anything like that. They''re my loyal subjects. They won''t lock me up against my will. Nagisa will be fine. And Aeris... I don''t know why. I had a vision of myself being locked up by Aeris and forced to have sexual intercourse with her day and night... Is this really my fantasy? "It''s not good... I''m getting terribly frightened." In a way, it''s more terrifying than the demons in this dungeon. Why do my trusted relatives seem to be more like messengers from hell? "Don''t worry about it. Don''t look so frightened." "Ryuna..." The ''Priestess'' girl smiles kindly at me, as I am frightened and delusional on my own. "Zenon-sama is a person who confines rather than being confined. A person who confines me and does such things to me can''t be confined without good reason." "..." Here is another one, I was possessed by another unexplainable delusion. After all, priestess can see the future... I wonder what kind of character I am in her mind. "What are you two talking about!?" "Well, we can''t stand still here without the enemy chasing us. Let''s go forward." "...Yeah" Shakuna and Hadiss urge me to go deeper and deeper into the tombs of the king. It''s been an hour since we entered the dungeon. We had already reached the ninth floor. Even though I knew the approximate route, the pace still quite fast. The next level is 10th floor. This is the room where the first boss would be waiting for us. "Let''s do our best, Baskerville-sama!" "..." I head to the next floor, feeling a sense of uneasiness from Ryuna, who is smiling at me in a very friendly way. CH 139 After that, we made good progress and eventually arrived at the boss''s room located in the innermost part of the 10th floor. Now, a heavy stone door stood in front of us. Beyond this door, the first boss of the "Royal Tomb" is waiting for us. "Well... this will be the first boss, but I won''t touch him, so you guys have to defeat it by yourselves." "What? What do you mean?" Shakuna''s eyes lifted up with a twinkle as I spoke. "If I help you, the fight will be over in a second, and I want to see what the three of you can do. If you guys struggle against the weakest boss, there''s no way we''ll make it to the 50th floor, where the treasure we''re after is. If that happens... no offense. It''s better to give up on the ''Tomb of the King'' and think of other means." "Heh... so you''re going to test us. But you''re just our hired hand." "Even mercenaries choose their employers. Wouldn''t it be in good faith for a mercenary to say no to his employer''s unreasonable demands?" "...Fine. I understand. We''ll do it!" "Can we do it...?" Against Shakuna''s boldness, Ryuna''s eyebrows are lowered and her expression is uneasy. "If you can''t do it, you''ll die before reaching the 50th floor of the ''Tomb of the King''. Well... you are a healer. Trust your companions in the vanguard and support them." "...I understand. I''ll do my best." Ryuna bit her lip. Then, I turned my attention to the last one, Hadis, the priest-knight, who nodded vigorously in return. "In case you are about to die, I will help you. Don''t worry." "You don''t have to do that. We''ll show you that we can beat the first boss with a solid margin!" Shakuna says boldly. In fact, the three of them can conquer the 10th floor boss without any problem. I have seen their abilities on the way and even had a duel with Shakuna. Even though the 50th floor may be tough, I don''t think they will have a hard time in the 10th and 20th floor. That is, however... if they can fight with their composure. Can they show stable strength after hours of dungeon diving, fighting creepy-looking demons, and having their spirits worn down? Mental strength, which are not reflected in skills and stats, will be put to the test. "I know it sounds harsh, but... if you''re exhausted at the 10th floor, you can''t even dream of going down to the 50th floor." I''m sorry to tell them that, but I''m afraid I have to move on to the other way if they can''t do it. Shakuna''s main goal is to escape from Guru Rudanaga and protect Ryuna, but she also wants to get the treasure of Salomon and rescue his puppet father. If they cannot fight well here, I will abandon the manipulated king and the oppressed people and send Ryuna into exile in the Slayers Kingdom. I know this may sound harsh... but my goal is to crush Rujanaga''s ambitions, not this country itself. * * * After opening the stone door and entering, a large, square room unfolds before us. Orange torches are hung on the four walls, illuminating the room. ''Guoooooooooooo!'' A low yell is let out by the bull-faced, humanoid monster waiting in the center of the room. The name of the monster, which is similar to the ''Minotaur'' in Greek mythology, is ''Borek, the Bull-headed Demon''. Now, Borek''s golden eyes glare at us, and its open mouth spills viscous saliva all over the floor. "Ugh..." The stench coming from the deformed monster makes Ryuna let out a nauseous voice. However, she tries hard not to vomit and stares at Borek with her eyes that do not reflect light. "Ryuna... Are you okay? Can you fight?" "No problem, Onee-sama. More importantly... it''s coming!" ''Guooooooooooo!'' Borek swings its beast claws and attacks with it. The target of the attack is Shakuna, who stood there protecting her sister. "I won''t let you!" However, Haddis, who moved swiftly to the front of the line, caught the enemy''s attack with his large shield. He protects his companions in the rear by holding back the attack of an opponent nearly twice his own size. "Auxiliary Magic¡ªGuard Up!" "Thunder Magic¡ªThunderbolt!" Ryuna and Shakuna simultaneously invoke their magic. Ryuna''s auxiliary magic raises Hadiss''s defense, and at the same time, Shakuna''s sharp thunderbolt pierces Borek''s huge body. ''Guooooooooooo!?'' "Mmmh!" Seizing the opportunity when Borek is frightened by the thunderbolt that burns its body, Hadiss pushes off the huge body. He pushes the enemy away with all his might, and then thrusts his right-hand spear into Borek''s leg. ''Guooooooooooo!?'' "Shakuna-sama! Hurry while you still can...!" "Okay! Curse Dance¡ª''Raana Arume''!" Shakuna begins to dance with her left and right shamshirs in her hands. Unlike the ''Warrior¡¯s Dance'' she had performed in the duel with me, which was an intense belly dance, this time the dance is slow and had a strange rhythm. The dance is a bewitching one, with incendiary gestures emphasizing her breasts and legs at various points, as if to charm and lure her partner. ''Guuuuuuuuuuuuuu!?" As Shakuna''s rhythm builds, a black mist entangles Borek''s huge body, binding it like a chain. If the ''Warrior''s Dance'' was a dance with a support effect, the ''Curse Dance'' is a dance with the opposite effect that debuffs the opponent''s power. ''Gugaaa! Guuuu, guuuu...!'' The restrained Borek groans in pain and falls to one knee. The debuff applied by Shakuna has temporarily weakened her opponent, severely reducing his power and speed. "We''re going to attack while we still can! We have 60 seconds to finish this!" Shakuna shouted sharply, leaping out from behind Hadiss. The emphasis on ''60 seconds'' suggests that Shakuna is concerned about her defeat in the duel with me, in which she ran out of time for the buff effect to take effect. "I''ll support you. Auxiliary magic¡ªPower Up! Rabbit Foot!" Seeing that the battle had turned offensive, Ryuna immediately invoked her auxiliary magic. The buffs affect their power and speed, and Shakuna and Hadiss attack in one fell swoop. "Haaaaaa!" "Hmmmmh!" ''Guooooooooooooo!'' Shakuna slices the enemy with two shamshirs, and Haddis thrusts his spear at the opponent''s legs and joints. Borek also resists with its claws, but its speed is slowed down by the debuff. So, both Shakuna and Hadiss easily avoid and defend themselves. ''Gghh, gaaaaa...'' Soon the bull-headed demon falls on its face and its huge hairy body sinks to the ground. The battered body turns into blue light and vanishes. This is the end of the 10th floor. As Shakuna declared this victory, it only took about a minute for the team to win. CH 140 "Good work, that wasn''t so bad." "Baskerville-sama..." After the battle was over, I offered Ryuna a water bag I had taken out of my baggage. The blind Priestess kept her eyes down, as if she was troubled, and was reluctant to accept the water bag. "...I didn''t do anything. It was Onee-sama and Hadiss-sama who defeated the demon." Apparently, Ryuna thinks that she had not done much. Well, it is true that she did not damage the enemy... but to say that she did nothing is wrong. "Hey hey, rear support is an important part of the job. You''ve done enough work, so don''t be modest." In addition to the increase in status through auxiliary magic, the vanguard can fight without regard for danger because they have companions who can heal their injuries when the need arises. Without Ryuna, an excellent healer, neither Shakuna nor Hadiss would be able to fight with all their might. "That''s right! Not like a man who comes out like this later and looks like he''s done something!" "Onee-sama..." Shakuna, looking pleased with herself, took the water bag and put her mouth on it. She gulps down the water and pushes it into Ryuna''s mouth as well. "We are sisters and friends, so it is natural that we complement and help each other, isn''t it? This victory is ours, so please don''t say anything to lower your own value." "Thank you, Onee-sama..." "Yes, by the way... we passed the battle, didn''t we? And you did nothing, you worthless piece of sh*t." Shakuna gives me a smug "Heheh" look. But, I shrug my shoulders and give her a sarcastic smile. "Just barely, but not too bad. If it were me, it wouldn''t have taken more than 10 seconds to win." "You''re still a sarcastic man. Your face is scary, you''re self-centered, and you have a bad mouth. I bet you''re not popular with the girls, are you?" "...I''m popular. To the point where I loathe it." As Shakuna''s face tightens in response, a treasure chest appears in the center of the boss''s room with a "pop" sound. "This is..." "It''s a reward for clearing the room. There''s no traps or anything, so open it." "..." Shakuna puts her hand on the treasure chest with a nervous look on her face. She opens the wooden box and what comes out is a ''bean'' the size of the tip of her pinky finger. "Hmm... what is it?" "It''s a ''Grow Seed''. Not a miss, but not a hit either. It seems we were out of luck." The reward for clearing the 10th floor, the first boss room, is randomly selected from among five different items. The ''Grow Seed'' is one of them, and it had the effect of slightly increasing the user''s all-status. Although it sounds like a good item, each user could use only one of this item, so it was impossible to become much stronger by multiplying it over and over. So, when someone repeatedly challenge the ''Tomb of the King'', they may end up with a large surplus of this item in their inventory because they cannot use it all up. "Well... it''s not very effective, but it''s not meaningless either. Anyone should use it." "Well, then Ryuna..." "No, you should use it, Onee-sama..." Both sisters recommend the use of the item to the other at the same time. "It''s Ryuna who''s being targeted by the Guru, right? Even though it only has small effect, it''s good to use it for you." "I only have magic power to use in battle. It''s more useful for Onee-sama who can do both magic and melee." Shakuna was arguing with Ryuna, but Ryuna did not give in. No, they would not give up to each other. "I agree with Ryuna''s opinion. Grow Seed''s effect is small, but Shakuna, who can play both the vanguard and the rear guard, can make the most of it." "But..." "The stronger you become, the better you can protect Ryuna. If you want to protect Ryuna, you should first think about becoming stronger yourself." "...Okay, I understand." Shakuna nodded and picked up the seven-colored bean. The extremely colored bean is not very appetizing... but Shakuna put it in her mouth with determination. "Mmm...!" Shakuna''s body is enveloped in a seven-colored light, and her brown-skinned body twitches and twitches. However, her reaction is unnecessarily sexy, as if she is being stroked on her back. "I''m not sure if it worked or not. However, I feel a little light-headed..." "Well, the effect of the grow seed is very small. It''s better to use it than not use it at all." I shrugged my shoulders and pointed at the iron door at the back of the boss''s room. "There''s a rest room ahead, free of demons and traps. We can rest there and then move on to the next floor." "Okay..." "Yes, I understand." With the sisters and Hadis in tow, I open the door to the back. The rests room set up at each of ten floors are where save points would have been placed in the game. Of course, save points do not exist in reality, but... in the center of the square room, there is a small fountain. It''s a ''healing fountain'' that could restore one''s strength and magic power, as I know from the game. "Huff..." I let out a sigh of relief for the first time since entering the ''Tomb of the King''. CH 141 At the back of the boss''s room on the 10th floor, there is a rest room. The room looked like a room of an inn with four beds, a kitchen with a fire for cooking food, and even a small spring filled with spring water. It seemed as if we could live here for a while if we wanted to. Of course, it is a completely safe space with no monsters or traps. Rest rooms similar to this one is set up at every 10 floors, so that visitors can recover their strength and magic power while conquering the dungeon. In the game, there was even a save point... but of course, this does not exist in the real world. Looking around the safe space of the rest room, Shakuna breathes out in relief and her tense shoulders drop. "Huff... I can finally take a break..." "Ah, Onee-sama. I think we can cook here." "That''s nice. I''m starving. Bring out the food. For water... Is the water from that spring drinkable?" The sisters are checking the facilities in the room with their voices bubbling with relief. Shakuna takes a sip of the water from the spring and says, "Yes, it tastes good," with her cheeks relaxing. Ryuna looks with interest at the cooking area in the shaded corner of the room. "Hmm..." Haddis, on the other hand, checks the metal door at the back of the room. He opens the door and peers into the back of the room... behind the door is a small room about four and a half tatami mats in size, with only a staircase leading to the lower floor. "This is the staircase that leads to the 11th floor. Don''t go down yet, okay?" I reminded him, and Hadiss nodded with a stern look on his face. "Yes, I''m aware of that. Her Highness the Princesses need to get plenty of rest, after all." "You get plenty of rest, too, okay? There''ll be stronger monsters than the ones we''ve seen so far when we go down there. If the Tanker''s too weak to move at the critical moment... both our lives will be at stake." "I understand. Don''t worry, I''ll take a good rest." As he said this, Hadiss leaned his back against the wall and closed his eyes. I shrug my shoulders in dismay at the straightforward priest-soldier, who continues to keep his guard up without sitting down. There are no monsters in this room. There''s no problem with letting down our guard... but I guess the overprotective priest-soldier''s priority is to protect the two princesses whom he has to protect. "...You''re a serious guy. But, don''t get too worked up, okay?" "Yes, sir." "Baskerville-sama, may I have some supplies so I can prepare a meal?" Ryuna, who was checking the cooking hearth, asks me while I was having a conversation with Hadiss. Well, I was carrying the item bag with the food. So, I took off the bag, which was strapped to my waist belt, and handed it to Ryuna. "Thank you very much. I''ll make the food soon, so please rest yourself, Baskerville-sama." "Hey, hey, aren''t you more tired than me?" "Don''t worry. I''ll take a rest later, please take a rest first." Ryuna arranges the uncooked food in the kitchen with a gentle smile. The bag of items includes pots, pans, knives, and other simple cooking utensils, so there should be no trouble in doing a little cooking. "Well then... I''ll take your word for it." Now that she''s said all this, I''ll take advantage of the lady''s kindness. I remove the sword from my waist and lean it against the wall, then lie down on one of the beds. The bed is surprisingly soft. Considering the fact that there is a rest area every 10 floors, this dungeon is really very kind. "It''s really a very kind dungeon. Whoever built this dungeon must have a good personality." I think to myself as I lie on my back and close my eyes. In the game, it did not seem unnatural to have rest rooms. After all, having a spring to restore HP and MP or a save point in front of the boss room is a standard feature of RPGs. It is not something to worry about. But... if I think about it, this dungeon is the tomb where King Salomon rests. It seems unnatural to build a space to favor grave robbers. "Well... I don''t really care. What''s there is there." Without a rest room, it would be extremely difficult to conquer a 100-floor dungeon. Though, our goal this time is 50 floors, which is not as difficult as a complete dungeon... there is no point in denying what is convenient for us. Let''s not think about unnecessary things and go to sleep. Thus, I surrender my consciousness to the sleepiness that comes to me in a slow rhythm like waves, and I depart to the world of sleep. CH 142 "Baskerville-sama, please wake up. Dinner is ready." "Hmm...?" I slowly opened my eyelids to find the face of a brown-skinned girl standing right in front of me. Her jade green eyes looked into my face. Her hair of the same color flowing like a waterfall from her head. There is also a mischievous expression on her beautifully shaped face. Now, Ryuna Maafern, the Priestess of the temple, is so close to me that I could have kissed her. "...What are you doing up so early? Are you going to give me a kiss when I wake up?" I tried to keep my tone calm, suppressing my inner turmoil. The truth is that I was so surprised that I thought my heart would explode... but it''s not cool to be upset when a girl who seems to be younger than me puts her face close to mine. As a man who has been in contact with four women on a daily basis, I couldn''t let my upset show. "Geez... that''s not an interesting reaction. I thought you would be more surprised." "Too bad. I''m an experienced city boy, okay? I don''t get upset just because someone leans in close to my face." "Should I kissed you on the mouth? That way, you''d be a little upset, wouldn''t you?" "...Do it if you can. I''ll put my tongue inside your mouth and stir it around." I stare at her with half-open eyes. But Ryuna just giggles and points with her hand toward the table. Then I noticed that there is a delicious, appetizing smell wafting through the room. "Come on, let''s have dinner. This way please." "...Yeah" I sit down on a chair next to the table, raising my eyebrows slightly at Ryuna who takes the trouble to pull me away from the table. There are already Shakuna and Hadiss sitting around the food. However, Shakuna looks at me reproachfully and opens her cherry-red lips. "...I see you and my little sister have become good friends. I''m so glad." "...Your face doesn''t match your words. You look like you''re going to kill me." Shakuna''s eyes were sharp, as if she wanted to stab her partner to death with her gaze. She must not like the man flirting with her cute sister. After all, her eyes were like those of a black bug in the kitchen. "...No way, I''m happy as long as Ryuna is happy. I''ll give my blessing to Ryuna if she''s happy, no matter what kind of a scumbag the guy is. Even if it''s a lecherous seducer." "I don''t know who you''re talking to. But, I''m not a scumbag and I''m not a lecherous seducer." "Calm down, don''t fight, both of you. We''re about to eat and the food will be bad." Ryuna intervenes between us and hands me a plate with more food on it. On the plate are sliced bread, fish fillets, and meat covered with spices like curry powder. The spicy smell of the food makes my throat gulp spontaneously. "It looks delicious. It''s really quite a feat for a blind person to make a dish like this." "Of course it''s delicious. It''s the food Ryuna made!" "Why are you so proud of yourself? It''s your sister''s work!" "I''m used to cooking thanks to my work at the soup kitchen. Surely it will suit your taste buds, Baskerville-sama?" Shakuna is smiling with pride for some reason, and Ryuna is smiling with a smile on her face. With Shakuna and Ryuna on either side of me, I spoon the food into my mouth. As soon as it enters the mouth, the spicy and thick flavoring fills the mouth and stimulates my tongue. "It''s spicy... but it''s still delicious. It''s an addictive taste." The stimulating flavor seems to spread through my tired body. It''s an addictive taste that I can''t stop after one bite. Very tasty. "I am glad that it suits your taste. There is a refill, so please eat as much as you want." "Yes, I will." I gobble down the food. I gobble down my food so fast that I almost forget that I am a nobleman. I look to the side and see Shakuna and Ryuna eating their meals in an elegant manner. They are princesses, after all, and have good manners. Haddis, who is sitting in front of us, is silently and procedurally bringing the food to his mouth. He also keeps glancing at the entrance and the exit of the room with his side eyes, and does not seem to let his guard down even while he is eating. He is as serious as ever, but I''m sure he won''t listen to me. It is because of obedient knights like him that Shakuna and Ryuna are able to travel in peace, and it is not my place to interfere. "Well... it''s not so bad. Having a night like this..." It was such a fulfilling meal that we almost forgot we were in a dungeon. EX dungeon, the ''Royal Tomb of Salomon''s''. The night of the first day of the attack passed quietly. CH 143 Ryuna, Shakuna, and Haddiss took a break in turn, and then resumed the challenge, this time aiming at the 20th floor. At the 11th floor, the monsters are more powerful than those on the previous floors, but Shakuna and the others still seem to have enough room to make it to the next floor. They are able to move on to the lower floor without any problems. In fact, they are moving better as they have become accustomed to the new environment and have relaxed their tension, which has increased the speed of their attack. At this rate, we may be able to reach the boss room of the 30th floor by the end of today, instead of the 20th floor. "Be careful on that road, there are traps. If you step on the cobblestones of different colors under your feet, you''ll get electrocuted." I tell the three of them to take the shortest path down to the next floor. Below the 11th floor, we have to watch out not only for monsters but also for traps, so I recall my memories as I carefully give them instructions. "I''ve been wondering since yesterday... have you ever been in this dungeon?" Shakuna''s eyes lifted in suspicion as I pointed out not only the directions but also the locations of the traps. In response to this question, I shrug my shoulders and answer. "Well. I''ve tried this dungeon a few times. I never made it to the lowest floor, though." The first half is true, but the second half is a lie. In the game, I succeeded in defeating the boss character of the last level, ''King Salomon,'' but I keep quiet about it because it might get complicated if I talk about it. "I can guide you to the 50th floor where the ''King''s Scepter'' is located, so leave it to me." "Then I feel relieved... But wait, by any chance, don''t you have the ''Royal Scepter of Osiris''? If so, we didn''t have to go into the dungeon!" "I wish I had it... but unfortunately, I''m out of the scepter." I laugh sarcastically and shake my head. The scepter of Osiris, the reward for clearing the 50th floor, is a useful item that can remove all of my companions'' abnormalities and debuffs... but when used, it has a certain probability of breaking. In addition, there is a limitation that a player cannot have more than one scepter at the same time. If the user conquered the 50th floor again with the scepter in his possession, another item would appear. If the scepter is broken and lost, it is possible to get it again... but the item will not be included in the items that can be transferred as a result of the clear data. This is because the clear data was saved with the scepter in a broken state after it had been used up. "My scepter was broken a long time ago. I have the other clear rewards, but... no luck." "I see... you''re absolutely, utterly useless." "Shut up, who could have foreseen this?" The scepter is a useful item, but it is not so useful that I am bothered if I don''t have it. It is obvious thing because any player who has played through the main scenario has already obtained skills and equipment for countermeasures against abnormalities. So, there is no need to take the time to re-explore the tomb to get the scepter again. "So... we have to go all the way to the 50th floor, huh..." "That''s right... Hey, your footing there is dangerous..." "Hmm...? Kyaaaaaaaaaaa!" "Onee-sama!?" "Your Highness!" At the moment Shakuna steps on the floor, a pale translucent rope-like object appears and entangles Shakuna''s legs. Shakuna''s body is pulled by the rope and hanged upside down. "What... What the hell is this!?" "Good grief... I told you it was dangerous!" "You should''ve said it with more energy!? No one can avoid it with your stupid warning!?" Shakuna is hanging from the ceiling and yelling, ¡°Whoa, whoaaa!¡±. "Oh, it''s going to fall!" "Eh? Baskerville-sama?" I casually pulled Ryuna''s arm and took a step away from Shakuna. The next moment, the ceiling of the place where Shakuna is suspended opens, and a huge amount of liquid comes pouring down. "Hyaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!?" Shakuna''s screams echoed through the dungeon as she was completely engulfed by the torrent of liquid that fell like a waterfall. At the same time, the magic rope that was holding her legs came loose, and she fell down with a sticky sound. "Ah... Ugh..." "Ahh, this is so terrible..." "O-Onee-sama! Are you all right!?" Shakuna was hit by the trap, and was soaking wet all over and nearly half of her dancer''s costume she was wearing had come off. Her smooth breasts are almost completely exposed, and even the pinkish protrusion at the tip could be seen. "Hmm... this is just like in the game, huh?" I nodded my head while observing Shakuna who appeared to be in a very erotic state. This erotic trap event occurs when Shakuna is joined in the party to conquer the ''Tomb of the King'', and I could see the exact same scene in the game as what I was seeing in front of me. This event was quite popular among fans, as the normally cold and shadowy Shakuna gets soaking wet and crumples to the floor as if she had just been violated by a man. "The power of the scenario, or rather, the obligation, is really strong. It''s hilarious that she fell for it." "O-Onee-sama! Please change your clothes!" "Why did this happen to me... Do you really hate me that much..." Shakuna glares at me with teary eyes, and Ryuna hurriedly puts her cloak on her. But I spread my arms out in frustration at the unjustified resentment, and the other man, Hadis, turns his eyes away as if he were looking at someone else. CH 144 The guardian of the 20th floor is a giant insect-shaped monster¡ªa demon named Marmartos. Its body is shiny black and speckled with bright red. Its carapace is divided by numerous joints, and countless jointed legs are wriggling wildly. This demon, which causes physiological disgust to those who see it, is very similar to the so called "Pill Bug". The kind that lurks under stones or other objects when they are lifted up. However, its body is huge, nearly three meters in height, and its head is glaring at us with a terrifying face like an oni. ''Kyuchachachachachacha~!'' The huge insect makes a noisy noise with its mandibles. That was the signal to start the battle. Immediately, I send out instructions to my three companions. "All right, then... let''s go as planned! Don''t let your guard down!" "I know it! Don''t tell me what to do!" I move to the position we had discussed before, listening to Shakuna''s retort. In place of Hadiss, the guarder, I stand in front of Ryuna, holding my sword in front of her to protect her. This battle was different from the one on the 10th floor, and I was to participate in it. Based on the way they fought, I have a rough idea of the abilities of my three companions. Although there are some dangers, as long as I support them, it is possible to conquer up to the 50th floor. So, there is no need to test my skills any further. We just have to beat it quickly and move on to the next floor. "It''s time to go, Hadis!" "I understood." Shakuna and Hadiss leap in front of the demon together. They face the creepy insect-shaped demon head-on. "Warrior Dance¡ª''Sword Dance''!" "Fold it up¡ª''Power Slash''!" ''Kyuchachachachachacha~!'' Shakuna and Hadiss attacked simultaneously. Marmartos counterattacks, though slightly frightened. It attacked them by twisting and biting them with its legs, and by extending long poisonous needles attached to its tail. "Nggh...!" "Hmmph!" Shakuna dodges the giant insects'' attacks with dance steps, and Haddis catches them with his large shield. As for the note, I had taught them the pattern of this demon''s attack in advance. So, no matter how sharp the attack is, it is not difficult to avoid it if they know it is coming. Both Shakuna and Hadiss skillfully handled the attack by watching the preliminary movements before the attack, and inflicted damage unilaterally. "This seems to be no problem! It''s nothing to worry about!" "Be careful! It''s coming!" Shakuna, who is slashing at her enemies with a calm and composed attitude, calls out a warning. This insect-shaped demon changes its movements when its energy level is less than half, and then it launches its signature move. ''Kichuuuuuuuuuuuuu~!!'' Marmartos curls up its arthropod body and starts to spin vigorously. It rolls around at high speed, trying to hit the two vanguards. "Your Highness!" "Get back...!" Haddis and Shakuna narrowly avoid being hit. If they had failed to evade in time and had been hit directly, they would have been severely injured. As can be seen, this demon''s signature move¡ªthe ''Blood Wheel''¡ªis an attack in which the demon spins around its body and hits the opponent. While spinning, it completely negates all attacks from the enemy. In addition, it also has a guard nullification effect, which can be fatal even for warriors with high defense if taken seriously. "...It''s a good thing I asked you beforehand. Although it''s frustrating, I''m glad that that lecherous seducer was there." "Who''s a lecherous seducer! You''d better run away so you don''t get hit by accident!" "I know it... but, Ryuna! Get out of the way!" The demon, which had been circling at high speed, changed its target and came toward Ryuna and me in the back. Its huge body, like a boulder rolling down a slope, loomed up in front of us. "Baskerville-sama!" "...!" I try to avoid it while carrying Ryuna, but I can''t make it in time. That huge demon body is coming at us with frightening speed, trying to crush us all together... ''Pigyaun~!?'' However, it slips through our bodies and crashes into the wall behind us. As a result of hitting the wall, Marmartos is released from his high-speed rotation, and returns to his original shape, moving like a dizzy, drunken maniac. "Dark magic¡ªIllusion Ghost!" At a little distance from Marmartos, I held Ryuna''s shoulder and raised my index finger. I had calculated from the beginning that this would happen. By anticipating that Marmartos would attack Ryuna from the rearguard after launching the decisive move, I had deliberately set up an illusionary trap and waited for the attack. The spinning and rushing attack is a terrifyingly powerful move, but for some reason, when it hit a wall, it would stop and become down, just as it did before. Again, this was the same as the game''s design, which was a blessing. "Now! Start to attack!" "I know what to do! We won''t give it a chance to fight back. We''ll crush it all at once!" "Onee-sama! I''ll support you!" We all attack Marmartos now that it''s down. Ryuna boosts our attack power with her auxiliary magic, and Shakuna and Hadiss go on the offensive at once. ''Gidjuuuuuuuuuuuu~'' It was a minute later that the giant insect-shaped demon fell down on the floor. CH 145 At the same time as Marmartos, the insect-shaped demon, fell down and disappeared, a treasure chest appeared in the center of the room. It was the reward for clearing the 20th floor. "Well then... let''s check the reward. Ryuna, you are free to open the treasure chest." "M-Me?" "The reward for clearing the 20th floor is also random. I have a feeling... you''ll be the luckiest among us." "Yes, I agree. Open it." "...Don''t get mad if something strange comes out, okay?" Ryuna approaches the treasure chest reluctantly as her sister Shakuna encourages her to open it. Shakuna then pulls her blind sister''s hand and leads her to the treasure chest... and Ryuna nervously touches the treasure chest. "Ei~!" She opens the treasure chest with a great momentum... and inside the chest is a gem that fits in her palm. Ryuna gropes the rainbow-colored gem, and tilts her head curiously. "What...is this? Is it...a gem?" "Heh... A random orb, huh? You pull off some pretty interesting stuff." "Random orb...?" ''Random Orb'' is a kind of skill orb, and as the name suggests, it gives out unique skills to be learned at random. Skills that can only be learned by certain jobs, skills that can only be used by demons and monsters, could be acquired by using random orbs. Of course, there were times when a skill was useless and unusable... but it was quite enjoyable among the players to try their luck. When I played the game, I learned skills such as [Gill Breathing] and [Scissors Attack], which are obviously not human skills, and I laughed at it. "Well, you never know what you''re going to get until you try it. That was interesting." Hearing my explanation, Shakuna clapped her hands together in amusement. "So... Ryuna, try it out. Tell me what you learn?" "A-Am I going to use it? I think it will be more useful in battle if it''s used by Onee-sama or Baskerville-sama..." "No, because Ryuna brought out this item, you should use it, shouldn''t you? Anyway, I don''t have good luck in such a lucky draw. So, I want Ryuna to use it." "She''s right, she doesn''t seem to have good luck. After all, she just got caught in an erotic trap." "Shut up! Don''t interrupt the conversation between the two sisters!" Shakuna scolds me for interrupting her, and smiles at Ryuna. "It will be good for us if Ryuna gets stronger. You are the only logistical support in this party." "Onee-sama..." "I''m fine with that too. You''ve got plenty of skill slots anyway... and you''re okay with that too, aren''t you Hadiss?" "..." The priest knight standing by the wall nodded silently. After everyone had agreed, Ryuna puts her lips close to the seven-colored gem in her hands and says, "If that''s the case...". The orb dissolves into the air and disappears, and the seven-colored blur of light is sucked into Ryuna''s mouth. "Ah..." "How is it? What skills have you mastered?" "Hwee!? Umm... What''s this...!?" When I ask this, Ryuna looks flustered for some reason. Suddenly she is acting suspiciously. She must have pulled some kind of strange skill... and she hides behind her sister''s back. "...Hey, what did you really learn? I''m curious about your reaction." "D-Don''t ask me that! It''s indecent!" "It''s indecent!?" "Baskerville-sama is dirty! Pervert!" "That''s right. He''s a pervert. He''s a voyeur. Stay away from Ryuna." Even Shakuna''s giving me mysterious cover. I mean, what did I do? I just asked her what skills she has learned! "Why my reputation is ruined! Seriously, just tell me what you drew! I won''t ask you to use it!" "I can''t tell it! I''ll die of embarrassment! Not till we''re married!" "We''re getting married?! Me and Ryuna!?" She turns red and shakes her head. In the end, she never revealed what she had learned from the random orb, and we finished the 20th floor with a confused feeling. CH 146 After taking a short rest in the rest room at the 20th floor, we decided to continue to the 21st floor. The speed of progress is much faster than I expected. At least today, we still have enough energy and magic power to continue to the 30th floor. "Hey, don''t forget to tell me if there are any traps! I''ll stab you if you miss any trap, especially a naughty one!" "Okay, okay... you''re really a sensitive princess." The erotic traps must have been too much for Shakuna to bear. Fed up with Shakuna''s repeated complaints, I wave my hand and lead the party. The difficulty level had increased after the 20th floor... but there was still plenty of room left in the party. Both Shakuna and Hadiss were able to defeat the monsters without any danger, and Ryuna was able to support them without any panic. In fact, I felt that they have become more refined in their movements as they have become more familiar with each other''s role and their coordination is getting stronger. "Your Highness Shakuna! Finish it off!" "I already know¡ª[Sword Dance]!" ''Gugyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa~!'' While Hadiss, the tank, held off the enemy''s attack, Shakuna quickly used her martial art to finish the enemy off. Thanks to the coordinated attacks, the two-legged lizard monster is knocked down and disappears. At the timing when the battle was over, Ryuna, who was in the last row, opened her mouth as if she remembered something. "Speaking of which... isn''t it about time to think of a way to thank Baskerville-sama for his support?" "Oh my, what''s the matter, Ryuna? You suddenly started talking like that." "You know, Onee-sama... Baskerville-sama is a nobleman from an unrelated neighboring country, but yet he lends us a helping hand. I thought a proper thank-you would be deserved." Come to think of it... I was hired as a mercenary, but the compensation was not decided properly. I didn''t really care about it, since it would be beneficial for me too in defeating the purpose of the guru or whatever he was. "...Does this guy need a reward? Didn''t he deserve it after peeping on me and Ryuna naked? Rather, he''s lucky enough not to be executed as a criminal." "That''s not the way it works, Shakuna-oneesama. If it weren''t for Baskerville-sama we wouldn''t be able to conquer this dungeon in such a short time. We should be thankful to him." "Ryuna has a very disciplined character. She is very different than any other fake princess." Shakuna gave me a sharp look when I made fun of her. Anyway, I shrug my shoulders and laugh, clearing my throat. "However, it''s true, isn''t it? It''s the duty of those who are in charge to pay the righteous reward to those who have done well. If you act like you deserve it, you''ll soon have no one left to follow you." "...As if you know anything. Even though you''re not the same age as me." "We may not be the same age, but we have different experiences. I''m the head of the Baskerville family." In fact, ever since I took over the Baskerville family I''ve made it a rule to give reward and punishment. I give ample rewards to those who have done well and strictly judge those who should be punished. If I fail to do so, the order of the organization will be loosened and it will collapse. I knew this from the history I had learned in my previous life. And even if I don''t bring up such a big thing as history, I have learned it as a social order from my experience of working as an office worker. For example, a colleague with a good sales performance was not evaluated fairly by his boss or the company, resulting in a painful situation where he was hired by a rival company. At other times, there were employees whose mistakes were overlooked because they were relatives of executives, causing the atmosphere in the entire workplace to deteriorate and depressing the sales performance of the company. So, if those who are in charge ignore the reward and punishment, that is the beginning of the collapse of the organization. "...It can''t be helped. So, what do you want?" Shakuna said reluctantly with an unconvinced expression on her face. "Money? Or a medal? If I give lands and titles to the nobles of other countries, it would be troublesome, so I can''t give them those... but if my father can be freed from the control of the guru, I think most of that wish can be fulfilled." "Well, let''s see..." I don''t need money or medals. After all, I don''t need them and I''ve got enough of them. Or maybe, I could try to ask for Shakuna''s or Ryuna''s body and see their hilarious reactions...? Well, it would be a poor joke. They might stab me seriously, so I''ll be careful about that. "Hmm... How about you help me fight against the revived Demon King?" "The Demon King... Well, I heard he''s back. I''ve heard that monsters (Mamono) have been strengthened in various areas, though they haven''t caused much damage in our country." "Still, I need your help in defeating the Demon King or fighting the Demon King''s army, when needed. So how is it?" In the battle against the Demon King''s army, there was a scene where a large number of monsters appeared and a large-scale battle unfolded like a war between countries. If I can use the armies of other countries as reserve forces, such battles will become easier. Shakuna thought about my proposal and nodded deeply. "...Okay. I promise. In the name of the Princess of Maafern Kingdom, I promise to help the Slayers Kingdom if you can defeat the guru''s ambitions. And I will get my father''s permission." "Very well. That should be enough to pay me." It''s an unexpected blessing. Without my intention, I got a card that will give me an advantage in the battle against the Demon King''s army. While I nod my head in agreement with the unexpected result, Ryuna comes out from behind Shakuna''s back. "Of course, I''ll give you the reward as well. This is like a bonus." "Bonus...? Did we have an agreement?" "Who knows... by then I''ll be ready for it. I hope you''ll be ready too, Baskerville-sama?" "..." Ryuna says mischievously to me, and I''m once again left with an unsettled feeling. Maybe... maybe I''m not a good match for this blind Priestess. I feel as if I''ve been pushed around ever since we met. "...The problem is that it''s not that uncomfortable. Still, all the women around me are pretty hard to deal with." I think of the faces of some of the women with whom I''ve had relationships... and let out a deep sigh. CH 147 We soon reached the 30th floor. In the center of the boss room appeared a knight in armor riding on a black horse. From the neck up, however, he was not a human but a bat. "Here it comes, leap!" ''Oooooooooooooooo!'' At my signal, my companions spread out to the left and right. Immediately after, the bat-headed knight opens its mouth, and a shockwave of sound passes through the place where we had just been. The guardian of the 30th floor. The Bat Knight¡ªBoenac. This guy could produce ultrasonic waves and shockwaves from its mouth. In addition, it is a boss monster with a well-balanced long, medium, and short-range attack, using a spear in its hand for physical attacks. "Hadiss, advance forward! Shakuna, stay back and provide cover!" "I''m on it!" "I understand!" On my signal, Shakuna steps back and Hadiss closes the distance to the enemy. Haddis plays the role of a tank as usual, and I play the melee attacker. Shakuna steps back to the middle distance and fires a lightning spell to suppress the enemy. Ryuna, on the other hand, stands by a little further back and assists and heals as needed. This is the formation we had discussed and decided upon beforehand. ''Gaa!'' "Ghh... It''s heavy!" Haddis frowns as he receives a great sword attack with his large shield. As expected on the 30th floor, the abilities of the boss monsters had increased. Even a mere physical attack would do some damage if taken seriously. "Defend it with all your might. If you get hit, the two guys behind you will be killed!¡± "Of course, I''ll take it with all my might. I won''t let it get past Her Highness!" ''Gaa! Gaaaa!'' Haddis concentrates on his defense, and continues to receive Boenak''s physical attacks. Although Boenak''s attack power is high, the large shield should be enough to prevent the attack. In the meantime, I move to the flank and attack with my magic sword. "Gravid Slash!" The sword, imbued with dark magic power, slashes the bat knight on horseback. It is a dark magic that deals physical damage and also debuffs its speed by 10%. The movement of Boenac slows down slightly, and the bat''s head turns toward me reproachfully. ''Gaaaa!'' "Whoa!" I leap sideways to avoid the shockwave of sound from its mouth. In return, I hit it again with a ''Gravid Slash'' to slow him down even more. "Go for it, Thunderbolt!" Shakuna''s lightning magic also landed on Boenac''s torso. As the attack is unilaterally launched, the bat-headed demon''s fangs clatter up and down in frustration. ''Kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!'' "...!" The bat-head looks up above and lets out a high-pitched roar. At the same time, a brain-contaminating, disturbing sound wave pierces through our bodies. It is the omni-directional range attack used by Boenac¡ª''Nightmare Sorrow''. No one within range can evade it. It is absolutely unavoidable. The curse contained in the sound wave causes ''confusion'' abnormality. "Ggh... Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!?" Haddis, who heard the bat''s roar from a close distance, lets out a cry of "confusion". It seems that he has been affected by abnormality. "Gravid Slash!" ''Gaaa!?'' However, I, who was also hit by ''Nightmare Sorrow'', rather take advantage of the opportunity and hit it with my magic sword. After all, I have mastered [Abnormal Immunity] skill, so abnormal attacks don''t work on me. I attack Boenak, who freezes up after activating the technique. "Gghhhhhhhhhh!?" Unlike me, Haddis is confused and swings his sword around, but Ryuna activates her healing magic. "Holy Cure!" "Ggh!? I-I''m saved! I appreciate it!" "Don''t worry! No matter what happens, I''ll heal you right away, so please fight with peace of mind!" I had told Ryuna in advance that she must heal Haddiss immediately if he suffers from some kind of abnormality. As Shakuna is out of the effect range of the ''Nightmare Sorrow,'' there is no problem. "It''s a nuisance attack if you see it for the first time... but if you know it''s coming, it''s not a big move! If anything, it would be better if the boss uses it so that it will stop its movement." ''Oooooooooooooooo!'' "Hmph! I will not eat that!" As if annoyed by my taunts, the boss unleashes a powerful shockwave, but I have no right to accept such an emotionally-driven attack. Instead, I shower Boenac with more and more slashes and magics, draining its strength. ''Grrrrr... Gaaaaaaaaaaaa!" However, when Boenak''s strength was reduced to a certain point, something unusual happened. Boenac, who had been riding its horse, suddenly spread its wings and flew up to the high ceiling. The horse on which Boenac had been riding dissolved into thin air and disappeared. This is Boenac''s second form. If this guy takes more than a certain amount of damage, it begins to fly in the air and move at a high speed. Additionally, it attacks from overhead. "This is where the real work begins. But..." "It''s so slow, Thunderbolts!" "That''s right. It''s so slow! Shadow Slash!" ''GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!?'' Shakuna and I unleash a magic attack on the flying Boenac overhead. The demon spread its wings and showed its true colors... but its movements were slow. Naturally, It was only a target for magic attacks. The reason for this is that although Boenac had entered its second form, it inherited its previous abnormalities and status reductions. I have been attacking Boenac many times with my magic sword that has a speed reduction effect, which has slowed Boenac''s speed. So, even if Boenac flies into the air, its speed still will be reduced by half. This guy can''t make the best use of its speed. "Know your enemy, know yourself, and you will never be in danger in a hundred battles. Even if a pilot flies in the sky, if he''s slow, he''s just a target to be shot down from below. So... you can die." ''GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!?'' Shakuna and I cast a series of magic, and soon the bat-headed demon fell to the floor. Boenac''s face, which disappeared as soon as it fell, was etched with an expression of sorrow at the unreasonableness that was clearly visible on the bat''s face. CH 148 "Now... we''ve cleared the 30th floor. That fight wasn''t so bad, was it, everyone?" "It was so close... I didn''t know I suffered from the abnormal condition..." After the battle, Hadiss sat down on the floor, breathing heavily. This is an unusual behavior for a strict and serious priest-knight. It seems that the second boss battle on the same day, and being hit by the ''confusion'' abnormality, had taken its toll on him. "Are you all right, Hadiss-sama? You will recover soon, won''t you?" "I''m truly ashamed of myself, Priestess. Truly... I don''t want to get old." Hadiss is being tended to by Ryuna while uttering a rare complaint. Come to think of it, Hadiss had been taking the brunt of the enemy''s attacks as a tanker. He must have accumulated more damage than me, who was repeatedly doing hit-and-run while giving instructions from the rear. "Looks like... that''s it for today''s battle. After retrieving the items, let''s take a rest at the next rest area." "Hmm... Please forgive me. Even though I''m supposed to be Her Highness escort, I''m dragging us down..." "No, originally we pushed through 20 floors in a row. Perhaps we should take a break now. It''s not your fault." Having said that, I turned my eyes to the center of the boss''s room. The treasure chest had appeared as a reward for defeating Boenac, the guardian of this room. "You can open it, Shakuna." "...Me? You''re not up to something, are you?" "The reward for clearing the 30th floor is fixed. No matter who opens it, you''ll get the same thing. Just go get it." "..." Shakuna looks at me doubtfully, but does as she is told and opens the treasure chest. Inside are two silver anklets embellished with jewels. They came in pairs, one on each side, and an anklet, an ornament to be worn on each leg. "This is..." "''Anklet of Pastet (¥Ñ¥¹¥Æ¥È¤ÎƒÒ­h)''... a female-only accessory that increases the power of magic attacks by 50%." "50%... isn''t that powerful!?" Shakuna shouts out loudly when she hears the item''s effect. No wonder Shakuna is surprised. A 50 percent increase in attack power is a very good effect. An enemy that can be defeated with three shots of magic can be defeated with two shots, which means that the consumption of magic power can be reduced as well. "However... only women can equip it, and you can''t get more than one at the same time because different items will appear in the second and later conquests." "So, it''s just one item! That makes it more and more worthless!" "Anyway, it''s an excellent piece of equipment that you can only get in this dungeon. You can use it as much as you want." "Still... can I have it?" "It won''t be a problem. Everyone, she can have it, right?" "It''s all right. Onee-sama can use it." "Of course, it''s only appropriate for Your Highness." I asked Ryuna and Hadiss, who were a little further away, and they immediately answered in the affirmative. Among the members of this group, only Shakuna and I are capable of magic attacks. Shakuna is the only one who can do magic attacks. "Well... then, I will accept it..." Shakuna puts a pair of anklets on her legs. With a light step, she shows me the newly equipped accessories. "Hmm, it looks pretty good on you." I murmured, not with flattery, but with sincerity. The silver and jeweled ornaments suit the dancer Shakuna so well that they seem to have been made for her. In fact, this is a dungeon in a scenario in which Shakuna is the heroine. It is possible that the game staff designed this dungeon with Shakuna''s use in mind. "Ugh... I-I''m not happy that you praise me! Don''t think you can win me over with that!" "Winning you... that''s a little harsh..." "Don''t think that you can win me over with a few accessories! If you''re going to make a move on me, you''d better show me that you''re ready to devote yourself to my country!" For some reason, Shakuna was one-sidedly angry and disappeared into the rest area at the back of the boss''s room. I don''t know why she was angry. But Ryuna pats me on the shoulder in exasperation. "It seems Onee-sama''s favorability has increased. However, please give me something as a present next time, okay?" "Why, why should I owe you two sisters a tribute...I''m the one who''s hired, aren''t I...?" While feeling unreasonable, I followed Shakuna into the rest area. CH 149 After the day''s exploration, we spent the night in the rest room. As we had conquered 20 and 30 floors in a row, we were exhausted from the hard march. So, after Shakuna and Ryuna finished their meal and refreshed themselves with water, they soon fell asleep. On a bed in the rest room, two brown-skinned beauties are snuggled up against each other, breathing heavily. "Zzz... Zzz... Ryuna, I''ll protect you... I won''t let that perv man touch you... Instead, I''ll take his place... ahhh!" "Ah... Don''t... You mustn''t put anything strange in here... Baskerville-sama... No!" "...Hey, what kind of dream do they have? It''s too disturbing." I grimace bitterly as I look at the two sisters sleeping in the same bed. Even though the two sisters were so close to each other...what was going on in their brains? Ryuna calls me by my name clearly, and I think I am the main character in Shakuna''s dream, though she doesn''t say it by name. I wonder if I''m a terrible scumbag in their brains. I''m almost desperate to attack them. "Hadiss, why don''t you get some rest?" "..." I turn away from the sisters and call out to Hadiss, who is standing guard near the entrance door. The straightforward priest-knight had not rested much yesterday, and was on guard even though no one had ordered him to do so. "Thank you for your concern. But don''t worry about me. I''ll rest when Her Highness the Princesses wake up." "Hmm... this is a safe zone. Monsters can''t get in. I don''t think you need to be so careful." I speak probingly, but Haddiss''s expression does not change. He remains standing by the wall with his arms crossed. I let out a sigh in my heart at such a serious and decisive attitude. I don''t dare to point it out aloud. But... I felt somewhat excluded by Hadiss''s attitude. Maybe, Hadiss''s reluctance to go to sleep is not only because of the monsters and the guru''s pursuers, but also because of his fear of my betrayal. Well, Shakuna and Ryuna... I seem to have gotten to know the Maafern sisters better, but the fact remains that I am an outsider. Hadiss may suspect that I may actually be connected to the enemy or that I may harm the two princesses out of some ill-intentions. It''s sad that he doesn''t trust me after all this cooperation but it''s not his fault. After all, it was inevitable that a knight serving two princesses as a guard would not easily accept an outsider. "Anyway... Try not to be too hard on yourself. If the tanker gets tired and collapses first, it''s the two of them who will be suffering, isn''t it?" "That''s true. I must be careful not to bring fatigue into the battle. I may be an old soldier but I''m an experienced knight too. I won''t slow anyone down." "If that''s your answer... Can I rest first?" "Yeah, of course. Please take a good rest." "...I will. Good night." I lay down on the bed in the rest room, leaving Hadiss standing guard. I close my eyes and let the temptation of sleep take over... and review my adventures so far and my plans for tomorrow and the rest of the day. In two days we have reached the 30th floor. This is a good achievement for an impromptu party. The enemies are getting stronger and the traps are getting tougher. The speed of the attack will gradually slow down... but still, if things go well, we will reach our goal of reaching the 50th floor in two days. If I want to, we should get the rewards for the 60th and 70th floor... but I cannot ask Shakuna and the others to go through that much trouble, no matter how much I want to. We may be able to beat the boss monster, but it will be difficult to reach the boss monster without any dropouts, considering the enemies and traps we have to deal with along the way. So, the plan remains the same. We will attack up to the 50th floor, where we will pull out of the dungeon attack. Then... we head for the capital of the Maafern Kingdom to meet up with my companions who are going their separate ways. There, by using the ''Scepter of Osiris,'' the reward for clearing the 50th floor, we can break the king''s brainwashing and confront the leader, Rudanaga or Rujanaga. "Hmm..." The more I think about it, the more I start to feel sleepy. I gave a big yawn and fell completely into a world of sleep. CH 150 Afterwards, when the two princesses woke up after a good night''s sleep, Hadiss took a rest as well, and after a simple breakfast, we started the third day''s attack. Shakuna, now fully equipped and ready to go, raises her right fist to the ceiling. "Come on, it''s the third day of our exploration of the ''Tomb of the King''! Let''s get fired up!" "Hmm, you''ve been in high spirits since early in the morning. I don''t know what you''re so excited about." "Here he comes, you lascivious devil! I won''t let you do what you want!" "...You''re really hyped up... Did a pink maggot come out of your head?" Shakuna points her index finger at me, and I shrug my shoulders in exasperation. I have some idea why Shakuna is so excited. It''s called ''Dungeon High''. I guess she is in a high state of excitement after spending more than two days in a high level dungeon. It is better than being exhausted and depressed, but it is a little annoying. "I feel very refreshed. I feel like I can do my best for another day!" On the other hand, Ryuna, the little sister, looks refreshed for some reason. Her father was brainwashed by a mysterious man, and she is about to be sacrificed to a mysterious monster... but she looks as if she doesn''t have any worries at all. "What''s wrong with you too? Did you have a good night''s sleep?" "Yes! I don''t remember exactly... but I think I had a wonderful dream! My body and mind feel refreshed!" "..." No, last night she was making obscene sounds like "ah" and "noooo". But, she has the gift of precognitive dreaming... Maybe she trained it in her dream without her knowledge...? "Really? I envy you, I had a very unpleasant dream!" Shakuna enters the conversation with a scowl on her face. "I had a dream that I was being violated by a very dirty, disgusting man! I wish I could die! I really hope I die!" "Hmm... But I had a wonderful dream. I had my beloved Onee-sama and I taking turns, and it felt heavenly. What could be so happy as being three in one in bed with the people you love?" "Hey... Aren''t you sister''s dreams linked? Are sisters capable of such a thing?" It seems that both of them were having lewd dreams together... but the content of the dreams seemed to be as close as they could get. It seems that both of them were being played with by a dirty man... or rather, they were being played with by me. They had the same dream, but their impressions were opposite. I hope it will not become reality. Anyway, I shake my head to get rid of my thoughts and turn to the last member of the party. "Did Hadiss get enough rest? It seems like you slept pretty late..." "Yes, no problem." A straightforward priest-knight replies shortly. Hadiss, who had been on guard until late, must not have had much sleep... but he did not show any sign of it, keeping his serious face tight. It was as expected of an old soldier...his behavior showed the experience of a seasoned knight. "Well then...let''s get going. Today''s goal is the 40th floor. As we don''t want to spend the night in the demon''s lair, we''ll make it to the rest room no matter what it takes!" "Yes, of course! We''ll fight them as hard as we can!" "We''ll do our best. If someone get hurt, I will be there soon!"" Thus, we started the third day of the attack on the ''Royal Tomb of Salomon''. We were all still in high spirits as we made our way into the dungeon, which was even more challenging than the 30th floor. CH 151 This is the resumption of the main story. The conquest of " The Royal Tomb of Salomon" was progressing surprisingly well. Half of the 50 floors had already been reached, and no one had dropped out. No one was seriously injured, and we still had plenty of recovery medicine in stock. Of course, the strength of the enemies was increasing with each passing floor... but at the same time, my teammates were growing as well. Shakuna is now able to look at the whole view and act flexibly. Originally, Shakuna is a versatile warrior who can play both vanguard, rearguard, and support. Thanks to her familiarity with fighting, she is able to adapt her actions to the situation, and she is able to move appropriately without me having to give her detailed instructions. Haddiss was an experienced tanker from the beginning, but he has also been active as an attacker since he got used to working with me and Shakuna. He is basically protecting his friends in the rear guard... but he sometimes attacks in front of them, sometimes provokes them and sometimes plays a decoy role, and his dependability has been improved. Ryuna is not used to fighting, so her movements have always been awkward, but she seems to be gradually getting used to the rough work. Having conquered the fear of battle, she is now able to assess the situation of the battle and to balance recovery and support. With this party, it is not difficult to conquer the 50th floor. I had come to be convinced of this during my journey so far. But... I mustn''t forget. No matter how much preparation I put in, no matter how many trusted friends I have in my party... no adventure is 100% safe. I am reminded of this once again. Through the troublesome presence of the ''Monster House''. * * * "Hey, hey... Seriously!?" That''s when we stepped into the 39th floor. As soon as we arrived on the lower floor, the staircase we had just descended disappeared. What appeared in front of us instead was a scene that I do not remember. It was a vast room that looked completely different from the map that should have been there. "A monster house!? What the hell is this place!" I exclaim in disbelief. In [DunBrave], ''Monster house'' is so rare and rarely encountered. Monster House. It is a room filled with monsters, and if player is unlucky enough to encounter one, it is a dangerous area where they will inevitably be annihilated. However... in [DunBrave], the monster house was a kind of urban legend. The probability of monster houses appearing is lower than that of ''Dangerous Encounters'', and many players have completed the game without encountering a single monster house. Even I, who played the game more than 10 times, encountered a monster house only once, so I can understand how rare they are. Some players even say that monster house is a kind of bug, not a game design. "I didn''t expect it to appear here... Is this luck or bad?" "Of course it''s bad! What are you going to do about it?" Shakuna exclaimed as if she was bubbling over, half impressed by my soliloquy. In front of us was a spacious room. A vast scale map of the entire floor was spread out, with all the walls of this floor broken through to form one large map. And there are countless monsters standing in the way. It is truly a desperate situation. It was impossible not to get upset when faced with such a situation for the first time. "Well... I understand how you feel. Just calm down. You''ll only die if you panic." "Wait... Why are you so calm!? Do you have a secret!?" "There''s no secret. There are no tricks in a monster house." There''s no secret to monster houses. The reason is that the probability of encountering a monster house is so small that there is no data on which to develop a strategy. On the Internet, there are threads that say, "I''m lucky to encounter a monster house and annihilate it~?, maybe something good will come out of it~?," and so on. "However... even if there is no winning method, it does not mean that there is no way to deal with it. Ryuna, put up a barrier! The most powerful one!" "But, Baskerville-sama. The stronger the barrier, the longer it will take..." "That''s okay. We''ll buy you time to finish chanting!" "I understand...!" Ryuna receives the instruction and starts chanting magic. She tries to deploy a barrier to prevent the enemy from approaching... but the monster attacks before she can. "Gaaaaaaaaaaah!" "Hmph!" I slay the wolf-headed monster that leaps at me with my sword. The monsters in the room notice us and gather around, but we fight them off in cooperation with Shakuna and Hadiss. "We''ll hold them off until Ryuna''s barrier completed! Shakuna is not a professional warrior, so don''t push yourself too hard!" "There''s no way I''m not going to do my best for my little sister! Death Dance¡ª''Alf Laila wa Laila (¥¢¥ë¥Õ?¥é¥¤¥é?¥ï?¥é¥¤¥é)''!" Shakuna wields her shamshir and fights against the monsters while dancing in a spectacular dance. Shakuna also activates a dance that can be considered as her trump card. The intense belly dance greatly increases the attack power and speed in exchange for the loss of physical strength. "Shoot it out... Thunderbolt! ''Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!?'' She is attacking physically with her dance and activating magic attacks as well. This is the 39th floor. A boss monster awaits at the next level, and Shakuna seems to have realized that this is the place to risk her life. She was fighting with all her might, draining her strength and magic without a second thought. "Hnngh! I won''t let them to touch the Priestess!" Of course, Hadiss, a priest-knight, was fighting with his life on fire as well. Using his own body as a shield, he fights off the attacks of many monsters. His provocation skill attracts enemies, protecting Ryuna and at the same time attracting the attention of enemies heading for Shakuna. "It''s done...! Barrier, deploy!" Thanks to the two''s good efforts, Ryuna succeeded in completing the chanting without being hit by any attack. This white hemispherical dome envelops our bodies, blocking the monsters'' approach. ''Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!'' ''Ggagh! Ggagh!'' The monster attacks the barrier with a frustrated cry. The barrier created by enough chanting does not seem to break, and seems to hold for a while. "Haah, haah... Somehow, we managed to hold out..." "Now it is time for a short break. Treat your injuries and we''ll fight back when you''re done." I turned my shoulders and took out a potion from my bag of items and tossed it to Shakuna. CH 152 ''Gaah! Gah!'' ''Khome one! Deshroy!'' Monsters are attacking the white hemispherical dome. Although the barrier created by Ryuna does not seem to be broken, it is a heart-wrenching sight to see monsters attacking from all directions. Shakuna looks at the monsters outside of the barrier with a worried look and opens the lid of the potion she has been given. "Then... What are we going to do now? Shakuna''s barrier will keep us safe for a while, but it will be the end of us as time goes by, right?" "I''ve used up a lot of my magic too... I can only use my healing magic once or twice now..." Ryuna''s shoulders are shaking with anxiety. Ryuna''s job is ''Priestess''. Among healers, she is a magician skilled in Barrier Art. The barrier she has put up surpasses even Aeris''s barrier, the ''Saint'', and will not be broken no matter how many monster attack. However... it cannot be maintained permanently. The barrier will collapse at the end of the time limit. If we do not take action before the time limit, we will be preyed upon by the countless monsters that have gathered around. "Don''t worry. I''m not stupid enough to do something like this. But more importantly... Do you have any strength and magic left?" "I''ve got a potion that''s helping. I''ve been wearing an anklet for a while now, so my magic power hasn''t decreased that much." Shakuna answers. Thanks to the ''Anklet of Pastet,'' the reward for clearing the 30th floor, which increases the magic attack power, her magic power doesn''t seem to have decreased that much. "I have no problem either. Even though I am an old man, I am not so old as to be a drag on Her Highness the princesses." Haddiss also assures me while drinking the same potion. Despite his words, he seems to have taken a lot of damage from the attacks... but even if I point this out, the straightforward priest-knight would never say weak words. Even if it is a temporary endurance, I am sure that he will endure to the end. "Then, that''s good. As for the plan from now on...as soon as the barrier is lifted, go straight to the stair leading to the lower floor. Don''t worry about what''s behind or beside us. We''re just pushing our way in." "Pushing in... what about the monsters!? How can we ignore so many monsters!?" With the passage of time, all the monsters in the monster house had gathered around the barrier. These monsters would act as a wall with countless monsters, and there was not even a gap for the needle to penetrate. "I told you it''s no problem... I''ll make a way for you. All you must do is run as fast as you can." "But..." "Onee-sama, let''s do as Baskerville-sama says." Shakuna tries to argue with Ryuna, but Ryuna smiles at her. "I have dreamed of a future of despair many times, but I have never seen myself die here. We must trust Baskerville-sama." "...I understand." Shakuna nodded reluctantly and pointed a finger at me. "But if my Ryuna get hurt, I won''t forgive you! You''ll have to take full responsibility!" "What do you mean, ''responsibility''? Should I take your sister as my wife?" "No... That''s impossible! Making Ryuna your wife is not good!" "I''m fine with it. Sooner or later, I''ll be Baskerville-sama''s." "Don''t be ridiculous, Ryuna! You''re not going to marry into another country!" "Okay, okay, more importantly..." Ignoring Shakuna who was yapping like a small dog, I talked to Ryuna. "You''ve mastered [Divination Art], haven''t you? I need you to find the location of the stair." [Divination Art] is the initial skill of Priestess. Of course, I remember that. This skill can give the user various kinds of information by divination. They would know the number of treasure chests on the floor, the number of monsters, the direction of the stairs, and so on. "Of course, divination is my specialty, but... perhaps, if I divined the location of the stairs, my magic power would run out. I won''t be able to recover anymore." "I''m sorry... but we have no choice. There''s no other way." There is no way to get to the stairs if the stairs are not known where they are in the first place. Even if it means abandoning the few healing spells we have left, we definitely need divination. "I understand. I bow before you..." Ryuna clasped her hands together and mumbled a prayer. But then she looked back to her left and opened her eyes. "It looks like the stair are that way. I don''t know how far it is, though..." "It''s enough. Then... as soon as the barrier is lifted... we''ll run through in a single leap." "Yes... And the barrier will only last for a minute or so. It will be gone soon." "Ryuna..." Shakuna holds her sister''s hand nervously. Ryuna nodded and shook her sister''s hand. "I''ll lead the way. Shakuna, take Ryuna''s hand and follow her." "I am the rear... is that right?" Haddiss anticipates my thoughts. The straightforward priest-knight seemed to be nervous, and his expression was even stiffer than usual. "That''s right... Could you do it?" "Of course. I would not have anyone passed me." "Well, then, let''s see if we can get out of here!" The barrier has only about 10 seconds left. In this time, the white barrier flickers and flickers. That''s the signal that the effect is about to wear off. 5...4...3...I counted in my head, and when there was only one second left, I shouted. "Overlimits¡ª''Meisho Jigokuyori (Underworld Hell Spirit/Ú¤½«ªzÒÀ)''!" I activate my greatest trump card, my greatest move. An aura of evil enveloped my body as if the lid of hell had been opened, and my body was filled with an overwhelming sense of omnipotence. CH 153 "What is that power...!?" "This is Baskerville-sama''s power...!" Shakuna and Ryuna shout in surprise as I activate the Overlimit. "Don''t just stand there, let''s run! Don''t stop until you reach the stair!" I shout and swing the sword in my right hand. A jet-black slash is released from the blade, and all the demon-shaped monsters in the direction of my movement are obliterated. The attribute of my attack is ''darkness''. It should not be effective against demons (Akuma). Nonetheless, the darkness in my slashes slashed through my enemies mercilessly, laying waste to them. The power that easily overturns the disadvantage of its attribute is boosted by the overlimits. "Run!" With a single sword, I slay the monsters that have rushed in since the barrier disappeared. I take the lead in cutting through the crowd of demons and runs toward the stair. "Run, Lyuna!" "Yes, Onee-sama!" Shakuna leads Ryuna by the hand, and Hadiss follows behind them. ''Ooooooooooooooooo'' ''Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!'' ''Wait, waittttttttttttttttt'' Creepy-looking demons attack one after another. But I slash the werewolf demon, trample the life-size flies, smash the pumpkin head, and keep on going. If I stop for even a second, we will be surrounded and crushed by the demons. So, without a pause, I slay the enemies and literally open up a path of blood. As we continued on our way, stepping on the corpse of demons reduced to dust, we eventually came to a stair that led to the lower floor. "There it is! Jump in!" I was the first one to reach the stair. But instead of entering the stair immediately, I decided to let my friends in first. "Your Highness, quickly!" "Yes!" Shakuna is rushed by Haddiss and tries to lead Ryuna down the stair. But... just as Ryuna is about to go down the stair, one of the demons grabs her hair while she is running along behind him. "Hyaaa!?" "Ryuna!?" Ryuna''s legs are forcibly stopped, and her hands are separated by the demon. Shakuna rushes back to help her sister... but another monster comes between them. ''Ggwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!'' "Your Highness, look out!" Hadiss catches the headless knight''s slash aimed at Shakuna, protecting her with his back. Thanks to his armor, he does not seem to be badly damaged, but a cry of anguish escapes from the old priest-knight''s mouth. "Gghh...!" "Hadiss!" "You guys go to the stair! I''ll save Ryuna!" I pushed Shakuna and Hadiss toward the stair and stepped out behind them. Ryuna has been caught by the demon, and the demon has her hair, limbs, waist, and chest in its grip, preventing her from moving. The demon with a pig''s head holds Ryuna captive. He has six arms sprouting from his fat body and an ugly, torturing smile on his face. "Baskerville-sama...!" "Don''t touch her... she''s mine!" ''Buhahahahahahahaha!'' "Black wolf slash [ü\ÀÇ”Ø]!" A jet-black slash from my sword cuts off the head of the demon that holds Ryuna captive, instantly reducing it to dust. I grab Ryuna''s freed arm and hold her to my chest, glaring at the demons gathered around us. "Don''t get carried away, you little fish who just outnumber us! Anyway...you can die!" Advanced Dark Magic¡ªBlack Hole I unleash a gravity-defying darkness that engulfs everything, swallowing the hordes of demons in its place without mercy. As I have changed my class to "Dark Lord," I am quite familiar with dark magic. Even advanced magic can be used without chanting if it is in Overlimits. ''Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!?'' ''Pigyuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!?'' I obliterate a dozen or so demons at once, and slip into the stair with Ryuna in my arms. Shakuna and Hadiss, who had entered the stair earlier, catch us as we roll in. "Ryuna... thank God!" "Onee-sama...!" Shakuna and Ryuna hug each other to make sure each other is safe. At the same time, the stair leading to the upper floor disappears without a sound. The monster house and its contents are gone, having fulfilled their purpose. The next time we go to the 39th floor, the monster house will not be there. It will be back on the floor where it belongs. "Really... this chill me to the bone. I''m cursed to have a monster house here..." Monsters peeked in from the upper floors with grim eyes... but they disappeared without coming downstair. Floor 40 was the boss''s room, but the battle would not start until we passed through the door a little further up. As it''s all right now and everything is safe now. I deactivate the overlimit and sit there, relieved. CH 154 "We made it through the monster house without incident... but I think this might be a bit of a mess." There is a boss room of the 40th floor in front of us. If we open this door, the boss monsters of floor level will attack us at once. "I''m wounded... My strength and stamina can''t last much longer..." Shakuna exhales while raising and lowering her shoulders. Even so, we had made it from the 31st to the 38th floor without much rest. However, there was an unexpected problem: the threat of the Monster House. No doubt, everyone''s physical strength, as well as mental strength, must have been greatly exhausted. "Well... my magic power is near its limit. I guess it''s suicide to fight the boss with this condition..." I clicked my tongue. I''ve activated my trump card, the ''Meisho Jigokuyori (Underworld Hell Spirit/Ú¤½«ªzÒÀ)'', and I''ve lost a lot of magic power. Entering the boss battle in this state is a very hard mode. "I''m sorry... Me too..." I am not the only one who is drained of magic power. Ryuna, the healer, also had little magic left. As soon as she entered the monster house, she put up a powerful barrier to hold off the enemy''s attack. She also survived the onslaught of dozens of demon monsters. No wonder she exhausted her magical power. "We''re not that exhausted..." "We''re not that depleted, but..." Shakuna and Hadiss shook their heads. They were not that worn out, but they had still made their way through the crowd of demons. So, they were not unscathed. Although they were not injured, I can''t leave the boss monster to them alone. "It can''t be helped. Let''s take a rest here for now. Although there are no beds here, this is a safe zone too. Let''s recover our magic power as much as possible." We were in a small room before the boss, but this was also a safe zone where monsters would not pop up. It is not furnished with bedding and a kitchen like the rest room, but we can at least recover our strength and energy by taking a nap. "For now, take some potions and portable foods. After taking a rest, we''ll have to fight the boss. So, keep your strength up." After saying this, I take out a potion, dried meat, and dried bread from my item bag and distribute them to the others. It would have been nice to have some items to restore the magic power, but the bag given to me by the priest knight who left outside did not have such a wide selection. Fortunately, this preserved food also has the effect of restoring strength and magic. Though, I did not want to rely on them too much because they did not taste good. Now, Shakuna and Hadiss received the potion and food and put them in their mouths as they were told. Haddiss is nonchalant, not changing his expression. However, Shakuna is munching on a piece of dried bread with a sour look on her face. "Hmm...?" "......" On the other hand, Ryuna is holding the food in her hand and looking down. She has a difficult expression on her face, as if she is pondering something. "What''s wrong? Are you wounded somewhere?" Ryuna is being caught by a demon in the Monster House. But I rescued her right away, and she didn''t suffer any serious injuries... "Umm... Baskerville-sama, what you just said... can you repeat what you just said?" "What did you mean... by what I just said?" "The words you said when the monster captured me... You see, the words ''She''s mine''." "Oh..." When I think of it... it feels like I said something like that. It came out spontaneously, without any particular thought, but I said something rather outrageous. "...Forget it. It was just a slip of the tongue." "No, I''ll never forget it. I''m so thrilled to find out that I''ve belonged to Baskerville-sama before I knew it." "......" It seems I''ve been caught in a vulnerable moment. Ryuna''s cheeks are tinted and she gives me a heated look. When I look away, I see Shakuna sitting a little further away from me with her eyes blazing with anger. "Ggggh...! My Ryuna... You thieving cat!" "Give me a break.... This is no time for romantic comedies." I wonder if it''s also a case of "the rain falls and the ground hardens (a relationship is stronger after conflict)". After all, Ryuna''s favorability has increased and Shakuna''s anger has been aroused. Anyway, I bite off a piece of dried meat, feeling uncomfortable. CH 155 "Well... now that we''ve taken a rest after eating stinky food, let''s get down to the main dish..." After taking a break to eat some preserved food and recovering my strength and magic power, I started to speak. We could spend the night here if we wanted to... but I don''t want to sleep in a room with stone floors and walls. If I slept on the hard floor without bedding, I would probably hurt myself and be out of shape. "Let''s just defeat the boss monster and sleep in the rest room. Are you ready?" "Yes, I''m ready!" "I''ll be fine. I''ll take care of the recovery." Shakuna and Ryuna, the jade-haired sisters, give their trustworthy approval. Hadiss, standing behind them, also nodded in silence. "Well... we''ll go with the plan we discussed beforehand, but be careful, we''re a bit more worn out than we had planned, okay? We only have one life. If we die, we''re done, okay?" "You don''t need to tell me that! I''ll protect Ryuna without your orders... even if you die!" "Okay. That''s very encouraging." I shrug at Shakuna''s poison comment and turn to the door of the boss''s room. "Well then... let the battle begin!" I open the door to find a room similar in structure to the boss''s room that we have passed through so far. The only difference was the appearance of the "enemy" in the center of the room. It was not a monster of an insect or a beast, but an indefinite darkness floating vaguely in the air. That indefinite darkness is the boss monster of the 40th floor. It is a shapeless dark shape monster. "The boss monster of the 40th floor, the ''Solid Darkness''¡ªKraphomet. It looks like a ghost, but it is a demon. It has a body, and its physical attacks are effective. Don''t be fooled by its appearance and attack it with all your might!" ''AJTIOE*G*EFEK*GVJ+PGEJWE*GJ+EWGOEI!'' The indefinite darkness attacked, spitting out an unintelligible voice. It spits out countless spikes from its human-sized black sphere. O Angelic Blessing, protect us...''Sanctuary''! Ryuna immediately deploys her barrier magic, and a white hemispherical barrier repels the black spikes, neutralizing the enemy''s attacks. Immediately after the start of the battle, this monster suddenly unleashes an all-out attack. In a game, it would have been impossible to avoid the attack and I would have been hit by it, but I was able to avoid the attack because I had talked to Ryuna about it beforehand. "All right, let''s counterattack!" As soon as the enemy stopped attacking, we started running. I run from the right, and Shakuna from the left, toward the enemy who froze just after the attack. "Black Wolf Slash!" "Sword Dance!" ''AGAERGE$EG#$T!'' Kraphomet shouted in a voice of inaudible range to the human ear. It was an indefinite darkness with no face or limbs, but at least it seemed to have taken some damage. "We''re moving in! Don''t give it any chance to counterattack!" "Of course! You must keep up too!" ''A$WGYW#HTRJ%&%1#!'' Jet-black tentacles sprouted from the shapeless darkness. Several tentacles lashed out at us like whips. But Shakuna and I dodge the tentacles and dive into the opponent''s pocket, launching a series of attacks. For the note, the lack of a clear shape makes it difficult to read the preliminary moves of the attack. It is a monster that can kill anyone who sees it for the first time because they never know what it will do next. As I have fought it many times, I was able to avoid its attacks with ease, but Shakuna was hit several times. Although she was not hit directly, I saw blood everywhere on her body. Fortunately, I had taught her the attack pattern yesterday, so she was able to avoid it, but if she had fought without any prior information, Shakuna would have been killed by now. "Take it easy, if you injured, fall back and recover." "Kuhh... How come you didn''t get hit! It''s like I''m the one who dragged you down!" "Do I care? I''ve been through so many different experiences, after all!" "Hyaa!" All of sudden, a spear-sharp darkness shot out from Kraphomet''s body. It tried to attack Shakuna, but I broke the enemy''s attack with my sword and saved her. If I had not saved her, Shakuna''s brown-skinned body would have been impaled. "Now, get back! When you have recovered, cover me with your offensive magic. That thing will be here soon!" "Uh... I can''t help it! I''ll do as you say!" Shakuna grunts in frustration and falls back. Then, she drinks the potion I gave her to heal her wounds. As Haddiss is in the rear, protecting Ryuna with his big shield, I am now the only one in the vanguard, and Kraphomet''s attacks are concentrated on me. "This is the battlefield... a life-threatening struggle!" ''A''GRPGJ''OGVJE¡±PTIE)FHGG*!!'' Kraphomet shot dark bullets at me. It is a dark magic¡ª''Dark Bullet''. "What a nuisance!" I don''t need to avoid such an attack. To me, who has a strong resistance to darkness, I had nothing to fear from the lower level of dark magic. So, I slashed at Kraphomet while taking a bullet, and it attacked me with a Dark Spear in return. "Hmph!" However, I kick the enemy and moves back to avoid the thrust. I evade a close-range attack, but now Kraphomet attacks me with a tentacle whip. Earlier I was able to avoid it, but now I am the only target because Shakuna has retreated backward. So, this time, I couldn''t avoid the whip, and I was hit by a whip blow to my torso. "Ggh...!" ''[email protected]#qg!'' "Don''t play with me!" Kraphomet tries to crush me with a body blow. But I roll around on the floor to avoid the darkness, and attack with a slash as I stand up. "Thunderbolt!" ''AHWHHWhrsgs$TrGH#QHsgrH%Wwy!'' Shakuna fired a covering shot with lightning magic. Kraphomet, who is struck by the thunderbolt, shakes its shapeless dark body violently and lets out a loud scream. ''AAGGGAGAAAAAGAFADFAFAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!'' Then... something unusual happened to this dark demon. The center of the sphere of darkness breaks open like a crack, and a huge single eye is formed there. Then, snail-like antennae sprouted from the blackened darkness, and an eyeball appeared there, too. "Here it comes...! Ryuna, get ready!" "Yes!" It''s the attack we''ve been waiting for. It was the big move that Kraphomet would unleash when it took more than a certain amount of damage. ''AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!'' Central single eye. Multiple protruding eyes. A mysterious light emits from each eye, and these eyes attack us. The light from each eye is just like an magic''s eye. The light emitted from the central eye has the effect of ''instant death'', and the protruding eyes around it have such abnormalities as poison, paralysis, burn, freeze, and petrification. The success rate of the instant death attack is 10%, and the success rate of each of the status abnormalities is 50%. In addition, the attacks were unavoidable. Unless very lucky, the victim had a high probability of being affected by one of these effects. "But... I have a skill to avoid instant death, and the abnormalities. And Ryuna has...!" "Mirror Shield!" Ryuna activates the magic I''ve instructed her to use. It is one of the barrier magic¡ª''Mirror Shield''. It is a magic that can be learned at the beginning of the game, but its protective effect is so weak that players do not have a chance to use it from the middle of the game onward. However, the barrier created by this magic can reflect some attacks. ''AGRBENJW$%HUNWJW#HAEHh3qyh#$H#WQYH!?'' The mirror shield created by Ryuna reflects the light of the magic eye released by Kraphomet. Ryuna who made the shield, as well as Shakuna and Hadiss who were standing behind her, are safe. Strangely enough, monsters with these eyes often have no resistance to abnormalities. Like Medusa who fought Perseus, Kraphomet''s irregularly shaped body is petrified. "One of the attacks that are subject to reflection is the magic eye. It must be nightmarish to have its big move that could destroy the party evaded by a low-level magic." "Okay, let''s counterattack! We''ll finish them off at once!" "Yes!" Shakuna and Hadiss jump out from the mirror shield and attack the petrified demon. "That wasn''t your lucky day, huh? But you can die now" I follow them, swinging my sword and slamming it into the petrified demon. Now, the 40th floor is complete. Without missing a single man, we have once again advanced deeper and deeper into the Royal Tomb of Salomon. CH 156 "We made it through 40 floors. I was afraid of what would happen when the monster house appeared, but... somehow we managed to get through it." I confirm the dissipation of the shapeless darkness, and my shoulders slump in relief. To be honest...I think this was the most difficult challenge I''ve faced since entering this dungeon. One wrong move and one of us might have lost a life. And yet, we made it through. We succeeded in defeating the boss monster without any casualties. "Good job, guys! You fought well, just as we had planned." "...It''s a little unpleasant that you praise me so much. But I just do what I''m told. Of course." Shakuna crossed her arms and turned away. Her cheeks were faintly reddish, perhaps she was embarrassed by the compliment. On the other hand, her little sister Ryuna seems to be frankly pleased and smiles at me calmly. "Yes, I did my best. However...if Baskerville-sama hadn''t given us the information about that monster, we would have been wiped out. I didn''t expect the monster to use its evil eye there." "Well, it wouldn''t have worked on Ryuna anyway... but I''m glad that nothing happened to you." Ryuna is blind. Her magic eye, which is activated by making eye contact with the opponent, does not work in the first place. Nevertheless... it is likely that Shakuna and Hadiss were in an abnormal state. So, the prior information was probably helpful. "Well...then, it''s time for the reward and the meeting. Ryuna, you can open it this time." A treasure chest has already appeared in the center of the boss''s room. It is the reward for clearing the 40th floor. "I-Is it all right if I open it?" "No problem..." "Ryuna, come here. Take my hand." "This is it? Okay..." Shakuna took the blind Ryuna and led her to the treasure chest. Ryuna gropes for the lid of the treasure chest and pushes it open. "Is this... a ring?" Ryuna pulls out a small jewelry item from the chest and tilts her head. It was a goldsmith''s ring. The symbol of the zodiac sign Virgo is engraved on the base, and a white diamond sparkles in the light. "Ah. A ring that chooses its owner." I answered her question. The ring, which is a reward for completing the 40th floor, changes depending on the job of the person who opens the treasure chest. There are 12 kinds of rings. Each of them corresponds to one of the twelve signs of the zodiac, and if a [Priest] or [Priestess] opens the treasure chest, the ''Ring of Virgo'' will appear. The potency of each of the 12 types of rings varied, and each ring had a potency appropriate to its profession. In addition, there is an element of challenge in the game, such as the secret ''Ophiuchus (Serpent Bearer)'' that can be obtained by completing the 12 types of rings. "You said you wanted a present, didn''t you? You should be satisfied with it, right?" "Yes... if you don''t mind, could you put it on my finger?" "...Me?" Ryuna gave me a ring. I don''t think anything, but is she asking me to put it on her finger? "...Well, I don''t mind." If I refused her, she seemed to be conscious of me, which created a strange atmosphere. I took the offered ring and took Ryuna''s right hand in mine. "Ah..." "Is this good? Are you satisfied?" Then, without a pause, I put the ring on her index finger. A gold ring. A diamond jewel glints on Ryuna''s index finger. "Thank you...I''m very happy." "I don''t mind, but why are you so embarrassed?" Ryuna is beaming, her cheeks flushed with vermilion. It''s just that I equipped her with a drop item. Why is she reacting so excessively? "I-I never thought you''d put the ring on her right index finger..." "......" "Hmm? What are you talking about?" For some reason, even Shakuna, who was watching from the side, had a horrified look on her face, and Hadiss, who was a little further away, was also staring wide-eyed. "Hey, hey... I just picked a finger that looked easy to fit..." I thought I chose a safe, single finger so that a borrowed ring wouldn''t be mistaken for a wedding ring like Aeris''s... "In this country, when a man proposes marriage to a woman, he gives her a ring to wear on her index finger, you know?" "What...?" "So, Baskerville-sama has asked me to be his wife. I''m very happy." "Hey, it''s just a coincidence, isn''t it? A wedding ring is supposed to be on the left ring finger!" I shouted and reached out Ryuna to take the ring from her hand, but she ran behind her sister''s back to avoid being robbed. "Yes, of course. Well, you are a foreigner, Baskerville-sama, so you probably don''t know this custom. But I will never forget the ring you put on my finger. No matter what happens, I will never forget it." Ryuna says this and holds the ring on her right hand with great care. "Kuh..." I can''t take the ring back now, and I look away from Priestess''s beauty, which is beaming without hiding her fondness for me. CH 157 After collecting the reward for clearing the boss room, we went to the rest room at the back of the room. The structure of this room, the safe zone, is the same as before. There is a bed, a table, and a simple kitchen where meals are served. I feel hungry... but more than that, I feel exhausted and I want sleep so badly with the feeling of escaping from reality. "Huhh... Sleep! I need sleep!" As soon as I reach the rest room, I lie down on the bed unhappily. Unexpectedly, I was forced to send Ryuna a wedding ring. Of course, I told her that I had done it without knowing it, and she agreed to it. But... Ryuna is smiling and in an eerily good mood, looking at the ring on the index finger of her right hand. Both Shakuna and Hadiss look at me subtly, and I jump into bed to escape from the embarrassment. "Tomorrow, we will finally conquer up to the 50th floor. You guys get some rest!" "W-Would you like to eat? I''ll prepare it right away..." "Don''t worry about food until I wake up. Let me sleep for now." Ryuna asks me like a new wife. However, I turn my back to her and pull the quilt over my head. I try to go back to sleep, but Ryuna keeps talking to me through the quilt. "Yes... Good night. I''m going to rest too. I''ve used up all my magic power and I don''t think I can move anymore." Ryuna, too, has exhausted her magic power with healing and barrier magic. She must be exhausted from the continuous battles with the monster house and the floor boss. "Yeah, sleep, sleep. Just get some rest." "Yes. Well then, excuse me." Ryuna comes close to the bed in a graceful manner, rolls up the quilt, and crawls in. I feel a soft touch on my back. I wonder if she has put perfume oil on her skin... But I smelled something like jasmine. The warmth that envelops me is felt with a sense of security, and strengthens the temptation to enter the world of sleep. "............Wait, why are you sleeping in my bed!?" I jump off from the quilt, noticing something wrong even in my sleep. As I expected, Ryuna had crawled into my bed and was pressing her body against my back. Her waist is thin, but the bulge pressed against my back is surprisingly voluminous. "I-I''m sorry. I''m blind, I didn''t notice it." "You lie! You''ve been hugging me tightly!" "I mixed up the dream and the reality. But in a dream, Baskerville-sama would''ve dragged me to bed and devoured me whether I cried or screamed..." "I don''t care! Anyway, don''t force a future sexual assault on me that hasn''t even come yet!" "Hyaan! Geez... Baskerville-sama is really pushy. You''re just like in a dream..." I kick her out of the bed, and Ryuna gets into the next bed with her eyebrows lowered in disappointment. But then, she lies down and looks at me smiling and in a good mood. "...Hey, I told you, didn''t I? That ring is not a marriage proposal. I just didn''t know the customs of this country." "Yes, I heard and I understand. What''s wrong with that?" "......" Since we first met, we have been strangely close to each other, but I feel that we have become even more over-communicative since I sent the ring. I feel that she obviously finds a special meaning in the ring... "Ggh... Ryuna voluntarily went to a man''s bed...!" By the way... at a little distance from the bed, Shakuna was almost on her knees with her hands and knees on the floor. She has been damaged more than I imagined, seeing her sister doing the night-crawling act of sneaking into a man''s bed. "...He even gave my Ryuna an engagement ring... is there no way to get her back? I''d rather attack him first and seize the initiative than let him take my sister away from me unilaterally..." "...Hey, don''t you dare to do something terrible! You''re losing your character." I made a small retort and closed my eyes as if to say, "Really, I don''t care anymore." For the note, Haddiss is standing by the wall, looking on unconcernedly. While envying the priest-knight''s ability to pretend to be someone else, I drift off to sleep. CH 158 I fell asleep on the bed in the rest room and woke up the next day. I checked the time on the clock hanging on the wall of the room... And it was just before sunrise. "I must have slept too much... It seems that I was more tired than I had imagined..." Today is the fourth day in the dungeon. I was tired from fighting monsters, but more than that, I was mentally exhausted from working with the new friends I had made. It is not that I am shy. But... when I work with people I don''t fully trust and don''t know their abilities, I have to be careful in my own way. I was also more mentally drained than I should have been so that they... especially Shakuna and Ryuna... would not have to worry. "However... we''ve got a lot of time to spare, and if everything goes well, we should be able to reach our target floor by the end of the day." I''m getting used to the improvised party, and we''re working well together. At least... we won''t be in as much trouble as we were in the monster house yesterday. Though the boss monster of the 50th floor is even stronger than the 40th level guardian, but even so, we shouldn''t have much trouble. Of course, we must be on our guard. As yesterday''s accident shows, there are no absolutes in the dungeon strategy. We must always be prepared for the unexpected, and we must work hard for the last day of the dungeon. With renewed vigor, I get up from the bed. "Okay, the others..." I stretch my arms lightly and look around me... the others seem to be still sleeping. Ryuna was in the bed next to me, and Shakuna was sleeping in the bed on the other side of her. Hadiss is also sitting by the wall, asleep with his great sword in his arms. Though he was a straightforward priest-knight who always took the responsibility of staying up late, but he must have been too tired to sleep after a hard day''s march yesterday. "He must have fallen asleep after being on guard duty...I''m sorry about that..." Anyway, I get up from the bed and approaches Hadiss so as not to wake the two women. "Hey, wake up!" "Hmm... Huh... You''re...!?" I shook his shoulder lightly, and he immediately woke up. His eyes widen, and he grips the hilt of his sword as if in a panic. "Calm down, I''m not your enemy. If you make too much noise, you''ll wake up the princess." "Pardon me... I must have been sleepwalking." Hadiss seemed to remember the situation, and he slumped his shoulders and took his hand off the hilt of his sword. "You''re not going to get any sleep in that position. There is still time for you to lie down." "...I guess so. Maybe I''ll borrow your bed for a while." I point to the bed with my finger and Haddiss nods his head after thinking for a moment. Yesterday, Haddiss had stubbornly refused to lie down even though I offered him a bed, but today he readily agreed. It seems that Haddiss also trusts me more now that we have been through the ordeal together. Just as I have come to feel a strong connection with the three of them, it seems that we are also opening our hearts to each other. "Hahaha... though it doesn''t raise this old man''s favor, I''m grateful..." I shake my shoulders and clears my throat as I look at Hadiss lying on the bed. "Well...today is the last day to attack this party. Since we''re here, I''ll prepare breakfast." It may come as a surprise, but I''m not a bad cook. After all, in the game, players can create dishes by consuming food items. By eating the food they cook, they can get healing and buffing effects that are useful during battles. "I have just the right ingredients... curry is a safe bet." There is no such thing as a failure with curry. It is a bit strange to make curry in the morning, but Maafern Kingdom is a country with a culture close to Arabia, and they tend to prefer strong flavored food. If I made curry in the morning, they would not be so reluctant to eat it. "All right, then, let''s get to work." I grab the ingredients from my bag and head for the kitchen in the corner of the rest room. CH 159 "Hmm... It''s delicious..." "Surprisingly, Baskerville-sama is good at cooking too?" A while after I started cooking, Shakuna and Ryuna woke up. I made curry for them when they woke up and put it on the table with bread. Hadiss is still asleep. He must have been very tired from all the tension in his nerves. He was in a deep sleep, as if he were sinking into the mud. Anyway, we decided to eat first and put the curry on the table. "It''s really surprising... that someone as rude as you are can cook." Shakuna''s expression is contorted in frustration. She must be really uncomfortable admitting that I can cook. Still, she seems to like the taste of the curry, as she is putting it into her mouth with a crunch. "How can anyone fail at curry? Although it would have been better if there had been rice. But black bread is good enough." "But it''s delicious, isn''t it? Hard black bread is easy to eat if it is soaked in curry, and since I went to bed without supper last night, it''s very appetizing." "That''s fine then. Indeed... I thought curry would be heavy in the morning, but it is surprisingly edible." I tried to make it like a soup curry with more water... and it seems to have worked. I''m glad I could make something edible without failure. "Huff... it seems that I slept a little too much." While we were eating Hadiss woke up. Perhaps because he had had a good night''s sleep, his face was more animated than yesterday. "Please forgive me. I''m your vassal, but I didn''t expect to wake up later than Your Highness..." "Don''t worry about it. You were up late last night keeping watch, weren''t you?" "It seems so, Onee-sama. If you are still tired, you can sleep a little longer." Shakuna and Ryuna help Haddiss. They must be grateful to the old knight for coming all the way to the end of the desert to escort them. "What a waste of words! By the way, did Ryuna-sama make the food?" "No, Baskerville-sama made this for us." "I was surprised that Baskerville-dono... I didn''t expect him to cook." "You too, huh...? Do you think it''s funny that I can cook?" I didn''t cook a full course French meal. It''s just curry. I wonder what they thought of me that they were so surprised by my cooking, which was just an extension of camping. Anyway, Hadiss joined us at the table and we enjoyed the curry together. When we had finished more than half of the dishes, the topic of conversation turned to today''s dungeon attack. "We will reach the 50th floor by the end of the day. There is the ''Specter of Osiris'' there." "At last we have achieved our goal. Now we can defeat Rudanaga ambitions and rescue my father from his grip." Shakuna clasped her hands together on the table. Her hands are shaking slightly. Is she nervous, or is she trembling? "What kind of a guardian are we dealing with in the 50th floor?" Haddiss asked. The boss monster of the 40th floor was strong in its own way, but he seemed to be concerned about a monster with even more power than that. "The boss monster of the 50th floor is a ''Fallen Angel''--Verial. It is a humanoid demon with dark wings." I pull out my knowledge of the game and explain. "Verial is... well, it''s a strong demon without any tricks. It doesn''t have special attacks such as a magic eye or ultrasonic waves like the previous bosses, but it is a fast, tough, and powerful enemy." The battle against Verial was a head-on with no tricks. We could win the battle by constantly cutting down its HP and driving it down to zero. Since the opponent does not use any tricks, there is no clear weakness, and only pure physical strength is required. "In the next boss battle, the culmination of the past battles will be put to the test. No tricks from the opponent. And no tricks on our part. The stronger side will win... that''s all that matters." "Then... do you think our strength will be enough?" "We will win. I would have told you to turn back if it didn''t work. After all, I''m not going to fight with a person who''s slowing me down." Shakuna looks unusually anxious, and I assure her. With this party, we will win. We will win without a single man missing and we will get the treasure we came for. "Hmph. Your praise makes me feel uncomfortable but it''s a relief. If someone as bad-natured as you are can say that, I guess I''ll be fine." "I''ll protect Your Highness. That is the role of a knight." Shakuna crosses her arms and says sarcastically. Hadiss also assures him firmly. "...Hmm?" Someone touches my right hand under the table. I turn my head to the side and my eyes meet those of Ryuna, who is sitting next to me. "Let''s do our best, Baskerville-sama." "...Of course. We''re going to win without missing a single person." Ryuna patted my hand as if she were a puppy dog. The beautiful Priestess smiles sweetly at me, and I turn my face away from her with an embarrassment I can''t quite put my finger on. CH 160 So began the journey from the 40th to the 50th floor. Naturally, the journey is not a safe one. The monsters we encounter are stronger and the traps are worse than ever before. But... the same is true for the increasing proficiency. Shakuna and Ryuna, in particular, have improved a lot. "Ryuna, cover me!" "I got it... Guard up! Rapid Foot!" Shakuna quickly runs through the dungeon passageway, receiving an auxiliary magic from Ryuna. ''Yaagh!'' ''Gawd!'' Shakuna kicks the corridor wall, leaps, and slashes the head of the tiger-headed demon with her shamshir. As soon as she lands, she unleashes a lightning spell. "Stun Thunder!" ''Gaaaaaaaaaah!'' Another demon faints in agony as it is hit by the lightning. The magic she unleashed was low-powered, but it could paralyze her opponent and temporarily block its movement. With this magic, the rhinoceros-headed demon stiffens to a standing position, leaving a gaping hole in its body. "Do it now!" "Okay! Leave it to me!" And then... this time, I quickly slash at it. With a slash of dark magic, I slash the rhinoceros head across the chest, killing it with a single blow. "Well, that''s it. The enemy''s dead. We have won." The battle is over. The fighters fight bravely. The demon monster is vanquished without us getting hit by a single blow. "Well done. You''re getting better at this, aren''t you?" Shakuna is a dancer and a magician who uses speed rather than power. The way she fought the other day was a masterful performance that even I could not help but admire. Considering that Shakuna is a descendant of a legendary hero... maybe she has more potential than Leon Brave, the main character of the series. "Of course! I''m going to catch up with you any day now!" Shakuna''s face is full of joy in spite of her hateful words. It seems that she was happy to be praised so openly. It is hard to tell with her brown skin, but Shakuna''s face was flushed with vermilion as if she was embarrassed. "You did a good job, Ryuna. You followed up appropriately." "Thank you very much, Baskerville-sama." Unlike Shakuna, Ryuna accepts the praise. It''s all well and good to accept it, but what''s the point of coming all the way up to me and looking up at me from below? "Hmm..." "...What''s with those eyes? What do you want from me?" "Don''t you know... what I want?" "......" Ryuna looked up at me and blinked expectantly. She looked like a baby bird waiting to be fed. The reflection of my face is reflected in her eyes, which should not reflect any light. Oh, I know it. This is what she wants, isn''t it? "Ah..." I put my hand on her head as requested by Ryuna, though I turn my face away from her with a scowl. When I patted her head a little roughly, her eyes narrow and her face relaxes as if she is comfortable. She looked like she trusts me. Her soft face, as if she is surrendering everything to me, would accept me even if I hugged and kissed her right here and now. Yup, she is cute. Very cute, but... when she showed her affection in such a frank manner, I was embarrassed. "Tsk..." "Geez... you two flirts with each other again!" When I look away, Shakuna is staring at me with her arms crossed. If Ryuna is a puppy, Shakuna is a capricious cat. She stared at me with her upturned eyes in frustration. "Onee-sama, if you don''t mind, why don''t you join me?" "What!? What are you talking about, Ryuna!" Shakuna waves her hands in panic at her sister''s unexpected attack. "Hey... Let go of her! I''m not happy when my Ryuna is petted by a man like you!" "But... Baskerville-sama is very good at petting, you know? I''m going to get addicted to it. It''s addictive, like a drug." "Addictive... Are you kidding me?" Shakuna asks suspiciously. On the other hand, Ryuna was really enjoying the feel of my hand on her head. She grabs my hand on her head and brings it to her cheek with an ecstatic expression. Shakuna came closer to me with a suspicious look on her sister''s face, which looked pleasant, not jokingly. "Geez..." "What''s the matter, you suddenly came close to me..." "Don''t get me wrong! I just want to make sure that you''re not doing anything strange to Ryuna! I''m only doing this for her sake!" "......" Apparently, Shakuna also wants me to pat her head. Anyway, I put my other hand on Shakuna''s head and pat her hair, which is the same color as Ryuna''s. "Ahhh...!" And then... for some reason, Shakuna''s body shook. Her face became so debauched as if she was being pleasured, her eyes moistened, and her mouth opened and closed. "Hyaa... What... is this...? It feels really good...!" "Isn''t it? Baskerville-sama''s hand is warm in spite of its ruggedness, and it feel so good!" "...Wait why are you bragging about it? I mean... why are you making a dirty b*tch face? I''m just patting your head." Shakuna bites her lip in frustration. "I-I can''t help it! I mean, why does it feel so good? If anyone is stroked like this, they''d be... ahh!" Shakuna lets out a gasp in mid-sentence. She wriggles her body wrapped in a dancer''s costume and faints in agony, letting out a nasal voice. "Kuuuh... Huuf... Haan! I won''t lose... I won''t lose to you...!" "Haafuuu... Ah... it feels so good, Baskerville-sama..." "What''s the matter with you guys? I really don''t understand what are you doing..." I was rather seriously puzzled, and my facial muscles tightened. I tried to pull my arms out of their grasp, but both Shakuna and Ryuna held on to my arms tightly and wouldn''t let go. I have no choice but to pat the sisters'' heads and cheeks. "Hwahhh..." "Mmmm... ahhh..." "...I see, so that''s how it is. It''s because of my training skills, isn''t it?" I understood the cause of their writhing. Zenon Baskerville has acquired the [Training] skill as an initial skill. As a matter of course, I, who possessed Zenon''s body, had also acquired this skill... but of course, I had grown to nearly 90 in proficiency as a result of the "battles" I had fought so far. I suppose that the effect of training this skill is to increase the damage of my caresses to women. "...Seriously? I''ve been careless." "Kuhhh... I can''t lose... I can''t lose... Hwaahhhh" "Ah... Baskerville-sama... you''re so amazing..." Their charming voices echoed through the corridors of the dungeon. After that, we would continue to create pink air until a new monster appeared. Hadiss was looking at us with warm eyes... but I pretended not to notice his gaze. CH 161 "Now... let''s get back on track in the boss''s room. Come on, this is no time to play around." We almost got sidetracked in an unexpected direction on the way to the boss''s room, but we made it there without incident. In front of us was a door with a hideous metal design. It is the door to the boss room, where the guardians of the 50th floor await. "It''s been a long time... a really long time, really." I think I spent more time playing the game than fighting it, even if I say so myself. Even though the world of the dungeon was based on the eroge world, was it right for me to have taken such a dungeon with a careless attitude? "So, this is the 50th floor...we finally made it!" Shakuna gulps nervously. We have traveled all the way from the ground and arrived at the 50th floor. Our journey is nearing its end. Here lies our goal, the Scepter of Osiris. "Huff..." I was deeply moved when I thought about the events of our journey so far. Like a racehorse, the events that had taken place since I first stepped into this desert came back to me. I was attacked by sand bandits and kidnapped by a huge monster bird. I somehow managed to escape and jumped down to the oasis, only to come across the naked princess sisters bathing in the water. I win a duel with Shakuna, and then I end up marrying Ryuna by force. After entering the dungeon, a series of battles with demons ensues. Shakuna is caught in an erotic trap and becomes a nymphomaniac. Ryuna is strangely attracted to me, and even sneaks into my bed. Maafern sisters are getting closer and closer, and not only the outer moat but also the inner moat is almost filled... "...I don''t have any good memories. It''s almost like a joke." I dropped my shoulders in disappointment. All I can recall is the brown skin of the sisters. I felt like I was on a grand adventure that would take more than 100,000 words to write, but what was the point of closing my eyes and seeing only erotic scenes behind my eyelids? "Many things happened... I''ll never forget the night when Baskerville-sama pushed me down and took control of me..." "Hey, you''re falsifying my memory! I don''t remember doing anything like that!" Ryuna says with a dreamy smile, and I reflexively give her a scolding. Even though she seems to be a blind Priestess or some other mysterious position... she has turned into an erotic girl in this trip. She has changed her character, which reminds me of some saints... In this world, is there a rule that saints and Priestesses have to be frustrated and have a surplus of sexual desire? "I''m sorry. I mistook it for a premonition, not a delusion..." "You just said delusion, didn''t you? It''s not even a premonition now, is it?" "It doesn''t matter either way. It''s a given that we''ll get married." "It''s not definite! Don''t show me that ring!" She keeps flashing the ring on her index finger, the ring that was given to her as a reward for clearing the test, as if it''s the engagement ring. Was she so happy? It''s tactless of her to be so happy, but... it''s not a gift from me, but a reward item that everyone all won together. "Enough already... Don''t flirt all you want..." While Ryuna was looking at me, Shakuna was crossing her arms and pursing her lips. "Hey... Don''t give up. She''s your sister, right? Take responsibility and do something about it." "But you''re the one who has to take responsibility, aren''t you? I''m sorry, but I''ve seen how strong you are on this journey. I recognize that, so take responsibility and become our husband." "......" I must have heard her wrong. I think Shakuna just said ''our'' in a very sinister way. "No... it''s just your imagination. Really, your eardrums are rotting. Don''t think, feel..." "......" As I try to pretend I didn''t hear Shakuna''s problematic comment, Hadiss taps me on the shoulder as if he''s along for the ride. I turn around and see the face of an old soldier who looks like a father sending off his daughter to be married. "...I''m leaving Her Highness in your hand. I know I can trust you." "...Can we not have some kind of friendship at the last minute? It''s a death flag, isn''t it?" I regained my composure and slapped my cheeks from both sides as hard as I could. "Okay, that''s enough of the fun. Now it''s time for the real battle phase. This is the last boss battle in this dungeon." "Yes! Of course!" "Yes, we won''t lose!" "Umu..." After all that''s happened, I feel like we''re finally united as one. Now that we are true friends, with Ryuna''s auxiliary magic and Shakuna''s dance buffs to boost our stats, we open the door to the boss room to take on the final boss battle. CH 162 Upon opening the door of the boss''s room, there was the boss as we had expected. ''Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...!'' Waiting there was a humanoid demon wearing a clown-like mask. It was about two meters tall. In each hand, it holds a curved great sword, and its bloodshot red eyeballs are staring at us through holes in the mask. On its back grows dark wings like crows, and it is called ''Verial''. A fallen angel that is worthless, futile, and evil. It was the boss monster, the guardian of the 50th floor. ''Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!'' "It''s coming! Watch out!" Verial screamed a wail of lamentation, and slashed at us with two great swords, one on each side. "Hmph!" "Haa!" I catch the attack from the right side with my sword. Shakuna catches the attack from the left side with both shamshirs. Velial''s momentum is slightly weakened but that doesn''t stop it. "Retreat! Shield bash!" But then Hadiss steps in forcefully. He tackles the fallen angel''s torso with his large shield and sends its huge body flying backward. ''Aaaaa!'' "All right... Let''s counterattack, Shakuna! Gravid Slash!" "Okay! Stun Thunder!" ''Iaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! I unleashed a slash with a debuff effect that lowers its speed, and Shakuna unleashed a lightning spell that causes paralysis simultaneously on Verial. The masked fallen angel is slightly frightened, but its eyes do not show the slightest sign of hostility. Its vacant, mournful eyes stare at us eerily, making a person with weak spirit stiffen at the mere sight of them. "Shakuna and Ryuna, get back! Hadiss, we''ll hold them back!" "Okay!" "Okay...!" "Understood!" The others give their approval. Ryuna moves away from the fallen angel, and Shakuna moves away to protect her sister. Replacing the two who had fallen back, Hadiss and I stepped forward to face Verial head-on. Velial has no weakness. It''s just strong. Just fast. It doesn''t have any special ability or unique attack like the previous boss monsters, but it is a pure strongman with no special weakness. But because it''s simply strong, that is why this guy is a troublesome foe against whom no tricks will work. It was a boss monster that was the culmination of the skills and experience cultivated in the past battles, and a test of teamwork. "Don''t give it any chance to counterattack! Keep on coming!" "Yes!" ''Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!'' Haddiss and I circle around Velial and attack it incessantly. We maintain a diagonal position with Hadiss, with Verial in between us. By always having one of us take Verial''s back, we fought while keeping our opponents at our mercy. ''Uaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...! Of course, Verial was not only beaten. It resisted, swinging its swords with both hands while emitting a cry of lamentation, and its slash sometimes hit our body. "Ouch...!" "I''ll recover you... High Heal!" When we were hit and injured, Ryuna immediately healed us with healing magic. For the note, we were able to withstand the damage thanks to the buffs she had applied to our defense in advance, but without them, we might have been fatally wounded before we could recover in time. "Guard up! Rapid Foot!" "I''ll cover you, Warrior Dance-''Alda Fares''!" Of course, Luna and Shakuna reapplied buffs each time the auxiliary magic wore off. Thanks to the Maafern sisters'' continuous buffing in the back, we were able to fight with our abilities constantly improved. "Black Wolf Slash!" "Power Slash!" ''Iaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!'' Haddiss and I are working hard, hard, hard to reduce Velial''s strength. The fallen angel boss monster with no weak points can''t even unleash a single reversal move, and it takes its time to be cornered. ''Iaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!'' Still, Velial continues to resist. At present, we have the upper hand in the battle, but if we relax even for a moment, the battle could be reversed. Verial''s great sword had such a sense of pressure and power. The battle was like a tightrope walker''s race. The fierce battle, like a battle of the minds, made us lose all sense of time. Then, the battle continued for what felt like minutes or hours... Finally, the end of the battle against the tough demon came into sight. ''Iaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!'' Verial suddenly throws down both swords and lets out a scream toward the ceiling. At the same time... its jet-black wings fall off, and shiny white wings grow in their place. Its cracked mask shatters into pieces, and it reveals its beauty, which could be mistaken for a heavenly maiden. The Mighty Angel Verial. This is a standard appearance of a boss monster. The long-awaited appearance of the second form. CH 163 "At last the bottom has fallen out... I have waited long enough, keeper of Tartarus. Angel of the Beginning, ruler of the underworld!" I look at Verial, who has transformed into a shining angelic form, and I laugh with my fangs bared. The demon, who had previously taken the form of a fallen angel with a mask on, now looked like an angel, and its whole body was covered with pale flames. Its inhumanly beautiful face is filled with an expression of deep sadness. It is as if she is lamenting the folly of mankind and wailing in grief. "Baskerville-sama..." "Don''t worry. Stay focused on the support." I respond to Ryuna''s anxious voice behind me without looking back. The transformed guardian, Verial, the Mighty Angel. A guardian of the underworld who has regained the power it had before it became a fallen angel. Now, having thrown away its great sword, Verial''s whole body is gushing out pale blue flames as if it were burning with life. The second form does not mean that Verial has any special means of attack. However... its power and speed have been greatly increased, making it a stronger power fighter than ever before. "Back off, Hadiss... From here on out, I''ll do it myself." "Understood... be careful." "Who are you telling? Me?" I said in a joking tone, making Hadiss step back, take a deep breath, and yell. "Overlimits¡ªMeisho Jigokuyori!" With that, I launched my secret technique, my great move. Immediately, a fierce aura, as if emanating from the depths of hell, enveloped my body, covering it as armor. In its second form, Verial''s attack is a one-hit kill. Even Hadiss, the tank, could lose most of his strength if he was hit seriously. Therefore, from the beginning, I had planned to fight it alone after it transformed into its second form. I will activate my most powerful inner power... with all my might! ''Iaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!'' "Come on, let''s fight! I''m starting to miss the sun, so I''m going to kill you and pull you out... so can you die quickly?" I grinned with my fangs bared and slashed with my sword, which was covered with evil aura. As I slash at Verial''s body, who covered with pale flames, a red flame spurts out from the wound instead of blood. ''Uaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!'' Immediately, a shiny sword appears in Verial''s hand. It was not a curved sword like the one it had been holding earlier, but a long, thin sword shaped like a fencing sword. And its sharp pointy tip shot out at me with blinding speed, piercing through my shoulder... but without thinking, I hit Verial''s head. ''Iaaaaaaaaa!?" "It doesn''t work, a man''s got to have guts!" In its second form, Verial''s attribute is ''light''. It is my weak point. I can feel the pain in my shoulder where the sword pierced through... but I ignore it and hit Verial with a series of attacks. ''Haaaaaaaaa!!" Slash, punch, kick, strike, thrust, pierce, magic... I attacked without rest. But even Verial is not unresisting. It hits me again and again, but I don''t care. When the Overlimit is in effect, even if I am mortally wounded, my HP does not drop to zero. Also, even if I''m depleted, Ryuna will heal me. It is all right as long as I can defeat Verial. It would not matter if I collapsed at the moment the battle was over. "Dieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" ''Hiaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!'' The battle was like a beast eating each other. Far from graceful, it was a mud fight. It was a primitive killing match, just two hungry wolves attacking each other with no guards. Like two starving wolves cannibalizing each other''s bodies, I and Velial were relentlessly exchanging attacks. ''Gaaaaa....'' But it was Verial who reached its limit first. Its pale flame disappears, and its white angel''s body starts to blacken with a whizzing sound, and then shatters from the edges like cinders. "Well... that was fun. It was better than Leon." With that I deliver the killing blow into its chest. Verial, whose heart has been pierced by the sword, shatters into a silvery ash, and a treasure chest appears in the center of the boss''s room. "Overlimit, release... Haah, haah, haah..." I release the overlimit and fall to my knees with my hands on my hips, breathing heavily. I feel like I haven''t fought with all my might in a long time. I feel a sense of accomplishment filling my chest along with the exhaustion that is overtaking my whole body. "It''s tough indeed... but the battle is over now. The mission is completed. Ryuna, I''m sorry, but I need you to heal me..." I looked back at my friends who were watching the battle behind me... but I couldn''t finish my sentence. "Huh...!?" The sight behind me instantly wiped away the fresh afterglow of my victory. I had defeated the boss monster, but something unexpected had happened behind me. "HYUUUUUUUUU! Nice fight! You put up a great fight, Bro!" "Kuhh... Release her...!" "Baskerville, sama...!" I don''t know how long he''s been there... but there was a strange man behind me. He was naked on top. Black pants on his lower half. He has bright red hair that stands on end, brown skin, and is stomping on Shakuna''s prone torso. He also grabbing Ryuna''s neck with his right hand and hanging her in midair. "Kahah..." And then... the stranger''s left hand stabs Hadiss'' chest, piercing straight through his heart. CH 164 Just when I thought I had defeated the boss monster, my companions were ambushed. The Maafern sisters are seized, and the sight of Haddiss, stabbed through the chest, makes me move like a bullet. "You bast*ard... Who are you!?" I howl and slash at the red-haired, brown-skinned man, whose upper half of his body is naked. I attack in no time after the appearance of the enemy. My reaction speed is so fast that I am proud of myself for my surprisingly quick response. "FOOOOOOO! So quick, really quick, HAYAII! You''re so good, it made this great lower half a little tense!" "Huh...!?" But... the sword I wielded sliced through the air. Suddenly, without warning, the man''s body vanished. "Kahk!" "Kkkkk...!" As the man disappeared, Hadiss, who had been pierced through the chest, and Shakuna, who had been knocked to the ground and trampled, were released. Shakuna stands up from the ground, while Hadiss falls to the ground bleeding. But... Ryuna is gone. She has disappeared with the man. "Ryuna!?" I look around in panic... but the man and Shakuna appear a few meters behind me. "HYU! It¡¯s burning, it¡¯s burning. Bro, you''re a really charming guy. Coming to kill this great me out of the blue, without any question..." "Kkh... Baskerville-sama!" Ryuna moans in pain as the man grabs her neck. I look at him and point the tip of my sword at the man who has somehow managed to get behind me. "Let her go right now, or I''ll let you die easy." "FOOOOOO! Going to kill me? Okay then!" He laughs at my intimidation and his deafening laughter makes me uncomfortable. He shakes Ryuna whom he has seized and moves his shoulders up and down with a smirk as if he is proud of it. "However... This great me can''t listen to your order! After all the trouble, finally, the little bird that has escaped can be found. This poor, stupid, sacrificial Priestess-chan will be returned to us!" "You are Guru... Rudanaga''s hand! Give me back my sister!" Shakuna yells as she gets to her feet. She holds up her shamshir with a fiery look on her face and yells biting words. "I will not let you sacrifice my sweet Ryuna! You''re wrong if you think you''ll get what you want!" "Yes, yes, it''s a beautiful sisterly love. If she''s so precious to you, why don''t you try to get her back by force?" "I''ll do that... and for now, die." "Ohhh!?" Dark magic¡ªillusion ghost. I create a shadow clone, and the clone slashes at the unidentified man. A total of three clones are created. Although the man is slightly surprised to see me coming at him from all four directions, he quickly deals with the situation. "HYUUUUUUUUU! Play a shriek of fear, Advanced Wind magic¡ªThousand Thorns!" "......!" The man activates his magic. Numerous invisible blades of wind are released, slicing the other four and me in a single breath. "I''m sorry... but it''s all an illusion, and the real me is here!" But... in fact, all those cut into pieces by the wind magic were the shadow clone created by the magic. I, the main body, had disappeared in an illusion, and I was behind him. I came up straight behind him and started to slash his back. Shakuna also leaps at him from the other side with both of her shamshirs in her hands. We worked in unison without a signal. This would have been unthinkable before entering ''The Royal Tomb of Salomon". "SH*T! You two are good, it¡¯s a crazy attack full of killing!" Shakuna and I attack from the front and back at the same time... but the man''s composure is unwavering. "Ho-we-ver, this great me is the one who can''t be killed in this situation, kay!" "Huh...!" "Eh...?" "Sorry, this great me can¡¯t take your attack! So, don¡¯t cry, kay!" The man disappears again. This time he appears near the entrance of the room. Of course, he still has Ryuna in his grasp. The perfectly coordinated attempts of a pincer attack are evaded. In frustration, Shakuna bites her back teeth and stares at the mysterious man. "Khh... He''s disappeared again, how did he manage to avoid us!" "...It was his teleport Magic. But why could he use it in the middle of a battle!" I finally realized what the man had done. Teleport magic is used to move from town to town or to escape from a dungeon, just like Lula or Llemito. I cannot use it, but a pure magician could learn it at a rather early stage. However, this magic is only to shortcut the travel time. It should not have been possible to use it in battle... but unlike the specifications of the game, it seems that in this world, it can be used in battle as a matter of course. "Activating advanced magic with shortened chanting, and using teleport magic continuously... who are you, really?" "FOOOOOOO! Sorry for the late introduction. This great me name is Veinrune [¥ô¥§¥¤¥ë©`¥ó]. This great me is one of the Knights of Hell and a mighty demon in a good mooddd!" "Demon...?" I mutter, staring at Veinrune, a brown-skinned man. It can''t be a demon summoned by Salomon. Such a monster would not have appeared in the tombs of kings. If so, it must be a demon summoned and used by someone other than Salomon. "The summoner is the Guru Rudanaga... or is it Rujanaga?" "OH? If you know Master''s real name, then you must be a real demon, ain''tcha?" The demon named Veinrune reveals his master''s true identity in a simple manner. I had thought that it was so in all probability, but... now I am finally convinced that Rudanaga is the same person as Rujanaga, the fourth heavenly king of the Demon Lord Army. "This is troublesome... Rujanaga has unleashed an assassin!" I am not surprised that Rujanaga has summoned and sent a demon. After all, in the game, he had summoned a demon and sent it to the protagonist (Leon). But... the demon in front of me is bad. This is a crossbow. This demon has crossed the dungeon which we have conquered for several days, playing solo without a party. That alone tells us that he is a very strong person. He is a man who can finally compete with others using overlimits. But... Unfortunately, my overlimit was used in the previous boss battle. It could not be activated consecutively. In addition, the damage I sustained in the boss fight has not healed. Before I could get Ryuna to cast a healing spell on me, I was in a continuous battle. "...I have one more question for you..." Anyway... there was one more thing I needed to ask him. "...There must have been priest-soldiers at the entrance to the dungeon. What did you do with them?¡± "OH? If it was the small fry at the entrance, this great me killed them first. This great me could let them go if they would have let this great me through quietly... but they insisted that they would never let this great me through. So, this great me sent them to hell lightlyy " "No way... Everyone...!" Ryuna groans as she is captured by Veinrune. Tears stream down her cheeks as she is seized by Veinrune, hearing that the people who had escorted her to her rescue had died before she knew it. "Well... Demon or not, I''m going to kill you! Can you die?" "HYUUUUUU! It¡¯s so sick! Bro, you''re obviously in a different mood. The aura you''re wearing, you''re as powerful as a noble-class demon, ain''tcha? Your vicious killing spirit, this great me can''t believe you''re a human...?" Veinlune stops mid-sentence and turns serious. His red eyes look straight into my face and I raise my eyebrows in wonder. "...What''s wrong with my face? Is there something on my face?" "...Your face" "What?" I listen to Veinrune''s words, not understanding what he is saying. And... immediately regretted asking back. "Hey, hey, if it look closer, you''re so cute, bro...! What a pretty faceee...!" "...What the?" "Sharp eyes like a man-eating dragon. A nose as high as a hellbird''s. A lip color like the petals of a mandragora that has grown by sucking blood, and black hair like the black flames that spread in the depths of hell...! I have never seen such a beautiful and lovely creature! It''s like a supreme work of art created by the demigods of the apocalypse!" "......!?" Veinrune''s evaluation makes my shoulders slump. What in the world is he talking about? If his goal was to scare me by saying something outlandish... the plan worked perfectly. After all, I feel fear much stronger than when I was shown the advanced magic. "This great me had decided... bro, you''re my destiny. My honey! My sweet loveee!" "Hey... what are you talking about!?" I exclaim, but Veinrune is unconcerned and says a self-indulgent thing. "This great me is in love with you at first sight, honey! Please go out with me and have intercourse (gig) with me!" "......!" I felt unprecedented fear and shivers run down my spine. I''m sorry for Haddiss and the priest-soldier who had been killed, but Veinrune''s shocking confession sent such a horrifying shock through my heart that their deaths were wiped out. CH 165 "I see... Anyway, die." "FOOOOOOO! It''s dangerous! Don''t come so suddenly, my honey!" I slash at him with all my might, but once again my attack is in vain. Veinrun evaded my attack by activating his teleport magic. "But that''s the part this great me love the most, too! However... This great me in the middle of a mission right now. It''s too bad we have to be separated, but this great me need to leave now!" "Wait! Release Ryuna!" Ignoring Shakuna''s cries, Veinrune puts his hand on the door of the boss''s room. This brown-skinned demon pushes open not the door that leads to the rest room. But the door that leads back the way he came. When the man opens the door, I saw a magic circle with a pale green light that had not been there before. "Dammit...! Are you trying to escape?!" That magic circle was an escape route leading out of the dungeon. By defeating the boss monster, a path leading out of the dungeon appears in the room before the boss room. Once there, it is possible to return back immediately. Now, the man steps into the magic circle without hesitation. "This great me don''t want to leave you, bro, but if you want to see this great me, you can going to the ''Altar of the Snake God''. So, this great me looking forward to having a real killing (date) with you, honey!" "Wait for me! Ryuna!" "......" Ryuna and Veinrune disappear. This time they have escaped from the dungeon, not by means of a teleport magic, but by the effect of the magic circle in the dungeon. "Tsk... we''re screwed...!" However, hust before they disappeared, I caught eyes with Ryuna. The beautiful Priestess looked at me and smiled slightly, her lips seemed to murmur ''I believe you''. "Kkh... we have to go after him! If we don''t go after him, Ryuna will be sacrificed and killed!" Shakuna rushes after him. She tries to jump into the magic circle that leads to the ground... but I grab her neck and pull her back toward me. "Kyaaa!? What are you doing!?" "...It''s no use. You can''t catch up to him now." I explain to her in a calm manner even though my face is distorted with anger. "He''s a magician who uses teleport magic. Once he escapes from the dungeon, there is no way for us to catch up with him. He''s probably already moved on and run away somewhere." "No way... Then what about Ryuna!?" "......" Shakuna asks bitingly, and I clench my fists in silence. "Hey... Are you joking?" Shakuna is stunned by my reaction and mumbles. Shakuna stood there for a moment as if at a loss... then she exploded with emotion. "You''ve got to be kidding me! Are you going to give up Ryuna''s life!?" "......" "You''ve disappointed me... For you, Ryuna is a stranger and you may be able to give up on her. But she''s my only sister! I can''t abandon my sweet sister. I won''t let her become a sacrifice!" Shakuna scratched at my hand, trying to shake it off. "I won''t let her die... I''ll save her! So let go of me! Even without your help, I''ll save Ryuna..." "Shut up!" I head-butted Shakuna as hard as I could. With a sound like a rock cracking, I hit Shakuna''s forehead with a blow with all my might. "~~~~~~~!" Shakuna cowered in place, clutching her head. She is no longer making a sound. Well, it must have hurt like hell. "Shut up! I''ll kill him and save Ryuna. I know that! I''m trying to figure out how to do that right now, so quit your grumbling!" Of course, I had no intention to abandon Ryuna. The only reason I kept silent was because I was thinking about how I could help Ryuna. "As we can''t catch up with the demon who can use transfer magic even if we continue to chase after him... we should go to the ''Altar of the Snake God'' that he had mentioned. But where is it?" In the game, there was no such place as the "Altar of the Snake God". Naturally, I didn''t know where it was. "Hey, you must know something... but you''re still cowering and fainting in agony. Get up!" "Ow~~! Whose fault is it if you hit a woman on the head?" "I didn''t hit you! I just head-butted you." "It''s the same! Ah, geez... it still hurts..." Shakuna stands up slowly, stroking her forehead. "I don''t know where the ''Altar of the Snake God'' is... but since it'' s called an altar, maybe a priest would know about it..." "A priest, huh?" I walk over to Hadiss, who is lying on the ground with a hole in his chest. I check his pulse and breathing just in case... but as expected, he is already dead, and there is no use in giving him a potion. In the world of [DunBrave], as in many games, there is ''revive magic'', but it has been verified that it loses its effect after 30 minutes of death. If Ryuna, a healer, had been present, it might have been possible to revive him... but there was no way to save Haddiss now. "I''m sorry about everything... and thank you." "Hadiss..." Shakuna''s eyes are downcast. She had been preoccupied with her sister until a few minutes ago, but she must have come to the realization that she had lost a friend late in life. "......" I close my eyes for a moment and mourn my fallen comrades. I know it''s too late to say this, but... this is the first time since I came to this world and became Zenon Baskerville that I have mourned a member of my party. We were not close friends by any means, but just when I thought we had finally become friends, this happens. I will probably never get used to this feeling of a gaping hole in my heart. "But... we can''t stay sad forever. We will save Ryuna. That''s why we''re going to start immediately." "Yes... you''re right. But what are we going to do now? We don''t even know where he took her..." "Well... first we have to find out where the Altar of the Snake God is. I don''t know how much time is left, but we can''t just wander around in the vast desert." With a long sigh and a furrowed brow, I speak the first thought that comes to my mind. "An altar, huh...? It must be a religious building. It would be better to go to some town and ask a priest... but it depends on our luck to find someone who knows it..." "You don''t have to... Because I know it..." "...!?" Suddenly, a voice interrupts our conversation. I look up and clutch the sword at my waist. "Hey, hey, don''t pull out anything dangerous. I''m (Boku wa) not your enemy." "You''re not...?" At the other end of the room, a young boy about the age of a junior high school student stands at the tip of the voice. He was wearing what looked like a white priest''s robe, and he was sitting on a treasure chest in the center of the boss''s room. "Who are you... Tell me your name." "I''d like to say that you should say your name before asking for someone''s name... but I know your names, so I don''t need to introduce myself." The boy, who was sitting on the treasure chest, crossed his legs in a graceful gesture. Then... As if performing a magic trick, he spreads his arms out and says his name. "My name is Salomon... King Salomon. I am the king who rules this dungeon." The boy says this with a friendly smile on his innocent face. CH 166 "Salomon... You mean ''King Salomon''!?" I couldn''t help but scream when the boy appeared without warning. v ''King Salomon''--as the name implies, he is buried in the Royal Tomb of King Salomon and was once called the King of Magic who summoned and used many demons. In the game, he is the boss character waiting on the 100th floor of this dungeon and is a balance breaker with more fighting ability than the Demon King. "Is he real? His appearance is totally different from the one in the game." The ''King Salomon'' in the game was supposed to look like a huge black sphere. It was an oddly shaped monster with countless eyeballs stuck on its surface and a gaping crescent moon mouth. However... the person in front of me who calls himself Solomon looks like an ordinary boy, and he seems out of place in the dungeon. "Oh? You have a strange color of soul. It''s as if you''re not from this world." "Hmm..." The boy, Salomon, tilts his head in wonder. It seems that he is mysterious enough to know who I am. The boy''s words suddenly have more credibility. Or maybe he is the real King Salomon. "King Salomon... are you talking about the master of this tomb!? This kid!?" Unlike me, Shakuna seems to be surprised. Salomon smiles mischievously and puffed out his chest. "That''s right! I am the greatest magician in the history of mankind. I am the man who is called the ''King of Magic''! You may worship me with longing, don''t you?" "Well, uh...?" Shakuna looks at me and Salomon alternately, puzzled. Salomon, who seems to have realized that he is being suspected, looks at me and he raised his index finger at me. "It seems you don''t believe me. Then... how about this?" "Huh...!?" "What!?" A tremendous amount of magic power is released. I jump back involuntarily, and Shakuna is stunned. Dozens of demons are summoned before us. Sheep, cows, eagles, tigers, wolves, and other beast-headed humanoid monsters with various deformed heads appear before us. "So many of such demons...!?" It''s not just the number of demons. Each demon seems to be as strong as the boss monster we had just defeated, giving off an unusual sense of intimidation. "I-I get it! I understand! I believe you, I believe you, please make that demon disappear...!" "Really? I hope you believe me!" Salomon snapped his fingers in response to Shakuna''s plea. Immediately, dozens of demons disappear like smoke. The tense atmosphere is released, and I wipe the sweat from my forehead with my arm. "It looks like... you are the real Salomon, the King of Magic. But why did the big boss who should be on the lowest floor of the tomb appear at the halfway point of the 50th floor?" "Well... I usually don''t appear in front of challengers every time, and just looked at you guys with magic. However, I had to come out because I realized something..." "Is something going on?" "Yes, yes. The resurrection of the snake god. The sacrificial Priestess. And the name Rujanaga. I didn''t think the evil god ''Ilyanka Nobulnaga'' [¥¤¥ë¥ä¥ó¥«?¥Î¥Ö¥ë¥Ê©`¥¬] would try to resurrect in this life. How persistent is that snake priest?" "Ilyanka...? Is that the name of the evil god at the ''Altar of the Snake God''? And... how do you know about Rujanaga?" "Rujanaga, the snake-headed priest. He made a mess when I was alive a thousand years ago, so it''s only natural. I summoned a large number of demons to confront that abominable man." "A thousand years... has he been active for that long?" The Rujanaga I knew was one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon King''s Army, a conspirator who hunted down Leon through various schemes. But... from what Salomon has told me, it seems that there is more to him than that. Perhaps, he is serving the Demon King in his first appearance, and his original purpose is to revive the evil god whom he worships as a priest. "...Either way, what we''re going to do is the same. We''ll crush Rujanaga. We''ll kill that evil pervert. We''ll rescue Ryuna and stop the resurrection of the evil god. That''s the decision!" "Good! You seem to have not only a good face but also great faith! I like you very much!" Salomon clapped his hands. He sends his compliments with a twinkle in his eye. "It''s nice of you to compliment me, but why are you talking about my face... you''re not going to tell me I have a villain''s face too, are you?" "No way, no way! In case you haven''t noticed... you have a very demonic face, you know? You''re handsome in your own way as a human being, but in the eyes of the demon you look like a charming man of the world.?" "That''s absurd...what kind of sensibility does the demon have?" Come to think of it... Urza, the oni-tribe, also treated me as a handsome boy. What kind of sensibility do demons and oni have? "No, no, I''m not kidding, it''s true. It may sound exaggerated to say this, but... there could be a war that could break out in hell over one of you. I''m sure there are many demons out there who would love to have you, who would destroy nations if they ever came to the surface." "......" I feel like I''ve been told a terrible thing. Though I have an evil face that is always feared by those who meet me for the first time, I had no idea that in the demon world I am a great beauty. I had thought that the perverted demon named Veinrun was crazy, but it seems that the sensibilities of demons are quite different from those of human beings. "...I don''t care about my face. I don''t care about what I look like... just tell me about the evil god and Rujanaga." I shook my head and pushed the extraneous information out of my head and asked Salomon what was important. "King Salomon. From the way you''re talking, you''re not our enemy, are you? Can you tell us how to save the kidnapped Ryuna and stop the resurrection of the evil god?" "Sure. I want to stop the resurrection of the old evil god as much as you do too. So, I''ll tell you everything I know." Salomon snapped his fingers again, and a table and chairs for several people appeared as if growing out of the floor of the ruins. The ancient magician in the form of a boy sits down on a chair, crosses his legs, and urges us to sit down as well. "......" We don''t know where the demon has taken Ryuna, but we need the help of the boy in front of us to break the deadlock. But I had complicated feelings like I eat poison when I sit on a chair... CH 167 "I''m sorry to bother you so soon, but could you please tell me where they took Ryuna? We have to go after her right away!" Shakuna, who had lost her sister, complained impatiently. Rujanaga had kidnapped her to sacrifice her. There is no telling when the ritual will take place. It was an unpredictable situation. In contrast to Shakuna''s impatience, however, Salomon looked optimistic. He sat on a chair with his legs crossed, fluttering his hands in the air as if he did not care about anything. "Don''t worry, the ritual won''t happen anytime soon. The ritual to resurrect the snake god Ilyanka Nobulnaga can only be done during the total solar eclipse." "Total solar eclipse...?" "Yes, 18 hours from now. The ceremony will take place tomorrow at exactly noon. That''s plenty of time. Plenty of time." "...There won''t be enough time. Not even a day." Astronomy is not so advanced in this world, and I don''t know when the eclipse will occur. Nevertheless... King Salomon seems to know exactly when it will happen. Probably, Rujanaga knows it, too. Because there is not much time to spare, he must have summoned a demon with teleport ability to catch Ryuna. When I mentioned such a guess, Salomon nodded his head in affirmation. "There is a price to pay for summoning a demon. Even more so for a demon as high ranking as a knight of hell. Even for a genius like me... And for that old man, I think it was an extremely painful choice as if he were going to be cut down by his own body. His magic power must have been drained." "In other words... Rujanaga won''t be much of a force to be reckoned with. The only trouble is Veinrun." "Also, there must be soldiers, priests, and nobles controlled by the guru. Though, they''re nothing compared to that demon..." "Yeah... it''s going to be tough with just the two of us. We''ll need reinforcements." I glanced at Salomon''s face. I don''t know what his reasons are, but Salomon seems to be at odds with Rujanaga. It would be powerful if he would become our ally and fight with us... "That''s impossible. I am only a spirit that resides in these ruins. I can remain in this world only on the condition that I do not leave." "What do you mean by ''on condition''? I heard that you''ve been captured by a demon and bound to the ruins?" Salomon''s lips twitch as Shakuna tilts her head. "Who do you think I am? I''m not so stupid as to be captured by a demon I summoned. The reason I am staying in these ruins is to prepare for the resurrection of the evil god. I''m here to be a test to train warriors to fight against the evil god and his household." "What trials...?" "Well, I promised I''d tell you about them, didn''t I? First, let''s talk about the evil god Rujanaga is trying to resurrect, The snake god Ilyanka Noburunaga." Salomon folds his arms on the table and speaks in a calm tone. "Long ago, there was a being in this world called the ''Old God''. There was a snake so huge that it could cross the desert, an elephant that could drink the ocean dry, and a monkey whose head could pierce the edge of the sky. There were many such monstrous beings. And no one lived in the world except for the gods and their households, and if a creature was born, it was quickly consumed and vanished... Such was the chaos that ruled the world." "......" "However, a ''new god'' in human form appeared from the other world and sealed the old gods. And the order was born in a world that had been chaotic, like a muddle of oil and water. Sky and earth were divided, the earth was solidified, oceans sprang up, and ecosystems were born. Thus, the prototype of the world we live in was completed." Salomon stops speaking, looks up to the sky, and lets out a long breath. "But... some people don''t like that. Some felt more at home in a world of chaos ruled by the old gods. These are the people who want to bring back the old gods. Rujanaga is one of them." "But he''s supposed to be working for the Demon King... Is the Demon King related to the Old Gods?" "Well, I don''t know. There was no such thing as a Demon King when I was alive. Of course, there were no demon clans either. However, the name seems to have something to do with ''demons''... but where did this guy come from?" "...Hmm, I don''t know either." "Hmm? Anyway, that''s not really important to think about right now. As for my relationship with Rujanaga... a thousand years ago he tried to resurrect the evil gods by sacrificing Priestess. With an army of his followers. However, If the old gods return, the world is doomed. So, using an army of demons I summoned, I defended the Priestess of the time and prevented the resurrection of the god. Rujanaga, who had lost most of his companions, ran away and was never seen again." Salomon looks apologetic for the first time and bows his head lightly. "I''m really sorry that I''ve forced you to deal with problems that my generation couldn''t solve. I came before you because I wanted to help in any way I could to stop the resurrection of the evil god. Although I can''t leave the ruins, I can offer you a few favors." "Then, first tell me the exact location of this ''altar of the snake god'' or whatever it is. We can''t stop the resurrection ceremony if we don''t know where it is." "Yes, okay." Salomon waved his hand lightly and a piece of parchment appeared on the table. It was a map of Maafern Kingdom, with a red star marked on the east side of the ''Royal Tomb''. "It''s about a six-hour walk from here to the altar, and there are 18 hours until the total eclipse of the sun, so you should have no problem just getting to the altar." "...But, the problem is after we reach the ''altar''. The question is whether or not we can defeat Veinrun and the rest of Rujanaga''s minions after reaching the ''altar''." Since Salomon is stuck in the dungeon, there are only two of us, myself and Shakuna. We don''t even know if we can beat Veinrun alone, and if we have to fight Rujanaga''s men, our chances of victory are slim to none. "But... we still have to go to save Ryuna! No matter how dangerous it is, I''m going for sure!" "That''s the same for me. I''ll have to take revenge on that pervert demon..." "It''s decided... let''s go. Let''s go to the Altar of the Snake God!" Shakuna gets up from her chair and pumps her fist in the air. I get up from my chair too and put my hand on Shakuna''s shoulder. "No, I don''t think so." "Heh...?" A war I can''t win is the same thing as a war I''m going to lose. So, why should I go into a battle I know I''m going to lose? Shakuna is hit with a cold shower of water at a critical moment, and she remains frozen in a pose with her fists raised above her head. Shakuna remained in the same position like a statue for a while... then her face turned red like a tomato. "So, what do we do then!? You''re not going to abandon Ryuna, are you!?" "I didn''t say that. And I already told you. I said I''d kill Rujanaga and the demon pervert. I told you we would save Ryuna. What we need to do is not go to the altar. Instead, we should be trying to figure out how we can turn a zero percent chance of winning into a hundred with 12 hours to spare." "You Idiots," I spat stupidly and sat down in my chair again, folding my arms. Then, I thought about a winning strategy. Now, if we go to the altar at this point, we will only be beaten back. It would be difficult to save Ryuna, let alone win against Veinrun. Then... we must have the trump card that will ensure our victory. "...Salomon, you said earlier that you''d make things easier for us. Are you sure you''re telling the truth?" "Of course, a King never lies!" "Then... why don''t you give us the reward for clearing this dungeon? The 60th and 70th floors. No...give me all the other rewards as well!" I said to Salomon, who was sitting in front of me, like a bandit trying to snatch a treasure. It had gotten to the latest raw... CH 168 "Hey... What are you talking about!?" "Hee... I see. You have an interesting point." Salomon claps his hands in agreement as Shakuna''s voice rises in confusion. Shakuna didn''t seem to understand, but Salomon seemed to be able to read my thoughts. "If you get the treasures up to the 70th floor, you might have a thousand opportunities to win the war! You seem to have a devilishly bright mind as well as a nice face. I like you even more!" "Thank you. I''ve never received such a compliment in my life." I responded curtly and shrugged my shoulders. Meanwhile, Shakuna, who wasn''t following the conversation, blinked at me in confusion. "Wait... Explain it to me! If there is a reward for clearing up to the 70th floor, can we save Ryuna!?" Shakuna grabs both my shoulders and shakes me. Please don''t be in a hurry, I''m going to explain everything. So I tap Shakuna''s back with my hand. "...You know that in this dungeon, you can get valuable items by defeating the bosses at each of the ten floors, right? We need to get the rewards for the 60th and 70th floors before we fight the people who kidnapped Ryuna." I need the items in the 60th floor... but what I want to get is the reward for the 70th floor. That item is Consumable Item¡ª''Feather of Horus''. Although I said it is a consumption item, the number of times I can use this item is unlimited. It can be used as many times as desired. Its effect is an unconditional teleport limited to the desert area. It can be used to move instantly to any area in the scenario of "Jade Tombstone"...in other words, anywhere in Maafern Kingdom. While the teleport magic used by magicians can only be used at the entrance of a town or a dungeon, this item can be used anywhere. This item was also possible to be used to escape from the inside of a dungeon, or to move to the inside of a specific building or even to the middle of a dungeon that was in the process of being conquered, if it was marked in advance. "With the ''Feather of Horus''... we can go anywhere we''ve been once we''ve been there, though only to desert areas." "Are you planning to use that item to go to the ''altar''? So we can go to Ryuna''s place!?" Shakuna looked at me excitedly. I lightly turn my back to avoid Shakuna, and continue with my explanation. "No, you and I have never been to the altar. After all, we can''t teleport to a place we''ve never been before. If anything, this is an item needed to escape!" Veinrune is demon that specialize in teleport. Even if we try to help Ryuna, who is about to be sacrificed, to escape, he will soon catch up with us by his teleportation. So, to ensure the escape, this item is needed. "The time limit is 18 hours. There is no time to go down to the 70th floor by ourselves to get it. But... if the owner of the dungeon is willing to give up the reward for clearing the dungeon, that''s a different story, isn''t it?" "Well... yes. You''re right." When I look at Salomon, the magic king in the form of a boy makes a troubled face. "I know what you mean and I want to help you, but this dungeon is a trial dungeon. And the treasures that can be obtained as a reward for clearing the dungeon are treasures that can be obtained only by those who have overcome the trial. These treasures cannot be given to those who have not completed the trial. I''m not trying to be mean, but there is such a rule." "Oh no... You are the master of this dungeon, right!? Can''t you do something about it?" "I''d like to do something about it... But young lady? It''s called self-binding. I''m strengthening my magic by placing restrictions on myself. I can''t avoid the rules of this dungeon myself. How else could I summon so many demons from hell?" "Then, what should we do?" Shakuna''s face twisted and she sagged. I was depressed as well. I lowered my shoulders and shook my head slowly. "I wish there was another way..." Just when I had a glimmer of hope, it slipped away from my fingertips. If I don''t do this, I might not be able to save Ryuna, the ritual might be performed, and the evil god might be resurrected. I thought hard to find another way out of the situation... but as expected, I couldn''t come up with any clever plan to resolve the situation. "But... out of respect for your bravery, let me offer you a little service." But just then, Salomon opened his mouth. The man who had just taken away our hope is now giving it to us again. "Service? Are you going to give me a reward?" "I can''t do that. But... I can lighten the load of the trials a bit. Just within the limits of the dungeon master''s authority." Salomon holds up an index finger from his chair. Then...out of nowhere, two figures appear on either side of Salomon. "Huh...!" "Bataks, the ''Immortal Butterfly,'' the guardian of the 60th floor. Randalion, the ''Wise Warrior'', the guardian of the 70th floor. Normally, you have to go to the boss room to fight, but I''ll allow you to fight in this room specially. Of course... as long as you two are confident of winning, right?" Salomon said with a mischievous look on his face and looked at me with testing eyes. CH 169 Two figures appeared in front of me. It was a demon with butterfly wings sprouting from the back with a lizard body¡ª''Immortal Butterfly'' Bataks. And a demon with a bull''s head sprouting out of a magic circle floating in the air¡ª''Wise Warrior'' Randallion. Both of them are intimidating boss monsters that are difficult to defeat alone. "Two bosses... that''s impossible! The enemy just now took four of us and we were just barely able to defeat it, and we only have two!" Shakuna''s body trembles with fear as she faces the two monsters that appear. The boss monster of the 50th floor, the ''Fallen Angel'' Verial, was also a very strong enemy. And now, there were two demons of equal or greater strength. The situation was nothing short of a nightmare. So, Shakuna raises her voice at the unreasonable demands, and Salomon shrugs his shoulders as if troubled. "Well... I know I''m making unreasonable demands. But since I''m going to shortcut you through 20 floors, I''m going to have to make the ordeal so difficult that you''ll have to deal with two bosses at the same time to balance the scales." "But... we can''t do anything like this." "I''m not forcing you to do it. If you can defeat these two, I will give you the treasures of the 60th and 70th floors. This is the maximum offer I can make. Even I don''t want the evil gods to come back." Salomon looks up at the ceiling and closes his eyes. It is my choice to undergo the trials. Or find another way. Anyway, he has completely given us the choice. Now, as I see it... if we can get the rewards for clearing the 60th and 70th floors, we have the best chance of winning. We should be able to defeat Rujanaga and Veinrune, break the ritual, and prevent Ryuna from being sacrificed. "If you don''t go into the tiger''s den, you won''t get the tiger''s cub, huh... or is it more like a demon''s den?" "Hey... what are we going to do? Can we fight those demon monsters and win?" Shakuna pulls on my sleeve anxiously. She was ready to do anything for her little sister, but the intimidating presence of the two higher level demons seems to have made her cowardly. But I don''t think she''s a coward. After all, the aura that demons emit is something that causes a fundamental fear to human beings. No matter how stout a human being is, he or she cannot help but be crushed. "Okay, let''s do this. Let''s take them out and get the reward for clearing. I can''t think of any other way." But still... I want to said no. However, if I had no other choice, I would have to do it, no matter how absurd the task was. Since I had no choice but to abandon Ryuna, I had no choice but to accept Salomon''s request. "Well... okay. I''ll fight too." Shakuna nodded her head, her face pale but still firm. Shakuna looked frightened by the higher ranking demon, but her love for her sister seemed to prevail. With trembling hands, she gripped the hilt of the shamshir to try to rouse her heart. "There are two opponents, so I will take one at a time. The one who kills the other first will join the other. "No... that''s not necessary." "What?" "I''ll kill these demons myself. You stay back." "Hey... what are you talking about!? You can''t win by yourself!?" Shakuna comes at me with a valid point. "This demon is stronger than the fallen angel you saw just now, right? It took four of us to beat it just now, there''s no way you can do it alone!" "Hey, Shakuna... you know I''m pretty angry about this..." "Huh...?" "I''m angry at Rujanaga. I''m angry at Veinrune. Most of all, I''m angry enough to want to kill myself for being so stupid as to let a woman be kidnapped right in front of me!" I speak my mind in a quiet tone, biting my back teeth together. "I''m so angry that I''m going to get out of control...now I''ve got someone to take out my anger on. I will kill these monster as I please." "...!" Shakuna gasps and takes a step or two backward in fright. She looks more frightened than when she saw the summoned demon... Do I look that scary? "Heh... it''s so deadly. I can''t believe you''re human." Salomon''s eyes widen in surprise at my uncontrollable desire to kill. "However, my demon is not so weak that emotions can make up the difference. I don''t think you can fight it alone, though, can you?" "......" "So you don''t listen to me. Fine, do what you want." Salomon smiled at me as I silently drew my sword, looking interested. I make Shakuna step back with a glance and face the two demons from a few meters away. The two bosses of the lower level of the EX dungeon are both formidable opponents. I cannot be sure that I can beat them even one by one. Still, I will do it. ''Shaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!'' ''Ryuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!'' A strange voice like a threat is emitted from the demons''s mouth. They don''t seem to attack me. Rather, they seem to be giving up the lead. However, with my anger and desire to kill simmering like lava in my voice, I shout with all my might. "Demon or not, I''ll kill you! Overlimits¡ªMeisho Jigokuyori!" It''s my second time today. A dark aura enveloped me as if the lid of hell had opened, and I transformed into my most powerful fighting form. CH 170 The Immortal Butterfly¡ªBataks The Wise Warrior¡ªRandallion Both the two demon monsters were formidable opponents. They were boss monsters that, if fought properly, would be hard to avoid. Furthermore, if they were to be fought simultaneously, they would be even more dangerous. If I made a bad move...or even if I didn''t, I could lose my life. But... without the slightest bit of fear, I rushed toward the enemy. "Oooooooooooooooh!" ''Shaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!'' Wearing a jet-black aura, I slash at the butterfly-winged lizard in front of me¡ªBataks. Bataks sprays glittering scales from its butterfly wings. The scales are poisonous and sure to cause much damage if inhaled, but it won''t work on me, who has the skill of [Abnormal Immunity]. So, I jumped into Bataks torso while my whole body was covered with the poisonous scale powder. ''Haaack!'' I slice off one of its wings with a single stroke of my sword. But Bataks is, as its name suggests, an "immortal butterfly". The wing that was supposed to be cut off immediately begins to regrow. "You''re so annoying! Why don''t you just die!" ''Shaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!'' The regenerating Bataks resists and is showered with my merciless slashes. Bataks is cut into pieces by the rain of blades and falls to the floor with blue blood flowing. The immortal demon still struggles to regenerate its wreckage... but I unleash a crushing magic attack. "Advanced Dark Magic¡ªGehenna Flame!" ''Gishaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!?" A jet-black fire engulfs Bataks. While Overlimits is in effect, not only physical attacks but also magic attacks are strengthened. The power-enhanced dark fire suppresses Bataks'' poor resistance and burns its body. ''Gah! Gaaaah! Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!'' The immortal demon struggles in the black flames... but I ignore it and turn to the other enemy. ''RyUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!'' As soon as I turn around, the other demon monster, Randallion, unleashes a magic attack on me. Combined Advanced Magic¡ªRainbow Missile! Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, Light, Darkness, Void. The seven elements bullets are flying toward me at once. "Black Wolf Slash!" I cancelled the seven bullets coming toward me with my magic sword. The two bullets I missed gouged my shoulder, causing sharp pain, but I kicked the ground without thinking. "Hmph!" ''RYAAAAAAAA!?'' I slash diagonally at the bull''s head, which grew out of the magic circle. Blood spurts from the bull''s forehead, but Randallion fights back with its magic. This guy creates a white magic circle that appears in front of it, from which a pure white blade is shot. Advanced magic of the light attribute¡ªWhite Javelin. It was a weak point for me, being of the dark attribute... but I bit down and howled. "Advanced Dark Magic¡ªBlack Javelin!" I unleashed the dark magic. It was the counterpart to White Javelin, and Black Javelin shot out in front of me. The two types of javelin, black and white, collide head-on. This clash of opposing magical attacks causes the opposing javelins to annihilate each other. And the one who wins the fierce exchange of magic is the dark magic I shot out. ''RyUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!?'' The javelin that broke down the light magic pierced into Randallion. Then, a cry of anguish escaped from the bull-headed demon that grew out of the magic circle. "Just die already!" ''RyaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAp!?'' I slashed at Randallion with a vicious slash, dealing more and more damage to Randallion. "Amazing..." Shakuna, who had been watching my fight from a distance, mutters in amazement. She was probably surprised to see me fighting an unexpectedly good battle when she had expected a hard fight. "Yes, he''s strong. A little too strong." Next to Shakuna, Salomon is also murmuring with interest. "Only selected warriors can use the ''Overlimits'', the soul''s release. It doesn''t surprise me that he can use it, but his strength is a bit unusual. It''s more than I expected." Hearing Salomon''s words from a distance, I was also amazed at the power coming from my body. When the Overlimits are in effect, my body''s full potential is unleashed, and I can display my incredible power... but right now, I feel more powerful than ever before. I feel as if I am no longer myself. I felt like an omnipotent god. "Well... is it anger and the will to kill that boosts his power? Overlimits are a liberation of the soul, and his overlimits are clearly dark. It''s as if his power is enhanced by the inflated negative emotions." "Thanks for the explanation! Ultimate Technique¡ªHell Flame Dragon Destruction [Goku enryuuha]!" ''RyaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYWYHWHHNEAR!?'' Just before the remaining time of the Overlimits runs out, I unleash a powerful blow with all my might. A slash of black flame slices Randallion''s deformity and burns it up with the black flame. At the same time, the overlimit is released, and the jet-black aura enveloping my body disappears. ''Ggwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!'' "Ah...you''re alive too. I''m sorry I made you suffer for nothing." Bataks, who should have been engulfed in hellfire, came biting out from behind me. Even after being cut into pieces and burned by the flames, it still regenerated and attacked me, which is a fearsome regenerative ability. "But... it''s about to the limit. I can see your bottom." ''Ggaaagh!?'' I shove the tip of my sword into the mouth of the biting Bataks. Then, the sharp tip pierced through the throat and back of the neck of the giant lizard. Bataks struggles to escape the sword, but its whole body is covered with black scorch marks. Even its regenerative powers seem to have reached their limits. The immortal demon''s life is about to end. "Here, I''ll give you some experience!" "Huh...!?" I kicked Bataks'' torso and sent it flying toward Shakuna. Shakuna let out a cry of surprise as the demon monster suddenly flew toward her, but she quickly pulled out her shamshir and thrust it at Bataks. ''Gah...'' Bataks'' body shatters into pieces and disappears as black particles. Randallion has already disappeared too. So, peace returns to the boss''s room after the two high-ranking demons are defeated. "I''m surprised...You really did it!" Salomon claps his hands. "Congrats! You passed without question. I''m stunned... no, I''m honestly impressed by your strength." "...I don''t care what you did. Just give me the item. We''re in a hurry here." I sheathed my sword and demanded my reward, heeding Salomon''s blessing. CH 171 "No problem. Come on, take it." "Okay..." Salomon raised his hand, and three items flew in front of my eyes. One was the reward for clearing the 50th floor, which I had not yet retrieved from the treasure chest. It is the ''Scepter of Osiris'', similar in shape to papal ferula but with an oval on top. It is an item that removes all kinds of curses and abnormalities. The treasure brought me to this dungeon in the first place. "And then... Here is the ''Small Key of the Zodiac,'' and the ''Feather of Horus.''" The ''Small Key of the Zodiac'' is the reward for clearing the 60th floor. Contrary to the name "key," this item is shaped like a rectangular seal. The ''Feather of Horus'' rewards for clearing the 70th floor. It is a big feather of more than 30 centimeters in length, with white, blue, and red lines in various places. "With that item, we can help Ryuna, right? What does it do?" "That''s... I''ll explain it to you on the way. Let''s get out of this dungeon first since we don''t have much time." I put the three treasures into my item bag in response to Shakuna''s peeking at the items. We are now tied at the neck. Our hopeless odds have been raised to 50:50, and we now have a glimmer of hope of rescuing Ryuna. "Salomon, we''ll leave now, and I''m sorry, but can you keep the man''s corpse? I''ll come back for it later." I point to Hadiss''s body lying on the floor. I don''t want to leave my companion''s body, who has been exploring the dungeon with me thus far, but I can''t carry him since there isn''t enough time. "Yes, that''s fine. Take care of yourself." Salomon waves at me with a friendly gesture. It''s a casual gesture, like seeing off a friend who''s going to the convenience store to buy some groceries... but for now, he agrees to my request. I take Shakuna and leave the boss''s room. Then, upon returning to the room entrance, I see a magic circle that leads back to the dungeon''s entrance. "I know it''s a little late for this, but I''m glad you''re here in this kingdom. I am sure you will be able to defeat Rujanaga and prevent the resurrection of the evil god." As soon as I stepped into the magic circle, Salomon''s voice was thrown to my back. "I feel the presence of a god from you. You are not a sealed evil god. Rather, it''s the presence of a new god who came into this world from the outside and could seal up the old gods." "......" "But somehow you''ve been noticed by the god, and your future may be far from peaceful... well, just do your best. I''ll at least cheer you up." "Hey..." I try to listen back, but before I can do so, the scenery changes before my eyes. The teleport magic has thrown me to the entrance of the dungeon. "The last thing he said bothered me... is he playing a joke on me?" I mutter in annoyance and leave the EX dungeon¡ªthe ''Royal Tomb of Salomon.'' Still, for the first time in a few days, I finally got out of the dungeon and saw that the sun had set and it was night. Ahead of me was a desert scene shrouded in darkness, with several human corpses lying around. "That''s...!" "...The bodies of the priest knights... It seems they were killed when they challenged that demon Veinrune." Those are the corpses of the priest-knights who traveled through the desert with me. They had been Hadiss''s men, and their corpses clutched weapons, indicating that they had lost their lives fighting someone. "Everyone... I''m sorry. I involved you in this...!" Shakuna kneels down near them and weeps softly. They had accompanied Ryuna and her on the journey to rescue her from being sacrificed. Here they had died trying to stop Veinrune, who had been released to pursue them. In a sense, they died for Shakuna and Ryuna. "...All of you saved our lives. You did a good job." But... it doesn''t matter where the blame lies. The Maafern sisters are not the ones to blame here. They died fighting to protect what they should have saved. Those men''s corpses will not be treated with contempt. Although the time they have gained may have been short... if not for that, Veinrune might have caught up with us before we reached the 50th floor. "Hmm...?" As I was praying for their souls in my heart, something came out from the dungeon''s entrance. It was a demon with the head of a beast. A demon under Salomon. The beast-headed demons pick up the corpse of the dead priest-knights and carry them into the dungeon. Perhaps those dead priest-knights will be kept together with Hadiss''s body. "Get up... Shakuna. We don''t have time to sit around!" "......" After making sure the bodies of the priest-knights have been taken care of, I call out to Shakuna, who is sitting down. "Don''t let their deaths be in vain. Helping Ryuna is rewarding those who died fighting. Don''t you agree?" "...I know it. I don''t need you to tell me that." Shakuna wipes away a tear and stands up. Stare! She stares at me with piercing eyes and opens her mouth, puffing out her chest. "Let''s go save Ryuna! Our goal is the altar of the snake god... Don''t delay!" With her eyes brimming with tears, Shakuna steps toward the desert. She overcomes the death of her friends and tries to move forward with the grief in her heart. This powerful figure shows that Shakuna is a descendant of the legendary heroes. "Shadow Bind" "Hya!?" But then I force Shakuna''s legs to stop. Shakuna''s legs are caught in a shadow bind, and she plunges head first into the sand. "Stop... Where do you think you''re going? There is no way we''re going through the desert this time of night." Well, this period is typical for RPGs. The monsters are more powerful at night. Even if the two of us continue through the desert at night, we''ll be too exhausted to rescue Ryuna. "H-Hey, couldn''t you tell me first with your mouth!? I drank the sand, you know!" Shakuna yells at me, her face covered in sand. "Besides, King Salomon said it would take six hours from here to the altar where Ryuna is! We might not make it in time if we leave in the morning!" "Oh? You''ve thought it through, huh? That''s very impressive." If the sun rises at 5:00 a.m., the ceremony will be held at noon. That''s six hours to get to the altar, which is not a lot of time. Shakuna has a point. "But... aren''t you mistaken? Why do you think I got this item?" "That''s..." I took out the ''Feather of Horus,'' the reward for clearing the game that Salomon had given him. With this item, we can turn the tables. We''ll be able to clear the time problem. "We have 18 hours left. By then, I''ll show Rujanaga what I''m capable of. I''ll show that old snake whose girl he took!" "Ugh... you''re smiling that bad again..." I smile with my fangs bared and eyes raised. At this sight, Shakuna was scared and retreated back from me, who was supposed to be his ally. CH 172 "...After all, this is what happens..." In the middle of the desert, there is an altar surrounded by big rocks. Ryuna Maafern, the princess and Priestess, looks up at the sky with her hands and feet bound and sighs softly. Above her head, the sun is slowly fading. It seems as if it is being eaten away by a monster. The darkness gradually closes in around her. Then, as the darkness closes in, Ryuna sees countless corpses. All of them were children, all of them still young. A stone altar in the middle of the desert. The corpses of children were scattered around it as if they were offerings. "Hahahaha! It seems the sun is fading. It''s time for the ceremony!" An old man with a bald head appeared before Ryuna. His wrinkles all over his face indicate that he is of a certain age. However, he is tall and fearless. His thick muscles pushed up the white vestments he wore. And this old man with a wrinkled face colored with joy. Ryuna knew the man''s name. Guru Rudanaga. He was the monstrous monk who appeared suddenly in the kingdom several years ago and captivated the king''s heart with his strange arts. "I wondered what would happen when the Priestess ran away... but the sacrificial lamb is back in my hands! You should be honored, little one. You will be sacrificed to the Lord, the true rulers of this land. Let your sacrifice be the foundation for the revival of the old world!" "Uggh..." Rudanaga grabbed Ryuna''s arm and forced her to stand. He tramples on the children¡¯s corpses and takes her to an altar built in the center of the desert. As Ryuna was placed in the center of the altar, the smell of rusty iron came from all directions. It was the smell of blood from the children who had been sacrificed earlier. And just as the sun was about to completely close in, something strange happened. """""AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!""""" "...!" A wail escaped from the mouths of the children who were supposed to be dead. It was like resentment. Like sorrow. It was like the voice of death from hell echoing from the depths of the earth. And something pale and white came out of the mouths that were opened to the limit. From the mouths of dozens of children, a strange orbs gathered on top of Ryuna, who was lying on the altar. "Ah, ahh..." Ryuna''s face tightened, and her mouth started to speak naturally in fear. The sun completely closes in the sky, and darkness envelopes the surroundings. At the same time... something happened. ''OGJRG`J`R''PIT`SVJ¡±GR`H*}=FJEWG*EJGGE`IEG!!!]'' A strange sound that could never have been made by human vocal cords echoed. It sounds like a yell of a beast or an infant crying out for its mother. Then, a pitch-black hole opens in the empty space. Emerging from the hole is the head of a giant snake. It is a gigantic agit that could swallow a small human being in one gulp. Its body is covered with white scales, and its eyes are red like fresh blood. On its forehead is a woman''s upper body contorted in anguish. The naked woman with a sorrowful expression on her face was as dry as a dead tree without a drop of water on her face. Her mouth was moving and speaking... but Ryuna could not hear her inaudible voice. "Oh, ohhhhhhhhhhhhh...! You''ve returned! My Lord! The great god Illyanka Noburunaga!" Rudanaga kneels down in the desert to celebrate the Lord''s return. Tears of joy streamed down his wrinkled face and fell to the dry earth. "Thousands of years have passed since that goddess kept you away from me. I have been waiting for your return! My Lord, I have prepared a new sacrifice. Please eat this Priestess'' body and resurrect yourselves here on earth!" Hearing these words, Ryuna finally understands her situation. (I see...I am going to be sacrificed. For this huge snake... For the resurrection of the evil god) And at the same time, she is convinced. If the god in front of her is resurrected, everything will be over. The people that Ryuna loved. The nation that Ryuna loved. Everything in this world will be turned upside down. This world will be hell. Like the apocalypse, doom is imminent. ''¡°PUFJEUP*HG{=WIGF*B}RBHOW''EGJ¡±{!}'' The mouth of the evil god is opened to its limit. Inside the ripped mouth is not a tongue but countless human hands. The humans who have been eaten and killed by this evil god are reaching out to Ryuna, seeking new friends. They were trying to drag her, who was lying on the altar and unable to move. "......!" Ryuna, cowering in fear, was faced with a choice. There is a way to escape without becoming a sacrifice to the evil god. She had prepared for this day in secret. All it takes is a little determination. A little courage. "Sister... Father..." Ryuna thought of the faces of her beloved family. She could not let them become victims of the evil god. For a few seconds, she was hesitant. But to protect her loved ones... Ryuna bit her teeth as hard as she could. "Ugh...!" There is the sound of something shattering. The poison in her back teeth spreads into her mouth. The specially formulated, fast-acting poison instantly drained her life, and black blood gushed out from the back of her throat. "Hey... you!" ''GW "POGW''*G_KBJ''W{WQ''*VJGWGTPF£¤}...'' Rudanaga shouts angrily. Then, somewhat disappointed, the evil god moves away from Ryuna. The giant snake can only eat live prey. A poisoned sacrifice is out of the question. Ryuna dared to commit suicide by drinking poison, thus avoiding the future sacrifice to the resurrection of the evil god. ''=JBGWPGI*{=JBGWPGI*{B...'' With the sacrifice''s loss, the evil god''s body disappears. Above her head, the sun is gradually appearing, and the sun''s total eclipse is about to end. And even if Rudanaga heals and revives Ryuna now, it will be late before the eclipse is over. After thousands of years, the time for the resurrection of the evil god has come. But it was interrupted by the determination of a girl. "No, no way... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Rudanaga''s exclamation can be heard in Ryuna''s fading consciousness. A feeling of "Suck it up!" comes over her... but she doesn''t care about that anymore. It doesn''t matter anymore. (Sister... Father... Please live well, all of you...) Ryuna passes away with a satisfied smile, wishing happiness to her beloved family. CH 173 "A dream?" Apparently, she was asleep. Ryuna''s consciousness wakes up, and her vision gradually becomes clearer. When Ryuna woke up, she was lying in a tent. She is on a carpet spread out on the sand. "Ouch...!" Her head ached. It was probably caused by the dream she had just had. After having a ''Precognitive Dream,'' which is one of Ryuna''s Priestess abilities, she often gets a headache. For a while, she crouched down and held her head, and the pain gradually subsided. "That dream again... it seems that ''the time'' is approaching..." The dream in which she was captured by the Guru Rudanaga and sacrificed to the evil god. It was the same dream that Ryuna had experienced many times since her awakening as a Priestess, and it was an affirmation of the end of her life. Ryuna has felt her ''death'' since she was a child. With each passing year, ''death'' comes closer to her step by step. Shakuna''s sister, Shakuna, tries to save her, but the premonition never disappears. She saw the premonition over and over again as if the end of the dream was a definite future. "I was caught off guard... I hadn''t had it recently." About six months ago, she stopped having the premonition. The presence of death, which had always been with her, disappeared, and she began to have other dreams instead. Instead, she had another dream in which the Maafern sisters were being devoured by a man. "Baskerville-sama..." Ryuna squeezes her bosom, calling his name as if she is longing for him. He is the main character of this nightmare. He holds the sisters in every possible way and position and devours them with his lust... It is not a very good dream, but for Ryuna it is a gospel of hope that she may survive without being devoured by the evil god. At first, she fainted with shame every time she woke up from the dream... but she had begun to look forward to the young man''s appearance in her dreams. Many years before she met him, Ryuna Maafern had fallen in love with Zenon Baskerville. "Baskerville... is that your honey''s name?" "......!" A third person''s voice is heard on Ryuna''s back as she gets up. She turns around in a hurry, and before she knows it, a tall brown-skinned man is standing in the tent. "You... are the demon. You brought me here." "YES, that''s right! This great me is the crazy demon who killed your fellow priests and took you away from your honey... the Knight of Hell, Veinrune, that''s who I am!" "......" Ryuna''s face twists. She remembered that her companion Hadiss had been stabbed in the back and died. She glares at Veinrune as if to offer some resistance, but it does not make any difference to the man, who is a high-ranking demon. After all, he just hummed to himself and spoke to her. "FOO... this great me may look like this, but I feel sorry for you, okay? Sacrificing yourself for the resurrection of the old gods, seriously, this great me feel sorry for you. Even if it''s a love rival, who loves the same man... it''s really pathetic." "Do you know about the evil god Ilyanka Noburunaga?" "Yes... that''s her name. I mean, I know her, but... well, she''s just an acquaintance of my parents, that''s all." "Acquaintance of your parents?" "The demon is a being created by that goddess from a certain old god''s body and soul, so you could say this great me is a child of an old evil god. But...that doesn''t mean I want the evil god to come back!" Veinrune licks his lips and shakes his shoulders in amusement. "That man... my cooperation with Rujanaga is just a contract. This great me is only employed by him for a limited time in return for his sacrifice. I thought it would be a thankless job... but I was lucky to meet V-Very pretty honey." "Honey... uh, well, that''s okay. But please don''t say it." Ryuna shook her head and felt deep sympathy for the man she loved. It seems... he has been spotted by a pervert man. "So... what can I do for you?" "Yes, this great me here to pick you up because the ceremony is ready. It''s almost eclipse time. Time for the ceremony." "Kuh...!" Veinrune grabs Ryuna''s arm and pulls her to her feet. Ryuna tries to resist, but there is no way she can win in a contest of strength with a demon. She is dragged out of the tent. "Well, do you think honey will come here to help you? If so, great. If so, great. We can make love to our heart''s content this time!" "Well... I don''t know. I don''t see it either." Ryuna bites her lip. She wonders if he will come this far. To help her. Will he come to a place where he might die? On the one hand, Ryuna wants him to come, but on the other hand, Ryuna does not want him to come because of the danger. "Which... do I want?" "We love the same man, ''kay. If you have a last will and testament, I''ll listen to it." "...I don''t have a will. There''s nothing I need to tell you. Nothing at all." "FOO... I see.... then do as you please." Veinrune shrugged his shoulders in reply. Ryuna was taken to a desert altar surrounded by big rocks. It was the ''altar of the snake god'' that she had seen many times in her dreams. "Hahahaha... The sacrificial lamb. An offering to our true Lord." "......!" And an old man was waiting. His face is wrinkled, but his body is well muscled. His age and background are unknown. "I was in a great hurry when you ran away, but I am relieved to see you back in my possession... The sun has just begun to fade. It''s time for the ritual." Rudanaga smiles as he utters the same words Ryuna has heard in her nightmares. Above her head, the sun was beginning to wane, as if it were being eaten away by a monster. CH 174 Ryuna is taken to the altar, and the evil ritual begins. "You should be honored. You will be sacrificed to the Lord, the true ruler of the world. Become the foundation for the resurrection of the old world." "Ugh..." Rudanaga grabs Ryuna''s arm and leads her to an altar in the middle of the desert. She is just like in a nightmare. It is as if she is following a script he has been given. Veinrune, the demon who brought Ryuna here, is standing a short distance away against a rocky hill, watching the ritual with a bored look on his face. "......!" Soon, the smell of blood pierced her nose. Around the altar, the corpses of children are piled up. The number of people and faces seem to differ from those in the dream... Still, pale souls come out of their mouths with wailing sorrows. """"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"""" The gates of the other world are opened, using the children''s souls as an energy source. The cage that the goddess has kept the evil god locked in is about to be opened. The sun''s total eclipse has weakened the blessings of the goddess from the earth. This is the moment that Rudanaga, the fourth heavenly king of the demon army, and the servant of the evil god, has been waiting for for a thousand years. ''OGJRG`J`R''PIT`SVJ+GR`H*}=FJEWG*EJGGE`IEG!'' "OH, OHHHHHHHHH...! You''ve returned! My Lord! The ruler of the old world, the great god Illyanka Noburunaga!" The head of a snake with a woman''s dry upper body on its forehead emerges from the gate of the other world, which has been opened by the evil ritual. For Ryuna, it was a scene she had seen many times. It was a recurring nightmare. "Sister... Father..." Ryuna looks up at the head of the evil god as if it were someone else''s problem, and in her mind, she thinks of the faces of her loved ones. "And... Baskerville-sama..." The last thing out of her mouth was the name of the man she loved. The past few days'' events play like a racehorse in Ryuna''s mind. She remembers one day in the oasis when a man suddenly fell from the sky and saw her naked. She watched the battle between her angry sister and her loved one with a sense of dread. She spent several days together in the dungeon, fighting a monster. And when she crawled into the bed where he was sleeping, she could hardly sleep because her heart was pounding. ''+PUFJEUP*HG{=WIGF*B}RBHOW''EGJ+{!}'' "......" The mouth of the evil god was opened to the limit. Numerous human arms extend from inside the torn mouth. They are the arms of the humans who have been eaten and killed by this evil god. They reach out to Ryuna in search of new friends. "......" Ryuna bit her back teeth. The poison is already there. She had put it there just before she began her journey before Shakuna took her from the temple. And the poison she put in her back teeth for this moment. Now is the time to drink it. If she drinks the poison, she can prevent the resurrection of the evil god as she had dreamed. The evil god will be returned to the other world, and this land will be saved. But... Ryuna hesitated to bite into it. "......Baskerville-sama" She mumbles the name of a man who is not here. But she knows... he won''t be here. Maybe he''s on his way to help her, but he won''t make it in time. Unless he can teleport himself, he won''t be able to stop the ritual. Now, the only way was to drink the poison...it was a known truth. "Still, I want to live...... " But even so, Ryuna still refused to commit suicide. With her hands raised, she opens her mouth without biting down on the poison in her back teeth. "I will not die. I will not let cruel fate kill me! I will bet my life...and the world, on Baskerville-sama shattering my destiny!" Ryuna says with a big smile. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Rujanaga''s doubtful face as he laughs at the sacrifice just before her death. But...he doesn''t care about that and raises his lips proudly to the approaching evil god as if he has nothing to fear. "I''m not your food! I won''t let you eat me! So...stay cooped up there forever!" ''{~GOWGI}WHKJW}#TE23-^TGBN*ETW~=HJS}W?'' Countless hands reach out from the evil god''s mouth and grab Ryuna''s body. The terrifying force almost pulls her into the huge stomach... yet, Ryuna''s smile remains. "I believe! I believe in my beloved... I believe Baskerville-sama''s victory!" "Well... you barked a lot!" "......!" She heard the familiar voice. The voice of the man she longed to hear, beating against her eardrums. And the same time, the arm that was about to drag the poor sacrifice into the mouth of the snack is severed, and Ryuna''s body is held by someone. "You, the hostage, have endured... I must show some guts too! The evil god or the snake god or whatever he is... you can die!" "Baskerville-sama...!" A young man wearing an aura of evil-like armor appeared as if he had come out of hell. That is to say... Zenon Baskerville held Ryuna''s body in his arms and swung his sword at the evil god. CH 175 "Baskerville-sama... Uuu, Baskerville-samaa!" Ryuna hugs me with tears streaming down her face. The feeling of warmth and softness. The touch of a live human woman. I hug her back and realize that I have made it in time. "I knew you would come to save me. My savior. My beloved..." "Yeah, sorry to keep you waiting. I''m sorry I''m late because I had to make a little detour... That''s annoying." I hold Ryuna''s waist and glare at the tactless evil God reaching out to me. ''(jAY9gqgq:qgg:;¨D05 "06d\hzg!!'' "You''re noisy. Get the hell out of here!" Clad in the overlimit ''Meisho Jigokuyori (Underworld Hell Spirit)'', I delivered a powerful blow with all my might. An aura of evil spurts out from my sword, slashing the countless arms extending from the mouth of the evil God Illyanka Nobulunaga and cutting the dry female flesh growing out of the serpent''s forehead in two. "Hmph!" ''GWMGHI+WF¡¯B*}G=EW{GOTEygGOE:7¡­!}'' The evil God lets out an inarticulate exclamation. Apparently, although he had been weakened by the long seal... The God, an existence that transcended human beings, was frightened by the blow of a human. "Impossible! A mere mortal''s attack on my Lord...!?" Guru Rudanaga... or rather, Rujanaga, the Fourth Heavenly King of the Demon King''s Army, looks as if he can''t believe it. It is natural that he is astonished. Normally, an attack by a human would not hurt the Evil God. But... I am now activating the overlimit. Just like the hero, Leon Brave. However, it''s the opposite of the hero''s overlimit. "The effect of my Overlimit is to multiply status values. And it also grants a special attack against God''s dependents." This technique is normally used against unique enemies such as heroes, saints, and angels... but if it works against God''s dependents, it will also work against God himself. This is a great move for this situation. It''s so well suiting that it makes one wonder if there''s "someone" pulling the strings behind the scenes. "I wonder if someone gave me this power to make me fight against the evil God... Haaaa! But I don''t care!" I laugh with my sharp canine teeth bared and fire a jet-black slash. "I don''t give a damn who or what you''re up to! I''m going to exterminate any and all who touch my woman!" ''UGE{MT}G+*?DLV*BPG*FJH+RWG!!!!!!'' "Hellfire Dragon Blast!" A jet-black, flame-clad slash is fired at the head of the giant snake. The evil God, Ilyanka Nobulunaga, screams and struggles as he is engulfed by the flames that have been given the power of a god-slayer. "My Lord! Ah, what a disaster! "Now! Retreat!" Rujanaga screams in shock. Seeing a critical moment, I took Ryuna and ran. If I wanted to, I would like to get rid of the evil God right here and now, but I don''t want to go that high. My priority is the safety of Ryuna. "Goodbye! I''ll take the Priestess!" "You bast*rd... Even though you''re just a MORTALLLLL!" Rujanaga shouts in rage. The old man, whose plans have all been upended by the assault on his master, the evil God, and the kidnapping of the Priestess... is red to the top of his balding head. "It is not over yet! Veinrune, get the Priestess back!" "FO... Finally, this great me turn!" A top-naked young man stands before me, pointing his index fingers at me. Veinrune, the Knight of Hell. A powerful demon with the ability to teleport and use advanced magic. Seeing my hated enemy who took Ryuna away from me, I grit my back teeth. "We meet again, at last, my sweet honey! Surely, you would come to see me for sure!" "...You''re still the same annoying pervert, huh? I didn''t come to see you." "HYU, you''re not being honest. Frankly... This great me don''t like the idea of fighting you under fu*cking old man orders. I wanted our gig (intercourse) to be under a honeymoon, with no one getting in the way." "Then get the hell out of here. Or better yet, die." "FOOOOOOO! You''re... super cute when you talk about hateful things like that, honey!" "...!" Veinrune vanishes before my eyes. He must have used a teleport spell. Intuitively, I turn around and reel backward with my sword. "I won''t get caught twice!" "HYU! You''re good!" Veinrune''s right arm collides with my sword. Our swords and arms clash with sparks, sending us both flying backwards. With Ryuna''s body in my arms, I face Veinrune a few meters away. "Not bad, not bad... But you can''t win with Priestess in your arms, no?" "Baskerville-sama..." In my arms, Ryuna''s eyes are shaking with anxiety. It''s true that fighting with Ryuna in my arms was reckless. Veinrune is a demon with fighting abilities comparable to the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon Army. Even if we fought on equal terms, it would be a difficult enemy whom I don''t know if I could win or not. "Damn it... time''s up." In addition, my overlimit disappeared when the time limit expired. The jet-black aura around my body disappears, and my boosted status returns to normal. "I think you''d better let go of Priestess-chan, you see? You''re sinful honey to bring another woman into your honeymoon with me!" "Hmph... I know you''re going to take her away from me as soon as you let her go... But that''s not going to happen." Even if I let Ryuna go first, Veinrune''s teleport magic will take her away from me soon. After that, the ritual is resumed, and while fighting Veinrune, Ryuna ends up in the belly of the evil God. "But... that''s not how it''s going to be! I didn''t come all the way here without a plan!" I took out a hidden item. Out of my pocket came a bird feather in seven different colors. It was the feather of Horus, one of the items I had asked Salomon to get. "What!? Why is that feather!?" Rujanaga''s eyes widened at a distance. Apparently, he knows about this item. The monk who had been standing by the wounded God hurriedly twists his magic power and tries to stop me from using the item. "I don''t know what you''re doing... but you''re late!" "Wait! Waitt!?" "FO! My honey!?" Rujanaga and Veinrune shouted together. "See you soon!" The next moment, the scenery around us changed instantly. Rujanaga and Veinrune disappeared. Ryuna and I move to a rocky place far from the Altar of the Evil Gods. "Eh...? Where is this place?" "With this, it wasn''t just him who could use the teleport magic. Still, we made it out of here just as I planned." The royal tomb of Salomon. The reward for clearing the 70th level¡ª''Feather of Horus''. I used this item to move to any place instantly, though it is limited to the Kingdom of Maafern, a desert country. I risked so much to get this item to make sure that I could rescue Ryuna by using the teleport magic. "Ryuna! Thank God you''re safe!" "Onee-sama!?" Shakuna, Ryuna''s half-sister, notices us and comes running. We had arranged for her to hide in this rocky area. The reunited sisters hug each other and shed tears of joy for each other''s safety. "Really... I''m so glad...!" "Onee-sama, I''m sorry for worrying you..." It was a moving reunion. I rescued Ryuna, who was supposed to die in the game scenario and succeeded in saving Shakuna''s heart. "Hmph... Good grief, you made me go through a lot of trouble..." I smile softly as the sisters embrace each other with tears of joy. CH 176 I used the item to teleport to a rocky place a short distance from the ''Altar of the Serpent God.'' But in advance, I had hidden Shakuna here, and I, who could conceal myself with my magic, went in to save Ryuna. Of course, Shakuna insisted that she wanted to go save her sister... but I managed to convince her. If it was just me, it would be easy to escape, but the more people there were, the harder it would be to escape. "Well, our mission to rescue Ryuna was successful. Now, we could have prevented the resurrection of the Evil God..." I look up and stare at the sky. Above me, the sun is still hidden, and the darkness has fallen. The total solar eclipse is not over. And it''s about time the sun showed its face... "Still, the eclipse is not over...what is Rujanaga doing?" He is a terrible sorcerer who can even interfere with astronomical movements. Of course, this would never happen in real life... but this is a game. There were spells to rain meteorites and to twist sunlight into rays of light that hit the enemy, so it''s not that unnatural. "Let''s stick to the plan we discussed beforehand. Shakuna, you will take Ryuna and retreat. Stay hidden until the total eclipse is over." I handed Shakuna the feather of Horus that I had been holding. It would allow them to leave at a safe distance. Even Veinrune, who also can teleport, will not be able to catch up with them if he does not know where they have fled to. "Okay. I won''t let go of Ryuna again! I will protect her!" "What about you, Baskerville-sama? Aren''t you going to run away with us?" Shakuna clapped her hands on her chest strongly while Ryuna''s eyes shook uneasily. She may be worried about leaving me... but I think she is genuinely concerned that I''ll do something dangerous. "I''ll go back to the Altar and crush Rujanaga. I won''t let him hide in the clouds!" Rujanaga, the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon King Army. Although I had defeated the plot in the Maafern Kingdom by rescuing Ryuna, I had no intention of letting the great leader of the enemy escape. He is the only one of the Four Heavenly Kings who is both a strategist and a plotter. So, it is quite significant that I can kill Rujanaga at this stage, who is a demon that pursues the hero with various schemes. After all, it will be able to considerably reduce the Demon King''s army''s strength. "It is convenient if he stops the progress of the total solar eclipse. And if he''s using magic big enough to interfere with astronomical phenomena, he won''t be able to move. So, I will kill him and send that perverted demon back to hell too!" "...Please don''t force yourself. Please run away if you''re in danger." "I understand. Then, go ahead." "I''ll go first! You too... be careful! Shakuna takes Ryuna''s hand and teleports using the feather of Horus. They teleport to the Royal Tomb of Salomon. We choose this place because of our friendship with Salomon, the master of the dungeon, and it has become a safer zone than the royal capital. Normally, it is not possible to move into a dungeon by teleport magic. However, the feather of Horus can travel to places that cannot be reached by regular teleport magic, although it is limited to the Maafern Kingdom. So, as long as they stay hidden in the safe zone on the lower floor of the tomb, neither Rujanaga nor Veinrune will be able to follow them. "Well, I''ve got some work to do... oh?" """"""OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!""""" The cries of many people...or something else...can be heard. The direction was the place where Ryuna had been captured a while ago. That is, from the ''Altar of the Snake God.'' "...Here comes the group! Where the hell did he hide such an army?" A mixed army of humans and demons was moving toward me. Snakes and lizards with human heads, crocodiles in armor. Skeletal knights armed with swords. And human soldiers in armor. Their eyes are vacant as if they are being manipulated. These mixed forces of demons and humans number more than 1,000 at least. But how did he summon such a large number of soldiers in the middle of the desert? "Did he use that demon''s ability to teleport? I remember... there is a magic that creates a ''gate'' and teleports many people." This is a special magic that cannot be learned by the player or other characters in the game. However, it was possible for Veinrune, an entity outside the game, to use it. """"""GAAAAAAAAAAAA!""""" With an eerie battle cry, a thousand mixed troops charge toward the rocky area. Rujanaga may have used some kind of magic to find my location. And without hesitation, they were heading for where I was hiding. Fortunately, I''ve already let Ryuna go, so it doesn''t matter if they find me here or not. However... it would be tough to defeat Rujanaga with so many enemies. "Well, well, well... What shall I do? Did my reinforcements not arrive in time?" "Goshujin-sama! We''re here, desu~no!" "Oh? Speak of the devil!" I turned around to see Urza waving at me from behind a distant sand hill. Urza is riding astride a sand dragon, and she is riding it well even though she has never ridden a horse before. "Zenon-bocchama-! We''ve been looking forward to seeing you!" Urza was not the only one who came to help. Levienna followed, coming out from behind the sand hill. And then... following them, more and more people on sand dragons appeared toward me. Their numbers are growing by the dozens and hundreds, and they are... the Revolutionary Army. They are a resistance organization working to overthrow the corrupt Maafern Kingdom under the control of Rujanaga. "Goshujin-sama-! I''ve brought reinforcements as you asked!" "I was surprised to see you two working with the Revolutionary Army...." For the note, about half a day ago, Shakuna and I escaped from the ''Royal Tomb of Salomon'' and went to the Royal Capital to gather forces. Now that we have the Feather of Horus, we can go anywhere in the Maafern Kingdom. Of course, we can''t go to a place we have never been before... but the royal capital is where Shakuna used to live. So, with the help of the item, we could get around without any problem. Once we arrived at the capital, I quickly met up with Urza and Levienna, who had gone on separate ways... But to my surprise, they worked with the revolutionary forces that had risen against the palace and the temple. They said while investigating the Guru, Urza and Levienna were discovered by the royal court, and they met members of the revolutionary army when fighting soldiers. And... the revolutionary army was not the only force that rushed to the scene. Another force was called in as an ally. "All troops, charge! Defeat the army of monsters!" A division appeared, sent by the Revolutionary Army. At the head of the division, a man astride a sand dragon shouts. A mature man with brown skin, white hair, and a beard. His name is Glenys Maafern. He is Shakuna and Ryuna''s father and the king of the Maafern Kingdom. He is the boss character in the additional scenario, ''Jade Tombstone.'' He is an evil king who has been brainwashed by the Guru Rudanaga and oppresses the people living in the Maafern Kingdom. There is a reason why King Glenys, who should have been an enemy, became an ally. In the first place, King Glenys became an oppressive tyrant because he was brainwashed and manipulated by Rujanaga. Though the original King Glenys was an authoritarian, he was not incompetent as a king. And using the ''Scepter of Osiris'' that Shakuna obtained from the ''Royal Tomb,'' we could break the brainwashing condition cast on King Glenys. "Let the wicked sorcerers who tried to kill my daughter Ryuna be put to death! Avenge the traitor Rudanagaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!" """"""OHHHHHHHHHHH!""""" The knights charge at the king''s order. With his brainwashing broken, King Glenys regains his love for his daughter. He leads his knights to defeat Rujanaga, who plans to sacrifice Ryuna. The boss character and his men appear as reinforcements and try to fight as allies. This is an impossible situation in a game. "Do not fall behind the king! Show that we, the revolutionary army, will protect this kingdom!" """""""OHHHHHHHHHHH!""""" The Revolutionary Army, which did not want to be defeated, began marching toward the enemy. The Revolutionary Army and the Knights combined forces totaled about 500 soldiers. Although it had only about half the number of enemy soldiers, it could be said that it had done a good job of gathering them in less than half a day''s preparation. It was quite a task to unite two forces that until recently had been enemies... but thanks to Urza, Levienna, and Shakuna, we managed to do it. """"""OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!""""" """"""GAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!""""" Mixed forces of revolutionary army and knights and a mixed army of demons and humans. These two chaotic armies are about to collide in the middle of the desert. "A once-in-a-lifetime chance to win. Reinforcements are coming at the perfect time!" Now, I can leave the enemy forces to them. And I can concentrate on fighting Rujanaga and Veinrune. "The demon pervert and the old snake... let both of these nuisances disappear. I''ll settle all scores before the sun comes up!" I laugh viciously, baring my fangs, and leap from my hiding place. CH 177 Mixed forces of revolutionary army and knights. A mixed army of monsters and humans. Under the sun, whose surface is hidden by the total eclipse, the two armies clash. The number of soldiers of the latter army is greater than that of the former, but the morale of the former is superior. Now, these two armies are fighting back and forth, and neither side is willing to give in to the other. "Goshujin-sama¡ª, we''re here!" "Zenon-bocchama¡ª!" Urza and Levienna came running toward me while breaking through the fighting soldiers. My comrades, who had just pulled out of the revolutionary army, came to me. "Well done! You did a good job!" "Hehehe~, Goshujin-sama praised me!" "I did what a servant of the Baskerville family should do. I''m also glad to hear that Bocchama is safe and sound." Urza smiles shyly at his master''s compliment. Levienna also smiles clearly, but she cannot hide her joy as her lips quiver. "I''m going to kill the leader of the enemy. Follow me!" "I understand! Goshujin-sama''s enemies must be slain, desu~no!" "Yes, I''ve had enough of traveling in the desert... Let''s settle this!" With two companions behind him, I head back to the ''Altar of the Snake God.'' As we headed, monsters and brainwashed soldiers were coming toward us as well, but they were all low-level enemies. So, we cut them off by force and made our way to the altar. "Aaaaahhhhhh!?" "...!" But then enemy reinforcements appeared. From an unexpected direction, something huge appears beneath the desert sand and bites one of our soldiers. "Aaaaahhhhhh!?" "A-A monsterrrr!?" ''GYAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!'' "Is that... a sandworm!?" What jumped out from under the sand was a monster called a Sandworm. It is a huge worm, about 30 meters long, with a huge mouth at its tip, which it uses to catch soldiers and chew them to bits. ''GYAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!'' In addition, a second sandworm pops out of the sand. It attacks and preys only on the soldiers on our side. From their looks, these monsters should not be wild monsters that just happen to appear. They must be used by Rujanaga. More and more sandworms appear from the ground until five of them finally appear. "Tsk... what a troublesome monster!" I clicked my tongue sharply. Sandworms, along with the Falcon Pharaoh, are among the most powerful monsters in the desert. They are encountered as small fry, but they are as strong as the boss monsters in the game''s later stages. "If they are left alone, all the soldiers on our side will be wiped out. On the other hand, it''s too much trouble for us to deal with them." It is possible to defeat the sandworms. However, it would consume too much time and energy, and we might miss Rujanaga. Although Rujanaga would stay where he was now to hold off the total solar eclipse... if he knew he could not get Priestess back, he would retreat without hesitation. "What are we going to do, Goshujin-sama? Are we going to fight!?" "We don''t have time to deal with such a big thing. Then... there''s only one way." I pulled out an item from my pocket. Like the feather of Horus, it was one of the rewards for clearing the king''s tomb. It was a golden jade seal, in other words, a seal. "Still, a trump card should be reserved. So, is this the right time to use ''Zodiac Small Key''?" However, I decided to take out the jade seal and throw it forward. The golden jade seal shatters, the ground glows red, and a magic circle appears. Immediately, a huge amount of magic power is released from the magic circle with geometric patterns, and a black shadow appears in the center of the magic circle. "Appear, Demon of hell! Destroy the enemy!" A figure emerges from the bright red magic circle. She had long red hair, ruby pupils, and a black dress with an intricate lace design. This so-called "Gothic Lolita" outfit was worn by this summoned girl, who was about the age of an elementary school student. She was a mysterious girl in a flashy outfit, but... in her right hand, she held a huge weapon. The weapon was jet black and did not reflect light. It was a huge scythe as big as her height. "......" Now, the little girl, who is holding the Scythe of the god of death called "Death Scythe," is staring at me silently from inside the magic circle. At the same time, Urza and Levienna are startled by the strange little girl who appears and pulls me back. "?(?`^¡ä?)?... A loli girl just like Urza!? I didn''t expect such a powerful enemy, desu~no!" "Zenon-bocchama, what was that item you just threw...?" "...What a surprise. I think I''ve summoned a terrible thing." Without answering their questions, I admire the strength of my luck. The item I had just used - the ''Zodiac Small Key'' was an item with the power to summon demon boss monsters. Although disposable and broken after one use... it can summon powerful monsters and use them as allied characters until the end of the battle. There are 72 demon monsters that can be summoned. Which of them will be summoned is random. Some of them are as weak as slimes, so there is a strong element of randomness in the game, but this time, I drew the strongest demon with extraordinary power. Her adorable appearance has made her a firm favorite among players. Many fans have saved and reloaded hundreds of times to meet her. "The Grand Duke of Hell, Miura Agares. I didn''t expect to see you here!" "Hmm..." The red-haired girl in the gothic-lolita outfit looks at me with sleepy eyes. Her eyes seemed to be urging me to give her an order quickly, but then her eyes suddenly widened. "............Cute." "Hmm?" "Cute...... Like." When she says "cute"... is she talking about me? Well, it seems that''s right. Because Miura walked up to me holding the Scythe and she tried to hug me. But Urza stands in front of me, blocking her path. "Piss off! Urza won''t let you near Goshujin-sama, desu~no!" "Hmm... Get out of the way." "I won''t move! Urza is the only Loli girl who gets Goshujin-sama''s favor, desu~no! I won''t give up my chair to some random guest character, desu~no!" "?(?`^¡ä?)?..." Urza and Miura glared at each other head-on. Urza, glaring with eyes of fire, is holding a spiked kanab¨­, and Miura, glaring with eyes of extreme cold, is holding the Scythe of the god of death. The two loli girls with their dangerous weapons sparked their gazes. "Aaaaaaahhhh! I''m going to be eatennnnnnn!!!!" ''GYAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!'' "Hey, this is no time to fight! We don''t have time for this!" I break in between the loli girls, who look like they''re about to start killing each other. "Ahh!" "Hmm..." "She''s on our side, Urza! And Grand Duke, Miura Agares. You''re supposed to be working for me with the key. You will do as I command! Destroy the enemy here. The monsters and the brainwashed humans!" "......." Miura nodded. She seems to be obeying my orders. Now, after turning around in her gothic-lolita dress, she raises her Scythe at the sandworms chewing up the humans. "Hmm..." The next moment, a gust of wind blew through the air. The head of the sandworm is severed in an instant, and Miura, who had been near the sandworm a moment ago, moves to the other side of the slain sandworm. When making this attack, not a single movement was visible. It was as if she had moved instantaneously. Miura was in a position to swing the Scythe, and I knew that she was the one who had decapitated the sandworm. "She''s fast, desu~no!?" "No... not fast. But Miura''s attack is unavoidable, even for me." I sighed, thinking once again that I had just summoned a monster. Well, Miura has a special ability. It was what made her the strongest summoned demon. ''GYAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!'' ''GYAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!'' ''GYAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!'' "Zenon-bocchama, there''s a new one! There''s another sandworm!" Levienna shouts in panic. But I keep my cool and turn on my heel. "No problem. Let''s leave this to Miura and go kill Rujanaga." "But... isn''t it too much to ask her to do it alone?" "I told you it''s no problem... she''s one of the most powerful demons ever summoned. She''s the second highest ranked demon in the order." The Grand Duke of the Demons, Miura Agares. The item to summon her is only available in additional scenarios, so I have not tried it... but she is the most powerful summoned demon, rumored by players to be stronger than the Demon King. So, no matter how powerful a monster she was, they were no match against her. "Let''s go, don''t let Rujanaga escape!" "I understand!" "Yes, desu~no!" Now, I lead Levienna and Urza to the ''Altar of the Snake God.'' Miura, who had remained behind, looked at me with interest as I ran. * * * ''GYAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!'' I, Zenon Baskerville, and two of my friends run off. At the same time, sandworms rush toward Miura. One is down, but there are still four Sandworms left. Perhaps instinctively deciding that Miura is the biggest threat, the sandworms all rush to bite Miura. ".........So cute, seriously, so cute." But Miura could care less about the sandworms. She stares at Zenon Baskerville''s back, not even evading the sandworm. To the eyes of the demon, who has a unique sensibility, Zenon Baskerville''s evil face looks like a ridiculously beautiful boy. "......" Miura puts her hand on her chest, and her heart is beating fast. Her face is hot. Her chest aches. And yet her heart is so light that it wants to leap out. Just thinking of Zenon''s face fills her with happiness. Miura must have lived for tens of thousands of years, but this is the first time in her life that she has ever felt this way. "Like... cute... like..." ''GYAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!'' As Miura clutches her chest and is in her own world... the sandworm''s mouth is about to close in on her. And facing the huge mouth about to swallow her, Miura finally starts to move. "Hmm... Time Stop!" Instantly, the world comes to a halt. The four sandworms stop moving. It is as if they are frozen. Time Stop, a power that is considered the most powerful in all manga and anime. This is the ability of the demon Grand Duke Miura Agares. "Hmm..." In the stopped time, Miura dashes with her Death Scythe. The four sandworms are severed in half, and their huge bodies fall to the desert. As time begins to move again, purple bodily fluids flow from the remains of the Sandworms, which had died before they had even had time to scream out their demise. "Hmm..." Miura nods in satisfaction and looks for her next prey. There seem to be two forces at play here... but Miura does not understand which side Zenon is on. There is a way to cut off all their heads... but if she kills his allies, Zenon might scold him. Just the thought of being hated by the man she just fell in love with at first sight is enough to make her heart burst. "Hmm... Decided..." For now, let''s just kill the monsters and leave the humans behind. After making this decision, Miura raises her Death Scythe for the lovely master. CH 178 With the help of the reinforcements and the demon I summoned, we arrived at the ''Altar of the Snake God''. On that place, there are two people there. No, technically speaking, they are not human beings, but an evil God''s Follower and a demon. "HYU! I knew you''d come back, my honey!" The knight of hell, Veinrune, was waiting for me. As if he had been expecting my return, he strikes a mysterious pose and greets me. Rujanaga was down on his knees a short distance away from Veinrune with his arm crossed. This bald-headed old man looks more than ten years older than before, with his face wrinkled all over. Seeing around, there was no sign of the evil god... but a black blur was clouding the stone altar. The crack in the dimension that had been pried open also not closed, and the evil god was peering from the other side of the hole. "Gnn... Priestess is not here... Where have you taken our God''s offerings!?" Rujanaga groaned hatefully as he prayed. His body, which is twitching and convulsing, is leaking magic power and stretching toward the sky. It seems that this monstrous monk is maintaining the total eclipse of the sun. He looks older than before, probably because he has exhausted not only his magic power but also his physical and mental strength by invoking the great magic that interferes with the movement of the astronomical phenomena. "You... bast*rd...! At last, my Lord return is about to come true, but you''re getting in my way...! Veinrune, do something! Kill him and take back the Priestess!" "FO... Sorry, but my contract with you expired when I brought the army to you earlier. Haven¡¯t I worked hard for what I''ve been paid?" Veinrune shrugs at Rujanaga''s plea. "Cause this great me is a demon, I don''t work for more than I''m paid for. The only reason I''m staying here instead of going back to hell is a personal one, don''t get me wrong." Veinrune looks at me and licks his lips. "Right, my honey? It''s time for an exciting dance. Let''s settle this!" "I''ll do exactly what you want. I''ll beat you to death and send you to hell!" "FO, good answer! Honestly, this great me knew this would happen from the moment we met. We''re like sun and moon. We''re drawn to each other, but we''ll never cross paths! But the ground and the apple are inseperable, so we are destined for each other!" "...Goshujin-sama. What''s with that creepy guy, desu~no?" "I don''t know how to say it...he gives me chills just by looking at him..." Urza and Levienna''s faces scrunch up in an eerie manner. After all, he seems to be a creepy guy to everyone''s eyes but mine. I must break off the relationship with him here for sure. "Well then, let''s have a fun, fun gig (s*x)! My sweet, sweet honey, I''m going to hold you till death!" "Shut up and die!" "FOOOOOOOOO!?" A moment later, I slash Veinrune from behind. I slash at his back, which is unprotected by clothes or armor. "Instantaneous movement! You''re relentless!" Veinrune shouts as he moves away from me. But I shrug, my lips pursing sarcastically. "I don''t have that thing. Did you see it earlier and forget it?" "It''s...!" In my left hand, I hold a feather with seven-colored lines. It is the feather of Horus, an item that can be used to teleport anywhere in the Maafern Kingdom. The very same item that I had given Shakuna earlier in order to help her escape was in my hand. And yes... there had been two wings of Horus from the beginning. "The one given to Shakuna was from Salomon. And the one I had was a gift item from treasure room that was given to Urza and the others. If I hadn''t dropped the magic bag when I was kidnapped by the monster bird, I wouldn''t have left it in such a messy situation." I mutter bitterly. When I was kidnapped by the monster birds in the desert, I dropped the magic bag in which I had been carrying my equipment and items. But if I had not dropped the bag, I would have been able to escape from the beak of the monster bird by using the feather of Horus inside. "But if I had, I would have never met Shakuna and Ryuna... Life never knows how things will turn out, does it!" "Come to think of it, you used that feather to escape a while ago, NA! I was so careless when I attack you!" "The attack from the teleport... Did you think I couldn''t do what you can do?" I teleport in front of Veinrune and slashes again. Veinrune tries to avoid the attack with his magic. But I immediately move to chase after him. Now, Veinrune moves behind me and attacks again, but I move behind him with feather of horus. "Take this!" "Whoa, whoa, whoa! You can''t get me easily!" Veinrune moves to avoid the attack. It was an expected action. And taking advantage of the small gap in the fight, I shout to my companions behind him. "Urza, Levienna! Leave him to me and finish off the old man!" "Yes, desu~no!" "I understand!" I sends instructions to my companions and slashes at Veinrune again. Now, I will not let him get in the way of defeating Rujanaga. The knight of hell must be killed here. "D*mn you... you will not kill me!" "Goshujin-sama''s enemies are dead, desu~no!" "By order of Zenon-bocchama! That is the duty of a maid!" Urza and Levienna are heading for Rujanaga, who is enchanting the total eclipse of the sun. Rujanaga, one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon King''s Army, was a powerful enemy, but he was certainly fatigued by the application of his great magic. Now, even two of them would be enough to win. "I will concentrate on destroying this perverted demon! That''s why... you can die!" "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! That''s great! Let''s keep it up!" Teleport to attack. Teleport to evade. We move and attack again. And evade. Over and over again, countless times, we repeatedly teleport and attack each other. Back and forth, back and forth. A fierce battle in which neither side gives an inch continued. Swords and arms clashed, sparks flew continuously. "Hey, hey, hey! That''s so COOL!" "Tsk... Why are you not so easy to kill?" I clucked my tongue loudly as I repeatedly teleport and attack. This knight of hell. It seems that he won''t be defeated just by using teleportation ability in the battle. "However... it''s only a matter of time before I win! You look tired." "I can''t believe that this great me, the demon, is getting tired... Huh?" Veinrune was repeatedly attacking and defending himself by teleporting his body, and because of that, his body started to crack. "Did I run out of magic...? Even though this is a good time, this is tactless timing...! "Well, you''ve been too reckless with your contract expired. You used too many teleport magic in a row, didn''t you?" "I see! So this is what honey was trying to do..." In the world of [DunBrave], the bodies of monsters summoned by summoning magic are composed of the summoner''s magical power. For them, HP and MP are the same value. And when their energy is exhausted, they are forcibly returned to their original world. Also, for them, HP and MP are common status. Using magic and consuming MP was synonymous with having one''s life cut short. "You said that the contract with Rujanaga has already been terminated, right? In other words, your master no longer supplies you with magic power. It''s obvious what will happen if you use magic as you like in such a state, isn''t it!" "HA! You''re such a little devious that you were planning to do such a thing... Well, that''s one of your charms, my honey." Even while he is whispering like that, Veinrune''s body is crumbling like a lump of salt. The remaining time is not long. And my victory was already decided. "But... This great me will not end so easily... I''ll have one last session before I die! Let''s have a hot danceeeee!" "This guy... still has this kind of power...!?" Veinrune puts his right hand forward. And an enormous amount of magic power is concentrated in his palm, creating a spark like a supernova explosion. At the same time, Veinrune''s body crumbles into salt at an accelerated rate. It seems that he is squeezing all the magic power out of his body and putting it into one attack. "This is the last attack! Don''t expect you to run away from me!" "Tsk..." I glance behind me. Right now, Urza and Levienna are in the middle of chasing down Rujanaga. If I use feather of Horus to evade the attack, Veinrune''s attack might hit them. "Okay...I''ll be your opponent!" Overlimits ''Meisho Jigokuyori (Underworld Hell Spirit)'' An aura of evil, as if from the depths of hell, envelops my body. As the cool time has already expired, I will play my best trump card against him. "Blast my lifeeeee! Blow away, the scorching heat of hell¨D''Gehenna Cannon''!¡± "Secret Technique¡ª ''The Sword of Decapitation (Ú¤Íõ”ØÉñ„‡)''!" I use the best move I can use at this moment. And now, at the same time as a ray of light from Veinrune''s palm shooted, my jet-black slashes unleashed from my sword collide with each other. Two energies collide, canceling each other out. And an explosion is created, shaking the atmosphere and raising a violent cloud of dust. Now, a deadly collision between two deadly blows. But who wins the battle to the death and who is the final victor? CH 179 "...It looks like I won after all. Just as I expected. The result was not as interesting." In the end, it was me who won. Veinrune''s magic was broken by my magic, and the enemy''s body was swallowed up. The storm passed, and all that was left was Veinrune''s body on the ground. Almost his whole body had already crumbled into salt, and all that was left was his head and a part of his upper body. "If you had been in a state of full magic power, I would not have known the outcome. The fact that you were wounded all over seems to have been the difference between victory and defeat." "......" I speak to the fallen Veinrune, but the salt demon does not answer me. Perhaps he is already dead. Well, it''s obvious because he is drained by the repetitive teleport magic. On the other hand, I have used an item to teleport, so I am not drained. The difference is the amount of magic energy left until the end. This difference decided the winner. "That was close. If it had been single combat, I would have given him credit for being one of the strongest enemies I''ve ever fought." "HAHA...I''m honored to be praised by you, honey..." Looks like he is still breathing. After all, Veinrune murmured weakly. "That was the best f*cking gig I''ve ever had... Ah, it was so fun..." "No, I didn''t enjoy it at all. You were an assh*le to the end." "HAHA... so cold. But that kind of tsundere is also very... cute..." Veinrune''s body turns into salt and crumbles down. His disintegrated body is blown away by the wind. There will be no resurrection. "Goshujin-sama...! We won, desu~no!" "Zenon-bocchama! Are you all right!?" I heard my companions'' voices behind me. When I turned around, I found Rujanaga lying behind Urza, who was waving her spiked kanab¨­. As I get closer, I see that his head is crushed by Urza''s kanab¨­ a wound through the heart. Surely he is dead... but just in case, I decided to set the corpse on fire with magic to burn it. "You did a good job, I commend you." "Hehehe~, Goshujin-sama praised me, desu~no~" "I am honored, Zenon-bocchama." I pat Urza''s and Levienna''s heads in turn, and they both smile with delight and embrace me. Even though Rujanaga had been weakened by the great magic that interferes with astronomical phenomena, they have defeated him, one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon King''s Army without me. Both of them have really become strong. It is hard to believe that they would never have appeared in [DunBrave] in the first place. "It''s our victoryyyyyy!" """"""Yey, yey, ohhhhhh!!""""" A battle cry can be heard in the distance. It seems that the Royal Army and the Revolutionary Army have won the battle against the forces under Rujanaga''s command. This means that we have successfully rescued Ryuna and eliminated all the enemies, both bosses, and minnows. "Well, it looks like it''s settled over there too... We''ve won completely." Looking up overhead, I see that the hole in space-time that had sealed the evil god has vanished. It seems that the total eclipse of the sun has already ended with the defeat of Rujanaga. The sun is gradually shining on the ground. "I never thought I would miss the sunlight so much... it has been a long eclipse, indeed..." "Goshujin-sama is more suited to night than day, desu~no. Bright places don''t suit Goshujin-sama, desu~no." "Shut up. Leave me alone." I lightly pat Urza''s head and bites the lingering memory of the long battle that has ended. Child abduction in the Slayers Kingdom. This led to an expedition to the Maafern Kingdom. Then began the battle to defeat Rujanaga, who had invaded the royal palace as a Guru. After that, I was separated from my companions due to an unexpected attack by sand bandits and a monster bird. But as a result, I met two women (heroines) named Shakuna and Ryuna. However, this is the beginning of an unexpected adventure. I attacked one of the most difficult dungeons in the game, ''Salomon''s Tomb''. In the process, Haddis and his fellow priest-knights were mourned, and once Ryuna fell into the hands of the enemy... it was not a battle that could be praised. "And yet... we won." We may have lost but we won. Ryuna was rescued from being sacrificed as a Priestess, and Shakuna''s heart was saved from being captured by the darkness. The evil god''s resurrection was stopped, and we were able to defeat Rujanaga, the brain of the demon king''s army, which should have been impossible to defeat at this stage of the war. This is a great achievement. I am sure that our companions who died on the way will praise us. I am sure that even Hadiss, that rugged and strict priest-knight, will say, "Well done!" "Anyway... it wasn''t so bad in its own way. I enjoyed it." With a wry smile, I pull out my feather of Horus to pick up the two sisters who have taken refuge in the ''royal tombs''. CH 180 The Guru Rudanaga, the supreme leader of the temple, rebelled and tried to sacrifice Priestess Ryuna to the evil gods. But Princess Shakuna was the first to realize this and rescued Ryuna, and Rudanaga was defeated by the knights led by the king and a brave group of ''vigilantes''. All the people who had been controlled by Rudanaga''s magic have come to their senses, and those who had willingly followed him have been captured. And so, it seemed that all was settled... but the world is not so sweet that everything can be settled in one piece. It takes much longer to deal with the aftermath of a war than a war. After all, rebuilding a country that had been played at will by Rudanaga will take a long time. In addition, the responsibility of the king and the nobles will not be small. Though they were manipulated by magic, they imposed heavy taxes to the extent that the people starved and punished those who defied them without mercy. Not a few people lost their lives due to the oppressive regime. So, it is natural for their friends and families to turn their hatred toward the king. The king himself also took his responsibility very seriously. He was manipulated and helped to kill his daughter. The king, who loved his daughter as much as anyone else, was extremely disappointed at his own foolishness. So, after days of discussions, the king decided to give up his throne. And princess Shakuna Maafern was chosen as the new ruler, who had done a great deal of work in putting the situation under control. * * * "The accession of the king and the establishment of the parliament... what a bold move!" The center of the spacious room. As I relax on the fluffy carpet, I murmur, half in admiration and half in dismay. Two weeks have passed since the defeat of Rujanaga. I was still in the Maafern Kingdom and had been invited to the royal palace as a guest of honor. I was given a room in the royal palace, served with rich food and drinks, and forced to live a luxurious life as if I were a drunkard. I should clarify for the record that I did not ask for this treatment. After all, to all appearances, Shakuna and the king are responsible for the defeat of the Guru, but I am also counted as one of the contributors. After all, I, a nobleman of the neighboring Slayers Kingdom, saved a nation from extinction. It''s obvious it cannot end with a "well done". So, I was treated as a guest of honor with the highest honor until the official award is decided. "Oh, wasn''t it Baskerville-sama''s idea to set up the parliament? Is it such a surprise?" Ryuna, who was pouring drinks into a silver cup, tilted her head curiously. She is a princess and a Priestess. She is one of the five most powerful people in this country, but she has taken it upon herself to be my hostess, and today she was preparing the meal as a feast. She was so skillful that I almost forgot that she was blind, as she poured the sake and served the dishes on the plate. By the way, only Ryuna and I were present at the dinner table. Shakuna has royal duties, and Urza, Levienna, and the newly joined ''other companion'' are also absent for some reason. "Well, if there is no solution, I won''t be able to return to my country anytime soon. But... I didn''t think a parliamentary system could be implemented in such a short time. Normally, it would have taken more trouble." It was quickly decided that the ruler would take responsibility and abdicate, but there were objections to Shakuna''s accession as the new ruler. Some were concerned about a woman becoming king... but some argued that the monarchy itself should be abolished before that. It was the members of the revolutionary army who advocated the abolition of the monarchy. They used the voice they had gained by helping to defeat the Guru and advocated the dismantling of the royal family with all their might. ''If a small privileged class is in power, the same thing will happen again. So let the people, not the king, run the country! '' This argument of the revolutionary army was supported by some wealthy merchants, mercenaries, and priests, and was not ignored by the royal family and aristocrats. It would be easy to suppress them by force, but Shakuna shook her head. She was unwilling to expose her country to the flames of war after having overcome the evil intentions of the Guru and won peace. And so, the discussion was heated with conflict... But, finally, seeing the situation, I proposed the introduction of a parliamentary system, which settled the issue. The royal family will continue to reign, but the power of the royal family and the nobility will be limited by establishing a parliament of influential people as a legislative body. This was the birth of the first introduction of parliamentary government in this world of absolute monarchy. "In a monarchy, everything collapses if the king goes out of control. However, people in this country are not interested in politics enough to adopt democracy. So, while the king continues to reign, a small group of intellectuals in the parliament saves the king from going out of control. This is a good solution." The parliament of influential people existed in the Middle Ages in Europe. This country could somehow accept it. "And so, if there was an agreement, there''s no reason for me to stay in this country. After all, once I get my reward, I''ll get the hell out of here." "...So you are leaving, after all, Baskerville-sama..." Ryuna says sadly. She does not hide her affection for me, but she also has a role as a princess and a Priestess. So, she cannot follow me to the Slayers Kingdom. But I also had something I couldn''t give up. Even though I killed Rujanaga, there are still two of the Four Heavenly Kings left. And the Demon King is still alive and well. Besides, I had my duty as a Baskerville''s Demon Dog and I couldn''t stay in the Maafern Kingdom. "It''s not like this is goodbye for now. I''ll come to visit you when I have time." "Please come and visit me when you have time, I''ll be waiting for you." "Yeah..." Ryuna gently pulls her body close to mine. The soft touch of her breasts against my chest and the sweet smell that tickles my nostrils, making me startle, and the sake spills from the silver cup. But Ryuna still leans her weight on me without worrying about it. "Hey... Ryuna, you''re too close..." "Isn''t it good...? After all, our parting day is near?" "But that doesn''t mean... Nggh!?" Ryuna takes off the cape she has been wearing. She takes off the cape before I can stop her...or maybe I couldn''t stop her at all. And underneath the cape is bikini-like underwear. It is colored light blue and has an exotic design with gold thread ornaments sewn into it. Of course, the sensational underwear catches my eye and makes me gulp. "I''ve always wanted to do this... even Baskerville-sama knew what I mean, didn''t he?" "Well, it''s..." "Fufufu... you''re surprisingly shy, aren''t you? And don''t you want to humiliate me when a woman has gone to such lengths?" "......!" When she said this much, I couldn''t stand it any longer. I grabbed Ryuna''s shoulders and tried to push her down on the carpet... But, at that moment, the door to the room was opened with a bang. "That''s enough! Both of you!" "Whoa!?" As if timing it right, the person who jumps in is the one I''ve been waiting for. It is Shakuna Maafern, the big sister who loves Ryuna very much. Shakuna''s arrival at this point was expected, or rather, the usual development. But what was unexpected was that even Shakuna was wearing underwear just like Ryuna. "...What the hell are you wearing? Did you run down the hallway dressed like that?" "Of course not! I took off my clothes in front of the room!" "So what!? Why do you need to be in that underwear?" "That''s... Ah, gosh! Ryuna! Didn''t I tell you to wait until your big sister came?" "I''m sorry, Onee-sama." Ryuna stuck her tongue out at her sister who scolded her. More importantly, did Ryuna know that Shakuna was coming? "Yes. We were talking about having Baskerville-sama embrace us as a thank you for saving this country." "D-Don''t get me wrong! I''m just trying to ease your burden. I don''t care about you!" "I see... If I can have the bodies of the princess sisters, it''s a reward equal to a whole country!" I shouted like a desperate man. The Maafern sisters were all exposing their brown-skinned bodies to the fullest. Their exquisite, fragrant bodies were certainly a reward enough for saving a country. It would be worth much more than gold or territory. "I also asked Levienna-san and the others to move to another room because we wanted you for tonight." "So, that''s why they didn''t show their faces... Well, if they''re here, they''ll make an extra fuss about it." Both Urza and Levienna seemed to be very considerate. They left the two of us alone at least for the first time, or maybe just the three of us. "Well, boil us, bake us, whatever you want! So, let''s get this over with!" "Fufufu, please eat my body too... And do you know what I''m talking about? It''s called a ''sister bowl (Shimaidon)''." "Well, you''re not wrong... but I don''t know where you learned that word." Now, Shakuna and Ryuna lay side by side on the carpet. The most beautiful women are lying side by side, inviting me to "eat," they say. But I didn''t think I''d ever actually encounter such a thing as a "sister bowl (Shimaidon)," but I was ready for it and covered both of them with my body. And so, the night in the desert, which is usually much colder than the daytime, turned out to be surprisingly hot that day. CH 181 "Last night was fun... huh?" A strange woman is smiling at me. She has a cheeky smile that annoys me. That night, I had a dream. I could clearly tell it was a dream... it was what people call a lucid dream. In the dream, I was standing by a lake. The clear blue lake is surrounded by thick trees, and I know that I am in a forest. And a woman was sitting on a rock near the lake. Her silver hair is flowing and she is wearing a white dress. I don''t recognize her. I shouldn''t have. Maybe. Even though I can be sure that I have never met her before, I feel a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu with her mischievous expression and her cheeky, mocking eyes. It is as if a familiar person is standing with a different face and figure... that is the impression I get. "Me? It doesn''t matter who I am. Don''t worry about the details." The woman giggles again and folds her arms, "Anyway." "I didn''t expect you to do your job so well. It seems that I was right in reincarnating you as Zenon Baskerville." Reincarnation... that word raises a question in my mind, but for some reason, it dissipates like a mist. "I was wondering what I should do when I heard that the evil gods'' follower was misbehaving... But I didn''t expect you to go to the desert at the right time. I don''t know if I should call it the power of destiny, or just a good intuition as a protagonist. You go to the right place where I want you to be, so it''s very convenient for me." Don''t talk about people like they''re convenient. I didn''t go to Maafern for you. I just happened to have some information about Rujanaga, so I went there to avoid the depressing additional scenario. "Yes, yes, that''s all right. You can do whatever you want to do. It will ultimately lead to saving Leon and saving the world. Keep up the good work and show me the true ending of that stupid game." Game? The ending? Don''t tell me... does this woman know that this is the game world? "Of course, I know that. This is a world I created to resemble the world of [DunBrave], you know?" Creation...? Don''t tell me who this woman is...? "I used to like that game too. I used to play it a lot in my spare time from work... but I totally lost my mind when I played the sequel of the game with the cuckoldry. How can a slightly erotic fantasy RPG become such a depressing game?" I agree with her opinion 100 percent. I was also shocked at the abrupt change of direction in ''DunBrave2''. "That''s why I created it. My boss had just given me a world, so I created a world similar to [DunBrave]. To see with my own eyes what would have happened if Zenon Baskerville had not cuckolding Leon." ...! Then, I was reincarnated in this world...? "Yes, to erase Zenon, the cuckolding man in the original story, I took your soul to possess him who had the same feelings as me... Still, that was unexpected. I didn''t expect you to win Aeris-chan and Nagisa-chan. I was cuckolded in a different way than I expected." Should I apologize? I tried in my own way to avoid the depressing situation... "Well, it''s all right. I just want to see a happy ending where everyone is happy, not necessarily Leon''s harem ending. Besides... even if those two are not there, Leon has another heroine. After all, he''s a hero..." That''s right. He even has a woman who wasn''t in the original story, he''s doing a good job. "Fufu, a woman who wasn''t in the original story..." What''s so funny? It''s as if you''ve been unconsciously hit to the heart of the matter, isn''t it? "No, no, don''t mind it. But the reason I came to you in your dream is to explain the situation. I''m sorry for the trouble I''ve caused you this time. You have many questions, don''t you?" Of course, I have many questions. The ancient gods... like that evil snake, an enemy character who didn''t appear in the game. And there was no mention of Rujanaga being a servant of an evil god...what in the world is going on here? "Well... First of all, let me explain about the ''ancient god''. They are the old rulers who originally existed in this world. They are the monsters that used to rampage and cannibalize each other as they pleased in this world of chaos where sky and earth have blended together." "And because of their rampage, the world was stagnant without civilization and development. Seeing this, my boss... the supreme god who controls time and space, sent an administrator to bring order to the world. That is the ''new god''... me." "I was entrusted with the management of the world, and first of all, I exterminated the ancient gods. I sealed them in the cracks of space-time, or tore them to pieces and reassembled them as demons and monsters. Using their flesh and blood, I built islands. In this way, I tried to establish order in a world that was free of obstacles... but in creating the world, I included my hobbies. In other words, I created a world based on the world of a game I like." "Then, by creating humans, giving them knowledge, building civilizations, and occasionally intervening and modifying history... over tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of years, I created a world based on the game itself. What? Why go through all that trouble? Can''t I create the world of DunBrave in a snap? It''s possible if I force myself to do so, but... it''s like hollowing out a large tree to make a house. It will be distorted and unstable, and if I want to make a beautiful house, I need to process the timber first, don''t I?" "It''s fine that I went through all that trouble and created the world of DunBrave... but to my dismay, there was a foreign object in the world. I''m not talking about you. But that man... the one who called himself Rujanaga." "He''s the follower of the evil gods that I missed, and he''s merged with the enemy characters, and he''s infiltrated the world in a mixed form. Then, by using the enemy characters in the game as a cover, he is trying to resurrect his master, the evil god... it''s really troubling." "The man who pretended to be Rujanaga has twice made moves to resurrect the Evil God. Fortunately, a thousand years ago, he was foiled by the great sorcerer King Salomon, but this time he has taken over the temple as a Guru and plans to resurrect the king as his puppet. However, just when I was wondering what to do... just in time! You have come to the desert!" "I breathed your first life into the monster bird that you defeated, and by manipulating it, I led you to the Sacrificial Priestess. From that point on, you know what happened, right? You have successfully rescued Priestess and prevented the resurrection of the evil god. Well, I was surprised to see that you did more than I expected." "No, no, don''t be so angry. I''m sorry I made the bird snatch you. But... it all worked out in the end, didn''t it? It''s the power of fate that finally brings peace. You''re like a hero, you know. As I thought, my eyes were not mistaken." As the woman explained to me in rapid succession, I felt a rather serious desire to kill her. So, it was her fault that I had been snatched up by a monster bird, taken on a flight, and made to skydive with no parachute. I knew that this woman was working for the good of the world... but still, I couldn''t stand to be the one who got the short end of the stick. "And isn''t that good? In the end, you got to eat the new heroine. I''d rather you thank me for it~" I wanted to punch her, but I couldn''t move my body. In the first place, I don''t even know if I have a body now. Only my senses existed in the dream world, and even the existence of my limbs was vague. "Don''t worry, I will apologize for the trouble I have caused you. If the evil god had resurrected, I would have had to descend directly to him instead of using my ''split body''. If that had happened, the order of the world I had created would have collapsed and it would have been a disaster. And Ryuna, my daughter, would have died... Oh, by the way, in the original setting of the game, Ryuna was almost sacrificed to bring out a wicked summoned beast, and she committed suicide, right? It''s not important now, though." It''s true, it doesn''t matter. I don''t care about the future that doesn''t exist yet. Instead, give me your apology right now. Rather, apologize. Get down on your knees. "...You''ve grown very arrogant to make such a demand when you know I''m God. In that sense, I was right to make you Zenon Baskerville." The woman''s shoulders slump in exasperation. "Well, I can''t get down on my knees naked, but I can give you something as an apology. A powerful weapon or armor, a rare skill, or a chance to meet a new heroine. Well, what should I give you... Huh?" The woman was thinking about it... but then she suddenly turned serious. Her mischievous expression turns serious, and then she turns shocked. "Wait... Huhh!? How did this happen? What chance did this...!?" Hey? What''s wrong? "No, this can''t be...! How can I... no, it can''t be corrected! If it goes this far, even if the body''s restored...!" The woman became really impatient and waved her hands in the air. An accident seems to have happened. What is happening to this self-proclaimed goddess that she is so distraught? "Ahhh! How could this happen when I just took my eyes off her? It''s really impossible!" Huh...!? The scenery in front of my eyes is rapidly blurring. Ripples spread out as if I hit the surface of the water, and the woman''s figure and the lakeside scenery disappeared. "Ahhhh! How can I correct it to make it back to the way it wasssssss!?" With the woman''s exclamation as the last, my consciousness awakens. Instinctively I realize. It seems that I am about to wake up from a dream. And when I wake up, I will have forgotten what happened in the dream. This premonition becomes a certainty. ''Hey...you haven''t given me an apology yet! Explain what''s going on...!'' I shouted in protest... but someone grabbed my legs and dragged me down, and I was kicked out of the dream world. CH 182 "Ah, Baskerville-sama. Are you awake?" "...Good morning." When I woke up... I was lying in bed, with Ryuna next to me, hugging my head. Her brown skin was right in front of me and I feel her soft breast against my cheek. Waking up in the arms of a beautiful princess is the most wonderful awakening a man can have. "It looks like you were having a hard time... Were you having a bad dream?" "No, I don''t remember." I remember I was dreaming about something but I don''t remember the content at all. Even so, I think it was a dream that somehow made me angry. It left me with a queasy feeling in my stomach like a lees. "Well, it doesn''t matter... If I forgot it, it must not have been a big dream." "Ah..." To relieve my sorrow, I bury my face in Ryuna''s chest. Her thin body jumps, and her arms hugging my head become stronger. "After what you did last night... are you feeling better now?" "That''s what being young is all about. I''m a young teenager who can only think about women 24 hours a day." "I''m happy if you love me... please do it again and again." Ryuna hugs my head and stirs my hair with her palms. Her hands are gentle, like a mother''s tender care for her child. Just like that, the remnants of my dreams, which have stuck to me like mud, disappear. It is a happy feeling as if I am ascending to the Pure Land of Paradise. It seems I''ve been given some very important information in my dream, but it doesn''t matter anymore before I feel the touch of a beautiful woman''s skin on my face. "Sure, I''ll do it... but what about her?" "Zzz.... Ryuna.... Your sister will protect you..." "...That''a a loud sleep talk... Really." Just like Ryuna, I felt a small touch on my waist. Her breasts, smaller than Ryuna''s, pressed against me. Shakuna, who was sleeping on the other side of the bed, hugged me and said "Zzz," something I''d never heard her say in real life. "She is like a child. How ridiculous to think that this is the sleeping form of a ruler of a country!" Can such a childish woman really be the queen of the Maafern kingdom? "Don''t worry. Onee-sama is serious and firm. I think she will be a good queen." "I hope so... Well, since the parliamentary system has been introduced, there should be no problem. But still... it''s been a long and tiresome journey this time." Everyone has almost forgotten that my original purpose in coming to the Maafern Kingdom was to make contact with Shakuna, the descendant of a hero. The goal was to get a descendant of the heroes to join Leon and fight against the Demon King. However, Shakuna Maafern, the descendant of the hero, has become the new ruler of the land, and I can no longer bring her back as a companion. "I miss the point... Though, it was not a wasted trip since Rujanaga was defeated." It is a great achievement to have defeated Rujanaga, the brain of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon King Army, at this stage of the war. Rujanaga destroyed villages and towns, and the lives that would have been lost were saved. So, there will be an advantage in the battle against the Demon King''s army. "Baskerville-sama?" Ryuna''s face turns strange to me as I ponder this. And best of all, I was able to save Ryuna from dying as a sacrifice. If I hadn''t come to this Kingdomn, she would have been a mute corpse by now. "Zzz... you pervert, where are you touching me..." And Shakuna, who is hugging my back, would have also lost her life in the end of the war, in despair over the loss of her sister. It was a miracle that I was able to rescue both of them. Thus, being sandwiched in bed between two beautiful sisters is the greatest reward. "It''s not bad. Not bad at all." "Mmm!" I hug Ryuna''s body and run my hands over her smooth skin. Now, let''s get an additional reward. I didn''t get the reward from the Goddess. Therefore, I will have an additional reward from the sisters. "Hmm? Who is the Goddess?" The question popped into my head... but it is not important. Let''s forget about the unpleasant woman I met in my dream. After that, I kept on asking for Ryuna''s body again and again, even though the night had already begun. Shakuna, who wakes up in the middle of it, realizes what''s going on and rushes to get out of the bed... but of course, I can''t let her go. I used magic to manipulate the shadows to pull her into bed with me and eat the two sisters (shimaidon). We lay on top of each other for three days and three nights. After that, there is another story about how Urza and the other get unhappy because we didn''t come out of the bedroom for a long time, and cause a row and a ruckus. CH 183 "Good-bye... Baskerville-sama, and I wish you all the best...!" That day, I leave the capital of the Maafern Kingdom with my friends. The only one who came to see me off was Ryuna. Shakuna was down on the bed and never got up. Surprisingly... it seems that the younger sister is stronger at night. She may seem fragile, but she is as tough as a whore at night. To tell the truth, I was almost beaten a few times. "See you later. Tell your sister my regards." All I said to Ryuna was a simple goodbye. I had already said what I needed to say in bed. There was no need for more. Then, with a quick wave of my hand, I got into the dragon carriage without looking back. "We are leaving now." The dragon carriage pulled by a sand dragon departs. The palace had prepared the coachman, and this time he was probably not a bandit in disguise. In addition, the dragon carriage is a splendid one with luxurious decorations, and the temperature is kept comfortable with the air-conditioned magical equipment. The dragon carriage also had a guard of soldiers riding on sand dragons, and the guests were treated as if they were state guests. "Unwillingness...not like you." Although it is possible to teleport to the entrance of the desert in an instant using the ''Feather of Horus,'' I chose to return to the dragon carriage. I stayed in the Maafern Kingdom for less than a month, but a lot of things happened. I had the rare experience of traveling in the sky without my friends, and I had a new woman. But I also lost a man I called my friend. There have been good things and bad things. To be honest, I think I had a much more valuable experience than the battle against the Evil God. "Farewell! I will never forget your kindness!" Ryuna''s voice echoed throughout the dragon carriage as it started to run. She might have been pleased if I had shown my face through the window, but I didn''t dare to do so in order not to leave any more unforgettable memories. "Are you sure, Zenon-bocchama?" Levienna, sitting opposite me in the spacious dragon carriage, asks me. I shrugged my shoulders and answered her question. "No need. I can always meet her if I want to." With the teleport item, I can get to the Maafern Kingdom in an instant. So, it''s not like we''re saying goodbye to each other in this life, and I''m not that reluctant to say goodbye. Also, I''m sure Ryuna won''t blame me for being so indifferent. She must know that I''m not the kind of man who would be sad about leaving her. "Besides, she''s my woman now. She can understand that I am such a man. And that''s what it means to be a companion to a champion." "?(?`^¡ä?)?... A powerful rival has emerged. Two... no, three at the same time, desu~no!" Urza looks at me with a sullen expression on her face. But although Urza is sitting right next to me... her eyes are on the petite woman sitting on the opposite side of me. "......" Sitting to my left, silent and expressionless, is Miura Agares. She is a demon monster that I summoned with the ''Zodiac Small Key''. The demon in the form of a red-haired gothic-loli somehow remained present even after the battle was over, and naturally took up a position beside me. "This is a pinch, desu~no. A sense of crisis... a loli other than Urza is standing next to Goshujin-sama...! This is a serious situation, desu~no!" "Don''t call yourself a Loli... and why don''t you disappear?" Summoning by magic or items lasts until the end of the battle. Once the battle is over, the summoned monster disappears. That should have been the rule. But Miura is still here on earth, even after the battle is over. She was sitting next to me like a child. "......?" Miura looks up at me with red eyes and tilts her head. She was cute... but I had no idea what she was trying to say. Could you please speak clearly? "Cute... I like you..." "No, that''s not what I want you to say!" "I like you... angry, but so cute..." "...Was that all you could say?" Really, why is she saying all those things? All she said was "like" and "cute" and not a word to the point. "Oh... Do you mean you want to follow me because I''m cute and you like me? Even going to the trouble of going against the time limit of the item." "......" Miura doesn''t answer. Instead, she takes my left arm and hugs me. "Noooooo! Why are you sneaking in, desu~no!? You''re a thieving cat, desu~no!?" "......" "You''re selling me a fight! I have no choice but to fight, desu~no!" "......" While Urza is making a lot of noise in the carriage, Miura is silent. Her pretty face was expressionless... but I felt her eyes looking back at Urza were provocative as if she was saying, "How about it?" "Calm down, don''t get wild in the dragon carriage!" ""?(?`^¡ä?)?.... Goshujin-sama is angry with me, desu~no...!" I scold him and Urza gets teary-eyed and starts to fuss at me. "Urza is trying hard too... Even after Goshujin-sama left me... but why Goshujin-sama only cares about new girls, desu~no...? The used Urza is thrown away..." "Hey... can you stop talking about new and used girls? Seriously." I scrunched up my face in disbelief. However...it is true that I have caused a lot of trouble to Urza and the others in this case. Maybe it wouldn''t hurt to give them a little compensation. "Huff... I can''t help it." "Uhh..." I patted Urza''s head. I stroked her white silky hair and combed it carefully. "You did well. Wait for your reward when we get back home." "Really? Is it true? Will you give Urza a reward, desu~no? Will you let me give birth to Goshujin-sama''s little ogre?" "...That''s out of the question. Don''t get carried away." "Of course, you''ll give me a reward too, won''t you, Bocchama?" Levienna leaned forward from the other side. She is smiling calmly, but her eyes are shining like a predator''s. Please don''t do that, I''m afraid. "If I could, I want to give birth to at least two ogres, desu~no." "Stop, how can a child like you give birth? I promise I''ll take care of you when we get back home and settle down. Seriously, no matter how many we have done it, you can never have enough..." I sigh and look out the window of the dragon carriage. Outside, the land of sand spreads out. The familiar view of the desert will soon be over. In a few days, I will return to the Slayers Kingdom. Life at school and the life of the ''Baskervilles'' will begin again. "Aeris and Nagisa will be waiting for our return... Oh no, I feel like I''m going to die." I have to take care of Urza and Levienna, and the two who have been staying at home. These four beautiful women will come at me hard. Far more terrifying than the Evil god of ancient times. I''m afraid to go back to the house. The day I returned might be my last night. "I don''t want to go back... maybe I should have stayed in this country after all...?" Feeling homesick, I stared at the scenery outside in a daze. Then I heard a disturbing sound coming from outside. ''Ngyaa, ngyaa!¡¯ '' "Hmm...?"" I was staring outside, trying to escape from reality, when I heard what sounded like a baby crying. At the same time, there is a knock at the door of the dragon carriage from outside. The knocker is a soldier from the Maafern Kingdom who is accompanying me as an escort. "Uh... May I ask you a question?" "What''s wrong?" The soldier, astride a sand dragon, runs alongside the dragon carriage and opens the door of the carriage with a puzzled look on his face. "Excuse me. A strange bird has been flying over the carriage since a while ago, and it has something like a letter on its leg... Ah!" ''Ngyaa, ngyaa!¡¯ A bird flew into the dragon carriage while the soldier opened the door. It was a black bird similar to a crow, but it had a lizard''s head from the neck up. A strange creature, as if a crow and a lizard had been forcibly glued together. "Is this... a messenger of the ''Death-eating bird''?" It was a messenger crow used by the Death-Eating Bird to communicate. As a necromancer, she has created an undead monster, a chimera that is a glued-together carcass of two different creatures, just as it looks. "...The only time she uses it is for emergency communication. Did something happen in Slayers Kingdom?" A letter was attached to the leg of the crow. When the letter is removed from its leg the crow crumbles to ashes. Suddenly, the mysterious creature vanished in ashes, causing the soldiers guarding it to exclaim in surprise. "What!?" "Ah, forget it. Get back to work." "Y-Yes... I understand." The soldier closes the door of the carriage with a puzzled look on his face. Once again, only the three women and I are left in the carriage. "Hmm..." I open the letter and read it. I finish reading the badly written words of the ''Death-eating Bird''... and my expression becomes distorted. "Zenon-bocchama, what''s wrong?" Levienna, perhaps noticing my unusual behavior, calls out to me. The Loli girls on either side of me also looked up at me curiously. "......" I read the letter again to make sure it is correct, and tell my friends the contents. "The hero¡ªLeon Brave has dead. He was killed by the Demon King''s minions." The hero is dead. While I was away from the Slayers Kingdom, the only man who can defeat the Demon King seems to have lost the game. CH 184 New Volume has begun! Leon Brave is dead. When I heard the news, it hit me like a blow to the head. I had not seen Leon since before I went to the Maafern Kingdom. And the last time I saw him was when we met at the academy and crossed blades in a mock battle. At that time, I felt Leon''s growth as he awakened to the job of "Hero (Yuusha)," and I was convinced that he would be able to do well without my care. That is why I felt at ease to go on an expedition to the Maafern Kingdom. And yet... unexpectedly, Leon is dead. The details were not mentioned in the letter from the "Death-Eating Bird". So, it could have been a false alarm. Still... I decided to return to the Slayers Kingdom quickly. In the beginning, I had planned to enjoy a trip in the desert on a dragon carriage. I planned to visit the villages and towns that I have not visited since I came to the Maafern Kingdom and collect some items and events. But then... things happened. I can''t take my time now that I''ve heard the terrible news of the death of the main character. So, using the items I had in my magic bag, I returned to the Baskerville Marquis'' mansion in the Slayers Kingdom in the shortest possible time. "Zenon-sama... Welcome home!" "Oops!" As soon as I open the door to the mansion, a woman who happens to be in the entrance hall jumps into my arms. Her golden hair smells of flowers. Her breasts also felt heavy against my chest. Yes, the woman, who generously pressed her breasts against me, which were superb in both size and texture, was Aeris Centorea. One of the main heroines in [DunBrave]. She is a priestess heroine who has the nickname of ''Saint of Centorea''. "I have been waiting for your return, Zenon-sama. Thank you for your safe return!" "Ah... oh, I''m sorry I left you in charge. Is everything all right?" I looked at Aeris, whom I hadn''t seen in about a month. Aeris usually wears a Sisters (nun)'' uniform, but today she is wearing a light blue one-piece dress. The dress with lace around the sleeves and neck looked good on Aeris, and the cleavage around her full breasts naturally caught my eye. I had never seen this dress before. It must have been loungewear she had bought while she was away. "Yes... And Zenon-sama, are you hurt? Are you feeling any pain?" Aeris said anxiously and touched me. I guessed she was trying to check if I was hurt or not... but why did she touch my body excessively? She touched my chest, my back, my waist, and my buttocks. But I stopped her when her fingers like a white fish tried to slip into the gap between my pants. "I''m sorry... but you can''t go any further. If you goof around too much, we won''t be able to have a serious conversation." "I-I''m sorry, I''m just... so paranoid all the time..." "Paranoid?" "Yes. When Zenon-sama comes back, this is what I''m going to do. I''ve been thinking about doing this every day... something so immodest..." "I-I see... that''s my bad. I should have come home earlier." Aeris looked apologetic, and I pulled her face. It seems that I had left her too long. Still, what kind of fantasy was going on in her head? I was afraid to ask her any questions, so I gave a deliberate coughing sound and changed the subject. "Aeris... I heard the news that Leon is dead, is it true?" "......!" Aeris''s face turns cloudy at my question. I could tell by the look on her face. The letter from the Death-Eating Bird was not a false alarm, but the truth. "...I want to hear the details. Can you tell me?" "...I don''t know the details either. I think it would be better to hear it from Nagisa-san. She should be in her room at this time." "Okay... let''s go talk to her then." "Ah... Wait a minute!" "Hmm...?" I was on my way to her room when Aeris grabbed my hand and stopped me. I turn around in wonderment... and I feel a soft touch on my lips. "I''m sorry... that''s. I''ll bear for the rest of it." "......Hey." "Then, I''ll go make you some tea. And a simple meal. You can talk to Nagisa-san and wait for me." Aeris runs down the hallway. As I watch her back I touch my lips with my finger. "...She learned to put on makeup while I was gone, huh? Well, she''s at that age." There was a light shade of pink lipstick on my hand. Come to think of it, I think I smelled a flowery perfume. Maybe it was not a coincidence that Aeris was at the entrance hall, but an ambush. Not only today, but maybe she has been waiting for me at the entrance hall every day? "......" Anyway, I shook my head and shook off the dreadful imagination, heading for Nagisa''s private room. CH 185 "Nagisa, are you there?" "...Come in." I knocked on the door of Nagisa''s private room. Her voice was dignified like the sound of a bell. It was the first time I heard Nagisa''s voice in a month. I open the door and enter the room... A female samurai in a kimono and hakama with bluish-black hair in a ponytail is waiting for me sitting on the tatami floor, bowing deeply with three fingers on the floor. "I have been waiting for your safe return, My Lord." "......" "I heard that your expedition was a triumph. Your bravery in destroying the enemy in an unfamiliar land with impunity is truly remarkable." "...Forget the formal greetings. Raise your head already." "Understood." Nagisa looks up as ordered. Her face is resolute and strong-willed. Her eyes are as straight as they were a month ago. Naturally, my cheeks relax in front of the beauty of this beautiful swordswoman. "Huff... It''s been a long time. I''m glad to see you''re doing well." A month is not a long period, but I am strangely struck with a sense of nostalgia. Perhaps Nagisa Seikai has become such a part of my life. "Yes, I am glad to see that my Lord is in good health. More importantly... Excuse me!" "Wooaahh!?" "I missed you! My Lord!" Nagisa stood up and hugged me. Her rich breasts are pressed against me through her kimono, and our lips collide without hesitation. "My Lord! My Lord...!" "Hey...!? A-All of sudden, why are you being too aggressive!? What the hell are you doing!?" I shouted in protest. Even Aeris had never attacked me with such a fast reaction. After all, I had not expected that Nagisa Seikai, a loyal warrior, would be so fierce in her demands. "Muu... Please forgive me. But I have not been able to see you for a long time, and I have been worried about you so much that I could not sleep at night, my Lord..." Nagisa''s shoulders slump. Surprisingly... it seems that Nagisa was more worried than Aeris. Her dignified eyes become unreliable as if she were a child separated from her parents. "Even at night when I could sleep, I dream of it. I dream of the day when Shinya Kushinagi, my bitter enemy, attacked my dojo. I know it was shameful of me, but I was afraid of what might happen to the Lord." "Ah... I see. I see what you mean." Nagisa had once lost her family and all of her comrades to a dark swordsman named Shinya Kushinada. She had lost everything once before and she was worried that the same would happen to me. "...I''m sorry for worrying you. I should have come home earlier." "No, it''s not my Lord''s fault. It''s all because of my immaturity and stupidity. It''s me who should ask for forgiveness." "No, that''s... it doesn''t worth it to talk like this. Let''s get down to business." I pull away Nagisa''s body from my body and sit down on the tatami mat. The Baskervilles'' mansion is basically a western-style room, but Nagisa''s room is on tatami mats. The furniture and other furnishings are all in Japanese style. Well, the room had been remodeled for Nagisa, a native of Zipangu in the East, as a reward for the female swordsman who had worked so hard for me. "I''d love to take my time and celebrate our reunion, but I''d rather talk business first. Tell me about it." "It seems you''re talking about Brave, huh...? I understand, I''ll let you know." Without asking for everything, Nagisa understood what I wanted to know and began to speak in an upbeat tone. "While my Lord was away, several incidents took place in the Slayers Kingdom. The main one was the attack of demons, that is, the attack of the demon king''s army." Since the Demon King''s resurrection, the movement of demons has become more and more active. In the game, there were also events in which villages and towns were attacked and destroyed, and Leon, the main character, was fighting against the demon army. "But... the damage to the demons must have been less than expected, right? I mean, Leon had become strong enough. He could have handled it just fine, couldn''t he?" I cross my arms on the desk and think. The damage caused by the outbreak of the demons is still minor compared to the game. It would be strange if it wasn''t. Because... I had predicted the villages and towns to be attacked from the game scenario in advance, and had sent knights and adventurers to those places. Now that I am the head of the Baskerville family, I can negotiate directly with the royal family. I was providing the royal family with predictions of the attack, claiming that I had obtained the information through the Baskerville family''s secret agents. Of course, I also casually informed Leon the Hero. After all, that man had become strong enough. That''s why I was able to vacate the Slayers Kingdom and go to the Maafern Kingdom. "But... Leon is dead. That''s what I heard. What happened to that man?" "...The Four Heavenly Kings." Nagisa answers my question with a somber look on her face. It was a reply I had not expected. "A man claiming to be the "Four Heavenly Kings" of the Demon King''s Army has declared war on the ''Alteriore'' city with an army. Hearing this, Brave went to the city and confronted the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon King''s Army there. It seems he engaged them in single combat." "......!" Alteriore. When I heard the name of the city, I recognized it immediately. This was the big battle event in the game too... the ''Battle for the defense of Alteriore''. The battle for the defense of Alteriore is a major battle event that occurs near the end of the game, and it is still too early for it to happen. Various factors must have accumulated to change the timing of the event. It''s just bad luck that the event happened while I was out of the kingdom. "...So, he took part in the battle of Alteriore and he was killed?" "Yes. I was also in the battle as a volunteer soldier with the Baskervilles'' secret service but I was fighting in a different part of the city than Leon. By the time I heard the report, it was too late. Leon had been stabbed to death by the enemy." "...Did he not use revival magic? If the war had been declared beforehand, even the high priests would have been standing by." "Unfortunately, I don''t think they were able to revive him. Leon''s body was never found." "His body was never found...?" What does that mean? Did he get blown to pieces by magic? "It seems that part of the city caved in under enemy fire. Leon seems to have been dragged under the broken ground. He was swallowed up by the ground together with the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon King Army with the swords thrust into his chest." "The ground caved in... so it was the work of one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon King''s Army, Bolfedusa..." I remember my knowledge of the game and say the name. The Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon King''s Army¡ª''General of the Flamebloods'' Bolfedusa. He is the brain-muscle of the Four Heavenly Kings. He is a muscle-loving, muscular, macho demon who lives for combat. He was the strongest man among the Four Heavenly Kings, surpassing even the ''Evil Swordsman'' Shinya Kushinagi in terms of fighting ability alone. If it is only about troublesomeness, Rujanaga is superior in intelligence and strategy, but if it comes to a head-to-head fight, there is no more troublesome enemy than Bolfedusa. "Did he come out here... because of an unexpected turn of events...?" In the scenario, the first Four Heavenly Kings Leon fights is another opponent. The so-called ''Kukkuku... that''s the weakest of the Four Heavenly Kings'' is the first demon who fights against Leon. However, considering that Shinya Kushinagi and Rujanaga, who were supposed to fight in the second half, have already been defeated, it is not surprising that the scenario may have been changed by the previous events. "Indeed, it''s not surprising that Leon would lose against that man... just because he''s a hero doesn''t mean he''s immortal." O, Hero! It''s shameful that he''s dead. I don''t mean to be so selfish and irresponsible. Thinking it again... the standard way to conquer an RPG is to repeat the game over again and again and to repeatedly try and level up. It is extremely difficult to clear a game on the first try without the help of a strategy book or @Wiki. I couldn''t blame Leon for being beaten. "Still... the hole he left is huge. We haven''t even found a hero to replace him yet." "...I''m sorry I couldn''t save Brave even though I should have been there." I can''t help but look downcast, and Nagisa looks frustrated as well. But I reached out and patted Nagisa on the shoulder, telling her not to worry. "I didn''t entrust you to babysit Leon. It''s just that he had his own adventures." Nagisa also participated in the siege of Alteriore, but she was not in the same party as Leon. So, she was not in a position to be held accountable. Leon''s defeat was his fault. It would be the same if he had died. And... there was something I had to do before I could question the responsibility. "If Leon is dead, I need to fill the hole he left behind. But... before that, I have to do something first." I got up from the tatami. I had just returned from a trip to a neighboring country. It''s already dark and I have to go out again. I clucked my tongue at the thought. "I''m going to the trading city of Alteriore and find out if Leon is really dead." CH 186 I had just returned from a neighboring country and immediately went to the trading city of ''Alteriore'' in the east. The purpose is to find out if Leon Brave is alive or dead. From the reports I have heard, it is hopeless to know whether he survived or not... but still, I cannot help but to check with my own eyes. We get into the carriage and ride eastward along the road, even though it is already dark. "You two could have stayed at home, you know. You must be tired, too." "No, that''s not the way it works! We are Zenon-sama''s party members!" Aeris, the party''s healer, patted her plump breast. As she did so, her huge breasts covered by the sisters'' clothes bounced up and down. "Indeed. I can''t sleep while my Lord is going to the battlefield. Besides, don''t you need directions?" Nagisa, sitting next to Aeris, agreed. She, too, was dressed in light blue kimono and fully armed with a sword. Even though it was already late at night... Aeris and Nagisa naturally asked to accompany me when I went out. They are truly, I think, too good a companion for me. "Zzzzz... I can''t eat anymore..." By the way, another party member, Urza, the oni girl, is sleeping next to me. She had a cute face like a cat taking a nap in the sun, and she was drooling with her head resting on my shoulder. Like me, she was probably tired from the long trip she had just returned from. Well, she fell asleep as soon as we got into the carriage. As an additional note, Levienna, the maid, is staying at the Baskerville family''s mansion. The carriage with four seats is over capacity. Moreover, since I became the head of the family, she has been promoted to the chief maid, and she has a lot of work to do while I''m away. "Zzzz, Goshujin-sama... Urza has given birth to a healthy little oni..." "...Hey, what kind of dream is this girl having? It''s too disturbing." My facial muscles tighten at this potentially misleading bedtime talk. In protest, I peck Urza''s cheek, who is sleeping happily. "I don''t mean to bother you at a time like this, but... I''m glad to hear that Urza-san is doing well. Of course, Zenon-sama is too." "Hmm, yes. People don''t change in a month or so." I shrug my shoulders in reply to Aeris''s sincerity. "Well, there were a lot of things that happened in the Maafern Kingdom, but nothing that changed me as a person. We just kill people we don''t like and that''s it. Everything''s the same as it ever was." "Really? But I could smell ''another woman''s scent'' so I thought you''ve had a terrible experience." "Bufu!?" I gush at the unexpected surprise from Aeris. I can''t hold back. I overreacted to the unexpected words. It''s almost like an affirmation. "Oh... it seems to be right. After all, Zenon-sama is nice and good-looking, and very kind. I thought it could be like that." "Kuh... did you try to fool me? You''re a saint, but you''re a bad influence...!" "Really? But you have other women''s scents, you know? Zenon-sama now smells of a beautiful woman with brown skin and jade hair. Or is the mixture of two slightly different scents caused by the two sisters serving together?" "Hey, are you an esper!?" Even dogs don''t have such a good sense of smell. How could she have guessed the color of their hair and skin from their smell? "Well... there''s another smell of a little girl with red hair, isn''t there? This one seems to have a lighter smell, and there seems to be no physical relationship yet... She looks like a young girl, but she seems to be somewhat old. Is it because, like Urza-san, her real age is different from her appearance? She must be at least a hundred years old." "...You are the most unpleasant sommelier in the world. Please don''t smell me again." The world''s first. The cheat sommelier is born. Well... although Aeris and I are nominally engaged, we''re actually more like lovers. Maybe it''s not what one would call cheating. "Hmm... I''ve noticed it too, you know? I felt the presence of another woman." "You too!?" Nagisa joins the conversation. No, why are they bringing this up? "I don''t know the color of their hair or skin but I can tell that they are strong women in their own right. Warriors with magic and swords, mages specializing in rear-guard support. And then... there''s the presence of this seeming non-human. She must be a strong person of extraordinary level." "Are you an esper too!?" She is talking like a master of the sword. Well, surely she is an expert in the art of swordsmanship. Still, Aeris and Nagisa are talking about this topic while I''m shaking and sweating down my spine. "I knew there was a new woman... and I expected it, but when three of them appear at once, as expected of Zenon-sama..." "Yeah, the fact that he has so many women and not a single one of them seems to be incompetent must mean that he is truly our Lord. But I can''t afford to be lazy either! I must work harder and harder!" "Yes. I also have to improve myself not only as a fighter but also as a woman. As a legitimate wife, I will surely win the favor of Zenon-sama!" "Me too, I have no intention of losing. Let them know that women in Zipangu are devoted women!" "...you guys know what''s going on, don''t you?" The main character, Leon Brave, is dead, and I think the situation is quite urgent. Well, they don''t know about the game... but still, wasn''t Leon their classmate and friend? "Isn''t Leon-sama in God''s hands? Then there is no need to grieve for him. We can pray for his soul." "That''s right. He died fighting as a warrior. As my Lord said earlier, I don''t think I need to feel responsible for his death." "......" No, it''s too cold. I''ve heard it said that women are quicker to accept issues like life and death than men... and it seems to be true for them. "However... if it was Zenon-sama who died, I will do my best to find a way to bring you back to life. If not, don''t worry, I''ll be following you soon." "Yes. I will do my best to avenge you too. But after I beat the enemies to hell, I will martyr myself so you won''t miss me so much. My Lord!" "It''s too heavy... give me a break!" Seriously... I look away with a delicate heart. Aeris and Nagisa. They were supposed to be Leon''s heroines, but they had become my women. Feeling sorry for Leon once again... I headed for the eastern trading city to see if he was alive or dead. CH 187 After returning from the neighboring country, I immediately headed to the trading city of Alteriore by horse-drawn carriage. I made several encampments along the way, resting in villages and towns, and arrived at the huge walled city after three days of travel. "This is Alteriore, huh...? I''ve never actually been here before..." I get off the carriage that has stopped in the middle of the road, and look up at the city wall from outside the city. But I called out the name of the city with a bitter thought. Alteriore, the eastern city, was a provincial city built on a small hill and was the center of the eastern part of Slayers Kingdom. It was a prosperous trading city where many goods were gathered from all over the country. The size of the city was second only to the royal capital. It also serves as a fortress against the attacks of demons in the eastern part of the kingdom, and the spacious town is surrounded by a circular wall. However... the impregnable walls have now collapsed, leaving a huge hole in the ground. Piles of rubble are piled up around the hole, and a great number of people can be seen working to remove the rubble. "It''s a terrible sight... the largest trading city and fortress city in the east is in shambles." I sigh deeply as I look at the cruelly destroyed city walls. The city of Alteriore, which once boasted of its prosperity as the largest city in the east, bears the scars of war so clearly that even from the outside one can see them. The city walls were broken down and rubble was scattered, and the corpses of demons were scattered here and there. Since leaving the corpses unattended might cause a plague, mage-like figures are gathering the corpses and burn them over a fire. The streets where many travelers and peddlers used to pass by are deserted, and it seems that only my carriage is heading there, even though some people are leaving Alteriore. "The battle for the defense of Alteriore... I have missed an important event, it ..." I muttered bitterly, remembering my knowledge of the game. The battle for the defense of Alteriore. It is an event that occurs in the latter half of the scenario in the game ''DunBrave''. An army of demons led by a demon tribe has invaded Alteriore, a trading city in the eastern part of the kingdom. The main character, Leon, leads his friends to confront the army of demons and defend the city from them. In this event, there is an achievement rate called "Defense Achievement Rate", which increases as the player conquers several quests that occur in the scenario. If the achievement rate does not reach a certain level, the game is defeated. The city is destroyed and the city of Alteriore itself disappears. Even if the player manages to defeat the enemy, the lower the achievement rate is, the more paralyzed the city becomes. Following the event, the number of facilities available in Alteriore will decrease, and some NPCs will be killed in battle, which will affect the subsequent scenarios. "The demon army has been driven out, but the walls have been destroyed and the defenses are down. Some stores are out of service and some of the weapons and items are unavailable... I''d say 70% of the strategy has been accomplished." Considering that the city disappears when the percentage is less than 50%, should I consider that the minimum passing score is achieved? However, the game is over when Leon himself is dead. Other than Leon, there must have been others who died in the war. Although it was inevitable, I regret that I could not participate in the event because I was in a neighboring country. I was definitely planning to participate in this battle, but... it seems that the event occurred much earlier than planned. Or, if I had participated in the battle, the city might not have suffered so much damage. Although I don''t think that my expedition to the Maafern Kingdom was a mistake, I still feel a bitter emotion. "My Lord..." Nagisa came down from the carriage and called out to my back as I was feeling so unhappy. Without looking back, I ask Nagisa, who was the only one in the party who had participated in the battle. "...Are you sure that the one who was leading the army of demons was ''General of the Flamebloods''?" "Yes, I heard he called himself that. I believe it was that demon tribe that brought down the walls of this castle." Nagisa answers my question. I have already received a report that Nagisa and some secret spies under the Baskerville family participated in the battle for the defense of Alteriore that took place while I was away. Their participation in the defense was no coincidence. The secret service had received the news of the gathering of demons around the city in advance, and Nagisa decided to go to Alteriore to rescue them. When Nagisa arrived in Alteriore, there were already soldiers and adventurers hired by the lords of the city. Among them was Leon Brave the Hero. "Brave happened to have come to a nearby town to help defeat demons, and he heard that the city was about to be attacked. So he came here to save the city which is about to be attacked by the Demon King''s army." "I guess he''s a hero after all... but I can''t help but feel that it''s bad luck to get involved in this incident by chance." I shrug my shoulders, half in exasperation and half in admiration. Even though heroines like Aeris and Nagisa have been taken away by me, Leon is still the central character in this story. The power of destiny that draws me to the center of the battlefield is, after all, the hero''s power, isn''t it? "The demon king''s army that attacked this city divided its forces into four groups and marched from the east, west, south, and north." Nagisa continues her explanation with a mysterious look on her face. "I volunteered to fight as a volunteer soldier and was assigned to the city walls to deal with the attack from the east. Brave was assigned to the north wall. We were fighting against demons climbing up the walls and flying in the sky, and just when we thought we had finally defeated the enemy... the northern wall was breached. And soon the news of Brave''s death was brought to the east wall." "Hmm... so you didn''t see Leon die in person?" "Yes... but I heard the story. The one who breached the castle walls was the general of the enemy¡ªa demon tribe calling himself the ''General of the Flamebloods'' Bolfedusa. Brave went into single combat with the demon who breached the walls, and it is said that they almost fought each other to death. Nagisa turns her eyes to the lower part of the wall that has been breached. There is a pile of rubble around the wall, but there is no rubble in one part of the wall. No... it is not so much that there is no debris, but rather that the ground itself is gone. There is a large hole in the ground, the size of a truck, that could swallow it up. "That''s a hole made by the battle between the two. It seems that Brave and the enemy general fell into the hole with their weapons piercing each other''s bodies. As far as I know, no bodies were found." "A big hole. I see... the Abyss of Alteriore has opened." "Hmm...? My lord, do you know that hole?" "Yes, well..." Nagisa tilted her head and asked me. I nodded without hiding. The Abyss of Alteriore was a dungeon beneath the trading city of Alteriore. It was a dungeon that could be opened and entered by fulfilling some conditions. Probably, the current entrance to the dungeon was opened by a different route due to the large hole drilled in the ground by the battle between Leon and Bolfedusa. "With the enemy general defeated, the remaining demon army retreated. As for me, I left Alteriore to report to the Lord, so I do not know what happened after that. I have heard that adventurers will be sent to explore the hole..." "I see. Then I''ll have to see for myself what happens next. Let''s dive into the abyss and see if Leon is still alive." I take Nagisa back to the carriage. Then, I order the coachman to start for the entrance to the city. The trading city of Alteriore. This is the first time since I became a Zenon Baskerville player that I have set foot in this city, which I have visited many times in the game. CH 188 We entered the city of Alteriore through the western gate. Although there was a brief inspection at the gate, I was able to enter without being stopped, since I was a marquis. However, I was worried that someone might misunderstand me. For example, they shouted, "The head of the evil Baskerville family had arrived..." or something like that. "Nagisa-san! So you came!" But thanks to Nagisa, it turned out to be all right. There was a soldier at the gate who knew Nagisa who was participating in the defensive battle. "Thanks to you, Nagisa-san, who took the lead in the battle, the number of casualties among the soldiers has been greatly reduced! I have been wanting to thank you!" The soldier who had been examining the soldier, who spoke to Nagisa through the window of the carriage, shined his eyes. "Yeah, I''m glad to hear that you both survived. But more importantly... is there any problem if we go in like this?" "Of course not, if it''s you, Nagisa-san! You and your companions are welcome to come in too!" Nagisa''s trust was greater than my status as a nobleman. But I don''t mind either way as long as they let me into the city... but somehow, I am not satisfied with my feelings. "I see, this is the pride of a nobleman... I''ve become a marquis, haven''t I?" "What''s wrong? My Lord?" "It''s all right. Let''s get inside" The carriage in which we were riding passed through the gates and entered the city of Alteriore. As soon as we enter through the gates, there is a wide street. The street is lined with stores on both sides. In the games, the streets were lively with many people coming and going, and the stores were attracting customers with their lively calls, but today, the streets are deserted and few people are coming and going. Most of the stores also closed. It was like a closed-down shopping street. "It''s been a week since the battle... I guess the wounds haven''t healed yet..." "It''s terrible... there are a lot of injured people..." Aeris looked out the window of the carriage, and her face was also pained. The battle had just ended, and there were wounded people everywhere in the city, lying on the streets. Maybe there are too many wounded people and there are no facilities to accommodate them. "I''m telling you... please don''t get off the carriage and go around treating people from one side to the other..." "...I understand." Aeris turned her face down in pain at my words. She probably really wants to go around treating the wounded. But... she is a member of my party and already a member of the Baskerville family. So, she can''t act rashly. More importantly, we need to find out if Leon is alive or dead. We don''t have time to go around treating the wounded. "But then again... we can''t go into the abyss right away. We have to gather information first, and we have a little time." "...if that''s the case!" "Well, there must be a treatment center somewhere that treats injured people. So, I''ll allow you to treat them there. But only until the information I need is gathered." "Zenon-sama...!" "Whoa..." Aeris hugs me tightly as if she''s moved to tears. Inside the narrow carriage, I end up in close contact with a beautiful woman in a sisters'' uniform. "Zenon-sama is a wonderful woman after all! I''m so glad I chose you...!" "I see... all right, just get away from me..." "Ah!" I push Aeris away from me with a scowl on my face. Seriously, I''m in a lot of trouble if she hugs me too much. I hope it was just a coincidence that she was pressing her chest against me. "You''ll search treatment centers, and I''ll go talk to the lords of the city. If I, a nobleman from another place, do as I please, there will be trouble later." The family that rules this city is called the Duke of Alterio. The other family is a noble family of a higher rank than my own. If I, the head of the Marquis of Baskerville, visit the city and don''t greet them, it will be troublesome later on. "Nobles are troublesome creatures. Good grief...." Fortunately, the treatment center was soon found. They are built all over the city and seem to house the wounded from the battle. And after leaving Aeris and Urza as her escort at the treatment center, Nagisa and I headed straight for the lord''s mansion. The lord''s mansion was located in the center of the city. The clean white walls and red roof were impressive, and a large garden surrounded the big house. "Duke Alterio, huh...? Did you see him when you were defending the city, Nagisa?" "Yes... I saw him commanding soldiers and adventurers, but I did not speak to him. Although I saw him from a distance, he seemed to be quite a warrior." "Well... I didn''t know him either." Although we are nobles, the Baskerville family is in the royal capital. And the Duke of Alterio lives in the east. I''ve only just become head of the family, so I haven''t been out socially... or even met him face to face. The Duke of Alterio also appeared in the game, but he is an NPC who only gives commands to his soldiers. I don''t think he ever talked with the hero. "Well, if the head of the marquis''s family comes to the game, he won''t be indifferent. Let''s greet him appropriately and ask for permission to go through the hole in the ''abyss''." The hole in the castle wall that leads to the "Abyss of Alteriore" has been sealed by soldiers, and is closed to the public. I heard that a team of adventurers had been dispatched to investigate the hole, and I would like to hear about the status of the investigation, if possible. With this in mind, we made our way to the main gate of the Duke of Alterio''s mansion... but there was some sort of commotion going on there. "How can a duke meet a commoner! So, go back! Go back! "Kyaa!" A soldier guarding the front gate pushed the girl. The girl falls down on the road and rubs her leg probably because of the injury. "Hey, hey... you''re being very rude to a girl who''s no older than you are, aren''t you?" "Oh? You guys are... Eeek!?" A security guard turns to me... his face scrunched up. Apparently, he''s scared to death when he sees my face. A bad guy face. Well, it''s a reaction I''m used to. "You''ve done a terrible thing... to hurt a little girl like this!" Nagisa runs to the fallen girl. The girl''s ankle is swollen. It seems that she was injured when she was pushed. "I-I only refused the girl''s request to meet the duke! How can a commoner''s girl be a match for a nobleman?!" "Huff! Then, if it''s a nobleman, you don''t have a problem with it, do you? Here! I ask permission to enter the mansion!¡± "This is..." I tossed the soldier the proof of my identity. A silver watch with the Baskerville family crest engraved on it, the proof of being the head of a noble family given by the king when I was decorated. "I-I beg your pardon! I''ll talk to the duke right away!" The soldier enters the mansion in a panic. I snicker "Hmph!" and walk up to the girl. "That must have been hard. I don''t know what happened to you but, for now, put this on your wound." "You..." The girl took the potion I offered her. She was dressed in ordinary village clothes and was a little younger than I was. Her innocent face reminds me of the bud of a flower that is about to turn from a child into a woman. Her eyes look up at me, and strangely enough, there is no hint of fear or trepidation in them. When a girl of this age sees my face, she usually cries or screams... but her eyes were wide with surprise, but she did not seem to be afraid. "Hmm...?" I suddenly felt a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu and raised my eyebrows. Slightly smoky blond hair. Her plain but well-groomed features are familiar to me. I can''t remember where but I have met this girl before. I had such a feeling. "U-Umm... are you the one who helped me that time, by any chance?" "Oh?" The girl seemed to know my face as well. She turned to me and asked boldly. "Don''t you remember? I was kidnapped by a crazy person and put in a prison dungeon, but you saved me..." "Oh... you were in his custody, by any chance?" I realized what the girl was trying to say. Apparently, she was the victim of child abduction by a nobleman named ''Count Cannibal'' Belonga Jack Salt that took place a while ago. It was the case that led me to the Maafern Kingdom, and it seems that the girl in front of me was also a victim who had been kidnapped and held captive by him. "Is that so... But...?¡± But I''m still not convinced. I understood that we had met before, but... did I really know her because I had met her in the prison? It was dark in that prison, and there were many children locked up there. I don''t recognize each face individually. "I''m sorry I didn''t thank you properly at that time." The girl stands up. She brushes the dirt from her skirt with her hand and bows her head to me. "Thank you for saving me! My name is Arte Brave!" "What...?" "I came to this town to look for my missing brother. Nice to meet you!" Arte Brave. I know that name well. She is the little sister of Leon Brave, whom I am currently searching for, and one of the sub-heroines who appeared in ''DunBrave 2''. She is the girl who was kidnapped and imprisoned by Zenon Baskerville, the villainous protagonist and was supposed to be subjected to unspeakable humiliation. CH 189 "I see, you are Brave''s sister... this is a surprise." "I was surprised too! It''s a coincidence that you two are classmates who go to the same school as Onii-chan!" "......" Right next to me, Nagisa and Arte... Leon''s sister are chatting with each other. I didn''t expect that the girl I saved from the vicious aristocrat was Leon''s sister. Coincidence is truly a terrible thing. It is said that Arte was kidnapped when she came to the town to sell some medicinal herbs, and she was put in the prison dungeon. In the game scenario, she was captured by Zenon and being played with by him, but is it possible that she has a habit of being captured? "Are you Princess Peach (From Super Mario)...? Seriously" "Umm... you two are Onii-chan''s friends, aren''t you?" "Friends?" Arte asks me with a cute little tilt of her head, and I frown. The relationship between Leon and me is hard to describe. We are not so close as to be friends, but not so bitter as to be enemies. We are not friends, and we have a connection that is too strong to be dismissed as mere classmates. "We are not friends... but we are comrades in arms, competing with each other to achieve a common goal...?" "I see... in other words, rivals...!" "Rivals..." When she puts it like that, I think such a relationship is the closest. At least... that''s how Leon probably sees me. "Uh... you said Arte. What brings you to this town? You were visiting the lord... where''s your family?" The village where Leon lived is near the capital, a long way from here. It was not a place for a girl to travel alone. "Of course, to look for my missing brother! I asked my uncle to bring me here!" Arte replies without a pause. "When I heard that Onii-chan was missing, I couldn''t stand still... so I asked my uncle who was a peddler to help me, and here I am!" "That''s... quite a reckless thing you''ve done." This city was a battlefield just a few days ago. There''s no guarantee of safety. To come to such a place on the spur of the moment is the kind of recklessness that only a child can pull off. I wonder what her uncle was thinking when he brought her here. "My uncle said yes when I asked him politely! I told him that I had seen him walking with a woman other than my aunt, and he immediately nodded his head." "That was a threat... seriously, you little brat..." She saw her uncle cheating on her aunt and used it as a pretext to get him to bring her here...? It''s a frightening behavior. I''m being reminded once again that the girl in front of me is the protagonist''s sister. "...Well, Leon is often reckless. He almost lost his balls because of her. "Balls?" "No, you kid doesn''t need to know... well, I guess I''m here for the same reason you are." I think about it for a minute and make a suggestion to Arte. "Then... would you like to come with me to the meeting with the lord? You''re here to ask about Leon''s safety, aren''t you?" "Is that alright!?" "Whoaa?"! Arte was leaning forward and came at me. I feel as if I had been barked at by an overly energetic little dog, and I lean back slightly. "Well, you''ll do the same thing. I don''t mind." "Please let me join you! I''m glad, now I can make sure Onii-chan is all right...!" I don''t know if he''s safe... but I''m not so ruthless as to say so. In the meantime, a guard comes back to the gate. The soldier comes running towards us, breathing heavily, and opens his mouth to us. "Sir, the lord is coming to see you...! Please, come in...!" "Yeah, thank you." I led Nagisa and Arte through the gate of the duke''s house. The soldier frowned slightly at Arte, a commoner''s daughter who followed us as a matter of course, but he did not interfere in any particular way. We were ushered into the mansion, and a man in a butler''s uniform showed us to the parlor. "Ah, thank you for coming. Marquis Baskerville." "Hmm...?" A young woman in her twenties or so greeted me in the parlor. She had flaxen hair tied at the back of her head and was wearing a man''s suit for some reason. I thought for a moment that she was a man with a neutral face, but the bulge pushing up the chest of the suit left no doubt that she was a woman. "It must have been a long journey from the royal capital to this remote place. If it were possible, the Duke''s family would like to entertain you... But I''m sorry. We''ve been too busy dealing with the aftermath of the war to throw you even a single banquet." "Thank you for your hospitality but who are you?" I asked, knowing the rudeness of the question. The Duke of Alterio in the game was a middle-aged man with romance gray hair and a beard. He was not, by any means, the beautiful young woman standing in front of me. "I''m sorry, I''m late." The woman puts one hand on her breast and lifts the corners of her rouged lips in a bewitching gesture. "My name is Chrisrossa Alterio. I am the new head of the Dukes of Alterio, replacing my father who was killed in battle!" CH 190 "He died in the war...? Don''t tell me the previous head of the family is already dead!?" "Yes, it''s understandable if you don''t know. I just wrote a letter to His Majesty the King. I don''t think the word has gotten out yet." The woman who introduced herself as Chrisrossa explained in a calm tone to my astonished face. "The former Duke of Alterio, Grainsl Alterio, commanded the front line in the battle the other day and was killed by the enemy general''s attack. Although I have not yet been officially knighted I have already been named as his successor and will take over the dukedom." "I see... I express my condolences." I bow my head, trying to calm the unrest caused by this unexpected turn of events. The Duke of Alterio appeared as a commander in the defensive battle, but he was an NPC who would not die unless the city fell. Therefore, I thought he would have survived the successful defense of the city, but... it seems that he was killed in battle, unlike in the game. "Hmm..." Unexpected as it may be... But it doesn''t change what I have to do. It is a question to ask Duke Alterio about Leon''s life and death. And whether it is the former or the present head of the family, it does not make any difference. "I am sure you must be very busy now that the head of the family is dead. So, I apologize for interrupting you at a time like this." "Your father must have been a great warrior. I saw him only from a distance but it is a great pity that we have lost such a man." Following me, Nagisa expressed her condolences. Nagisa has actually seen the former head of the family''s military prowess, and she must be mourning his death very much. "Yeah... I think he was a great man, though his daughter''s greed is one of the reasons. I regret that I lost him so soon." Chrisrossa did not seem to be so sad, though she said something like that. Her beauty was somewhat cold, and it seemed as if she was someone else''s problem. "......?" I wondered, but... didn''t go into it. It''s a side story that''s off the subject, and the relationship between parents and their children is something that others can''t understand. Even the Baskervilles were very complicated, and I don''t think it''s my place to interfere with other families. "So... what is the business of the Marquis of Baskerville? Surely you''re not here for sightseeing in a city that''s just been attacked by a demon?" "Yes... I''m here to find out about a man named Leon Brave. Can you tell me if he''s alive and what you know about him?" "......!" Behind me, I could feel Monica''s body tense up with nervousness. She had come all the way here to find out if her brother was safe... but she was probably afraid to find out. "Leon Brave... the boy who is the descendant of a hero. If it weren''t for him this city might have fallen to the demons. I can''t thank him enough." Chrisrossa murmurs with a somber look on her face and urges us to sit on the sofa. We sat down as instructed, and the butler who led us to the parlor began to brew tea. "I heard that the boy stabbed an enemy general of the demon tribe, a man who called himself Bolfedusa and fell into a big hole that opened during the battle. We have sent adventurers and others to search for him in the hole, but we have not received any good reports. Rather, the adventurers we sent there came back injured." The big hole in the ground of the castle wall - ''The Abyss of Alteriore'' - is a high-level dungeon that can be accessed in the latter half of the scenario. So, it''s obvious that an ordinary adventurer can''t conquer this dungeon. But because of this, the investigation is not easy, and it seems that Leon''s life and death are still unknown. "We have not confirmed his death since no corpse has been found...but even if he were alive, that hole is a lair of monsters. I don''t think he''s safe." "It can''t be... Onii-chan...!" Monica, sitting next to me, is drooping. Tears are welling up in the corners of the young girl''s eyes, threatening to spill out at any moment. "Brother...? Is this girl Brave Boy''s sister?" "Yes. Her name is Monica Brave." "I see..." Chrisrossa''s eyes narrowed painfully. Her eyes were filled with more emotion than when she was talking about her father''s death. "Your brother saved my lands. I thank you from the bottom of my heart." "......" "Later, I will send a large enough present to your house. I know that no amount of money or other goods can replace your brother''s life, but I would be grateful if I could give you something in return." "......" At Chrisrossa''s words, which sounded like a labor of love, Monica remained drooping. Instead of being pleased by the praise directed at her brother she is shocked that Leon might be dead. "I see... that concludes our business. I appreciate you taking the time to see me." I let out a sigh and get up from the sofa. The butler brings me a cup of tea, but I decline with a wave of my hand. "You''re an example of a busy man who has taken time out of their busy schedule to talk to me. So, let the Marquis of Baskerville donate to the restoration." "No... I heard that your girl, Nagisa-dono... has done well. So, I can''t accept a donation when she hasn''t even been given a prize yet..." "Isn''t that necessary? Well, just distribute the prize to all the soldiers and adventurers." "...Thank you for your thoughtfulness. I will not forget this." Chrisrossa bows her head in thanks. The city walls have fallen, and many soldiers and adventurers have been injured or killed. For a while, the city will not be able to function as a trading city, and there will be no income... and there will be not enough money to rebuild. The royal family and other nobles will probably pay for it, but I think the Marquis of Baskerville will take the lead in paying for it. "This is not compensation but... would you give us permission to go into the hole?" "In the hole...? I don''t mind... But, it can''t be...?" "Yeah, it''s like your thought." I put my hand on Monica''s head, who is still sitting down and drooping. "I have to see it with my own eyes. I''m going to go look for Leon." "Zenon-oniisan...!" Monica looks up at me with hopeful eyes. I smiled at her sparkling eyes and ruffled her golden hair, telling her not to get her hopes up. CH 191 In this way, it was decided to challenge a high-level dungeon, ''The Abyss of Alteriore''. However, we can''t dive into the dungeon with nothing but our clothes on. So, for today, we decide to stay at an inn and rest... and tomorrow we will start the dungeon challenge. "Well...for now, let''s go pick up Aeris..." I left the duke''s mansion and headed for the treatment center where I thought Aeris might be. When I arrived, there was a long line of people waiting to get in. People who should have been injured were standing in line with cheerful expressions on their faces. "Hey, hey! Is it true that the saint is here!?" "It''s true. My father was healed! No doubt, it''s the ''Saint of Centorea'' who''s the talk of the city!" Apparently, the rumor of Aeris has reached the eastern part of the kingdom. After all, those injured in the queue were all talking about her. "I wondered what would happen to me when I was injured by the monster... but I never thought I''d be healed by a saint, I''m so moved!" "Yeah! I''m glad I joined the ''Sokyu-kyo (Énñ·½Ì/Blue Sky Religion)''! It''s worth the high donation!" "Hmm...?" High donation? Sokyu-kyo? I stop my footsteps as I overhear some unsettling conversation. "Speaking of which... you know what? If you donate more than a certain amount to them, you will be recognized as a senior member and given a special ''holy relic''?" "A special holy relic... is it more valuable than this bromide (publicity photograph of a movie star, entertainer, etc)?" "Of course, it''s proof of senior membership... But, did you bring the bromide?" "Of course I did! I carry it with me every day!" "......?" The injured person takes out a piece of paper from his pocket. I casually walk behind him and take a peek at it... It is a portrait of Aeris. The portrait depicted Aeris from the chest up, with a particular emphasis on her heaving bosom. "I never thought I would be able to see Aeris''s breasts in real life... I''m so glad I survived!" "It''s true! Let''s continue to work hard to save up our donations and become a member! Rumor has it that if you become a senior member, you get a figure of Aeris-sama, and she''s dressed in her underwear..." "Hmph!" I took Aeris''s bromide and tore it up. "Aaaah!?" "What the hell are¡ª Eeek!?" "Hey... can you tell me this? Who''s the idiot that''s distributing these things?" I ask with a deadly look on my evil face... and the two injured guys open and close their mouths. Then, after listening to their stories, I learned for the first time what had been going on. It seems that a new religion called ''Soukyu-kyo'' has been established in this world, and they worship a part of Aeris'' body... especially, her breast as a deity. The religion, which was born in the royal capital, has spread to various places, and the number of believers has already exceeded a thousand. "Don''t deify my fianc¨¦e''s breast without my permission..." I was really angry and decided to destroy this religion even if I had to use all the power of the Baskerville family. * * * "Oh my. What''s the matter, Zenon-sama? You seem to be in a very bad mood...?" "...It''s nothing." Aeris, who was treating the injured, asked me curiously as I entered the treatment center. Behind her stood Urza, who was standing with her kanab¨­ on the floor. I looked around the treatment center with a discouraged look on my face as I gave a curt reply. "Fewer people than I expected. Although there seemed to be a line out front..." The treatment center was filled with countless beds, but not even half of them were occupied. Although there was a long line of people waiting in the street out front... the inside was surprisingly deserted. "Yes. The people who have been treated have already left. But for some reason, some of them tried to stay after their injuries were healed..." "Urza sent them away, desu~no. Those who have no use for us should go home, desu~no" Then, Urza said, "Mnh!" and she makes a fist on her arm. Perhaps it was a bunch of Aeris fans who were trying to stay. No doubt those dirty men who believe in her giant twin dunes were looking for a chance to somehow get close to Aeris. "Having evil thoughts about my fiancee... this town must perish!" No, the majority of the residents are not to blame. Anyway, thanks to Aeris'' work, it seems that the injured in the treatment center have been cleared up considerably. "While Zenon-sama was away, I was doing service work at the church. I made sure my arms were well-polished." Saying this, Aeris casts a spell. The white light from Aeris'' hand enveloped several injured people in the place, creating a green effect that restored them. The magic, which Aeris casts, was a wide-area healing spell¡ª''Area Heal''. It is magic that can heal all allies within a certain area at once. The higher the effect, the more magic power it consumes... but since Aeris is equipped with a certain rare ring item, the magic power consumption is halved. "Mmm..." But then, looking at the ring on Aeris''s ring finger, I have a complicated feeling. I had equipped Aeris with that item because she needed it, not because I wanted to propose to her... but now that it was so naturally attached to her finger, I couldn''t ask her to give it back. It is a valuable piece of equipment... but it will probably never come back to me. "Come on, come on, get healed and get out of here, desu~no! You''re in the way, desu~no!" "Aaah..." As soon as they were healed, Urza waved Kanab¨­ to get the people out of the treatment center. Most of the men left without hesitation, but some of them looked at Aeris with longing look in their eyes. Or rather, they seem to be staring at the two bulges in her chest. "If you want to stay here so badly, I''ll hurt you more than the magic that can heal you okay...? Good grief, you''re giving my wife the dirty eye..." I frown but shake my head to compose myself. "...Anyway, let me introduce you. This girl over here is Monica Brave. She''s the Leon little'' sister, who I just met by chance." "Umm... Nice to meet you." Monica bows her head to Aeris, poking her head out from behind me. She looks a little shy, probably because she is in front of Aeris, who is a beautiful, neat, stylish, and complete woman. "Brave''s little sister!? Don''t tell me you came here because you are worried about your brother!?" "Y-Yes..." "I see... It must have been very hard for you, right? Okay, come here." "Whoaa!" Aeris hugs Monica as if to comfort her. But Monica''s head was buried in the deep cleavage. "It was hard, wasn''t it? Were you anxious? It''s all right now. From now on, we... Zenon-sama will help you!" "Uuhh... Yes" Monica was comforted by Aeris, but when she was released from the restraints of her huge twin hills, she touched her own breasts with both hands. When she confirms the overwhelming difference in their strength over her clothes... her face darkens and her shoulders slump. "Even I... Even I... someday..." "...You seem to be depressed because your brother is missing, after all. We will help you with our utmost strength." "...No, it''s your fault." "Eh? What do you mean?" Aeris tilted her head curiously. The people who have cannot understand the feelings of the have-nots. Well, people are not born equal. I thought about this as I looked at Monica, who was depressed while touching her flat chest. CH 192 After that, we headed to the inn with Aeris who had finished her service at the treatment center. I really wanted to start the search for the "Abyss of Alteriore" where Leon had disappeared, but it was already almost dark. Aeris is also consuming her magical energy in her service activities at the treatment server, so I decided to postpone the search for the next day to tomorrow. The inn in the central section of the city was introduced to us by the Duke of Alterio. The building miraculously survived the war. The exterior and interior are luxurious. It was once the most luxurious hotel in the city, but it was deserted because travelers and merchants had stopped coming due to the attack of the Demon King''s army. "A big room, desu~no! Ah, there''s also a bath here, desu~no!" Urza shouted excitedly in the spacious inn room, opening the doors here and there. The room I chose was on the top floor. It was a top-class room, and the entire floor was for rent. Even though it was an inn room, there was a bar counter in the living room, and at least five bedrooms. Even the furniture was carefully created by a craftsman and was carved with detailed designs. "Let me prepare some drinks for you. Shall I also request something light to snack on?" Aeris, a noblewoman, is used to this and does not fuss as Urza does. She takes out a drink from the magic item in the refrigerator placed in the room and asks the waiter who is always waiting outside the room for a light meal. "Hmm... it''s not a very comfortable room. I wish it had a tatami room..." Nagisa, a swordsman from the East, has a difficult look on her face and opens the curtains to look out the window. She is not enjoying the view but checking the outside with a guarded eye as my escort. Her eyes were very sharp. "The duke told me to stay at her place, but I think it will be easier this way. It seems like things are pretty hectic over there." I shrug and open my mouth. The Duke of Alterio''s residence is quite busy, with many people coming and going. No wonder, since the city was nearly destroyed by a demon attack and even the previous duke had been killed in battle. So, thinking that I would not be able to take a rest in the busy duke''s mansion, I decided to stay at an inn outside. After checking the interior of the room and the drinks and snacks had been prepared, I sat down on the sofa in the living room. "Well... tomorrow we will start exploring the dungeon. Let''s have a strategy meeting." I sat down on the luxurious sofa, which must have cost about the same amount as an average person''s annual income, and asked my companions to sit down as well. "Oh, um... are you sure it''s okay if I sit down, too?" Monica said shyly as the others sat down on the sofa. For Monica, who is a genuine commoner, it must be her first experience staying in such a hotel reserved for the aristocracy. When she entered the hotel, she was very concerned about her appearance in the clothes of a village girl. "I-I don''t mind if I stay on the floor... you know, this carpet alone looks expensive enough to buy the house I used to live in..." "It''s fine. Sit down. Don''t waste my time with your nonsense." "Uhh..." Monica got teary-eyed when I said this in a slightly stronger tone. She sat down at the end of the big four-seater sofa, looking uncomfortable and small. "Hmph..." Once again, she was the type of girl I had never been around before. All the women around me were aristocrats, swordsmen, warriors, slaves... women who had lived in a special environment. Monica, a typical village girl, is rare. No, she is not rare, but she is ''normal'' in every way. By the way... in ''DunBrave2'', Zenon abducts Monica and her mother to make Leon suffer. The scene where the innocent village girl cries and calls out her brother''s name as she is raped has been controversial among fans. Of course, I was on the ''no'' side. Come to think of it, the reason why I couldn''t remember Monica as soon as I met her might be because I was so traumatized that I refused to dig up my memory of her. "By the way... you said you came here with your uncle. Isn''t he worried that you didn''t come back?" "Oh, no problem. My uncle has a peddler''s job and he went away as soon as he got the lodge. He said he won''t be back for a few days." "Hey, hey, is it okay...? Your guardian is so careless..." What kind of a man would leave a child to go into business. As far as the uncle is concerned, he brought Monica here because he was threatened to tell the truth about the affair. Perhaps he felt that he had no obligation to take care of her until the end. "He told me not to leave the inn... but then I can''t find Onii-chan. However, I''m glad I met you, Zenon-oniisan. If it were only me, I wouldn''t have been able to meet the lord of this city." "...Don''t thank me. I had business with the Duke anyway. Just for the sake of it. Just as a matter of fact." I tap the table in front of the sofa, picking up the fries the waiter has brought. That''s my cue to change the subject. It''s time to end the chit-chat and get down to business. "First, let me tell you what I know. About the dungeon beneath the city¨Dthe Abyss of Alteriore." I moistened my lips with a sip of the wine Aeris had prepared and began to speak. CH 193 The Abyss of Alteriore. It was a dungeon that appeared in the latter half of the ''DunBrave 1'' scenario, and its entrance appeared when several conditions were met. One of them is that the ''Battle for the defense of Alteriore'' must have been completed. At least 70 percent of the event must have been completed, and the city must have been successfully defended. There were other conditions, such as obtaining an item to open the entrance, or a conversation event with a key character... but it seems that the entrance was unexpectedly opened by the battle between Leon and the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon King''s Army. The ''Abyss'' is not that difficult a dungeon. It''s a dungeon where the main part is solving riddles and there aren''t any strong monsters there. I say, thinking back to my knowledge of the game. The strength of the monsters in the "abyss" is at a "lower-middle" level in the game as a whole. They were enemies that could be easily defeated in the latter half of the scenario. The trouble is that it is a dungeon with a riddle to solve. You have to solve the problems that appear in various parts of the dungeon. Making the wrong choice can result in taking damage, getting debuffed... and sometimes fighting troublesome boss monsters. "The situation does not inspire much optimism... but there is still a chance that Leon is still alive. Although there are few monsters in the Abyss that can defeat Leon, there are many places to hide in the dungeon. There is also a possibility that he is getting away with it by using items to heal the wounds inflicted by the Four Heavenly Kings." "......!" Monica''s shoulders shake as she hears my explanation. She clenched the glass in her hand in anticipation of the hope that her brother might be alive. "I''m telling you, it''s not zero, that''s all I''m saying. We''ll search, but don''t get your hopes up, okay?" "...I know. But I''m glad that Onii-chan might be safe." "Monica-san..." Aeris, who is sitting next to Monica, gently pats the girl''s back. Monica smiled at the older woman''s warm concern and nodded broadly in return. "Munch, munch, munch!" Despite the soft atmosphere, Urza is eating the snacks brought by the inn''s waiter. Yeah, she doesn''t know what''s going on. Or rather... from the way she is eating, it seems that I should order a real meal instead of snacks. "So... my Lord. How do you plan to conquer the dungeon?" "There''s nothing to figure out. Get in the hole. Solving riddles. That''s all there is to it." I answer Nagisa''s question in a simple tone. This mission is actually not that difficult. The ''Abyss'' is a dungeon of high difficulty, but it is only the riddle that is difficult to solve. As long as I already knew how to solve the riddle, it was as if I had succeeded in conquering the dungeon. It was a task that I knew I would win. The only difficulty was that I had to find Leon, whom I did not know where he was. Even if Leon is dead... I would like to recover his body if at least possible. "It''s just sentimentality, but we''re classmates, after all. I''ll at least do that." "My Lord..." Now... the party composition for the attack is the same as usual. Nagisa and Urza are the vanguards. Aeris will be in the rear. Then, I''ll take up a position in the center and move flexibly. The strategy is the same as usual. Nothing has changed. I have been working with this party for more than a year. It''s much easier than the temporary party I had with the desert sisters the other day. "Whether we find Leon or not, we should be able to finish the dungeon search itself in a day. Monica, you will stay at the inn until then..." "Oh, um..." "I''d appreciate it if you''d give me a¡ª What''s wrong?" Monica suddenly raised her hand and I raised my eyebrows. Monica, who had been consoled by Aeris earlier, now had a determined look on her face. Aeris and Nagisa also looked at Monica. Even Urza was looking at the newcomer with a mouth full of fries. "P-Please let me join to conquer the dungeon! I want to go look for Onii-chan!" Monica declares to the group as we all look at her. And at this declaration from a girl so young, we all turned our eyes black and white. CH 194 "M-Monica-san? Please don''t talk nonsense!?" Aeris was the first to react to Monica''s statement. She was unusually distraught and grabbed both of the girl''s shoulders, shaking them. "I understand that you are worried about your brother, but... it''s too dangerous to follow him in the dungeon, no matter how much you try! In the dungeon, you could lose your life at any time!" "Yes, that spirit is good. But... I disagree with your decision. Though, I appreciate your determination." Nagisa agrees with Aeris. Her narrow eyebrows furrowed, and she slowly shook her head. "The thought of throwing yourself into a crisis out of concern for your brother. It is a beautiful resolve that is common to the daughters of warriors. But there is a difference between a lost battle and an unwinnable one. Don''t be reckless." "Munch, munch, Urza is against it too, desu~no!" Urza raises her right hand, her mouth full of potatoes like a hamster. "Urza has already filled the slot of a poor breast in Goshujin-sama. We don''t need any more new girls, desu~no!" "Is that the reason!? And what new girls!?" I wonder where this girl learns such words. There''s no such thing as a "poor breasts" slot for me from the very beginning. "Still... I want to do something for Onii-chan too, I can''t wait to do it..." Monica is persuaded by all three of them, but she still insists. It is a beautiful brother-sister love. This girl must really care about her brother. "Monica-san..." Aeris, too, looked pained at the bond between brother and sister, but still shook her head fully. "But that doesn''t mean we can take you to the dungeon. If something happens to you, I won''t be able to show my face to Brave-san." "But..." "No buts, no pickles! We can''t take you to a dangerous place... right, Zenon-sama?" "......" Aeris asks me... and I think silently. Monica''s proposal was unexpected... but in fact, it might not be so bad. In the first place, my goal is to defeat the Demon King. To do so, I need someone who has the blood of a legendary hero. Based on the research conducted by the Baskerville family in the past, we found three other people besides Leon who had the blood of a hero... one of them was Leon''s little sister, Monica. The question was how to bring Leon''s sister into the group... If she was willing to join us, it would be a great opportunity. "Well, if she wants to come with us so badly, I might as well take her with us." "Zenon-sama!" Aeris stood up at my words. She looked shocked, but I quieted her down with my hands, saying, "Calm down, Calm down." "As I explained earlier, there won''t be any powerful monsters in the ''abyss''. If we oversee them, they won''t be in that much danger. "But that doesn''t mean..." "Monica''s energy and recklessness are just like Brave''s. I don''t think she''ll stop at verbal abuse, and it''s safer to keep her close than to have her do something stupid out of our sight." "......" Aeris is silenced by my attempts at persuasion. I had already witnessed Monica''s reckless nature. She had come to the city by blackmailing her uncle and had stormed the duke''s mansion while his uncle had told her to wait at the inn. Even if we decide to leave Monica behind, she might try to find her brother in the dungeon on her own. Monica''s brother, Leon Brave, was also such a reckless man. "If she is willing to do it, let her do it. It doesn''t matter if a person is young or old if he or she is determined... right?" "......" "Hmm, you have a point. No... if my Lord says so, it must be true." Aeris looked unconvinced, but Nagisa accepted. "Munch, munch, gobble, gobble, gobble..." Urza was not happy either, but she did not complain. Or rather, she was throwing sandwiches into her mouth as if she was desperate. "...I understand. If Zenon-sama says so, I will obey." Eventually, Aeris'' shoulders slumped as if she had given up. "However, if a further search is judged to be dangerous, we will turn back. Is that all right?" "Thank you! Aeris-san!" "Auu!" Monica hugged Aeris. The two seem to have a strange chemistry. Aeris is troubled but accepts the embrace. "Hmph..." If I had not slept with Aeris, Monica and Aeris might have become sisters-in-law. Thinking of that, I have mixed feelings. "...It''s decided. Then, let me check your status for now." I pointed the monocle I had taken out of my bag at Monica, with a somewhat bewildered feeling in my heart. The monocle is an item that can read the status of an opponent. ¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D Monica Brave Job: Villager (civilian) Skills Swordsmanship 5 Cleaning 32 Hero Blood 1 ¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D "......!" What was shown there was an unexpected skill set. As for the job, I am not surprised. Well, I thought she would probably be a [villager]. And the fact that she has a skill of ''cleaning'' is also very charming, just like a villager. There were some [villager] in the game, but [villager] was a special job, and the way of its growth depended on how it was raised. If I train her mainly in swordsmanship, she can become a swordsman. If I train her mainly in magic, she will grow up to be a mage. Although it takes a little time to grow up... it can be said that it is a profession with a lot of fun in its training, since the player can choose the job of his/her choice depending on his/her own way of training. What surprised me was that Monica had the skill of ''Hero Blood''. In the game, only Leon Brave has this skill. It is a skill for the hero who is a suicide attacker against demons. "...Did you learn swordsmanship? Did my brother teach you?" I dared to ask her something other than the reason for my surprise. Even if I pointed it that she has "Hero''s Blood" she wouldn''t understand. Then don''t bother pointing it out. "Ah, yes. I learned it from Onii-chan as a self-defense technique. My uncle taught me too. I think I can do it a little." "Well... then I guess we don''t have to worry for now. I think you can fight at least a little." Not only no worries... personally, but I''d also like to give her a round of applause. Monica may become a new hero depending on how she is raised. She could defeat the Demon King, she had the potential to become a new force to be reckoned with. With Leon possibly dead... it was an extraordinary good fortune that I met her, even fate guided me. CH 195 Having finished the strategy meeting, the meeting was concluded for the time being. And after taking dinner, which had been brought to the room, the ladies headed for the bathrooms in the room. Normally, I would have taken a bath with Urza, Aeris, and Nagisa, but Monica''s eyes were on me today, so we did not do so. By the way, Monica is also planning to stay in this room. I tried to get her another room, but she said "It''s scary, it''s scary! Don''t leave me alone in this inn!" She strongly refused to stay alone in this inn. Well, there are many bedrooms in a top-class suite, and there will be no mistakes. "Hah~... It was a nice hot water..." "The bath is ready..." While I was waiting on the sofa, the woman returned after taking a bath. Dressed in bathrobes provided by the hotel, the women''s smooth egg skin was slightly tinted with a peachy color, and their faces were dusty and relaxed. "Ugh..." The only exception is the newest addition to the group, Monica. For some reason, Monica was holding her chest with both hands, and her eyes were teary. "It''s terrible... to see a mountain like that..." "Monica, don''t worry about it. Poor-chested women have their own needs." "Ugh..." Monica is being comforted by Urza for some reason... but it seems that she has witnessed the overwhelming difference in her ability from Aeris in the bathroom. No, I don''t think she needs to worry about it since she is still a child... But it is self-evident that a man''s opinion on this kind of topic will not help her. So, I choose to remain silent without saying anything else. "Well then, I''m going to take a bath too... do you understand?" "I know, I won''t charge in, desu~no..." "Nagisa, keep an eye on Urza." "Don''t worry, my Lord. I''ll take good care of her." Urza''s lips twitched in frustration. If I don''t remind her like this, she will rush into the bathroom ignoring Monica''s presence. Even if I told her, there was a possibility that she would come in, so I asked Nagisa to do the same. "Well... then, let me take a bath at my leisure..." During the expedition to the Maafern Kingdom, I was forced to return home upon hearing the news of Leon''s death. Upon returning, I take a ride to Alteriore without a break. And since I had come here after many nights of camping out, I had not bathed since I left the Maafern kingdom. Now, I took off my equipment and entered the bathroom. As one would expect from the bathroom of a top-class hotel, The bathtub is spacious enough for more than ten people. The walls and floor are marble. Hot water was coming out of the mouth of a sculpture that seemed to be a dragon, filling the bathtub with clear water. "Well... it''s not bad." The bathroom in the Baskerville house was about the same size, but not as elaborately designed. I washed myself lightly and soaked myself in the bathtub. "Huff... paradise, paradise..." I don''t know if this expression is applicable in another world, but... the moderate temperature of the water is heavenly and comfortable. Since it had been a long time since I had taken a proper bath, I relaxed my whole body and let the hot water take over. The warmth of the water. The marble bathroom filled with steam. The faint scent of flowers. Everything was so unbearable. All my small worries are blown away and become unimportant. However, before I know it, there is a young girl with red hair and twin-tail hair, wearing a gothic Lolita dress next to me, and she doesn''t even care that she''s bathing in her clothes. "Huh...!?" "......" No, it doesn''t matter. I almost screamed when I noticed something was wrong, but I swallowed my scream just in time. If I screamed here, my friends outside would come in. It was obvious that I would get into a lot of trouble. "What are you... what are you doing out there?" "......?" The red-haired twin gothic lolita girl tilts her head curiously at my question. No, I''m the one who should be tilting my head. Why do you look as if you don''t understand what''s going on? Where in the world did you come from? She is the demon girl I once summoned with an item. Because she was bathing in her clothes, the gothic-lolita dress she was wearing was swaying in the bathtub. I want to tell her to take off her clothes first. "...I got it." "What...!?" As if reading my mind, Miura nodded and took off her wet and soiled dress. She undoes the buttons, undoes the ribbons, and... oh, I''m just admiring the structure of her dress, I thought, as she strips herself naked in front of me. No, what kind of situation is this? Being alone with a naked little girl in the bathroom reeks of crime, doesn''t it? "Where did you really come from... no, you weren''t hiding in the shadows, were you?" A mute little girl hiding in the shadows. Yes, this situation reminds me of a famous light novel I read in my previous life. The location of the bathroom was also strangely appropriate. "Contract..." "Yes...?" "I have a contract... with you, I can go anywhere..." "......?" As usual, she didn''t talk much. All I could barely make out was that Miura and I had some kind of contract. I summoned her, so it''s not hard to understand. "Are you saying... that because you have a contract with me, you can go wherever I am?" "......" Miura nodded. It seems I was right. It is quite tempting to be able to summon the great demon Miura anytime and anywhere... though it is understandable if it is because of the contract. However, I don''t think Miura has her true power now. I mean, she does not have the same majesty she had when she was a great demon and the most powerful summoned monster in [DunBrave]. Is this due to the fact that Miura remains in this world without being returned after the effect of the summoning item wears off? I also feel that the time to summon them in battle is limited. "So it''s not that simple... No, in a way it''s a ''delicious'' situation..." "~~~~?" Miura seems to like the bath. And as she hummed and sang in a good mood, she climbed onto my lap. I''m completely naked, and I''m hugging a naked little girl from behind. There is no excuse for this situation if the policeman comes in. Well, even though Miura is older than me because she is a demon, I feel a sense of immorality comparable to that of the first time I held Urza. Then, after a long time I had not taken a bath... I somehow managed to remove the fatigue of the day, and finished bathing. While I was wiping off my body and putting on my clothes, Miura disappeared somewhere, so my friends did not find out that I was bathing with a little girl. CH 196 After a night at the hotel, the next day arrived. The morning came without incident, although there was a mishap in the bathroom. Of course, no mistakes of the night occurred. Fortunately, no woman came over to my room at night, thanks to the presence of a third person, Monica. "Well... let''s go to the ''abyss of Alteriore'' then..." Early in the morning, after waking up, we have breakfast and get our equipment ready. I give Monica, who is dressed as a village girl, the equipment in my bag. After all, she can''t dive into the dungeon dressed like this. Although the equipment was not much due to her size and muscle strength... still, I managed to find some weapons and armor for her. "Thank you very much. How can I thank you for everything you''ve done for me?" "Don''t worry about it. I have my own calculations." "Calculations...?" "Yeah, it''s just a calculation. Don''t worry about it. It''s for my own reasons." I''ll make her pay me back with her body, I muttered in my mind. Of course, I didn''t mean it sexually. I meant that she would be useful in the battle against the Demon King''s army. Monica is equipped with ''light leather armor'' and ''leather tights''. Both of them are the kind of armor that a novice adventurer would wear. What is special about her weapons is that she is equipped with a mysteriously shaped sword called a ''bellows sword'', which is a fantasy sword. This is a weapon with multiple blades connected by wires, and is used more like a whip than a sword. It is a difficult weapon to handle, but its charm is that it can make an indirect attack without getting close to the enemy. "With this weapon, you will be able to inflict damage without being hit by the enemy''s attack. Above all, it is a ''sword'' weapon. You can also gain proficiency in the skill." Monica has only one combat skill: swordsmanship. This is the only skill she can develop. There is an option to give her skill orbs so that she can learn new skills... but [villager] is limited to learning only three skills. Monica''s skill slots are already filled. She can discard her existing skills, but ''Hero''s Blood'' is an essential skill for defeating the Demon King. Cleaning'' could not be discarded for one reason or another, so she had no choice but to focus on ''Swordsmanship'' and develop it. "Are you all ready?" "Yes, I''m ready." "Of course. I''m always ready." "No problem, desu~no." Aeris, Nagisa, and Urza are already equipped. Everything is ready. With this, we could dive into the dungeon at any time. "All right, let''s go then." We check out of the inn and head toward the crumbling walls. The town was generally deserted, but the closer we got to the wall, the more deserted it became. The shock of the monster attack must have been a big factor. It seemed that the residents living in this area had evacuated to some other place. After walking for a while, the collapsed castle wall came into view, and soldiers of the Duke of Alterio were blocking the road. "I''m sorry, but this area is off-limits to unauthorized persons." Said the young soldier in a polite tone. Unlike the soldier who pushed Monica yesterday, he was a gentleman. "I have the Duke''s permission. This proves it." "I beg your pardon. Please come through." I showed him the permit I had received from the Duke of Alterio, and the soldier opened the way and let me through. Yesterday, I had seen the city from a distance, but as I got closer to the walls, I could see the gruesome nature of the city. The wall is in ruins. Piles of rubble scattered here and there. Many people are working to remove the rubble. Most gruesome of all is the rows of cloth-covered corpses of what appear to be soldiers. It has already been two weeks since the defensive battle, but it seems that the dead soldiers buried in the rubble have not been fully retrieved yet. I could see a priest-like figure purifying the dug-up corpses, preventing them from turning into the undead. "It''s terrible..." "......" Aeris muttered, her face contorted. Clinging to her back, Monica paled and held her mouth with her hand. "...So this is the war against the Demon King''s army. It makes me so pissed off to see it in action." I clicked my tongue. I have seen many horrific scenes since becoming the head of the Baskerville family, but this is the first time I have been in a place where the scars of war are still evident. Of course, I don''t throw up... but I can''t help feeling sick to my stomach. "Let''s go, there''s nothing we can do if we stay here." I immediately turn around and head for the big hole. Near the crumbling walls of the city lies a deep, deep hole. It was a hole that leads to a dungeon under the city¨Dthe ''Abyss of Alteriore''. Near the hole, there is a group of adventurers who seem to have been asked to investigate the hole. Several groups of adventurers are sitting on the ground, resting and tending to their wounds. "Mmm..." "Ah..." Among them, I spotted a familiar face. They seemed to have recognized me at the same time, and their eyes widened as they looked at me. "Baskerville...! What are you doing here!?" The first one to speak up was a woman with semi-long red hair. She was wearing a magician''s robe and had a staff in her hand. She was Ciel Uranus, Leon''s childhood friend and one of the party members. I left the others suspiciously and talked to Ciel, who was sitting alone on the rubble. "Uranus. How did you... no, that was a stupid question." Ciel must also be looking for the missing Leon. She seems to be resting from her wounded attempt to find Leon, who has disappeared into the abyss. "Could it be... that you came to worry about Leon, too?" "...well, something like that." "I see... Thanks." Ciel thanked me weakly. Her usual strong attitude is gone from the lively and cheerful girl, and she looks as if she might break at any moment. She must be shocked by the disappearance of her childhood friend and lover. "I was told about Brave. I''ll help you with the search from here on, so don''t push yourself too hard." "...of course, I''m going to push myself. I''m going to do something crazy. Because Leon is gone." Ciel bites her lip and looks pained. Then, she says. "Leon may still be under the hole, calling for help. How can I stay calm when he''s still down there...! He''s my childhood friend...!"" "...is that right?" Ciel says with a force that makes her spit out blood, and I let out a deep, slow breath. It seems... that she is nearing the end of her rope. If she keeps doing so, she will die eventually. Fortunately, I had rushed here. "Dark magic¨D''Sleep''! "Agh...!?" When the magic is activated, Ciel''s body collapses. I catch her slender body as it is about to fall and slowly lay her down on the ground. "It seems that you have overworked your body too much, that a magician with a strong resistance should suffer from such an abnormality. You should stay in bed." "Zzz, zzz..." I shrugged my shoulders at Ciel, who easily fell asleep despite her strong magic resistance. Even lower-level magic could easily kill her. I guess she must have been overworked and tired. "Stay in bed. By the time you wake up, I''ll have finished everything." Whether Leon is alive or dead there will be consequences. I told Ciel, who was still breathing in her sleep, and pulled a blanket out of my bag and put it over her body. CH 197 "Oh... Have you finished your talk?" I put Ciel to bed and return to my friends. Monica comes out from behind Aeris''s back and asks me. "Ciel-oneesan... fell asleep? Is it because she''s tired?" "Yeah... by the way, you knew Uranus, right?" "Yes, we grew up together." Monica nodded. Ciel Uranus was a daughter of a nobleman, but she met Leon Brave when she snuck out of her house and went to visit him in a village on her domain. She must have known Leon''s sister Monica as well. "It was Ciel-neesan who wrote me a letter telling me that my brother Leon was missing... ''I''ll find him, don''t worry,'' she wrote." "So that made you worry more and you came here... I guess it had the opposite effect." Ciel is also a bit of a tightwad. If she really didn''t want to worry her, she should not have said anything until she knew whether he was dead or alive. Probably, she thought that if his family heard half-truths from a third party, it would cause them to worry more than they already should. Leon has been active as a hero and his name has become famous in his own way. That may be one of the reasons. "Anyway, as a result, Monica and I met, so it''s all right. I guess I never know what fate will bring about." "Oh? If it isn''t Baskerville-san...?" "Oh?" Someone else called out to me in a friendly tone. When I turned around, there was a girl with braids and glasses standing there with a smirk on her face. "I see you came too, Baskerville-san. Well, I was worried about Leon..." "Hmph!" "Biel deployed... wait, ouch!?" I gave the girl a chop on the top of her brain. The girl clutches her head in her hands and cowers in place. "Wh-what are you doing!? I was just trying to be friendly!?" "Sorry... I just got irritated. I''m regretting it, but I don''t regret it." I apologized to the girl with the braided glasses. Her name was Melia Sue. She was one of Leon''s party members. Behind her was Ruffie, a monk, who raised her hand to greet her old friend Aeris. "Aeris-sama, I didn''t know you were coming." "Yes. Ruffie-san too. It''s been a while." Aeris and Ruffie start a friendly conversation. On the other hand, Melia comes up to me with tears in her eyes. "Are you a devil who hits me just because I call out to you!? Isn''t that terrible!? Are you saying that your bad guy face isn''t just for decoration!?" "Well... I don''t know what''s wrong with me, but you make me pissed off. When I hear your voice..." "So you did it because you were pissed off, what kind of criminal are you!?" I''m confused too. I don''t know why her voice makes me so angry. It''s as if someone I don''t like is standing there with a different face. "Anyway... are you guys looking for Leon too?" "Yes, together with Ciel-san." Melia looks at Ciel who is sleeping under a blanket at a little distance from her. "...Baskerville-san put her to sleep, didn''t he? I was thinking that I had to do something about it too, so thank you." "Well, after all. It''s obvious to everyone that she''s at her limit." It seems that the others also had a sense of urgency about Ciel being on the verge of collapse. "So... did you get any leads on Brave?" "......" When I asked, Melia looked difficult. "...It''s hard to say. But at least it''s clear that he didn''t die in a fight with the Four Heavenly Kings." "Hmm? Why are you saying that? "Because there were no bodies directly under the hole. Neither Leon''s nor the Fourth Heavenly King''s. But there are blood traces of two more bodies leading deeper into the dungeon, ''at least one of them'' seems to be alive." "I see... but I don''t think I can be optimistic from what I''ve heard." Did one of them escape deep into the dungeon and the other one went after them? Or... one of them is still alive and dragged the other''s body with him. I have no idea how this happened, but it''s hard to say whether Leon is safe or not. "Okay. Leave the search to me. Take Uranus to the inn and let her rest. If she wakes up..." "We''ll make her sleep this time. We''ve prepared the medicine for her too." Melia showed me a bag of something with a mischievous smile. Had she prepared sleeping pills? It seemed that she was planning to force Ciel, who was pushing herself too hard, to sleep. "Do that... At all, she''s going to be in trouble if Leon dies, isn''t she?" "She might even kill herself afterward... oh dear. I really have no idea what''s going on." "You''re a nervous wreck... well, it''s better than being as depressed as Uranus." I snickered and headed for the dungeon entrance. My companions follow me with a brief greeting. When we reached the edge of the hole, a thick rope was attached to the edge of the hole to allow us to descend. "Well then... let''s go in!" For Ciel''s sake, Leon must be found as soon as possible. With this determination, I jumped into the hole. Naturally, my friends follow me. "...I''m counting on you. Zenon Baskerville. Save my hero." Melia''s little murmur melts into the wind and disappears without reaching me. CH 198 I jumped into the big hole and, after a few seconds of floating, I immediately landed on the ground. "Aaaahhh...!" "Whoa...!" Likewise, I caught Aeris, who had jumped into the hole. Next to her, Urza throws her hands up in a mysterious pose, and Nagisa, who is holding Monica like a princess, also comes down. "Now... from here on, let''s go according to the plan we''ve decided on beforehand." The first priority goal of this dungeon search is to find Leon Brave. The secondary goal is ''to raise Monica'' as an insurance hero. If Leon is dead, a new hero must be found as soon as possible. After all, there are events and items that can only be obtained by a brave man, and the sealing of the Demon King cannot be done by anyone other than the hero. Therefore, it was necessary for Monica to gain as much experience as possible and to increase her skill level. ''Buzzzz...'' ''Hissss...'' "Oh...here comes ''the fertilizer''... Just in time." Perhaps noticing our intrusion, a monster emerges from the depths of the dungeon. They were a grasshopper the size of a large dog and an ominous green serpent. The grasshopper was a "Soldier Locust" and the serpent was a "Green Tyrant". Both of them are enemies that appear around the middle of the game. "...Here comes the enemy. Monica, can you handle it?" "Y-yeah. I''m okay...!" "Okay then, let''s go! Nagisa!" "Understood!" Nagisa and I jumped out at the same time. I attack the soldier locust, and Nagisa attacks the Green Tyrant. "Controlled Attack! (ÊÖ¼Óœp¹¥“Ä)" "Peak strike! (·å´ò¤Á)!" ''Buzzzz!?'' ''Hissss!'' My sword crushes the giant grasshopper, and Nagisa''s sword cleaves the serpent''s body. Both Nagisa and I are already at the level of the latter half of the scenario. We should be able to kill an enemy of this caliber with a single blow. ''Bzzzz...!'' ''Hissss...!'' But... both of them are alive. No wonder. The techniques that Nagisa and I used were both designed to take it easy on our opponents so that we wouldn''t kill them. No matter how many times we hit them with these techniques, they never die. "I''ll cover for you. Power up, Rapid Foot!" Aeris activates her auxiliary magic. The target of the magic is not me and Nagisa who are fighting on the front line, but Monica who is protected by Urza in the rear. "Let''s do it! Monica!" "Uh...yes. Let''s go!" Monica steps forward and swings her serpentine sword. The whip-like blade strikes the monster, which is weakened by my controlled attack. ''Buzzzz!?'' The Soldier Locust, which was hit by the attack without being able to avoid it, falls down, and then stops moving. But the other Green Tyrant is not hit. She misses it. "One more time, go!" "Yes!" ''Hissss!?'' Monica swings her sword again. This time, her well-aimed blow hits the Green Tyrant, andit too falls down and stops moving. Monica''s shoulders rise and fall, and she looks at Aeris with a puzzled look on her face. "Umm... D-did I do it right?" "Yes. Monica-san, you did it!" Aeris patted Monica''s head and praised her. It was probably the first time she had experienced a real battle. Monica had won her first match with flying colors. "You are surprisingly good with your hands. Keep up the good work and attack at every opportunity. If you miss, it doesn''t matter, just make sure you don''t be hit by one of them." "Yes, I''ll do it! I''ll try my best!" Monica replies cheerfully, perhaps feeling more confident now that she has defeated the enemy. By the way, the strategy we had decided beforehand was that Nagisa and I would go to the front and weaken the monster with a moderate attack. When the monster is weakened, Monica with Aeris''s auxiliary magic will finish it off. As for Urza, she is Monica''s escort. She guards Monica from being attacked by the monster by using her ''Intimidate'' skill to draw the enemy to her. By the way, in the world of [DunBrave], the familiar RPG system of levels does not exist. Strength is determined by jobs and skills. Skills become more powerful as players use them over and over again, and combat skills are more easily improved by defeating enemies. Hitting an opponent is enough to increase the skill, but killing the enemy makes it easier to increase the skill. "Let''s keep on gaining experience. The way is... this way." As Melia had told me, there were bloodstains on the ground. It had darkened over time, but it led to the back of the dungeon. "I think we''re on the right path. Let''s go." "Yes! I''ll try my best!" "Ugh. I''m bored, desu~no... It''s unsatisfactory, desu~no..." Monica replies cheerfully, and Urza looks frustrated because she hasn''t done anything. Nagisa and Aeris follow, defending their assigned positions. Thus, with the four of us in tow, we continue on into the depths of the dungeon. CH 199 "Ei~! Hit it!" ''Pigyuuuuuu!'' The orange slime is destroyed by the serpentine sword wielded by Monica. The exploded slime melts into sludge and spreads on the ground, leaving only the ''core'' of the drop item. ''Squeakkkk!'' "Monica-chan, behind you!" Aeris shouted. A big bat comes at her from another direction. Monica turns around as if she herself was bounced, and manipulates her serpentine sword with a smooth movement. "Haaa!" With a snap of her wrist, the sword changes direction, and the sword is thrust into the bat''s forehead. The bat, which had been weakened beforehand, falls to the ground, twitches, and then stops moving. "I did it! We won!" The battle is over, and Monica jumps for joy. An hour has passed since we started exploring the dungeon. At first, Monica was nervous and her movements were stiff, but she was now able to fight with much more ease. She seems to have gotten used to using the Serpentine Sword, which was supposed to be difficult to handle, and now she rarely misses the target. And with Aeris''s auxiliary magic, she had become strong enough to defeat the enemies at this level by herself. "[Villager] can''t use magic or martial arts, but their growth rate is faster than other jobs... Still, this girl''s growth is a bit unusual..." I muttered in exasperation. Monica has a talent for fighting. No... to be frank, she had a sense of fighting that made me think she was a genius. She did not just attack the enemy in the dark, but she grasped the battle situation from a bird''s eye view and attacked with a clear judgment of which enemy to defeat first. It was hard to believe that this was the first time for her to dive into the dungeon today, but she did a remarkable job. "She is indeed descended from the lineage of a hero. Or perhaps because she is Leon''s sister? Anyway, I''m sure she can overtake the mob students of the Swords and Magic Academy by the end of the day." "That''s true, Monica-chan seems to have very good qualities. I''m sure she''ll become a great knight or adventurer in the future." "Hmm, I''d like to make her a student of Aomi Itto Ryu. Perhaps she is more gifted with the sword than Brave?" Aeris praises Monica with a smile. Nagisa nodded her head in admiration, jokingly. "Muu... I have a feeling that a powerful enemy is about to appear, desu~no" On the other hand, Urza''s lips were pouting in frustration. She looked at Monica with a wary look in her twinkling eyes, and for some reason was touching her breasts. "She is small and cute and has a talent for fighting. She''s a character similar to Urza, and she''s not to be underestimated... No way, Goshujin-sama''s "poor-breasted loli" slot has become a battleground, desu~no!" "I said, such a slot doesn''t exist in the first place! And you two don''t even have the same characters!" "Agh!" I hit Urza''s head hard. Since the demon, Miura Agares appears. Urza seems to be very wary of a little girl like Monica, who appears without a pause. But even if Miura is a legal loli, Monica is a child. There is no way I would touch her. "Onii-san, I''ve retrieved the drop items! Can you put them in the bag over here?" Monica comes running up to me, having retrieved the slime nucleus. She looks like a little puppy dog. I can almost see her tail buzzing and wagging wildly on her hips. A little while ago, Monica started calling me "Onii-san" or something like that. She calls Leon "Onii-chan," by the way. "Yeah, that''s fine. But still... you seem to be very lively. Do you know where we are?" "Yes, of course! I know we''re in a dungeon... but I feel strangely light and very easy to move! It''s as if I have wings on my back!" "Well... instead of being scared, your reaction is encouraging. Enjoy your adventures, but don''t forget what you''re here for, okay?" "Yes, I know! I''ll save Leon-oniichan!" Monica grips the handle of the serpentine sword with both hands and says, "Mnh!". She really puts her mind to it. But still, she really has changed a lot. Yesterday she was in tears because she was afraid that her brother had died, but since she started to dive and fight in the dungeon, she has been as energetic as a fish out of water. "Come on, keep moving! Let''s keep on going and killing the monsters!" "...finding vitality in battle... Maybe this is the talent of a hero, huh?" But it''s much better than whimpering. After that, we continue to walk deeper and deeper into the dungeon, not resisting Monica who pulls me by the arm. CH 200 We continued through the dungeon and arrived at an open space. The space was about the size of a gymnasium. The floor was lined with numerous panels with patterns similar to arrows, and at the far end of the room, we could see a door leading to the next floor. There is also a staircase next to the entrance, which seems to lead to the basement. "Oh, we have arrived at the first gate!" ''The Abyss of Alteriore'' is a dungeon with a riddle to solve. This is the first room to solve a riddle. "What is this floor? What''s with the strange shape?" Nagisa looked around the big room with alarm. There were no monsters, no treasure chests... At first glance, there was nothing in the room but a door and a staircase, but the panels on the floor had a strange presence. Yes... this was the room with the ''moving floor'' trap that appears in many games and manga, including Doraemon. If the player gets on this panel, he or she is swept away in the direction of the arrow, and cannot move at all while moving. If the player gets on the correct panel, he or she can reach the goal, but if he or she gets on the wrong panel, he or she will fall into a pit... such is the structure of the trap room. "Hmm... I''m not good at using my head. Where do I start to get to the door? "No, this is the first riddle. It''s not that hard. First look at the goal panel and follow the arrows backward to the starting point..." "Then, here it is, desu~no" "Ei~!" "Ah!" Urza and Monica were on the panel before I could finish explaining. "Whoa! Don''t get on the panel by yourself! ""Aaaahhhhhhhh!?"" I reached out for them in a panic, but I couldn''t grab them. Their tiny bodies were being swept away in the direction of the arrows on the panel. Faster than I had imagined. "Fast, it''s so fast, desu~no!" "Whoaaaaa! This is kind of fun!" The girls were moving around the room, unable to resist the direction of the arrows, but they seemed to feel comfortable with the situation. Like children riding a roller coaster for the first time, they reacted in the same way. "Goshujin-sama! How do we stop this, desu~no!?" "No, it won''t stop until it reaches the goal... Ah..." "Hyuuwaaaaaaaaaa!?" Urza falls into the pit at the end of the line. She screamed like a Doppler effect... and then the sound of water sloshing was heard. "Ahhhhhhhh! I''m soakedddd!" A soaking-wet Urza came running up the stairs leading to the basement. There was a small pool under the pit, and if she fell in, she would be damaged by water. "Aaaa... I''m so slippery and naughty now, desu~no... This is a service cut, because it reveals the unevenness of my body, desu~no..." "What''s uneven about your body? More importantly, Monica..." "Whoaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" When I looked in the direction of the high-pitched voice, I saw that Monica was still moving on the panel. Monica is moving at high speed through the room... but there is a pit in the direction she is moving. At this rate, Monica would also fall down. She would fall down and take water damage from the pool. "That''s not good...!" It is good that Urza is tough, but Monica is still inexperienced. Even damage from traps can be fatal. "Monica!" "Monica-chan!" I and Aeris shouted. But... Monica, on the other hand, swung her right hand while being swept away by the panel. Her right hand released a serpentine sword. The blade, connected to a wire, extends with great force and thrusts into the ceiling. "Eii~!" Monica''s body flies through the air. Leaning on the sword stuck in the ceiling, she leaps into the air like an American hero in the shape of a spider. "Hyannn!" Monica, who had taken a huge leap, falls on her back to the floor. Although she fell down awkwardly, she made it to the goal point, which is right next to the door. "I-I made it... Ahh, that was so much fun and scary..." "Hey, hey, are you kidding me?" Is she getting some kind of blessing or something? It''s like hook shots from The Legend of Zelda, not Doraemon. Seriously, Monica arrives at the finish line absurdly, and I drop my shoulders. "I see, so that''s how we''re going to get there!" On the other hand, Nagisa nodded her head in admiration. A bad premonition runs through my mind. Before I can call out to her to stop her, she starts to move. "Here we go!" Nagisa jumps, kicking the floor and leaping over a few tiles. She pulls out her sword and points it downwards. "Aomi Itto-ryu¨Dfreeze wave!" A blue slash is released from Nagisa''s sword. A rippling water-like effect is released, and the impact lifts Nagisa''s body. "Haa!" The force of the slash lifts her up, and she pulls another sword from her waist. This is the dagger she uses to dismantle monsters. Nagisa thrust the dagger into the ceiling and, using the strength of her arms and the spring in her body, flew to the goal. "Well... I guess I made it too!" Nagisa did not fall down as badly as Monica did, but landed on both feet with flying colors. Not once did she step on a panel... completely ignoring the purpose of the traps set up in this room. "Urza is going too, desu~no! Whoaaaaaaaaaaaa!?" Once again, Urza jumps on the appropriate panel and falls down the pit. The sound of water came from underground. She falls down, comes up, and jumps on the panel again. It''s a pushy strategy, like a child who doesn''t understand the rules of the game. "...Use your heads a little. You guys." I stand there at a loss as my friends try to solve the puzzle in a way that has nothing to do with solving the puzzle. I don''t know why... it''s not my fault, but I''m starting to feel a bit empty. "Well, uh... that panel goes this way, and this panel goes that way..." In such a situation, only Aeris can solve the puzzle properly. She calculated the direction and order of the panels and figured out where to get on to reach the goal. Seeing her solving the puzzle as the dungeon creator had intended, I was so moved that I hugged Aeris. "Aeris! I knew you would do it!" "Kyaa! All of a sudden, we can''t do it here, you know...!" Aeris squeals happily and wriggles her plump body in my arms. CH 201 The first riddle, a moving floor trap, was solved. But it was solved with a very unusual strategy. Monica and Nagisa used brute force. Urza absurdly rode the panels and finally reached the goal on the tenth attempt. Only Aeris and I managed to solve the riddle properly and reach the door. Thanks to this, a strange feeling of emptiness welled up in my chest. "Well... now that we have successfully solved the first problem, is Leon really beyond this path?" I murmur the question that suddenly pops into my head as I take a break to dry Urza''s soaked clothes. So far, we have been following the traces of blood and footprints left here and there in the dungeon. This dungeon has just been discovered and has not yet been explored. If there are any traces, they belong to Leon, or to the enemy named Bolfedusa who fell in with Leon. "Is it really Leon''s trail that we''re after...? Maybe we''re going in the wrong direction." "Don''t worry, Goshujin-sama. I''m sure that the ''ball-less'' is down this way, desu~no." "Urza?" Urza, who was soaking wet and naked, assured me. Now, Urza is hanging her wet equipment with a rope and drying it with a magic item that looks like a hair dryer. "I think there''s a blonde ''ball-less'' at the other end, desu~no. Don''t worry, desu~no." "By ''ball-less''... do you mean Leon?" I glanced over at Monica. Monica was lying down a little ways away, resting. Aeris was sitting on her knees, putting Monica on her lap, and helping her to sleep. Two hours have already passed since we entered the dungeon. Monica seemed to be fighting energetically, but she must be tired from the long battle. Her small body was slowly moving up and down, and I could hear her soft sleeping breath. "Leon isn''t ''ball-less'' yet... No, if he is, it''s your fault." I remember when Urza kicked Leon in the groin, and I shuddered. "More importantly... how do you know Leon is down there? Do you have any evidence?" "I can smell that man''s blood from up ahead, desu~no. I''m sure of it." "You can... smell blood?" She''s not even a dog. How can she track him by the scent of his blood? "Aside from other scents... Oni race like me is sensitive to the scent of blood, desu~no. Once we smell the scent of blood we won''t forget it until we kill them." "You live like a killer or a killer bear. But... well, he''s up ahead." Of course, we''re here to find Leon, so that''s not a problem. That''s all well and good, but... why is Leon heading deeper into the dungeon? Is he going to the entrance and mistakenly going to the back? Or...is it that Bolfedusa is holding Leon and dragging him forcibly toward the end of the dungeon? Neither Leon nor Bolfedusa''s body has been found. Even if they had been eaten by monsters, there should have been at least some bones left. "Onii-san, should we get going?" "Hmm..." Monica came to me as I was pondering this. She had been sleeping on Aeris''s lap until a few minutes ago, but she seemed to have recovered enough from her fatigue. Her eyes were shining and her skin was glowing. "Ah, my clothes are already dry. I''m ready anytime, desu~no." Urza''s soaked clothes seemed to have dried. She then quickly puts on her equipment on top of her underwear. "Okay then, let''s go!" I get up and look toward the back of the dungeon. I don''t know what Leon''s purpose is in the dungeon. Perhaps, there is a possibility that something terrible awaits us ahead. But... whatever is waiting for us, there is no turning back. And whether or not Leon Brave is ball-less, this world still needs a hero. CH 202 After that, we continued to move deeper into the dungeon. We encountered many monsters along the way, but we were able to defeat them without any difficulty. The monsters in this dungeon are much weaker than we are now. Even when we went deeper into the dungeon, their strength did not change that much. Instead, it is our strength that changes. In other words, Monica''s fighting ability. "Eii~! Aaa!" Monica''s serpentine sword slashes through the giant fly. The fly crashes down and sinks to the ground. Monica jumps up and stomps on the head of the fly, finishing it off. "Whew, I got it!" Monica raised her right hand cheerfully. As the battle went on, Monica''s strength became more and more sharp. She had been a plain village girl, but now she was a full-fledged swordsman wielding a serpentine sword. Seeing Monica slaying monsters with her whip-like blade, no one would think that she is diving into a dungeon for the first time today. Already Monica''s fighting skills had moved beyond the beginner''s level, and she was able to fight reasonably well without our overprotective support. "Huh?" After the battle, Monica suddenly stops moving. She suddenly stands still and puts her left hand on her head. "Is something wrong, Monica?" Aeris notices something wrong with Monica and rushes over to her. "If you are hurt, I can help you... is there anything that hurts?" "No, there is no pain anywhere... What is it? Suddenly I heard voices in my head..." "Voices? Maybe...?" Aeris turned her head toward me. I nodded back at her. "It seems you can change your class now." Class change. It is a way to change to a higher level of occupation by meeting certain conditions. A novice ''monk'' can change his class to ''saint'' or ''saintess'' by improving his/her skill in [healing magic] or [support magic] to a certain level. Although there are various conditions for class change... the condition for a ''villager (civilian)'' to change class was to raise the sum of the three skills he/she has mastered to ''50'' or more. ¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D Monica Brave Job: Villager (Civilian) Class change available! Skills Swordsmanship 15 Cleaning 32 Hero''s Blood 3 ¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D That is the reason why she didn''t removed [cleaning], which is not a combat skill, and did not let her learn a new skill. I told her to kept [cleaning], which was the highest skill from the beginning, because I wanted her proficiency total to be more than ''50''. "Listen to the voice in your head. It is the oracle of the goddess." "An oracle...?" Yes, an oracle. When the conditions for class change are met, the voice in one''s head will tell one which job one can change to. Of course, in the game, the oracle is not a vague expression, but a text that appears on the screen. "When it comes to oracles, something about them makes you feel bad... but anyway, what is that voice echoing in your head saying?" "Uhh... I can change my occupation to ''warrior'', ''sorcerer'', ''priest'', ''thief'', ''fighter''. And ''maid'' and ''War Maiden (Valkyrie)''? "War Maiden (Valkyrie)?" I know the first five professions. They are called ''the five basic occupations'', and they are the occupations that always appear in the choices when a ''villager'' changes their class. The problem is the remaining two special professions. These are the professions that have emerged based on the current skill structure and Monica''s own qualities. The ''maid'' came up because of her high [cleaning] skill... But ''War Maiden (Valkyrie)''?" "Hmm... I''ve never heard of this profession. Do you know it, my Lord?" Nagisa, who was listening to the conversation next to me, asks. Urza and Aeris looked at me curiously. "No... I have never heard of such a job too." Yes... never heard of it. I''ve played the game more than a dozen times, and I''m sure I''ve conquered all the additional scenarios, but I''ve never heard of such a job. Of course, I know what the word means. It is a word that often appears in games and manga. It may be a job named after a goddess in Norse mythology, but such a job did not appear in [DunBrave]. "So it''s an original job only for Monica... That''s interesting." In the game, Monica is an unfortunate heroine who is captured by Zenon Baskerville and is played with as he pleases. She never joins the group and never participates in battle. But as a member of a lineage of heroes and Leon''s little sister, I have seen Monica''s high potential many times in this exploration... However, it is surprising that she can learn her own original occupation. "Uhh... Which one should I choose? A warrior or something like that?" "No, if possible, I''d like you to choose ''War Maiden (Valkyrie)'' here." I told Monica, who seemed to be having a hard time deciding. Like my ''Dark Lord'' and Leon''s ''Hero'', there are many powerful original occupations that only a specific character can take on. Monica''s ''War Maiden (Valkyrie)'' must be one of them. At least, it is not weaker than the other five basic professions. "Of course, I don''t mean to force you. If you don''t like it, choose something else." But... that''s my choice. Monica''s life depends on it. There is a way to choose another job, but it would take time and effort. If Monica had to choose another job, I had no right to force her to do so. "Oh, yeah. I get it. I''d like to be a ''War Maiden (Valkyrie)''..." "Oh?" But Monica chose the ''War Maiden (Valkyrie)'' without hesitation. It was a decision that could affect her life. She made her decision as casually as if she were choosing a menu item at a regular job. "Wow!" Monica''s body is enveloped in a white light. When she checked her status on the item, she found that her job had changed to "War Maiden (Valkyrie)". "Hey, hey, hey... are you sure about this?" "Am I sure? Yes, I''m sure. Because that''s what Onii-san wants me to do, right?" "Well, yeah, but..." "You know, when I met you, Onii-san, you didn''t seem like a stranger to me." Monica looked into my face with her almond-shaped eyes. "I was scared at first. But then I remembered the time Onii-san saved me and I got nervous and couldn''t sleep. Being in the dark basement with Onii-san... it feels like this has happened to me before." "......!" Together in the cellar. That would be when I rescued Monica from the clutches of a corrupt aristocrat... but there''s another, more pertinent situation. There is another situation that is relevant... the event in "DunBrave 2" where I... or rather Zenon Baskerville kidnaps Monica and her mother, and trains them in the basement. Monica, who is not a Priestess, should not be able to foresee this... "What does this mean? Perhaps, memories of a past life?" "...Don''t worry about it. At least for now." I shook my head slowly and put the question on hold. Anyway, Monica has changed her class from ''villager'' to ''war maiden (Valkyrie)''. What kind of changes have occurred with the change of class... will be revealed soon. CH 203 The first battle broke out soon after Monica changed her class. It was a big centipede monster. An insect-shaped monster called ''Poison Chain'' appeared. "Ei~!" ''Screeech!?'' Monica swung her serpentine sword, which sliced through the centipede''s body. Although it was an insect-shaped monster with a hard shell, Monica''s sword hit the soft parts of the joints precisely. ''Screech! Screech!'' "Nggh! You''re too slow!" Poison Chain bites at her in agony, but Monica evades with a light backstep and swings her serpentine sword again. Evade. Attack. Evade. Attack. Attack. Evade. Attack. Attack. Attack. Evade. And then, attack again. She was fighting well. If it was only one enemy, she was able to defeat it by herself without any help from me or Nagisa. Of course, she would have had a harder time without Aeris''s support magic... but still, she would not have lost the battle. Nevertheless, she was able to fight with such a comfortable margin. "...That''s amazing. I thought she had a good sense, but now that she has changed her class, her movements have been refined." "Yes, her movements are very sophisticated...to be honest, if you ask me if I could move like that when I was her age, it would be difficult." Nagisa agreed with my comment. Perhaps it''s her hero blood, or perhaps it''s the effect of her new job as a ''War Maiden (Valkyrie)''... Monica is clearly able to move and fight far beyond her age. Of course, she is far behind me, Nagisa, Urza and others at this point, but she may have surpassed us in terms of potential. "It''s really a golden egg. Like a cat turned into a lion." "O-Onii-san! It''s done!" The battle is over. Monica returns to us after deftly dismantling the big centipede with her serpentine sword. Monica, who had a big smile on her young face, did not have any noticeable wounds. Her forehead was sweating, but she was unharmed. "Well done... no, it was really amazingly brilliant." "Yay, I''m being praised." Monica jumps up and down. It''s an innocent, childish gesture. It''s so adorable. Come to think of it... I''ve been surrounded by age-disguised-looking Loli like Urza, but this may be the first time I''ve come in contact with a genuinely little girl. I''ve met a few little girls who were mob characters in quests and events... but they all either ran away or cried when they saw my evil face. "Maybe it''s rare to find a loli who isn''t afraid of me... Though I''m not saying that''s a problem." I shook my head slowly and took some items out of my bag and handed them to Monica. "...What''s this, Onii-san?" "It''s a skill orb. You can use it." What I handed her was an item necessary to learn a skill... in other words, a skill orb. After a few times of fighting with monsters, I could get a rough idea of the job of the ''War Maiden (Valkyrie)''. Based on her fighting style, I select some useful skills and give it to her. "I don''t know the job of ''war maidens (valkryie)''. So I don''t know what skills You''re good at. The skill orbs I just gave you are duplicates of the ones I already have, so I don''t care if they go to waste. Learn them." Monica''s job¡ª''War Maiden (valkryie)''¡ªis a special job that did not appear in the game. In other words, even I, a serious gamer, don''t know the information about it. Since I did not know what kind of skills she needed to acquire to be useful, I could not help but train her. But... she will surely get stronger. If I am right, ''War Maiden (valkryie)'' is a job comparable to Leon''s ''Hero'' and my ''Dark Lord''. If I train her, she might be the one of the arrows that can shoot through the heart of the Demon King. "Yes! Thank you, Onii-san!" "Mmm..." Monica hugged me. She smiled like the sun. A pure face, not a hint of flirtation. "You know, Monica love Zenon-oniisan second only to Leon-onii-chan!" "I see... that''s good." "Yes!" "......" I could only flinch and scowl at the straightforwardness of her favor. "Hey... Everyone, look at this. Monica has a woman''s face, doesn''t she?" "Oh, a new enemy. She''s going to be a powerful enemy." "Gasp... She looks tough... Another loli other than Urza, desu~no" Seeing us, Aeris, Nagisa, and Urza were shivering, sensing the arrival of a new rising star. CH 204 ¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D Monica Brave Job: Valkyrie Skills: Swordsmanship 19 Cleaning 32 Hero''s Blood 7 Light Magic 2 Physical Strengthening 3 Magic Enhancement 2 ¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D¨D Through the dungeon, Monica has been growing up. Among the skills she has acquired, ''Light Magic'' was learned when she changed her class. The ''Physical Strengthening'' and ''Magic Enhancement'' were learned with skill orbs. From the way Monica fights, it seems that ''War Maiden (Valkyrie)'' is similar to ''Magic Swordsman (Rune Knight)''. She is a bit more of a swordsman, but her fighting style is similar to Leon''s before the class change. The skills that buff physical and magical abilities will not become useless. "You are really a backward compatibility with Hero... for better or worse." Since she has the most necessary skill for a hero, ''Hero''s Blood'', I feel that I don''t need Leon anymore. Of course... I would be sorry to Monica who is looking for her brother and to my friends who are worried about Leon''s situation if I say that I don''t need him. "Onii-san, how far does this dungeon go?" "Well... I know what''s at the bottom, but I don''t know why Leon and the Four Heavenly Kings are moving on..." At the bottom of this dungeon, there are only the ''cores'' that created the dungeon and the reward items. Although they were valuable items in their own right... it was hard to believe that Leon and the Four Heavenly Kings were moving forward in the dungeon in search of them. "Anyway... fortunately for us, I know most of the tricks in this dungeon. We should be able to catch up with him eventually." It''s all or nothing... but once we catch up with them, we''ll know what they want. Whether the demon or the snake would appear... there was no choice but to move forward. "Soon we will reach the deepest part of the dungeon. You''ll get your answers soon enough." I patted Monica''s head lightly and continued down the stone corridor. We had to fight monsters a few times but they were not very strong. Rather, they were just fertilizer for Monica. And before long, we arrived at a spacious room. The floor of the room was again covered with numerous panels. What was different from the last time was that the panels were painted not with arrows but with patterns that might represent animals. "Another puzzle, desu~no? I don''t understand." Urza is the first to throw up her hands when she sees the structure of the room. She gave up too soon. She really is a muscle-brained girl. "The trail... leads to the back of the room. The door is closed, but..." Nagisa checks the floor and walls of the room and tilts her head, "Hmm?" But when she tries to step out of the room unprotected... "Ah!" Nagisa''s figure disappears. In an instant, she was gone without a trace. "Nagisa-san!?" "She''s gone! It''s like an illusion, desu~no!" Aeris and Urza shouted in surprise. They looked left and right for the missing Nagisa, but in fact, she was standing behind us. "This is... Why am I at the entrance of the room...?" "Whoaa! Why are you behind me!?" Monica jumps in surprise at Nagisa''s sudden movement. But then, I explain the mechanism of this room to Monica as she clings to my coat for some reason. "In this room, if you don''t step on the panels in a certain order, you will be sent back to the entrance of the room." "In a certain order...?" Nagisa squints her eyes and stares at the panels on the floor. "Hmm... are those animals on the panel? This is a rat. This is a dog. And this figure over here... is it a monkey?" "There seem to be twelve different panels. But I don''t see my favorite cat." "Onii-san, there are some animals I''ve never seen before. Is this a dragon?" Aeris tilted her head in disappointment. Monica also looked disappointed and groaned with a difficult expression on her face. Both of them were thinking hard, trying to solve the puzzle. On the other hand, Urza seemed to have given up from the beginning and was munching on a piece of dried meat from her portable rations. Presumably, they will never figure it out, no matter how much they think about it. After all, this room is designed for game players...in other words, Japanese people. But... "Ah... Could it be...!?" Nagisa''s eyes widened. Yes... Nagisa is the only one in this group who has the basic knowledge to solve the mystery, except me. As a native of Zipangu... a country modeled after Japan, Nagisa should be able to solve it. "Twelve different animals... Uhhh. It''s a zodiac!" Nagisa finds the answer. That''s great. The twelve animals are depicted on the twelve panels covering the floor. In other words, they are the ''twelve signs of the zodiac." If one does step on the panels in the order of the zodiac signs, he/she will not be returned to the entrance of the starting point of the room. "In other words, we have to step on the floor in the order of the zodiac signs, huh? I guess it was rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig, right!? Isn''t that right!?" "Yes, that''s right. From there, I don''t need to explain anything else." "Well, then, let me take the lead!" Nagisa stepped out again and got on the panel on the floor. She stepped on the panel with the picture of a rat on it. This time she was not shifted. "Next is the Ox. Then the tiger..." Nagisa stepped on each panel in turn, and the others followed her. Once they realized that these were the twelve signs of the zodiac, the puzzle was as good as solved. After a few minutes, we reach the door at the end of the room. Everyone has reached the goal, and Aeris opens her mouth, her heart pounding in her chest. "Geez... it''s a very tricky dungeon that only the Zipangu people can solve it. But how did Zenon-sama know about it? "...well, because it''s me..." "As expected of Goshujin-sama! Not only strong and cool but also erudite, desu~no! A man of both literary and military prowess, desu~no!" Urza praised me. I know this because of my knowledge of games. But when she praises me that much, I feel awkward instead. "Onii-chan is just down the road... But, why are they going so deep?" Monica''s lips pout in disbelief. It is a question we all have. We''ve followed blood trails and footprints all the way here, but... really, why would Leon or the heavenly king be so deep in the dungeon? "And why, too...? How did they manage to solve the mystery of this room in the first place?" Thinking about it again... it doesn''t make sense. This room is a riddle that cannot be solved without the unique Japanese knowledge of the ''twelve signs of the Chinese zodiac''. Not only Leon but also the four heavenly kings, Bolfeduda, would not have such knowledge. "I smell... mystery and intrigue..." The further we advance through the dungeon, the more disturbing the atmosphere becomes, instead of solving the puzzle. Still... there''s nothing else we can do but continue on through the dungeon. I slowly shake my head and open the door that leads to the lower floor. CH 205 After that, we proceeded through the dungeon, solving the puzzles quickly and easily, and finally entered the bottom floor. The trail has continued uninterruptedly up to this point. In other words, we can be sure that the person we are looking for is just ahead of us. "It''s worrisome that we seem to be lured in... but at any rate, we won''t let them escape now. We''ll get him." Whether it''s Leon or Bolfeduda, they''ve made me go through all this trouble. So I''m not going to let them get away with it for free. Or rather, I had to beat them to death. "Leon-oniichan''s up there!" "We don''t know he''s alive, desu~no. Don''t get your hopes up, desu~no." "Ahh..." Monica''s shoulders drop dejectedly at Urza''s words. Aeris pats Monica''s head in distress and calms the weeping girl down. "Urza-san, don''t bully her too much." "I''m not bullying her, desu~no. I''m just telling the truth, desu~no." "But still. Urza-san is the older sister. You shouldn''t bully children." "Mou..." Urza''s lips pouted sulkily at Aeris who was gently reminding her. Because of her appearance, it is easy to forget that Urza is the oldest of the group. It was a funny sight to see Aeris lecturing her. Anyway, we had a few battles along the way, but we still managed to conquer them without any danger and proceeded onward. Now, we arrived at the deepest part of the dungeon, where the core of the dungeon, and the boss monster that protects it are located. "This is...!" But when we entered the boss room, we saw an unexpected sight. A collapsed boss monster and the figure of a man standing by its side. "Ggh... a human, huh? Have you been following me?" "...Is that you? Bolfeduda!" Standing covered in blood next to the boss monster is the martial fighter of the Demon King Army''s Four Heavenly Kings¨DBolfeduda. He is a demon with bright red skin and flaming hair and stares at me with blue phosphorescent eyes. "Onii-chan!?" And then...Bolfeduda is carrying the body of a man on his shoulders. It was Leon Brave, the man we had been looking for. From a distance, I can see that Leon is still breathing, breathing softly. "He''s alive... we''re lucky. Well, I guess I can''t say that, can I?" "Onii-chan! Please wait, Leon-oniichan!" "Monica-san! Don''t get too close!" Aeris holds Monica as she tries to run to him. She should not have jumped into the other''s arms under such circumstances. Even though Monica is getting stronger, the opponent is one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon Army. He is one of the best fighters among the best fighters in the world, and he is especially skilled in combat. "Still... you look so weak. Are you injured from Leon''s attack?" Bolfeduda is covered in blood. Partly because he was covered in the blood of the boss monster he had killed, but also because he was covered in his own blood. Was he beaten by Leon or by the boss monster? Either way, he must have been wounded to the bone. "You followed me here... is this man your friend''s hero?" "He''s not one of us. But... let''s have him back! He''s a man who''s ''necessary'' to this world!" "I won''t let you! Ngghh!" I draw my sword and try to slash at the man in front of me. But... just a fraction of a second later, Bolfeduda smashes the ground as hard as he can. Instantly, a pillar of fire rises from the broken ground, cutting the room in two. "Flames...!" A blazing fire blocked our way. Behind the flames, Bolfeduda turns his back and runs to the room behind the boss''s room. There must be an item in that room, a reward for defeating the boss. A valuable item, no doubt... but I could not figure out why Bolfeduda was heading there. "Get back, my Lord! Namikiri Fudo!" Nagisa stepped forward and drew her sword. A blue aura gushed from the blade. A watery slash slices through the flames. "Onii-chan...!" "Monica-san!?" As soon as the flames split open and a path was formed, Monica leaped forward. Without hesitation, she runs through the path, which is flanked by flames on both sides, and chases after the enemy, who has left with Leon in his arms. "That''s a great move...! As I thought, she''s Leon''s sister!" But for now, I run after Monica. She''s just as reckless as Leon, taking off when it''s not even a little safe to do so. "Don''t go alone! I''ll take care of it!" "No! I have to save Onii-chan...!" "Ahh, d*mn it! I told you to wait!" Somehow I managed to catch up with Monica and jumped into the small room at the back, where the Bolfeduda had gone in. When Monica and I enter the small room at the same time... there stands Bolfeduda, and Leon is lying on the floor. The room is the heart of the dungeon. It was the room where something called the ''dungeon core'' was kept. The dungeon core is literally the ''core'' of the dungeon. It was supposed to collapse the dungeon if it was destroyed... but in the game, it is an indestructible decorative object, not a concrete thing that can do anything. In this room, too, the treasure chest in front of the dungeon core was more important to the player than the dungeon core. "We''ve got you cornered! Give Leon back!" "Give me back Onii-chan! You monster!" "Kukuku... it''s too late. The preparations are already made. Now there will be no more heroes in this world...!" Bolfeduda shakes his shoulders and laughs. Already covered in blood, the man is half-dead. He could have collapsed at any moment, but he has a smile on his face. "We, the demon tribe, are victorious! Long live the Demon King!" "Shadow Javelin!" The spear of shadow from my hand pierces into Bolfeduda''s chest. But... Bolfeduda''s right hand has already touched the dungeon core, and the core glows red, emitting a high-temperature heat. "Gggghhhhhhhhhhhh!" The next moment, Leon''s body, which had been lying on the floor, jumps. He twitched and jerked repeatedly, as if he were being subjected to a high-voltage electric current. "Leon-oniichan!?" "Wait! Get away from him!" Monica tries to run to him... but I sense an evil aura from Leon, and I grab her shoulder to stop her. Immediately after that, the aura I felt became stronger, and Leon''s body burst from the inside. "Aaaah, AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" A creature emerges with four thick, white-scaled arms and legs, all covered in scales, extending from within his body. Then, a reptilian head emerges from a head that is split in two. The mouth, averted to the ear, is full of ferocious fangs, and a split serpent''s tongue lolls out. "ROARRRRRRRRRRRRRR!" "O-Oniichan...?" Leon howls at the ceiling. Monica was stunned and fell to her knees, calling her brother''s name in a trembling voice. Leon does not respond to his sister''s call, but instead clicks his upper and lower fangs together. His bright red eyes are filled with a deep desire to kill. Without a trace of violence, an unmixed aura of violence was emitted toward us. "With this, mankind is finished... I''ve done my job..." Bolfeduda collapses beside the dungeon core... but I have no time to worry about that. "ROARRRRRRRRRRRRRR!" Because the thing that had been Leon jumped at us. I quickly ready my sword and charged at the man I once called my enemy. CH 206 "O-onii-chan! It can''t be true, Onii-chan!" "Get back, Monica!" I grab Monica''s shoulders and throw her to the back of the room with all my might. "Hmph!" "Roar!" The one who used to be Leon roars. He comes at me with his sword. But I was able to block the attack with my right sword. "Tsk... this guy is using a sword! And this power...!" "Roarrr!" "Ggh...!" I was pushed away by his tremendous physical strength and blown to the entrance of the room. However, I did not have a roll on the floor. Instead, I brace myself in the air and land on the ground. At the same time, I activate my magic. "Shadow Edge!" My jet black blade is hurled at Leon. The blade, filled with dark magic, tries to cut Leon''s face, but just before it does, a white shield appears in front of him. "Roar! Roarrr!" "White shield! This guy can even cast spells!?" What Leon cast was a light-attribute defensive spell. And this light-attribute shield, which is the opposite of the dark-attribute shield, cancels out my jet-black blade. "Swordsmanship and magic... this guy has inherited Leon''s abilities even in this form!?" Hmm? I seem to remember something. Leon''s current form... it looks a lot like the monster called ''Lycanthrope'' that appeared in the game. Lycanthropes were monsters born when adventurers who collapsed in a dungeon were contaminated by the dungeon''s magical power. The monster has no reason and attacks other adventurers. Since the monster inherits the strength of its predecessor, the more powerful the person who became a monster, the more troublesome the monster becomes. "Leon was turned into a monster by the dungeon core... is that what''s happening?" Indeed, dungeons are breeding grounds for monsters. The core, the centre of the dungeon, has the power to create monsters. But... I didn''t know it was possible to turn a human into a monster. That was not even supposed to be in the game. And if it wasn''t in the game, I didn''t know how to deal with it. Nor did I know how to change Leon back to his original form. "Tsk... this is the worst!" "ROARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!" I contorted my face as much as I could as I fought back against Leon slashing at me with his sword. I had dived into the ''Abyss of Alteriore'' to save Leon, but somehow I ended up fighting Leon. What kind of fate could have brought us to such an event? "Onii-chan, Onii-chan...!" "ROARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!" Monica shouted desperately, but Leon did not react. Maybe he has no ego left as a human being. "Tsk... I don''t know what to do..." I had to make a choice. To kill Leon, the monster, or not to kill him. If I chose to be compassionate, I should keep him alive and find a way to save him. After all, Leon is Monica''s brother. He was the main character in the game I loved. We were never close, but we helped each other and competed with each other. But Leon is a hero. His strength is extraordinary. "His strength and speed have surpassed those of the last time we fought. Has he become stronger as a monster?" Seriously, he''s not an easy opponent to take alive. Then there is only one thing to do. "I will kill him... So don''t blame me!" I don''t want to kill him aggressively, but I will crush him with all my might. But when I do, I hope he lives, if possible. Even though I had no idea what I was talking about... that''s what I was going to do. "Grr...!" Perhaps sensing the seriousness of my murderous intent, Leon backed away as if frightened. He shows a slightly frightened behaviour... but his eyes are still filled with the will to kill and the will to fight. It seems he has no intention of stopping fighting. "I''m going to decide right now! Overlimit¡ª" I was about to invoke Overlimit, but I couldn''t finish the sentence. After all, a thin membrane sphere like a water bubble suddenly enveloped my surroundings. "Aaaahh!" "What is this!?" I saw that not only me but also Aeris, Urza, Nagisa, and Monica were also covered by the membrane. "Roar!" Not only us, but Leon was also trapped in the sphere. Leon hits the thin membrane with his sword, but it doesn''t seem to break at all. It may look thin, but it seems to be as strong as steel. "It can''t be...!? A dungeon escape device. Is it a safety feature!?" I once saw something similar in a video game. It is an escape mechanism to let people out of the dungeon when the dungeon is destroyed. It was supposed to be activated when the dungeon core was destroyed and the dungeon started to collapse... "No way...!" "Kuku..." When I looked at the dungeon core, I saw that the four heavenly kings of the Demon King Army¨DBolfeduda had thrust a dagger into the dungeon core. The fierce general of the demon king smiles at me, then vomits blood from his mouth, and this time he dies. "He''s still alive...!? What a mess!" The dungeon''s safety system envelops us in a thin membrane barrier... but the landscape around us changes dramatically. Our vision changes, and what appears before us is a pile of rubble and many people passing through it. We have been teleported outside the dungeon to the trading city of Alteriore. "Aaaaahhh!" "What!? Baskerville-san, where are you coming from!?" "You guys...!?" Ciel was on her butt and Melia was biting a piece of bread near us. Both of them were staring at us in surprise. "You seem to have been blown outside... And what''s going on?" "For the time being, it seems that everyone is safe..." Nagisa and Aeris looked around and tilted their heads. Urza and Monica are a little further away. All of them seem to be safe. But... "Leon...!?" "Grrrrrrrrrrrrr...!" Leon, who had also been teleported from the deepest part of the dungeon, was above our heads. He flapped his wings on his back and flew through the air, looking down on us. "That... No way, that''s a lie?" "Could it be... that''s Leon-san!?" Ciel and Melia are also astonished. A friend who has changed. It is only natural to be shocked at the sight of a man with whom they had shared many hardships and even had affection for. "ROARRRRRRRR...!" "It''s not good... it''s a magic attack!" "Onii-chan! Stop!" A white magic circle appears behind Leon. It''s a sign that an advanced light magic is about to be activated. Still, Monica''s voice doesn''t reach him. I tried to counteract it by casting a dark magic, but Leon activated his magic first. There''s no time to stop now. "Get down! Everyone, take cover...!" "ROARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!" A scream was followed by a roar. Then, arrows of light rain rain down from above our heads. Numerous explosions erupt, blowing away the debris and sending up a curtain of dust. Light Advanced Magic¨DInnocent Stardust Leon unleashed a powerful magic, and merciless destruction rained down on the surrounding area. CH 207 "It''s screwed up... even for a man like me, this is pathetic." I move the debris off of my body. Leon''s advanced magic has caused a storm of destruction around the entrance to the dungeon. I tried to counteract it by shooting dark magic as soon as I could, but... I didn''t have enough time to hold it. The magic that I had released with insufficient chanting could not cancel Leon''s blow, and could only kill the momentum slightly. "Hey, you guys! Are you alive!?" "No problem. Looks like you''re all right, my Lord." "Zenon-sama! Are you all right!?" Soon the voices of Nagisa and Aeris come back to me. Nagisa was buried in the debris as I was, but she did not seem to be injured. She was brushing off dust and sand from her clothes. Aeris is protecting herself with a white barrier using barrier techniques. Behind Aeris is Monica, who is being held by Urza. She too seems unharmed by the barrier. "That''s great... you protected them both with the barrier as soon as you could." "This is my job... but I was only able to protect the two of them." There must have been many people here, adventurers exploring the dungeon, workers clearing away the debris, and so on. "Ugh..." "Somebody, please help me..." People buried in the debris are crying out in anguish for help. There are no dead people within sight, but perhaps some of them are dead as well. "Zenon-sama..." "...I know. We will help them." I nod to Aeris, and we set out to rescue the wounded. I''m also concerned that Ciel and Melia are nowhere to be seen. Are they buried in the debris? "He''s done a terrible thing... That Leon." When I looked up above me, Leon was nowhere to be seen. He must have flown away with his wings, which he had gained after becoming a monster. Leon Brave, who had professed to be a hero who would "protect all people," had committed such an indiscriminate attack... Does he no longer have any human reason left in him? "Then, I guess I''ll have to settle this myself..." If Leon can''t be human again I''ll have to kill him. That is the last mercy I can show Leon. * * * It took several hours to clear away the debris and rescue the buried adventurers. There were many injured... but miraculously, no one died. Ciel and the others were soon found. They were indeed the companions of the heroes, and they had somehow managed to defend themselves against the magic that Leon had cast on them, and they had not suffered any noticeable injuries. Rather, the psychological damage of seeing Leon who had turned into a monster was more serious. Leon''s childhood friend Ciel, for example, collapsed due to the shock, and is now being taken to a treatment center where Aeris is accompanying her. Now, since Leon was transformed into a monster, his whereabouts are unknown. He may not be in immediate danger, since the soldiers on the walls saw him flying away from the city... but thanks to this, he is now completely missing. Nagisa is searching around the town with Urza and the adventurers, but there are no reports of him being found. As for me, I''m visiting the Duke Alterio''s mansion with Monica. After all. an unidentified monster appeared in the town and unleashed a powerful attack magic. I couldn''t help but report this to the city''s lord. When I told her the whole story in the parlor, the duke or the duchess, Chrisrossa Alterio, nodded her head with a difficult face. "So... such a thing has happened." The duchess, who had just taken over the reigns of the family, had dark wrinkles on her forehead, ruining the beauty of her appearance. It is understandable, though. The scars from the monster attack have not healed yet, and she has a new problem to deal with. She must be in a mood to curse her fate. "How is it possible for a human to be turned into a monster? And for a descendant of a hero to be turned into one... it''s like a nightmare, isn''t it?" "Yes. But... this is not a dream but reality. And as long as it''s real, we have to face it." "So such is the duty of a man in charge. I feel like hating my father who died too young to take over the reigns of the family." Chrisrossa sighed deeply and shook her head. "But... I don''t understand. Why did the general of the demon king''s army turn Leon Brave into a monster? If he wanted to bury the hero, he should have just killed him. There''s no point in taking him to the bottom of the dungeon and turning him into a monster." "......" As I listened, Monica sat next to me, biting her lip and looking down. Considering what had happened, it was admirable enough not to start crying. "Of course, he must have had an agenda... maybe he was going to turn him into a monster and use him as a pawn instead of killing him..." I say what I think, but secretly I think this guess is wrong. The other day, Leon didn''t seem to have any sense of reason. Even if it was the Demon King, it would be difficult to make him a subordinate. Nevertheless... the man who was once a hero has become a monster. If Leon were to go on a rampage now, he would be a great nuisance to us. There was a possibility that that demon side had turned Leon into a monster as a random terrorist attack just to destroy the human camp. "Marquis Baskerville. Is there a way to restore back a human who became a monster? I''ve never heard of it." "Neither have I. It''s unusual for a human to turn into a monster. I don''t know how to deal with it." There was no such event in the game, and there is no such information in my knowledge of ''Zenon Baskerville''. In other words... my experience as a player is of no use at all in helping Leon. "However... I can''t just give up on Leon so easily. He is a hero. He''s one of the few who can stop the Demon King. When we get back to the capital, we''ll see if there''s any way we can rescue him." "Zenon-oniisan..." Monica looks at me with clinging eyes. I knew that Monica could be used as a substitute for the missing hero... but it would be bad for my sleep to abandon Leon. I wanted to do what I could for Monica. "I see. Then, Marquis Baskerville. You should visit the great library in the capital..." Chrisrossa mentioned the name of a certain facility as if she remembered. "They say that there are ancient books there, even those written before the founding of the Slayers Kingdom. You might even be able to find a way to save Leon Brave from being turned into a monster." "The Great library, huh... Well, surely, there is a possibility that there are clues to be found there." The ''Great Library'', the largest library in the country, is filled with ancient grimoires and records of monsters, and is a place where players often come to seek knowledge when they have problems in the game. There is also a ''true librarian'' in the Great Library, a great sage who has been alive for more than 500 years. This person knows all kinds of things and teaches and guides the main character Leon. "But you needed the king''s permission to enter there. Even I, a duke, can''t easily enter there." "I hope it won''t be too much trouble if I have to meet the king first..." In the game, I remember that I had to do a tricky quest to get into the Great Library. I failed many times and had to reset repeatedly to finally conquer it. "...Slayer Kingdom is the land where legendary heroes were once born. It is a sacred land for warriors and adventurers with many dungeons. And the king who governs it is quite crazy. I dare say he''s a bit of an unreasonable man." Although the king was rarely mentioned in the game, he often forced his problems on the main character through his subordinates and subjects. In a situation where the Demon King is about to be resurrected and the world is about to be destroyed, he would force the main character to deal with problems that have nothing to do with defeating the Demon King, so I can only think that he is crazy. Even if I had asked for the permission to enter the great library, I did not think that he would have so easily agreed to my request. "Either the demon will come out or the snake will come out. One crisis after another, huh...? My life has been like this lately." Is it bad that I possessed Zenon Baskerville? Before that, is it a problem that I came to the world of the game [DunBrave]? With a sigh of annoyance, I think of a way to make a request to the king. CH 208 After meeting with the Duke Alterio and explaining all the details, I went back to the hotel. On the way to the hotel, Monica, who was following me, was silent. She did not say a word. She must be thinking about what happened to her brother. I also did not speak to her, and we walked in silence. When I entered the rented room, I found my friends already there. "Welcome back, desu~no! Goshujin-sama!" "Ouch..." Urza is the first to come running to me. She hugged my waist and pressed her sharp horns against me. "I was worried when you came home late!" "...Well, I''ve been talking to the Duke. Now, get away from me." I grabbed Urza''s head and pulled her off, and Aeris came close at the same time. "Welcome back, may I have your jacket?" "Yes, I''m sorry." She takes off my jacket and hangs it in the closet in the room, just like a new wife welcoming her husband. As a matter of course, she was looking like a full-fledged wife. "Just the right time. My Lord. The room service just arrived. I know we have a lot to talk about but why don''t we sit down and eat first?" Nagisa, who is sitting on the sofa, says to me. A table in the center of the room is set with a variety of dishes. This is the cuisine of a luxury hotel. I thought I wouldn''t be able to expect much from room service, but the food looks delicious. The savory smell tickled my nose, and my stomach rumbled with hunger. "I was just getting hungry. Well, the timing is certainly good." "Monica too, please sit down. You can''t fight with an empty stomach... If you don''t eat first, nothing good or bad will come of it, will it? "...Yes." Monica gave a small nod and sat down on one of the couches. "Come on, everyone, let''s eat! Zenon-sama asked for a glass of wine. I know it''s too early for you, Monica, but today is a special occasion. You can drink light fruit wine if you like!" "...Yes, thank you." It was a relief to know that in this world, at least, there was no age limit for drinking. So, now, as we settled into our seats, Aeris expertly prepared drinks for the group. Despite the weight of their recent struggles, Aeris'' voice was light and cheerful, as if she were trying to lift the mood. Monica, sitting across from her, managed a small smile in response to Aeris'' efforts. Thus, for a while we forget about the gloomy situation and enjoy the meal. We also start to eat the large amount of food laid out as if we were at a party. We are hungry from all the battle in the dungeon. Satisfaction fills the hunger that portable rations could never satisfy. After feasting on the fine hotel cuisine and consuming just the right amount of booze... the party is just about to end when I finally get down to business. "Well... then, let''s talk about our future plans." Normally, this would have been the first thing to discuss, but I had been putting it off out of concern for Monica. Maybe it would be better to wait longer, but I couldn''t end the day without making a decision. Then, as I down the contents of my wine glass in one gulp, I look at all the faces in the room in turn. "First of all, let''s confirm. I don''t have to ask you this but you all didn''t find Leon, did you?" "......!" Monica gasped, her body shaking slightly. Still, she looked much better than when I had talked with the Duke Alterio. It seemed that the light booze she had given her was worth it. "Yes, the adventurers and I have searched for him, but there are no traces of him in the neighboring forests. However... the hunter saw a strange creature flying southwest. Perhaps it was Brave." "Southwest... let''s hope it''s caught in the net somewhere." Duke Alterio had already sent a letter to the neighboring lords, warning them to be on the alert. They are supposed to contact me if they find the monstrous Leon, so we will have to wait for any sightings. "We''ll have to widen the search as much as possible, using Marquis Baskerville''s people as well. That''s the best we can do right now." These are the words I want Monica to hear. I should make sure that she does not go out of her way and search for Leon on her own. "The fact that there have been few sightings means that he has not attacked anyone. Aside from the magic he shot at us, he flew away without attacking anyone in this town... maybe he still has some human heart left in him." "...Yes. He''s Leon-oniichan, after all. He won''t be swallowed up easily even if he becomes a monster. I believe in him." Monica affirmed in a small but firm tone of voice. She is feeling much better. There is no need for further concern. Speaking of caring there must have been someone else in shock besides Monica. "Aeris, what about her? Was Uranus still in shock?" Leon''s childhood friend. Ciel Uranus, one of the three heroines. She was shocked to the point of fainting when she saw Leon transformed into a monster. She was taken to the hospital with the injured... but has she been all right since then? "...Uranus-san has regained consciousness. However, I don''t think I can nod my head when asked if she is okay. She was trying to go after Brave-san, but Melia-san and Ruffie-san were trying hard to stop her." It seems that Ciel is more mentally unbalanced than the others. "On the other hand, Sue (Melia) and Astoglow are fine. Well, maybe it''s because they''ve only known each other for a short time..." "Still, they seemed to be shocked too. Though it doesn''t seem to be as bad as Uranus-san..." "It''s one thing to be shocked... but I hope they don''t do anything unnecessary. If they stir things up too much, it''ll be more trouble than it''s worth." "Well... I hope they don''t do anything reckless." Aeris''s face clouded with worry. We are worried about Leon''s party, but we have to think about what we are going to do now. "For now... let''s go back to the capital tomorrow. We need to meet the king at the palace to make a report." "Excuse me, Zenon-niisan, may I have a word?" "Yes, Monica?" Monica raises her hand as if she''s having trouble saying something. All eyes focused on Monica. "P-please take me to the capital too! I want to find Leon-oniichan!" Monica asked in a firm tone of voice. CH 209 Although Monica was fighting as a member of our party, she was not officially a member of our party. She was just a temporary member to help us find Leon who had gone missing in the dungeon. So, naturally, she was supposed to withdraw from the party when the business was over. But... "In the capital, huh...? Wait a minute, don''t you have to go back to your hometown?" I almost forgot... Monica ran away from home and followed her relative, a merchant, to Alteriore, which is the main city. By the way... I completely forgot to ask how Monica''s uncle is doing. I wonder if he is looking for his missing niece too. "Your mother must be worried, too. When her son is missing and her daughter is also missing, she might collapse from the stress, right?" "T-that may be true, but I''m still worried about Leon-oniichan. I can''t go home alone like this..." "Well... that may be so, but..." Monica''s suggestion... to be honest, it''s a bit of a wishful thinking. The purpose of my taking Monica to the dungeon was to make her a new hero, a descendant of a hero like Leon. I don''t know if Monica can be a hero... but she has the skill of ''Hero''s Blood'', so she definitely has it. If she can become our party, it would be a great opportunity for us. Especially if Leon''s condition is uncertain. "But... at least, it would be better to go home once, wouldn''t it? We have to tell your mother about Brave-san, don''t we?" Aeris says, concerned about Monica and her mother. Aeris, being a sensible person, said that... but for some reason Monica looked away from her. "U-um... that''s a little... no, I don''t think I need to go home...?" Monica put her index fingers together and mumbled uncomfortably. Her response is not very clear. It was as if she had something bad to say. "Are you afraid... that your mother will be angry with you?" "Ugh..." Monica clutched her chest and moaned at Nagisa''s words. It seems that she had guessed right. This runaway girl is still afraid of her mother and it would be understandable if she had run away from home. "I see... if that''s the case, I guess we should send Monica home." If we didn''t take her home, it might be reported as a kidnapping. And although Monica''s mother is a commoner, she has a relationship with the Uranus family, an aristocratic family. There was a possibility that it would be a trouble if we didn''t take her home for a long period of time. "It''s troublesome to be probed in the belly where it doesn''t hurt. If it''s Count Uranus, we''ll pass by on the way home." "But...then, Leon-oniichan..." "We will go to your house and explain to your mother about what happened to Leon. Then I''ll ask permission for her to bring you with me." "Well... that may be true, but..." Monica''s face goes tense. I wonder how much she is afraid of her mother... Leon''s mother in the game seemed to be a normal, kind person. "Monica-san, you mustn''t worry your mother." "Yes, it''s good to have a parent who cares about you. You should be thankful." "...Yes." Monica''s shoulders slumped with reluctance at the advice not only from me but also from Aeris and Nagisa. She seemed to have come to the conclusion that she could no longer escape. Her mother will probably lecture her when she gets home, but she''ll take it as it comes. The, on our return to the capital, we decide to head for Leon''s birthplace Count Uranus, where we are to meet our new friends. "Munch, munch." Incidentally... Urza did not participate in the discussion, but just kept on eating the food. Anyway, because of her gluttony, we had to order more food, and the staff had to make three round trips to the room for room service. CH 210 On our way back to the capital, we decided to stop by Count Uranus, Leon''s hometown. The purpose was to meet with Leon and Monica''s mother... the siblings'' mother, explain the situation, and ask for Monica''s permission to accompany me. "I don''t mind that, but... why are you guys here?" "It''s not big deal. Baskerville-san." The one who said this in a ridiculing tone was a plain-looking girl with pigtails and glasses... Leon''s party member, Melia Sue. The carriage of the Marquis Baskerville not only carried my companions and Monica, but also Melia, Ruffie, and Ciel. The carriage is a fairly spacious one, but it is very narrow when so many people are riding in it. Aeris and Nagisa were close to me from both sides, and with Urza on my lap, all of us were finally able to ride in the carriage. As we were leaving Alteriore, we went to greet Leon''s party. It was also to visit Ciel, who had been discouraged by Leon''s transformation into a monster. We exchanged a few words with them lightly and intended to part from them, but before we knew it, we were told that they would accompany us to the royal capital. "Hmm, it''s a bit cramped, isn''t it?" "Umu, I can''t help but stick close to each other..." Aeris and Nagisa, who are on either side of me, seem to be in a strangely good mood, and they press their chests against my chest tightly. The softness was nice, but it was too hot. On the other side of the seat, I was glared by Melia with an angry look on her face. "If you guys are going home too, why don''t you at least take another carriage? Why are you getting into our carriage?" "Well, I''m sorry about that. But we couldn''t get a carriage at short notice. I hope you''ll forgive me for taking us along on this journey, and for being merciful in this world..." Melia says, not feeling sorry in the least. On the opposite seat, Melia, Ruffie, Ciel, and Monica are sitting shoulder to shoulder. They too look quite cramped. "And I also wanted to apologize to Leon''s mother. I''m sorry I couldn''t protect his son." "Yes... I have to tell my mother-in-law what happened..." Ciel nodded darkly at Melia''s words. She had been in bed until this morning and had not eaten, and her complexion was pale. Even so, she is probably trying to explain the situation out of a sense of responsibility, since she is acquainted with Leon''s mother. "...Well, I guess she will trust you more than if I explain the situation to her. It helps if you say so." A bad-looking man like me coming to the house suddenly would frighten Leon''s mother in a strange way. It would be better if Ciel, who knows her and is close to her, explained it to her. "Wouldn''t it be nice if Ciel-oneechan were here? I would be happy if she could apologize with me for running away from home..." "Monica... you should apologize for that yourself. I won''t cover for you." "Ah, it can''t be..." Monica''s shoulders slumped and she held her head with her hands. It seems that she relied on her childhood friend''s older sister with a glimmer of hope, but it seems that she was brushed off.. Anyway, we headed for Count Uranus, though we were in a larger group than I had originally planned. The carriage went on without any particular accident on the way, and we arrived at our destination a few days later. "This is my home... Coraggio village!" Monica shouts as soon as we arrives at the village. She had been depressed because her mother had been angry with her, but in the past few days she seems to have changed her mind. Her voice is filled with desperate emotion. "It''s an empty village, but please relax! My house is over there!" "Yes.... I know. Though I hate it." A village with an easygoing atmosphere spreads out in front of me. There were small houses, fields here and there, and sheep and cows were walking around. The Coraggio village is a small village with less than a hundred inhabitants, but it had appeared several times in the game. It is the place depicted in the beginning of the journey, in the opening scene... and is the tragic village that was eventually burned down by Zenon Baskerville in the depressing twist of ''DunBrave 2''. The village is burned to the ground and all the inhabitants are killed, disguised as the work of bandits. The only exceptions are Leon''s sister Monica and his mother. The kidnapped girls are locked in a cellar, drugged and sexually trained by Zenon. As I am not a fan of depressing stories, this is a traumatizing village for me. "So this is Coraggio... The village where the first hero was born and died?" Aeris looks around the village and says with deep emotion. "I heard that the tomb of the hero is here... but it hasn''t become a tourist attraction, has it?" "Yes, even though there is a grave, it is not a tourist attraction. They are in the same place as the graves of other villagers, and I think it would be boring to see them." "Is that so? By the way... I heard that the legendary hero refused to accept the title because he didn''t want to be treated specially. He even gave up his achievement of defeating the Demon King and spent his whole life in this village." "Come on, come on, let''s go to my house! I have to finish unpleasant things quickly!" "What''s so bad about seeing your mother?" I sighed in exasperation. She had been a brilliant girl in the dungeon, but she was just another child who was afraid of being scolded by her mother. Anyway, we dragged Monica home. A small house with a blue roof, a short distance from the other houses. This is the house where Leon and Monica were born and raised. In front of the house a woman was carrying a broom and sweeping leaves from the trees in front of the house. "M-mom..." "Monica...!" The woman notices her and shouts in surprise. She had long blonde hair braided into pigtails, and although her clothes were simple and unadorned, even over her clothes I could see that she had an ample figure. She looked so young that it was hard to believe that she was a mother of two children. Rather than a mature woman or an old lady, she looks more like a beautiful sister or a young wife. "Monica! Monica!" "Mom...!" Her mother throws away her broomstick and runs up to her. Monica, who had been reluctant to see her mother until a few minutes ago, also starts to run, as if overcome with emotion. "An emotional reunion, isn''t it..." "Yes, it''s a very nice scene." Aeris, who lost her mother when she was a child, was in tears. Monica and her mother embrace in front of us. The mother and daughter, who look so much alike, hold each other tightly and are happy to be reunited, but... "Haaa!" "Aaah!?" "Ah..." The mother takes Monica''s body in her arms... and with a great effort, she slams her daughter to the ground. "I''m sorry, Monica. I have to punish the bad girl who runs away from home. Children who misbehave are punished." "Uuu..." It''s a surprise bag drop. The mother lifted up her long skirt and assumed a bridging position, delivering a wrestling move to Monica. "I-I haven''t seen this in a while. Auntie''s ''Hero''s Drop''..." "''Hero''s drop''...?" I ask Ciel, whose face is drawn tight, and she explains to me with a trembling body. "It is a technique that has been handed down in the Hero''s family from generation to generation. The legendary hero who once sealed the Demon King... the woman who married him is said to have developed this technique in order to beat up the hero who had an affair with another woman. It''s a great technique for killing heroes that''s been passed down from generation to generation to women who marry into the Brave family..." "...What''s that, scary." Such a technique did not even appear in the game. In ''DunBrave2'', she was supposed to be devoured by Zenon, but it seems that she is not a weak widow. If I had been mistaken, I might have suffered the same fate. No way, I must shake my head slowly, shaking off the unpleasant vision of the future. CH 211 "Ara, ara, Ciel-chan! It''s been a long time, did you come to visit?" "Uh, long time no see. Auntie..." "I''m sorry for showing you such an embarrassing sight... but anyway, we have so many guests!" Upon noticing the presence of us, whom Ciel brought... Leon and Monica''s mother, Anemone Brave, smiled shyly and broke out of her wrestling hold. "Bangkyu..." Monica collapsed onto the ground. But Anemone carried her on her shoulder and brought her into the house. "Ciel-chan, you protected our child, didn''t you? Come in while I make some tea. The others, too." "Y-yes... Um...is it okay for everyone to come?" "......Oh yes." I nodded, hesitating for a moment. The impression I had gotten from the game was that Anemone was a calm, young adult woman with a child, but when I actually met her, I found that she was much more active than I had imagined. I have mixed feelings about this, as my image of her has been shattered in many ways. "Please have some. Also, please eat these sweets, too." After being invited to Anemone''s house, we were served tea at the living room table. The aroma from the wooden cups is neither black tea nor green tea. It was a strange smell. "This is an unusual scent..." "¡¡It''s a medicinal hot water made from an herb called ''Dokukoshi,'' a specialty of this area. It has a strong smell, but it is very good for the body as it removes poisons from the body." "I see..." It smells a little suspicious, but since I have the skill to nullify abnormalities, there should be no problem if I drink it. When I sipped the tea, a unique flavor spread in my mouth. "Well, it has a unique taste, but it''s not bad." "It''s very good. I like it too." Aeris sits next to me, smiling softly and tilting the cup with graceful movements that seemed to captivate. "Ugh... it''s bitter, desu~no. Urza doesn''t like it..." On the other hand, Urza sticks out her tongue with "ehhh" and starts munching on the sweets she was given. "Hey, hey, that''s bad manners..." "Don''t worry about it. It''s just something kids do." Anemone puts her hand on her cheek and tilts her head with a relaxed expression. "Would fruit water be better for that child? We didn''t have any at home, so I had to go out to buy some..." "Don''t worry about it. That''s not important right now. There''s something we need to talk about, right?" "......" I looked at Ciel and she nodded gravely, being not only Leon''s childhood friend but also a member of the party. "Auntie, I''ve come here today with something important to tell you. It''s about Leon." "I see... Please tell me." Anemone straightened her posture and turned a serious gaze on Ciel. The village had already been informed that Leon had been seriously wounded on the battlefield and was missing. Ciel came to visit his mother, and Anemone must have guessed that it was not a cheerful topic. "You see, Auntie..." Ciel starts to talk and tells her the story of Leon''s disappearance. She has not seen what happened in the dungeon, but I share with her the information that led us here. I could have told the story myself, but I knew that it would be more believable coming from someone Anemone knew rather than me, who is new to her and looks like a bad guy. And so, she spoke of how Leon went missing with one of the Demon King''s Four Heavenly Kings. About how we and Monica dived into the dungeon under the city to look for Leon. And... about how Leon was transformed into a monster at the end of the dungeon. Finally, she told of how he had flown away, destroying the town. After she finishes her story Anemone covers her pale face with her hands. "I can''t believe...Leon would do something like that..." "Don''t worry, Auntie! I''ll save Leon, I promise! I''ll find him and I''ll make sure he''s human again! Ciel declared as she got up from her chair. "I know it''s a terrible thing... but Leon is still alive! If he''s not dead, we''ll save him! Right, everyone!" Ciel turned to her friends, and Melia and Ruffie nodded. "Yes, we''ll definitely save Leon-kun. Wild Leon is not so bad, but... the monster is a bit much, isn''t it?" "While the situation isn''t optimistic... there must be a way. Please don''t give up hope." Encouraged by the three of them, Anemone looked up, smiling stoutly. She was still pale... but somehow she was holding on to the tragedy that had happened to her son. "Yes... Thank you. I''m sorry, I know I put a lot of pressure on you young people. You all must have gone through a lot." "I''m totally fine... no, I''m sorry. I''m sorry I couldn''t help Leon." "It''s okay, Ciel-chan. But still... I can''t believe Monica went into the dungeon. She''s really an uncontrollable child." "Kyu..." Anemone glanced at the sofa a little away from the table, and saw Monica groaning weakly. Monica, who had been knocked unconscious by a wrestling match from her mother, was lying limp on the sofa. After sighing at her daughter, Anemone turns her head toward us. "Ciel-chan and the others, too, it looks like you guys have been taking care of my daughter too. I''m sorry to have bothered you." "We didn''t do anything to deserve your gratitude... Instead, we''re sorry for taking your daughter to a dangerous place." "It''s alright, please raise your head." I bow my head and apologize. Anemone shakes her head slowly. "This child is the type that acts before thinking. When she found out that Leon had fallen into the dungeon, she must try to jump into the dungeon by herself. But Thanks to you being there to help her, she was able to return safely. I can''t thank you enough." "Thank you for saying that. I was prepared to be beaten up and told not to do anything dangerous to your daughter." "Well, If Monica had been injured, I might have gotten angry... but since this child is safe and sound, I can''t blame anyone." "Safe and sound, huh... I hope so." I chuckled and look at Monica, who is still unconscious. Although Monica had hardly been hurt at all in the dungeon, she had been knocked unconscious by her mother. Perhaps children are always children, after all? "Please stay overnight at our house tonight. I''ll prepare a special treat for you!" Anemone slaps her cheek and gets up from her chair. She is acting tough, despite being told of the tragedy that has befallen her son. And she didn''t even seem afraid of Zenon''s villainous face... truly the mother of a hero, a strong woman. That day, we stayed at Brave''s house and were served homemade food as promised. Anemone''s cooking was not extravagant, but it tasted somewhat nostalgic, just like the home cooking of an ordinary mother. CH 212 "Is it already this late, huh... I should wake up soon," I thought to myself. I was staying at Leon and Monica''s parents'' house... but I woke up in the middle of the night. Despite feeling a bit uneasy about sleeping in Leon''s bed, I had no other option as I couldn''t sleep in the same room as the girls. Usually I sleep with Aeris, Nagisa, Urza, and the others, but since this house also had Leon''s mother and sister, as well as three members of Leon''s party, I couldn''t spend a passionate night at someone else''s home. Aeris and the others are staying in Monica and Anemone''s room together with Leon''s party. "I''ll equip this... Alright, let''s go." I took out a stealth-specialized equipment called the "Assassin''s Cloak" from my item bag and put it on. This armor makes me less visible and makes it harder for me to encounter monsters. Of course, it also works against humans. So, I''ll be less likely to get caught even if I sneak out of the room. "......" As I became a stealth-equipped, I silently left the room and walked down the hallway while holding my breath. Of course, the purpose of my sneaking out of the room is not to sneak into the girls'' room and crawl on them at night. Also, there was no way I was going to take this opportunity to attack Leon''s mother like in the game Zenon Baskerville. My purpose for going out is to clear the sub-events that occur in this village. In this village, the birthplace of the hero... Coraggio, several sub-events occur. Some of them occurred before the departure of the hero, and some of them occurred after a certain period of time. On the way to this village, I confirmed with Ciel and the others that Leon has never returned to his hometown since enrolling in the academy. He has been training himself to fight against me during long vacations such as summer vacation, and he has never returned to Coraggio village. "So, that means the events and valuable items are left untouched." With this thinking, I leave Leon''s house and walk through the village, which is quiet at midnight. In the capital, there are bars open even at this hour, and drunken people wander around... but in this village, there are none. The doors of shops and houses were closed, and the entire village seemed to be asleep. But the place I wanted was on the outskirts of the village - the graveyard where the event I needed to clear would take place tonight. "So this is the tomb of the legendary hero..." In one of the small graveyards on the outskirts of the village, a hero who once sealed the Demon King and saved the world is buried. The name engraved on the old gravestone is so faded that it is no longer possible to read what was engraved on it. The condition for triggering the event was to visit this place alone at night and touch the tombstone of the legendary hero. "Oh... so you showed up." When I touch the desolate tombstone, something like a blue phosphorescent light rose from the ground. The light condensed into the shape of a person, and eventually, the figure of a human in full armor with a sword at their waist appeared before me. The human whose face I could not see because of their helmet was not the legendary hero who once saved the world... but one of the companions who had traveled with the hero. "Ghost Knight Elia Carsbell. It''s sad to see a person who saved the world with the hero end up like this." ''......'' The armored knight does not respond to my ridicule, but draws the sword and holds it at the ready. Sje pointed the tip of the sword at me without question, and her whole body radiated a strong killing spirit. I also drew my sword and held it at the ready, facing the knight head-on. ''I''m, coming...'' "Ah, I''m getting sleepy, so come on already." ''AAAAAAAH!'' The ghost knight steps forward with a mighty swing of her sword, which she holds in the upper stance. It was a devastating blow that could even destroy a dragon''s skull if it landed squarely. It was a deadly technique that could be described as nothing less than a one-hit kill, from the knight who had once traveled with a hero. "Hmph..." ''......!'' But... I evade such a blow by shifting my body to the side. Avoiding a simple and fast attack without any feint was not difficult. "The attack pattern is the same as in the game. It was a boring way to end." I crossed my body with the ghost knight and unleashed a horizontal slash. My light sword, designed for use against the undead, cut the knight''s waist in two, instantly killing her. ''Ah, it''s...'' The helmet of the undead knight falls off, revealing the face of a beautiful blonde woman She murmurs someone''s name sadly and then disappears like a mist. A small thud is heard, and something falls on the ground. It is a ring, a drop item. It is a valuable item with a special effect, but there is a 20% chance that it will be broken during the battle, and I wanted to get it because I had no stock in my item bag. As a side note, the ghost knight I mentioned earlier was a legendary knight who had once traveled with a legendary hero and had defeated the Demon King together. But she was also the one who had killed the hero in a fit of madness and unrequited love. After all, she had loved him as a man. However, the hero returned to his hometown after defeating the Demon King and chose to be married to his childhood friend. The lady knight tried to give up the hero... but she could not. Consumed by obsession and twisted love, she had been swayed by the devil''s whispers and killed the hero when he came to visit the village. After killing the man she loved, she came to her senses and chose to take her own life. And having committed the crime of killing her fellow man, she was unable to be reborn even after her death and had to remain on the earth. Now as an undead, she waits in front of the tomb of the hero, hoping that a strong man will appear to kill her. "...After saving the world, it''s not all happily ever after. Well, life goes on after the ending." Even after defeating the Demon King, the hero still had to live on The same goes for me. Even if I keep my villainous character and defeat the Demon King, there is no guarantee that my life after that will be smooth sailing. After all, this world is no longer a game. CH 213 "Good morning, Zenon-niisan..." The next morning, Monica came to wake me up in my room. Monica was wearing a light green pajama, but her pajama top was messy, exposing her shoulders and belly button. "Good morning. What''s the matter, you look sleepy?" "Umm...I couldn''t sleep well. My head feels like it''s pounding." "Ah... I see." Monica had been knocked out by her mother''s wrestling move and slept like a log. After sleeping like that, it was no wonder that she would be sick until the next day. "It just shows how great a mother''s love is. I mean, it''s your own fault for running away from home, so you deserve what you get." "Ugh...don''t be so mean. I can''t say I want to follow you, Onii-san, with that kind of attitude..." Monica must now ask her mother to agree to go with us to the capital to find Leon. But judging from yesterday''s incident, it seemed difficult to obtain permission. "If Onii-san could ask for me instead, it would really help..." "That would backfire. She might think that I''m trying to sell you to some foreign country or something." Can''t she see my villainous face? How could I possibly ask for someone''s young daughter to come to my house with this face? I might get reported to the authorities. "Well, I don''t have to say anything right away. I plan to stay in this village for a while." "Huh? Did you fall in love with Leon-niichan''s room that much?" "...Don''t say creepy things. I just have a few things to finish." There are several sub-events in the Coraggio village that I need to take care of before moving on. So I plan to stay at an inn or in a carriage until I finish them. "Don''t worry about me, just make sure you convince your mother." "Yeah... I''ll do my best." "Good luck... by the way, where are the others? I can''t see them around here." "Aeris-san and Ciel-san are preparing breakfast with Mom. Nagisa-san and Urza-chan have gone hunting in the forest. Melia-san is picking vegetables in the field." "I see... They seem to be enjoying the country life." "Breakfast will be ready soon, so Onii-san can still sleep a little longer." "I understand. I''ll just relax for a while... And you should go change your clothes quickly. Your pants are falling down." "Eh... Ahh!!" Monica panicked and fixed her loose pajama pants The elastic band had worn out, and her pink underwear was showing. "Onii-san, you pervert! Don''t act like Leon-niichan!" "Is Leon seeing your underwear too...? After all, lucky perverted moments are a protagonist''s privilege." I thought to myself, remembering the times when I accidentally ended up with my face under the heroines'' skirts in the game. The probability of those kinds of events happening was always a mystery. "Well then... I should change my clothes too." I said to myself as I watched the angry Monica leave the room. I take off my shirt and shorts, which I had used as pajamas, and change into my regular clothes. I usually sleep naked, but as expected in someone''s house, I was fully clothed. As for today''s plan... I''m going to collect the sub-events that happen around the Coraggio village. It should be Leon''s job, but the man has never returned to his hometown since he entered the school and seems to have left it unattended. I might be able to collect valuable items like I did last night, and there could be troublesome events that would be best handled sooner rather than later Since this is a good opportunity, let''s just take care of everything. "Hmm...come to think of it, did I forget something?" If I can''t remember, it is probably not so important. Deciding not to worry about it, I put on my black jacket before heading out. CH 214 "Alright then, shall we enter the forest?" "Yes! Let''s go, desu~no! It''s time for some hunting, desu~no!" After finishing breakfast, I took Urza to a nearby forest. We were separated from the other members. Aeris and Nagisa, along with Leon Party''s Ruffie, were completing another sub-quest Monica remained at home to persuade her mother to stay, while Ciel had returned to her family''s mansion, the Count Uranus, to meet with her father. Melia had disappeared for some reason, but since there was no reason to search for her, we left her alone. The reason I was entering the forest was to clear the sub-event "Chase the Golden Bee." A rare bee inhabits this forest, and discovering its nest allows you to obtain a rare item. "Well then... as previously explained, our goal is to find the nest of the ''Gold Queen,'' the golden bee." "Yes, desu~no! I can''t wait to taste the honey, desu~no!" "Yes, I hear the honey is excellent. I''ve never tasted it myself." In the game, it was said to be so delicious that it would melt your tongue, and a certain influential person was also interested in it. Anyway... there were several conditions that had to be cleared to find this bee''s nest. "First of all, we don''t know where the nest is located. And the trouble is, their hives change location from day to day." The Gold Queen was a special monster that was half demon and half spirit. Therefore, she could interfere with the forest with her spirit power and move her nest to different places depending on the day. Even in the game, the location changed randomly, and it was quite difficult to find. "However... the key item has already been obtained. We should be able to find it by using this." I took out the ring I had obtained last night after defeating the ghost knight. The ring, called the "Critical Ring," had the ability to see through the weak points of monsters, and when equipped, the weak point would glow red. Although there was a 20% chance that the ring would break when used, it was preserved as my valuable item because it doubled the damage if it hit a weak spot. "Well then, Urza, please do as I explained." "Um... Are you sure about that, desu~no? Even if I do ''something'' like that?" "Yes, it''s fine. I won''t get mad, so hurry up and do it." I put on the ring and motioned to Urza. Although she tilted her head in wonder, Urza readied her weapon, a club, and said, "Understood." "Well then, Goshujin-sama... Here I go!" "......!" "Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Urza scoops me up from below and swings her club at me. I stepped on the attack from below and timed my jump carefully. "Ooooooh!" With the help of Urza''s physical strength, I leap with momentum and jumped high enough to overlook the trees in the forest. I combined the power of my increased leg strength from skills like "Body Enhancement" and "Fighting Technique" with Urza''s power to soar to great heights. "Critical Ring activated." With a view of the forest below, I activated the ring. While using the ability to see weaknesses, I scanned the forest and found a certain spot. "There it is...!" A part of the forest emitted a red light. That must be the weak point of this forest, that is, the place where the Gold Queen is. "Here we go..." I spin on the ground in midair and land on the ground... and let out a short "hoo" breath. Tch... this game''s management is truly wicked. To find the nest of the Gold Queen, players have to walk around the wide forest for several hours... or even several days if they''re unlucky. Furthermore, even if they try to visit the "nest" again, the location has changed, and they have to start exploring from scratch. This is just plain evil. "And yet... if this item is used, it can be discovered in one shot. They''re seriously twisted." This was confirmed when one player discovered it and posted it online. The player was moving around the field using a flight item, but for some reason, activated the critical ring equipped towards the field. It wasn''t an intentional action. Gamers who play RPGs for a long time sometimes act strangely, such as talking to dogs or cats, collecting a large number of "horse droppings," or playing casino games for hours to increase coins even though they already have prize items. The action taken by the player was also one of those inexplicable actions. However, the player noticed something. A red light indicating a weak point was floating in the field seen through the critical ring. It was later found that when the critical ring was activated while overlooking the field, it could find hidden rare items and boss monsters. This is something that is not mentioned in the item descriptions or in the strategy books. Some players complained to the game management, but they responded by pretending to not understand, "Oh, I don''t know what you''re talking about," or "Isn''t it a bug? We overlooked it." And because of that, the real value of the critical ring was not to find the monster''s weak point, but to use it against the terrain. "It''s not a hidden *-key (kakure ¡ðkki)... so stop teasing the player." "Ah, Goshujin-sama! Did you find what you were looking for?" "Yes, we found it. The destination isn''t far from here. Let''s hurry." I respond to Urza''s rush and brush the leaves off my body as I jump. As time passes, the Gold Queen''s nest moves, so we decided to head to the spot we found as quickly as possible. As we moved through the forest, I cursed the game developer in my mind for being so mean... while bringing Urza along. CH 215 As Urza and I walked through the forest, we were suddenly ambushed by a group of monsters. "Ei, desu~no!" cried Urza, her voice fierce as she readied her demon club. With a loud "Bam!", Urza struck the first monster, sending it flying through the air. "Yaaah, desu~no!" she shouted, her voice filled with adrenaline as she charged at another monster. "Pow!" went the demon club as it collided with the monster''s body, crushing it with ease. "Tto, desu~no!" Urza grunted, her voice low as she dealt a finishing blow to the last monster. Despite their ferocity, the monsters were no match for Urza''s demon club. The blows released with an unmotivated voice smash the monsters, crushing them almost without allowing them to resist. "Goshujin-sama, the monsters in this forest are too weak and boring," Urza complained, her lips twisting in dissatisfaction. Urza''s lips twitch in dissatisfaction at the monster that is so easily defeated. "It can''t be helped," I look around the forest. "This is just an ordinary forest. There''s no way there are strong enemies like in a dungeon with a high level of difficulty." Yes... this is a village next to the village where the game''s protagonist, Leon, lives. In other words, this is the place the player visits as soon as the game starts. The monsters here are even weaker than those in the tutorial dungeon ''The Wise Man''s Playground''. There are only Slimes and Semigrande here. Urza sighed, her voice heavy with disappointment. "Muu... it''s too anticlimactic. Urza''s Demon (Oni) Club is crying, desu~no. Sniff, sniff." "Cheer up," I tried to lift her spirits. "Look, pipple berries has grown! You can eat it." "Nom!" Urza eagerly plucked a pipple, the pink, apple-like fruit, from the tree and shoved it into her mouth. "Mmm, it''s delicious, desu~no. It''s sweet, desu~no," she said, her voice muffled as she chewed. "Good for you. There''s more sweet honey waiting for you in there," I pointed to the direction of the beehive. "Alright, I''m motivated!" Urza declared, her voice determined. "I''ll give it my all, desu~no!" With a resounding "Mun!", Urza pumped herself up and marched deeper into the forest, her hunger for stronger enemies outweighing her disappointment. Now, by speeding up our march, we reached our destination a little earlier than we had expected. There, clinging to a large tree, was a giant beehive reigning supreme. "Wow, it''s huge, desu~no!" Urza exclaimed, her eyes widening as she gazed up at the enormous hive. "A hive of the golden bee ''Gold Queen''... Of course, it looks so big up close," I said matter-of-factly, as if I had seen it all before. The Gold Queen''s hive is even bigger than Leon''s house where we stayed yesterday. This huge hive has a funny habit of changing its location once a day, and the next day it will be in a different place. In a game, this would have been just "that''s the way it''s supposed to be", but in reality, I am curious to know how the giant beehive moves around. "Well... it doesn''t matter. As long as we get it done today, it doesn''t matter. Urza, thanks for waiting. This is the monster you''ve been waiting for." The Gold Queen is the most powerful monster in these forest. However... for those of us who have already defeated two of the Four Heavenly Kings, she may be a strong foe, but she is not a difficult one. It is just strong enough for Urza to fight alone. "I understand, desu~no! Leave this to Urza, desu~no!" Urza declared confidently, determination in her voice. "Yes, but don''t let your guard down. Getting beaten up by a inferior opponent is the most disgraceful thing," I warned with a low and serious tone. "I know, desu~no. I''ll do it, no problem!" Urza replied cheerfully, her voice laced with confidence. As Urza raised her demon club in a spirited effort, suddenly, she noticed the approaching enemies. A man-sized bee emerges from a hole in the hive. It was the master of this huge hive. The queen of bee monsters, the Gold Queen. ''Beeeeeeee!'' the Gold Queen buzzed annoyingly as she flew up into the air. She rises to a position where Urza, a warrior without magic abilities, cannot reach her attacks... but Urza holds her demon club in the lower position. "Ei! Desu~no!" Urza exclaimed, determinedly. And she throws the club without hesitation. The spiked metal club rotated as it flew towards the Gold Queen. ''Bzzz!?'' the Gold Queen buzzed in surprise. It must have been an unexpected attack. Although Queen Bee somehow manages to avoid the demon club in mid-air, she is knocked down and loses her balance slightly. "This is my chance, desu~no!" Urza yelled, excitedly. Urza''s red eyes sparkle as she leaps from the ground. A normal jump is not enough to reach the Queen Bee''s altitude. So, she kicks a nearby tree and leaps higher, using the bending of the tree trunk. "Yaaaaaah, desu~no!" Urza shouted as she soared towards the Gold Queen. ''Buzzzzz!?'' Urza leaped high like in a triple jump and grabbed onto Queen Bee. The huge bee flies right and left, desperately trying to shake off Urza who is clinging to herx back. "Hmph! Take this!" Urza grunted as she twisted Queen Bee''s head with force. ''Squeeeak...!'' Urza twisted Queen Bee''s head with force, and then twisted off her neck. The headless Queen Bee falls headlong, and Urza falls with her. "Whoaaa!" Urza exclaimed as she fell. "Hey, hey... that''s dangerous. You should have told me, if you''re going to do that," I caught Urza as she fell. The little demon girl is completely in my arms. "Ah, this is a very nice turn of events, desu~no. I''m going to be addicted to this, desu~no," Urza said, her cheeks flushed and her eyes sparkling as if she were dreaming. It seems that she liked the princess-catch. But it hurts when she rubs her horned head against me. "It is also exciting to be held by Goshujin-sama like this," Urza cooed, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. "I''m going to show off to Aeris-san and the others when I get back home." "...Give me a break," I grumbled. "My arms will be full if they beg me too." If Aeris and Nagisa knew about this, they would beg me to do the same. Depending on the situation, I might end up carrying all my lovers including Levienna in turn. "Hey, get off already." "No, I don''t want to," Urza protested. "I want to enjoy it a little longer." "Hey, don''t cling on like that! It''s making me all sweaty and gross!" I tried to put Urza down on the ground, but she held on to my neck tightly and would not let go. Although it was not so much of a burden for the small Urza because of her light weight, it was uncomfortable holding her for a long time. And to tell the truth, I could smell her odor a little, since she was sweating from the walk through the forest. I try to get her down somehow, but... she clings to me with the strength of a demon in vain. As Urza strengthens her embrace like a monkey clinging to a tree... suddenly a black blade comes out of my shadow and thrusts itself into Urza''s buttocks. "Ow!?" she cried out in pain and jumped out of the way in a panic. "U-Urza''s butt was stabbed!? It''s an enemy attack, desu~no!" she exclaimed in panic. "You..." It wasn''t me who stabbed Urza''s buttocks. The culprit was a petite girl who appeared from my shadow. She wielded a giant scythe, the Deathscythe. She is a female demon whom I summoned once and she has stayed in this world. She was Miura Agares, the Grand Duke of Hell. "......" Miura came out of the shadows for the first time in a few days, snickering at Urza who was fainting in agony with her buttocks clenched, and hugged me as if to say that this was her seat. CH 216 Urza was forcefully separated from me after being stabbed in the buttocks with a scythe, and her face turned scarlet with rage. "I will kill you... I will skin you alive and feast on your flesh, desu~no!" Urza snarled, her voice dripping with malice. "......" As Urza emitted an aura of murderous intent and readied her demon club, Miura Agares, the archduke of hell, sneered at her while embracing me in the position Urza was just in. With Death Scythe in one hand, she shook the tip of the blade, as if to say, "Try to kill me if you can." Although both Loli, with a height barely half of mine, had a serious killing intent, it was no laughing matter that they were both older than me. Hey, stop!" I yelled, my voice laced with urgency. "Both of you, put down your weapons!" "We can''t have allies killing each other!" I continued, my tone incredulous. "This is outrageous!" "Muu..." Urza grumbled, reluctantly putting away her weapon. "......" Miura remained silent. Upon being scolded, the two reluctantly put away their weapons. As the air of imminent crisis subsided, I breathed a sigh of relief. "Miura, what are you doing out here so suddenly? Is there something you need?" I queried, trying to keep the conversation light after the tension that had just occurred. Miura was a demon I summoned, but instead of returning to hell, she remained in this world, living in my shadow. Although she occasionally appeared to beg for sweets or to take a bath together, she rarely showed her face. "......" Miura stared blankly at my face without expression. I still have no idea what she is thinking, but... as we stare at each other, she opens her mouth. "...Cute. I love you." Miura''s unexpected words caught me off guard, and I stumbled for a response. "Huh?" I asked, unsure how to react. "......" Miura closed her mouth again and turned her back to me, walking towards the giant beehive left by Queen Bee. Raising her large scythe and swinging it once, golden honey ran out of the slit. "...Hmm, delicious," she murmured, savoring the taste. "Oh! That''s not fair, desu~no! It''s Urza''s honey, desu~no!" Urza protested, rushing over to scoop up some honey and taste it. "It''s sweet, delicious, and absolutely mouth-watering! Goshujin-sama, what is this honey?" She asked, impressed by the flavor. "It''s queen bee honey. It''s different from ordinary honey." Queen bee is the queen of bees in this world. It''s one of the strongest insect-type monsters. The honey produced by this monster in its hive is one of the ''seven delicacies of the world'' and is an item required to complete a certain sub-quest. I took a white bread from my magic bag, tore it into bite-sized pieces, put some honey on it, then brought it to my mouth...the superb sweetness spread over my tongue. "Mmm...!" Since reincarnating in this world, I have been impressed by various dishes in games, but this honey is beyond compare. Clearly, the honey is different from the other honey I have tasted so far. It''s incredibly rich and sweet, with a refreshing flavor, and I feel like I could eat it endlessly. Even those who don''t like sweet food would naturally bring this to their mouth. Here is a superb sweet taste that has attracted gourmets from all over the world. "Ah, Urza wants bread too, desu~no!" Urza said, with a playful lilt in her voice. "Hmm," Miura hummed, as if she wanted to. "Yeah, okay, wait a minute. These also look delicious... I think I''ll try them," I replied. Urza and Miura hold out their hands to me. I take out bread, crackers, scones, and fruits, laying them out on a handkerchief on the ground. The two young girls take them one by one, eating them with honey. "Ah, juicy. It''s very mild, desu~no," Urza exclaimed, her voice full of delight. "Delicious... It''s very delicious" Miura said between bites, her tone of voice surprisingly enthusiastic. Urza is stuffing herself with the honey bread, her cheeks puffed up with a happy expression. Miura, who is usually a quiet person, had unusually flushed cheeks and was chomping on a honey-covered cracker. "I guess girls really like sweets... Well, I don''t hate them either" I said with a chuckle, my tone jovial. While watching them smiling, I put honey into the empty jar I brought with me. The honey overflowed from the cut surface attached to the nest. It would be a shame to leave the honey that couldn''t fit in the jar on the ground. "Alright... This should be enough. I have a good souvenir for Levienna," I said, my voice filled with satisfaction. I fill all the jars I have with honey and store them in my magic bag. Levienna will be very happy when I bring it back to her. Aeris and Nagisa will have some too. "I wonder what to do with Ciel and the others...," I said with a thoughtful tone, pausing for a moment. Normally I wouldn''t feel obligated to share, but now they are depressed because of what happened to Leon. I have no choice but to give them one jar. It would be better to give one to Leon''s mother as well, as a gesture of thanks for their hospitality. "Now all that''s left is..." ''Gii'' As I looked down at the ground, something crawled out of a beehive and scurried into the forest. It was a monster the size of a kitten, shaped like a white caterpillar. It is the child of a queen bee. A larva of the queen bee. "Hmph..." ''Gii!?'' I reached for the fleeing caterpillar crawling on the ground. The caterpillar runs away desperately to survive, but it can''t escape and is caught. "I''m sorry. I''ll just take this." I peeled off the eggshell attached to the larva''s back and let the remaining creature scurry away. ''Gii...?'' The larva, which had been curled up in a ball in a state of despair, squeaked in fright, but when it realized that it had been saved, it hurriedly disappeared into the woods. "Goshujin-sama, what is that?" Urza asked with a curious tone. "This? This is an item called ''royal jelly'' or ''king honey''." Royal jelly - the food that the larva was eating - is an ingredient for medicine rather than food and is a very valuable item. "Munch munch, slurp slurp," Urza savored the sweetness of the honey. "Mmm..." Miura hummed in satisfaction. "Now we have what we came for. It was worth the long walk through the forest." I mutter to myself as I look at the two young girls happily eating honey. CH 217 After finding the queen bee''s nest and successfully collecting the honey, we decided to return to the village. And Miura returned to my shadow once she had satisfied her honey cravings. It seemed like she only came out to eat honey. "Oh? Who''s that over there¡­¡± "That''s Aeris-san. Nagisa-san is there, too." When we arrived at Corragio Village, we saw Aeris and Nagisa at the entrance. Leon''s party was beside them, but for some reason, Ciel looked upset and dropped her shoulders. Ciel, who is Leon''s childhood friend, was supposed to be visiting her family''s Uranus Count''s House, but she had already come back here. "I''m back. What''s wrong, you guys?" "Ah... Zenon-sama, welcome back!" Aeris notices us and her face lights up. She happily ran over to us. "Is something wrong? The atmosphere seems a little somber¡­¡± ¡°Well¡­ Ciel-san is in trouble.¡± "Trouble... is she hurt?¡± When I looked at Ciel at the entrance of the village, she appeared sad, but I couldn''t see anything unusual. "No, it''s not injury-related, but there seems to have been some trouble at her house¡­¡± ¡°She was told to get married to someone other than Brave.¡± Nagisa, who was following Aeris, adds to clarify the statement. The content of her words was surprising. "Uranus... will marry...? With a man other than Leon?" Ciel Uranus is Leon''s childhood friend and the first character to become a comrade in [DunBrave] game Naturally, they are in love with each other, and in the R18 version, there are scenes of them swearing each other for the future and even lay their bodies on each other. Although, eventually, Ciel Uranus is taken away by Zenon Baskerville in [DunBrave 2] and gets tarnished, but there should have been a certain amount of affection between the two. When I tilted my head, Aeris explained the situation with a troubled expression. "Ciel-san is a count''s daughter... apparently, she was originally proposed to by a certain man. Ciel-san had refused because she was in love with someone else, but the other man still didn''t give up on her." Aeris had a sympathetic expression on her face... but being the daughter of a viscount and the cardinal''s daughter, she might have had the same experience. "Brave-san is a descendant of a hero, but his status is a commoner. It seems that Count Uranus was opposed to having Brave-san as the son-in-law of a count. However, if Brave-san achieves something of great merit before graduation and is ennobled, the count promised to allow the marriage." Brave Kingdom is a nation of warriors and adventurers. Even a commoner can be knighted if they are worthy of the title and have made a good name for themselves. After all, it is not difficult to become a knight or a baron for a lifetime. For example, by defeating moderately strong bosses and offering the drop items to the royal family. "...But Brave has turned into a monster, or rather, has been declared deceased to the public? With his disappearance, the promise has been broken, and that''s why Ciel''s marriage proposal has come up." (Nagisa) "Nobles, if they are born early, are engaged immediately after birth. Those who are in good standing already have a fianc¨¦e. It seems they''re trying to arrange the marriage as soon as possible so that it won''t be too late..." (Aeris) "So you''re talking about getting together with the man who is asking for marriage without giving up. I see... that''s troublesome." Yes, it is troublesome. I can understand why Count Uranus, Ciel''s father, would say that. He doesn''t want his daughter to be unhappy, but he cannot approve of the marriage with Leon, whose safety is also unknown. There is a possibility that if they are careless, they could miss their marriage opportunity. If there is a good match, they should get together as soon as possible. "The man in question is Count Milligan. He is also a local noble like Count Uranus, their territories are nearby and they have a social relationship. He is three years older than Ciel-san and has already succeeded to the title, although he is younger." (Aeris) "If there is a friendly relationship, the conditions are even better. They don''t even have time to make sure Leon is alive." I feel sorry for Ciel, but there seems to be nothing I can do about this case. Noble marriages are delicate issues. It''s not something that a member of another family should feel uneasy about meddling in. If I want to help, it would be to search for Leon, who has turned into a monster and has disappeared. However, without knowing how to return a monster back to human, I don''t know if I can really help. "It''s too bad, but there is nothing I can do about it. Let''s go back to the capital after finishing the business." "I see... Ciel-san, I hope you don''t get too down." "If you really hate getting engaged, you can leave and flee from home. A roaming life, traveling from place to place, is not so bad, you know?" Nagisa spoke as if it was something irrelevant. Those were words that only she, who had left her country and was living here, could say. "Ah... Baskerville-kun!" "Hmm?" Finally noticing my presence, Ciel raises her voice. Though she had been consoled by Melia and Ruffie, Ciel walks towards me, lifting her head up from her downcast face and glaring fiercely at me as if to challenge me. Even though she had been feeling down just a moment before, she now stares me down as if daring me to do something. "Hey, hey... I haven''t done anything to deserve being blamed. What''s gotten into you?" "Baskerville-kun, please! I''m begging you!" "What?" Ciel looks at me with a strong gaze and squeezes my hands. "Please... marry me!" "...Huh?" It takes almost a minute before I realize the meaning behind Ciel''s words. """""Whaaat!?"""" Before I can even speak in surprise, the women around me exclaim in shock and astonishment. CH 218 A sudden proposal from Ciel Uranus. Or the huge bomb was dropped on us and it caused a commotion. Aeris turned pale, Nagisa drew his sword with a furious look, and Melia and Ruffie were in a uproar. Urza, on the other hand, had a more direct approach, and was about to hit Ciel on the head with a club, saying "I''ll get rid of the nuisance now, desu~no," causing a great deal of trouble to calm her down. It was not because she had fallen in love with me or unconsciously set a flag that this happened. "So...you want to pretend to be engaged to me and buy time?" "Yes, please. Can you do that for me?" When we returned to Leon and Monica''s house and asked for further explanation, Ciel said that. In other words...this is what is happening Originally, Ciel, as a count''s daughter, had a proposal with a man of equal status. However, she had been refusing the proposal because of her love for her childhood friend Leon. Ciel''s father, Count Uranus, said, "Marriage to Leon, who is a commoner, is not accepted. However, if he is knighted for his achievements at the academy, I will allow you to marry Leon." However, during that grace period, Leon became missing. As a result, the marriage proposal, which had been put on the back burner, was brought up again. To make an excuse to refuse the marriage proposal... Ciel wants to pretend to be engaged to me and buy time until Leon can be rescued. "The marriage proposal is from the Count''s family, so I think it would be acceptable to claim that I am engaged to Baskerville-kun, who is a Marquis. Then, I can rescue Leon and gain a title before marrying Leon again." "...Please don''t say confusing things. I thought my position as a legitimate wife would be threatened." Aeris, who was listening to the conversation beside me, put her hands on her large breasts and sighed. Aeris is the daughter of a viscount. If Ciel, a count''s daughter, were to become my wife, she could be deprived of her position as a legitimate wife. "I''m sorry, Centorea-san... I didn''t mean it like that... in other words, Centorea-san really liked Baskerville-kun, right?" "Isn''t it obvious? Otherwise, we wouldn''t have gotten engaged." "I see, you''re right... Baskerville-kun and Centorea-san have completely different vibes...... oh, I don''t mean this in a bad way. I already know that Baskerville-kun is not as bad as rumored." "¡­Whatever. Can''t we just cut to the chase?" I looked at Ciel, who tried to mask her vague smile, with exasperation. "Indeed, if you pretend to be engaged to me, it might buy you some time. I can see the reasoning behind this proposal... But what''s the benefit to me if I accept your proposal? "What do you mean...?" "Let''s say everything goes smoothly. Suppose that Count Uranus approves of our engagement, we find Leon and turn him back into a human, and Leon gains enough status and accomplishments to become the Count''s son-in-law. What do I gain from all of this? How does the Baskerville family benefit from it?" I''m a nobleman of the House of Baskerville. In this world, polygamy is allowed, as it is in 18-rated games. Despite moral issues, there are no legal problems even if I get engaged to Ciel. However, even if Ciel and Leon had made it to the goal, I would gain nothing. On the contrary, I would be labeled as a person whose fianc¨¦e was stolen by a male student from the same grade, even though I was engaged to the daughter of a viscount. "Do I have a duty to help your love even if I have been called a fool and had sand thrown on me with your hind legs? You said I''m not a bad person... but I''m not a kind-hearted person who wears mud for the sake of others." "Ugh..." Ciel stammered awkwardly. If she didn''t think she would be rejected, that''s naive. To me, Leon and Ciel are my classmates and comrades who are also aiming to defeat the Demon King. However, if they were to ask me if I considered them my friends, I would shake my head. I wouldn''t even consider them my acquaintances If their lives were in danger, I might help them, but I wouldn''t get involved in their love lives. "Besides... to be honest, I''m scared. The pressure from behind..." I muttered with a grimace on my face. I was facing Ciel across the table, but Nagisa and Urza were standing directly behind me. Nagisa was standing with her arms crossed, and although her expression was expressionless, she exuded an aura of anger. Urza was hitting her palms with her club, exuding killing intent from her entire body, as if she could kill at any moment. And next to me, Aeris sitting in the chair said... "I understand your story, but as Zenon-sama''s legal wife and the ''principal lady'' of the Baskerville family, I cannot accept Uranus-san''s proposal." With a calm expression on her face, she clearly rejected Ciel''s request. "I sympathize with Uranus-san, who has been forcibly kept away from her beloved and may be forced to engage in a marriage proposal with another man. However, our husband is the head of the Baskerville family. If you think you can use him in such a convenient way, I am very displeased." "I... I don''t think like that..." "Even if you don''t think so, please be aware that Uranus-san''s request can be misunderstood as such. Are you asking Zenon-sama to shame himself for your sake?" "That''s..." Ciel looked at Aeris with a puzzled look, but remained silent without uttering a word of rebuttal. Aeris is a kind-hearted and generous woman. The fact that she expressed such strong words means that Ciel''s proposal was rude. Don''t treat my husband lightly. Because Aeris has a quiet personality, her words are especially heavy. "I''m sorry... I wasn''t calm because I was in a hurry. I''m sorry." After a long silence, Ciel bowed her head and apologized. "Please apologize to Zenon-sama, not to me." "Okay... I''m sorry, Baskerville-kun. I said something rude." "I don''t mind. I''m sorry I couldn''t be of help." I took the apology without a second thought. I can''t get engaged, but I don''t want to ruin Ciel''s relationship with Leon. I don''t like the depressing situation that Ciel is cuckolded by a man other than Leon, and I think it''s better if they can be happy together. Afterwards, Ciel had another talk with her father. As a result of the discussion, if she could not find Leon within a month, she will have to marry the man that her father has chosen for her. CH 219 Despite the incident of Ciel Uranus'' proposal, everything that needed to be taken care of in the Corragio Village was finished. And I''ve encountered several sub-events that Leon had missed, happening in the vicinity of this village. There is nothing left to do here. We only need to return to the capital city. "That''s all right, but... what''s going on?" As I stepped into Leon''s house, which my friends and I were using as temporary lodging, I found three people in the living room. The first person was the owner of this house, Leon''s mother, Anemone Brave. For some reason, she had her arms crossed and emitted an icy aura, standing there like a guardian deity. The second person was her daughter, Monica Brave, who shrank and trembled in a corner, sensing her mother''s anger. And the third person... I couldn''t see his face, but he appeared to be a middle-aged man, located in the center of the room. The reason his face couldn''t be seen was that his upper body was stuck in the floor, with only his lower body protruding towards the ceiling. "Is this some vanguard art... or something else entirely? What happened?" "Ah, Zenon-oniisan... You''ve returned!" Monica looked at me with pleading eyes. I walked quietly next to her and asked about the situation. "Who is stuck in the floor? Did he fall from the sky or grow out of the ground?" "Um... that''s my uncle. There were a few complications, and my mom threw him to the ground..." "Uncle...?" Come to think of it... I suddenly remembered. When we met in the Alteriore, Monica was talking about it. She said Leon had gone missing, and his whereabouts and condition were unknown. Unable to stand it any longer, she had come here. Her uncle, a traveling merchant, had brought her all the way here... That''s what she had said. "Oh... I see." I finally realized. For the past few days, I had felt like something was stuck in my throat... and now I understood why. I had forgotten something. I had intended to inform Monica about her uncle before entering the dungeon... but because of Leon''s situation, I had completely forgotten. "Well... It seems that uncle also forgot about me and got caught up in his business negotiations. He later remembered and searched for me, but I had already come back with Zenon-oniisan..." "...I guess I''m in trouble, huh?" Even though I took Monica with me as her guardian, I forgot about his existence, and she went into the dungeon on her own. Moreover, she came back home with a stranger... I can''t complain even if he''s branded as an unfit guardian. Probably as a result of that, he ended up getting hit by a ''hero dropper'' and stuck in the floor. "I feel responsible for that as well." It was me who took Monica into the dungeon. It was me who brought her back from Alteriore without permission. If anything, I feel like I should be the one with my head stuck in the floor. However, Anemone, who noticed my presence, suddenly put on a different smile and turned towards us. "Oh, I''m sorry. I made such a mess of the room even though we have guests." "Well, that''s fine." "Dinner is already ready, so please take a seat at the table. Come on, Ciel-chan, too." "Uh, yes..." Ciel, who was frozen at the entrance of the room, witnessing the shocking scene, forced a smile in response to Anemone''s words. Monica and I sat at the table, and Ciel and Aeris joined us, taking their seats later. "Well then, everyone, dig in. We got some delicious wild boar meat today, so enjoy it without hesitation!" """""...""""" Everyone, except Anemone, exchanged awkward glances and started eating the dishes placed on the table, as if by mutual agreement. The reason everyone''s faces were awkward was because Monica''s uncle was still stuck in the floor in the center of the room. The homemade dishes prepared by Anemone were undoubtedly delicious, but honestly, in this situation, I couldn''t really taste anything. "..." I silently ate the food, trying my best not to show any confusion on my face. CH 220 And so, the awkward dinner time came to an end. Monica''s uncle was still stuck to the floor. I couldn''t help but wonder if he had died... but upon closer inspection, I noticed that he was twitching slightly. "Um, if you don''t mind... I can provide some first aid..." "No need. Thank you." Aeris timidly suggested treating him, but Anemone immediately declined with a refreshing smile. "My little brother is a strong boy, so he''ll be fine. I''ll just take his feelings. Thank you." "Uh, um..." "Instead, shall we have some tea after dinner? Can you help me with the preparations?" "I-I''ll help!" "I-I''ll help too!" Aeris nodded, and Monica and Ciel also raised their hands to offer help. The three of them disappeared into the kitchen, and the heavy atmosphere in the room lightened slightly. "Well... I don''t drink tea or anything, so I''ll rest in my room." "Ah... I should prepare to leave too. Excuse me." Melia and Ruffie stood up from their chairs and hastily left the room. Only Urza, Nagisa, and I remained at the table. "...I''m sorry." "Huh?" Amidst that, I heard a low voice. When I searched for the source of the voice... it was coming from beneath the floor, of all places. "...I''m Leon and Monica''s uncle, Oddman, Anemone''s brother. I heard my nieces were taken care of. Allow me to express my gratitude." "...So you were conscious. Or rather, you were actually alive." I responded to the voice of the man who had his head buried in the floor. Despite his foolish appearance, the man who introduced himself as Oddman had an unexpectedly deep and resonant voice. Of course, it didn''t make him any cooler. In fact, his good voice only added to the funny nature of the situation. "Monica has been restless ever since Leon and Ciel-jou entered the academy together. It was the first time she had been separated from her brother for months. Leon didn''t even come home during the long vacation, so she was getting anxious. And then, when the report of his disappearance came, she couldn''t bear it any longer. She threatened me and stormed into Alteriore." "I see..." "That girl is just as reckless as Leon. I thought she would go on her own if I left her alone, so I decided to take her with me. However... it seems she went on a big adventure while I wasn''t looking." "...I apologize for that. I''m sorry for neglecting my responsibilities as a guardian and causing trouble." "You don''t need to apologize. If anything, I thought this day would come sooner or later." "What do you mean?" As I asked, the lower half of Oddman''s body emerged from the floor and swung its legs back and forth. "That girl... just like Leon and my brother-in-law, she''s a special person. Different from ordinary folks like us. She was born with a special destiny. She''s not meant to end up in a small village like this. I always believed that one day she would spread her wings in a wide world... and thanks to you, she was able to get off to a good start. As an uncle and a substitute father, I''m really happy." Using his legs as leverage, Oddman pulled his upper body out of the floor. His head, covered in dust, appeared, and he let out a sigh. "I''ll continue to rely on you for Monica''s sake. As a merchant who has seen many people, I can tell... Your appearance may not be favorable, but at the core, you''re a trustworthy person. Please guide my niece for me." "...I can''t guarantee that. I''m not a good person, and I certainly have no obligation to fulfill the request of a bamboo shoot sprouted from the ground." I shrugged my shoulders and continued, "But..." before pausing. "I actually quite like that kid, and I think she has value and potential to be useful. She''s a rare and valuable talent. I promise I won''t do anything to exploit her." "Hmm, you''re not exactly straightforward, are you? Even if your core is straight, your branches seem to be crooked." Oddman chuckled and brushed off the dust from his body. "If you ever need my help, seek out the Bestrow Company in the capital. I''ve made sure that you can reach me. Despite appearances... I''m a decent traveling merchant. I''ll get you most things you need." "Thank you for that." "Well then, if you''ll excuse me. The next time we meet might be at that girl''s wedding... just kidding." Oddman raised two fingers and tried to make a swift exit through the door. However, he encountered Anemone, who was holding a tray of tea, at the wrong timing. "Ah..." "Oh myAra ara... I didn''t say you could leave yet. Why are you pulling your head out like that?" "Well, nee-san... this is, uh..." "I''m sorry, could you hold this for me?" "Oh... sure." Anemone entrusted the tray to Ciel and swiftly moved behind Oddman. "There''s no helping it... an additional punishment." "Ooooooh!?" With a dull thud, another hole appeared in the floor. It was a few meters away from the previous one, and once again, a strange object was formed. CH 221 "Here you go, please have some tea. And try these pies too." "..." "Oh... Melia-san and Ruffie-san aren''t here? Did they go back to their rooms? Maybe they ate and got sleepy?" "..." I stared at the ceiling, perplexed, as I sat in front of the tea and sweets that were brought to me. The tea cup emanated a delightful aroma of tea, and the pies on the plate looked sweet and incredibly delicious. However, my appetite waned upon seeing the man stuck on the floor. We were just having a pleasant conversation a moment ago, or so it seemed. But the man, stuck to the floor like a character from a gag manga, didn''t move an inch. Could he be... dead this time? "Oh, it''s delicious, desu~no. So sweet, desu~no." "The aroma is lovely." "Oh, not bad." Urza devoured the apple pie voraciously, while Aeris and Nagisa enjoyed their tea. They seemed to be avoiding looking at the floor, as if escaping from reality. "..." On the other hand, Ciel wore a solemn expression and fell into silence. It seemed different from pitying the man on the floor. "Aunt, I have something to talk to you about." Eventually, Ciel mustered the courage to speak, and Anemone tilted her slender neck. "What''s the matter, dear? You have such a gloomy face..." "I talked with my father at home... If I can''t find Leon within a month, my father has decided that I''ll marry another man, not Leon." "Oh..." Anemone blinked her eyes at the somber news. "I see... That''s why you''re so sad." "...I want to be Leon''s bride. I don''t want to marry another man. But..." "I understand. You can''t refuse... You''re a noble, after all. Ciel, it''s not your fault." Anemone hugged Ciel, pulling her closer and gently stroking her head. "It''s okay, it''s okay. I''m not angry, and even Leon won''t be mad about it. Thank you for caring so much about our son." "Aunt...!" "It''s alright, it''s going to be fine. I promise." Holding Ciel against her chest, Anemone repeated, "It''s going to be fine." Although there was no basis for her words, listening to her maternal voice filled with love, it seemed like everything would truly be okay. Seeing the two of them, Monica''s eyes also welled up. "Mom..." "...She''s a mother, after all." I said when seeing this heartwarming scene. In Anemone''s gesture of stroking Ciel''s head, one could sense a compassionate heart that surpassed blood ties. It truly was a beautiful sight. It would have been even better if there weren''t a strange man stuck on the floor. "Monica." "Huh? Yes?" Suddenly, Monica blinked her eyes as her mother called her name. "You want to go search for Leon, don''t you? Alright, go ahead." "Huh!? Really, you mean it!?" "I mean it... However, there are two conditions." Anemone''s radiant expression shifted from her daughter to me. "The first condition is to go with Zenon-san. Of course, only if Zenon-san gives his permission." "I don''t mind... But are you sure about this? She''s your precious daughter, right?" "Because she is precious, I also have the desire as a mother to let her go on a journey. Of course, it''s also because I can entrust her to someone I trust." "...I don''t remember being trusted that much." What is this... whether it''s the uncle or the mother, this unfathomable trust. Even though they''ve just met me and don''t know anything about me, why do they believe in me enough to entrust their daughter? "Yeah! As long as it''s with Zenon-oniisan, it''ll be fine! I''ll definitely show you that I can help Leon-oniichan!" "You too, huh..." Monica joined in the conversation as well. Her sparkling eyes stared at me, making me feel uncomfortable. "I think it''s an excessive amount of trust... But I promise to answer to the best of my ability." "Yes, please take care of my daughter." "By the way, you mentioned two conditions... What''s the other one?" "Oh, about that..." When I asked, Anemone smiled mischievously. It was a childlike smile that I wouldn''t expect from someone who has two children. "The other condition is for me to go along as well. Please let me work at Zenon-san''s mansion." "What...?" "Whaaaaat!?" I froze in response to the unexpected proposal, while Monica stood up and screamed. The other members of our party also wore astonished expressions. It seems... I''ve not only gotten the hero''s sister, but also his mother. "Hehehe... Please take care of me, Danna-sama?" Amidst the shocked gazes of everyone, Anemone alone wore a mischievous smile. CH 222 Thus, the visit to Corragio Village, the birthplace of the hero, came to an end. The achievements gained were several event completion rewards, and... the addition of the hero''s sister, Monica, and their mother, Anemone. "I can''t believe Auntie Baskerville is coming with Baskerville-kun... Is it really okay to leave the village empty?" Ciel asked Anemone inside the carriage heading towards the royal capital. Anemone must have had a life of her own. She must have had work to do, so can she really just abandon the village so easily? "I do have work, but it''s more like a side job. It''s been a long time since my husband passed away, and if Monica isn''t here, there''s no reason for me to stay at home." "Is that so..." "And besides... I''ll be working as a maid at Danna-sama''s mansion. I''ve been given the opportunity to work at the Marquis''s mansion." "I-Is that so...?" Ciel glanced at me for a moment. Even if she looks at me like that, I don''t know anything. It can''t be helped, as it was a condition to bring Anemone along in order to have Monica as a companion. "More importantly... why does Anemone-san call Zenon-sama ''Danna-sama''?" Aeris, who was sitting next to me, asked with a pouting face. "Calling him ''Danna-sama'' is like calling one''s own spouse! It''s too disrespectful to disregard me, the rightful wife. It''s outrageous in the name of God!" "Oh? Zenon-san is the head of the Baskerville family, right? It''s not unnatural to call the head of the mansion where I''ll be working ''Danna-sama,'' is it?" "Well, that might be true, but..." "Aeris-san was the wife of the master, huh? In that case, I shall address you as ''Oku-sama.'' Nice to meet you, Oku-sama. I look forward to working with you." "Ah...!" At the mention of being called ''Oku-sama,'' Aeris recoiled as if overwhelmed. She hugged her own body and trembled uncontrollably. "V-very well... Honestly, the Baskerville mansion is short-staffed, so as the ''Baskerville Count''s Wife,'' I will allow you to work." Aeris said. "Yes, thank you very much, Oku-sama." "Ah... it sounds nice..." It seems that Aeris also gave her approval. Though she blushed and seemed intoxicated by the position of the count''s wife. "Well, if my lord permits it, I don''t mind," Nagisa said. "Urza is unhappy, desu~no! We don''t need any more women around Goshujin-sama, desu~no!" Nagisa accepted reluctantly, but Urza protested, raising both fists. I beg you, please don''t be so violent. The carriage is packed with people. If you are too rough, you will hit here and there, and it will normally hurt. "Oh dear, Urza-san, please don''t say such things," Anemone said. "No, I won''t allow it!" "Oh dear, there''s no helping it... By the way, I brought some packed lunches. Please have some," Anemone said with a gentle smile, offering the lunch boxes. "Nom, nom... Mmm, it''s delicious, desu~no. So tasty. Crispy and fluffy, desu~no. The meat juices are overflowing, it''s so juicy..." "Will you acknowledge me working as a maid? I''ll make lots of delicious meals," Anemone said. "Okay... I have no choice, I permit it," Urza said, squeezing the sandwich in both hands and nodding with puffed cheeks. It seems that the matter has been settled. Anemone is officially accepted into the Baskerville family. "...Together with Mom. Even though we''re going to the royal capital, I''ll still be with Mom." In a corner, Monica was rubbing her neck with a face that looked like she was about to cry. I would think it''s a happy thing to be able to live with her mother even after going to the royal capital... But it seems that the stress of being constantly supervised by her kind yet strict mother is greater. Being thrown to the ground with a backdrop if she angers her must be quite scary. "...Just be a good kid so you won''t be thrown," I murmured with a mixture of sympathy, looking up at the sky and closing my eyes. CH 223 The Baskerville family is responsible for overseeing the "night" in Slayers Kingdom. They manage the criminals and gangs within the kingdom, ensuring that they do not pose a threat to the royal family. Although their rank falls short of a marquis, one could say that they are the kings of the "night," standing alongside the royal family, the kings of the "day." "...It''s my first time coming here for something other than a game." A few days after returning from Corragio Village to the capital, I was dressed unusually formally in a sleek suit as I visited a certain location. It was the heart of the capital, the Slayer''s Palace, where the Slayers'' royal family resided. Many nobles and officials worked day and night here, shaping the politics of the nation. Having returned to the capital, I requested an audience with the king. Reports from the Duke Alterio''s family had already been submitted to the king, and I was granted an immediate audience. I arrived at the palace with Aeris and was walking down the corridor towards the audience chamber, known as the "Throne Room." "Zenon-sama, your attire is truly splendid. You look completely different." Walking beside me, Aeris blushed and complimented me with a lively voice. Aeris held the position of my fianc¨¦e and future wife, although we hadn''t officially married yet. In high society, she was treated as the "Lady Baskerville" in all but name. Now, we were both dressed in noble attire, not in school uniforms or adventurer gear. Frankly, I felt somewhat uncomfortable in my outfit, but Aeris carried herself with grace. She wore a pure white dress that resembled a wedding gown, attracting the attention of passing officials and nobles. "It''s been a while since I met His Majesty. The same goes for you, Zenon-sama, right?" "Yeah... Ever since my father passed away, I''ve only seen him a few times for the ennoblement procedures... Honestly, it feels heavy. He''s not someone I particularly want to meet." "You shouldn''t say things like that. You never know who might be listening." Aeris scolded me with a troubled expression. It seems that the king had a close relationship with the late Lord Garondolf Baskerville, my father. As rulers of the "day" and "night" in Slayers Kingdom, they must have had something in common. Their involvement was limited to the surface, but it was said that they shared some friendship, even going so far as to drink together in secret. "...It''s annoying the way he treats me like a ''brat friend.'' It''s a hassle to constantly refuse his summons." Muttering my complaint, I continued walking, and we arrived at the audience chamber. A knight standing in front of the door glared at me with a vigilant gaze. "This is Zenon Baskerville, who had an audience scheduled." "...Permission has been granted. You may enter." The knight reached for the door. However, before opening it, he directed his words at me as if challenging me. "You should be aware... If anything were to happen to His Majesty, the Royal Guard would cut you down. The Knight Commander is also present in the audience chamber, so make sure not to act strangely." "Heh... Since when did a mere knight have the audacity to speak disrespectfully to a Marquis? I''ll pretend I didn''t hear that and just open the door. You lowly grunt." "..." The knight''s gaze hardened, but he remained silent and opened the door. I extended my arm to Aeris, waiting for her to take it, and then entered the room. "Presenting Marquis Baskerville." As I heard the announcement from the attendant, we walked along the long red carpet stretching before us. At the end of the elongated carpet, on a few steps of elevation, sat a middle-aged man in his forties. Adorned in extravagant clothing, with a cloak and a crown, that person was none other than Julius J. Slayers, the King of Slayers Kingdom. "..." "..." Aeris and I knelt before the king, bowing our heads and waiting for his words. After a brief pause, the king looked down upon us and solemnly spoke. "Rise." "Yes." "I commend you, Marquis Baskerville, for coming here. You seem well." "Your Majesty also appears to be in good health. I am grateful for granting us this audience." "Hmm. It''s of no concern. I''ve heard the reports from Chrisrossa... It seems you had quite the ordeal in Alteriore." Chrisrossa referred to Duke Chrisrossa Alterio. As the duke''s family was related to the royal family, it was likely that they were on familiar terms, addressing each other by their first names. "I have received reports that you conducted investigations in Alteriore''s newly discovered dungeon and successfully defeated unknown monsters that emerged from it. It was an impressive accomplishment befitting the Baskerville Marquis. I am satisfied." "...It is an honor." "Now... what business brings you here to request an audience with me? Speak without reservation." "..." It had come. The moment of negotiation with the king that would greatly determine whether I could save Leon Brave, who had turned into a monster. I was prepared for this, with all the necessary preparations in place. Observing the king''s expression, I opened my mouth to speak. CH 224 "Before we begin... Your Majesty, I would first like to request some privacy." I began by cutting to the chase. There were quite a few people in the throne room, including attendants and knights. The matter I was about to discuss couldn''t be shared with unnecessary individuals. "Hmm... A confidential matter, I presume?" "Yes, without a doubt." "... " When the king remained silent and waved his hand, the knights and attendants who were present in the throne room started leaving. Only the minister-like man and the elderly knight in white armor, whose name I had forgotten but had appeared as an NPC, remained. Those left in the room were all close aides of the king. It seemed safe to speak in front of them. "You may have already heard about it from Duke Alterio, but in the previous battle, Leon Brave, the descendant of the hero, fell into the enemy''s trap and was transformed into a monster." "Hmm... I have received reports. It was said that they used the core located in the depths of the dungeon, right?" "Yes, that''s correct. He was defeated by a monster named Bolfeduda, who led the Demon Lord''s army." Upon hearing my words, the king furrowed his brow. "We have confirmed instances of adventurers turning into undead in the dungeons, but... I had no idea there was a power that could transform a living human into a monster. The young boy, Leon, seems to have had a stroke of misfortune." As the king expressed sympathy, he tilted his head with an expression that said, "So what?" Leon was the protagonist in the game, but at this point, he was only known as a "student with excellent grades who is a descendant of a hero." The king didn''t seem to be particularly concerned about Leon becoming a monster. "I want to find a way to restore Leon to his human form. For that reason, could you grant me permission to enter the Eternal Library?" "...!" The king widened his eyes in response to my request. The capital city had a grand library managed by the royal palace. It collected books from all over the country, including valuable magic tomes. The library was divided into a "General Area" accessible to all citizens of Slayers Kingdom and a "Special Area" accessible only to nobles. However, beneath the grand library, there was a section called the "Superior Management Area" where dangerous forbidden books were collected. And even further in, there was a special place called the "Eternal Library." "...How do you know about the Eternal Library? Did you hear it from your father, Garondolf?" "Well, something like that. My father and I were very close, you see. We used to have casual conversations about such things." The king looked puzzled as he asked, but I shrugged and brushed it off. "...But you two were killing each other in all seriousness, how can you say that? Besides, I don''t think Garondolf will leak confidential information. Could it be that you found out through the power of the Baskerville family?" "Whether or not I found out doesn''t really matter, does it? The Eternal Library contains records of all the history from the founding of this kingdom until the present, even truths buried in darkness. As someone who manages the shadows of Slayers Kingdom, I should have the qualifications to enter." The Eternal Library was an additional content that could be accessed in "DunBrave 1" after clearing the scenario. It contained even more forbidden books within the forbidden books and sealed the darkness of history. Only a few people, including the king, were allowed to know of its existence. "And the guardian of the Eternal Library knows everything in this world. They might even know how to save Leon, who has been turned into a monster." Meeting the guardian was my objective. The Extra Dungeon that appears after clearing the game - the Eternal Library. In that dungeon, additional elements for gameplay were available, such as reviewing highlights and records of events that occurred during the game. It was possible to watch animated scenes that occurred during events and check records of consecutive monster defeats, and if the conditions were met, obtain reward items. Furthermore, the guardian who managed the library was supposed to have the setting of having ''existed since the beginning of the world and possessing all knowledge''. If that setting were true... or perhaps, they might know how to restore Leon. In response to my request, the king, still seated on the throne, covered his mouth with his hand and muttered with a troubled expression. "Hmm... Indeed, successive heads of the Baskerville family also had the right to enter the Eternal Library. The Baskerville family not only consists of villains but also deals with political criminals involved in rebellions. The records of such unpublicized assassinations are also stored there. Although it was intended to be told to you when the time came, perhaps this saves me some trouble..." The king, lost in thought, raised his head. He had transformed from a strict expression to a mischievous face resembling that of a mischievous child. "Very well. I will grant permission to enter the Eternal Library... However, it comes with conditions." Here it comes... Just as I expected. I tightened my face from nervousness and waited for the king to continue his words. CH 225 "Only a select few are allowed to enter the ''Eternal Library.'' Even if you are of royal blood, as the reigning monarch, I shall not grant you permission to set foot in that place. No matter how much you may be the head of the Baskerville family, which stands in the shadows of the royal family... I cannot easily grant permission to someone like you, who has recently inherited the family''s position and lacks credibility." "..." "Therefore, I wish to ascertain your power and loyalty. Henceforth, you shall fulfill the orders I issue." "As I thought..." I muttered quietly, ensuring that the king couldn''t hear, and lowered my gaze to the floor, exhausted. Julius J. Slayers, the king of Slayers Kingdom. This man had a crazy personality, and it was his hobby to impose difficult tasks on others. If you''re someone who enjoys RPGs, you may have experienced this. While desperately fighting as the protagonist to defeat the Demon King and achieve world peace, there are sideline characters who throw unnecessary problems at you. Why do they interfere when I''m fighting for the sake of the world? Anyone would have muttered complaints like, "I''m risking my life for the world, so why don''t you just hand over the Sky Orb without conditions?" Julius J. Slayers was also the type of NPC who burdened the hero with additional tasks. In the game, there were several occasions when player would request favors from Julius during events, and each time, the king would burden them with troublesome conditions. "Well then... What shall I ask of you? I shall grant permission to enter the ''Eternal Library.'' But it must be a considerable challenge." As the king spoke with a malicious tone, he stroked his chin with his palm. The king''s smirk indicated his genuine enjoyment. It was truly an unkind personality, considering I was desperately trying to revive the hero. "Zenon-sama... Are you alright?" "..." Aeris, who had been silent until now, asked with concern. I shrugged my shoulders in response without saying a word, waiting for the king''s words. "Well... Then, even I, as the king, cannot easily obtain the ''Shokuh¨­ (Food Treasure)''. How about offering the ''Royal Honey,'' a treasure bestowed by the legendary Queen Bee, the queen of the world''s largest insect species?" "...?" "Sure, here you go." "Huh...?" As the king commanded, I presented the item I had prepared in advance. The shell of an egg wrapped in white cloth... The liquid that shimmered like pearls on it made the king widen his eyes in surprise. "Is that... is... er... Is it genuine?" "Please verify it." Overwhelmed by astonishment, I shifted my gaze from the frozen king to the minister standing beside him. The minister glanced at the king''s face, then approached me and took the item I offered. Taking a monocle out of his pocket, he examined the item... and eventually turned to the king and spoke. "Undoubtedly, it is genuine. There is no mistake that this is the treasure of Queen Bee... the ''Royal Honey.''" Naturally. I defeated the Queen Bee, which inhabited the forest near Coraggio Village, where Leon''s hometown is located, and brought back the item. "I never expected you already had it... Truly worthy of being Garondolf''s son. Impressive." "I''m honored by your praise. So, what about the permission to access the library?" "But that''s not enough! Next, I want you to obtain the scales of the legendary sea-dwelling monster, the ''Bahamut Fish!''" "Yes, I have it prepared here." "What!?" Without a moment''s delay, I presented the item. With a speed that resonated like a striking blow, I conquered the impossible task once again, causing the king to recoil on his throne. "N-No... This isn''t the end. Loyalty requires more!" The king continued to make further demands. The tail feather of the Freezing Penguin. The laryngeal bone of the Skeleton Dragon. The magical powder of the Silver Fairy. The tail hairs of the Two-Headed Unicorn. I took out the items requested by the king one by one and presented them before him. Since I knew in advance the items that would be required as compensation, I was able to prepare them. Most of the items were already in my possession as inherited items, so it was not a problem. However, I didn''t have the ''Royal Honey,'' so the visit to Coraggio Village became a crucial event. "Ugh... I never thought you would possess this item as well..." "That''s enough, Your Majesty. Can I receive permission now?" I gently spoke to the king, who slumped in his throne. "And surely, you wouldn''t say ''doubts about loyalty and ability'' after offering such valuable items." "...Indeed, there is no problem." The king reluctantly dropped his shoulders. It seemed he wanted to trouble me with impossible demands... How twisted can the character of someone who is a king of a country be? "...Fine, I''ll grant permission." Eventually, the king declared with a frustrated expression. "Zenon Baskerville... I grant you access to the ''Eternal Library.''" "I''m grateful for your generosity. I will continue to serve with loyalty." Having achieved the desired outcome, I lowered my head in a satisfied mood. Aeris, who was standing next to me, also bowed in the same manner. And thus, the first step to save Leon was completed... The path to the ''Eternal Library'' had been opened. CH 226 After finishing an audience with the king, I somehow managed to obtain the permission I desired. Feeling mentally exhausted, I left the throne room with Aeris by my side, her arm linked with mine. "Phew... What a troublesome ruler. I wish he''d spare us from these pointless amusements," I grumbled as we walked down the corridor. "Zenon-sama... It''s still too early to speak your mind openly. I understand your feelings, but..." Aeris frowned, looking troubled by my complaints. I knew from the game''s setting that the king couldn''t help but impose challenging tasks on others. Ignoring him was the best approach. Fortunately, I managed to get through with my items, so I was fortunate. "In the worst-case scenario, he could have thrown even more difficult challenges at me, but it seems like that didn''t happen. Once we''re ready, let''s head to the ''Eternal Library.''" "Will we really find a way to help Brave-san there?" "Who knows... but they say the librarian there knows everything in this world. It''s probably more efficient than going through the library''s books one by one." "I suppose so..." "The problem is who we''ll bring along. Only four people can enter that dungeon at once. Moreover, we''ll have to face some troublesome battles before reaching the librarian. The choice of party members is crucial." Aeris and I were already set as confirmed members. The decision of the remaining two was a dilemma. If we went with the usual team, Urza and Nagisa would be the ones to accompany us. However, the ''Eternal Library'' was home to numerous monsters with strong resistance against physical attacks. "It''s not so bad for magic swordsmen like me, but it''s tough for pure warriors. I''d prefer a party composition centered around magic users." "In that case, why not invite Uranus-san? She''s willing to help Brave-san, and I''m sure she''d be a great asset with her magical abilities." "Uranus, huh..." Ciel Uranus was one of the main heroines and a powerful mage. Though I rarely witnessed her in battle, there were rumors of her participating in a fight against one of the Four Heavenly Kings, Bolfeduda. She must have enough power to not be a burden. "...You''re right. After all, she''s the one who wants to help Leon. We''ll have her work like a cart horse." Ciel had also returned to the capital. She would most likely be at the building where Leon had his base, a location that served as the game''s main headquarters. "As for Ciel, we can ask her later... Now, the question is, who do we pick as the last member?" For immediately available forces, there were the undercover agents and assassins under the Baskerville family''s command. They excelled in combat, particularly in one-on-one situations, but venturing into dungeons to fight monsters was not their specialty. Moreover, they were usually busy with other work, so I preferred not to bother them too much. "Monica-san... it''s probably too early for her, right?" "You''re right. Monica''s abilities won''t cut it. How about we ask Nagisa and Urza to take her to some nearby dungeons for training?" Speaking of which... there was also the demon girl lurking in my shadow¡ªMiura Agares. She''s a summon beast, and I''m not entirely sure if she should be counted as one of the ''four,'' but in case of emergency, I could consider adding her to the party. "Though I''m not entirely familiar with her abilities... well, even if her powers have declined, she''s still a high-ranking demon. She should be able to hold her own." "Zenon Baskerville! Wait, Zenon Baskerville!" "Huh?" As Aeris and I walked down the corridor, we were loudly called out from behind. Turning around, we saw a woman rushing toward us from the end of the hallway. "That woman, could it be...?" "That person, why is she here...!" Surprised, I glanced at Aeris, who blinked her blue eyes. It seemed like she knew the woman who was running toward us. "Haa, haa... wait, please wait..." While we were in the middle of that, the woman huffed and puffed and approached us. By the way, what had been ''huffing and puffing'' all this time was the ample fruit growing on her chest. The woman was clad in a pale green dress, and her breasts were astonishingly large. They were even bigger than Aeris or Nagisa, who should already have above-average sizes. As she took a step forward, the huge fruit wrapped in fine fabric bounced up, down, right, and left, as if it was about to fly off somewhere. "Well, well, who would''ve thought we''d meet here..." I knew this woman. While I had encountered her a few times as Zenon Baskerville, we had never actually exchanged words. "Princess Electra the Slayers, the Second Princess of Slayers Kingdom." She was the actual daughter of the king we had just met. One of the three beauties in Slayers Kingdom and the possessor of the largest bust in [DunBrave]. Princess Electra the Slayers was now running towards me and Aeris. CH 227 "Haah, haah, haah, haah... W-wait... I told you to wait... Zenon Baskerville..." "...I''ve been waiting, for a while." With the left and right side of her chest heaving, Electra finally made her way to us. As the princess of the Slayers Kingdom, she was repeating rough breaths while resting her hands on her knees. "Well, well... if it isn''t the esteemed Princess. Greetings." I placed my hand on my chest and bowed my head toward the woman who was catching her breath. Electra the Slayers. She was the possessor of watermelon-like, well-endowed chest wrapped in a young grass-colored dress. One of the three princesses of the Slayers Kingdom. Her long, cerulean hair was tied up with a barrette, and her eyes shared the same color as her hair, reminiscent of the sea. She stood slightly shorter than Aeris. Her lack of agility was evident from the way she was running, swaying the two weights attached to her chest, a spectacle earlier. In the game ''DunBrave,'' depending on how the story unfolds, she can be recruited as a sub-heroine. Among players, she''s nicknamed "Signal Blue of the Royal Three Sisters." "So... What''s the reason you stopped me? It''s quite unusual for Princess Electra to summon me." My relationship with Electra goes only as far as recognizing each other''s faces, and this is the first time we''re actually having a proper conversation. While I can have her join as a companion through various events in the game, I haven''t triggered any of those flags. So, why did she bother chasing after me so determinedly while swaying those watermelon? "H-Hold on... Give me a moment... I''ll be alright... Haah, haah, haah..." "............" Electra continues to catch her breath. It''s astonishing how long it''s taking her to recover; it''s almost comical. "Zenon-sama." "Yeah... Aeris, please." "Understood." Aeris, who was standing behind, steps forward and casts a spell on Electra. "High Heal." A green-hued effect envelops Electra. The magic heals her wounds and restores her energy, calming her down. "Phew... Thanks, Aeris. Your healing magic is truly something." "It''s no big deal, Princess Electra." "No, really, you''re amazing. Did your magic skills improve after attending the academy?" The two of them start a cordial conversation. It seems they''re familiar with each other, sharing a comfortable camaraderie. "It seems you are getting along well with Marquis Baskerville? You''re not being mistreated or anything?" "Of course, I''m fine. I''m being treated well." "Really? I don''t doubt your word... But since you''ve already moved to the Marquis''s estate, I can''t help but worry." "Zenon-sama is not the sort of person the rumors make him out to be. I assure you of that, as his future wife." Aeris stated firmly in a gentle tone. "Once I graduate from the academy, we plan to hold a wedding ceremony, so princess, please do come and attend." "Yes... Of course, I will be there to celebrate." "...May I join the conversation now? Being left out is lonely and unbearable." Interrupting the conversation, Electra finally turned her gaze toward me. "Ah... I''m sorry if I stopped you. I didn''t mean to." "That''s alright... But, may I ask, what brings you here? If it''s just a talk with my fianc¨¦e, Aeries, perhaps you two ladies could have a leisurely chat over tea?" "Actually... The reason I stopped you is because I has something to discuss with you." "Whoa...!" Electra straightened her back, adjusting her posture. This emphasized the curve of her chest even more, making her dress look like it might burst any moment. "Ahem..." Aeris cleared her throat and gave me a sidelong glance. It seems she noticed my gaze on Electra''s chest. I suppressed the awkwardness that threatened to twist my face and turned my attention back to Electra. "Ah... You want to talk to me? What exactly is the matter?" "...It seems you met with my father earlier. He granted you access to the ''Eternal Library.''" "Do you know about the ''Eternal Library''?" The ''Eternal Library'' is classified information known only to a select few, even among the royal family. It seems strange that Electra knows about it... "I am a member of the royal family, but I also serve as the chief assistant to the Court Magician. Through that role, I was informed." "I see..." I vaguely remembered such a setup. It was information mentioned in supplementary materials that were released separately from the game, without being part of the main storyline. I nodded in understanding, and then Electra moved closer, looking earnestly at me. "Marquis Baskerville... Take me to the ''Eternal Library'' too! There''s a reason I absolutely have to go there! Please, take me with you!" "Huh...?" "My father didn''t give me permission... But if I''m with you, won''t I be able to enter? Please take me!" "............" Stunned by Electra''s request, I blinked in surprise. Aeris, standing nearby, was equally frozen. Electra the Slayers. The job she holds as an NPC is ''Druid,'' a powerful magic caster. For the conquest of the ''Eternal Library,'' a skilled magic user is needed... It seems this powerful companion character in the role of a magic practitioner has approached us, without us even needing to search for her. CH 228 "What... Your Highness Electra, what does this mean?" As I stand frozen, cornered by Electra, Aeris steps in to ask the question on my behalf. She positions herself between Electra and me, peeling me away from the imposing bosom that had pressed against me. "That place is off-limits to anyone other than those recognized by His Majesty the King. Even though you''re the princess, we cannot allow you in." "Yes, Aeris. Of course, I''m aware. However... as long as I''m with Marquis Baskerville, who has obtained permission, it shouldn''t be a problem." Electra then continues, "I have had things I wished to investigate in the ''Eternal Library'' for some time now. However, Father did not grant me permission to enter. I was struggling with his unreasonable demands when Marquis Baskerville acquired entry permission to that location. Who would miss this opportunity?" "...I understand the reasoning. Yet, it''s still overly reckless, Your Highness Electra." "...Yes, to the point of being insane." I find myself sighing in agreement with Aeris'' words. The ''Eternal Library'' is a dungeon that can be accessed as an additional element after clearing the scenario. The monsters within are notably powerful. Even though I have gained strength enough to face the Demon King, it is still a dangerous zone where complete safety cannot be assured. Taking the princess there... what kind of joke is this? I wouldn''t be able to take responsibility if something went wrong. "Surely, we cannot intend to take the princess to such a place. Does His Majesty the King approve?" As Aeris raises an unusual expression and inquires, Electra proudly raises her chest with a smirk. "Oh, I have already received permission from Father." "What...?" "I spoke with Father before chasing after you. He has given his consent. ''Marquis Baskerville has presented more than enough treasures. We must return the favor,'' he said." "Meaning... the princess accompanying us is the favor returned?" "It seems that way." "..." Aeris'' lips twitch slightly. I understand her feelings quite well. Personally, I felt more burdened than receiving tokens of gratitude; it''s as if I''ve been burdened with a nuisance. "Wait a moment... Is that king planning to burden us again with unreasonable tasks by sending in another bomb?" "Did you say something, Marquis Baskerville? I heard ''bomb'' but..." "I didn''t say anything... Your Highness Electra. The conversation is understood, but is it safe to trust someone you don''t know? You''re not unaware of how the Baskerville family is perceived in society?" "''Embodiment of Evil,'' ''Mastermind behind Slayers Kingdom,'' correct? You need not worry. I am not someone small enough to be swayed by mere rumors." Electra wears a smile that could almost be considered charming, holding her arms open. Although, a short while ago, she was excessively worried about Aeris, who had married into the Baskerville family... What is she saying so soon after? "In spite of appearances, I am capable of using magic to some extent. Be grateful that I am here to assist you!" "..." Electra''s words make Aeris and me sigh together. And thus, the fourth member destined for the ''Eternal Library'' journey is decided. The chosen individual is Electra the Slayers. Daughter of the King of Slayers Kingdom. A princess born and raised in illustrious circumstances. CH 229 After finishing our conversation with the king and the princess, we headed back to the Baskerville Marquis''s mansion that day. Although we had obtained permission to enter the "Eternal Library," the opponent was one of the most difficult dungeons. Sufficient preparation was necessary before the exploration. We decided to set out on another day and called it a day for today. "Ah, welcome back. Zenon-bocchama, and Aeris-san too." "Yeah." "We''ve just returned, Levienna-san." Levienna, the maid, welcomed Aeris and me as we returned home. She was dressed in her usual maid outfit, wearing a gentle smile as she greeted us. "You were quite late, weren''t you? Was there something?" "Well, yeah, a few things. Just the usual troubles." "Well, you must be tired. It will be a little while until dinner is ready... Would you like to take a bath first?" "I''d rather eat first... I''m in no mood to do anything if I don''t eat." I grumbled irritably, taking off my jacket and handing it over to Levienna. Although we had successfully obtained permission to enter the "Eternal Library" as planned, there was an unnecessary addition. We ended up having Princess Electra Slayers accompany us. Electra could also be a sub-character player could team up with in the game. She had decent strength and an unusual class known as "High-Level Enchanter (Druid)." "High-Level Enchanter" was an advanced class that could be upgraded from "Enchanter (Shaman)" or "Summoner (Sorcerer)." It was a magician who excelled in summoning and support magic. The fighting style of the "High-Level Enchanter" involved summoning spirits or magical beasts, enhancing them through support magic, and weakening enemies with debuffs. Having her in the party was useful in various situations. So, being able to recruit Electra as a companion without triggering various events was, in a sense, fortunate. However, I couldn''t be entirely happy about it because recruiting her would inevitably trigger a chain of sub-events due to her royal status. The "Three Royal Sisters" sub-event, although not directly related to the main scenario, was incredibly bothersome in terms of difficulty, comparable to conquering the Demon King''s castle. Especially with Leon fallen into darkness and dealing with various troubles, I didn''t want to progress through this event in such a situation. "...I''ll rest in my room. Let me know when dinner is ready." "I''ll go change as well. May I assist with dinner?" "Of course. Please, take your time to rest." Bowed respectfully by Levienna''s farewell, I entered my room. Aeris also returned to her own room. The room, which was usually filled with women, had a king-sized bed placed in the center. It was big enough for at least five people to lie down. I didn''t specify who would sleep there, but it was a luxurious bed that an Arabian oil tycoon might use. "Sigh... I''m so tired..." I collapsed onto the bed. While I hadn''t exerted much physical effort, the mental fatigue of meeting the king was considerable. I had gotten used to behaving as a noble to some extent, but... I guess I''m still just an ordinary Japanese salaryman. Meeting the king and princess still made me nervous. "How can RPG protagonists calmly deal with kings and princesses? They must have nerves of steel." Why is it that game protagonists can talk so casually with kings and nobles? Clearly, the heroes tasked with saving the world are different. Perhaps I''m just a poor imitation. "...I should get some sleep." As I lay down, drowsiness immediately overcame me. Since there was some time until dinner, I might as well take a nap. I closed my eyes and surrendered my consciousness to a fleeting moment of tranquility. CH 230 "Onii...sa..." "......" "Onii-san... wake up..." "......" "Onii-san, wake up. Dinner''s ready... uh!" "......?" "Whoaaaa! That''s not okay there! It''s perverted!" "Hmm...?" I was brought back to consciousness by a somewhat startled voice. As I slowly opened my eyes on my bed, there was the flushed face of a young girl before me. "O-Onii-san..." "...Monica?" "Ah..." The one emitting a shy and embarrassed sound while closely pressed against me was Monica Brave. She''s the little sister of the protagonist Leon Brave in [DunBrave], currently under intense training as a substitute hero while awakening to the ''Battle Maiden'' job. Monica, for some reason, had crawled into the bed with me, and she was now nestled in my arms. In other words, I had inadvertently embraced Monica with both arms, turning her into a temporary pillow. "Monica... Don''t tell me you''ve got a habit of sneaking into guys'' beds?" "No way! You''re the one who dragged me onto the bed, aren''t you!?" "Huh? Is that so?" I tilted my head at Monica''s high-pitched voice. Since I was asleep, I had no recollection of it. Did I really commit the atrocity of dragging a girl around middle-school age onto my bed? "...Lately, I''ve been sleeping with someone else almost every night. I must have done it unconsciously." Urza, Aeris, Nagisa, Levienna... Lately, I''ve been sharing a bed with someone almost every night, embracing their bodies as I sleep. Perhaps, out of habit, I unconsciously longed for a woman''s presence and pulled Monica in. "...I''m sorry. I must have been half-asleep. Please forgive me." "Ugh... It''s fine, but just don''t move your hands too much..." "Huh?" Monica blushed deeply and her shoulders trembled. Upon closer inspection, my right hand was wrapped around Monica''s waist, with my hand resting on her butt. My left arm was tightly holding her back, restraining her movements, leaving the defenseless girl at the mercy of this harassment. "Sorry again. I truly didn''t mean to." "Ugh... If you had done it on purpose, I''d have called the police. Seriously, Onii-san, you''re like Leon-oniichan." "Huh? Did Leon also touch you like that?" "It''s not like he was touching me! Leon-oniichan has had a habit of stumbling and ending up with his face in girls'' chests or skirts since forever!" "I see... The protagonist''s privilege, huh? He''s quite the player too..." Leon, as per the standard for eroge protagonists, had a predisposition for ecchi situations. Whenever he happened to fall, there was usually a girl there, resulting in a naughty event. Encountering the heroine every time he took a bath seems like a case that should be reported to the police if it happened in reality. "I came to wake you up! Dinner''s ready!" "I apologize for that. Anyway... What''s with that outfit?" Monica was wearing a maid outfit, not the adventurer''s outfit I provided her, nor the village girl''s clothes she used to wear back home. It had the same design as Levienna''s attire, but it looked different when worn by Monica, who was of a different style and build. "Mom said, ''Since we''re receiving their hospitality, we should help with the household chores.'' So while I''m living here, I''ll work as a maid." "I see... That''s a diligent attitude." As expected of her parent, Monica''s mother, Anemone Brave. While she''s intimidating when angry, it seems she''s a sensible person in terms of sensibilities. "By the way... Does that mean Anemone is also wearing a maid outfit?" "Yeah, Mom''s wearing one too." "I see..." So, a girl of around middle-school age and a widow mature woman are both working as maids in the mansion. Somehow, even though I haven''t done anything remotely inappropriate, I''m feeling extremely guilty. Considering their true routes in the game, both of them were imprisoned by Zenon Baskerville, turned into drugged pets; it''s far from a laughing matter. "Come to think of it... There were maid outfit variations in the illustrations." Remembering the illustration of the mother-daughter pair being dressed in maid outfits and served as an oyakodon, I shuddered. Hoping that this isn''t a result of historical revisionism... I slowly got up from the bed and made my way to the dining area.